Sir, - Gemma Hussey's letter defending the recent Budget (January 12th) is the sort of illogical outburst which, in the past, contributed to women being labelled scatty and feather-brained.
She follows her sincere hope that the Minister for Finance will not re-write the Budget with an acknowledgement that some steps will have to be taken in the Finance Bill to make recompense to the low-paid who have, she admits, a very good case indeed for improvement.
She further acknowledges that when children are small, parents and the State should be in partnership to make sure their care is the best possible - while accepting that as yet no government (including the present one which has the means to do so) has really addressed this most important issue.
Ms Hussey closes by saying there is no justification for penalising the dual-income couple, i.e. a couple where both are in paid employment. It seems to have escaped her notice that where only one spouse is in paid employment, that income becomes the dual income of their household. Where is Ms Hussey's justification for wishing to penalise such people?
To paraphrase her own logic, parents who both work outside the home are more virtuous and do a better job with their children, and the Minister has taken the right decision in rewarding them accordingly. - Yours, etc.,
Anne Cahill, Laurel Park, Clondalkin, Dublin 22.