Letters to the Editor: This month is likely to be the warmest September on record
The greatly depleted Baitings Reservoir in Ripponden, West Yorkshire, in August 2022 — drought conditions in England that Ireland could soon face too. Picture: Danny Lawson/PA
This past week, Ireland has experienced a rare September heatwave, the first of the 21st century. At the time of writing, all 25 weather stations monitored by Met Éireann are exceeding their Long Term Average temperatures by a minimum of three degrees and, in some cases, in excess of five.
Whilst there remains three weeks of September, it is likely to be our warmest September on record — for the time being.
Simultaneously throughout the week, there have been hugely damaging floods in Greece, Spain, Hong Kong, Bulgaria, Brazil, the United States, and Algeria.
Many hundreds of people have lost their lives and many thousands more will be at risk in future.
We must be cognisant that these impacts — heatwaves, floods, disease emergence, droughts, crop failures — remain in their infancy.
As climate change continues with no resemblance of abatement, we must repeatedly call out the occurrence of these events which do not need to happen in the way that they will continue to occur, and with worsening effects.
Unfortunately, our current economic system dictates no solutions to the crises we face.
A new report from the Lancet showed that, at the current rate, it would take 220 years for countries to decouple emissions from GDP.
Another UN report released this week detailing our progress with regards the Paris Climate Agreement found that even with the current commitments made by governments, we are far off track from any reduction in global temperature.
That is to say, what we have been doing up to now, the commitments we have made and the actions we are taking, are insufficient.
We frankly do not have the time for incremental tinkering of the status quo. If all aspects of the planet are to thrive, a radical change is needed.
We are past 1.2C of warming — we have a very limited time to prevent a rise above 1.5C. Now is the time to act.
Our Constitution places the family front and centre — but this commitment has yet to make its way into healthcare policies and practices for older people living in nursing homes.
Yet the horrific abuse of Emily and other older women clearly underlines both the vulnerability of our loved ones, as well as their dependence upon strangers while living in institutional care.
Current nursing home practices totally disregard the significance of familial support, care, advocacy and love from family/relatives and friends. Covid provided very clear evidence of this practice.
Families and friends were required to relinquish their roles as loving carers in these settings. This embedded norm in nursing homes completely undervalues an important resource — the eyes and ears and voice of relatives and friends who visit the home regularly.
The introduction of restricted visiting hours in many nursing homes (mirroring those in hospital settings) post-covid is a seriously worrying development.
It gives any potential abusers additional access without worrying about a visitor dropping in at random times. It also erodes further the perception of “home”.
In my view, it is beyond time that the role assigned to the relative/family and friends of residents in nursing homes completely transforms. We only have to look to Scotland, where relatives are actively involved and engaged in inspecting nursing homes and where the Scottish Care Inspectorate (the equivalent of Hiqa) actively encourage relatives’ feedback.
I am writing to you to tell you about this major problem in the Naval Service. My recommendations are as follows.
Firstly, reduce all the naval fleet by selling all ships.
Secondly, use the money earned from the sale to invest in smaller ships, but equipping them with torpedoes and rotating turrets at each end. If necessary include anti-ship missiles such as the widely used Exocet.
My third recommendation will be to train new recruits in the Garda College and train them in the NMCI as they can transfer between Garda and navy personnel more easily.
In response to the reply to my Brics letter published on September 8 in the Irish Examiner: I agree many democracies are capable of horrors, imperialism and injustice as proven by distant and recent events; indeed the invasion and occupation of Iraq by Western forces springs to mind.
I do not suggest democracies are inherently pure, but they do have a remarkable capacity for self-restraint and self-correction.
Can the author criticising my view seriously claim that they would prefer to live in Brazil, Russia, India, China, or South Africa alongside the likes of Iran and Saudi Arabia; is there not a certain objectivity to the statement that we enjoy personal, judicial and economic freedoms in the EU — which promote civil harmony and proper governance?
For all of their flaws, most would far rather live in the US, Canada, Britain and France than in any of the Brics members.
I would speculate the vast majority of the Irish people would agree when faced with such a choice.
The Brics alliance has far more in common with the horrors of early 20th century authoritarian imperialism than 21st century liberal democracy and associated international institutions.
In a letter by Roger Cole of the Peace and Neutrality Alliance (PANA) regarding neutrality and the ongoing war in Ukraine — it is indeed interesting to note that the most obvious solution to the war in Ukraine was not mentioned [Irish Examiner, September 6].
An immediate ceasefire and withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukrainian territory would have the desired outcome he so seeks, after which negotiations could take place regarding the amount of reparations Russia must pay to assist in the reconstruction of Ukraine.
Possibly, a better use of PANA’s time would be to call for such a withdrawal, perhaps then they could start and conduct their own negotiations with Russian ambassador Yuri Filatov here in Dublin to ensure it happens.
I look forward to hearing of any progress or breakthroughs that may be achieved.
Roger Cole, writing on behalf of the Peace and Neutrality Alliance, referred to an Ipsos Omnipoll to make the point that 87% of Irish people are in favour of a ceasefire and negotiations between Ukraine and Russia ['Irish neutrality slowly dismantled', Irish Examiner, September 6].
Concessions to Nazi Germany in the 1930s is a case in point.
Mr Cole refers to Article 29 of the Constitution of Ireland to make the point that the people of Ireland are in favour of peace and reconciliation.
Although I cannot refer to an opinion poll to support my point, I am confident that the people of Ireland also want international disputes to be settled with reference to human rights and the preservation of democratic freedoms we take for granted in the West. In view of the above, I believe that the Irish Government’s policy of assisting Ukraine deserves our support.
CLIMATE & SUSTAINABILITY HUB
