Madam, - I could not agree more with the last paragraph of Noel Whelan's column last Saturday. He wrote that "one person who deserves particular recognition for the role he played this week in the national interest is Richard Bruton".
Mr Bruton has indeed distinguished himself - not just during the past week, but over the past few months as the economic outlook has become darker and darker. He has also somehow been able to refrain from saying, "I told you so", given that in his responses over the past few years to Brian Cowen's budgets he correctly predicted what was going to happen.
It is sad to contrast his performance with that of his party leader.
Enda Kenny seems anxious to score political points and also seems to believe that his sole function is to oppose. Right now the last thing the citizens of this State need to see is pointless political bickering. This is not the time for fixing the blame; we need to fix the problem. The time for blame will come later and I hope the electorate will remember the sad condition to which Fianna Fáil has brought this country.
In the last election I cast my vote not so much for Fine Gael as against Fianna Fáil. This "holding my nose" while I voted was largely due to Mr. Kenny's lack of credibility as a leader. Nothing he has done or said since has changed my opinion. Richard Bruton's only handicap seems to be (rather unfairly) his surname. There is no other TD in the Dail whom I would rather see in charge of the country's finances. The only position I would prefer him to hold is Taoiseach.
However, that is for the next election. Until then, could we please have him as the main opposition voice? - Yours, etc,
ALAN HYNES, Rathmore, Corofin, Co Galway.