Galway Advertiser 2004/2004_04_01/GA_0104_E1_020.pdf 

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LETTERS

April 1 2004

Smoking article was most forthright
Dear Editor, Compliments on your editorial on the smoking ban last Thursday. It was one of the most forthright and accurate articles I have read on this subject. I'm in my fifties and did smoke in my young years. Thankfully I do not now and or any of my immediate family. We love to eat out and like you abhor sharing our meal with second hand smoke. I am amazed at the airspace the cigarette vending operators are getting. These suppliers of an addictive drug should be out of business. Keep up the good work. Yours in clean air, John Byrne Moycullen.

Hospice report paints Galway in bad light says founder
Dear Editor, The recent publication of the independent report into medication incidents at Galway Hospice makes very sad reading. Sad for the hospice, its board of directors, the staff, and people of Galway who put it there. Sad also for Galway that we are being shown in an apparently very bad light nationally. The first incident listed occurred in June 2001, now almost three years ago. Why then has it taken almost three years to do something about it. The incidents listed seem like what every doctor knows is happening in every hospital in the country, except we don't hear about them like this. Some of these incidents were trivial, such as taking antibiotics for a few days extra. The hundreds of recommendations in the Report seem like actions that any organisation would implement as things happen on a day to day basis. Some light may be thrown on this question on page 74 of the report which states that with the exception of two of these incidents, none of the rest was reported to the Board of the hospice. The report goes on. "This is at variance to policy. The reasons given for this breach were that the consultant objected to the manager of Palliative Care Services receiving confidential clinical information." The report says in emphasis. "This breach of policy on grounds of patient confidentiality is mistaken ands clearly inappropriate. The review group would suggest that there is a clear requirement for the manager of services to be informed of any actual potential adverse incidents -- not just relating to medication, in order to be able to protect both the interests of the patient and that of the organisation." There is now an onus on the Western Health Board to whom the consultant reports to comment on this. Yours, Dr Padhraic O Conghaile Lower Salthill Galway.

