Sir, – Fintan O’Toole’s article “Ireland’s far-right movement will emerge from the ‘breakfast roll-atariat’” (April 14th) perfectly sums up my feelings over the past week of upheaval.
I was reading the worrying language being used by the leaders of the “protesters” and was uneasy in that it reminded me of nothing but the early days of the Maga movement in the US.
O’Toole has done a great service here (to me anyway) in accurately and concisely getting to the heart of the matter. I fear, however, that, like the Maga movement, the people who will follow the “breakfast roll-atariat” will not be reading The Irish Times or anything approaching objective journalism. Their algorithm will tell them the whole country is behind them. – Yours, etc,
IAN REILLY
RM Block
Ring,
Co Cork.
Sir, – Fintan O’Toole hits the nail on the head with his assessment of the recent so-called protests. The Government can indeed be blamed somewhat for allowing this to happen but he understates the responsibility of the Opposition not to exploit these events in such cynical fashion as displayed particularly by Sinn Féin. Our democracy needs more careful minding by all. – Yours, etc,
JUDE O’LOUGHLIN
Rathgar,
Dublin 6.
Sir, – I fully support the right to legally protest. However, in my clinic on Monday morning, a nurse from Crumlin children’s hospital informed me that she was only let past a blockade once she informed one of those blockading the road of her occupation and need to care for sick children.
How has it become in any way acceptable for some members of the general public to block the free movement of their fellow citizens and then selectively veto who gets to pass through and who doesn’t? This is lawlessness.
That many elected TDs chose not to condemn it is deeply troubling. – Yours, etc,
DR NIALL MacNAMARA
CHI at Crumlin,
Cooley Road,
Dublin 12.
