1 week Ago
I am going to vote in a radically different way than ever before. I will cast my votes in the Mayo constituency for Chris Maxwell (Independent Ireland), Paul Lawless (Aontú), Joe Daly (People Before Profit), Patsy O’Brien (Independent) and Stephen Kerr (Independent). We need a new and more energetic political system to replace the thousands of false promises made by the members of the main political parties over the last hundred years.
The existing parties are promising the earth, but are not delivering. In this election, the same promises are made; once they are elected, we, the people, will allow them to settle back into Dáil Éireann with their brand new bicycle shed for the next five years. The voters of this country need to be more vocal about holding politicians to account.
In the last five years, promises were made on health, housing, education, climate change, the cost of living and other important issues, all of which have been largely ignored. Our current political parties have lost credibility. It appears that preserving a party’s ideology is more important than delivering what is best for the citizens of this country.
We need a huge sea change in support of those who can deliver what they promise in the next five years. Tom Grufferty, Knock, Co Mayo We’re in another version of the Dark Ages, and only we can stop it worsening What are we electing? A Dáil for the wishes of the Irish people, or a clearing house for US and EU policy as they pursue global domination and support endless wars? The recent parking of the Occupied Territories Bill was a national shame. The Dáil should reflect our beliefs, our own Great Famine and genocidal colonial past.
The world is in a dark place, and this has been perfectly illustrated with the intention of Donald Trump to appoint Matt Gaetz as his attorney general. We have a choice – inhale the big boys’ cigars or do what our ancient monks did and save Europe from the Dark Ages. John Cuffe, Co Meath Parties content to dismiss electorate when it comes to forming government Our political parties are busy presenting their promises to the electorate.
The current coalition parties are presenting policies they could have implemented during their term of office and didn’t. Parties that are elected and forced to form a coalition will not honour their policy promises that the electorate voted on; usually, they will instead agree a programme for government with prospective partners, agreeing policies without reference to the electorate. The voice of the electorate is dismissed in the pursuit of power.
In Macbeth , Shakespeare aptly summed up our politicians: “And be these juggling fiends no more believ’d, That palter with us in a double sense, That keep the word of promise to our ear, And break it to our hope.” Hugh McDermott, Dromahair, Co Leitrim Teacher-bashing may be all the rage, but there’s no justification for any of it In response to Dudley Berry’s comments about teachers (‘If you want a government that gets things done, you will need fewer teachers’ – Letters, November 15), the quote “those that can, do; those that can’t, teach; and those that can’t teach, lecture” is over 50 years old, has no evidence of any kind as a base and is frequently trotted out by teacher begrudgers. But now a professor said it.
In America. As the Leaving Cert students would say, “go figure”. In response to John Coughlan’s letter on the same day (‘We ought to set a limit on the number of educators allowed seats in the Dáil’), that rhetoric is flawed.
The entrance exam those teachers passed was election by the people. We won’t cap the number of teachers in government, as we live in a democracy, and we won’t cap numbers of any profession in government. The teacher-bashing must stop.
If anyone thinks it’s an easy option, sign up to an education college and give it a go. Margaret Docherty, Terenure, Dublin 6W States have responsibility to do more when it comes to social-media regulation The AI revolution will only further entrap people into using products that utilise rage, anger, hate and loneliness to hook their victims. And victims is how we should see ourselves.
We all know how addiction works when it comes to substances and especially when looking outward at others. But perhaps the greatest lie social media sells is that you aren’t being manipulated, even if you accept that others are. Democracy, mental health and sexual well-being are all under constant attack due to the under-regulation of so-called social media providers.
People have a choice to disengage and they should if they can. But nation states have a role and responsibility to do more, and they should, before AI makes them redundant. Declan Doyle, Co Kilkenny Stories behind readers’ insightful letters prove to be just as fascinating I commend all those who contribute worthy letters to the Irish Independent for their thought-provoking and insightful information and opinions.
In many cases, I have followed up on the content to find out the stories behind the letters, which, on the whole, are fascinating. I eagerly look forward to reading all readers’ missives six days a week. Dominic Shelmerdine, London Harris and McDonald show off dance skills, but will they be duetting soon? Monaghan shop owner Helen Drumm had Simon Harris and Mary Lou McDonald stepping it out and dancing to the same tune in recent days ( Irish Independent , November 14).
Ms Drumm said afterwards that as the Sinn Féin leader had danced in her store before, she was “a step ahead” of the Taoiseach in the dance department. But as we all have witnessed, the Fine Gael leader moves at a very fast pace and is no slouch on the campaign trail, even sprinting at times. No doubt Mr Harris will hone his dancing skills as canvassing heats up ahead of election day and tip-toe around all competitors.
I wonder if Ms McDonald and Mr Harris will be dancing in step after the votes are counted, or will they be singing from a different hymn sheet? Tom Towey, address with editor.
