Letters to the Editor: Fianna Fáil authors of their own demise

 Taoiseach Micheál Martin. Fianna Fáil need to address their policies.

It is surprising to see members of Fianna Fáil are “fazed” by the huge drop in support for the party. (‘Fianna Fáil TDs consider future as party support plummets’, Irish Examiner, April 5).

Instead of feeling sorry for themselves, they need to honestly assess why this has come to pass and they will find that they have been the authors of their demise.

The Covid-19 pandemic placed the spotlight on the folly of the neo-liberal policies of withdrawing and hollowing out public services that started under former FF leader and taoiseach Bertie Ahern and has been enthusiastically pursued by his successors.

The result of those policies has been a government totally unable to respond to problems as they unfold. There is simply no expertise in the public service anymore; the policy of outsourcing has left government departments unable to provide the most basic of services at a time of critical need.

Despite horrific cases of citizens dying on our streets and whole families staring at eviction from week to week, the response has been ham-fisted and focused only on protecting landlords and developers. Instead of hands-on action, all we get is a sneering minister who excels only at waffling.

Healthcare is another obvious failure, the two-tier system and the promotion at every hand’s turn of for-profit involvement has left us with a public service barely fit for purpose. God help us when Covid-20 arrives.

What Fianna Fáil members must come to realise is that the country did not get to this money-grabber’s wonderland by accident — their policies
delivered it. They need to face the truth and put together a programme to reverse the damage done.

Otherwise, it’s the dustbin of history for the lot of you.

Jim O’Sullivan

Rathedmond

Sligo

Proclamation: What would they think?

Watching the Irish army officer read the Proclamation of Independence during the Easter commemoration ceremonies I wondered what those brave men who signed that Proclamation would think if there were alive.

Many of those in positions of authority — promoting self-interest in addition to vested interests, privileged classes, and old boys’ clubs — all of which is against the interests of the people for whom the Proclamation was intended.

Shame on all of these hypocrites and sycophants, and shame on those in authority who allow this happen.

Michael A Moriarty

Rochestown

Cork

A Cork High Line from the Lee to the Sea — wow!

Greenways are a marvellous concept and should be implemented in as many locations as possible in our country. The Lee to Sea, a case in point, will give everyone, the young, the old, and the disabled, safe, clean, and healthy access to the natural world that surrounds us in Cork Harbour, the world’s second biggest natural harbour.

A cycle lane on Washington Street, Cork. Picture:  Dan Linehan

It would be wonderful to have areas to wander, to stand and stare, to observe the colours of flora and fauna… the marvels of our planet, safely.

It was exciting to read Dean Venables’ article and Eoin English’s comment in the Irish Examiner (Lee to Sea: Joined-up thinking could create a 45km greenway through Cork City and County, April 5).

They refer to the High Line in New York City as an example that could (or maybe should) be followed in the construction of the Lee to Sea, and surely that would be astounding if we, in Cork County, could design and construct a greenway 20 times the length of the world-famous High Line, which is 2.33 kilometres in length, was built at a cost of $153m and which began in 2004; that’s $65m per kilometre … the projected Lee to Sea plan is 45km!

In 2003, Friends of the High Line received ideas from 720 individuals; they and the City of New York held a design competition in 2004 between four invited design teams. The winning team was James Corner Field Operations, Diller Scofidio + Renfro, and Piet Oudolf. The project was done in sections; the first opened in 2009, the second in 2011, the third in 2014, and the Spur, the final section in 2019.

Therefore it took five years of planning and 10 years to build the 2.33km length of a public garden. Trees have already being felled on one section of the Cork project, before any design process takes place!

Many aspects of New York’s marvel will be welcomed. Piet Oudolf, the world-famous landscape designer who is renowned for his use of grasses and wild flowers, used 110,000 different plants. No dogs are allowed on the High Line. No bikes are allowed on the High Line; yes you can hire one from Citi Bike … but it is definitely not a racing bike. You will find no leotard-clad racing fanatics using the 2.33km as a racing track. Currently, you are obliged to wear a face mask.

The safety of pedestrians (from the Latin ‘pedester’, meaning ‘going on foot’) is paramount on the New York’s High Line. The exact same standard should be observed, not on some, but on every section of the Lee to Sea.

The most important aspect about such an undertaking is to get the design correct; not just in parts but in the whole. Design is a solution to a problem, it should not create problems.

Joe Burns

Monkstown

Co Cork

United Ireland call ‘irresponsible’

The call for a united Ireland is irresponsible. Unfortunately, it’s has started rioting in loyalist Belfast.

Sinn Féin are aware of all of this and is this what they want? The leader of Sinn Féin was reared in suburban Dublin and never experienced the Troubles and therefore has no idea of what she is stirring.

Michael Foley

Rathmines

Dublin 6

Tolerance and the media personality

Alison O’Connor is right — there is no tolerance left (‘Razor-thin public tolerance for boys at top tier of arrogance league’, Irish Examiner, April 2).

But we are being badly let down by the media, the radio, and TV. It has become so bad I rarely listen or watch.

The aggression, searching for blame, the lack of balance is self evident. I believe much of the wider intolerance is because people are wound up by ‘personality presenters’ that exude negativity. I observe that most people are still holding to the restrictions. But it’s too easy to give airtime to minority opinions.

David Sprott

Ballincollig

Co Cork

‘Old man’: Louise, less male ageism

Glancing through your Weekend supplement I fear Louise O’Neill has left her guard down again, calling Piers Morgan an old man (‘I’d love to know when Piers Morgan has ever been quiet – we should be so lucky’), Irish Examiner, April 3.

 Piers Morgan: an old man?

I doubt she has ever, through all her many media outlets, called a 56-year-old woman an old woman.

Sean Kennedy

Carrigaline

Co Cork

Please, respect our children’s graves

We buried two children in St Catherine’s Cemetery almost three decades ago and their memory to us is valuable beyond words.

On our Easter visit we were so sad to see that the beautiful cyclamens we had planted before Christmas to honour their memory had been stolen for the second year in succession.

What sort of person could do this?

Is this a widespread problem?

Can the cemetery authorities be more vigilant?

Can I ask that the graves of our dead be respected by all.

Garry Tomlins

Glounthaune

Co Cork

Ireland needs to help in Myanmar

The international community was very much aware that the Cambodian genocide and the Rwandan genocide were occurring but took no action to prevent or stop these genocides.

War crimes are happening in many countries some of which are being committed by permanent members of the UN Security Council.

Anti-coup protesters run to avoid military forces during a demonstration in Yangon, Myanmar.

Three conflicts are occurring in Myanmar, (‘Myanmar death toll mounts’, Irish Examiner, April 3) virtual genocide in north Myanmar against the Rohingya people, mass murder by the military dictatorship in central Myanmar and air bombing attacks in south-east Myanmar in Karen state.

Myanmar is in violent chaos but the international community, including the UN, are standing idly by as happened also with Cambodia and Rwanda.

Ireland was elected to the UN Security Council as a neutral independent state with an impressive record for helping to create international peace. Now is the time for Ireland to live up to serious responsibilities that go with our membership of the UN Security Council.

The Government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, should now be playing a leading and independent role towards creating peace and restoring democracy in Myanmar and elsewhere.

Otherwise, our two-year membership of the UN Security Council will just be a cynical self-serving status symbol.

Edward Horgan

Castletroy

Limerick