Madam, - Watching the televised debates on Wednesday and Thursday, I was surprised that none of our political leaders dealt with the most important issue of global warming, nor did the RTÉ moderators bring it up. The only mention came from the Greens' leader, when he squeezed the words "climate change" into the last phrase of his concluding statement. If ever, here was an opportunity for politicians to take leadership. "Too hot to handle" seems to be an apt observation in this case - or are our leaders still in denial? - Yours, etc,
FONS JASPERS, Portlaw, Co Waterford.
Madam, - I was amazed to read in your front-page report in yesterday's edition about "Enda Kenny scoring on confidence and the clarity of his message on services and accountability". Were Irish Timesjournalists watching the same debate as I was?
It seemed to me that Bertie Ahern tore shreds in Mr Kenny's figures on hospital beds and Garda numbers, and delivered a serious blow by pressing Mr Kenny to admit that Fine Gael tax cuts would most benefit the top 3 per cent of earners (a detail omitted entirely from your report).
This is further evidence of an anti-Ahern agenda at The Irish Times. - Yours, etc,
PAUL O'CARR, Trinity Square, Dublin 2.
Madam, - Having watched "the big debate" on Prime Time it is blindingly obvious to me who should be the next Taoiseach - it's Miriam O'Callaghan. - Yours, etc,
BRIGID SEALY, Cloonderavon, Moyard, Co Galway.
Madam, - The leader of Fianna Fáil (the Republican Party) enlists the support of the (Labour) prime minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to enhance his electoral chances. Meanwhile, Sinn Féin (the other republican party) is represented on a national electoral debate by a member of the Parliament of Westminster.
"Was it for this the wild
geese spread
The grey wing upon every tide;
For this that all that blood
was shed,
For this Edward
Fitzgerald died,
And Robert Emmet and
Wolfe Tone,
All that delirium of the brave?
Romantic Ireland's
dead and gone,
It's with O'Leary in the grave." - Yours, etc,
FRANK M. FLANAGAN, Clareview, Limerick.
Madam, - Regarding the suggestion by Fianna Fáil that the opposition has little Government experience, if this argument is accepted as valid by the electorate on this occasion, then we must assume that it will be seen as increasingly valid after five more years, and on so ad infinitum.
Does Fianna Fáil want to hold the reins of power forever? - Yours, etc,
BRIAN GEOGHEGAN, Sallins, Co Kildare.
Madam, - What a wonderful sense of juxtaposition you have to publish in the same week Bertie's personal statement on his own finances and his historic address to the combined houses of the British parliament.
May it never leave you. - Yours, etc,
JOHN ARRIGAN, Maryland, Newpark, Portlaoise.
Madam, - Gerry Adams referred repeatedly to his "mandate from the Irish people" on RTÉ's televised debate on Wednesday night. I took this to mean the power granted by an electorate. However, a search of the Oireachtas database failed to turn up his name.
Could it be that he has not, in fact, been elected in this State at all? - Yours, etc,
CHARLOTTE COYLE, Baltinglass, Co Wicklow.
Madam, - Enda Kenny is looking battered, bruised and bloodied after a late-night brawl on Thursday. Gardaí investigating the incident report that Mr Kenny had in his possession a large contract-like document with enormous holes in it. It is this contract that appears to have been the target of Thursday night's attack.
Witnesses at the scene remember seeing a rabbit fleeing to the other side of the street. - Yours, etc,
STEPHEN TIMMONS, Wainsfort Drive, Dublin 6W.
A Chara, - Dermot Looney of Labour Youth (May 17th) regrets "the lack of an international dimension to the general election campaign", yet some people in his party and Fine Gael criticised the endorsement of the Taoiseach by international leaders Bill Clinton, Tony Blair and George Mitchell.
As Ireland plays a more active role on the world stage, it is essential that those who represent our country in Europe, at the United Nations and in strengthening our relationship with Britain have the experience and ability as well as the trust of other world leaders.
Travelling internationally, I find that people in politics, and foreign citizens generally, always ask about Ireland's economic growth and the peace process. In the global village, Bertie Ahern is doing us proud. -
Is mise,
Cllr MALCOLM BYRNE (FF), Gorey, Co Wexford.
Madam, I was interested to read in your newspaper of Brian Cowen's admission that he smoked a joint back in his student days. Now finally I know what the long-term effects are. - Is mise,
FINIAN SLATTERY, Humphreystown, Valleymount, Co Wicklow.
Madam, - Tony Blair also considers George W. Bush to be a good man and a world statesman. Doesn't this suggest he is not a very good judge of character? - Yours etc,
ROBERT SPARKES, Ashton Wood, Bray, Co Wicklow.
Madam, - As election fever heightens, a big issue which no prospective candidate will want to dwell upon is the overcrowding in Dáil Éireann.
One hundred and sixty-six seats will be up for grabs, forming one of the biggest parliaments in Europe for a small country of around 5 million people. The Irish Republic has a ratio of one TD for approximately 20,000 people. The British Parliament has one MP for every 80,000.
I feel the question voters should be asking candidates when they come knocking on doors over the coming weeks is: "Are you really necessary?" I am in no doubt the Republic could function just as effectively with forty fewer TDs in the Dáil. - Yours, etc,
BRENDAN BUFFINI, Maidstone, Kent, England.
Madam, - There is a local election taking place shortly in Andalusia in Spain. One of the parties has just promised to give free Viagra to all men over 70. How about it, Minister? - Yours, etc,
TOM GREALY, Threadneedle Road, Salthill, Galway.
Madam, - John Gormley has done this State some service by scuppering Michael McDowell's pole-dancing stunt. - Yours, etc,
PAUL REDMOND, Colthurst Rise, Lucan, Co Dublin.
Madam, - I note that once again you have produced a map of the North Kildare constituency without including Leixlip. For your reference we occupy the north-eastern corner and have the biggest population in the county. - Yours, etc,
DAVE CORMACK, Ryevale Lawns, Leixlip, Co Kildare.
Madam, - Your coverage of the election has generally been excellent, especially the reports and commentary, but what a strange report by Miriam Lord on McDowell's "pole" stunt in Ranelagh (The Irish Times, May 17th).
Opening with a rather unpleasant description of McDowell - "like a myopic mongrel recognising the scent of his own lavatory" - Ms Lord goes on to describe McDowell's PD colleague Liz O'Donnell as "lovely Liz", who "twittered" something about wearing trousers, before "Liz and her high heels clacked gingerly up" the ladder.
Nice to see our female politicians being taken seriously. What if a man had written this? - Yours, etc,
EAMON DELANEY, Villa Bank, Phibsboro, Dublin 7.
Madam, - I am astonished that, judging from the media coverage of the election so far, not one party has addressed the levels of carnage on our roads and promoted new measures to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries caused by road traffic accidents. - Yours, etc,
GAVAN DUNNE, Irishtown, Dublin 4.