Sir, - It would have been worth a front-page spread if, instead of a very joyous Taoiseach embracing two Nigerian children (The Irish Times, January 26th, page 5), it had been the Minister of Justice, Mr O'Donoghue, doing so. Yet the Taoiseach cannot have it both ways. The Minister for Justice is his appointee and if he is not happy with his Minister's treatment of asylum-seekers, as intimated in the accompanying interview, then it is up to the Taoiseach to rectify the situation in a reshuffle of his Cabinet. Mr Ahern cannot distance himself from his Minister on this issue and yet uphold collective Cabinet responsibility. - Yours, etc., Brendan Butler,
Pennock Hill, Swords, Co. Dublin.