Sir, - As a Protestant who was subjected to the sectarian ne temere decree, I would like to comment on Mr Keane's letter (May 13th). The ne temere may not have been the major reason for the decline in Protestant numbers from 325,000 in 1910 to 100,000 today, but it certainly was a major factor and it is no myth. It was revealed at the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation that 80 per cent of children in mixed marriages were raised as Catholics in this State. Although this trend has been reversed, the ne temere is sectarian for the Protestant partner at the time of marrying when love, not division, should be paramount.
Yes, myths abound, but on both sides. Most people here believe that unionists continue to discriminate against Catholics, forgetting the huge raft of legislation put in place to successfully end discrimination. Amnesia also sets in when it comes to accepting that Catholic living standards have risen substantially in Northern Ireland. Despite De Valera's sectarian 1937 Constitution, Irish governments have sought not to discriminate against Protestants. Nevertheless it is true to say that their influence, affluence and culture have been hugely weakened since independence (a process started by the British well before 1922, incidentally). Robin Bury,
Killiney, Dublin.