Boycott presidential election

THE Irish voters will be asked this year to choose a new head of state.

It is every seven years we citizens are given the opportunity to elect a new president, yet the last time a democratic election was held for a president was 14 years ago as the government, seven years ago, denied us the opportunity to choose a head of state, as they held on to Mary McAleese without asking us did we agree to this undemocratic action.

We cannot afford a president and this post should be abolished and the title head of state should be given to the Taoiseach at no extra wage, as the head of government should have both titles and as the money paid to the president then given to help our hospitals, schools and stop the cuts on social welfare. Then we can sell off the presidential palace to the private sector turning it into a hotel or a museum.