Madam, - At the MacGill Summer School I addressed in some detail the attempt by the PDs to rewrite recent economic history. Now we have a brace of letters towards the same end from PD senator John Minihan and PD local election candidate Mary Mitchell O'Connor (July 30th).
In the early months of 1997 the Rainbow Government, for the reasons I explained, was concerned with the corporation tax issue, in particular Ruairí Quinn, Richard Bruton and myself. Those discussions led to a Cabinet decision on May 7th which settled on the 12½ per cent rate.
The Labour Party has consistently defended that decision although it has not been universally popular with our supporters.
It has, however, been one positive element in our industrial strategy. - Yours, etc.,
PAT RABBITTE, TD, Leader of the Labour Party, Dáil Eireann, Dublin 2.