The presidency and democracy

Sir, – While our country is one of the world’s longer-running democracies, international events of recent years underscore the increasingly polarised nature of political and social discourse.

Some of our larger political parties have directed their councillors to oppose the nomination of potential independent presidential candidates, rather than abstain, raising the possibility of our presidential ballot paper being under-representative.

This could run the risk of sections of our electorate feeling disenfranchised, which may not strengthen our democratic functioning down the road. – Yours, etc,

CATHERINE O’DONOHOE,

RM Block

The Italian restaurant that stole Dublin’s heart: ‘We didn’t have lasagne or carbonara – the things Irish people might expect’

---

Does a Pacino-De Niro bromance ad contain the seeds of a cure for male loneliness?

---

Five things we learned from Ireland’s 26-13 defeat to New Zealand

---

Ellen Keane: ‘I grew up believing I was unlovable, that I wasn’t attractive’

---

Newbawn,

Co Wexford.