EVER SINCE THE Journal started back in 2010, our readers and their thoughts have been fundamental to our coverage of the news. Here’s what you’ve been saying to us this week. Have something to say? Send a mail to letters@thejournal.ie. You can see our letter guidelines here. 

Equal parenting?

[Young people more likely to miss school if they have harsh parents or lack routines]

I found the framing of this article concerning. While the research may identify associations with maternal characteristics, the repeated focus on mothers risks implying that mothers are primarily responsible for children’s school absence.

Where is the equivalent discussion of fathers’ parenting, involvement, routines and relationship with their children? Parenting is a shared responsibility, and reporting like this should be careful not to reinforce the idea that when something goes wrong with a child’s education, the responsibility automatically falls on the mother.

I think the article would benefit from a more balanced discussion of the role of both parents and the many wider factors affecting school attendance.

I think it’s an important conversation, particularly in the context of modern family life, where both parents are often working and parenting. If harsh parenting is associated with school absence, surely this should be considered as a family dynamic. A father shouting at his child, for example, is no less relevant to that child’s experience than a mother doing so.

I appreciate that your article was reporting the research rather than analysing it, but I think the emphasis on maternal characteristics risks reinforcing the idea that mothers carry the primary responsibility for children’s outcomes. I would like to see these issues considered in terms of the child’s overall family environment, rather than primarily through maternal or paternal impacts individually.

Warm Regards, 
Jenny Filipovich
Donegal

*** 

Government indifference

[Energy minister's advice for lowering bills? Retrofit or switch providers]

Dear Editor,

I’m writing to voice my frustration with the Minister for Climate, Energy and the Environment Darragh O’Brien’s comments last week.  

The minister’s comments showcase his, and this government’s, complete indifference to the reality facing consumers – both homeowners and renters. 

Consistently changing energy providers does not protect consumers from the ever-increasing costs of electricity and gas. 

Price increases from 7-9% have been announced thus far.

This is already on top of numerous increases over the past years. From July to December 2025, electricity prices were 32.7% higher compared to the same period in 2024. 

On grants, many of them are completely inadequate to make works affordable for people already struggling to pay their bills. 

At the same time, many renters are at the whims of their energy provider their landlord chooses. Many of these include prepay electricity meters which are grossly more expensive for renters, for the sake of “convenience” for renters and landlords. 

Renters are also faced with the retrofitting installed by their landlords. 

If the government was serious about reducing prices for people, they could renationalise the energy sector, ensure renters have choice in their provider, limit or halt further data centre expansion, and introduce a zero-percent finance option for installing solar for households.  

We need to move away from fossil fuels, wherever possible in our grid, to reduce the impact of marginal pricing locking us in to higher electricity prices. 

Kind regards,
Criodán Ó Murchú,
Galway

 *** 

PBP v JOC

[Jim O'Callaghan compared to Trump and Nigel Farage over his citizenship rule changes]

In a world led by disorder politically, People Before Profit, in my opinion, are overambitious, hypocritical and risk alienating voters seeking real political change. 

While I agree with comments made by Paul Murphy in a recent article published on The Journal that the Irish government are playing “divide and rule” on immigration, to follow that up by comparing Jim O’Callaghan to Nigel Farage and Donald Trump is disingenuous. 

These rules, while not entirely made in good faith, especially when the Irish government can do more about disability and housing, they are in a way, helping the stop the rise of the far-right here, by making a system that is more in line with other European countries, making citizens more confident that the Irish government are doing their best to solve the issue. 

Also, Gaza is mentioned, as it should be, but, if People Before Profit were against all conflicts, they would also stand up for Ukraine and not prop up talking points of anti-EU and NATO sentiment. 

The best left leaning leaders today balance out criticism with realism, an example being Mayor Zohran Mandani, who has openly advocated for change in New York, such as running city run grocery stores, whilst simultaneously standing up against the conflict in Gaza and Ukraine whilst meeting people he disagrees with, such as President Trump.

Catherine Connolly has also done this effectively with criticism of the war in Gaza and all other conflicts, as well as meeting people where they are, meeting people of all backgrounds like in her Presidential run last year in 2025. 

