The Irish Times - Letters

• Israeli offensive in Gaza
  Madam, - We are well rid of the annus horribilis of 2008. It now looks, however, as if 2009 may be even worse. It certainly is for the unfortunate inhabitants of Gaza.
  
  
• Catholic bishops and child abuse
  Madam, - Your edition of January 2nd quotes Cardinal Seán Brady as saying in a recent statement: "At all times the welfare of children must be the paramount consideration."
  
  
• The rights of fathers
  Madam - While empathising with the sentiments of John Waters on the financial dilemma facing a number of fathers ("Fathers once more the whipping boys of unfair system", Opinion, January 2nd), I feel that the welfare of the children needs to be taken into account in every case.
  
  
• British honours for Irish citizens
  Madam, -  Louis Finnerty, (January 3rd) wonders if, other than Ireland suffering from "a potent inferiority complex towards Britain", as was noted by the British embassy in 1978, there may be other explanations why so many Irish institutions retain the word "royal" in their titles. Mr Finnerty mentions the Royal Irish Yacht Club, the Royal Dublin Society, the Royal College of Surgeons and the Royal Dublin Golf Club.
  
  
• Flynn's tax-free €40,000
  Madam, - Beverley Flynn says she is entitled to an extra tax-free payment of more than €40,000 which Independent TDs may claim annually (The Irish Times, January 5th). But Ms Flynn is now a full member of the Fianna Fáil party.
  
  
• An appropriate atonement
  Madam, - I would like to congratulate Fr Michael Mernagh, not only for his personal walk of atonement, but also for re-introducing the non-PC word "sin" into our vocabulary - a word which has been notably absent in describing the moral morass in which we find ourselves.
  
  
• A horrific honorific
  Madam, - Your report "Language group backs EU car tag change" (January 2nd) caught my eye, though as a non-driver the issue doesn't keep me awake at night. The campaign in question, we are told, was begun by Raidió na Gaeltachta personality Máirtín Tom Sheáinín. Quickly glancing through the report, my eye was arrested again by a reference to "Mr Sheáinín".