Madam, - The current debate about the cost of tribunals has, in my view, missed some important issues.
The Taoiseach made a back-handed reference to his involvement in events of 15 years ago being in a different political and social era. This reminds us of a central reason for using tribunals to investigate political corruption - to buy time. Take years to conclude a process such as this and the central players, who are concentrated in the main party of the current Government, can claim to be different - reformed, and reforming entities.
Your Editorial of February 16th asserted that if all the resistance and disruption to the tribunals were to succeed, "democracy and the rule of law would be diminished. . ." But the establishment of tribunals has already succeeded in diminishing democracy and the rule of law.
A central tenet in any true democracy is equality before the law. The tribunal process exposes inequality. Corrupt officials, politicians, and business people who have evaded tax, poisoned the body politic, and created social havoc can look forward to having themselves merely exposed to questioning at a tribunal which may or may not cause some embarrassment. Very few will go before the courts and those who do can claim they cannot receive a fair trial due to the publicity surrounding tribunals.
The current raft of tribunals are a fait accompli and their work should be completed. However, if we are to claim to be a true democracy then legislation should be enacted and adequate resources provided to ensure that all miscreant members of society, whether a corrupt politician or a shoplifter, face the same judicial process. - Yours, etc,
ROBBIE CALLANAN,
Rivervalley Court,
Rivervalley,
Swords,
Co Dublin.