O’Rourke’s ill-defined attack on FG leader

MY local TD and grande dame of Fianna Fáil, Mary O’Rourke, has some strange definitions of treason (Letters, January 26).

She was referring to the perfectly legitimate and duty-bound stance of Enda Kenny in questioning the Taoiseach’s dodgy finances the day before he left for Africa.

She tells us she has consulted her dictionary.

So have I, and “treason” is defined as “helping the enemies of one’s country. An act against an individual however is not treason”.

What may be of interest to Mary O’Rourke, however, is article 39 of our constitution which takes precedence over all our dictionaries.

It states: “Treason is defined as levying war against the State, or attempting by force of arms or other violent means to overthrow the organs of the State”.

Enda Kenny hardly fits into that category. Of course, Mary O’Rourke and Fianna Fáil regard themselves — like the ancient kings of France — as the embodiment of the State and anyone who attacks them attacks the State itself.

However, I could nominate some matters that were treacherous to our State, like the question of Mr Haughey evading the tax and exchange laws of our country by going to the Cayman Islands with his loot; the events of the Arms Crisis in 1970; Mr Ahern getting questionable monies in Manchester while finance minister, or the sending of the late Brian Lenihan to the USA in 1985 to try and scupper the Anglo-Irish Agreement, which was an international treaty ratified by the UN.

One could go on. Keep flying your flag, Mary.

Declan Gilchrist

Trillick

Longford