Diaspora perspectives
Sir, – While there is no doubt a role for diaspora perspectives in the context of developments in their respective homelands, their selective elevation should be treated with a cubic metre of salt.
Diaspora communities are not politically neutral or socially representative. They are shaped by class, migration pathways, exile politics and the specific incentives of life in western states. In cases such as Venezuela or Iran, the diaspora most visible in English-language media frequently reflects elite or oppositional currents that diverge sharply from the material realities and political pluralism on the ground.
In recent weeks we have again seen them routinely positioned not simply as witnesses, but as moral authorities whose views conveniently align with western foreign-policy instincts: sanctions, isolation, regime change or coercive intervention. What is striking, and often absent from these interventions, is any substantive engagement with the well-documented impacts of sanctions themselves. The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Negative Impact of Unilateral Coercive Measures has repeatedly emphasised that sanctions and secondary over-compliance can disrupt access to healthcare, food, basic necessities and humanitarian aid, undermine economic and social rights, and disproportionately hurt vulnerable populations rather than the elites purportedly targeted.
These expert assessments are not fringe advocacy: they stem from official UN Human Rights Council mandates tasked with monitoring the human-rights consequences of sanctions regimes – including on development, the right to health and the enjoyment of fundamental economic and social rights. Yet such analysis rarely figures in the media narratives advanced through diaspora voices, even when those voices call for more intensive sanctions or maximalist policy options.
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Their distance from the material consequences of these policies is rarely acknowledged, nor is the fact that those most affected, the working-class people, minorities, or those without the option of exit, are largely absent from the conversation.
None of this is an argument against diaspora participation in public debate. It is an argument for proportionality, context and scrutiny. Identity alone cannot substitute for accountability, representativeness or material analysis. When diaspora voices are treated as definitive rather than partial, journalism risks becoming an echo chamber that launders geopolitical preferences through the language of authenticity.
Editors and readers alike should ask harder questions: whose diaspora voices are being amplified, why these voices in particular, and how their interests intersect with the policies being implicitly or explicitly endorsed; including sanctions whose effects are not neutral nor inconsequential for the populations they claim to speak for. – Yours, etc.
GLENN FITZPATRICK,
Drimnagh,
Dublin 12.
Feeder schools report
Sir, – Reading through your feeder schools report from today’s paper (Tuesday 14th) one clear things sticks out for me. Class matters. While I appreciate more younger people are taking up apprenticeships and that is hugely important not only for them personally but for the State as well, the issue of class hasn’t gone away. – Yours, etc,
PAUL DORAN,
Clondalkin,
Dublin 22.
A safe route for cycling
Sir, – The debate sparked by a judge’s remarks describing cyclists in Dublin as a “nightmare” (Home News, January 12th) has generally missed a most pertinent point. Circuit Court judges occupy a central role in the administration of justice. Their duties are to apply statute law, case law and constitutional principles, to act independently and impartially, and to serve as a cornerstone of the Irish court system.
Against that backdrop, it is concerning that the judge in question appears to have ventured beyond the law and into the expression of personal opinion when passing judgment on this specific case. Several remarks that have been widely reported have no basis in Irish law. There is no legal requirement for cyclists to wear helmets, nor is there any legal obligation to wear high-visibility clothing.
These matters, while sensible and often encouraged from a safety perspective, are not mandated by statute and should not be treated or appear to be treated as such in a court of law. The legal position regarding bicycle lighting is also clear. Lights are required only when a bicycle is used on a public road during “lighting-up hours”, as defined in road traffic legislation. Furthermore, it was also reported, in this newspaper, that the same Circuit Court judge was fined €600 under the Road Traffic Act 1994 after pleading guilty in 2012 to failing to provide a breath specimen at the request of a garda.
Judicial commentary carries weight, particularly when delivered from the bench. It is therefore essential that judgments, and the reasoning that underpins them, are firmly grounded in law rather than personal opinion. Public confidence in the court system depends not only on judges acting impartially, but also on them being seen to discharge their duties on the basis of the law and to abide by that same law themselves. – Yours, etc,
NEIL McCLEANE,
Kilmainham,
Dublin 8.
