Letters: Ireland should make most of its intellectual capital and stop driving talent abroad
This success reflects both the excellence of Ireland's universities – six of which are now globally ranked – and represents a vital resource for economic growth. However, for too long, Irish graduates have driven innovation abroad, enriching foreign economies while Ireland stands by.
With bold investment in housing, infrastructure, and turning research into business, Ireland could reverse this brain drain and become the Singapore of the Atlantic. The groundwork is set; what remains is vision and action.
Ireland can overtake the Netherlands and Sweden as the EU's top per capita destination for foreign direct investment in AI and biotech, but the opportunity is time-sensitive. This will require pairing educational excellence with clear strategy – turning talent into a lasting competitive edge.
Enda Cullen, Tullysaran Road, Armagh
Tapping the Atlantic to feed more data centres not the fix Barry Cowen thinks it is
Fianna Fáil MEP Barry Cowen says data centres are 'currently accounting for around one-fifth of national (electricity) usage and projected to reach 31pc by 2030' ('Claim we must choose between data centres and housing is a distraction from the real challenge', Irish Independent, June 2).
In 2022, data centres in the EU used an estimated 45-65 TWh of electricity (1.8–2.6pc of total EU electricity use).
Data centres provide very little employment apart from the construction phase. They provide critical information to keep the world's economy running smoothly when they are commissioned, though.
Why should Ireland be a soft touch in the EU for committing so much of our scarce energy resources to house servers for the AI and crypto revolution that are in turn destroying jobs everywhere?
Try again, Mr Cowen. If your party can't even build sufficient houses for our young people, there is even less of a chance of you tapping the Atlantic to further our burgeoning demand for electricity.
Tom McElligott, Listowel, Co Kerry
World must act now to end the carnage inflicted on Palestinians by Benjamin Netanyahu
It is way past time for the whole world to stop beating around the bush and wake up to the true horrors in Gaza.
The misuse of the word antisemitic is making a lot of us ill. To be repulsed and outraged by mass civilian death is to be humanitarian.
It has nothing to do with religion or political affiliation.
Benjamin Netanyahu is responsible for the deaths of women and children every day. It is pure genocide.
We know Hamas must be condemned for drawing down fire and killing their own people. But what Israel is now doing is inexcusable and must stop.
Surely all Israelis have a responsibility to rid us of Netanyahu and end the carnage?
Michael Twohig, Ballinasloe, Co Galway
Words will not feed tens of thousands of children in Gaza who face starvation
It's now estimated that nearly 71,000 Palestinian children under the age of five are expected to be 'acutely malnourished', with 14,100 cases expected to be severe in the next 11 months.
The UN and other humanitarian organisations have rejected the new system for food distribution into Gaza, saying it would not be able to meet the needs of Gaza's people.
The fear is that this new system allows Israel to use food as a weapon to control the population. At this stage, Palestinians need deeds, not words.
John O'Brien, Clonmel, Co Tipperary
Leinster players at risk of burning out before next season even kicks off
Has anyone considered how the Leinster players may simply be burnt out? Some of them seem to have been playing non-stop for the past three years.
The World Cup was mainly responsible for the drain. Of course, the longer they go in a competition, the more games. Next comes Lions duty, then some will be facing the All Blacks and the autumn internationals. All this before the season kicks off again.
In the old days, professional heavyweight boxers were rested for months between big fights. Back then, the managers were often indifferent to their health and concerned only with performance.
Michael Foley, Rathmines, Dublin
Fans must not let cruel loss overshadow such a heroic performance by Munster
How cruel it was for Munster to be defeated in a penalty shoot-out after such a heroic display.
They seemed to have channelled the spirit of past giants like Anthony Foley and Moss Keane to resurrect the soul of Munster for what truly was a performance for the ages.
To pull it out of the top drawer so far from home, and under such humidity, made it all the more remarkable.
Leinster should take inspiration from this and close the deal for Ireland, being the sole Irish survivors in the tournament. To have kept what was mostly the Springboks team to a draw for 100 minutes of furious physicality was something to be immensely proud of. It could be the cornerstone for a revival, not just for Munster, but for Irish rugby. M O'Brien, Dalkey, Co Dublin
Wonderful to witness such uplifting work by academy giving young people hope
That was an inspiring article on Therese Coveney who found her passion in setting up The Together Academy, which provides young adults who have Down syndrome with certified training, experience, work placements and a social and support network, having being inspired to do so after the birth of her daughter, April ('If it wasn't for my daughter, I might never have found real career purpose', Irish Independent, May 29).
