Madam, – Senator Ivana Bacik proposes that political parties should be obliged to “impose a maximum limit on the proportion of candidates of any one gender selected to run in elections at local, national and European levels” in order to end the “masculine image of politics” (Home News and Breaking News, November 5th). A cursory analysis of the 2007 general election shows that any such imposition would be a gross distortion of the electoral process.

The electorate comprises 51 per cent women, yet only 23 female TDs were elected (14 per cent of the total). Ms Bacik’s report seems to suggest that this disparity is due to a lack of female candidates, but this is patently not the case.

A total of 58 female candidates were unsuccessful in 2007 – 21 of whom represented one of the three major parties, and 24 others represented the smaller political parties. A total of six sitting female TDs lost their seats. Why should these candidates be given preferential treatment over other (male) candidates who had more support among the electorate? And why should the political parties be forced to run more female candidates, when the electorate chose to reject such large numbers of the candidates they did select? Female voters comprise a majority of the electorate, and had they chosen to do so, there were a sufficient number of candidates to elect 81 women to the Dáil – yet this did not happen. This glaring fact is omitted from Senator Bacik’s report.

The gender inequality in Irish politics is not brought about by the lack of will among political parties to nominate female candidates, but by the seeming unwillingness of the Irish electorate (including a large majority of women voters) to vote for them.

Senator Bacik should devote the time and resources of the Oireachtas Committee on Justice to exploring the reasons for this fundamental problem, rather than wasting them on the politically correct window-dressing contained in her report. – Yours etc,

Madam, – I wasn’t overly privileged, yet through luck and hard work I have third-level qualifications. I would like to stay in the country of my birth. I would like a job. I am trying damn hard to get one. And I fully empathise with those of my peers who have expressed their disillusionment with the mismanagement of this country that has resulted in so many of us being left in the lurch, and most especially with those who are obliged to emigrate because of this cold reality; after all, I may yet be joining them.

And while I have met quite a few people in recent times who have lost their jobs, I have met none delighted by that fact. And I am absolutely disgusted with the attitude of John Moran (November 5th), writing from Saudi Arabia about those who are, he claims, unwilling to find “worthwhile work even in the middle of a depression”.

Many of us are spending our days trying to do precisely that. Perhaps Mr Moran might return to impart to us his wisdom? He claims “they will not be missed if they don’t bother to come back”. Writing from Riyadh, how is he supposed to notice whether they do or not?

Nobody owes me a living: in this country or anywhere else. Mr Moran says “good riddance” to many of us. Many of us who are trying to do the best we can in the midst of this recession might say something similar to him. – Yours, etc,

Madam, – I strongly object to retired teachers being demonised in the media recently because, in the past they provided substitute cover for absent teachers and in some cases may continue to do so.

There is nothing unprofessional in the provision of substitute cover for absent teachers. What is unprofessional is government failing to make sure that only qualified teachers are allowed to teach.

There has never been a proper supply panel from which to provide cover for teachers who are absent. If there were, regular employment could be provided at no extra cost for most, if not all, teachers without work.

People who blame retired teachers in this way have little or no understanding of the system. This, or else they are just mischievous and have some interest – political or otherwise – in shifting the spotlight from those who are really to blame.

Let everyone be clear why many young teachers are without work this year. There is a significant surplus of teachers because promises to reduce class sizes were broken and services to special needs children and newcomer children have been delayed or abandoned. A thousand jobs were taken out of the system at primary level. A thousand teachers are unemployed.

The Retired Teachers’ Association of Ireland has no difficulty with young unwaged teaching graduates being employed as a priority where substitute or other work is available. Equally, there will still be the need for retired teachers to work casually at times and in areas where no unwaged teachers are available until a comprehensive supply system is established. – Yours, etc,

Madam, – Good for Aidan Murphy (November 4th) and other readers who get The Irish Timesvia Kindle. However, I wonder what will become of those traditional uses for newspapers: lining the budgie’s cage and the cat’s litter tray, making a paper hat to wear when painting the ceiling and putting under the lino to be discovered (and laughed at) in years to come? Indeed the device, in spite of its name, wouldn’t even be much help in lighting the fire. – Yours, etc,

Madam, – Your correspondents who have sought a peace symbol poppy, or referred to white poppies in the 1930s, can be advised that white poppies are readily available in Britain (produced by the Peace Pledge Union) but alas, there is no current distributor in Ireland.

Each year we distribute information on the availability of the white poppy as a symbol of remembrance of all those who have died in war, and as a symbol of a commitment to work against war and its causes.

People wear red poppies for many different reasons, some simply celebrating the defeat of fascism in the second World War. However, and particularly in the UK context including the North, there is a way in which the red poppy, and Remembrance Day, are co-opted as support for whatever wars Britain may be fighting at the time, eg Afghanistan currently. This kind of co-option is not acceptable to those who wish to build peace by nonviolent means. It is also barely credible that BBC Northern Ireland presenters are obliged to wear red poppies at this time of year if they want to work. – Yours, etc,

Madam, – William Reville’s smashing of the myth that immigrants get preferential treatment from our welfare system is indeed welcome (Science Today, November 5th). He is also right to point out that those seeking asylum in Ireland, people who are not permitted to work, are housed in special hostels and get a small weekly allowance to cover their needs. The amount in question is even less than reported. It is €19.10 per week, a sum that has not increased since it was set in 2000. – Yours, etc,

Madam, – How much taxpayers’ money has the Equality Authority spent fighting the Portmarnock case? And how much has it spent trying to give men access to all-women associations? Shouldn’t the word “equality” stand for something? – Yours, etc,

Madam, – I wish to refer to an inaccuracy in the article “Rezoning Plan for Heritage Garden” (Home News, November 5th). For the record, there is no proposal to rezone any part of Fernhill Gardens for housing.

The proposal concerns a 60-acre site on the Fernhill Estate. It is proposed to secure the 33 acres associated with Fernhill Gardens in perpetuity through a number of initiatives, all of which will add to the amenity value of the gardens for ordinary people. This proposal safeguards Fernhill Gardens. Housing will be considered on a separate associated site. While the report indicates that the Minister for the Environment may intervene, it should also be noted that the Minister for Tourism has written in support of the initiative. – Yours, etc,

Madam, – In order to deter or apprehend people who might feel the urge to indulge in the disgusting habit of urinating in public, would the proposed “urine warders” in Ennis (Home News, November 5th) be obliged to patrol the streets of the town from midnight into the wee hours of the morning? – Yours, etc,

Madam, – I am a young historian doing a research project at the University of Vienna titled “Cumann na mBan in the Provisional Republican Movement 1969-1986”.

As far as I know most of the printed material is in private hands. I would like to ask readers who have any material about Cumann na mBan from this time period to please get in contact with me.

The role of Cumann na mBan during this period is sadly missing in the history books of the so-called “Troubles”. This research project aims to throw light on the role of these republican women and give them their deserved place in history.

I can be contacted by e-mail on dieter.reinisch@gmx.net or by post (address below). – Yours, etc,