Sir, - The Irish government should be commended for presenting a new initiative in the quest to rid the world of its nuclear arsenals. This would now be an opportune time for the government to reappraise its position with regard to the Loran-C Navigational system and the proposed mast for Loop Head.
The Loran-C system, with a wavelength of three kilometres, has the ability to penetrate water, allowing a submarine to fix its position without surfacing. The French Le Triumpant submarine fleet is equipped with nuclear multi-warhead missiles. The two Loran-C masts in France were built specifically for military purposes. The control centre for these masts, as well as the proposed Irish mast, is the French Naval HQ at Brest which is also the back-up National Command Centre with control of its nuclear capability. The French government is contributing 45 per cent of the cost of the Loop Head mast, which is currently in storage in France.
Given Ireland's stated position, with regard to nuclear disarmament, how can the government possibly justify erecting a mast that will assist the French military? - Yours, etc., Paul Edson,
Clare Green Party,
Kilrush,
Co. Clare.