We should not try to drive Philip off the road
PRINCE Philip has a car accident and there’s a call to stop older people from driving.
My daughter was involved in an accident last week when a young man drove into a vehicle in front of him, then swerved into the next lane and hit my daughter’s car.
Should I call for all young people to be stopped from driving?
J. PASK, by email. ...INSTEAD of knee-jerk reactions, please remember many capable elderly drivers live in areas where there is no public transport and are totally reliant on their car. DON GREEN, by email. ...SURELY they should have sent someone other than Prince Philip down the road for a pint of milk and a loaf of bread.
D. M. DEAMER, by email. ...WHAT doctor would want to be charged with suggesting to Philip that he hang up his car keys?
TERRY HICKMAN, by email. ...I AM a long-time admirer of Prince Philip’s determination to carry on as normal a life as possible at the age of 97. However, I hope he will now let his chauffeur do the driving from now on.
IAN STROMDALE, by email.
New Seanad poll needed
I’M struck by the calls for a second referendum on Brexit. The Leave campaign are accused of making ridiculous, unrealistic promises that tricked the simple voter into backing them, so the people should be given a chance to think again now that they see the facts.
It got me thinking on our own history of referenda. Six years ago, we voted on whether to abolish the Seanad. During the campaign, not a single voice called for keeping the Seanad in its current form. All agreed it was not fit for purpose, a bloated talking shop for failed politicians.
The No campaign, calling for retention, promised us the wonderful new world of a reformed Seanad. A No vote would mean a new, directly elected Seanad, accountable to the people. It would hold the Government to account, new voices from across society would be brought into the era of New Politics, blowing the cobwebs off the stale party system.
Six years later, there has been not a single reform of the Seanad. It remains an unaccountable retirement home for political hacks, ‘elected’ only by politicians, university graduates and on the personal whim of the Taoiseach. Still an expensive rubber stamp, the ultimate quango.
Where now are the voices of reform? Will the leaders of the No campaign come out and admit their promises were either breathtakingly naive or flat-out lies?
So, given that we now know the truth of what a No vote meant, with the spirit of the time, we should hold a People’s Vote to get rid of this pointless institution and take back control!
PETER COSGROVE, Wexford.
Speech and drama
I HAVE a book at home, Speeches That Shaped The Modern World by Alan Whiticker. The 50 or more speeches from the 20th century would be familiar to most, or certainly their authors would be.
There is Martin Luther King’s ‘I Have A Dream’, looking to a better world where all are equal. There is Neil Armstrong’s ‘One Small Step’ recognising what the world’s people can achieve. Winston Churchill inspired his nation with ‘We Shall Fight On The Beaches’. These speeches and others inspired people to achieve more, to stand against great odds, to unite all people or to strive to do the hard things in life.
None of these speeches threatened to destroy other countries. None of these speeches accused refugees of being rapists and drug dealers. None of these speeches offered temporary refuge so that a permanent boundary could be built. None of these speeches criticised a war hero, John McCain, because he was captured. None of these caused a lolly company to state that their product, Tic Tacs, was not meant to be used to disrespect women. Speeches should not be offensive, inaccurate or provocative. They should lead, inspire and encourage. Those who will read the next edition of speeches from the 21st century will not need to look for the Trump name in the index. DENNIS FITZGERALD, Melbourne, Australia.
Rice saga is tiresome
PHILIP Quinn, in his article (Mail, Saturday) regarding English-born players who could have played for Ireland through their grandparents, writes: ‘As a nation holds its breath for Declan Rice to end the suspense...’ I feel the nation is fed up of Rice’s ‘will he, wont he?’, it’s been going on far too long.
J. McCOURT, Dundalk, Co. Louth.
Help the Palestinians
NO LONGER can the US pass itself off as an honest peace broker between Israel and Palestine due to the stance made by Donald Trump. Other world powers such as the EU should now push independently for a true and lasting peace in that region, and it must be based on justice and an end to the oppression of the Palestinian people. The backing of the European states is needed to bring about a peaceful solution. NOEL HARRINGTON,
Kinsale, Co. Cork.