Madam, - That's it. I've had enough. I took the Taoiseach's advice and downloaded and read the transcripts of his evidence to the Mahon tribunal. If I was him, I'd stop handing out that advice. It's worse than I thought. To my mind it boils down to the Taoiseach saying (to paraphrase another great leader): "I did not have financial relations with that money", while tribunal counsel Des O'Neill waved bank records around like a little blue dress.
Assuming his coalition members took his advice and read the transcripts, I fail to understand their stance during the confidence debate in the Dáil. Mr Cowen seems to think "political loyalty" is a "virtue", while I happen to think being loyal to the people you represent is. It's not good enough to say "wait for the tribunal to report" when faced with this drivel as evidence.
His evidence is simply insulting and contradicts his pre-election versions, on which it is claimed the people voted. While I didn't expect any different outcome in the confidence vote, I'm disgusted in particular with the way the Greens have behaved post-coalition and I won't be wasting my votes there any more.
As it seems unlikely that there will be any gesture made towards addressing honesty, integrity or standards in public office for the foreseeable future, I've decided I'm simply going to treat the next EU Treaty referendum as a vote of confidence in Bertie Ahern and vote accordingly. - Yours, etc,
PAUL CLANCY, Tralee, Co Kerry.
Madam, - Declan Harmon (October 3rd) declares that the most powerful politician in the land should not have to "endure grotesque, forensic examination of his private affairs".
He also implies that, because Mr Ahern got "two votes of confidence", he should be allowed to carry on without any criticism from any source.
Perhaps he is right. Perhaps we do need to rethink the whole political scene. We could, for example, declare Bertie Ahern taoiseach for life. Then we could declare him immune from criticism. As a result we could abolish the tribunals and would not have to put up with any more "grotesque" examinations of his private affairs.
But why stop there? Why not get rid of what Mr Harmon describes as the "ghastly" Opposition? Then we would not have to put up with their whinging and "absurd attacks" on the Taoiseach. Neither would we need all those awful media types asking awkward questions and indulging in boring political discussions in newspapers, radio and television.
Think of it: instead of all those cribbers and moaners, there would be many opportunities for entertaining soaps and reality shows. The advertising people would be in heaven.
To help the Taoiseach in running the country it would be a much simpler and easier procedure for people who could afford it to sponsor a small number of selected politicians. I don't know why we haven't thought of this before. - Yours, etc,
A. LEAVY, Shielmartin Drive, Sutton, Dublin 13.