Give us a choice if we want President or not

I REFER to Fergus Finlay’s recent article (Opinion, June 21).

Apart from the piece about Rory McIlroy, he later urges us to behold the Presidency not to look at the cost of this office in case we would lessen the democratic nature of the state.

He does not mention that we have the most democraticised nation in Europe. Would he look at the situation in comparing the number of Dáil members to population, versus the UK? We have three times the representation.

Also we have county and city councils, town councils etc, all elected far in excess of our counterparts in other countries. He would surely agree that the Senate is a basket case regarding democracy.

We do not have to have a model that pertains where there is a president and a prime minister. We should have what we can afford. This letter was prompted by a situation in which a friend of mine, who employs two people and has no work for them, continues to employ them in hope for better times, and to stand by them for their family circumstances. We have enough democratic officials. One less, which costs €10 million, would be helpful to many like my friend above. The most democratic thing that the politicians and Mr Finlay could promote, would be to give us the choice in the coming referendum whether we want a president or not.

Brian Lyons

Monkstown

Co Cork