Madam, - Alan McPartland (July 13th) seriously underestimates the political force that is the membership of the Progressive Democrats when he states that our party has no future.It is now just seven weeks since our very disappointing election result and the party has admittedly taken a number of very heavy blows, not least the decision by the three members of our leadership team not to stand again for public office.
Their experience and political communication skills will be sorely missed, but I do not believe that even they believe that their departure is enough to mark the end of a 20-year campaign by many thousands of people to deliver an Ireland that is economically and socially liberal.
The future of the party lies in the hands of its members, and from their ranks must now come a new leadership team - a team that harnesses our straight-talking and commonsense approach to problem-solving in politics to tackle the problems facing a new generation of people living in Ireland.
Mr McPartland accuses our party of having no ideology and no vision, an assertion I utterly reject. Perhaps he might like to talk to some of our very vibrant and talented young councillors around the country, such as Cllr Ciaran Cannon in Galway East, or attend many of the constituency or YPD policy meetings. There he will hear a distinct and ambitious vision of what Ireland can achieve, a vision where the public interest supersedes vested interest and where the Statedoes not always have to use the public sector todeliver good public services.
We have made many mistakes as a party, but perhaps our biggest was to allow our critics to define us a right-wing fringe bent on serving only the wealthy. It is something that makes members hearts sink when they hear it, because it is so very far from the truth. Perhaps there is room on the Irish political spectrum for a right-wing party, but it is not the Progressive Democrats. Our Partyhas been a commonsense, liberal and reforming party for more than 20 years and will be formany moreto come. - Yours, etc,
PAUL McAULIFFE,
Progressive Democrats' Regional Organiser - Dublin,
South Frederick Street,
Dublin 2.