Sir, – During the recent byelection some politicians repeatedly promulgated the mantra of having to make the tough decisions – which is an insult to those affected.
How can someone on over €100,000 talk about having it tough when there are families up to their ears in debt and no light at the end of the tunnel. The political class is well paid to make the tough decisions and politicians passing themselves off as victims to gain political advantage insults the voting public. They should stop the palaver and get on with sorting the problems out and give our younger folks some hope for a future. – Yours, etc,
PETER MULVANY,
Conquer Hill Road,
Clontarf, Dublin 3.
Sir, – The mantra from Labour spokespeople has been: We must communicate better over the next three years! What they do not realise is that in “real life” – and even in politics – sometimes the person with whom one wishes to communicate no longer wishes to hear, let alone agree. Every experienced canvasser knows that. Even “real” people in “ordinary” life know that!
Attempting to re-negotiate the agreement for Government is definitely the correct short -term tactic. As well as being courteous. But it would be absolutely pointless, if not directly harmful, if it were to go on for months and ended in a back-down, or small, stale crusts, for Labour. Ask Michael McDowell or John Gormley. It should take an absolute maximum of a week. Plus bags packed and walking shoes at the ready.
Labour has lost any chance of “communicating better” its present posture or image – let alone its actual record in Government since 2011. Only one in 20 (less than 5 per cent) of those who voted in the byelection gave their first preference vote to Labour. Even if the party were to scrape its way back to twice that percentage (10 per cent), it would lose most, if not all, of its previous gains in the locals and European elections next year. As for the general election, whenever it comes (and it could be sooner than two, let alone three, years), Labour in its current guise will not figure in voters’ minds as a serious player. In Meath East, Labour was irrelevant. Nothing short of a complete remake and rebranding can now save the party from oblivion. Sadly, unless Eamon Gilmore proves himself to be an Olympic level gymnast, that means a different face on the leader posters. – Yours, etc,
MAURICE O’CONNELL,
Fenit Without, Fenit,
Tralee, Co Kerry.
Sir, – The Meath East byelection produced some eyebrow-raising outcomes. Your cartoon (Martyn Turner, Opinion, March 29th) of Pat Rabbitte explaining that Labour’s Easter egg got broken was hilarious, but a little inaccurate. The amazing performance by Direct Democracy Ireland’s Ben Gilroy seems to me to be at Labour’s expense and he should be seen running off with Labour’s fragile egg in the cartoon.
Whatever happened to the election poster phrase “Pat Rabbitte straight talking”? Ben GIlroy, that’s what. – Yours, etc,
PAUL GREGAN,
Sans Souci Wood,
Bray, Co Wicklow.
Sir, – Rabbitte, buttered parsnips, faded greens, tend to end up in the bin after dinner. Sadly all we’re left with after that is the plate of turnips. – Yours, etc,
CONAN DOYLE,
Pococke Lower, Kilkenny.
Sir, – The success of Fianna Fáil in the byelection suggests that, while they have long memories for football grudges, the people of Meath have very short memories for political and economic incompetence. – Yours, etc,
TOM FARRELL,
Forest Road, Swords.
Co Dublin.