Madam, - Surely the piece by Senator Feargal Quinn in Wednesday's paper, "Oireachtas returns, but who cares?" is one of the best contributions we have had from a public representative in a very long time. It certainly was a chilling picture of the state of democracy in today's European Union.
Senator Quinn goes further than just highlighting the problem - he goes on to outline a very realistic course of rectification. But do those who count care? That is the question.
It is a great pity we don't have a lot more representatives like Senator Quinn - maybe then we'd have a Super Oireachtas. If he ever wants it, he certainly can count on my number one. - Yours, etc,
JOHN NEWMAN, Dublin 11.
Madam, - When the Dáil resumed on Wednesday, it had sat for just 58 days this year - equivalent to about 1.5 days per week. As a benchmark, British MPs are paid about the same as TDs, even though they represent much larger constituencies (66,000 versus 18,000 on average) and the Westminster Parliament sits for 150-plus days a year versus 90-plus for the Dáil. On this basis, MPs offer 70 per cent more value than TDs.
In any other context, this divergence would be viewed as a rip-off. To resolve these matters, the Dáil should be obliged to sit for four full days a week and 40 weeks a year after the next election. If this doesn't suit prospective TDs, they shouldn't stand for election. - Yours, etc,
BRIAN FLANAGAN, Ardmeen Park, Blackrock, Co Dublin.