Two months ago this web site pointed out the contrast between Ottawa and Dublin in electing the mayors of their cities.

Citizens of Ottawa have a mayoral franchise. All qualified residents have a right to vote in elections to select the person who will their mayor for the following three-year term. Dubliners have no such right. Their mayors are appointed by city councillors, who total 52 in number, and who vote according to political party lines. In actual fact, the voting is a farce because the two dominant political parties, Fianna Fail and Labour, rotate the position between them.

This year Cllr. Royston Brady of Fianna Fail "won" the in-council vote, succeeding Labour mayor Dermot Lacey.

It has often been claimed that party politics determines everything in Ireland. The shameless splitting of the capital's mayoralty between just two parties further reinforces the claim.

That city councillors are well aware of this was demonstrated following this year's election when representatives of all parties gave voice to their "disappointment" that the Local Government Act of 2003 did not provide that all future Lords Mayor of Dublin be elected by Dublin citizens at large.

Their regret contains echoes of Lewis Carroll's "The Walrus and the Carpenter".

"I weep for you," the Walrus said,

"I deeply sympathize."

The tears flowed just as freely as the new mayor took office.

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