Sir, - Alan Dukes, TD (February 3rd) takes exception to my description of Fine Gael and Fianna Fail as "the establishment parties", claiming that Labour - and, for good measure, the Irish National Organisation of the Unemployed - also fall into that category. My dictionary defines "establishment" variously as "orthodox", "conservative" and "the group, institution or people. . .held to control public life and to support the existing order".
Clearly, to participate in government - or indeed in social partnership - with a mission for change is not to enter the establishment.Two issues of central concern to Ireland will suffice to demonstrate the difference: the quality of our society and standards in politics. In "New Directions, New Priorities" Labour advocates spending a greater proportion of our wealth on improving the quality of health, education, transport and social services.
Labour stands for a ban on corporate donations to political parties. Fine Gael and Fianna Fail disagree with Labour on both these issues, and both favour, well, the "existing order". - Yours, etc.,Mike Allen, General Secretary, Labour Party, Ely Place, Dublin 2.