Madam, - It was good to read the measured and fair column by David Adams in last Friday's edition. His concern for rules of evidence, fair procedures and reporting is timely. He is correct in his conclusion that "Ahern's treatment by sections of the media is indefensible".
Little mention is made of the immunity given to Mr Tom Gilmartin allowing multiple accusations against various people. The accused are denied the normal safeguards essential to the rule of law, a concern expressed by Mr Justice Hardiman.
Our democracy is a precious thing demanding a responsible media and judiciary. The conduct of the Mahon tribunal is worrying, and the reporting of it, in Mr Adams's words, has "come to resemble a cross between a Stalinist show trial and what is euphemistically known as a 'daytime chat show' ".
The constant denigration and trivialisation of politics, the
elevation of wild speculation to fact - like that in the Madeleine
McCann case - will ultimately destroy of civilised society. The
role of the Hugenberg press in bringing the Nazis to power or that
of the newspapers in the Dreyfus affair are reminders of the
fragility of democracy. - Yours, etc,
COLETTE WARE,
Skibbereen,
Co Cork.