Sir, - The Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, has underestimated the level of adverse reaction in provincial Ireland to his Dublin-heavy Cabinet, which includes old, tired and unimaginative political lightweights who had little to offer in previous governments. The omission of Willie O'Dea, the Limerick East former minister of State and poll-topper for Fianna Fail in the General Election, who brought in Eddie Wade with him into the 28th Dail, is indefensible.North Tipperary after winning an extra seat.
Waterford, where Fianna Fail held its own, had a lesser claim to Cabinet recognition. I welcome the inclusion of Sile De Valera, Michael Martin, and John O'Donoghue as new people with bright and refreshing ideas in the Cabinet. It must be a difficult time to be a backbencher in Fianna Fail and observe the four PD Deputies, who procured in total 2,000 first preference votes fewer than the combined vote of Willie O'Dea and Michael O'Kennedy, enjoying such power and influence in Cabinet. It is democracy at work in an unreal and peculiar fashion.
The distribution of Cabinet posts should be on ability to perform in the national interest not on the basis of loyalty. The quality of Dail deputies from provincial Ireland is equal if not greater than those from the Pale. The granting of Ministers of State posts is of limited value to O'Dea, Kennedy and Smith; their track records prove that they are good cabinet material. - Yours, etc.,
Cashel,
Co Tipperary.