The Irish Times - Letters

Honduran crisis

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 23:48:40 GMT

Madam, – The continued refusal by the military coup leaders in Honduras to allow back its constitutionally elected President Zelaya should be a matter of grave concern to the International community. For this coup to succeed the Honduran military had to have the implicit support from the CIA and in a further twist of this saga the Catholic Church was and continues to be embroiled in the ousting of the president who had become too “left-leaning” for the ruling elites.

Demise of 'Foinse'

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 23:48:40 GMT

A chara, – I would like to support the group in their letter (July 3rd) deploring the closure of Foinse, our only newspaper as Gaeilge.

Ireland of the welcomes

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 23:48:40 GMT

Madam, – With reference to Theresa McKee’s (July 9th) regarding the refusal of entry by immigration at Dublin airport of three Texan backpackers, she asks: “Should we round up all the Irish and make sure they have proper addresses?”.

Handling the economy

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 23:48:40 GMT

Madam, – Sometimes Mary O’Rourke TD talks a lot of old-fashioned sense. Her call (“Publish An Bord Snip report, says O’Rourke”, July 9th ), to have the Bord Snip Nua report published before the long summer break, is spot on.

Civil Partnership Bill

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 23:48:40 GMT

Madam, — My thanks to Declan Kelly and Sophia Purcell (July 3rd) for revealing the true and radical nature of family diversity ideology.

Lisbon Treaty Referendum

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 23:48:40 GMT

Madam – Your Editorial (July 9th) on what you, and many others eumphemistically refer to as the Lisbon Treaty Referendum, should be more correctly spelled out as a proposed new European Constitution.

Electricians' strike

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 23:48:40 GMT

Madam, – Vincent Browne’s reputation as a well informed commentator suffered a drop in my estimation (Opinion, July 8th). Mr Browne seems to believe that the recession in the building industry is a relatively new phenomenon, that the electrical contractors had rates for work in 2007 and 2008 that they should have passed on to their workers.

Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 23:48:40 GMT

Madam, – Michael McCann (July 9th) writes that if the Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill stops one Irish citizen from being intimidated, it will be worth it. Could he, and those like him, give us a rough idea as to how many innocent people serving prison sentences will be necessary before it is no longer worth it?

TDs and votes

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 23:27:09 GMT

Madam, – In the darkest days of politics in the North Ian Paisley looked after his Nationalist constituents. Ned O’ Keefe take note! – Yours, etc,

Gods and men

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 23:27:09 GMT

Madam, The Minister for Justice should ditch the section on blasphemy and let sleeping gods lie! Yours etc,

Ireland of the welcomes

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 23:27:09 GMT

Madam, – Shame on Ireland! Just like Colin, Ben and Gavin (“Texan backpackers sent packing by immigration”, July 8th), we have travellers entering our airports daily and by the thousands.

Lisbon Treaty referendum

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 23:27:09 GMT

Madam, – I read with interest Maeve Jones-O’Connor’s piece on the EU (WeekendReview, July4th) I note however, that, like most on the pro-Lisbon side, she fails to highlight a single area of the treaty that would benefit the citizens of the EU.

Financial regulation

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 23:27:09 GMT

Madam, – The difficulties in the financial services sector may be attributed largely to ineffective corporate governance, poor macroeconomic management, and regulation lite.

Pension scheme trustees

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 23:27:09 GMT

Trial by jury

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 23:27:09 GMT

Madam, – Michael Farrell’s use of the analogy comparing the jury system to a “lamp of freedom” lighting the judicial process is inappropriate (Opinion, July 6th). The idea that the judicial process must operate under a lamp for the judicial process to work properly indicates that it must operate in public.

Pharmacy cutbacks

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 23:27:09 GMT

Madam, Your editorial (July 6th) states that all groups must be seen to pull their weight and take their share of the pain. Of all people in society, pharmacists understand the seriousness of the country’s economic situation.

