Madam, - John Kenny (March 6th) accuses Vincent Browne of being "irrational" and "illogical" in his bias against the PDs. Well, I am rationally biased against the PDs.
Kenny mentions the "huge achievements in social justice enacted by the Progressive Democrats". They must have a very different view of social justice than I do - and I lecture political philosophy.
Kenny says we can be ideologically opposed to a party but mustn't ignore its real achievements. Things, of course, may work in practice. The question is: do they work in theory? So let's talk about theory and the ideology of the Progressive Democrats party.
The PDs are a liberal political party of the new right that espouses laissez-faire monetarist economics and the unrestrained pursuit of profit.
Minister for Justice Michael McDowell, their real (and very noisy) leader, bangs home the PD mantra thus: the economy comes first (also echoed by Fianna Fáil).
This particular political ideology is repugnant to socialists, social democrats and classic conservatives.
Surely people come before profit in any civilised and humane society, if indeed the PDs still think society exists? Social justice? With that ideology? Please! - Yours, etc,
Dr STEPHEN J. COSTELLO, Dartmouth Terrace, Ranelagh, Dublin 6.