#Fianna Fáil Senator

[adropofhumanity]

ireland's senate has just unanimously voted to impose sanctions against isreel. in a remarkable display of solidarity with the palestinian people, the irish senate unanimously passed a bill to impose sanctions on isreel and prevent the passage of US weapons through Irish airspace to isreel. the bill calls on the irish government to advocate for an international arms embargo on isreel and to refer Israel to the international criminal court for its war crimes and crimes against humanity in gaza and the west bank.

☑ the bill is based on the principle that isreel's illegal occupation, colonization, and apartheid policies in palestine constitute grave breaches of international law and human rights, and that ireland has a moral and legal obligation to take action to end its complicity and hold isreel accountable. the bill also recognizes the right of the palestinian people to self-determination, sovereignty, and dignity, and supports their legitimate resistance to Israeli oppression.

the bill is a historic step in the global movement for boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) against isreel, which aims to pressure Israel to comply with international law and respect palestinian rights. the bill has been welcomed by palestinian civil society organizations, human rights groups, and solidarity activists, who have praised ireland for its courage and leadership in standing up to Israel's impunity and injustice.

the bill now awaits the approval of the lower house of the Irish parliament, the dáil, where it faces opposition from the ruling coalition of fine gael and fianna fáil, who have close ties with isreel and the US. however, the bill enjoys widespread public support in ireland, as well as the backing of several opposition parties, including sinn féin, labour, and the green party" — via deepshallowdive on instagram

[dougielombax]

RTE is showing insane amounts of bias towards the government by peddling an anti Sinn Féin sentiment over the subject of the children's hospital. Some how it's Sinn Féin's fault the hospital will not be completed on time *checks notes* because they have an information source and are reporting contrary information to the government, and FFG do not like that, and would rather spin an anti Sinn Féin narrative than report accurate information on thr hospital.

It’s almost like a kind of hysteria.

I remember hearing at one point a Fianna Fáil senator (or councillor? One of those) claimed in an interview that the Irish economy crashed and went to shit in 2008 solely because of what she said was “Sinn Fein terrorism”.

That’s less than wrong. That’s weapons-grade revisionism! Dozy old goat!

RTE needs to undergo a SERIOUS overhaul starting yesterday. Sack all the useless producers and get some new talent in there. And remove any and all traces of partitionist bias.

I also remember earlier this year or last year Leo Varadkar dismissed suggested policy changes from an economic advisor all because Sinn Fein had the same policies in its manifesto by sheer coincidence. “No, those policies are out of the SF manifesto.”

Its like a kind of derangement. Or at least bordering on that much.

[organisationskoval]

717) Independent Fianna Fáil, Niezależna Fianna Fáil - odłamowa partia republikańska w Republice Irlandii, utworzoną przez Neila Blaneya po jego wydaleniu z Fianna Fáil w następstwie irlandzkiego kryzysu zbrojeniowego (1969–1970). Partia przestała istnieć 26 lipca 2006 r. Nigdy nie była oficjalnie zarejestrowaną partią polityczną: Niall Blaney powiedział w 2003 r. „Jestem niezależnym i członkiem organizacji znanej lokalnie jako Independent Fianna Fáil”. Jej kandydaci zostali umieszczeni na kartach do głosowania bez etykiety partyjnej lub bez etykiety „Bezpartyjny” dostępnej dla niezależnych. Jednak baza danych członków Oireachtas wymienia członków Independent Fianna Fáil oddzielnie. Partia istniała głównie w hrabstwie Donegal w Republice Irlandii, a w szczególności w byłym okręgu wyborczym Blaney, Donegal North-East. Paddy Keaveney (ojciec senator Fianna Fáil, Cecilia Keaveney) został wybrany do Niezależnej Fianna Fáil w wyborach uzupełniających w 1976 roku po śmierci Liama Cunninghama. Keaveney stracił mandat w wyborach powszechnych w 1977 roku. Grupa miała również przez krótki czas senatora Jamesa Larkina, co było częścią umowy o zaufaniu i dostawach zawartej z Fianną Fáil po wyborach powszechnych w lutym 1982 roku. W 1979 Neil Blaney został wybrany do Parlamentu Europejskiego z okręgu Connacht-Ulster. Zasiadał w Technicznej Grupie Niezależnych, która była technicznym sojuszem głównie lewicowych posłów do PE, którzy nie byli sprzymierzeni ani z grupą Communists and Allies, ani z głównymi partiami socjaldemokratycznymi Socialist Group. Blaney był przewodniczącym grupy wraz z włoskim radykałem Marco Pannellą i duńskim lewicowym eurosceptykiem Jensem-Peterem Bonde. Blaney ledwo stracił mandat w wyborach w 1984 r., ale wrócił, by służyć jako poseł do Parlamentu Europejskiego w wyborach w 1989 r., gdzie zasiadał w regionalistycznej Rainbow Group. Niezależna Fianna Fáil była członkiem-założycielem Wolnego Przymierza Europejskiego w 1981 roku i pozostała członkiem tej organizacji do 1995 roku. Tadhg Culbert był radnym Independent Fianna Fáil w latach 80., zanim został niezależnym i ostatecznie dołączył do oficjalnej Fianna Fáil. IFF miał również reprezentację w Radzie Hrabstwa Roscommon - gdzie Paddy Lenihan, brat Mary O'Rourke i wujek Briana Lenihana Jnr, uciekł z Fianna Fáil - oraz w Radzie Hrabstwa Leitrim, gdzie Larry McGowan również uciekł, obaj robiąc to w 1981 roku. obaj przeszli na emeryturę w 1999 roku i żadne miejsce nie było bronione w imieniu partii. Bratanek Blaneya, Niall Blaney, został wybrany jako niezależny Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála (TD) w okręgu wyborczym w 2002 r., a w wyborach lokalnych w 2004 r. było dwóch radnych hrabstwa IFF - obaj członkowie Rady Hrabstwa Donegal - i dwóch radnych miejskich, jeden członek Rady Miejskiej Letterkenny i jeden członek Rady Miejskiej Buncrana. W wielu wyborach Paddy Kelly bezskutecznie występował pod sztandarem Independent Fianna Fáil w wyborach w południowo-zachodnim Donegal; został jednak wybrany do rady okręgu Glenties i służył jako członek do 2004 roku.

