Sir, - As a former member of Fine Gael of eight years' standing who took part in the campaign for Austin Currie in the 1990 presidential election, I wish to register my utter disgust at the attempted political assassination of his fellow Northerner, Mary McAleese. I believe Mary Banotti is a fine candidate with a good prospect of winning the election. She must disavow the methods being employed by John Bruton, whose intervention she needs like a hole in the head.
From the comfort of his 600 acres in Co Meath and with a silver spoon (and foot) in his mouth, this Lord Fauntleroy of Irish politics has the temerity to sit in judgement over the people of nationalist Belfast. These people did not have the option of going to Clongowes or inheriting their uncle's seat in the Dail. They had to deal with tragedies and problems that John Bruton will never be able to understand. The more I discover about his chronic misunderstanding of Northern Ireland the more I understand why the peace process collapsed under his leadership and the more I am glad I left the Fine Gael party.
Incidentally, it is ironic that Fine Gael and Mary Banotti are using the memory of a great but violent man in Irish history, Michael Collins, in this campaign Fine Gael seems to forget that Michael Collins represented the constituency in Armagh in the first Dail - a point that Austin Currie made repeatedly in his Presidential bid for Fine Gael in 1990. He and John Cushnahan must be squirming now.
Whoever gets elected President must not win because of pygmies throwing poison darts. What a disaster if Ireland allows its choice of President to be dictated by a bizarre ex-Communist hardliner (Eoghan Harris) and by the spiteful guttersnipe - whoever it is - who betrayed his or her country by leaking dangerously sensitive material. - Yours, etc.,
From Marc Coleman
Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany.