Madam, - Let us pretend for a moment that the Minister for Justice is caught drink driving.
Instead of heartfelt expressions of remorse, however, for putting his own health and that of the people around him in danger, he adopts a confrontational approach to this by saying publicly that nothing is actually wrong with what he has done and that it is the law, and not himself, that is at fault.
Furthermore, as an expression of individual liberty, he feels he should have a right to drink-drive whenever and wherever he so chooses and that his party must be crackers for not opposing this law.
Unbelievable as this scenario seems, the (former) shadow minister for justice has just adopted this approach to our ban on smoking in the workplace.
It is beyond belief that a heretofore impressive voice from Fine Gael cannot drop the spade and get out of the hole.
If life is the journey from cock-sure ignorance to thoughtful uncertainty, John Deasy is too young for a front bench. -
Yours, etc.,
Dr PAUL GREGAN, Sans Souci Wood, Bray, Co Wicklow.