Professor Gabriel Scally has performed an enormous public service over the past few months in speaking truth to those in power on the island of Ireland in relation to their handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. In particular, his recent warnings regarding the dangers inherent in loosening travel restrictions were both timely and pertinent.
I feel, however, that one part of his comments reported in The Irish News (July 15) could be misconstrued.
He was quoted as saying: “Perhaps people have forgotten about how the virus came to Ireland in the first place, which was international tourism. It was someone travelling back to Ireland from Italy via Dublin Airport and then on to the north.”
It is indisputable that the virus came into Ireland from abroad but to single out one particular case as Professor Scally does in the second sentence above is, I think, unfair. Clearly he is referring to the first confirmed case of Covid-19 reported in Northern Ireland on Thursday February 27. The sentence could be taken to imply that the person concerned was single-handedly responsible for introducing the virus to Ireland. The first confirmed case in the Republic of Ireland was announced two days later and, while the person involved there had also travelled from Italy, it was made clear in the media that this case had not “involved contact with another confirmed case in Ireland”.
On the evening when the first case in Northern Ireland was announced, the Chief Medical Officer for Northern Ireland stressed that the woman concerned had acted commendably by contacting her GP, self-isolating and notifying the authorities of her close contacts.
Given what we know about pre-symptomatic and asymptomatic spread of the virus, it is highly likely that there were hundreds of people, not all of them returning tourists from Italy and not all of them coming through Dublin, who were unknowingly bringing the virus to this island at around the same time as, and possibly before, the lady who travelled from Dublin Airport into Northern Ireland. I do not know her identity – it is none of my business – and I hope that she is now fully recovered. Both she and her family, however, do not deserve the additional distress arising from any implication, however unintentional, that she alone was responsible for bringing the virus into Ireland “in the first place”.
EUGENE KENNEDY
Belfast BT11
Storey family need and deserve closure – leave them in peace
I was was sorely disappointed but not surprised to read Fionnuala O Connor’s column (July 21).
Bobby Storey died and his close family are not being allowed to grieve in the way other families do. Bobby was not responsible for what happened at his funeral, neither was his family. Neither Sinn Féin nor the PSNI were responsible, although they may have expected the outcome. Even then, neither of these two organisations could have prevented what took place. The best they could do was to marshal the proceedings – which they did do.
Michelle O’Neill was part of the cortège which followed all the Covid-19 rules, she had no control over those behind the cortège and therefore clearly no reason to attend the funeral of a close friend. Those who followed may have broken the Covid-19 guidelines.
However, Fionnuala has ignored all this and the suffering the family are going through to get her point across. The family need and deserve closure. Leave them in peace.
SEAN SEELEY
Craigavon, Co Armagh
Palestine is a mythical place
In response to Ohad Zemet’s excellent letter (July 16) Peter McEvoy (July 21) refers to “a police ramming incident” and “that Israeli police were in Palestine”.
Firstly, this was not an Israeli police ramming incident. This was attempted murder of Israeli police by a Palestinian driver.
Secondly, his reference to ‘Palestine’ is interesting. I ask Mr McEvoy this: where does he consider Palestine is?
Palestine has never existed as a nation state. It may have, had the ‘Palestinians’ accepted the 1947 compromise, allowing for an Arab and Jewish state side by side. We all know what happened.
Palestine is a mythical place. It will never happen unless the ‘Palestinians’ desire nationhood above victimhood. Unless they want good neighbours not enemies. Instead of remaining ‘victims’ they should stand up for their own aspirations.
Sadly though they choose to deny the aspirations of the Jewish people for their own land, Israel. A land that Jews have inhabited for millenia before the Arab planters came. I implore Mr McEvoy to encourage his Palestinian friends to grow up and then sit down an negotiate their future. Until then they will just wallow in self-pity.
ANDREW J SHAW
Belfast BT10
Accessible toilets a human necessity
This past weekend saw Changing Places Awareness Day, which saw an announcement that specially-fitted toilets for disabled people are to be compulsory for new buildings in England from next year.
Last month, local campaigners secured commitment from the Finance Minister to make similar changes here. This has the chance to be life-changing for hundreds of thousands of people. Access to a safe, clean, accessible toilet is a human necessity and right, whoever you are and wherever you are.
Following my motion on a Belfast Covid-19 response and recovery inclusive of disabled people and older people, Belfast City Council has recommitted itself to being an accessible city for everyone by 2035.
Significantly greater provision of safe, clean and accessible toilets is a fundamental pillar of that. This is not just about a toilet, it’s about the fundamental ability to participate in society.
Cllr ROSS McMULLAN
Alliance, Belfast City Council
