Boston Versus Berlin

Sir, - Is Dermot "I've been to London to see the Queen, she's says Ray Burke's hands are purfikly clean" Ahern a leftwing pinko…

Sir, - Is Dermot "I've been to London to see the Queen, she's says Ray Burke's hands are purfikly clean" Ahern a leftwing pinko? Or is he simply an inversion of reality?

The Minister states: "This Boston versus Berlin argument is, at best spurious" - and therefore a fortiori presumably pernicious (Opinion, April 9th). Surely even he is aware that this thesis was promoted by his cabinet colleague, Mary Harney. Like Edgar in King Lear the Minister turns his clothes inside out and inverts the situation. He can now declare: "Dermot I nothing am".

Modest monetary increases in welfare, the crumbs that fall from the rich man's table, are no substitute for coherent progressive and sustainable advances in health, childcare, housing and education which should form the basis of policies of social inclusion.

The Minister further inverts the situation with his conceit that the European Third Way is a legacy of "the traditional Fianna Fail centrist position". Are Blair, Schroder et al aware of this? At the same time the Minister for Finance, Charlie McCreevy, can state categorically that this is a centre-right Government.

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This latest inversion moves us into an Alice in Wonderland situation where we now have Deetweedle Ahern and Dumtweedle McCreevy able to hold and promote completely opposite realities regarding the Fianna Fail position in government.

Come back, Cllr Tim O'Malley, all is forgiven. At least he has the virtues of courage, honesty and consistency even if he is very far to the right economically. On a more propitious note for Mr Ahern, "Ripeness is all", and Edgar did become king. However, as regards the Government and social justice, I think it is more a case of "Hail Mary". - Yours, etc.,

Cllr Jim D'Arcy (Fine Gael), Sandygrove Close, Blackrock, Co Louth.