Just been contacted by staff from within the Euro Parliament and told I must remove this video. I won’t be. #TTIPhttps://t.co/JkVLDyxMdQ
— Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan (@lukeming) May 4, 2016
Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan MEP writes:
Just been contacted by staff from within the Euro Parliament and told I must remove this video. I won’t be. #TTIP
Previously: TTIP Of The Iceberg
TTIP?
This morning.
Inishbofin, Connemara, Co Galway.
Population: 160
Marie Coyne writes:
Inishbofin is the first Irish island to receive a ecotourism award – – The Ecotourism award, was presented today to a number of people (above) and organisations involved with promoting the island, is recognised by the Global Sustainable Tourism Council…
Fair play in fairness.
Like the Eurovision Song Contest?
Free Friday?
Neil Curran writes:
Some of your readers might be interested in an event taking place on Friday night at 8pm in the Harbour Playhouse in Portobello, D8. “Improvision” – The Eurovision, improvised. Taking all the bad bits of the Eurovision and making it mean something again. Musical accompaniment from “The Hold Me Nows”.
The National Board for Safeguarding Children in the Catholic Church has today published its final tranche of reviews – 30 in total – of child safeguarding practice within certain orders and congregations.
The NBSCCC is a church-run organisation and reviews are done on an invitation basis.
Among the 30 orders or congregations reviewed were the Blessed Sacrament Fathers; the Brothers of Charity; Hospitaller Order Of Saint John of God; the Marist Brothers; and the Personal Prelature of Opus Dei – all of whom had allegations made against them.
The following four orders or congregations – the Society of St Paul; the Society of Divine Saviour (Salvatorians); the Daughters of the Cross of Liege; and the Comboni Missionaries Of The Heart of Jesus – also had allegations made against them but, according to the NBSCCC, no longer have a ministry with children in Ireland.
The 30 reviews – which can be accessed here – related to complaints made between January 1, 1975 and the period of the review which began in December 2015.
Overall, the reviews found there 288 allegations made against 90 priests, brothers or sisters with just 10 criminal convictions arising from those complaints.
The allegations relate to the period between 1950 and 2002 with one incident in 2013.
In relation to the Society of Divine Saviour (Salvatorians), the NBSCCC found the following in relation to a now deceased priest, referred to only as Fr A:
“Information received from the Salvatorians, indicate that there was one priest who ministered in Ireland against whom there were allegations of child sexual abuse. According to the Salvatorian case file, there is knowledge of 9 named children who were abused by Fr. A.”
“However, behind the small numbers recorded is this one case of a prolific, long term abuser of children, there is information on file which suggests, by his own admission Fr. A had abused in excess of 100 children, mostly girls in the age range 6 years to 9 years of age, in various parts of Ireland; but Fr. A did not provide the names of these children when making this admission.”
“Fr. A served as a Salvatorian priest from the time of his ordination in the 1950s to the time of his death, in 2009.”
“He worked as a teacher and a seminary lecturer in the UK, a member of the General Council of the Order in Rome, a parish priest in an Australian and in a Dublin parish, and as a congregational archivist and hospital Chaplain in Rome.”
“His abuse began early in his priesthood and lasted at least until 2004.”
“Fr. A was accused in 2002 by a female relative of abusing her when she was a child; and from reviewing the case files this appears to be the first allegation that was made known to the congregation.”
“While it is difficult from the written records to be completely sure of when his Provincial was first made aware of this allegation, Fr. A was withdrawn by the then Provincial from his parish in Dublin in December 2002.”
“By that time Fr. A had been assessed, though it is noted that Fr. A had arranged this assessment himself. The advice of the assessing professional was that, while the abuse alleged did happen, it was probably a once-off event.”
“He did however state that it would probably be wise not to allow Fr. A to have ministry that allowed him access to children. The Provincial wrote to the Archbishop of Dublin informing him that he was withdrawing Fr. A from the parish, and he implied that this was due to the stress of his responsibilities there.”
“The Provincial however did not inform the Archbishop of the real reason for withdrawing the priest; and he subsequently arranged for him to take up a position in the congregation’s archives at the congregation’s Motherhouse in Rome.”
“…As nobody in Rome had been made aware that there were child protection concerns about Fr. A, he was not supervised in any way while he worked in Rome.”