Dziedzictwo Blaneya:    

Neal Blaney został wybrany do 5. Dáil w dniu 12 sierpnia 1927 r. Jako Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála i z powodzeniem brał udział we wszystkich wyborach powszechnych aż do 13. Dáil w 1948 r. Został pokonany w wyborach powszechnych w 1938 r., ale został wybrany do 3. Seanad w panelu rolniczym    

Jego syn, Neil Blaney, z powodzeniem zakwestionował jedno wybory uzupełniające na następcę ojca i 14 kolejnych wyborów powszechnych. Był TD od 1948 do 1995. Kilkakrotnie był ministrem    

Harry Blaney zastąpił swojego brata Neila i był TD w 28. Dáil    

Syn Harry'ego, Niall Blaney, był niszczycielem w 29. i 30. Dáil.    

Dwóch synów Neila Blaneya, MacDara i Eamonn, stanęło w wyborach powszechnych z ramienia New Vision w 2011 roku.

Po rozmowach z Fianna Fáil w połowie 2006 roku, Independent Fianna Fáil ponownie połączyła się z „oficjalną” Fianna Fáil 26 lipca po formalnym wniosku Nialla Blaneya o dołączenie do Fianna Fáil. Fuzji obu organizacji sprzeciwiali się pozostali członkowie rodziny Blaney, w tym cała siedmioro dzieci Neila Blaneya i wdowa po nim Eva, którzy wydali potępiający komunikat prasowy przed decyzją Nialla Blaneya, potępiającą partię Fianna Fáil i odcinającą się od wszelkich tzw. „rozejmów” z nimi. Jackie Healy-Rae, TD z Kerry South, startował pod szyldem Independent Fianna Fáil, używając nazwiska na swoich plakatach i ulotkach w ramach kampanii wyborczej do wyborów powszechnych w 2007 roku, chociaż nie miał żadnego związku z Independent Fianna Fáil Neila Blaneya. Były radny Fianna Fáil z Dublina, Tony Taaffe, startował w wyborach powszechnych w 1997 r., używając sztandaru Independent Fianna Fáil, ale nie był związany z partią Blaneya. W październiku 2021 r. były TD Fianna Fáil, Marc MacSharry zasugerował, że rozważa wskrzeszenie Independent Fianna Fáil.

[oglehvass]

3 Romantic Cannabinol Holidays

While code and cannabis might seem incompatible, for the 150 attendees at the sold-out event, the concept makes perfect sense. For this grow, I was growing eight OG Kush clones with the pH Perfect Bundle from Advanced Nutrients. WolfPack, a rapidly growing Twitter community, he shares information about those stocks with his followers. Follow Newsbeat on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. Newsbeat spoke to two scientists who study the drug. Listen to Newsbeat live at 12:45 and 17:45 every weekday on BBC Radio 1 and 1Xtra - if you miss us you can listen back here. Lauve said owners have only about two weeks to get the seeds planted so they can harvest the hemp before snow falls. Botanicare's Cal/Mag is rated as the best Ca/Mg supplement for cannabis because it offers the perfect dose of two critical, yet underserved, macronutrients for marijuana plants. CBD and Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) are two types of cannabinoids found naturally in the resin of the marijuana plant. Dr Caderof's research focuses on cannabinoids. CBD Oil A full night's sleep has the power to boost your mood, improve decision making, maintain knowledge retention, promote a hard-working immune system, and reduce stress and anxiety.

Below, learn how a few small steps can help relieve feelings of the Sunday scaries, and allow you to get the full night's sleep you deserve. Plus, he breaks down why melatonin can make you feel hungover -- and how to prevent that effect if you choose to keep taking it. Oftentimes, we can feel overwhelmed or anxious before starting a week when it's filled to the brim with tasks we have to accomplish. Police can give you an on-the-spot fine of £90 if you are caught with cannabis. Barricades, fencing and barbed wire surround the courthouse in downtown Minneapolis as police brace for protests. A US judge has delayed jury selection in the case of an ex-Minneapolis police officer accused of killing George Floyd, an unarmed black man, last May. Last month, a mother from County Cork set out to walk 150 miles from the remote village of Aghabullogue to the Dáil in an effort to convince the Irish health minister to legislate for the drug's medicinal use. The Dáil bill, proposed by People Before Profit TD Gino Kenny, has the support of Fianna Fáil, Sinn Féin, Labour, the Social Democrats and the Green Party. He says de Hoedt's experience is "far from the evidence that we need" but it "does support that we should be researching that area further".

