Decentralisation: criticism of FG was unfair

I WISH to respond to the unfair criticisms made by Noel Whelan with regard to Dáil questions by a number of Fine Gael TDs on the subject of decentralisation over recent months (Irish Examiner, Dec. 11).

Public representatives are elected to secure the interests of the people they represent. Deputies Richard Bruton, Gay Mitchell, Denis Naughten and others have the courage to do just that.

Rather than being in contravention of Fine Gael policy they were doing their job as public representatives while keeping a conscientious eye on their obligations as Fine Gael parliamentary party members to uphold party policy.