Madam, - It is astonishing (though one should not be surprised) that the Taoiseach can stand up in the Dáil and say, referring to the advice he had been given, that the strict interpretation was that property ownership was an absolute right (The Irish Times, October 9th).
Property rights are absolute in the sense that the Constitution forbids any attempt to abolish them. But the exercise of these rights is subject to the principles of social justice and it may be delimited by law, for the common good (Art 43.2).
If the advice given to the Taoiseach did not make this clear, then he needs a new Attorney General.
If it did, he should not hide behind legal advice when control of the price of land is discussed. - Yours, etc.,
MYLES McSWINEY, Cricklewood Park, Belfast 9.
Madam, - I listened with great interest last Wednesday as Bertie Ahern spoke in the Dáil about the prospect of capping the value of development land. He repeated several times that he did not feel that it was an option because "we would not get away with it".
This epitomises the problem with politics in this country at the moment. Politicians try to "get away" with "things" and do not try to show any real leadership. - Yours, etc.,
CIARAN SUDWAY, Ashton Grove, Templeogue, Dublin 16.