Cuireann An Phoblacht fáilte roimh litreacha ónár léitheoirí. Scríobh i nGaeilge nó i mBéarla, 200 focal ar a méid. Déantar giorrú ar litreachta más gá. Cuir do litir chuig [email protected]
An Phoblacht welcomes readers’ letters. Write in Irish or English, 200 words maximum. Letters may be edited for brevity. Send your letters to [email protected]. No attachments please

Brutal, anti-worker budget

A GOVERNMENT that told us repeatedly in recent weeks that it would protect the vulnerable has imposed the most brutal, reactionary budget in decades.
The 1 per cent levy on all earnings up to €100,000 is the most unfair and regressive move by any government here in many years.
What amounts to a new flat tax will negatively impact disproportionately on those least able to afford to pay. There is no reason why those who benefited most from the property bubble and speculation-led Celtic Tiger economy should not bear their fair share of the pain now that the bubble has burst. But again a Fianna Fáil-led government has made ordinary working families bear the brunt of their mismanagement of the economy in recent years.
The Government squandered the boom years through pampering the fat cats and now the ordinary Irish worker must pay the price through regressive taxation and cuts in what are already chronically underdeveloped public services.
It is time for people to wake up and reject the Government parties. Next year’s local government and EU elections is our chance.
SEOSAIMH O TUTAHAIL,
Baile Atha Cliath 3.

Greens’ private jets go free

WHERE do the Green Party’s high-flying ministers stand on the total exemption for private jets from the Lenihan  Budget’s new airport tax?
Whatever happened to their combating climate change? Or maybe John Gormley and Eamon Ryan are getting used to travelling executive class.
ROY THORNTON,
Kilbarrack,
Dublin 5

Orange halls v GAA clubs

PERHAPS someone in the NIO can explain why more than £250,000 – a quarter of million pounds – has been paid to the Orange Order as compensation for arson attacks on their halls but not a single penny to GAA clubs for similar attacks.
Are Orange halls somehow more worthy than clubhouses like St John’s GAC in County Down, which was gutted in arson attack, causing £100,000 of damage days before the club won the Down Junior Championship?
STEPHEN MAGUIRE,
Belfast

Special Branch notes

THE inquest into the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes  in 2005 has heard that a Special Branch officer has doctored his notes months after the killing of the innocent civilian on a London underground train.
England, Ireland... some things never change.
FINTAN O’DRISCOLL,
Cricklewood,
London

New cumann in Lucan/ Palmerstown

I AM writing on behalf of our Sinn Féin candidate, Robert Ballesty, who was recently selected to run for Sinn Féin in next year’s local elections in the Lucan/Palmerstown area of Dublin.
We have recently set up a new cumann in the area, the Black/Ryan Sinn Féin Cumann, and are actively seeking new members.
If you or anyone you know is interested in joining, or helping out in the area and in our bid to win a seat in next year’s local elections, contact Robert at 087 321 6273.
NICOLA KING,
PRO,
Black/Ryan Cumann,
Lucan.
County Dublin