Departure of Paschal Donohoe
Sir, – It is often only in hindsight that we realise how good we had it. Paschal Donohoe was a safe pair of hands in the finance brief, and I predict we will realise that soon. As my late mother would regularly say with a big smile on her face any time he came on TV, “Paschal is just great, isn’t he.”
And she was right. He worked harder than any of the rest of us back in our Trinity College Dublin days and he has worked hard since too. Apart from that, he is a good guy. Wishing him continued success. Thank you for your service. – Yours, etc,
ANNE MCCORMACK,
Rush,
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Co Dublin.
Sir, – I’m surprised that you didn’t publish any more positive letters about Paschal Donohoe (“Resignation of Paschal Donohoe,” Letters, November 19th). Are all your readers supporters of the Opposition and blind to what the rest of Europe and the world value. I think I may be reading the wrong paper. – Yours, etc,
OWEN McKEON,
Skerries,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – During the early days of Covid-19, I could not grasp the potential or clandestine medical issues involved, nor could I grasp the medium- to long-term consequences the epidemic might have on human society.
I could, however, anticipate that the State’s financial and economic structures and status could well come under severe stress. I was thankful that Paschal Donohoe was our minister for finance. – Yours, etc,
MICHAEL GANNON,
St Thomas Sq,
Kilkenny.
Sir, – It can hardly come as a surprise that one of the most senior members of our Government has decided to jump ship (“Donohoe in line for hefty remuneration package at World Bank,” Irish Times, November 18th).
The feeling is that many of the doyens now walking the corridors of power are just hanging around until the right job comes along. Self-interest is as good an explanation as any for their long-running failures to address serious social issues.
Similarly there can be no surprise that Paschal Donohoe would opt to join an institution such as the World Bank. He will have little difficulty fitting in. The World Bank has been criticised for allowing its policy to be dictated by a select group of multilateral agencies.
Indeed, it can be concluded that the bank’s “Harmony and Coherence” policy is little more than a vehicle to allow the most powerful pass off their own self-interest as the common good. Sound familiar? Think of the numerous “plans” to “solve” the housing crisis here. – Yours, etc,
JIM O’SULLIVAN,
Rathedmond,
Co Sligo.
Sir, – Paschal Donohoe was a very conservative minister who preserved the status quo for the old monied cabal with a minimal social conscience. His parting legacy will be of a minister for finance who will be remembered for doing nothing for older people, workers, or vulnerable cohorts such as children and the disabled in his final budget, yet who caved into lobbying from the hospitality sector for their commercial demands on the pretext of preserving jobs.
Mr Donohoe may have been an effectively prudent fiscal management accountant. This trait will probably suit the World Bank, whose primary objective is to preserve the traditional status quo of the first world nations and ruling established liberal democracies.
The former minister was totally risk averse when it came to stimulating creativity, didn’t show an ability to think “outside the box”, and seemed to lack the “vision thing”. He was, therefore, not the statesman needed by us in these unprecedented and challenging times, both nationally and internationally.
By all accounts, a very nice man, though. – Yours, etc,
STEVE PETHERBRIDGE,
Swords,
Co Dublin,
Sir, – Sincere best wishes to Paschal Donohoe on his move to the World Bank. Hopefully he can help many poor countries escape from debt and develop into fair and successful economies that can trade on an equal footing with the rest of the world. Wishing him every success in this new and demanding role. – Yours, etc,
PAUL CONNOLLY,
Main St,
Cavan.
The President’s new clothes
Sir, – Last Friday our national broadcaster RTÉ aired a radio item on its Drivetime show in which the current President’s appearance – her hair and clothes – were parsed and discussed in detail with a guest.
I have emailed RTÉ with the following question: in the 14 years of Michael D Higgins’s presidency, did RTÉ ever air a similar news item about his clothes and hair? I’m still waiting for an answer. – Yours, etc,
ROSEMARY LAFFERTY,
Lucan,
Co Dublin.
A drink while you’re waiting
Sir, – The recent correspondence on these pages regarding catering faux pas reminded me of the story told by the late playwright Hugh Leonard. On checking in after midnight to a midlands hotel, he asked: “Any chance of a nightcap?”.
The porter replied: “Certainly sir, would you like a drink while you’re waiting?”. – Yours, etc,
PETER McCARTHY,
Salthill,
Galway.
Nefarious neologisms
Sir, – I admire The Irish Times’s journalistic integrity in reporting exactly what is said, but couldn’t you relax your standards just a little bit to avoid embarrassment to your subjects? I don’t doubt that it’s exactly what she uttered (“Joanne McNally: ‘I was like, I’ll absolutely fly to Ireland and play golf with Bill Murray’,” People, November 19th), but it takes only a minor fib to spare her blushes at being caught out using such a nefarious neologism as the quotative “like”. – Yours, etc,
SEAN BOYLE,
Warner Rd,
London.
UK changes an Irish problem
Sir, – Michael McDowell hits the nail on the head as usual in his column (“Britain’s asylum shake-up creates an Irish problem,” Opinion. November 19th) on the possible fallout for Ireland from proposed changes to asylum procedures and processing in the UK. Speaking from his own experience as minister for justice, he is well aware Ireland has always had to track UK policy given the numbers that travel via (or from) the UK to claim international protection here.
Quite apart from a marked increase in numbers claiming asylum in the State since 2022, it is often overlooked that there are in the region of 1,000,000 people illegally in the UK. It is obvious that as the UK cracks down on people living illegally there, Ireland will be an increasingly attractive location for many to claim asylum, especially if people are paid to voluntarily leave if and when their asylum claims fail.
