Letters: There needs to be serious investigation into crisis pregnancy counselling

Labour Party leader Ivana Bacik has rightly called for action in this area from the Health Minister.

It is also time to look at the operations of the Charities Regulator, as all the unregulated pregnancy counselling organisations featured in the recent RTÉ Investigates programme have either been granted charitable status or are in the process of applying for same.

The Revenue Commissioners might also be asked why agencies which mislead and misinform people who are seeking help are allowed to benefit from the generous tax treatment afforded to charities.

Bernie Linnane, Dromahair, Co Leitrim

Stardust families deserve apologies from all parties for 43 years of slander

Justice held the scales high at the conclusion of the inquest of the Stardust victims. A state apology is long overdue.

But there should also be an apology by the leader of each of the political parties that were in government at the time of the disaster and in the intervening 43 years.

It was these political parties that did nothing for the families in their pursuit of justice. They owe all an apology.

These very honourable and tenacious people were left to fight their own corner.

They fought for the names, not only of their relatives, but of all the patrons who attended the Stardust on that tragic night. They were all branded as being potential arsonists.

The inquest verdict is that all 48 people were “unlawfully killed”. We can also conclude that the 214 injured were unlawfully injured.

Paddy Murray, Castlepollard, Co Westmeath

Nightclub owners should hand back compensation – with added interest

The survivors and relatives of the victims of the 1981 Stardust disaster deserve a full apology, and more, from the public and Government.

While the assessment of possible damages is being thrashed out, we should not forget that the owners of the Stardust were awarded hundreds of thousands of pounds, which would be millions in today’s money.

How does this sit now, in light of the coroner’s inquest results?

Will the recipients be forced to repay this award, plus penalties and/or interest charges?

What a quaint idea... there are two chances of this happening; no and never.

David Ryan, Co Meath

We cannot take the word of Gaza health authorities, Hamas controls them

Mohammed Salem reports that “local health officials” in Gaza state that more than 34,000 Palestinians have been killed there, at least two-thirds of them children and women (‘Unborn baby survives as 18 children among 22 killed in Israeli air strikes’, Irish Independent, April 22).

However, the health authorities in Gaza are under the control of Hamas, an internationally recognised Islamist terror group. It makes no distinction between the deaths of its fighters and Gazan civilians.

The UK’s Statistics Authority is now examining how accurate these figures are, given that Hamas itself has reportedly now admitted that it has “incomplete data” on a third of the reported Gazan deaths.

Karl Martin, Bayside, Dublin 13

Time for Ireland to be brave and stand alone in recognising Palestine

How many children will have to die before the Irish Government triggers something that was agreed in the Dáil a decade ago?

I refer to the recognition of Palestine. According to the Irish Independent, an Israeli airstrike on a Gaza hospital just days ago killed 18 children. One survived. According to Hamas’s figures, 34,000 people have been killed since October.

Gaza, an area the size of Heathrow Airport, is a killing field.

That 2015 Dáil acceptance of Palestine was postponed by our then foreign minister, who wanted a co-ordinated EU approach.

We knew then it wouldn’t happen, we know now it won’t.

So, do we go it alone this week, or tomorrow, or do we keep looking for others to join us?

The revulsion of Irish people is nationwide. I would appeal to our politicians to reflect as much.

John Cuffe, Co Meath

Republicans identify with Palestinians because their situations are so similar

John Downing (‘What lies ahead on rocky path to recognition for the Palestinian state by Ireland?’, Irish Independent, April 18) finds it odd that Irish Republicans favour the Palestinian cause, in view of the fact that the Israeli Freedom Fighters of the 1940s were inspired somewhat by their studies of Dan Breen and Tom Barry in the War of Independence.

Breen and Barry were engaged with the interloper, whereas the Israeli Freedom Fighters were the interlopers. He further notes that the loyalists in the North identify with Israel.

The loyalists are descendants from the English and Scottish settlers replacing the native Irish. So is it not logical that the Plantation of Ulster’s forebears should find kinship with the planters of Palestine?

Patrick Fleming, Glasnevin, Dublin 9

GAA goalkeepers seem to have lost sight that their role is minding the nets

Watching some GAA football games on TV lately, it was surprising to see goalkeepers taking the risk of running out-field so often in support of their team.

Last Sunday’s game between Donegal and Derry was no different. The Derry keeper decided to give his mates a hand out-field. Having left the “house” unattended, a wily Donegal player took advantage and reached his goal.

In future, it would be wise for goalkeepers to remember, “Grab too much, and you lose all”.

Leo Gormley, Dundalk, Co Louth

Classic Irish summer is approaching – just don’t blink or you’ll miss it

Thinking of making a new film about the Irish summer? The title would be “Gone in 60 seconds”.

Ed Toal, Galway city