Having been a reader of the Irish Independent and Sunday Independent for the past 40 years I have certainly noticed a subtle change in Editorial stance in relation to Bertie Ahern's administration ,in the recent past i.e.since the 'off' was signalled for the latest General Election.While I do not believe that Sir Antony or his editors have been 'got at', I do believe that some shift has taken place in the thinking in Independent Newspapers.

The most obvious about face being that of Eoghan Harris in the Sunday Independent.I certainly enjoy reading most of the S.I.contributers(I am even willing to suffer the dizzy-blonde subjective articles -accompanied by the inevitable large personalised photos-filling the gaps between the decent writers),but now to find this paper becoming an apologist for this latest and (to my mind ) undemocratic administration takes the biscuit.

I appreciate that balance is essential in any newspaper...but truth is more important.Be it Berties finances,or his 'off-the-cuff'comments (e.g. his deliberate reference in a detrimental way to suicide being passed off as a slip of the tongue by some of the contributers) suggests to me that an easy ride is I.N.N.'s new gift to Ahern....WHY?....Gene Kerrigan better look out ....