Electricians' strike

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 23:27:09 GMT

A chara, – Mr Michael O’Mara raises many old shibboleths about trade unions – “militant, threats, anarchy” – a cast of the most hackneyed phrases dusted off and presented as fact.

Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill

Wed, 08 Jul 2009 23:27:09 GMT

Madam, – I am shocked at the letter with multiple signatures (July 8th) from members of the legal profession.

Becoming an ethical people

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 23:35:50 GMT

Madam, – Perhaps John Waters (Opinion, July 3rd), despite his faulty analogy of the queue jumper, is yearning for an Ireland that is able to function in the spirit of the law rather than the type of legalism demanded by the equality agenda or used by the State to avoid confronting abuse.

Child abduction

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 23:35:49 GMT

A chara, – I read with interest Ruadhán McCormaic’s article on child abduction to states governed by Shari’a law (Weekend Review July 6th).

Using the dead spaces

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 23:35:49 GMT

Madam, – I share the concern of Alice Lyons (4th July) in respect of the number of empty housing estates that have spread like a rash in post-boom Ireland.

Handling the banking crisis

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 23:35:49 GMT

Madam, – Prof Morgan Kelly (Opinion, July 3rd) made it clear that neither Nama nor nationalisation of the banks would involve bondholders losing their capital in the cleanup of the banking sector.

Electricians' strike

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 23:35:49 GMT

Madam, – The request for pay increases at this moment in our economic history beggars belief and should be resisted (“Electricians’ strike threatens jobs in wider economy, say employers”, July 7th).

Criminal Justice (Amendment) Bill

Tue, 07 Jul 2009 23:35:49 GMT

Gang law and the Opposition

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 23:41:14 GMT

Madam, – The accusations levelled at Fine Gael on our approach to gang law (July 3rd) are untrue.

Electricians' strike

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 23:41:14 GMT

Madam, – In these traumatic times for so many people I fail to see how the the Technical Engineering and Electrical Union (“Electricians to begin picketing building sites today”, July 6th) can be serious in its militant claim and threats for an 11 per cent increase on what must surely be by any standard, a good income.

An Bord Snip Nua

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 23:41:14 GMT

Madam, – Stephen Collins asks the following in his piece on the difficulties facing the Government in the current crisis (Opinion, July 4th): “How is the Government to make decisions on the report from the so-called An Bord Snip Nua, expected to recommend cuts in welfare and a whole range of State services, or implement a genuine property tax, if people object so strenuously to a very modest tax on second homes?”

Healthcare spending

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 23:41:14 GMT

Madam, – Gerry Burke (July 2nd) is of the opinion that our health system is on a dangerous course as a result of a “privatisation frenzy”.

Lisbon Treaty referendum

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 23:41:14 GMT

Madam, – The German constitutional court (July 2nd) ruled on the constitutionality of the Lisbon Treaty and while finding the treaty compatible with the German constitution it has withheld immediate ratification due to the significant transfers of sovereignty that the treaty entails.

Tunnel vision

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 23:41:14 GMT

Madam, – Frank McDonald writes lyrically about the Dart (“Follow this train of thought”, WeekendReview, July 4th) and he points out that the engineer in charge in the 1980s negotiated with residents associations and did not bulldoze it through.

Civil Partnership Bill

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 23:41:14 GMT

Madam, – Tim Jackson (July 3rd) argues that “the only reason why the State has any interest in marriage is that it is an environment which, in the vast majority of cases, produces children who are, of course,the future of society.”

Pharmacy cuts

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 23:41:14 GMT

Madam, – Ian O’Mara (July 3rd) castigates pharmacists for deciding to end our involvement in the medical card scheme after August 1st. He packs a lot of outrage into a short letter but completely avoids the obvious question of what he would have us do instead.

