Madam, - The media seem to have whipped up a storm of protest over the salary increases for the Taoiseach and his Ministers.
It is well known that the general managers of banks and other commercial entities earn seven-figure incomes. I consider that the Taoiseach and his Ministers carry much more responsibility than the such managers and are probably entitled to earn more than them.
I am a retired teacher with an annual pension of less than €30,000, but I'm proud to say my mother never reared a begrudger. - Yours, etc,
ART KAVANAGH, Upper Grand Canal Street, Dublin 4.
Madam, - As one who values everyone's right to criticise the Taoiseach and his Ministers, I think the bellyaching about their official salaries is overdone. I am much more interested in a thorough investigation being carried out if questions are raised that they are also being paid unofficially by people who can afford to do so.
I also think it is an abuse that powerful politicians who act on behalf of all of us can spend millions of euro in taxpayers' money on spin-doctors in order to promote their personal images and create celebrity status for themselves. These are much more important issues than the level of their salaries. - Yours, etc,
A. LEAVY, Shielmartin Drive, Sutton, Dublin 13.