Sir, – Article 13.9 of the 1937 Constitution does not forbid a President from voicing his opinion – as distinct from “exercising powers”. As he represents all the people, President Higgins was certainly in tune with the majority view that the political class has made a hames of the economy over the past five years (Business, September 20th).
Even those of us who would disagree with him over neo-liberalism as the cause would still agree that for the wealth pyramid to work, those at the bottom layer need to earn and spend, yet the Government is still shrinking the economy. The American neo-liberal bankers took a salary of $1 until they had turned around their banks with public money, but that sort of commitment is not found here.
One way or another the State employs those in the civil service, the semi-states, a news service, the universities, the banks and Nama. I welcome the President’s ability to say: “it could have been done better” when nobody else will. – Yours, etc,
PATRICK GUINNESS,
Furness,
Naas, Co Kildare.