From Brid Connolly

I FEEL ashamed we have sent a young teenager to the front line in this sordid campaign on abortion, a battle which should be fought by politicians representing all the people of Ireland, not just the Roman Catholic Church. It is urgent we ask ourselves how many more young women will we thrust into the firing line before we square up to responsibility as a just society. We have paid too much attention to lawyers, listening to legal arguments so removed from the reality of an unwanted or painful pregnancy.

We have not paid enough attention to women.

Women's basic rights over their bodies are fundamental in this question. After 40 years of the modern women's movement, surely it must be time to take it seriously. Further, the feminist movement has helped bring about radical reform in children's status in society. The rights of the foetus, when it becomes viable, must also be respected, without privileging the rights of the foetus over those of the woman.

Of course, abortion must be regulated by law, but this must be primarily determined by ethics, science and medicine, and not solely legal argument.

This is particularly important when the legal argument is imbued with Roman Catholic teaching. As a secular society, we must respect the moral stances of the various religions in Ireland, without implementing their teaching into the law. Most importantly, we must as a society, put religion back into the private domain and reinforce our tolerance of diversity. Everyone is entitled to believe and practise their religion. But they are not entitled to make laws implementing the moral teaching of their particular faith.

Let us grasp this opportunity to legislate for abortion. Please, let this be the last teenager who is pushed into the courts to fight for the right to abortion.

Brid Connolly, Brocasa, Kilcock Road, Maynooth, Co Kildare

Rabbitte fails to stamp his authority

From Luke Martin

PAT Rabbitte's dismissal of concerns about the costing of his stamp duty proposals raises serious questions about his fitness for government, never mind his suitability for the Department of Finance.

Over the weekend on RTE, he waved away questions with a flippant remark about finding the money somewhere "in the bottom drawer". Given that the sum required is one quarter of a billion euro in the first year alone, it suggests that either fiscal policy is being conjured up on-the-fly, or he doesn't rate his chances of getting the job.

Either way, it doesn't augur well for the economic competence of the "alternative government".

Luke Martin, 25 Cromlech Fields, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin

Time to focus on real matters, not money

From Aisling Zarraga

I AM writing to express my disgust at the persistence of elements in the media who seem intent on turning the general election campaign into a mini-tribunal. The Taoiseach deserves credit for not bowing to demands for trial by media.

He has made it clear that he will refute any allegations made against him, and that the Mahon tribunal, established by the Oireachtas, is the appropriate place to deal with such issues. The chairman of the tribunal made a considered decision not to commence with public enquiries as all of the evidence could not be dealt with fully before polling day. The Taoiseach is absolutely correct to respect the chairman's decision and to hold his full response until the commencement of renewed public hearings.

The Taoiseach has been the subject of many allegations which have been disproved in the past. He previously took an action in the Circuit Court about allegations that he had received money from Mr O'Callaghan. The electorate in Ireland are one of the most sophisticated in the western world. I have no doubt they will see through the artificially generated media hysteria. In the meantime, can we please have a campaign in the days remaining, on the real issues and the future direction of this country.

Aisling Zarraga, Tranmere Road, Earlsford, London

Preserving Tara 'in record' is not enough

From Chris Parrell

WITHOUT financial worries, Gerry Adams' beard disguises chameleon ideas uninhibited by democratic principles and policy commitments, and which change at will for the slightest party political advantage. The ruins at Tara are part of not only Irish history but the history of the world . . . and should be preserved. The M3 can certainly be diverted around the site and preserving the site "in record" is insufficient. Time will take things away from us by means of erosion and disaster, but let us not accelerate that process.

Please preserve Tara.

Chris Parrell cparrell@gmail. com

TDs take note: the Hill of Tara is being raped
Reisin Cawley

WOULD you be so kind as to bring to the attention of every sitting TD and to those aspiring to the pedestals of power that the Hill of Tara is being raped in the name of the common and not so common people of Ireland. I strongly object in my own name and my nom de plume, Eddie Panda, about this.

This sacred site must not be disturbed. It has withstood the ravages of ignorant peoples, even those who searched for the Ark of the Covenent. As for the fools who buried Viking Dublin, some of them are behind this.

Stop now or may the Brown Bull of Cooley crap forever on your lawns.

Reisin 'Eddie Panda' Cawley, 17, Rathanna, Cornageeha, Sligo.

Taoiseach has proved to be above reproach
From Brian Rooney

BERTIE AHERN's smiling, chubby cheeks help disguise the shrewdest political pragmatist.

His is a long record of service to country and party . . . in that order. High office usually brings some personal advantage.

Unlike many in similar positions, Bertie's lifestyle shows little evidence that personal gain exceeds salary.

Brian Rooney, 14 The Heights, Downpatrick, BT30 8PU.

Closing off East-Link to trucks is senseless
From John Stafford
THE closure of Dublin city centre to trucks seems to have had its benefits, but surely it was going too far to close off Sean Moore Road to trucks? This has meant that trucks coming from the port and heading south must now travel north instead, via the port tunnel and M50, rather than travelling via the East-Link toll bridge. Trucks bound for Dun Laoghaire must therefore travel 50km via the port tunnel and M50 rather than 11km via the East-Link, suiting neither the truckers nor the residents. Presumably the purpose is to minimise the passage of heavy commercial traffic bound for the N11 through the southeastern suburbs, but it is not at all clear that this is a good idea for the city as a whole.

John Stafford, 136 Dargle Wood, Knocklyon, Dublin 16

Hurling healthier than Hayes suggests
From Pat O'Connor

LIAM HAYES's football analysis (Sport, 6 May) took time to concentrate on hurling. Mind you, he only stayed on the subject for a oneparagraph sojourn! He managed during his short stay on the subject to write the game's obituary: "Hurling, at county level in this country, is all but dead and buried." He went on to say only a handful of counties are in a healthy state, with Limerick, Galway and Wexford able to raise an occasional pulse.

However, a cursory glance at the past few decades does not suggest the loss of numerous counties to the top flight of the game. Each decade seems to throw up a county other than the traditional trio of Cork, Kilkenny and Tipperary. Notably, Wexford and Waterford excelled in the '50s, Limerick in the '70s, with Galway and Offaly lifting the McCarthy cup in the '80s. The 1990s almost heralded the new golden age of hurling. The five All Ireland finals from 1994 to 1998 did not feature any of the traditional trio, with Clare bursting on to the inter-county scene with two All Irelands along with wins for both Offaly and Wexford . . .

Limerick, alas, played the role of bridesmaid on two occasions.

Hayes deferred to Liam Griffin as the Tribune's hurling expert. Griffin suggested on the same day that the first division of the NHL should continue to include Offaly, making for a top-10 Premier Division. With Waterford flying high after their League success, maybe the 2007 Championship could signal the hurling renaissance that threatened in the '90s? If so, it would go, in no small way, to preventing the GAA 'meltdown' predicted by Hayes.

Pat O'Connor, 8 Rosroe Avenue, Caherdavin, Limerick.