Sir, – Enda Kenny's observations that, "across democracies, our best are being pushed to the hard left by anger and to the right by fear" and his conclusion that "the centre must hold" come somewhat after the event, as it were ("Centre must hold against extremism, Kenny tells Canadians", News, May 5th). Furthermore, in the absence of appropriate follow-up actions, such words ring utterly hollow.
He, as Taoiseach for the past six years of widening societal inequality in Ireland, has played his own part in the creation of this scenario.
People will only return to the “centre” when it becomes apparent that being back there holds some tangible advantage for them. Rather than “seeking to divide”, as Enda Kenny claims, what he refers to as “hard” left and right are merely tapping in to the growing frustration of populaces across the developed world who feel left behind in the division of the economic spoils and their voices and concerns ignored by an out-of-touch political class.
Enda Kenny and Fine Gael know as well as anyone else that all that needs to be done to remedy the situation is to actively listen to citizens’ concerns and then act accordingly. However, I suspect that lip-service will continue to be the order of the day. – Yours, etc,
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JD MANGAN,
Stillorgan,
Co Dublin.