Harney a role model who will be missed

I THINK the PD leadership change is a backward step. Mary Harney was a splendid role model for increased women’s representation in public life. She is a politician of intelligence, integrity and moral courage.

During her career she has been articulate, unemotional and logical when confronting the brazen, the arrogant and the powerful among her fellow politicians. Some of them thought they were untouchable and had the political and media establishments kow-towing to them.

Mary Harney never kow-towed. Right or wrong, if she thought it had to be said, she said it.

It is ironic, therefore, that she should be replaced by a graduate of the arrogance-will-get-you-everywhere school of politics that she spent her political life confronting.

In contrast to his predecessor, Michael McDowell brings a surfeit of emotional bombast into the political discourse.

He is not above caricaturing his political opponents, or indeed political friends, by indulging in over-the-top abuse such as comparing them to Ceaucescu or Goebbels, or labelling them ‘slump coalitions’.

This could be regarded as knock-about stuff if it didn’t border on the kind of ‘big lie’ propaganda that debases political discourse.

One could never accuse Mary Harney of resorting to that kind of thing even in the toughest political confrontations.

I’m sorry she has resigned.

I’ve no doubt Irish democracy is the poorer for it.

Anthony Leavy

1 Shielmartin Drive

Sutton

Dublin 13