TONY O'LONE,
Sir, - Your Agriculture Correspondent, Sean MacConnell, quotes Mr Tom Parlon as referring to "upsetting cosy arrangements" in Fine Gael in the Laois/Offaly constituency (The Irish Times, January 15th).
As constituency secretary and a member of Fine Gael I must object to such comments. They are an insult to the members of Fine Gael in Laois/Offaly who democratically selected our two candidates at a very well attended selection convention held in November 2001.
Despite what Mr Parlon seems to think about "cosy arrangements", I can assure him that the members of Fine Gael in this constituency are nobody's fools and that they base their choice of candidates on the abilities of the contenders and their track record of working for their constituents and for Fine Gael. - Yours, etc.,
TONY O'LONE,
Ballybeg,
Brosna,
Birr,
Co Offaly.