Sir, – Ah, what you’d miss about Alan Shatter – the ability to do the “right” and “honourable” thing while still managing to upset the establishment and go his own way. – Yours, etc,
SHEELAGH MOONEY,
Hazelmere,
Naas,
Co Kildare.
Sir, – How very generous Alan Shatter is with our money! – Yours, etc,
HUGH PIERCE,
Newtown Road,
Celbridge,
Co Kildare.
Sir, – Will Mr Shatter waive the tax refund he would be due after his recent donation of public funds to the registered charity of his friend? – Yours, etc,
CHARLES Mc LAUGHLIN,
St Kevin’s Road,
Portobello,
Dublin 8.
Sir, – Another example of the lack of judgment and understanding by Enda Kenny, Eamonn Gilmore, Joan Burton, et al. They all lined up to tell us they were confident Mr Shatter would do the "honourable thing" and refuse the money. But once again they were wrong – he took it. Whether Mr Shatter plans to give it to his family, his dog or his friend's charity is irrelevant. He is taking taxpayers' money under a discredited scheme he himself expressed opposition to and voted to discontinue. – Yours, etc,
DES GILROY,
Bailey Green,
Howth,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – Mr Shatter has shown in recent weeks that, yes, he is fallible, and has made mistakes, for which, unlike said individuals in the banking “industry”, he has paid the price; anyway the man who never made mistakes never made anything. Mr Shatter has been an outstanding public representative and legislator, and it is entirely good news that he remains a TD to continue this good work. – Yours, etc,
PETER THOMPSON,
Ferrybank,
Arklow, Co Wicklow.
Sir, – No one doubts that the Jack and Jill foundation does wonderful things but let’s not forget that the reason a charity like that exists in the first place is because politicians have never made the effort to provide a proper nationwide health system capable of meeting the needs of the Irish people.
The other point, which is possibly more serious, is the administrative incompetence within the Department of the Taoiseach that weeks after the President signed a Bill into law, the enacting paperwork had not been completed. You would think that part of the paperwork for signing a Bill into law would include the paperwork to legally enact it and that immediately after the President did his part, that the documents would be couriered back to the relevant Minister to sign within the hour and that all those documents must be signed on the same day.
It raises the question of how many other Bills have been signed by the President but never enacted by the relevant Minister?
If the Taoiseach and his staff are so incompetent they can’t even keep track of when Bills must be signed into law, what hope is there about the really important things, or isn’t giving legal effect to legislation pretty much as important as it gets in terms of proper governance? – Yours, etc,
DESMOND FitzGERALD,
Canary Wharf,
London.
A chara, – If I asked my employer to pay the annual voluntary subscription to my son’s school, the Revenue Commissioners would deem this to be a benefit-in-kind and tax me at my marginal rate. Mr Shatter has instructed his employer to make a charitable donation on his behalf. I hope Mr Shatter has factored an additional tax bill into his household budget. – Is mise,
CIARÁN DOWNES,
Granitefield,
Dún Laoghaire,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – While the €70,000 severance money will be warmly welcomed and used very well by the Jack and Jill Foundation, is this not just another example of how our politicians feel so entitled to spend taxpayers’ money? – Yours, etc,
PADDY GOGARTY,
Woodlands,
Portmarnock, Co Dublin.
Sir, – Not alone is the whole affair tawdry, it also reinforces the idea that many sick children should continue to have their needs met through charity rather than as a basic human right. – Yours, etc,
EILEEN McDERMOTT,
Westfield Road,
Dublin 6W.
Sir, – Mr Shatter was a creative, hardworking minister for justice, one of the best we ever had. Can we have him back, but with adult supervision? – Yours, etc,
JOHN FORREST
MILLHOUSE,
Kingslea, Grange,
Douglas, Cork.