Handling the banking crisis

Mon, 06 Jul 2009 23:41:14 GMT

Madam, – I’m sure many were relieved to read Morgan Kelly (Opinion, July 3rd) so simply and succinctly summarise the gravity of the crisis we face and the madness of the road we’re now on. Somebody in Fianna Fáil needs to read this piece, understand it and turn Minister Lenihan and the mandarins on Merrion Street (and Treasury Buildings) around before it’s too late.

Location of children's hospital

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 23:14:14 GMT

Madam, – As a paediatrician and academic of long experience, now retired, I find it incomprehensible that the proposed new national childrens centre should be located at the cramped, noisy and traffic-plagued Mater Hospital site. Carmel Grimley’s letter (June 30th) says it all and I congratulate her.

Tribunal costs

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 23:14:14 GMT

Madam, – €55.85 million spent on three tribunals – are we any the wiser?

Honduran crisis

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 23:14:14 GMT

Madam, – Adrian Mullett (July 2nd) states that the democratically elected governments in certain South American countries are “not governments that respect the rule of law”.

Swift's Ireland

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 23:14:14 GMT

Madam, – I refer to your piece in An Irishman’s Diary (July 1st) on the relevance of the writings of Jonathan Swift to our present economic predicament.

Lisbon Treaty referendum

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 23:14:14 GMT

Madam, – Paul Williams (July 2nd) mentions the primacy of European law which was an issue during the debates on the European Constitution and Lisbon Treaty. It was argued by opponents of the European Constitution that article I-6 on the primacy of European law was a new power and therefore a threat to national constitutions and sovereignty.

Civil Partnership Bill

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 23:14:14 GMT

Madam, – In the current debate surrounding the Civil Partnership Bill (July 3rd), I’m shocked to learn that some citizens still deny others unconditional equality in the State.

Subsidising jobs

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 23:14:14 GMT

Madam, – Sarah Carey’s article (Opinion, July 1st) was strong on the obvious, but weak on specifics. Economists may agree that job subsidies are a weak and ineffective way to save jobs. But the question on how to tackle Ireland’s growing job crisis remains.

Seizure of Gaza ferry

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 23:14:14 GMT

Madam, – The fate of the Irish and international human rights workers seized in international waters by Israel is of great concern to their family and friends.

Healthcare system

Sun, 05 Jul 2009 23:14:14 GMT

Madam, – I’d like to know what Gerry Burke (July 2nd) is really talking about, in terms of practical measures, in relation to public/private healthcare. Is he proposing that private healthcare be banned?

Back to the future

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 23:47:02 GMT

Madam, – Oh God. Gay marriage has been denied and Pride is more about protest than partying again.

Economic sanity

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 23:47:02 GMT

Madam, – Prof Morgan Kelly’s (Opinion, July 3rd) essay made my day. It is sanity in this economic bedlam! – Yours, etc,

Spice of life

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 23:47:02 GMT

Madam, – Spiceburger? Humble? How dare you! It is a proud Glasnevin tradition.

Modern-day gnosticism

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 23:47:02 GMT

Madam, – it is very interesting to see Cyril Butler (July 3rd) refer to Richard Dawkins description of the Judaic/Christian God as “accurate” when in fact Dawkins contends that this God does not exist at all.

Flying the flag

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 23:47:02 GMT

Madam, – Your letters (July 3rd and 4th ) refer to the poor condition of our national flag displayed on certain buildings at home and abroad . One could also lament the obvious ignorance of etiquette in the treatment of this emblem. The national flag should be set to fly above other flags and lowered at dusk. Most of our displays seem to be in permanent positions. Perhaps a lesson in basic civics would help sustain our national pride . – Yours, etc,

Ethics matter

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 23:47:01 GMT

Madam, – Without realising it John Waters says it all (Opinion, July 3rd) about the mess created by a small number of people at the head of Government, banks, Church and media.

Lions and Boks

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 23:47:01 GMT

Madam, – You report (“Burger apologises to team mates and fans”, July 2nd) that Schalk Burger has so far declined to apologise to Luke Fitzgerald for last Saturday’s eye-gouging incident.

