So we have seen Brexit and Trump and we are afraid of Wilders in The Netherlands and Le Pen in France.

The explanation that people have offered is that large numbers of people feel alienated and left behind.

They also feel that they have no voice where it really counts in the legislature and parliaments which are seen to be dominated by insiders and to which those supposedly excluded have no access.

It was in this connection that I listened spellbound to a new perspective on our own political system here in Ireland. It’s not that long ago that there was a referendum on whether we should get rid of the multi-seat constituency and replace it, as in the UK, with a first-past-the-post system.

This, we were told, would give us stronger and more stable governments and indeed it would – to a point.

However, I have been fascinated to recently listen to politicians saying that in fact, our multi-seat constituency system plays a valuable role in letting all kinds of disparate views be represented in Dáil Eireann.

This would never be possible in Britain or the United States or in many continental countries where a list system is the norm.

Looking at the present disillusionment that seems to be so widespread, the Irish system may in fact have something to recommend it.

While many will find some of the elements in the Dáil unsavoury, the amount of chaos so-called dissidents and excluded could cause if they never had a hope of being elected could be enormous and damaging, as we have seen in Britain and the United States.

The present quasi coalition may seem slow and indecisive but looking at it, the consequences of a different system could be a great deal worse in terms of stability and national cohesion.

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