Madam, – The comments by Brian Cowen on how the government of the day could not have foreseen the coming catastrophe (Front page, May 14th) are an insult to the intelligence of the electorate and will hopefully be seen for what they are, a pathetic attempt to rewrite history.
The only words that might satisfy an angry populace would be an admission that the craven adherence to the ideology of the so-called free market, driven by Charlie McCreevy and the PDs, has proven to be an abject failure. The continuing injection of pension funds into corrupted institutions along with the continuous stream of hot air from Ministers only stokes the anger manifested at the gates of the Dáil this week. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Taoiseach Brian Cowen admits that Fianna Fáil governments must take responsibility for a failure to implement more intensive compliance regulation of financial institutions (Front page, May 14th). Therefore, as a matter of honour, he should resign immediately in a dignified manner. It is what the people of Ireland expect of him to secure the country’s future. – Yours, etc,
Madam, On Thursday Brian Cowen delivered a major speech on the financial crisis to the North Dublin Chamber of Commerce. In February 2009 another significant address on the subject occurred at the Dublin Chamber of Commerce AGM. Apparently this appeal for self-belief was “unscripted and often passionate”.
Why does the Taoiseach prefer to share his thoughts with the business elite? Are poor people, or TDs unworthy? – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Brian Cowen, in his recent act of contrition, still peddles the line that stamp duty on residential property transactions, during the years that he sometimes refers to as the “good times”, was a necessary measure to prevent house price escalation. If he was truly concerned about house price escalation he could simply have regulated the supply of credit. In the absence of such a measure the imposition of a penal stamp duty tax can only be seen as a cynical means of raising funds for the exchequer through exploiting home-buyers.
It would be interesting if all members of the cabinet from the past 15 years revealed how much stamp duty they each paid. I suspect that they paid none, and stamp duty was simply a tax for others to pay. – Yours, etc,