Madam, - Enda Kenny has rightly criticised the cost of Government ministers' trips abroad for St Patrick's Day but he has not yet told us what he would do differently.
There may be some merit in sending representatives abroad to promote Ireland, but there is certainly no need to send virtually every minister, and to have many different delegations travelling to the United States.
At the very least I would like to see Mr Kenny promise that, if elected Taoiseach, he would remain in Ireland for St Patrick's Day each year. It would be unthinkable for President Bush to leave the US for the Fourth of July, or for President Sarkozy to be away from France on Bastille Day.
Mr Ahern's annual trips to pay tribute to the US president belittle us as a nation. Mr Kenny would go some way towards securing my vote if he were to pledge to put an end to the practice. - Yours, etc,
LIAM KENNEDY,
Greystones,
Co Wicklow.