Mobilisation of local representatives

I would like to take issue with two of your contributions in your edition of 18-24 January. One was Maggie Kennealy's television column and the other was Teresa Graham's letter to the editor. The point of most of Maggie Keneally's article was lost for me – describing an ad in detail and reaching the conclusion that some of the fellows on the rugby match panel were variously 'ugly' and 'quite handsome'. In fairness, she acknowledged having got lost herself. When she got to criticising the two female politicians on Questions and Answers, however, she was the soul of clarity. One was an 'imposter' and the other was 'preening, pretending and looking for attention'. Assuming that her criticisms were fair, I asked myself the following question. What is wrong with having two preening, pretending female imposters in political office when we have been electing preening, pretending male imposters in their hundreds to public office for years and noone batted an eyelid? Despite Maggie Kenneally's complaints about our current female politicians, I think that we need more of them.

Teresa Graham, in her letter to the editor, also had a set on our politicians. She bemoaned the fact that the be-all and end-all of an election is who is going to be in power after it. I thought that that was the reason for having an election in the first place. She then bemoaned that 'clientilism' that sets TDs in the same area against each other. I thought that that was part of the benefit of having a democracy. I was, however, willing to agree to disagree on these points. But when she reached the conclusion that our electoral system 'discriminates against those who are unable to mobilise their local representative', I thought she went too far. In the UK, where one MP represents a much larger constituency and, if it is a safe seat the party decides who he or she is, the job of mobilising your local representative is much more difficult. Consequently the proportion of ordinary people marginalised is much greater. Contrary to Teresa Graham's opinion, therefore, I think that our system gives the electorate more power in deciding who represents them and brings their repesentative closer to ordinary people. I am willing to put up with the clientilism for those benefits.

In summary I have to disagree with both your contributors. Multi-seat constituencies electing more women representatives is all right with me.

Anthony Leavy, Sutton, Dublin 13