Sir, - Deaglan de Breadun writes (The Irish Times, July 10th): "Already there are indications from some quarters south of the Border that the peace process was all very well as long as it remained on the other side of Dundalk, but we don't really want those ghetto dwellers in government down here." His analysis is supported by the begrudging attitude displayed by Garret FitzGerald in his column of July 8th.
Dr Fitzgerald claims that Sinn Fein's share of the vote in the last election was 2.5 per cent. Actually, in the last election which Sinn Fein contested throughout the 26 Counties - the 1999 EU poll - the party got 6.7 per cent of the vote (and 205,000 votes in all of Ireland).
The rather weak attempt to link Jorg Haider's racist Freedom Party with Sinn Fein demonstrates Dr FitzGerald's ignorance of our anti-racist policies and actions. We have spoken at Anti-Fascist Action and Anti-Nazi League meetings and have actively campaigned on the streets from Dublin to Clonakilty to confront ignorance and prejudice towards immigrants. Indeed, we are proud to have several immigrants among our ranks.
Like Garret FitzGerald, I also "would find the entry of Sinn Fein into an Irish Government at this point unwelcome" - if it involved coalition with the establishment parties whose members engaged in the scandals and corruption which brought politics to a new low in this State. These nefarious practices included obtaining non-repayable loans from financial institutions; is it any wonder that banks were able to operate a virtual cartel, impose high charges, assist tax evasion and make super profits at customers' expense in the 1990s? And why did the last FG/Lab/DL coalition promise to establish a State bank to provide real competition, then fail to deliver?
Dr FitzGerald proclaims "bitter hostility" to IRA violence but has remained strangely silent about the violence - including killing children with plastic bullets, shoot-to-kill operations and collusion with loyalist deathsquads - of British forces in the North.
His governments failed to properly investigate the Dublin-Monaghan bombings (the worst atrocity of the Troubles) and the sinister killing of Seamus Ludlow in Dundalk. Not only did he remain silent, but his governments spent vast sums of Irish taxpayers' money in collaborating with these forces.
Perhaps Dr FitzGerald's "bitter hostility" has more to do with the answer to the question Deaglan de Breadun asks: "What will happen when Dublin South privilege is at last confronted with West Belfast hunger?" Not to mention Ballymun or Finglas South hunger! - Is mise, Cllr
Dessie Ellis, (Sinn Fein), Dunsink Road, Finglas, Dublin 11.