Sir, – It appears Stephen Collins (Front page, October 18th) can barely conceal his glee that Fianna Fáil has, for now at least, shown some alarming signs of revival “Fianna Fáil has bounced back to become the second-biggest party in the State for the first time in more than two years”.
This, apparently, is deemed the primary opening comment on the Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI poll, which has way much more worthy and so much less depressing news.
Undecided voters are on the increase; all political leaders have taken a dive in popularity and Labour still languishes. These are surely the key positives which offer some hope, statistically at least, for the nation’s (far-off ) well being.
Salient questions arising from this poll 18 months into the “saviour” government are thus: why should we have to endure the same stunted “me-féin” combo of choices, with which we’ve struggled, nay languished, for so many years? Where is the real appetite for real change? Why did we, as a nation ever listen to the Fine Gael/Labour vacuous nonsense that all would change, and change utterly? There are, thankfully, some shoots of optimism, but it’s not about Fianna Fáil. It’s that there are some more people grappling with who or what they want, and more assured what they don’t want. Change, change and more change.
Recouping its credibility of course will take Fianna Fáil a life-time, if ever, and hopefully not only my life-time. God is good, and thankfully of independent mind, body and spirit.
May he visit soon. – Yours, etc,