Letters: If Taoiseach Micheál Martin wants to make Ireland more ‘democratic', then the Triple Lock must stay

Irish Independent

7 days ago

It would be good if that same logic applied when he is addressing a bill currently before the Dáil, on the removal of the Triple Lock.
Successive opinion polls have demonstrated the wish of the Irish people to be peacemakers, and not to be a member of a military alliance.
If the Taoiseach succeeds in his mission to remove the Triple Lock, it would remove the need for UN authorisation of overseas missions, and unlock the possibility of Irish troops going abroad on military missions at the behest of the EU.
To remove the Triple Lock would be to further the militarisation of the EU and fly in the face of political reassurances given to voters in the Nice and Lisbon referendums, the latter a Yes result after the initial No to Nice.
The breach of trust is shocking and very undemocratic.
Elizabeth Cullen, Kilcullen, Co Kildare
Indeed, it is a 'brutal war' as arrogant IDF now also killing Christians in Gaza
It had been miraculous the only Roman Catholic church in Gaza was not bombed in the ongoing, long Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
I was sad to see it was not to last, with it being damaged by a missile blast on Thursday which killed three people and injured 10.
One of the three killed was the church's 60-year-old caretaker. Another was an 84-year-old woman.
Israel's government quickly issued an apology for what they say was an unintended attack on the church and which they are investigating.
There have been almost 60,000 civilians slaughtered and more will be killed by Israel's rocket and missile attacks on Gaza – so it's hard to know if this apology is sincere.
Some Palestinian families of two or three generations have been wiped out by the bombings.
The Holy Family Church and its grounds in east Gaza shelters Christians, Muslims and others from the war.
A medic who immediately went to the aid of the injured and dying at the church was quoted in The Guardian as saying how Israel's army is very arrogant and doesn't care if it kills Christians or Muslims in Gaza. He said it is a 'brutal war'.
Mary Sullivan, College Road, Cork
The EU ought to apply the same 'rule of law' to Israel over slaughter in Palestine
We are informed that the European Union may withhold payments to member states if the 'rule of law' is not respected.
Where does that leave the EU attitude to Israel – a state that violates international law, denies Palestinians basic human rights and kills Palestinians on a daily basis?
It therefore seems the 'rule of law' is not applied to the Israeli state.
In addition, some member states of the EU continue to supply Israel with military equipment, thus facilitating the daily murder of Palestinians.
Michael Moriarty, Rochestown, Co Cork
We only have ourselves to blame for ambassador's dig at stout-swilling Irish
There is much gnashing of teeth in official Ireland regarding the US ambassador to Israel calling for Ireland to 'sober up' regarding our attitude to Israel in general, and our Occupied Territories Bill in particular.
A fair point is raised. And we have only ourselves to blame, in reality.
Perhaps if we weren't so quick to stick a pint of the black stuff into the hand of every visiting American president, or, for that matter, into the hand of every visiting dignitary, we could complain about Mike Huckabee's perceived insult.
Time we grew up. Time to wake up and face reality.
Peter Declan O'Halloran, Belturbet, Co Cavan​
Our motoring habits leave a lot to be desired, just look at disabled-bay flouting
Frank Coughlan nailed it ('Life's a beach? Not with chaotic hordes of entitled motorists', Irish Independent, July 18). The sense of entitlement some motorists display is baffling.
In Bundoran last week, I watched six or seven cars brazenly parked in the yellow box outside the RNLI lifeboat station – until locals got them moved. Two hours later, the lifeboat was called out.
The word selfish hardly covers it.
I see the same daily in my local car park, where drivers slip into disabled bays – no blue badge in sight – and then spring out of their cars.
We are, alas, a motoring nation where courtesy comes last.
Enda Cullen, Tullysaran Road, Armagh
No cost-of-living measures like energy credits when needed most, but why?
Reading Charlie Weston ('Number of households behind in their energy bills jumps 86,000 in just a year', Irish Independent, July 17), it is a worrying situation for low-income families.
Including electricity and gas bills, the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU) said a total of 462,000 energy accounts are in arrears in the three months to April.
The ESRI said it is difficult to explain why electricity prices here are so high compared to other countries.
Domestic users in Ireland are paying 30pc more on their electricity bills than the EU average, which equates to almost €350 more per year.
Are we Irish being taken for a ride on utility bills? And yet senior government ministers including the Taoiseach are telling us there are no plans to continue energy credits or to assist low-income families with a new cost-of-living support scheme in October's budget. Mind-boggling to say the very least, in an obvious cost-of-living crisis.
Perhaps the Government thinks these people can live off the wind?
They supported people in recent years with financial packages to help alleviate the stress and strain of the purse-strings for low-income families. Why not this year?
Tom Towey, Cloonacool, Co Sligo
Sweet food for thought, as Siúcra may have 'Tipped' the balance for hurlers
Perhaps Kevin Kelly let the secret out of the Siúcra bag in his intriguing ­article on the creative skills involved in hurley stick design and manufacture (Irish Independent, July 17).
It appears Tipperary hurlers train with a sliotar weighing 10 times heavier than normal.
Thurles was well known for manufacturing high-quality beet sugar which was subsequently packed into 1.2kg bags. So the utility of an ashen stick to sublimely propel Siúcra bags into the air is sweet food for thought.