Sir, – Lucinda Creighton and her band of merry men are even more out of touch with reality than the current ruling elite. She should spend more time worrying about her own fragile chances of re-election than trying to offer a backward, conservative vision of a country no one wants to see exist. – Yours, etc,
HUGH O’DONNELL,
Sandymount,
Dublin 4.
Sir, – John Leahy of Reboot Ireland says “This new movement will embrace the views of rural Ireland” (“Lucinda Creighton joined by Eddie Hobbs in new party”, January 2nd). That’s great. As an atheistic, socialist supporter of a woman’s right to choose and living in rural Ireland, I look forward to seeing my views reflected in the party’s manifesto. – Yours, etc,
DOMINIC CARROLL,
Ardfield,
Co Cork.
Sir, – If this new party is to adhere to its aversion to the whip system, the formulation of policies is unnecessary. Each member of the party who is elected to the Oireachtas will be guided by his or her own view on any proposed legislation, with the interesting exception of Finance Bills. For instance, one member may be convinced that nuclear power is desirable, another may abhor such a notion; another member may strongly believe in the unselfish patriotism of small business people and that they should be afforded every opportunity to flourish, while another may regard them as money-grubbing chancers.
If there is then to be a free vote in order to respect the opposing views of such members, why bother with policies at all?
As to the Finance Bills, I am quite bewildered that such proposed legislation, which impinges so directly on our well-being, is not deemed to be a matter of individual conscience. – Yours, etc,
PETER KENNY,
Dublin 14.
Sir, – We now know that Lucinda Creighton and others are setting up a new political party that wants to make Ireland “a great place to innovate, to grow, to build and expand a small business”.
This sounds very like Enda Kenny’s Fine Gael, which wants to make Ireland “the best little country in the world in which to do business”.
I am sure these are worthy, if similar, aspirations but I look in vain for a political party that wants to make Ireland the best little country in the world to be born in, the best little country in the world to be sick in, the best little country in the world to be disabled in, the best little country in the world to grow old in, the best little country in the world to be educated in, the best little country in the world to be an immigrant in, the best little country in the world for equality, the best society in the world.
It is clear that these reasonable aspirations are beyond the imaginations of Lucinda Creighton, Enda Kenny, Joan Burton, Gerry Adams, Micheál Martin and most, if not all, of their colleagues in Leinster House. – Yours, etc,
BRENDAN LYNCH,
Dublin 7.
Sir, – A nameless new party ranging about for members and supporters, with a Corkman, Eddie Hobbs, at the top table. What better working title than the Nemocratic Rangers? – Yours, etc,
DENIS O’DONOGHUE,
Killarney,
Co Kerry.
Sir, – Lucinda Creighton has announced that a new political party will be launched “within eight weeks”. The new party does not yet have a name. Based on what Ms Creighton has said to date, may I suggest that the party be called “Profit before People”? – Yours, etc,
MARTIN MELAUGH,
Coleraine,
Co Derry.
Sir, – Reboot. Start PDs/Libertas 2.0. Press the usual buttons to continue. – Yours, etc,
SIMON COMER,
Galway.
Sir, – So Lucinda Creighton has finally made her move to establish a new party. While I cannot see anything new in her position on economic matters which distinguishes her from the other right-of-centre parties in this State, I do wholeheartedly agree with the new party’s focus on political reform.
Ms Creighton is now in position to push for the most practical way to make a serious start at this reform in a way she could hardly have done as an Independent. This is to change radically the Irish electoral system. It is the current PR-STV system that is delivering the localist and clientelist politics that even after the disasters that have befallen this country after 2008 is continuing to do so much damage.
And things are going to get worse. If successive opinion polls as well as the local and recent byelections are any indication, the current system is going to produce such a high number of Independents in the next Dáil that forming a stable government may only become possible if local interests are privileged even more over the common good.
There are excellent alternative systems on offer, perhaps the best a mixed system of first past the post and party lists (also known as additional members system or personalised proportional representation), which Scotland, New Zealand and Québec all introduced over the last 10 years and Germany has had since 1949.
One consequence of a new system along these lines would be the likely elimination of Independent candidates at national level, which in my view would be one of its most beneficial side-effects as it would force all those intelligent and competent voices among the Independents into parties, into negotiations and compromises, and into national responsibility. I trust this ambition also underlies Ms Creighton’s venture.
Coupled with real meaningful decentralisation and devolution of power to local authorities, the new electoral system will actually deliver what it is currently only pretending to deliver, national politicians for national politics and local politicians for local politics.
I sincerely hope Ms Creighton will aim to make a real difference to the way politics is conducted in this country and give the issue of electoral reform the focus it deserves in the run-up to the next general election.
Or is it really the immutable law of Irish politics that disaster has to strike first before politicians and citizens wake up? – Yours, etc,
JOACHIM FISCHER,
Ballina, Co Tipperary.
Sir, – A terrible rebooty is born. – Yours, etc,
CONAN DOYLE,
Pococke Lower,
Kilkenny.