Outrageous attack on commission chairman

I HAVE to object to the letter from John Mallon (‘Our power of veto will fade away under the treaty’, May 27) which not only highlighted the worst excesses of no campaign scaremongering, but also contained a series of outrageous attacks on a member of the judiciary.

Mr Mallon alleges that the chairman of the Referendum Commission, Mr Justice Iarfhlaith O’Neill, is “only doing what the politicians tell him to do” and says the commission has been “gagged by our politicians who simply want us to vote yes because they say so”.

This is an absolutely scandalous allegation, and I am surprised that you allowed it to be carried on your pages. Under the constitution, Mr Justice O’Neill is bound to conduct himself without fear or favour and to resist any kind of outside influence — least of all from politicians.