Sir, – I have been very much enjoying the rapid verbal inflation accompanying Simon Harris’s encroaching status elevation. Within 48 hours of being nominated, he was going to experience an “ascension” to the top position, then he was getting ready to attend his own “coronation”. I look forward to hearing of his subsequent canonisation and ultimately his deification, probably by Thursday this week. – Yours etc,
MAURICE NEWMAN,
Malahide,
Co Dublin.
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Sir, – Simon Harris will presumably become our youngest taoiseach, but judging by his address to the party members and activists on Sunday, his words are as old as Fine Gael itself.
We have heard “Fine Gael stands for law and order” and “take our flag back”. There’s nothing new under the sun, or indeed in Fine Gael. – Yours, etc,
PATRICK O’BYRNE,
Phibsborough,
Dublin 7.
A chara,– As Josepha Madigan leaves the floor, the outgoing Taoiseach recalls that they first met at a Dancing with the Stars event (News, March 23rd). Next up, Nina Carberry, an actual Dancing with the Stars winner, seeking a nomination for the European Parliament. It’s like Lannigan’s Ball in Fine Gael headquarters at the minute. – Is mise,
EOGHAN Mac CORMAIC,
Cill Chríost,
Gaillimh.
Sir, – Yet another Fine Gael TD (Josepha Madigan) choosing not to stand at the next general election. Agatha Christie’s novel And Then There Were None springs to mind. – Yours, etc,
PAUL DELANEY,
Dalkey,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – Now that white smoke has emerged so quickly without the necessity for a contest for the leadership of Fine Gael, it seems to be unnecessary and frankly ridiculous that there should be another two weeks before the nomination of Simon Harris for taoiseach can be put to the Dáil. Under Dáil standing orders, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar can request that the Ceann Comhairle summon the Dáil earlier than the agreed adjourned date. There is a lot to recommend a sitting this week to put a new government in place allowing the changed Ministers in the reshuffle to bed into their new departments and hit the ground running after Easter. Unlike recent post-elections, when protracted negotiations take place for months among aspiring partners to form a coalition, a limited Cabinet reshuffle is all that is required. It is difficult to believe that taoisigh of old would put up with such a delay in similar circumstances. – Yours, etc,
KIERAN COUGHLAN,
Foxrock,
Dublin 18.
Sir, – In all the commentary on Simon Harris becoming the youngest taoiseach, it should not be forgotten that Michael Collins became chairman of the Provisional Government – in other words, head of government (otherwise prime minister or taoiseach) – in January 1922, aged 31. – Yours, etc,
FELIX M LARKIN,
Cabinteely,
Dublin 18.
Sir, – I am hoping that the new taoiseach will lead a party for the people who get up late in the morning. – Yours, etc,
KIERAN HOARE,
Shandon,
Cork.
Sir, – The recent soul-searching within Fine Gael on what are their core values raises an interesting question for the entire body politic. It seems to me that the past decade in particular has seen political parties of all hues (bar the most far left and right) try to be all things to all people to the detriment of the country as a whole.
As Simon Harris is about to find out, governance by soundbite does not work when the root causes of problems are not addressed.
Ahead of the next general election (which should be this June at the latest, given the fraying mandate of the current Government) all parties need to set out their fully costed proposals on how they would deal with the main issues facing the country, namely housing, health, carers, crime and asylum and immigration policy. – Yours, etc,
MICHAEL FLYNN,
Bayside,
Dublin 13.
Sir, – Una Mullally is right when she says for this Government “there is an authority gap as well as a connection gap” (“Simon Harris’s vacuous ‘live, laugh, lead’ online persona leaves me cold”, Opinion & Analysis, March 25th.
Unfortunately that also seems to be the case for the Opposition parties in the Dáil, bar none. All politicians should be mindful of that transport slogan “Mind the gap”. It sounds as if Simon Harris has at least copped on to that. – Yours, etc,
AIDAN RODDY,
Cabinteely,
Dublin 18.
Sir, – Is nobody going to say it? Leo Varadkar was the worst Taoiseach in the history of the Irish State and a disaster for our country. – Yours, etc,
KEITH NOLAN,
Carrick-on-Shannon,
Co Leitrim.
Sir, – Leo has been our best and hardest-working Taoiseach ever. We all owe him some gratitude. – Yours, etc,
MARGARET O’NEILL,
Dublin 16.
Sir, – Since the introduction of free secondary education some years ago, we have been regaled with the view that we now have a very highly educated and competent generation of young people in this country. Yet there are those who are saying that Simon Harris is too young for the job. Is the moral of the story “Be careful what you wish for”? – Yours, etc,
RICHARD ALLEN,
Cummeen,
Sligo.