Why our politicians are failing us

Two items in particular caught my attention in your paper recently.

The first was a report on the meeting between the Oireachtas Communications Committee with senior management from RTÉ. Referring to the salaries of some current stars, Fine Gael TD for Limerick, Patrick O’Donovan, said some presenters were being paid “too much”, despite taking pay cuts of 15-20% I agree with that.

However, I think it is also outrageous that we have a Taoiseach and ministers of our bailed-out country being paid higher salaries than their counterparts in Germany and Great Britain.

The second item refers to Independent TD Mick Wallace asking the Minister for Justice: “Do you think the people are stupid, Minister?”, in relation to a number of controversies within the Minister’s Department.

Yes, Deputy Wallace, we, the Irish electorate, are stupid. We are stupid for allowing you to show total disrespect for the institution of our national parliament, by your ‘disgusting’ dress code. We are also stupid for allowing you to sit in that special chamber, after you confessed to falsifying company tax returns, thereby cheating the honest tax payers of Ireland.

Pat Smith

Newcastle West

Co Limerick