Journalists

Letters to the Editor: 'Leo outclasses Boris on the art of grown-up communications and negotiation at top level' 

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse in a marriage are: criticism, defensiveness, contempt and stonewalling. Boris Johnson is guilty of all four.

Letters to the Editor: 'Our planet can only take so much damage and abuse' 

Pat Swords (Letters, Irish Independent, October 10) quotes Mark Twain to validate his wisdom on the argument against climate change.

Letters to the Editor: 'Don't repeat the mistakes of Australia on carbon tax' 

A carbon tax hike sounds bad. But doing nothing costs more.

Letters to the Editor: 'UK’s special relationship with US trumps Ireland’s' 

Dr Aiden Hampson writes that the “powerful bi-partisan Irish bloc” in the US congress will block any US/UK trade deal if the Good Friday Agreement is put in jeopardy (‘Ghosts of the Great Famine could yet haunt Johnson,’ Letters, October 6).

Letters to the Editor: 'No-deal Brexit Budget is a sham that won’t protect poor' 

Tomorrow we will be hearing any details of the Brexit Budget that have not already leaked. This Budget has very little creative leeway, we are told, because so much has been already committed. So Paschal Donohoe is tasked with delivering yesterday’s dinner of a budget in an election run-up with a no-deal Brexit tag added in.

Letters to the Editor: 'Brexit has let the genie out of the bottle over reunification' 

I really enjoyed reading John Abbott’s letter (Irish Independent, October 16) and read it several times. I agree with it in its entirety. It is about time Britain – with UN safeguards – relinquishes control of Northern Ireland, ceding it to the Irish Republic for its long-overdue reunification.

Letters to the Editor: 'Handing over the North would solve thorny backstop problem' 

Like many people around the world, throughout Europe and in particular those in what the Romans christened the British Isles, after listening to three years of interminable rhetoric I am absolutely fed up to the back teeth with Brexitgate.

Letters to the Editor: 'How many must die before we say enough is enough?' 

We have heard from certain sections of society, both here and abroad, about the plight of Palestinian refugees walled into a strip of land by the Israeli government and its army.

Letters to the Editor: 'Johnson risks leaving legacy of recklessness and arrogance' 

Napoleon once said: “All great events hang by a hair. The man of ability takes advantage of everything and neglects nothing that can give him a chance to succeed; whilst the less able man sometimes loses everything by neglecting a single one of those chances.”

Letters to the Editor: 'No place for prejudice' 

Sir - I'm writing in response to some letters about Direct Provision in last week's Sunday Independent.

Letters to the Editor: 'Looking on the bright side...' 

Sir - Boris Johnson's Brexit proposals were rejected even before they were submitted. The EU never had any intention of agreeing to anything he put forward. But the great sadness of the whole debacle is that the outcome doesn't really matter one little bit.

Letters to the Editor: 'There is 'Room to Improve', RTÉ - you can start by dropping property porn as the crisis rages' 

I fully agree with Liz Kearney (Irish Independent, October 3) that it is heartbreaking for hundreds of people, young and old, watching 'Room to Improve'. The show should be titled 'Money No Problem' or 'Blank Cheque'.

Letters to the Editor: 'Brexit propaganda for a bygone age on big screen' 

Having seen the film ‘Downton Abbey’ last week (for research purposes, you understand) it strikes me that the film is actually a soft-soap advert for Britain to return to a rose-tinted bucolic (Etonian) version of pre-war Britain.

Letters to the Editor: 'Learning history will help avoid mistakes of the past' 

It is with great delight and relief that history has been made a mandatory subject on the Junior Cycle curriculum.

Letters to the Editor: 'School league tables’ don’t give an accurate reflection' 

I am very pleased to congratulate so many students across the country who achieved their aim of securing third-level college places this year. Their joy should be shared with parents, guardians and school staff who supported them so well.

Letters to the Editor: 'Think of the negative effects on children being targeted' 

"Emotional authoritarianism is always an effective tool" - one of many wise observations in the article by your columnist Ian O'Doherty.

Letters to the Editor: 'Lunney family must get same support that the Quinns did' 

The brutal treatment of Kevin Lunney by paramilitary-style thugs reminds us again of similar, and sometimes even worse, atrocities perpetrated by the Provisional IRA, and we must wonder if it was from that source that those guys got their training. 

