Mick Clifford: Twitter's righteous anger makes democracy the big loser

Democracy is the big loser when faux emotion trumps reason and, inevitably, the quality of people entering public life will diminish in such an environment. Maybe that’s what some people want

Students and demonstrators during a protest over comments by CEO of Dublin City Council Owen Keegan on student accommodation outside Dublin City Council offices on Wood Quay, Dublin. Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

THIS week there was a perfect example of how some elements of public life are conducted in a manner that is unhealthy for democracy. It involved a spat between a student leader and the chief executive of Dublin City Council.