Sir, – First of all Katherine Zappone drives the bus with Simon Coveney as a passenger. Then on Tuesday he took over the driving seat and threw her under it. All that is needed now is to find out who the actual conductor was. – Yours, etc,
LESTER BENSON,
London.
Sir, – The Taoiseach’s statement claiming that there are lessons to be learned is just par for the course. I live in hope that some day our public representatives will not require a “lesson” in honesty, integrity, and deciphering right from wrong. – Yours, etc,
EAMON FARRELL,
Sandymount,
Dublin 4.
A chara, – The Taoiseach says, referring to the deletion or retention of texts by members of the Cabinet, that “best practice” should apply. Surely it’s more than merely “best practice”.
Wouldn’t the term “legal requirement” be more appropriate? – Yours, etc,
PETER DECLAN
O’HALLORAN,
Belturbet,
Co Cavan.
Sir, – Fintan O'Toole writes (Opinion & Analysis, September 7th), " if cocaine is God's way of telling you that you have too much money, the drug of arrogance is her way of telling everyone else that you've been in office too long". Sincere thanks to Fintan O'Toole for enlightening his readers on the gender of the Almighty. There is no hint of ambiguity or obfuscation in this pronouncement. An age-old question is now resolved with a lesson in clarity and certitude that Government Ministers must surely envy. – Yours, etc,
PJ McDERMOTT,
Westport,
Co Mayo.
Sir, – Fintan O’Toole suggests that some Ministers are diminished and stupefied by power. He also mentions arrogance. By any chance could your esteemed columnist be describing his own persona? – Yours, etc,
MARGARET LEE,
Newport,
Co Tipperary.
Sir, – I notice the frequent occurrence of the word “lobbying” in discussion of Katherine Zappone’s abandoned appointment to the post of special envoy at the United Nations in New York. I am not convinced that lobbying is in the best interests of Irish democracy but am relieved that there are at least hard and fast rules governing it. There is anyway, I feel, a sense in which these rules are not strictly relevant in the Zappone affair.
For what happened appears rather to have been canvassing than lobbying.
Canvassing has to be investigated and evaluated if this matter is to be dealt with appropriately. – Yours, etc,
DERMOT MacDERMOTT,
Elphin,
Co Roscommon.