Latest news with #JohnBergin

Irish Times

Letters to the Editor, June 19th: On power supply, threats to Europe and lottery winners

Sir, – The creation of a separate network for high energy users may be a good idea but could it also be a slippery slope to a two-tier energy system ('D ata centres could build own private electricity plants ,' June 18th). With big users allowed to create their own networks, along with them probably going into power generation, it could soon be that they push for selling on their surplus to the highest bidder and not think of who needs it most. The power large multinational companies have on the economy may result in too much latitude being given to them. An 'I'm alright Jack' attitude may prevail once their needs are met, and the needs of the nation will come second. With the creation of a separate delivery network, strong controls must be in place to ensure that they do not also strong-arm landowners to cross their land, or even build energy stations in inappropriate areas. READ MORE By all means get them to contribute to the cost of the network and even allow them to build it, but control must remain with the ESB. The State must at all times be in control of energy produced and must not allow it to fall into the hands of large corporations whose owners may not have the interests of the country at heart. While it's up for discussion at the moment, Minister for Energy Darragh O'Brien and the Government must ensure they make the decisions on all aspects of this scheme and not let it become a cross for future generations to bear. – Yours, etc, JOHN BERGIN, Wirral, England. A gay man in the Church of Ireland Sir, – Bishop of Down and Dromore David McClay might speak for some of those in his own diocese, but he does not speak for me and many in the Church of Ireland ('B ishop criticises Christ Church invite for gay preacher to speak at Pride Service ,' June 18th). The visit of Bonnie Perry, Bishop of Michigan, to Dublin last weekend was a joyful, emotional and thought provoking occasion. As a gay Christian and active member of the Church of Ireland, her words were an inspiration to all of us – echoing and prompting us to think beyond the theological norms that those of faith in the LGBTQIA+ community are told cannot shift. They can and one day they will. 'Hope does not disappoint, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit.' Bishop McClay talks of the concern and confusion of church members. He forgets that in recent times, members of three diocesan synods in the southern province, including Dublin and Glendalough, voted by a significant majority to ask the House of Bishops to give diocesan discretion to allow same-sex blessings. Of course, there is much work to do. The support from the ground is there, from laity and clergy. Those bishops who have put their head above the parapet have been criticised for it by fellow bishops, but we must continue to be lifted up by the experience of those who shine a light on what might be possible here one day. I remain optimistic about my place as a gay man in the Church of Ireland, knowing full well that one bishop's smug religious superiority won't deter me from continuing to fight for inclusion and equality in the church I love. – Yours, etc, MARK BOWYER, Celbridge, Co Kildare. Organ donation and complacency Sir, – As the Human Tissue Act comes into effect this week, we all become presumed potential organ donors at the time of death unless we elect to 'opt-out'. This presumed consent model brings our legislation in line with many of our EU counterparts and is an important milestone for organ donation in Ireland. However, it is important to not be complacent. Ireland has excellent organ transplant programmes due to the tireless efforts of healthcare workers across the country, but despite this our rates of transplantation fall below the need for organs. Spain has the highest rate of deceased organ donation in the world. They have had an opt-out system since 1979, but it was only a decade later that their transplant numbers began to rise. They attribute their success not to their opt-out system, but to their well resourced infrastructure across their hospital network nationally. When Sweden introduced its opt-out system without this complementary infrastructure, it saw no increase in transplantation rates. If we are to replicate the success of the Spanish system, higher levels of Government support and investment in transplant infrastructure are required. Our citizens with chronic disease deserve nothing less. – Yours, etc, Dr LIAM O'NEILL, Kilmainham, Dublin 8. Defending Europe Sir, – I found Tom Clonan's letter ( June 17th ) very interesting but I have some reservations on its essence. I was born not long after the second World War and my father, himself born in the 1880s, fought as a volunteer in both world wars, as an artillery captain in the first and