Dear Sir... Readers' Views (09/11/16)
Presidential visit lets us reflect on aid programme
The occasion of the President’s State Visit to Vietnam provides us with an ideal opportunity to reflect on the potential that lies within our aid programme.
As President Higgins and Minister Charlie Flanagan meet with their counterparts in Vietnam this week, much of the discussion will be around the opportunities to grow the trade relations between Ireland and Vietnam — a rapidly growing ASEAN member. Ireland’s food exports to Vietnam were worth €36m in 2015 alone, and there is much potential for further growth.
Funding provided by Irish Aid has allowed the relationship between Ireland and Vietnam to flourish, and it has helped to create the environment in Vietnam which ensures they can trade with us.
Irish Aid programmes have trained Vietnamese workers — through providing funding to support their students to study in Ireland, by enabling Vietnamese universities to partner with Irish higher education institutions, and through funding the development of new child-centred teaching methods that will ensure the next generation of Vietnamese workers have the necessary skills to meet the requirements of international trade and commerce.
Money provided by our aid programme has been used to train health inspectors monitoring the safety and marketing of agricultural products, to strengthen compliance with minimum labour standards in Vietnam, and to support organisations that are fighting corruption. Further programmes have funded the de-mining of land, which has opened up new areas for agricultural use and supported vital climate change adaptation to protect vulnerable infrastructure.
Dóchas members including Oxfam, Plan and World Vision are also working in Vietnam, to ensure that the people who need it most — such as the ethnic communities in the north of the country — also share in the benefits of this growth and transition.
Without this investment, Vietnam would not have the workers, the laws or the conditions that allows them to trade with us. Our investment in overseas development assistance (ODA) is not simply an investment in Vietnam’s future, it also creates the trading partners of our future.
The Government must announce a multi-annual plan, outlining how and when it intends to meet our commitment to spending 0.7% of Ireland’s Gross National Income on ODA, as a matter of urgency. It is vital for the future of countries like Vietnam, but also for Ireland’s continued economic success.
What do we pay the licence fee for?
Many readers would have liked to have watched the rugby game from Chicago last Saturday evening. However, we know this was confined to those subscribing to BT. However, surely our national broadcaster ought to have been able to show this game on Sunday evening, knowing the level of public interest. What are we paying our licence fees for?
Gross cruelty to animals persists
Today, from 11am to 4.30pm, members and supporters of animal protection and dog rescue groups will protest outside the Department of Agriculture in Dublin against the horrors of our greyhound industry.
This is an industry that gives short shrift to dogs whose racing days have ended. While some find loving homes many are abandoned, or killed and buried in shallow graves. Greyhounds are doped with illegal substances to enhance their performance.
Even worse is the fate of exported dogs. These are routinely dispatched to jurisdictions where animal welfare laws are non-existent.
In Spain, unwanted greyhounds are hung by the neck from trees, a grizzly end to their months or years of loyal service to humankind. In China they can find their way into the food chain at markets and butcher shops, after being skinned and boiled ALIVE.
On top of this litany of abuse there is live hare coursing, the crowning horror of the industry. Within the past three weeks video footage has emerged exposing the so-called “regulations” that are supposed to protect hares in coursing as worthless.
The footage shows hares being mauled, battered, and tossed about like broken toys at fixtures in Counties Galway and Offaly, as fans watch unconcerned.
Today’s demo will highlight the plight of these two wonderful animals: the loyal and affectionate greyhound and the gentle, inoffensive hare, both victims of man’s gross inhumanity.
God help America!
Choosing an American President. After 18 months and millions of dollars only an appalling choice. God help America!
Coverage of pay rows irresponsible
Listening to, looking at and reading the media discussion on the arrogance-will-get-you-everywhere attitude of the gardaí and ASTI would not give one much faith in the responsibility of the Irish media in conducting the democratic discourse at the present critical time in this recently bankrupt and currently over-borrowed country.
The gardaí and ASTI are demanding more money at the expense of taxpayers and at the expense of the citizens who depend on the publicly- funded health, education, welfare etc services. Yet they are being given a virtually unchallenged run in media.
Is that not repeating the same mistake made by media when the same arrogance-will-get-you-everywhere attitude by a small number of the most powerful bankrupt the country during the Celtic Tiger time?
Is repeating the mistakes of the Celtic Tiger era, which cost everyone in this country so dearly, not only stupid but also irresponsible and indefensible?
Stop and stare at wonder of nature
The beauty of nature resonates very deeply within. Nature is a natural teacher. The days are getting shorter and the clocks went back, which is great for those who like to sleep in, but for the early birds, like me, it just means I’m up even earlier!
This beautifully illuminated leaf in the late afternoon sun in the park told me the big change was coming. The sweet chestnuts are almost ripe and will soon be gathered. Down in the park, the pond reflects the autumn tones, with harmonious ripples. I’m heading towards the woods. I love the feeling of space, adore the silence, and the lack of crowds. My mind is alive with heady fragrances. The weeping willows appear to shiver in the crisp air. A soft path through the trees surrounded by nature not a car to be seen or heard. Just a woodpecker drumming rat-a-tat-tat against a tree, a sound that reverberates and echoes into the wood. The sunlight shines its filtered yellow magic through the glade.
I reflect on my walk. Maybe tomorrow If God spares me. I can once again enjoy this natural wonder.
Missed chance for Labour and Corbyn
As a member of the Labour Party I am dismayed to see that the party will be standing in the Richmond Park by-election. Candidate Christian Wolmar says Labour should not “abandon the field”.
To continue that metaphor, Richmond is not the field, Britain is the field and we would not be abandoning it. What we are doing now is giving up an opportunity to deliver a hammer blow to the Tories, demonstrate that Labour is utterly serious about winning power and greatly enhance the prospects of a Corbyn-led government, either with an outright Labour majority or a Labour dominated coalition with the Liberal Democrats.
Lame duck Donald
A year ago I gave my friend 150 to one on 10 cents that Donald Trump would not win. Since then I have listened to and read daily Irish media pundits and academics across the nation say that the result is going to be very close.
Donald Trump has and has had, since his entry into the race in June 2015, about as much of a chance of winning the election as Donald Duck has.
Grand canal bed option for pipeline
Why not lay the proposed [water] pipeline on the bed of the Grand Canal which runs from the Shannon to Peamount, Co Dublin, the proposed destination? No compensation/disruption to farmers.
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