“We also note that Atlantic Philanthropies has awarded Tusla a grant of €8.3 million. Atlantic Philanthropies is the same organisation that has given millions of dollars in recent years to LGBT lobby groups to successfully push for the marriage referendum currently underway. Perhaps Atlantic Philanthropies would consider replacing the money Tusla was giving Accord as a gesture of good will?”
David Quinn, pro ‘No’ campaigner, Tuesday.
Rachel writes:
David Quinn refers yet again to the donations ‘The Atlantic Philanthropies’ have given to LGBT organisations in Ireland. A point repeatedly made by the No side, which they are using in order to scare people who are still on the fence into thinking that this referendum is being ‘bought’.
I have looked through the grants made by The Atlantic Philanthropies to organisations in the Republic of Ireland since 2001, and LGBT organisations account for 1.1% of them.
The remaining 98.9% of funds have been give to organisations with programmes focused on:
– Children & Youth – Community Development – Higher Education – Health – Science – Youth Development – Ageing. The highest of these grants was $22 million, given to St James Hospital in 2006.
I fear that David’s problem relates to the fact that these grants have not been given to organisations afilliated with religion. I wish he would pull back on the scaremongering a little and try to reflect, as a religious man, on the good that these funds have done to organisations in his home country.
Ouch.
Has he explained yet why a children’s fund should be paid to a Catholic marriage preparation course service?
I was very surprised to see that the government was giving money to marriage preparation courses (which are a load of rubbish).
As someone who completed one last year, and now happily married, I actually found that they had decent practical applications for a lot of couples who had maybe only been together < 2 or 3 years, or who maybe hadn't lived together all that long. Both my wife and I, neither of us particularly religious, thought they were a good idea given that they only take a few hours and a couple of hundred quid to complete.
really, you needed a priest led course to explain how to live with your spouse? seriously?
Out of curiosity, did you have to pay for it?
Eh…..
Wow.
Best of luck for the future?
Glad you found it useful – but it’s not something the child protection agency should be covering.
Well, they do have an argument that parental relationships impact on kids. Having said that, I’m not sure its the pointy end of safe guarding which is likely to be Tulsa’s brief. And I don’t think religious groups should be providing said services unless they are completely religion-free.
True, but Tusla’s point is that this is for everyone, regardless of need. There are a million things more urgent the Child protection agency could be using it’s budget for rather than training people who most likely don’t even have kids yet.
Oh yah, I agree
I had the opposite experience. The whole course was aimed at people who were coming into their first contact with a person of the opposite sex on their wedding day. They had line drawings of male and female genitalia to explain sex to the couples on the course. We got a talk about how to deal with, for example, your new husband leaving his socks on the floor or inviting his family to dinner when the county are playing in Croke Park.
I am not making any of this up.
Got shown a scene of a row taken from the movie The Break up. I spit you not. Then asked about said row.
If you need a course, you shouldn’t be getting married.
I did one about 8 years ago. Think it was ACCORD. I had no interest but had to do it for the church wedding (wife’s desire) if I recall. All I can remember was some lad suggesting that if any of us couples were currently living together, then we should try living in separate rooms from now until the wedding. FFS… that’s all I really remember because I though “what is this complete load of bollix”. Oh yeah, and there was some kind of hand holding in a circle prayer thing as well… I remember the wife pinching me as I kept asking “when will they administer the Kool Aid” under my breath. It’s all coming back now :)
“neither of us particularly religious”
So you’re religious then.
accord do a bit more than marriage course. If accord folder the state would probably need to step in on the marriage counselling bit – which will cost cash. probably easier to pay a quango to do it.
anyway I’d rather accord in business (they at least have a mandate with the catholics and all that)… than Ivana Bacik and her ilk..
They are a bit rubbish, know my experience too, but that could be due to our age. I’d imagine if you were 22 with little life experience it probably would have been grand. But you get to the point where you’ve accrued a little life experience, there’s not that much for you.
Yes David, tell us about the shame we should be feeling. While youre at it maybe tell us where all the funding for the iona institute comes from.
Guys, stop persecuting him by asking him reasonable questions.
Press release taken down already?
This one is funny too
http://www.mediahq.com/ionainstitute/108088/press-release-from-the-iona-institute-maureen-gaffney-must-withdraw-nazi-comparison.html
Happy to accuse others but claim they aren’t being homophobic at all….
Thats a terrible comparison to make, say what you like about the Nazi’s but at least they had style.
Hugo Boss style
Fitted jackets look nicer David, thats all im saying
Nothing like a crisp sharp suit to show you mean business, fascist or otherwise.
No voters deserve jackboots too!
Is this yer one off X Factor?
David Quinn complains about donations from America to political and quasi-political organisations in Ireland.
David Quinn.
Founder of the Iona Institute.
An organisation who are almost entirely funded by donations from right-wing Christian organisations from… you guessed it… the good ol’ US of A.
Christ, I’ve encountered clouds who are more self aware than that gobshite.
http://i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/facebook/000/483/894/463.jpg
This is now starting to look cray-cray. Quinner imagines that AP should answer to him and put their funds where he sees fit.
Maybe, as a charity, the Iona Loonstitute should be funding gay organizations? Only fair, balanced etc etc
They’re like a dog with a bone on this one, as if Iona isn’t hugely funded by US interests. How is he not being challenged on that fact? What’s that thing his church says about motes and beams?
Great Headline :)
Just… never go full IONA !
pure desperation
they even have posters up now saying don’t be bullied – vote no or some such crap.
at their wits end I’d say the poor craythurs
Saw some No posters on the quays with the bible quotes about “man and woman he made them” and “what god has joined let nobody seperate” which seemed more appropriate to the divorce referendum but there you go.
This biblical stuff, along with the expert on the length of gay relationships being trotted out, shows that the mask is slipping in their desperation.
we all have problem with one tax avoider spending money to push his opinions (whether we agree with them or not) in this country but not another billionaire who business was based on avoiding tax
Sorry Wut ?
“I fear that David’s problem relates to the fact that these grants have not been given to organisations afilliated with religion”
The actual problem is that David Quinn is a bigot, as are all of these self appointed spokespersons from the iona institute. They clearly hate and fear all things related to the LGBT community and will use any and all means to prevent efforts to change religious based laws which discriminate against this group.
This!..
Isn’t he one of these pro choice heads? And don’t them lads get mad money from religious nut Yanks?
IONA denied having loads of money from the US, last week, pretty much suggesting they have little or no money. But still won’t show any accounts….. hmmmmm….
Also, David Quim when reporting on Atlantic Philanthropies contributions in Ireland last week noted that Atlantic Phil signed up to SIPO* ….as if that were a bad thing.
When charities and lobbies sign up to SIPO, it is to show that they have nothing to hide and are willing to co-operate with SIPOs lobbying and interest groups rules. IONA and YD are not willing participants.
______________________
*SIPO are tasked with monitoring pressure groups, interest groups and lobbying groups, among other duties. Signing up to SIPO is voluntary at present, which makes their rules largely uneforceable which is why IONA, Youth Defence, etc. don’t sign up. There is new legislation slowly coming and that’ll change things for the like of IONA et al and any other lobbyists not willing to declare whose interest they represent.
iona are signed up. they did a u turn on it a while ago.
I just filled in the kitchen window and that’s taken care of her curiosity.
The No side are entertaining. Scary, terrifying, intimidating, weirdly obsessed with the private lives of others,…but entertaining.