Sir, - Fintan O'Toole is a man who ploughs a lonely furrow ("Wooing of the IRA is grotesque", Opinion, August 7th). Questioning how far the inclusivity of the peace process can be sustained is not a popular position. And yet, given the entirely pragmatic approach of the British Government and the somewhat myopic stance of the Irish Government, it surely behoves people other than Unionists to point out the price democracy is paying for "peace".
Mr O'Toole asks how long we can continue to hold our noses and pay up. To my mind, it can only be a matter of weeks. Failure by the IRA to put arms beyond use and the pocketing of the Weston Park gains by Republicans would, for me, mark the end of the inclusive road. It is extremely unlikely that the British Government will take a similar view (nothing about Tony Blair suggests that he will adopt a principled approach at any stage). So if there is moral fibre left in Ireland it must be found in the Irish Government, the SDLP and the centre parties in the North.
And in case standing up for democratic values has become an unfamiliar position, they need look no further than Fintan O'Toole for a ready-made script. - Yours, etc.,
John Woods, Holywood, Co Down.