Madam, - On the question of Charles Haughey's reputation I think the vast majority of the Irish people have made up their own minds and history will be the final arbiter. But I must take issue with Michael Turley's assessment (August 9th) of Mr Haughey's contribution to the Northern Ireland peace process.
Charles Haughey and his party voted against the Anglo-Irish Agreement and in 1986 he actively encouraged his Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Brian Lenihan, to campaign against the agreement in the United States of America. - Yours, etc.,
PADDY McCARTAN, (Fine Gael Area Representative, Pembroke), Lower Baggot Street, Dublin 2.
Madam, - In recent weeks I have been dismayed to see Mr Haughey being venerated by influential political and business people.
They have tended to concentrate on the positive effects of various policies of Mr Haughey while Taoiseach, and attempted to berate the general populace for not according him the acclaim his far-sighted approach to the economy deserves.
Thankfully, Kevin Myers (An Irishman's Diary, August 6th) managed to express the thoughts of the vast majority, who do not wish mindlessly to condemn Mr Haughey and his family and secure his immediate and never-ending incarceration in solitary confinement, with all his family turned out to wander the pot-holed and poorly signed secondary roads of the country.
Haughey was a corrupt politician, aided and abetted by politicians, businessmen and ordinary citizens, whose own small craven lives were lived through Haughey, and who even now, like a blind parent, cannot see the falsity and corruption that they themselves helped promote and foster.
Charles Haughey can still redeem something of his reputation by publicly admitting to the people his corruption while in office, and by allowing the tribunals to extract the truth about every last rotten act and favour handed out. Surely this is the best way to "do the State some service".
Perhaps then Mr McCreevy et al. would have something noble to raise their eyes to during their venerations. - Yours, etc.,
BRENDAN O'LOUGHLIN, Crozon Park, Sligo.
Madam, - I agree with Michael Turley (August 9th): Mr. Haughey was indeed a "doer". He certainly "did" me. - Yours etc.,
BRENDAN TREACY, Drumree, Co Meath.