Madam, - The Taoiseach deserves immense credit for the relentless energy and commitment he has devoted to finding a lasting solution to the "Irish Question". But during his 10 years in office, his Government has shredded Ireland's constitutional neutrality by giving massive support to the disastrous US war effort in Iraq, pursued policies which have made the gap between rich and poor in our society wider than ever, presided over a crumbling health service, failed lamentably to develop our infrastructure adequately and done virtually nothing to tackle the issue of energy sources and climate change which is a major problem for the entire planet.
In any healthy democracy, there is always a realistic chance for the people to change their government in response to changing circumstances - witness Germany, France and Italy in recent times. In this republic, however, Fianna Fáil has been in power for almost 60 of the 75 years since Eamon de Valera first entered government in 1932.
If the party is re-elected this time, with whatever junior partner, the possibility of changing our government in the foreseeable future will be virtually destroyed. We will, in effect, become a one-party state, with all the implications that has for cosy relationships with big business, the trade unions, the civil service, the legal system, the Army and the police. Given the record of the Haughey-era corruption, this is truly an appalling vista.
The argument that Fianna Fáil has long experience in running the country and that "the other crowd" have none is obviously true in one sense. But if the voters are unduly swayed by this and re-elect Fianna Fáil, the situation will be even worse five years from now and beyond redemption in 25 years' time. We do not know whether the alternative coalition will be better for our society; but for the sake of our democracy, we must find out. If they fail, we can vote them out, but first we must vote them in. - Yours, etc,
JERRY CROWLEY, Belgrove Lawn, Chapelizod, Dublin 20.
Madam, - As your Economics Editor, Marc Coleman, has pointed out ( The Irish Times, May 8th), the Fine Gael election manifesto is based on optimistic economic growth and tax revenue growth predictions for 2008 to 2012. There is no small print on Enda Kenny's Contract for a Better Ireland, but I have yet to hear a journalist or analyst question whether it is subject to the same economic assumptions as the manifesto. If so, it is clear that these assumptions are unlikely to be met and, therefore, Mr Kenny will escape the burden of his commitments before even beginning to perform his side of the bargain. Hardly an honest deal.
Even if he were to manage the impossible, however, those who vote Fine Gael might discover that they have got more than they bargained for. Many of the promises in the manifesto are not headline news, but are worth noting nonetheless. Some commit to existing Government policy, such as continuing to support the Reps scheme for farmers and ensuring the switch-over to digital television by 2015. Others involve changes in government policy which are arguably positive but which should be debated, rather than being implemented on the basis of small print in a manifesto. For example, FG would scrap the plans to introduce a system of postal codes.
Of far more concern are fundamental changes to the system of criminal justice and constitutional rights, two things for which the current crime-fixated, scare-mongering Fine Gael seem to care little. The manifesto commits FG to "make electronic tagging of persons on bail a reality" and "allow[ ing] evidence to be introduced even if it was obtained through a minor or inconsequential breach of a person's constitutional rights". Quite apart from the fuzziness of this statement, I would be quite interested to hear how Enda Kenny believes any breach of a person's constitutional rights is "minor or inconsequential". - Yours, etc,
ROSSA McMAHON, Palmerston Park, Dublin 6.
A chara,- What's wrong with people? If the latest polls are to be believed, Fianna Fáil support has actually been rising! a I would have thought the voters were dying to get their revenge on the party for its litany of broken promises and years of underinvestment in areas of key infrastructure such as the health service, public transport, education and housing, not to mention its complicity in the Iraq war by allowing US military and "rendition" flights to stop and refuel at Shannon.
When you go abroad and see how modern and efficient key services are, you realise how much we've been conned and diddled out of having the same by 10 years of Fianna Fáil-led governments at a time of unprecedented prosperity when we did have the money to invest in vital infrastructure. - Is Mise,
PAUL KINSELLA, Lorcan Grove, Santry, Dublin 9.
Madam, - As polling day draws closer the choices facing the electorate are being crystallised. Quite simply, do we want continued economic growth, with resultant increases in employment and services, or do we want to throw it all away?
The present Government has presided over the most successful period in modern Irish history with unprecedented increases in employment, an end to the misery of emigration, reduced direct taxation, massive improvements in infrastructure and increased payments and services to the needy and elderly. Only the most blinkered of commentators continue to deny or belittle these facts.
The alternative on offer is a combination of Fine Gael, Labour and the Greens, led by the most vocal of them all, the left-wing Rabbitte. This desperate gathering of three completely different parties (right-wing, left-wing and far left-wing) is asking the electorate to vote for change. A change to what? A return to high unemployment and high emigration, a return to high taxes and a loss of competitiveness for Irish industry. These are changes that the Irish people can do without.
FG, and Mr Kenny in particular, are running around the country telling the electorate what they will do given a chance. But the question has to be asked: what has Kenny done over the 32 painfully quiet years he has sat in the Dáil to give the electorate any confidence that he is capable of doing anything? Kenny referred to his lack of experience, at any level in government, as a long apprenticeship. In any other walk of life 30-plus years of apprenticeship would be considered a failed apprenticeship - and rightly so.
