Courtney McGrailDear Editor, I was more than surprised to find a full page given over to Lucinda Creighton in your edition dated January 15. While Ms Creighton’s claim to fame, for pro-life people, is undoubtedly her principled stand in July 2014 when she did what few politicians will do, viz. keep their word, I cannot see how even that justifies the publication of her self-serving article.
The article had nothing to do with her pro-life views and had everything to do with politics. Are we now to expect that other politicians of all persuasions will be taking space in future editions, even if their writings have nothing to do with the overall theme of your newspaper?
Since Ms Creighton ‘opened the door’ through her article, then her views are fair game for challenge. I won’t take up too much of your valuable letters page, but I would make two points.
First, I find it hard to take this putative new party seriously when one of the founders will be the well-known Eddie Hobbs. At the height of the Celtic Tiger, he wasn’t averse to encouraging people to get into the property speculation business; an industry that, in general, impoverished people.
Secondly, Ms Creighton writes about Irish politics being, “shackled by a Stalinist whip system” and yet, when her then party and their Labour supporters were pushing through austerity cuts that ruined people’s lives, pulled resources out of the health services, left people with no jobs and no homes, she supported these votes and said nothing.
I admire her immensely for her principles on life for those unborn; it is just a pity that she didn’t show the same concern for those already living.
Yours etc.,
T. Gerard Bennett,
Bunbrosna, Co. Westmeath