Russian red top Express Gazeta‘s predictions on how Europe will look in 2035, unearthed by io9.
As well as a united Ireland, they’re betting Scotland leaving the UK will spur on an independent Basque country and Catalonia among others.
The author admits though (as translated by Google):
“Such territorial changes are possible only when the coincidence huge number of factors. However, the probability that in 2035 the political map of Europe will be tailored for this model is quite high…”
Health Minister Dr James Reilly appeared on the BBC2 documentary series ‘Burning Desire’ last night. As Peter Taylor asked him about the introduction of plain packaging he had this to say about the tobacco lobby:
Peter Taylor: “But on what grounds could the tobacco industry/cigarette companies take legal action against your government?”
Dr James Reilly: “They will argue that we are interfering with intellectual property rights. It would be an extraordinary society that would put the intellectual property rights of multinationals over the right to life of citizens and children particularly. This is a nation that stands on its own two feet and we’ll protect our children.”
[Top – Maurice Cummins, centre – Marc MacSharry, bottom – Paddy Burke]
The Seanad was suspended for half an hour this morning after a row broke out following claims of a conflict of interest made by Fine Gael Senator Maurice Cummins against Fianna Fáil Senator Marc MacSharry’s membership of the banking inquiry.
Cathaoirleach Paddy Burke was forced to rise to his feet (woo!) as Senator MacSharry said:
“In my years in the Senate, it is an outrage, an absolute outrage”
and later addressing the Cathaoirleach:
“What’s outrageous is what you’ve allowed the chair to do to a member of the House. It’s a disgrace. But you’re bringing this, you’ve the chair and this House into disrepute to allow this disgraceful impugning of the character of a member”
Later, Senator Paul Bradford tried to calm matters by saying:
“We are all grown adults and surely if we can adjourn for one twenty minutes or half an hour it should be possible to resolve this difficulty”
We’re not entirely sure about that assertion Senator Bradford in light of the evidence presented.
On last night’s Tonight with Vincent Browne, Vincent was joined by Louise Bayliss of single parent action group SPARK Parents to review the papers.
A headline about the Labour leadership contest in the Irish Examiner grabbed her attention.
Vincent Browne: “Louise, what do you want to focus on?”
Louise Bayliss: “Well I’m just looking in here again. We’re having ‘Former Labour deputy backs Burton’, this is inside in the Irish Examiner, page 6 of the Irish Examiner. And you’re just looking at it and you’re saying Burton and…”
Browne: “This is [Labour stalwart and former government minister] Barry Desmond yeah.”
Louise Bayliss: “You’re looking and going [Joan]Burton and Alex White, you know what is the choice there? Like, I feel sorry, I genuinely I say this hand on heart, I feel sorry for grassroot Labour members who put their faith in Labour and are now coming up with a contest between Minister Burton and Alex White. I mean Minister Burton, I know I’m coming from a lone parent’s point of view but only two weeks ago I was at a meeting in the Department of Social Protection where they were talking about the cuts coming in place for lone parents and for some reason even though I would be very aware of what was happening, I never expected that they would make no exception for lone parents with a disabled child and they haven’t. And from next July, a lone parent with a disabled child will lose €86 a week from their weekly income when their child turns 7. For no other reason, their child turns 7, they lose €86 from their weekly income. 27% of their income, that’s a decision made specifically by Minister Burton. That’s not imposed on her by anybody, that was chosen by her and when we’ve tried to put this out she will not listen us. And then we have the other choice of..”
Browne: “Have you spoken to her about this?”
Bayliss: “We have spoken to her.”
Browne: “Person to person?”
Bayliss: “I actually have spoken to her person to person.”
Browne: “And what did she say?”
Bayliss: [Waves hand] “We’ll sort it out, we’ll sort it out. She basically would not debate with us. We’ve written to her. I spoke to her face to face and she just literally just waved me aside as if my concerns meant nothing and you know I think we’re talking about austerity and I do not know any other sector who could take a 27% cut in their income and yet a lone parent; 98% who are women, are going to lose 27% of their income because their disabled child turns 7. They are no more able to work when their child was 6. They are trapped at home and there’s nobody speaking up for them and you know when I look at this and I know that Labour grassroot members hear what I’m saying and they look and they have this choice to make between Minister White who defended medical card cuts and Minister Burton who thinks a lone parent with a disabled child can bear the most cuts, I feel saddened for the Labour party.”
Browne: “Do you think it makes any difference who’s Labour leader?”
Bayliss: “No, I don’t. At this stage, I don’t. Not from the choices that are made here.”
Earlier in Castlebar, Pat The Cope Gallagher conceded defeat after calling for a recount.
Luke Ming Flanagan (Ind), Matt Carthy (Sinn Féin), Mairead McGuinness (Fine Gael), Ronan Mullen (Ind) and Marian Harkin (Ind) will represent Ireland Midlands–North-West in the European Parliament.
We at BVB make our position unequivocally clear. We will not tolerate any far-right disposition in our stadium. Intimidation and discrimination have no place at our ground. Should anyone have the misguided belief that they can misuse our sport and Borussia Dortmund to spread their inhumane propaganda, then they should be in no doubt: The schwarzgelb family will stand firm against them! It is the only way we can rid our stadia of such attitudes. Nazis and football do not go together!
NI First Minister Peter Robinson has voiced support for the Belfast preacher whose firebrand sermon is at the centre of a hate crime investigation.
The DUP leader said that in the past he had joined the congregation of Whitewell Metropolitan Tabernacle to listen to Pastor James McConnell (above) preach and that he intended to go back to the church in the future.
He described the preacher as “somebody who has lived his life for Christ”. The first minister said it was “the duty of any Christian preacher to denounce false doctrine”. “That’s a duty – so he’s perfectly entitled to do that – it’s an appropriate thing for a minister to do”, he said.
The DUP leader also said he did not trust Muslims who had been involved in “terrorist activities” or those who were “fully devoted to Sharia Law”. But he did say he would “trust them to go down the shops for me” and undertake other day-to-day tasks.
Right so.
No word from the First Minister about the homophobic sermons then?
Former Fianna Fáil senator Dan Kiely is pressing ahead with a legal challenge to the result of the local election in the Listowel electoral area. The now independent candidate lost out by just two votes to Fine Gael’s Mike Kennelly in the final count – a result that was upheld in a recount demanded by Mr Kiely on Sunday.
Mr Kiely is now going to the courts in an effort to force another recount – one that will allow him to look at the 173 spoiled votes in the Listowel local electoral area.
Mr Kiely said that neither he nor any of his agents were party to the adjudication on the invalid votes on Saturday and did not have an opportunity to examine them before the recount.
Former Senator lost out by two votes (Dónal Nolan, The Kerryman) (not available online)
