Madam, - Dick Keane (September 29th) shows no grasp of the reality of Northern Ireland's position within the UK. While there is no chance of nationalists in any part of Ireland giving up the idea of a united Ireland, there is even less chance of Westminster agreeing to closer union with Northern Ireland.
That is why the British Government has made such frantic efforts to get a devolved adminstration up and running in the North. Britain wants to keep Northern Ireland at arm's length - and the longer the arm the better! It is also why the unionists' favourite remedy of integration with Britain strikes terror into Westminster.
A free vote in Westminster or a referendum in Britain would reject closer union out of hand. - Yours, etc,
JOHN McGINLEY, Castleblayney, Co Monaghan.