Sir, – After her failed attempt to secure a nomination in the forthcoming presidential election, Maria Steen remarked “rarely has the political consensus seemed more oppressive or detached from the wishes and desires of the public”. Really?
For most of the 20th century the political consensus in this jurisdiction was an everpresent oppressive reality and Catholic orthodoxy shaped the Constitution and the legal framework to the detriment of many.
Think of the large numbers trapped in loveless marriages because of the ban on divorce. Or the many gay people whose actions were criminalised until the law was changed in 1993. Or the lack of effective family planning. Or women forced to go abroad for an abortion. Or the women whose lives were ruined by the procedure of symphysiotomy. The list could go on.
Whatever its faults, and there are many, Ireland has, over the past 40 years, become a better and more tolerant place, and, contrary to Ms Steen’s contention, the current political consensus reflects the views and desires of the majority. – Yours, etc,
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JOE KEHOE,
Celbridge,
Co Kildare.
Sir, – I disagree with almost everything Maria Steen stands for, which is why I am thoroughly disappointed she didn’t make the cut. Informed debate by diverse intelligent people is needed in a healthy democracy. – Yours, etc,
SIMON BLAKE,
Munich,
Germany.
Sir, – Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael may have damaged the prospects for their own candidates in the presidential election by preventing their councillors nominating other candidates and effectively stopping Maria Steen getting on the ballot paper.
There is a substantial cohort of protest voters in any election and especially so where policy formation is not a major issue such as a byelection or a presidential election.
Voters using the ballot to protest against Government policy might well have given Maria Steen their first choice and then, as she is a conservative candidate, transferred to the Government candidates.
With her out of the running the only anti-Government candidate is Catherine Connolly, a left-wing candidate who may attract many protest votes and, in combination with her own voter base, could top the poll. – Yours, etc,
DONAL McGRATH,
Co Wicklow.
Sir, – Independent Ireland are calling for changes in the rules governing candidate nomination for the Irish presidency following Maria Steen’s failure to make it onto the ballot paper. I can recommend someone highly experienced in rule changing if they are interested, although he may be otherwise occupied for the next seven years. – Yours, etc,
HUGH McDONNELL,
Glasnevin,
Dublin 9.
Sir, – I am writing to state plainly when government and governing parties narrow the public’s choices, spoiling a ballot becomes a necessary democratic response.
In September, Fine Gael instructed its councillors across the State to block Independent contenders from securing local authority nominations for the presidency.
That is not confidence in the people’s judgment; it is an attempt to limit the ballot and restrict choice. This week, we saw the effect. Independent candidate Maria Steen finished two Oireachtas nominations short of the 20 required and is excluded from the ballot. This despite clear public interest and late efforts to facilitate a contest. This is gatekeeping, not openness.
When parties are afraid of choice, citizens are entitled to withhold consent. A spoiled ballot is a lawful, counted, and visible form of protest, reported at the count and distinguished from apathy.
In the face of actions that narrow choice and seriously undermine democracy, voters can participate while refusing to confer legitimacy. – Yours, etc,
MICHAEL O’DOWD,
Chord Road,
Drogheda.
Sir, – I disagree with Gill McCarthy’s letter (September 25th) criticising Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil for not lending support to Independent presidential candidates who were seeking nominations.
Why should they do any such thing? They would be betraying their own nominees and it would, quite frankly, be ludicrous. Like it or not, we have a party political system in Ireland that has served us well for the most part. – Yours, etc,
MICHAEL BERGIN,
Clane,
Co Kildare.
Sir, – A candidate for president has to secure the backing of just 8 per cent of 234 members of the Oireachtas (174 TDs and 60 Senators). Failing that, it is possible to run if a person secures the backing of just four out of 31 councils or 12 per cent of councils.
The councils and Oireachtas are democratic institutions; they are elected directly or indirectly by the population, and these are small percentages.
Are those questioning the rules of the game just sore losers? – Yours, etc,
MAEVE O DONNELL,
Stoneybatter,
Dublin 7.
