Sir, - Steven Ellis (June 20th) is wrong in his criticism of my article on the new Leaving Cert history syllabus. The universities do have an influence on Leaving Cert history in spite of the fact that he and his history colleagues in NUI Galway have not been consulted about it.The NCCA Course Committee, which is drawing up the new Leaving Cert history syllabus, has two representatives from the Council of Heads of Irish Universities. These representatives are university historians. The committee issued the "Leaving Certificate History Draft Syllabus for Consultation" in 1998. It is unfortunate if the university representatives have not consulted their colleagues across the Shannon, but they still speak for the universities. - Yours, etc.,Dermot Lucey, Ballincollig, Co Cork