Letters to the Editor: 'Keep the music playing on Lyric FM for all our sakes' 

Since Lyric FM first aired in 1999, its music has wafted through our basement centre in the Liberties.

Letters to the Editor: 'Dignified Ireland can be an example for rest of the world' 

Michael Kelly is right that Ireland is suited to play a key role in helping Israelis and Palestinians to grasp that elusive peace (Irish Independent, September 20).

Letters to the Editor: 'A solution to beef debacle' 

Sir - While any amount of deals may have been done by the time my letter is published, I'm writing it on Monday, just after the 9 o'clock news - and the minister is pleading to farmers on the pickets not to destroy the beef industry.

Letters to the Editor: 'A solution to beef debacle' 

Sir - While any amount of deals may have been done by the time my letter is published, I'm writing it on Monday, just after the 9 o'clock news - and the minister is pleading to farmers on the pickets not to destroy the beef industry.

Letters to the Editor: 'Mother of all Parliaments faces the Father of all Battles – yet is full of infantile politicians' 

I was amused by and agree with David Ryan's assessment of the UK's sorry bunch of present political party leaders (Letters, Irish Independent, September 20). I also concur with him that Ireland's politicians are world-class by comparison.

Letters to the Editor: 'Lunney beating shows that to some, the Border is already up' 

Quinn Industrial Holdings chief operating officer Kevin Lunney has received a terrible beating from people with paramilitary connections.

Letters to the Editor: 'Stand by us beef farmers in our fight for a fair price' 

I read a piece recently concerning Irish farming and the struggle Irish farmers now face, and I couldn’t help but be moved by what was said.

Letters to the Editor: 'Ireland's compliance means we could end up the losers' 

No other country on Earth would defy a €13bn tax windfall due from Apple as decreed by the EU, but little old Éire does. We are appealing against the ruling in the EU courts. What an Irish joke this has become.

Letters to the Editor: 'With Dubs dominant, here’s a way to boost competition' 

A number of experienced pundits have suggested that Dublin’s dominance of the All-Ireland series is likely to continue.

Letters to the Editor: 'There can be no return of IRA's murderous campaign' 

One could be castigated for declaring Boris Johnson a leader in the poisonous atmosphere of anti-Brexitism. How else can his forging ahead with Brexit be termed, if not leadership?

Letters to the Editor: 'Consider a natural burial' 

Sir - I am 72, a writer and an ex-seminarian. In the seminary I attended between 1971 and 1974 the priests never discussed trees, animals, meat, hunting, cruelty. There was a schizoid attitude towards worldly things, as if God didn't care about His creation, only the afterlife - even if Christ's own symbols were the lamb and the dove.

Letters to the Editor: 'Westminster grandees must learn to respect 'Paddy'' 

I commend Colette Browne on the comment article ‘Brexiteers are learning their stereotype of the Irish as drunken, idiotic apes is somewhat off the mark’ (Irish Independent, September 11).

Letters to the Editor: 'Politicians must listen to the Brexit warning from business' 

The talk of “political vandalism” by former conservative Amber Rudd describes accurately the deleterious attitudes of Boris Johnson and his band of Brexiteers.

Letters to the Editor: 'Johnson not the only leader yet to face the electorate' 

Phil Hogan says that British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is “unelected” (Irish Independent, September 7).

Letters to the Editor: 'Extremist groups threatening our peace should be banned' 

Extremist groups threatening our peace should be banned

Letters to the Editor: 'EU leaders should ‘Brexit off’ and leave Britain in peace' 

Dr Munjed Farid Al Qutob (Irish Independent, Letters, September 7) was spot on about why Brexit was won by the Leave campaigners – migration being one important issue. I remember Britain pre-EU.

Letters to the Editor: 'Learning from the Liberator' 

Sir - Olivia O'Leary's recent scholarly RTE programmes on Daniel O'Connell will have touched the hearts of many Northerners.

Letters to the Editor: 'Johnson will now use every political trick in the book to keep his bewildering dream alive' 

Overnight Boris Johnson, that firework of a man, has become a damp squib struggling to stay alight. He is steadily losing the trust of his colleagues, dramatically expressed in the resignation of his brother, Jo.

Letters to the Editor: 'Licence fee and ads on RTÉ a double whammy for viewers' 

We are constantly told if we have a television we must have a licence for it, while having to endure advertising on RTÉ.

