Sir, – Una Mullally does not answer her own question as to what happens next in the political situation except to say that we will have a big change because "a new generation with higher standards" will be making "personal" decisions ("Rise of Sinn Féin is about a generation moving beyond political establishment", Opinion & Analysis, December 28th).
The reality is that both assertions are open to question.
We have to remember our history in which one political group has been in government for two-thirds of the time since independence.
That was because they had the unquestioned support of much of the media during all that time.
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In the past that was the mainstream media – newspapers, radio and later television.
The future is more complicated because the all-powerful internet media has taken a lot of control of the airwaves from what was formerly the mainstream.
If the mainstream media maintain sufficient control of opinion formation then the political groups that have dominated since independence will continue to do so.
But if internet media take control, then there will be change.
Whether either situation leads to higher standards is open to question. – Yours, etc,
A LEAVY,
Sutton, Dublin 13.