Letters: Donald Trump's response to LA protests a lot tougher than Capitol Hill riots response
Is this actually a riot or just a protest?
There have been many demonstrations around the world that governments have declared a riot, including the 1989 Tiananmen Square protest, which resulted in the deaths of hundreds.
Media coverage of events in the US shows violence, but it seems to be mainly coming from the National Guard side, although of course most coverage shows the sensational first.
If we accept that sending in the National Guard to break up a riot is the right thing to do, then why didn't it happen in a more timely manner at the January 6 Capitol Hill riots?
They were real riots and Trump didn't call in the forces then.
Dennis Fitzgerald, Melbourne, Australia
I'll raise a glass or two for those brave enough to admit a Guinness aversion
In his letter, Enda Cullen tells us that he is not a fan of Guinness and has never had a pint of same. ('Here is a confession: I don't like Guinness', Sunday Independent, June 8).
I am partial to the odd pint of Guinness myself. Being of course a matter of taste, I take Enda's point, and perhaps his pint?
Tom Gilsenan, Beaumont, Dublin 9
Fantastic Limerick and Cork hurling clash a thrill for even us neutral fans
Congratulations to Limerick and Cork hurlers on serving up a fantastic and heart-stopping game of hurling on Saturday.
There were really no losers for the neutrals. Hurling keeps on giving season after season. The beautiful game.
ADVERTISEMENT
Aidan Roddy, Cabinteely, Dublin 18
Government needs to take proactive steps to ensure nursing-home standards
In Ireland, nursing homes tend to be regarded as a place of last resort and are often situated geographically and metaphorically off the public radar.
Most residents are aged 85 years or over and have complex co-morbid conditions, with dementia estimated to affect two-thirds.
About 32,000 people are living in nursing homes in Ireland.
According to the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa), private entities manage 80pc of beds nationally.
Social policy has increasingly been driven by a neoliberalist marketisation of care, with the shift towards the private at the expense of our most vulnerable citizens.
Such policies, allied to failures to invest appropriately in supports to help people to 'age in place', have resulted in premature and unnecessary admission to nursing-home care, particularly for those people with dementia.
Unfortunately, people are falling through the cracks and coming to harm because of gaps in our health and social-care system.
Poor standards of care, as well as neglect and abuse of residents, are not always reported, and sometimes may be deliberately concealed.
The three most common complaints around nursing-home care are: insufficient staffing; substandard care and living conditions; and agency neglect or mistreatment.
The closed organisational culture in some nursing homes makes it exceptionally challenging for staff to speak up and report abuse.
The Government needs to take more proactive measures to ensure the sustainability and quality of our nursing-home care.
John O'Brien, Clonmel, Co Tipperary
Michael D Higgins should reconsider his criticism considering Labour roots
President Michael D Higgins has criticised the British government's recent announcement of a £1.5bn (€1.7bn) investment in defence spending.
Surely this new spending decision is the British government's own business?
Ironic that the main reason for the need to increase defence spending is mainly down to Russian aggression, when the Labour parties in these islands and beyond not so long ago admired and extolled the virtues of the Socialist Republics of the Soviet Union.
Indeed, as I recall, The Red Flag was and is the theme song of the Labour Party across the water, as well as here.
And I'm sure President Higgins himself could belt out the song if the opportunity presented itself.
Peter Declan O'Halloran, Belturbet, Co Cavan
McAleese's great work with the GAA integration could earn her top UN seat
I sometimes regret that the Government didn't nominate former president Mary McAleese as secretary general of the United Nations.
Her interpersonal skills, her courage in confronting difficult issues and her ability to deliver workable solutions makes her a woman of substance.
If Mrs McAleese was sitting in the hot seat at UN headquarters in New York there would be a lot less self-serving tactical manoeuvring and far more direct action taken to put manners on the Donald Trumps, Vladimir Putins and Benjamin Netanyahus of this world.
What she has achieved as chairperson of the Steering Group on Integration (SGI) of the Gaelic Athletic Association, the Camogie Association and the Ladies' Gaelic Football Association is remarkable.
The SGI has come up with a definitive pathway for Gaelic games to operate under one GAA umbrella from 2027.
There is now an unstoppable momentum behind the process.
Grassroots members are excited about the integrated GAA, which will be based on equality, inclusion, respect and togetherness.
In one association, Gaelic games will grow from strength to strength under a single administration with a common bond between all of its members.
