Category Archives: Misc

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Sahar Ali, from Dublin, is one of eight finalists in the Philadelphia Creativity for a Cause contest.

She wants to teach English through theatre in Medina, Saudi Arabia and she wants YOUR vote.

Sahar writes:

Hi guys, can you possibly help an Irish expat in Saudi Arabia with a project?

I want to focus on an English club for ladies in the Middle East – where women can learn and socialise, two very important things that many women in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia do not have access to.

Private learning centres are crazy expensive, courses are sparse, trying to meet new people is a nightmare, getting out to meet the ones you already know is almost impossible!

I want to bring English classes, computer classes, book clubs, public speaking classes, new mommy classes, and so much more to Saudi Arabia.

Those who wish can vote here

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Gulp.

John Lawrence writes:

This piece of publicity post popped through the letterbox recently and almost, literally, scared the life out of me.

I have about 10 years to go before I reach my 50th anniversary and the notion that I should be thinking of prepping for my funeral by then is a bit spooky.

Is 50 the new 80 in Ireland now?

What got me feeling even more mortal was the spectre in the all smiling, middle class, family portrait in the top right. It appears grandfather is missing, having departed to his heavenly reward.

But lest we are in any doubt as to his absence, they put the invisible man in white, and left his paw hanging eerily on the shoulder of the daughter/daughter-in-law.

For any older vulnerable person worried about what they will leave to their family upon their demise, this unsolicited note from marketers could be a bit worrying.

But in fairness, the chance to win a free €2,000 holiday voucher, if you rang for a quote, would help those in the 50-75 camp to relax into death that bit easier.

Anyone?

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Fr Vincent Twomey on RTÉ’s Prime Time in 2012

Contrary to the claims made by Dylan Tighe (May 7th), symphysiotomy is not, and never has been, a procedure promoted by the Catholic Church.

It was an exceptionally rare medical procedure (accounting for 0.05 deliveries out of every hundred) used until the danger of infection caused by Caesarean section was, thanks to the development of antibiotics, removed, except at Our Lady’s of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, where it was used until the mid-1980s.

According to the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (2010/2012), the technique is still taught “as an emergency procedure on the ‘Management of Obstetric Emergencies and Trauma’ course of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, London, which many consultants and trainees have attended”.

While it is true that in 1948 Dr Alex Spain, a master of the National Maternity Hospital, did reference what he called the Catholic “rule” on contraception and sterilisation as one of several justifications for resorting to symphysiotomy in a tiny minority of births, it is simply not true to say that this procedure was used mainly for reasons that had to do with Catholic teaching, much less that the procedure was promoted by the Catholic Church or by Catholic moral theologians.

In the moral theology textbooks I consulted, old or recent, it was not even mentioned.

The ethos of religious-run hospitals in Ireland is something to be proud of. That ethos is often reduced to Catholic ethics with regard to what are now called reproductive issues. But Catholic ethos is much more than matters relating to bioethics.

It is founded on a life-long commitment to God by serving those in need, a practice that goes back to the origins of Christianity as inspired by Jesus Christ (Matthew 25:31-46).

The most evident manifestation of a true Catholic ethos and innovation is the hospice movement, founded in Harold’s Cross, Dublin, in 1879 by the Irish Religious Sisters of Charity and then spread throughout the world.

Pioneers in the care of the sick and suffering in Africa were, and are, the Medical Missionaries of Mary, who founded and run Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda. Little recognition is given to their selfless dedication to sick at home and abroad.

Thousands of Irish religious, mostly but not exclusively female, have given their entire lives to care for the sick and suffering. Their “influence . . . over the care of patients” does not deserve to be described, quoting Mr Tighe, as “vile and scandalous”.

Dare I remind Mr Tighe – and others who are allowed to rant on about “religious-run”, “taxpayer-funded hospitals” – that Irish Catholics are also taxpayers?

Rev Dr D Vincent Twomey, SVD
Professor Emeritus of Theology,
Maynooth,
Co Kildare.

Right so.

