EDITOR – One has to wonder if Putin’s love of Dublin bay prawns was the deciding factor when he made the decision to send some of his Russian fleet to conduct apparent military exercises in one of the richest fishing grounds in the world.
Thankfully, someone must have made him aware that Dublin bay prawns are not actually caught in Dublin bay, but mostly off the south west of Ireland or we could have seen his navy descend on our capital looking for Molly Malone.
The Porcupine Bank, which lies south west of Ireland is home to a huge array of delectable seafood, including the best quality prawns in the world, mackerel, tuna, blue whiting and not to mention the rest of the environmental habitat which reside in our beautiful ocean.
We need not worry because Simon Coveney had very harsh words of disapproval with the Russians via the Russian ambassador. And one can be pretty sure that as Putin looks through his fish bowl on Ukraine that he was going to give Coveney’s voice of disapproval his utmost attention.
One has to wonder where were the Greens during all of this? Did they not think of all the beautiful sea life, the whales, the dolphins and every other wild creatures residing in this area?
Maybe if our fishermen and women decided to use an electric source of energy or perhaps row to the Porcupine Bank, then maybe the Greens would have made a stand with them.
This government has given away all of our precious resources. Our gas, oil, fishing rights and just about anything that would be of value to our economy.
Not only that, but last week they decided to issue a marine warning to make sure our Irish fishermen couldn’t parade a peaceful protest in this area while the Russians hunted away our precious habitat.
The Russian ambassador Yuriy Filatov has promised that they will move their planned war games so as not to impact fishing in the area. It took a meeting between our fishermen and the ambassador to achieve this agreement.
At what point are we as Irish going to take a stand?
We have lost our identity as a spiritual nation through oppression and division. This spirituality which derived from unity can be seen in our native historical writings, families, tribes sitting around the fire in ringforts, farmers toiling the land earthing themselves in nature to provide for families, cutting turf to keep everyone warm, fishermen braving the wild ocean to feed the people.
It’s all gone – our fishing rights given away, a farmer told when he can and can’t work the land.
We cannot cut and sell our own turf. We cannot have a fire in our homes for much longer.
The list goes on and on. Aontú Cork South West fully supports and commends our fishermen and any other people or persons who take a stand against invasion of our resources – be it on land or sea. We promote unity of our nation and of our national heritage.
Lar McCarthy,
Aontú Cork South West,
Reenascreena,
Rosscarbery.
The credibility of our Camhs services must now be restored
EDITOR – A recent review of Camhs services in Kerry prompted the Taoiseach, in the Dáil to describe as ‘very, very serious – unacceptable damning indictment of the service.’
I would say to the Taoiseach that words are cheap and action speaks louder than words.
Covid cannot be an acceptable excuse for failure to provide appropriate supervision.
Supervisors cannot sit in comfortable offices, drawing high salaries and not be held responsible/accountable for their failures.
Many may say these children/young persons were subjected to cruel and inhumane torture.
I heard a senior member of HSE state on national radio that ‘no harm was intended.’
The comment was unchallenged by the reporter. I wonder why not?
The actions of government must be swift and decisive. Those identified as responsible for supervision (of lack thereof) of the doctor involved must be identified and summarily dismissed.
In addition to the harm caused to the young persons, who knows what additional suffering may occur in the future?
Also this will possibly result in substantial costs (and rightly so as far as those unfortunate children are concerned) to the taxpayer.
Those responsible cannot be seen to walk away untarnished.
The integrity and credibility of the service must be reestablished. The Taoiseach needs to act now.
Termination of employment must be swift and immediate in respect of those who failed in their duty of care to these children.
Michael A Moriarty,
Rochestown,
Cork.
Justice delayed in Derry is indeed justice denied
EDITOR – Fifty years on from the atrocity in Derry the British government want to give an amnesty to the soldiers who murdered fourteen innocent people who took part in a civil rights march in January 1972 against internment.
Some were shot in the back as they fled – others as they laid wounded on the ground.
The youngest was only 17, shot dead by the parachute regiment.
The British government must still be held to account and apologise to the families of the bereaved even at this late stage, 50 years later.
Justice delayed is justice denied.
Noel Harrington,
Kinsale.
Greatest mystery of all
EDITOR – It is a source of great comfort that the denizens of West Cork are still keeping an eye on those who would wish to expand their Empires.
The spirit of the Skibbereen Eagle is alive and well. Long may such spirit continue. It made this North Cork man proud to see the fishers of West Cork take on the might of the modern day Tsar of Russia.
Seán Sherlock TD,
Fair Street,
Mallow.
