Sir, – Can we just imagine the anger that would ensue if those who did not vote in the byelections were stripped of their voting rights in the next election?
While citizenship confers rights, it also implies responsibility. – Yours, etc,
MARGARET LEE,
Co Tipperary.
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Sir, – I and my family before me have voted in every election and put our faith in the political system since the foundation of the State. We are proud Irish people, love our country and try to contribute in what ever way we can to our community.
But with each passing year this faith has been eroded, now to the point where I am in total despair over what I read every day about our politicians and our so-called leaders. I have lost all trust in their ability to govern. They are now totally a self-serving group of people only concerned about the spin, not the substance. I grew up believing that Irish politics was about democracy, tolerance and downright decency. No longer.
As a country, we are now relying on the ordinary people to keep Ireland working.
We can only rely on the politicians to make our lives difficult: whether it is in business or providing the services that the people of Ireland deserve, they waste our valuable taxes on over-priced projects, inefficient organisations and only show up when there is a photo opportunity.
I feel sorry for the genuine politician, of which there are a few across all parties. If I was employed by an organisation that operated as they do I would move job. – Yours, etc,
JAMES WHITE,
Barntown,
Wexford.
Sir, – Miriam Lord reports that at the Wexford count a Fianna Fáil activist opined that “Verona is very good on her specialist subject, but outside of 16 wheels, she’s not great” (“FG limbers up to throw Verona under the truck”, Dáil byelections, December 2nd).
Strange then that Verona Murphy, a neophyte politician subjected to almost constant political and media criticism, managed to secure 23.8 per cent of the total votes cast. Her vote share was the highest of any of the Fine Gael candidates standing in last week’s byelections.
Surely then Fine Gael needs Verona more than Verona needs Fine Gael?
In any event, any attempt by the posh boys and girls in Fine Gael to push a street-smart woman like Verona Murphy under a Dublin 4 politically correct-bandwagon is likely to backfire. Every trucker knows there is more than one road to Dáil Éireann. – Yours, etc,
KARL MARTIN,
Bayside, Dublin 13.
Sir, – There are acres and acres of column inches devoted to the four byelections in Monday’s Irish Times. I had only to read Miriam Lord’s column to grasp the full details of current Irish politics. Superb, incisive commentary. – Yours, etc,
MICHAEL C O’CONNOR,
Waterford.
Sir, – Shame on those voters could not be bothered to get out and vote last week.
One wonders if they will be the ones who will be the most critical of our politicians tomorrow? – Yours, etc,
BRIAN GRAHAM,
Dublin 13.
Sir, – Regarding the exceedingly low turnout for last Friday’s four byelections, voters in the constituencies were conspicuous by their absence at their local polling stations from around 8pm onwards. Might this phenomenon be referred to henceforth as “The Late Late No-Show”? – Yours, etc,
PAUL DELANEY,
Dalkey,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – I voted Green Party in the recent Fingal byelection. I am not a climate change denier and have some understanding of the climate change that is taking place. I also do my best at recycling and reducing my impact on the environment. What I struggle with is being told, on a regular basis by a variety of sources, that I am not doing enough. I think what is needed is more help and support, rather that criticism to make the transition to the sustainability that is so desirable. – Yours, etc,
TOM McDONAGH,
Portmarnock,
Co Dublin.