Sir, – Concern Worldwide welcomes the ceasefire as part of the Gaza peace deal and urges all parties to the deal to seize the opportunity that this presents to ensure full-scale, sustained and unhindered humanitarian access commences immediately.
The top priority must be to ensure there is unhindered land access for the United Nations and humanitarian organisations to resume the full-scale distribution of food, medicines and essential supplies.
All barriers preventing the safe delivery of principled humanitarian aid must be removed.
Humanitarian workers must be protected and assisted in their work. International humanitarian law must be respected.
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More than two years of conflict have resulted in widespread suffering, with famine confirmed by the Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) to be occurring in Gaza.
Although the ceasefire will halt hostilities, civilians continue to face impossible choices when trying to secure their own survival.
A major humanitarian response is urgently required if lives are to be saved. Without swift, decisive and sustained action, there will be more unnecessary deaths, and people will be denied the chance of recovery. Concern Worldwide is ready and willing to ramp up its response.
Concern is working through its partner in Gaza, CESVI, to truck clean water for drinking and cooking to displaced communities in 10 locations in Khan Younis, Deir al Balah and Gaza City. So far, we have reached over 100,000 people, with deliveries taking place daily.
CESVI is also working to improve water and sanitation – building toilets, installing cisterns, water pumps, rehabilitating sewage systems and conducting hygiene promotion sessions.
The ceasefire and wider implementation of all stages of the proposed peace agreement must be realised. As of today, the delivery of vital food and medical assistance must be allowed. – Yours, etc,
DOMINIC CROWLEY,
Chief executive,
Concern Worldwide,
Dublin 2.
Sir, – Tánaiste Simon Harris has stated he is to “intensify preparations for a substantial contribution to Gaza, both for humanitarian aid and the reconstruction of Gaza” (October 9th).
Humanitarian aid to save Palestinian lives must be the immediate priority of any aid.
However, the costs of the reconstruction of Gaza should primarily be borne by Israel and its war allies who have directly or indirectly reduced Gaza to rubble. Most importantly, the ownership of a future Gaza cannot be allowed to fall into the hands of US land developers, like the Trump and Witkoff real estate companies, but must revert to Palestinian ownership and administration. – Yours, etc,
BRENDAN BUTLER,
Drumcondra,
Dublin 9.
Sir, – While so much praise is directed towards US president Donald Trump, it’s important to remember that the US is one of the biggest suppliers of arms to Israel, arms that have maintained a horrific war for two years.
President Trump is, once again, speaking out of both sides of his mouth. – Yours, etc,
PAULA MOLLOY,
Baldoyle,
Dublin 13.
Sir, – Why are Palestinians held without trial “prisoners” and Israelis are “hostages”. The media needs to use equivalence; it’s either a prisoner exchange or a hostage exchange. Language matters. – Yours, etc,
MARC BYRNE,
Rathmines,
Dublin 6,
Sir, – Karma is real and alive. The Nobel Peace Prize for 2025 has gone to Maria Corina Machado “for her tireless work promoting democratic rights for the people of Venezuela and for her struggle to achieve a just and peaceful transition from dictatorship to democracy”.
A wonderful winner for her work for democracy by making positive contributions rather than another candidate who has been working against democracy.
Donald Trump had been quietly promoting his right to win a medal but it would have been the destruction of the credibility of the award.The US president didn’t win, but he could look for inspiration from this and many other prior winners.
Well done, Maria, thank you for your work. – Yours, etc,
DENNIS FITZGERALD,
Melbourne,
Australia.
Apartment objections
Sir, – I was dismayed to see your front page article today (October 8th) informing us that Frank McDonald, together with a group of councillors, have taken it upon themselves to instigate legal proceeding challenging the recently announced amended apartment standards.
I wonder how many of them have young adults still living at home in their childhood bedroom, unable to find an affordable apartment despite having good jobs.
These changes are designed to bring us in line with typical European standards and are intended to kickstart the construction of new apartments which are desperately needed.
