Ó Cuív deserves better treatment

Your recent editorial headed, ‘Ó Cuív toes the line — Pointless buffoonery’ (May 9), illustrates Irish media group-think in action.

It is gratuitously insulting to Eamon Ó Cuív and harmful to the democratic process.

Eamon Ó Cuív has exerted himself to make a political point. At the cost of losing his position as deputy leader of Fianna Fáil he has expressed opposition to the EU Fiscal Treaty.

Unusually for a member of the political establishment, he has acted out of conviction and straightforwardly contributed to democratic debate.

Across the Irish media Ó Cuív is being lampooned for deciding not to resign from Fianna Fáil.

Actually, in political terms, he has played his hand skilfully: he has expressed a controversial view, outmanoeuvred the Fianna Fáil leadership and avoided expulsion from the party.

There would be a justification for the media campaign against him if he were acting in a self-serving manner. But the matter is not trivial and his motivation is public-spirited.

Dave Alvey

Dalkey

Co Dublin