Sir, – Reading about those turned away yesterday, empty-handed, from the Capuchin Day Centre in Dublin is heartbreaking (“Thousands queue for food parcel tickets”, December 12th).
No child should have to go hungry, particularly at this time of year. The State aid of 10 per cent of the annual running costs of the centre is nothing short of pathetic, particularly when the State is awash with money.
I sincerely hope the forthcoming talks on agreeing a programme for government will not forget about those less well-off and in dire need of assistance by way of food parcels. – Yours, etc,
DAVID A FANAGAN,
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Rathmines,
Dublin 6.
Sir, – There is a terrible tragedy in Irish society in the dying days of 2024 when 3,000 tickets for Christmas food parcels are issued by the Capuchin Day Centre and many who had queued did not receive what they had expected.
That the level of inequality suggested by such queues exists should give the negotiating teams of Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael serious pause for thought as they attempt to form the next government. There must be a serious whole-of-government, cross-departmental attempt to address this societal issue, otherwise we embed generational poverty even further.
There is much work to be done. I implore both parties to ensure a functioning government is established sooner rather than later. – Yours, etc,
STEPHEN O’HARA,
Carrowmore,
Sligo.
Sir, – It is disgraceful and totally unacceptable in a country flush with money for a charity, the Capuchin Day Centre, to have to step in to try to feed the hungry this Christmas.
Your front page photograph, depicting the anger and distress of those having to queue for food only to find that all food parcel tickets had been already distributed, has a Dickensian character and tone about it.
The alleviation of food poverty and homelessness must be a priority on any list of those queuing to enter government. – Yours, etc,
BRENDAN BUTLER,
Drumcondra,
Dublin 9.
Living in rural Ireland
Sir, – I wish to commend Michael McDowell on his article, “Living in rural Ireland shouldn’t be an impossible dream”, (Opinion, December 11th). Having moved home to Ballycastle in north Mayo a number of years ago and becoming involved in community activation, it’s plain to see that current policies wish to choke the life out of rural Ireland, slowly but surely.
My area here has had a continuous human presence for over 6,000 years (as evidenced by the Céide Fields systems) and we as locals are doing our utmost to ensure that presence continues and thrives.
Thank you Michael for voicing against the trend. – Yours, etc,
NOEL KELLY,
Céide Coast Eco-Campus,
Wild Atlantic Way,
Ballina,
Co Mayo.
Sir, – The Regional (let’s call them Rural) Group of Independents of elected TDs may form the third leg of the next government. It’s now up to them to bring “commonsense” back to Irish politics, beginning with the complete adoption of Michael McDowell’s Opinion piece.
I would add retention of local authorities with regards to roads maintenance and general local maintenance of street scape and local authority housing, and insistence on a referendum to safeguard water supply and treatment.
All of these to ensure “local” control and prevent privatisation, ever. – Yours, etc,
LIAM GEARY,
Caherslee,
Tralee.
Sir, – Michael McDowell will be pleased to know that living in rural Ireland is not an impossible dream. CSO housing completion data consistently shows that approximately 20 per cent of new homes built in Ireland are in rural areas. Of these, 96 per cent are one-off single dwellings in the countryside. By any objective measure, Ireland has among the fastest-growing rural populations in Europe and is certainly not dying or struggling to survive. – Yours, etc,
GAVIN DALY,
Mountjoy,
Dublin 1.
Sir, – In response to Michael McDowell’s article on rural living, I agree with the main thrust of his argument that we should not be afraid of rural housing development. However, I feel there also needs to be a major shift in the response to the issue of derelict buildings and vacant overhead accommodation being left go to rack and ruin in rural towns and villages.
Drive through most small towns and this issue is blatantly obvious.
Hopefully the incoming government will make a big effort to come up with imaginative and practical solutions to these issues. – Yours, etc,
FERGUS MADDEN,
Goatstown.
