Letters to the Editor: Supporting young people
At the National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI), we believe youth work is not just a 'nice to have' — it is essential. Youth work offers young people the safe spaces and opportunities to explore who they are, build confidence, and connect meaningfully with their communities. These are not luxuries; they are the foundations of a strong, inclusive society.
To ensure youth services are resilient, responsive, and reflective in meeting the needs of young people, we must secure equitable, sustainable, and adequate baseline funding. Not only must we strive to expand access to youth work, but we must also protect and strengthen the services that already exist. These services are lifelines for many young people, and their value must be recognised in policy and practice.
Minister Helen McEntee, in her role within the new Department of Education and Youth, has a unique opportunity to forge an exciting path for youth work in Ireland. The upcoming review of the National Development Plan is a perfect moment to prioritise youth places and spaces, and to build communities with young people at their heart.
Let's move forward with a shared vision: One where every young
person in Ireland has the support, opportunities, and environments they need to thrive.
Mary Cunningham
National Youth Council of Ireland, Dublin 2
Starvation in Gaza
On May 17, President Michael D Higgins spoke at the National Famine Commemoration. He referred to the forced starvation of the Gazan population and the use of starvation as an instrument of war.
On the same day in Skibbereen, Co Cork, home of the Great Irish Famine Exhibition, the Gazan writer and film producer Nasser Al-Swirki spoke at the weekly Palestine solidarity March.
Nasser described his most recent and harrowing communication with family members surviving in Gaza. They told him they are now eating grass in an attempt to ease the hunger.
We cannot say we didn't know.
Sharron Toner
Bandon, Co Cork
Sham democracy
There have been a number of commentators telling us the US is barely a democracy anymore or is hopelessly corrupt. Perhaps it is time for a reminder of the type of world we Europeans inhabit before we lecture the US on democracy.
It may be true that US congress has corrupt congressmen and women, it may be true that they are lobbied with buckets of money. But the congress members that US citizens vote for have real legislative power. They can propose laws. They can vote on laws. They can repeal laws.
What do we have that's so brilliant in the EU by comparison? The MEPs we elect to represent us cannot propose or make laws, they exist mainly to rubberstamp decisions made by the entirely unelected 27-member European Commission. Let that sink in.
27 people, none of whom have ever faced an electorate for their position in the commission, none of whom we voted or chose for ourselves, most of whom the average EU citizen would be unable to even name, decide all new laws that will be made and affect the entire EU block.
The EU is a sham democracy ruled by an unelected EU Commission wrapped in a sham of a Parliament and flag with no real power. If we had an actual democracy in the EU we'd be in a better position to lecture the US on theirs.
Nick Folley
Carrigaline, Co Cork
Do-nothing Dáil
One can only agree with Fergus Finlay's assessment of the current Dáil as a 'do-nothing' parliament. Indeed, his recent column ought to be laminated, and despatched to every one of our elected representatives. With the emphasis on 'our' elected representatives.
Peter Declan O'Halloran
Belturbet, Co Cavan
What is happening?
I applaud Fergus Finlay for his wonderful article on Tuesday's Irish Examiner ('Our leaders are running 'a do-nothing' parliament and it's offensive'). I totally concur with Mr Finlay.
Our life expectancy isn't worth much if our Government is unable to deal with our housing and disability crises. We have become immune to the drab, dreary, and sombre weekly agenda that the Government serves the public. So much of it is taken up with statements and debates on Gaza, Ukraine, US tariffs, biodiversity, and world-class education.
Mr Finlay is right to ask what the hell is happening in Ireland? Our leaders are going around the place telling the rest of the world how to do their business, and at home they are running a do-nothing parliament.
Mr Finlay looks at the programme for government and says that out of more than 150 bills in the programme, they are hoping to 'publish' 21. They have 29 listed for priority drafting and 64 are not drafted, not written and not ready to be enacted at any time this year.
It's my contention that the Irish political system of accountability isn't keeping up with the realities of modern government. I believe this leads to repeated failures, which harm the public and undermine trust in our institutions.
I believe that the accountable government is the type of government which is responsible and answerable to the public which has elected the government through their representatives.
