Conor Ryan’s article (Irish Examiner, Jan 4) on ‘Repeat Offenders’, “why criminals reoffend, and what can be done... to buck the trend” explores an important phenomenon across the world — why some people reoffend, having already been sanctioned by the courts.

Pat Cox said he had “nothing to do with the appointment” of Patricia Ryan, so it seems safe to assume the matter didn’t come before the board of Limerick City of Culture, which he chairs.

We believe the Irish government will get € 1.4bn as a once-off payment for the sale of an Bord Gáis.

The spectre of global warming and the political panic surrounding it has triggered a gold rush for renewable energy sources without a discussion of the merits and drawbacks of each.

Cystic Fibrosis Ireland (CFI), the national charity, has met with the hospital management, clinicians and the HSE and has urged that a speedy resolution is found to end the dispute that is holding up the development of a new inpatient facility in Cork University Hospital.

The RTÉ documentary on Ronan O’Gara made for riveting viewing. Certainly it was one of the best biographical documentaries I have seen in some time.

My son, Rian, was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis when he was 10 months old. He is now three and doing quite well. My knowledge of this illness was minimal, but my family and I have had to learn.

As the year 2014 begins with a new flicker of hope, we are being told that our country has allegedly won back its independence from the troika.

I am writing to express huge disappointment with regard to the current dispute over the allocation of beds for Cystic Fibrosis sufferers in the adult ward of the Cork University Hospital.

Your recent editorial (Jan 2) describes the European Union as the factor which, “more than anything”, makes a recurrence of a world war seem impossible.