Beware of making the mistakes of the boom

Nick Foley blames ‘Labour under Burton’ and ‘Labour under Gilmore’ for ‘slowly flaying Paddy alive’ [Letters, October 11].

He forgets, or ignores, the fact that neither Joan Burton nor Eamon Gilmore bankrupted the country. That was achieved by a small number of the most powerful, then in government, financial institutions, etc, during the boom.

They had an attitude of ‘spend, spend, spend’ and they washed their hands of the consequences. Despite this, this same profligate attitude is being advocated in our media, and in politics, in relation to the Budget.

Foley, and many more influential commentators, should realise that the cause of Paddy having a hard time is that the country is over-borrowed. This needs to be rectified.

They should not encourage a repeat of the mistakes made during the boom.

A. Leavy

Shielmartin Drive

Sutton

Dublin 13