Letters: Greater urgency needed in Dáil to enact Occupied Territories Bill, which could turn the tide for Palestine

Irish Independent

17-05-2025

During speeches last week, both expressed personal revulsion at the bombing of a starving, entrapped people. Unfortunately, in subsequent briefings, hopes for revised government measures with early practical impact were cast down. We are back to expressions of concern and raising the matter elsewhere.
Such leadership has resulted in most Irish people making their stand for peace with the Occupied Territories Bill 2018 (OTB) of Independent senator Frances Black.
Its peaceful, practical focus is on the cause of the conflict, without subjecting ordinary Israelis to a blanket boycott. It is certainly only a modest proposal, but it could gain a momentum worldwide. In 1984, Irish shop workers refused to handle grapefruit from South Africa's apartheid state, and the world soon followed.
Despite the OTB's majority Dáil, Seanad and electoral support, the Irish Government has failed to enact it into law over six years. Even when the International Court of Justice approved its legality last July, there was delay. The government eventually agreed to enact the bill, but then called a snap November election. Inevitably, this caused indefinite deferral of the OTB. Now, in May 2025, it is still stalled, even at Gaza's 11th hour.
The public disillusion and division, caused by such political practice, are profound and unnecessary. Irish people need to be briefed on why our government has variously dropped, delayed or proposed dilution of the OTB. We need to share its misapprehensions, and know whether there have been political or commercial threats, or any other scenarios. An intelligent electorate can grasp such issues and usefully weigh them up.
An urgent Dáil debate, with suspension of the party whip system, allowing conscience voting, would further restore faith in our precious representative democracy.
Philip Powell, Dún Laoghaire, Co Dublin
Some Putin input could have sent Emmy's song stratospheric at contest
The odds were always stacked against Emmy singing a song about a Russian dog lost in space. However, if the song was about the current Russian president lost in space, chances are it would have been douze points all around.
Seamus McLoughlin, Keshcarrigan, Co Leitrim
TDs probably oblivious to groceries inflation given they've received pay rises
It was highlighted in the Dáil this week that butter is now around €5. The weekly grocery shop of around €260 is becoming a source of worry for many people.
I would like to proffer the argument that many of our politicians may be truly disconnected from the reality of their constituents' pain because our public representatives have had a pay rise to cushion the blow of grocery inflation.
John O'Brien, Clonmel, Co Tipperary
Megaphone governance means America is doomed as world won't toe the line
America, having defied predictions of decline – defeating the Islamic State, rebounding from Covid-19, arming Ukraine and outpacing China in innovation – has now, with strange determination, handed the wheel back to the man most likely to steer into the iceberg.
And not by accident, but out of sheer theatrical impulse.
Donald Trump's second term has brought a flurry of executive orders, including one to end birthright citizenship – a right enshrined in the 14th Amendment since 1898 ('US Supreme Court wrestles with move to end birthright citizenship', Irish Independent, May 16).
The US Supreme Court now finds itself weighing whether its constitution is a fixed foundation or just another stage prop.
Meanwhile, tariff U-turns arrive as fast as his tweet capitalisations. One week he threatens trade war, the next he announces a 'pause'. Markets exhale, China smirks, and allies try to decode whether American policy is driven by strategy or mood.
The machinery of US competence – science, public health, alliances – sputters under the weight of grievance politics and megaphone governance. Once again, the band plays. But this time, fewer nations are willing to dance along.
Enda Cullen, Armagh
Government's approach to filling top garda role is a snub to serving officers
Talk about scraping the bottom of the barrel when the position of garda commissioner, one of the most important jobs regarding policing and security of this nation, could see a candidate with no actual policing experience obtain that position.
I was somewhat shocked when I read the Justice Minister's comments and also the Public Jobs advert for the role.
What is the minister or this Government thinking when, once again, they seek to have an international dimension, rather than a local one, to lead the garda force through a very difficult industrial relations period.
The new garda model that was foisted on garda members has seen wholesale dismantling of a garda community model that has served us well for decades.
In Donegal, where there were four districts, under this model we have two, north and south, and no superintendents in charge. They will be responsible for certain allocated portfolios.
This new model will stretch resources that have already been stretched to the limit, where gardaí on patrol in one of these two areas will have to travel ever-increasing distances to respond to calls if local patrols are tied up and unavailable to respond.
This model risks people's lives and the lives of garda members.
That the position of commissioner in this competition is predicated on candidates having an honours degree or a postgraduate qualification rather than actual experience shows how ridiculous those who are in charge of this competition are.
That this Government actively discriminates against those garda members who have worked their way up the ranks – where applicants are prevented from attaining the job of assistant commissioner or commissioner due to significant tax liabilities that they could incur under pension-related tax regulations – gives one the impression that anyone other than garda members of senior rank would be preferable.
It seems that this Government and this minister are saying to senior garda officers – not those who have come from outside the State – 'anyone but you'.
Christy Galligan (Retired garda sergeant), Letterkenny, Co Donegal