Sir, – Party leader Alan Kelly predicts that Labour will double its Dáil representation to 14 seats at the next general election (Home News, September 14th). His most compelling evidence is the success of the party's candidate in the recent Dublin Bay South byelection.
Of course Kelly must make the best of the hand he is given. But I wonder.
Last June, my morning walk took me through parts of the Dublin Bay South constituency. I noted that the successful candidate had two election poster styles. Even with my failing eyesight I could read “Ivana” and “Ivana Bacik” from 200 yards.
But I had to take the risk of walking into the poster-supporting lamp posts before I could discern that she was the candidate of the Labour Party.
Bacik adopted the strategy of Fianna Fáil’s 2011 general election candidates, but with greater success. – Yours, etc,
PAT O’BRIEN,
Mooncoin,
Co Kilkenny.