Madam, - Thomas Legge (November 27th) raises the prospect of rehousing the Oireachtas in the Dublin Docklands. This proposal is commendable but lacks ambition.
Once extracted from their Kildare Street bolthole, surely the best place for TDs and senators would be at the heart of Ireland, in Athlone or its environs. That would, correct the lopsided development of the country and focus infrastructural spending more equably. It would help to cool land speculation in the golden doughnut outside the M50 (and by happy coincidence, bankrupt some speculators). It would also achieve the decentralisation of the public service as higher civil servants would move en masse to the midlands to be at the heart of government.
Only in banana republics are the headquarters of transport, finance, manufacturing, education, health and public administration all located in the city so designated by the former imperialist occupier.
Is it not time to finally bury the banana republic and begin to plan logically for a new Republic? The elected government can, for once, lead the way. - Yours, etc,
SIMON McGUINNESS, St Joseph's Cottages, Ashtown, Dublin 7.