THE PEOPLE’S LETTERS PAGE

Dear Editor

I would be grateful for the opportunity to let readers of Dublin People know about an important conference for people with an interest in Prader-Willi Syndrome taking place in the University of Limerick from July 6 to 10.

Prader-Willi Syndrome, or PWS, is named after the Swiss doctors who first identified it.

It is a complex genetic disorder that is characterised by a feeling of hunger that never goes away and an inability to control the impulse to seek and eat food.

People with PWS live in a constant state of worry and anxiety about food.

Unless the person is supervised at all times, it can lead to excessive eating and life-threatening obesity.

PWS also gives rise to intellectual disability, mental health problems, challenging behaviour, and complex medical issues such as scoliosis and seizures.

The forthcoming conference offers a particular opportunity for families to come together to gain support from each other.

There is a stream dedicated to parents, with talks on supporting children with PWS from children to adulthood, as well as sessions on topical issues such as nutrition, physical activity, body perception, obesity management and sleep disorders.

While there is no cure or treatment yet for PWS, the conference will showcase the latest international research and the significant advances that continue to be made.

We also hope to shine a light on how people with PWS can be better supported and how standards of care can be improved.

The conference is organised by the International Prader-Willi Syndrome Organisation, and co-hosted by ourselves at the Prader-Willi Syndrome Association Ireland.

We would be delighted to welcome anyone with an interest in the area to register at www.pwsai.ie/ipwso-conference

I look forward to seeing you there.

Yours sincerely,

Anthony Carr

Chairperson

Prader-Willi Syndrome Association Ireland

North Brunswick Street

Dear Editor.

Animal protection groups across Europe are celebrating the decision of Spain’s largest newspaper, El Pais, to end bullfighting coverage in its print edition.

This development reflects changing public attitudes in Spain to the Corrida.

I would encourage Irish newspapers to follow this example and drop hare coursing from their sports pages.

It never belonged there here in the first place, since sport is ostensibly about competition and fair play, not pitting two larger and faster animals after a small one that cannot defend itself and suffers horrific injuries when mauled, or tossed about, by its pursuers.

The fact that coursing is covered as a sport is bad enough, but the correspondents don’t even bother to give an accurate account of the proceedings.

Imagine covering a hurling match without once referring to a foul, or fracas on the pitch, or an injured player being removed on a stretcher.

That’s how coursing coverage works.

You’ll get no mention of an animal being terrorised for human amusement, of a hare having its brittle bones crushed, or being flung skyward like a sloither on a hurling pitch, or a hare having its neck broken following injury by a dispatcher.

Not a hint of the terror and pain and trauma that this supposedly protected Irish mammal has to endure so that gamblers can mark their betting cards and “sportspeople” decked out in snug winter gear can watch its life-and-death struggle.

All you’ll get from the so-called “journalists” who report on coursing is a list of winning dogs, the names of their owners, and maybe, along with the article a picture or two of the successful dogs, and their owners displaying cheques or trophies. Not exactly Pulitzer-prize winning stuff.

Some sports writers go a little bit further and do colour pieces on coursing in which they depict it in an even rosier light. In addition to not alluding to its dark side, they give the impression that it’s a time-hooured Irish pastime; completely harmless and fit for all the family.

If a Spanish news organisation can see the writing on the wall for bull fighting, for long deemed a quintessentially Spanish tradition, then I suggest that those at the helm of Ireland’s newspaper industry adopt the same approach to hare coursing.

It’s time to remove this stain from the sports pages. Such coverage would demain any publication and is an insult to the name of Irish journalism.

Thanking you,

John Fitzgerald

Dear Editor,

The IAWM (Irish Anti War Movement) condemns the Taoiseach’s comments in the European Parliament on Wednesday (8th June), that Ireland would not need to hold a referendum to join NATO. It is, he tells us, a policy decision of the government.

The IAWM believes such statements from our Taoiseach are both rash and foolish. The Taoiseach may be of the opinion that we need to ‘reflect’ on our military neutrality, but the majority of Irish people do not agree.

An Irish Times/Ipsos poll on April 15 demonstrated that people have absolutely no appetite for involvement in military operations. While there is huge support for Ukraine, 54% were against playing a greater military role in the EU – never mind joining NATO.

And a far larger majority – 66% – were in favour of maintaining Irish neutrality – a position which rules out NATO membership.

The suggestion that we could join NATO goes against the spirit of the existing triple-lock protocol. The triple-lock commits the State to only sanction a mission abroad involving the Army if it has approval from three bodies – the UN Security Council, the Government and the Oireachtas.

NATO operates without any such restrictions.

The war in Ukraine has become the pretext to speed up NATO’s expansion. Since the fall of the Berlin Wall fourteen countries have joined. As of 2022, six additional states have formally informed NATO of their membership aspirations: Bosnia and Herzegovina,, Georgia, Ukraine – and now Sweden and Finland.

The Irish Anti War Movement and the Peace And Neutrality Alliance have come together to coordinate their Defend Irish Neutrality activities, in light of the escalation of militarisation in the EU.

There has been a very positive response as evidenced by public meetings in Dublin and elsewhere. Nobody would have imagined, even recently, that the government would now be talking about joining NATO.

We oppose this rush to militarization and will be mobilizing in the weeks and months ahead.

Yours sincerely,

The Irish Anti-War Movement

Dear Editor,

So many injustices  continue as our third year of protesting at Shelbourne Park dog track  continues weekly on Saturdays..

One aspect gaining  the attention of the public is the 20 million euro gifted to the Greyhound Racing Ireland Group (GRI).

Merely a gambling and apparently an ‘elite’ rather than an ordinary ‘sport’ this money from Taxpayers pockets is firmly ringfenced and protected so that it can continue for the apparent foreseeable future.

Over 16,000 greyhounds are born annually in Ireland and at least 6-10,000 dogs  are killed during that period due to being considered wastage by GRI, or by just being slow or injured  runners.

1000% more greyhound pups are bred in Ireland that are required for races, Greyhound slaughterhouses are a growing business and a shame on any Government that sanctions their existence.

Taking into account the racing industry not being viable at all. 250 million euros since 2001 has been given to GRI. (previously a name change from Bord na gCon to deflect criticism.)

As a Greyhound Rescuer for decades I know the gentleness and faithfulness of Greyhounds despite their horrendous treatment.

Sadly I also have witnessed firsthand the broken bones, the butchered ears, to avoid (tattooed) identification, the drugs given to  alter performance and the bald and bleeding skin from cement floors and kennels unfit for habitation.

Greyhounds are still being sent to Asia as breeding machines, a death sentence that most likely ends at the side of the road in the meat markets , the innocent victims of GRI ending their short lives clapped out from breeding, and  tortured in pots of boiling water for the meat trade there.

Why do our politicians pander to an organization  built on suffering, gambling,  legal and illegal drugs and deceit, all for the greed of greyhound Racing followers.

Apparently only eight Greyhound owners/Trainers get the vast proceeds from the winning races. Many of these are repeat carriers of drug offences , the penalty being a slap on the wrist.

This country, being well aware of our homeless with not enough beds in existence, hospitals with huge delays in treatment, the grave gambling problems from these elite sports, not to mention so many in sub- standard living accommodation, 20 million could help so many to better lives and some sleeping accommodation in these harsh winter months.

All said my main concern is the suffering of  the gentlest dogs ever…their trust and love towards humans and  their quietness and intelligence once adopted as a family member.

Greyhounds deserve better, Racing and its associated cruelties towards these beings is pure evil.

Our third year of protesting at Shelbourne Park dog track continues weekly.

Bernie Wright

Press Officer Alliance for Animal Rights