Sir, - I think we have a strange mentality in this country. In the interests of peace, most Irish people seem able to accept the release of paramilitaries, even those who have murdered civilians, RUC and British army personnel. However, many of those same people cannot tolerate the idea of releasing an IRA member who has killed a garda. I take the media reaction to the manslaughter pleas in the Garda Jerry McCabe murder trial as an example.
Are there not double standards operating here? - Yours, etc., Shay Hogan,
Warren Crescent, Dublin 15.