Madam, - It has been said that if you are to be a hypocrite, then you should make the hypocrisy so great that it will take away the breath of eveyone who sees it.
Government policy last week, as articulated by Seamus Brennan, Brian Cowen and others, was turned on its head utterly by the Taoiseach on Saturday. This isn't a U-turn, it's a corkscrew turn. And Government ministers have suddenly become converted to the new way.
It might or might not be "auction politics", but it is surely nonsense politics. Have they no shame at all? Sadly, I don't believe they have. Will the electorate have no shame to be buying into it? Well, that remains to be seen. - Yours, etc,
JIM FINAN, Curragh, Castlebar, Co Mayo.
Madam, - For the umpteenth time Michael McDowell has lectured the voters of this democratic republic that if we have the temerity to think of changing the government at the next election the sky will fall in ("McDowell warns of 'flight of capital' if Government loses, The Irish Times, March 27th). Similarly, Ministers Cowen and Brennan warned us last week about the "reckless" and "alarming" auction politics of the opposition parties.
Yet the Taoiseach in his ardfheis speech made promises similar to the "reckless" ones made by the opposition. According to the Taoiseach and his senior Ministers, therefore, the basic rule seems to be if the opposition makes promises they could bankrupt the country, but if the Government makes similar promises, these show prudent management of the economy. - Yours, etc,
A. LEAVY, Shielmartin Drive, Sutton, Dublin 13.
Madam, - The latest dire warning from Michael McDowell is that there will be a "flight of capital" from the State if the PDs and Fianna Fáil are not re-elected. There certainly will be flights of pigs over the State if the Tánaiste's flights of fancy get legs.
Incidentally, how many more "celebrity" candidates who joined the PDs about five minutes ago are going to be parachuted into unfortunate constituencies? - Yours, etc,
PATRICK O'BYRNE, Shandon Crescent, Dublin 7.
Madam, - Listening to the Taoiseach last Saturday evening, and reading about all the promises made, one would think Fianna Fáil was struggling to regain the reins of power after a decade of wandering in the wilderness of opposition. - Yours, etc,
DAVID REDDY, Sandymount, Dublin 4.
Madam, - So, the race to the bottom is in full flight! If the various proposals to reduce income taxes become a reality, who will pay for our already ailing health and education sectors? There will be no option but to introduce more and more stealth taxes, which will put a greater strain on all of us, particularly the poor and vulnerable.
The saddest part of this tranche of vote-snatching is that it was started by Labour (New Labour?). Pat Rabbitte's antecedents would banish him from their sight. Better to lose the election than gain victory at the expense of society.
One is not surprised at Fianna Fáil, whose flagship has always been called "Expediency". It seems the time has finally arrived when Ireland can truly be called the 51st state of the US. But who among us wants the kind of society America has become? - Yours, etc,
MARY RYAN, Haven View, Malahide, Co Dublin.