Letters to the Editor: Catherine Connolly is a voice for change to build a better Ireland

One reader writes in to say time after time, Ireland’s youth begged for changes that would give us some hope for the future, but every time we were told that our lives mattered less than rising house prices

Catherine Connolly and the people she shared that stage with shared a vision for Ireland’s future that had a place for me in it, says one reader.

I’m not a very political person.

That’s a strange thing to admit as someone with two degrees in politics, but whatever enthusiasm I had for political engagement was quickly snuffed out as I graduated into an Ireland of austerity and dwindling opportunities.

I knew change was needed and I was excited to vote for it, but time and again I was shown that change wasn’t possible. I voted to elect Labour — I got Fine Gael. I voted to elect the Greens — I got Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil. If I just stayed home, I still got Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil.

Time after time, Ireland’s youth begged for changes that would give us some hope for the future, but every time we were told that our lives mattered less than rising house prices. It was obvious there was no future for me in Ireland, so I took the same path as so many others before me and sought a better life in Australia.

I had no intention of coming back. Ireland had turned her back on me long before I turned my back on her. Covid forced me back home and I wasn’t happy about it. I met someone when I returned and we’ve done our best to build a life here, but Melbourne has never stopped calling to me.

On September 22, my partner happened to be watching Catherine Connolly’s campaign launch and sitting beside him I felt something stir that I thought was long gone — hope.

Catherine Connolly and the people she shared that stage with shared a vision for Ireland’s future that had a place for me in it. I heard Holly Cairns express that the presidency can be a role that highlights who we want to be, not just accepting the shortcomings of who we are right now. I heard Mary Lou McDonald speak of an Ireland where the aspirations and wellbeing of the people come first. I heard Paul Murphy reassure us that there is indeed hope that the 100-year rule of Fine Fáil and Fine Gael can be ended.

Finally, when Catherine herself spoke, I saw why each of these leaders who took the stage had put their faith in her. A woman with the humility to acknowledge that she represents a movement; a movement that has consistently forced transformative change in this country despite the failings of our leaders. I believe in that movement.

I sat up straight.

I pulled out my phone and signed up to canvass.

I never did anything like that before, but I know now that if we want change we have to fight for it. No one is going to give it to us.

Why am I voting for Catherine? She’s an ambassador for an Ireland that would have brought me home sooner; an Ireland that I never would have had to leave.

Her election feels like the beginning of a broader movement to build a better Ireland. An Ireland worth fighting for, worth canvassing for, worth voting for. It’s a vision that feels like home.

We can make that vision a reality. Your vote is the first step.

Katie Ryan

Kilrush, Co Clare

Has Humphreys the energy for presidency?

Heather Humphreys resigned from public life last year. She said that she’d thought “long and hard” about it, that a presidential run is “certainly not on the cards”, and that she is “not physically able to see out another term in government”.

Her biggest regret is that she is “not 10 years younger”. She said: “If you can’t give the job 100% then you’re better not doing it” and “I’ll be 65 next year and if I ran again I’d be nearly 70 by the end of the next Dáil term and I’m just not physically able to keep going for that long”.

Her statement said: “As I get older, my health and energy levels are not what they were, and I know going forward that I would not be able to give the job the time and commitment it deserves.” And by the way, TDs get very long annual holidays. Heather said she planned to spend more time with family and friends, and in her garden. Yet now she wants to be president. She will be 73 when her first term ends. That is three years older than when the Dáil term she hadn’t the energy to go for, would end.

So my question for Heather is: Have you discovered a miracle cure for ageing? Or do you think the presidency is a cushy number that you won’t have to give 100% to? A part-time job that will allow you to spend all that free time with your family and friends?

Rory Murphy

Bray, Co Wicklow

Welcome for Gaza ceasefire

Concern Worldwide welcomes the ceasefire as part of the Gaza peace deal and urges all parties to the deal to seize the opportunity that this presents to ensure full-scale, sustained and unhindered humanitarian access commences immediately.

The top priority must be to ensure there is unhindered land access for the United Nations and humanitarian organisations to resume the full-scale distribution of food, medicines and essential supplies.

