Sir, – Your report (Home News, December 9th) states that Fianna Fáil is expected to resist attempts by former senior members to return to elected office. Apparently, party sources believe they need candidates "without baggage" and that "running people associated with the previous government could see public anger towards us reignited". For these reasons, it seems that the party leader, Micheál Martin, is declining to support his former ministerial colleague, Mary Hanafin, in her desire to run on behalf of Fianna Fáil in the next European election.
Could I point out to the Fianna Fáil party faithful that Micheál Martin was a member of the three governments formed by Bertie Ahern between 1997 and 2007? As a consequence of the appalling attitude displayed by those who held power during the period in question, this country was brought to the very brink of economic collapse.
If members of Fianna Fáil are genuinely worried about the risks associated with carrying “baggage” from the past, they should address that problem by subjecting Mr Martin’s time in government to the scrutiny it deserves. I doubt very much that the party will address the relevant issues for the simple reason that, in the weird and wonderful world inhabited by Fianna Fáil, reality scarcely ever troubles the repose of that organisation’s members. – Yours, etc,
PAUL GULLY,
St Lawrence’s Road,
Clontarf, Dublin 3.