A Chara, - Dr Noreen O'Carroll's insight and reflection on motherhood and fatherhood as valid qualifications in the political process (May 13th) is welcome. However, some of your readers have contacted me, mistakenly believing that that I was disqualified from standing in this week's election.
In fact, after exhortation from the 30 women and men who assented to my nomination, I reluctantly allowed the description "Father" to be crossed off my nomination form. Having incompletely (but apparently legally) described my calling, pursuits and occupation as one-dimensional, citing only the wage-earning economic element of "college lecturer", while denying my complex reality and the core of my social being as a father, I was included on the ballot paper in Co Louth.
I challenged in the courts the decision to refuse my nomination as a "Father"; and on Monday May 13th the Supreme Court crystallised the institutionalised discrimination against fathers by declaring that the word "Father" cannot be used to describe an occupation.
Meanwhile, two candidates, one in Cork South-West, Ms Theresa Heaney, Chairperson of the National Union of Mothers of Ireland, and in Cork East, Ms June Murphy of Sinn Féin, have both had their nominations accepted as "Mother".
I wish them well and I fully admire their occupation as mothers, nurturing Ireland's most valuable asset, our children. I am also nurturing my children, so I could also reasonably request parity of esteem. - Yours, etc.,
LIAM Ó GOGÁIN,
Dublin Road,
Dundalk,
Co Louth.
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Sir, - The level of junk mail through my letter box during this election campaign was been bad enough, but on Thursday night I received my first "junk phone call". At around 9:30 the phone rang and a recorded voice offered to play me a message from Mary Harney if I pressed button on my phone. Apart from it was disrupted my evening, what disturbs me is our number is ex-directory. I'd like to know how Mary Harney came by my phone number. Whatever chance she had of getting my vote, she lost it. - Yours, etc.,
LORRAINE BRENNAN,
Liffey Way,
Lucan,
Co Dublin.
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Sir, - I chuckled when I saw your front-page photograph (The Irish Times, May 16th) of the two presiding officers on Clare Island awaiting voters.It must be nice to vote in such a relaxed atmosphere.Even the kettle was on standby! - Yours, etc.,
MICHAEL PORTER,
Witherington Road,
London N5.