Madam, - Seamus Healy TD (October 17th) disputes your analysis of the recent Irish Times/TNSmrbi opinion poll. I agree with him. Irish people are not condoning the corruption now endemic in our political system, but they do not see any real alternative.
In a country where political clientelism and localism are encouraged, the lack of any real ideological conflict has resulted in the issue of corruption being seen merely as an exercise in political opportunism and mud-slinging. This has undermined our democratic process, alienated voters, and prevented people from engaging in any real political debate.
Mr Healy is correct: Pat Rabbite's naked ambition for power, at any cost, has led his party to the Mullingar accord; to delegates at Labour Party conference voting in favour of a pre-election pact with Fine Gael; to regular briefings with Enda Kenny; and to the most recent comedy act of Pat being pulled out of the hat at the Fine Gael conference. I think we can take it that hope for any alternative led by the Labour Party has been buried.
There is an onus on the left to offer a new type of politics for the 21st century. We must develop economic and fiscal policies which challenge the market-driven assertions that we are an economy rather than a society. A real left alternative alliance must build a society or community of people living together with respect and tolerance for all. We must challenge the assumption of financial institutions and some economists, endorsed by this Government, that a home is an equity fund.
A real left alternative must openly challenge corruption and the democratic deficit in our political and planning system by exposing those engaged in it, who sell off our natural resources, our values our rights our culture and our natural heritage. It must resist any attempt to take away those things which we hold precious. We owe this to future generations. We need that real left alternative to start work now. - Yours, etc,
CARMEL McKENNA,
Avoca,
Co Wicklow.