Madam, - I feel it is important to remind those who are contemplating giving their support to Sinn Féin candidates of a few relevant facts.
Sinn Féin claims to support the democratic institutions of the State, which include the Army and Garda forces, yet it continues to have an armed military wing. For what purpose?
Sinn Féin supports the campaign to have Garda killers released. These killers prepared and tested their weapons the night prior to their cowardly "raid" in Adare.
On the following morning they rammed a heavy jeep into the Garda escort car and then jumped out and launched a barrage of bullets into the backs of two gardaí in the car. Then - to explain why I put the word "raid" in inverted commas - this armed gang made no attempt to carry out a raid on the post office but instead jumped into a waiting car and sped away.
Does that sound like an attempted raid to any honest thinking person? It was nothing more than a deliberate planned action to murder gardaí and, it would appear, to murder particular gardaí.
Following the incident, Sinn Féin denied any republican involvement but later a statement claimed the operation was not sanctioned. Does that mean it had nothing to do with its so-called republican cause but was merely the action of a murderous gang with a particular mission?
So before any right-minded person is conned into thinking about voting for any Sinn Féin candidate, think long and hard about the brutal murder of Det Garda Jerry McCabe. Do you want his blood on your hands? By casting a vote for Sinn Féin you would be supporting a party which seeks the release of his killers.
The Garda Síochána is your police force, appointed to protect the citizens of the State. Sinn Féin wants to have its own armed military wing and wishes to carry out its own policing. So choose now and don't hide behind the phrase, "I didn't know". - Yours, etc.,
ANTHONY FAGAN (retired Detective Garda), Enniscorthy, Co Wexford.