Sir, - Perhaps one of your readers could explain the rationale/justification for the recently announced £17 million exchequer payment to farmers "because times were tough in the beef trade." Would small traders whose earnings are seriously reduced through no fault of theirs, by the arrival in their neighbourhood of a branch of a large supermarket chain, be equally entitled to assistance?
The impression abroad is that the bullying tactics of a powerful special interest group have again prevailed. A serious effort, needs to be made to correct this impression if indeed it is erroneous. Otherwise the PAYE worker, out of whose pocket by far the largest part of the £17 million must come, will see himself once again as having been sacrificed on the altar of political expediency by a very weak government. Yours, etc.,
Corbawn Lane,
Shankill,
Co Dublin.