Two questions for Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael, plus. one for the Southern media

 It’s sometimes important to articulate clearly and in a focused way what exactly it is that you aim for or want answered. If you don’t, you could end up like Simon Harris, spewing out ideas and information at such a pace, people jump back as if you’ve just vomited.

So – here’s my question: “For precisely what reason or reasons have Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael refused to talk to Sinn Féin?”  It doesn’t seem to have occurred to any journalists that it might be worth asking. And if – just if – the answer was that Sinn Féin has emerged from a violent group called the IRA and therefore can’t be allowed into a political partnership, couldn’t precisely the same charge be levelled at Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil?

There are two groups at fault here – the political parties, for not explaining why they cannot even talk to Sinn Féin, and journalists, that they have not pressed the two political parties to explain their reasoning behind SF exclusion.

Really, when you think of it, neither is an unreasonable request. We’re waiting and listening,  Fianna Fail, Fine Gael and the southern media…