Madam, - In scurrying to defend himself against my criticism of his irrational reaction to Fine Gael's disastrous performance in the recent Irish Times/TNS mrbi opinion poll Terry Murphy, Fine Gael's Dublin Director (May 28th) describes me as a "recently departed Fine Gael staff member and one-time local election hopeful".
The fact that I am such adds more credibility to the comments made in my recent letters, which Mr Murphy describes as "anti-FG".
On Questions and Answers last Monday night, Richard Bruton, Fine Gael's deputy leader, unlike Mr Murphy (May 23rd), did not try to imply that Fine Gael's poll results were a consequence of some Irish Times/TNS mrbi conspiracy; rather he took them on the chin. Nor did Mr Bruton, unlike Mr Murphy, squabble over the methodology that TNS mrbi used in the opinion poll.
The difference between Mr Bruton's magnanimity and Mr Murphy's neuroticism is indicative of the gulf between some of Fine Gael's very capable public representatives and the self-preservation agenda of several key Fine Gael headquarters staff, whose role in the party's election debacle of 2002 will probably be neglected by future historians.
It comes as little surprise to me that Terry Murphy should try to desperately defend his letter of May 23rd, which exhibited a dubious knowledge of the workings of Irish Times opinion polls. Why else the note of editorial clarification beneath it?
As regards Mr Murphy implying that I have an "anti-FG" agenda, nothing could be more removed from the truth. Rather I feel nauseous at the squalid way in which an historically illustrious party's infirmity is being left to take an even greater grip on its victim.
After my letter of May 20th, in which I called for party members "to start thinking about seeking a different type of leadership", Enda Kenny, the leader of Fine Gael, wrote to me : "It [the letter\] adds to the challenge facing us in the period ahead, particularly when it comes from one who worked well when with the Party".
Enda Kenny has the potential to be a great Taoiseach, if only he had the courage to implement a different leadership style. The much vaunted "Flannery Report" for internal organisational reform does not go far enough. It is a shame that Mr Kenny is not ruthless enough to throw out the dirty bath-water, for at the end of the day Irish democracy will be the prime casualty. - Yours, etc.,
ANDREW GREANEY, Castle Avenue, Clontarf, Dublin 3.