Greens are a massive red flag for economy
Sir — Conor Skehan, as is his wont, uniquely and brilliantly calls a spade a spade in terms of the Green Party’s destructive influence on the Irish economy (‘Green wrecking ball hell-bent on destroying economic prosperity’, March 17).
The Green Party, together with Fianna Fáil, of course, have history in this regard, having been deeply complicit in bankrupting the economy in 2008 and responsible for the subsequent period of austerity that caused, and is still causing, untold suffering and heartbreak throughout the entire population.
Remarkably, they are getting another unhindered chance to display their handiwork due to political expediency as kingmakers in the Coalition.
What other country would be so forgiving as to allow this to happen?
John Leahy,
Wilton Road, Cork
Sir — I could not agree more strongly with Conor Skehan’s analysis of the cycling infrastructure situation in Ireland, and particularly Dublin.
Our city is being destroyed before our eyes. There seems to be no subtlety of opinion tolerated any more. Two wheels good, four wheels bad.
A city should be an ecosystem of residents, tourists, attractions, workers, services and every type of business under the sun, and it needs to be accessible to everybody, including people who drive, whatever the reason, be it safety, practicality, disability, work or whatever.
By continuing down this route, I believe we are strangling the life out of Dublin.
Like Brexit, though, nobody will admit the mistake, and it could take decades before the damage is fixed. Parts of the UK are starting to roll back on car access restrictions in residential areas; hopefully, this will happen here, too.
Lyndon McNulty,
Dublin 12
Sir — Conor Skehan’s article did not strike the right balance between being critical of the Green Party, under-investment in public infrastructure and the climate and environmental challenges we face.
In terms of critical green indicators, we are hardly global trailblazers. Don’t we need to take action to reverse this situation?
In fact, our lacklustre performance means that, according to the Climate Change Advisory Council, we face the distinct possibility of multi-billion-euro fines for failing to meet our carbon targets.
For a person so concerned about “Irish prosperity”, you would think Conor would be bothered about this.
You would also think he should have given a cursory nod to the nascent green economy in various sectors, including renewable energy, energy efficiency, clean transportation and sustainable agriculture. Instead, he makes a spurious link between EU green policies and Europe’s lower expected economic growth rates compared with the US.
Ireland is basically playing catch-up. Other countries, such as the Nordic states and even the UK, started their green journey a couple of decades ago. Due to the 2008 economic crash, Ireland’s green journey never really started, and also led to a chronic drop in infrastructure investment, especially in the regions, which is still having a knock-on effect even today.
Andy Hales,
Kenmare, Co Kerry
Sir — The comments made by Garda Commissioner Drew Harris regarding the disciplinary processes that cleared the garda involved in giving a bike to a pensioner created further upset to that same officer, who has returned to full-time duties after four years in the wilderness.
Mr Harris’s statement that
“not all facts were in the public domain” casts doubt over the disciplinary process he himself oversees, and is the final arbiter of, and also impugns the integrity of the garda who was put under the spotlight and put through the wringer after a heavy-handed approach.
The issue here was that no one called a stop. A commonsense approach to this most minute of infractions could have been adopted without bringing, at great public expense, the heavy squad from Dublin down to investigate what would be seen in criminal investigations as a very minor offence, if one at all.
The jackboot approach to this and other issues within the force adopted by this commissioner and his inner circle highlights, once again, the deep mistrust and fear within the ranks of An Garda Síochána when using their initiative and a charitable, commonsense approach.
Christy Galligan
(retired garda sergeant), Letterkenny, Co Donegal
Sir — I have never written to a newspaper before, but I want to register my utter disgust at the way the “bicycle garda” has been treated. Shame on those who took action against him. Catherine Nugent,
Armagh
Sir — How depressing to learn that another rare white-tailed eagle has been blasted out of the sky; a magnificent bird brought low by man’s crass inhumanity.
former F1 racing driver, 53. Jessie J ,pop singer, 36.
THURSDAY, MARCH 28
Lady Gaga, singer, 38.
Nell McCafferty, campaigning journalist, 80.
Neil Kinnock, former British Labour leader, 82. Philip Walton, Irish golfer, 62. Beverley Callard, played Liz McDonald in Coronation Street, 67. Vince Vaughn, actor, 54.
FRIDAY, MARCH 29
Brendan Gleeson,
actor, 69. John Major,
former British prime minister, 81. Elle Macpherson, former supermodel, 60. Eric Idle ,of Monty Python
fame, 81. Jennifer Capriati, US former tennis player, 48.
SATURDAY, MARCH 30
Norah Jones, singer-songwriter, 45. Warren Beatty, actor, 87. Eoin Hand, former Ireland football manager, 78. Celine Dion,
singer, 56. Tracy Chapman, singer-songwriter, 60. Eric Clapton,
guitarist, 79.