CBD or CBN: "CBD oil, made from the hemp plant, is nonpsychoactive but has calming and pain-soothing effects," says Axe. CBD oil does not contain THC, the psycho-active ingredient associated with the "high" in marijuana. Six months later, the stock price about doubled when it hit a high of $52.03 (£39.77) a share. So go ahead, spoil your pooch rotten with some of the best gourmet dog treats you can buy online, made with delicious and natural ingredients. Her rivals include Treatibles, which sell hemp oil "for animals of all kinds", and Pet Releaf, whose hemp dog treats look like fancy vegan snack-food. When Canada legalised marijuana just over a year ago, it seemed like anyone who was anyone wanted to break into the market. Several lawmakers took to the House floor ahead of the vote, arguing the bill had less to do with legalising marijuana and more to do with how the enforcement of cannabis prohibition has hurt communities of colour, leaving behind "a legacy of racial and ethnic injustices". MP Bill Blair during a press conference shortly after the legislation was presented to parliament.

The vote on Thursday sends the bill back to the House of Commons, where members of Parliament will decide whether to accept the dozens of amendments added to the legislation by the Senate. The US House of Representatives has passed a bill to decriminalise cannabis at the national level for the first time. The bill is expected to have the support of 90 TDs, ensuring its passage through the House. Support for federal cannabis legalisation is now at an all-time high, with a Gallup poll last month showing more than two-thirds of American adults support it. The less severe charge of third-degree murder was initially dismissed last year, but prosecutors have requested to reinstate it. The seeds used were part of a shipment from Italy that was released last week after a legal standoff between Kentucky's Agriculture Department and the federal government. It seems like you can't fully enjoy your Sunday's because you're dreading the start of a new week. According to a survey by LinkedIn, 80% of 30,000 participants reported having this feeling before the start of their week. I don't think I can wait until my dog's birthday to try these fun, frosted, organic peanut butter biscuits.

[maturemenoftvandfilms]

Seán Ó Fearghaíl Born: April 17, 1960, Newbridge, Ireland Physique: Average Build

Seán Ó Fearghaíl is an Irish Fianna Fáil politician who has served as the Ceann Comhairle of Dáil Éireann since March 2016. He has been a Teachta Dála for the Kildare South constituency since 2002. He was a Senator for the Agricultural Panel from 2000 to 2002.

[stairnaheireann]

#OTD in 1946 – Death of politician, Pádraic Ó Máille.

Ó Máille was a founder member of Sinn Féin and of the Gaelic League in Galway. He was a member of the Irish Volunteers from 1917 to 1921. He was born in Kilmilkin, in Maam Valley in Co Galway and was a farmer. He was elected as a Sinn Féin MP for Galway Connemara at the 1918 general election. In January 1919, Sinn Féin MPs who had been elected in the Westminster elections of 1918 refused to…

[careerxlsstudyabroad]

TDs' wages jump to over €96,000 after pay hike - here's what the political parties have said about it so far

~CXL~

TDs' wages have jumped to over €96,000 a year following a pay rise over the weekend.

They will receive a 1.75 per cent pay increase that boosts their wages by over €1,600 a year in their next pay check.

And their salaries are set to rise even closer to the  €100,000 mark next year.

Another increase that is also due under the Public Service Stability Agreement will bring their €96, 89 wages up to €98,113 on October 1 2020.

A senator's salary rose to €68,111 due to the 1.75pc pay rise that took effect today for all public servants under the Public Service Stability Agreement.

TDs' pay rises under this wage deal because it is pegged at the same level as principal officers in the civil service.

Their pay is now close to where it stood on the brink of the economic crash in 2008 when it was €100,191, although the Taoiseach's was far higher at €285,583. 

The Taoiseach and ministers have voluntarily given up the pay rises to the state - although their pensions will still be based on their salaries with the increases.

Leo Varadkar's pay is €185,350 a year due to the decision to waive the increases, but with the increases his gross salary stands at €207,590 and is set to rise to €211,742 next year.

Most of the political parties said it was up to individual members to decide whether to accept the pay rises.

However, People before Profit TDs will not personally accept the increases, according to a party spokesperson.

"In line with our longstanding policy and pre-election commitments none or our TDs will personally benefit from this pay award but will continue to receive the average industrial wage," he said.

He said the party would not return the money "to a Fine Gael government" but will use it to support campaigning activities and causes that "put people and planet before profit".

A Sinn Féin spokesperson said it is a matter for individual TDs and senators to decide whether to accept the pay rises.

But he said they "are already well paid and we don't believe this increase is justified".

"Those struggling on low pay in the public and private sectors, need to be the priority when it comes to pay restoration and pay increases", he said.

A Green Party spokesperson said its TDs will accept the increase and Fianna Fáil said it does not have a party policy on the issue so it is a matter for each individual to decide.

A Department of Public Expenditure and Reform spokesperson said it is a matter for individual TDs and Senators as to whether or not to waive the increases.

She confirmed that waiving the increases has no impact on the calculation of retirement benefits. "They are based on the full salary rate in the normal way," she said.

"A government decision was made in 2016 that, on the basis of personal waivers, members of the government and minister of state would not benefit from the restoration of benefits of the FEMPI Act 2015," she said.

