Sir , – Now it is official. According to an independent UN Commission, Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. Let us not forget that the US and EU, among others, are complicit.
There has been no secret or mystery regarding these crimes. Israeli leaders, including its president and prime minister, have openly stated that Palestinians are “all guilty of terrorism”, are “animals”, and should be “expelled” or “exterminated”.
Governments in many countries have chosen to ignore these statements and continue to refuse to stop arming Israel or even venture the slightest criticism.
Ireland as a small country can do nothing to halt the slaughter, but can take individual, independent actions to highlight our absolute abhorrence and opposition to Israel and disapproval of its supporters and enablers.
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Ireland, through the Government, needs to be more proactive than ever in the Dáil, the EU, the UN and international courts in advocating this position.
The people of Gaza and Palestinians deserve no less –Yours, etc,
HUGH PIERCE,
Celbridge,
Co Kildare.
Sir, – It is tragically ironic that a United Nations commission of inquiry has concluded Israel has committed genocide in Gaza, given the 1948 UN Genocide Convention was adopted in the wake of the mass murder of Jews by Nazi Germany.
I hope the people of Israel are aware and at least ashamed of this fact. –Yours, etc,
ALAN MAHON,
Booterstown,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – Reading yesterday’s article “UN inquiry finds Israel has committed genocide in Gaza” (September 17th) leaves one feeling both angry and powerless in the face of such barbarity inflicted by Israel.
How many more reports must be written before world leaders act to end the cruelty inflicted on the Palestinian people?
The United States – and by extension its taxpayers – is complicit, providing both the weapons and political cover that enable Israel’s war. Citizens of America, the self-proclaimed “land of the free”, must demand that their representatives stop supporting genocide.
Who in 1948 would have imagined that Israel itself could one day be responsible for such horrors? Now is the time for every democratic leader to stand up and say: No more.
Any negative economic fallout from sanctions or political action is a small price to pay for saving Palestinian children’s lives – and for being on the right side of history. Good people cannot remain silent while such evil prevails. – Yours, etc,
PAUL CARROLL,
Naas,
Co Kildare.
Counting the cost of electricity
Sir, – Eamon Ryan assures us that “lowering the cost of power is within reach and is perfectly achievable” because “we have the necessary resources, legislation and finances to make it happen” (“Want to see an end to high electricity prices? This is what we need to do,” Opinion, September 16th).I would dearly love to believe him, because price comparison sites indicate that the average annual household bill is currently €1,752. The energy regulator, the CRU, has decided on the revenues it will award ESB Networks and Eirgrid for the next five years and has estimated the contribution of households to these revenues.
This is going only one way – and that is up. There is no way that the costs of retail and supply will fall and even if the wholesale electricity price were to fall to the level of the strike prices for wind energy, it is impossible to avoid the conclusion that, under current policies, the average household bill will keep increasing to well over 2,000 by 2030.
We have a national energy affordability taskforce in place that is expected to report, initially, on possible measures to increase affordability that could be included in the next budget.
In the absence of major changes in current policies, it is difficult to see how this taskforce will be able to come up with proposals that will make a material difference. – Yours, etc,
PAUL HUNT,
West Sussex,
England.
Sir, – I am very proud of how Ireland as a nation has developed over the past years.
Old phobias are slowly dissipating, but one spectre seems to still lie over us, that of nuclear power.
“No, nay, never,” the majority seem to cry. What a delight to find in his Opinion piece, Eamon Ryan is now pro-nuclear. Even if it is on other shores.
Products of the nuclear industry are in use throughout the hospital system here, helping to save thousands of lives every year. So it’s great we can add to these benefits and maybe more people will see it in a positive light. – Yours, etc,
PAT McCAVANA,
Medical Physicist,
Blackrock,
Co Dublin.
Eoin Hayes controversy
Sir, – To the trolling and threatening of public representatives, it seems that we now have added a further disincentive to young people considering a future in politics, an obligation to “apologise unreservedly” for any high-spirited, youthful japes at college rag weeks or youthful Halloween parties decades ago when their boisterous exploits were intended as innocent, boisterous fun.
If the context of age and intention is to be ignored in cases such as that of Social Democrats TD Eoin Hayes, we can reconcile ourselves to a future of bland, humourless weeping philosophers on the ballot.
Those who drag out such material – and those who consider it a matter of public interest worth publishing – might need to reflect on their own motivation, standards and contribution to public life.
Outrage should be reserved for issues that warrant it. – Yours, etc,
PADDY McGOVERN,
Dublin 8.
Sir, – Am I alone in thinking that the reaction to Eoin Hayes and the episode of his dressing up for a party like Barack Obama with brown/black face, is completely over the top? I am decidedly non-racist and despise extremism on either the right or left, but we seem to have lost the run of ourselves completely in the cause of political correctness.
Can we please get a sense of proportion back in our society? – Yours, etc,
Dr CONALL Mac A’BHAIRD,
Letterkenny,
Co Donegal.
Sir, – A white person dressing in blackface, for a bit of fun, is no more racist than an Englishman putting on a bad Irish accent, for a bit of fun. Which is to say, it is racist.
Perhaps racism feels more racist when one is the target of it, rather than when one is delivering it. – Yours, etc,
BEN AVELING,
Ranelagh,
Dublin
Sir, – The sanctimonious culture of the Social Democrats is the gift that keeps on giving. The Eoin Hayes gaffe is not even a storm in a tea cup. It is more of a tornado in a thimble. –Yours, etc,
MARGARET LEE,
Newport,
Co Tipperary.