All barriers preventing the safe delivery of principled humanitarian aid must be removed. Humanitarian workers must be protected and assisted in their work. International humanitarian law must be respected.

More than two years of conflict have resulted in widespread suffering, with famine confirmed by the IPC to be occurring in Gaza. Although the ceasefire will halt hostilities, civilians continue to face impossible choices when trying to secure their own survival.

A major humanitarian response is urgently required if lives are to be saved. Without swift, decisive and sustained action, there will be more unnecessary deaths, and people will be denied the chance of recovery. Concern Worldwide is ready and willing to ramp up its response.

Concern is working through its partner in Gaza, CESVI, to truck clean water for drinking and cooking to displaced communities in 10 locations. So far, we have reached over 100,000 people, with deliveries taking place daily.

CESVI is also working to improve water and sanitation — building toilets, installing cisterns, water pumps, rehabilitating sewage systems and conducting hygiene promotion sessions.

The ceasefire and wider implementation of all stages of the proposed peace agreement must be realised. As of today, the delivery of vital food and medical assistance must be allowed.

Dominic Crowley

CEO, Concern Worldwide

Concerns about new rules in psychotherapy

Catherine Byrne, Coru head of strategy and policy, stated there is insufficient evidence to demonstrate that mandating personal therapy actually improves the competence of the practitioner or the outcomes for clients — ‘Therapy rules “won’t keep public safe”’ (Irish Examiner, October 6).

The Irish Council for Psychotherapy (ICP) has made a detailed submission to the health minister providing detailed evidence refuting this.

It is also alarming to note that the council of Coru refused to allow a derogation sought by the Psychotherapists and Counsellors Registration Board to include a requirement for personal therapy in training as a part of the standards for psychotherapists.

Ms Byrne also referred to concerns being expressed by only “a couple” of representative bodies. The ICP is an umbrella body with 10 member organisations, all vehemently opposed to the introduction of standards that are insufficient to safeguard the public, and are well below those set in equivalent jurisdictions across the world (particularly in other EU countries). We are not aware of any organisation in Ireland that is supportive of Coru’s published standards, with all viewing these as a grave threat to the public and to the profession of psychotherapy.

Rúaidhrí O’Connor

Chief executive officer

Irish Council for Psychotherapy

Our sporting success is a welcome distraction

In recent times, Ireland has been basking in the reflected glory of spectacular sporting success on the world stage. Our boxers won three medals at the world boxing championships in Liverpool, with Aoife O’Rourke winning gold and Gráinne Walsh and Patsy Joyce each winning bronze. Another glorious success followed when the talented Kate O’Connor claimed the heptathlon silver in Tokyo’s world athletic championships.

Shane Lowry, Rory McIlroy, and their team-mates quietened the boisterous Americans by retaining the Ryder Cup in a hostile atmosphere at Bethpage Black. Shane’s exuberant celebration on the 18th green filled our hearts with joy unconfined.

Rowing Ireland delivered the goods in the world rowing championships in Shanghai by winning four medals. Fiona Murtagh took gold in the women’s single sculls as did Mags Cremen and Fintan McCarthy in the mixed double sculls. Fintan McCarthy’s and Philip Doyle won bronze in the men’s double sculls as did Jake McCarthy in the lightweight men’s single sculls as Rowing Ireland just keeps on giving.

As a keen leisure cyclist, I was thrilled by Ben Healy’s bronze medal at the world road race championships in Kigali, Rwanda. Ben won a stage of the 2025 Tour de France and wore the famous maillot jaune (yellow jersey) for a few days. In an-energy-sapping 267.5km race where only 30 of 165 riders finished, Ben cycled the race of his life, finishing third. It was Ireland’s first podium finish in the event since Sean Kelly took bronze in 1989.

Meanwhile, our Paralympic athletes did Ireland proud with an impressive haul of medals at the world para athletics championships in New Delhi.

The cup overflowing with sporting success puts a spring in our step and is a welcome distraction from the mundane race for the Park.

Billy Ryle

Tralee, Co Kerry

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