lieutenant-colonel in the second. As a result, his personal opinions and experiences were often the subject of discussions and led me to believe – as well as evidence from history over the last century – that a strong defence is not a tool for aggression but the best protection for continued peace. This history started when the newly established Republic of Armenia's army, while putting up a valiant resistance, could not stop the invasion from a superior Turkish army in 1918 which led to the genocide of over a million Armenians. Secondly, while an increase in armaments may have been a factor in the start of the first World War, it wasn't the only one. The rise of nationalism and the perceived threat from Germany were also responsible. Finally, the assassination of Franz Ferdinand of Austria in 1914 triggered the actual start of the war. During the 1930s, France built fortifications along the Maginot Line stretching the length of its borders. This was, for the time, a feat of engineering, with underground transport, communications, and weapons encased in concrete capable of withstanding any air attack. It was to prevent any German invasion but proved to be ineffective in the second World War as the German army simply went around it and invaded Belgium, a neutral country. Norway suffered the same fate, adding further proof neutrality is no protection in the face of determined aggression. Going back to present times, Dr Clonan evaluation's of Nato's strength – as against Russia's – includes the military capability of the present US administration. And while the combined nuclear power of France, the UK and the US exceeds Russia's, it will be significantly diminished if the US withdraws its support. History has shown us that the threat of a powerful retaliation is the one weapon Europe may ignore at its peril. The establishment of Nato has given us 80 years of peace and may have lulled the last generations into a sense of a security which may be threatened in the not too distant future. We have heard various reports of Russia's failing economy, military losses, etc, but the recent disastrous attack on Ukraine shows its aggression doesn't show any sign of abating. Neither should we forget that in the case of an extended conflict, the involvement of China, in particular, and others, is a possibility which should not be overlooked. I hope Dr Clonan is correct when stating the invasion of a Nato member by 2029 is unlikely, but some other opinions differ and I would prefer to see a Europe united and ready to defend its territories and its populations. Neither do I believe that this alienates committed negotiations towards peaceful endings to military conflicts. – Yours, etc, ELISABETH WOGAN, Portmarnock, Co Dublin. Sir, – I've heard it said you should never underestimate your enemy and never overestimate your ally. Europe and Britain are guilty on both counts. Vladimir Putin, the enemy, has been underestimated since coming to power at the turn of the century. He was feted by the West even when silencing any opposition within Russia, supporting insurgency in eastern Ukraine during and after his annexation of Crimea. Now he is testing the resilience of European security: continually probing European airspace, mapping vital undersea communication and power lines and testing internal commercial facilities. It was only with his full-scale invasion of Ukraine that Europe finally saw the light. However, Europe has been complacent, relying on American military power to provide security. Many US presidents have been reluctant to provide this carte blanche security, especially since the fall of the Soviet regime. However, until now they have always stepped up. President Donald Trump, during his first term, more than hinted he would withdraw support and now during his second term he could carry out the threat. Europe has completely over estimated its most powerful ally. Even Britain, with its 'special relationship' with the US, has been complacent. I read that Trump wants Putin to return to the G7. One wonders who is the enemy and who is the ally? Europe and Britain have to get tough and look after their own security to ensure its values and freedoms. – Yours, etc, DENNIS HAWKE, Co Donegal. Water and housing Sir, – The UK is building 10 new water reservoirs by 2055 to cater for a projected eight million increase in population. In Ireland, our population is growing rapidly and without water supply we cannot build the houses required to accommodate this increase in population. Uisce Éireann is seeking €2.2 billion in funding. Will any of this be used to build new reservoirs? And why is it not a top priority of Government to provide such money from the Apple fund to help Irish water create the infrastructure without which we are stuck with the same tinkering around the edges of the biggest housing emergency in history and solving nothing. Words fail. – Yours, etc, JOANNE