Madam, - In his letter of January 31st, Fionntain Ó Suilleabháin refers to Michael McDowell as an "anti-republican".
Surely all citizens of this State, including Government Ministers, are republicans and would be offended to be considered otherwise. They support the Constitution of the Republic, its democratically elected parliament, its laws and institutions including its army and police.
They equally aspire, together with their compatriots in the north of Ireland, to a united Republic of Ireland brought about by peaceful and constitutional means.
The right to be called an Irish republican is surely not confined to certain individuals or members of particular political parties. - Yours, etc,
MICHAEL TIERNEY, Morehampton Lane, Donnybrook, Dublin 4.