Tough times, but it’s not all bad news

It is true that we are seeing sad stories in the media, in the midst of our difficult economic recession, almost on a daily basis. As well as murders, suicides and gang killings theere are stories of businesses that have closed down under the pressure of less ‘footfall’ in stores and upward only rent reviews (still not changed by legislation as promised with a sense of urgency before the February 2011 General Election by this new government, who are 18 months in office).

We are witnessing waves of emigration to Canada and Australia and new expected taxes and charges in 2013 will put more people under severe pressures, primarily because of the 2009/10 IMF/ECB bailout for our banks.

But, I can’t agree with the very negative views of the letter-writer of ‘The criminal and the corrupt are the norm’ (Irish Examiner, Oct 10, 2012) “that the line between honest business and criminal activity is as thin as a hair” and how “Dear old Ireland is very much a country that has resigned, given up, and couldn’t give a damn one way or the other”.

This, I hope, isn’t true. It is not as completely bleak as the picture presented in the letter. I do agree murders of civilians and ordinary people are on the increase and that cutbacks to groups working with vulnerable people have been hard.

But, there are announcements of new jobs like Kerry Foods’ plans to build a state-of-the-art food research facility in Naas, employing 900 people. Apple computers in Cork have opened a new premises with the potential to employ hundreds in the heart of Cork city, to add to their manufacturing facility that has been on the northside of Cork for over 30 years.

We read positive stories in our national and local newspapers of people setting up all kinds of businesses around the country, particularly in the food sector, with exports of their products doing well. These are honest businesses, that have no remote connection with corruption.

There are caring people in Irish society like those who support and help charities. Recently, the RTÉ broadcaster Marian Finucane was in Cork as a guest speaker for the 40th anniversary of Edel House, a charity organisation set up to help vulnerable women and children in danger of homelessness in the city and surrounding areas. Also in Cork, Labour Minister of State, Kathleen Lynch, recently opened a new facility for independent living at the Lawrence Cheshire Home in Glanmire. Committee members and supporters of St Luke’s Home in Cork were pictured recently promoting a fundraising annual event. We have also the well-supported Marymount Hospice in Cork, as well as other excellent hospices in Dublin, to name just a few examples.

We see these good news stories more in the printed media than on RTE News, which usually leads with the gloomy news of the day.

But there are still, a lot of positive things happening, and good people around the country.

Mary Sullivan

College Road

Cork