Sir, - The American Irish Political Education Committee (PEC) would like to commend Prime Minister Blair for his brave statement acknowledging the responsibility of the then British government for the catastrophic results of Ireland's Great Hunger.
Our organisation has been campaigning for such an apology since July 1995. During our long, hard fought campaign we received little support from the Irish Government or the Irish and Irish American media. In fact, Avril Doyle TD called our requests "unbecoming for the proud Irish nation." She further suggested that we were trying to use the Great Hunger "as a weapon in modern cultural wars".
The purpose of our campaign was that such an acknowledgement would go a long way towards healing the wounds of AngloIrish history and, more importantly, would be a positive step in the search for peace and reconciliation in Ireland.
Judging by the universally positive response to Mr Blair's statement from the Irish perspective, including the former begrudgers such as John Bruton and Avril Doyle, we know that we were right to begin our campaign.
Mr Blair deserves enormous credit for taking this step. Bertie Ahern deserves enormous credit for raising his voice in Dail Eireann long before it was fashionable. And lastly, those in Ireland and Irish America who campaigned relentlessly in the past two years for the British government to take this step, deserve the lion's share of the credit for this momentous achievement.
Yours, etc.
National President, American Irish Political Education Committee (PEC) New York.