Defence should be an election issue

Sir, – The child that screams the loudest gets the most attention. There appears to be a conspiracy between the Irish media and political parties to ring-fence election issues to the health service, housing, Brexit and climate change. This is already squeezing out other important issues, such as the current crisis in the Defence Forces. Candidates calling to my door will be asked what their proposals are to resolve the poor pay and conditions of serving personnel and their programme to equip the Defence Forces to provide the minimum deterrent requirement for national defence. – Yours, etc,

DORCHA LEE,

(Colonel, retired),

Navan, Co Meath.