As someone who worked and managed in the public sector, my own experience is of a constant battle by innova-tive people frustrated by controls used by conservative managers. Many of our civil service and public sector organisations perform well, but this conservatism has grown in recent years, partly because of the often public humiliation of managers who released control and then it backfired. RTÉ, An Garda Síochána and charities are examples of organisations that and must be answerable to the public, but they also need to be innovative and responsive. The Government would do well to stop public humiliations of senior staff of organisations at public hearings. The temptation for TDs to showboat at the expense of managers who may have made mistakes but are not guilty of crimes is irresistible. So the Government should think about the damage these public inquiries do in organisations, which respond naturally by increasing bureaucracy to ensure they do not face such an onslaught. This does not serve the public well in the long run. Kevin Kelly, Bettystown, Co Meath History demands we take action on Gaza Madam — I sympathise most profoundly with Naoise Dolan (‘I’ve fasted, protested and don-ated for Gaza — none of it is enough’, August 10). Those with the power to stop Israel refuse to do so. The rest of us can march, write and plead, but it is all to no avail. What I find appalling is the acquiescence of the West in what is happening. I used to consider the West to have certain immutable values to which I could subscribe, but now? For years we have been hearing criticisms of China, Turkey, Pakistan, Iran and various other states for their perceived failings. However, the need to support Israel has permeated the Western consciousness so much that leaders have allowed it a free hand to do what it wants. Even now, with all independ-ent observers calling the present activity genocide, many refuse to acknowledge the facts before their eyes and decline to put any worthwhile pressure on Israel. In other words, genocide is acceptable if it is yours friends who are doing it. The fact that the EU refuses to look at the EU-Israel Trade Agreement is utterly shameful. I fully understand the Irish Government’s caution in dealing with the Occupied Territor-ies Bill, and, if it is enacted, we would undoubtedly take an economic hit, with some people losing their jobs. However, our history demands that we take this action irrespective of what others think. Let others stand by if they must. Of the Palestinians, I am reminded of a line from a lovely Co Derry song: “from calamity and famine may heaven defend them” Certainly nobody else will. Anthony Hanrahan, Salruck, Renvyle, Co Galway Netanyahu is sowing seeds of new Hamas Madam — In relation to the article by Tsela Rubel (‘There is a sense that the world has minimised the horror of October 7’, August 10), I understand why she and many other Israelis may be confused, as the true horror of what the Netanyahu regime is inflicting on the people of Gaza has yet to be revealed. While I can understand prime minister Netanyahu’s desire to disarm Hamas, I believe his tactics are breeding a new Hamas, under a different name, among those children who are suffering today. Martin Tully, Skerries, Co Dublin What if Celts did the same as Zionists? Madam — On the subject of Zionism and the lesson given to me by Jason Fitzharris about its supposedly legitimate plantations in historical Palestine (Letters, August 107), perhaps Celts should develop an ideol-ogy of Celtism to advocate regaining the lands taken from them by Anglo-Saxons in the fifth and sixth centuries in what is now called England. Daltún Ó Ceallaigh, Rathmines, Dublin 6 Loyal service must count for something Madam — I have never met Joanna Donnelly, but she sounds like a brave, honest and hard-working woman. The details of why she left her dream job are ridiculous. It seems that Joanna, an independent, educated and well-respected woman, “was not entitled to make a decision, without permission, in the best interest of the office and my colleagues”. How are women supposed to strive for better if this is the situation after 30 years of dedicated and loyal service? Thank you, Joanna, for sharing your story as promised. I am so sorry for all the stress and trauma you endured, and I wish you all the best with your many future enjoyable and creative endeavours. Gabrielle Gourlie, Wexford Avoid looking back in anger, Joanna Madam — Having read Joanna Donnelly’s article about her experience as a civil servant, I would like to offer her some advice. She made the right dec-ision to leave the job, but now needs to avoid looking back in anger. The power imbalance is so embedded that any individual effort to effect change is doomed to fail. Grace O’Reilly, Roscommon Children’s safety in sport is paramount Madam — Ken Foxe’s article about Sport Ireland’s consultation on trans women’s participation in female sport (‘Sports bodies feared loss of funding over transgender review’, Aug-ust 10) reminded me of an inci-dent that happened when my son played rugby. Our opponents had a player who was not only huge, but highly mobile. Our backs were swatted like flies. A number of injuries resulted from the impacts — broken bones and concussion. The opposing coach was asked to prove the youngster involved was in the appropriate age group. He was. Even in defined age groups, the physical difference can be immense. The difference between biological females and males is a chasm. The Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU) banned trans women and girls over the age of 12 from playing female contact rugby in 2022. At the time, managing solicitor Sinéad Lucey of Free Legal Advice Centres said: “The IRFU is subject to the Equal Status Acts, which prohibit discrimination — including differences in treatment on the basis that someone is transgender.” She added that “the IRFU receives significant financial support from the State. It is imperative that the Government… ensure that such organisations comply with equality law....” The survey by Sports Ireland shows that individuals and sports organisations feel they have the Sword of Damocles hanging over them, not only in terms of financial penalties and the legal ramifications, but personal ignominy. They clearly do not think the Government has their back. Children’s safety in sport, not financial or legal implications, should be the only