Person: John Stafford

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

columnists

Failing to ask some vital questions

THE concisely titled HIQA “Report of the inquiry into the circumstances that led to the failed transportation of Meadhbh McGivern for transplant surgery and the existing inter-agency arrangements in place for people requiring emergency transportation for transplant surgery” makes for interesting reading.

Constitutional call

Hard to believe

Only a new system can save us now

Ministers up in the air

‘Disaster’ plebiscite

Words of wisdom

HOW wise was the American patriot Thomas Jefferson when he said “I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies”.

Thu, 07 Oct, 2010

Electricity hike dispels myth of cheap wind

IT can only be hoped that the introduction of the public service obligation levy on electricity, with prices to increase up to 5%, will be a wake-up call to help dispel the myth that renewable energy (specifically wind) is not costly.

Thu, 02 Sep, 2010

Hi-tech answer to fake passports

THE problem of fake Irish passports — especially those used by foreign intelligence agencies — can be fixed quite easily.

Sat, 03 Jul, 2010

Abuse of the system

MANY will think it quite extraordinary that this Government (or indeed any government) could dare withhold the right of citizens to political representation by refusing to move the writ for no less than three by-elections.

Thu, 20 May, 2010

Good advice

THE continual bleating of the Government that it is “following advice” – most recently the attorney general’s advice on ministerial pensions – brings to mind an old Irish saying: “He who accepts no advice is a fool, but he is a thousand times worse who accepts every advice”.

Wed, 12 May, 2010

Open up TV debates

THERE is no particular logic to support the contention that TV debates should include only the leaders of the two main parties.

Wed, 21 Apr, 2010

Unions should focus on reducing prices

WHEN will the public sector unions realise the Government simply cannot row back on pay cuts? It would be much better if the unions expended their energies instead on things that can be changed.

Fri, 16 Apr, 2010

Bailing out Anglo’s depositors was not an act of undiluted patriotism

THE Taoiseach takes umbrage at being accused of “economic treason” arising from his part in the decision to rescue Anglo Irish Bank by guaranteeing not only deposits, but also the amounts owing to bondholders. At that time we were told repeatedly the bank had to be saved because it was of its “systemic” importance. How things change.

Sat, 03 Apr, 2010

No confidence

DOES Cardinal Brady imagine for one minute that he can retain his position when he has clearly lost the confidence of the people?

Tue, 23 Mar, 2010

Test of conscience

IT appears Cardinal Seán Brady is wrestling with his conscience. It will be interesting to see if he wins.

Fri, 19 Mar, 2010

The Irish system

YOUR editorial (February 20) makes reference to our parliamentary democracy.

Tue, 23 Feb, 2010

Cowen splitting hairs over hangar contract

THE Government, as sole owner, has effective control over the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) and significant influence as the major shareholder over Aer Lingus.

Mon, 22 Feb, 2010

Power of recall

WILLIE O’Dea is a disgrace to all those who will vote for him in great numbers at the next election. Nonetheless, it is clear there is a need for a recall process to enable dissatisfied voters to attempt to unseat their political representatives, should they see a need.

Sat, 20 Feb, 2010

No surprises here

WHY was George Lee surprised? Political life in this state is dominated by bunches of incompetents, all sitting on their pots.

Wed, 10 Feb, 2010

Housing surplus

HOW on earth did we come to have 300,000 houses lying empty around the country?

Wed, 27 Jan, 2010

Minister even more useless than he thinks

THE pathetic defence by Transport Minister Noel Dempsey that it made no difference whether or not he was in the country for the weather crisis is probably more true than he might like to admit, but it also speaks volumes about the qualities of accountability, responsibility and leadership in government.

Tue, 12 Jan, 2010

Slip sliding away

IT seems Transport Minister Noel Dempsey left the country on holiday last Monday, just in time to miss the worst of the weather crisis.

