Martin and Co show contempt for West
THE new Government has politically recognised the West of Ireland with a Junior Minister for Potholes.
To really put the boot in, Dara Calleary, a seemingly worthy candidate for ministerial office, and deputy leader of Fianna Fáil, has been shafted while two rather inept ministers were retained and one promoted, even though they jointly oversaw the worst possible negotiations Ireland has ever been involved in.
This is not unusual: the neglect of the West of Ireland, north of Limerick. Kerry would not tolerate such contempt.
A small example of where the West comes in the pecking order in Leinster House may be gleaned from the only safety initiative taken in years on the Atlantic corridor primary route in South Sligo. The speed limit of the N17 is reduced from 100km to 80km.
It is possible the limit may be reduced further as a 25km section, which has not been adequately upgraded since the foundation of the State, is still seriously unsafe for the volume and weight of traffic it supports.
Fortunately we have a Minister in the West to ensure our 80km speed limit Atlantic corridor primary route will be pothole-free.
PADRAIC NEARY, Tubbercurry, Co. Sligo.
Time to get used to it
THE whinging and whining of FF and FG supporters from west of the Shannon because, for the first time in the history of the State, there isn’t a senior Cabinet position ‘reserved’ for them, is actually quite pathetic!
They come across as spoiled and entitled children who feel it is their due to always sit at the top of the table.
Why not compare themselves instead to Waterford, which has the fifth largest city in the country, but has again been ignored for senior honours.
I first voted in 1977, which is 43 years ago. In that time we have had a sum total of two full cabinet ministers, one each from Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil.
We’re not happy about it but we have come to expect what we get – which is usually nothing.
The West has benefited hugely from its influence at cabinet. So maybe now it’s time for the West to suck it up and see how difficult it is to be ignored regularly. SEAN HEALY, Co. Waterford.
Crises waiting in wings
TWO very real crises are now waiting in the wings and will soon enter the stage – poverty and mental health.
They of course won’t be as ‘popular’ as our coronavirus, racism, and climate change ‘crises’. You won’t hear as much about them – least of all from their creators – but they will ultimately be responsible for far more fatalities than Covid-19.
PETER KEATING, Co. Cork.
End Syria’s nightmare
THE Syria crisis may have drifted from news headlines as the world remains engulfed in the Covid-19 pandemic, but the plight of the Syrian population remains urgent and ever more critical.
This week, the UN and EU will co-host a virtual conference on ‘Supporting the future of Syria and the region’, bringing together nation states and civil society representatives to show solidarity and advocate for those affected by the Syrian conflict.
With more than six million people forced to flee Syria, and over 11 million others still in need of humanitarian assistance inside the country, the Covid-19 pandemic is another grave threat for an extremely vulnerable population already devastated by almost a decade of conflict.
In both Syria and Lebanon, a rapidly-spiralling economic crisis threatens to drive much of the refugee and host populations further into poverty and a large-scale food security crisis.
Beyond the need for robust immediate humanitarian assistance, the Syrian people deserve real leadership in the search for conflict resolution.
People whose lives have been upended for years now must be supported in regaining their right to a peaceful way of life.
After almost a decade of shamefully inadequate action, the conference is an opportunity to drive for a more ambitious level of support to the Syrian people.
Perhaps most importantly, the conference presents a timely opportunity to rejuvenate efforts to seek a political solution to ending the Syrian conflict.
There is perhaps no more challenging active conflict in the world than the Syrian war and there are no easy solutions.
But we must harness every opportunity we can to end the nightmare for all of those caught up in the conflict. DOMINIC MacSORLEY, Chief Executive Officer, Concern Worldwide,
Dublin.