Sir, – Pungent commentary (Pat Leahy, "Anger over old farts' convention shows what Government could face", Opinion & Analysis, August 29th) should not obscure the fact that the vast majority of Oireachtas members, past and present, irrespective of party, had nothing to do with the Clifden golf dinner event, which has now been universally disowned, and have always been fully committed to supporting and implementing in letter and in spirit the laws and guidelines deemed essential to the health and wellbeing of the people.
The only body that represents past members is the Irish Association of Former Parliamentarians. Normally, there would be an annual general meeting in July followed by a lunch, often a policy seminar in January, and occasional visits abroad with an inter-parliamentary purpose, fully paid for by participants themselves.
On July 10th, the secretary issued a circular letter containing the following advice to the membership: “As we proceed with our country’s exit of severe restrictions under Phase 3 of the Reopening Roadmap, I want to take this opportunity to advise you that due to ongoing Public Health advice, the activities of the Association remain on hold. In this regard the AGM will not take place this summer. We will continue to monitor the situation into Autumn and will resume activities only when we believe it is safe to do so. Hopefully the progress which we as a Nation have made will continue and allow us to maintain a safe new normal”.
Unfortunately, the few of the association’s members involved in organising and attending the Oireachtas Golf Society dinner were of a different mind, or failed to make the connection, but that misjudgment should not be used to denigrate or dismiss wholesale the value of real service given in their time by parliamentarians of all descriptions to the best of their ability or of the further limited contribution many can still make as former members. – Yours, etc,
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MARTIN MANSERGH,
Tipperary ,
Co Tipperary.