A Chara, - Sinn Féin have an absolute gall accusing the Taoiseach of undermining the peace process and trying to damage the party electorally.
There is absolutely no doubt that Sinn Féin is enjoying their current level of electoral popularity in no small part due to the Taoiseach's attempts, for seven years now, to bring the party into mainstream politics, largely to the detriment of Fianna Fáil, such is his commitment to the peace process. It doesn't take a particularly cynical person to suggest that Sinn Féin is well aware of this.
No doubt the party's shrewder tacticians will also have calculated that a final settlement of the process will bring an end to the Gerry Adams's photo opportunities of Gerry Adams with world leaders, and very likely an end to the Sinn Féin surge in support too, so their commitment to a speedy resolution should no longer be automatically assumed. The noble aims of Irish unity and a just settlement have been replaced - for now, at least - with the goal of winning more seats in Westminster and the Dáil, two parliaments which until very recently Sinn Féin refused to even recognise. I wonder if the incredible irony of this seismic shift has been lost on its supporters?
The breathtaking hypocrisy of people who vehemently denied any IRA involvement in the murder of Garda McCabe yet within a few years posed for photographs with the killers and campaigned for their release leaves them in no position whatsoever to question the integrity, honesty, commitment or motives of the Taoiseach. The easy ride for the "republican" movement is over, and maybe it's about time. - Is mise,
DAVID CARROLL, Castle Gate, Dublin 2.
Madam, - As the scales fall from Bertie's eyes, will he and Tony Blair now apologise to the reasonable people of both traditions in Northern Ireland? These are the people they have marginalised in their attempt to cobble together an alliance of the worst elements of society here - the bigots and the gangsters. - Yours,etc.,
JOHN ROONEY, Belfast 15.