"The Taoiseach, ministers and ministers of state will not benefit from increases under the terms of the PSSA."

Although he is not accepting the pay rises, Tanaiste Simon Coveney's gross pay is now €191,403 with yesterday's pay rise and will increase to €195,231 next year.

Likewise, a minister's pay rose to €175,699 yesterday and will hit €179,213 next year, while a minister of state's gross pay will rise from €134,976 to €137,676 next year.

Read More at   https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/politics/tds-wages-jump-to-over-96000-after-pay-hike-heres-what-the-political-parties-have-said-about-it-so-far-38456577.html

[eretzyisrael]

The essence of this Irish passion for the EU is that Ireland doesn’t understand what it means to be an independent nation. Like so many cultures with a shaky sense of what they are, with an outsize chip on their shoulder and infantilized by being almost entirely dependent on others to survive (their “Palestinian” friends fall into that category too) the Irish hate Israel, the paradigm nation state of a people with an unequivocal sense of itself.

So, of course, Ireland bought wholesale into the whole farrago of lies and distortions that make up western left-wing globalist discourse about Israel – which is shared by the EU itself.

But there’s more to Ireland’s malevolence against Israel than this.

Over the years, Fianna Fáil governments have always been hostile to Israel. Currently, Fianna Fáil is jostling with its rival Sinn Féin – which heavily supported Frances Black’s election to the Irish Senate in 2016 – to maintain its political position.

Sinn Féin’s former military wing, the Provisional IRA, was responsible for the bloody campaigns against the UK in support of a united Ireland.

In the 1970s, Sinn Fein publicly supported the Palestinian cause. The IRA and the PLO became extremely close, training together and sharing terrorist strategies and tactics. The IRA received substantial funding and military aid from Libya’s Colonel Gaddafi, and also collaborated with Hamas and Hezbollah.

In 1980, the minister for Foreign Affairs, Fianna Fáil’s Brian Lenihan, claimed the PLO was no longer a terrorist organization and described Yasser Arafat as a “moderate.” In 2006, Sinn Fein MP Aengus O’Snodaigh described Israel as “without doubt one of the most abhorrent and despicable regimes on the planet.”

During the Second World War, Ireland was neutral. Upon learning of Hitler’s death, its Taoiseach or prime minister, Eamon de Valera, visited the German Embassy in Dublin to express his condolences.

Some IRA members, such as the high ranking Sean Russell, collaborated with the Nazis. The Fianna Fáil government denied residential visas to many Jews trying to escape Nazi Germany and to Holocaust survivors after the war.

Historically, the Catholic church in Ireland bears a heavy responsibility for this anti-Jewish hatred. Over the years, the church has pumped out stereotypical hatred of Jews as parasitical moneylenders and exploiters of working people.

In 1904, a priest, Father John Creagh, organized a two-year boycott of Jewish businesses in Limerick. The town’s small Jewish community fled in what became known as the Limerick pogrom.

In 1970 the town’s Labour mayor, Steve Coughlan, made a speech defending the Limerick pogrom, referring to Jewish money-lenders whom he termed “warble fly bloodsuckers.”

That provoked an outcry. But all this is the context in which the hateful Frances Black bill must be placed.

[reportwire]

Noel Grealish To Have Few Pints After This Golfgate Trial If Anyone Is Sticking Around – Waterford Whispers News

Noel Grealish To Have Few Pints After This Golfgate Trial If Anyone Is Sticking Around – Waterford Whispers News

January 6, 2022 – BREAKING NEWS, POLITICS INDEPENDENT TD Noel Grealish has put a shout out on his WhatsApp to anyone in the Galway area who fancies a bit of a session over the next few days, as he waits out ‘this GolfGate trial BS’. Grealish, along with former Fianna Fáil senator Donie Cassidy and a pair of Galway hoteliers are currently on trial for failing to meet Covid safety standards at the…

[thesailnews]

People in 60s to get second AstraZeneca dose within 10 days, Taoiseach says

People in 60s to get second AstraZeneca dose within 10 days, Taoiseach says

Everyone aged between 60 and 69 will get their second dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine within 10 days, the Taoiseach confirmed last night. Micheál Martin, speaking at a Fianna Fáil parliamentary party meeting, promised that all second doses would be completed by July 18th. He was replying after Fianna Fáil TDs and Senators raised concerns that their constituents had been told by the HSE that their…

[onlyhindinewstoday]

Travel for urgent medical treatment to be exempt from hotel quarantine

Travel for urgent medical treatment to be exempt from hotel quarantine

People who travel abroad for urgent medical reasons no longer have to stay in mandatory hotel quarantine when they return. The new guidance from the Department of Health allow applies to carers and children who travel with them. Mandatory hotel quarantine currently applies to 71 countries, including several EU states. Fianna Fáil senator Lisa Chambers is welcoming the new exemption. Ms Chambers…

[scribblerextraordinaire]

On this day: Mary Robinson was inaugurated as the seventh, and first woman, President of Ireland on the 3rd December, 1990.

She defeated Fianna Fáil’s Brian Lenihan, and Fine Gael’s Austin Currie, in the 1990 President election. She thus became –as an Independent candidate nominated by the Labour Party, the Workers’ Party and independent senators–the first elected President in the office’s history not to have had the support of Fianna Fáil.

She first rose to prominence as an academic, barrister, campaigner and member of the Irish Senate (1969–1989).