National Maternity Hospital and Ethos (Irish Times)

Previously: ‘In The Interest Of Patient Safety’

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Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Paschal Donohoe

Further to yesterday evening’s publication of the new Programme for Government.

Newly appointed Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Paschal Donohoe discussed the document with presenter Cathal MacCoille on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland.

In relation to abortion, the Programme for Government states:

We will establish a Citizens’ Assembly, within six months, and without participation by politicians, and with a mandate to look at a limited number of key issues over an extended time period. These issues will not be limited to those directly pertaining to the constitution and may include issues such as, for example how we, as a nation, best respond to the challenges and opportunities of an ageing population.

That said, we will ask the Citizens’ Assembly to make recommendations to the Dáil on further constitutional changes, including on the Eighth Amendment, on fixed term parliaments and on the manner in which referenda are held (e.g. should ‘super referendum days’, whereby a significant number of referenda take place on the same day, be held).

None of this, of course, subverts the right, and the ability of an elected member of Dáil Eireann to have a referendum on any issue, provided that member can secure majority support in parliament.

Mr MacCoille raised this with the Fine Gael TD.

Paschal Donohoe: “The Fine Gael position on that [repealing the 8th amendment] during the general election continues to be the case. We are committed to putting in place the same process that we did in relation to marriage equality that led to a referendum there. So what we will set up will be a Citizens’ Assembly to deliberate on the matter that will then lead to proposals that the Oireachtas would then consider and vote upon.”

Cathal MacCoille: “Or not. There might be no referendum?”

Donohoe: “My expectation is that there will be one and the process that we have put in place is designed to look at, what is a sensitive matter for many, in a careful way but that continues to be a commitment of this Government.”

In response to Mr Donohoe’s comments, Irish Council for Civil Liberties executive director Mark Kelly says:

“Minister Donohoe’s announcement this morning would appear to be another direct outworking of Ireland’s appearance before the UN Human Rights Council yesterday, at which its restrictive abortion regime was harshly criticised.”

“The Convention on the Constitution model proved to be a highly-effective means of debating sensitive matters in an intelligent and nuanced way, leading to a cross-party consensus on proposals to be put to the people.”

“The Irish Council for Civil Liberties believes that it is now incumbent upon the Government to publish its full blueprint for the new Citizen’s Assembly on Repeal of the 8th Amendment that the Tánaiste yesterday promised the United Nations would be up and running within six months.”

Listen back in full here

Rights Watchdog Calls for “Blueprint” of Repeal the 8th Assembly (ICCL)

Rollingnews

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From top: Former Justice Minister Alan Shatter and former Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan; former Garda Confidential Recipient Oliver Connolly; Sgt Maurice McCabe;

You may recall a post from February 18, 2014 containing a transcript of a conversation between former Garda Confidential Recipient, Oliver Connolly and Garda whistleblower Sgt Maurice McCabe on February 9, 2012.

A day after the transcript was published, Mr Connolly was sacked.

The conversation between the two men came after Sgt McCabe had given Mr Connolly a report containing a number of allegations of Garda wrongdoing.

During the meeting Sgt McCabe was told that the then Justice Minister Alan Shatter had referred his complaints to Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan and that no further action would be taken.

Mr Connolly told Sgt McCabe:

“I’ll tell you something Maurice and this is just personal advice to you. If Shatter thinks your screwing him, you’re finished… If Shatter thinks it’s you, if he thinks or is told by the Commissioner or the Gardaí here’s this guy again trying another route trying to put pressure on, he’ll go after you.”

He also told Sgt McCabe:

“What I’ll say to you is, [your report] went to the Department of Justice and that annoyed the Commissioner greatly. I’m sure it’s going to be an embarrassment for the Gardaí, a disaster for them and listen if your complaints are exposed to the print media it will make him an angry man.”

Broadsheet posted the full transcript after excerpts were read into the Dáil by both Independents 4 Change TD Mick Wallace and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin.

Readers may wish to note that this is what former High Court judge Kevin O’Higgins concluded in relation to that transcript, in his Commission of Investigation which was published yesterday:

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Seems legit.

Read the full O’Higgins report here

Previously: ‘The Truth Has Been Established’

Garda Confidential