Sir, - In pointing to the evils of lobbying, Medb Ruane (Opinion, April 21st) is letting a far bigger evil out of her sight. In the Dublin planning scandal two parties are involved; by focusing on the lobbyist Ms Ruane is ignoring the reality that elected officials allowed themselves to be bought off. Their betrayal of the electorate is a far more grievous offence than the efforts of lobbyists to push their clients' case. If our politicians cannot weigh up the pros and cons of an issue bearing in mind their duty to represent their electorate, then they do not deserve to be in power.
Part of being an elected official is the ability to act independently and without bias. While we may find it necessary to dissuade private individuals from using lobbyists, we cannot ever hope to protect politicians from those who seek to win their favour. It is ultimately their responsibility to ensure that their judgement will not be the subject of a contractual arrangement. - Yours, etc.,
William Fogarty, St Edmund's College, Cambridge, England.