John O'Brien
Clonmel, Co Tipperary
€2 levy welcome
As one who, for many years, has advocated for the proactive concept of taxation at the point of waste creation in contrast to the present reactionary method in this country, where taxation is not contemplated until it is about to be deposed, I welcome the decision of the EU to impose a flat fee of €2 on each of the billions of low-value packages coming into the European bloc.
Tadhg O'Donovan
Fermoy, Co Cork
Elite wrong again
How many times can the western "elite and educated" be wrong? Within my lifetime "they" got it wrong on the following.
Dying western empires thought they would always be superior; Winston Churchill couldn't understand why the Irish couldn't be more English and Emmanuel Macron complained that African countries, formerly within their empire, didn't say thank you.
Racism in the US, apartheid in South Africa, and discrimination in Ireland were all defended by versions of that 'elite'.
Now it has taken years of profound suffering, thousands killed, aid blocked until five lorries didn't deliver anything, to prompt the so-called elite to say something about the mind-numbing situation in Gaza (never mind the West Bank). Language and standards have been brutalised until humanitarian values are all but lost.
If the dollars are still sent to Tel Aviv, it can only lead to a deepening stain on humanity and yet another western blind spot.
Dr Billy Leonard
Kilkee, Co Clare
Enough is enough
Night after night, our TVs bombard us with images that paint a stark and devastating picture of the Gaza Strip. We have witnessed bombardment after bombardment of Israeli missiles launched on civilian targets — hospitals, schools, and residential areas. We have been inundated with images of young children killed or maimed, and parents utterly distraught.
It is time to call this what it is: Pure and simple genocide.
Former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert himself stated that the Israeli Gaza offensive is approaching 'a war crime'.
Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, it appears, is seeking control of the entire Gaza Strip while allowing only minimal aid. The international community is finally beginning to see this for what it is.
The Gaza Strip now resembles little more than a concentration camp; the historical parallels are stark, obvious, and heartbreaking. The international community has said 'enough is enough,' and the Israeli people themselves now need to rise up and say very clearly to their government, 'enough is enough, and not in our name'.
Let us be very clear: The hostages taken on October 7 must be returned without further delay. The attack on October 7 was an act of debased depravity perpetrated by a terrorist organisation that has no place in a decent world.
However, the response has proven disproportionate, with the majority of those killed in the Strip being innocent civilians, women, and children. Enough really is enough!
Killian Brennan
Malahide Rd, Dublin 17
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Extra.ie
2 hours ago
- Extra.ie
Poll: Teachers ought to have same holidays as civil service
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Irish Times
4 hours ago
- Irish Times
‘I'm angry that my abuse as a child does not count' – State must pay for school sexual abuse
Minister for Education Helen McEntee stated recently that those responsible for historical sexual abuse in schools must pay. She is right. But let us be very clear. This includes the State. It cannot be erased or ignored that 11 years ago, following the case taken by Louise O'Keeffe , the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) established that the Irish State had – and continues to have – a positive duty to take steps to protect children from abuse and to provide an effective remedy for those who have suffered sexual abuse in Irish schools. The ECHR ruled the State had been aware of the level of sexual crime by adults against minors in Ireland. The court made it clear the State bears a stand-alone responsibility to every child abused in State schools for its failure, until the early 1990s, to implement national child protection measures. It cannot outsource that responsibility to religious organisations, nor hide behind procedural defences. The Government is well aware of this judgment and is legally bound to comply with it. As recently as January 2024, a plan was submitted to the ECHR, updating it on State progress 'to abide by the final judgment of the European Court of Human Rights ...' which includes the State paying redress of €84,000 to survivors of sexual abuse in schools. READ MORE Strangely, and extremely worryingly, the interdepartmental group who recently published their report on the recommendations of the scoping inquiry, seem to be completely unaware of the European Court decision, or have chosen to act as if Ireland is not party to the European Convention on Human Rights. Their report includes the assertion: 'It has been concluded in case law, at Supreme Court level, that the State does not have such liability.' What the report fails to say is that the European Court of Human Rights directly rejected this view in the O'Keeffe judgment. Survivors have already waited far too long and suffered too much. They cannot now be told that the justice they are owed can only be delivered if and when the State manages somehow to