A chara, – Mary Hanahoe (Letters, March 17th) rightly hightlights her positive and uplifting experience concerning Ukrainian refugees arriving here. However, before we get too carried away, can we spare a thought for Syrian and other refugees who arrived here not so long ago.
There was no minister to welcome them at the airport; no one-stop desk at the airport; no PPS card to assist with health screening and other services; no right to work; no bank account facilities and no Irish families taking those refugees into their homes but rather a bed in a prison-like direct provision centre somewhere in the country.
The response here to the Russian invasion of Ukraine has highlighted much hypocrisy: our treatment of previous refugees who arrived here; our attitude to the occupation of other lands such as Palestine; our attitude to other wars, some ongoing, and the fact that it is now perfectly correct for politics and sport to mix.
Perhaps before we all pat ourselves on our backs too much, a moment of reflection might be more appropriate.
– Is mise,
ENDA FANNING,
Churchtown, Dublin 14.