Your editorial about water charges displays an amazing lack of understanding of how the capitalist system, or the Thatcherite version, operates in this Republic.

It was with much disgust that I read about the re-building of Cork Prison last week. Minister Alan Shatter is ignoring the complaints of 163 locals and the project is to go ahead, despite the fact that Kilworth would have been a much better option.

HOW is it that Bertie Ahern, an accountant by profession, was deemed competent to be in charge of the nation’s finances at a time when he couldn’t manage his own?