A chara, - Marc Coleman's article on the fundamental incompatibility of a Fine Gael-Labour coalition (Opinion & Analysis, May 27th) is a worthwhile and timely analysis which ought to ignite the almost entirely stifled debate on the third (and increasingly most likely) possibility after the next general election: a Fianna Fáil-Labour coalition.
If you take away the personal invective and long-outdated clichés about FF "corrupt gangsters" and Labour "Commie headbangers", the ideological common ground shared by the two parties forms the basis of a far more compatible and stable government than either of the two options apparently on offer. Fianna Fáil's lurch rightwards has been an unnatural and unsatisfying experience for the party, with Government ideology entirely dominated by the PDs, the North being the only issue FF can claim as its own.
Charlie McCreevy's departure has certainly facilitated a creep back towards the natural homeostasis, but a coalition with Labour, allowing the PDs to develop links with their ideological clones in FG, would expedite and complete the process.
The result would be far happier bedfellows within all four parties, and a true choice for the electorate between two ideologically opposed governments, rather than a pair of mismatched coalitions of convenience.
As Marc Coleman puts it, the time for a left-right alignment of Irish politics would have finally arrived; and for those of us tired of a meandering, less-than-competent Government but unwilling to take a risk with the economy, the North or our national language under Enda Kenny, wouldn't seven fresh new Labour faces at Cabinet be a great way to clear off the cobwebs? - Is mise,
DAVID CARROLL, Castle Gate, Dublin 2.