Sir, – Leo Varadkar's announcement ("Taoiseach sets out plans for referendums", July 29th) that, alongside a necessary referendum on abortion, other slated referendums will address issues such as removing the blasphemy offence and extend the franchise for presidential elections, shows the continuing lack of any coherent or systematic plan for reforming our Constitution.
Our electoral system needs much broader reform, while the entire problematic free speech guarantee in the constitutional text needs replacing.
Outside the Constitution, wholesale replacement of An Garda Síochána with a new police service is needed to achieve a more efficient, less corrupt police force.
Let’s just call this endless piecemeal tinkering at the margins what it is: a pretence of reform in the place of real reform.
Time for a more systematic plan. – Yours, etc,
Dr TOM GERALD DALY,
Associate Director for
Research Engagement,
Edinburgh Centre for
Constitutional Law,
Edinburgh, Scotland.