Letters to the Editor: Political will demonstrated in GFA should be applied worldwide

US President Joe Biden delivers a speech at St Muredach's Cathedral in Ballina. His visit to Ireland was a timely reminder of the critical and powerful role that the US can play in facilitating peace.

The peace agreement struck on Good Friday 1998 was thought of as ‘impossible’ by commentators through the many years of conflict that preceded it. But, with the patient support of countries from four continents, the peace process succeeded at community, civil society, and national levels.

It showed how layers of conflict can be resolved to achieve peace. Today, the agreement and the process that followed stand as a hugely important beacon of hope where conflict exists throughout the world.

The growing numbers living in extreme poverty are relying on such hope. The hunger and displacement they suffer are largely the result of instability and conflict, and increasingly, climate-related crises.

There are over 100m people forcibly displaced in the world today, a figure that has doubled in just 10 years. Global hunger levels have risen significantly with 830m people facing hunger on a daily basis. After decades of steady global progress in eliminating extreme poverty, it has been growing since 2018.

President Joe Biden’s visit to Ireland was a timely reminder of the critical and powerful role that the US can play in facilitating peace.

The current downward trends for conflict and climate-related crises must be reversed.

The US government can drive progress galvanising the essential support of countries from around the world to address these crises with the patience and steadfast determination that was exhibited by Bill Clinton, George Mitchell, and many others from US civil society to support a path forward on this island.

The world’s most vulnerable communities are today heavily dependent on the US government. It is providing over three-quarters of the total global humanitarian aid to many of the most forgotten crises where Concern works. These include the millions suffering hunger from climate change and conflict in the Horn of Africa or the 1m stateless Rohingya, currently housed in overcrowded refugee camps on the Bangladesh/Myanmar border.

Guided by Dubliner Samantha Power, the US government has placed the treatment of child malnutrition high on the global humanitarian agenda, in partnership with Irish Aid and other donors.

This type of leadership increases investment in, and the focus on, the prevention and treatment of malnutrition from countries around the world.

More must be done to galvanise the support of richer countries to ensure no child dies of hunger in our world.

‘Impossible’ conflicts can be resolved. Climate change and its impact can be addressed. However, this can only be done with the kind of political will and commitment that Ireland benefited from 25 years ago.

David Regan

CEO, Concern Worldwide

Dublin 2

False claims fuel LGBTQI+ library ban

The recent protests against LGBTQI+ themed books in public libraries and the use of child protection as a rationale to have these books removed are troublesome. We have over 45 years of combined experience in the field of child protection practice and research. The use of child protection legislation to justify the removal of books is egregious and plainly incorrect. The arguments that ‘sexualising children’ through access to these books, and repeating outdated and offensive tropes that members of the LGBTQI+ community are a risk to children, are incorrect and ignore the well-established fact that children are most at risk of abuse within the family home.

We must resist groups that seek to pull us back to a time of censorship. We stand with library staff, young people, and parents. We need to put children first by maintaining a diverse literature in our libraries that represent the many family types, genders and sexualities that are now celebrated and valued in a modern and diverse Ireland.

Kenneth Burns and Fiachra Ó Súilleabháin

School of Applied Social Studies

University College Cork

Donovan’s Rd

Cork

Huge emissions from livestock farming

Most people are aware of the damage wrought by the greenhouse gases (GHGs) carbon dioxide and methane. However, some people may not be as aware of the damage done by another GHG, namely nitrous oxide. It has a global warming potential 265 times greater than carbon dioxide and a lifespan of 100 years, according to Teagasc. Over the last 150 years, atmospheric concentrations of nitrous oxide have reached unprecedented levels, increasing from 270 parts per billion (ppb) to 335 ppb.

Agriculture produces 90% of nitrous oxide emissions in Ireland. The main sources are synthetic fertilisers, animal excreta, and manure management (slurry storage and spreading).

Agriculture is by far our largest sectoral emitter of GHGs. The EPA reported that agriculture was directly responsible for 37.5% of national GHG emissions in 2021, mainly methane from livestock and nitrous oxide.

According to the scientific publication Our World in Data, beef tops the table — by a country mile — of food products for GHG emissions per kg of food product, at a massive 99.48kg. Lamb and mutton and then dairy are the next highest emitters.

