Sir, - I find it appalling that the Government has decided to hold the Amsterdam Treaty referendum on the same day as the referendum on the Belfast Agreement.
It would appear that it is doing this for two reasons. Firstly it believes it is more likely to get a yes vote on account of the generally positive reaction to the agreement. Secondly, it would appear that the EU commission would like the Irish people to vote before the Danes.
Let me remind Irish politicians (because they seem to need reminding) that they are the servants of the Irish electorate, not the European parliament. The referendum should be held when it is in the best interests of the Irish people and not in the best interests of the European parliament.
Surely the Belfast Agreement merits a day of its own. It is insulting to the memories of our ancestors, to the people of Northern Ireland and to the people of Ireland as a whole that our Government, supported by the main political parties, has chosen to sidetrack Amsterdam. This, at a time when a recent survey shows that 67 per cent of the electorate is unaware of the forthcoming referendum.
Is it any wonder that voter turnout at election time is dropping when our elected representatives have so little regard for us? - Yours, etc.,
John Lacken
General Secretary, Christian Solidarity Party, Foxrock Avenue, Dublin 18.