Of added value in the integrated GAA is that members of both sexes can mix freely with like-minded people in a healthy environment.
The training, playing and social dimensions will allow boys and girls to get to know each other in a realistic and meaningful way.
Hopefully, many enduring friendships, relationships and marriages will have their origins in a progressive unisex association.
Who needs online dating agencies when the real deal will be available on the playing fields of the new GAA? Well done, Mary McAleese.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Times
30 minutes ago
- Irish Times
‘Fight for us in the communities': Views on ‘rocky' first year of Limerick mayor
St Munchin's Community Centre is buzzing with activity as chief executive Linda Ledger greets locals while leading The Irish Times on a tour last week. Services on offer to deprived communities on Limerick's northside at the centre include social enterprises such as a hairdressers and florist; maternity clinics; training courses; a community cafe; and a Meals-on-Wheels service. 'Everybody and their mother comes through the doors. We're filling all the cracks left by the State,' Ledger says. However, Government funding administered by Limerick City and County Council as part of the city's regeneration programme – which has helped keep the lights on at the centre – has declined in recent times. READ MORE There is concern that there appears to be no tangible stream of funding to replace it, and Ledger wants to know what Limerick's mayor, John Moran, will do about it. A 2019 plebiscite saw Limerick vote to have a directly elected mayor. Moran – a former Department of Finance secretary general turned independent politician – is the first holder of the office having been elected last June. He has launched an ambitious mayoral programme but his first 12 months has also often seen him at loggerheads with Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil councillors. Ledger refers to these tensions, saying she has 'huge concern' that the mayor and the councillors are 'taking the eye off the ball' as a result. She says her centre currently gets €70,000 from the diminishing regeneration fund. She is not against doing more fundraising herself but also says she feels Moran should 'fight for us in the communities'. Linda Ledger, chief executive of St Munchins Community Centre in Moyross and local residen Kieran Ring. Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish Times 'We are fighting for that,' the mayor insists in response. Moran says this can be seen in his lobbying of Government Ministers for almost €5 billion in funding for Limerick as part of the review of the National Development Plan (NDP) but also as he looks for funding for the local authority from the national budget each year. Ledger has been 'doing some great work through the previous regeneration funding'. 'The Government is phasing that out as we understand it. Do we want it to be back in exactly the same format? Or do we want actually a more holistic envelope of money given to Limerick, which the mayor and the council can actually distribute where they believe it should be spent? 'That's what I've been arguing for.' He says St Munchin's needs support for its 'very desirable programmes' and indicates this could come through the annual budgetary process. Moran is positive about his first year in office, saying the highlight is that 'the stuff that we've been waiting for years to happen in Limerick is now kick-started'. He cites progress on proposals for housing development in the city, Government approval for the Opera Square office development, and the expectation that the Adare bypass road will be ready in time for the hosting of the 2027 Ryder Cup golf tournament. Last month Moran revealed his almost €5 billion in NDP asks, saying they are 'not wish lists' but 'catalysts for growth' in Limerick, the Midwest and nationally. Included in over €2 billion sought for housing is €600 million for his centrepiece 'Smart Homes' initiative aimed at delivering 1,000 modular units. These would provide homes as permanent housing solutions, such as the Land Development Agency's (LDA) long-planned Colbert Quarter development, which is under construction. There is another €2 billion sought for transport projects across the city and county including roads and a rail link to Shannon Airport. Aside from the big funding requests, Moran has a mayoral fund of around €40 million to be allocated over his five-year term. He suggests that if a 'proper mayoral fund' of perhaps 'a couple of hundred million' was available to him, 'I don't think we would have had any bickering [with councillors], because we'd have had a bit more money to be able to drive more projects.' [ Mayor's plans for Limerick: Modular homes and fashion museum among proposals Opens in new window ] So how do others view how the mayor's first year has gone? Labour Party TD Conor Sheehan – who also contested the mayoral election – says: 'Obviously some people love change and others don't. From my point of view what has been useful is that the mayor has brought political focus to areas where Limerick is lacking investment – particularly housing.' He also says 'we're the only city in Ireland who has this [directly elected mayor]' and 'we need to prove that this can work'. Michelle Gallagher, chief executive of Limerick Chamber of Commerce. Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish Times Michelle Gallagher, the chief executive of Limerick Chamber of Commerce, says the first year has been 'rocky' but adds: 'We're seeing wins that are coming through.' The chamber wants to see 'more prosperity', 'more housing' and a 'revitalisation' of Limerick city centre from the remaining four years of Moran's term. Independent councillor Maria Donoghue says she agrees with a lot of the strategic proposals in Moran's mayoral programme. She is of the view that 'a lot of energy has gone into defending his position [from critics of the main parties] which is a waste really of the first year', while saying he has 'got certain things over the line'. Proposing Limerick Council's budget each November is a key power of the mayor but the backing of councillors is still needed. Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil resistance saw the failure of proposals – supported by Moran – to raise commercial rates by 4 per cent. Even before this, there was a delay in getting his draft mayoral programme approved as councillors sought more time to allow for more workshops on the plans. Fine Gael councillor Stephen Keary claimed at the time that Moran's draft programme was like 'a wish list for Christmas from Santy'. [ Limerick Mayor eyes introduction of hotel tax to fund tourism offerings Opens in new window ] Keary stands by his 'Santy' comments, saying he viewed the document as 'aspirational' and there was a need for projects that were 'shovel ready'. 'He [Moran] thinks up all these ideas but he doesn't discuss them with the body of the council. He's a very smart, intelligent man by all means – don't get me wrong – but he's not working with the parties,' says Keary, adding that it was 'disappointing'. Fianna Fáil councillor Michael Collins expresses a hope for improved relations, saying: 'We all need to start working together for the betterment of Limerick.' He adds: 'The mayor will have to realise that the two main parties in Limerick are the majority in the council.' Keary, meanwhile, who represents the rural Adare-Rathkeale district, contends that the mayor 'needs to show more interest in the county [outside the city]'. Moran responds to this by saying: 'If he thinks that he should just look at the NDP asks, and he'll realise that they're not all in the city centre.' He lists several plans for rural parts of Limerick including places such as Kilmallock, Newcastle West and Adare. 'It would have been absolutely amazing to have rocked up to this office and had everything shovel ready ... but that's not what I inherited from the previous council.' Moran says Keary is a political opponent who 'probably wants his team to win the mayoral role in five years' time'. In terms of working with the main parties, Moran sets out a preference for engagement through the councillor holding the Príomh Chomhairleoir office. Issues that arise could be debated in the council's policy committees. He concedes this 'does not seem to be the choice of the council'. Adrian Power, chair of Moyross Partners Group and family support co-ordinator of Corpus Christi Child and Family Centre. Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish Times Adrian Power is the chairman of Moyross Partners and he works as a family support co-ordinator in the heart of the disadvantaged community. He says he has some sympathy for Moran amid tensions in the council but 'what we can see from the outside looking in' is 'just complete division'. He says while this is happening communities such as Moyross are 'in real danger of going backwards'. There was dismay when a planned development of 78 homes at Pineview Gardens that had community support – and seemed on the verge of happening – was delayed by a design review Moran had promised of wider plans for Moyross. It is among a series of such reviews by firms of architects Moran hopes will help set parameters for private and public housing on development sites in Limerick. Power says there are now proposals for an additional 40 homes at Pineview Gardens, and another 110 nearby, and while 'we're not necessarily against it' there are concerns of pressure on school and creche places. Moran says every new mayor or minister looks at plans 'to see if it still makes sense'. He says he met the community and their concern was a 'desperate need of housing'. He argues the 'scheme they were looking at wasn't going to deliver'. He says there are now plans for new roads, a train station and other infrastructure in Moyross. While the area 'is potentially going to get hundreds of homes', Moran says he will 'absolutely' be pushing for delivery of facilities such as schools alongside. Under Government plans Limerick City is to grow by 50,000 people from the current 100,000. 'You cannot do that iteratively and by chance,' says Moran. 'You have to develop a large and thoughtful master plan.' Uniquely in Ireland, the people of Limerick will have a chance to decide on his success or otherwise of his plan in the next mayoral election due in 2029. Moran will 'of course' seek a second term.
