Sir, - Your page one headline on Saturday December 18th read: "Challenge to IRA". You then went on to say that the Taoiseach, Mr Ahern, after a meeting of the British-Irish Council, issued a direct challenge to the IRA saying: "I think they should assist us in decommissioning the word `decommissioning', get rid of it."
These words, eloquent as they are, hardly justify your headline, which conjured up images of a high noon showdown or a looming gunfight at the OK Corral. More seriously, your use of the word "challenge" deliberately masks a pathetic statement by Mr Ahern on the failure of Sinn Fein/IRA to commence decommissioning of weapons prior to the formation of the Northern executive. "Jump together" has been quickly forgotten.
The real challenge will be for Mr Ahern to give full support to David Trimble and the OUP when Sinn Fein/IRA fails to make a substantive start on decommissioning by next February. I hope you can save your headline and use it with more honesty if that day comes. - Yours, etc., Desmond P. MacMahon,
Shrewsbury Park, Dublin 4.