Sir, - Certain TDs were very exercised recently over payments to a politician. They asked for valuable Dail time to indulge in some political point-scoring about a matter which can and should be dealt with by an existing tribunal.
When I wrote about the unfair treatment meted out to 18,786 widows trying to live on £67.50 a week (raised to £70.50 this month) why didn't these same TDs raise this issue in the Dail? It is sad that they can be so self-righteous about issues that cost them nothing, but are strangely silent about matters of deep concern to the very poor in our society.
I agree that politicians can work only within the limits of the available finances. Mr Dermot Ahern has stated that "the £5 and £3 increases (to pensioners) were substantial". Substantial? These poor pensioners have already spent these increases even before they get them because of the rise in food prices since the last budget.
I am not asking for economic miracles and I appreciate that improvements have been made. However, I do ask the Ministers for Finance, and for social welfare, to keep all those on £70 a week at the top of their agenda in the next budget. These people are more in need of a share in the £20 million given to Croke Park than are the GAA, which has other means of raising money.
Has anyone in the Dail tried to exist on £70 a week - even for one week, let alone on a continual basis? There is a deep truth in the saying that we cannot know how another man's feet are hurting until we have walked in his shoes for a mile. - Yours, etc., Fr Pat Griffin PP,
The Presbytery, Waterville, Co Kerry.