Sir, – Fintan O'Toole's article (Opinion, January 22nd) highlighting the sense of entitlement prevalent in Ireland is apt in the week that our alleged betters meet for their annual global review at Davos.
O’Toole highlights how we allow our elected officials perpetuate a sense of entitlement among the professional and business elite in this country. It seems our political class quickly forgets its mandate and seeks to be validated by a self-appointed elite. This week the global corporate elite invites political leaders to Davos for discussion on the theme “The Reshaping of the World: Consequences for Society, Politics and Business”. Here it will listen while political leaders and celebrities highlight their concerns regarding inequality and look at options to reduce the income gap between rich and poor.
However, rather than our elected leaders outlining to business leaders how society will be organised and wealth distributed, they will wait to hear the wisdom of this unelected group on how they should legislate to minimise impact on the status quo while providing some minimal conciliatory gesture to societal concerns.
The issue that Fintan O’Toole has highlighted is not local, it merely reflects a global culture of deference by elected politicians to the business and professional class. – Yours,etc,
BARRY WALSH,
Linden Avenue,
Blackrock, Cork.