Letters to the Editor: 'SF MPs should cross their fingers and swear the oath' 

I agree with John Jennings and Rosie Cargin (Letters, September 4).

Letters to the Editor: 'Margin of victory shows UK needs another referendum' 

The UK referendum yielded a 52-48pc result in favour of leaving. A 3pc swing and all the pain would have been avoided.

Letters to the Editor: 'Kerry and Dublin prove football is greatest game' 

What a wonderful display of fast attacking football we were treated to in Croke Park on Sunday! The scene was set by the gallant youngsters from Cork and Galway, who delivered one of the best minor finals for many years. Kerry and Dublin seniors contested their final in the same spirit in a sporting, tense and dramatic game.

Letters to the Editor: 'Meat industry here should look to words of Morrissey' 

One of the voices missing from the issue of the commercial relationship between farmers and meat factory owners is that of the cattle.

Letters to the Editor: 'Solving beef farming crisis' 

Sir - Coming from a farming background, I understand and empathise with the present plight of Irish beef farmers.

Letters to the Editor: 'This is nothing more than a coup by a tinpot dictator and a few over-rich ageing white men' 

Soon we will be on the receiving end of Boris Johnson's Halloween present to the people, coming as a trick, not a treat, as promised.

Letters to the Editor: 'British parliament must take on Johnson with sovereignty' 

Boris Johnson’s plan to suspend – or to prorogue parliament – is an attack on UK democracy, however he is fully within his rights to do this and MPs cannot vote to stop him from proroguing parliament.

Letters to the Editor: 'Rose of Tralee TV withers in the heat of poisoned tweets' 

Congratulations to Sinéad Flanagan on winning the Rose of Tralee, or the “lovely girls” competition as some see it. How do I know she won it? I heard it on the 9 o’clock news on Wednesday morning.

Letters to the Editor: 'All in favour of diversity – but not of others’ opinions' 

Newstalk presenter Susan Keogh has reportedly “hit out” at Dáithí Ó Sé for comments he made regarding the Rose of Tralee festival.

Letters to the Editor: 'World must act together to hold Bolsonaro to account' 

While we choke the planet of oxygen and watch ice caps melt we must look at ourselves as a species and our constant demands for products from areas such as the Amazon, which straddles nine states in South America.

Letters to the Editor: 'Condemn terrorism or democracy is in trouble' 

The controversy around Britain's departure from the European Union took a most sinister turn over the weekend, when it was reported a senior Government source, close to Tánaiste Simon Coveney, claimed British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and the "Brits", became a "bit friendlier towards Ireland" following a terrorist attack in Fermanagh designed to murder PSNI officers.

Letters to the Editor: 'Insight into discrimination' 

Sir - Having spent a day and night last week in Knock, Co Mayo, I would like to express my view on the Travelling community and how they are discriminated against.

Letters to the Editor: 'The UK and Ireland sacrificed a lot for peace - these Brexit games are undoing all that good' 

A reminder to British parliamentarians whose responsibility it is to be interested. In signing up to the Good Friday Agreement, Ireland gave up its territorial claim to Northern Ireland by changing its Constitution.

Letters to the Editor: 'Hard Brexit will be short-term pain but give long-term gain' 

The current narratives around the backstop seem to be focused on “protecting the peace process and the island of Ireland economies” versus “a hard Brexit unless the backstop is removed”.

Letters to the Editor: 'Even our greatest absurdist couldn't make this one up' 

The satirist Flann O’Brien was born in Strabane, on the Border between Tyrone and Donegal.

Letters to the Editor: 'Sinn Féin can change history – so what is the hold up then?' 

It is time Sinn Féin grew up and stopped living in the past. In a recent interview on the Troubles, Gerry Adams stated:  “All thinking republicans are committed to peaceful and democratic means.”

Letters to the Editor: 'Curb this rent-a-room abuse with monthly payment cap' 

The rent-a-room scheme eases pressure on the housing situation, particularly in Dublin.

Letters to the Editor: 'Public service cards make life easy, data fears just paranoia' 

I’m 67 and have worked hard all my life. I am in receipt of one of those famous – or now infamous – PSCs (public service cards).

Letters to the Editor: 'What tales they could tell' 

Sir — The new walkways in Corlea bog in Longford are a credit to all those who created them. There is an art to the way the old tree trunks, that were extracted from their silent tombs, are strategically erected along part of the walkways.