It was uplifting to read of the difference the academy has had on so many young adults who otherwise would not have managed to live such happy and fulfilled lives.
Well done to all concerned with this achievement, which will be an encouragement to so many families.
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Irish Examiner
an hour ago
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Soothers with choking-hazards, sunglasses with no UV filters, raincoats with toxic chemicals: McGrath shocked by dangers of some Shein, Temu goods
The EU justice commissioner has expressed shock at the toxicity and dangers of some goods being sold by Shein and Temu , amid a crackdown on the popular Chinese retail platforms. With 12m low-value parcels each day coming into the EU from online retailers outside the bloc, Michael McGrath has vowed to crack down on the sale of goods that blatantly break the law. He is waiting for the imminent results of an EU-wide secret shopper operation to further test evidence already gathered that Chinese retailers are bypassing EU laws. Among the worst examples Mr McGrath came across were baby soothers with beads that fall off easily, which pose a choking hazard because they did not have the regulation size hole to enable a baby who did swallow one accidentally to continue to get air. READ MORE Among other goods cited by MEPs in a report released this month include children's raincoats with toxic chemicals, sunglasses with no UV filter and kids' shorts with draw strings longer than regulation length that cause a trip hazard. They also found cosmetics containing butylphenyl methylpropional, also known as Lillal, which is listed as a chemical of 'very high concern' by the EU and has been banned since 2022 over concerns that it affects fertility and foetal development. Last year, the UK government told consumers to dispose of any products containing the ingredient. 'I am shocked by it, and I think we have a duty to protect European consumers,' Mr McGrath told the Guardian. National consumer protection authorities send out rapid alerts across the EU warning of unsafe non-food products as part of a service, Safety Gate, which is also open to consumer complaints. Last year, Safety Gate received a record high of 4,137 alerts with more than a third relating to cosmetics, ahead of toys, electrical appliances, auto and chemical products. While consumer groups are concerned about safety, Mr McGrath is also worried that the platforms that have exploded in popularity in the last two years are damaging local businesses through unfair competition. 'The growth is extraordinary, and it has placed enormous pressure on the systems at member state level,' he said. 'I am determined that we step up our enforcement of our product safety laws and our consumer protection rules. It's not only about protecting consumers, but there is a very serious level playing field issue here for European businesses, because they are expected to compete with sellers who are not complying with our rules,' he said. 'They are incurring significant costs in Europe to comply with our requirements, and they should not be expected to compete with those who are not doing the same.' EU figures show 12m low-value items coming into the bloc a day, amounting to 4.6bn consignments under €150 for 2024 – double that of 2023 and three times as many as 2022. Among the moves the EU is considering is an abolition of the €150 duty-free threshold and the introduction of a handling fee for each package which may deter low-value purchases and help pay the cost of extra customs investigations. The move would echo the situation in the US, where Donald Trump signed an executive order to end the $800 duty-free threshold in an assault on the Chinese sellers. American buyers have had to pay an additional 30 per cent tax or a minimum of $50 an item after June 1st this year. Also possible is the creation of an EU-wide customs authority to cope with the systemic issues. Mr McGrath said it 'remains to be seen' if the subject will be raised at an EU-China summit in Beijing on July 25th, but he plans to address it directly himself. 'I will certainly be engaging directly with Chinese authorities and we will [be] visiting later on this year,' he said. Shein said it was investing $15m this year in compliance and safety initiatives including $2.5m toward product and safety quality tests and has partnerships with 15 testing centres, including operations in the UK and Germany. It said it had removed 500 vendors since the launch of its marketplace. A spokesperson said: 'Earning and maintaining the trust of our consumers is paramount, and we are fully committed to ensuring the products we offer are safe and compliant. 'All of our vendors are required to comply with Shein's code of conduct and stringent safety standards, and must also abide by the relevant laws and regulations of the markets where we operate.' Temu has been approached for comment. – Guardian
