The healthcare budget of the public system has been mauled over the last four years. This is set to continue into 2014. There are two consequences.

Like Declan O’Connor, I am all in favour of not giving too many plaudits to powerful politicians (Letters, Dec 23). But I have reservations about the mob that boos politicians at public gatherings.

I refer to the article about Emmet Stagg by Shaun Connolly (Irish Examiner, Dec 17) ‘€97k TD: I’d make more as a plumber’.

Emmet Stagg might earn more as a plumber, but as a 69-year-old plumber he’d probably be retired by now.

Now that Dec 15 has passed, I want to remark on a cloying cliché doing the rounds in the media in the last couple of months: the phrase, “waving goodbye to the troika”.

Following the ‘fake interpreter’ debacle at the memorial event for Nelson Mandela in South Africa, two general observations can be made in relation to Ireland.

What an incredible time for Munster, the fruits of Rob Penny’s plans. Not alone did his team produce the try of the round but they also secured the signatures of two ‘leaders’ and potentially a number 8 of real quality for next season.

Nelson Mandela has been sanitised by hypocrites and apologists, who stood behind his jailers under apartheid.

In view of the negative publicity about high salaries paid to charity CEOs and other senior managers, can I suggest that all those charities operating on zero (or very low) salaries write to the newspapers on that subject, listing their salaries against their names.

When, supermarkets go to battle for market share and customers, it’s called a price war. The customers are the winners. Or are they? We must remember there are always casualties in war, mainly people.