BRIAN KENNY,
Sir, - In the recent general election campaign, our new Minister for Justice, Michael McDowell, made great mileage from his suggestion that Bertie Ahern's national stadium project was like something from the Ceausescu era in Romania.
Apart from his personal extravagances, Ceausescu was infamous for presiding over a dictatorial regime that suppressed political debate and dissent.
What, then, are we to make of our brave Minister's move this week to stop funding the Citizen Traveller public awareness campaign? It is clear the decision was made because this traveller support initiative had the temerity to launch an advertising campaign critical of the anti-trepass law.
A number of words come to mind to describe Michael McDowell's appalling ruthlessness on this issue - mean spirited, bullying, anti-democratic - but perhaps the best description is simply - "Ceausescu-like". - Yours, etc.,
BRIAN KENNY,
South Hill,
Dublin 6.