Letter: Interviewing Gerry Adams

Sir: I read with great interest Ruth Dudley Edwards' analysis (2 February) of Sinn Fein President Gerry Adams' broadcast interviews since the dropping of the ban on appearances by him on either radio or television here in the republic. As the person who interviewed him for the first interview after the ban lapsed I have to take issue with her both for my own part and my journalist colleagues.

She states that she changed her view on the British broadcast ban because of the interviews she has seen so far in the republic. Her second reason against dropping the ban in the UK, that Adams was too professional for the journalists, is slightly absurd. If journalists are to stop interviewing people because they are too professional for them it does not hold out much hope for either journalism or liberty in the long run.

At another level, she stresses the need for order before a citizen can have the luxury of liberty. It is now just two weeks since the broadcast ban lapsed here in Ireland and there is no evidence yet of chaos or any distinct upsurge in support for either Sinn Fein or the IRA. I think the people of Britain and Ireland are clever enough not to believe everything they hear or see on the radio and television.

Yours sincerely,

CONOR LENIHAN

Political Correspondent

98FM and Ireland Radio News

Dublin

2 February