Sir, – Thank goodness for Eoin Drea's enlightening opinion piece on Phil Hogan ("Hogan affair displays Irish exceptionalism at its worst", August 31st). If only the people of Ireland had known that we had such a selfless responsible person who was working single-handedly to restore our good name in Europe. We could have ignored his attempt to become head of the World Trade Organisation earlier this year. We could have turned a blind eye to the chaotic mess he left behind as environment minister with the water charges. We could have playfully winked at his antics involving the road trip around Ireland and attendance at a golf function during a pandemic. – Yours, etc,
ROD SMITH,
Malahide, Co Dublin.
Sir, – Eoin Drea’s piece is a classic case of, in the words of Robert Burns, “O wad some Power the giftie gie us, to see oursels as ithers see us”.
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Unfortunately, or fortunately, we have the capacity to judge ourselves by the rules that we ourselves have set, and by these Phil Hogan falls short, regardless of what Brussels thinks. – Yours, etc,
PAT QUINN,
Inchicore,
Dublin 8.