KEVIN McCARTHY,
Sir, - With reference to the report by Mark Hennessy in your edition of July 27th about the call from Sinn Féin for the release of the McCabe killers, permit me to make a few very brief points on behalf of this association.
1. This association has been, is, and always will be totally opposed to any such release under any name, be it political or otherwise.
2. The Government, to its credit, has to date, and will no doubt in the future, reject these calls and see them for what they are - a get-out-of-jail card for people convicted of the most serious of crimes. Mr Crowe maintains that these men are being used as "political fodder". Suffice to comment that if so, its a damn sight better than being used as "machine-gun fodder", as our colleagues were in Adare in 1996.
3. Mr Crowe is correct in one comment: such a release would cause the McCabe family (and indeed all right thinking people) much suffering and pain. - Yours, etc.,
KEVIN McCARTHY, Divisional Chairman, Garda Representative Association, Henry Street, Limerick.