Irish politics needs to get away from Civil War

The local and European elections will soon take place and even now the election posters are being put up on poles as the candidates with smiling faces are knocking on doors and shaking hands with people hoping they will get their votes.

But Irish elections are becoming stale, mundane and uninteresting as we see the same men and women being put forward at every election as our politicians die in office of old age and their sons and daughters replace them with the same old ideas.

Politics and elections in Ireland have become a family affair as it becomes a closed shop. New people with new ideas are not encouraged to go forward as Civil War politics remain in the forefront, keeping us in the past, not allowing the nation to progress to the modern age.

In Ireland we are left with two main parties, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, two right wing parties with almost the same policies, and the Labour Party, a watered-down socalled left wing party that will get involved with anyone if the price is right.

And it is because of the political landscape in this nation that the poor unemployed, sick and weaker sections of Irish society have got a bad deal and have never been treated properly as we are screwed by parties of the right for water charges, property tax, etc.

I believe that, like other countries, a person should only hold office for two terms and that their sons and daughters shouldn’t take their place or be co-opted in their stead. Otherwise we are heading for a new native ascendancy that’s contrary to the founding structures of this nation which was republican. Otherwise we are heading down the same road to become like North Korea — family worship.

Martin Ford

St Anne’s Terrace

Sligo