Learning lessons from Covid crisis
Sir, – I am so pleased to read today’s reasoned and balanced letter from Prof Hilary Humphreys about our experience of the Covid crisis (Letters, September 16th).
While the handling of the crisis was not perfect, due in the main to having to make decisions under pressure and with the knowledge available at the time, I believe we were blessed to have people of the calibre of Prof Tony Holohan to keep us informed and guided, then taoiseach Leo Varadkar to show strong compassionate leadership and the reassuring TV appearances of Prof Luke O’Neill to keep a rational balanced view of events as they unfolded.
It is very easy to be wise after the event. My older sister arrived from the UK to visit our terminally ill brother on the day the hospitals went into lockdown and did not see him before he died, as was the case with many other people.
She nevertheless opted to stay, even when travel became an option for a while as she said she felt so reassured by the handling of things here.
Let us remember the things we got right too. – Yours, etc,
FIONNUALA DUNNE,
Sandycove,
Dublin.
The Traitors
Sir, – So Róisín Ingle believes watching The Traitors has “restored my pride in being Irish”.
Really? – Yours, etc,
NOEL HOWARD,
Kilworth,
Co Cork.
Thoughts on the presidency
Sir, – I am increasingly perturbed by those who promote a united Ireland on one hand and then take exception to Heather Humphreys’s candidacy for president on the grounds that she has attended order parades in the past.
On this island, there are approximately one million people who are perfectly happy to be citizens of the United Kingdom. There are approximately 100,000 members of the Orange Order, Apprentice Boys, Royal Black Institution and Independent Orange Institutions.
In a united Ireland, these people, along with their beliefs and traditions, will have to be accommodated, including, if necessary, an Orange march in Dublin on July 12th.
That scenario, along with many other matters, is the price of a united Ireland. – Yours, etc,
TIM BRACKEN,
Cork.
Sir, – Surely the president represents the whole nation? Whoever the successful nominee is, be they from Sinn Féin, Fine Gael, Fianna Fáil, Independent or other, should not matter. The role of president must be above any political parties or ideologies. – Yours, etc,
MARY BARRETT,
Raheny,
Dublin 5.
Sir, – So far, Sinn Féin has no candidate in the race for the Áras. Nor has it backed one.
I have a suggestion. Why not support a female, Ulster “born and reared” candidate, a Protestant woman of significant accomplishments and a proven track record of cross -community outreach?
In other words, the perfect symbol of the potential of a new, all-island Ireland. – Yours, etc,
PIERCE O’ SULLIVAN,
Glaslough,
Co Monaghan.
Mercosur and Irish farming
Sir, – I refer to the letter from Dale Crammond of Meat Industry Ireland (September 17th) which referred to the article by John FitzGerald in your issue of September 15th.
In his article Mr FitzGerald noted that “as Teagasc data shows, Irish farmers make nothing from producing beef – the EU subsidy regime accounts for all the net income Irish beef farmers get”.
The original justification for these subsidies lay in Article 39 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, which created the Common Agricultural Policy to stabilise markets, ensure availability of supplies, and provide a fair standard of living for farmers.
That made sense in post-war Europe, when food shortages were real. But today, around 85 per cent of Irish beef is exported to more than 70 countries.
Supports that began as a means of ensuring secure food for Europeans have become subsidies to sustain a global export industry which, by Mr FitzGerald’s point, does not generate income without public funds. Meanwhile, the Government has been “softening up” the public for the prospect of EU climate compliance costs that could amount to ¤26 billion by 2030.
A striking irony is that if the national beef herd were reduced by half now, not only would this looming liability disappear, but Ireland might even find itself in receipt of funds through the same EU mechanisms.
If Irish farmers’ only income from beef production comes in the form of EU subsidies, and Ireland itself gains little from the exports, the real profits are accruing to beef processors, some of whom are extremely wealthy and even super-rich, then we are left with a stark imbalance.
Farmers remain dependent, processors prosper, while the environmental damage from methane emissions drives up both our climate exposure and our potential financial penalties.
Something needs to change drastically. We do not need to produce mountains of beef for consumption elsewhere at such enormous environmental and financial cost. – Yours, etc,
PAUL O’SHEA,
Planet Before Profit CLG,
Shankill,
Dublin 18.
Fox news
Sir, – In reference to Carol Fox’s letter (September 17th) and the grand theft of her Supermilk: I am intrigued to find out if the Fox outfoxed the fox. – Yours, etc,
JOE McKENNA,
Douglas,
Cork.
Sir, – In her letter, Laura O’ Mara asked can foxes read? Well we had letters from two different Foxs published in today’s Irish Times. – Yours, etc,
BRYAN JOHNSTON,
Stillorgan,
Dublin.
Sir, – Foxes are stealing newspapers, tearing them up and scattering the pieces. Clearly, this is a sophisticated and desperate attempt at cross species communication.
A similar thing is happening when owls look at us and then turn their heads almost 180 degrees. If animals known for cunning and wisdom are trying to tell us something, we should listen. – Yours, etc,
COLIN WALSH,
Templeogue,
Dublin 6W.
Scrolling around
ir, – Today’s letter from Frank Byrne on people who were scrolling on their phones struck a chord with me. When travelling into Cork city by bus I frequently undertake my own mini- surveys on fellow travellers.
I can confirm that at least 80 per cent of the under-60s cohort (my guess) never lift their eyes off their smartphones for the entire journey. In fact, they often have to jump up quickly to get off when they reach their appointed stop.
I admit to owning a smartphone but refuse to allow it dominate my life. As an octogenarian I am too busy looking out the window at the world and life passing by while I still can. – Yours, etc,
JOHN BURNETT,
Carrigaline,
Co Cork.
