Simon Harris delivers coded rebuke of people on social welfare

Sir, – You report that “ Harris insists investment savings plan is aimed at ‘middle Ireland’. (June 9th) ”, though eminent economists insist it will mainly benefit the wealthy. These are the same “squeezed middle” so beloved of Leo Varadkar and Fine Gael – people who have private health insurance, can afford at least one sun holiday and a mini-break per year and still have the spare cash to invest in the Government’s new savings scheme. Harris is determined to go further to alleviate the financial stress being suffered by this beleaguered constituency by ensuring universal entitlement to cost-of-living special payments and energy credits and reducing the tax burden on the people who get up early in the morning, work hard and “play by the rules”. This coded rebuke of people on social welfare is unworthy of our Minister for Finance. “Putting more money back in people’s pockets”, repeatedly promised by the Minister, is bad government, when it would be better if that money were marshalled and deployed by the State to improve public services. Giving people what they want instead of providing the leadership to provide what they need, is the essence of populism. Fine Gael once proudly stood under the banner of the “just society”. They can no longer wear that mantle. – Yours, etc, EDDIE MOLLOY Rathgar, Dublin 6.