Sir, – With the dust settling on the recent election, maybe it is appropriate to look at when it was held? We all know Fine Gael wanted an election later in the year, and by heaven it was proved right.
First, the self-inflicted wound of the proposed RIC commemoration still hung in the air.
Second, Brexit was in hiatus before the negotiations were due to begin again in a few weeks.
Third, during the winter months issues of housing and health inevitably move to the fore in people’s minds.
Finally, in the early weeks of the year people are broke and miserable, lashed by bad weather and Christmas-induced poverty.
We all love grand narratives of social, cultural and historical change but maybe we shouldn’t ignore the simple role of timing in such a ground-breaking election? – Yours, etc,
JOHN COTTER,
Ferrybank,
Waterford.