Sir, - Vincent Browne, in a column headed "Bruton silent on key point on donations" (Opinion, April 4th), says I refused to answer his query about the "New Century Network" set up in 1999 to raise funds for Fine Gael for the forthcoming general election (Opinion, April 4th). Not so. I did answer his question. I stated:
"It has been a normal feature of party fund-raising, in almost all Western democracies, for donors to have the opportunity, as in the case of New Century Network, of meeting socially with politicians to discuss policy concerns they have.
"This is entirely different from accepting donations that are contingent on policy commitment. Fine Gael accepted no such donations."
Vincent Browne and I are not going to agree about the issue of whether there should be private funding of political parties. But he should ensure, and so should his editor, that the factual statements he makes in his articles are true, and that he reads material sent to him. - Yours, etc.,
John Bruton TD, Dail Eireann, Dublin 2.