Alcohol and healthcare
Sir, – Can I ask Cormac Healy of Drinks Ireland if, when he says (Letters, Wednesday, December 11th) “we should concentrate on misuse where it occurs, through targeted interventions”, is he referencing the use of the advertising of zero-alcohol products to circumvent legislation to actually promote alcoholic products at sporting and other events? We might give more weight to his opinion if the industry he represents acknowledges that it is cynically exploiting this loophole to promote its products in contravention of the intention and spirit of the legislation. – Yours, etc,
TOMÁS FINN,
Ballinasloe,
Co Galway.
A chara, – Prof Tony Holohan takes issue with the “offer of help” from the director of Drinks Ireland to Alcohol Action Ireland on policy decisions. (Letters, December 12th).
Outlining the various government policies brought forward with the intention of reducing alcohol consumption, Prof Holohan details the opposition to each by the drinks industry, whose purpose is, not unnaturally, self-interest and survival.
However, how strange does it appear (or does it?) that despite grave reservations from health professionals, An Garda Síochána, and social commentators, the outgoing Minister for Justice proposed almost 24-hour opening times for the same drinks industry, in order to enhance something she termed “the night-time economy”? – Is mise,
PETER DECLAN O’HALLORAN,
Belturbet,
Co Cavan.
Milk and the environment
Sir, – Your correspondent Joan Burgess (Letters, December 11th) clearly has strong views on dairy produce and the Irish dairy industry but those views would benefit from a little fact checking.
To say that milk is not a necessary part of our diet is to ignore the fact that milk has been part of the human diet for millennia – in Ireland alone, dairy production has 6,000 years of history and heritage. The nutrients in milk are not “easily made up from other dietary sources” and, while the percentage of the world’s population with some form of lactose intolerance has been estimated as high as 65 per cent (and as low as 35 per cent), in Ireland and other Northern European countries, it is as low as 4 or 5 per cent.
The assertion that claims about dairy sustainability are “farcical” shows a lack of understanding of what sustainability is and what’s being done to improve it.
Environmentally speaking, emissions from agriculture are down year on year, due to reduced fertiliser use and other farmer-driven initiatives.
Economically speaking, Irish dairy contributes €30 billion to the economy and supports 55,000 jobs.
From a social perspective, dairy farming is part of the community and dairy produce is part of a healthy, balanced diet.
Restoring the great forests of Ireland is an attractive vision, and, indeed, no one questions the need to plant trees and renew habitat, ecology and environment. However, the world has limited agricultural resources to produce food for a growing global population, and Ireland is a major international food producer. The vision needs to be tempered with realism.
Finally, on the subject of realism, the notion that a calf becomes a 450kg heifer in “a few months” will come as a great surprise to Ireland’s dedicated dairy farmers who care for these calves every day. It is one more indication of the writer’s lack of understanding of dairy farming. – Yours, etc,
EMMA WALLS,
Chief executive,
National Dairy Council.
Eoin Hayes and Social Democrats
Sir, – I find myself in the unusual position of agreeing with both Martin Connolly and Alan Coakley (Letters, December 12th) who took opposing views in relation to the Social Democrats and Eoin Hayes.
His involvement with a company which has clear pro-Israeli links must rankle with those who voted for him without this knowledge.
Divesting his shares, albeit in an untimely manner, shows a social conscience and awareness which is commendable given that he could have profited significantly more financially if he had held on to said shares.
It underlines the tightrope politicians must delicately balance upon.
On reflection, there are many examples of those who have held (and still hold) higher offices who have profited from businesses which have links to gambling addiction, alcoholism and other societal ills. Do we insist that they withdraw their interest in being publicans or bookmakers while they hold public office?
Where do we draw the line? – Yours, etc,
AIDAN BOYLE,
Dún Laoghaire.
Sir, – The high moral ground is treacherously slippy. The pristine bib of the Social Democrats has been sullied. It is surely difficult for Deputy Eoin Hayes to go from a successful election to suspension from his party in the space of 10 days and it would be churlish not to feel a certain sympathy for him. By contrast, in observing the Social Democrat Party, one is reminded of the words of a veteran Fianna Fáil minister, back in 1979, on the fate of the Progressive Democrats: “It couldn’t happen to a nicer bunch of people.” – Yours, etc,
MARGARET LEE,
Co Tipperary.
