Sir, – I am afraid that it is difficult to see how the expression of the public's legitimate expectation of responsible behaviour from public figures and office holders, particularly at a time of national crisis, can be described by retired judge Garrett Sheehan as "not good for democracy" ("Don't hound good people out, ex-judge warns", News, August 25th). – Yours, etc,
MARTIN
McDONALD,
Terenure,
Dublin 12.
Sir, – With reference to the good judge’s comment about “one serious mistake”, is this not the same judge who, as chairman of a government working group on “alternative approaches to possession of drugs for personal use”, submitted a minority report disagreeing with the key proposal that people caught with small amounts of drugs escape conviction? – Yours, etc,
FINBARR CURRAN,
Rome.
Sir, – If the expression of public feeling is characterised as “hounding out of office”, does that indicate that, even if the individual resigns, no moral realisation has occurred?
Internal evolution would be hoped for but, in its absence, an external resignation from office must suffice. – Yours, etc,
MONICA NOLAN,
Knocklyon,
Dublin 16.
Sir, – Loathe as I am to criticise a learned retired judge, the use of the word “hound” is a bit over the top. In our society certain people are given extra rights. The police and the judiciary come to mind.
With these extra rights come extra responsibilities.
Sean O’Rourke had no problem understanding this concept. – Yours, etc,
BRIAN GRAHAM,
Dublin 13.
A chara, – Why did The Irish Times approach a retired judge to seek his opinion on “good people”?
Why did the Irish Times put that opinion on the front page?
Why didn’t The Irish Times ask for the opinion of a recently bereaved life partner about not being able to visit their dying loved one and put that on the front page? – Yours, etc,
GORDON BARRY,
Dalkey,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – Retired judge Garret Sheehan, in his complaint that media-driven anger risks driving good people out of office, shows that some members of Ireland’s elite are out of touch.
Does he not understand the anger many people feel, especially those who have obeyed the Covid-19 regulations to the point where they were not allowed to see their loved ones in hospital or nursing home, when they see the behaviour of some of the “great and good” of Irish society?
The behaviour of those who attended the Clifden golf outing and dinner is what has damaged democracy, not the justified anger of those who feel that they have been taken for fools by politicians and others who show, by their behaviours, that obeying the law is for “little people”. – Yours, etc,
Rev MARTIN O’CONNOR,
Churchtown,
Dublin 14
A chara, – Maybe the Little People of Ireland should invoke the “First Judgment of Privileged Ones” and the “Final Judgment of Privileged Ones” from the Brehon Laws in order to deal independently and effectively with the transgressions of the Clifden four score and one. – Is mise,
SEÁN MÍCHEÁL
Ó DOMHNAILL,
Ard a’ Rátha,
Co Dhún na nGall.
Sir, – I’m really intelligent. I think it’s paramount that we have one of our own like Phil Hogan fighting our corner in Europe.
Now pardon me while I mock these Kerry folk for repeatedly sending a Healy-Rae to the Dáil to represent them. – Yours, etc,
GLENN FITZPATRICK,
Blessington,
Co Wicklow.
Sir, The Irish have now added a second Irish name to the vocabulary of golf. A “mulligan” is when a participant is permitted to start a hole over again when he or she has made an absolute hames of it. A “hogan” is when the rules are ignored so that a participant can remain in the game. – Yours, etc,
T MACDONALD,
Sligo.
A chara, – It seems the old golfing practice of giving close pals a “mulligan” prevails in all circumstances in some clubs. – Yours, etc,
HUGH DOYLE,
Dunshaughlin,
Co Meath.
Sir, – I am more disgusted with the media whipping up a storm in a tea cup over this media-tagged “Golfgate” nonsense than I am with the politicians who showed a lack of judgment by going to to the daft event. They apologised, they’re sorry, now please let our scolded politicians get on with their jobs and focus of getting children back to school and repairing the economic devastation caused by Covid-19 and dealing with the threat of Brexit. – Yours, etc,
JOHN FAGAN,
Crookedwood,
Co Westmeath.
Sir, – The majority of attendees were not intimately involved in the evening’s preparation and were seated at smaller tables with the room partitioned. They were entitled to believe that the dinner had been organised in compliance with the latest regulations.
Haven’t we all made mistakes since the unwanted arrival of this virus?
If we forget a face mask when purchasing a litre of milk, should we too resign?
The attendees were caught unaware, they’ve apologised, and it is now time to move on.
Continuing to sensationalise such a minor breach further undermines confidence in our democracy and acts as a disincentive to any capable and well-meaning potential future politician.
Such reporting echoes that which occurred during the 2016 US election.
It’s dangerous and bound to end in disaster.
One thing is for certain, the resignation of Phil Hogan is not in Ireland’s national interest. Mr Hogan has made some questionable choices of late but he is capable and an asset in Europe.
As Brexit nears the final whistle, we need our best players on the pitch. Mr Hogan must remain. – Yoirs, etc,
DECLAN KEANE,
Adare,
Co Limerick.
Sir, – Even if the organisers had the foresight to arrange that two of the golfers got married on the night, they could only have extended the numbers to 50 people. I am struggling to understand how a Government Minister, a European Commissioner and a Supreme Court judge could possibly think that a single event, with 80 people in attendance, complied with the current Covid rules. – Yours, etc,
JOHN O’CONNOR,
Raheny,
Dublin 5.
Sir, – I am looking for advice from your readers about staying in a hotel for a short break in September. Is it my responsibility, as a guest, to ensure the hotel is fully compliant with all Covid-19 regulations before I stay there? – Yours, etc,
CECILIA McGOVERN,
Milltown,
Dublin 6.
A chara, – Not since the days of Alcock and Brown has Clifden witnessed such a crash landing. – Is mise,
EOGHAN MAC CORMAIC,
Cill Chríost,
Co na Gaillimhe.
Sir, – Might it be permissible for those of us who have not always been so diligent in our perfect obedience to the law to be just annoyed and disappointed at their serious breach of responsibility? And dare I suggest the possibility of a little forgiveness? – Yours, etc,
WILLIE WALSH,
Ennis,
Co Clare.
Sir, – The Taoiseach, the Tánaiste and the Minister for Housing, must be aware that they have absolutely no competence in the functioning of the European Commission.
Accordingly their demand for a commissioner “to review his position” can only be construed as a simplistic and populist response to the most recent bout of outrage or, could it indeed be “dead cat strategy”, the introduction of a dramatic, shocking, or sensationalist topic to divert discourse away from a more damaging topic. – Yours, etc,
MICK O’BRIEN
Springmount,
Kilkenny.
Sir, – It may be of some assistance to the president of the European Commission, in her current deliberations to explain why Phil Hogan attended the golf dinner with 80 others, if she calls to mind the adage, “There are three kinds of people. Those who can count and those who can’t.” – Yours, etc,
PADRAIG O’ROURKE,
Blackrock,
Co Dublin.