Sir, – Michael McDowell writes (Opinion & Analysis, February 19th) that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael should have nothing holding them back from taking the radical and necessary political steps to address the issues facing Ireland. But he has his doubts.
On the same day’s front page, Jack Horgan-Jones reports on a modest proposal “being developed” in the Department of Housing (“Government to relax rules on garden homes”, News, February 19th). This will hardly solve our housing problem but it is something, and the responsible Minister of State “is understood to favour as quick an introduction of the exemption (from the requirement for planning permission) as possible”.
But wait! Notwithstanding that the initiative is said to enjoy support from the Civil Service, “submissions will be requested from all Government departments while a public consultation is also planned”.
Why? We elect TDs who elect a Taoiseach who appoints Ministers to get things done. Is it not circular – and a recipe for inaction – to suggest that a proposal which has the support of the line Minister and his officials should be put to public consultation?
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I am old enough to recall the great pen-picture of politicians crafted by John Healy in your pages: “There goes the herd. I am its leader. I must follow.” – Yours, etc,
PAT O’BRIEN,
Dublin 6.
Sir, – Your front-page story seems to me to be good news, especially for those people who it may directly benefit.
It did puzzle me, however, when it said that: “Officials are finalising a paper on the move, which is said to enjoy support from the Civil Service”. I don’t know what the relevance of support from the Civil Service can or should be in a democratic country to a proposed change in the law, but it seems strange that it is worthy of mention! – Yours, etc,
PAUL O’SHEA,
Dublin 18.
Sir, – Is there any possibility that those who may have to live in sheds in back gardens will have more or less the same level of comfort as bicycles currently have in the back garden of Dáil Éireann? – Yours, etc,
NOEL SHANAGHY,
Faithlegg,
Co Waterford.
Sir, – The proposed relaxing of restrictions is missing just one thing. A bed for the cat. If you’re going to try to swing one, the least you could do is provide somewhere for it to rest afterwards. – Yours, etc,
DAVID CURRAN,
Knocknacarra,
Galway.
One-off rural housing
Sir, – I have to disagree with the opinion of Tomás Finn and Tony Varley that, for another while, at least until the climate crisis menaces more deeply, environmental concerns should continue to be subservient to economic and social factors when considering one-off rural housing (“Should the State continue to support one-off rural housing?”, February 18th). This fails give sufficient weight to the value of acting sooner to adapt to the climate crisis. Waiting for it to menace more deeply before acting would be economic and social folly because it is well established that its costs will compound with delayed adaptation. For example, a recent (September 2024) Working Paper of Ireland’s Climate Change Advisory Council concluded that “adaptation can significantly reduce the real GDP losses associated with a given level of climate change. In 2040 . . . gross damages of over 2.7% of GDP can be reduced to residual damages of less than 1% at protection costs of 0.25% by applying adaptation policies.” Equally, the costs of combating climate change reduce dramatically as emissions themselves are reduced sooner. The same paper concludes that, if there were to be reduction in line with the Paris Agreement, the economic impact of warming on Ireland in 2040 would be “almost three times lower” than in a no-reduction scenario.
For these reasons, climate change has already reached the point where it should become the dominant pillar of sustainable development. – Yours, etc,
JOHN KEHOE,
Dartry,
Dublin 6.
Sir, – The recent debate in your newspaper on one-off housing was informative. I agree very much with Sadhbh O’Neill’s arguments on the social harm caused by one-off housing, particularly as it relates to sustainability and the cost-of-living. An additional downside to one-off housing is the damage it does to rural towns. Drive through rural Ireland today and you will encounter small villages and towns that are blighted by dereliction. Vacant shopfronts and run-down houses are common. Keep driving, however, and once you leave the town you will soon encounter very large houses with two cars parked outside. The house, no doubt, is encumbered by a large mortgage and the two cars are on hire-finance. The occupants are most likely so tight on cash that they shop in Aldi or Lidl. Is this an attractive economic model?
I grew up in rural Tipperary where our town had a bakery, several hardware shops, two butchers, and a farm shop. Children walked or cycled to school. Parents were not frantically driving their children around to this or that appointment. Pubs were not closing on a weekly basis because folks opted to stay at home with a six-pack and a Netflix series.
This is a zero-sum game. You can have one-off housing and atomised living. Or you can have vibrant towns. You can’t have both. – Yours, etc,
PETER MALONE,
Clifden,
Co Galway.
Councils and the local property tax
Sir, – There have been a number of letters recently concerning Dublin city that regularly contained references to local property tax (LPT) on the general theme of where does it go and why don’t citizens get the service they deserve.
In 2024, €82,424,815 was collected by Revenue in the Dublin City Area.
Government then directed Dublin City Council to allocate €73,652,037 to areas previously funded by Government grant (as promised when domestic rates were abolished).
The next gain to Dublin City Council was then €8,772,778.
When you then note that over €2.2 million is actually paid by Dublin City Council on its own housing stock, the net benefit to Dublin City is about €6.5 million. So if want to know where the LPT goes, the Government swipes it. – Yours, etc,
Cllr DERMOT LACEY,
Labour,
Dublin 4.
Defending Europe
Sir, – The US vice-president’s recent rebuke of Europe, combined with Donald Trump’s provocative comments on Europe, the war in Ukraine, and Nato, have sent shockwaves through the European Union. These remarks have heightened tensions and forced member states to confront the uneasy balance between collective European interests and their own national priorities, two forces that do not always align.
