I refer to the article ‘No Support for children suffering vaccine side-effect’ by Catherine Shanahan (Sept 29).

Reading your special report by Conor Ryan (Oct 1), it is amazing how all of the Irish media and reporters have covered the fact that the Catholic Church and its religious orders have mostly reneged on the deal agreed with Dr Michael Woods, the then Minister of Education, regarding compensation to victims of abuse suffered in Catholic institutions.

It has been announced that the upcoming budget will be a really tough one.

Matt Cooper’s assertion in that the Labour party will be ‘decimated’ at the next election is grossly premature and exaggerated (‘Gilmore and Labour paying a high price for being in government, Sep 28).

Is it not becoming obvious that those who believed the pre-election “promises” were sold a pup and that the present administration had become envious of Fianna Fáil and they wanted a chance to get their snouts in the money trough?

Your report (Irish Examiner, Sep 30) quotes the head of the Public Account Committee calling for civil servants to be “named and shamed” when it comes to the poor management of public money.

Roisin Shortall did the right thing in resigning over cuts and what she, like many of us, perceive as dangerous inaction and manipulation in frontline health services.

The last few days have provided plenty of opportunities to reflect on the performance of this Government.

During the past week or so, I listened to the councillor from Co Louth on Lifeline discussing the controversy regarding the change in name of a bridge in his area.

It beggars belief that two former Fianna Fáil taoisigh and four ministers received such gross ministerial payouts, mindful of the fact that each of these individuals were in a party responsible for the current economic crisis this country is in.