As President, she is widely accredited with revitalising and liberalising a previously conservative, low-profile political office.

In one of her roles as president, the signing into law of Bills passed by the Oireachtas, she was called upon to sign two very significant Bills that she had fought for throughout her political career: a Bill to fully liberalise the law on the availability of contraceptives; and a Bill fully decriminalising homosexuality, and which unlike legislation in much of the world at the time, provided for a fully equal age of consent, treating heterosexuals and LGBT people alike.

Mary Robinson proved a remarkably popular president, earning the praise of her former rival Brian Lenihan who, before his death five years later, said that she was a better President than he ever could have been.

[mercureality]

my big mood atm is every international article about ireland electing our first gay Taoiseach (prime minister/leader of the country), who happens to be the son of an Indian immigrant and will be the youngest leader of a European Country when he takes the position, is the irish comments underneath yelling into the void that he’s actually pretty right wing by our standards and that:

he’s going to inherit the position through in-party voting rather than a general election, following our current Taoiseach Enda Kenny (in office since 2011, having been reelected in 2016) stepping down as leader due to backlash over a number of different issues i’m not gonna get into rn - the important thing is that Ireland didn’t vote nationally to elect Varadkar as his successor

he cut mental health funding by ��12 million when he was the minister for health

spoke out against gay adoption when discussing his opposition of the civil partnership bill in 2009/2010 which didn’t touch upon the issue itself, saying that the right for a child to have a mother and a father was “much more important than the right of two men to have a family or two women to have a family” - i mean he wasn’t out at the time and he did a u-turn on this during the marriage equality referendum which he did support but imo it was so unnecessary/gross in the first place and was something that undoubtedly caused hurt and anger in the irish lgbt+ community at the time

he's pro-life

he recently headed a severely ugly €200,845 campaign as Minister for Social Protection with the slogan “welfare cheats cheat us all,” urging members of the public to report those they suspect of welfare fraud, resulting in the reveal that the Department of Social Protection has only identified one case of suspected social-welfare identity fraud in the last year

he wants to ban “essential” public sector workers from being able to strike

and he’s generally vocalised his classist/elitist sentiments time and time again throughout his career, like claiming that he represents “people who get up early in the morning” to go to work

oh look, here he is using what’s meant to be a fun Christmas themed article in The Irish Times to say that his least favourite Christmas film is A Christmas Carol because “Tiny Tim should get a job”  ha    haaaaaa  ah  

i could probably say more but imma leave it with his existence as having spawned these articles on Waterford Whispers News (a satirical news site which is basically the Irish version of The Onion although waaaay more consistent imho):

(link)

(link)

(link)

(link)

what people should be celebrating is that neither his sexuality nor his ethnicity had any effect on his bid for leadership in the first place in the context of other irish politicians speaking out about him, the Fine Gael party membership, the press and the public

indeed Varadkar himself stated in the 2015 interview with RTÉ in which he came out: “It’s not something that defines me. I’m not a half-Indian politician, or a doctor politician, or a gay politician, for that matter. It’s just part of who I am. It doesn’t define me. It is part of my character, I suppose.” - i mean this is still conceptually cool but v much coloured by all the above and not happening in a vaccum (sidenote: you can read Una Mullally’s thoughts on Varadkar’s impending role as Ireland’s first gay leader here, she’s a leading Irish Times columnist and commentator on the LGBT+ issues, who’s also a part of the community herself)

i mean he’s not theresa may, he’s not trump (and was actually the first irish politician to speak out against current Taoiseach Enda Kenny possibly inviting him to Ireland while Kenny was on the Taoiseach’s annual trip to the White House this past St Patrick’s day in the light of his presidency), and he’s certainly not le pen. 

(one thing I’m eternally grateful for is that Ireland doesn’t have an equivalent far right party/movement as we’ve seen the rise of in many other countries in recent years. Our most right wing party Renua [est. 2015] gained no seats in the Dáil [our parliament], no seats in the Seanad [our Senate] and only two out of the 949 available seats for local government [all in the 2016 general election]. The only two parties who’ve ever had a leader in the position of Taoiseach, Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael [the latter of which Varadkar has been elected leader of], are centrist parties in their current incarnations, though admittedly centre-right. However, out of the 10 parties you could vote for in the general election, the remaining 7 are all varying degrees of left wing.)  

tl;dr: regardless, there’re still many many reasons not to vibe with leo varadkar imo and i’m going to continue feeling a kinship with disgruntled irish commenters: 

[mhsn033]

Coronavirus: Irish agriculture minister resigns after event attendance

Image copyright PA Media

Image caption Dara Calleary replaced Barry Cowen as agriculture minister closing month after his predecessor develop into as soon as sacked over controversy spherical a drink-riding ban

Irish Agriculture Minister Dara Calleary has resigned after attending a golf dinner with more than 80 folks.

Wednesday’s Oireachtas Golf Society match at a County Galway resort came a day after Dublin announced a tightening of lockdown restrictions.

Dara Calleary had been in put up for a month; he replaced Barry Cowen who develop into as soon as sacked after a drink-riding scandal.

The Irish PM well-liked the resignation, announcing Mr Calleary’s behaviour “develop into as soon as rotten and an error of judgement”.

