BRENDAN J.MESKELL,
Sir, - Although I normally disagree with John Waters, I must commend him for his column "The illusion we insist on calling Irish democracy" (Opinion, January 21st), which truly highlighted the disregard most of this country's political actors have for the electorate. Although he did not specifically mention it, Mr Waters effectively underlined the minuscule difference in policy between the main political parties.
I would agree with his recommendation to ban all coalitions which have not been pre-declared from taking office. Who can forget Dick Spring before the 1992 election declaring that "Fianna Fáil are a cancer eating away at Irish society", only to go into coalition with that very cancer just weeks later.
May I suggest - as another person did on this page some weeks ago - that the four main political parties simply end the illusion and officially merge into the one mass entity that they are? - Yours, etc.,
BRENDAN J.MESKELL,
St James Road,
Greenhills,
Dublin 12.