Political pact holding firm in the midlands

I REFER to the article headlined ‘Government plays up tax split between FG and Labour’ (Irish Examiner, November 22). Following the local elections, Fine Gael and Labour came together to form the majority grouping on 26 local authorities.

The agreed programme for local government services between the two parties on Westmeath County Council - known as the Mullingar Accord - remains firmly intact and wholly workable despite desperate claims to the contrary by the government parties.

In any healthy democracy, there must be a divergence of views across the political spectrum - precisely the nature of the superficial difference between Fine Gael and Labour on some tax policies.