It isn’t McGuinness who represents a threat

IRISH history did not begin in 1969.

The day that Fine Gael supporters openly disassociate themselves from the terrorism of Michael Collins is the day their protestations about IRA terrorism during the conflict in Northern Ireland can be taken seriously.

By any reckoning, the Fine Gael hero was a ruthless killer who relied on an identical rationale for his crimes. Would any of their victims make a distinction? For Fine Gael to play this sort of politics with the newly forged peace in Ireland to discredit a presidential rival to their own candidate is hypocritical.

Presidential candidate Martin McGuinness, like Michael Collins before him, put violence aside to engage with democratic politics. By doing so both men helped to deliver peace in their respective parts of Ireland.

Fine Gael should find some other way of making up for whatever shortcomings they fear Gay Mitchell suffers from.

If the British government, the Unionist parties and the people of Northern Ireland have accepted these principles, and can work with Martin McGuinness as their Deputy First Minister, then it needs to be put to Phil Hogan, Gay Mitchell and the rest that it is not McGuinness who represents a threat to inward investment from the US or elsewhere, but the gross irresponsibility of a government party that is reopening old wounds for such a shallow reason.

Miriam Cotton

Woodlands

Clonakilty

Co Cork