Queen’s visit cost a fortune, surely the Pope’s worth €20m

THE cost of the proposed visit to Ireland next year by Pope Francis, estimated at €20m, has been referred to by some as unjustifiable.

This ignores a statement from Archbishop Diarmuid Martin that €5m has already been raised through church collections, and the remainder will come from fundraising and, perhaps, a Vatican contribution.

Furthermore, I believe a contribution from the Irish State, if realised, would be appropriate. I regard it as churlish and meanspirited to oppose a visit by the head of the Catholic Church, especially as the Catholic faithful are contributing so generously to the cost of the visit. It may come as a surprise to some objectors, but Catholics do pay taxes here.

I do not recall similar opposition in 2011 when Queen Elizabeth, as head of state and head of the Church of England, visited Ireland at costs in excess of €40m at a time when our country was teetering on the brink of financial Armageddon.

Tom Cooper, Templeogue, Dublin 6W. …SO THE Pope is coming to Ireland next year and it will cost the people around €20m. I am Roman Catholic myself and am thoroughly shocked at this.

This is at a time when pensioners who paid taxes all their working life now cannot afford heating, food, bills.

There are young families who are struggling to feed and clothe their children and keep their heads above water and keep loan sharks away from their doors.

And young, old and families are sleeping on the streets of the capital. T Byrne, Tallaght, Dublin 24

Shame on Leo

THE homeless scandal has reached catastrophic proportions. Another scandal of equal proportions is the fact that last week just one Government Minister and two Fine Gael TDs saw fit to attend the discussion on homelessness in the Dáil.

This proved beyond doubt that our current Government has no interest whatsoever in solving the homelessness scandal.

If you are homeless, you have no address, so you have no vote and you are of no advantage to the current Government.

Where was the Taoiseach when this discussion on homelessness was taking place? You would think that he should have been there if only to spin a line on how he would solve the crisis. Why is he washing his hands of this scandal?

Ireland’s homeless situation will only get worse until such time as the Government has the will and commitment to help solve the problem. There is not even the slightest indication that they have reached that point yet.

Shame on this Government, they are a disgrace. Liam Burke, Co. Kilkenny.

Leave cribs alone

I AM disgusted to hear that management in Beaumont Hospital have removed the Christmas cribs from the public areas.

I don’t blame staff and patients for feeling hurt. I am an unbeliever but I respect all religions and their culture.

Christmas is celebrated by most Christians worldwide. And they are entitled to celebrate and to have their crib. So I call all these managers to respect the Christian tradition too and allow people have the crib.

Maureen Lowndes, Geashill, Co. Offaly.

1930s blighters

The article by Susannah Constantine (MoS, Dec. 17) on how she had nits for three years took me back to my youth – 87 years ago – when I was six.

My mam would try to deal with the blighters, and often by the light of a candle or paraffin lamp as there was no electricity in the 1930s. And lamp oil was a cure to rid them – God save us, such a danger – as it was rubbed into the hair. I think you’ll agree that the cure was worse than the disease.

Kathleen Corrigan, Cootehill, Co. Cavan.

Puppy love...

IT’S good to see the message about not giving puppies for Christmas highlighted in the print media and on radio. Many puppies are casually abandoned once they have lost their appeal.

Unfortunately other animals also fall victim to human callousness at this time of year. Every Yuletide, greyhounds are injured when they tumble on frosty or water-logged coursing fields in pursuit of hares that swerve and dodge in their bid to avoid injury or death themselves.

So, yes, don’t give a puppy for Christmas. But, if you care about the welfare of animals, don’t go coursing either. John Fitzgerald, Co. Kilkenny.

Pause for thought

There is a Road Safety Authority advert showing on television regarding a four-year-old boy who was killed by a drunk driver. It is heart-breaking to watch. But to make matters worse when I saw it the next advert was for an alcoholic drink. I feel the RSA advert should be the last one in the sequence so viewers could reflect on it just for a few seconds.

Neil Carroll, by email.