Sir, – Una Mullally asks what it is we should do with politicians who voice views tinged with misinformation and conspiracy theories, such as those aired by, she asserts, Senator Sharon Keogan ("What should we do when Senators go too far?", Opinion & Analysis, April 25th). I have an answer. You put forward your own well-constructed arguments in response and then remember that, in a liberal democracy, the rest of us have the right to make up our own minds on the merits of what is being said. Or are we not to be trusted to think for ourselves anymore? – Yours, etc,
PATRICK USSHER,
Gers,
France.
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Sir, – I don’t agree with Senator Sharon Keogan on every topic but I value freedom of speech, freedom of opinion and am glad we live in a society that welcomes debate. Lynn Ruane did not achieve a “brilliant rebuttal”, as claimed by Una Mullally. Senator Ruane tried to silence Sharon Keogan with the age-old tactics of shame and name-calling.
There are valid concerns being raised around the ethical issues of using poor women in countries such as Ukraine and India to carry babies for wealthy western families.
What voice has the surrogate mother at the table? None. What voice has the siblings or wider family of the surrogate mother got at the table? None. Is there anyone in the debate who has been brought into the world this way and can maybe bring their insights? Not so far as I can see.
Whitewashing the surrogates and their families out of the story and shaming anyone that raises these questions is surely not the answer. – Yours, etc,
SARAH ANDERSON,
Newcastle,
Co Wicklow.
Sir, – Senator Sharon Keogan’s comments during a Seanad committee meeting on surrogacy highlight an enormous flaw in the Seanad electoral process. Politicians are free to express their viewpoints in the knowledge that they are ultimately accountable for those views to the public by way of the ballot box. If their views are not representative of a sufficiently large portion of the public then they don’t get elected next time around. However, the Senator is in no way accountable to the public because she was indirectly elected by councillors and Oireachtas members by way of the secret ballot. As a result the public has no means of holding her accountable. The Taoiseach is indirectly elected, yet the public knows at the time of the general election who will likely support which candidate for the office and knows after the fact who their TDs did in fact vote for. A similar situation holds for local elected officeholders, whether cathaoirleach or mayor. So the public can give their response at the next election. At the time of the next local elections, the voters have no means to either endorse or reprimand those councillors who elected Senator Keogan. Because we don’t know who did and who didn’t vote for her. – Yours, etc,
DANIEL K SULLIVAN,
Dublin 3.
Sir, – There is much of what Senator Sharon Keogan believes in that I do not agree with. However, in agreement with Senator Keogan, I do question the ethics surrounding international surrogacy. I believe Senator Keogan displayed courage in speaking against the Seanad’s emotional tide of debate on the matter. Freedom of speech is very important. Only saying! – Yours, etc,
GERALDINE GREGAN,
Clare.
Sir, – Una Mullally clearly doesn’t like or agree with anything that Senator Keogan writes, says or posts online. She appears so concerned by some of Ms Keogan’s views that she feels the need to ask ,“What processes are in place to sanction Senators when they go too far?” In my view, one could read this as, “How do we silence people like Ms Keogan if we don’t like what they say?” – Yours, etc,
BRIAN CULLEN,
Dublin 16.