The so-called “race to the bottom” and likely proliferation of “small dark apartments” is nothing more than nonsense.
Their lack of understanding for the needs of young people in the name of upholding their opinion of standards is profoundly depressing as we face into another 12 months of stagnation.
Ivory towers and high horses come to mind. – Yours, etc,
JOHN LOMBARD,
Goatstown,
Dublin 14.
Child benefit and Ipas
Sir, – Children living in International Protection Accommodation Service (Ipas) accommodation are the only young people in Irish society excluded from Child Benefit or any equivalent payment. In the last two budgets, funding was made available for this but not drawn down. In this budget, no funding has been allocated. The standard allowance for children in Ipas accommodation has also not increased since 2018.
For the 9,583 children currently living in Ipas accommodation, this is another cold budget that keeps them in poverty.
The Proclamation of the Republic’s statement to cherish all children equally continues to ring hollow. – Yours, etc,
NICK HENDERSON,
Chief Executive Officer,
Irish Refugee Council,
Killarney Street,
Dublin 1.
It’s not butter
Sir, – The thing that irked me in Michael McDowell’s opinion piece (“Ireland should not be told by Brussels or Washington what to do about policing speech,” October 8th) was his belief that “Occupied Territories legislation remains centre stage in the minds of most Irish people”.
He must be living a very privileged and sheltered life. Centre stage in my mind is the price of unsalted butter in the supermarket where I shop went from ¤1.50 to ¤2.39 in the space of three years. – Yours, etc,
ELENA BROOKS,
Glenageary,
Co Dublin.
Cursed by statistics
Sir, – Your correspondent Paul Cleary’s letter (October 10th) suggests that US citizens are the world’s worst “cussers”. I spent the last week hiking in Vermont with six American friends. I use expletives as liberally as the next guy but it was very noticeable that my hiking party including the guide did not share this habit – in fact I didn’t hear one swear word .
On my return trip home there were significant delays at Burlington Airport and I witnessed good humoured acceptance with courtesy shown to ground staff and none of the behaviour I have seen at home in similar circumstances. – Yours, etc,
KIERAN McHUGH,
Howth,
Co Dublin.
Psychotherapy controversy
Sir, – We write in response to your quoting of a source from Coru, regulator for health professionals, in the article, “Regulator not convinced of need for therapy for psychotherapists,” October 9th. A claim was made that there is “insufficient evidence that such therapy provides a benefit to students or ultimately their clients”.
A cursory search reveals an abundance of peer-reviewed studies attesting to the essential role of personal psychotherapy in the clinical training of psychotherapists.
In fact, it is one of the distinguishing features of psychotherapy as a clinical practice and a core requirement of training since its foundation as a profession.
Coru’s casual dismissal of such evidence shows a fundamental lack of knowledge of the profession it is in the process of regulating.
The idea that a training component, which those with expertise in the profession agree is essential, should be dispensed with due to financial considerations is ethically concerning.
Furthermore, the suggestion that trainees should be shielded from any potential emotional distress associated with an experience of personal therapy appears to entirely miss the point.
Working with distressed and potentially traumatised clients requires a considerable level of self-awareness and emotional resilience, and personal therapy offers the most effective avenue for the development of these capacities.
Coru’s disregard of profession- specific expertise will endanger clients. – Yours, etc,
NOREEN GIFFNEY, Co Donegal,
JANET HEALY, Co Kildare,
ANN MURPHY, Dublin,
Members of the Irish Council
for Psychotherapy (ICP).
Ray of sunshine
Sir, – He may not have changed the world (“Ray D’Arcy’s parting outburst atypical of broadcaster who shunned the limelight,” October 9th) but to me, Ray D’Arcy was a daily Ray of light.
In the stark landscape of RTÉ Radio’s relentless news-driven soundscape of death, destruction and disaster, his humour and humanity were a welcome reminder that there is another side to life, a side where people run for fun, care about their neighbours and get excited at the thought of two free nights in a nice hotel.
