Letter to the Taoiseach

I must say that it was churlish of me in the extreme, last week, not to mention the Centenarian Bounty of €2,540 which is awarded to Irish people who have reached the age of 100 years.

This type of gesture certainly takes the shine off the congratulatory message from the Queen of England who I told you is kept fully briefed by the civil service in Belfast.  Not everyone knows about this windfall which is available to anyone living at home or abroad.

It would be worth telling people that the President's Office processes these applications and that there is a specific application form for this Bounty.  For anyone living abroad, they should contact their nearest Irish Embassy or Consulate General.  Councillor Daithi McKay in North Antrim has had enquiries this week about the scheme and he was able to tell me that another option is to write to the Consular Division of the Department of Foreign Affairs at 80 St Stephen's Green, Dublin 2.

So, Taoiseach, credit to you when credit is due.  By the way, I have a friend in Belfast who wants to know if he can put his name down early.  He says that he will be eligible himself in 2059 if things work out.

On a different note, I was glad to see that your Ard Fhéis went well at the City West.  I missed some of the TV coverage but I would be keen to know how the debate went on Fianna Fáil's strategy towards a United Ireland.   Were there many delegates down from the North this year?  Any sign of a Green Paper?

I was reading your keynote address to the faithful and I was particularly drawn to the sections on Politics and People, and Rural Ireland.  I liked your comments.

 "For me, politics has always been about people.  I enjoy the company of people and I know that good government and public service can lift all of us in extraordinary ways.  I became involved in politics because I wanted to make a difference in the life on my own community."

And then on the subject of rural Ireland, you said that "We recognise and understand that support for farmers and for our coastal communities is a centrepiece of our party and everything we stand for." 

These are lofty sentiments indeed, Taoiseach.  Did they get lost in Rossport?  Could somebody in your Department send a copy to the Garda Commissioner?

Finally, for this week anyway, everybody seems to be suggesting that the role of Britain's MI5 and MI6 in Ireland is merely a stumbling block for Sinn Féin in terms of further developing the peace process.  Since when did Fianna Fáil and the Irish Government stop taking offence at this interference in the affairs of this country?

Last week's report from 'The Independent International Panel on Collusion and Sectarian Killings' makes compelling reading.  MI5 and MI6 would not have been too far away when Irish people were being selected for murder. This is one report I would be inclined to read myself, Taoiseach, if I were you. 

It would make sense to me that this item should top the agenda at a specially convened Inter-Governmental Summit.  Maybe if you just asked Mr Blair during your next phone call?

BY 

BARRY McELDUFF