Madam, - In response to letters in your edition of January 26th, I would point out that Mr Peter Hain resigned only after the English police announced that they would be commencing an investigation in relation to his behaviour.
There is not now, nor ever has been, any suggestion of a Garda inquiry into any actions of the Taoiseach.
An important difference. - Yours, etc,
SEAN BELLEW BL,
Upper Faughart,
Dundalk,
Co Louth.
Madam, - Brendan McMahon and Brian Daly (January 26th) focus on the contrast between the resignation of Peter Hain and the failure of Irish politicians in a similar situation to resign.
Mr Hain's ministerial resignation is merely the latest in Britain in recent years after those of Jonathan Aitken, David Mellor, Ron Davies (twice), Cecil Parkinson, Peter Mandelson (twice) and Neil Hamilton.
In this country, by contrast, I cannot recall a single government minister or TD, of any political party, who has resigned because of flagrant incompetence, their involvement in a sexual scandal or financial impropriety.
When will people begin to realise that politicians in this country simply do not resign because the Irish people do not expect them to? In fact, not only does the Irish electorate tolerate such behaviour from our politicians but we generously reward it by re-electing them by wider margins.
Instead of holding them accountable for their questionable practices, we see them as "one of our own", lapsing into a parochial "My TD, right or wrong" mentality.
On three different occasions in the past week, in the course of casual conversations, people have told me that "Bertie is a great man". As long as this view remains widespread, about a Taoiseach who has serious questions to answer regarding his financial past, how can politicians in this country ever be expected to follow their counterparts in Britain? - Yours, etc,
DAVID DOYLE,
Gilford Park,
Sandymount,
Dublin 4.