Sir, – In these fiscally challenging times I would like to forward a proposal, the implementation of which I feel would be highly conducive to the development of good governance in our statelet. It is this: we retain everything as is, the Dáil; the Senate; the judges of the High and Supreme Courts; and the Presidency (indeed there might even be a judicious augmentation of the powers vested in the Senate and presidency), except that we no longer pay them. No salaries, no fat pensions, nothing. Simple.
The only people who would serve in such circumstances would be people with a very strong sense of public duty, and perhaps it’s time, I would suggest, that we tried out governance by such people. – Yours, etc,