Sorry, Gavin I don’t want Áras to be Dragons’ Den
I’VE never voted Labour in my longish life, but for Áras candidate Gavin Duffy to declare President Higgins ‘must face real scrutiny’ is such a ridiculous assertion .
Michael D has been open to questions and scrutiny for more than 50 years, both as an able politician and as a President with noble aims and a caring nature towards the weakest and financially poor citizens of this Republic.
We would have to not know him at all to take pot-shots at the man who always has the best interests of those he represents at heart – which, in my analysis, includes us all. He does this in a skilful and thoughtful manner, and he has been a brilliant head of State up to now.
Gavin’s main plank of argument is that the office needs himself as an independent to better represent all of the Irish people. I sincerely hope he does not just mean his fellow millionaire voters he can, no doubt, be almost sure of for a vote.
Michael D has always been a ‘non party’ President since he took on the Áras job, and we can be proud of his skilled overseas contributions on our behalf also.
I can see Gavin telling the ‘cannot-keep-up’ of Ireland to get on their bikes and get a job and a mortgage and stop whingeing.
He is a very supercilious individual in his Dragons’ Den job, and that he starts his campaign on a haughty tone tells me he would not be much different as President.
Other people may feel as they wish, but I am proud of Michael D.
ROBERT SULLIVAN, Co. Cork.
Papal spoilsports
I AM not a big fan of Pope Francis. I’ve nothing personal against the man, it’s just that his method of communication doesn’t particularly appeal to me.
But I respect his position and the fact that many people admire him. Likewise, for example, I wouldn’t be a fan of the atheist apologist Richard Dawkins. I went through my adolescent atheist phase and that was more than enough. To paraphrase St Paul, when I became a man, I put away childish things.
But I know Mr Dawkins has his followers here also. If he came to a venue here, I would regard it as the height of childishness for anyone to deprive a genuine disciple of the chance to see their hero.
So, hopefully, those who are attempting to spoil the Papal visit will grow up and act their age.
ERIC CONWAY, by email.
Let’s help to make peace
HOW many more people must die in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian people, before the UN, the international community, and governments such as our own, live up to their responsibilities, to create peace in the Middle East?
Ireland should lead the way in promoting peace moves, instead of following the dictates of US and EU foreign policies.
EDWARD HORGAN, Limerick.
Solution to strikes
AN article in last week’s Irish Daily Mail had the headline: ‘Why make paying passengers suffer?’ There was a sub headline which read: ‘Leo urges Ryanair and the unions to think of passengers.’
The solution to this problem is simple.
The Government should ban all strikes involving the travelling public, whether it be by land, sea, or air. All disputes should be settled in the Labour Court. It is ridiculous and disproportionate that a few individuals can disrupt the travelling public.
Remember centenary year 2016? The celebrations were destroyed by greedy overpaid bus drivers and hundreds of thousands of travellers and workers were inconvenienced.
The solution is not rocket science, Taoiseach. So can we have some action from the Dáil now, please? JOHN FAIR, Co. Mayo.
Generation gap
IF only teenagers and the elderly could have some dialogue about the stresses facing them.
This is the first time in history that we’ve had the luxury of overanalysing every little thing in life and we seem to gain satisfaction from criticising each other.
Once, the generations plodded along with mutual respect. Our elders would listen politely to our gripes about how hard life was for us, before giving us a few home truths and a dose of reality.
Yes, the teenage years are stressful. But if today’s younger generation fall on hard times, their parents are in a position to help emotionally and financially.
CAROL HORNE, Liverpool.
Trump’s flags
THERE are a number of media reports suggesting the ‘Trump 2020’ flags are made in China, which makes one wonder where other things are made. Some suggested answers have been put forward:
Friends are made in Russia and North Korea. Tweets are made in haste. Inauguration crowd estimates are made in error.
Fake fake news claims are made in press briefings.
Job losses are made in the WhiteHouse team.
Prayers for a better future are made in hope.
DENNIS FITZGERALD, by email