I have an English accent but I won't be waving Union Jack

bomb, another a 65-year-old farmer gunned down while Dear Editor, fixing his water pump. Some of the individuals serving in the Having read the letters page in last week's Galway forces are the exact same soldiers that were involved in Advertiser, I felt compelled to respond to those writers who shootings in Northern Ireland! criticised the anti-war movement, campaigners and The British Ministry of Defence is facing legal action from Dear Editor, protestors. the families of British soldiers killed in service in Iraq. Once I am a member of the Irish Anti-War Movement and yes, In response to your reader's letter of again, as the war was based on lies and contravenes last week, headed 'Can I join, please?' I do have an English accent. I believe that I have a right and international law "battlefield immunity" does not apply. am correct to protest against the illegal invasion and illegal Presumably this was meant as a This summer the "friendly PR face" of the British killing sarcastic nose-thumbing at protestors occupation of Iraq, and the continuing murder of innocent machine will be flying over Salthill at the air-show. Having of one kind or other. Well, since the civilians of Iraq. campaigned for many years for "Troops Out." I for one will author of the letter chooses not to sign Over 17,000 Iraqis have been killed by US/UK armies. To not be there waving a Union Jack as the Red Arrows fly over. his or her name or address, then his the ridiculous GAPH I say, far from the war being over the And to KG from Newcastle, if you do not even have the or her - detractors can say more or less British forces have actually killed more people in Iraq since strength of conviction to have your full name printed under what they like. the end of "official hostilities". your facetious letter, would you have the courage to openly As the war had no legal basis certain families of Iraqis Can he or she join a protest group? Dear Editor, protest about anything? Well, no, actually. Joining any protest As usual your editorial on the killed by British soldiers are taking cases against the British Yours government. group requires courage. The semismoking ban was spot on. Dette Mc Loughlin In one instance a housewife was killed whilst eating the anonymity of the letter illustrates Here in San Francisco, the sky has Socialist Workers Party cowardice; further, it shows that the not fallen in, and not one bar or dinner, another was a young boy blown apart by a cluster writer does not believe what he writes, restaurant has gone out of business as and is unwilling to stand over his a result of the nicotine free views. The remark about his - or her environment. not having an English accent, while I have just returned from NYC for St meant to be funny, is merely Patrick's Day, and I didn't see a single prejudiced. Moreover, it reveals a cigarette for the entire week. sense of cultural inferiority expressed The economic fallout that was in detestation of 'other' accents. The promised there as a result of the writer probably hasn't travelled much smoking ban has not materialized and is afraid to do anything which either. might cause his (or her) mum distress. Yours He - or she - tells us he/she dresses Former Galwegian, alludes to a questionable statistic that well. Clearly illustrating a fear that and visitors to Salthill that we will San Francisco Dear Editor, every member of every family now anyone should see him/her as lacking replace a space of great natural beauty The proposal for Salthill Park as drives a car. I would suggest that this or deprived and a terror of poverty; with a mini Las Vegas? Do the outlined in the Galway Advertiser statistic is limited to the affluent sector joining a protest group acknowledges promoters really believe that such tack March 25 raises two significant issues of society only, of which no doubt the that there are deprivations, political or will attract visitors to Galway and for consideration by the people of promoters are members. The problems social, in the world. 'My opinions don't Salthill and more importantly Galway. The first issue relates to relating to traffic in Galway city are change in the wind. ' encourage them to return once they ownership, not of the specific piece of monumental. The proposals for this realise Galway Bay is no more than a He has none. He is afraid to have any. sea and shore that the promoters park will exacerbate the problems. The remarks about not being a blow-in commercial venture? The Diaspora propose to reclaim, but ownership by Provision of parking spaces is no and being a native of Galway clearly Centre included in the plans surely is the people of Galway and visitors to solution to the consequent increased demonstrate a fear of the changes to not limited to a location on the sea bed Galway of the uninterrupted natural traffic associated with this project. in Salthill. A choice of locations in and the city in recent years and a latent aesthetic and space afforded by this Dear Editor The need for a 21st century standard xenophobia. around Galway is, no doubt, available I am trying to find out information area of shore and the right of every public transport system for Galway city for such a centre. God knows I am no psychologist and about my grandfather's family and person to access this space without and its conurbations is pertinently I am making assumptions based solely The second issue relates to would appreciate your printing my charge. obvious. The lack of proposals by city on the letter; I would suggest that the environmental concerns, to which the The outline proposals for the email in your paper. council and Galway businesses and BNP - were your correspondent promoters make no reference either in My granddad was called James development include a skyscraper, commercial concerns for plans to English - would have him (or her). the promotional article or their Nesbitt and his parents were William with revolving restaurant, packaged as develop such a transport system to website. The requirement for an It would seem to me that your R and Annie Nesbitt (nee Kidd). He a round tower, that the promoters say alleviate the growing problem stands correspondent actually needs badly to environmental impact assessment of had a brother Percy (known as Pete - I will help us all overcome the in stark relief to the proposal for join such a party, and the letter is an the proposed park must be addressed. difficulties we apparently now have in think) and a brother Arthur. Salthill Park. One can only assume that appeal for some group organisation The environmental issue has two He also had two sisters - Maud and demonstrating Galway Bay to visitors the estimated financial returns from a behind which he can remain invisible elements, (a) the impact on the Bertha. I know very little apart from who may enquire as to its (Galway public transport system are orders of and anonymous while continuing to habitats and species that occupy the that except that I have photos of a Bay) whereabouts. magnitude less than the returns spout right-wing and very adolescent bay in general and the proposed site in The development will include also journey taken from Newcastle upon anticipated by the promoters from Las garbage. specific and, (b) the issue of increased Tyne to Roundstone in 1933.(Easter reproduction monuments, Claddagh Vegas-upon-Sea. traffic, the consequent congestion and cottages and other reproduction time) Yours air pollution. In relation to the Yours The last photo is of a grave in historical artefacts. Forgive me if I Dr Mary Moran-Long provision of parking facilities for the Fred Johnston, Roundstone cemetery and I think it is appear old fashioned but have we Lower Salthill proposed park, the promoter's website Rahoon. become so desperate to attract tourists of my grandathers mother Annie . If any of your readers can help with any information I would be most grateful. My email address is imeldalively@blueyonder.co.uk Yours, The Galway Advertiser wishes to advise that it is not responsible for the content which appears in the letters pages and accepts Imelda Lively, no liability arising from publication of material on these pages. 41-42 Eyre Square, Galway. 47 Calf Close Walk Tel: 091 - 530900. Fax (General) 091 567079 Fax: (Advertising) 091 - 567150 Fax: (Newsdesk) 091 - 565627 / Jarrow Internet Address: http://www.galwayadvertiser.ie / news@galwayadvertiser.ie Tyne and Wear, NE32 4HA

Sky did not fall on Manhattan's publicans

Joining protest group requires courage

Salthill Park scheme is Las Vegas -on-sea

Know any Nesbitts?

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: