A chara, – The proposal by John Gormley to involve the Opposition in framing the budget strategy for the next four years should be seen for what it is – a transparent attempt either to bind the Opposition into the failed policies of the current discredited government or to make them appear unpatriotic by failing to act in the national interest. If Mr Gormley and his Fianna Fáil colleagues really have the national interest at heart they should call a general election and then support whatever government is formed which would have a mandate to take a four-year view on the State’s finances.
As matters stand, Mr Gormley is like a demented gambler rummaging in the green bins of south Dublin in the hope of finding a discarded ticket that would have the winning lottery numbers to rescue him from the disastrous punts he took over the last three years. – Is mise,
LIAM BYRNE,
Nutley Road,
Donnybrook, Dublin 4.
Madam, – I hope that in the aftermath of all the talk of national consensus someone might pick up on my idea. I propose that after the next election the Cabinet would be filled according to the percentages voted for. Somewhat like a real democracy.
For example, if Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael were each to receive 25 per cent of the vote then they should each be entitled to 25 per cent of Cabinet seats, and seats should be similarly apportioned to each other party.
It can’t be that difficult to implement a system that truly represents the views of the whole population. All the politicians have to do then is to talk to each other as mature adults. Is this possible? – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Part of the difficulty is the Government would need to take the con out of consensus, whereas in reality it would probably take the sense out of consensus, leaving the rest of us conned. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – As no party in the history of our State has shown itself competent to manage much more than a beer tent and/or a drinking conference, it seems to me that disbanding all the parties would be much better for the economy than uniting them. Then we, the people of Ireland, could sort out the mess fairly quickly. I don’t think I would like to be in a beer tent with Michael O’Leary, but I would gladly work with him for a few months to get things back on track. – Yours, etc,