A chara, - Of the minority of your correspondents actually defending Michael McDowell in the current controversy, few if any appear actually to understand the reason why the rest of us are so enraged.
That Frank Connolly has many serious questions to answer is clear, and few citizens would argue against an investigation being carried out through proper official channels. Should the DPP decide to prosecute and then go on to win a case, we would all be delighted that justice had been served. However, the myriad notes, anonymous rumours and unsubstantiated suggestions that make up a Garda file proceed to a DPP prosecution only after careful consideration and filtration of their contents. Even then, an accurate, well-presented case is successful at trial only after argument and counter-argument are heard in a proper, transparent setting, with judgment passed by learned individuals who have given due consideration to all the circumstances. This is our justice system and it has served us well.
What the Taoiseach, the Minister and his defenders fail to realise is that the bypassing of all of this under Dáil privilege, and then the extraordinary disclosure of the contents of the Garda file during a private meeting between the Minister and Chuck Feeney, have both massively undermined the way justice is administered in this country - or certainly the way it is seen to be administered, which is almost as important.
That this totalitarian crusade is happening at the same time as the Government is cravenly refusing to inspect military aircraft in Shannon, happily ensuring that no evidence will be unearthed to confirm this State's facilitation of prisoner "renditions" to and from the likes of Syria, Egypt and Guantanamo, is - one hopes - merely a most unhappy coincidence. - Is mise,
DAVID CARROLL, Castle Gate, Dublin 2.
Madam, - I would like to congratulate Vincent Browne on his excellent column of December 21st. It is a clear and concise summary of an episode that should shock any true democrat.
It cuts through all the spin and obfuscation being spouted by the PDs and their media lackeys.
In relation to Mr McDowell's behaviour, one could be kind and paraphrase Oscar Wilde: "Whenever a man does a thoroughly stupid thing, it is always because he believes he is acting from the noblest motives." - Yours, etc,
PATRICK SHINE, Cathedral Road, Cork.
Madam, - I had not intended to refer publicly to Kevin Myers's Irishman's Diary of December 15th in the belief that it would sink into obscurity under the weight of name-calling and vulgar abuse of which it principally consisted. I assumed that most decent people would be horrified by his schoolboy use of language to denigrate people or concepts to which he is opposed - "cretinous", "fifth column", etc - and by the very sinister attempt to weaken one of the principal foundations of the citizen's liberty in this State, the concept of due process.
Mr Myers refers to due process as "this mare's nest", "this magical forensic device", "a folderol", etc, and objects to what he menacingly describes as "fifth column bleating about due process".
This is lamentable stuff. We have learnt that it is usually better to ignore Mr Myers and his column. However, it is in my opinion deeply sinister that my colleague in Seanad Éireann, John Minihan of the Progressive Democrats, should write a paean of praise to Mr Myers in your edition of December 20th. Of course Senator Minihan may feel obliged to support his Minister, Michael McDowell, who is a highly intelligent and gifted man.
However, Mr McDowell has made in the view of many people a very serious mistake by appearing to subvert due process with all the implication that has for those of us who are not intimidated by name-calling from supporting liberal values, including the right to due process. Kevin Myers consistently rubbishes elements in democratic society such as due process. I am not concerned about the views of Mr Myers. I have written him off long ago. But the condition into which he seems to be luring Mr Minihan does cause me concern. - Yours, etc,
Senator DAVID NORRIS, Seanad Éireann, Dublin 2.
Madam, - The most disturbing aspect of the eight-point statement from the Centre for Public Inquiry (The Irish Times, December 17th) is that nowhere in it did Mr Justice Flood address the major issue - where Frank Connolly was on the dates in question, if he was not in Colombia.
If Frank Connolly was in Colombia he should be drummed out of Irish public life, and maybe further. If he was not in Colombia, the Minister is ruined. It is that simple.
The usual suspects can huff and puff through your columns as to whether Mr McDowell divulged the information fairly or not. That pales in significance with the substantive issue. - Yours, etc,
BRIAN MORRIS, Blackrock, Co Louth.
A chara, - The letter signed by so many eminent people in support of the Centre for Public Inquiries gives me great heart (December 19th). The behaviour of the present Government reminds me of the bad old days of Section 32 et al.
I endorse all the letter has to say, and as a non-political pensioner, I would be happy to contribute to a fund to maintain the centre. - Is mise,
SEOIRSE DÁSON, Geata Dearg, Luimneach.
Madam, - Garda intelligence and the DPP's office formed the opinion that Wayne O'Donoghue should be charged with murder. The plea of guilty to manslaughter was not sufficient to prevent the prosecution. One must presume these august authorities felt there was sufficient evidence to justify the charge and subsequent trauma, not to mention cost and expense, of a ten day trial.
The same authorities decided that the evidence against Frank Connolly did not warrant a prosecution. If Mr McDowell has a conscience he should resign forthwith. - Yours, etc,
BRENDAN JOHNSON, John Street, Sligo.