Sir, – In seeking to justify payment to the Anglo Irish Bank bondholders, Taoiseach Enda Kenny stated : “The alternative would be catastrophic, given what has happened in Greece where 100,000 public servants have been let go, public sector salaries have been drastically reduced and services decimated” (Dáil Report, January 26th)
The Greek problem is a very high level of public debt, which cannot now be paid off because the economy has been wrecked by savage austerity measures imposed at the behest of the Troika. But whatever mistakes the Greek authorities have made, they have not assumed responsibility for the debts of a private bank.
To seek to justify the Anglo payments by reference to the Greek situation is complete nonsense. Which raises the question whether there are any valid reasons for the payments. – Yours, etc,