Madam, – The Fianna Fáil Government sold us all down the river with its unnecessary and ignominious surrender to international financial forces.
So why do I see the worthless utterances of these same discredited people in the prime headlining positions of your paper day after day? This is a rhetorical question, but the fact that the mainstream media, backed by its readership, is prepared to continue the pretence that nothing urgent or extraordinary has happened to our country and that no radical political change is necessary does not suggest to me that the reality of the situation has yet been grasped. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – We can check a tweet to see how a candidate feels about a topic. We can check how many friends each candidate has. We even have the privilege of analysing the best features of each candidate whenever we drive a couple of miles down the road.
However, can the electorate check the age of each candidate? It seems not, or perhaps this information is hidden in the small print on the political party websites.
The next Dáil would be healthier and stronger body with a new generation of politicians, who are not associated with the days of corruption and lies. – Yours etc,
Madam, – The prospect of reduced solar activity (lack of sunspots) in this century will probably give rise to a succession of cold winters which will have a serious impact on transport, agriculture and wind energy. What action do potential TDs propose to take? – Yours, etc,
Madam, – As the general election campaign continues apace, the apportioning of blame for our nation’s ills is in full swing. Politicians, bankers, public servants and even our European friends have been the subject of our collective ire.
I note, however, a distinct lack of discourse pertaining to the role played by the general public and specifically their long-held unwillingness to intellectually engage with our nation’s challenges. A public sated with personal comforts and obsessed with prurient interests have abdicated all responsibility for Ireland’s woes. It’s a disgrace they cry, something must be done, they demand. But when queried about potential solutions they offer little more than vague and unimaginative suggestions. The effectiveness of the democratic project is irrevocably linked to the willingness of citizens to engage in informed and constructive debate. Most of my contemporaries, highly educated and professionally qualified, display little interest in cerebral discourse. Newspapers are dismissed as antiquated, opinion formers derided as elitist. Until we collectively elevate the quality of our national dialogue I sense that Ireland may unfortunately continue to be mired in its current state. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Have we another Bertie in the making? Labour deputy Joan Burton’s ability to mangle the English language was well illustrated on yesterday’s Morning Ireland. First she told listeners of the reactions she’d been receiving on the doorstops. Then she accused Mary Hanafin of being “disengenius”. I’m unclear whether this means stupid or ultra intelligent. Neither of them quite on the scale of the maestro’s “upsetting the apple tart”, but she shows promise. – Yours, etc,
A chara, – Thank you for explaining, in your article “New Vision tells of public anger” (February 11th) that our registered political party, Fís Nua, is contesting the election and that we have no association with the group of Independents wishing to refer to itself as “New Vision”.
As a registered political party in the State we have a legal claim on the name “Fís Nua” and its English translation “New Vision” in relation to this election. We must contest the assertion by Eamonn Blaney that he has “registered the name”. The only relevant registration in this context would be to register as a political party and that course of action would not be open to him.
Political parties cannot be registered with confusingly similar names. In the circumstances, no other political grouping, besides ourselves, has the right to use the name “New Vision” in the context of this election.
We are very sad that this group has brought about a situation where we need to constantly clarify this position as all forces opposed to the bank bailout and wishing to present greater choice to the electorate should be working together for those aims. – Is mise,
Madam, – I understand that a difficulty has arisen owing to the fact of two new political movements having been formed with the title “New Vision”. Perhaps even at this late stage they might see their way to combining, and forming the Double Vision Party. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Why is there such anguished and protracted debate over whether the correction to the fiscal situation up to 2014 varies up or down by a couple of billion euro? The outgoing Government repeatedly poured multiples of these amounts into the bottomless coffers of the then private sector banks, with small thought, little debate and no anguish, and with no concern whatever about retrieving the money thus squandered. Why the difference in treatment of these few billions? – Yours, etc,