A chara, – Those EU member states which champion fiscal union and budgetary discipline as the method to ensure that the European sovereign debt crisis will never be repeated would do well to remember their failure to adhere to the fiscal rules contained in the Stability and Growth Pact (SGP), the precursor to the fiscal compact.
Both France and Germany consistently breached SGP debt and deficit criteria while, prior to onset of the crisis, member states which are now being pilloried as debt and deficit delinquents, including Ireland, largely adhered to those rules. – Is mise,
ENDA McNAMARA,
Ballyhea, Cork.
A chara, – Niall Ginty (February 2nd) seems to suffer from the illusion of many 21st-century neo-conservative apologists: if you say something often enough it will become true.
Now he is targeting the “nonsensical bleatings” of Sinn Féin and, I imagine, the other principled opponents in the Dáil of the latest economic madness handed down by our European masters.
I wonder if he has actually read any of Sinn Féin’s alternative strategies to deal with this catastrophe of unfettered capitalism? Strategies recognised around the world by many economists as having well considered validity and practicality.
Furthermore I would like Mr Ginty and his cohorts in the Dáil (and most especially those wearing the badge of Labour) to give a single example of this type of austerity solving any economic crisis – other than paying back the losses of criminal gamblers and speculators, mostly from outside this country.
Not to mention the role of this “pact” in the real agenda: rolling back public services, widespread privatisation, emasculation of the trade union movement, silencing the voice of the poor and locking Europe into a right-wing liberal economic hell – indefinitely! I’d rather listen to the nonsensical bleating, thank you. – Is mise,
NICK McCALL,
Drumkeeran, Co Leitrim.
A chara, – I agree with Niall Ginty (February 2nd) about the irresponsible way Fianna Fáil is reacting to the European fiscal agreement. The party needs to forget about trying to copy the almost nihilistic approach that Sinn Féin and other opposition TDs adopt on nearly every issue.
The opposition’s clueless politics of indignation is beginning to wear a bit thin at this stage and cannot be taken seriously.
It is time for Fianna Fáil to stop its juvenile bickering and put the old politics aside in the national interest, particularly in these dark times. Show some gumption: it’s what the electorate will respect.Adopting a supporting role regarding the fiscal agreement would not be seen as a weakness.
Micheál Martin should grasp the nettle, it won’t sting as much as he thinks. – Is mise,
JIM CUSACK,
The Gables,
Kill, Co Kildare.
Sir, – I agree with the suggestion (John D O’Brien, February 3rd) that we should have a referendum on whether or not we should have a referendum.
But if we get a No result, we should hold another one so as to overturn the will of the electorate. – Yours, etc,