A chara, – It is indeed a tragic time for the country when the Fianna Fáil-led Government has brought the country to its knees and, still, the Irish public are reluctant to vote for Fine Gael. Enda Kenny must recognise that he has failed as a leader and step aside. I will not vote for Fianna Fáil, but with Kenny as leader and Michael Noonan – another failed leader – by his side, I will never vote for Fine Gael.
Looking at all of the parties, I’m truly at a loss as to who to vote for in the next election. I want to see a future taoiseach who is confident, intelligent and inspiring; someone who will restore integrity to the office; someone who will restore a pride in the Irish nation; someone who prioritises national interests over parish-pump politics.
The current party leaders do not fit this model. I don’t believe I’m alone in thinking this.
But who will end the blame-game and step up to the mark? Time is running out. If there’s a real leader out there, please make yourself known. – Is mise,
PÁDRAIC WHYTE,
Faughart,
Dundalk, Co Louth.
Madam, – What does Fianna Fáil have to do to alienate its core support? Its policies are breaking the country apart, but 21 per cent of the voters in Donegal South West are unwilling to give up. You have to admire the cult-like allegiance the party can arouse.
It could say the Black Mass in the Dáil and they would still vote for them. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – The initial reports that Pearse Doherty was declared elected in Donegal South West “having failed to reach the quota” or “without reaching the quota” were misleading. Rather, so decisive was Mr Doherty’s victory that his final total of votes (16,897) exceeded the sum of the votes (16,251) of the other two remaining candidates, that the returning officer was in a position to declare him elected without the necessity of holding a further count. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Surely the lesson to be learnt from Donegal South West is that Labour transferred to Sinn Féin more than all the other candidates combined. The swindle is uncovered and the people are angry that their Government is making them pay for the mistakes of the banking sector. They are seeking a real alternative and are not convinced that Fine Gael is it. The time has come for Eamon Gilmore, if he wishes to achieve change, to form an alliance with parties whose policies resemble those of his own. A coalition of the left is not an alternative, it is his duty. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Ann Sweeney was not a candidate in the Donegal South West byelection – she withdrew from the contest before the votes were cast. However, she still managed to receive 133 first preferences; but was it right and proper that these 133 votes were distributed amongst the candidates who actually contested the seat? Indeed, why was Ms Sweeney’s name allowed to remain on the ballot paper? – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Is the success of Sinn Féin’s Pearse Doherty in the Donegal byelection due to a one-off protest vote, or is it a dangerous sign that Sinn Féin and not the Labour Party might emerge as the champion of the left after the forthcoming general election? I do not agree with Sinn Féin, but it is the only party to oppose the €15 billion readjustment and the target of reducing the deficit to 3 per cent by 2014. Yet not one media commentator or union leader with similar beliefs has come out in support of Sinn Féin. Could it be that these same media commentators and union leaders are happy to call for revolution and change as long as they can continue to enjoy the benefits of the capitalist system? If they are really sincere they should support Sinn Féin. – Yours, etc,