Madam, – Elaine Byrne (Opinion, March 10th) argues that constituency clinics and the focus on local issues are symptoms of a flaw in our political system. If she looked closely at what politicians in other countries do, I believe she would find that they spend just as much of their time raising issues on behalf of their local constituents as Irish politicians do.
As Tip O’Neill famously said, all politics is local. As a TD, I learn more about the impact our economic recession is having on our country and its people from constituency clinics and local meetings than I ever could from articles or books.
But there is a need for a shift in our political culture, as Ms Byrne argues. That shift relates to the nature of political debate in this country, including that in the newspapers.
The economy we have is no accident. It is the result of political choices by Governments and the political ideology that underpins those choices.
The shift in political culture I believe is needed would include more analysis by political commentators such as Ms Byrne of what political ideas, values and ideology distinguish our political parties and politicians from each other, rather than the fact that our politicians hold constituency clinics and attend local meetings. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – According to Elaine Byrne's column of March 10th, our behaviour is both "pyrrhic" and "self-destructive". It would seem that redundancy is a problem at The Irish Timesas well. – Yours, etc,