In an announcement on Friday, Taioseach Micheál Martin said: “Folks all around the country internet made very robust, personal sacrifices in their family lives and in their companies to conform with Covid regulations.”

“This match build no longer need gone ahead within the vogue it did, given the authorities resolution of closing Tuesday.”

Gardaí (Irish police) are now investigating the match for imaginable breaches of Covid-19 regulations.

EU commissioner, Supreme Court docket deem, senator…

Mr Calleary apologised profusely in a series of tweets on Thursday, announcing: “In light of the updated public effectively being steering this week I build no longer need attended the match.”

“I love to apologise unreservedly to the public, from whom we’re asking quite somewhat at this robust time. I also provide this apology and my unswerving remorse to my authorities colleagues.”

Others utter on the match incorporated the faded Elegant Gael minister and EU Commissioner, Phil Hogan, the Supreme Court docket deem Séamus Woulfe, Elegant Gael senator Jerry Buttimer and the Just TD (MP) Noel Grealish.

Mr Buttimer, the Leas-Chathaoirleach (deputy chairman) of the Seanad (Senate and upper Dwelling) has now also resigned.

Diagnosis: Shane Harrison, BBC News NI Dublin correspondent

Dara Calleary has now joined Michelle O’Neill and Dominic Cummings as a senior person in political life within the UK and Eire caught-up in a problem over whether or no longer they broke their possess Covid-19 solutions.

But he’s intriguing in resigning.

And so the contemporary Taoiseach Mícheál Martin is now attempting to internet his third Agriculture minister in no longer up to 2 months.

It has been a tainted birth for the contemporary coalition authorities and not using a longer even the summer season recess providing a ruin from political mishap.

Once more the voice of affairs – as develop into as soon as the case in Northern Eire and England – develop into as soon as whether or no longer senior political figures broke their possess administration’s solutions giving upward thrust to the impact that there is one rule for standard folks and one more for the political elite.

On the different hand it be no longer perfect the Fianna Fáil portion of the coalition authorities that has been caught up on this affair.

Strain is now building on some linked to Elegant Gael along with the EU Commissioner Phil Hogan and Séamus Woulfe, a supreme courtroom deem and faded approved legitimate long-established in a Elegant Gael-led authorities.

The Leas-Chathaoirleach (deputy chairman) of the Seanad (Senate and upper Dwelling) Senator Jerry Buttimer who develop into as soon as also there has now resigned.

Dara Calleary is now to now not be the finest casualty of Wednesday’s Irish parliamentary golf dinner

Elegant Gael Senator Jerry Buttimer has also apologised for attending the match announcing he develop into as soon as “aware of the huge effort made by all individuals since March to are trying to beat the virus”.

Up up to now tricks

In tightening restrictions within the Republic of Eire, the sequence of folks ready to support indoor gatherings develop into as soon as minute to six, with some exceptions.

Beforehand, indoor gatherings with up to 50 folks had been approved.

The 81 folks on the County Galway match were split one day of two rooms.

James Sweeney, from the Location Dwelling Hotel the keep the match develop into as soon as held, told RTÉ he had checked with the Irish Hotels Federation to be sure that the match develop into as soon as compliant.

He said he develop into as soon as told it would be if the guests were in two separate rooms, with fewer than 50 folks in every.

Mr Calleary replaced Barry Cowen as agriculture minister closing month after his predecessor develop into as soon as sacked over controversy spherical a drink-riding ban.

Micheál Martin will now desire to nominate his third Agriculture minister because the tip of June when his coalition authorities develop into as soon as elected.

The Republic’s cupboard is attributable to fulfill in a while Friday to debate easing the native lockdowns in counties Laois, Offaly and Kildare.

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Significant work needed to increase level of diversity on nation's local authorities

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Significant work needed to increase level of diversity on nation's local authorities

We have the best policy in the world in terms of access to local elections and in running for local elections, but there are several problems and the primary one is that people don’t know that they can vote and or run, writes Elaine Loughlin.

With just three out of the 948 local councillors around the country coming from an migrant background, there is significant work to be done to increase diversity on local authorities.

While the census shows the number of residents born outside of Ireland is steadily on the increase — with the number standing at 810,406 or 17.3% of the entire population in 2016 — these new Irish are not being represented at political level. While any resident, including asylum seekers, have the right to vote, in many cases it is a lack of knowledge that holds people back.

“We actually have the best policy in the world in terms of access to local elections and in running for local elections, but there are several problems and the primary one I suppose is that people don’t know that they can vote and certainly people don’t know that they can run,” said Joe O’Brien, who is integration outreach officer with the Immigrant Council of Ireland.

Ireland offers a vote to every adult ordinarily resident here, with no stipulation around how long you have to be living here before that eligibility applies.

Anyone who is ordinarily resident in Ireland can also stand for local election.

“I do workshops with groups of migrants on a very regular basis, basically anywhere I can get 10 people in a room I will go and do a workshop and 80% to 90% of people in the room won’t know that they can vote, so that’s the base line problem,” said Mr O’Brien.

“Of those who know they can run they are not taking the leap.”

The Immigrant Council of Ireland now hopes it can put forward at least one non-Irish candidate in each constituency in next year’s local elections.

  “We need people to start running, to diversify the ballot paper, to put some colour on the posters up on the poles.”

  “We are not going to bridge the gap in one election cycle. It is going to take a few, we need to test the waters and we are saying to people try it out, we will give you guidance, don’t be disappointed if you don’t win, run a campaign that you can get something out of.”