make the churches open their coffers Notwithstanding the fact that the State has failed miserably so far to adequately implement the ruling, it seems extraordinary that senior Government officials should now ignore its very existence. This contradiction raises a more fundamental question about the position of the Government and State with regard to its ECHR obligations. In Europe, the Government has accepted the ECHR ruling and engaged with the court regarding its progress in implementing its terms, albeit it has thrown so many obstacles in front of survivors that to date, only 158 have received redress. At home, the Government is denying its existence, and further delaying justice for the many, increasingly ageing, survivors of abuse. Is it possible that despite what Ireland's representatives are saying in Strasbourg, some elements of the State infrastructure still do not accept the rulings of the European Court? [ Why are the experiences of people, like me, who were resident in Temple Hill forgotten? Opens in new window ] So, what is it exactly that the State is saying to victims of sexual abuse in schools? Can the Government confirm that it accepts the ruling of the European Court which found that the State does bear a responsibility for abuse that occurred in schools? Can it confirm that it will now, finally, deliver redress and fulfil its own obligations to those victims who have waited far too long for justice? To be clear, the legal strategies adopted by religious organisations to avoid restitution to victims are unconscionable. And there are many who – rightly – applaud the Taoiseach when he stated it is the Government's 'intention, commitment and determination' to make religious organisations pay compensation for the abuse they inflicted on children in schools. It is also important to make clear that any individual or private organisation responsible for the abuse of children should be held liable – under both criminal and civil law. But this is not an either/or situation. The Government has overarching responsibility for ensuring survivors of abuse receive appropriate redress. Of course, it should use every power it has to force the churches to make reparations from their very considerable wealth. However, this should have absolutely no impact on its own obligation to fully implement the O'Keeffe judgment immediately and deliver the redress for which it has responsibility. Survivors have already waited far too long and suffered too much. They cannot now be told that the justice they are owed can only be delivered if and when the State manages somehow to make churches open their coffers for the schools they ran on behalf of the State. Meanwhile, current State policy is to leave victims and survivors spending years trying to navigate a complex and hostile legal terrain. This is not justice. This is retraumatising victims. [ Sex abuse in schools: State accused of ignoring its liability for redress Opens in new window ] For example, last December, the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission wrote to the Minister for Education as part of our ongoing work in pursuit of redress for some of Louise O'Keeffe's classmates at Dunderrow National School (not a religious school) who had been similarly abused. To date, there has been no response from the Government. The 'Dunderrow women' have been known to the State for decades because, like Louise O'Keeffe, many of them provided statements to An Garda Síochána – the very statements that led to prosecution and conviction of their abuser. On hearing of the latest investigation and further delays of redress, one of the Dunderrow women said: 'I feel outraged that the Irish Government haven't put the redress scheme in place for all survivors of sexual abuse. I'm extremely angry that my abuse is not of concern to the Minister, that my abuse as a young girl, a child, does not count. I feel left out and worthless.' McEntee has said those responsible must pay. That means the State. A redress scheme must be established immediately, without the arbitrary and discriminatory conditions in the previous schemes, regardless of any new commission of investigation's outcome. The State must finally comply with the O'Keeffe judgment in full, and it must do so now. Survivors have waited long enough. Justice, truth and dignity, demand no less. Liam Herrick is chief commissioner of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission
Irish Independent
4 hours ago
- Irish Independent
Letters: War in Gaza is existential for Israel, we should have more nuanced discussion
The editorial and one letter gave credence to Dr Nick Maynard who is on record as stating that, despite extensive evidence to the contrary, he has never seen Hamas operating in his hospital. He has accused the IDF of playing a game whereby it shoots different parts of kids' bodies on different days. How likely is that? One of the first questions we all should ask when listening to evidence is 'cui bono?' or who benefits? In 2014, Hamas released a video instructing journalists and witnesses how to report on events in Gaza. It states 'anyone killed or martyred is to be called a civilian from Gaza or Palestine... Don't forget to always add 'innocent civilian' or 'innocent citizen' in your description of those killed in Israeli attacks on Gaza' In his letter, the usually balanced Rob Sadlier sees similarities between