Madam, - Congratulations on a measured and clear-sighted Editorial of November 14th. As you put it: "What is beyond doubt is that the electorate is deeply unsettled and is looking for clear direction and strong leadership." What is at issue here is not popularity but confidence.
Brian Cowen is a very able man. But he is not able for this job at this time. To take just one item, he missed what all practical politicians must have seen as a once-off golden opportunity, when he formed his own Government, to move Mary Harney out of Health. This is part of a pattern only too horribly evident. And it is we who must pay the price for indecision hiding behind bluster and ballyhoo.
Contrary to the lectures, we poor ignorant peasants out here know full well that we are in very big trouble. We may not have the details (a very important point), and we may not yet be willing to face up fully to some of the harsher necessities. We do realise, however, that we are in the middle of nothing less than a full-scale war for the survival of an Ireland in which we would choose to live, work and raise our children and grandchildren. But the ship of state is rudderless - in a hurricane.
This failed Government must go. Now. Waiting for Brian Cowen to get himself and his shambles of a pseudo-Cabinet together is not just futile. It is fatal. Every minute wasted now means a month or even six months or a year of extra grief further down the line.
A general election is not necessary. The change of government in 1994 provides a clear, constitutionally correct precedent. Other countries do this all the time. - Yours, etc,
Madam, - Haven't we been here already with regard to the poll ratings of Fine Gael leaders ("New poll questions Kenny's leadership potential", The Irish Times, November 15th).
Apparently the public does not support Enda Kenny as the leader of Fine Gael and Richard Bruton would be a far more popular choice. I seem to remember the public stating a preference for Alan Dukes over Garret FitzGerald, for John Bruton over Alan Dukes, for Michael Noonan and the late Jim Mitchell over John Bruton.
Yet funnily enough, when these people did actually become leader it turned out that they weren't nearly as popular as the public had led them to believe. So why would Richard Bruton take the risk that he would fare any better as leader if he took over from Enda Kenny?
Despite being so "unpopular", Mr Kenny has managed to lead the party to a scale of electoral success second only to Garret FitzGerald — the most popular leader Fine Gael has ever had. - Yours, etc,