Letters to the Editor: Micheál Martin should devote more time to his constituents
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I am prompted to write this letter by friends and colleagues from my time with United Nations Peacekeeping Operations.
In the eyes of some, it appears Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Defence Micheál Martin appears to have “lost the run of himself”.
Many are of the opinion that Mr Martin may be under the illusion that he can have some influence on the ongoing conflict in Gaza by regular visits to the region.
My colleagues would like Mr Martin to know that, in their opinion, based in many years of service in the Middle East, only two persons will influence the situation in Gaza: The prime minister of Israel and president of the United States of America.
Personally, I would remind Mr Martin he has been elected to represent the interests of the people of Cork South-Central.
Many believe we have serious problems in the area of health, security, and safety in particular.
This can be confirmed by listening to local radio, ie on Cork 96FM and/or Red FM regularly.
Perhaps our elected representatives should be seen to devote more attention to these matters of concern to the people of Cork.
If “Palestine” has not taken off its speech marks and taken its substantive place among the nations, it is because of its resolute refusal to behave as a duly constituted nation state that lives in peace alongside its neighbours — Jordan and Lebanon, as much as Israel — or Ireland and Britain; Poland with Russia and Germany.
If, in this (fifth Hamas) Gaza campaign, Israel has not been sanctioned, it is because battle was opened by Hamas — as the previous four — with crass medieval international law humanitarian illegalities on October 7.
Fintan Lane’s tunnel vision (Letters, April 26) is breathtaking. Missing his absent homework? Collins’ Irish Treaty ended the Irish War of Independence and was mutual, ending Irish hostilities with Britain.
The same for Egypt and Jordan’s peace treaties with Israel. The price of independence for an Arab state of Palestine is a peace treaty to reciprocate — not a disingenuous five-year truce to restart hostilities.
By refusing to accept Israel — in any borders, if you read the speeches and charters — and continuing to assault Israel (30,000-40,000 rockets since 2005), Hamas and the Palestinian Authority/Palestine Liberation Organization hypocritically have no cause against Israel until they mutually agree frontiers, transit, and behave “peaceably” as the US First Amendment puts it.
As for “the right side of history”, is Fintan Lane siding with the scarlet or the black like the impractical ideologues between the wars, only to find themselves deprived of “The Enlightenment’s ... liberty and the pursuit of happiness” besides life and independence?
It is time for Palestine to put up or shut up. In Gaza alone, Hamas has an educated population of 2m, billions in charity and embezzled UNWRA aid, etc. Time to: Stop roughing up musicians at weddings, plant trees on the green line, sign off the conflict, and be constructive.
Frank Adam, Prestwich, England
Rishi Sunak’s Tory party are about to get their eyes wiped and their clocks cleaned in a general election in Britain.
Beware desperate politicians: This is a party that persists in lionising the likes of Liz Truss, the worst prime minister in the history of Britain, who was outlasted by a lettuce.
Xenophobic readers in the home counties are a dwindling constituency, and the Tories are in desperate need of politically advantageous “foreign” enemies.
“That would be us, Ted.” No wonder Justice Minister Helen McEntee and her officials are wary.
The Tories are now openly boasting about how their “Rwanda policy” is deflecting and freighting immigrants across the border.
Bring on the general election in Britain. Keir Starmer seems like a sane and sensible politician to me. As always, politics provides the solution.
The increased violence of anti-immigrant thugs as witnessed in Newtownmountkennedy, coupled with the increasingly inflammatory rhetoric and online agitation of those inciting them, is designed to provoke fear, insecurity, turmoil, and division in our communities and broader society in the run-up to the local and European elections.
It is worth drawing attention to the fact that numerous far-right agitators, who are also election candidates, have been present in the area.
In the first place, it is the Irish Government that created the conditions for the rise of far-right elements through its failures on housing and other substantial issues, but which has slyly worked to divert blame from itself and onto the most unfortunate people in society.
While I can appreciate that decent people may have concerns, whether due to the lack of consultation or lack of local services and amenities, I would appeal to everyone to disassociate from the travelling thuggish, criminal elements bent on intimidation and violence and their racist narratives of “plantations”, “criminals and rapists”, etc.
Records will show that, in recent times, deaths on our roads have become a regular occurrence. The Road Safety Authority will confirm that speeding is the biggest contributory factor to the carnage we are experiencing on our roads.
Unfortunately, introducing reactionary legislation, such as having gardaí with speed guns monitoring traffic or tampering with existing speed limits is no substitute for proactive legislation where the focus is on the introduction of measures to prevent drivers from speeding on our roads network.
For years, we have had the technology to prevent drivers from exceeding speed limits. What is lacking is the political will to ensure that all vehicles are fitted with speed limits devices to stop the present slaughter on our roads.
While I acknowledge that the suggestion will find criticism from some, I am confident that family members and friends of those who have lost their lives or suffered serious injuries as a result of speeding on our roads would be more than willing to welcome the above proposed proactive legislation.
Helen McEntee has shown over and over that she doesn’t take the concerns of many Irish people seriously. Not answering direct questions and obfuscation add to the general frustration. It’s a sign of Simon Harris’ weakness that he didn’t see or act on this. They both will pay the price in time.