Drop the gavel on auction politics

THE Government and opposition parties are engaging in dangerous auctioneering politics with our money and livelihoods.

Those who remember the outrageous giveaway election promises of the 1977 Fianna Fáil government led by Jack Lynch won’t easily forget the misery it brought on the people, especially the less well-off and pensioners, over the following 15-to-20 years. It also caused tens of thousands of our young people to emigrate — some of them are still illegal immigrants in the USA.

This madness, if allowed to happen again, would cripple our economy and undermine long-term integration prospects under the new arrangements in Northern Ireland.

The competition to reduce and eliminate stamp duty has already brought a rapid decline in the property market and would, if implemented, put most of the gains into the pockets of the major property developers.

The media has a role to play in saving the people from politicians gone mad and all honest and reasonable people within the political system must take a stand against the potentially ruinous profligacy before it is too late

John J Hassett

Croke Street

Thurles

Co Tipperary