Life after Traitors
Sir, – Most people who watched RTÉ’s Traitors series will agree it was brilliant TV. Spare a thought for poor Nick who got to the final, but eventually lost out to the three women.
During the series he proved to be charming, enthusiastic and friendly while simultaneously being devious and double crossing his colleagues. Fear not, he may have missed the big prize but he surely has all the attributes for being a potential future member of Dáil Éireann. – Yours, etc,
MORGAN CROWE,
Rathgar,
Dublin 6.
Psychotherapy and regulation
Sir, – The health and social care regulator Coru’s suggestion that concerns raised by the psychotherapy profession reflect a misunderstanding of its role is both inaccurate and dismissive (“Psychotherapy body urges Minister to intervene in row with regulator”, September 24th).
Psychotherapists and key stakeholders have long called for regulation, fully recognising its importance and the urgent need to ensure public safety.
More importantly, Coru’s claim that it “does not dictate how courses are delivered” is quite misleading.
As the regulator, Coru clearly has set mandatory minimum standards for training – hence the publication of its training standards for psychotherapists in July. Our whole issue is that said proposed standards fall well below long-established Irish and European norms, by excluding essential components such as personal therapy and clinical supervision for trainees.
These omissions significantly undermine the quality of training and, most importantly, place public safety at serious risk.
We must ask: would any of us be comfortable with a loved one seeing a therapist who had never undergone therapy themselves?
We cannot support the introduction of these standards in their current form. In the interest of public safety, we reiterate our call for Minister for Health Jennifer Carroll-MacNeill to intervene and ensure this matter is thoroughly reconsidered before proceeding. – Yours, etc,
JACKY GRAINGER,
Governing body chairperson,
Irish Association of Humanistic & Integrative Psychotherapy,
Dublin 12.
What’s up, Doc?
Sir, – As Donald Trump advances towards 80 years of age, isn’t it comforting to know that Robert Kennedy (RFK) is his medical adviser? – Yours, etc,
PAT BURKE WALSH,
Ballymoney,
Co Wexford.
Car-free days
Sir, – I write in support of Dr Ola Lokken Nordrum calling for car-free days (Letters, September 24th).
Mexico City closes many streets in the city centre every Sunday for a few hours, allowing citizens to run, cycle, scoot their way around. This freedom is gladly taken up by many locals of all ages.
Why can’t we have such enlightened thinking here in Irish cities? –Yours, etc,
EITHNE O’CALLAGHAN,
Ballsbridge,
Dublin 4.
Shakespeare’s twisters
Sir, – As a Leaving Cert child of the 1960s, a mother and a grandmother (with no other expertise!) I follow with concern the discussion about whether Shakespeare should be reduced to an option on the Higher Leaving Cert course. I agree with Finn McRedmond’s opinion in her article this week (“I’m sorry if reading Shakespeare is getting in the way of your kayaking lessons,” September 25th).
In what sense could Shakespeare ever be irrelevant to life in any century? Who, in English literature, has been able to encompass the range of human emotions, the motivations behind our decisions, the divided loyalties, the jealousies, the tortured introspection, the depth of love and devotion, as well or as wisely as Shakespeare?
Yes, the plays, with their difficult language and complex plots, are a challenge for young people. But this is a challenge which should be faced, and our skilled teachers and intelligent students are well able for it.
The current textbook notes offer many discussion topics on the relevance of the plays in a modern context. Current performances of the plays are inventive and thought-provoking.
Whether it is “to be or not to be” or “the quality of mercy is not strained”, let’s remember “all the world’s a stage” and William Shakespeare has offered us this stage in a way no other playwright ever has. – Yours, etc,
HEATHER ABRAHAMSON,
Clonskeagh,
Dublin 14.
Sir, – In arguing for the removal of Shakespeare as a compulsory writer for higher-level English (“To be or not to be? Why it is time to drop Shakespeare’s compulsory status in Leaving Cert,” September 23rd), Conor Murphy’s crowning argument is that raising one person above others is “a dangerous concept to exist unchallenged in our education system”.
