Category Archives: Politics

from the Dail to the White House and back via Downing Street and elsewhere.

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Alan writes:

“Why are the authorities arresting sex workers in this day and age?
Is the moral fabric of the nation at stake?
Genuine question.”

Anyone?

Previously: Turn Off The Red White And Blue Light

Stopping At Red

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0-y9ZqiY90

A video compiled by Newswhip the people-powered news people on how Pantigate – a story intiailly ignored by mainstream media – evolved with YOUR help.

Paul from Newswhip sez:

“We wanted to show how social media and more unofficial online news outlets can drive news agendas…”

Meanwhile…

…holding a minority view does not automatically confer martyr status on an individual. It just means their opinions are unpopular.This phenomenon was evident during the Pantigate controversy when some commentators, railing against the online backlash, seemed to suggest that central to the concept of free speech was the right to express an opinion without that opinion being challenged or derided.No such right exists.
…If there is a threat to freedom of speech in this country, it is not coming from social media, but from people who prefer to make accusations of bullying instead of defending their opinions from legitimate criticism.

Just because someone disagrees with you doesn’t make it bullying – it’s free speech (Colette Browne, Irish Independent)

 

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Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn makes a biblical parenting observation at Wednesday’s Committee hearing on the Children & Family Relationships Bill 2014.

Meanwhile….

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At the same hearing.

Deputy Jerry Buttimer asks Tom Finegan of Family & Life if gay or lesbian couples or a gay person could raise a child and give it the love and security it needs?

Earlier: Keeping It In The Family

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[From top: Tom Finegan appearing before the Justice Committee on Wednesday and above Senator Ronan Mullen]

David McMahon writes:

“I thought I’d assemble the following just to show how small Dublin/Ireland is in terms of the people who occupy the civil society strata. It is pure coincidence of course that the example below relates to the personages involved, and no judgment is being made on the value of the individuals contributions. Undoubtedly a similar close relationship/cross population/dynamic applies to other areas and sectors. It’s just interesting.

1. The Children and Family Relationships Bill was before the Oireachtas Justice Committee on Wednesday; and in the main was acknowledged as a long overdue and progressive step in recognising the reality of Irish family and reproductive life. The Bill is by no way perfect.

2. In the afternoon session, the witnesses included Family and Life; and were represented by Dr Tom Finegan. Family and Life are based at 26 Mountjoy Square, and per their website:
‘Family & Life is not affiliated to any other organisation, it does not receive nor seek state, organizational or corporate funding; it does not engage in street collections, lotteries or the for-profit sale of goods. Family & Life is not a political lobby group’.

3. Dr Finegan is, a founding member of Catholic Comment; working alongside Ronan Mullen (Director) and David Quinn (Expert/Consultant). Other personages noted on Catholic Comment website include Breda O’Brien, Maria Steen and Lorcan Price.

4. Dr Tom Finegan, was Ronan Mullen’s previous Parliamentary Assistant, as evidenced at this Facebook acknowledgement: “Sen. Ronan Mullen has had to cancel, a last minute-cancellation. He is sending his Parliamentary Assistant Tom Finegan. He’s a PHD candidate in the area of medicine in Trinity College Dublin and will give a robust proposal of the Pro-Life Argument.”

5. Senator Ronan Mullen is a member of the Justice committee and directed his first line of questioning to Dr Finegan, after opening statements by all witnesses. There is no requirement on the part of Committee members to disclose previous professional relationships with witnesses, or is there?

Anyone?

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Above: examples of unused spaces within direct provision accommodation for asylum seekers in Ireland.

Eamon Sheehy of Migrate To The Fringe writes:

The asylum system functions as a closed and confined space far from the rest of society. It is the other, the outside, and a ghetto. The direct provision hostels and their residents don’t seem to have physicality. The rest of society is not to be concerned about their existence. Asylum Archive is taking visual samples of this reality…

UPDATE:

Over on the Human Rights In Ireland blog, Dr Liam Thornton writes:

“Direct provision is 14 years old today. Today, from 7am to 9pm, there will be 14 hours of blog posts on the issue of direct provision. The voices of asylum seekers themselves are central to this blog carnival, and we will hear their voices throughout the day. The Department of Justice and Department of Social Protection were invited to contribute to this carnival, however they have not replied to my email. Therefore, posts from several organisations working with and on behalf of asylum seekers, social workers, others challenging this system and artists, are all present.”

Human Rights In Ireland (#directprovision14)