Sir, - I was surprised and disappointed at the remarks by Mr John Bruton TD in the wake of Fine Gael choosing Ms Mary Banotti as its presidential candidate.
Mr Bruton, in a snide and churlish remark aimed at the candidacy of Ms Adi Roche, made great play of the fact that FG did not seek a nominee from outside the party. Indeed, John, you did not. Instead, FG chose to sift through the boundless talent of its own parliamentary party.
And which two stars appeared from this dazzling firmament? Only the sister of Mr Bruton's deputy leader and his own former girlfriend, who recently achieved the dubious honour of being the sixth most popular politician in Wexford.
Perhaps it would be more fitting if Mr Bruton did not attempt to make a virtue out of paucity. However, given the fate that befell Mr Bruton's predecessor after the 1990 FG presidential debacle, I can understand it if he is feeling somewhat desperate in the face of Ms Adi Roche's candidacy. - Yours, etc.,
From Paul Daly
Sigurd Road, Dublin 7.