Madam, - It seems to me that Irish sovereignty is being slowly but surely compromised, by a series of small but significant concessions to Britain. This process may have started with the abandonment of Articles 2 and 3 of Bunreacht na hÉireann, as part of the acceptance of the Good Friday Agreement. Many people took this step reluctantly, to further the peace process. What many people would not have agreed to is the continual deference to all things British, which is eroding Ireland's independence and national honour. Let me give a few examples.
Irish citizens are increasingly being offered, and are accepting titles bestowed by the British monarch. Britain's motive would appear to be to treat Irish citizens as if they were still part of the empire, and this is an insult to Ireland. Furthermore, why does the Irish Government allow this to happen? Surely a government with some backbone would do as the Canadian government does, and disallow its citizens from receiving such awards from a foreign monarch, unless they are prepared to renounce their own citizenship. Perhaps an Irish awards system would allow people who have genuinely served their country with distinction to be honoured appropriately.
There seems to be a rush to identify Ireland with all things associated with the British military tradition. The Minister for Defence, Willie O'Dea TD attended the Royal British Legion's Remembrance Day in Limerick last November. The Legion flag includes the Union Jack, which was flown at this event above and before the Irish tricolour. There is no need for the Irish state to be represented at such British military ceremonials, when there is a National Day of Commemoration held on the first Sunday of July.
Also on the military theme, the RAF's Red Arrows display team were invited to the Salthill Airshow, and two Irish naval vessels took part in the "celebrations" to mark Britain's victory over the French and Spanish fleets at the battle of Trafalgar 200 years ago. At the latter event the Irish crews were forced to honour Britain's Queen Elizabeth as she reviewed the fleet. The Irish Navy has no business participating in the pomp and circumstance of empire.
I recently purchased the latest Ordnance Survey map of Ireland (2005, second edition). To my disgust the City of Derry is shown as "Londonderry", which is a new and unwelcome departure. Is this country so obsequious that it is prepared to abandon all rights and culture in order to appease Britain?
These examples illustrate an alarming trend that, if not halted, will see Ireland losing all sense of national identity and independence. I do not believe that the majority of Irish people agree with this drip-drip erosion of sovereignty. - Yours, etc,
MARK URWIN, Mulhuddart, Dublin 15.