Galway Advertiser 1995/1995_04_06/GA_06041995_E1_022.pdf 

Extracted text

COMMENT

& LETTERS

Treating Galway's Sewage - Is A Solution in Sight?
ike death and taxes, it has seemed to many in Galway that the contentious issue of a site for the city's badly needed sewage treatment plant would be one of the things that would always be with us. However, at Monday's meeting of the City Council, the soft but unmistakable sound of progress being made was heard several times in the course of the evening. Optimists, who are not, it must be said, synonymous with the many people who have devoted their time and energies to finding a solution to this problem - Cllr. Martin Connolly spoke of the eighteen years that had passed since he first appeared, like an avenging angel, on behalf of the residents of the Claddagh, demanding that something be done about the horrid stink coming from the Claddagh Basin. If twenty-five years represents a generation, this means Cllr. Connolly has spent nearly a generation in the cause of his neighbours. What was it about a week in politics being a long time? Bearer of the glad tidings was Mayor Fintan Coogan, who reported on his meeting with the Director of the EU Cohesion Fund, J.F. Verstrynge. Of the two proposed sites for the treatment plant - Mutton Island and Lough Atalia - Brussels now appears to be coming around to the majority view of Galway Corporation that Mutton Island is the only realistic location. And, so far as the possibility of danger to wildlife on the island, Cllr. Connolly rather robustly nailed that fear with his graphic description of the apparently sole species of wildlife basking on Mutton Island - "It is alive with rats, huge rats", adding that there was no question, so far as his own observations were concerned, of any other significant wildlife on the island, apart from rats. Mention of the 18 years Cllr. Connolly has spent trying to get a sewage plant built reminds us of the dimensions of the problem: raw, untreated sewage has been continually flushed into the Bay for years now, and, as more and more new houses and estates are built, the scale of the pol lution escalates frighteningly. How can we expect to promote the seaside character of Salthill, which last night launched its dynamic development plan for the area, if swimmers find them selves encountering sewage discharge? There is not point in promoting Salthill's attractions if one of those 'attractions' is a foul and dirty Bay? Time is now of the essence. The Mayor suggested that a deputation from the Council should meet with Government representatives in Dublin to urge Brussels to approve Cohesion fund finance at the earliest opportunity. There is an urgency about all of this: 18 years have already passed and we still have no treatment plant. After 1999 there will be no more Cohesion funding on a large scale. It is essential to get things moving, and as soon as possible.

