Madam, - Tom Parlon first came to national prominence as the president of the Irish Farmers' Association from 1997 to 2001. In that position, he oversaw a three-day long occupation by farmers of the offices of the Department of Agriculture in 1998. In 2000, he went one better, with his organisation occupying the EU Commission Offices in Molesworth Street for a total of 10 days.
After four years of vehemently arguing that farmers should not be subject to the forces of the free market - pressing his point to the extent of the illegal occupations outlined above - Mr Parlon stood for election for the Progressive Democrats, a party which at all times advocates the virtues of the free market and respect for the rule of law. It was the Irish equivalent of Arthur Scargill standing for the Conservative Party.
Now, after having served as Minister for State at the Department of Finance, and having lost his seat at the last election, Mr Parlon has surprised us yet again by announcing that he is taking up the position of director general of the Construction Industry Federation.
I, for one, await with great anticipation the next step in Mr Parlon's extraordinary and wildly unpredictable career. I only hope that in his new position he will be able to desist from occupying the offices of the Department of the Environment should its decisions go against him and his new organisation. - Yours, etc,
DAVID DOYLE, Gilford Park, Sandymount, Dublin 4.
A Chara, - Tom Parlon's new job announcement is another blow to the notion of ethics in Government and outside. There should be guidelines for this type of move by senior politicians. - Yours, etc,
PAUL DORAN, Monastery Walk, Clondalkin, Dublin 22.
Madam, - Tom Parlon's parting message to the sinking PDs that he "would in lots of ways have liked to help out in terms of [ their] resurrection again" will bring little comfort to the handful of members clinging to the wreckage of a once proud and ethical party. How long will they have to wait for their mother ship, Fianna Fáil, to rescue them, take them on board and give them a new leader, Bertie Ahern? - Yours, etc,
PATRICK O'BYRNE, Shandon Crescent, Phibsborough, Dublin 7.