Bank charges

Sir, – Nearly all the main Irish banks charge €10 or €12.70 for refusing to pay a direct debit because your account is empty. It is also common to be charged €5 to €10 when a small withdrawal pushes your account into debit.

For people on the breadline, such nasty surprises must be demoralising.

It shouldn’t be so expensive to be broke. – Yours, etc,

SEAN ROBERTI,

Pay and third-level researchers

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Repeat offenders and the justice system

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‘If you could legally avoid tax, would you do it too?’

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John Halligan and an interview

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Luton,

England.