Let people decide who sits in a reformed Seanad

VOLATILE political opinion polls mirror an electorate greatly traumatised and threatened by unprecedented economic instability and horrified by the subversive leadership of the banks that aggravated the severity of this downturn in Ireland.

Many decisions of unprecedented importance are pending on the road to recovery and there has never been as great a need for really high-calibre politicians as there is now. Each of the political parties in Leinster House has among its ranks some truly committed, excellent and talented members but there are also far too many in each of the parties whose capacity to inspire is non-existent.

The poltical system will only attract high-calibre candidates if they have the chance of being able to make a real, sustainable impact in a radically reformed legislature.