In relation to Emer Sexton’s column on bacteria (Irish Examiner, January 5), the late Stephen Gould, the evolutionary biologist, said that bacteria, not humans, were the dominant life-force on Earth.

Religion has historically been the cause of conflict. Until Jesus Christ, the belief was that many gods existed. 

In the interest of safety at sea, a national policy on the management of dangerous beaches has to be established. Each local authority has its own policy.

It is tedious to see and hear media coverage of Health Minister Leo Varadaker’s personal life, and his “brave” decision to come out as gay.

In the Irish Examiner (January 15), Arthur Spring, Labour TD for Kerry North and West Limerick, criticised me for mentioning the slow rate of recovery in the jobs market in Kerry, because I highlighted the rise in live-register figures for the last three months of 2014.

I know our thoughts and prayers are with the French and the families of those murdered by the extremists.

Taking her cue from Charlie Hebdo’s style of risque ridicule, Suzanne Harrington (Irish Examiner, January 16) offensively characterises all religions as abusive in their public manifestations, even though she contradicts herself by allowing that there are also moderates, albeit moderates who do not speak against the excesses of their co-religionists.

While the arguments for wind power seem straightforward and compelling, Wind power would reduce our dependency on foreign oil, wind power is clean and would allow for the shut down of dirty fossil fuel fired power plants.

Every right-minded person will be disgusted by the wealth accrued by the political class since 2011, as revealed by RTÉ, and none will be surprised that the Government has not reformed this system.

The Children and Family Relationships Bill will be enacted whether or not the Irish people vote yes to same-sex marriage.