The council is now running workshops, has developed an internship scheme which has already placed five migrants with councillors, and is hosting one-to-one mentoring for people who are serious about running.

“We are very much pushing people to run,” said Mr O’Brien.

However, the party system in Ireland can be very difficult to break through, with the majority of candidates and elected represented being male.

Mr O’Brien pointed out that in Donegal Council Council just three of the 37 elected representatives are women.

“A lot of parties are closed and at a local level, the same as you have with women it can be difficult to get into, it can be a closed shop particularly the larger parties where there is competition for places and completion for nominations.

“The competition for the nomination at party level in some respects can be more aggressive or more energetic than the public election itself,” he said.

However, David Stanton, the minister of state for equality, immigration and integration, said all parties are encouraging people from every background to get involved.

“I think there are a lot of people who want to become involved and have joined parties.

“Every party, without exception, is encouraging migrants to become members and get involved.”

While taking the party route can be more difficult, even for prospective Irish candidates, the Immigrant Council is keen to point out that there are other options available to anyone interested.

“You can run as independent very very easily in Ireland, four weeks before the election you fill out the nomination paper, you get 15 signatures from people who are in that area and you are off,” Mr O’Brien said.

“So we are trying to demystify it for people, we want to say it is very easy to run as candidate.”

Part of their work is about making people realise the value in using the campaign as a platform and it may not necessarily to get elected the first time around.

“We are saying to people that there is really good community value and personal value in running a campaign.

  “You might only get 100 or 200 votes, but we need to start making that small impact first before we get people elected.”

  He used the example of one Polish candidate who ran as an Independent in the last local elections who did not get elected but managed to secure 400 votes, as a result she was then approached by one of the main political parties to run on their ticket.

“The value of getting migrants to run is that other migrants will then find that they can vote, so it’s also a strategy of getting more migrants involved more broadly speaking, but we need the figureheads running in as many areas as we can to boost the knowledge of voting rights.

“We need people to be groundbreakers, we need people to be role models in the community, we need people to make a stand on a particular issue, we are saying you can use the local election campaign as a way of raising issues be they local or national,” he said.

As a young boy, Ammar Ali often attended neighbourhood meetings with his father where issues like a lack of street lighting or potholes were discussed.

When his family moved here from Pakistan in 2011, he got involved in his school’s student council as he studied for the Leaving Cert.

And so joining a political party was a natural progression for the 24-year-old who is now studying pharmaceutical science.

“In 2013, I saw that there was a change in leadership and that Micheál Martin has a new vision to take Ireland forward, I also saw in the local elections of 2014 that new faces were being represented by Fianna Fáil so that give me a particular spark.

“I felt that the party was trying to build the communication gap between local councillors and the local community.

“So that was the reason I was attracted to join Fianna Fail,” said Mr Ali, who was elected equality officer in the IT Tallaght student union elections. He also served as the chair of the IT’s Órga Fianna Fáil branch between 2015 and 2017.

Unlike Pakistan where it can take years to go up the ladder and to have your voice heard in politics, Mr Ali said he has been pleasantly surprised by how all members are listened to in Irish political parties.

  “In Irish politics, I found that if you are willing to do hard work, if you are sincere with the community you will get a chance to represent that community within the party and outside the party.”

  Mr Ali, who lives on Dublin’s South Circular Road, has his sights set on the 2019 local elections, but would some day love to be involved in national politics.

“It’s up to the party as to who they want to run as a candidate, but I will definitely put my name forward for Dublin South-West Inner-City,” he said of next year’s local elections.

“There are a huge amount of migrants in the area and also I know lot of local community members.

“I know the issues and I think it would be really good to have a local migrant voice representing people there.

“If I get a chance to represent my party and my community on the council it would be an honour.

“Coming from Pakistan and becoming a councillor, that’s something that Pakistanis would be proud of.”

He added that he has been inspired by Senator Catherine Ardagh who he has worked within the constituency.

“Right now is my main focus is getting Catherine Ardagh elected, she inspired me greatly. She lost the local election, she came strong in the 2014 local election, then I saw her losing by 35 votes in the Dáil election but she is going strong,” he said.

“I think Fianna Fáil has a really good agenda of bringing everyone together,” he said.

Having been involved in politics at a grassroots level in her native Ukraine, Yulia Ghumman decided to intern with a local councillor here.

She spent four months shadowing Fingal councillor Duncan Smith and is now thinking about running in next year’s local elections but believes the real barrier for migrants is a lack of knowledge.

“I didn’t even know that I could vote in the local elections before this project, this information is not available to us, we generally don’t know about our right to vote or how to get involved in politics,” Ms Ghumman said.

She came to Ireland in February 2015 with her husband who got here to work as a doctor and quickly became involved in volunteering with the Association of Ukrainians of Ireland.

Ms Ghumman, who lives in Swords said: “I was actually involved in politics before in my own country.

“I was a member of a party, it was just during my school time after I graduated from school, I was interested in politics so I helped out with the party with activities.”

During her studies she became interested in the issue of integration and immigration.

“So it was a combination of interest from at home and interest in politics picked up through my involvement in the association, that made me think about doing the internship.”

She said the placement, which was organised with the help of the Immigrant Council of Ireland, has given her a new confidence around getting involved in Irish politics.

