Over the years since Micheál Martin was minister of our collapsing health services and Enda Kenny became head of FG, I have watched them both performing and thought them both men of great promise.

Ray Kinsella asked an extremely important question about the parties who are fighting the election - “how many political parties are fighting the general election on the grounds of the common good”.

The ‘Earn Our Vote’ alliance comprises of Active Retirement Ireland, Age Action, Age and Opportunity, ALONE, Irish Senior Citizens Parliament, Active Ageing Partnership and Third Age Ireland. These groups represent more than half a million people over the age of 65 in Ireland.

The banking enquiry failed to highlight that both public spending and bank lending tripled during the boom.

Yet again Enda Kenny stood up and read a speech someone else had written for him about abuse.

Sadhbh McElveen (Letters 2 Feb) is correct in saying that there is discrimination in the taxation of maintenance payments.

Civilisation will finally reach Ireland only when our politicians become as afraid of upsetting decent taxpayers and voters as they clearly are of upsetting banks and large corporations.

Again we hear of a’ sincere apology’ from the HSE.