Mick’s job will be a lot tougher this time around
SOMETIMES, the most obvious choice is not necessarily the best option. I may be in the minority, but I do not believe the return of Mick McCarthy as Republic of Ireland manager represents the safe pair of hands many seem to consider him to be.
During his first term in the role, the Yorkshireman was extremely fortunate in many respects. Firstly he had two world-class players at his disposal: Roy Keane and Shay Given were the cornerstones of any success achieved at that time. The gods were also smiling on Mick when Robbie Keane, Richard Dunne and Damien Duff progressed from our youth system and quickly became stalwarts of our national team.
With the possible exception of Séamus Coleman, our national team currently does not have any players of the quality of those mentioned above. However, I wish Mick McCarthy the very best of luck in his second term as the Irish boss. He has an extremely difficult task ahead of him.
PAT SHANNON, Dublin 10.
The REAL danger to EU
THE EU has ruled out any UK role in European foreign and defence policy, post Brexit.
Until such time as one or more of the existing EU 27 countries begin another terrible war, no doubt. Then it will be to Britain and Russia the world will look to come to the rescue, as always.
There are very troubled individual countries within the EU, and all is far from well as old hatreds remain as near to the surface as they always were. The EU is more in danger from itself than it is from the UK getting away from the shambolic bloc. ROBERT SULLIVAN,
Bantry, Co. Cork.
DUP must hold firm
ONE may wonder why, coming up to 83 years of age, I should be concerned about Brexit or Britain.
I am enjoying a happy retirement, my family is as secure as it is possible to be in such times we are living in, so what drives me to express any political opinion one may ask? It’s simple.
I love the country I was born and bred in, and shudder at the way it is heading. For a start the people pay taxes, to pay for politicians, to make laws to govern us – few can disagree with that. So I ask: why should we ALSO have to pay taxes to a European Union of mainly foreign politicians?
Politicians, I may add, who accept no responsibility for our health, welfare and economy.
A corrupt political union, whose members enjoy having six-figure salaries AND pensions. Now leaving that aside, why should the British and Irish people pay for any other armed force, than what we have at the moment?
The media are lambasting the DUP for opposing the dreams of Theresa May and Monsieur Barnier, et al, yet they fail to mention that on this issue, the DUP is only a cog in this big wheel.
So I say to the DUP: come decision time, when the UK parliament votes on the Brexit issue, do not abstain, vote AGAINST Theresa May’s undemocratic proposal, of selling her own country to the wolves of the EU. HARRY STEPHENSON,
Kircubbin, Co. Down.
Pension outrage
AFTER a long six-year campaign, including with the help of the Mail, recent official reports indicate that the ‘anomalies’ contained in the 2012 Contributory Pensions Act are about to be addressed. From its inception this Act was a perverse monstrosity, as its only intention, and subsequent result, was to severely reduce the financial pension entitlement of 36,000 contributory citizens – 22,000 of whom were women.
This State punishment was imposed on those who had the audacity to break their work service due to the officially enforced marriage bar and taking time off for family reasons. In crafting the proposed update there will be a total lack of input from any of the affected pensioners, and this critical short-fall is not accepted as therefore a fair outcome will not be achieved.
The only way to resolve this impasse is to repeal this legislation in its entirety. Not alone is this enactment unlawful but it is also clearly unconstitutional. The State must remedy by first apologising to the affected pensioners who are still alive. Then promise, and proceed, to abolish that demoralising Act and restore all pensions, backdated to 2012 along with an additional payment to each pensioner in compensation for the loss, hurt and exclusion officially imposed. DENIS O’HIGGINS,
Monaghan town.
The political race...
READING some election discussions in the newspapers, I found that you could bet on election results in most countries. I, however, am more familiar with betting on horses and wonder what comparisons could be made between these two betting types.
In horse racing some horses are doped, whereas in politics there are too many dopes. Horses are checked for illegal performance enhancement whereas there is no need to check politicians for this based upon their performances.
With racing there are only thoroughbred horses, but in politics there are some donkeys. Perhaps the only sure bet is that no matter who you vote for you will still get a politician.
D. FITZGERALD, Australia.