Madam, - There were smiles all round from Fianna Fáil and its allies in the Dáil chamber last Thursday as pots of gold made their way down to South Kerry and South Tipperary and a Fianna Fáil stalwart took control of the silver gong.
But perhaps the biggest smile of the day belonged to Beverley Flynn, possessed as she is of that most useful of political treasures - a neck of solid brass.
Not content with unsuccessfully suing the State broadcaster over claims made by it pertaining to Ms Flynn's dealings in her previous employment, neither is she content, it would seem, to pay the legal bills she incurred in taking that action. In fact, so distasteful is this thought that she would rather have the laws pertaining to her particular situation declared null, void and unconstitutional.
Is it too much to expect of our public representatives that they pay their debts when they arise? That they enter into political contests in good faith and with a reasonable expectation that they will be able to serve out their term of office? Or that they will respect the the wisdom of the judgments arrived at by our judiciary? Ms Flynn's decision to prolong this affair merely demonstrates both her contempt for the institutions of State and the depths of her own cynicism.
Self-serving delaying tactics, cute-hoorism and a refusal to admit wrongdoing - hardly surprising, then, that there is talk about re-admitting her to Fianna Fáil and appointing her to a position in Government. - Yours, etc,
OWEN CORRIGAN, Blessington Street, Dublin 7.