A standard bottle of gas (11kg or 13kg) which for many people provides either heating or cooking energy or both retails for approximately €14.50 to €18 in Spain.

It proved a case of two steps forward, one step back for Catholic Institute in the Munster Women’s Division One title race as no sooner had they cracked open the race with UCC they were pegged back by Cork C of I.

If Jim Power had applied any kind of balance to his column ‘Economy continues to defy the doubters and naysayers’ (Irish Examiner, December 22) detailing the apparent success of the upwardly mobile business sector of our two-tier economy he would have pointed out that his good news applies to the upper tier.

Your letters, your views...

Your letters, your views.

Your letters, your views...

Your letters, your views...

Your view

Fergus Finlay is a champion of the young and vulnerable in our society and would have first-hand knowledge of that continuing scandal of neglect and deprivation of thousands of children in Ireland at this time.

The column by Ana Palacio (former Senior Vice-President of the World Bank) ‘Fresh narrative needed for Europe’s stalled security strategy’ in the Irish Examiner on Friday, February 11 has all the hallmarks of another opening salvo by ‘the powers that be’ towards the militarisation of Europe.

The ECB threat and subsequent capitulation by the Irish government resulting in Irish citizens being strong-armed into taking on the burden of billions of euros of private investors debt, has without doubt, established this country as a ‘soft touch’ in the eyes of the EU.

‘The people have spoken’ they say, but they most certainly have not asked for a firmly entrenched government of two right wing parties who, between them, over a 15 year period, could not sort out the patients on trollies scandal.

Lest we forget!

Hats off to Fergus Finlay for his statement that “...politics is corrupt, public administration is corrupt, and democracy is dead”.

In his letter of January 4, Joe Brennan complained about the ECB being ‘most shameful’ in its treatment of Ireland.

With the prospect of the UK opting out of the EU and given its close ties to Ireland, it may be wise for the incoming Irish government to explore the possibility of an alliance with England, Scotland, Wales, the North, and perhaps northern countries, like Finland and Denmark? 

A. Leavy’s letter (Irish Examiner, December 31) ends with the point that the ECB came to the aid of this country when it was bankrupted.

In his letter (Irish Examiner, December 24) Joe Brennan calls the EU, in which nearly 30 democracies signed a treaty to cooperate in matters of mutual interest, a ‘disdainful and ailing European Union’.

The ‘skill set’ of politicians has been demonstrated clearly by this government and by the previous one.

How ironic it is that we will be "celebrating" the 100th anniversary of the Easter Rising and the sacrifices made by men and women so Ireland could forge her destiny.

Why was Finance Minister Michael Noonan’s evidence to the banking enquiry not given prior to Jean-Claude Trichet’s visit? It confirms the belief that Ireland was coerced by the ECB into breaking one of capitalism’s basic laws: bankruptcy.

It would seem that the ballot box has become ‘too democratic’ for both the Unionists in the north and to our own government in the south.

The privatisation of Irish Water is high on the list of the Troika and their powerbroker and profiteering friends.

Without structural change to the way we govern this country the result of the coming election will just mean ‘more of the same’ with both inner-party and inter-party fingerpointing and oneupmanship resulting in yet another crony-oriented, self-serving power base placing vested interests above the common good whilst delivering incompetent and unfocused governance to the detriment of the people.

July’s end saw Bord Gáis Energy-Centrica (formerly part of Bord Gáis) announce a profit of €32m for the first six months of this year.

Referring to oil exploration off the south-east coast, the following are quotations from articles published in the recent past:

To lose one senior member of our Central Bank would be okay but to have the early retirement of three internationally-respected bankers, including the Governor, raises questions.

The following are quotations from articles published in the recent past: “Deep Kinsale could contain 2.3bn barrels of oil. Fastnet Oil says independent assessment established presence of significant potential”.

Mick Wallace is right to call for the suspension of the next NAMA giveaway, ‘Project Arrow’.

Fergus Finlay’s loyalty to his former colleagues is admirable . . . to a point! (Irish Examiner, July 14).