Ryanair’s pilots have made Hell freeze over!
AS recently September this year, Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary said Hell would freeze over before he would welcome unions into the airline.
Well Hell hasn’t frozen over and Michael says he is now prepared to recognise Ialpa.
Next, he might even make all of Ryanair pilots members of staff instead of contractors or sole traders, and he might even pay for the pilots and cabin crew’s uniforms and training.
Michael’s macho image is truly shattered after this, and him having to admit to making the greatest cock-up of the pilots rosters, which resulted in hundreds and hundreds of cancelled flights.
When people act together they can change anything: water rates and now even Michael O’Leary.
DENIS DENNEHY, by email
Stamping on Christmas
I LOVED Fiona Looney’s article about the €1 stamps. The first time I discovered this increase I was shocked because I had not heard about the price hike. It just arrived quietly in my case.
I would usually send a few cards to family and friends because I like getting them back. This year, I decided to send cards to relatives outside the country, until I heard that those stamps would cost €1.35 each. Come on!
So it will be phone calls, texts and emails only.
I agree that the post office is shooting itself in the foot. A roll of 26 Christmas stamps is €25.00. Why not provide us with an affordable Christmas offer as Fiona suggests? ELAINE ELLIOTT, Navan, Co. Meath
Geldof was wrong
I READ that Bob Geldof is livid that he will not be given back his Freeman of Dublin honour.
I agree with Dublin Lord Mayor Michael Mac Donncha when he said that ‘Geldof threw the honour back so Tuesday’s meeting confirmed that’.
Geldof doesn’t even live in Ireland and hasn’t done so for many years, so why would we listen to his opinion on what we should do?
Don’t even get me started on the four members of U2 writing to Dublin City Council urging them to strip Ms Suu Kyi of her award.
Who cares what they think? They moved their company abroad to minimise their tax exposure in Ireland. Real patriots.
I saw Bono was very happy to cuddle up to Ms Suu Kyi for photo opportunities when he saw some mileage in it.
Has it really come to it, that we are supposed to be influenced by a bunch of singers and publicity seekers?
MARTIN STRINGER, Co. Mayo.
Pay cash back, Amnesty
SHOULD Amnesty International Ireland be allowed to keep a donation of €137,000 given to them by US billionaire George Soros’s Open Society Foundation, for the purpose of repealing the Eighth Amendment? The aim of this donation of €137,000 is to remove legal protection for the unborn and help end Irish lives.
Contrary to a directive by the Standards in Public Office Commission to return the money, Colm O’Gorman, Executive Director of Amnesty International Ireland, has refused.
Irish Law states that third party groups seeking to influence the outcome of a referendum cannot receive: 1. Foreign donations; 2. donations greater than €6,348 from a single source.
This donation is in breach of Irish law.
Give the money back, Amnesty International Ireland.
TERESA TOMKINS, Knocklyon, Dublin 16.
Cyclists and road tax
SO much taxpayer money is being spent making our streets and roads ‘bicycle-friendly’ that I wonder are the cyclists secretly paying road tax in the same way motorists do, and we are unaware they hold the same status.
Why do they get speciallypainted lanes and priority at traffic lights, as well as not taking a blind bit of notice about the rules of the road? Even glancing at them through one’s car windscreen could see you getting your number taken so that they could report you for upsetting the lycraclad lads and lassies.
No, I think that until such time as cyclists pay for the use of the road, they should be confined to using the footpaths and the zebracrossings. Just like the hapless pedestrians who do not enjoy the luxury of cavorting around the streets on two wheels, and thumping cars they deem may be breaking the law just because a car has an exhaust pipe fitted.
It goes without saying that cyclists are holier than the Pope, and just as certain that they are always right. ROBERT SULLIVAN,
Bantry, Co. Cork.
Union is the real Grinch
AN Irish Rail union has called management Grinch-like over the issuing of a €500 goodwill voucher to staff.
I say this to them, as they are displaying the same attitude: Take your €500 and go straight to a SVP office and hand it over!
There are many people in this country who really need money to just get by!
GEOFF ISMAY, Waterford