We have mastered the art of discussing delivery, not the act of delivering. Every project must first navigate a labyrinth of consultation, approval and “stakeholder engagement” until urgency is politely postponed into irrelevance.
When I was a school principal and didn’t particularly want something done, I would hand it over to a committee to implement it. There would be meetings, minutes and much talk, but rarely any action. Ireland now seems to operate on the same principle.
The next government that truly wants to “get things done” should start small and prove it. Publish delivery dashboards for every major project, impose time limits on public consultations and tie civil service promotion to measurable outcomes rather than cautious process. Nothing would rebuild trust faster than transparency and accountability that bite.
Ireland’s next economic leap will not come from another tech boom or EU grant, but from competence itself. The country that learns how to build efficiently will quietly overtake those that only plan to.
My prediction: the first Irish county that adopts a local “delivery-first” model, where every plan has a public timeline and penalty for delay, will outperform the rest of the country in growth and liveability within five years.
Enda Cullen, Tullysaran Road, Armagh
Objections are one thing, but projects should not be held up by endless appeals
I note that housing developers have told the Dáil Housing Committee that housing is being stopped by “frivolous” objections.
It’s my contention that citizens have a right to object if they feel a development falls short of standards.
However , we must find a way of fast-tracking these objections through the courts.
What we don’t want is an objection followed by an appeal and then another appeal, and where a building project can be held up for two years or more.
John O’Brien, Clonmel, Co Tipperary
Politicians do not need training to answer the questions we put to them
The propensity for media training of politicians has come under the spotlight since the presidential election. Why is all this training required to tell the truth and to give a straight answer to a straight question?
From my observation over the years, the training seems to revolve around prevarication, deflection and answering a question that was not asked.
It is time our politicians recognised who their paymasters are and act accordingly. Many of those contributing to their high salary and pensions are struggling day to day.
Paddy Murray, Castlepollard, Co Westmeath
Yates offered bad advice and his comments were offensive to many of us
I would be interested to learn whether any other reader of the Irish media shares my shame at the publication of Ivan Yates’s advice to a potential presidential candidate.
As children, we were used to hearing the holy name referred to as “Jaysus”, but we were discouraged from repeating it and told it was something said only by people who “knew no better”.
Hence my shame to hear it used as a tool by one who does, or should, know better.
It occurs to me that Mr Yates was offering bad advice, expressed in very bad language and in very bad taste. It was also offensive to many of us who are believers in Jesus Christ.
Sr Margaret Agnew, Curam Nursing Home, Dundalk
EU did nothing to defend peace in Gaza when Israel launched its offensive
Regina Doherty MEP, a public representative I respect, states in her letter on November 4 that the EU “may not be perfect, but is a force for defending democracy and peace”.
I ask, where was the defence of democracy and peace when Israel carried out its attack on Gaza? Killing unarmed civilians. Targeting medical professionals and facilities. Targeting members of the media. Destroying infrastructure. Denying the population basic food requirements.
Where was the EU when all of this was carried out, highlighted by daily news reports?
Not only did the EU stand by and do nothing, but many EU states provided Israel with armaments.
The EU seems to be a “toothless tiger”.
Michael Moriarty, Rochestown, Cork
Harris played his role in shutting down debate on impact of immigration
Tánaiste Simon Harris, questioned about his statement recently that migration figures “were too high”, now says there are people who “want to shut down debate” on the issue.
Who does the Tánaiste have in mind? Surely not those communities across the country that protested against having “too high” numbers of migrants foisted upon already stretched resources?
Perhaps Mr Harris is speaking from experience, being both tánaiste and taoiseach in two administrations that did their level best to do precisely that: shut down debate.
Peter Declan O’Halloran, Belturbet, Co Cavan
Reading the news about electrician exam papers certainly gave me a jolt
According to Wednesday’s Irish Independent, there are allegations of electrician exam papers being sold. Shocking.
Noel Kelly, Doonbeg, Co Clare
Hotel guests are forced to join breakfast breadline as toasters test our patience
There was a discussion about the taste quality of toasted bread on Oliver Callan’s radio show on Tuesday, with hospital toast declared the “winner”.
The matter of hotel toast was also raised, and for me the greatest snag with that product is that very often there is one self-service toaster catering for a full dining room. We all patiently queue up, bread in hand, awaiting the opportunity to place the slice on the intake shelf.
A case of “give us this day our daily bread”… eventually.
Tom Gilsenan, Beaumont, Dublin 9