Sat, 09 Jan, 2010

Judges’ pay test

IT IS well understood that there is a constitutional prohibition on reducing judges’ pay.

Tue, 22 Dec, 2009

Opposition to the nuclear option not based on logic

THE recent report on the World Energy Outlook for 2009 from the OECD’s International Energy Agency highlighted the need for greater energy efficiency and “green growth” – including nuclear as well as renewable energy.

Mon, 19 Oct, 2009

Wind power comes at a very high price

RECENTLY you reported that the Spirit of Ireland group was planning an enormous investment in pumped storage solutions to back up the wind energy industry by storing off-peak electricity generated by wind turbines and releasing it at times of peak demand.

Fri, 15 May, 2009

Fight the rip-off republic

IT is clear that, between tax increases and wage decreases, thousands of families are being dragged out of prosperity and into poverty.

Fri, 10 Apr, 2009

Unions on wrong track

WHAT part of “we are banjaxed” do the unions not understand? What do they think a strike will achieve?

Fri, 13 Feb, 2009

Freeing the credit lines

IT appears the banks are unwilling to lend enough money to keep business functioning.

Tue, 27 Jan, 2009

Parallel currency would get things moving again

IF a raft of economists are to be believed, it is imperative to cut the public sector wage bill. Such action would be met by strong resistance.

Wed, 21 Jan, 2009

The real agenda?

WHY does RTÉ’s managing director of television find it necessary or appropriate to review the list of panel members for a chat show?

Fri, 16 Nov, 2007

Just the word for it

YEARS ago there used be a word commonly used in Dublin that we don’t hear so much these days: ‘messers’.

Tue, 13 Nov, 2007

French connection

IN his letter headlined ‘Too much hot air over wind power’, John Stafford (September 26) says that “France, in particular, gets no part of its electricity supply from wind”.

Fri, 19 Oct, 2007

Nuclear power part of the answer

IN his letter headlined ‘Nuclear energy not worth the risk’ (September 22), Dr Philip Michael has many contentious arguments to make against nuclear power that need to be answered, although too many to tackle here.

Tue, 02 Oct, 2007

Too much hot air over wind power

BRIAN BRITTON (Letters, September 18) reminds us once again that “Ireland is one of the countries with the greatest potential to develop offshore wind electricity-generating capacity”.

Wed, 26 Sep, 2007

Bluffing game

THE recent postponement of the Aer Lingus strike on the night before it was due to begin was about as useful to the intending passengers as a restaurant serving up meals after the diners had gone home.

Sat, 25 Aug, 2007

Contempt for customer

IF Aer Lingus were to open a hub in Sydney or Chicago or Jakarta, should the pilots there have the same conditions as those flying out of Dublin?

Fri, 17 Aug, 2007

Anti-nuclear ‘nonsense’

PATRICK L O’BRIEN (Letters, July 6) is entirely correct to decry the “nonsense regarding the dangers of the nuclear option”.

Tue, 10 Jul, 2007

Two key issues largely ignored

HOW odd that the two most crucial issues of the 21st century — peak oil and climate change — hardly got a look-in during the election.

Sat, 02 Jun, 2007

Frosty night in Helsinki

RESPONSIBILITY for Ireland’s Eurovision fiasco in Helsinki must lie with those who advised the composers of the lyrics.

Mon, 21 May, 2007

Ireland has various energy alternatives

IN response to John Stafford’s letter (Irish Examiner, March 12), I wish to point out that half of Ireland’s electricity could come from several sources.

Thu, 15 Mar, 2007

Wind is no panacea for our energy needs

WIND energy is a good thing, and its advantages have been receiving much media attention.

Mon, 12 Mar, 2007

Global warming and the case for nuclear energy

THE first part of the fourth report of the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), published on February 3, states with 90% certainty that global warming is anthropogenic and if we humans continue in a ‘business as usual’ manner, the consequences are likely to be apparent during this century and will be serious, if not catastrophic.

Tue, 13 Feb, 2007