Sir, – Taoiseach Leo Varadkar says that “Fine Gael is different to other political parties. Most TDs don’t get to retire. They tend to lose their seats after one or two terms. We’re different in the sense that we’ve been electorally successful for a very long time now” (“Taoiseach says ‘no talk’ in Coalition about holding general election next year”, News, September 8th).
Mr Varadkar should better acquaint himself with the recent electoral history of his party.
At the last two general elections in 2016 and 2020, a total of 25 Fine Gael TDs lost their seats and have since left politics. None of them had served more than two terms in the Dáil. Eight of these losses occurred during Mr Varadkar’s leadership.
It is astonishing, particularly to Fine Gael supporters like myself, that Mr Varadkar appears to be oblivious to this. – Yours, etc,
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THOMAS RYAN,
Dublin 6W.