Sir, – The debate about the triple lock is, in essence, a discussion about the conditions under which we are prepared to send Irish troops overseas, projecting Irish military power onto people who may or may not appreciate it.
Therefore I welcome the article by Finn McRedmond (“The universe where Ireland can bask in its peacenik status is gone”, Opinion & Analysis, March 20th), reframing the debate on our military spending, and talking instead about the need to pay for our defence in a changing world.
Let’s focus on protecting our seas, our airspace, and our people from possible future attack. – Yours, etc,
PHILIP O’DWYER,
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Dún Laoghaire,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – As Ireland clings to its self-image as a neutral state, one wonders whether future St Patrick’s Day visits to the White House will involve less gift-giving and more pleading. While European neighbours scramble to fortify their defences, Ireland remains serenely committed to a military budget best suited to a coastal lifeboat service.
However, given the reliance on undersea cables and foreign goodwill, it may not be long before a visiting taoiseach must reassure a US president that Ireland is not, in fact, a soft target for cyber attacks or strategic encroachment. When that moment arrives, he may discover that, in geopolitics, as in nature, the unarmed are not merely neutral – they are prey. – Yours, etc,
ENDA CULLEN,
Armagh.
Sir, – My criticism of neutrality was not intended to imply we should join Nato, rather that we should not deify neutrality to the point where any suggestion that we might support one side in a conflict is seen as some form of unspeakable heresy (Letters, March 18th).
Raymond Deane (Letters, March 19th) suggests “non-alignment” as a more appropriate term for Ireland’s stance. I agree wholeheartedly. In certain circumstances a non-aligned country may choose to support one side in a conflict, militarily or otherwise, if they see it as the right thing to do.
However, can we remain non-aligned with respect to our EU partners in the event of an attack on a member state by a third country? Can we say, “Sorry, nothing to do with us?” – Yours, etc,
VINCENT MURPHY,
Cork.
Sir, – Finn McRedmond asserts that “if Ireland refuses to come to Europe’s side in a time of crisis I am sure it won’t make anyone here particular popular”.
Such a populist statement is quite insulting to Irish people as we are fully committed to the EU project, as successive opinion polls have shown. Indeed, if Europe was in a crisis, Ireland would be among the first to confront it in solidarity with the other 26 EU members.
We are fulfilling all our EU obligation under all existing treaties and we should stand up and be proud of ourselves.
The European reaction to the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the Trump administration’s fluctuating support for Nato has put the military capability of those EU members who belong to Nato under the spotlight.
In spite of European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen’s call for a European army, such a concept is not part of the European project and we cannot be faulted for not supporting her.
Finn McRedmond’s dismissive assertion that " Ireland can’t dine out on peacenik status any longer” ignores the reality that the vast majority of the Irish people , as successive polls have shown, favour the continuation of Irish military neutrality. – Yours, etc,
BRENDAN BUTLER,
Drumcondra,
Dublin 9.
Israel’s air strikes on Gaza
Sir, – With the resumption of the most lethal of air bombardments by the IDF this week, coupled with the continuing blockade on food and medical aid, what the Palestinian people are now being subjected to in their homeland is an abomination, an inexcusable crime against humanity. The world powers need to act with urgency and stop the senseless and depraved slaughter of innocents. – Yours, etc,
MICHAEL CULLEN,
Sandycove,
Co Dublin.
Getting to the heart of the meta
A chara, – While reading The Irish Times last weekend, I had cause to look up the meaning of the word “meta”. The explanation was something that is “self-referential”. This week has seen a series of letters to the editor about letters to the editor. How very meta! Hopefully this meta correspondence will increase my own published letter percentage. – Is mise,
JOHN KELLY,
Bennekerry,
Co Carlow.
Public order and water cannon
Sir, – Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan, outlining the measures the Government has now taken following the Dublin riots of 2023, says that it includes “water cannon, better body armour for gardaí, and stronger pepper spray” (“Number of trained public order gardaí up by 500 since Dublin riots, Cabinet to hear”, News, March 19th). A holistic approach and response, then. – Yours, etc,
PETER DECLAN O’HALLORAN,
Belturbet,
Co Cavan.
Tariffs and the pharma industry
Sir, – Donald Trump’s possible implementation of tariffs is a real existential threat to Ireland in that we have our largest exports of $54 billion to the US, of which $36 billion of this is pharma, which is directly in the line of fire for a 25 per cent tariff from April 2nd. It would be true to say that things could not be more uncertain for Ireland. One senses all this could change, given what we have seen with Mexico. It’s my assertion that all this flip-flopping by Mr Trump is ironically undermining Wall Street confidence and business confidence, and that’s another issue too .– Yours, etc,
JOHN O’BRIEN,
Clonmel,
Co Tipperary.
