Sir, - I refer to the "Opinion" article by your correspondent Dick Walsh (October 26th). At no stage does he give Fianna Fail any credit for the fact that through our spokesperson, Brian Cowen TD, we have been leading the calls for a food quality authority, and that it is only in the last few days that the Government and its spin doctors have woken up to the absolute need for such an independent body.
The strength of the Government's conversion can be judged by the inadequacy of its proposal. Fianna Fail has published its own radical plan for a root and branch reform of food inspection and analysis in this State. Mr Walsh might have been more aware of our position, clearly and repeatedly stated in the Dail since May 30th, if he had taken time to inform himself on what this position is.
The inadequacy of this Government's response to quality assurance in food is not a recent phenomenon. On coming into office in 1994, the Rainbow Coalition abolished the autonomous Office of Food under a Minister of State in the Department of Agriculture. - Yours, etc.,
Chairperson,
Fianna Fail Parliamentary
Party,
Dublin.