The manner of his departure from RTÉ is not just insulting to him, but highly disrespectful to all his listeners. – Yours, etc,
DIANE LONERGAN,
Co Kildare.
Sir, – Shay Byrne’s willingness to regularly move from his normal early morning Rising Time slot to cover for a variety of his colleagues, as most recently witnessed during the summer leave period, has shown him to be one of RTÉ’s “go-to-people”, an essential treasure in any family.
Nevertheless, may I suggest that he rein in his beneficence just a little. On Thursday, having awoken to him on Rising Time, I was left utterly discombobulated to hear his voice on awakening from my afternoon snooze some eight hours later. –Yours, etc,
MICHAEL GANNON,
Kilkenny.
Presidency machinations
Sir, – As we edge closer to the election for our next president, I can’t help but feel that we are living in Humpty Dumpty time. Lewis Carroll captured it perfectly in Through the Looking Glass when Humpty Dumpty declared, “When I use a word, it means just what I choose it to mean – neither more nor less”.
The latest example of this linguistic contortion comes from Catherine Connolly’s redefinition of her statement regarding the controversial Syria trip. When first questioned, she asserted, “I funded this myself.”
Yet, she now maintains that this is equivalent to the trip having been funded by the taxpayer, that is, by you and me!
Nor is this wordplay limited to Ms Connolly. Heather Humphreys, too, seems adept at such semantic gymnastics, whether denying opposition at Cabinet to drink-driving legislation being the same as “I voted for it in the Dáil” or distancing herself from representations (which were not representations!) made to a minister in a case of animal cruelty.
With the Fianna Fáil candidate’s withdrawal and the likelihood that his transfers could determine which of the remaining two candidates prevails, the election is rapidly descending into farce.
The argument for spoiling one’s vote by adding the words “none of the above” grows stronger by the day, an entirely democratic action.
I can only hope that, after the election, someone will challenge in court the validity of a poll that allows votes cast for a withdrawn candidate to be redistributed to others still in contention and resulting in their election.
We need to start again. – Yours, etc,
GERARD BENNETT,
Co Westmeath.
Sir, – It seems Catherine Connelly is “damned if she does, and damned if she doesn’t” with the unrelenting trick questions she is being asked. (Did you represent banks as a barrister? Would you employ a sex offender?) No question of allowing rehabilitation here. – Yours, etc,
GILL McCARTHY,
Co Wicklow.
Sir, – With so many “casualties” thus far – a favourite withdrawal due to health concerns; aspirants falling at the nomination fence; candidate assassination by media – the stage now has two actors.
If the unthinkable happens, a dark secret unearthed or a tragic accident, what would be the finale? Should we end up with an empty stage? – Yours, etc,
BRIAN MURPHY,
Templeogue,
Dublin 6W.
Sir, – There have been calls to postpone the presidential election in view of the debacle surrounding the Jim Gavin affair.
Also, the public do not seem to be behind this whole business, with only two candidates left and considerable muttering and mumbling about questionable selection processes.
Yet it would be unfair to have President Higgins carry on his duties; he has worked tirelessly for 14 years and deserves his rest.
So, we need a caretaker president in the interim; one completely spotless, with no skeletons in the cupboard, no gaffes, no stains on their record. This will give us time to sort out everyone’s concerns.
And so – step forward Tilly Norwood – your time has come. – Yours, etc,
JOHN DUNNE,
Enniscorthy,
Co Wexford.
Helmets and rugby
Sir, – I read with dismay that former England rugby captain Lewis Moody has been diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND).
He is not the first rugby player to have been diagnosed with incurable MND, and while no direct proven causal link has been established between contact sports like rugby, a correlation and increased risk has been observed.
Helmets should be de rigueur. – Yours, etc,
MARYROSE CROTTY,
Dublin 9
Out of service
Sir, – Has anyone else noticed that the most frequent bus route in Dublin city centre at present is “Sorry not in Service”. – Yours, etc,
JOAN CHERRY,
Donnycarney,
Dublin 9.
