Madam, - Michael Keary (May 9th) wonders why Willie O'Dea has been passed over again for the post of Minister for Justice.
I would remind Mr Keary that Willie O'Dea has been a TD for Limerick for 26 years. He served as Minister of State at the Department of Justice for two years and then, in September 2004, became Minister for Defence.
During this time he has been happy to support and participate in successive governments that presided over the increased ghettoisation and abandonment of large sections of Limerick city. This in turn led to the rapid growth and subsequent explosion of criminal violence throughout our city.
Minister O'Dea walks the same streets in some of the most marginalised estates in our city as I do. Yet he doesn't seem to see or, worse, actually care about what he sees.
In November 2006 in response to a Dáil question in the midst of a particularly violent gang feud in Limerick Mr O'Dea maintained that the Garda had more than adequate resources. John Fitzgerald, however, in his report, which was being compiled at the same time, said we needed at least 100 additional gardaí. He noted that the problems in these estates had developed over some considerable time. He also reported that the picture which emerged was in many respects quite shocking. Limerick's problems developed on Mr O'Dea's watch. Maybe Mr Keary might think this qualifies Willie O'Dea to be the new sheriff in town. I beg to differ. - Yours, etc,
MAURICE QUINLIVAN,
Stenson Close,
Thomondgate,
Limerick.