Sir, - David Andrews recently diagnosed the problem of the corruptibility of our political system that has arisen in the past directly from its method of funding. He reached the reasonable conclusion that donations by individuals and trade unions are not dissimilar in their effect from corporate donations. In common with the whole of the political establishment, however, he still wants to maintain the present system. Implying, as he does, that a large number of small donations are not capable of inducing corruption while a small number of large ones are is not a credible argument.
Funding the political system from public funds would open it up to ordinary people. At present it is the preserve of insiders and their monied backers. At present, and under David Andrews's proposal, all donations, however doubtful, are legal. Until we decide that all donations, whether corporate, private or trade union in origin, are illegal and fund the political system in the same way as the legal and security systems - out of public funds - we are leaving an important arm of our democracy open to corruption by the unscrupulous. - Yours, etc.,
A. Leavy, Shielmartin Drive, Dublin 13.