Letters to the Editor, April 1st: On the delivery of public infrastructure projects, and Netanyahu’s plan for Gaza

Sir, – Friday’s Irish Times was awash with commentary on the sclerosis attending the delivery of public infrastructure projects in Ireland.

Gerard Howlin refers to the cumulative costs of our inefficiency and self-indulgence and writes that we can no longer tolerate the lethargy of an administrative State that under-delivers at a cost we can no longer afford (“The general election campaign was a raucous wake for an era that was already over”, Opinion & Analysis, March 28th).

You report on Uisce Éireann’s chairman, Jerry Grant, commenting on the planned north Dublin waste water treatment plant – permission was granted in 2019 but was the subject of a judicial review and referred back to An Bord Pleanála for a new decision (“Water system ‘in a desperate state’, says Uisce Éireann chair”, News, March 28th). The financial cost has doubled to €1.3 billion but, as Mr Grant points out, that’s only part of the cost of delay. A further cost is that houses can’t be built in large parts of north and northwest Dublin where most of the development potential is. Mr Grant concludes: “People have formulated the plans but we don’t seem to take them seriously or take ownership of delivery until the point of desperation.” That thought could be put to music as an anthem for our abject failure to deliver on the most basic needs of our people.

In your letters page (March 28th), Brian Callanan is the latest in a long line of contributors who have called on successive governments to revisit the 50-year-old Kenny Report with a view to controlling the cost of land for residential building.

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Recently a Government spokesman was quoted as saying that he was hopeful that work on a major and necessary project would start in the lifetime of the current government. That might make some sense if the government had six months of its allotted term remaining. But it shows extraordinary complacency on the part of an administration which has just taken office.

On Saturday, Kevin O’Sullivan addressed the exposure of households to rising waters (“The Uninsurables: One in 20 Irish houses struggles to get flood insurance”, Climate Crisis, March 29th). The Central Bank’s former director of insurance is quoted: “Complacency is a significant risk here . . . The clock is ticking and the window of opportunity to take preventable action may be closing faster than we think.”

I’m sure “preventive” was intended here as in an action to correct a potential problem. But I think the superb term “preventable action” (an action which can be prevented or avoided) could not be improved upon as a descriptor for the result of bureaucratic inaction. We know that building the Dublin Metro, draining the Shannon, building enough houses, exploiting our natural advantages for the provision of green energy and having a public health system worthy of the name are perfect examples of preventable actions because they haven’t happened. And all that is required to make necessary actions preventable and therefore prevented is inaction.

We are world champions at that. – Yours, etc,

PAT O’BRIEN,

Dublin 6.

Netanyahu’s plan for Gaza

Sir, – “We will ensure general security in the Gaza Strip and enable the implementation of the Trump plan, the voluntary emigration plan,” declared Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu on Sunday. “That is the plan, we do not hide it” (“Israel will enable Trump’s ‘voluntary emigration’ plan, Netanyahu says”, World, March 31st).

In short – and let us not mince our words – Israel with US backing is determined to ethnically cleanse Gaza of Palestinians. And, yet, the so-called “international community” does nothing. What has happened, for example, to the demand by Ireland and Spain that the EU-Israel Association Agreement be reviewed? This trade agreement gives Israel preferential treatment in its commercial dealings with the EU, including Ireland.

Has the Government here actively pursued this with Brussels? It seems a long time since we last heard of any meaningful effort on this matter, despite the relentless breaches of international humanitarian law in Gaza and the West Bank. Instead, we see the delay and apparent watering down of the proposed Occupied Territories Bill and startling attempts by the Taoiseach to placate the pro-Israel lobby. – Yours, etc,

FINTAN LANE,

Lucan,

Co Dublin.

Working from home

Sir, – Your correspondent in the Civil Service says they find working from very isolating, and that there is “little or no interaction with work colleagues, apart from the odd text” (“Work from home: ‘I am in the office twice a month, I find it very isolating and bad for my mental health’”, Q&A, Business, March 26th).

The isolation she or he experiences is not a flaw with remote working. It is a failure of their manager to implement the civil service’s Blended Working Policy Framework. Under it, “people managers at all levels should . . . ensure regular contact with their manager, teams and colleagues for both work and social engagements” and “Make time for social conversations. This increases rapport, reduces feelings of isolation and eases communication between blended or distributed teams”.

On work content and engagement, the policy framework also says managers should “Hold frequent one-to-one conversations to discuss outputs, progress and development options” and “Actively instigate contact with their team members to promote involvement and engagement and should encourage people managers within their teams to do likewise”.

The writer of the query might want to ask their union branch to conduct a survey to establish if the problem is wider than their own manager. – Yours, etc,

CATHAL KELLY,

Chair,

Finance, PER and Associated Organisations Branch,

Fórsa,

Dublin 1.

Trump’s tariffs loom large

Sir, – I find it astounding to read Minister for Enterprise Peter Burke telling us that Irish economy needs to “sharpen up” in the light of the impending US tariffs (News, March 30th).

This coming from a Government paralysed by a row over speaking rights is beyond belief.

Let them get their own house in order before lecturing others. – Yours, etc,

ANTAINE O’DUIBHIR,

Ranelagh,

Dublin 6.

Sir, – Any country that finds itself overly dependent on one main source of tax or on trade with a single country is itself in need of a liberation day. The financial crash of 2008 taught us that. Time to pivot. – Yours, etc,

DAVID CURRAN,

Knocknacarra,

Galway.

