Madam - James Fitzpatrick (June 16th) points to the "Pandora's Box" that has been opened by Sinn Féin's success in the local and European elections. He is right to draw our attention to the dangers that Sinn Féin poses, both to our democracy and to our individual rights.
These dangers arise not only from Sinn Fein's links with paramilitarism, but also from an exploitative and single-minded fanaticism that demeans the democracy we live in.
While many people who voted for Sinn Féin did so as a protest against the Government, they have succeeded only in corrupting democracy even further. We should not forget that, to Sinn Féin, we live in a flawed State, with a flawed Army, maintained by a flawed democracy and police force. They mean to perfect us. History has taught us that the obsession to perfect a country and/or people through armed force, or links with armed force, only corrupts and damages.
Although I share the dissatisfaction with our Government, I feel we have become like spoilt children, destroying the toys we love as a protest against our parents. - Yours, etc.,
IAN COX, Newborough, Co Wexford.
Madam, - Many voters seem to have transferred their support to Ireland's traditional right-wing party, Fine Gael, because they felt that Ireland's traditional left-wing party, Fianna Fáil, had become too right-wing.
This fundamental misunderstanding of Fine Gael's tradition is worrying. Fine Gael is a died-in-the-wool right-wing party, unapologetic in its support for low tax and low public spending, privatisation, military alliances, restricted civil liberties and the withdrawal of the State from every aspect of Irish life.
For instance, Fine Gael supported the Government's position on the citizenship referendum, has been silent on the break-up of Aer Rianta and the privatisation of Dublin Bus, has called for Ireland to end its policy of military neutrality, has welcomed the visit of George Bush, has called for cuts in taxes on property ownership, has not directly opposed the closure of rural Garda stations and post offices and has even gone as far as suggesting that the "market-based incentives" should be introduced into the health service.
The real message of recent election results is that Ireland's political parties need urgently to come to terms with their respective ideologies. The proposed "Democratic Alliance" of Fine Gael, Labour and the Green Party is an ideological quagmire and will continue to force the electorate into "beauty contest" mode when choosing their public representatives.
The rise of Sinn Féin represents a real opportunity to reverse this trend. It seems likely that, for the first time, a general election will return a substantial social democratic bloc to Dáil Éireann. Pat Rabbitte, Gerry Adams and Trevor Sargent need to seize this opportunity to redefine the boundaries of the Irish political system. This might not lead to participation in Government in the short term, but it would secure the stability and credibility of their respective parties for generations. - Yours, etc.,
GARRETH McDAID, Kilmore, Carrick on Shannon, Co Roscommon.
Madam, - During the latest election campaign I expressed to a candidate who called to my door my exasperation at the low speed limits imposed by some local authorities on certain roads, for example that through the Glen of the Downs. He explained to me that the reason for this was to do with the fact that it is easier to obtain planning permission for a building if the speed limit on nearby roads is low.
If this is indeed the case the time has come for the relevant Minister to take certain powers away from local authorities if they are abused in this manner. - Yours, etc.,
DAVID HARDING, Furry Park Road, Dublin 5.
A chara - Kevin Myers's reference to Mary Lou McDonald as a "pretty little she-Shinner" (An Irishman's Diary, June 17th) is a new patronising low - even for him.
Perhaps he is still in shock after news of the Sinn Féin election results reached his lofty tower - Is mise,
ENDA FANNING, Churchtown, Dublin 14.