TOM COOPER,
Sir, - At the Church of Ireland synod in Dublin, Dr Robin Eames, the Church of Ireland Primate displayed courage and honesty when he clamed there was "cynical misuse of power, position, trust, and authority by some for their own betterment, as recent tribunals in the Republic have indicated" (Irish Times, May 15th). On the sensitive issue of Drumcree, Dr Eames said he met Portadown Orange leaders "at least a dozen times since last year's synod". Perhaps Dr Eames might take the rudimentary step of meeting the elected representatives of the residents of Garvaghy Road, and also try to persuade the local MP for the area, First Minister David Trimble, to do likewise. Despite several requests to meet with the residents directly, Mr Trimble has persistently refused to do so, hardly conduct becoming a First Minister and a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize.
Sadly, the Church of Ireland by its association with the Orange Order (currently more than 60 Grand Officers of the Orange Order are Church of Ireland clergy), has become synonymous with the civil unrest that pervades Drumcree each year. It is time for those in Authority in the church to do more to prevent the church being hijacked for political purposes, and expose those who masquerade as Christian Protestants when in fact they are political Protestants with a political agenda rather than a Christian agenda. - Yours, etc., TOM COOPER, Delaford Lawn, Knocklyon, Dublin 16.