A chara, – Duncan Smith of the Labour Party describes Fianna Fáil as a party with "a medieval tradition on social policy and neo-liberal capitalist perspective on economic policy" and describes Colm Keaveney as a "false prophet" (December 4th). This simple sloganeering is not backed up by the facts. On a range of social policy issues, whether it be provision for special needs assistants in schools, financial and other supports for the elderly, banning smoking in public places, or gay rights, Fianna Fáil in government showed the progressive nature of the party.
On economic policy, we make no apologies for being pro-business and pro-employment but tied to ensuring fairness in the distribution of wealth creation. The ESRI and Independent TD Stephen Donnelly have both stated their analysis shows that Fianna Fáil budgets were more equitable than those introduced by the current administration.
As a member of Fianna Fáil, I have never experienced the level of engagement with policy development and with renewal of the party’s values as has been happening over the past two years. As a party, we offer a progressive, centrist and constructive opposition which is learning from mistakes of the past. That is what has attracted Colm Keaveney and thousands of others to join or rejoin the party.
I challenge Mr Smith to examine the policies of Fianna Fáil, not simply to be dismissive in a rhetorical flourish. I believe there are, or were, many in Labour who share our values of equity and social justice. They were the people who at the 2011 election, set out clearly why they were needed in government to stop Fine Gael doing certain things; cutting child benefit, cutting disability supports, or increasing VAT. – Is mise,
Cllr MALCOLM BYRNE,
Fianna Fáil,
The Chase,
Gorey, Co Wexford.
Sir, – PJ McDermott (December 4th), in saying that Colm Keaveney and Fianna Fáil are eminently suited, jokes: "After all they each have their principles. And if you don't like those principles then they have others". While I totally agree with his sentiment, he could at least have credited Groucho Marx with this, when the latter said, "Those are my principles and if you don't like them . . . well I have others."
And perhaps the time will come when Mr Keaveney indeed will see that he should have studied Groucho a little more, and followed his good advice, in particular, “I wouldn’t want to belong to any club that would accept me as a member”. – Yours, etc,
IVOR SHORTS,
Hermitage Close,
Rathfarnham, Dublin 16.
Sir, – Here are two more Latin phrases for Mr Keaveney. Fortuna est caeca (Fortune is blind) – Cicero; and Labor omnia vincit (Labour conquers all) – Virgil. – Yours, etc,
TOMAS P O FEINNEADHA,
Rosan Glas, Gaillimh. .
Sir, – The greatest impact which Colm Keaveney’s sudden conversion to the greatness of Fianna Fáil and Micheál Martin will have is that public trust in politicians will be eroded even further. We have been conditioned to believe that all politicians are out to feather their own nests and look after themselves, and this is clearly the only motivation behind Mr Keaveney’s decision.
Lucinda Creighton or Róisín Shortall both sacrificed far more than Mr Keaveney for their principles, and it is impossible to imagine them performing anything remotely like the sellout which he has performed. Unfortunately, it is politics as a whole which loses out from this cynical manoeuvre. – Yours, etc,
THOMAS RYAN,
Mount Tallant Avenue,
Harolds Cross,
Dublin 6W.
Sir, – Your page 3 photograph (December 4th) of Micheál Martin with his new recruit, shows him wearing a red tie
Perhaps that’s what attracted Colm Keaveney
It was hardly his party’s policies! – Yours, etc,
TA ROGERS,
Newtown,
New Ross, Co Wexford.
Sir, – The defection by Colm Keaveney raises very serious questions. Can we trust the politician we voted for? Or indeed can we trust any politician? The answer to me is quite simple, and is in the hands of the political system itself.
No politician should be able to change over to a different political party during the life of an elected government.
If a politician has a change in political ideology, let him or her go back to the people who made the decision to give the person their vote. – Yours, etc,
JOE O’DONOGHUE,
Clover Hill,
Blackrock,
Cork.