Letters to the Editor: Courts are not the path to reconciliation

The Irish Government will argue that it has no choice but to take a case before the opportunity to do so expires on January 17. The British government will argue in response that it is the only one willing to provide solutions for victims and their families while there is still time.

The fact remains that the current situation is a direct consequence of the failure of both governments to build on the Stormont House Agreement of 2014. The establishment of the Independent Commission on Information Retrieval (ICIR), which provided a very effective mechanism for recovering the remains of the ‘disappeared’ should have been used as a template to address the need for the families of all those killed, as well as over 45,000 survivors who suffered life-changing injuries to receive some measure of truth and justice.

No one is suggesting that an agreed approach will be easy but nor should the problem have been contracted out to the courts. They are not designed or equipped to deal with the legacy of communal ethnic conflicts.

Time is fast running out, especially for the majority of those affected by death and injury who had suffered by the end of 1975 — almost half a century ago.

Now it seems both governments are shifting the problem to the European Court of Human Rights.

We would argue that a truth recovery process, providing amnesties that are conditional on former combatants providing honest testimony should be considered as an alternative. The other conditions would be that former combatants must be willing to engage with the victims through mediation if the latter so wish.

This process can address the many outstanding cases that will never see the inside of a courtroom. It can also address the many miscarriages of justice that occurred. Such a process would leave the legal option open to those victims and survivors who would rather seek justice through the courts.

If both governments continue down the current path, there will be a price to be paid not alone by victims and their families but by future generations. The decisions by the British government in 1922 to issue a general amnesty for the War of Independence, and by the Free State government for the Civil War, were far from ideal — but at least it saved future generations from having to perpetuate the conflict through the courts.

Harry Donaghy, Northern Chair; John Green, Southern Chair;  Padraig Yeates, Secretary; Truth Recovery Ireland, Dublin

Do not shut down Open Dialogue

I am dismayed to hear that the Open Dialogue service for adult mental health clients living in the Bantry area is to be disbanded.

The Open Dialogue service enables a person who suffers from mental health illness to actively
involve family members and friends who they know can help them recover. This holistic model, which has won awards and is held in very high esteem all over Europe, has helped my family member greatly, and others too.

With the number of people suffering with their mental health increasing I cannot understand why such an excellent service would be done away with.

We as a family found the Open Dialogue service in Bantry excellent. Our ill family member was able to bring us and other family members and friends into the therapy room when the time was right and it helped hugely by building relationships and it brought peace and calm to our person. I would appeal to the powers that be to reconsider this retrograde step.

Name and address with the Editor

Extend the Ploughing to five days

Surely the wonderful National Ploughing Championships should be held over five days instead of three. 

Each day is now so packed that it is most uncomfortable. It is just impossible to move around. It is so bad that I stopped going five years ago. The event should be Tuesday to Saturday. The Saturday would give an opportunity to people who are working to attend.

Sean Leyden, Clane, Co Kildare

Russia is interested in Ireland

In his letter on December 16, Brendan Holleran described the UK as a “major contributor to the outbreak of the special military operation in Ukraine”. 

Describing the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine as a “military operation” is mimicking Kremlin propaganda. Russia may have legitimate security interests in Europe but this does not justify their invasion of Ukraine.

Mr Holleran also maintains that Russia is not particularly interested in Ireland. Russia is interested in destabilising democracies throughout the West. There are lots of examples of Russian interference in elections and Russian-backed hackers have wreaked havoc in public and private organisations in several countries, including Ireland. As a hub for US multinationals, and with vital transatlantic cables in our territorial waters, we can be sure Russia is interested in us.

Kay Chalmers, Douglas, Cork