Irish Times
35 minutes ago
- Irish Times
Maybe we shouldn't be quite so smug about Trump's tariffs
The hysteria surrounding Trump's tariffs prompted me to dust down my old economics textbook. I was reminded that tariffs are a legitimate, albeit imprecise and potentially counterproductive, tool used by governments to try to help grow domestic industries. There was nothing in what I learned as an economics student at university to suggest tariffs were inherently evil. But then I was in college before neoliberalism really took off – under a succession of political leaders from Bill Clinton to Barack Obama – to become the world's ruling ideology. The German sociologist Wolfgang Streeck has monitored this hardening of attitudes over the years, noting how 'protectionism' has become a dirty word. Under modern capitalism, 'protection of home populations and their way of life from economic subordination by 'free markets'', has become 'widely regarded as unethical', he writes in Taking Back Control?, his latest book. Streeck is a European intellectual admired by nerdy sections of the left. He was called 'the Karl Marx of our time' in a New York Times profile last year, while President Michael D Higgins has referenced his ideas in past speeches. But Streeck (his name rhymes with 'cake') is also one of the left's chief critics, which may help to explain why he remains a fringe commentator in public debate. READ MORE Before rushing to condemn Trump and his growing band of 'populist' imitators in Europe, Streeck encourages us to consider what their brand of politics hopes to achieve. The desire to protect national economic interests can be traced back to what he calls the 'dual crisis' of capitalism and democracy. 'First, the workings of international high capitalism, set free and financialised by neoliberalism, have increasingly become a mystery to the societies subject to it,' he writes. 'Second, the societies of developed capitalism are suffering from the way the internationalisation of the state system has become bogged down in a contest between the neoliberal internationalism of its elites and the newly emerging nationalism, or localism, of growing sections of their populations.' There is a lot to unpack in those two statements – Streeck's love of compound sentences and his occasional over-exaggerations are other reasons why he remains a fringe commentator. However, there is an undeniable truth at the core of Streeck's thesis: the will of the people and the will of global markets are now at war. A worrying feature in Ireland is the moral superiority that accompanies much commentary around Trump's protectionist agenda and, previously, Brexit. It is very easy for us to paint the Brits and Yanks as insular and jingoistic when our corporate tax policies have helped to create the conditions for both Britain and the United States to be resentful about globalisation. [ Corporate tax receipts drop 30% as Trump's tariffs bite Opens in new window ] There is further irony in the glee that generally accompanies news that Trump's efforts are being stymied by the markets . Since 'Liberation Day' on April 2nd, Trump has had to perform a series of U-turns over his tariff announcements due to bond market hostility. Democrats have begun mocking him with the 'Taco' slogan – short for Trump Always Chickens Out – which was coined by Wall Street traders . Before chortling at Trump's discomfort, however, consider that the markets puncturing Trump's ambitions are the same markets which stopped Ireland from burning bondholders after the 2008 financial crash, and which today are threatening to dictate policy on Ireland's housing crisis. Rents in Ireland are already obscenely high and no political party has a mandate to make tenants pay more. Yet the Government looks set to weaken rent controls under pressure from global capital. Deloitte, one of the Big Four consultancy firms, told Ministers last month that current housing policies were deterring investors and it warned 'the flow of private capital' will go elsewhere without reform. Ireland has benefited more than most countries from globalisation, but at a cost. Increasingly we have had to cede sovereignty to gain the full benefits of international capital flows. How can states 'take back control' from the markets? Streeck believes there are two options. First, to create a 'superstate' – or world government – that purports to regulate the markets in the public interest. Historically, however, 'there is no example of sovereign states merging voluntarily into a superstate', he notes. The other option is 'to rehabilitate the nation-state as the main arena of democratic politics under capitalism'. Voluntary co-operation between nation states can be just as effective as a superstate in tackling issues like climate change and global conflict, he argues. 'A restored democratic nation-state ... could, and should, commit itself openly to economic patriotism, and even protectionism ,' writes Streeck – he italicises the word to highlight its loaded use by neoliberals. 'There is no more important function for a democratic state under capitalism than the protection of its citizens from capitalism's risk and adverse side effects.' That's not to say Trump's particular brand of protectionism is wise. But for Streeck it is understandable why a government acting on the will of the people would wish to 'separate the domestic economy from the outside world'. It is a conversation we need to have here, with less smirking please over other countries' upheavals. Globalisation has brought Ireland huge economic benefits, but it is naive to think other states will prop up a system that benefits us more than them. Naive, too, to assume Ireland will benefit disproportionately from globalisation as time goes on.
