Sir, - If any further argument were needed in favour of a complete ban on corporate donations to political parties, it surely has been provided by the deplorable decision of the Bush administration to reverse an explicit campaign commitment to set limits on emissions of carbon monoxide.
It is clear from your Editorial of March 16th that this policy U-turn has been forced on Mr Bush by the oil and coal companies that bankrolled his campaign - thus providing further evidence that, as far as the United States is concerned, the interests of big business come before the interests of the people.
For us here it must surely be obvious now that tinkering around with this issue is no longer adequate. Nothing less than a complete break with the past will have any chance of restoring public confidence. All donations to political parties - not just corporate ones - should be outlawed forthwith and the political system should in future be financed entirely from the public purse. - Yours, etc.,
M.D. Kennedy, Silchester Park, Glenageary, Co Dublin.