Letters to the Editor: Ryan Tubridy should clear the air and go back to work

Ryan Tubridy: 'A talented presenter but there is no one that can be done without', according to one letter writer.

Should Ryan Tubridy be put back on air? Of course, he should. We dismantled the scaffold and the stocks in the public square a long time ago.

Ryan Tubridy is a very talented guy who has done excellent work over the past 25-plus years.

The job looks easy. It isn’t. Everyone “gets” that.

But let’s be clear. There is no one who cannot be done without. If the hundreds of thousands on offer from the licence payer are not enough for you Ryan, well then use your superstar “leverage” and test the market. Off with you.

We hope you make millions. Another young talented person will get their chance.

We might have a good few bob left over.

RTÉ employed you, trained you, and promoted you to the point where your personal brand gives you “leverage” Ryan. There is no law against that, nor should there be. But let’s just talk about what we are talking about.

This “I’m not good with numbers” schtick is no good for anyone.

RTÉ is one of the best-loved and most important institutions in the country. Some people earn the big money. So be it. Market forces are strange irrational tides at times. Everyone understands that. Really and truly.

All anyone wants is an end to the obfuscation, clever-dickism, and who-but-me-ism that is diverting the energy of our national broadcaster and Oireachtas committee system. Clear the air properly, apologise properly, and just get on with it.

Michael Deasy

Bandon, Cork

Barryroe decision should be reversed

The distinct likelihood that Barryroe Offshore Energy, the owners of the Barryroe oil and gas field, will be forced into liquidation in a few weeks is a national catastrophe.

The reason for closing is because the Minister for the Environment Eamon Ryan has refused to grant a licence for further evaluation test drilling.

The Barryroe field, just off the coast of Cork, has been independently proven to have over 300m barrels of oil as well as copious quantities of high-grade natural gas which, if developed, would afford us backup energy security in conjunction with renewables well into the future.

The company has over the years failed to attract investors due mainly to the incoherent, irresponsible and flip-flopping attitude of Irish governments, particularly in 2019 when they, in a fit of mindless grandstanding in the EU and UN, foolishly stopped issuing oil and gas exploration licenses off our coast, and still today opposing an LNG facility at Shannon.

These decisions were driven by incomprehensible Green party ideology, despite the fact that 100% of our oil and over 80% of our gas is imported. Our only native source at Corrib off the Mayo coast is fast dwindling, leaving our future energy security on a knife-edge and at the mercy of volatile international markets.

It is now generally accepted that, over the next two decades, we will have to rely on oil and natural gas as vital permanent backup to intermittent renewables.

It beggars belief therefore that coalition strategy favours long-term imports of higher carbon footprint fuels from an unreliable Brexit-embroiled UK, over a proven ‘sweet’ native source at Barryroe.

As we are now again awash with money, we could and should — even at this late stage — follow Norway’s successful strategy and take equity in the Barryroe field and, in the national interest, support rather than hinder its development to full production in 2026.

This pragmatic strategy, while anathema to the Greens, would provide us with vital national energy security and avoid our exposure to volatile international markets. It would boost the economy, allow us to cease high-cost imports, and — importantly — give us full control over supply and price for decades to come while we, hopefully in time, transition to full renewables.

John Leahy

Wilton

Cork

As Brian Gavin will know, referees deserve a break

It was disappointing to read the nit-picking comments by ex-referee Brian Gavin on Colm Lyons’ handling of the thrilling All-Ireland semi-final between Kilkenny and Clare [‘ Clare have grounds for grievances with some of the officiating’].

In particular, he picked out the incident where Clare scored a goal after Colm had clearly and distinctly blew his whistle for a free beforehand.

Lyons was 100% correct as he was in the Leinster championship game between Kilkenny and Wexford.

There, Alan Murphy, scored what would be the winning goal for Kilkenny but Colm had correctly blown for a free out seconds beforehand.

Clare manager Brian Lohan said afterwards about the decision in Croke Park: “Sure, look he had blown the whistle.”

Gavin, incidentally, did not highlight the awful challenge by Peter Duggan on Billy Ryan or the head-high challenge on Richie Hogan instead insisting that Richie had over played the ball.

No, Colm Lyons did not beat Clare. They went a long way towards beating themselves with their wides tally.

The man in black has a thankless job and does not go out to favour any team so, instead of criticism, give the man a break.

Jamesie Murphy

Rosbercon

Kilkenny

Cyclists ought to be separated from pedestrians

The planned €5m first stage of the Cork City to Bandon super greenway is another example of huge resources being used to create a greenway that is inconvenient and unsafe for both cyclists and pedestrians with children or animals.

Just as cars are separated from cycles and pedestrians for safety, cycles — especially heavy electric models — should be separated from pedestrians for the safety and comfort OF both.

I say this as someone who regularly use all three modes of transport.

P O’Riordan

Ballyvolane

Cork

Failure to cut emissions comes as no surprise

Ireland’s failure to curb emissions is hardly surprising despite a relatively strong uptake on the purchase of EVs.

Firstly the manufacturers are selling off high powered polluting diesels at bargain prices and we are buying them in large numbers.

Secondly the amount of highly polluting older vehicles is not decreasing — hardly surprising when you look at the state of public transport outside of the Dublin area.

We need to create a sunset clause for cars not conforming to Euro 5 minimum standard (ie, cars built from 2011). As a start we should restrict our major cities to Euro 5 minimum immediately — for clear-cut health reasons as well as climate issues.

Sadly we won’t, of course, because we have a government of gentle consent when we need a government to lead and coax.

Instead we’ll get ever more deadly diseases and disaster laden climate change.

AJ Hill

Kilnagleary

Co Cork

‘RTÉ Investigates’ exposé of the live cattle export trade

I refer to RTÉ Investigates: Dairy’s Dirty Secret, Fran McNulty’s investigation into live calf exports.

Do farm leaders seriously expect people to believe that the live calf export trade can be fixed?

Do farm leaders seriously expect people to believe that the live calf export trade can be fixed?

From start to finish, the law is consistently broken by those involved — including marts, exporters, transporters, drivers, veal producers, and some farmers who put their calves on export trucks. Where is Department of Agriculture in all this?

The whole system is beyond fixing and should be banned as has been done in New Zealand.

There is talk of sexed semen, euthanasia at birth, abattoir slaughter of unwanted calves as alternatives to the torturous two- and three-day journeys to Barcelona, Poland, and beyond,

However unsatisfactory these may be, any of them would be preferable to the live calf export trade.

Tinkering around with a dismissal here and a prosecution there falls way, way too short of what is acceptable in Ireland in 2023.

Ban the live calf export trade before it ruins Ireland’s international reputation as a clean, green, food producing country.

Angela Anthony

Belline

Piltown

Co Kilkenny