Madam, - According to your Seanad Report of March 6th, Senator Mary White claimed that Shane Ross's contribution and the accent in which it was delivered reminded her of an Oxford or Cambridge debate - prompting PD Senator John Dardis to comment that it "would not be of that standard. It would be more the Trinity College standard."
It seems ironic that even while joining in the slagging of perceived "Brits" among us, Senator Dardis exhibits his own cultural cringe by presuming that an Oxford debate would be better than one held in Trinity. I have seen plenty of debates in both locations and can assure him that that is not the case.
Not that Mr Dardis is in much of a position to comment anyway, given that his own debating chamber is, with one or two honourable exceptions, populated by second-rate mediocrities and unsuccessful party placemen. - Yours, etc.,
JOHN SMITH, Ushers Island, Dublin 8.