Let’s show a zero tolerance attitude to our bungling, incompetent rulers

THERE are currently three vacancies in the Dáil brought about by resignations. Pat ‘The Cope’ Gallagher stood down in 2009 after his election to the European Parliament. Earlier this year George Lee of Fine Gael resigned his South Dublin seat in a tizzy and Martin Cullen stepped down from his Waterford seat due to health reasons.

Fianna Fáil is blocking two of the by-elections because they would likely be hammered, if current public opinion polls are even remotely accurate.

During the week a letter-writer to the Irish Examiner suggested that the delay is in the public interest because the state would not only avoid the cost of the by-elections but also “the salaries and expenses in these times of hardship”.