Sir, – If ever there was a case for an “all island” approach, it is blindingly obvious that it should have been adopted to tackle the Covid-19 crisis.
However it has proved impossible to achieve, and even has not been seriously discussed or debated.
It’s as if our politicians in the Republic of Ireland have taken the view that it is impossible to deal with Arlene Foster and the DUP and Boris Johnson and the Conservatives in a reasonable and rational manner. This is obviously the case.
The populist jingoism of Johnson and Foster is indeed impossible to deal with.
But that does not mean it should not have been called out. The catastrophic handling of coronavirus by the Northern Ireland Executive is causing loss of life on the island of Ireland. Yet our politicians are silent on it.
For our Minister for Health to be meekly saying that we will respond to any calls for help from Northern Ireland is unacceptable.
He should be responding by calling out the complete failure of political leadership in dealing with coronavirus in the North caused by DUP fundamentalism and intransigence.
It is time for plain talking and cutting out the “waffle”. – Yours, etc,
SEAN REIDY,
New Ross, Co Wexford.