Madam, - I note the revealing difference between two items on your front page last Saturday.
In one case we learn that Andy Coulson, editor of the News of the World, has resigned following the jailing of the paper's royal reporter, saying he accepted "ultimate responsibility" for his reporter's actions.
On the other hand we also read that Bertie Ahern says that there is no need for Tony Killeen to resign - because it was his underlings who behaved improperly.
Is it not sad to reflect that higher standards are required of Rupert Murdoch's employees than of the the servants of the Irish people. - Yours, etc,
IAN KAVANAGH, Suir Road, Kilmainham, Dublin 8.
Madam, - Once again, when confronted with the problem of clientelism in Irish politics, the media have erroneously put forward the electoral system as a scapegoat (Editorial, January 27th).
The truth is that TDs such as Tony Killeen respond to representations not because of the electoral system, but because there is a very real demand for this from Irish voters.
This demand persists regardless of the electoral system, since clientelism was present well before the adoption of the single transferable vote in 1920. Malta is the only other country using STV for general elections, yet many other countries have a clientelist culture like ours.
Clientelism (or to more accurately call it, brokerage) is a feature of Irish political culture that stems from, among other factors, the nature of Irish society, where a value is placed on face-to-face contact with politicians, and the smallness of the State, where politicians are personally known to most voters.
Contrary to your claim, the electoral system does not "reward" or "punish" TDs: voters perform this act, and it would be interesting to see how they would reward at the next election a deputy who decided to ignore such clientelistic demands. - Yours, etc,
LIAM WEEKS, College Lecturer, Department of Government, University College Cork.
Madam, - If Tony Killeen, by his own admission, is incapable of competently running a constituency office, how can the Taoiseach justify allowing him to continue to run a Government Department on our behalf? - Yours, etc,
Cllr TONY McDERMOTT, Green Party, Westfield Road, Dublin 6W.
Madam, - It is reassuring to hear that Minister of State Tony Killeen has said he intends to stop making representations on behalf of prisoners and their families.
Had he stopped to consider the depth of pain and grief experienced by victims, even many years after the crime, he might perhaps have pondered more deeply on the results of his action.
This type of interference, whether or not it is considered "part of the clientelist system that we have", needs to be stamped out. Victims of crime suffer enough pain without this further abuse. - Yours, etc,
MAIREAD FERNANE, Chairperson, Federation for Victim Assistance, Tralee, Co Kerry.