Dr O’Brien (Irish Examiner, Letters May 27) distorts the reality of Israel and its minority Arab population whom he falsely calls “Palestinians” when in fact they are Israeli Arabs, citizens equal in law to Israeli Jews.

His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State at the Holy See declared that the outcome of the marriage referendum is ‘a defeat for humanity’ — after the votes were cast, as if he were administering a balming poultice.

The Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) report on their grave concerns about the welfare of the 1,600 children living in direct provision in this state is shocking.

On Friday, Ireland held a referendum on same-sex marriage. It passed with a healthy majority and this raises a few questions.

Today, a message from the NGO, Concern, relating to the disastrous situation, in Sudan, dropped through my letterbox.

I read two articles in the Irish Examiner on Tuesday, May 19. The first was Ireland may take an extra 300 refugees on top of the existing 220.

If Percy Sledge was alive, do you think he would have changed the words and title to his only number one song to ‘when a man loves a man’?

In 2013 the UN stated that Israel was carrying out “de facto segregation” against the Palestinians. In 2012 Palestinian citizens of Israel were allocated less than 6.25% of the state budget though they make up 20% of the population.

Congratulations to all those young people who not alone voted but canvassed, on whatever side, for the referendums last Saturday.

Mr John-Paul O’Driscoll has listed various world conflict areas as reasons why the Secretary General of the United Nations (UN), Ban Ki-moon should not have received the Tipperary International Peace Prize (Letters, Irish Examiner, May 26).