Sir, – Further to “Bid for Dáil speaking rights by government-supporting Independents” (Politics, January 17th), in politics, as in life, occasionally one has to choose between two options that cannot co-exist together: the government and the opposition. Choosing one eliminates the other. Sorry, Michael Lowry! – Yours, etc,
MARY HARTE,
Letterkenny,
Co Donegal.
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A chara, – In the great tradition of political parties having rallying songs, can we expect the Regional Independents to troop into the government benches ofttimes and the opposition benches betimes while whistling a few bars of Lannigan’s Ball? – Is mise,
EOGHAN MAC CORMAIC,
Cill Chríost,
Gaillimh.
Sir, – The thought experiment of Schrödinger’s cat is now supplanted by the Regional Independents Group who will be in government and in opposition simultaneously. – Yours, etc,
DAVID LOUGHLIN,
Dublin 6.
Sir, – We must surely reflect on the country’s future in the words our Saviour didn’t give us: “For Thine is the Kingdom, the Boxer and the Lowry”. – Yours, etc,
KEVIN O’SULLIVAN,
Letterkenny,
Co Donegal.
Sir, – When Sigmund Freud coined the phrase “the narcissism of small differences” in 1917 he did not expect it to appear in Frank McNally’s History of Ireland in 100 Diminutives (January 17th).
Yet Irish politics provides the paradigm.
A decade ago, Fintan O’Toole foresaw the relationship between Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael as the narcissism of no difference – as the actual differences between the parties diminished over the years the narcissism became more and not less pronounced.
The 160-page programme for government proves his point. – Yours, etc,
Dr JOHN DOHERTY,
Gaoth Dobhair,
Co Dhún na nGall.
Sir, – Before the Dáil even meets to elect a taoiseach, the fragility of the much-lauded agreement with the Regional Independent Group has now emerged.
Those TDs who have not been given ministerial posts now wish to form yet another technical group with speaking rights, even though their group has signed up to the programme for government.
It has been suggested that, in order to facilitate this, the Dáil rules or standing orders could be changed to enable TDs from either the opposition or government to be part of a technical group. If that is the case, it will become impossible for the ordinary citizen to distinguish any difference between the government and the opposition benches.
In order to move this from the political arena, a decision on this matter should be taken, based on existing rules, by the main procedural adviser, the Clerk of the Dáil. The Ceann Comhairle was elected as an integral part of the agreement with the Regional Group and, before that, was an active member of that group. In order to avoid any possible conflict of interest and, in accordance with basic governance principles, the Ceann Comhairle should recuse herself from this process, so that the Dáil can get down to business without controversy or acrimony. – Yours, etc,
MARTIN McDONALD,
Dublin 12.
A chara, – The establishment of a new government and the publication of its programme for government is an important event that should engender optimism, hope and renewed commitment. However, any sense of anticipation and expectation I had was quickly replaced by disappointment when I saw that the charities sector only merited 23 words in the 162 pages of the Securing Ireland’s Future document. It is silent on any commitment to the commencement of the long-awaited Charities Amendment Act 2024, nothing on addressing the identified need to build capacity and skills in the sector or support for the ever-increasing costs of the compliance. Hopefully, actions will speak louder than the missing words. – Yours, etc,
DIARMAID Ó CORRBUÍ,
CEO,
Carmichael Centre for Voluntary Groups,
Dublin 7.
Sir, – Why don’t we just create 26 junior ministers: one for every county! – Yours, etc,
CLARE STOREY,
Glencar,
Sligo.
Sir, – With expanded and enhanced junior ministry posts being invented by the new time, the big national dilemma is, of course, will Buswells Hotel be able to cope with the numbers? – Yours, etc,
JIM COSGROVE,
Lismore,
Co Waterford.
Sir, – I am puzzled as to why Michael Healy-Rae would particularly want to be a junior minister?
Junior ministers find their role somewhat onerous and many of these politicians often end up being jaded at the end of their careers. Many describe being a junior minister as troublesome‚ strenuous and arduous. Junior ministers are often travelling up and down the country doing the stuff that the cabinet minister doesn’t particularly want to do. It is my assertion that this also dilutes the entire essence of their political brand, which, as the Healy-Raes outlined themselves not too long ago, is Kerry, Kerry, Kerry. I have to say that one can’t be a minister for Kerry, even if one is part of a team that is ultimately going to deliver goodies for Kerry.
Bring a junior minister also often involves taking one’s eye off the constituency ball a little bit. One wonders does a junior ministry weaken or strengthen the Healy-Rae brand? – Yours, etc,
JOHN O’BRIEN,
Clonmel,
Co Tipperary.
Sir, – The Healy-Raes are a formidable political force but with one now in government and one in opposition for technical reasons, how much could Ticketmaster charge to be a fly on the wall at their next family meal? Dynamic pricing might be required, particularly if someone were to throw in the phrase “carbon tax” during dessert. – Yours, etc,
DAVID CURRAN,
Knocknacarra,
Galway.
Sir, – Some members of the Regional Independent group who negotiated the programme for government now wish to sit on the opposition benches to enhance their speaking rights in the Dáil. Meanwhile other members of this group will hold ministerial positions. I feel a Martyn Turner cartoon coming on. – Yours, etc,
PJ McDERMOTT,
Westport,
Co Mayo.
Renewable energy
A chara, – The article on the purported €840 million savings from renewable energy (“Wind and solar farms have saved Irish electricity consumers €840 million since 2000, says report”, News, Economy, January 16th) warrants a more balanced discussion. While wind and solar have a role to play in reducing emissions and diversifying energy sources, we must be cautious about claims that they are delivering significant cost savings for consumers.
