Sir, – As political parties and commentators contemplate the likelihood of a hung Dáil, it might be useful for them to look at a cohort of voters who have received little attention during the short election campaign. I refer to the almost 740,000 people who voted No in last year’s “marriage equality” referendum, or nearly 38 per cent of those who voted. Many of these voters now feel excluded from the public discourse. Their faith in our democratic system was shaken by the unanimity that was evident across the entire political, media and cultural establishments in the campaign in favour of a Yes vote. It is likely that this disillusionment with our democratic system will reflect itself in a lower than usual participation rate in the general election. This will have a disproportionate effect on the votes of the mainstream parties, which have signally failed to offer an olive branch to the socially conservative voters who have traditionally supported them.
They need, even at this late stage, to be given a reason to come out and vote. – Yours, etc,
PADDY BARRY,
Killiney, Co Dublin.
A chara, – A Fine Gael/Fianna Fáil coalition government? That’s very much like same-sex marriage. We must each of us come to terms with it in our own way. Embrace it! – Is mise,
BILLY LOUGHNANE,
Feakle, Co Clare.
Sir, – It is said that low interest rates, quantitative easing, and a weak euro are the only reasons why our economy is recovering, but what other country in the euro area had a growth rate of 7 per cent last year? – Yours, etc,
JOHN O’REILLY,
Lusk, Co Dublin.
Sir, – Ruairí Quinn rhetorically asks "If you repudiate all your debts, all your obligations, all your contracts, why would anybody come here and invest?", to justify Labour's role in government ("Not retiring quietly, Ruairí Quinn has harsh words for critics", February 23rd). Of course no-one proposed that Ireland should renege on its sovereign debt. However, in its election campaign, Labour's slogan "Labour's way or Frankfurt's way" summarised its policy that the Irish taxpayer should not be responsible for private speculative debt, an entirely different thing. This slogan, not raised in the interview, was a major factor in delivering the 19 per cent vote Labour achieved in the 2011 election.
Instead, Labour in government agreed to saddle the taxpayer with all the private debt incurred through the Irish banks, including unguaranteed bondholders, and converted this debt from bonds to promissory notes, saving some interest costs but ensuring that a future government cannot escape from these obligations; the legality of this move is under challenge in the Supreme Court now. Labour is also a partner in a government that has never pressed the EU to deliver on its burden-sharing policy.
Instead of complaining that the “working class doesn’t necessarily support Labour Party policies”, perhaps Ruairí Quinn and Labour should consider delivering on those policies. – Yours, etc,
DONAL McGRATH,
Greystones, Co Wicklow.
Sir, – By way of adapting Patrick Ward's metaphor (February 22nd), I am all for throwing out with the campaign bathwater all those bad-tempered, interrupting, ear-splitting political babies we're suffering over the airwaves during this benighted month! – Yours, etc,
OLIVER McGRANE,
Rathfarnham,
Dublin 16.
Sir, – What was the Taoiseach whinging about? – Yours, etc,
HENRY GAYNOR,
Tralee, Co Kerry.
Sir, – It is with utter disbelief, dismay and disappointment that I have studied recent opinion polls that show the lie of our electoral land. Have the people of Ireland forgotten what years of a Fianna Fáil-led government did to this country? Fine Gael has an excellent record in government bringing this country back to economic recovery and stability. Of course, recovery hasn’t reached every home. However, the foundations are now there to build on and allow recovery to filter through to all parts of Ireland. I am very concerned by the recent polls that this recovery will be jeopardised by other parties feeding negativity to the Irish people. I really hope that the undecided voters will vote for stability. – Yours, etc,
RHONA LARKIN,
Belclare,
Co Galway.
Sir, – I would like to see Fine Gael under the leadership of Simon Coveney or Frances Fitzgerald go into government – in some shape or form – with Fianna Fáil led by John McGuinness. I would like to see all sensible left-wing Independents join the Labour Party (as Pat Rabbitte et al did, from Democratic Left) under the leadership of Brendan Howlin, and the rebuilding of a strong opposition party with the possibility of government after the next election after this one. I would like to see Sinn Féin return to being what it is most suited for – in policies and temperament – a Northern Ireland party. I have yet to hear it refer to the government of the Republic of Ireland as anything other than the "southern government". Stability, is what we need. And could we bury the word "establishment", please? – Yours, etc,
NIALL BRACKEN,
Waterford.
A chara, – Breda O'Brien advises us to choose politicians who are willing to put their own personal convictions before those of their parties, suggesting that remaining faithful to a particular belief demonstrates good character ("My guide to choosing your TD", Opinion & Analysis, February 20th). She praises a number of candidates in the upcoming election for doing this, "most notably", as she puts it, Lucinda Creighton. Breda O'Brien's analysis seems to me, however, to be rather black and white and based mainly on the fact that the named TDs voted against a Bill she herself describes as "Orwellian".
Adhering to a certain political stance, despite it being contrary to the majority opinion in the party and the public, can be described as being courageous and resolute. Others may call it inflexible and obstinate. Changing one’s personal stance on key political issues could be a sign that one is willing to listen and be open to change. It may equally be a sign of opportunism and a willingness to sail whichever way the wind is blowing. Most readers could guess which of the above interpretations your columnist would use to describe Ms Creighton’s decision to leave her party over the Protection of Life During Pregnancy Bill. I would be interested to know how she would describe the same politician’s decision to support marriage equality, despite her previous reservations. – Is mise,
NIALL CALLAN,
Crumlin,
Dublin 12.
Sir, – It has been a been a long and hard five years for most of the country. And yet these same five years have made a large proportion of this country forget the reasons for the hardship. They’ve forgotten who allowed it all to go belly up in the first place and lined their own pockets and those of their cronies with the excesses of the Celtic Tiger.
No government coming in to tidy it all up could have made it easy for us. Jobs lost, children migrating, mortgages unpaid, the list goes on.
Now we have to look at the bigger picture. Thanks to the Irish people, our sovereignty has been restored. Slowly, and all too slowly for most, the country is getting back on its feet again. It all crashes spectacularly quickly, but rising from the ashes takes a long time.
It is only five years and yet how we have forgotten why we are here in the first place. – Yours, etc,
VICTORIA MADIGAN,
Terenure, Dublin 6.
Sir, – Now to identify the least-worst candidate to vote for. How depressing. – Yours, etc,
LIAM McMULLIN,
Donamon,
Co Roscommon.
Sir, – Lies, damn lies and election promises. – Yours, etc,
BRIAN QUIGLEY,
Bettystown, Co Meath.