Fawning' on John Taylor?
Dear Editor, ceasefires mean that there is money to be I fully support John Taylor'srightto speak, but made, doesn't mean that those who have main let's face it - his views are well represented on tained a fairly odious status quo in the Six the National airwaves - unlike those of others Counties are now to be encouraged in their who were excluded by Section 31 for over 20 intransigence, as if everything is hunky-dory. years, a ban which still unofficially extends to In the parallel case of South Africa, maxi people opposed to the current political process. mum economic pressure was maintained by the Whether myreadingof his 'partnership' pro outside world until the principle of 'one person posals between British and Irish semi-state - one vote' was conceded (and no partition bodies, is, as you state, "extremely exaggerat allowed). When are we going to get an Alled" is a matter of opinion. Suffice to say that Ireland Referendum on the British presence and equal partnerships between elephants and mice other constitutional matters (i.e. government are extremely unusual! structures, divorce, abortion, neutrality, etc...)? What I do object to is the fawning tone of The reality s that, as in all Colonial situa n this day in 1637 a your editorial on Mr. Taylor's visit. For exam tions, the Unionists will not modify their posi jury was empanelled ple, I quote from your editorial: "He makes the tion by one inch until the British Government in the Tholsel of practical observation that until the Unionists has declared its intention to withdraw from Galway. There were nine pre come forward with a document of their own, Ireland. That will be the time when the siding commissioners includ there is no basis for talks on a solid basis." You Nationalist generosity will berequiredand innovative solutions (such as the Federal 'Eire ing Lord Ranelagh, President are actually praising and encouraging this off of Connaught, the Church of hand and arrogant dismissal of proposals which Nua' proposals above) needed to do business with the 'practical Unionists' like John Taylor. Ireland Archbishop of Tuam already contain numerous guarantees of the I thank you for giving me the right to reply and the Bishop of Elphin, Unionist Constitutional position. "Parity of and the space to do so. James Donnellan, Chief esteem" seems to mean "placate the Unionists Justice of Connaught, James at all costs". I also question the motives of the Chamber Yours sincerely, Barry, a judge of the Court of of Commerce, and other people such as the Dr. Conchur O Bradaigh Exchequer. Irish Association in Dublin, in promoting the 19 Ballybrit Court, The Jurors, apart from Thomas Unionist cause at this juncture. Just because the Galway. Butler were of the Tribal fami lies, four Blakes, three Brownes, three Lynches, three Martins and one each of the Bodkins and Kirwans. Their task was to enquire into the title Dear Editor, endary reputation for produc as this is cruel and unsporting! which the King, Charles I, Oscar Wilde, who coined that ing top class horses could soon Ban: hunts that do no appreci claimed to be his to the lands of extravagantly witty phrase and die out if this old sport was dis ate farmer's generosity in Galway. described foxhunting as the continued. The excitement of allowing hunts to use their Since 1634 the Lord Deputy, 'unspeakable in pursuit of the the day lies in galloping with land, who leave fields and Sir Thomas Wentworth, had uneatable; had a marvellous your friends cross-country, fencing in a bad state. been endeavouring by all the way with words, allright,and maybe a bit apprehensive Ban also (but this, I'm afraid, means at his disposal to raise provides a good rallying cry about meeting a too-high stone will not be so easy), the nar money for the monarch. His for the current anti-hunting wall or an awkward fence, or row-minded intolerance and the dreaded barbed wire; trot lack of understanding of the methods included the levying of campaign. My own firm belief is that ting in company through hith countryside on the part of those contributions from Irish Catholic landowners in return foxhunting should never be erto unknown territory, beauti 'hunt sabbers' who insist on try ful woods on a dank wet win ing to impose their views, for the so-called "Graces:. In banned in Ireland, but that the abuses of foxhunting should be ter's day. Would it be better to regardless of law or order, and effect they were buying tolera severely dealt with under a cart the whole young family off who themselves indulge ia tion. strict Code of Rules, and that on a Sunday shopping expedi cruel and sadistic practices, The province of Connacht was hunt licences be revoked for tion 'to pass the time', or 'keep e.g. the spreading of barbed an even bigger prize in the eyes those not complying with these them quiet', to spending a day wire under the feet of the hors of Wentworth. It might be a Rules. in the countryside, taking part es, as happened in this area source of even greater and more I retain an abiding memory in the pleasure of watching recently. regular funds which were nec of the East Galway countryside these lovely animals and their Ireland and the world is out essary if the King was to be on a crystal clear New Year's riders get a 'goodran'.It's a there, full of worthwhile causes independent of the English Day: animals in distant fields great spectator sport - and it's waiting to be fought - problems Parliament all facing heads up in one free! of unemployment, injustice, Theroyalclaim was dependent direction; the hunt rounding Unfortunately, Tony, you'll child abuse, to name but a few. on the succession which the the bend in the road, the clatter have to wait a good few So all of you rebels out there King could establish to the of trotting hooves, the music of months now for this treat as, without a cause - I say to you: lands granted to the de Burgo the horn and the burst of for conservation purposes, no think,reflect,and 'get a life'. who came to Ireland with colour, as the happy but hunting is carried out from Strongbow in 1171 and to exhausted riders head for March to October. Yours unbanned, Richard de Burgo in 1126. The home. The training and enthu In the meantime, by all Niamh O'Dochartaigh siasm which bunting gives to means outlaw foxhunting abus direct succession it was claimed 21 Moyola Park, passed to Elizabeth, the only young horses and riders is es: Galway. invaluable and Ireland's leg- Ban: digging out with terriers. child of William de Burg, third Earl of Ulster. She married Lionel, Duke of Clarence, who T H I S W E E K . was Lord Deputy when the stat ues of Kilkenny were passed. Dear Editor, Their daughter, Philippa, mar In his relief at the outcome of ried Edmund Mortimer, Earl of the Mullaghmore saga, your March, from whom Charles I leader writer last week may just have muddled his Topsy. It was descended. is in Harriet Stowe's Uncle Royal claims to Connacht had Tom's Cabin that the little girl been asserted many times previ asserts "I 'sped I grow'd" when ously but had not been pursued. asked who had made her. Sir Thomas Wentworth, howev Memorable words. er, was determined to serve his Yours etc., royal master ruthlessly. H e Roger Ackerley, Corranroo, imptiiniird those who opposed Blinen, Co. Clare. him Indeed the sheriff of coun Editor's Comment: Thank you ty Galway died in jaiL Thus the for that public-spirited gesture; commission for Galway city oar hard-pressed leader writer reluctantly accepted the royal will sleep easier now. Clearly claim, even though they knew he mistook a Flopsy for a that it would cost them a lot of Topsy - an error, indeed, hot aa money. TJ* O'Neal

