Sir, - John Waters is right in his column of May 26th. Fianna Fail, with 40 per cent of electoral support, is the largest and most important political organisation on this island. As he says, this is likely to remain the case into the foreseeable future.
It is, therefore, important for the health of our democracy that such an important political organisation is not dependent for funding on a small number of well-off people. The vast majority of Fianna Fail politicians, and indeed the vast majority of those of other political parties, are not corrupt. We do, however, put them under enormous pressure when we force them to go cap in hand to those who can afford it for the finance to run the political system.
It should not be outside the ability of politicians of all parties to devise a system through which political parties would be exclusively funded out of public funds. All private donations, whether from corporations, individuals or trade unions, would then be illegal. That would not stop corruption. It would, however, be a vast improvement on the present situation in which all donations, however questionable are legal and all donations below a certain amount are anonymous.
I may be wrong, but I think that anyone who can afford it can pay a limitless number of donations provided they keep below a certain level. If that is the case it is not an adequate safeguard.
The proposal to ban just corporate donations is also seriously flawed. Individuals within corporations, or indeed trade unions, can donate as much as they like under the latter scenario. Much as I would wish it otherwise, the only way I see to rescue the political system from an unhealthy dependence on a small number of wealthy individuals and organisations is to fund it out of public funds. That would be good for democracy, not just in Fianna Fail but in all political parties as it would release all politicians from the tyranny of large donors. Yours, etc.,
A Leavy, Shielmartin Drive, Sutton, Dublin 13.