Madam, - Martin Ferris (Opinion, August 28th) quotes John Locke regarding the legitimacy of legislative authority. Locke, he writes, would hold that the legislature "cannot transfer the power of making laws to any other hands, for it being but a delegated power from the people, they who have it cannot pass it over to others".
This philosophical position is indeed consistent with democratic values. It does, however, cast some doubt on the Sinn Féin/IRA claim that the Army Council of the IRA, by virtue of a power bestowed on it by certain members of the second Dáil, is the legitimate government of our country.
It is fair to suggest that Locke would also hold that philosophic consistency should lead to political predictability. Could Mr Ferris confirm that Sinn Féin/IRA is now prepared to repudiate that traditional claim? - Yours, etc.,
Cllr JIM D'ARCY, (Fine Gael), Blackrock, Dundalk, Co Louth.