How things stand

Letter in today’s Irish Times.

Madam,

Just to be clear on how things stand.

A full national out-of-hours social service to place children in an appropriate safe environment as recommended by the Monageer report is not possible in the current economic downturn. Similarly, two wards in the Crumlin Children’s Hospital are to be closed because of a lack of funds.

The State’s finances have not, however, reached such a critical phase as to warrant the cancellation of massive pensions to politicians while they are still collecting very generous salaries.

Yours, etc,

ANTHONY SHERIDAN,