“I started in Fingal County Council offices in Swords.

“I got see first hand what a councillor’s day is like, I was involved in daily administrative tasks, and learned how he deals with people, with cases in the phone, how he solves problems, meetings, Labour Party meetings, dropping leaflets.

“I also helped design a leaflet for him, we went canvassing for the Repeal the Eighth referendum, and I helped prepare maps for the canvassing teams,” she said.

Ms Ghumman also got the change to spend one day a week in the office of Labour TD Brendan Ryan in Leinster House.

  “I was really lucky because I felt I was learning from the best, with Duncan I had access to Leinster House so I really learned a lot about politics.”

  “Before starting the internship I had no idea that any councillor would be interested in taking on an intern.”

She said the lack of awareness among migrant communities of their right to vote and even run for election is a huge issue which means they are not represented.

“It is a problem because even in Leinster House there are very few females, most elected politicians are men, I know there are three migrant councillors but I have never met any elected immigrants.

“That is like a barrier for us.

“If we had more exposure to politics maybe more people might have an interest in getting involved.”

She added: “I am still thinking about running, it is very interesting and I am also considering joining the Labour Party.”

It was love that made Tian Yu Lloyd stay in Ireland, but connections to her native China that led to involvement in politics here.

She came to Dublin in 2002 to study where she met her husband who is Irish and made her life here.

“I wasn’t in touch with the Chineses community in Ireland or the migrant community for a long time because everyone around me was Irish,” she said.

However, after finding a group on Facebook and making contact she found that many people who have come to work and live here from other countries had similar issues to her.

“I started taking an interest in migrant issues, particularly because of social media and from getting in touch with different groups on Facebook.”

In 2016, during the general election campaign, she began reading the leaflets and party manifestos that came through her letterbox and was drawn to the Social Democrats.

“I got to know some of the other members of the party and realised that it was a group of people that have very similar ideas to mine.

“There is also no historical baggage attached to the Social Democrats, I found they just wanted to do good,” said the native of Hangzhou in China.

Since joining the party she has become involved in canvassing and awareness raising.

She is now chair of the Dublin Bay North chapter of the Social Democrats and has been encouraged by the response on the doors when she goes out canvassing.

“The fact that I am a migrant sometimes helps and people who have also come to Ireland will often talk to me and raise issues.”

The stay-at-home mother, who has an eight-year-old daughter and a stepson, 17, also volunteers part-time with Place of Sanctuary.

The organisation aims to promote the integration, inclusion and welfare of refugees, asylum seekers and vulnerable migrants, by encouraging every sector of society to make a practical commitment to becoming places of welcome and safety.

  “Part of the work we do here in Ireland is called Sanctuary in Politics, we put on courses for migrants who may be interested in politics and who want to find out more about the political system in Ireland.”

  She was a student on the first of these courses and stayed on to help others with a similar interest.

“It’s a course to teach people how to communicate and how to effectively raise your voice, it also goes through how the Irish political system works, how the voting system works, and how to get in touch with the media and also some public speaking skills.”

The group has also gone on day trips to Leinster House to get a feel for national politics.

Her reason for getting involved in politics and community work is simple: “It’s about ordinary people trying to make a change.”

It is now “high time” for migrants to become involved in politics, whether that is joining a party, running for office, or simply exercising their vote, according to Ini Usanga.

She is helping to organise an event in Cork’s City Hall next month to encourage people who have come to Ireland to participate in politics.

Ms Usanga came to Ireland in 2001 from Nigeria and through her work as a youth worker and family violence expert she became aware of a significant gap in the political sphere.

“The whole thing started when I was working with a lady and she had a problem, she had an issue so we felt it was best to refer her on to her local reps in Cork to get further support.

  “But she came back and she was bawling crying with how she was treated.”

  “So that’s what sparked this, I felt that if we had a migrant involved in politics we could probably relate better with that person.”

Ms Usanga who now lives in Rathcool, Co Cork added: “I think it is now time for us to take a stand.

“It’s high time that migrants also have a voice in Irish politics, especially here in Cork because we have no one.”

The mother of three is involved with the Love and Care for People group which is working with a number of organisations to create awareness and will be encouraging involvement through the upcoming mobilisation event.

“A few months ago we started talking about organising an event to get ourselves involved in Irish politics, to have a voice as opposed to other people making policies for us.”

Political parties will take part in the event which has been organised for September 22 in City Hall and will be similar to an event held in Dublin last March. Ms Usanga who is now considering running in the 2019 local elections, stressed that while information is key the onus is also on migrants to get involved themselves.

“You don’t necessarily have to run for office, but you have a vote and you can use it, it’s about participation.

“It’s about using your voice, when you feel that something is not right, go to your local TD or your local councillor and speak out, it’s really about that and about encouraging people to get involved.

“No one should feel like they are exempt because at the end of the day we live in Ireland, Ireland is now our home to all us and our families, so we should be engaged, we should participate.”

She added that sometimes those who come to Ireland to work or study fear they will be dubbed as “the black sheep” if like they speak out about issues in the community, but this is not the case.

“People prefer to keep quiet. It’s important that they know that when something affects then or they don’t feel comfortable with something, you speak about it you don’t stay silent, because silence doesn’t change anything.”

  , https://www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/specialreports/significant-work-needed-to-increase-level-of-diversity-on-nations-local-authorities-867862.html