Michael Clifford’s article — 'Referendum isn't needed to put a roof over everybody's head' — ( Irish Examiner, December 12) on the failures in housing, and the obvious reasons for the failures, lifted the spirit — albeit briefly.
In normal democracies, when it can be pointed out that a policy being
pursued is serving sectional interests to the detriment of the common good, it can be expected change will occur.
The taoiseach’s reaction in the Dáil in the week when this issue was raised shows that there is not the slightest intention on the part of this Government to do so.
In fact, it is clear the Government is pursuing policies that can only be described as opportunistic, in that the crisis is being used to shove more taxes into the pockets of developers, landlords and landowners and to allow these entities to tighten their grip and control over housing.
A clear example of this is the latest extraordinary whizz to further water-down Part V which requires 10% of any development to be reserved for the local authority to be used as social housing.
A new policy sees the government, instead of taking ownership of such units, now leasing them for 25 years after which full ownership reverts to the developer.
After 25 years of paying rent, neither the State nor the renter has anything for their input. Add to that the fact that a family, who for that 25-year period turned the house into a family home, are now being exposed to the whim of the developer who may decide to place the house on the open market.
This is the State actively creating rent insecurity.
The answer to the housing crisis is indeed not rocket science and does not, as Mr Clifford points out, require any changes to the Constitution.
That said, and given our experience, the value of framing homelessness within the legal rights gamut cannot be overstated.
It would give homeless people a right of action, rather than having homelessness considered simply as a political issue or a bureaucratic issue that relies entirely on discretionary action.
All that is required is for government to be peopled by those with the vision to build a fair, decent, and inclusive society. A smidgeon of empathy would not go astray either.
Jim O’Sullivan
Rathedmond
Sligo
Aer Lingus: Don green jersey again
As Aer Lingus workers continue to have difficulty in claiming statutory entitlements the company are to deploy aircraft to the north of England and set up a base in Manchester which will operate transatlantic routes.
Routes out of Shannon have all been suspended. To achieve this they will re-register aircraft in Britain using a subsidiary company called Aer Lingus UK Ltd.
Local crews will be employed on cheaper pay, terms and conditions than Irish counterparts — a threat to competitiveness that many other sectors will also face in a post-Brexit world.
So after the Irish taxpayer has effectively paid the wage bill of Aer Lingus since March they are deploying aircraft in Brexit Britain as opposed to reinstating routes out of Shannon.
A deep concern for Irish-based crews is that the Manchester base would operate flights in and out of Ireland to the US using layover trips and by so doing threaten Irish-based jobs.
Aside from the threat to Irish jobs who would have thought they would see the day when Aer Lingus aircraft would have a Union Jack stamped on its side?
Aer Lingus needs to confirm its commitment to reinstating flights from the Mid-West region and protect Irish jobs. It’s time they put back on the green jersey. They owe us taxpayers that much.
Anne-Marie Keane
Ballylahiff
Oola
Co Limerick
Flaming hell — what next with tech
Sometimes you wonder about technological advancements. The main worry about drones flying overhead used to be them crashing or invading your privacy — especially when sunbathing.
Now add a flame thrower and the world changes. A volunteer group in Zhong County, China, that normally uses a drone to find lost people, attached a flamethrower to one to destroy wasp nests. It was very effective.
The concern is what happens at the end of the day when someone takes the toy home or someone in the military sees them and thinks this could be of use. A flying flamethrower could be better at dispersing crowds than a water cannon.
A simple concern is that no matter how well-intentioned the development of technology is someone will find a more interesting and possibly dangerous use.
Cars were a great improvement on horses, but they have killed a lot more people than horses did.
And let’s not discuss the good and bad of online technologies such as Facebook or Twitter. The robots aren’t coming to get us, they are probably already here.
Dennis Fitzgerald
Landale St, Box Hill
Vic Melbourne
Australia
No ‘Up for the Match’ — shame
RTÉ’s pre All-Ireland final Up for the Match was ‘as láthair’ this year. Why oh why? It is sadly missed and very disappointing for us Gaelic supporters.
All celebratory events are now on Skype or Zoom and transmitted safely for public enjoyment and even participation, and done with a bit of worthwhile effort and a smeádar of elbow grease.
I wish to belatedly congratulate Ryan Tubridy and RTÉ for such an entertaining Late Late Toy Show this year and young and not-so-young like myself were in tears (of laughter) at Ryan’s kiddish capers getting entangled in a Little Elf costume, and being launched into space for little Adam’s enjoyment — what energy and true Christmas spirit he spread into our homes.
What a show to put on in these strange times and who said it couldn’t be done?
I say ‘Well done Tubs’ — it will go on record as the best in entertainment value and a launch-pad for the huge variety of amazing Irish talent in music, literature and the arts in general.
Why could we not have a show of GAA talent, past and present, with input from associates in participating teams?
I know exactly what could have entertained us in the midst of Covid-restricted All-Ireland finals... another excuse for a Magic Marty Party.
Eilís Uí Bhriain
Caisleán Uí Liatháin
Co Chorcaí
Trans are already part of our lives
At the end of her article on transgender issues — 'Trans community collateral damage in social media policing' — your columnist Alison O’Connor talks of helping “trans people find their proper place in life and society”.
I think she misses the point. Trans people are already part of our lives and society. This is their place.
Others may need help in coming to terms with it but that is not something for which trans people or their allies should be held responsible.
Bernie Linnane
Dromahair
Co Leitrim
Misinformed rant on Simon Coveney
Nobody doubts that Simon Coveney’s ability to articulate his brief on close scrutiny in interviews on both TV and radio is admirable, his delivery is
confident, informed, and definitive.
Ray Cawley’s cynical and misinformed observations — 'Class Coveney treated poorly by RTÉ presenter' ( Irish Examiner, Letters, December 9) supported by Michael Foley — 'Poor treatment of politicians on TV' ( Irish Examiner, Letters, December 11) are to say the least naive.
An interviewee on live television accepts that their allocated time is advised as being flexible during “live on air’ time, this is normal practice.
The advertising ‘breaks’ are auto generated and not, as Cawley suggests, at the whim of the directors or producers to generate revenue to support ‘exorbitant salaries’ of RTÉ stars.
He completes his misinformed rant with “Bring Back Pat Kenny” obviously unaware that Kenny left RTÉ after he sought an ‘exorbitant salary’.
Denis O’Sullivan
Schull
Co Cork
Extend schools’ Christmas break
I call on the Government to consider extending schools’ closure during the Christmas break in line with a recent ECDC report.
As two national schools have already had to close as a result of Covid 19 this once again raises serious questions for the policy on schools.
Repeated assurances that all schools are safe are of no comfort to parents and pupils who have family members with serious underlying conditions, nor are the assurances good enough, given the facts we know about ventilation systems in 80% of schools and the willingness of the authorities to define close contacts very differently in schools as opposed to the wider community.
I repeat my appeal to the Government to seriously reconsider keeping schools closed for longer — or sooner than previously planned — given the rising Covid numbers and the latest evidence that such a policy can help reduce transmission.
These recent school closures will alarm the many families, such as the Forgotten Families group, in schools and among staff who have serious underlying conditions and whose concerns are been ignored by the Department and the HSE.”
Bríd Smith TD
People Before Profit
Leinster House
Dubin 2
