Madam, - Does the Government have any coherent vision for Irish society? Its response to the recent independent cost-benefit analysis of the multitude of tax-based investment schemes has been a repetition of its long-standing pre-election broadcast about the health of the economy, the low level of unemployment, blah blah blah.
Whatever the benefits to the economy of many of these uncapped tax breaks, they most certainly have made a big contribution to economic and social inequality. Only the already well-off can benefit from them, and the richer you are the greater the potential benefit.
In addition, many of our wealthiest citizens are non-resident for tax purposes, though they appear very regularly in the media attending functions and race meetings throughout the country.
If our Government displays little interest in non-voting, highly disadvantaged sections of our society, while leading business icons flaunt their enjoyment of "Irish society" without contributing taxes to support it, why would anyone be at all surprised if the burgeoning middle classes develop a "mé fein" approach to life? - Yours, etc,
PETER MOLLOY, Haddington Park, Glenageary, Co Dublin.