Eurovision is a song contest, yet the songs are secondary

For many years, it has been less about the quality of the acts and more to do with the staging, visuals, gimmicks and props.

On Saturday, the French and Swiss entries were excellent songs and scored highly with the juries. However, both were largely overlooked in the public vote. This was where the pageantry and flashy staging of the Italian act won out.

For people who tuned in to watch a ‘song’ contest, it was an underwhelming outcome. If the competition rewarded the most outlandish stage show, I would have no problem with Italy winning. But the Italian entry, Zitti E Buoni by Maneskin, was an unremarkable rock number and far from the best on the night.

France’s entry, Voilà by Barbara Pravi, was all about the music. It was a powerful ballad that was excellently performed and did not need to be propped up by theatrics. It would have been a deserved winner.

Switzerland’s entry was also a beautifully executed number by Gjon’s Tears. It, too, would have been a worthy victor.

If questionable costumes and shock-factor tactics are now more important than song construction and vocal performance, perhaps “Song Contest” should be removed from the name of the show.

In 1996, Eimear Quinn’s powerful vocals in singing The Voice, accompanied by haunting instrumentals, made for an irresistible combination and Ireland won the competition for the seventh time.

On Saturday, our country wasn’t even represented following Lesley Roy’s unfortunate elimination in the semi-final.

Our very own Graham Norton did provide amusing TV commentary on the BBC though, which greatly added to the enjoyment.

I’ll tune in again next year, but it would be nice to see the emphasis shift back towards the quality of the songs.

Dervla Murphy

Knocklyon, Dublin 16

If Palestinians want peace, then they must compromise

Dr Munjed Farid Al Qutob blames the West for the plight of ordinary Palestinians (‘It’s time the West did its best to solve Palestinian problem’, Letters, May 24).

Since 1937, Palestinian politicians have rejected eight peace plans proposed by the British, the UN and the US. The Israelis accepted all of them.

It takes two to make peace. Michael Collins signed the 1921 Anglo-Irish Treaty even though it didn’t include everything he wanted. If he had adopted Hamas’s radical Islamist approach, then Irish and British people would still be fighting in the streets of Dublin, Cork and London.

As Mick Jagger sang: You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometime, well, you might just get what you need.

Karl Martin

Bayside, Dublin 13

Wrong to claim workers want to stay on pandemic payment

The accusation by Neil McDonnell of Isme that “lots of workers, especially those working short hours, do not want to return to work and are happy to remain on the PUP” is without foundation (‘Businesses can’t wait any longer to know what happens beyond June 30’, Irish Independent, May 20).

In the past fortnight, the Department of Social Protection has been notified by a mere 35 employers of staff refusing to go back to work. Whereas we witnessed over 400,000 workers willingly close their Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) claim when the economy partially reopened last summer.

A wage subsidy was available to employers who were forced to close or curtail their business to allow them keep their staff on the payroll and preserve the connection between workers and their jobs. Why did so many choose to lay off their staff rather than engage with Revenue?

The Irish Congress of Trade Unions has played a key role in developing and closing gaps and anomalies in the PUP and the Wage Subsidy Scheme.

These payments have proven integral to maintaining workers’ income and, hence, consumer demand and social solidarity throughout the public health emergency.

The how and when of the decisions around the unwinding of these payments must be based on evidence, not hearsay.

Patricia King

General Secretary, Irish Congress of Trade Unions, Parnell Square, Dublin 1

Ice-cream cones without a flake on top? It can’t be true

There have been reports of a shortage in supplies regarding flakes for our 99s. Is this perhaps an example of flake news?

Tom Gilsenan

Beaumont, Dublin 9