The balance here is to meet where people are and find your own voice, standing up for what’s right, whilst making balance with those who disagree with you. 

People Before Profit have to meet those.

Dylan Flanagan,
Co. Waterford

***

Cruel clickbait

['Deeply offensive': Michael O'Leary criticised for calling other airlines 'high-fare rapists']

Anyone using the term ‘rape’ in relation to anything other than the sexual crime is deplorable, trivialising something they must be lucky to personally know nothing about and should be shamed and ashamed for even considering using the term for a cheap shot at business rivals. 

Freedom of speech is a human right, but no one is free of the consequences of using that right so deplorably and shamefully. 

Shame on Michael O’Leary and shame on all Ryanair executives who don’t speak out publicly against such poor judgment, cruel click baiting at its absolute lowest.

Míle Buíochas.

Órla Tuohy 

***

Who is responsible?

[Do you think there should be stricter measures for parents if their child commits an offence?]

Editor,

Your daily poll is right to raise questions about parental responsibility when children become involved in serious crime. However, Barnardos’ experience of working directly with thousands of children and families across Ireland tells us that the circumstances which can lead a young person into serious difficulty are rarely straightforward. If we want to prevent youth offending, we need to support children and families much earlier, before problems escalate.

Every day, Barnardos works with children and parents experiencing significant challenges in their lives. Poverty is often accompanied by other adversities including homelessness, domestic abuse, addiction, poor parental mental health and trauma. These experiences can place enormous pressure on families and compromise a parent’s capacity to provide the stable, predictable and nurturing family life that children need.

Our work also shows us that parents want the best for their children. Many recognise when their child or family is struggling and actively seek support. Too often, however, they encounter waiting lists, inadequate services or simply no appropriate support in their community. Problems that could have been addressed earlier can then become more complex and difficult to resolve.

This is why intensive child and family support matters. Barnardos works directly with children and parents to strengthen family relationships, improve parenting capacity, support children’s emotional wellbeing and behaviour and help families overcome adversity. Our outcomes demonstrate significant improvements for children and parents when they receive the right support, at the right time.

None of this removes parental responsibility, nor the responsibility of young people for their actions. But if our objective is to prevent youth crime rather than simply respond to it, accountability after the event cannot be the only answer.

Rather than waiting until a young person enters the criminal justice system and asking, “Where were the parents?”, we should also ask: “When a child and family need help, what can we do to make sure they get it?”

Barnardos’ experience tells us that too often parents struggle to get the help they need, at the time they need it.

The government must ensure children and families experiencing poverty and adversity can access effective support early enough to make a difference. Childhood lasts a lifetime, and early intervention can change the course of one.

Yours etc,

Stephanie Whyte,
Director of Services,
Barnardos

***

No one believed in Brexit either

['Westminster’s time is coming to an end': SF, SNP and Plaid Cymru sign deal to push for referendums]

An endless series of resignations, prime ministers losing to a lettuce, Epstein scandal, corruption and a complete lack of political will to address domestic issues – that is how the last decade in London can be characterised.

It seems that even the most ardent unionists and separatists never did as much to break up the United Kingdom as England did. I think it is time for us, too, to seriously consider holding a referendum on Irish reunification.

And to anyone who dismisses the Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland’s joint call as mere populism and a PR stunt that will lead nowhere, I would remind you: at first, no one believed in Brexit either.

Liam Calnan,
Cork

***

A view from the USA

['Why on Earth would we welcome him?': Thousands take to Dublin streets to protest 'warmonger' Trump]

To the citizens of Ireland:

Speaking on behalf of the majority of the citizens of the USA, we are very pleased to see the strong response from the Irish public regarding Donald Trump’s recent visit.

I hope people globally share the deep concerns held by many Americans regarding his actions and leadership. Across the United States, citizens are actively demonstrating their dissatisfaction with the current administration and its direction. It is concerning that there appears to be limited political action to address these issues.

Please know that many Americans do not support his leadership or platform. There is widespread hope that the upcoming November elections will bring necessary change. We would greatly appreciate your continued support and solidarity during this time.

Sincerely,

Ken MacLeod,
Rochester,
Minnesota 

***

Would you like to have a letter published? See guidelines for submission here.