Letter: Heed Good Friday

Sir: As one of the Irish diaspora in America to whom John Hoey refers (letter, 13 April), it is certainly not the republicans that I will blame for a collapse in the Northern Ireland peace agreement.

A start to decommissioning prior to an establishment of the executive was not part of the signed agreement which was ratified by a majority of people in Ireland. What outrage would there be if Sinn Fein held up the process until the start of the "decommissioning" of the RUC?

Sticking to the letter of the agreement is the only safe and blameless way to proceed. There must be an end to the Unionists calling the shots. It is not their peace, but everyone's peace.

HUGH MULCAHY

New York