Michael Ring was right2018 to take care of his own
YOUR correspondent, John Cooper, was critical of Minister Michael Ring’s Department of Rural and Community Development for funding a project in the minister’s own constituency (MoS letters, March 11).
If this project benefits the minister’s constituency and the wider community, well and good. The chattering classes seem to believe rural Ireland should not benefit from State largesse.
No minister is obliged to follow a civil servant’s advice. The culture of the civil service is to caution and oppose. It was this culture that opposed the introduction of free second-level education; that opposed the setting up of TG4 and the building of Knock Airport.
These three projects benefited communities, proving that civil servants don’t possess a monopoly of wisdom.
Nicholas McCourt, Drogheda, Co. Louth.
Disgraceful spending
IT IS disgraceful move on the part of the Government to approve Wesley College a grant of €150,000 to fix a hockey pitch.
Governments down through the years talked about helping disadvantaged areas. But very little has been done.
So many people from disadvantaged areas fall by the wayside. There has to be help and guidance in order to break the cycle of disadvantage but governments don’t care and people will continue to suffer.
Maureen Lowndes, Geashill, Co. Offaly.
A true patriot
THERE are some scathing noises emanating from ‘post-armed conflict’ diehards, in their opposition to a monument being erected to John Redmond, Irish nationalist, who died 100 years ago.
That he took a different road to independence than Sinn Féin does not mean he was not a great Irishman, with the safety and security of those he represented foremost in his life and work.
When we see the way the original peaceful ideals of people like Redmond were hijacked by post-1969 ‘republicans’ like Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness, we must agree that it is fitting for leaders like Redmond to be commemorated.
Those politicians did much more for our country. I’d rather a memorial erected to Redmond than to any of the false prophets who emerged in 1969 with their guns to plunge our nation into conflict in recent history.
Robert Sullivan, Bantry, Co. Cork.
Forgotten women
ON INTERNATIONAL Women’s Day it was good to see women stand up for their rights. Yet nowhere did they speak up for the millions of women who are killed all over the world before they have a chance to show off their leadership skills or even speak for themselves. Yes, every woman was an unborn baby once. Gabrielle Nelson, Co. Roscommon.
Moore Street battle
REPORTS that talks between Hammerson [retail property developer], the owner of the Moore Street Battlefield site, and relatives of the 1916 leaders are ‘set to resume’ on foot of the recent High Court Appeal hearing are somewhat wide of the mark.
For the record, while individual relatives may well have met with Hammerson representatives, Concerned Relatives of The Signatories to the 1916 Proclamation and other leaders hold the view that the proper place for such engagement is at the Moore Street Consultative Group. This advisory body was set up by Minister Heather Humphreys to allow engagement by all interested parties in order to plan a way forward.
Hammerson has to date refused to engage at that forum. It remains the only party outside of a process that has the support of An Taoiseach and the Government.
If there is to be an agreeable way forward it will be found within the minister’s consultative group and not in private conclave between developers and interested parties.
We know all too well where that sort of behind-closed-doors activity led us in the past.
James Connolly Heron, Proinsias O’ Rathaille, David Ceannt, The 1916 Relatives Initiative, Dublin 6.
Jamie’s temper
WHEN a person is in the public eye, it is advisable for them to be controlled, disciplined and aware of their behaviour.
Ex-soccer player Jamie Carragher let his laid-back on-screen persona slip when he was filmed spitting in the direction of a vehicle occupied by a 14-year-old girl and her father. Carragher has since apologised for his despicable conduct.
Having been suspended by Sky Sports, Carragher might consider a course in anger management.
Vincent O’Connell, New Ross, Co. Wexford.