Thirty years of Seanad reform

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 23:47:01 GMT

Madam, – Tomorrow marks the 30th anniversary of the approval by the people of Ireland of measures to allow voting rights for six of the seats for Seanad Éireann to be reformed and their electorate extend beyond the then existing third-level institutions.

Using the post-boom dead spaces

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 23:47:01 GMT

Madam, – Your feature (“Life for the boom’s dead spaces”, June 30th) points us in a promising direction and it’s encouraging to see the newspaper used as a place to figure our way out of the post-boom quagmire.

Economic orthodoxies

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 23:18:15 GMT

Madam, – It is interesting and illuminating to note the way in which your columnist Sarah Carey (July 1st) characterises Ireland’s two main economics blogs, progressive-economy@Tasc and The Irish Economy.

Blasphemy fines

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 23:18:15 GMT

Madam, – I see that the Minister for Justice Dermot Ahern plans to reduce the penalty for blasphemy from €100,000 to €25,000 (“Minister to cut proposed fines for blasphemy to €25,000, July 2nd). I think the original penalty should stand. As one overhears what passes for everyday conversation on the streets, in buses, at football matches, in restaurants or on that instrument of the devil the mobile phone, a swift calculation shows that the country’s economic woes could be cured by next Monday at the original rate.

UN support

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 23:18:15 GMT

Madam, – I wonder does Garret FitzGerald’s characterisation of our government as “home devils and away angels” (Opinon, June 27th) also apply to a particularly interesting display of Irish foreign policy last week?

Irish illegals in the US

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 23:18:15 GMT

Madam, – I am deeply mystified by Mark Hennesey’s report (“US expected to ease immigration but bilateral accord on illegals ruled out”, July 1st). He reported that congresswoman Nydia Velazquez stated that Ireland had “no chance” of reaching a “bilateral deal for illegals”. That is entirely correct as no such deal has ever been pursued by the Irish American immigration lobby or the Irish Government.

Flying the flag

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 23:18:15 GMT

Madam, – One does not have to depart the island of Ireland to be made aware of how our Tricolour is treated with disrespect (July 1st). Just walk/drive down O’Connell Street in our capital city and cast an eye upwards at the Tricolour flying from numbers 12-13 O’Connell Street, the Irish Permanent building now better known as Permanent TSB. – Yours, etc,

Construction spending

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 23:18:15 GMT

Madam, – I refer to your Editorial (July 1st) in which you exhort the Government to be transparent as to the economic choices ahead and encourage public debate.

'Slieve Callan's' return

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 23:18:15 GMT

Madam, – Three cheers for Jackie Whelan (“Restored steam engine back on track after 57 years”, July 2nd) who restored the beautiful Slieve Callan steam engine at his own expense.

Gang law

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 23:18:15 GMT

Madam, – I understand that the job of the Opposition is to oppose. A properly functioning democracy requires robust debate. However, there comes a point where talking just doesn’t cut it any more.

Closure of 'Foinse'

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 23:18:15 GMT

A chara, – We wish to add our voices to the others which have deplored the closure of the weekly Irish language newspaper, Foinse.

Pharmacy cuts

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 23:18:15 GMT

Madam, – It is clear that the decision by 700 community pharmacists to stop dispensing drugs to medical card patients next months is a use of bully-boy strong arm tactics to protect their position.

Civil Partnership Bill

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 23:18:15 GMT

Madam, – Maghnus Monaghan (July 1st) is “aghast” at the new Civil Partnership Bill, which, he says, is a continuation of the Government’s obsession with an adult rather than child centred approach to family law.

Honduran crisis

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 23:35:15 GMT

Madam, – Tuesday’s Editorial on the Honduran crisis was worthy of Pravda in portraying President Zelaya as a radical facing up to Latin American conservatives.

