Madam - Mary Harney is reported to have indicated her desire to be returned to her old portfolio as Minister for Health in order to "finish the job". Well, it is patently obvious that she has indeed already managed to do this by disastrously alienating both the hospital consultants and the nursing profession.
To add insult to injury, she and her PD colleagues have attempted to privatise our health service by the sinister introduction of co-location of private hospitals, for profit, on existing public hospital grounds.
The inevitable long-term consequence of this policy would further crucify the poor and economically marginalised citizens in our society.
Can Ms Harney and her right-wing colleagues not accept the people's democratic and sovereign verdict which systematically removed the overwhelming majority of Progressive Democrats - bar two? Accordingly, Mr Ahern, now virtually certain to head up the new administration, will at his peril, appoint Ms Harney as minister for health. It would be a catastrophic move and a price too high to pay for power - Yours, etc
PATRICK J O'BRIEN, Maynooth, Co Kildare.
Madam, - All the right people in the media at the moment seem to be orchestrating the return to power of some form of Fianna Fáil government. If that happens we will have had that party in government for most of 25 years before the next election.
The argument made by Government spokespersons that the Opposition have no experience of government will be even more true then.
That is not democracy. That is a one-party state. It does not have to happen.
There is a majority outside Fianna Fáil and Sinn Féin that could form a government. Given its importance for the future health of our democracy why are all commentators discounting this? - Yours, etc,
A LEAVY, Shielmartin Drive, Sutton, Dublin 13.
Madam, - If your newspaper was charged in a court of law with being fair to Bertie Ahern TD and his party in the lead up to the general election, would there be enough evidence to convict you? - Yours, etc,
TADHG O'DONOGHUE, Ryevale Lawns, Leixlip, Co Kildare.