Sir, - It is fascinating to see unionists rejoicing at the idea of a future Northern Ireland assembly being associated with Wales and Scotland specifically, as well as with England. On the other hand, papers such as yours and many nationalists refer to the "regional assemblies in Scotland and Wales".
It may come as quite a shock to Irishmen of all allegiances to be associated with the Scottish Parliament and the Welsh National Assembly. Both represent nations, not regions, provinces or truncated provinces, and are widely held to be steps on the way to more autonomy within the European Union.
It will be a salutary experience for unionists and many people in the Republic to come into contact with Wales, where bilingualism and biculturalism are almost the norm, where God Save the Queen is rarely to be heard, and where the Welsh national flag is flown - albeit often with the Union Jack - on public buildings.
Wales and Scotland may long have been provinces or regions in the eyes of such as your paper, but that is no longer the case. - Yours, etc.,
Newydd, Cardiff, Wales.