“To date the congregation has not received any allegations relating to Fr. A’s time spent in Rome as an archivist and hospital chaplain.”
“It is recorded that Fr. A returned in May 2004 on holidays to the Dublin parish from which he had previously been withdrawn, and that he said Mass and mixed with parishioners there. It is not recorded on file whether this was Fr. A’s only visit to Ireland following his posting to Rome in early 2003.”
“The Salvatorians are currently investigating an allegation from a woman who was abused as a child by a priest in that Dublin parish in 2004; during which time Fr. A was back on holidays ministering in the parish; it has not been confirmed that the respondent priest was Fr A.”
“…Fr. A was convicted of child sexual abuse in December 2007. The case related to his abuse of ‘several girls over a 25-year period. He was given a custodial sentence of four years with all but 18 month suspended.”
“Fr. A was released from prison in early 2009… He died later that year.”
The NBSCCC found the following 19 orders or congregations had no allegations made against them while they have no or limited ministry with children in Ireland: Alexian Brothers; Benedictine Monks – Stamullen; Franciscans Conventual; Franciscan Renewal – Limerick and Derry; Marianists; Sons of Divine Providence; Adorers of the Sacred Heart of Jesus of Montmartre; Blessed Sacrament Sisters; Carmelites – Aged and Infirm – Dalkey; Carmelites – Enclosed – x 10; Clarissian Missionary Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament; Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Littlehampton; Franciscan Missionaries of Mary; Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady; Handmaids of the Sacred Heart of Jesus; La Retraite Sisters; Missionaries of Charity – NON CORI; Missionary Sisters of St Peter Claver; Poor Clares – Enclosed x 6.
Review of Child Safeguarding Practice in the Society of the Divine Saviour (Salvatorians) (NBSCCCCI)
30 Review Reports on Child Safeguarding Practice, (May 4, 2016)
Earlier: ‘There Was No Cover-Up At All’
Dr Peter Boylan
“There are serious challenges when it comes to things like tubal ligation, IVF services, abortion, gender reassignment surgery, etc. None of these are allowed in Catholic-controlled hospitals around the world and it’s a puzzle as to why the nuns, or religious Sisters of Charity would want to be involved.
“I mean I can’t imagine them being comfortable with a hospital which is effectively under their control doing these sorts of things in one of their hospitals.”
Dr Peter Boylan, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at the National Maternity Hospital and Chairman of Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, speaking on Morning Ireland this morning about the ongoing national maternity hospital row.
St Vincent’s Healthcare Group is refusing to allow an application for planning permission go forward to An Bord Pleanala until the Holles Street board agrees to come under its corporate governance structure.
Meanwhile, in today’s Ireland edition of the The Times, Justine McCarthy writes:
What really upset St Vincent’s have been the legitimate concerns raised in the media about a hospital group that is owned by an order of Catholic nuns taking control of the state’s national maternity hospital.
Historically, the church’s grip on women’s wombs has produced some of the tawdriest and most tragic scandals of the Irish state.
Think of the mass graves in Dublin’s High Park laundry and Tuam’s mother and baby home. Think of the mothers who had their pelvises sundered during symphysiotomy and the dying Savita Halappanavar being told she could not have her doomed pregnancy terminated because “this is a Catholic country”.
The Religious Sisters of Charity ran three of the Magdalene laundries covered by the McAleese report, which catalogued the systemic indentured servitude of pregnant girls and women, and which led to Enda Kenny’s apology in the Dail.
The nuns have refused to contribute to the state’s compensation scheme for the women. Meanwhile, St Vincent’s group receives over €200 million a year from the exchequer.
Listen back in full here
Hysterical women and the maternity hospital delay (The Times Ireland edition, Justine McCarthy)
Previously: ‘In The Interest Of Patient Safety’
Tonight: My Lovely EP: Duke Special, Neil Hannon & more @ Button Factory, Curved Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2 (€7)
Nialler9 writes:
The My Lovely Horse Rescue charity retrains, rehabilitates & re-homes abandoned horses. Cathy Davey is involved so she and her musician friends have put together an EP of songs to raise money for the charity. Tonight’s launch features possibly equine-themed songs from Neil Hannon, Duke Special, Paddy Hanna, No Monster Club, The Late David Turpin, Gar Cox and promised special guests.