Sir, – Recent comments by Judge James O’Donohoe regarding cyclists (Home News, January 12th) are prescient. The judge’s comments are also borne out by anyone commuting in any of our cities. The default behaviour of almost all users of push bikes, e-scooters, and e-bikes is to ignore the rules of the road and the safety of other road users whenever it suits them.
Standard practice for these road users is to ignore red lights, never to signal when turning, never to wear helmets or hi-vis clothing, and to travel on the wrong side of the road or on the pavement. Many e-scooters have been illegally enhanced to increase their maximum speed.
It is time to introduce serious penalties for this type of behaviour, including on-the-spot disablement or temporary confiscation of the means of transport. The recent spate of serious crashes involving e-scooters also illustrates the need for users of e-scooters and e-bikes to complete a driving test, have insurance, and pay road tax. – Yours, etc,
JOE LENIHAN,
Collins Avenue,
Dublin 9.
Sir, – Is the news that a large number of judges regularly cycle to work in Dublin courts (Mary Carolan, Courts, January 13th) proof that the wheels of justice actually grind quickly? – Yours, etc,
BRIAN AHERN,
Clonsilla,
Dublin 15.
Sir, – If one is occasionally surprised by what another driver or cyclist does, that’s one thing. But if one is regularly surprised by other vehicles, then perhaps the problem isn’t the other vehicles. – Yours, etc,
BEN AVELING,
Ranelagh,
Dublin 6.
Baptism and the Catholic Church
Sir, – Many of the letters responding to Mary McAleese’s article on infant Baptism (Opinion, January 11th) miss a central point. The issue is not whether adults can, in practice, walk away from the Catholic Church – many do – but that there is no formal, recognised process in Ireland for leaving it.
While a formal “declaration of defection” briefly existed, it was abolished by the Vatican in 2009. Today, one may cease practising or identifying as Catholic but one cannot cease being counted. As a result, those baptised as infants remain statistically Catholic for life, regardless of belief.
This matters because the Catholic population figures routinely cited in public debate tend to be inflated, and this has political consequences. They continue to be invoked to justify the church’s embedded role in publicly funded education, healthcare governance and wider cultural life.
Parents make many decisions for children, but few decisions enrol them automatically in lifelong institutions with no exit mechanism. – Yours, etc,
SÉAMUS WHITE,
Stoneybatter,
Dublin 7,
Sir, – Like many millions of others, I was baptised a Catholic in my infancy. It has been well over 50 years, however, since I have considered myself a member of that church. Apparently, though, there is no mechanism for leaving, and I am considered a life member of an organisation with a “no-exit policy”.
Well, I wish them luck collecting my Easter dues. – Yours, etc,
BERNIE LINNANE,
Dromahair,
Co Leitrim.
An Post fails to deliver
Sir, – Fewer people now write letters so An Post have decided to increase the price of a stamp? (Business, January 12th). Surely this points to more people deciding not to put pen to paper.
The sheer joy of opening maybe the only Christmas card, delivered by the smiling postman or woman, goes a long way to help isolated or lonely people feel they do matter.
Incidentally, on Tuesday we received a Christmas card posted in our neighbouring county, Meath, on December 22nd. I guess there may be more to follow.
The well-documented loneliness in our country cannot be solved by a prescription. The definition of public service needs to be addressed. Yours, etc,
ALICE LEAHY,
Alice Leahy Trust,
Dublin 8.
Sir, – Fair play to An Post, if nothing else it is consistent and reliable when it comes to price increases. Its universal mail service obligation is matched only by its compulsion to price itself out of business. – Yours, etc,
AIDAN RODDY,
Cabinteely,
Dublin 18.
Trump’s agenda may well falter
Sir, – Many commentators in the media seem resigned to a new era of autocracy and colonialism, as though the world must simply accept Donald Trump’s agenda. I believe this exaggerates his power and underestimates our own.
There are several reasons why his agenda can falter: His political power will be constrained by legal challenges, midterm elections, and growing domestic protests; US voters show little appetite for foreign military ventures, or the risk of retaliation on US soil; American corporations – for example in arms manufacturing and social‑media platforms – may find their dominance eroded as EU‑based alternatives expand. And as climate‑driven extreme weather intensifies, even many Trump supporters may see the futility of expanding fossil-fuel energy.
