Sir, – With 46 per cent of water charges paid, is the glass half empty or half full? – Yours, etc,
BRIAN AHERN,
Clonsilla,
Dublin 15.
Sir, – We now have the Irish definition of optimism. Glass almost half full (46 per cent). Better than nothing, we are told. Not good enough, I say. – Yours, etc,
DOROTHY BARRY,
Glasnevin,
Dublin 9.
Sir, – I pay my water tax because I not only realise that water must be paid for but that such a tax helps conserve a scarce resource. I also pay my property tax because I believe it is one of the few effective means we have in this State to tax the wealthy.
I am all in favour of tax breaks for the lower paid and more expenditure on public services, but those advocating the abolition of these taxes need to specify how they will replace the lost revenue with measures that also encourage the conservation of scarce resources and tax the better-off.
Otherwise we are merely talking about yet another Irish solution to an Irish problem and expressing perfectly justifiable anger at austerity in the most counter-productive way possible. – Yours, etc,
PADRAIG YEATES,
Portmarnock,
Co Dublin.