Madam, - According to Fine Gael's Alan Shatter (January 23rd) Michael McDowell "climbed up a pole to demonise the Fianna Fail party" and is therefore now guilty of double standards for criticising Pat Rabbitte's refusal to rule out a potential Fianna Fáil-Labour coalition after the next election. This is a completely false misrepresentation of the Progressive Democrats' stance at the last general election.
In the run-up to the election there seemed a very real possibility of Fianna Fáil securing an overall majority. Fine Gael was an irrelevance to the outcome, much as it is today. Faced with that scenario, Mr McDowell was right to highlight the benefits offered by a coalition government as opposed to one party, Fianna Fáil, having a monopoly on the political landscape.
The only party leader who consistently "demonises" Fianna Fáil is Pat Rabbitte and the Tánaiste is right to draw attention to the lack of integrity Mr Rabbitte displayed by refusing to rule out Fianna Fáil unequivocally while at the same time pretending to be fully committed to the Mullingar accord with Fine Gael.
Mr Shatter correctly points out that the PDs "have spent all their political life when in government hitched to the Fianna Fáil wagon". He is no doubt aware that many PD supporters come from a Fine Gael background and that the leader of the PDs was once a high-profile member of Fine Gael.
There has always been a strong mutual respect between Fine Gael and PD supporters and Mr McDowell has always stated his willingness to form a coalition with either of the two main parties, which he regards as "ideologically compatible".
Perhaps Alan Shatter should ask himself why it is that a PD-Fine Gael coalition is not a realistic option at this moment. Does he really believe that the Green Party is a better coalition partner for Fine Gael, as Enda Kenny has recently said? Does he really expect the electorate to ignore the huge policy differences between Fine Gael and Labour?
At some future point Fine Gael will no doubt return to its core values, drop the gimmicky policies and abandon the unworkable Mullingar accord. Until then the Fine Gael leadership is doing a gross disservice to its core vote and its many fine candidates, one of which is Alan Shatter.
Until then, the voter has only one party which has given a clear commitment about its post-election intentions, the PDs. As a member of Fine Gael, Alan Shatter would be wise to apply the Ronseal test. Does his party do exactly what it says on the tin? - Yours, etc,
BRIAN GEOGHEGAN, Temple Manor Grove, Walkinstown, Dublin 12.