Madam, - I informed a Fianna Fáil candidate canvassing for the local elections that he would not be getting any votes from our household, because my husband is a civil servant.
"Decentralisation?" he said. "It'll never happen, I promise you that."
At least one member of the Fianna Fáil party has made up his mind about it. - Yours, etc.,
RUTH GALLAGHER,
Glenbeigh Road,
Dublin 7.
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Madam, - I am intrigued by the Labour Party's election campaign. As Julie Connolly comments (June 7th), Labour is now officially a pro-abortion party.
Proinsias De Rossa voted for most abortion motions at the European Parliament. His running mate, Ms Ivana Bacik, has campaigned for abortion since her student days. She even backed the Dutch abortion boat's visit here in 2001, in its irresponsible plan to perform abortions on Irish women outside Irish national waters. In an IMS poll taken at that time, 79 per cent of those who expressed an opinion disapproved of such meddling.
The great mystery about Labour's election campaign is how coy the party is about its abortion policies. There is no mention of them in candidates' literature.
Why this prudent restraint? Labour's abortion policy does not conflict with the dominant ethos in today's Labour leadership.The people should be told honestly what they are being asked to support. - Yours, etc.,
E. Ó RAGHALLAIGH,
Mapas Road,
Dalkey,
Co Dublin.
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Madam, - I have never seen so many election posters on lampposts. It is not always possible to distinguish important road signs. In the interests of road safety, something will have to be done for future elections about restricting the number of signs allowed. - Yours, etc.,
IAN D'ALTON,
Rathasker Heights,
Naas,
Co Kildare.
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Madam, - While the prohibition on election and referendum posters in and around St Stephen's Green is welcome, that is one place where they would be relatively harmless, whereas forests of posters festooning traffic islands, obscuring road signs and distracting attention present an actual hazard.
Are these displays a roundabout way of indicating that our politicians are irresponsible and dangerous? - Yours, etc.,
LIAM PLANT,
Annamoe Drive,
Cabra,
Dublin 7.
• No letters about the referendum or the elctions will be published on Friday, which is polling day.