Sir, – I wish to refer to Stephen Collins’s article, “We need a more mature and realistic political discussion” (Opinion, November 1st), and to state that attempts by Labour in government to minimise the impact of the austerity measures that were introduced affected to a far greater extent people who were already on low incomes and welfare supports and suffered more than any other section of society and who looked to Labour for protection and felt left down.
In the following election Labour suffered greatly and all the indications are that there is no sign of recovery and the possibility of total wipe-out is now at stake.
Dublin South West constituency had two Labour TDs 1992 to 1997 and at present it has no Dáil representative and is unlikely to have any in the future.
The future of the party is now uncertain and the long history of service by the party is coming to an end. The lessons of the past have been ignored. – Yours, etc,
EAMONN WALSH,
Former Labour TD,
Dublin 12.