Madam, - In recent days the pivotal role of Taoiseach Bertie Ahern in changing Irish life for the better in vital areas such as the peace process and the economy has been rightly recognised. However, there is another and no less significant act for which the Taoiseach shall be forever appreciated and admired by those to whom it meant so much.
In 1999, Bertie Ahern gave an unreserved apology to the survivors of institutional abuse in Ireland. In doing so lifted the veil of secrecy, stigma and injustice which had dogged our lives and impeded our futures. His apology touched our hearts profoundly, because it was clear that he had listened to survivors with a depth of commitment unequalled by any other politician, apart from the then minister of education, Micheál Martin. This became evident in the swiftness with which he followed up his words with actions that supported the healing process for all of us who had endured the regimes of the various institutions that had destroyed our childhoods.
Despite all his recent troubles, Bertie Ahern will always hold a special place in the hearts of abuse survivors for his compassion and courage in standing with us, his efforts to bring about redress, the respect he gave us all as individuals and organisations. On behalf of all survivors, I thank him.
- Yours, etc,
CHRISTINE BUCKLEY, Aislinn Centre, Jervis Street, Dublin 1.
Madam, - Aside from the many false premises required to sustain the argument presented by Paul Cullen (Opinion, April 9th), a prominent theme was that Mr Ahern is as entitled to due process and a presumption of innocence as anybody else - surely an unarguable position.
It's a shame, then, that he, in common with several Ministers and other commentators, doesn't provide the same courtesy to my father, Tom Gilmartin. He dismisses my father as being "as flaky a witness as has ever come to Dublin Castle", and thus doesn't shy away himself from pronouncing judgment on my father's evidence before the conclusion of due process.
If he truly believes that my father's evidence can be compared to the tales told by Mr Frank Dunlop (whom my father exposed, to a chorus of disbelief, in 1998), Mr Lawlor and others, then in my view this calls into question his own judgment as a tribunal correspondent for this paper over a number of years.
My father has told the truth, has many times been proven to be correct, and has been vilified for far too long by those in positions of power and influence in this State. I feel it is about time someone stood up for him.
- Yours, etc,
THOMAS GILMARTIN jnr, The Lough, Cork.
Madam, - The current and predicted woes for our economy are, we are told, due to external forces, outside our control. The past 10 years of economic success were, however, due to the wise leadership of Bertie Ahern.
Can someone explain? Preferably not an economist, as they have been largely proven to know nothing about economics.
- Yours, etc,
ALAN McPARTLAND, Rathfarnham, Dublin 16.
Madam, - What are we to make of Fine Gael's somewhat muted response to the news that Beverley Flynn - a consummate political operator - has been granted readmission to Fianna Fáil? Its reticence on the matter might lead one to conclude that there are moves afoot to bring a certain North Tipperary Independent TD (a massive vote-getter) in from the cold.
I think it is only a matter of time before Michael Lowry is once again ensconced in the bosom of his erstwhile party.
Indeed, I can well envisage the day when the bold Michael and the brazen Beverley are appointed senior ministers in a seminal Fianna Fáil-Fine Gael coalition.
I feel sure that, as they receive their seals of office from President Adams, all three individuals will allow themselves a wry smile.
- Yours, etc,
PAUL DELANEY, Dalkey, Co Dublin.
Madam, - An emotional dilemma must surely arise for those Taoiseach-nominated senators who are inconsolably bereaved by the impending departure of their patron and benefactor, Bertie Ahern, whose irreparable loss they have been solely lamenting.
For them, as for Duncan's sons in Macbeth, "the spring, the heads, the fountain of their blood/ Is stopped, the very source of it is stopped". And for them also, "the wine of life is drawn".
It is true that their position is constitutionally safe, but they would do better to resign their seats in heartfelt sympathy with their lost leader. Of course, the incoming Taoiseach may well renew their mandate (Art.18.10.2).
In this case, they could properly transfer their allegiance to him, difficult though this might be, for surely something of their hearts will always belong to another
- Yours, etc,
JOHN A MURPHY, Rosebank, Douglas Road, Cork.
Madam, - Who is running this country - our elected representatives of all parties, or the media? The McCarthyism of the media over the past few months, and longer, has been despicable, and reflects very badly on journalists.
- Yours, etc,
PATRICIA O'SHEA, Lime Trees Road, Douglas, Cork.