Letters to the Editor: A ‘Crazy World’ indeed
Aslan lead singer Christy Dignam.
When 'Christy Dignam' penned Crazy World years ago he could hardly have envisaged how apt his song would be.in the context of the world of 2022.
War in Ukraine.
War in Middle East.
China showing off their hardware, due to a fleeting touchdown to their country by an old woman.
North Korea pledging 100,000 troops to a war criminal.
Runaway inflation.
Ever increasing homelessness.
Poverty increases.
World burning due to global warming.
Half of America behind an individual who could once again return as President.
And the above are only starters.
Christy — Take a bow.
Youghal
For a number of years, many energy experts, respected commentators and professionals have been highlighting the increasing vulnerability and volatility of Ireland’s national energy security situation.
As we all well know, Putin’s war in Ukraine, Brexit, lack of gas storage facilities here, and the exponentially increasing global cost and demand for energy, have increased that vulnerability to the point where our immediate and future economic and societal viability is critically compromised, and on a knife edge.
It is depressingly worrying that our government have failed to address this existential problem with any degree of urgency and are leading the country along an unnecessarily dangerous path to severe economic and societal difficulty.
For instance, government paralysis is:
1. Blocking and delaying the establishment of a Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) facility at Shannon, while simultaneously many other EU countries with Greens in government are urgently scrambling to install such facilities to protect their citizens and their economies.
2. Hampering the development of renewable offshore wind projects through outdated, inefficient and cumbersome planning laws.
3. Failing to invest in the national grid which is grossly unfit for purpose.
4. Responsible for stopping issuing natural gas exploration licences off our coast, a decision which, in the light of the current crisis, was utterly pointless and irresponsible.
5. Refusing to issue a drilling licence for the Barryroe oil and natural gas field which has been independently vouched to have over 350 million barrels of oil and copious quantities of natural gas. If this bonanza, just off the Cork coast, was in Norwegian or Scottish waters, the oil and gas would have been flowing years ago.
6. Refusing to grant an extension licence for the Innishkea natural gas field close to the declining Corrib field in County Mayo, our only indigenous source. Development of this field would afford us further decades of native natural gas to reduce our imports and act as vital back up as we transition to renewables.
7. Refusing to even discuss the nuclear option of small modular reactors, ideal for Ireland’s future needs.
8. Failing to issue the national energy plan despite it being promised three years ago.
The seriousness of our situation cannot be overemphasised, and the onus is on the government to put the national interest first and foremost, and address these issues with the commitment and urgency they require.
Wilton Road
Cork
Regarding the national development plan for 2040. It is a high-level guidance for the country, which is to have one million more people than today.
In 2021, this government gave out 20,000+ worker visas. In 2022, it expects to give out 40,000+ visas. This, at a time, when every government department is struggling to keep pace with today’s population in health, education, housing, transport, water infrastructure, roads, wastewater, waste, even footpaths.
One of the drivers for this is the FG policy of making the country a ‘best little country’ for business to do business, otherwise known as ‘Ireland inc’.
Seeing how every major investment project has progressed in the last 20 years, such as the CUMH being at planned capacity nine months after opening, or the ridiculous rising costs of the children’s hospital, how can people have confidence in this 2040 plan, no matter what experts are involved?
Bishopstown, Cork
Heatwave aside, this is a cruel outdated tradition. Putting a wild creature 50ft in the air for three days in a small cramped cage is barbaric. The sponsors should be ashamed of themselves associating with this ridiculous “tradition”.
Kilsheelan
Co Tipperary
A goat stuck in a cage for three days.
Puck unfair?
Beaumont D.9
Section 2071 of Title 18 of US Code refers to the destruction of official records by a number of means “... conceals, removes, mutilates, obliterates,…” but there is no mention of flushing.
Box Hill, Victoria
Melbourne, Australia
Someone once said that budgets are moral documents and should reflect the values and priorities of the people.
Tánaiste Leo Varadkar pledges a “very substantial” income tax cut in the upcoming budget (“Government warned 30% tax package ‘not equitable’”, Irish Examiner, 11/8). To do so in current circumstances is a clear expression of priorities — but whose priorities?
Does Mr Varadkar think that we would prefer to have our income tax liabilities reduced at the expense of solving the housing crisis or delaying the creation of a one-tier healthcare system?
Does he think that we care little for children in poverty or the many lone parents — who are rearing the future — in constant deprivation? Does he really think so little of us that he considers his proposals, at this time, to be a reflection of who we are?
Rathedmond
Sligo
Not only are house prices rocketing out of control but now there’s a huge shortage of places to rent . A new Daft.ie report reveals the cost of renting has surged 12.6% more than a year ago.
That rally is caused by the pressure on the rental market and is the cause of evictions because people cannot afford the higher rent, especially in the Dublin areas.
Sadly, there are no signs of things getting better anytime soon and the only lasting solution is to increase the supply of rental property on the market and ban evictions right away.
This problem needs to be addressed at Dáil level until it is resolved. Regards.
Kinsale
Co Cork
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