It is astonishing that Lynne Kelleher has blithely announced (Irish Examiner, Jan 2) more prophecies from weather ‘guru’ Ken Ring, considering his wild inaccuracy. Does Ms Kelleher check Mr Ring’s forecasts against the outcomes?

For years, the people of Cork have put up with severe flooding and the ruination of their homes and livelihoods. We were told that this was due to abnormal weather, but the abnormal has become the normal, and yet the State has not effectively dealt with this issue.

The changes in March to the building regulations (S.I. No. 80 of 2013 BUILDING CONTROL (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS 2013) will have big repercussions for residential self-builders. Nearly 60% of houses constructed in Ireland are self-builds (source NaSBA).

During the past year, your newspaper has written often of a ‘weather guru’ or ‘weather expert’, a Mr Ken Ring, from New Zealand. Mr Ring publishes a weather almanac forecast for the year, predicting the weather for each month, week, and day.

Solicitor Thomas Byrne’s conviction for fraud has taught us two things. First, the ILSI compensation fund is an insurance policy by solicitors for solicitors against the misdeeds of their own. It affords little compensation for clients.

Having read Kara and Hugh O’Callaghan’s letter to the editor (Jan 1), I am disgusted that there is any doubt that the HSE, via Health Minister James Reilly and the management at CUH, might not fulfil the promise of ring-fencing the agreed beds for cystic fibrosis patients.

December 10 and 11 were sad days for Irish democratic politics. Reference the debate on the Bethany Home survivors’ case.

It’s that time of year again... when the print media tends to go soft on a barbaric blood sport. Your pictures (Irish Examiner, Dec 27) project the picture-postcard image of foxhunting, the alluring pomp and pageantry of this traditional English pastime that England has banned.

As the new year is upon us, everyone is thinking of what they might give up. I’m wondering why we aren’t thinking about what we will start. A new year, a new hobby — perhaps Guiding?

John Healy may well be right when he says that Barosso, Van Rompuy and co. were “incandescent and exasperated” when omitted from “Paddy’s bailout exit party” (Letters, Dec 28).