Sir, – Despite pre-election promises, Government parties appear to be steadying up to abandon all notions of “fairness” in dealing with the inherited economic mess. While Minister for Finance Michael Noonan says there will be no increase in income tax, he is preparing to add household and water taxes to the “levies” and “charges” that already exist. Of course there is no need to hit income tax again when this charade of direct taxation by another name exists. Yet the individuals and institutions that in large measure created this situation are either in receipt of massive bailouts of public money or Nama salaries.
Last May our Taoiseach stood with pride to hear President Obama praise the way Daniel O’Connell had inspired the American freedom activist Frederick Douglass. Now Douglass knew a few things about fairness. Irish taxpayers might care to ponder this quotation from him: “Find out what people will submit to, and you have found out the exact amount of injustice which will be imposed upon them.” – Yours, etc,