Sir, - I am grateful to Declan Kelly of the Department of Foreign Affairs (July 30th) for responding to my article in your edition of July 12th, which suggested that the Irish Government had failed to implement certain aspects of the Good Friday Agreement.
To answer Mr Kelly's points directly I should say that in my opinion the Irish Government has failed in its commitment to implement the agreement in a range of key areas:
1. By not establishing until now a Human Rights Commission, a task completed by the UK Government three years ago.
2. By its failure to ensure that the appointments to the commission reflect the total society in the South, in particular those who have had their rights infringed since 1922. Why no Ulster Scots representative? A clear example of the lack of human rights is that for an Ulster Scot to get a job in the government sector he or she had to learn English first, then learn Irish. This explains why, in a county like Donegal with 11 per cent Protestants, there is less than 1 per cent Protestant employment in the public sector.
3. By not recognising that the agreement indicated that in both countries all causes for violence had to be removed. I see little attempt to turn the Republic into a multicultural society in which those of a culture and view differing from the majority are made to feel welcome. Witness the treatment of coloured and other minorities as well as the travelling people.
Unless the Republic undertakes that which its voters signed up for in 1998, which was a change of attitude, then the breeding of republican extremism will continue and the Troubles will start again. A state must have a positive ethos, not one held together by a dislike of the British.
4. By breaching the spirit of the agreement which was for discussion and talk and more talk with a view to settling differences. I asked for a meeting to discuss aspects of human rights for Ulster Scots with the Minister of Justice and was refused - because, in the Government's opinion, it would not be constructive to discuss such issues!
It seems that it is all right for me to go into discussions with former terrorists, but it would not be constructive to discuss human rights issues with a Government Minister.
Perhaps those who rush to attack me, as they see it, in these columns, should sit a few moments and just reflect - who are the real bigots on this island? - Yours, etc.,
Lord Laird of Artigarvan, House of Lords, London SW1.