Sir, – Regarding Joan Freeman's search for nominations for the forthcoming presidential election, it seems that aspiring candidates will have to wait for a presidential order to be signed by the Minister and "which is not expected to happen until until late August or early September", according to your article ("Freeman asks councils to hold meetings to help possible presidential candidates", News, July 25th). Are the county councils, therefore, waiting for this ministerial order? After all, the expected election is due to take place in October!
This is unfair on any aspiring candidate and is an insult to our supposed democratic process. I hope that the county councils will call early meetings in order to show that democracy actually exists in Ireland and to allow aspiring independent candidates time to organise themselves and to get their necessary financial support together, well before the probable October presidential election. – Yours, etc,
DAVE KAVANAGH,
Clontarf,
Dublin 3.
Sir, – I, too, will not be contesting the election. – Yours, etc,
BRIAN DAVITT,
Dalkey,
Co Dublin.
A chara, – Could all those not-so-famous people who have decided not to run for the presidency send a joint letter to The Irish Times and get it over with? – Is mise,
LOMAN Ó LOINGSIGH,
Dublin 24.
Sir, – Would a Sinn Féin president be taking home the average industrial wage? – Yours, etc,
FRANK GORDON,
Stillorgan,
Dublin 18.