Letters to the Editor: We need a passenger cap on Cork Airport
'Jets fly over our suburban house continuously, except for a six-hour window. Day and night, they roar right over the southside of the city.' Stock picture: Alamy
The first and last planes fly in and out of Cork Airport at about six in the morning and at midnight.
As a result, jets fly over our suburban house continuously, except for a six-hour window.
Day and night, they roar right over the southside of the city. The hollow thunder of the take-offs and the whistle of the landings is unmistakable.
And just as these aircraft disrupt our lives, the DAA plans to invest €200m and substantially increase the number of flight slots at Cork ( , May 8). In the meantime, the Government has omitted to set a cap on passenger numbers at Cork, even though, at Dublin Airport, night-time flights and aircraft noise have become health issues for those who live nearby (Irish Examiner, May 15).
People fly to places that once were only dreamed of. Yet it is irritating that many of them will not form any connection with the cities to which they travel. Others are heading out to their third or fourth holiday of the year, in a mad, uncontrollable rush; and still others are returning early to avoid the blisteringly hot temperatures that are a result of climate change, and which are partly caused by aircraft emissions.
Surely it is time for the Government to give some direction for the future?
As a beginning, they could consider regulating the flight paths over the city and imposing a passenger cap at Cork Airport so that jets do not fill all of our skies.
Sadly, I have to agree with Colin Sheridan when he says Barack Obama is not deserving of the freedom of Dublin City being conferred upon him.
His silence on Gaza makes the award deeply problematic.
Apart from a recent tweet on X, the 44th US president has been unusually quiet over the last 18 months on the most horrifying, man-made humanitarian catastrophe of our time. This is all the more troubling as Obama was very much pro-Palestine until he assumed the Oval Office. Obama is increasingly out of touch, not just with young, progressive, liberal America, but also many of its Jews.
A recent headline in The New York Times was unequivocal that being Muslim, pro-Palestinian, as well as anti-Zionist does not mean voters will reject you, as in the case of Zohran Mamdani’s quest to be the next mayor of New York, in the largest enclave of Jews outside of Israel. Many Jewish voters back Mamdani and many agree with him on Gaza.
With the Israeli assault on Gaza continuing, it would be a grave mistake to grant Obama freedom privileges in our capital city on behalf of the people of Ireland.
Moneygall was indeed enough.
As we mark the 250th anniversary of Daniel O’Connell’s birth, we do so not merely as a ceremonial remembrance, but as a call to conscience. Witnessing oppression and war crimes in Palestine, we must ask: would O’Connell prioritise diplomatic comfort, Big Tech, and multinational companies over the cries of the innocent?
The answer resounds from every speech he gave, every principle he championed: O’Connell would not allow economic considerations to silence his voice.
He would not bow to external pressures when human rights were being trampled. He would be appalled by many of our leaders’ complicity in the face of such carnage.
In concert with O’Connell’s values, we echo the words of the 34 former ambassadors of the EU in their July 23 letter to the heads of government and foreign ministers of the EU states which stated “the European Union and nearly all of its member states have failed to respond meaningfully to these horrific events” in both Gaza and the West Bank. The United Nations, humanitarian organisations, and independent observers — including Israeli and Jewish voices — have documented these crimes in detail.
While Irish Government representatives have rightly condemned the Gaza genocide, words are not being matched by deeds. Ireland can, and must, act independently and through the EU to:
- Enact, without further delay, the Occupied Territories Bill — ensuring that it covers services, as well as goods;
- Prohibit the sale of war bonds. The current practice, whereby the Irish Central Bank is facilitating the sale of war bonds is immoral and reprehensible;
- Suspend, with immediate effect, all arms and dual-use exports to Israel, and immediately end the use of Irish airspace and airports for the transportation of any military equipment.
We are aware of possible adverse economic consequences, and cognisant of statements that have emanated from some quarters in the USA. Yet, we demand that the Irish Government defend Irish sovereignty, not be bullied by external vested interests. Short-term economic gains should never take precedence over peace, justice, and human rights.
As O’Connell stated, “nothing is politically right that is morally wrong”. The actions we take in respect of the Palestinian people and others who are suffering oppression are a measure of the extent to which we respect the values of Daniel O’Connell. The Liberator’s work is unfinished while occupation, ethnic cleansing, and genocide continue anywhere.
Ireland is increasingly chasing instant gratification — weight loss injections, fast food, cosmetic tweaks, mental health apps, and risky financial schemes — while ignoring slower, more effective paths to lasting health and stability. Rising prescriptions, takeaway dependence, and speculative investing reveal a national preference for quick wins, even though steady effort delivers better outcomes.
Weight loss drugs like semaglutide saw a 25% prescription jump in three years. Botox and filler demand rose 30% in 2024. Over 1,000 fast-food outlets thrive, while 10% of Irish adults used mental health apps like Calm. In finance, crypto trading and “buy now, pay later” (BNPL) schemes are booming — 20% of shoppers used them for non-essentials in 2025.
These solutions are seductive. Injections promise weight loss without lifestyle changes. Fast food satisfies instantly. Apps offer stress relief in seconds. BNPL lets people spend now, worry later.
Real change — healthy eating, exercise, mindfulness, saving — feels hard in a busy world. But slow, steady habits win.
A Mediterranean diet and regular exercise cut diabetes risk by 40%. Home cooking beats takeaway diets for heart health. Therapy and digital detoxes ease stress better than apps. The Central Bank notes 80% of retail investors lose money, while steady saving builds wealth.
Why the obsession with shortcuts? They’re convenient and often cheaper. Fast food undercuts fresh produce. Botox or apps seem easier than long-term routines. Low-income communities — hit hardest by time and money pressures — turn to fast fixes out of necessity. Social media glamourises quick wins and instant makeovers.
Quick fixes aren’t all bad — weight loss drugs help severe cases; mental health apps fill service gaps; BNPL can be a lifeline. But over-reliance burdens public services: €1bn is spent annually on obesity-related illness, and crypto losses hit €500m in 2022.
The good news? Lasting change is doable. One fewer takeaway, a daily walk, free meditation sessions, or saving a fiver a week adds up. Community gardens, park runs, and cheaper fresh produce can support the shift.
Better habits give us real control over health and finances — unlike shortcuts, which often just kick the can down the road.
Ireland’s future depends on choosing substance over speed.
I wonder is there any point in drawing the Government’s attention to the fact that when electricity was generated and supplied by a single semi-state entity, the ESB, Ireland enjoyed the lowest electricity charges in Europe?
In recent times, Government policy of outsourcing was extended to this vital sector, and the result has been a significant increase in costs. Ireland has now leapfrogged the rest and has electricity charges that are ahead of the European average — and by some considerable margin. It seems a readymade solution is staring us all in the face: revert to the previous model that served us so well and re-nationalise electricity supply.
Perhaps it might be helpful if the Commission for Regulation of Utilities undertook an in-depth analysis of the energy spend in Ireland at present and establish how much of that spend goes to profit, an amount that would not have to be borne by citizens under a nationalised system. There is little doubt also that the national energy affordability taskforce the Government has established “to identify, assess and implement measures that will enhance energy affordability for households and businesses” would find such data illuminating.