Letters to the Editor: 'Object to racist ‘Paddywhackery’ – but let us remember our liberal nation is up for a laugh' 

We Irish tend to be unaware of when we are the object of racism; sometimes unwittingly colluding with it by exemplifying the stereotypes in which we are trapped, unlike Mr Trump, who is unaware of when he is being a racist.

Letters to the Editor: 'Brexiteers don’t want a deal – but want to blame Ireland' 

I find it remarkable that a politician of John Bruton’s acumen apparently does not realise that no deal is the conscious and deliberate aim of the new British government (‘UK should realise the backstop isn’t a trap, it’s a bridge across contradictions of Brexit’, Irish Independent, August 9).

Letters to the Editor: 'Britain must accept Brexit is a problem of its own making' 

The reality is there will be no such thing as a no-deal Brexit. Britain cannot live in isolation. Boris Johnson said this himself: “We will leave on October 31 and then we will draw up a new trade agreement with our European neighbours.”

Letters to the Editor: 'Not fair to make farmers the whipping boy for emissions' 

As a dairy and beef farmer, I would like to respond to Rob Sadlier’s letter on the recommendations of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to deal with climate change by reducing the size of the national herd and eating less red meat (‘We must all play our part in putting an end to the wilful and selfish destruction of our planet’, Letters, August 10).

Letters to the Editor: 'Lib Dems can help bring back balance to UK politics' 

As a keen observer of the UK and the sad tribulations of the Brexit mess, I have a proposal and political slogan to suggest which might help in the longer term as I don’t believe the Brexit vote was really about Europe.

Letters to the Editor: 'Leaving Cert is the real deal, unlike fake world of celebs' 

It's not easy being young in a world of virtual reality, cyber celebrity and fake narcissistic achievement. The misuse of “beautiful people” and “trend setters” to influence the lifestyles, opinions, standards and actions of young people is all-pervasive. Body image, sexual preference, personality and attitude are under constant scrutiny on social media.

Letters to the Editor: 'Show misses Army riders' 

Sir — The Dublin Horse Show, which for this year comes to a close today, has for close on a century-and-a-half been a constant highlight of Irish summers.

Letters to the Editor: 'We must all play our part in putting an end to the wilful and selfish destruction of our planet' 

Surprise, surprise. A special report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has recommended reducing meat consumption. The report states that the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5C above pre-industrial levels might not be achievable unless land is used in a more sustainable and climate-friendly way.

Letters to the Editor: 'World Cup monopoly shows double standard on Super 8s' 

The over-the-top reaction in Monday’s Irish Independent to the outcome of the concluding round of the Super 8s baffled me.

Letters to the Editor: 'Compromise on the backstop would solve nothing now' 

The core weakness of Leo Varadkar’s position is that a no-deal Brexit would create a hard customs Border with Northern Ireland – precisely the outcome his insistence on the backstop is designed to avoid.

Letters to the Editor: 'EU officials showed true agenda for Brexit Britain' 

The BBC broadcast a series about the EU’s side of the protracted Brexit negotiations.

Letters to the Editor: 'VAT hike has hit tourism industry where it hurts' 

Surprisingly, Dan O'Brien makes the classic error of mistaking volume and value when he writes about the tourism industry being "in blooming health" in his opinion piece (Irish Independent, August 2).

Letters to the Editor: 'Primrose path or road to perdition, Boris needs map' 

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson recently promised “the beginning of a new golden age” in the House of Commons. But with these few carefree words he might well be painting a too rosy a picture of a hard no-deal Brexit for everyone.

Letters to the Editor: 'SF shows contempt for Irish' 

Sir - There is no doubt that a no-deal Brexit will be devastating for Northern Ireland and the Republic, irrespective of the Border question.

Letters to the Editor: 'The myth of our so-called ‘special relationship’ with Trump’s US is doing Ireland no favours' 

Though we are constantly reminded of Ireland's special relationship with the USA, such relationships amount to little more than good-mannered mutual exploitation, fuelled by enlightened self-interest and wishful thinking.

Letters to the Editor: 'United with EU brethren against our English 'betters'' 

The choruses of “it would be fine only for those awkward Irish” are starting to be heard.

