Sir, - I must take issue with N. O'Neill (January 25th) in his response to Alison Brennan's letter about the Taoiseach and Celia Larkin. The verse "Judge not, and you will not be judged" (Matt. 7.1) was never intended to be a call to abandon our critical faculties. In its context it means that the faults we find in others are likely to have a counterpart in ourselves, because of the frailty of human nature. Those who like to occupy the judge's bench are most likely to find themselves in the dock.
Alison Brennan's letter raises two valid concerns: Is Ms Larkin travelling at public expense? And is the Taoiseach bending the rules of protocol by presuming that she will be treated as a spouse?
I think she is implying that, in the rush to give cohabiting couples the same status as married ones, something valuable may be lost. In wishing to be tolerant, we may overlook the difference between the tolerable and the best - or worse, stifle discussion about it.
Some time ago, I said in these columns that what many people call tolerance is actually a touchiness about other people's convictions. Ms Brennan's letter is quite short; why does N. O'Neill call it long-winded? - Yours, etc.,
Alan French, Mulgrave Street, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin.