Monarchs inherit, but senators are chosen

RESPONDING to my letter (January 14) in which I expressed the view that a State visit to the Republic by Queen Elizabeth would be inappropriate at this time, David Cotter (January 22) invites me to “look closer to home at our undemocratic Senate”, implying that it is as undemocratic as the British monarchy.

This is not so.

There are 60 members of the Seanad — 49 of whom are elected from five knowledge-based panels which include culture, agriculture, labour, industrial and commercial, administrative and the universities.