MORRISSEY, Sandycove, Dublin. Euromillions and Lotto winners Sir, – I once read that the best way to cope with a large windfall is to burn half of it in a wheelbarrow. That way you get to appreciate the other half. As it happens, I have a wheelbarrow with a €125million capacity, and am happy to provide the above service for a small fee. – Yours, etc, HUGH McDONNELL, Glasnevin, Dublin 9. Sir, – The latest excitement about a fabulous lottery win in Ireland reminds me of the monumentally stupid things people do with unexpected wealth. I was once a participant in a small syndicate which had a modest (four or five number) win in the National Lottery. Having cashed in the ticket we found ourselves with a bit more than €780 to redistribute among the investors. One suggested option was to spend the entire money in the upcoming weekend lottery. Being the smartest bloke in the room, I advised my mates that this was like nipping down to the bookies and backing only 1,500-1 outsiders. My advice was ignored and a week later our gains had completely vanished. – Yours, etc, MARTIN FITZPATRICK, Howth Road, Dublin 5. AIB and the State bailout Sir, – I was pleased that AIB chief executive Colin Hunt remarked that 'AIB profoundly regrets that it had to be rescued by the State almost two decades ago and owes an immense debt of gratitude to the Irish taxpayers for their support provided during that challenging time'. Might I wonder would it be an appropriate time for AIB to change its well-known logo, to incorporate a symbol representing that immense 'gratitude' – a heart perhaps or a simple 'Thank You'. Lest they forget! – Yours, etc, AIDAN RODDY, Cabinteely, Dublin 18. Disappearing down a hole Sir, – Fintan O'Toole identifies a problem that extends far beyond Irish government reports (' Official documents are quietly disappearing from departmental websites. Why? ,' June 17th). The phenomenon of 'unpublishing' is rife globally. I have found a number of accounts of speeches that I have referred to in previous research across a wide range of topics hard to retrace. They have completely disappeared from internet search engines, despite my having details of date, etc. This is especially the case when what was said no longer suits the current moment. Thus, I can imagine that right now support for net zero and tackling the climate emergency is going to vanish from the online record of speeches by many public figures as long as Donald Trump is in power. Public figures should of course be free to change their minds, but it is sad that they should be able to erase the record of their previous opinions so easily. – Yours, etc, Prof ADRIAN GUELKE, Fitzwilliam Street, Belfast. Respect the presidency Sir, – The Irish presidency has over the years proven itself to be a position that has served the people and democracy well. At this time of international instability and threat to the fundamental rights of people and institutions it is imperative that the presidency and the upcoming election are treated with due respect. Kathy Sheridan's article (' Presidency is the plum job that no one seems to want ,' June 18th) gives some reasons why individuals are reluctant to enter a contest for the position. The disrespect for truth and persons in some previous contests has greatly lessened the willingness of many to allow their names to be considered. There are also the occasional gratuitous media comments about the office and its holder(s) that serve only to lessen the respect properly due to an individual 'who takes precedence over all other persons in the State'. The upcoming election/selection deserves to be treated with all due dignity. – Yours, etc, MICHAEL GLEESON. Killarney, Co Kerry. Mapping a route for transport Sir, – I refer to Dr Ola Lokken Nordrum's letter of June 16th , in which he rightly questions the ambition to put one million electric vehicles on Irish roads by 2030 – and why this should never have been the primary target. Looking ahead, Central Statistics Office projections suggest Ireland's population could grow by over 35 per cent by the mid-2050s. Meanwhile, private car ownership has nearly doubled over the past two decades, now standing at 2.5 million vehicles. This trajectory is also not sustainable. The most important factor in any credible road safety and climate strategy is not simply swapping engines, but reducing the total number of kilometres driven. This requires a serious, sustained shift toward active and public transport – supported by meaningful, long-term investment by Irish governments. Ireland's future transport landscape is still being shaped. We can either continue down the road of congestion, emissions, and daily tragedy, or we can choose a healthier, more liveable path. One thing is certain: if everyone drives, nobody moves and we can't pave over the entire country. Ireland is full . . . of cars. – Yours, etc, Dr VINCENT WALL, Cork.