Sir, – Tomorrow we are to have the Trump trade taxes imposed. It’s tarrifying! – Yours, etc,

JOHN McKEOWN,

Carlingford,

Co Louth.

A moratorium on data centres

Sir, – On his return from his recent visit to Washington, Micheál Martin stated the “demonisation” of data centres had to stop and in fact we had to “step up” our number of said facilities to further benefit from the so-called AI boom.

I believe we have more than our fair share of data centres which consume 20 per cent of our energy nationally, as opposed to 3 per cent nationally in the EU. Additionally, data centres use a huge amount of water for their cooling systems. The vast majority of these centres are in the greater Dublin area where water supplies are already under huge pressure. According to a recent headline in this paper, lack of water supply is having an effect on housing targets (“Housing targets at risk due to supply gaps”, News, March 28th).

We need a moratorium on data centres and we need to greatly develop our capacity to harness renewable energy. This is our chance to develop a sustainable economy. We deserve more than being a storage unit for Big Tech. – Yours, etc,

VANESSA MORAN,

Wicklow.

The art of the possible

Sir, – I’d like to thank thank David McWilliams for finally putting in print what I have been saying for years (“Ireland needs a mindset shift from what is impossible to what is possible”, Opinion & Analysis, March 29th).

Whenever something is suggested, the instinctive reaction is to come up with a hundred reasons why it can’t be done. “Unworkable” and “tricky” seem to be the all-time favourites. Well, yes, you’re elected (and paid) to do “tricky” things.

If that same energy were used to come up with a hundred ways something can be done, then Ireland would be a much better place. – Yours, etc,

JONATHAN BAUM,

Blackrock,

Co Dublin.

Journalists and voters

Sir, – I write this letter in the almost certain expectation that it will not be published. But here goes.

Yet again, a member of the press is furious with the Irish electorate for returning their choice of TD in a secret ballot (Justine McCarthy, “Dear Tipperary North voter, I’m furious with you for foisting Michael Lowry on us all”, Opinion & Analysis, March 28th).

Bertie Ahern exceeded the quota in every election he contested. He too was reviled by many journalists. And by inference, the revulsion extended to those who voted for him.

The media clearly see themselves as our voice, once we have freely elected those to represent us in Dáil Éireann; and by the more limited franchise to Seanad Éireann.

They see their mission as one of protecting the public from those whom they voted for. Where they got the mandate for that mission is unclear.

Perhaps it comes from the constitutional protection for media to freely express opinion?

Thankfully, the freedom to challenge journalistic condescension also exists. – Yours, etc,

LARRY DUNNE,

Rosslare Harbour,

Co Wexford.

‘Stability’ and inaction

Sir, – In the recent election, much PR and marketing ballyhoo was made of the so-called “stability” that Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael would bring to the next government in preference to the nebulous “change” offered by the opposition. The intervening three months of vacuous political posturing would appear to support the notion that while everything changes everything stays the same. So voters got exactly what they voted for. A very particular Irish stability, also known as stasis, mired in inaction and juvenile squabbling where motion is preferred to action, and entirely appropriate for the world we live in. – Yours, etc,

TOMÁS FINN,

Cappataggle,

Ballinasloe,

Co Galway.

Trains and the big match

A chara, – Having taken the train from Sligo to Drumcondra this weekend for the Allianz League Finals in Croke Park, it was so annoying that all of the carriages were rammed with people having to stand for the return leg on Sunday evening. Did nobody in Irish Rail think that maybe some of the thousands of Offaly, Kildare and Mayo supporters attending Sunday’s matches might want to get home by train and that adding a few extra carriages would be in order? I’m sure that when it comes to getting rugby crowds in and out of the Aviva that extra trains are provided but not so for GAA supporters.

Maybe they’ll get the message in time to ferry Leinster rugby fans to Croke Park next weekend. – Is mise,

MICHEÁL Ó DOMHNAILL,

Ballydoogan,

Sligo.

Two-fingered flourish

Sir, – Regarding your endearing editorial on the two-finger flourish as an ancient indigenous practice (“The Irish Times view on two fingers in the Dáil: another kind of gesture politics”, March 29th), I’m reminded of the late Des Connell, academic and later archbishop.

A short time before he taught me moral philosophy in the breezeblock that was Belfield 50 years ago, he was lecturing on Plato to slightly older undergraduates who were lucky enough to be attending his classes in Earlsfort Terrace.

The growl of a tree-surgeon’s chainsaw nearby had drowned out his teaching voice.

Des threw the window open, leaned on the ledge, and called very civilly : “My good man, when will you be finished?” He was met with the shorthand signage recently reprised in the lower chamber. Des delightedly drew down the window, beamed at his students, and said: “Two minutes.” – Yours, etc,

AIDAN MATHEWS,

Ranelagh,

Dublin 6.

The Irish Times – 1,001 uses

Sir, – I read of Alan Kelly’s donation of used Irish Times to the local vet with interest (Letters, March 29th). My copies of The Irish Times are used for FAR – fireplace, aviary, and recycling.

Given the state of international affairs, a comforting fire, a well-insulated budgie cage, or a responsible nod to sustainability all seem like wise investments. – Yours, etc,

ENDA CULLEN,

Armagh.

Sir, – I have recycled my Irish Times as a weed retardant in the raised beds and in a recent dig, and before my spade bore down on Frank McNally’s photo, I wondered how “one small head could carry all he knew”. – Yours, etc,

ANNE MARIE KENNEDY,

Craughwell,

Co Galway.