Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil make sense in coalition

I agree with your columnist Alison O’Connor (Irish Examiner, January 22) — ‘As parties jockey for pole position ahead of the general election, the outcome is far from certain’.

Being the centenary year of the 1916 Rising, the sight of a ballot sheet could be like a red rag to a bull and regurgitate in some voters a patriotic blood pressure as never before.

Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil are the true products of that traumatic period of 1916-21 — when family fought against family and neighbour against neighbour, both believing they were for the common good. Sinn Féin would like to highjack this claim.

There is little difference in policy and principle between the two parties. Even in recent surveys on abortion, both Enda Kenny and Micheál Martin thought it a too important and sensitive matter to be rushed, and remained undecided, or wouldn’t give a position

Our prime concerns are jobs and economic stability, and for that reason, I believe the consensus in this election may be ‘let bygones be bygones and we’ll all meet again’, with Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil mating up to give us stability and experience.

James Gleeson

Turtulla

Thurles

Co Tipperary