Madam, - Tom Clonan (Analysis, September 9th) is to be congratulated on his authoritative and cogent argument that "if the Government were to opt out of evolving European security and defence policy. . .it would seriously damage Ireland's international status".
It would, moreover, negate the most worthwhile achievement of our foreign policy since the 1960s, namely,the distinctive and invaluable contribution of our soldiers to international peace-keeping.
Can our Government be seriously contemplating such a regressive step, in a misguided attempt to appease the isolationists and the wilfully ignorant? - Yours, etc,
JOHN A MURPHY,
Rosebank,
Douglas Road,
Cork.
Madam, - As a pro-European Catholic I was disheartened by the recent criticism of the EU by Cardinal Brady, who highlighted the secular tradition of the EU and said that as a result of this the Catholic Church could offer only qualified support to the European project. It is worth remembering that the EU is a political project and nearly every modern democracy in the Western world shares its division between church and state.
The US Constitution refers to God, but the government is secular and the "American dream", with its singular emphasis on the accumulation of material wealth by the individual, is hardly Christian in its ethos.
By contrast, the European dream emphasises quality of life, a fairer distribution of wealth, sustainable development, global co-operation and universal human rights. The EU has been the most successful political organisation in history at promoting the basic Christian values of peace and the elimination of poverty. The EU is facing a difficult future as a result of our rejection of the Lisbon Treaty and deserves our unconditional support. - Yours, etc,
ARTHUR SHIRRAN,
Osberstown Park,
Sallins,
Co Kildare.