Sir, - What an astonishing rant from Peter Sutherland to the Institute of European Affairs, berating Ireland for daring to vote No to Nice and asking how Ireland could honourably remain a full member of the EU if the decision was not reversed (The Irish Times, December 11th).
He also asked: "How could 1 per cent of the EU population stop 99 per cent?"
Rather than arrogantly presuming that the Irish population was wrong to have voted No, or that our veto should be vetoed, perhaps Mr Sutherland should ask why the other 14 governments are too scared to ask their populations to vote on Nice.
The answer is clear: majorities of most countries would also vote No, and because they are being given no such opportunity they are relying on Ireland's 1 per cent to save them from their pro-Nice politicians. - Yours, etc.,
Tony Allwright, Killiney, Co Dublin.