Madam, - Bertie Ahern's assertion that the signing of blank cheques was a common practice in business some years ago is downright inaccurate and offensive.
Having worked for over 30 years in finance in the public sector, I have never been asked to sign a blank cheque, nor would I offend the integrity of my colleagues by asking them to sign one. Anyone with even a limited knowledge of accounting practice would know that signing a blank cheque is highly irregular and defeats the whole purpose of dual signatures, which is to limit the possibility of fraud.
I have little doubt that, if I were found to be signing blank cheques, I would be at best moved elsewhere - or sacked altogether, and rightly so, if my action resulted in theft.
How dare he make such an assertion? - Yours, etc,
JOHN F MUGAN,
Lis na Lurg,
Sligo.
Madam, - In reply to David Carroll (December 21st) and to all those who wish everyone else to "move on", I say: do so at your peril. It is the belief of many political philosophers and commentators that true democracies can survive only if they are constantly vigilant for threats against their existence from those who wish to undermine them. The communist and fascist threats are gone, to be replaced with something far more difficult to confront: political corruption.
We now know for certain that political corruption was at the rotten core of Irish democracy throughout the Haughey era. The only way to counter such activities was to lay clear precisely what transpired, and the Moriarty Report has indeed done the State some service in attempting to do so.
Let us hope that we can learn from our past and that such contempt for Irish democracy will never again return to our high offices. - Yours, etc,
PAUL O'BRIEN,
Donnybrook,
Dublin 4.
Madam, - Some say Charles Haughey was a patriot. He was a Judas who sold citizenship of our country for a handful of silver. Some say he was a great man. He was a liar, a relentless bully and a craven thief who stole even from his best friend. Some say he left a great legacy. His legacy is one of political corruption and abuse unprecedented in our history.
Some say his achievements will outlast his perfidy. They are sycophants whose support then and since has helped ensure Haughey's horrible legacy to public life. At their head trots our present Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern. - Yours, etc,
MICHAEL MEADE,
Shantalla Road,
Galway.
Madam, - Your publication of images of Charles Haughey's memorial card (The Irish Times, December 21st) confirms that your obsession is now total and is unfettered by any considerations of judgment or taste. Surely all that is left to achieve the absolute nadir is a Fintan O'Toole analysis of the card and its contents.
The announcement of a "compact" edition cannot now be far away. - Yours, etc,
MARTIN RYAN,
Springlawn Close,
Blanchardstown,
Dublin 15.
Madam, - Surely the Criminal Assets Bureau or some other organ of the State should be charged with retrieving the costs of the Moriarty Tribunal and the stolen monies from the Fianna Fáil leader's account from the Haughey estate. I am sure the health service, which is still suffering the effects of the savage cuts made during Mr Haughey's time in office would benefit greatly from the money. - Yours, etc,
GARRETT MURRAY,
Spa Road,
Inchicore,
Dublin 8.
Madam, - With regard to the revelations regarding both Charles Haughey's financial transactions and the Fianna Fáil response to them, I would like to quote Dean Jonathan Swift from The Nature of Man: "I never wonder to see men wicked, but I often wonder to see them unashamed." - Yours, etc,
JOE Mc GOWAN,
Dún Caológ,
Mullaghmore,
Co Sligo.