Thursday, October 6th, 2011
It feels a little unfair to pick on someone when they're down - Dana's trailing the field in the presidential campaign, behind even Mitchell - but this is a fairly basic thing.
Background: Dana Rosemary Scallon became a US citizen shortly before running for president of Ireland in 1997.
The red herrings: ...
Posted in Citizenship, migration, race, and ethnicity, Electoral politics | Comments Off
Thursday, September 1st, 2011
It appears from the report in tomorrow's Irish Times that Anglo Irish Bank is accusing former CEO David Drumm of engaging in fraud to secure his visa to the United States:Anglo alleges that Drumm devised the “loan” from his wife “as a ruse” to qualify for an “E-2 Treaty Investor ...
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Tuesday, June 21st, 2011
Two rather different news stories featuring RTÉ today. The first, their triumph at the New York Festivals Radio Program and Promotion Awards (and isn't that a mouthful), where they were named Broadcaster of the year, as well as being recognized in 17 different categories, including one of only three Grand ...
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Thursday, June 16th, 2011
Two different suggestions today from Labour politicians about appropriate ways to mark Bloomsday. Joe Costello notes that Ireland has one of the lowest numbers of public holidays in Europe (9 per year, only exceeding the 8 of England and Wales) and suggests that making the day a holiday could provide ...
Posted in Education, Income and poverty, Labour issues, Society and culture | 1 Comment »
Saturday, February 19th, 2011
The BAI has released its , covering the 2011/13 period. Good to see both "ensuring diversity" (in services and content) and "ensuring plurality" among the eight core goals identified, though the community radio sector failed in its efforts to have the three separate strands/sectors reflected at mission statement level (that ...
Posted in Media regulation, Radio | Comments Off
Saturday, February 12th, 2011
Somewhat confusing release from the Merrion Street service, noting the opportunity for individuals and groups to make submissions in relation to Ireland's first Human Rights review under the UN's Human Rights Council UPR process. They give June as a deadline for feedback, but the actual UPR.ie site suggests that input ...
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Wednesday, December 1st, 2010
I've been advocating, privately, the prosecution for treason of David Drumm and other Irish former bankers who are manipulating foreign and domestic bankruptcy proceedings to retain their ill-gotten gains. Having made their fortunes by fuelling a speculative bubble, they then engage in clearly deceptive tactics to avoid their personal responsibilities ...
Posted in Electoral politics, Income and poverty, International Affairs, International law and structures | Comments Off
Tuesday, November 30th, 2010
Compare and contrast:
There are fears of (more) deaths, particularly of pensioners and the homeless, as Ireland undergoes below-freezing conditions. (That's not a metaphor for the economy!) Local authorities are struggling to keep roads gritted, with limited budgets available for this purpose (and effect still being felt from repair costs after ...
Posted in Income and poverty, Society and culture | Comments Off
Friday, November 26th, 2010
The Irish educational system has some strange features. One is that while school staff have their wages and conditions set - and paid for - by the Department of Education - they are not viewed, in law, as employees of the Department. Historically this has been used as a fudge ...
Posted in Education, Income and poverty, Labour issues | Comments Off
Sunday, November 21st, 2010
When I talk with my students about PR I explain that the first rule of crisis communication is to 'fess up - get out in front of the rumours and claims, admitting the truth (in order that you can have a say in framing that truth).
This week the Irish ...
Posted in Citizenship, migration, race, and ethnicity, Electoral politics, Income and poverty, International Affairs, Labour issues, Political activism, Society and culture | Comments Off
