Madam, - While there is widespread agreement that the work of the tribunals is necessary to get to the bottom of the almost endemic corruption in our political system, and to hold those responsible to account, there is obviously some disquiet at the extraordinary cost being inflicted on the taxpayer by lawyers.
In a "free market" anyone can negotiate the best fee for his or her services. Barristers and solicitors have been doing this for some time. To say that these lawyers are avaricious is beside the point.
The irony here is that Minister for Justice Michael McDowell is an enthusiastic proponent of the "free market" as a panacea for all ills. While he believes that tribunals are costing too much, he is unable to articulate any rational argument for the reduction of the lawyers' fees.
The only option open to him, it would seem, is to wind up the tribunals, despite the extremely important nature of their work.
If the tribunals are essential to restore confidence in our political institutions, but the people charged with operating these tribunals, operating in a "free market", are extracting extortionate fees for their labours, what is a "free market" fundamentalist to do? - Yours, etc,
PAUL McGUIRK,
Summerfield Close,
Dalkey,
Co Dublin.
Madam, - Last week Tánaiste Michael McDowell suggested that because we have "the gist" of the corruption that the Mahon tribunal is investigating, it should be wrapped up. This is an outrageous proposal for the Minister for Justice of the country to make.
In my view it proves the emptiness of the claim that it is better to have the PDs in government with Fianna Fail as a "watchdog". The PDs might as well merge with Fianna Fáil as they now seem to be trying to prevent Bertie Ahern being investigated any further by the Mahon tribunal. Is Mr McDowell's idea of investigating corruption to get "the gist of it" and then move on?
Michael McDowell would be better off concentrating on the spiralling levels of gangland crime in Ireland and the overcrowding in prisons, if you get my gist. - Yours, etc,
CAITRIONA FITZPATRICK,
Marble Hall Park,
Cork.
Madam, - As a member of the Irish public which Tánaiste Michael McDowell claims to represent in his assertion that "we" have collectively got the "gist" of the Mahon tribunal, I am curious.
I do indeed have a "gist" of what has been happening, in that a swathe of Irish politicians have accepted bribes. My questions for Mr McDowell are: Have these practices ended? Are these corrupt practices endemic to Irish public life, or are they limited to the Government? What actions have been taken to prevent a repeat or continuation of these corrupt practices?
Why has the Government not introduced an independent commission against corruption, models of which now exist in a number of jurisdictions?
Finally, am I alone in thinking that Michael McDowell believes that, as a member of the Irish public, I don't quite match his intellectual capacity, and as such need to be patronised? - Yours, etc,
JOHN MULCAHY,
Portsalon,
Co Donegal.
Madam, - The Taoiseach was among those to opine last week that the Mahon tribunal had gone on for 10 years because it had been beset my legal and constitutional challenges from many of its main protagonists.
Has Mr Ahern forgotten that he himself challenged the tribunal in the High Court last October in an attempt to prevent it from obtaining details of his own financial affairs? Is he really in any position to criticise Ray Burke and the late Liam Lawlor for doing the very same? Just how much more hypocrisy does the Taoiseach intend to display on this issue? - Yours, etc,
BARRY WALSH,
Brooklawn,
Clontarf,
Dublin 3.