Readers will be familiar with the fact that the Renewable Heat Incentive scheme was so poorly drawn and executed, that millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money will go up in smoke in the lifetime of the project.
What might not be so well known is what is in the smoke.
Research, by among others, King’s College London, has established that the air pollution that reached record levels in London in recent weeks, was caused in almost equal part, by particulates released by diesel vehicles and wood smoke from wood burning stoves.
In Denmark researchers have established that even the cleanest wood burner produces 5,000,000 particulates per cubic centimetre of smoke – compared to just 1,000 per cubic centimetre in the fumes of a modern lorry. In Copenhagen the wood burning stoves and bio-mass boilers lit in winter, produce more harmful particulates than vehicle traffic in an entire year.
Dr Gary Fuller, the lead researcher at King’s College, Environmental Research Group, has advised: “Although the apparent carbon neutrality of wood-burning may make it appear more environmentally friendly, there is growing evidence of adverse health effects from wood smoke.”
The website of the Environmental Protection Agency in the US explains what they are : “Short-term exposures to particles (hours or days) can aggravate lung disease, causing asthma attacks and acute bronchitis, and may also increase susceptibility to respiratory infections. Long-term exposures (months or years) have been associated with problems such as reduced lung function and the development of chronic bronchitis and even premature death.
Some studies also suggest that long-term PM 2.5 exposures may be linked to cancer and to harmful developmental and reproductive effects, such as infant mortality and low birth weight.”
Worryingly, the Renewable Heat Incentive scheme in Northern Ireland is set to run for 20 years.
MICHAEL ROBINSON
Newtownabbey, Co Antrim
‘War’ of greed against those who struggle goes on
According to the Institute of Fiscal Studies Fermanagh has the lowest paid workers in the north. Workers will earn less in 2021 than they did in 2008.
Every day we hear about millions ‘going up in smoke’ and millions being handed back to the British exchequer. The two main parties at Stormont participated in this scandal. Both of them knew and know all about the ‘cash-for-ash’ scandal. Don’t hold your breath for what a so-called inquiry will reveal. Now they are trying to blame each other and to deflect our gaze away from the ‘RHI slush fund’.
Our health service is being run down deliberately and being prepared for privatisation. GP’s surgeries are being closed for the very same reason. Our education system is being and will be privatised too. Rates are also to be increased.
The ‘war’ of greed goes on against those who struggle to live.
Now we are to have a whole new variety of borders – borders of the past, a hard border, a soft border, a seamless one, a frictionless one, whatever that is. The only one not mentioned is no border. And no borders between Protestants and Catholics either.
People need to be able to live a comfortable, healthy life free of unnecessary stress and poverty.
Start off by demanding that our politicians do not increase our rates and say no to the privatisation of our health service and education.
JOHN McCLUSKEY
Roslea, Co Fermanagh
Reform the kingdom’s constitution
WHEN Henry VIII became king in 1542 Ireland became part of a Protestant kingdom for a Protestant people. In this constitutional set-up Catholics were persecuted in the penal laws. When Catholics were granted emancipation in the Catholic Relief Act of 1829 the kingdom should have been reconstituted as a Christian kingdom for all but it wasn’t. The Coronation Oath which constitutes the kingdom as Protestant was retained making the kingdom a cold house for Catholics.
When the statelet of Northern Ireland was set up in the early 1920s it was constituted as Protestant and governed by a Protestant parliament at Stormont. This understanding is still clung to by the DUP and remains the root of sectarianism here.
To eradicate sectarianism and bring the Irish people together will require a radical reform of the kingdom’s constitution. Firstly the Protestant Coronation Oath needs rewording to make it Christian for all. That will require a reform of the sectarian Act of Settlement 1701 which states that only a Protestant can occupy the English throne. This Act underpins sectarianism in these islands. The Act of Supremacy 1534 and the Act of Settlement 1559 will need to be rewritten to disestablish the C of E and constitute it as Christian for all. All of that is possible in a Christian Federal Kingdom of all Ireland.
MICHAEL GILLESPIE
Kilfennan, Co Derry
Taoiseach’s PR gimmick
There is a headline in the i – a tabloid version of New Labour apologists The Independent (UK) – that says that Taoiseach Enda Kenny wants a united Ireland clause as part of a Brexit deal. Funny this, coming from the most partitionist party in the Irish state who will resort to any PR gimmick to continue ruling over their country like a king. No doubt he views Sinn Féin as potential coalition partners.
The reality is that there are certain issues that unionists and republicans in Northern Ireland will never see eye-to-eye on. Any concept of a ‘shared future’ is simply a load of hokum in my eyes. The tints of orange and green here are simply too strong to dilute.
This is why I favour an Ulster nation, open to anyone with either an Irish or British passport. The longer the British, Irish and American governments try and ‘help’ us, they’re actually feeding their own egos. Plus, it gives credence to the victim class who make a living
out of reaching to the begging bowl to London, Washington and Brussels.
People are voting with their feet and emigrating from Ulster as they no longer see a point in staying. The only worthwhile jobs in our country are all in Belfast. But don’t expect Fine Gael to champion the north-west.
DESMOND DEVLIN
Ardboe, Co Tyrone
‘Rainbow’ politics
Is it possible, practical or desirable that the ‘centre parties’ could now form a rainbow grouping that together would have 32 plus seats at Stormont and thereby be the biggest grouping? The SDLP, being the biggest party within that group could propose the first minister and the DFM would come from the DUP on this occasion.
The ‘Rainbow Group’, the DUP and SF would have approximately the same number of ministers with no one group having overall control and parties would have to work together and strike deals with each other to advance their various causes.
L McCLEAN
Ballymoney, Co Antrim