The reported savings rely heavily on the volatility of the gas market, where prices recently surged due to geopolitical factors such as the war in Ukraine. The core issue lies in the electricity market structure, where prices are dictated by the most expensive generator on the grid; most often gas. It is therefore misleading to attribute insulation from these crises solely to renewables when gas prices have since stabilised from €340/MWh during August 2022 to under €40/MWh for most of 2024. The rebound underscores how the perceived economic benefits of renewables are context-dependent and not indicative of long-term price stability.
Furthermore, the notion that wind energy is free because it displaces fossil fuels as a generation source ignores the substantial up-front outlays required to build renewable energy projects. While we would like to think that wind is free, someone must foot the bill; typically, consumers and taxpayers through government-backed schemes such as the Renewable Energy Support Scheme which is funded through the Public Service Obligation Levy. If the wholesale price of electricity keeps falling, the contribution required from each consumer will increase and may expose us to higher electricity bills in the long term.
The experience of Denmark, an early adopter of wind energy, should be instructive. Despite generating over 70 per cent of its electricity from renewables, Danish households pay some of the highest electricity prices in Europe. Other early adopters of wind energy such as Germany and the Netherlands have similarly high prices.
While renewable energy is part of Ireland’s future in combating climate change, transparency and independent research are crucial to understanding its true costs and benefits. Reports commissioned by lobby groups need to be be scrutinised to ensure they reflect an unbiased assessment of how renewables impact Irish consumers. With so much renewable energy on our grid and gas prices recovered, perhaps we need to look elsewhere to understand why our electricity prices are so high compared to what they have been in the past. – Is mise,
MICHAEL O’MEARA,
Fenor,
Co Waterford.
Exemptions are not the answer
Sir, – Carl O’Brien reports that “schools have been told that they cannot award exemptions for the study of Irish on the basis of psychologists’ reports commissioned by parents” (News, January 17th).
This trend of privately funded expert reports is seen at third level too, where data from the Higher Education Authority (HEA) reveals that 70 per cent of new entrants to higher education through the Disability Access Route to Education (Dare) scheme are from “marginally advantaged” or “affluent” socio-economic backgrounds.
Measures such as subject exemptions and reduced-point entry to university, facilitated by the Dare scheme, were introduced to level the playing field for those most excluded from our education system. Instead, data would suggest they are being commandeered by parents with the resources, financial and otherwise, to tilt it further to the advantage of their child. This is a sad indictment of the level of pressure that exists within our education system, for parents and for students.
Exemptions and avoidance are not the answer for the anxious student. Our nation’s skilled teachers and encouraging parents are best placed to support a worried or overwhelmed student to realise that their worst fears, about Irish or any other subject, are very likely not borne out.
Finally, there is a great opportunity in the new programme for government’s convention on education to consider if our current, points-based, CAO entry system to higher education is as fair and inclusive as we, as a nation, would want our education system to be. – Yours, etc,
Dr EMMA FARRELL,
Assistant Professor in Mental Health,
Department of Psychology,
Maynooth University.
President Higgins and Nato
Sir, – In her defence of President Michael D Higgins’s recent comments on Nato, Mary Brennan suggests that “Nato’s policy of creeping ever closer to Russia’s borders has resulted in the unnecessary deaths of thousands of innocent Ukrainians” (Letters, January 17th). Not so. Russian irredentism and Vladimir Putin’s mystical reading of Russian history has resulted in the unnecessary deaths of thousands of innocent Ukrainians. In light of such aggression, it is right and proper that European politicians reflect on how societies should respond to this aggression. Trade-offs will have to be made. This is a “guns or butter” debate that is as old as the hills. Every mature society needs to have this discussion. Given Ireland’s fortunate geographic location, and its relatively underdeveloped political culture, we have never had this debate. Indeed, we have retreated into easy platitudes designed to comfort ourselves and patronise others.
Ms Brennan’s selection of George Kennan as a suitable authority for her arguments is unusual. Kennan objected to the Nuremberg trials, idealised a Europe dominated by Germany and Russia, felt that the Baltic states were a “nuisance”, and argued that history ended with Chekhov. – Yours, etc,
PETER MALONE,
Clifden,
Co Galway.
Universal basic income
Sir, – Further to recent correspondence (Letters, January 14th, 16th, 17th), are there any better ideas on how our society will deal with the massive disruption to traditional enterprise and employment models as deployment of artificial intelligence and robotics grows exponentially? – Yours, etc,
JOHN GRIFFIN,
Kells,
Co Meath.
Big on diminutives
Sir, – Regarding Frank McNally’s A History of Ireland in 100 Diminutives (An Irishman’s Diary, January 17th), may I respectfully propose a few additions: “wee buns,” “a drop of tea,” and “a skelp of a lad.” – Yours, etc,
ENDA CULLEN,
Armagh.
Sir, – A wee drop of the craythur. – Yours, etc,
RORY JOHNSTON,
Galway.
Sir, – “Loveen” could be added. Up Galway! – Yours, etc,
ANNE MARIE KENNEDY,
Craughwell,
Co Galway.
Sir, – The Dublin City Half Marathon. – Yours, etc,
PATRICK O’BYRNE,
Dublin 7.
Sir, – Anything, in the northern part of Ireland, as long as it is preceded by “wee”. – Yours, etc,
PÁDRAIGÍN RIGGS,
Bishopstown,
Cork.
A chara, – “Wee buns”, a Derry expression for something which isn’t difficult. – Is mise,
JOE McLAUGHLIN,
Bonnyrigg,
Midlothian,
Scotland.
Sir, – The Green Party in the Dáil. – Yours, etc,
DES FOLEY,
Brittany,
France.
Stop the lights
Sir, – Are the cohort who put up their Christmas decorations in November also responsible for the Yuletide displays that still shine brightly in mid-January? – Yours, etc,
FRANK J BYRNE,
Dublin 9.