Letters to the Editor: Uisce Éireann is failing the people of Adrigole on the Beara peninsula
While Uisce Éireann has repaired the burst pipeline into Adrigole many times, 'the community fear another one happening over Christmas'.
I write in support of the lovely community of Adrigole in the beautiful Beara peninsula in South West Cork. I have been dismayed by Uisce Éireann not fully resolving the water supply issue for the area, and it has been going on since about 2022.
There have been as many as 12 water burst incidents on the main pipeline.
It has been repaired many times by Uisce Éireann, but the community fear another one happening over Christmas because of the frequency with which it has been happening.
They had a recent community meeting and are calling for the main pipe to be replaced, as well as a very old asbestos-made pipe which brings the water from a river to the reservoir, and are supported by Independent TD Michael Collins — who has raised it in the Dáil — and by Fianna Fáil TD Christopher O’Sullivan.
Uisce Éireann representatives were invited to the community meeting, but declined the invitation. It helps to talk face-to-face with people, as they will feel and understand better the urgency required to solve the water supply.
Emails are a detached way of communicating. Personal engagement with people on their concerns makes them feel they are being listened to and heard. It can be a helpful two-way discussion.
The issue has affected homes, the school, businesses, and the B&Bs. They fear the pipe will burst again leading into Christmas.
I hope, with the support of TDs and by the issue being raised by them and by the media, the pipes will be replaced in 2026.
A long, well-researched, article appeared very recently in a highly-respected, international, pink-coloured daily. It clearly identified several shortcomings in Ireland’s ability to protect the country’s airspace and exclusive economic sea area.
The point was made that Ireland has been a massive net beneficiary of EU support since its accession in 1973 (then the EEC).
The fact is that the EU, big pharmaceutical companies, and predominantly US tech organisations have been the drivers of this country’s prosperity and undeniable growth in the last two decades.
Contrast this with our patent unpreparedness to protect the investments of Europe, the US, and our own in the face of hostile activity.
This activity is not a fiction, as IT specialists in the HSE will testify.
The activities of the Russian ‘research vessel’, the Yantar, off the coast of Scotland and approaching our waters is well documented. Belgium, Denmark, Poland, Germany, and Estonia have all had recent experience of sabotage and economic and infrastructural interference, reasonably attributed to the peace-averse Kremlin regime.
President Catherine Connolly’s election is an indication that neutrality is still a pillar of Ireland’s sovereignty. This does not equate in any way to passivity or subservience in the face of aggression. It is, in fact, the opposite — a national, democratic desire to protect ourselves and those who have made us what we are today.
I was grateful to read your recent reflection on valuing the neurodivergent people in our lives, and the thoughtful piece by Sharon Ní Chonchúir in Irish Examiner 'Feelgood'. The experiences described especially around late diagnosis, burnout, and the struggle for appropriate supports reflect the reality I encounter every day in my work.
As a workplace wellness trainer, who has supported the design of an online diagnostic tool to help organisations build a solid, evidence-informed foundation for neurodiversity inclusion, I see how many of the challenges adults face begin much earlier in life. While workplaces must improve, the real starting point is in our schools.
This is why I have developed a Transition Year neurodiversity programme, as well as a curriculum for younger pupils. Across the years, I have worked in schools and sports clubs, helping children understand themselves, their differences, and the strengths they bring.
Children have fewer filters; when provided with the language, emotional literacy, and frameworks around equity and inclusion, they respond with remarkable openness.
Early education plants the seeds of understanding that many neurodivergent adults only discover much later.
But we must also acknowledge the very real pressures educators and students face. Our education system is still designed predominantly around one way of thinking, and that is the neurotypical way.
Schools prioritise high academic achievement, and if a student falls outside those parameters, adequate support is not always available. This creates unnecessary barriers long before a young person reaches the workplace.
A common concern I hear raised is: “What about our academic students if we spend more time with neurodivergent students?”
In my experience, this framing creates more stigma. It suggests neuro- divergent students require “special treatment”, when in reality we should be designing environments that are inclusive by default where both neurotypical and neurodivergent students can thrive.
Many of the supports that help neurodivergent pupils also reduce stress, overwhelm, and burnout for neurotypical children. Inclusion is not a zero-sum game; it is a better system for everyone.
It should not be “them versus us” in 2025. While attitudes are shifting, many schools still lack the resources, training or frameworks needed to fully understand and support neurodivergent students.
Change requires both education and a willingness to see these students through a strengths-based lens rather than a deficit-based one. Conditions such as ADHD inattention are not a character flaw, rather a cognitive difference.
Thank you for continuing to highlight these important issues.
With early intervention, inclusive design, and a more compassionate understanding of human diversity, we can build the kind of Ireland where every child and adult is valued for who they are.
Why is there not more (or rather any) outcry at the country being held at ransom by a cabal of 19 citizens from the wealthiest square in the wealthiest part of our capital city?
The announcement that the Dublin Metrolink is now on hold for likely several more years as a result of 19 residents of Dartmouth Square in Dublin 6 forcing a judicial review is nothing short of appalling.
In fact, it’s worse than that.
After a multi-year process, why can so few people size up the functioning of the country’s apparatus? Because clearly, they have the funds to do so, never mind the gall.
Imagine if 19 people held up the South Ring road, the Jack Lynch tunnel, or even the Macroom bypass?
Oh, wait, that was a snail.
We need to get a grip — and respect input in public comment and engagement periods, but equally respect the outcome of such consultation periods.
A quick glance at these comments by the residents last year shows that in lieu of addressing the residents’ concerns in the building process of the station at Charlemont, they are opposed to the construction in its entirety.
Justice delayed is justice denied.
The same holds true for public infrastructure whilst we all suffer along at the congestion, missed investment, and the second-order impact on those of us in Munster that inevitably will follow.
In addition to the social costs, and increased construction costs from further delays that the taxpayer will bear — what about the wealthy 19s’ legal bills? Will the taxpayer be picking up that tab again?
’Tis a great little country — if you live in Dublin 6.
I note that impassioned speeches were heard in the Dáil on Wednesday as the spotlight moved to the treatment of whistleblowers.
A private members’ motion was brought forward on strengthening protections for those who do whistleblow.
It’s my contention that whistleblowers are crucial for ensuring accountability, transparency, and ethical practices by exposing wrongdoing such as corruption and fraud, which is often more effectively achieved through internal reports than external ones like police or media.
Their importance stems from their ability to act as a vital check on misconduct, protecting both the public and the integrity of organisations.
However, they often face significant risks to their careers and safety, making robust legal protection mechanisms and a culture of trust essential.
This is why it is crucial that these brave souls are now fully protected.
