Ageist and outrageous view of new ministers

YOUR political correspondent Shaun Connolly (March 24) finds the cabinet reshuffle to be “not so much the Night of the Long Knives, more like the Night of the Living Dead”. He writes: “Step forward our thrusting, fresh-faced new ministers Pat Carey and Tony Killeen with a combined age of 119 years between the two of them”.

I have no view on the merits of the two individuals and do not support their political party, but I object strongly to the ageist language used. I have not yet reached the age of either of them, but I think it is outrageous to caricature their appointments as the “night of the living dead”.

Age should not disqualify a person otherwise suited for office. Or perhaps some people would like to solve our burgeoning pension problem by turning the living dead into the actual dead? Think of all the money it would save — aren’t they just a burden on the rest of the population?

Piaras Mac Einrí

Model Farm Road

Cork