Cameron played cards right in the North

Regarding the talks between the political parties in Northern Ireland, you have to hand it to the British Prime Minister - these talks had dragged on for the past year without any agreement.

Mr Cameron, obviously had his tactics decided prior to leaving London to attend the talks.

Knowing f well that the Northern part of the island has been ‘subsided’ more than any other part of the UK, and that all efforts to date to get agreement (Mr Hass etc) had failed, he wisely decided enough was enough - and slapped a billion sterling on the table and said “that’s it boys and girls” and headed back to London with the ‘smoking gun’ - as if to say “ reject this offer out of hand and I’ll fire the gun and we’ll revert to direct rule”. Result - the parties began to realise their little cosy relationship with the Treasury in Whitehall might end and the Executive would be abolished.

There is nothing more likely to concentrate the mind than the prospect of easy money being curtailed and the political parties in Northern Ireland finding themselves out of the loop as a direct result of acting like the spoilt child in the playground.

Kevin McCarthy

High Meadows

Gouldavoher

Co Limerick