Sir, – I note that, arising from the ongoing talks on the formation of a new government, Michael Healy-Rae is likely to be given a junior ministry and, regardless of the responsibilities which this post might entail, “it will be good for Kerry” (“Michael Healy-Rae says he will take take junior ministry and that Kerry people will see the benefits”, News, January 15th).
It has always been the case that, when exercising the franchise at an election, based on the manifestos of the main political parties, voters have proceeded on the basis that, for the most part, those stated policies will be prioritised and, hopefully, implemented, when a government is formed.
However, the reality now appears to be that, post-election, the particular interests of individual counties and regions take over, without any objective assessment whatsoever of the economic and social needs of the country as a whole.
It is all very well to say that realpolitik must prevail but that is cold comfort for voters, like myself, who now feel that it has almost become a fruitless exercise to try to make a reasoned decision on how to vote.
Indeed, to vote for someone on the basis of the contribution that person might make, in dealing collectively with the challenges facing the nation, now seems to be a lost cause. – Yours, etc,
MARTIN McDONALD,
Terenure,
Dublin 12.
Sir, – Colm Keena’s analysis “Why are people saying FF and FG should not deal with Michael Lowry?” (January 14th) made for sobering reading. Simon Harris and Micheál Martin “blushed a bit, but said they were still willing to deal with the Regional Group”, with Mr Lowry “their point of contact”. Where has the moral compass gone to? Have they no shame? Is this what we voted for in the general election? – Yours, etc,
PATRICK O’BYRNE,
Dublin 7.
Sir, – It was bound to happen sooner or later that the Craggy Island constituency would control the direction of government. – Yours, etc,
DONAL HUTTON,
Carrigaline,
Co Cork.
Sir, – Hats off to the Healy-Raes! – Yours, etc,
MICHAEL ROONEY,
Knocknacarra,
Galway.
Sir,– Is there a possibility we may be subjected to rotating Healy-Raes as junior ministers? – Yours, etc,
CONOR McMAHON,
Dublin 14.
Global coal consumption
Sir, – Ciarán Cuffe, co-chair of the European Green Party, is preaching to the converted when he exhorts governments “on both sides of the Atlantic” to decarbonise (Opinion & Analysis, January 14th).
Global consumption of coal has doubled in the past three decades but not on Atlantic shores: China burned through a record five billion tons of coal last year and India burns more coal annually than Europe and North America combined.
The Greens should redirect their fire. – Yours, etc,
Dr JOHN DOHERTY,
Gaoth Dobhair,
Co Dhún na nGall.
Covid and child disability services
Sir, – Fintan O’Toole needs to take off the rose-tinted glasses when looking back at the response to Covid (“Five years after Covid, we scorn health workers, ignore vaccines and work in our offices”, Opinion & Analysis, January 15th).
While health service senior managers lectured the Irish people about “protecting the vulnerable”, HSE senior management were busy redeploying therapists for children with disabilities to Covid work.
Zoom teaching was effectively useless for many children with complex needs, leaving parents effectively fulfilling the role of both therapists and teachers.
Unlike certain “frontline workers”, parents of children with disabilities did not get a clap for their efforts nor indeed did they have the time to perfect their dance moves for TikTok videos.
As usual, the State left it to parents to provide services that functioning health and education services provide as a matter of course to children with disabilities.
When it comes to child disability health services and education, nothing has changed since Covid. Parents continue to be forced into High Court actions to secure education and therapy services.
It would be entirely accurate to state that while Irish politicians, regulatory bodies, media, health and education management hide, the High Court remains the only State institution actually doing its job in protecting Irish children with disabilities.
Perhaps rather than wistfully looking back at a time when the State threw Irish kids with disabilities under a bus, the Irish media might start taking some of the burden from parents and the High Court by challenging the senior health service managers who continually fail to provide even basic levels of service. – Yours, etc,
RUARY MARTIN,
Dublin 18.
Drying the washing
Sir, – While travelling recently on a train through the picturesque Algarve, I found myself bemused by a group of Canadian tourists marvelling out of the window. Their source of wonder? Not the stunning coastline or quaint villages, but the sight of washing lines strung between houses. They seemed utterly fascinated by the notion of drying clothes outdoors.
Coming from Ireland, where a fine day is never squandered, hanging washing outside is practically an art form. In fact, we didn’t stop at using clotheslines – hedges often served as makeshift drying racks in a pinch. There was something delightfully simple about this practice: no tumble dryer could match the smell of laundry infused with fresh air. Economical, environmentally friendly, and requiring no batteries, what more could one want from a drying method?
The conversation took an unexpected twist when, upon striking up a chat, they assumed I was English. I politely corrected them, though I fear the damage was done. Perhaps my accent had been softened by years of outdoor drying. – Yours, etc,
ENDA CULLEN,
Armagh.
Insurance premiums
Sir, – I found it rather intriguing to learn that the body which resolves personal injury claims, the Injuries Resolution Board, has stated that there has been a 40 per cent drop in public liability claims between 2019 and 2023 (“Personal injury guidelines result in sharp fall in claims”, News, January 14th). Its report examined 30,000 public liability accidents.
