Madam, – Now that the Green Party has added Fianna Fáil to its list of endangered species to be protected, I think the the next election will show them that the “birds and the bees and the cottonwood trees” don’t vote, but the people do – and they don’t forget.
PAT BOWEN,
Station Road,
Sutton, Co Dublin.
Madam, – According to Bunreacht na hÉireann, deputies are supposed to represent constituencies. It seems, however, that Green deputies shall only be representing the members of their own party for the remainder of this Dáil. In particular, the Greens’ strong following in educational circles seem to have secured a valuable ring fence for themselves at a time of universal strife. – Is mise,
TOMMY TIGHE,
Grove Park,
Dublin 6.
Madam, – The failure to reintroduce undergraduate fees means that the poor, whose children do not access higher education will continue to subsidise the affluent, whose children do.
This subsidy is particularly strong in the case of high-cost lengthy courses such as medicine. – Yours, etc,
SEÁN Mc DONAGH,
The Court,
Bettyglen,
Raheny, Dublin 5.
Madam, – The revised programme for government contains a commitment that “conscious of the economic pressures today” the Government would not proceed with the re-introduction of university tuition fees. At the weekend Green Party leader John Gormley added that “increasing registration fees was a matter for universities to decide”.
There are three problems with this. First, all of the recent discussion on the potential for a student contribution centred on some form of deferred payment (ie a loan scheme) such as in the UK or Australia. This would mean that students would only be required to pay in the future and contingent on income. This would not add unduly to pressures today.
Second, a fee is a fee whatever you call it, just as calling a tax a “levy” or “contribution” does not change matters one iota. Asking students to stump up, say a registration fee of €2,000, is no different from asking to pay a tuition fee of the same amount and clearly will add to economic pressures today.
Finally, while there may be good arguments for effectively granting universities autonomy in setting fees (as UK universities have to a limited degree) this is quite a radical step and one that has not been accompanied by any discussion or analysis. - Yours, etc,
DR KEVIN DENNY,
UCD Geary Institute,
University College Dublin,
Dublin 4.
Madam, – I don’t think the Greens have realised that private water supply and community group water schemes are not provided with potable water by the local authority, or indeed managed by the local authority. Maybe because the Greens lost virtually all their councillors, they have lost touch with reality.
Are the Greens seriously think that they can introduce a water charge for a service the local authorities do not provide? Group water schemes are charging contributions already to run the schemes and private water schemes obviously are financed by households, so would a local authority water charge amount to a double charge in these cases? Or to turn the argument around, if I have to pay on the double, could I demand from the local authority a supply of water, and clean water at that? – Yours, etc,
MONICA MULLER,
Rossport,
Ballina, Co Mayo.
Madam, – The promised ban on stag hunting in the programme for government represents a milestone on the road to the abolition of all blood sports in Ireland.
Coupled with the restrictions on the operation of hunt kennels engendered by a section of the upcoming puppy farm legislation, this move will greatly advance the cause of wildlife protection and prevention of cruelty to animals.
For decades, the majestic stag has had to run for its life from packs of hounds, mounted riders, and scores of hunt followers racing behind in SUVs and motorbikes. Fleeing its frenzied pursuers in terror, the stag would suffer extensive injuries, becoming entangled in barbed wire or brambles, or attempting to swim across rivers and sometimes drowning in the process.
By the end of a hunt, the animal would drop to the ground from exhaustion, covered in blood and muck, panting and wheezing; its eyes bulging with fear.
And the intention of the hunt wasn’t even to kill the animal . . . just to put it through this harrowing ordeal for “sport”.
So fair play to the Green Party for achieving this major breakthrough in the battle against blood sports. The campaign to ban hare coursing and fox hunting continues. – Yours, etc,
JOHN FITZGERALD,
(Campaign for the Abolition of
Cruel Sports),
Lower Coyne Street,
Callan, Co Kilkenny.