There is much debate about the facts associated with Ireland’s receipt of liquidity funding from the Troika and the repayment commitments for both public borrowings and that which we have borrowed to repay private bank debts.

We are told that the country is losing many experienced civil servants whose skills and expertise cannot be replaced.

Myles Duffy is right when he decries the fact that a number of MEPs elected in 2009 have retired and been replaced automatically by others chosen from a replacement list (Letters, Feb 2).

There are the better part of 750,000 words in the English language.

Enterprise Ireland is now revealed as the agency which sank the chance of the Swansea-Cork Ferry emerging from examinership (Irish Examiner, Feb 1).

ARE there historical parallels that might explain current economic difficulties?

Myles Duffy (Letters, Feb 2) is quite correct to point out that if the voice of the people is to be heard with regards to the EU.

Finally a government whose politicians and bureaucrats have a bit of intelligence and backbone.

What sort of public servants inhabit Ireland today?

Like many readers I can recall from my early youth a children’s fairy tale which featured a character called Chicken Licken.