Author Archives: Admin

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Diarmuid Ó Curraoin (Student Union Business/Law Convenor), Megan Reilly (SU Equality Officer), Daniel Khan (SU VP/Welfare), Jimmy McGovern (SU President), Ellen Donohoe (NUIG Amnesty Society)

NUI Galway Students’ Union writes:

NUI Galway Students’ Union will be distributing free tampons and sanitary pads to students during their Equality Week on campus this week. The move is aimed to highlight the hidden costs of being a woman. Sanitary products are 23% more expensive in Ireland than in the UK which has a high impact on cash-strapped students. Volunteers from the Students’ Union Equality Team will distribute the “Tompax” – Time of the Month Packs – this Tuesday and Thursday.

During the week, the Students’ Union will also be examining issues relating to student workers’ rights with a wide range of speakers from Employment Relation representatives such as the Irish Congress of Trade Unions advising students of their rights. A recent survey found that a worrying 43% of NUI Galway students in employment do not have a contract of employment.

The issue of reproductive rights will be looked at on Tuesday evening with a panel discussion on repealing the Eighth Amendment hosted by Amnesty International Society. On Wednesday the Equality Team will be conducting an accessibility audit of the NUI Galway Campus to identify areas that need improvement for students with disabilities.

Equality Week 2017 (NUI Galway)

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Independent 4 Change TDs Mick Wallace and Clare Daly at a meeting of the Joint Committee on Justice and Equality last October

Today.

Independent 4 Change TD Mick Wallace, in The Irish Times, writes:

Not surprisingly, the weak legislation establishing the Policing Authority has resulted in a weak Policing Authority in practice. The body was supposed to have responsibility for senior appointments from the outset, but this was delayed till January 2017. In the vacuum, Garda Commissioner Nóirín O’Sullivan has appointed more than 40 senior officers.

The Garda Commissioner still remains exclusively accountable to the Minister for Justice, and the Police Authority cannot even issue policy directives. Does that sound independent? Shockingly, after 10 days, the authority broke its silence to endorse the Garda Commissioner, which amounts to an effective slap in the face to Sgt McCabe and other whistleblowers.

…O’Sullivan’s statements in public are at complete odds with her actions in private. In October 2016, she told the Oireachtas Justice Committee that “anyone who brings forward issues and concerns will be supported”.

But Garda Nick Keogh made his protected disclosure on May 8th, 2014, to the then confidential recipient, Judge Pat McMahon. Following that, he was subjected to five internal investigations.

Readers will recall how Garda Keogh has been on sick leave since December 2015.

Mick Wallace: To change An Garda, get rid of its hierarchy (The Irish Times)

Previously: New Mick’s Tape

You’ll Get Nothing From Me

‘Why Are Nine Garda Whistleblowers Out Sick?’

Protecting Disclosures

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Lisa Wilkinson, of well-being centre the elbowroom, in Stoneybatter, Dublin 7, writes:

In support of the women of Ireland and to highlight our commitment to women-centered health care, The elbowroom will be supporting its staff’s decision to strike on the 8th of March. This means the centre will be closed for the day, re-opening on Thursday the 9th March.

We are doing this because the Irish Government still has not called a referendum to repeal the 8th Amendment.

The elbowroom will open it’s doors on the day to campaigners and supporters of the Repeal The 8th movement…Soup and tea will be served between 1 pm and 3 pm. All those who support the initiative are welcome.

The elbowroom will be closed on the 8th March – Strike4Repeal (The elbowroom)

Previously: Black Flu

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Minister for Finance Michael Noonan

Yesterday.

In the Sunday Business Post.

Further to the newspaper’s report last week that the Minister for Finance Michael Noonan, the Department of Finance and Nama have been heavily criticised in a draft report by the Public Accounts Committee – in relation to Nama’s sale of its Northern Ireland loan book, known as Project Eagle…

And that, specifically, it was “not appropriate” for Noonan or Nama to meet with Cerberus the day before the Project Eagle bid closing date…

Jack Horgan-Jones and Hugh O’Connell reported:

Noonan has rebutted the finding, contained in the committee’s draft working paper and published by this newspaper last week, that it was “not appropriate” for him to meet with the US fund prior to its €1.6 billion purchase of Nama’s Northern portfolio. The draft said this could be perceived as “special treatment”.

…In a letter to the committee last week, Noonan expressed “great concern” over the draft findings, saying they were “extremely damaging” to him. He maintains that the meetings were not inappropriate and that he was never given a right of reply.

But committee members are doubling down this weekend. “Everybody agrees the fact that he met them is a problem. Everybody understands. Nobody can say it was a good idea to meet Cerberus on the day of the bids,” a PAC source said.

“The point of that whole meeting, the potential impression that meeting gave, will remain in [the report] . . . The essence of that meeting happening at that time and the impression of that meeting and having such access at that critical time will be in the final report.”

Another committee source said that while the language around the finding may change, it is extremely unlikely to be removed altogether.

Fine Gael TDs on the committee have indicated they will attempt to block any report which states that Noonan did not act appropriately.

PAC stands firm over criticism of Noonan-Cerberus meeting (Jack Horgan-Jones, Hugh O’Connell, The Sunday Business Post)

Rollingnews

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Notions.

Coming soon to this site and other social media platforms.

A new five-part comedy web series by Valerie Ní Loinsigh and Eoghan McQuinn. To wit:

Valerie & Eoghan are two drama school drop-outs who assume many uncomfortable positions in life, entry level minimum wage jobs and fetal positions on the couch. Together they must face the economic realities and mental delusions of their mid-20s. Okay fine, late 20s…

Notions (Facebook)