Letters to the Editor: We must act to prevent more famine deaths

We need to be very frank about this. This drought — the result of a fourth successive failed rainy season — is already resulting in excruciating deaths. Reports have described, in agonising detail, the slow, painful, silent death that young children are experiencing in parts of the country, and the unbearable suffering of parents who can only watch on.

Can there be any doubt that this devastation — fuelled by a climate crisis rooted in western consumption — is the most urgent issue of our time?

We need to recognise that none of this is inevitable.

The collaboration, and extraordinary action shown during the Covid-19 pandemic, although uneven, resulted in a massive reduction of suffering and saved countless lives and we urgently need that now.

History will not be kind to us if we fail.

Dominic MacSorley

CEO, Concern Worldwide.

Dublin 2

Think local to avert climate crisis

The answers to our climate crisis may not all be found in Sharm-el-Sheikh. This week, in local shops I found beetroot from France, courgettes and onions from Spain, and carrots from Denmark. Surely we could substantially reduce our carbon footprint by meeting as much of our needs as possible locally, if not nationally?

Elizabeth Cullen

Kilcullen,

Co Kildare

Why was Cop27 not held via Zoom?

Over 30,000 delegates, over 400 private jets compound the carbon emissions crisis.

Why was Zoom not an option for Cop27?

Aileen Hooper,

Stoneybatter,

Dublin 7

Vicky Phelan was an inspiration

Vicky Phelan was an exceptional person and will be remembered as one of many significant and powerful women in Ireland’s history, contributing hugely to our continuing maturity as a country in dealing with issues. The Irish Examiner special edition, Nov. 15, with a 16-page tribute to her is testimony of this. She refused to sign the non-disclosure agreement when her compensation case was being settled in the courts a few years ago, because she knew it would be morally and ethically wrong. She wanted to alert other women to check their cervical smear tests again to make sure these were properly screened and that they were not in danger of developing cervical cancer which is one of the most difficult, at the moment, cancers to treat and stop.

She was a great mother and her children can be very proud of her for standing up for decency and courage in teaching the powers-that-be how to treat patients who hope and trust they will be treated well and properly told of any diagnosis in good time or if a mistake has been made. Truth is a core tenet of life. Vicky was a huge example of this in her life journey. It seems to be a strong part of official Ireland to try and cover up things. She was a mighty person and may the light shine upon her. Many blessings to her and for her family.

Mary Sullivan

College Road

Cork

Religious orders and abuse

On behalf of the Association of Missionaries and Religious of Ireland (AMRI), we wish to respond to Fergus Finlay’s article calling for the abolition of religious orders in the context of sexual abuse in Catholic boarding schools.

The abuse and hurt that is being revealed in boarding schools run by religious orders shames us all. We thank those who have come forward to tell their stories for their courage in speaking the truth in difficult and painful circumstances.

The members of AMRI are committed to seeking justice and healing for those who continue to suffer the effects of abuse. Should there be a statutory inquiry, we would urge our members to co-operate fully.

Today religious orders have robust child safeguarding measures in place which ensure the abuse suffered by children in the past will not happen again. All allegations of abuse are reported to An Garda and Tusla; and there is regular training in safeguarding for all involved in ministry with children.

We can understand the righteous anger felt by many, and expressed by Fergus Finlay at the abuse. However, to proceed to call for the abolition of all religious orders and to denigrate them as ‘vehicles for corruption’, bar them from the public sphere, and take away their rights as citizens is cancel culture in the extreme.

His diatribe is discriminatory and wilfully ignores the past and present good work of religious who have dedicated their lives in service to education, healthcare, homelessness, pastoral care and community work in Ireland and on the missions.

David Rose

Secretary General

Association of Missionaries and Religious of Ireland

Abuse: Not just religious groups

Fergus Finlay has spoken out via the Irish Examiner, calling in effect for the suppression of religious orders. Will he also call for the suppression of other organisations that have ignored the evil carried out by some of their members? The following statement, addressed to victims, is on the website of an organisation which is not a religious order: ‘We should have ensured that those responsible were removed from their roles immediately. Our failure to do so meant that these people were free to continue working with vulnerable children and for this we are truly sorry. We acknowledge that the organisational failures at that time led to the abuse you experienced as a child living with us and created a climate of fear and insecurity when you should have felt nurtured and safe.’ That organisation is Barnardos, dear to Mr Finlay’s heart

Rose Mary Logue

Dundrum, Dublin 14

We don’t need another inquiry

With the numbers of Spiritan members accused of abuse of students in their care reaching up to the staggering figure of 78 there seems no doubt that a paedophile ring existed in the Order up to the highest level. The proper next step is not another costly official inquiry at the taxpayers’ expense but the dissolution of the Spiritan Irish Province.

Brendan Butler

Homefarm Road, Dublin 9

Toll hikes like an extra road tax

The new prices on the tolls in January is like an extra road tax along with the high cost of fuel and will cost the hauliers an extra 30k a year. We need feet on the street to get our message heard.

Noel Harrington

Kinsale

Co Cork

Easing traffic chaos in Cork City

Living six miles north of the city and not of cycling age, our only way to Cork is the car. I would have thought traffic travelling one way along the quay/river and returning on the other side of same would help ease traffic flow as two-way traffic on short distances generates chaos.

Donncha O’Súilleabháin

Carraig na bhFear

Refugees have been helped

Sinn Féin says that the Taoiseach should have prepared better for the Ukrainian refugees.

Nevertheless, so far, nearly 60,000 Ukrainian refugees have been accommodated in Ireland.

We have a quite hardworking, discreet Taoiseach.

Peter Kennedy

Sutton, Dublin 13

Let’s go easy on Black Friday

Irish consumers have embraced Black Friday weekend shopping. But let’s be careful lest we end up with huge debts, maxed-out credit cards and unwanted gifts. The self-indulgent American shopping frenzy conflicts with our core values of moderation, inclusion, compassion and care so powerfully conveyed by JFK, in his policy of active citizenship, civil rights and patriotism.

Billy Ryle

Tralee, Co Kerry

Trump always on the defensive

As I listen to Donald Trump, he appears to be ever on the defensive. One is reminded of the old quip, “infamy, infamy, everybody has it in for me”. Quite.

Tom Gilsenan

Beaumont, Dublin 9