WHILE the justifiable weeping and gnashing of teeth goes on, together with the horror and loathing of the political master that allowed the banks, the planners and the unions run riot, it is necessary that the economical factors that will define the future of this country, be invoked and brought more into play.

THE response by Stephen McNamara of Ryanair (Letters, February 25) to my letter (February 22) is not entirely accurate and leaves a key point unaddressed. Mr McNamara claims Ryanair’s credit card charges are avoidable while “the Government’s €10 travel tax is not avoidable”.

I HAVE seen a number of annoying letters recently in the Irish Examiner complaining that the public sector is too large, overpaid and unnecessary. It also annoys me to hear this artificial and forced schism between public and private sector as vested interests foment division between them so they fight over the scraps rather than unite to fight the real issues, like NAMA.

IT was interesting recently to see “institutional” investors backing the current boards of both AIB and Irish Life and Permanent.