We have come too far to accept such a regressive agenda. With resolve, this period may prove to be a backward glance on the way to a more progressive and inclusive social contract. – Yours, etc,
PADDY MEYLER,
Greystones,
Co Wicklow.
Sir, – Is our moral compass gone totally awry? Europe’s attempt to appease the US president is truly mind-boggling. Values of honesty, truth, human rights, human dignity, loyalty and respect for the law are being completely disregarded. European leaders seem preoccupied with meetings which appear to get us absolutely nowhere. Strong leadership is required even if it is unpopular. History has shown us the high cost of sitting on the fence. – Yours, etc,
MARY BARRETT,
Raheny,
Dublin.
Sir, – The EU and its member states are being instructed to “do a deal or else” on Greenland. It may very well be that there’s a deal to be made. If the 56,000 people living in Greenland are browbeaten into seceding from the EU and joining the United States, there are 39 million people in California who might be tempted to reciprocate. – Yours, etc,
MICHAEL DEASY,
Bandon,
Co Cork.
Action plan on energy
Sir, – Harry McGee’s report on the Government’s new action plan for large energy users (“New plan for large energy users envisages almost €19bn investment in electricity network,” January 13th) raises an uncomfortable but unavoidable question: who ultimately pays for this expansion?
Ireland already has one of the highest concentrations of data centre energy demand in Europe. These facilities draw almost 25 per cent of our electricity from the grid; roughly six times the European average. The latest Government proposals would push that figure to more than eight times the average.
While Ministers insist this will be supported through additional renewable energy, ordinary households are entitled to ask how such large infrastructure upgrades will be funded, and whether diverting renewable energy to data centres will meaningfully reduce national fossil fuel use. History suggests the answer will be through higher network charges on domestic and small business bills and little reduction in Ireland’s net fossil fuel consumption.
We are already seeing this. Many households have experienced significant increases in electricity costs, even as they are repeatedly told that renewable energy will make power cheaper. With more large energy users coming on stream, and further grid reinforcement required, it is difficult to see how bills will fall for the average customer, or how overall fossil fuel reliance will decline if renewables are directed primarily to private corporations.
The Government appears willing to facilitate big tech and its associated data centres. The recently proposed private wires legislation, allowing large users to bypass the national grid and secure power directly from energy sources, only deepens the sense that one sector is being prioritised over the public and common good.
This raises broader questions about the direction of our energy policy. Are we shaping an energy system to meet the needs of Irish communities and businesses, or redesigning it to satisfy the demands of a handful of multinational corporations? – Yours, etc,
MICHAEL O’MEARA
Fenor,
Co Waterford.
Eddie Hobbs
Sir, – I have some advice for Eddie Hobbs. It is better to say nothing and have people think you are a conspiracist than to write a letter to The Irish Times to prove it. – Yours, etc,
DECLAN JORDAN,
Ballinlough,
Co Cork.
The price of a pint
Sir, – The price of a pint of plain is up 20 cents from February 2nd (Business, January 13th). Dry January may find more legs to extend to February and beyond. – Yours, etc,
MARK FOX,
Shankill,
Dublin 18.
A dog’s life
Sir, – Conor O’Driscoll (Letters, January 13th) wonders whether we have reached “peak dog?” Imagine what dogs are thinking looking at the world of humans at the moment. – Yours, etc,
JONATHAN WHITE,
Killiney,
Co Dublin
Dry January
Sir, – Passing Arthur Griffith’s grave on a recent tour of Glasnevin Cemetery, with all the talk in your paper about dry January, reminded me of the verse in his ballad The Pride of Pimlico.
And Murphy the teetotaller, he has gone upon a spree
And Keogh the whiskey drinker, now he’s drinking milk and tea
He’s given up John Jameson, likewise the Power and Roe
Because his heart’s distracted by the Pride of Pimlico
A rousing version of Griffith’s ballad is found in the opening scene of Brendan Gleeson’s Farewell to Hughes’, a pub that has sadly been dry for too many Januarys! – Yours, etc,
Dr MÁIRTÍN Mac Con IOMAIRE
Chair, MA Gastronomy and Food Studies
TU Dublin.
