Relief for oppressed homeland, please

I have read all of the articles which you published in respect of the Mahon Report.

And then, by the waters of the Lee, the Liffey, the Corrib, the Shannon, the Boyne, the Feale and unaccountable streams, I sat down and wept.

As I wept, I was accompanied by Verdi’s great chorus from his opera, Macbeth, with the haunting title of ‘Patria Oppressa’ or Oppressed Homeland!

In a moment of serendipity, it then occurred to me that as matters stand one would do very well to get 2% interest on investment of capital, and that the current cost of paying pensions and benefits to those who have been characterised by the Mahon Report as being corrupt, and of having done dis-service to the State, is of the order of €3m per annum.

In order for my Oppressed Homeland to find €3m per annum, it would have to invest €150m as a capital sum.

Therefore, by stopping further payment of those pensions and benefits, my Oppressed Homeland would have one €150m available for investment in the fields of healthcare, education and affordable housing.

John V Lennon, BE

Lee Road

Cork City