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The King's Claim

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An Open Letter to Mr. Tonv Gregory T.D. - Don't Ban Foxhunting?

'Evangelium Vitae' Life Against Death

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s the pontificate of John Paul II moves into its Autumnal phase, each major statement made by this much-travelled pontiff is examined with a fine-tooth comb. Already, in his eighteen years as Supreme Head of the Roman Catholic Church, he has issued ten encyclicals, dealing with everything from the place of Mary in the devotional life of Catholics to wide-ranging reflections on the place of the Church in the world today. His latest encyclical, 'Evangelium Vitae' - the 'Gospel of Life' - is a majorreassertionof Church teaching on such fun damental matters as abortion, euthanasia, the use of human embryos for medical research, and capital punishment. Unlike the hesitant, tortured stance of Pope Paul VI in 'Humani Vitae', the encyclical that almost split the Church and certainly led to a wide-spread if mostly covert cam paign of non-obedience, John Paul II speaks with the uncompromising voice of certainty and authority: these acts, he declares, are always wrong; Catholics, he writes, have a duty to 'resist crimes which no human law can claim to legitimise'. As always, John Paul attacks some features of contemporary life and practice that few, if any, would support, at least without strong qualification. Just as this Pope, when attacking com munism and other totalitarian ideologies, did not spare the evils, as he saw them, of ruthless cap italism, so in this new document, while condemning capital punishment as rarely, if ever, moral ly justifiable, he states unambiguously that abortion is a form of 'murder'. While this is not sur prising, his claim that opponents of abortion are justified in resisting with non-violent and con scientious methods sails uncomfortably close to the declarations by those who have attacked clinics in the United States where abortions are performed and even, in a few instances, shot and killed doctors known to perform abortions. This, of coarse, is the furthest thing in the world from the Pope's Christian humanism, but words escape their authors, with sometimes dangerous con sequences. Two further points are worth making: one negative and one positive. On the negative side, it is terribly unfortunate that this latest encyclical reinforces Humani Vitae's' blanket condem nation of artificial methods of contraception. This is a battle the conservatives have lost long ago, and repeating its opposition simply serves to draw simplistic dismissals of what is important in this new document. For - and this is the second and positive point - there is much here to admire and agree with. What the Pope describes as the 'culture of death' is an attack on human dignity and freedom, whether this involves the very problematic area of 'mercy killing', which, once allowed, places the medical profession in, at best, a highly ambiguous position, experimentation on human embryos forresearchpurposes, the frightening new power of choice that goes with developments in detecting abnormalities in foetal and embryo development, or die disturbing rush by many Western countries, especially the United Stales, to embrace the death penalty. This Pope is, whether yon agree with him always or not, a terribly impressive moral leader, especially when compared with the moral pygmies who fill most of the top roles in the world today. It is quite extraordinary that at the end of the second Christian millennium, in a century that many thinkers predicted would witness the 'withering away' of religion, it is a man who bears atitlethat goes hack to the Roman Empire andralesover a "kingdom' with not a single "big battalion", whose words command instant attention. Agree with him or not, what we are hearing in his uncompromising voice is the distinctive roar of the boo in winter.
t.

Topsyturvy?

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