We have every right to be angry when politicians get golden parachutes

A LETTER writer to the Irish Examiner during the week asked if the manner in which John O’Donoghue was essentially forced to step down as Ceann Comhairle was “trial by media and mob justice.” There can be little doubt that there was an element of this in what happened. People are becoming dangerously exasperated.

Initially the main opposition parties seemed prepared to wait for O’Donoghue to explain his behaviour before the Houses of the Oireachtas Commission. But on Monday Labour leader Eamon Gilmore announced that the Ceann Comhairle’s position was “no longer tenable”.

Enda Kenny, the Fine Gael leader, then joined in the call. “I had sought to avoid the politicisation of the office of Ceann Comhairle by proposing that John O’Donoghue attend the Oireachtas Commission meeting,” he said. “That would have provided him with an opportunity to account for his expenses and for expenditure incurred on his behalf. In the present circumstances, this is no longer realistic.”