The US administration’s statements have exposed deep vulnerabilities in Europe’s defence structures, highlighting Ireland as a particularly stark example.
The fragile cohesion of Europe’s collective security arrangements has been disrupted, bringing Ireland’s long-standing policy of military neutrality under renewed scrutiny in an increasingly volatile geopolitical landscape.
Mr Trump’s unorthodox and frequently controversial approach, often dismissed as impulsive, has become a catalyst for a long-overdue reckoning with Europe’s defence vulnerabilities. His actions, far from mere political chaos, are forcing European nations, including Ireland, to confront uncomfortable truths about their preparedness, unity, and long-term security strategies.
For us, this moment is especially significant. Neutrality has long been a source of national pride and a symbol of independence. Yet, whether by accident, design, or neglect, our policy remains poorly defined and increasingly out of step with modern security realities. In a world marked by hybrid threats, cyber-attacks, and assertive global powers, it is time for a serious and mature re-examination of our stance.
Our territorial waters and airspace must be patrolled, and it is our responsibility as a nation to provide the necessary ships and aircraft to do so. It is no longer acceptable for 90 per cent of our Naval Service patrols to be designated as fishery protection. Our Defence Forces must be equipped and structured to provide a credible response to current and emerging threats.
Can we continue to rely on the goodwill of others to monitor our airspace and undersea cable networks, or must we take greater responsibility for our own air and maritime defence? Should we, as a small island nation, pursue deeper cooperation with our European neighbours to meet these formidable challenges?
While disruptive and often unwelcome, Mr Trump’s actions present an opportunity to move beyond outdated assumptions and engage in a mature, forward-looking dialogue about our defence policy. The world has changed, and so too must our approach to security. Europe’s future stability, and Ireland’s role within it, depends not on clinging to the status quo and outdated military doctrines, but on our willingness to adapt, collaborate, and commit to safeguarding our shared future. – Yours, etc,
JOHN MINIHAN,
Montenotte,
Cork.
Aircoach services
Sir, – Aircoach has justified scrapping the airport service for Loughlinstown, Shankill, Bray and Greystones by claiming that the 702 route in particular has been experiencing low and declining passenger numbers in recent years, “and is currently not viable” (News, February 18th).
This is not the full story. In July last year, Aircoach merged Dalkey route 703 with the Bray/Greystones route 702, making the journey extremely long for those commuting from the airport to Wicklow. For example, the service departing at 14:55 from Dublin Airport on this merged route is listed as arriving at the Greystones terminus at 17:53 – a run of three hours, longer than many of the flights it services. Of course many travellers chose alternative routes.
If Aircoach were serious about keeping this service, it would deliver a more direct route. – Yours, etc,
DONAL McGRATH,
Greystones,
Co Wicklow.
Time to catch your breath
Sir, – The word “respiratory” seems to have mutated to “respatory”. The new version is spreading rapidly through the media. Should we be concerned? – Yours, etc,
PÁDRAIGÍN RIGGS,
Bishopstown,
Cork.
Dáil and mobile phones
Sir, – Having watched leaders’ questions in Dáil Éireann on Tuesday, should the now agreed policy of mobile phone pouches in schools be extended to include TDs? – Yours, etc,
MARY LEE,
Newbridge,
Co Kildare.
Electricity credit
Sir, – I see that the Government credit of €125 to all of our electricity bills (announced to much whooping and back-slapping on the Government benches on budget day) was actually only a credit of €114.68 plus the VAT thereon of €10.32.
I have heard of Government giving with one hand and taking with the other, but this takes some beating. – Yours, etc,
ANTAINE O’DUIBHIR,
Dublin 6.
Alcohol warning labels
Sir, – Prof Frank Murray (Letters, February 19th) opines that the new health warnings on alcohol will benefit consumers. By this he appears to mean nothing more nuanced than turning us into non-consumers. No thank you. –Yours, etc,
JOHN DUFFY,
Chairman,
Beoir: Ireland Beer
Consumers’ Organisation,
Dublin 6W.
A chara, – Prof Frank Murray advises us that “the average lifespan of those who consume alcohol in Ireland is reduced by about two years”.
I was reminded of the story of an elderly man who was advised by his GP to give up his weekly trip to the local pub and to stop his modest pipe-smoking habit.
When he asked the doctor if it would help him to live longer, the doctor replied, “No. But it will seem longer.” – Is mise,
JIM HOLOHAN,
Stranorlar,
Co Donegal.
In the grand scheme of things
Sir, – I enjoyed reading Céire Sadlier’s listing of typical Irish responses to enquiries as to how one is (“What Irish people really mean when they say they’re grand”, Life, February 19th).
It reminded me of what our postman replied when I asked him how he was. “Ah, not too bad”, he said, “sittin’ up and atin’ a bit.” – Yours, etc,
JOHN GAFFNEY,
Carrick on Shannon,
Co Leitrim.
Moment of reflection
Sir, – Donald Trump has driven me back to prayer. Every time he opens his mouth, I hear myself saying “Jesus Christ” and bowing my head. – Yours, etc,
TOMÁS FINN,
Cappataggle,
Ballinasloe,
Co Galway.
