Madam, - Ronan Guckian (October 21st) will be disappointed if he expects the Progressive Democrats to be the watchdog of the present Government. The PDs, exhausted after seven years of swallowing their principles in silence, are now like harmless old retainers working out their notice before retiring to private life.
When, after the next election, Fianna Fáil again trades parliamentary support of any another party's ideology in return for office, we are almost certain to see them happily in coalition with Sinn Féin.
Mary Harney and her colleagues are now merely keeping the Cabinet seats warm. Caoimhghin Ó Caoláin as Minister for Finance, anyone? - Yours, etc.,
HUGO BRADY BROWN, Stratford on Slaney, Co Wicklow.