Letters to the Editor: Government could not care less about defence

This month’s Phoenix features the sad demise of the Irish Defence Forces, where it was stated that “funding the Defence Forces would be a criminal waste of taxpayers’ money, until serious reforms were implemented“.

In the case of the serious reforms that are being demanded, I would assume that the department and secretariat would get their act together and wipe the betrayals of Jadotville and MSA off their plate first before they demand reforms.

Just for the record ... the Department of Defence is the problem, and their approach to their duty of care of the Defence Forces family must incorporate dignity, respect, integrity, and particularly loyalty to those whom they are paid to lead. It is not so.

The Defence Forces is where it is because of absolute neglect over many years by the Government.

These are my own experiences of the last three years as I supported my friend Leo Quinlan in his fight for justice for his father and the 140+ families of Jadotville, deliberately humiliated again and again.

Those in authority ignored the red flags. By doing so they betrayed the Jadotville families before the inquiry even started. The Jadotville inquiry was a disgraceful humiliation of families.

Now it appears that the same people will attempt to hijack this most recent independent review group also.

The Jadotville families have been maligned for 62 years by successive governments and those in the corridors of power in the military and Department of Defence. That betrayal is criminal.

Fifteen veterans have been denied their legally-earned MSA pensions for 33 years. The powers that be deny that too.

Defence is a shambles, and I suggest that our Government could not care less.

The Brits will protect us by land, sea, and air. That appears to be the Government’s mantra.

Commandant Ray Cawley (Retd)

Douglas

Cork

UK looking half a planet away

We need our warnings, and not another Omagh bombing. We are still asking — why did that bombing need to happen?

We have been — all of us together in the European Union — all part of a broad society in agreement and an economy with 509m of our EU 28 citizens.

Now, 440m are in the European Union of 27 member states, and on the other side Brexit UK and its talk of Pacific-Rim and AUKUS axis.

And we are coping in Europe with Vladimir Putin seizing his opportunity to further invade sovereign Ukraine — having assaulted and seized Crimea in 2014 and put arms and equipment into conflict in Donbas that year.

A divided house must now try to meet Putin’s adventuring and plundering.

He did “warn” us.

Brexit cut complex supply chains with the European Union.

The UK broke unity and cut itself off from its nearest market for export and co-operation. And enabled Putin.

One may feel hints of Carry On Up The Kyber, perhaps Carry On Around the Pacific Rim in Submarines.

The North on this island was united in the European Union — we were equal and together on the island and citizens of the European Union. 

Now, as there is an absence of civil administration and devolved government, local and all-island economies have more economic difficulties to face, and society faces troubles and deficit.

The North needs and goes in want of fiscal and financial decisions around housing, education, its NHS services, and the proper running of civil society. 

Some in London go on gazing toward the Pacific — half a planet away — as hospital waiting lists grow and increase near hand, unaddressed.

The European Union has a relevant grasp and detailed understanding of such societal and economic needs in the North. And the EU has abided, as have friends in the Republic.

The USA and EU are co-guarantors of the Good Friday Agreement. They have abided and invested in peace on the island of Ireland. Those are who you want at your back.

UK Brexiteers disregarded the North and the Good Friday Agreement. USA and EU have put in years of remediation.

Tom Ryan

Doon

Co Limerick

People have a right to protest

I was disappointed to read in your publication this week that the Oireachtas health committee has approved in principle that “safe access zones” will be considered around facilities that provide abortions in Ireland.

The Government was advised by the Garda Commissioner that existing public order laws are sufficient to deal with any opponents of abortion protesting outside these premises who may breach public order laws.

I have not heard of any such breaches being reported in the media, therefore I have come to the conclusion that these “safe access zones” are being brought in for political reasons.

The Government is stamping over people’s constitutional right to peaceful assembly and peaceful protest.

It appears that Irish citizens have the right to peacefully protest, providing that the subject matter of the protest aligns with Government policy.

Eamonn O’ Hara

Manorcunningham

Co Donegal

We need real communities

As we paid a fond farewell to the US octogenarian president and the dust is beginning to settle, our attention now once again returns to the ever-present and deepening housing crisis.

This is a housing disaster of monumental proportions.

Some of the so-called Government solutions are, in fact, storing up problems for future generations. The policy of strategic housing falls far short of what it should be doing — where it should be building communities and homes, it is building multiple-storey apartment blocks with few amenities and without requisite social ancillary support services such as public health, transport, and education.

If we take Dublin Bay North as an example, there are umpteen examples of high-rise developments.

On one hand, the building of developments is welcome as they will provide a roof over somebody’s head.

However, the fact that the majority of these developments are “build to rent” by corporate landlords means that not only do those corporates benefit from significantly more advantageous tax regime than the one-off small landlords, but it also means a distortion in the housing market, as there is still nothing available for first-time buyers in their area of choice which, for many people, is the area in which they were raised. 

They subsequently move to commuter towns, adding pressure on heavily-burdened infrastructure.

If you travel along the Malahide Road’s Quality Bus Corridor, you will see the disproportionate size of some of these developments under construction, buildings with nine to 10 storeys housing over 331 apartments are under way, but where is the construction of the primary care health centres?

Where is the construction of the new schools or extension of existing ones? Where is the additional capacity on public transport and a direct link to the airport (a significant employer in Dublin Bay North)?

This example can be replicated right across the country.

So whilst Opposition parties have to once again shine a light on yet another missed housing target by this Government, they must also highlight what else is missing.

It is only then that sustainable communities can be built, and not just developers’ bank balances.

Killian Brennan

Clare Village

Malahide Rd

Dublin 17