Sir, – Last week the Cabinet gave the green light to establishing two citizens’ assemblies: one on the issue of biodiversity loss and another on the issue of a directly elected mayor for Dublin. Senator Lynn Ruane is calling for another to examine Ireland’s policy on drugs. I believe citizens’ assemblies are increasingly being used by politicians as a means to abdicate their own responsibility to direct policy and draft legislation as well as a means for them to bypass a gridlocked and ineffective Leinster House. Politicians are elected to examine each of these important issues. If they are unable to, they should step aside! – Yours, etc,
GARETH GREGAN,
Ennis,
Co Clare.