Sir, – Such is the breadth of coverage in The Irish Times that on the same day when there is an article by Fintan O’Toole (“The three transparent election lies even politicians can’t pretend to believe”, Opinion & Analysis, November 19th), which comments on Fianna Fáil telling farmers that getting a further derogation for the EU nitrates directive is a priority, Heraclitus is being discussed by Brian O’Brien in the Letters page. The ancient Greek philosopher believed that everything changes and nothing abides, but modern Irish political wisdom holds that you can still be stubborn, and while it may be that no man can step in the same river twice, he can still put nitrates in it as often as he likes. – Yours, etc,
COLIN WALSH,
Templeogue,
Dublin 6W.