My heart did a nervous flip when I heard that notorious rapist Larry Murphy was spotted back in Ireland at the weekend. What the hell is he doing here, I wondered? We had been assured he was in Spain, Belgium, France -- actually couldn't care less as long as it was Somewhere Else.

This excuse for a human being was, as it turns out, just back in the country to apply for a passport after his own was lost.

Well, as someone who spent months last year trying to get a passport during the lengthy strike in Molesworth Street, let me give a message loud and clear to all passport office workers: drop what you're doing and get this man's application sorted. I, for one, don't mind waiting on mine while it's being done.

In fact, can we jump him up the queue in no uncertain terms, and process the passport today?

Honestly -- let him be escorted in, right ahead of everyone else, given the first number out of the machine and get the highest level official working on it pronto. That way with a bit of luck, he'll hop on the first plane and be gone again -- hopefully forever.

The convicted rapist, who is also a suspect in the disappearance of women all over the south east in the 1990s, is not someone any of us want living here.

Nor do we want the daily fear of Larry-spotting that went on like a national sport after he was released last August.

Anyone who looked remotely like him caused panic in the environs, and his family -- who are not responsible for his actions -- repeatedly had to assure everyone that he wasn't there and that they didn't know where he was.

Every day there were internet boards and gossip about where Murphy was staying and it had got to the stage where people were afraid to go out. Well, I'm sick of that and don't want it to start up again.

The gardai assure us that for this brief trip they are keeping tabs on him all the time while he's here, but that still makes me feel afraid: after all, it means they know just how dangerous he is and are having none of this, "He's done his time, leave him alone", nonsense.

selfish

It means they know they can't leave him alone even for a minute. Well, thanks guys, we know you're absolutely doing your best, but can we make him the problem of some other police force?

Larry Murphy is a vicious criminal. He showed no inclination to enter any therapy programmes while in jail -- no remorse was ever shown either and he was still let off a third of his sentence for "good behaviour". How safe can that possibly make any woman feel?

After his release he turned up in the south of Spain -- where so many Irish families holiday with their children.

The Guardia Civil issued photographs of "the face of evil" to warn locals and consider him a "high risk individual". So they should, but to be honest, I know it's selfish -- I'd prefer him to be their problem rather than ours.

So, today please -- Molesworth Street should be on alert; cancel the tea break, don't answer the phones and when you see Larry Murphy entering the building, cover your disgust up and stamp whatever forms are needed before advising him that he's free to leave the country immediately.

- Sinead Ryan