Madam, - I have to take issue with Ronan Guckian's letter (Irish Times Oct 21st) in which he argues that it seems clear that Fianna Fáil will go into government with Sinn Féin. Mr Guckian's thesis is totally undermined by his failure to take into account the comments made by the Taoiseach at Bodenstown a couple of days previously.
While it might be asking too much for a Fine Gael branch secretary to be cognisant of what the leader of Fianna Fáil said at a Wolfe Tone Commemoration,this does not alter the fact that the Taoiseach's comments to the effect that "Democracy and private armies do not mix" received plenty of media coverage.
It is disappointing that Mr Guckian chose to ignore the Taoiseach's comments before putting pen to paper but what is even more surprising is that he has chosen to ignore the comments of Fine Gael TD Michael Ring.
In The Irish Times earlier this year, (January 9th), Mr Ring was quoted as proposing a possible coalition involving Fine Gael, Labour and Sinn Féin. Mr Ring went on to say : "If Sinn Féin continues to work the peace process and continues to work the democratic system in this country, I see no reason why they can't be in government."
And Mr Guckian says "Fine Gael has made its position crystal clear"?. . . Crystal clear indeed! - Yours, etc.,
Cllr TOM BRABAZON (FF) Grattan Lodge, Dublin 13.