Letters to the Editor: Unintended outcomes of a ‘sober January’
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Relying on a short-term break to address deeper alcohol-related issues can be an oversimplification. In some cases, individuals may end up increasing their alcohol intake in the months following ‘giving it up’ in January, falsely comforting themselves with the belief they can quit anytime they choose.
For those committed to genuinely reassessing and modifying their drinking habits, aiming for a minimum of three months of sobriety is a more effective strategy. Consulting a healthcare provider beforehand is especially important for heavy drinkers, as the process could have serious health implications.
Taking a longer break from alcohol offers a clearer and more thorough perspective on its impact on physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing. Throughout this period, keeping a journal to document progress and personal insights can be an invaluable tool.
Building a support network — whether through a trusted friend or accountability partner — can make the journey smoother and more encouraging.
Furthermore, there is an abundance of free and easily accessible peer-support resources online that provide guidance and support for those navigating this path.
In his letter to President Carter in February 1980, a month before his assassination, Romero asked him: “If you truly want to defend human rights, then stop giving US military aid to the Salvadoran armed forces and to guarantee that your government will not intervene, directly or indirectly in our country’s affairs”.
Carter ignored Oscar Romero’s request and in a 10-year period from 1980 to 1990, the US administration bolstered the repressive Salvadoran armed forces with $1bn worth of military aid, resulting in the killings of 100,000 civilians.
While Jimmy Carter spent his life promoting human rights, the Salvadoran people suffered from his neglect of protecting their human rights in 1980.
Ms Casey reported that there has been almost 8,000 referrals to Tusla over poor school attendance in the last year. The number of students reported to Tusla due to concerns about poor school attendance is more than 25% higher now than it was before the pandemic.
More than 8,000 educational welfare referrals were made to the agency’s Education Support Service between September 2023 and last August. This compares to more than 6,300 referrals in the same period from 2018 to 2019.
Schools are obliged to file a report when pupils have missed 20 or more days during the school year.
A range of studies have shown pupil school absences negatively impact academic outcomes. Frequent absences from school correlate with lower cognitive skills in early childhood years and poorer academic performance by the time the child reaches the age of 15. Education lessens the challenges the children of today will face in life.
The more knowledge a child gains, the more opportunities that will open up to allow individuals to achieve better possibilities in career and personal growth.
I believe it’s incumbent on the State and the Department of Education to investigate why we have these school poor attendances.
Children should never be deprived of their education and all parents must be encouraged to work on realising the importance of their children attending school.
Adopting plant-based eating also conserves water, as producing 1kg of beef requires over 15,000 litres of water compared to just 322 litres for vegetables.
A plant-based diet also improves human health by lowering risks of heart disease and diabetes, while aligning with ethical considerations regarding animals.
Urging readers to embrace plant-based meals could amplify the positive impact on the planet in 2025.
Though Fianna Fáil in its manifesto committed to a somewhat hazy “sensible reform” of the triple lock, Fine Gael made no mention of it in its manifesto, and those Independents didn’t issue manifestoes.
More than that, the 2009 national declaration of the government — issued to encourage a yes vote in the re-run Lisbon Treaty referendum — “reiterates that the participation of contingents of the Irish Defence Forces in overseas operations … requires (a) the authorisation of the operation by the Security Council or the General Assembly of the United Nations, (b) the agreement of the Irish Government, and (c) the approval of Dáil Éireann, in accordance with Irish law”.
Most people, I’m sure, assumed the national declaration would be valid for more than a mere 15 years. And most people would surely expect a government intent on ditching the triple lock — thereby negating the national declaration — would first seek a mandate to do so.
The presumed incoming government failed to secure the required mandate, so the triple lock must be retained in its current format.