Sir, – I was intrigued to hear Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan say that President Michael D Higgins deserves a second term without having to contest an election ("Flanagan says Higgins deserves second term", August 9th).
I wonder whether Mr Flanagan has read the Constitution and whether he knows that Ireland is a democracy in which participation in the democratic process of election to State office is normally encouraged? – Yours, etc,
LESLIE LAWLESS,
Dublin 4.