A final thought is that the former minister (the only one with a sense of humour I came across in my Civil Service career) is correct when calling out the likely judicial review onslaught if we implement the EU Migration Pact next year. There is next to zero possibility of the 90-day limit for interview and possible appeal to be met, with a consequent lawyers’ bonanza at taxpayers’ expense highly likely. – Yours, etc,
MICHAEL FLYNN,
Bayside,
Dublin 13,
Eoin Drea’s pessimism
Sir, – Dr Eoin Drea’s recent opinion piece (“The EU presidency will show how out of touch Ireland is”, Opinion, November 13th) doesn’t quite tell the full story of Ireland’s relationship with the European Union and our upcoming EU presidency next year.
Having just returned from one of my routine trips to Brussels, I met politicians and officials from across different EU countries and institutions, and I can confirm that next year’s Irish presidency of the Council of the EU is highly anticipated.
Ireland has a strong track record of delivering on its EU presidencies, with some notable achievements. It may be easy to forget them but in 2013, when emerging from the financial crash, Ireland steered the EU ably through its presidency and secured the Youth Guarantee at a time of massive youth unemployment. In 2004, we welcomed 10 new EU countries in what has been the largest ever EU enlargement.
Dr Eoin Drea’s observations on security and defence certainly do have merit. However, Ireland is responding. Ireland continues to stand with Ukraine. We became home to over 100,000 Ukrainian refugees and have provided significant financial aid. Ireland has demonstrated strong moral leadership on the conflict in Palestine, which is desperately needed at this time.
Our economic success is not rooted in “dubious facilitation”, but in political stability, an educated workforce and access to the EU single market. These factors make us the second largest net contributor per capita to the EU budget; not an insignificant contribution from a country supposedly “out of touch”. – Yours, etc,
NOELLE O’CONNELL,
European Movement Ireland,
Dublin 2.
New uses for Baggot St Hospital
Sir, – As suggestions are sought by Una Mullally regarding the future of Baggot St Hospital, I have one that might be consistent with Dublin’s architectural history, provide a valuable educational resource and solve a potential problem in healthcare all at a minimal cost. In her article she observes that the current dilapidated structure was designed by William George Murray, architect of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, whose father had designed the College of Surgeons building. There is a great deal to recommend that the Government restructure his Baggot St design as a modern College of Anaesthesiologists of Ireland (CAI).
The CAI currently operates from a house on Merion Square. With considerable ingenuity, from there it endeavours to oversee the training of more than 250 doctors in specialist training. – Yours, etc,
BRIAN O’BRIEN,
Kinsale,
Co Cork.
RTÉ Radio 1’s new schedule
Sir, – Like Colm O’Brien (Letters, November 19th) I too cannot understand why Oliver Callan’s programme has been moved to accommodate David McCullagh’s Today programme.
Yesterday morning Paschal Donohoe’s departure from Government was headline news on Morning Ireland. It was followed by David McCullagh’s first item – an interview with Paschal Donohoe.
We now have constant talking until Louise Duffy’s show at 3pm. Please bring Louise back at noon, we need some light relief – and a female presenter! – Yours, etc,
PAMELA McDONALD,
Blackrock Village,
Cork.
Leaving Cert geography course
Sir, – I note that we have a new Minister for Education. Last Thursday I attended the only training day I will have for the new Leaving Certificate geography course I am to begin teaching next September.
There are, as yet, no sample papers. There will be no marking scheme to guide us in teaching our students when those papers do finally appear. And individual questions may not have marks attached to them, à la the reformed Junior Certificate, just to confuse students even more. They will be forced to guess how many marks for each question and how long they should spend on it.
In other words, I learned nothing of value on this day. It seems futile to ask a third minister in a little over a year to review all of this urgently before the catastrophe that this reform unquestionably is begins to unfold in front of us.
Especially as the previous two ministers simply stuck their fingers in their ears and refused to listen to the ideas and opinions of those of us charged with implementing this reform. But I have no choice. Someone has to at least be able to say I told you so. Plus ca change, Minister. – Yours, etc,
ALAN O’CONNOR,
Donnycarney,
Dublin 9.
Non-offensive defence
Sir, – There are many elements of possible defence against aggression and invasion which are nothing to do with killing or being prepared to kill other people (Letters, November 19th).
These include scuttling (destruction) of facilities, which would be of use to an invader, and “nonviolent civilian defence” which is about preparing the population for resistance and non-cooperation with an invader – or internal oppression – including hidden disobedience. Publicising these would be a deterrence to invasion.
Gene Sharp’s 198 varieties of nonviolent resistance give just a small taste of what is possible. It is clear from the interrogation of Nazi generals after the second World War that they knew exactly how to deal with violence but they were at a loss when it came to non-violent resistance. Obviously it was violence which won that war for the Allies but it illustrates the power of non-violence.
The 2023, State-organised Consultative Forum on International Security Policy refused to look at non-offensive defence and non-violent civilian defence which was just a part of why that was a propaganda exercise.
But the wider question is how to prevent war, including nuclear war which would be the end of civilisation as we know it, and throwing us back to far worse than the stone age if we survived at all. The Irish Government seems content to add fuel to the flickering flames in Europe. We are currently looking in the wrong direction. – Yours, etc,
ROB FAIRMICHAEL,
Ballynafeigh,
Belfast.
