Sir, - On Morning Ireland the day after that intrepid journalist, Veronica Guerin, was brutally murdered, David Hanly announced that the Minister for Justice, Nora Owen, would be joining the programme to make a statement on the foul deed.
I immediately thought to myself: I know what she is going to say. She will begin by apologising to Ms Guerin's family; she will then make some excuse about the Government's inaction in relation to the millionaire Irish drug barons and terrorists; then she will tell us she is awaiting a report from the Garda authorities; and finally she will assure us of her future plans to combat crime in this country.
Nora did come on the programme and, more or less as I predicted, spewed out the usual waffle, with little interruption from David Hanly, may I say. She prevaricated, excused and told us she had some fancy future projects in mind to curb our spiralling crime. Meanwhile Rome, sorry Dublin, burns. In fact, Ireland is ablaze with villainy. The dogs on the street know that law and order are collapsing. The drug barons and terrorists are now calling the shots and firing them at the same time.
People are afraid to walk the streets on their own. Some churches and many homes are now locked during the day, never mind at night. Muggings and handbag snatching have become commonplace and cars are burgled daily. I could go on!
I ask you, Nora, to please stop your prevarication, excuses and platitudes. if you really want to apologise to families of the innocent victims - do it with deeds and not empty words. Action is badly needed and it is needed now.
We want a repeal of the outdated bail laws; an end to the revolving door syndrome in our jail system because of lack of space; a freeze on all assets of convicted criminals; an end to the repressive libel laws, and to the right of silence; updating of the court system and we want the tax man to harass the millionaire drug barons and terrorists, in their big houses, rather than the struggling innocent citizens. More resources are needed for the gardai and modernisation of the Department of Justice, offices of the Attorney General and Public Prosecutor, to mention but a few.
In short, we want basic civil rights for the ordinary innocent taxpaying citizens of this country. The criminals, up to now, seem to have had more than their fair share!
I await, with bated breath the Ministers next performance on Morning Ireland. - Yours, etc.,
Aghaboe,
Clough,
Portlaoise,
Co Laois.