concern. Andy Hales, Kenmare, Co Kerry Colm O’Rourke has to explain himself Madam — Colm O’Rourke’s answer to the split season is to do away with the provincial championships, while also having a jibe at the Ulster championship, which we are all used to from him (‘There must be a better way to run split season, Sport, August 101). This comes from a man whose previous answer to Dublin’s dominance was to split the county in two and so create more county matches. Explain. Martin McAreavey, Co Antrim Ideology is behind education reforms Madam — Enda Cullen (Letters, August 10) states that what’s shifting isn’t ideology, but the global educational environment. But what is causing the global educational environment to shift? It’s ideology, namely the influence of critical social justice theory and specifically critical pedagogy in modern education. This is evident in the trend of many young people seeing everything through the lens of “oppressor” and “oppressed” and not in terms of class, but in terms of every other possible form of “identity”. Many parents who are in their 40s and 50s and consider themselves liberal will recognise the confusion of realising that their once reasonable and progressive views are now considered problematic by their children, (and maybe even ‘far right’ in the wider world) and how there is only one acceptable viewpoint on a range of topics, with no questioning allowed. It’s all part of the same shift. Education must be about providing children with facts and teaching them how to think, not what to think. E Bolger, Dublin 9 Ciara Kelly sent me to the dictionary Madam — Female authors and journalists frequently send me to the dictionary to find the meanings of words I don’t understand. The exception was Ciara Kelly, until last Sunday, when she forced me to look up the acronym “IYKYK”. If you don’t know, you can look it up yourself. I’m not telling you. Mattie Lennon, Blessington, Co Wicklow Show zero tolerance to attacks on Indians Madam — It is very disturbing to read about and listen to the racist trauma being visited upon our Indian community. Having to postpone their India Day event scheduled for today at Farmleigh House reflects a troubling drift in Irish society in how we deal with neighbours of a different heritage. In very recent times, I have more than once been calmed and encouraged by an Indian anaesthetist as she put me to “sleep” in a Dublin operating theatre. On each of these visits, I have woke up to the reassuring and caring voice of an Indian nurse. Inevitably, the day will come when a loved one or an older family member of the perpetrators of these increasing racist attacks will be very grateful to hear a soothing and supportive Indian voice. I wish the agitators would realise that now. In the meantime, there must be zero tolerance of their nastiness. Michael Gannon, St Thomas Square, Kilkenny Our Indian friends deserve support Madam — As Azmia Riaz reports (‘This kind of racism used to shock us, but now we’ve come to expect it’, August 10), the recent unprovoked attacks on Indian citizens in Ireland is shocking. As a healthcare worker, I appreciate the contribution my Indian nurse colleagues make each day. I believe we need to go further than be merely shocked by these attacks by a racist minority. I hope we can actively show solidarity to our Indian community by speaking up for them when ill-informed comments are made, or offer to take our Indian neighbours out for a coffee. Frank Browne, Templeogue, Dublin 16 Neutrality does not rest on triple lock Madam — What a surprise to see your letter of the week (August 10) from Edward Horgan regarding Irish neutrality. Once more a platform is given to Sinn Féin falsehoods about conscription. The biggest falsehood of all is linking the triple lock to neutrality. They are separate issues. The triple lock allows foreign governments such as those of Russia, China and the other permanent members of the UN Security Council to dictate to us, a sovereign nation, where we may send our armed forces and the numbers we may send to aid in the protection of our country and continent. The removal of the UN Security Council mandate would not affect our neutrality one iota because any deployment of our troops would still require the approval of the Government and the Dáil. Brendan Hogan, Kilmore, Co Wexford Let soldiers refuse to serve overseas Madam — I agree with Edward Horgan when he says: “Like the majority of Irish citizens, I believe that active Irish neutrality is by far the best way to protect the best interests and security of the Irish people.” I also contend that not only should the triple lock be retained, but we should repeal the provision in the Irish Def-ence (Amendment) Act of 2006 that allows Irish soldiers to be sent on a wide variety of overseas missions whether they wish to or not. Irish soldiers should not be commanded to serve abroad if they have conscientious objections to shooting designated perceived foes in faraway countries. Joe Terry, Blarney, Co Cork Cricket may not be as English as all that Madam — As an Irish nat-ionalist, I have always loved cricket (‘Sinn Féin’s cricket test: get unionists on side with an all-island success story’, August 10). On the so-called Tebbit test, I have always cheered for England in cricket, unless they were playing Ireland. With so many English friends, my aff-ection for them outweighs any prejudice I might have. Sam McBride’s advocacy for cricket is welcome, though I would add that the old Irish game of catty was surely its forerunner — a reminder that this “quintessentially English” sport may, in fact, be an Irish export. Enda Cullen, Tullysaran Road, Armagh Drew Harris was unfairly treated Madam — Shane Ross in his column (‘I have a few words of advice for the new top cop in town’, August 3) hits the nail on head in many ways. I fear that much of the hostility against outgoing comm-issioner Drew Harris arose from the fact that he is a former member of the PSNI and a northern Presbyterian — in other words, an “outsider”. If this type of opposition to external appointees applied across the board, we would never have had Mary Mc-Aleese as president or Gabriel Makhlouf as governor of our Central Bank. If this is a harbinger of what “the other tradition” might expect in a united Ireland, I am fearful. We must all thank Mr Harris for his service and wish him well in his retirement. Brendan Cafferty, Ballina, Co Mayo