Letters to the Editor: 'Bonner is right - but teams need to stand up for the fans' 

Donegal manager Declan Bonner made the following observation about the crazy situation where next Saturday’s Mayo v Donegal game – a stand-out fixture of the year – won’t be broadcast free-to-air: “it’s far from ideal that this crucial Super 8s clash with Mayo won’t be broadcast on terrestrial television”. (“‘I’m sure somebody, somewhere is making money’ – Donegal boss Bonner not...

Letters to the Editor: Johnson has no clue about the biggest tragedy of Brexit' 

EU membership is not like the emotional side of a marriage – I’m leaving, I don’t like you, that’s not fair.

Letters to the Editor: 'Food for thought on how little times have changed in Britain' 

Almost 90 years ago Ireland, after declaring her independence from the UK in 1919 and agreeing to a truce in the War of Independence on July 11, 1921, pursued its claim in treaty talks in London.

Letters to the Editor: 'The North deserves to have a say in new Brexit referendum' 

As ‘Captain Boris’ heads at full speed for the hard Brexit iceberg with his lookout screaming ‘iceberg hard Brexit ahead’, the new UK premier shouts ‘nonsense, it’s just an optical illusion, full speed ahead’. The Dup has started to flex the Sammy Wilson warning shots across the bow to keep Prime Minister Johnson aware that the Dup controls the rudder of project hard Brexit.

Letters to the Editor: 'GAA pits county against club' 

Sir - the growing commercialisation of the GAA, its status as a 'product' and the detrimental effect this is having on its clubs needs to be addressed immediately.

Letters to the Editor: 'Boris hides his shrewd political judgment and lack of substance behind mask of court jester' 

So Britain has selected a bit of a character to be its next prime minister!

Letters to the Editor: 'Johnson's 'do-or-die' spirit could defeat European Union' 

It is somewhat ironic the phrase “do or die” from the Alfred Lord Tennyson poem ‘Charge of the Light Brigade’ – first used politically by Mahatma Gandhi in the early 1940s to encourage Britain to “go” from India – should be used in 2019 by a British prime minister to encourage Britain to “go” again, this time from the EU.

Letters to the Editor: 'All the president’s tweets are wrongly sneered at by media' 

Our papers and broadcast media are engaged in a cacophony of abuse on Donald Trump.

Letters to the Editor: 'Centre will hold if and when media provides it with a voice' 

I note the sub theme of this years MacGill Summer School is ‘Can the Centre Hold?’. It’s a valid question. But there are many elements to the answer. One is the role of the media. Strangely that topic is not included on the MacGill programme.

Letters to the Editor: 'Only a matter of time before we witness break-up of UK' 

I COMPLETELY agree with Munjed Farid Al Qutob (Irish Independent, Letters, July 22). Theresa May is not solely to blame for the present parlous state of affairs in the UK. However, she didn’t help matters either.

Letters to the Editor: 'Lisa Smith and her daughter should be welcomed home' 

Are we being hypocrites when it comes to one of our own, Lisa Smith, and her child?

Letters to the Editor: 'Love is in the air for all ages' 

Sir - Having read Eleanor Goggin's very disturbing article on the prospect of a Love Island for 'more mature' contestants, I should like to remind her that some of us who did actually experience the historic 'Summer of Love' in 1967 may not have suffered the horrific physical decay she so graphically describes.

Letters to the Editor: 'Johnson and Hunt need reminding of shared history before they wreak havoc with no deal' 

One of the most dispiriting elements of Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt's desire to get rid of the backstop is their dismissal of Ireland. Their no-deal Brexit will force a hard Border on a now peaceful land; it will harm Ireland more than any other country in the EU. The UK is by far Ireland's largest export market.

Letters to the Editor: 'Benefits of simplifying time zones not heard in debate' 

The Government is refusing progress by opposing a perfectly sensible idea from the EU to get rid of winter/summer time and finally eliminate an old-fashioned burdensome practice.

Letters to the Editor: 'Uniform cost of education lower than in early '50s' 

A lot of complaints have been reported in the media in recent weeks regarding the cost of school uniforms.

Letters to the Editor: 'Government must protect State and stand by backstop' 

If “Brexit and a backstop are mutually incompatible”, as Nick Crawford claims (Irish Independent, Letters, July 16) then the English are just going to have to ditch Brexit.

