Sir, – How irritating to read all the vitriol heaped on our politicians for their failure to build a consensus government from the shambles visited on us by our recent election. It is high time we recognised that the root cause of our broken political system is not the politicians but the people who elect them.
Too many of us consider only our narrow self-interest when asked to choose a government, and then seem surprised when we elect a plethora of Independents with no interest or competence in running the country.
It’s high time we considered single-issue candidates for local government only and elect political parties capable of developing and implementing national policies in general elections. – Yours, etc,
BARRY QUINN,
Lagos,
Portugal.
Sir, – In his recently published book All Behind You – Churchill's Great Coalition 1940-45, Roger Hermiston writes that Churchill adhered to Edmund Burke's view that "a state without the means of some change is without the means of its conservation". Messrs Kenny and Martin might consider whether this would equally apply to their respective parties. – Yours, etc,
BRIAN McCONNELL,
Sandymount,
Dublin 4.
Sir, – When Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil meet to negotiate the formation of a new government and to haggle over Irish Water, I wonder do they drink tap or bottled water? – Yours etc
BRIAN CULLEN,
Rathfarnham,
Dublin 16.
Sir, – Will there be a bridge over troubled water? – Yours, etc,
ALICE DWYER,
Wexford.
Sir, – The French politician Henri Queuille said that politics was the art of postponing decisions until they were no longer relevant. Perhaps that is what is behind the great delay in forming a government. – Yours, etc,
CORMAC MEEHAN,
Bundoran,
Co Donegal.