Sir, – Has the cart been put before the horse? The referendum on parliamentary inquiries evoked doubt and confusion for me concerning the future of one of the Houses to which we were asked to give wider powers of investigation; Will the Seanad be reformed or abolished? Assurance of the continuance of a Seanad totally divorced from political influence might well have induced me to vote in favour of this change to the Constitution.
Political bias, even if shared out among the parties, as evidenced in the composition of the oversight committee, is hardly preferable to an independent forum which could circumscribe any excessive zeal in investigative functions. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – The people have voted against Dáil committees conducting inquiries. But be quite sure the people support such inquiries.
Last week's The Frontlinewas the perfect example of the type of investigation now needed. It ended Seán Gallagher's campaign. And it made for excellent television.
So in future let us have televised inquiries of a Frontlinefashion, chaired by Pat Kenny, or Miriam O'Callaghan, and the participants can be judged guilty or not guilty by their own words and actions.
A sort of modern day stocks and rotten fruit. – Yours, etc,
Sir, – A tribunal now, perhaps, to investigate the failure of the referendum on Dáil committees? Many a true word spoken in jest? – Yours, etc,
Sir, – Congratulations to the conservative Irish electorate whose laissez-faireattitude defeated the Government's attempt to inquire into the banking disaster. Sadly, ensuring that powerful people can resist the emergence of the truth by perpetually using the smokescreen of the courts has given the nod to abuse and corruption. Of course appearing to exercise intellectual independence, at any cost, is de rigueurat the moment, and anything proposed by any government will face such gallant opposition. However, in light of this electoral absolution we can no longer complain of the destruction of community, increased poverty and, incidentally, forget about such notions as debt forgiveness and a social contract. The Irish people have spoken, shown their independence of mind, and run up a white flag. – Yours, etc,