Madam, - Noel Whelan is an astute and incisive political commentator. I enjoy his column very much. However, his contention that I "refused to step down" to make way for Maireád McGuinness (January 15th) is not the case. The fact is that I was never asked to step down.
I was honoured to receive a nomination to stand for Fine Gael in the forthcoming general election. I then resigned my position as principal of Dulargy NS to concentrate on the election. I think it fair to say that it would be more common, in those circumstances, to take a career break. However, I felt that it would give the school a better chance to move on if it had a permanent appointment to the post of principal and it was this consideration, mainly, that formed the basis of my decision.
If I felt, in consultation with others, that it would be the right thing to do, Fine Gael would not have to ask me to stand aside. I would do so myself.
However, the dynamics of the contest in Louth are such that my being on the Fine Gael ticket is of considerable benefit to the party. I am a member, both of Louth County Council and Dundalk Town Council. I have a strong local base in Dundalk and its environs and have had considerable political success, since being first elected in 1999. My candidacy gives the party a wide geographical spread in the county. I am not without prospects.
It is the aim of Fine Gael, in Louth, to win two seats. I believe we have an excellent team in Fergus O'Dowd, Maireád McGuinness and myself. It is a team, that working together, can achieve this objective.- Yours, etc,
JIM D'ARCY, Dundalk, Co Louth.