A Russian lawmaker has asked parliament to give women two days paid leave a month when they menstruate, a move that has irked rights activists worried over creeping conservatism since Vladimir Putin resumed the presidency. Mikhail Degtyaryov, a member of the nationalist LDPR party led by the outspoken Vladimir Zhirinovsky, wrote on his website that he had proposed a draft law to increase the protection of women at the workplace.
“During that period (of menstruation), most women experience psychological and physiological discomfort. The pain for the fair sex is often so intense that it is necessary to call an ambulance,” said Degtyaryov, 32, who is married with two sons. Marina Pisklakova-Parker, head of women’s group Anna Center, said the proposal was absurd. “If we are seriously debating women’s efficiency at work during menstruation, we should also consider how fit for work men are after a drinking bout,” she said.
An Taoiseach Enda Kenny welcomed the news that one of the Irish Water offices would be located in Castlebar. “I welcome the decision by Irish Water to locate one of their eight regional offices in Castlebar. This particular office will, together with others in Cavan and Donegal, help to increase the efficiency of the provision of water services right across the Connacht/Ulster region. This is about creating a world-class water system for Ireland and Castlebar is now set to be positioned at the heart of that,” he said.
Stone has been in prison since an attack at Stormont in 2006, when he was found guilty of attempting to murder Sinn Féin members Gerry Adams and Martin McGuinness.
Stone had previously failed in a bid to get his conviction overturned, claiming the incident was “performance art“.
He will now serve the 18 years remaining on his 30 year sentence for the Milltown attack, after he completes his 16 year sentence for the assassination bid on the nationalist politicians.
Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney said he was “very embarrassed” after he had a summons for speeding struck out in the District Court. A car registered to him was clocked by a speed camera van in Cobh in May of last year traveling at 71kph in a 60kph zone.
Mr Coveney told the court that he was in the car on the night but that it was driven by his professional driver.
“None of the funds collected though the Local Property tax have gone towards our bailout debt nor will it be handed to bank bondholders. Any statement to the contrary is inaccurate.
From the 1st of January 2014 the Minister for Finance will pay the Local Property Tax into the Local Government Fund and will be used to fund local services – this provision was including in the Local Property Tax Act first published on the 14th of December and debated in the Oireachtas in December 2012.
The Government has also announced its intention that 80% of the local property tax will be retained in the local authority area it is raised to fund local services in the area.”
German photography artist Kai Wiedenhöfer transformed Free Derry Corner last weekend with a photo of the Occupied Territories pasted onto the local landmark.
Curdled former YFG-er Deputy Brian Hayes brought his frankly freaky sexual ‘banter’ to bear on the Upper House last week.
Making the unelected ones look like statesmen.
Senator John Crown: “Fáilte a Aire. It is nice to see the Minister of State, Deputy Hayes, again, as we spent some pleasant time here the other day. I stated that somebody should really get video camera footage of the ministerial chair during the various stages of the Seanad Abolition Bill debate. We could make a really interesting pictorial calendar for 2014 of stills featuring the various faces that appeared.”
Senator David Norris: “Some of them of the same Minister.”
Crown: “I am not given to procedural wrangling. I come from a discipline, a day job, which prides itself in being of a rather practical bent, so from time to time I have been somewhat impatient with people using the procedures of the House apparently to delay matters or introduce issues not immediately germane or relevant to the item under discussion. There is a certain sense of getting our own back on this with regard to procedure. I would be grateful for the attention of the Minister of State and the Leader of the House. The manner in which this has been conducted by those who are proponents not really of putting the question to the people but rather of abolition of the House has been procedurally suspect. The arguments are well travelled and versed but they are nonetheless valid and bear some brief repetition.”
An Cathaoirleach: “Please continue Senator Crown.”
Crown: “I beg your pardon.”
Deputy Brian Hayes: “You lick yourself every night before you go to bed.”
Crown: “The word “prat” suggests itself sometimes.”
Norris: “Will the Minister of State make that remark more loudly?”
Senator Mark Daly:”He said the professor licks himself every night..”
Hayes: “I am saying..”
Daly: “..before he goes to bed.”
Hayes: “..in this House that you are talking to yourselves most of the time.”
An Cathaoirleach: “Senator Crown..”
Norris: “I beg your pardon. We are talking to ourselves, are we?”
Hayes: “You are talking to yourselves, yes.”
An Cathaoirleach: “Senator Crown, without interruption.”
Norris: “I think the Minister of State should withdraw that remark.”
An Cathaoirleach: “Senator Crown, without interruption.”
Norris: “We are talking to you Minister of State.”
An Cathaoirleach: “Senator Crown, without interruption.”
Norris:” No, I am sorry. The Minister of State says we are talking to ourselves and there is no reason to be here. Could the Cathaoirleach reprimand him on our behalf and ask him to withdraw the remark? It is outrageous.”
An Cathaoirleach: “Senator Crown, without interruption.”
Norris: “Will the Cathaoirleach not ask him to withdraw the remark “We are talking to ourselves”?
Hayes: “Sanctimonious crap.”
An Cathaoirleach: Senator Crown, without interruption.
Norris: “I am sorry but I ask you, a Chathaoirlaigh, to ask the Minister of State to withdraw that remark, which is an insult to Seanad Éireann. Will you do that?”
An Cathaoirleach: “I did not hear what he said.”
Norris: “You did. I will tell you what he said.”
Hayes: “You insulted me. I have no regard for you.”
Norris:”He said there was no need for him to be here and we are talking to ourselves.”
Hayes: “You were insulting me the whole evening.”
An Cathaoirleach: The record will show..”
Norris: “I never said a word about you.”
Hayes: “All evening, with your nonsense.”
An Cathaoirleach: “Senator Crown, without interruption.”
Crown: “Let us just hit the reset button. I am sorry but I would like to treat the Minister of State, this House, the Dáil and the process of Government with respect. I do not consider myself a politician but somebody with a real day job. I am somebody who because of the spirit of our original Constitution has found himself with the opportunity to take a position of advocacy, which I have done outside the House for many years, into the halls of our Oireachtas, as intended in the 1937 Constitution. I am sorry if I am not perhaps wise to the ways of politics and I beg the Minister of State’s indulgence in that respect.
Hayes: “But you are.”
Crown:” I believe that the way this problem has been tackled from the pro-abolitionist side has been unsatisfactory and it looks unsatisfactory. In the first instance, there were a number of amendments on Committee Stage that were never heard. I will gladly yield to the Minister of State if he wishes to make a point.”
Hayes: “I said there were ten hours during the debate when all of those issues could have been dealt with properly without the filibuster that occurred. The Senator knows that well, to be honest.”
An Cathaoirleach: “Senator Crown, without interruption.”
Hayes: “With respect, at least be honest and admit that.”
An Cathaoirleach: “Senator Crown, without interruption.”
Hayes: “The Senator knows that to be true.”
Senator Mary M. White: “He is being disrespectful by being on his iPad. It is the same as being on the telephone.”
An Cathaoirleach: “Senator Crown, without interruption.”
