Phoney election war drummed up by media

IT’s sad once again to see the media playing the willing fool in the farce that is the debate about who will form the next government.

Unfortunately, they have been only too willing to propagate the myth that the upcoming election is a two-horse race between a Fianna Fáil /PD coalition on one hand and a FG/Labour coalition on the other.

Sadly, the consequence of this attitude is that many people won’t even bother to go out and vote, thus making the media coverage a self-fulfilling prophecy.

This is a contrived and at times farcical battle between two blocks with almost identical policies where the only real difference is the style of haircut and the accent of the next potential Taoiseach.

There is no indication that either of these blocks will be able to form a government as they currently stand.

In all probability a third party and a number of independents will have to be added to one or the other, or a completely different make up of Government, from an alternative arrangement of parties, will have to be considered.

The debate needs to be about the policies pursued by the next government and, to date, there is nothing of substance separating the two blocks currently being facilitated by the media.

In the interest of balance, and indeed of adding a modicum of diversity to the debate, perhaps we could have a bit more focus on Sinn Féin and the Greens who between them have consistently scored just under 20% in opinion poll after opinion poll and who at least have policies — whether you agree with them or not — that differ radically from the establishment blocks.

Michael Nolan

Templeshannon

Enniscorthy

Co Wexford