No right to honour

IT’S bad enough there is now a painting of Bertie Ahern in Leinster House, one that’s not hanging in the toilet, but now we are expected to pay for a portrait of Brian Cowen.

If there has to be a portrait of Cowen why doesn’t he do the state some service and pay for it himself out some of the disgusting payoff and pension he awarded himself before he ran away from facing the electorate in February. He and Mr Ahern so abused the office of Taoiseach during their terms in office that they have no right to claim the same honours, or be held in the same regard, as other former holders of that office, either those still living or those recently deceased.

Desmond FitzGerald