This money should be spent on the homeless
IF I hadn’t read it in my daily newspaper (Mail, Monday), I wouldn’t have believed it. According to the paper, Dublin City Council (DCC) is planning to build a white-water rafting centre beside the CHQ building in Dublin at a cost of €25million.
Might I remind DCC there are an estimated 3,051 homeless people (single adults without dependents) in Dublin alone. I have previously stated that you can build a block of four houses for €300,000; that’s €75,000 for each house. With that €25million you could build around 330 houses, which is more than 10% of the homeless figure.
County councils should be tasked with building their own council houses, with their own builders, and only sub-contract it to private contractors if they can build them for a set price. A whitewater rafting centre should be very low on DCC’s priority list.
JOHN FAIR, Castlebar, Co. Mayo.
Pep’s own goal
I CONDEMN the stance taken by Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola over the flouting of Covid rules by professional footballers. He said: ‘We will follow what the Premier League says, but I don’t know if we will be able to do it.’ I am dismayed at this smug, complacent attitude.
J. METLISS, by email.
... HOW is it acceptable for footballers to hug each other in front of millions of fans who have been unable to do the same with loved ones for the best part of a year?
It demonstrates to the majority that we count for nothing. No wonder so many are ignoring the Covid rules. If obscene gestures can be rooted out, then so can goal celebrations.
BARRY DAVIES, by email.
... I HAVE an MSc in human behaviour and believe complaints about the breaching of social distancing by footballers are irrational and illogical. Criticising goal celebrations would make sense only if the rest of the game was adequately socially distanced. But just witness players jostling for position in the six-yard box during a corner kick.
Any attempt to penalise or proscribe relatively rare goal celebrations is merely tokenistic.
It panders to a misplaced sense of injustice and envy felt by those without an outlet for their frustration and isolation.
Either allow the behaviour, as it is insignificant in the wider context of the match, or cancel professional football.
PETER HEWKIN, by email.
... WHEN footballers celebrate a goal by having a group hug, this response is seen as natural and impossible to resist. However, I have noticed what happens when a team is 2-0 down and gets one back late in the game.
The scorer grabs the ball, spins round, brushes off his team-mates and sprints for the centre spot to restart the game. He wants to get on with the match to salvage a point at least. I chuckle when players score in empty stadiums and rush to the sideline to receive plaudits and adulation from the adoring empty seats!
JOHN GROOM, by email.
... HOW to stop footballers hugging one another? Make it a red-card offence.
NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED.
No warm welcome
THE Trumps have still not invited the incoming tenants of the White House, the Bidens, over for a welcome cup of coffee.
They will miss the opportunity to pass on important information, including – watch out for the toaster as it burns the toast most times; you don’t have to worry about the house plants as someone waters them for you; and for some reasons all the TVs seem to be stuck on Fox News.
The tradition of welcome and a respectful handover, as the Obamas, Bushes, Clintons and others have done for the last century or more, is a symbolic part of the inauguration, but not this time. It’s almost sad to see a negative finish to a very negative presidency when it would have been so easy to just do it and force a smile as probably many of the previous occupants have done.
The other departing tradition of leaving a message for the next occupant in an envelope will be interesting. It will probably say ‘I’ll be back’ but without the accent or credibility. It might be written with a big black marker or a crayon which might symbolise the childish behaviour.
Leave in peace but please leave the political world. DENNIS FITZGERALD,
Melbourne, Australia.
Spoilt sports stars
I AM angry with the spoilt, whingeing tennis players at the Australian Open in Melbourne.
I would happily quarantine for 14 days to see my sons, who live in Sydney. Last March I was due to fly out for my youngest son’s wedding and to meet my first grandchild when Australia closed its borders. I have missed all the baby stages and precious cuddles.
It breaks my heart that I haven’t seen my youngest son for 18 months and the eldest for nearly three years. The mental anguish is indescribable. So I join displaced Australians in condemning the selfish gripes of the tennis players in their luxury hotels.