YIKE’S!
Gaz Flood writes:
Outside a print shop in Cork. My teeth are still grinding 4 hours later.
Fine Gael ‘s Michael Noonan (left) and Pat Breen
We have a ‘deal’.
Earlier this morning, Fine Gael TD from Clare, Pat Breen, spoke to Morning Ireland presenter Dr Gavin Jennings about the ‘agreement’ reached between Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil on a Fine Gael minority-led government.
So, any concessions?
Grab a tay.
Dr Gavin Jennings: “I gather unanimous backing at your own parliamentary party meeting for this document last night?”
Pat Breen: “Yes indeed, we had a full house for the parliamentary party meeting and it was a unique meeting because it was the first time we had our almost complete parliamentary party together since the Senate results, we got new Senators in place. Minister Coveney went through the document in detail and there was unanimous backing in relation to it. Questions were asked by a lot of members, of course but I mean it was constructive, it was a good meeting and it got the unanimous backing of the Fine Gael parliamentary party.”
Dr Jennings: “Fianna Fáil conceded to a Fine Gael-led minority government, what has your party conceded to Fianna Fáil?”
Breen: “Well it’s not a question about conceding, it’s a question of a compromise. I mean, look, we faced a situation, after the general election, where we didn’t get the majority we needed to return the outgoing government, we returned as the largest party in the Dáil, I think there was an onus on Fine Gael to try and form a Government, we’ve been trying to do this over the last 67 days, talking to Independents, talking to Fianna Fáil, and eventually coming up with this document which reflects the broad policy principles, agreed by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael negotiators and today of course we’re making progress with the Independents and hopefully before the end of the week we may be able to put a Government into place.”
Dr Jennings: “Now it’s in writing, it’s been published, we can see it, it contains a lot more policy than I think many of us expected, albeit, in some places, it’s a little vague. Can I just read out some sections just to see…”
Breen: “Sure.”
Dr Jennings: “These might have been some of the questions that might have been raised by you and other members last night. You spent a long time talking about water with Fianna Fáil and we know about the commission that’s going to be set up and the suspension of water charges. ‘We affirm that those who’ve paid their water charges to date will be treated no less favourably than those who have not’ – what does that mean?”
Breen: “Well it means that anybody that has paid their bills will have paid their bills in full obviously. It’ll take six weeks to set up this commission and to suspend the water charges. So everybody will have to pay their water bills for the first half of this year. And obviously the law has to be upheld in relation to those people, we want to treat people equally here, to that haven’t paid their water bills and that’s the situation at the moment. Water bills are live right up to the time when legislation is put into place, probably in six to seven days time which will probably bring the water bills right up to the end of June.”
Dr Jennings: “So those who haven’t paid will be pursued?”
Breen: “Those that haven’t paid will be pursued, the law will have to be upheld in relation to this.”
Dr Jennings: “How will they be pursued?”
Breen: “That’s a matter for the Irish Water, obviously they’re pursuing people at the moment. Over 65% of the people that paid their water bills – that water, any arrears that are in place will be there for those people to pay at some stage.”
Dr Jennings: “And if you don’t pay?”
Breen: “If you don’t pay then that’s a matter for Irish Water to decide how to deal with the situation.”
Dr Jennings: “The other questions that arise, and there’s a few of them, under the heading ‘Securing affordable homes and tackling homelessness’. You promise to provide greater protection for mortgage holders – how?”
Breen: “I think that’s all, this is, first of all, I have to say this policy is a statement of broad policy principles..”
Dr Jennings: “Very broad.”
Breen: “It’s a bit broad. That’s all you’d expect it to be Gavin, really, at this stage. It’s not going to be a programme for Government. Obviously a programme for Government would be much more comprehensive. You have to understand this is a minority-Government and that Fianna Fáil will be in opposition and we’re going to be in Government, so the document that was agreed was always going to be very broad, a broad policy principles of both parties in agreement. On the issues that were raised at the doorsteps during the election campaign, you mentioned mortgage relief and that’s something that’s extremely important – that’s now been extended now right up to, it was supposed to end in December 2017 – that’s going to be extended as well. Rent supplement is going to be increased as well – up to 15% as well. So, you know, what we have done in this document is that we haven’t compromised in the core Fine Gael policy, I think that’s important as well.”
