Sir, – Regarding the hint about increasing taxation (albeit for smokers and drinkers) so as to provide resources for those with Down syndrome, costing an estimated €600,000 (Finian McGrath, August 10th): surely a better way of raising the necessary funding would be to scrap the ludicrous “party leader’s allowance” for Independent TDs?
Abolishing this allowance, in the only country in the world that regards an individual person as a “party”, would save €600,000 if there were just 15 Independents in Dáil Éireann.
Why is it that five years down the road of austerity our politicians can only think of further taxation as a way forward? How is it that we now have fewer firemen, gardaí, nurses, teachers, doctors, civil servants and others, and have not yet seen the reduction of even one politician from the public payroll?
They are all out of touch, including Mr McGrath with his tidy €40,000 “party leader’s allowance” on top of all the uncertified expenses. – Yours, etc,
BERNARD NEARY,
Croaghpatrick Road,
Cabra,
Dublin 7.