Irish mum receives praise for her open letter to the government

A mum-of-two in Cork has received overwhelming support after writing an impassioned letter to the Irish Independent outlining the struggles her family are living with.

Donna Hartnett expressed her frustration over raising two children in an age of harsh taxation and long working hours.

She writes: “The legacy of Bertie Ahern and Brian Cowen has resulted in our two children being raised in childcare centres like hens.”

“Meanwhile, we work, breaking our necks and our children’s hearts trying to keep up with tax after tax, with nothing left by the end of the month,” she adds.

Referring to the introduction of water charges by the Government, and their decision to “protect those responsible for the financial crash”, Donna says that she is putting her children first.

She continues:

“I will do whatever it takes to give my children back their childhood…they will be at home, collected from school by me, and enjoy the security of a home life that should be an option afforded to every child. This will obviously mean a reduction in our income, resulting in overdue bills and unpaid taxes but that stress will be a holiday compared to the exhausting days we currently endure…”

A screenshot of Donna’s article was shared to social media by a reader, with the post being shared hundreds of times so far today.

One user retweeted the piece on Twitter with the message: “This touched a nation’s nerve today & is going viral. A mother’s rebellious letter to Irish Gov [sic].”