Sarajevo and Gaza. Important differences are that Serbs, unlike Israel, were not attacked. Indeed Israel forcibly removed its settlers from Gaza in 2005; residents of Sarajevo were not holding Serbian hostages; the Serbian armed forces (and the Nato bombing response) did not warn civilians to evacuate areas where bombings were planned. Every Gazan non-combatant killed is a tragedy, but to compare fighting against Hamas with the random bombing of Sarajevo is unfair. I am a long-term supporter of reconciliation and a two-state solution to this issue. I know that conscript armies commit atrocities in war and I am appalled by the statements of Israeli extremists. Since October 7, I have seen a large increase in international references to Éamon De Valera's letter on the death of Adolf Hitler. This issue is harmful for Ireland and I hope we can have a more nuanced discussion that does not feed accusations of antisemitism but also understands that for Israel, this is existential. Frank Devine, Kenilworth, England The Holocaust's lessons are being forgotten and hatred is rising once again The lessons of the Holocaust are searingly relevant today. It is dispiriting that 80 years after the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau, hatred and intolerance still lurk in the human heart. Language is used to dehumanise, demoralise and demonise others. People in Gaza are neither alive, nor dead. They are walking skeletons. The heart-wrenching images of children becoming wretched, destitute, with little more than skin covering their bones, should shame the world that prides itself on championing human rights and dignities. We must be fearless in resisting violence. We must never rest in seeking to create a fairer and peaceful world for all without exception. Dr Munjed Farid Al Qutob, London Slaughter of innocents in Gaza shames all of us who watch on and fail to act Nothing disgusts me more than seeing the absolute slaughter of men, women and children in Gaza. Since the Israeli invasion, tens of thousands of people have been killed, 17,000 of them innocent children. Food trucks are only allowed in periodically, and the starving and besieged people are subjected to gunfire as they race to obtain sustenance in order to feed themselves. Recent reports suggest that many young boys appear to have been used as target practice. This is horrendous. As babies appear every night on our television screens looking like skeletons with a haunting look of death and despair on their faces, it should move the coldest of hearts in world leadership roles into action to alleviate their suffering instantly. But no, they talk and talk, but do not intervene in this total barbarism. The people of Palestine are ordinary human beings and as such should be protected by human rights law. Anything else is a dereliction of duty by their fellow human beings. Tom Towey, Cloonacool, Co Sligo President of Uruguay set an incredible example of selflessness and charity I would ike to pay tribute to a president who died a few months ago. President José Mujica of Uruguay held office from 2010 to 2015 and was described as the world's poorest president. He shunned the presidential palace and remained at home on his farm driving his tractor and his beloved Volkswagen Beetle. He shared his salary with the poor. He believed his lifestyle was normal and not exceptional. In his earlier life he opposed the democratically elected government as he firmly believed it was corrupt, clandestine, up to its eyes in backhanders and ultimately authoritarian. For his sins, he was arrested, banged up, shot six times but miraculously lived and was ultimately elected president. Noel Mannion, Clonbur, Co Galway We could secure energy needs for decades – but private profit trumps all I have been trying to avoid the news cycle while on holidays here in Donegal. However, a couple of stories did manage to catch my attention. Firstly the Oireachtas hearings on offshore renewable energy development and government subsidies for improving port infrastructure to facilitate it. Secondly, the upgrades to our national grid, which are to be paid for by a levy on energy consumers. If the Government invested around €10bn in a single, large, publicly owned offshore wind project, then profits from this could be used to upgrade both the grid and our ports. Belfast Port could be used in the interim. Furthermore, this would help secure our energy needs for decades to come and, once the initial investment is recouped, profits could be pumped into a sovereign wealth fund (as the Norwegians do with revenues). But, alas, there are no plans for anything like this. It does not even seem to form part of the discussion. No, just taxpayers' money being used to upgrade ports for the benefit of (oftentimes foreign) private corporations which will, in turn, exploit our natural energy resources. Paddy Sharkey, Kilcar, Co Donegal RTÉ should show due respect to counties in the camogie championship On Saturday evening I listened to the RTÉ Radio news and sport bulletin at 10pm. The lead sports item covered was the transfer of a player to Arsenal football club in Britain. Down the pecking order was a brief report on the Camogie All-Ireland semi finals played in Nowlan Park in Kilkenny. The O'Duffy Cup is the women's equivalent of the Liam MacCarthy Cup and should have been treated as such. Tom Cooper, Templeogue, Dublin
