Madam, - I see that Ciaran Toland, in his latest letter (October 25th), resorts to the age-old trick of attributing arguments to me that I did not make in an attempt to convey the impression that he has demolished the arguments that I did make.
In both of his letters he has failed to deal seriously with the central points of my letters which are:
1. Ireland's opt-out will not prevent us from cooperating effectively with our partners in dealing with organised crime and terrorism.
2. In its current state of development, the EU cannot provide the quality of democratic scrutiny, checks and balances that are appropriate to an area as sensitive to the national psyche as policing and criminal justice. I have presented my arguments in support of these two points. I can do no more. - Yours, etc,
Prof DERMOT WALSH, Newgarden North, Lisnagry, Co Limerick.