Is it any wonder that research published in the journal, Science, in 2018 revealed that avoiding meat and dairy products is the single biggest way that we as individuals can reduce our environmental impact on the planet?

Rob Sadlier

Rathfarnham

Dublin 16

Defence Forces won’t support Fine Gael

The recent opinion poll result showing Fine Gael at a historic low must be concerning for the party. Given its handling of the defence portfolio over the last decade, during which time the Defence Forces have been decimated and neglected, I wouldn’t expect too much support from members of the Defence Forces or their families for the party.

With the State essentially defenceless, unable to put Naval Service vessels to sea, it is hardly a ringing endorsement of their efforts regarding defence and security.

Conor Hogarty

Blackrock

Co Dublin

Rental prices should reflect true value

Liam Madden makes a gallant attempt to deflect a well-worn tactic of the current government (‘ No place for populism in solution to housing crisis’, Irish Examiner, April 7). To properly address the housing needs of the nation, private landlords should be excluded from the equation. Their role must be seen as no more than offering temporary shelter to accommodate citizens in transition in need of a short-term roof over their heads and not as places with the potential to become homes for families to live out their lives.

There can be little doubt that in the current shortage of accommodation, the private sector is exacerbating things by setting rents on the basis of what a desperate citizen is willing to pay as opposed to what the true value of the offered service.

In such circumstances, the idiom ‘a bottomless pit’ perfectly describes the pocket of a landlord operating in the private residential sector in Ireland today. It might be of some assistance, in the short-term, if that proposition was openly discussed. Putting the real value on a rental unit might help moderate rents until the shortage issue is addressed.

Jim O’Sullivan

Rathedmond

Sligo

Barriers to non-EU homecare workers

Regarding the article, ‘ Only 65 non-EU homecare workers take up 1,000 available permits’ (April 7).

There are a number of limitations with the recruitment processes. These include work permit issues; vetting by police (which normally takes a long time); low pay (minimum wage for care workers); and the training for the QQ5, which has to be paid by the applicant for the role of the care worker.

The recruitment processes take a very long time, two months or more, so many people opt for other jobs. The driving licence is also an issue as it is a requirement for some care centres.

Accommodation and cost of living is high and yet the pay is minimum wage. The benefits, such as transport for the care workers, also need to be looked at.

If the conditions and these limitations were addressed, I feel there would be more people who would apply for the roles.

Fred Mutenyo

Ringsend

Dublin

Source of willing care workers is untapped

I wish to comment on your recent article regarding the new work visas announced in January this year for care workers.

There is a huge shortage of staff in this area. I have a friend whose husband has been stuck in hospital for three years as she is unable to obtain the two home carers he would require to bring him home. She is not alone in this situation.

I personally know of two Brazilians who would be delighted to take jobs in this role. The problem, however, I have found while trying to assist in this matter is finding a homecare company willing to offer a contract.

Having enquired at more than a dozen such companies, I have been repeatedly been told that they do not provide or assist with visas. Many require a Stamp 4 in place (job offer must come first), others state that applicants must have permission to work in Ireland. One company even stated that homecare jobs are not eligible for such visas? The problem lies with the companies being unwilling or unable to offer a job to such applicants. There are many immigrants who would be delighted to fill these roles but this issue needs addressing if Ireland is going to care for its ageing population. Therefore the Government needs to talk with these companies to address and resolve this issue.

I know many care workers and they tell me that they are understaffed and their companies are constantly looking for staff. It is not that these applicants do not want to apply. They are in an impossible position of trying to find such a company that is willing to provide a job offer in order to apply for a work visa.

Many are willing to cover the costs of doing so but need an offer of employment first. I believe there is a similar problem for care workers in nursing homes. Thus this is the issue that needs to be resolved.

Julie Greenslade

Arigna

Roscommon

Climate policy impact on public health

Regarding the article ‘ Groups say planning law not compatible with Citizens’ Assembly biodiversity recommendations’ (April 10).

This was an excellent article on an extremely important topic to us all. My project HIA-IM , funded by the HRB, will examine the co-benefits of climate action and health, in particular looking at health impacts of climate policy on public health. A process called Health Impact Assessment will be used to do that examination.

As the article states, community groups are knowledgeable of what is going on locally with regard to their environment.

I believe connecting a strong public health argument to this debate and area of work is also crucial for engagement in policy and public discourse.

Monica O’Mullane

School of Public Health, UCC