Madam, - The Taoiseach's repeated references to "a million a year" available to him in Brussels illustrates both politicians' acute awareness of the value of the tax-free perks available to them and the obscene level of those perks.
Traditionally TDs enjoyed generous unvouched expenses and allowances to compensate them for relatively low salaries. However, politicians' salaries have increased dramatically in the past decade and any justification for their ancillary expenses, which frequently exceed their annual salaries and are tax-free, is no longer valid.
Any party or coalition which wishes to restore a perception of integrity in public office should commit itself to a radical reform of this abuse of the public purse as a core commitment in its next election manifesto. - Yours, etc.,
PETER MOLLOY, Haddington Park, Glenageary, Co Dublin.