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 ...
Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Reviewing Ireland’s Human Rights Record
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 on Traitors
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 on A tale of two news stories
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 on More DoE hypocrisy
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 on Communicating in a crisis – what the Irish government did wrong (part 1 of 80-180 billion)
Friday, November 12th, 2010
Minister for Health Mary Harney has criticized protestors who throw things at her - today it was eggs, last week paint - as she visits different parts of the country:
"'I think it's a great pity that in a democracy people don't use the opportunity to put their perspective forward in ...
Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Time for an Irish election
Friday, June 18th, 2010
The BAI are currently undertaking a consultation on proposed increases in the amount of time that can be devoted to advertising on Irish television. They are proposing to increase the limit from 10 minutes per hour to the maximum allowable under EU law, of 12 minutes, and also to increase ...
Posted in Corporate media, Media regulation | 1 Comment »
Thursday, October 29th, 2009
Fianna Fáil backbenchers have been predictably reactionary in their response to the proposal to reduce the drink driving limit in Ireland. However, there have been some interesting suggestions from the head of Macra na Feirme (the young farmers' association), who has largely supported the change, while looking for policy changes ...
Posted in Society and culture, Tobacco and drugs | Comments Off on Drink driving in Ireland
Sunday, September 20th, 2009
The Green Party urge changes to NAMA legislation.
Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on It’s like they’re not really in government
Monday, June 15th, 2009
"The great motto of Mother Mary Aikenhead, who founded the Sisters of Charity, was 'give to the poor what the rich could buy with money.' What better way to live up to this mission, and to make recompense for the wrongs done to children, than to stop taking from the ...
Posted in Uncategorized | Comments Off on Public ownership for public institutions – ending religious control of schools and hospitals.