Instant democracy

WE might not have gained much from the proliferation of British TV shows such as the The X Factor and Britain’s Got Talent, but perhaps the voting system offers hope for the long-awaited reform of our political system.

The concept is simple: the acts perform between 6:30pm and 7:30pm; then there’s a break before the result is announced at 9pm.

To use that analogy, we’ve had too many performances from Fianna Fáil for several years, including Ivor Callely’s attempt at copying Keith Barry, and a howler from the Offaly Rover.