Bank shareholders’ losses

Sir, – “Shareholders in the banks were not bailed out”. I know the truth of that statement made by the Taoiseach in the Dáil on Wednesday (Front page, December 17th).

The sad fact is that many Irish people had their pension safety nets whipped away during the banking crisis. Bank shares had long been regarded as safe savings by Irish widowers, bank workers and ordinary savers alike. I was lucky enough to inherit my widowed mother’s bank shares, and the feelings of financial fear and failure that the bank crash brought on were painful, I’ll tell you.

That loss has never been truly acknowledged by any political party here. It’s as if bank shareholders still belong with the many who deserve blame and shame for the collapse of the banks.

The crime of crimes against bank shareholders and all Irish people though is that the big players in the banking crisis – and that includes the governor of the Central Bank and the financial services regulator – didn’t even lose their pensions. – Yours, etc,

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MAIRE WINTERS,

Headford,

Co Galway.