Handling the economy

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 23:35:15 GMT

Madam, – Having read that decisions on radical cuts (“Decisions on radical cuts to be delayed until the autumn”, July 1st) will not be made until October, I have temporarily left the long grass to replace my knife with something significantly larger. A deficit-sized meat cleaver perhaps?

Healthcare system

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 23:35:14 GMT

Madam, – Sara Burke (Opinion, June 27th) is right to draw attention to the efforts, some good, some bad, to reform our unfair and expensive health system.

Jury service

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 23:35:14 GMT

Madam, – As a postgraduate student researching the Irish criminal jury I read Elaine Byrne’s account of her jury service with great interest (Opinion, June 30th).

Monica Leech case

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 23:35:14 GMT

Madam, – I read with great interest Peter Murtagh’s opinion piece (June 29th) reflecting on the libel action taken by Monica Leech against Independent Newspapers and the reaction of media to the award of €1.87 million made by the High Court to Ms Leech.

Des O'Malley and demise of PDs

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 23:35:14 GMT

Madam, – As a former member of the Progressive Democrats’ national executive, I was surprised at Des O’Malley’s reported comments by Marie O’Halloran (“PDs could have won 12 seats – O’Malley”, June 29th) in relation to the former táinaiste, Michael McDowell.

Lisbon Treaty referendum

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 23:35:14 GMT

Madam, – Lucinda Creighton (Opinion, July 1st) asks us to stick to the facts “because everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but not their own facts.”

Flying the flag

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:24:14 GMT

Madam, – The image that country presents of itself to the outside world reflects how the country sees itself. Recently I passed the Irish Consulate here in Barcelona. The consulate is in one of the more elegant areas of the cities yet the Tricolour being flown is dirty and threadbare. – Yours, etc ,

Honduran crisis

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:24:14 GMT

Madam, – You state in your Editorial (30th June) on events in Honduras that “There is a conflict of rights at stake”. Which one should have precedence? – defending the existing single four-year term or allowing an existing president to sound out voters’ opinions on making a constitutional amendment so that he can seek a second one? The choice as you state it is between allowing a democratically elected president, intent on improving the welfare of the Honduran people, re-submit himself for election and the right of senior military figures preempt that election by use of military force. There is no choice: you support the democratically elected president. – Yours, etc,

Public and private healthcare

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:24:14 GMT

Madam, – Sara Burke (Opinion, June 27th) writes about the public/private divide in healthcare in Ireland. I find it very tiresome reading over and over again this ideologically-motivated propaganda. Miss Burke’s article is so confused, so incoherent and so lacking in intellectual rigour that I’m amazed it could be published in such an august newspaper as The Irish Times.

Whole lotta walkin'

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:24:14 GMT

Madam, – Reporting in your paper, of delays experienced by concert goers travelling to the recent AC/DC concert at Punchestown (“AC/DC fans clog roads before gig”, June 29th), suggested that the delays were caused by concert goers alighting prematurely from coaches on the M7. As one of the unfortunate concert goers forced to abandon a Dublin Bus coach in an attempt to reach the venue in time, I cannot imagine what benefit your reporter and AA Roadwatch assume would have accrued to concert goers who chose to walk over five miles to the venue instead of remaining on freely moving buses. People left the buses because the buses were at a standstill on the M7 — the buses were not at a standstill because of the actions of concert goers, but rather due to the lack of any obvious traffic plan. Luckily the excellent concert more than made up for the torrid journey. – Yours, etc,

Irish vegetables

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:24:14 GMT

Madam, – Fintan Butler (26th June) suggests that if we want to see Irish vegetables we should look no further than the Oireachtas. But is he aware that the present Fianna Fáil crop is looking decidedly off-colour? Apparently,it’s suffering from an attack of Greenfly. – Yours, etc,

Passport applications

Tue, 30 Jun 2009 23:24:14 GMT

Madam — I believe that Pat Dunne (June 29th) needs to realise the importance of proper practices in identifying children and parents for passport applications. In these times of human trafficking it is imperative that these formalities are upheld.