Sir, - Upon learning of the Minister's decision not to pay ASTI teachers who refuse to carry out voluntary supervision, I was reminded of Napoleon, the Berkshire boar of Animal Farm fame.
You'll recall that the lower animals were engaged in building a windmill - a kind of allegorical version of our Celtic tiger economy which promised prosperity and fairness for all animals. In order to accomplish this task, Napoleon announced that the lower animals would have to work on Sundays. This extra work, he assured them, would be absolutely voluntary ; however, any animal who failed to turn up for it would have his rations reduced by half.
It seems members of the present Cabinet are in good company, but, then again, weren't they always? Long live Animal Farm! - Yours, etc.,
Micheal Lynch, Carndonagh, Co Donegal.