Sir, – Dr Aodán Ó Cochúir dismisses too easily the religious influence in Switzerland (Letters, March 26th). Even today, the Liberal Radical Party, the successor party to the Protestant Liberal party that governed Switzerland for much of the 19th century, is still strongest in historically Protestant cantons like Geneva and Vaud. Equally, the Centre Party, which is the successor to Catholic Christian Democratic parties, is still strongest in historically Catholic cantons like Valais or Lucerne. Thankfully, though, the traditions of direct democracy and federalism have meant that religious division has for the most part been confined to the past. – Yours, etc,
JOSEPH G O’HANLON,
Clontarf,
Dublin 3.