Madam, – Why, in God’s holy name, are people like me, a pensioner who has had both hips replaced within the last two years, almost prisoners in our own homes?
I have worked all my life and paid my taxes, and yet a few inches of snow, which fell a week before Christmas, is still on the ground three weeks later due to freezing, and has not been treated. Forty years ago, with a lot less equipment and money, the local council was able to grit the paths and we were able to get about with relative ease.
During the week, Livelineon RTÉ Radio was contacted by no fewer than 11 businesspeople prepared to supply grit for as little as €10 a tonne, with one even prepared to supply it free. It may, however, not contain salt – but some grit on the paths in housing estates and side roads would be better than none at all.
Because a path was not gritted, I am nursing a very painful arm due to a fall the other day – a fall that would not have occurred had my local council gritted around my estate.
Am I really in the 21st century, to find myself writing to a national paper over such a mundane and relatively inexpensive problem? Like the “Grey” voters’ march to the Dáil over a year ago that made the Government do a U-turn on medical cards, I think it is time we braved the (gritted) roads around the Dáil once again. I am fed up being a prisoner. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – The decision by Minister for Education Batt O’Keeffe to close the State’s schools until Thursday caused outrage today among the Opposition and media. However, the decision was clearly based on the weather forecast at the time, a forecast of continuing severe weather for up to another 10 days.
A decision clearly had to be taken so that parents could plan alternative childcare, work and travel arrangements for the week ahead. The forecast turned out to be inaccurate and the Minister has now reacted to the changing situation, saying schools can open from today if individual circumstances allow.
Only last week the Government was being heavily criticised for not reacting to the roads situation until 20 days after the icy weather had begun.
Clearly, if the Minister had not taken a decision on this and continued to leave the situation up in the air over the weekend, the Government would have been accused of passing the buck to schools’ boards of management to decide. What is clear, no matter what decision is taken, is that the media or Opposition will find fault with it. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Having just listened to the Minister for Transport’s excuse as to why he continued on his holiday even though the forecast was looking quite bad, it strikes me that we could eliminate his post for good, thus saving the State a small fortune.
The Minister is entitled to a holiday – there is no denying that. However, such an unprecedented situation required someone out of our Government to take charge.
The Taoiseach should have been on top of his job by insisting his Minister return to his desk to take control of the situation.
Alas another letdown from this dull, dismal and totally uninspiring Government (a bit like the Irish weather). – Yours, etc,
Madam, – If we had taken all the promises our political leaders have made over the last 10 years with the proverbial “grain of salt”, not only would we have adequate supplies for the current situation, we’d be exporting it as well . – Yours, etc,
Madam, – In recent days our footpaths have been described as “slippy” and also as “slippery”. Which is the correct word? We need to know soon to avoid future slip-ups. – Yours, etc,
Madam, – Late last Saturday night I went to answer what I thought was a knock on the front door. When I opened it, in ran a gigantic feral tomcat covered in snow.
It made a beeline for the cosy sitting room, proceeded towards the open fire, then shook the frozen crystalline flakes from its fur onto the warm hearth.
My dear wife entered the room and exclaimed, “I thaw I saw a pussy cat!” The next morning, having been suitably rested, nourished and well thawed out, -the moggie was politely, but firmly, shown the door.We haven’t seen our pet tortoise since.
Yours, etc,