Letters to the Editor: Honoured to feel welcome in Ireland as an Irish citizen

I had this question in the back of my mind: Will I ever be completely Irish? Will I be able to forget about the 30 years of my life that I have spent in India?

When the ceremony started part of me was very happy and excited about becoming an integral part of the country and culture that I have so much love for but another part of me was sad at not being Indian any more. Although I miss the country I was born in, I love this country to the extent that I have created a new life here.

A part of me misses my family and friends back home, but other parts of me loves the local warmth and respect for immigrants like me. A part of me misses being in India for Diwali but other part of me loves celebrating Christmas. One part in me misses the chaos of Delhi but other part of me loves nature in Ireland.

These two sides of me were making me very anxious that day.

When the two speakers, minister of state Anne Rabbitte and Judge Denis McMahon, started explaining the true meaning of the ceremony it made me so much more relaxed and comforted me in a way which I find it difficult to explain in words. They helped to change my understanding of what is expected of me as an Irish citizen.

Ms Rabbitte said: “It is important that you know becoming Irish doesn’t mean giving up your identity of your homeland. It is a very important part of who you are and how you have come to be here today. We want you to bring your culture, history and traditions with you. By sharing them with us, Ireland is richer for it.”

She went on to say: “Today marks the start of new chapter of your life that you all have chosen to share with us. We will celebrate your achievement and support you and make sure that you will always have a place to call home.”

I had tears in my eyes as I came out of the ceremony. My understanding of this new me was a lot more clear. This new me is a combination of someone who has spent half of her life in the country I was born in and its traditions, culture, values have made me who I am today; the other part of me is someone who is all ready to embrace this new beautiful culture of acceptance, respect and love which will shape what I become in future

Mahak Jhamb

Larkfield Way

Dublin18

Complex process is hampering planning

The Government argues that reform of planning legislation should help remove unnecessary delays. When I informed the local council that I would like to widen the opening of my driveway by just 30cm, I was asked for Ordnance Survey maps of my property. After buying these, I was told I would have to hire a draughtsperson to submit drawings of the current front wall and of the proposed alteration, even if these were quite identical. I would also have to put a notice in a newspaper. When I queried these requirements, I was told: “You have to go through the same process as if you were building a house.” This, of course, would require planning personnel to open a new file and create more work when dealing with and inspecting my application.

I decided to cancel my plan to widen the driveway, even if it is more dangerous for children from a primary school next door when I drive out onto the footpath through the narrower opening. Passing vehicular traffic would also be more visible to me if I moved the pier. Might I suggest one way in which current planning resources might be saved? Surely, on a nationwide basis, much planning staff time could be saved by simplifying the requirements for such a straightforward alteration.

Seán Ó Maoláin

Baile an Easpaig

Corcaigh

Drinkaware concerns finally recognised

Terry Prone’s column on the HSE and Department of Education’s response to the alcohol industry’s sponsorship of Drinkaware echo many of the questions parents asked when that charity first saw the light of day — ‘Drinkaware may have had good intentions, but this was so wrong’ (Irish Examiner, December 12).

Many of us made our feelings known to the Department of Education and are pleased that now at last our concerns have been recognised.

Alan Whelan

President of Catholic Secondary
School Parents Association

Killarney

Co Kerry

People deserve a left-wing government

The formation of the new Government has been the most tedious process ever seen in this country. I’ve had had enough of the past, let’s look to the future of change with a left-wing government in power for the ordinary working class people.

Noel Harrington

Kinsale

Co Cork

Same old crew reshuffling the chairs

The Irish ship of State is about to set sail once again with the same crew rearranging the deckchairs and an old hand taking over the captain’s chair.

It is all eerily reminiscent of the last time a great ship made its last stop in the port of Queenstown (now Cobh), in Co Cork way back in April 1912.

Liam Power

Dundalk

Co Louth

Referendum needed on dying with dignity

I think there should be a referendum on the Dying with Dignity Bill, so that individuals can make their own decision of whether it should be made legal.

This is not a decision to be made by government members who are here to rule the country.

They have not got the responsibility of deciding whether a person dies or not.

If it is not the individual’s choice then at the very least it should be decided by a medical doctor who knows the patient personally.

Sam McCormack

Longford

Documentary ruined by too many ‘stars’

The Irish Civil War documentary shown on RTÉ was an ambitious venture. It’s a story that needed to be delicately handled and related in a fair and neutral way. What a shame then that this production was marred by what seemed to be akin to a meteor shower of historians and academics.

The narrative was frequently interrupted by the appearance of a “star”, in the form of an esteemed expert, or historian, or academic expert. No sooner had this star faded and you are concentrating on the story, then another star explodes on to the screen, gives a few lines of opinion and … disappears.

This happened continuously throughout the programme. The programme went through a dizzying number of historians in the space of an hour.

Each one would probably be
very interesting, if only they got enough time to properly develop their viewpoint. But they don’t. Their numerous appearances, in this format, served only, in my opinion, to distract from what could otherwise be an excellent production.

Pauline Matthews

Skehard Rd

Cork