Madam, - John Hurley, governor of the Central Bank, claimed on RTÉ news this week that Ireland had a hard-earned reputation for managing its economy and fiscal affairs well over the past 20 years. It may have appeared that way until recently but the veil is finally being lifted.
Strong economic growth due to a productive export sector during the Celtic Tiger years was replaced by a credit binge. The taxes on the resulting property purchases and consumer spending served to mask the fundamental weaknesses in the Government finances and ministers irresponsibly behaved as though this could continue indefinitely.
As our European peers cautioned us regarding this unsustainable situation, Government leaders were busy awarding themselves inflation-busting pay increases to themselves and appointing friends to quangos.
As the highest-paid central banker in Europe, what did John Hurley do control rampant house inflation? - Yours, etc,
COLIN KING, Castletroy, Co Limerick.
Madam, - Given the way the Government has been mismanaging the economy recently, I wonder if the former has somehow inextricably linked up the latter to the radar system at Dublin airport. - Yours, etc,
PATRICK O'BYRNE, Shandon Crescent, Phibsborough, Dublin 7.