Madam, - Thank you for a welcome Editorial (October 2nd). No matter what, it is right that The Irish Times maintains its high standards and serves the public well.
"To err is human" - and I am more than happy to forgive the Taoiseach. However, I am truly saddened that Mrs Mary Hanafin, Minister for Education, who represents me in the Dáil, saw nothing wrong with this whole episode. I would have expected her, a former teacher, to distinguish between right and wrong and guide the young of this nation.
Loyalty is one thing, but to defend the indefensible is totally unacceptable. Once again we are witnessing low standards in high places. Where is George Colley? - Yours, etc,
MARY TOOMEY, The Grange, Blackrock. Co Dublin.
Madam, - You have taken a very high moral stance in your Editorial of October 2nd, and you strongly condemn Bertie Ahern and Fianna Fáil. I am a floating voter with no particular political axe to grind. However, I am interested in morality and ethics.
I hope you will allow me to ask whether your own behaviour in relation to the Mahon Tribunal is of the highest standard? I am referring to your decision to publish documents which you knew were confidential and part of a very valuable investigative process on corruption, and to your further actions in shredding those documents and refusing to discuss them after a request from the tribunal to have them back. You seem also to have flown in the face of a Supreme Court order in regard to publication of such material.
There will always be a debate about how the rights of journalists are to be balanced against the needs of society in general. However, the tribunals have achieved a great deal in fighting corruption on behalf of the Irish people on the basis that submissions to them were confidential until their conclusions were published and they decided what information was to be published. You may well have subverted to some extent the work which tribunals might be able to do in the future.
I am a loyal reader of your usually excellent newspaper and I hope you will allow this letter to initiate a debate on the above matters. - Yours, etc,
BRIAN DUFFY, Claremont Road, Dublin 4.
Madam, - When we elect a Taoiseach we do so on the supposed basis that he or she has certain qualities and skills to do the job competently and without compromise.
Whether you feel you can condone or condemn what the Taoiseach has done, the result is that he has no credible moral authority to deal effectively with any miscreant Minister in future.
There really is other decent way out of this mess for the Taoiseach but to resign and in so doing try to retrieve some dignity for himself and his not inconsiderable legacy. - Yours, etc,
FRANK GREENE, Oakley Park, Blackrock, Co Dublin.
Madam, - A former taoiseach, three former ministers, countless councillors and now the current Taoiseach have all accepted gifts, donations, payments or loans from friends, acquaintances or complete strangers. Dr Martin Mansergh questions the probity of The Irish Times reporting the leak from the Mahon Tribunal on the current Taoiseach's gift, donation, payment or loan from his friends because it came from an anonymous source.
Thank God, say I, for The Irish Times and the other Irish media for having the testicular fortitude to publish such stories and for being responsible in the first place for the establishment of all the tribunals, including Mahon.
It just goes to show the important function the media fulfil in ensuring that there is some sort of ethical standard in Irish politics and public life. God forbid that the politicians might be self-regulating in this regard.
Meanwhile, the Tánaiste and leader of the Progressive Democrats, Michael McDowell, says: "It is up to the Irish people to decide whether they want the Government to break up over this" (The Irish Times, September 30th). Correction, Mr McDowell: It is up to you to make that decision, sir. That is why you were elected.
Once again, a politician has to wait to read it in The Irish Times before he realises what he must do. - Yours, etc,
BOB McDONALD, Rosán Glas, Rahoon, Galway.
Madam, - Given the present difficulties facing the Taoiseach and Tánaiste, the sudden resignation of former Tánaiste Mary Harney could be viewed as a fortunate decision on her part. Therefore should recent developments be regarded as proof positive of the value of female intuition? - Yours, etc,
TONY MORIARTY, Shanid Road, Kenilworth Park, Dublin 6W.
Madam, - The Irish Times prides itself on the hard work, dedication and writing talent of its journalists. Similarly, the majority of Irish people recognise the hard work, dedication and political talent of Bertie Ahern. Not only do they appreciate his enthusiasm and love for the work he does but they also sense his genuine liking and respect for people from all walks of life. The Taoiseach genuinely likes people and people reciprocate with their own genuine fondness for the Taoiseach.
Nobody is perfect. That's the nature of being human. Perhaps it was questionable for the Taoiseach to receive financial support from his friends in a time of need. But equally it was very questionable for The Irish Times to go ahead and publish details of the Taoiseach's financial affairs submitted in confidentiality to the Mahon Tribunal and leaked to the newspaper by an anonymous source.
In my opinion, if the Taoiseach has erred, so too has The Irish Times. - Is mise,
SHEILA PECK, Heynestown Cross, Dundalk, Co Louth.
Madam, - "I see a much more sinister development, the persistent hounding of an honourable man to resign an important position on the basis of innuendo and unproven allegations." No, not a remark about Bertie Ahern's recent bother, but an angry Mr Ahern, addressing the Dáil in October 1997, referring to press articles about certain activities of then Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ray Burke.
How little has changed. - Yours, etc,
DAVID REDDY, Durham Road, Sandymount, Dublin 4.
Madam, - Bertie Ahern has given much more of himself than he has taken, which bears witness to him as a good leader. Hypocrisy is endemic in politics. Mr Ahern had the misfortune to be exposed. Do we now intend to put a less competent, less hard-working, as yet unexposed hypocrite in his place? It reminds me of Oscar Wilde's saying: "Democracy means simply the bludgeoning of the people, by the people, for the people" - Yours, etc,
RONAN ROCHFORD, Sullivan Street, Dublin 7.
Madam, - The only difference between Bertie Ahern and his erstwhile mentor, Charlie Haughey, accepting payments from business friends is that Charlie did it on a grander scale and with some style. - Yours, etc,
TONY RODGERS, Kilbane, Castletroy, Limerick.
Madam, - One of the things that I admire most about the Taoiseach is his ability to build up without pulling down. Would that the Opposition were so kind!
I believe in Bertie Ahern's integrity, and I hope and pray that he will be Taoiseach for many years to come. - Yours, etc,
Sr MARY GALLAGHER, Clontarf Road, Dublin 3.