HAVING promised not to send its citizens to jail for non-payment of fines, our Government has sent even more this year than last year, for that very reason.

QUELLE surprise, those Greeks are abandoning their children to the not-so-tender mercies of state care, courtesy of the austerity package devised for them by people who couldn’t care less.

IF Enda Kenny is serious about taking a look at laws next year, then he should take a look at the number of teachers in the Dáil and government.

WE now have two Government ministers jumping aboard an already overloaded bandwagon and boasting about “saving” half a billion on welfare fraud, while saying nothing about the real scammers who not only got away with billions, but are now being handsomely overpaid by the State as a reward for their efforts.

DESMOND Fitzgerald (Letters, December 28) does not understand the “reformed” system of expenses for our politicians introduced in March 2010.

THE possibility for real and permanent system change is closer than ever.

ON November 30 last, the Irish public was invited to vote online to choose one of four logos to visually represent Ireland’s presidency of the European Union in 2013.

CHRISTMAS can be a time for reminiscing with family and friends.

YOUR festive picture of a St Stephen’s Day fox hunt calls to mind Oscar Wilde’s reference to this bloodsport as the “unspeakable in full pursuit of the uneatable”.

SINCE the election last February, five coalition TDs have lost their parties’ whips. On average, one TD has crossed the floor of the Dáil every two months.