Irish Independent
4 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Letters: Donald Trump's response to LA protests a lot tougher than Capitol Hill riots response
Is this actually a riot or just a protest? There have been many demonstrations around the world that governments have declared a riot, including the 1989 Tiananmen Square protest, which resulted in the deaths of hundreds. Media coverage of events in the US shows violence, but it seems to be mainly coming from the National Guard side, although of course most coverage shows the sensational first. If we accept that sending in the National Guard to break up a riot is the right thing to do, then why didn't it happen in a more timely manner at the January 6 Capitol Hill riots? They were real riots and Trump didn't call in the forces then. Dennis Fitzgerald, Melbourne, Australia I'll raise a glass or two for those brave enough to admit a Guinness aversion In his letter, Enda Cullen tells us that he is not a fan of Guinness and has never had a pint of same. ('Here is a confession: I don't like Guinness', Sunday Independent, June 8). I am partial to the odd pint of Guinness myself. Being of course a matter of taste, I take Enda's point, and perhaps his pint? Tom Gilsenan, Beaumont, Dublin 9 Fantastic Limerick and Cork hurling clash a thrill for even us neutral fans Congratulations to Limerick and Cork hurlers on serving up a fantastic and heart-stopping game of hurling on Saturday. There were really no losers for the neutrals. Hurling keeps on giving season after season. The beautiful game. ADVERTISEMENT Aidan Roddy, Cabinteely, Dublin 18 Government needs to take proactive steps to ensure nursing-home standards In Ireland, nursing homes tend to be regarded as a place of last resort and are often situated geographically and metaphorically off the public radar. Most residents are aged 85 years or over and have complex co-morbid conditions, with dementia estimated to affect two-thirds. About 32,000 people are living in nursing homes in Ireland. According to the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa), private entities manage 80pc of beds nationally. Social policy has increasingly been driven by a neoliberalist marketisation of care, with the shift towards the private at the expense of our most vulnerable citizens. Such policies, allied to failures to invest appropriately in supports to help people to 'age in place', have resulted in premature and unnecessary admission to nursing-home care, particularly for those people with dementia. Unfortunately, people are falling through the cracks and coming to harm because of gaps in our health and social-care system. Poor standards of care, as well as neglect and abuse of residents, are not always reported, and sometimes may be deliberately concealed. The three most common complaints around nursing-home care are: insufficient staffing; substandard care and living conditions; and agency neglect or mistreatment. The closed organisational culture in some nursing homes makes it exceptionally challenging for staff to speak up and report abuse. The Government needs to take more proactive measures to ensure the sustainability and quality of our nursing-home care. John O'Brien, Clonmel, Co Tipperary Michael D Higgins should reconsider his criticism considering Labour roots President Michael D Higgins has criticised the British government's recent announcement of a £1.5bn (€1.7bn) investment in defence spending. Surely this new spending decision is the British government's own business? Ironic that the main reason for the need to increase defence spending is mainly down to Russian aggression, when the Labour parties in these islands and beyond not so long ago admired and extolled the virtues of the Socialist Republics of the Soviet Union. Indeed, as I recall, The Red Flag was and is the theme song of the Labour Party across the water, as well as here. And I'm sure President Higgins himself could belt out the song if the opportunity presented itself. Peter Declan O'Halloran, Belturbet, Co Cavan McAleese's great work with the GAA integration could earn her top UN seat I sometimes regret that the Government didn't nominate former president Mary McAleese as secretary general of the United Nations. Her interpersonal skills, her courage in confronting difficult issues and her ability to deliver workable solutions makes her a woman of substance. If Mrs McAleese was sitting in the hot seat at UN headquarters in New York there would be a lot less self-serving tactical manoeuvring and far more direct action taken to put manners on the Donald Trumps, Vladimir Putins and Benjamin Netanyahus of this world. What she has achieved as chairperson of the Steering Group on Integration (SGI) of the Gaelic Athletic Association, the Camogie Association and the Ladies' Gaelic Football Association is remarkable. The SGI has come up with a definitive pathway for Gaelic games to operate under one GAA umbrella from 2027. There is now an unstoppable momentum behind the process. Grassroots members are excited about the integrated GAA, which will be based on equality, inclusion, respect and togetherness. In one association, Gaelic games will grow from strength to strength under a single administration with a common bond between all of its members. Of added value in the integrated GAA is that members of both sexes can mix freely with like-minded people in a healthy environment. The training, playing and social dimensions will allow boys and girls to get to know each other in a realistic and meaningful way. Hopefully, many enduring friendships, relationships and marriages will have their origins in a progressive unisex association. Who needs online dating agencies when the real deal will be available on the playing fields of the new GAA? Well done, Mary McAleese.
