Madam, - Minister for Justice Michael McDowell's change of direction on the legality of gambling clubs completes, with café-bars and emergency statutory rape legislation, a hat-trick of recent high-profile policy U-turns forced on him by his ministerial colleagues. Mr McDowell delights in pointing out policy differences between partners in the alternative coalition and warning voters against trusting them to provide effective government.
However, his difficulties within his own party, coupled with his proven ability to perform these regular policy pirouettes, suggest that those who may only be knee-high to him can justifiably claim to have less daunting policy challenges to address. - Yours, etc,
PETER MOLLOY, Glenageary, Co Dublin.