Compare this with the leading role played by Mr Ahern in presiding over the most successful period in Irish history. Ahern has over 20 years' experience in the Cabinet, 10 years as leader of the Government, culminating in his leading role in delivering peace to the island of Ireland. There is clearly no comparison. Ahern is an experienced leader whereas Kenny is a failed apprentice. - Yours, etc,
LIAM LYNCH, Ballinacurra, Midleton, Co Cork.
Madam, - Vincent Browne (Opinion, May 16th) repeats his false criticism that Labour has "no proposals" to tackle poverty and inequality. This is particularly ironic as on the previous day we launched a significant document - "A Fair Deal for Communities".
This was not an empty soundbite but a set of joined-up solutions to the real problems besetting our disadvantaged communities. - Yours, etc,
MIKE ALLEN, General Secretary, The Labour Party, Dublin 2.
Madam, - Many observers are attributing Fianna Fáil's 5 per cent rise in your latest opinion poll to the perceived competence of the present government on the economy. Is this confidence warranted? From reading the manifestos of the parties likely to form the backbone of any future government it appears that there is little difference on the tax and spending policies on offer. On that basis one could conclude that the electorate needs to decide which of the alternative governments would be best able to handle an economic downturn.
We are all well aware at this stage of the treat to the Irish economy posed by rising interest rates, higher energy prices or a downturn in the US economy. Any Irish government will have little or no influence on such events. In such a situation, surely the one area that an Irish government should focus on is on the control of government spending.
In that regard the track record of the current Government is less than stellar. One can think of many examples of mismanagement of the public purse under its watch - from the electronic voting and PPARS fiascos to huge cost overruns on the building of roads and in the implementation of other aspects of the last National Development Plan. In addition, the outgoing Government has damaged the competitiveness of Irish industry imposing higher chargers driven largely by the largesse of the benchmarking process and a failure to tackle vested interests.
By contrast one has to welcome the commitment of the Fine Gael and Labour alliance to accountability on public spending and in particular the pledge to dismiss any Minister who is held to have been reckless with the people's money. - Yours, etc,
P. BROSNAN, Templeogue, Dublin 16.
Madam, - Despite the fog of confusion created by the furore over the convoluted financial transactions associated with the purchase of the Taoiseach's house and the usual pre-election war of words, one thing is crystal clear. This country needs a change of government.
The current incumbents are in power for far too long and, as a consequence, they have become arrogant, smug, complacent and incompetent.
The old adage about power corrupting is all too true. The future of our democracy will not be well served by another five years of the present regime. - Yours, etc,
M.D. KENNEDY, Mount Saint Anne's, Milltown, Dublin 6.
Madam, - Last Friday, as I wound my weary way home from work, I was confronted by Lucinda Creighton flying in a most erratic and unpredictable manner through the air, then crashing to the ground - only to become airborne again with scant regard as to whose head she might knock off or what other injuries she might inflict on unsuspecting passers-by. Further up the road, Mr McDowell, hanging on by a tie-wrap to one of the many poles with which he has such an affinity, was waving his head vigorously in the breeze. And as if that was not enough, around the corner I was confronted with none other than Ruairi Quinn - right in my face, so that I had to punch him in his before he would get out of my way.
I subsequently heard of a person in Parnell Street who was struck in the face by none other than a flying Enda Kenny.
Who do these politicians think they are, anyway? - Yours, etc,
PHILIP O'REILLY, Grosvenor Place, Rathmines, Dublin 6.
Madam - So much of the recent election debate has centred on our missing hospital beds. May I suggest that, after Thursday, all the parties donate their many used posters to the winning party. The proceeds of recycling so much plastic would undoubtedly fund at least a few new hospital beds. - Yours, etc,
LUKE SAUNDERS, Beacon Hill, Dalkey, Co Dublin.
Madam, - We note that the first ballots of the election were reported as taking place on Monday, May 21st, 2007 on offshore islands. Actually, the first votes were cast last Friday, May 18th, in a special ballot at the Central Mental Hospital, Dundrum, Dublin 14. We understand there was a 75 per cent turnout, possibly the highest to be reached anywhere in the coming week. Silent constituencies vote too. - Yours, etc,
Prof HARRY KENNEDY, Clinical Director, Central Mental Hospital, Dundrum, Dublin 14.
Madam, - Hazel Marshall (May 22nd) must surely know why Willie O'Dea persists in calling the main Opposition party "Fyne Gale": he's the gutting edge of Fyanna Fale. - Yours, etc,
PAT O'BRIEN, Ballygawley, Co Sligo.
Madam, - If Fianna Fáil wins the election, will Bertie serve the full term or give the leadership to Brian Cowen after a couple of years? I think it is important for Bertie to let us know the answer to this before anyone votes for FF. - Yours, etc,
KEVIN DEVITTE, Westport, Co Mayo.
Madam, - Gaelic Football fans among your readership will have noticed that a much-hyped Mayo team took to the field last Sunday only to suffer an embarrassing defeat as their veteran stars ran out of steam.
An omen for the Mayo double act of Messrs Kenny and Rabbitte, perhaps? - Yours, etc,
TONY WILLIAMS, Victoria Road, Dublin 6.
Madam, - The statement by the CEO of Dublin Port Company, at its recent agm, that the company plans to re-activate its application to reclaim 52 acres in the inner Dublin bay is of great concern to the voters of Dublin North Central.
Nevertheless, the question is addressed as a policy statement only by the Green Party (Cllr Bronwen Maher is its candidate in Dublin North Central) and by Finian McGrath TD, Independent. (The PD Party policy favours moving large areas of the port to Bremore but there is no PD candidate in this constituency.)
Of course, ask any candidate at the door what they feel about this infill and they will assure you of their support. And they probably mean it. But we all know that it is party policy that counts, not what an individual TD would like.
As Dublin Bay is an amenity for all the citizens of Dublin, I would suggest that voters in other constituencies remember the above facts when marking their voting papers. - Yours, etc,
SEÁN DUBLIN BAY LOFTUS,
Seafield Avenue,
Dublin 3.
Madam, - In the context of the ongoing election campaign the most ignored and avoided question is the following. Why should the DUP be expected to share power with Sinn Féin while politicians in the Republic are reluctant to do so? While many southern politicians acknowledge the answer no one seems to have the courage to verbalise it.
Clearly Paisley and many DUP spokesmen spent years spewing out anti-Catholic rhetoric which encouraged loyalist paramilitaries to murder, torture and maim a significant number of innocent people. On the other hand, the Provisional IRA started out as a legitimate defender of the Catholic population but degenerated into a despicable organisation of terror with its no-warning bombings, its sectarian murders and torturing of hundreds of people. In this context the DUP and Sinn Féin deserve each other.
Today Sinn Féin has succeeded in airbrushing the murderous campaign of its private army out of the history pages. This is sadly reflected in the national amnesia concerning the atrocities of the Provisional IRA. How sick it is that Gerry Adams and the media can demand that Bertie Ahern should disclose details concerning his finances while Sinn Féin candidates are asked nothing about their past. Under no circumstances must any political party in the Republic agree to share power with Sinn Féin. A vote for Sinn Féin is a thumbs-up to decades of PIRA thuggery and a victory for ignorance and violence. - Yours, etc,
ANTHONY HARTNETT,
Bishopstown,
Cork.
Madam, - Normally I would confine any comment I might make during an election campaign to wishing the contestants the best of luck as victory and defeat are very close companions. I have tasted both and consider the honour given me by the electorate as that.
But listening to and watching some of the outgoing Cabinet I am appalled at their arrogance. Their message is: "We have ten years experience and the others don't have our level of experience, therefore we should be re-elected." Following their line, if they are re-elected, they will have an even stronger argument in five years' time. That is a dangerous road to travel. Democracy demands that such arrogance gets the answer it deserves - from the people. - Yours, etc,
BRENDAN HENDERSON
(former councillor and
cathaoirleach, Dun Laoghaire
Corporation),
Cabinteely Close,
Dublin 18.
Madam, - Clearly caught up in the excitement at the jubilant scenes of welcome for the Taoiseach at our party's final rally, Ms Lord suggested that the majestic bog oak needle standing in the foyer of Treasury Buildings - which she has walked by every day for the past three weeks of the campaign - was borrowed "from the National Museum to form the centre-piece" of the event (The Irish Times, May 21st).
I am happy to clarify that the piece, crafted from bog oak by Kerry-based sculptor and painter Pieter Koning, was in fact commissioned by the owner of Treasury Buildings and has been on display there for the past 12 months. It has no connection whatsoever with the National Museum of Ireland, and certainly was not brought from there "under guard" as was suggested by another over-excitable correspondent, this time from the Labour Party, in a similarly sensationalist statement.
While nobody can blame Ms Lord for falling victim to the infectious ebullience of the rally and for wanting to rush straight back to the office to write about it, a mere 20 seconds would have been sufficient to check the facts and maintain the high standards which Fianna Fáil has come to expect from the "paper of record". - Yours, etc,
SEÁN DORGAN,
General Secretary, Fianna Fáil,
Treasury Buildings,
Dublin 2.
Madam, - I smiled at Michael J. Stokes's blindly loyal letter of May 21st.
May I remind Mr Stokes of Fianna Fáil that he has a track record in gullibility? In the past, he was a well-known apologist for one Charles J. Haughey (a) on this page, (b) as a vocal audience member on RTÉ's Questions and Answers, and (c) in phone calls to Radio 1's Saturday View. Very belatedly, he had the good grace to confront the grim facts in a letter to this paper (July 22nd, 1997), which included the following: "As one who believed and encouraged the myth that Charlie Haughey was unassailable and could do no wrong, I stand indicted, for Mr Haughey has been revealed as a man of clay."
In the case of Mr Ahern, when will Mr Stokes come to accept that the former finance minister unpardonably compromised his office by accepting substantial monies from friends? Furthermore, why can't he comprehend that the Taoiseach's most recent explanation of his financial affairs insults our intelligence? - Yours, etc,
OLIVER McGRANE,
Marley Avenue,
Dublin 16.