Madam, – Although it’s a bit late, the revelations by former minister Brian Lenihan that the European Central Bank, foisted a penal “forced loan” on the people of this country, are to be welcomed (Dan O’Brien, Front page, April 23rd). The interests of the ECB lay in defending the euro and looking after the bondholders, not the people of Ireland.
Would it be too much to expect that Mr Lenihan might now reveal to us what really happened on that night in September 2009 when he decided to bail out the banks? Could it possibly be that those same interests dominated that decision? – Yours, etc,
Madam, – In describing his own role in the bailout, Brian Lenihan (Front page, April 23rd) quotes St Paul’s Letter to Timothy, “I had fought the good fight”, but, curiously, he omits the preceding sentence “The time had come for me to be gone.” – Yours, etc,
Madam, – One would have to have a heart of stone not to feel sorry for Brian Lenihan who was so bullied during “the bailout” by his political friends in the EU who didn’t believe his story – and to make matters worse he couldn’t tell us about it because we wouldn’t believe him either. It’s Lisbon all over again – unbelievable. – Yours, etc,