Sir, - Trust between the electorate and their elected representatives is at an all-time low. The revelation of the apparent buying of party political votes has exposed a culture of greed. The Celtic Tiger is now in danger of being turned, through corruption, into the Celtic Vulture. It is very apparent that many people feel total disaffection with party politics, because it no longer represents or reflects the will and desires of the public.
The financial and political scandals revealed recently have shown the need for a new beginning in party politics. People are calling on politics to be built on integrity, honesty and accountability. It is time for elected representatives to listen to the public and truly represent their wishes. Today's voters have no time for brown paper bag politics. We must not let the Celtic Vulture approach to politics continue.
Why did so many elected representatives, who must have been aware of this corruption, still do nothing to stop it? Elected representatives must be fully transparent in all their dealings and, as we go into the 21st Century, I call for the highest ethical standards for those in public office. s time to raise the standards of ethics, accountability and leadership, so that we have new politics for the new millennium. This will help restore electoral confidence and respect for the office of public representative, so that all of us holding elected office can be an example to those idealistic young people we want to draw into the political arena. - Yours, etc.,
Dana Rosemary Scallon MEP, Colonial Buildings, Eglinton Street, Galway.