We are led to believe that these consequences will take the form of flight cancellations, big increases in air fares and perhaps even the country grinding to a halt. This is all designed to put pressure on the Government to overturn the cap and it seems to be succeeding.
It is important to ask why the cap of 32 million was put there in the first place under the planning approval for a new runway. People who have to live adjacent to, as well as those under the flight paths of both runways, have to put up with severe noise pollution and toxic air pollution.
Fingal County Council has a duty to protect these people. It would make a mockery of our planning laws if this were allowed happen.
Through reasonable planning and organisation, DAA and the Government could make better use of Shannon, Cork and Knock airports, all of which are underused.
This could also help reduce the congestion at Dublin Airport, in terms of both passenger numbers and parking availability.
Raising the passenger cap will add significantly to greenhouse gases at a time when all other industries are trying to reduce their carbon footprint.
Other airports across the world are also making clear efforts to reduce their footprint. Why should we be a dumping ground for other airlines?
Jim Scully, North Dublin
Social Democrats might be pleasantly surprised if they run a candidate in Kerry
It has been reported locally that the Social Democrats do not intend to run a candidate in Kerry in the forthcoming general election.
This is disappointing news, particularly from a party whose leader is seeking to bring a fresh and vibrant perspective to the pale, stale and predominantly male-centred administrations that have governed us for a century.
Nowhere is this more evident than the Social Democrats’ relentless focus on Gaza and the suffering of the Palestinian people. Led by Holly Cairns, the party has been consistent on the Occupied Territories Bill.
Make no mistake, Gaza and the West Bank will be an election issue. We in Kerry could really use some fresh faces who are actually willing to do something.
It would be much better to have that instead of another “celebrity” candidate from Fine Gael who, most likely, will promise more of the same.
If we are to take the Taoiseach’s word that there will be no election until spring, perhaps the Social Democrats might reconsider and shake things up in the Kingdom with a celebrity pick of their own.
Tom McElligott, Listowel, Co Kerry
Women forced to resign after getting married deserve overdue redress
In recent years the State has introduced redress schemes for a number of honourable groups and sectors.
It is now past time for such respect to be shown for a hidden yet equally deserving cohort. I am referring to the dwindling number of women who were forced to resign from their employment after getting married. This remained law until 1973 and it resulted in their loss of pension rights.
As a matter of interest, all people over 80 in the UK, who have been resident there for 10 of the previous 20 years, qualify for a weekly pension of just over £80 (€95). No such acknowledgment here.
Anne Cahill, Clondalkin, Dublin 22
Breath of fresh air to see Donald Trump getting called out for his wild lies
On Tuesday night, something happened during the US presidential debate that should have become standard years ago: real-time fact-checking of Donald Trump’s wild, baseless claims.
When Trump repeated his long-debunked assertion that states allow “the execution of babies after birth” and falsely claimed that immigrants are eating people’s pets, moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis called him out. They did so swiftly, directly, and with zero tolerance for his reckless disregard for the truth.
Trump’s strategy has always relied on overwhelming the conversation with so much misinformation that it becomes impossible to fact-check everything in real time.
However, allowing him to spew falsehoods without immediate correction feeds the misinformation machine he has built. Tuesday night’s moderation was a long-overdue correction to a years-long problem.
The simple truth is that facts matter. When Trump is allowed to say anything without consequence, no matter how blatantly untrue, it chips away at the foundation of democracy.
The moderators’ actions on Tuesday night weren’t revolutionary, but they were very necessary. The era of letting Trump’s lies go unchecked needs to be over for good.
Every lie should be called out immediately, with the same sharp precision we saw on that debate stage. Anything less is a disservice to the American public.
Jessica Toal, Belfast
Cats are beautiful, trusting creatures that deserve to be treated better by people
The internet memes depicting cats getting eaten by hungry immigrants are not at all funny for us cat fans.
The average lifespan of an indoor cat is about three times that of outdoor felines. Within that piece of information lies a solution for anyone worried about their pet cat’s safety.
I suggest always keeping your cat on a leash during walks. Failing that, just keep them indoors at all times.
If you won’t do it for the vulnerable wildlife potentially killed by your roaming cat, then please do it for your also-very-vulnerable cat’s sake.
I grew up around cats, including strays, and developed an appreciation for them. As a boy, stumbling upon a dead cat was quite traumatising.
They were lost to larger predators – perhaps even humans. I knew about a few guys willing to do sick things to naively trusting pets whose owners had allowed them to wander the neighbourhood.
Domesticated cats offer reciprocally healthy relationships, particularly for those suffering with physical or mental illness. However, human apathy and even a bit of public hostility toward cats typically results in population explosions.
This leads to their inevitable neglect and suffering, including severe illness and starvation. They deserve better.
Frank Sterle Jr, British Columbia, Canada
