Letters to the Editor: Developments should make use of what’s already there

Artist impression of the Carrigtwohill 'Kildare Village' style retail outlet

I would have to agree with Michael Moynihan’s views on the proposed Kildare village-like site in Carrigtwohill, (‘Michael Moynihan: Wake up and support our local businesses before they’re decimated’, Irish Examiner, October 6).

There’s no talk of proper infrastructure that must be dealt with before bringing in these big business retailers who are going to destroy all the small businesses around them.

That site should be put back to agricultural land, in my view. We are destroying our countryside with all of these developments. There are massive empty buildings in Little Island and the city that could be altered to suit this proposed development.

Cal Flavin

Midleton

Cork

Limit all families to just one child

Just as the Covid vaccine was rolled out globally, the policy of one-child families could also be rolled out.

Once the West admits China got at least one thing right, the West will be more than happy to claim this policy initiative for themselves. Under this policy everyone will be able to experience parenthood, although limited to one child. If strictly adhered to all around the world, the global population would gradually decrease and continue to decrease as long as the policy was kept in force.

Overpopulation is rarely given as a contributing factor to climate change and environmental destruction, but it clearly is the most telling factor in global collapse.

The most compassionate and effective way to lower global population numbers is through the one-child family policy. It’s maybe the only compassionate and effective way to do so.

Louis Shawcross

Hillsborough

Co Down

A solar panel is an assembly of photo-voltaic cells mounted in a framework for installation.

Everyone should have power storage

I am writing in relation to the article, ‘Lifting of planning restrictions for solar panels may come into force this week’, (Irish Examiner, Oct 4).

I have installed 10 PV panels on my roof with a battery. I had this done in mid-July and since installation the panels have produced over one megawatt, saving me money.

The inclusion of a battery is a must as excess electricity is stored and used during darker hours. During cloudy days the panels produce less electricity.

But I have made savings and look forward to seeing how they perform over a 12-month period. I will be paid for excess electricity produced at 15c per kWh/one unit of electricity. My calculations so far mean I’ll get roughly up to date €100 added to my account as credits. I would love to see the Government put back in place a grant for the battery.

Power storage is necessary going forward and every home should have power storage. It does not make sense that the Government removed the grant for battery installation; my opinion is they should have doubled it.

I wonder why they did remove the grant and the only conclusion I have come up with is that the power companies don’t want people to have storage as without storage everyone has to revert to them as soon as the sun goes down.

Michael Hartnett

Fermoy

Co cork

Catholic schools are discriminated against

“Ireland remains last out of 36 countries when it comes to investing in education as a measure of gross domestic product (GDP)” is the stark conclusion reported in your Irish Examiner article.

What the OECD Report omits is the unique and substantial financial investment in second level Irish education on behalf of both Catholic religious institutions and parents.

In no other country are anything like 50 percent of school buildings and land provided free by religious bodies such as Catholic religious orders and dioceses.

In no other country are Catholic schools discriminated against financially to the extent of the Irish education system.

In Ireland, Catholic secondary schools are docked €562 per teacher by the Department of Education.

ERSI studies show that Catholic schools are given €200 less capitation per student than those in the Government’s favoured Education Training Board schools and €90 per student less than in Community Comprehensive schools.

Irish parents through “voluntary contributions”, augmented by Catholic school trusts, are left to make up the financial shortfalls.

Alan Whelan

President Catholic Secondary Schools Parents Association

Killarney, Co Kerry

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The structural damage is seen in this mica-affected home. Picture: Niall Carson/PA

Mica and pyrite builders off the hook

It seems the Government is once again taking the “easy way out” by lumbering the taxpayer with costs related to the mica/pyrite problem.

Homeowners should and must be compensated.

It seems the producers of the product and the builders who used it are to be allowed off the hook.

Michael A Moriarty

Rochestown

Cork

Don’t dilute paper 1 by having it early

In ‘Letters to the Editor’ on
October 3 , Lucy Stevens, a fourth-year student in Skibbereen Community School, accused the Department of Education of creating early and extra stress with the idea of sitting Paper 1 in Leaving Cert. English and Irish at the end of fifth year instead of sixth year. As a retired English teacher, I fully agree with Lucy.

For Senior English, and especially at honours level, a student requires a certain degree of maturity in order to cope with the concepts contained within the course. It stands to reason that on average a student of 18 is more mature than a student of 17!

Fifth year is also a time for laying the foundations of the course. Students experiment with the different genres of language for Paper 1. They read and familiarise themselves with Shakespeare, poetry, and the prescribed texts for Paper 2. It is in sixth year that you build on those foundations and apply the finishing touches. The only way to hold Paper 1 at the end of fifth year is to make the course easier, to dilute what is a good quality standard. Surely the Department would not be so foolish!

Margaret Buckley

Millstreet,
Co Cork

Students at Maynooth University.

Maynooth farce no good for students

As an ex-student union president (UK) and the father of three Maynooth University students, who have cumulatively contributed €1,350 to this folly I am intrigued by the lack of due diligence that has been exercised by the union in backing the college (‘Maynooth University students to stage walkout in row over levy’, Irish Examiner, Oct 6).

The primary concern of the incumbent union sabbatical officers should be to

A) Ascertain the total funds to date contributed by the student body both present and historically,

B) Ascertain and account for the spend and location of those funds and,

C ) After examining A and B bring forward motions to Student Union Emergency General Meetings two questions.

What is to be done with any remaining funds and does the Union continue with its backing for the levy in conjunction with the university, or does it seek an alternative way forward to provide student facilities?

It is a real sadness that students (and their union officers) spend a fleeting time in the hallowed halls, whilst academic and support staff can plan on a much longer scale to their own agenda and interest.

Dagg Lee

Mullingar,

Co Westmeath