Madam, - I don't think that any right-thinking person would condone the Minister for Justice's leaking of a Garda report to the press, let alone his leaking it to one newspaper as opposed to another.
But his bringing to the Dáil's attention a belief, held by both himself and the gardaí, that a person placed at the head of a body such as the Centre for Public Inquiry was involved in an activity that supported terrorism, is another thing entirely; it is quite simply the correct and honourable thing for him to have done.
Frank Connolly, in his capacity as the head of the Centre for Public Inquiry, is not a private individual but a very public figure with a lot of influence, and as such he should be utterly beyond reproach.
With this in mind, his reaction to the Minister's statement was unsatisfactory; a view I apparently share with the people who were set to fund the centre.
Given Mr Connolly's past work, particularly in relation to planning and police corruption, I sincerely hope that the Minister's statements can be completely disproved. However, because of the position he aspires to, the onus must lie with Frank Connolly to do this. - Yours, etc,
JIM McGOWAN, Sandyford, Dublin 18.
A Chara, - Mr McDowell should be ashamed of himself for carrying out what respected retired judge Feargus Flood termed a "drumhead court martial" against investigative journalist Frank Connolly.
It can be extremely dangerous to use Parliament to make serious allegations against an individual, as the tragic case of Pat Finucane showed. British minister Douglas Hogg used the House of Commons to make unsubstantiated allegations against the human rights solicitor. Weeks later Mr Finucane was shot dead as he ate dinner with his family. Mr Hogg claimed he based his allegations on "security sources" but Sir John Stevens later found that elements of the security forces were involved in the murder.
Mr McDowell also claimed that his allegations were based on security sources.
But these same sources continued for 30 years to tell the family of Séamus Ludlow that he was killed by the IRA when they knew that he had been shot by a loyalist gang with British security connections! - Is mise,
Dr SEÁN MARLOW, Willow Park Road, Dublin 11.
Madam, - Here is a question for the Christmas quiz:
Who told Pat Kenny in September 2003 that "I am not supposed to just throw out into the public domain facts which haven't been proven in court against people".
Answer: Michael McDowell explaining why he couldn't release documents and files that would support his contention that certain members of the gardaí were giving information to journalists, often in return for money. - Yours, etc,
CIARÁN McCULLAGH, Bishopstown, Cork.
Madam, - I have noted with interest the way the McDowell/Connolly saga has been reported in the media. Most media outlets have adopted the line that Mr McDowell is seeking to bypass the judicial system and to condemn Mr Connolly without any justification. This is simply not true. Mr McDowell informed the Dáil that he believed that Mr Connolly, the executive director of the Centre for Public Inquiry, was involved in subversive activity. Under the law of this country the Minister is entitled and duty-bound to inform the people of his belief provided that it is in the public interest. In raising the issue in the Dáil, Mr McDowell was carrying out his duty in accordance with law.
Furthermore, if Mr Connolly and the other directors of the CPI wish to act as protectors of the State's integrity in public office, then surely they must also live up to the same high standards. Mr Connolly and this organisation must give a full disclosure of all the facts surrounding the issue in question. Failure to do so would indicate that Mr Connolly and the CPI have something to hide. - Yours, etc,
STEPHEN McLOUGHLIN, Ashbourne, Co Meath.