The task of forming a government

A chara, – Once again in her column, Una Mullaly unleashes a series of unsupported attacks on Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, this time for having the temerity to try and form a government ("Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael exposed as intellectually dead", News, April 20th). Apart from a series of insults, she offers no alternatives.

She argues, “When you have no new ideas . . . it’s over.” Might I suggest that she applies that logic to her own writing before we get yet another unsubstantiated diatribe against political parties that still represent a significant proportion of the population? – Is mise,

Senator

MALCOLM BYRNE,

READ SOME MORE

(Fianna Fáil),

Gorey,

Co Wexford.

Sir, – There is little doubt that Una Mullally is a wonderful wordsmith and I would agree with much of what she writes in her latest column, but it’s a bit disappointing that her article lacked clarity on who she might consider as suitable for governance after the void that would be left by the exclusion of the two “centre-right” parties.

In the final sentence of her interesting piece, she leaves her readers with a sentence to ponder: “So as we progress through this moment, what do we keep and what do we leave behind?”

What indeed!

Major decisions are made by the people we elect to act on our behalf, and where governance is concerned, that mixed bag was voted on just over two months ago. Personally, I think we should leave it all behind, and pray for a saviour. – Yours, etc,

NIALL GINTY,

Killester,

Dublin 5.

Sir, – Fianna Fáil is saying that it needs an ardfheis to decide on any agreement to enter into coalition government. It says that a postal ballot is not in the rules, but that the party’s national executive can decide.

Since a large gathering is out of the question, why can’t it have an advisory postal ballot and have the national executive go along with the outcome? – Yours, etc,

RONAN QUINLAN,

Baile Átha Cliath 15.

Sir, – If Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael fail to confirm the common knowledge that their respective parties have not been wearing any clothes for years, and refuse to form a government, it would be evidence that their preference for insular, pretentious historical nuance over the fate of all the Irish people is a sign of hubris and intransigence that excels even that of Sinn Féin. – Yours, etc,

EUGENE TANNAM,

Firhouse, Dublin 24.

Sir, – The Fine Gael/Fianna Fáil coalition framework document rules out increases in income tax or the universal social charge, as well as any cuts in welfare. Is this a case of more leprechaun economics, with a big pot of gold somewhere at the end of a rainbow! – Yours, etc,

MICHAEL WHITE,

Limerick.

Sir, – The Green Party keeps telling us that we have 10 years left to save the planet. Is it seriously telling us that it wants to spend five years of that decade sitting on the opposition benches with no power or influence? Its position is untenable.– Yours, etc,

MIKE BURKE,

Mohill,

Co Leitrim.