Brexit is being taken far too lightly and could seal the Republic’s fate when the UK finally leaves. The country does not see the road ahead, or perhaps in typical Irish fashion says “they’ll figure something out and life will go on as normal”. What indeed will that something be?
Deal or no-deal Brexit has the potential to wipe out Ireland and turn it into a wasteland. Ireland is practically a quasi dependency of the UK. If the Republic was a truly independent state, Northern Ireland would probably not exist. It too, is a dependency of the UK or London-Crown state. The UK is a big brother to us. Every washing machine, cooker, fridge, computer and a plethora of other household goods comes cross-channel. That is not an accident. One would be forgiven for thinking that the Irish government is just a caretaker government for the UK and this was the case with the 1922 Constitution and the Free State. But we on this island are all still directly linked to the UK state. The Republic may be technically free today, but look at the Irish economy, it is essentially part of the UK economy. Could the Republic really do without it with differential trade traffic, tariffs, logistics, and bureaucracy post-Brexit?
Of course the best evidence that Ireland is a quasi dependency of the UK is that the UK does not treat Ireland as a foreign country with the common travel area. With that said: one must consider the grave consequences which will come about when Britain finally leaves the EU. The post-Brexit situation is likely to be grave in terms of business and trade and we will be a very different country when it happens. Politics has the luxury of debate and procrastination, however business has not and must plan for a worst case scenario. The Republic is chronically dependent on foreign-direct investment – investment which is getting nervous, down scaling and pulling out in some cases because of Brexit.
Things are beginning to move and business is not waiting around for politicians to make up their minds. If republican/nationalists are to be very honest with themselves as a people, they were never really an independent nation who forced tens of thousands to leave, so a conservative old guard could manage it and keep the old links with the UK, so nothing would really change post-colonial situation.
Ironically, with the bad consequences of Brexit, it may force people to pull together – break up the old ultra-conservative and decadent old guard and make something of this country. Brexit will make us or break us – of that we can be absolutely sure.
MAURICE FITZGERALD
Shanbally, Co Cork
We need to look at the underlying cause of election pacts
There’ll be no shortage of pacts between parties, formal or informal, at the upcoming election. Some people hate the idea of pacts and cannot stand them, others (such as me) are frustrated at them but recognise that in some situations they are the lesser of two evils.
Whatever your opinion is, I would hope we could all agree on the need to change the medieval first past the post voting system that pushes political parties into these pacts.
first past the post means that the number of seats a party gets doesn’t necessarily correspond to their share of the vote. For example, at the last Westminster election, the DUP were supported by 292,000 voters and awarded 10 seats (plus the balance of power in Westminster). The Liberal Democrats, with 2.3 million votes, were given 12 seats. 525,000 Green voters were represented by just one seat. Westminster is the only parliament in western Europe to use First Past the Post. There’s no reason not to expand proportional representation to these elections, so that seats match votes. In a few years we will have the 100th anniversary of proportional representation for Dáil elections, and the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly have used fairer voting systems for two decades now.
It’s beyond time for Westminster to catch up.
CORMAC MANNING
Ballincollig, Co Cork
Interpretation of Catholic doctrine
Fr Patrick McCafferty claims his anti-abortion allies are of all religious persuasions and none (November 18). That is not an impression given heretofore, with tub-thumping quotations from the Pope and the Bible.
His “vast moral difference between contraception and abortion” is a novel interpretation of Catholic doctrine. Pope Paul VI’s Humanae Vitae stated, after mentioning abortion: “Similarly excluded is any action which either before, at the moment of, or after sexual intercourse, is specifically intended to prevent procreation – whether as an end or as a means.”
My point that contraception is not “similarly excluded” today, in practice, is reinforced by Fr McCafferty’s stance. His indifference toward Church teaching on contraception, while becoming exercised about a related matter, abortion, looks, to quote Fr McCafferty, “woolly-headed, half-baked and self-serving”.
Though (recycling one his biblical phrases) Fr McCafferty’s “trumpet makes an uncertain sound”, he might consider supporting widespread availability of contraceptives. If successful, that would lower the demand for abortion more successfully than outlawing it. His flock are extending his logic in tolerating a woman’s right to choose. They become pregnant, not him or, given a currently enforced rule, any other priest. That is another thing that unites him with his evangelical Protestant allies, men telling women what not to do.
NIALL MEEHAN
Dublin 7
Absence of accountability
I was heartened to read the letter from Sean O’Fiach (November 20). The total absence of accountability for non-performing politicians and political parties was just one of the reasons why I chose to leave Northern Ireland some years ago. The fact that the Sinn Féin party has failed West Belfast over decades is a straightforward, verifiable fact. An examination of any of the key indices will prove the point – but no-one ever points it out or challenges them on it. Sinn Féin just have to wave the flag and shout about the Brits and they sail on. The fact that Mr O’Fiach is prepared to step up and challenge non-performance is to be welcomed and encouraged. Might his intervention be evidence that the normal demands placed upon politicians everywhere else in the developed world might finally be emerging in the north? I hope so.
BRENT BARTLETT
Dublin 1
Contributors don’t get irony
Regular writer Sean O’Fiach and other contributors to your page have totally misunderstood Fiona Maguire’s brilliant (November 11). Don’t they get irony?
GERRY RUDDY
Belfast BT7
No supporter of abortion
It is horrifying to think that anyone could support abortion. God save us from anyone who supports abortion. Thou shalt not kill says the Lord.
JAMES McCORMICK
Ballycastle, Co Antrim
