Sir, - One of the promises that saw the Taoiseach's party elected to government was a vow that Ireland, under Fianna Fail, would not join the NATO "Partnership for Peace" without a referendum. That a referendum should take place is evident; a clear majority of Irish people supported one in the recent Irish Times/MRBI poll. Perhaps, then, the will of the Irish people is a concern too trivial for Mr Ahern. When democracy is unimportant to a democratically elected leader, something is drastically wrong.
Every main political party supports entry to the PfP, without regard for whether or not Ireland wants to join. The only way that we can make our voices heard is to vote for members of the "minority parties" (e.g. the Green Party) in the European Parliament elections. They oppose joining PfP without a referendum.
In this, they represent the majority of the electorate far more than the Government we ourselves elected.-Yours, etc.,
Siobhan Mooney, Pinewood Avenue, Glasnevin, Dublin 11.