Government should have bitten the bullet

YOU report (July 16) that the Taoiseach and finance minister think public expenditure is €5.3 billion too high and public service numbers are 20,000 in excess of requirements.

Consequently they want the rest of us to set aside selfish sectional interests, bite the bullet and not selfishly oppose the tough choices necessary to remedy the situation.

Why in the past 12 years, while they were in government, did they not set aside selfish sectional interests, bite the bullet and not selfishly oppose the tough choices necessary to stop the economic collapse from developing in the first place?