Sir, – When I voted in the recent election, my choices were party candidates or Independents. Eoin Hayes was elected as a Social Democrat candidate, by informed strategic voters. He was not elected as an Independent. It would seem that a byelection in that constituency is the more democratic course of action. – Yours, etc,
MARY BARRETT,
Raheny.
Cabinet numbers
A chara, – I believe that Kathy Sheridan is right (“Leo Varadkar is right: basic maths should not flummox a minister or any of us”, December 11th), it would be novel if the next taoiseach chose their cabinet on the basis of qualifications and competence.
The data from previous cabinet appointments might suggest that selection based on constituency is a constant while selection based on qualifications is a variable (hypotheses test required). However, we do know from history that coalition governments are always based on fractions. – Is mise,
DERMOT O’ROURKE,
Dublin.
Sir,– Kathy Sheridan believes that some people’s grasp of basic maths leaves a lot to be desired. I concur with this view 110 per cent. – Yours, etc,
PAUL DELANEY,
Dalkey.
A reader of future minds?
Sir, – In Dublin yesterday I saw the new fine painted sign for The Burton and wondered what kind of establishment it was. Reading the Letters page (December 12th), I wondered why no one had yet written in to complain (the usual response) about the redesign, then asked myself: “write in”, just “write” surely? I cast my eyes up to the Irishman’s Diary where my query about The Burton gets answered. I think, that’s a coincidence, but then, Frank McNally goes on to consider “write in” just like I had a moment before; the Twilight Zone? Can Frank not only read minds, but read future minds? – Yours, etc,
GARETH COLGAN,
Co Dublin.
Christmas in Dublin
Sir, – Last night we went into Dublin city. We visited the Christmas Light Show in Collins Barracks (€2). Wow, what a wonderful experience. We felt like we were inside a colourful kaleidoscope. Later we strolled down the quays enjoying the sights and the lights. Next we visited “Christmas at the Castle”, a free family fun event. We enjoyed music and mulled wine in the Spiegal Tent.
Our city. Our Dublin. Bravo Dublin City Council. – Yours, etc,
ISEULT McLOUGHLIN,
Rathfarnham,
Dublin 16.
Charitable donations
Sir, – It used to be advised that rather than hand over money to a person on the street asking for assistance it was much better to give the money to a reputable charitable organisation where it would be efficiently and carefully directed to those in need.
However, having regard to the gross incompetence in the oversight and financial management of the Peter McVerry Trust involving millions of euro, it seems to me the best option is to give directly to the homeless person who will at least have the option of spending the money directly for their own benefit. Too many such organisations seem to be mismanaged and suffer from inadequate financial control and yet appear to have little difficulty with accountants and auditors giving them a clean bill of health. – Yours, etc,
HUGH PIERCE,
Co Kildare.
Pre-election promises
Sir, – As the outgoing Government talk up “negotiations” and jostling continues over a rotating taoiseach, the issues that were laid bare during the campaign have become far less important. The focus is now on who gets what roles, job titles and portfolios.
Our daughter is 19, she is completely dependent on us for all her needs. We received only four nights of respite since entering into “adult services”. We eventually got a day service, but we need to drop and collect. There’s a constant shortfall in “care hours” so we are facing so much more care with far less help. The 12 nights allocated can’t be filled due to staff shortages and constraints on the “system” – a system that is failing the people it was supposed to help.
Weary parents, carers and people with disabilities do not have the luxury of rotating job titles; we don’t get unvouched expenses or the perks of being a politician. Most carers are unpaid and unrecognised. Many are struggling to meet the daily challenges made worse by years of failed policies and neglect.
Stop the charade, get on with formation and get to work on some of the many pre-election promises that might make a difference to the people you are supposed to represent. – Yours, etc,
AARON DALY,
Dún Laoghaire.