If there has been a drop in overall claims, one wonders why insurance in Ireland is so expensive? – Yours, etc,
JOHN O’BRIEN,
Clonmel,
Co Tipperary.
Changes to the Leaving Cert
Sir, – In “Leaving Cert 2.00: What to expect from the reformed senior cycle” (Analysis, January 14th), Carl O’Brien dismisses the inherent threat of AI-assisted plagiarism by nonchalantly assuring us that “AI would only get a student so far”. The much more relevant problem, however, is how far AI will get a student in two years, when the first additional assessment components will be submitted to the Department of Education for correction as part of the Leaving Certificate changes. AI is developing at an exponential rate. He further seems to take reassurance from the fact that " . . . teachers will need to sign off these projects as students’ own work when handing them to the State Examinations Commission”. However, this requirement will put teachers in a deeply invidious position. Should they suspect that their student received assistance with their work – from parents, other teachers, or from AI – will teachers really be expected to effectively accuse their students of cheating? To deprive their students of 40 per cent of their Leaving Cert marks in a subject? To lay themselves (and their school boards of management) open to legal challenges by affected students and parents?
Or will teachers be inclined to give such students the benefit of any doubt? – Yours, etc,
SIMON KELLIHER,
(Secondary Teacher),
Crookstown,
Co Cork.
Sir, – While I strongly disagree with the solution offered to the “damaging Leaving Cert points race”, Matthew Harrison’s powerful description of the problem itself should leave us in no doubt that a solution must be urgently found (“It’s time to get rid of the damaging Leaving Cert points race”, Education, Opinion, January 13th). The Leaving Cert has become an excellent example of the cure becoming worse than the disease. It may well have been necessary when introduced: Ireland would be a very different place today if access to third-level education had depended on whom you knew rather than what you knew; but I believe we have grown up enough that this would not be such an issue – and if it were to be, then a far less damaging solution than the Leaving Cert would be found.
Because of the “exams’ umbilical attachment to third-level entry” teachers are faced with the choice between educating the children we entrust to them or making it possible for them to pursue the further education that suits them. Our teachers would not, under the current system, be thanked for making the right choice. The proposed reforms of the system appear to have the absurd objective of making the exam weeks less stressful for the students. This is impossible since the stress is built in: that only 60 per cent rather than 100 per cent of your points that will determine whether you get the course you want depend on the exams will make very little, if any, difference. The reform will certainly not solve the “teaching to the test” problem.
Eliminating the test entirely and allowing students to enter any course at any university they wished would solve that problem, but be damaging both to the universities and, more importantly, to those students who invested time and effort in courses they were not suited for. It would be best to leave the admission decisions to the universities. – Yours, etc,
WILLIAM HUNT,
Dublin 6.
Universal basic income
A chara, – A letter writer (January 14th) asks about the trial of universal basic income promised by the last government. Minister for Arts Catherine Martin launched Basic Income for the Arts in 2022, a trial programme where 2,000 artists and arts workers received a payment of €325 a week for three years. This scheme was widely welcomed in the arts sector, and many organisations have called for the scheme to be retained and expanded when it runs out this year. – Is mise,
Cllr RAY CUNNINGHAM,
(Green Party),
Dublin 12.
Sir, – While government commitments to universal basic income are a matter of record, that doesn’t make them credible or wise.
Given our adult population of four million, if we took €15,000 per year as an acceptable level of UBI, it would cost €60 billion, assuming no implementation, administrative or delivery costs. This is about half of the total, currently massive, tax take. – Yours, etc,
BRIAN O’BRIEN,
Kinsale,
Co Cork.
Foreign policy and national interests
Sir, – As the new Irish government formulates its foreign policy, it is important to note that our values and principles and our national interests are not mutually exclusive (Pat Leahy, “Government is getting nervous about the contentious Occupied Territories Bill”, Opinion & Analysis, January 12th).
Apart from the risks of this solo run challenging our EU legal obligations, we should be working with our EU colleagues for maximum effectiveness in creating a two-state solution in the Middle East and in supporting the latest diplomatic moves to free the hostages and secure a ceasefire. – Yours, etc,
TED SMYTH,
New York.
Some free advice
Sir, – I was astonished to read that the former leader of the Green Party is now giving advice to the incoming government on the control of spending (Eamon Ryan, Opinion & Analysis, January 14th). This coming from a Minister with nine full-time advisers beggars belief. – Yours, etc,
ANTAINE O’DUIBHIR,
Dublin 6.
Social media alternative
Sir, – Further to Ben Aveling’s letter (January 14th) outlining several alternatives to the Mark Zuckerberg social media empire, I can enthusiastically recommend a further alternative: giving up social media entirely. – Yours, etc,
DAVID M O’SHEA,
Dublin 6.
Blooming daffodils
Sir, – One glorious yellow daffodil in full bloom, having come unscathed through the challenges of frozen ground and considerable depth of snow. Hardy and a symbol of nature’s resilience. We are deeply grateful. – Yours, etc,
KATHLEEN GLEESON,
Killarney,
Co Kerry.