Counselling and education
Sir, – I read the article “Private counselling sessions are the new school grinds” (Education, Opinion, March 17th) by Dr Clare Finegan with a sense of unease. It is founded on a dangerous mischaracterisation of counselling which, if perpetuated, could have wider societal damage. I therefore feel moved to respond.
Counselling and psychotherapy involves alleviating personal difficulties and suffering through conversation in the context of personal, professional relationship. Confusingly, the article suggests that by offering young people counselling parents are shielding them from their own experiences. Yet, is there a clearer case of dealing with the reality of one’s lived experience than by openly talking about it in a safe space with a trained professional?
Dr Finegan argues that the implicit message of offering a young person therapy is that anxiety is destructive. Again, the reality is quite different. By offering a space in which anxiety can be verbalised, counselling clients – young and old – are offered a route to understanding their emotions, to make the unknown known, thereby lessening its destructive potential.
Going to counselling is equated with “fending off” anxiety. Again, this is the opposite of counselling, which involves delving into the nature of anxious feelings, reflecting on their origins with a view to gaining an understanding of experiences that may otherwise be overwhelming.
Above all, the idea that to go to counselling is to avoid dealing with reality has to be challenged. Given the culture of silence that has existed for so long in this country around mental health and personal suffering, I would respectfully suggest that it is time for a new tack. To that end, parents who offer their children counselling are to be applauded, as are the young people who have the courage to acknowledge and share their personal difficulties in a counselling session. – Yours, etc,
JOSEPH KILROY, MIAHIP
Psychotherapist,
Dublin 8.
Meeting Ireland’s energy needs
Sir, – In his response to arguments (“The debate: Should the State develop a terminal for liquefied natural gas?”, March 11th) against the proposed Shannon liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal, Rory Wheatley (Letters, March 19th) pleads for honesty from proponents of renewable energy in admitting that the price of renewables is propped up by subsidies which ultimately hurt consumers. I think real honesty comes from accepting that subsidies for fossil fuels far outstrip those for renewables. As recently as 2022 global subsidies, direct and in direct, for fossil fuels reached $7 trillion dollars, or 7.1 per cent of global GDP, according to the IMF. That same year subsidies for renewables stood at $1.3 trillion.
Despite this level of subsidy fossil fuel energy companies pushed higher prices on consumers and made record profits in recent years as they engaged in price gouging to claw back revenue impacted by lower demand during Covid.
As for the dependency of the developing world on coal we could look at China as an example. Despite being one of the main culprits in using coal for energy, primarily energising the supply cheap goods for Western consumption, it has in recent years dramatically increased its renewable capacity such that it now provides 49 per cent of their installed capacity and continues to grow.
If renewables in the West were subject to the same levels of subsidy as fossil fuels maybe we could now be looking at the renewable capacity levels of China. While there will be a need for fossils fuels for some period of time as we transition, for future generations we cannot now hold back on renewables. – Yours, etc,
BARRY WALSH,
Blackrock,
Cork.
The patience of a saint
Sir, – You tell us that “St Patrick was not canonised by the Catholic Church during his lifetime” (“St Patrick: 13 facts you need to know about Ireland’s patron saint”, Culture, March 15th).
Strange to say, no saint has ever been canonised during his or her own lifetime. St Patrick is no exception. – Yours, etc,
CDC ARMSTRONG,
Belfast.
Breakfast on the go
Sir, – The very first thing an Irish person will ask when they check in to a hotel is “How late do you serve breakfast?” The very first thing a tourist will ask is “How early do you serve breakfast?” Never the twain shall meet. I know. I was that soldier. – Yours, etc,
KEN BUGGY,
Ballyduff Upper,
Co Waterford.
Sir, – I have finally worked out why food at airports is so expensive. The cost of employing food scientists to ensure that the “offerings” are as tasteless and marginally edible as possible must be enormous. – Yours, etc,
FRANK WALSH,
Coolballow,
Wexford.
Irishness – home and away
Sir, – Further to “At home the DUP spurns Irishness, but when abroad it embraces it” (Newton Emerson, Opinion & Analysis, March 20th), a unionist friend of mine told me (with great glee) how he puts a magnetic IRL over his GB car sticker whenever he travels to the continent, and I don’t think he’s the only one. – Yours, etc,
GRÁINNE MEYER,
Göttingen,
Germany.
