Sir, - I am pleased that Brid Rodgers shares our goal of advancing women's participation in public life in Northern Ireland (May 11th).
I am not interested in disputing exactly what happened in the final days of the Stormont Talks. It is natural that different parties will have different versions of events, but it is usually the victors who try to rewrite history, and the Agreement is not about winners and losers. It asks us all to go forward together.
I would like to take the opportunity simply to clarify two points relating to other issues raised by Ms Rodgers, in case there is any confusion.
Ms Rodgers is correct that the consultative Civic Forum was a key issue for the Women's Coalition. We must be clear, however, that it is for representatives of Civic society, and is not a way for political parties to gain access to the Assembly.
Secondly, the Women's Coalition did support an electoral system akin to those in the new Scottish and Welsh systems - i.e. one which incorporates a regional list. Such a system would be more thoroughly proportional than the electoral system we ended up with, and hence - if international evidence is anything to go by - more favourable to the election of women and other new voices.
However, as Ms Rodgers stated in her letter, our main concern on Good Friday was to secure a durable and fair Agreement. Our main concern now is to make it work.
I look forward to working with all parties on this common goal. - Yours, etc., Monica McWilliams,
Northern Ireland Women's Coalition, Belfast.