Madam, - Garret FitzGerald is usually correct when he speaks "ex cathedra" on matters of politics or economics and his column of September 1st was no exception.
Fianna Fáil is destined to rule forever! The regrettable departure of Pat Rabbitte from the Labour leadership focuses minds on the inadequacies of current constitutional arrangements and highlights the failure to develop normal democratic politics.
Fianna Fáil has the system cracked. It merely has to offer a few crumbs to a few hungry independents and then assume a dominant position in a coalition of its choosing. With 27 per cent of the vote it can dominate politics for another five years. Its coalition partners often find themselves compromising their principles and mortgaging their political future.
If action is not taken to remedy the current system of government creation, opposition politicians will become old and grey without ever experiencing political office. This makes voters all the more likely to go for the "safe bet" of the party in government.
I do not think that enough weight is given to the exceptional circumstances that led to the creation of the current State. A colonial war followed by a vicious civil war determined political loyalties.
In Northern Ireland it proved necessary to tackle the consequences of a system which inherently deprived 40 per cent of the population of any chance of political power. While no one would pretend that the problem in the Republic is quite as clear-cut, a system which appears to guarantee one-party rule is unhealthy for democracy.
The D'Hondt system, currently operating in more than 60 countries, including Austria, Portugal, Finland and the Netherlands, ensures that voters' preferences determine the composition of the government. Under D'Hondt, Pat Rabbitte would, of right and without compromise and in accordance with the wishes of his electorate, have had a position in government. From a position of government office he and other politicians could hope to improve their parties' vote.
Surely it is now time for the opposition parties, in combination, to press for a referendum on the introduction of the D'Hondt system. - Yours, etc,
NIALL VALLELY, Dublin Road, Newry, Co Down.