Sir, – I have been listening very keenly to the Government since the dramatic reshuffle in the Labour Party to identify any change in direction on issues that are causing the electorate grave concern.
As a member of the Labour party in Dublin South West, and having been a TD in 1992 and a councillor for 18 years, I consider the result of the byelection in Dublin South West a disaster for the party, simply because we are not listening to the people, especially those who supported the party down through the years.
Dublin South West is the most left-wing constituency in the country and the party has come down from 33.92 per cent in 1992 general election to 8.5 per cent in the byelection.
It is self-evident from the result that the changes in Government have not had the desired effect and the people have come to the end of their forbearance with the imposition of water charges, which is the straw that has broken the camel’s back – no matter what allowances are given, it will not be enough to buy the people’s vote. Nothing less than a complete rethink will satisfy the public. – Yours, etc,
EAMONN WALSH,
Dublin 12.
Sir, – Water charges, property taxes, pylons, gas pipelines, wind farms, incinerators, draining the Shannon – whatever gets proposed to deal with problems, we seem to be able to muster up a vocal cohort capable of claiming that every plan is an affront to our human rights, or a threat to our very existence.
Are we becoming a nation of hysterics, cheered on in our irrational stubbornness by grandstanding politicians and a sensationalist media?
The logical outcome is 200 TDs who are against pretty much everything and incapable of achieving anything. What a great centenary election 2016 will provide!
A centenary anniversary of the Rising of a nation?
More like a petulant 10-year-old having a sitdown protest because he was refused ice cream. – Yours, etc,
RONAN FURLONG,
Churchtown,
Dublin 14.