The electorate must not be fooled by hypocrisy

Dear Editor, I am sure many people are taken aback at the hypocrisy of Taoiseach, Enda Kenny, in inviting Pope Francis to Ireland, after this Government’s disgraceful treatment of relations with the Vatican. 

Firstly, we had his tirade based on misquoting Pope Benedict, the reference to a law not even in place and, as pointed out by Michael Kelly (IC 2/5/14), accusations of the thwarting of Irish efforts to deal with abuse.  

When a detailed reply was issued from Rome, Mr Gilmore referred to it as “mere rhetoric”, and proceeded to close the Embassy to the Vatican. Every effort was made by the Government to try to prove that this was on economic grounds but, of course, that proved impossible because it was not true. 

Now, with elections imminent, we are given the sop of a one-diplomat embassy there.

Surely, the electorate is not going to be fooled by such hypocrisy. I certainly cannot understand how any Catholic or Christian can support a party which has been responsible for introducing abortion here but thinks that all will be well if they can persuade the Pope to visit here after re-opening a much diminished embassy. 

We won’t have long to wait to find out if the electorate is as hypocritical as the Taoiseach.

Yours etc.,

Mary Stewart,

Donegal Town,

Co. Donegal.