Madam, - While Conor Lenihan's outburst on Turkish workers was highly inappropriate for somebody who is in a position which mainly requires dealing with other nations, it is only symptomatic of a trend within the Government parties. Noel O'Flynn's now infamous but extremely racist remarks on asylum-seekers went unpunished in 2002 and it is clear that the Fianna Fáil party in particular has no problem with expressions suggesting hostility to foreign people working or seeking refuge in Ireland.
What this government is unwittingly doing is making it socially acceptable for people to use hostile, aggressive and insulting language when referring to people of other nationalities. There is no excuse for this behaviour, and one cannot help but wonder what kind of supremacist notions make it acceptable to verbally castigate people who all too often do not have a voice in Irish politics. It would have been appropriate for Mr Lenihan to resign.
However, his party has a track record of tolerating racist attitudes within its ranks, and more so within the ranks of its supporters (to such an extent in the case of Mr O'Flynn as to exploit those attitudes for gains at the ballot box). What is worrying is that the tolerance of racism in the political arena is becoming a justification for the widespread expression of racist attitudes by the minority of Irish people who are hostile to non-Irish people coming to live and work here, and anti-racist campaigns are being rendered meaningless. Perhaps it is time to reflect upon why these attitudes are becoming commonplace in Irish society and politics, and to reaffirm the commitments made by the State under the Prohibition of Incitement to Hatred Act, 1989. - Is mise,
LAURA FARRELL, Midleton, Co Cork.
Madam, - Whether Conor Lenihan's remark in relation to Joe Higgins's efforts to aid a group of Turkish immigrants was just politically incorrect or overtly racist is a matter of conjecture. Either way it's easy to merely utter an apology. Maybe Mr Lenihan, despite his position, lacks some feeling and empathy for the real plight of some immigrants in Ireland.
By way of a genuine act of contrition, he could do worse than attend today at the IDA Business Park in Wexford for the unveiling of a statue to commemorate the lives lost by Kurdish Turkish citizens who died in such tragic circumstances trying to reach Ireland. If the Minister is otherwise engaged, a personal donation to their widows and children for their maintenance and travel to the ceremony would be a kind gesture. - Yours, etc,
DEREK STEWART, Parliament Street, Dublin 2.
Madam, - I wonder under what circumstances might a TD or Minister actually volunteer to resign, given Dermot Ahern's response to Conor Lenihan's "kebab" apology that we should all now, as it were, "shish". - Yours, etc,
GERRY LOMBARD, Limerick.