Letters to the Editor: Some good news for carers at last
Even though carers throughout the country provide long term care, with love, compassion and considerable self-sacrifice, they were thus far denied a contributory old age pension.
It may have gone unnoticed in the details of Budget 2024 that access to the contributory old age pension will improve for long-term carers from January.
For the first time ever, those who forwent their entitlement to work outside the home in order to look after a loved one for 20 years or more will get a long-term carers contribution on their PRSI record for each week that they provided full-time care.
These contributions will be invaluable in helping them to qualify for the contributory old age pension, which must be applied for.
This commendable provision in the budget is wonderful news for those who feared being left without an independent income in their golden years on the grounds that they had not paid PRSI on their meagre carer’s allowance.
Even though carers throughout the country provide long term care, with love, compassion and considerable self-sacrifice, they were thus far denied a contributory old age pension.
In addition to the beautiful gift of living at home in the bosom of their families that carers bestow on their dependent loved ones, they also save the State millions in residential costs.
Carers are angels of mercy who do their loved ones a noble service. They are shining examples of the goodness and the generosity of spirit that permeates Irish society.
It isn’t an act of charity to pay carers a contributory old age pension. Rather, it’s an act of social justice.
Carers make their contribution through their selfless dedication to those in need.
They more than earn their contributory old age pensions.
Well done to the Government for recognising that fact, however belatedly.
As an American residing in Ireland, the upcoming Thanksgiving season has stirred a profound sense of gratitude, prompting reflections not only on our Irish celebrations but also on the resilience displayed by individuals worldwide.
With my family in America eagerly preparing for Thanksgiving festivities, my reflections have led me to appreciate the unwavering spirit of the Palestinian community, exemplifying remarkable strength in the face of challenges.
Thanksgiving, with its familial gatherings and expressions of gratitude, seamlessly aligns with the teachings I follow as an Ahmadi Muslim here in Ireland. The concept of thankfulness, as emphasized in the Holy Qur’an, encourages me to conscientiously count my blessings.
This brought to mind the struggles faced by our friends in the Palestinian community.
Much like our Irish gatherings, Palestinians come together amidst challenging times, adamantly refusing to let their spirit be crushed. Their resilience mirrors the teachings of Islam, emphasizing gratitude even in the midst of adversity. Their struggles serve as a powerful reminder of our shared human experience and the unifying strength that transcends geographical boundaries.
In the spirit of fostering peace and gratitude, I'd also like to mention the efforts of His Holiness, Mirza Masroor Ahmad, head of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, who has urged our community worldwide to initiate a campaign to raise voices for peace and put an end to the violence in Palestine. It's a call to action that resonates with the values of Thanksgiving, encouraging us to not only be thankful for our own blessings but also to actively work towards a world where others can experience peace and prosperity.
In a world often marked by divisions, recognizing and appreciating the strength of others, like the Palestinians, brings a sense of compassion and unity. So, as we gather around our Irish tables this Thanksgiving, let's not only broaden our reflections but also lend our voices to the campaign for peace.
An Taoiseach Leo Varadkar stated during an nterview on RTÉ on November 19 that Shannon Airport is not being used by the US to transport military supplies to Israel.
Since no aircraft associated with the US military has ever been searched or investigated at Shannon airport over the past three decades, there is no way that the Government can confirm that the US military have not been transporting military supplies to Israel through Shannon airport.On November 16, Omni Air number N819AX passed through Shannon airport coming from
Pope Army Airfield NC, and went on to Abdullah al Mubarak air base in Kuwait which is used by the US military as one of its Middle East distribution points.
On November 15 Omni Air number N846AX passed through Shannon airport coming from Biggs Army Airfield El Paso. It also flew on to Kuwait.
Both aircraft were on contract to the US military, and presumably were approved by the Minister for Transport.
Mr Varadkar stated: “You have to receive express permission to bring munitions through any airport in Ireland and they have to be signed off on by the Department of Transport and the Minister for Transport and that’s not happening.”
This is at best only partly correct. Successive transport ministers have been ‘signing off’ and granting permission to thousands of aircraft on contract to the US military to transport over three million US soldiers through Shannon airport, most of whom have been armed with automatic rifles.
This is in clear contravention of international laws on neutrality, as confirmed by the High Court ruling in the Horgan v Ireland et al case in 2003.
The only way to ensure that Irish airports are not being used by the US in support of Israeli bombardment of the people of Gaza, and other wars, is to end US military use of Irish airports.
The enormous level of destruction of people’s property, that was visited upon the town of Midleton and its inhabitants recently, was only marginally attributable to Storm Babet.
This catastrophe had its origins in a fact which has been known to exist for years — that the River Owenacurra had long since become incapable of accommodating an increasing flow of water and was in urgent need of being expanded and dredged.
Indeed, it was for the foregoing reason that an engineer was appointed four years ago.
Preliminary steps were taken and set in motion, by East Cork Municipal Council, to make this urgent matter a reality.
Since then, however, only the paper work associated with it has seen the light of day, while the two rivers remain untouched and bereft of measures that are essential towards ensuring they did not overflow.
The fixing of responsibility for the flooding of Midleton rests entirely upon the shoulders of the East Cork Municipal Council, who did nothing to prevent its occurrence despite being adequately funded to do so.
Consequently, the people of Midleton now exist in a state of fear, arising out of the expectation of a repetition that devastated them a month ago. In these circumstances, an enquiry into the negligence and irresponsibility on the part of East Cork Municipal Council becomes essential in my view.
Fintan Lane, ("Anti-war movements shut down in Israel, Russia", November 18) states, probably correctly, that the anti-war movements have been shut down in Israel and Russia.
He forgot to mention that the same thing has, apparently, happened in The Ukraine and there the regime have also banned opposition political parties and imprisoned opposition leaders from 2014,even before their war commenced.
