Sir, – The Irish voters will be asked this year to choose a new head of State. It is every seven years we citizens are given the opportunity to elect a new president, yet the last time a democratic election was held for a president was 14 years ago, as the government seven years ago denied us the opportunity to choose a head of State as they held on to Mary McAleese without asking us did we agree to this undemocratic action.
We cannot afford a President and this post should be abolished and the title head of State should be given to the Taoiseach at no extra wage, as the head of government should have both titles. The money currently paid to the president should go to helping our hospitals, schools and stop the cuts on social welfare. Then the presidential palace should be sold to the private sector, turning it in to a hotel or a museum.
As it stands, ordinary Irish citizens are prevented from standing for election as there are too many trip wires and red tape put in front of us by the powers-that-be to ensure that only the elite and those at the very top of society can stand in Irish presidential elections. As the majority are excluded and discriminated from taking this useless job, it should be done without.
What we should be asked in a referendum is: Do we want a president or not? Because, as it stands the job of Irish president is for fat cats and spongers, ex-politicians who are already getting two and three pensions.
I would advise Irish citizens not to vote in the coming election for President, because as it stands the election makes the majority of us out to be second-class citizens and the best thing is to boycott this undemocratic event. – Yours, etc,