Madam, - The posturings of Martin Mansergh (December 11th), various obscure Fianna Fáil councillors (December 11th and 13th) and now Noel Dempsey (December 15th) are beyond bearing.
Senator Mansergh bleats about Fine Gael's "departure from bipartisanship" on this sensitive matter" before going on in effect to list an array of reasons for not releasing the Adare killers from Castelrea. Minister Dempsey first insults the 80 per cent (Garret FitzGerald's figure) of the electorate who oppose the release by suggesting that anyone who questions this act of betrayal is "undermining" - his term - the Government's quest for peace. "Sinn Féin has made it clear," he then informs us, "that it will be impossible to bring the Provisional IRA to finality without movement on this issue". Oh, really? Could there be a better illustration of what your columnist Drapier meant by "a sovereign government being led by the nose by the Provos"?
In the tormented history of the past 35 years there has never been a simpler, clearer issue of black-and-white realpolitik. The ruthless determination and awesome political skills of the Provo leadership (they came up in a harder school than northside Fianna Fáil) have propelled them to the point where this outrageous demand has both been allowed by our sovereign Government to get on to "the table", and to your shame, been supinely accepted on your leader page.
Bertie Ahern has spent too long closeted in back rooms with them. Time for him to push back his chair, stand up, look Gerry Adams in the eye and say clearly, monosyllabically and non-negotiably, "No". - Yours, etc.,
TOM WEYMES,
Mount Merrion,
Co Dublin.
Madam, - In their most recent statement the IRA indicate that photographic evidence showing the destruction of their illegally held arms would hurt their sensitivities. Over the years we have seen various manifestations of the IRA. The Old, Official, Provisional, Continuity, Real, and now we have The Sensitive IRA.
However, the IRA say to further enhance public confidence in the decommissioning of their weaponry, something which should have been completed back in 2000, they would agree to the presence of two clergymen to observe the process.
With due respect to members of the clergy, I don't think knowledge of modern weaponry would be their forte. If the IRA are serious about instilling public confidence on the issue of decommissioning they should allow General De Chastelain to tell the people of Ireland precisely what weaponry has been destroyed in the whole process from beginning to end.
Finally, I believe that the Irish and British governments should have insisted that the release of IRA prisoners had to be linked directly to progress in the decommissioning of their weaponry. If they had, we might not find ourselves constantly debating whether republicans are still keeping the option open of using both the ballot box and Armalite to advance their aims. Minister Dempsey's letter of December 15th telling us that the Government cannot ensure the decommissioning of IRA weaponry unless the cold-blooded killers of Det Garda Jerry McCabe are released does little to enhance public confidence regarding the commitment of republicans to democracy. - Yours, etc.,
TONY MORIARTY, Shanid Road, Kenilworth Park, Dublin 6.