I would be interested to know if he is similarly inclined to make Newton optional in the study of applied mathematics, where his laws scandalously occupy more than half the course. – Yours, etc,
OSCAR DESPARD,
Cambridge,
England.
School lunches and red meat
Sir, – In her article, “The drivers of obesity which also come with climate impacts,” September 25th, Sadhbh O’Neill rightly warns that diets high in red meat and processed meat and low in plant-based foods harm both health and the planet.
The Eat-Lancet Commission advises cutting red meat to roughly one medium-sized burger per week.
Yet the State’s “nutrition standards for school meals” requires schools in the scheme to offer red meat at least twice and up to three times weekly, a policy embedded in funding agreements.
We already have a potential €8billion-€26 billion liability for missing 2030 climate targets. A policy that obliges more red meat meals only adds to that exposure.
In addition, by embedding red meat as an essential in school dinners, the State conditions children for life-long over-consumption when red meat should be no more than one optional protein among many.
A typical beef-based dinner produces about 5kg of C02 equivalent emissions compared with about 1kg for chicken, 0.6kg for fish and 0.3kg for a vegetarian meal.
Scale matters. With approximately 500,000 hot school meals served daily, this means many millions of red meat portions across a school year. If the reluctance to change was merely an economic one, as suggested by Ms O’Neill, one would think that this policy would already have been altered, but it seems there is a deeper factor at play – the political anxiety about offending beef interests, a constituency long courted by our governing parties.
Until that is faced down, the pounds, the emissions and the multibillion euro penalties will continue to pile up. – Yours, etc,
PAUL O’SHEA,
Shankill,
Dublin 18.
Sir, – It was a great article on an important subject to get right (“School meals: How do French and Irish food for pupils compare?” September 24th). It is good to look beyond our own shores and learn from best practice out here on mainland Europe.
The French certainly know about good food, but they also can teach us about good communication and creating interest.
In my town in the suburbs of Paris, every month the whole town gets a free and very well-produced monthly town magazine, straight into our letter boxes. Every month there is a full-page calendar, proudly setting out for every day of the month what is on the school menu.
This makes for extraordinary reading, every day is different, with all manner of nutritious recipes and seasonal variations, plus novelty days for regional and festive occasions.
Everyone in town knows what is going on in the kitchen of the local school. It is a source of pride, and it also helps keep standards high and the school on its toes. – Yours, etc,
CIARÁN MacGUILL,
Clichy,
France.
Not on board with Ryanair
Sir, – I travel Corfu-Dublin return twice each year. Now that Ryanair will demand a digital boarding pass, which my phone cannot accommodate, I am left with the other option for direct flights – Aer Lingus, which still treats its passengers like humans, and, by the way, is cheaper than Ryanair for these flights. – Yours, etc,
RICHARD PINE,
Corfu,
Greece.
Off the rails
Sir, – I write in reference to the letter “On different tracks,” September 23rd.
Even Irish Rail aren’t on the same track. Try leaving Westport by train at lunchtime to go to Galway, your connection has left Athlone 13 minutes before you arrive – no problem, get a coffee, there’ll be another one along in two hours. – Yours, etc,
SEAN D’ARCY,
New Inn,
Co Galway.
Gaza comments
Sir, – Mary Robinson is to be applauded for stating that the United States is complicit in genocide in Gaza. She joins the Taoiseach who stated that some of Israel’s ministers were supportive of genocide from the outset. Ireland can be proud of the leadership show by two prominent representatives. – Yours, etc,
TIM McCORMICK,
Dublin 6.
Road warning
Sir, – Many years ago I saw an elderly woman with a little white dog waiting to cross a busy Dublin street. I went up to her and politely asked could I help her get across. She glared at me and screamed “F**k off, I am well able to cross a f**king road.” – Yours, etc,
FRANK KILFEATHER,
Delgany,
Co Wicklow.