Dr Jennings: “At all?”
Breen: “No, not in a lot of issues. We’ve, if you look at the document in detail, a lot…”
Dr Jennings: “Did you compromise at all?”
Breen: “A lot of the Fine Gael manifesto is included in this here, of course you have to compromise on certain issues…”
Dr Jennings: “Like what?”
Breen: “Well we compromised in relation to Irish Water. First, you know, Fianna Fáil did as well. We wanted charges to be brought in immediately. That didn’t happen because we didn’t get the numbers in the Dáil… and Irish Water is still there. I think that’s the important thing to point out.”
Dr Jennings: “Have you compromised on USC?”
Breen: “No, well, we haven’t compromised in USC, what we have, we have compromised a certain amount in USC...”
Dr Jennings: “You said you wanted to abolish…”
Breen: “What we want to do here is eventually fade out USC, but we are, it’s going to, I mean we are going to ensure that low-paid workers and middle-aged workers, middle-paid workers, that it’s going to be reduced on them, so it’s going to take a little bit of time…”
Dr Jennings: “Are you going to abolish it?”
Breen: “Sorry?”
Dr Jennings: “Are you going to abolish it? Have you had to compromise?”
Breen: “Eventually, we will abolish USC…it was always going to be a temporary tax, it was never going to be a permanent tax for people. And, you know, at the doorsteps, people, during the election campaign, people were very much in favour of this tax which was, again as I said, a temporary tax, it was never going to be a permanent tax.”
Dr Jennings: “‘We will take all necessary action to tackle high variable interest rates’ – what does that mean?”
Breen: “Well, exactly, I mean obviously what’s important here, in relation for people, is to ensure that people are kept in their homes, that they can pay an affordable mortgage, I think that’s extremely important as well. And you know when we put the programme for Government together, obviously it’ll be much more comprehensive in relation to…”
Dr Jennings: “What does ‘take all necessary action’ mean?”
Breen: “Well it’ll mean ensure that we work for the people, we’re in a situation now we’re in a minority government, we have to ensure that we’re working for the people and to ensure…”
Dr Jennings: “Yes, I know that but just, the phrase is put in here after weeks of talks, what does it mean – ‘take all necessary action’. Is it just thrown in there just to make us all feel good or does it mean something?”
Breen: “No it’s put in there for a reason, it’s put in there for a reason because we know the difficulties that people are facing in relation to mortgages, we know the difficulties people have in relation to a payment, paying their mortgages and you know every effort has to be made to ensure that people are kept in their family homes.”
Dr Jennings: “Like what?”
Breen: “Well, whatever is, you know, can be decided by the Government when it’s set in place. It’s not for me to decide on that at the moment. Obviously that’s something that’s going to be put into the programme for government. There is going to be a minister for housing put into place and, you know, there’s going to be Dáil committees as well. I think the Dáil is going to be a very important place now for Dáil deputies because a lot more work is going to be done there and, obviously, you’re going to have corresponding committees as well, so the new Dáil is going to be far more transparent, it’s going to be far more accountable and a lot more work is going to be done there – particularly in relation to the preparation of budgets.”
Dr Jennings: “When will there be a Government?”
Breen: “I would hope there would be a Government in place before the end of the week, if not early next week, but I would hope that it would happen sooner rather than later. I think a lot of progress has been made with the Independents over the last couple of days. There’s going to be a lot of work done today with the Independents as well. There are some outstanding issues to be dealt with but, you know, most concerns have been dealt with the [Independent] Alliance and with the rural group.”
Dr Jennings: “What are the big issues left to be dealt with?”
Breen: “Well, obviously, the individual deputies, Independent deputies will have their own issues, I’m not privy to those issues at the moment because obviously those talks are taking place within the confines of Leinster House with our negotiators but I’m happy to report that a lot of progress has been made and I’m confident that we will be in a situation in the coming days to form a minority government and there’s going to be a challenge, there’s no doubt about that out there. The reality here is for all deputies, 158 deputies is that the careful management of the economy and the public finances will remain a priority for them, this minority government and there’s a challenge for all of us in this, including the Opposition.”
Listen back in full here
Rollingnews
