Madam, – If Fine Gael cannot manage an economist, there is little chance it could manage the economy. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – For all those Fianna Fáil backbench TDs who will no doubt see George Lee’s resignation as a sign of failure on his part, I look forward to the day when they too will consider placing their conscience before political expediency and resign their seats because of principled disagreement with their party.
In the words of Enoch Powell, “All political lives . . . end in failure”. The exception to this rule is Fianna Fáil, which won election after election while managing to bring the country to the brink of failure. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – I wish to express my annoyance at Enda Kenny’s handling of George Lee. I do not know Mr Lee personally. I, as well as my family and many of my friends in the Dublin South area, voted for Mr Lee because we believed he would bring a breath of fresh air into Fine Gael.
How dare Mr Kenny treat my choice of candidate as he did. I will never vote for Fine Gael again as long as Mr Kenny is the leader, unless he apologises to Mr Lee. Who does he think he is? I and many of my friends in this area are also very annoyed with his handling of Mr Lee’s departure in the media. Wake up! Wake up! We in Dublin South need a breath of fresh air like George Lee. No more old boys’ club.
Anyone with a brain would know that if people are head-hunted they should be given respect and an opportunity to use their talents. It was not up to Mr Lee – it was up to Mr Kenny as leader. Big questionmark over that word, leader. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – The byelection in Dublin South cost the taxpayer almost €142,000 less than a year ago. Now that George Lee has resigned and will return to a salaried job in RTÉ, I assume the taxpayers will be required to fork out a similar amount for another byelection? – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Sarah Carey (Opinion, February 10th) writes that RTÉ’s 9pm news on Monday devoted more than six minutes to the activities of former colleague George Lee. Meanwhile, less than two minutes were given to the story that the IMF had told the Government that a fundamental plank of its economic policy – that Nama would improve the availability of bank lending for businesses – was in error.
How can such a perversion of reporting priorities be justified? – Yours, etc,
Madam, – As someone anxious for a change of government as expeditiously as possible, I despair at the failure of the Fine Gael parliamentary party to listen to what ordinary people are saying about Enda Kenny. Whatever the view of Fine Gael TDs and Senators in relation to Mr Kenny’s abilities, ordinary people can frequently be heard casting doubt on them.
Supporters of Mr Kenny point to the electoral revival he has brought to his party. However, it is highly likely that, but for Mr Kenny, Fine Gael would now be in power. Any main opposition party could only do well when facing a government as deeply unpopular as the current coalition. That Mr Kenny could be delivering high approval ratings for his party while simultaneously having an abysmal personal approval rating is not credible.
The attempts by Fine Gael spokespersons to minimise the importance of the latter statistic are an affront to the intelligence of the electorate.
Mr Lee may not have acquitted himself well, but the failure of the Fine Gael party to listen to ordinary people may prove far more damaging for the country in the long run. – Yours etc,
A chara, – I am just back after a week out of the country to find that Ireland’s whingers, moaners and quitters have a new patron saint – George Lee. – Is mise,
Madam, – When George Lee joined Fine Gael it seemed a good bet he would be in government by Christmas and he would have a front-bench position. Is the real reason for Mr Lee’s sudden departure not down to the realisation that he would have been in opposition for the next two years and would therefore have had no impact on government policy, as it looks increasingly likely Fianna Fáil/Greens will soldier on until 2012? Too long out of the limelight for a Montrose star.
Did anybody notice that the IMF backed Richard Bruton over Nama? I suppose not, as Mr Bruton is not a star. – Yours, etc,
A chara, – I am shocked at the audacity of George Lee appearing on what seemed like all of the news and review programmes explaining his reasoning behind the decision to leave Fine Gael. He discussed how he felt powerless to make a difference. I did not hear him mention the 27,768 people who gave him their first vote. He has let them all down after just nine months. After his resignation he stated that he would probably go back to RTÉ. Would this be back to his role as an independent commentator? I should think not. – Is mise,
Madam, – Séamus Phelan (February 9th) suggests George Lee’s departure from Fine Gael may be the “enda Kenny”. In view of Mr Kenny’s promise in his latest interview to “be himself” from now on, perhaps it is only the beginning of the Enda. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Your Editorial (February 9th) referred to George Lee as a prima donna. Wikipedia describes a prime donna as someone who is “often regarded as egotistical, unreasonable and irritable, with a rather high opinion of themselves not shared by others.” It is interesting that an unannounced 10-minute text poll on Liveline taken within two hours of Mr Lee’s announcement showed 83 per cent of a record 16,000-plus voters shared a high opinion of Mr Lee’s decision to leave Fine Gael.
That was of course before your Editorial, letter-writers and political parties along with their opinion forming PR agencies got to work. Mr Lee’s only naivety was in thinking others in politics shared his sense of urgency to change the country. Now he knows his former party colleagues only want to change the government. Mr Lee’s departure has made this very clear. Second Republic anyone? – Yours, etc,
Madam, – I think it is time that Fine Gael is reported to the Competition Authority for providing absolutely no alternative to the existing Government.
It is not a third force in banking that is needed but a third force in government. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Paul Krugman (Opinion, February 8th) writes about the difficulty the public has in telling the difference between between cynical posturing and serious economic argument. This put me in mind of George Lee, but then I cannot remember Mr Lee making any serious economic arguments since he entered politics – and in truth little more than sideline comments beforehand.
As for his much trumpeted economics expertise: is the country not awash with opinionated economists in view of the the 250 professional economists in academia, 46 of whom penned a single article for The Irish Times during the Nama debate? – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Established politicians close ranks. Outsiders are ridiculed. The inn is closed to the brave who question the status quo of traditional stodgy politics and political systems. Hurrah for our democracy! – Yours, etc,