Letters: Rest in peace, Tina Turner, you were simply the best

Brian McDevitt, Glenties, Co Donegal

EU leaders should leave military matters to Nato

I was gratified to read Elizabeth Cullen’s letter in which she said Foreign Affairs Minister Micheál Martin should “clearly and unequivocally call a halt to the accelerating militarisation of the EU” (‘Militarisation of EU must be stopped in its tracks’, Letters, May 23).

A recent editorial in the Irish Independent stated that our neutrality was sacred, but also quoted Frank Aiken in noting that “neutrality has… always been one of the difficult problems” (May 19).

I maintain that our neutrality was not difficult for Éamon de Valera during World War II because he had the supreme quality of leadership. The people who followed him, like Lemass, shared this quality.

One of the problems of our recent leaders is the lack of confidence in Ireland and their constant striving to be at the big table. EU leaders, instead of wanting to be a military power, should confine themselves to solving what makes the EU relevant to the citizens of Europe and leave the military matters to Nato.

Our neutrality makes the Irish Defence Forces acceptable as peacekeepers around the world.

Hugh Duffy, Cleggan, Co Galway

Women’s health is reason enough for legal abortion

In her letter, ‘Repeal vote has changed the moral ethos of our country’ (Irish Independent, May 25), Mary Fallon states: “We are led to believe abortion is liberating and empowers women, but in truth it affects the life of woman in ways she cannot anticipate and changes the moral and cultural ethos of our country.”

There are personal reasons for any woman opting for an abortion. As every person is an individual, it is their own conscience that guides them in a purely personal matter.

Both the Old and New Testaments have good words of advice for all of mankind. For example, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” and “What goes into the mouth does not matter: what comes out does.”

Neither morals nor ethos may be legislated for, even though some imagine they can. Alas, history attests to a gross lack of morals and ethics from some claiming they were specially chosen by the Holy Spirit. The fact is the Holy Spirit does not choose anyone: it is the individual who freely welcomes the Holy Spirit into their life.

Abortion was always available in Ireland for the wealthy, while others made their way to England.

The importance of a woman’s health is reason enough to have abortion legally available. Today, the world faces a far greater threat to “morals and ethos” with the growing practice of monetary greed. For example, in 2020 the arms industry earned an estimated $112bn (€104bn).

Declan Foley, Melbourne, Australia

The kernel of ethical truth learnt from our history

I laud the Irish Independent for acknow- ledging the contributions made by refugees and migrants compelled to flee their homes due to persecution, domestic violence, misogyny, sexual abuse, cultural oppression, social mayhem and political upheavals.

We should not view refugees as burdens on our economies and public infrastructures, but as a potent source of strength, resilience, humanity and cultural diversity; and salute the ineffable commitment and dedication of host communities and social and healthcare services who work incessantly to provide refugees with their basic needs in times of adversity.

This is the kernel of ethical imperatives learnt from the Irish Famine, the Holocaust, genocides, armed conflicts, climate change and cross-boundary epidemics worldwide.

Dr Munjed Farid Al Qutob, London

The real bread and butter issues at heart of elections

Even with the latest results from the Northern Ireland council elections, Jeffrey Donaldson and the DUP still want jam on both sides of their bread.

Leo Gormley, Dundalk, Co Louth

Here’s hoping Munstermen will go down a Stormers

Irish rugby hopes of silverware now rest with the men in red when they face Stormers. Good luck in South Africa.

Ed Toal, Galway city