Letters to the Editor: Ban breeds of dog that have a history of aggression 

One reader supports a ban on dogs such as Bully XLs, while others consider issues including housing policy, attitudes to immigration, and the conflict in the Middle East

Dennis Fitzgerald writes: 'I doubt that most people could handle a 40kg-60kg aggressive dog if it is upset.' Stock picture: Alamy

Should we be able to own any sort of pet? If we look at a farcical extension of the idea, then a lion is just a big cat and should be OK. We don’t allow lions because they are dangerous, and the same logic should be applied to the bully XL breed — surely a dangerous dog.

Why do thousands of people want this breed? There are plenty of better guard dogs, plenty of hunting dogs if needed, and cuddling up to them on your sofa might be followed by the sort of chewing my Jack Russel does but with a lot more blood spilt.

Bully XLs need to be trained properly so they can be controlled, but I doubt that most people could handle a 40kg-60kg aggressive dog if it is upset. I walk a very gentle 65kg great Dane and that can still be challenging, despite me weighing at least twice his weight.

Most of us do not need to have a working dog, so why not ban any dog breed that has a history of aggression? These are not ‘Lassies’ or ‘Timmys’, these are ‘Cujos’.

Dennis Fitzgerald, Melbourne, Australia

 

Undocumented Irish immigrants

Politicians and others who complain about “undocumented” refugees coming into this country, are conveniently ignoring the thousands of undocumented Irish people who live in the US.

Some of those Irish migrants have lived illegally in the US for many years. If the US authorities were ever to have a mass clampdown against those migrants, the Irish political establishment would speak (or even shout) with one voice on their behalf and lobby the US government massively, with requests that the Irish migrants be treated as a “special case”.

 No doubt, the friends and relatives of the undocumented Irish would engage in similar lobbying.

Such hypocrisy beggars belief.

Tim Buckley, White St, Cork City

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Election concerns of local councillors

Protests have taken place in recent weeks regarding the housing of International Protection applicants in temporary accommodation.

Many of the protests represent the anger and discontent among some people towards the Government’s https://www.irishexaminer.com/maintopics/housing_topic-5047454.html policy, which has been inadequate. It’s worth bearing in mind that the housing crisis existed long before the protests started. 

According to the Central Statistics Office, more than 165,000 houses lie vacant (excluding holiday homes).

 Those seeking asylum are now scapegoats, when really the blame should lie with those controlling the levers of power for allowing these homes to remain empty during a housing crisis.

Undoubtedly, with evidence showcasing this, many of these protests are orchestrated by those with an ulterior motive in mind, many of whom are at the forefront of spreading misinformation in order to further their own agenda.

Worse again, we have Government public representatives and councillors in Cork and beyond indulging in the worst type of gutter politics, with the local elections clearly on the horizon next year. We have a laughable situation where Government party councillors are waxing lyrical about the strain on services those International Protection applicants may have on local communities. 

The very same parties who oversaw and implemented a devastating austerity programmme that ebbed away and underfunded vital community services as part of essential “cost-cutting measures”, which has never fully recovered. This stripping away of public services has only fuelled public anger which has allowed a vacuum for those who want to cause division in our communities to prosper.

I notice the very same party councillors are suddenly critical of Government housing policy. Notice how they were remarkably quiet when the homeless figures rose substantially over the decade, when house building effectively slowed to a halt, or refuse to acknowledge or consider the 165,000 homes that are unused and lay vacant. The fact of the matter is that many are only willing to espouse criticism about their own Government housing policies when they fear for their own electoral futures.

This is quite clearly a ‘divide and conquer’ tactic designed to pit communities against one another. This race to the bottom serves no one’s interest and councillors engaging in this do so by compromising the very community cohesion they claim to represent. Councillors should be effective public figures, advocating for unity and not division in the area they represent.

The Irish Proclamation of 1916 states that we should “cherish all children of the nation equally”.

James Curtis, Mallow

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Political warfare

Niall O’Connell is correct when he writes: "Peace will only be secured once both sides recognise that all human life has the same value and right to exist with a two-state solution." (‘All lives are valued’ — Irish Examiner, Letters, December 19).

The problem is, Hamas will never concede that Jews have a right to life, much less a country. The Hamas Charter tells us this, as do their leaders, who promise to repeat the October 7 attacks again and again until Israel is annihilated and the Jews are dead.

Recent Palestinian opinion polls tell us there is majority support in both Gaza and the West Bank for the actions of Hamas, and Hamas chief Ismael Haniyeh would win or be second choice, depending on the candidate list, if an election were to be held for Palestinian president.

The worst twist of all is the Israeli border communities attacked on October 7 were full of Israeli peace activists, people making a valiant effort to create meaningful connections often with the very Palestinians who, it transpires, took part in slaughter and kidnapping.

Sadly, the majority Palestinian political stance is irreconcilable with values of peace and coexistence.

Teresa Trainor, Dublin 16

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Fuelling the fire

Those berating US support for Israel should note that the prolongation and aggravation of the Hamas and Hezbollah war on Israel’s existence is supported by Iran out of medieval sectarianism and is unikely to fade and end until the Ayatollahs in Tehran are made to change their minds — but do we have to wait for the end of the petroleum era?

Frank Adam, Prestwich, England

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Seasonal cheers

Do readers remember the times when our local bank offered us a sherry at year-end to thank us for our custom? With most of their services online, it couldn’t be the same, but how about an integrated sherry dispenser at their ATM before Christmas? Wouldn’t that be a worthy thought to bring back memories of a time gone by?

Josef Finke, Cahir, Co Tipperary