Letters to the Editor: 'Nature will present us with a bill and we will have to pay' 

Climate change wrapped up in a nutshell...

Letters to the Editor: 'Dublin businesses Dún for if council doesn't park its plans' 

A lot of people love the feel of shopping in Dublin city centre more than the out-of-town malls, but equally they say that getting into town is too difficult by either public transport or private car, and it’s not helped by one-ways, confusing signage, and now parking charges increased by up to 70pc if they do have to use their cars.

Letters to the Editor: 'Time to rethink backstop' 

Sir - Every time I hear Leo Varadkar or Simon Coveney pontificate about the welfare of the nationalist community in Northern Ireland, it sends a shiver up my spine.

Letters to the Editor: 'We must remember how fortunate we are to be able to live a happy life in our modern republic' 

In his inspiring poem, 'A happy life', Brendan Kennelly eloquently outlines the constituents of a happy life.

Letters to the Editor: 'Trump just keeps getting more and more ridiculous' 

Each week we think that Donald Trump cannot be more preposterous than the week before. 

Letters to the Editor: 'Refugees revitalise societies in which they are able to settle' 

I commend you for drawing attention to the unspeakable suffering of refugees beset by persecution, violence, verbal, physical and psychological harassment, homelessness, evictions, abject poverty, bankruptcy, racism, discrimination for reasons of race, religion, nationality and political persuasion.

Letters to the Editor: 'Unsung heroes in our health service all go the extra mile' 

Our health service comes under fire on a nearly daily basis. Over the last six months I have experienced the HSE up-close and personal, both as a patient and as an adult child of an elderly parent with almost weekly changing health needs.

Letters to the Editor: 'Racist acts take scourge of flag-burning to a new low' 

The emergence of pictures of two DUP councillors posing for photographs as the Irish national flag was burned on a bonfire in Portadown suggests that nationalists in the North may be in for another sectarian marching season. Surely it is long past time that the Orange Order and the DUP ceased closing their eyes and turning their backs on the actions of those associated with July 12...

Letters to the Editor: 'Politicians must reject this beef deal that favours barons' 

The beef deal, part of the EU Mercosur trade deal with four South American countries, has all the attributes of a time-bomb. Every  politician in Ireland must force our weak Government to oppose it and to use our veto power within the EU.

Letters to the Editor: 'EU's trade deal disaster' 

Sir - The European Union's deal with South America makes a mockery of its position on the environment, pollution and biodiversity.

Letters to the Editor: 'Here’s what Corbyn needs to say to the British public to win general election and become PM' 

The reality is that only a British Labour government will have the policy plan, the will, and the confidence to address the social and economic problems facing the UK after years of vulture capitalism.

Letters to the Editor: 'We need to raise awareness and tackle scourge of obesity' 

The global scourge of obesity is topping smoking as the main cause of death and cancers. The multiple factors that contribute to obesity are notoriously complex and intertwined. The statistics are appalling. Tackling obesity is therefore one of the most formidable health challenges that define the 21st century.

Letters to the Editor: 'Electric avenues beckon en route to greener economy' 

One of the great drawbacks to a future clean environment is how greatly politicians and economists underestimate technology.

Letters to the Editor: 'Wrecking Airbnb will do nothing for housing crisis' 

The new laws ostensibly aimed at relieving the housing crisis by destroying the concept and availability of Airbnb are another example of the moral bankruptcy of the Government and Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy.

Letters to the Editor: 'Government needs to ease the red line on Brexit backstop' 

It's not that long ago that it was a universally accepted truth amongst the Irish political and media establishments that the property bubble would end with a soft landing.

Letters to the Editor: 'Ian's approach doesn't skirt the issue of school uniforms' 

Ian O'Doherty's article ('Review', Irish Independent, June 29) on the decision of St Brigid's National School in Greystones to allow boys to wear skirts and girls wear trousers as part of their school uniform is an excellent piece of writing.

Letters to the Editor: 'Women waiting for a plinth' 

Sir - It probably has been said many times before now, but I'm going to say it again: there's an awful lack of statues of women in our country.

Letters to the Editor: 'We must not allow messengers of sanity to be silenced by threats of 'might is right' brigade' 

Dr Munjed Farid Al Qutob writes from London (Irish Independent, Letters, June 24) to lament that "we have not learned the lessons of war - the world has never changed since the dreadful conflicts of WWI and II".