How long will it be before a regulation-weary public needs to read a code of conduct before leaving the house?

ts not just Covid-19 which has fuelled this obsession. Just look what GAA referees have to contend with before a game: layers of rules which have destroyed Gaelic football.

What is it about the human psyche that when a group of people with authority sits down they feel the need to start issuing diktats? It would be so refreshing if one day such a group were to say: We have decided to leave well enough alone.

Every time a regulation is introduced, a freedom is taken away.

I recently witnessed a gutter being repaired some eight feet above ground level. It took three hours to erect a scaffold, 10 minutes to fix the seal on the gutter and another three hours to take the scaffold down. This is farcical and its everywhere.

In relation to Covid-19, everyone needs to calm down. People who had to endure rationing during the war had it far worse, and during the oil shortages in the 1970s people had to choose which journeys were essential and which were not.

During ESB strikes in the 1970s and 1980s people had to suffer long power cuts and improvise. While not diminishing what the world at large is enduring during this pandemic, it pales into insignificance compared with what war-torn countries in the Middle East have suffered over the past 20 years, or the populations in drought-stricken regions of Africa.

Radio presenters, when speaking about Covid-19, have resembled school headmistresses admonishing their pupils and praising the teachers pets.

People are now well versed in the dangers of Covid-19 and dont need to be reminded every 10 minutes about it.

Joseph Kiely

Letterkenny, Co Donegal

Staff have been heroic in the fight to get schools reopened

Many of us, as school leaders all around the country, have been bowled over by the level of co-operation, generosity of spirit and Trojan work done by our staff in recent days and weeks. Their contribution to getting our schools reopened has been immense.

The enormity of the challenges we have faced has been overcome by their sacrifice, resourcefulness and tough grind.

However, let no one underestimate the emotional toil it has taken on them and on all of us never mind the effect it will have on our students. In the past weeks, we have presided over the dismantling of integral aspects of school life. We have seen the stripping out of our school libraries, the tearing down of concert halls, the repurposing of sports halls, the abolition of our staff rooms the list goes on.

We are heartbroken. We have imposed these measures and many others reluctantly because they are what is required to get everyone back to school.

That has only been possible because of our greatest and most indefatigable resource: our staff. They are our heroes. We salute them and we thank them.

John McHugh

Deputy Principal, Loreto Secondary School, Bray, Co Wicklow

Barnier is shrewd enough not to be intimidated by Abbott

While we struggle through this pandemic we are now once again in the grip of Brexit talks.

The UK government has called on the expertise of the controversial former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott.

Why? Dominic Raabs attempt to promote Mr Abbott as some sort of guiding light for the UK government in its negotiations is one that, in my view, may come back to haunt them. Michel Barnier, the EUs main negotiator who has seen PMs come and go, will not be intimidated by somebody like Mr Abbott.

He is a much more shrewd and more experienced negotiator who will ensure that EU policy and its rules are at the core of any negotiations.

The sticking points are fisheries and state

aid. While there is a softening of the EUs position with regards to state aid, there is no softening with regards to fisheries and in Barniers words: There will be no economic partnership with the UK.

These warning shots across the UKs bows may well focus minds in the Tory government: their intransigent colonial strategy will not intimidate the EUs negotiating teams.

Even with the assistance of the controversial Mr Abbott.

Christy Galligan

Letterkenny, Co Donegal

Minister might hope for a dry few months ahead

One group Health Minister Stephen Donnelly could do without hearing just now... Wet Wet Wet?

Tom Gilsenan

Beaumont, Dublin 9

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Rules, rules and more rules: it's time we all calmed down - Independent.ie