Madam, - It was with no surprise that I learned of our Taoiseach and his Government capitulating once more to the demands of Sinn Féin/IRA. When a group of murder-loving people can dictate their conditions to the democratically elected leaders of our once peaceful country and see them run like chickens from the fox, it is indeed a sad day for democracy.
What is the point of electing a Government if they are incapable of running the country? Of course, none of our brave ministers will have to face the criminals they are spawning day in day out.
No, they will hand that job over to the members of An Garda Síochána and if those same gardaí are murdered, our ministers will once more expound their empty promises of hunting down the culprits and leaving no stone unturned to bring them to justice. What justice?
After categorical assurances from the Taoiseach and both John O'Donoghue and Michael McDowell as Ministers for Justice that those responsible for the killing of Det Garda Jerry McCabe would serve out their full term of imprisonment and not qualify for release under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement, they have now shown the ultimate hypocrisy of attempting to put the blame on the late detective's widow, because they have not got the courage to do the job they were elected to do.
Mr Ahern is reported as saying that he will talk to the Garda Representative Association and the families to explain the position. Well, as a former member of the GRA executive committee, I hope they make it quite clear to Mr Ahern that they will not renege on their commitment to Mrs McCabe and if he wants to find a scapegoat for his cowardice, he should look among the sheep that make up his Government.
I am being specific in these remarks, because Mr Ahern cannot agree to the release of those who killed Jerry McCabe without the backing of his Government. We have all seen how easy it is to frighten a sheep. In this case it can be done by putting on a balaclava and saying, "We have not gone away, you know". - Yours, etc.,
ANTHONY B. FAGAN, (Retired Detective Garda), Enniscorthy, Co Wexford.
Madam, - Michael Keary's implication (December 9th) that Mr Ahern's decision to release the McCabe killers was an absolute necessity has been firmly rejected by the majority of the Irish public.
Mr Ahern has shown the same level of gumption in this as he has in supporting Mr Bush's attack on Iraq. Both decisions are morally wrong, justified only by dubious commercial and political reasons.
As for our so-called Minister for Justice, I can only offer the following: "It is better to close your mouth and be thought a fool, than to open it and remove all doubt." - Yours, etc.,
RONAN FLANAGAN, Steamstown, Westport, Co Mayo