Madam, - I have doubts about the efficacy of asking voters in polls what mix of parties they would like in a coalition. There are bound to be some supporters of each party who would dislike other parties in varying degrees. Our voting system does not have any method of voting for or against any coalition combination, so this type of question is probably otiose.
We might consider some factors, however, in the event of a hung Dáil. Our largest party is not at present noted for its worthwhile political ideas. When Fianna Fáil went in with Labour in 1993 it agreed to a referendum on divorce. When the referendum came up in the Dáil, Fianna Fáil allowed its deputies a free vote (they were then on the opposition benches).
If the PDs were not in the present Government, Fianna Fáil would probably have accepted the trade union plan for investment in Aer Lingus, rather than opting for privatisation. This has been messy and could get worse. If Fianna Fáil had been in coalition with Labour, there would have been no privatisation nor private hospitals built on public hospital grounds. It has become very obvious that a politically vacuous Fianna Fáil is disproportionately influenced by whatever party it goes into government with.
When one contemplates the dire prospect of a third term of government by these present bunglers almost any other coalition would be a lesser evil. Therefore if we get a hung Dáil it follows that Labour should go in with Fianna Fáil but only as a last resort.
I hope it may not come to that. - Yours, etc,
TOM WILLIAMS, Goldenbridge Avenue, Dublin 8.