Sir, - Mary Holland (Opinion, February 18th), claimed that even if there was decommissioning of IRA arms, it would be only symbolic as there is nothing to stop that organisation from acquiring a new arsenal of weapons. Ms Holland should be aware that much of the present IRA arsenal was provided free of charge by the Libyan government. Also, the agencies of that state were used to try and ensure the safe passage of those weapons to this island. In spite of that fact, large quantities of arms were seized, along with members of the IRA, by the authorities both here and in France.
It is also a fact that "loyalist" paramilitary organisations attempting similar exercises have often suffered a similar fate.
It should be clear from the above that the requirement of arms is not just a matter of a casual walk to some kind of a local arms supermarket. While the handing over of a few guns might be classified as symbolic, the destruction of a whole arsenal is certainly not. - Yours, etc., Tony Moriarty,
Shanid Road, Dublin 6W.