I see that Victoria White and your newspaper (Irish Examiner, September 24), condone carelessness in the application of the law, in their effort to attack the right of the people of Ireland to retain their bilingual status.

While women constitute half of our population, they are seriously under-represented in national politics. Out of the 4,452 Dáil seats between 1918 and 2009, only 219 were filled by women (4.9%). At present, only 26 TDs out of 166 are women (16%).

I was glad to read M O’Flynn’s letter (Irish Examiner, August 7) regarding the heroic Fenian Jeremiah Ó Donnabháin Rossa, and those who followed in his footsteps, from the men of Easter Week to today’s republicans.

I recently read with dismay reports in the Irish Examiner of plans to establish a centre in Kinsale to commemorate ‘The Wild Geese’. This is intended to honour present-day veterans of the British, American and other armed forces.

The proposal by university heads to drop the requirement for students to matriculate in Irish, English and another language is retrograde and runs contrary to the Government’s policy of increasing the number of Irish citizens in EU jobs.

I agree with your recent letter “postal code debacle like e-voting shambles” (Letters, Oct 17).

Sinn Féin leaders claim that the timing of Gerry Adams’s arrest was politically motivated, and it probably was, but the timing could not have been more favourable to that party. The main political beneficiary of Adams’ arrest is Sinn Féin.

Myles Duffy (Letters, Febraury 26) misses the point. The Irish language has never been nurtured by the State.

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.

Where a language is excluded from public or official business, that language goes into decline.

Following the debate on gay marriage my view is evolving.

I am disgusted to hear that Minister for Health Dr James Reilly’s and Minister of State for Primary Care Alex White’s bill to tackle our country’s problem with alcohol abuse is moderate.

By the looks of this Craiglist ad, Uncle Phil and the Banks clan are in Baile Átha Cliath, and they're hiring.

US President Barack Obama couldn’t even meet the Taoiseach on March 17 to accept the ‘traditional’ bowl of shamrock.

With the probable industrial relations protest that will happen in future weeks and months, as a reader of your newspaper I would like to implore you to keep your coverage of politics in this country positive.

I was the main speaker at the Sinn Féin Commemoration for Seán South in Limerick City on Jan 6.

The confirmation from the research by the Central Bank that Ireland has the second lowest approval level for small business loan applications in the eurozone, coming just ahead of Greece, comes as no surprise to me and the people of Ireland.

Comórtas Peile Náisiúnta na Gaeltachta returns to its roots in Gweedore this weekend.

I am a very disgruntled rugby fan, writing to you having just got back from the farce in Paris.

In relation to Martin McGuinness’s suggestion that the people of the North should vote on the question of an United Ireland by 2016 (Irish Examiner, Jan 30) the necessary constitutional changes resulting from a yes vote need not be that profound.

CONTRARY to the waggish boast, the banning or marginalisation of a language does not lead to increased use of that language.

THE possibility for real and permanent system change is closer than ever.

I REFER to Ross Watchorn’s letter (March 25). I agree that the teaching of Irish should be overhauled.

YOUR pictures of flooding (November 12) reminded me of a terrible tragedy when a young mother and baby were drowned at Coomhola in west Cork a few years ago.

HEALTH Minister Mary Harney has announced that the Government is looking at charging 50 cent per item on a prescription charge because “they know one in six people who get a prescription charge under the GMS is prescribed 10 or more items”.

BASED on information supplied by the Dáil, the salary of a senator is €70,134, plus average unvouched and untaxed expenses of €45,000, totalling €115,134 per year.

I RECALL some years ago there was an up and coming TD shouting on the airwaves non stop “zero tolerance, zero tolerance is the only way”.

THE reductions in TDs’ and senators’ allowances are miserable.

THE comment by the Taoiseach on the Late Late Show last Friday that “looking back now we should have taxed housing more than we did” was truly amazing as he was asked many times in the Dáil to explain or to apologise for his catastrophic management during his period as finance minister.

RECENTLY on a trip to the beautiful area of Sao Martino do Porto in Portugal I was told by a local resident the jarvey horses there had nappies for years.

IT’S bad enough that Enda Kenny, Eamon Gilmore, et al think the Taoiseach caused the worldwide recession and banking crisis all on his own, but what’s really worrying is that they believe they can fix it

I FIND it scandalous that the Government parties — in particular Fianna Fáil — have consistently lied to people since the decision to drop universal entitlement to a medical card for the over-70s.

I FOUND it very interesting to say the least to read Steven King’s column (July 30) “It’s thanks to you Mrs Robinson as Tories turn their backs on DUP”.

PLEASE allow me to add something to your excellent editorial (July 25) urging support for those promoting local produce.

MY former colleague in Fine Gael, Barry Walsh (Letters, May 9) is mistaken if he believes the party’s Irish language policies are sufficient to satisfy the goals of the Irish language community.

SEVERAL weeks ago I emailed the entire Fine Gael frontbench to ask if they thought the party had failed the Irish language.

THE Oireachtas sub-committee on the Gaeltacht will publish its findings by the end of the year.

IN your editorial (January 21), you comment that the 2012 review by EU officials to decide whether the official working language status of Irish can be sustained will be objective and without emotion.

THE Cumann Gaelach in UCD is celebrating its centenary this year.

I HAVE some sympathy for the predicament of Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs Minister Eamon Ó Cuív in relation to redrawing Gaeltacht boundaries.

GREEN party deputy leader Mary White, seems to suggest that people in rural Ireland do not need the driving skills we normally consider necessary to hold a licence (Irish Examiner, January 4).

I WAS disgusted to see the new bus adverts sponsored by MEAS, an organisation backed by the drinks companies. Many people might be led to believe that drinkaware.ie ads are paid for by the Government.

OUR voluntary Irish language group, Ionad Buail Isteach, have to date collected 312 signatures on our website petition at www.ionad.org and 150 signatures on paper to support the Irish language in the legal system.

I DO not know why most Irish language organisations are up in arms over the decision by Education Minister Mary Hanafin to end total immersion in Irish in our gaelscoileanna.