Madam, – Fintan O’Toole’s definition” of a republic ( Opinion, August 3rd) is false.
Regardless of whether one subscribes to Fintan’s agenda, or to the right wing agenda proffered by Michael McDowell, the point of a republic is that the people choose their political leaders, thereby indirectly determining the politics of the day.
Whilst snippets of Fintan’s “definition” may fall within the generally recognised concept of a republic, his attempt to define the boundaries of the concept along political lines is flawed.
For example, unlike Fintan, I think Michael McDowell was right to criticise the Centre for Public Inquiry and its director, Frank Connolly.
Like Fintan I believe in the concept of equality.
I do not however, subscribe to the politically correct aspiration of “equality for the sake of equality” and I disagree with some decisions made by the Equality Authority in recent years.
Does this preclude me from being “a true republican“?
Regrettably, Fintan’s attempt to define “a republic” merely demonstrates an unwillingness on his part to subscribe to the very essence of a republic – namely that the people, through elected politicians, determine and ultimately define the nature of the republic. – Yours, etc,