Dear Editor,
Is it time that the housing needs in Ireland were looked after by a special department? It does seem that it would be the clever thing to do. At the moment there are thousands of houses lying empty while 70,000 people nationwide are on the housing waiting list. With a bit of constructive thinking, people could have secure housing within a much shorter time.

Dear Editor,
The current situation in Gaza has been brought about by Hamas and its terrorist activities. Since Israel left Gaza in 2005, instead of building on Israelis move to peace, Hamas has fired over 7,000 rockets into Israel, killing and injuring innocent people whose only crime is being Jewish and wanting to live in Israel. Israel only makes up three per cent of the land in the Middle East.

Dear Editor,
When the European Union was founded 50 years ago, a common trading market was put in place. Under the Single European Act 1987, the go-ahead for the internal market, where there would be a system of free movement of goods, services, people and capital in Europe, was initiated. The central element of the Maastricht treaty was the birth of the single European currency, which has brought so many benefits to businesses and to citizens alike.

Dear Editor,
When is a debate not a debate? When one side of the debate seeks to bully and intimidate the other side into submission.

Dear Editor,
I attended a debate 'That this house would ban hunting' on Wednesday 5 March in NUI, Galway.

Dear Editor,
Councillor Brian Walsh is to be congratulated for his enterprise in suggesting that Galway's problem with road access into the docks area could be resolved, simply by taking up the option of routing traffic through a new road corridor previously reserved alongside the Galway-Dublin rail track in the 2005-2011 City Development Plan. This route was highlighted as a possible means of relieving traffic congestion on the Lough Atalia Road.

Dear Editor,
In relation to the EU Reform Treaty, may I make people aware of the disastrous implications on the workers of Ireland if the people vote 'Yes' and also, the huge changes for the very worst in Ireland that will happen. It seems Sean Ó Neachtain failed to outline the following in the letters page in the Galway Independent last week when he told us to vote 'Yes'.

Dear Editor,
The current Israeli assault on Gaza, which has killed more than one hundred Palestinians, the vast majority of them innocent civilians, and the continued Israeli blockade of Gaza, are war crimes under international law.

Dear Editor,
'When I was in charge of the Wildlife Service, I got constant letters from the Irish Council Against Blood Sports to ban hunting and only ever got one letter pro-hunting,' Noel Treacy, TD was quoted as saying in the Galway Independent of 23 January 2008.

Dear editor,
As driving in Co. Galway gets more dangerous on account of increased traffic on the same dangerous, narrow roads, several factors increase the dangers for motorists and pedestrians.