Madam, - I followed with interest the recent correspondence concerning the rehousing of the Oireachtas. Then came Colm MacEochaidh's letter of November 28th on restoring College Green and I waited for the connection to be made.
Why cannot the Oireachtas be brought back to the building designed to house it? Perhaps if we ceased using our noblest public building as a temple to Mammon it would do something to restore national respect for the democratic process and the younger generation might even be tempted to get out and vote.
There is a plethora of fine buildings in Dame Street/Foster Place crying out for sensitive refurbishment. Of course there is all that pesky traffic in College Green; but surely there are nascent town planners who in the small hours visualise the replanning of Central Dublin.
It took a very long time for us to realise that the country's entire trade didn't have to be trundled up and down the quays as in a mediaeval town. Why did it take so long to come up with the solution of a tunnel? Several years ago, when the Ahmed Hamdi Tunnel was dug under the Suez Canal, the entire excavation crew seemed to hail from Donegal; they must all be retired by now. Perhaps there is a tradition of tunnelling in the Inishowen peninsula?
In conclusion, may I say that the only thing that spoils my dream of seeing an Irish parliament sitting in the building designed for it is the fear that the niches in the walls might be filled with specimens of contemporary sculpture. Please God, not that! - Yours, etc,
E. ATALLAH, Home Farm Road, Dublin 9.