Sir, - "McAleese sweeps to biggest ever Presidential election victory" screamed The Irish Times on its front-page headline on November 1st. A pretty odd headline that, considering that in absolute terms Mrs McAleese performed rather badly. This is, however, obscured by both the low turnout (46.85 per cent) and the spectacular underachievements of the other candidates (Dana excepted).
The reality is this: in 1990, Fianna Fail had its worst ever presidential election performance, losing such an election for the first time in its history. On that occasion Brian Lenihan polled close to 700,000 first-preference votes, thus drawing the support of almost 30 per cent of the entire electorate. In 1997, with more than a quarter-of-a-million extra votes to be played for, Fianna Fail's first preference vote actually dropped by 120,000.
Only 21 per cent of those eligible to vote endorsed Mrs McAleese as their preferred candidate. This is the lowest electoral performance by an incoming Irish President. Taken in tandem with the near-invisible referendum on cabinet confidentiality, where 66,000 people who spoiled their votes in disgust could have reversed the result by simply voting "no", it was a pretty dismal and undistinguished showing all round, especially by the Government parties.
I know that masks are appropriate on Hallowe'en night, but the rather facile and nervous grins displayed by Messrs Ahern and Dempsey in your front-page photograph of November 1st scarcely masked the truth: that there is a steady and continuous decline in Fianna Fail core support, indeed in support for all parties, which suggests that most Irish people want a President who is untainted by any kind of partisan political sponsorship.
Mary McAleese, after all, owes her victory to the professional machine of two Government parties. This debt of dependency is most unhealthy. In 1982 President Hillery stood tall in the face of pressure by his erstwhile political colleagues. Such integrity notwithstanding, it is unfair on her and worrying for us that our President-elect might some day face the same dilemma.
But hold, that's almost enough begrudgery for one letter! So here's to you, Mrs McAleese. The nation wishes you well. After all we're stuck with each other for the next seven years. Record election victor? Hardly. The only winner this time was voter apathy. - Yours etc.,
From David Fay
Leix Road, Dublin 7.