Madam, - I read with interest the article by your parliamentary reporter, Michael O'Regan about the recent threat by the Labour Party Leader, Pat Rabbitte, to table a motion of no confidence in the Ceann Comhairle, Rory O'Hanlon ("Dail standoff intensifies after Rabbitte threat", The Irish Times, November 28th).
I note that Mr O'Regan writes that an analysis of the standing order invoked by the Ceann Comhairle justifies his position. To my mind this further underlines the fact that nobody is safe from Mr Rabbitte's cynical onslaughts in his relentless quest for publicity and power.
Pat Rabbitte should apologise for his unworthy attack on Dr O'Hanlon in the Dáil last week. His failure to do so leaves him open to the charge that he has sought to undermine the position of the Ceann Comhairle in a cheap attempt to generate publicity.
The Ceann Comhairle is elected by Dáil Éireann as an independent arbiter of the rules, standing orders and procedures of the House. For the leader of the Labour Party to issue political threats to the Ceann Comhairle for carrying out his impartial role is nothing short of an insult to the integrity of the Dáil and our democracy.
It is becoming increasingly clear that Mr Rabbitte, as part of his desperate quest to make himself relevant, is prepared to tarnish the institutions of the State irrespective of the damage which may be done to their reputations. The politics of the bully and the boot-boy have no place in Dáil Éireann.
This is not the first time Mr Rabbitte has sought to profit by showing scant regard for the institutions of the State. Last year he made similar criticisms of the Ceann Comhairle, but when he got his ounce of newspaper headlines, he quickly retreated from his comments.
Though Mr Rabbitte has made a habit of criticising the Ceann Comhairle for ensuring the rules of Dáil Éireann are implemented, it is an amazing double standard that in 2003 the same Pat Rabbitte refused to criticise Joe Higgins TD for defying a High Court Order.
Both our courts and the Oireachtas are at the very fabric of our democracy. It is irresponsible for elected members to belittle these institutions as part of a point-scoring exercise.
By his unacceptable behaviour, Mr Rabbitte has given yet another indication that, although you can take the man out of the Workers' Party, you will never take the Workers' Party out of the man. - Yours, etc,
JOHN O'DONOGHUE TD, Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Dublin 2.