Madam, - Political turbulence frequently brings a loss of perspective - and we are experiencing this at present. Before judgment is passed on the Taoiseach's role in events in 1993/94 we need to consider how he has fulfilled his role as Taoiseach since assuming office in 1997.
During his tenure this State has experienced extraordinary political stability. Without it we would not have achieved the economic success of the past decade. The reason for this stability is the non-confrontational style of Bertie Ahern. He is a politician with neither ego nor arrogance.
On coming to office he played a crucial role in securing the Good Friday Agreement and in doing so he established relationships with leaders of the unionist tradition on this island that had never been bettered by any previous taoiseach. He secured agreement on a European Constitution that was believed by most European leaders to be unattainable and, as a result, could have assumed one of the most important jobs in the Western world as President of the European Commission.
In fact, he has been our best Taoiseach. A quotations from Shakespeare's Othello was used on the occasion of the departure of an earlier leader. Before seeking the departure of Bertie Ahern people should recall the words uttered after Othello had killed the innocent Desdemona. His action was compared to "the base Indian who threw a pearl away richer than all his tribe". - Yours, etc,
JIM O'CALLAGHAN, South Richmond Street, Dublin 8.
Madam, - Whatever Bertie's friends thought they were doing, they've made a right Charlie out of him. - Yours, etc,
PAT BRADY, Stoney Road,Dublin 14.
Madam, - The debate on the issue of payments to the Taoiseach has been a fascinating piece of political theatre over the past week. It has given us the opportunity to examine the health of our democratic institutions and our own, our media's and our politicians' reaction to a matter of public controversy.
To some, a "dig-out for a fella in trouble" was nobody's business but those involved. For others, any payments to a powerful politician smacked of corruption. One person's "cynical leak" of sensitive information is another's "whistle-blowing" in the public interest.
If you happen to be in Government, Michael McDowell's leaking of a Garda file was "patriotic", while the leaking of information on payments to Bertie Ahern was "sinister". If you happen to be in Opposition, you probably took the opposite view. For some people, €50,000 is small change. For others it is a vast sum of money. For some people, politicians' private lives have no relevance to their public lives. Others feel that if politicians put themselves forward to represent the rest of us then they are public people and not private people.
Many people feel that politicians are dedicated and honest while many others feel that they use their positions of power for self-promotion and are not averse to backhanders if they think they can get away with it. Whatever our views, all of us should realise that we are privileged to live in a democracy and can make up our own minds. - Yours, etc,
A. LEAVY, Shielmartin Drive, Dublin 13.
Madam, - Given the present difficulties facing the Taoiseach and Tánaiste, the sudden resignation of former Tánaiste Mary Harney could be viewed as a fortunate decision on her part. Therefore should recent developments be regarded as proof positive of the value of female intuition? - Yours, etc,
TONY MORIARTY, Shanid Road, Dublin 6W.
Madam, - As we approach a general election the Opposition parties have not made their programme for government clear to me - if indeed they have one.
Instead I am enduring a sickening, hypocritical, crawthumping rant which purports to deal with ethical matters and purports to show that a Taoiseach whose term in office has seen unprecedented benefits for all people in this country is unfit for office.
If Rabbitte, Kenny & Co think this is their best chance of securing power we can surely manage without them. - Yours, etc,
BARRY DOYLE, Howth, Co Dublin.
Madam, - May I, through the good offices of your newspaper, let it be known that I am available for speaking engagements to groups of businessmen outside Ireland? As a private citizen of Ireland, I am well placed to talk about the Irish economy, the changes in Irish society over the past number of years, why the Dubs will again fail to win the All-Ireland football championship next year - indeed anything at all that might interest them.
I will be prepared to meet all my own expenses. Of course, if businessmen decide that they would like to reward me handsomely for my insights, I will most humbly accept their generosity. - Yours, etc,
PATRICK SHINE, Cathedral Road, Cork.
Madam, After hearing the news about the Taoiseach's financial arrangements during the early 1990s, I was reminded of a song from Oklahoma. My apologies to Messrs Rogers and Hammerstein: "I'm just a guy who can't say no, I'm in a terrible fix!" - Yours, etc,
L. CURTIN, Cabra, Dublin 7.