The silent rage at the treatment of Irish citizens, including our most vulnerable, is almost tangible.

Monique Walsh’s (Oct 15) recent letter had no basis in fact.

Surely, there is no need for the Americans to hack the Taoiseach’s phone, while Eamonn Gilmore sits in the Cabinet?

An alien would be forgiven for thinking Ireland is a state of the US. Watching our national, TV news they would see happy-clappy, feel-good stories about our leader, Barack Obama, and his policies. They would barely know of our near-neighbours, the UK, and even of Europe.

The group which has been most severely hit in this budget is separated fathers as a result of the abolition of the Single Parent Family Tax Credit.

In the aftermath of the recent controversy regarding the taking into care of the Roma children, inquiries are underway and many searching questions are being asked, and will continue to be asked.

The gardaí and some of the general public’s dreadful behaviour towards the Roma reminded me of similar attitudes by the English press, public and authorities towards people who had an ‘Oirish’ accent or name in the 1970’s and early 80’s during the height of the Troubles.

British summertime has become the biggest pain in the butt. Millions of clocks have to be put back and forward every year all because of one man who wanted people to work longer hours. In many parts of the world, daylight saving has been discontinued.

I am approaching my 83rd birthday. Both my wife and I had been in receipt of free, prescriptive medicine, but, of course, no longer.

Senator David Norris, while resiling from the ‘reforms’ to the Seanad that were proposed by his colleagues during the referendum to safeguard it, is calling for higher salaries for senators to avoid what he calls “the waste of time, energy and paper on bean-counting pettifoggery.” (Letters, Oct 23).