Sir, – I was delighted to see one of the elements to help get an agreement for a new government formation was to begin to see the end of this dreadful direct provision system for asylum seekers in this country. One of the biggest shames on the Irish state since the Magdalene Laundries. – Yours, etc,
BRIAN MC DEVITT,
Glenties, Co Donegal.
Sir, – Barring a mishap with their respective party members it looks like the “grand coalition” of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael (made possible by the participation of the Green Party) will finally become a reality.
I expect a great many pieces eulogising the event and the final end to “Civil War politics” to appear in the print media and find utterance on radio and television over the next few weeks. If it comes to pass, and it looks like it will, then it will indeed be a significant event for this country but not in the way the establishment want to frame it.
Civil War politics ended decades ago. The two big parties exist partly through tradition but also because of the class bases of their respective memberships but in the area of economic policy they are almost identical. The real great change that I suspect will barely make it into the mainstream media is that for the first time in a long time Ireland will have a real parliamentary opposition, the voters will have real choice.
The Right/Left politics that has been neutralised by the lobbyists and divisive nationalist politics in most other countries will step onstage here and the haves will be forced to defend their privilege from the have-nots. That is the op-ed that I would like to read. – Yours, etc,
JOHN HANAMY,
Dublin 6W.
A chara, – The new tranquil party politics of rotating taoisigh by what were once separate political parties (and coupled with Sinn Féin’s insistence on capitulation) has spelled the end of contestable politics in this country.
The alarming way in which this Government remains, passing questionable edicts on an accepting public has created an inertial vacuum, an algorithm that might still spawn an affront to democracy in the not unforeseeable future.
Three years ago the British journalist Peter Hitchens, a critic of the British political system, said at least when the government loses an election, the prime minister is out of 10 Downing Street the next day. If this didn’t happen, he said,the government ends up reforming itself in a similar vein, the same people at the wheel, which is not good politics.
In these times when old world orders are slipping away before our very eyes and the evils of hatred and misrule are rising everywhere out of cyberspace, it is absolutely imperative that a rock solid political system based on rule and opposition, be put in place, steered by our most capable people, and that current hand-in-hand politics that has leanings toward careerism be terminated. – Is mise,
JOE FULHAM,
Ratoath, Co Meath.
Sir, – Rotaoiseach? – Yours, etc,
JUDITH GOLDBERGER,
Dublin 4 .
Sir, – Typical of a long-time-coming government that nobody voted for, to make a plan that the increase in the State pension age to 67 be deferred pending the outcome of a commission (more jobs for the boys!) to examine the issue.
Surely it was examined enough already? – Yours, etc,
JENNY COGHLAN,
Stillorgan, Co Dublin.
Sir, – Now that the Green Party is headed for government, can I suggest a new slogan for then? Instead of “Mercs and Perks”, how about “Mercs And Parks”? Yours, etc,
DÁIHÍ Ó CRÓINÍN,
Co Galway.
Sir, – While everyone is pleased to see our politicians getting back to business having been “rutting” for the last 100-plus days can it now be assumed that FF and FG will carry on with their amalgamation when canvassing for the next local, European and general elections or will all bets be off at the first sight of a ballot box.
We need stability, in the long term, not a “temporary little arrangement” a remark by Albert Reynolds that gave the first sign of cracks in the FF/ PD coalition.
Will history be repeated? – Yours, etc,
BRIAN MURPHY,
Templeogue,
Dublin 16.
A chara, – This proposed government is indeed historic on a rudimentary level. Fine Gael has never been in three successive governments and has never been in coalition together with Fianna Fáil, though it has had a chance to rehearse during the virtually ineffective confidence and supply arrangement of the last Dáil. To call this historic, however, verges on the histrionic. Even with all the trappings of modernity and maturity as a nation, there still is an active pretence surrounding the differences between the parties, rather than acknowledging the fact they are practically indistinguishable.
But that is a problem with modern politics. The idea of one-party governments has virtually no chance of ever resurfacing again. The electorate has become more and more fractured and, with this diverse sprawl of votes in the last election, it has become incredibly hard to distinguish what is a victory or a defeat.
Sinn Féin has since the election in February claimed success, and in many ways it is hard to disagree. It won the largest share of first preference votes and its largest ever share of Dáil seats, all in a manner that was not generally forecast by commentators. Under the leadership of Mary Lou Mc Donald, Sinn Féin opened up, readying itself to form a government with anyone who was willing to talk to the party. However, even with a progressive front of the Social Democrats et al, the numbers didn’t add up, and a coalition of that size would have been unrealistic to manage, never mind govern.
Unable to capitalise on its most successful election result ever, Sinn Féin is reeling. This is a clear failure of its triumph, but what hurts more is that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have found triumph in their own failure. Fianna Fáil was unable to profit from the public discontent with the government, displayed little to no governmental ability, and lost eight seats. Fine Gael proved unappetising to voters and lost 12 seats, having one of its worst election performances in its history. On the back of these failures, the two parties found triumph and are now on the cusp of forming a government.
This programme for government is not unusual from ones gone before; there are promises to create a better, more equal society, be that through responsible spending, tax plans, and various commissions and task forces. But it is not that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael have renewed their passion for public office in their negotiations with the Green Party. Now, after nearly a century of being in power, their control is in jeopardy. If this programme for government is not effectively delivered, or they do not convince the public at large of the change they are bringing, it will be nigh on impossible for them to salvage any triumph from that failure. – Is mise,
PAUL MCCARRICK,
Athlone,
Co Westmeath.
Sir, – In 1921, the creation of modern day Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael began with the signing of the Anglo-Irish Treaty. In signing the treaty Michael Collins said he had “signed his own death warrant”. Has Fianna Fáil just done the same? – Yours, etc,
EOGHAN CLOGHER,
Co Roscommon.
Sir, – Reading the agreements reached with the Greens to form the possible new government it seems that the tail is wagging the dog. – Yours, etc,
DAVID MURNANE,
Dunshaughlin, Co Meath.
Sir, – The Greens must now be as happy as a tail with two dogs. – Yours, etc,
MICHAEL PEGUM,
Dublin 4.