Minister of State for Higher Education Mary Mitchell O’Connor at a NWCI conference 

Earlier today.

Minister of State for Higher Education Mary Mitchell O’Connor spoke at the launch of the National Women’s Council of Ireland’s Ending Sexual Harassment and Violence in 3rd level Education Conference.

Her contribution came a day before International Women’s Day which is tomorrow.

Sarah Burns, in The Irish Times, reports:

International Women’s Day is in danger of becoming “what holy days used to be” and “a chance to skive off with friends”, the Minister of State for Higher Education has said.

Mary Mitchell O’Connor said she thinks the annual occasion, which takes place on Friday, needs to be repurposed in order to achieve “our objectives”.

“The problem as I see it is that International Women’s Day is in danger of becoming what holy days used to be when we were going to school back in the day, a chance to skive off with friends and to have no homework for that day,” she said.

International Women’s Day becoming a ‘chance to skive off’ – Minister (Sarah Burns, The Irish Times)

#ItStopsNow – Working together we can end sexual harassment and violence on campus (National Women’s Council of Ireland)

Pic: National Women’s Council of Ireland

The city of El Alto, 4,150m above sea level in the Bolivian Andes, is the world’s highest municipality and home to the distinctive buildings of architect and former bricklayer Freddy Mamani Silvestre.

Dozens of Silvestre’s multi-use structures tower above their more conventional neighbours, inspired not by Las Vegas (as many visiting North Americans suppose) but by the vibrant Incan art of Bolivia’s pre-Columbian history.

colossal

Independents 4 Change TD Joan Collins

This afternoon.

In the Dáil, during Leaders’ Questions which were taken by Tánaiste Simon Coveney.

Independents 4 Change TD Joan Collins was speaking about workers’ rights when she said:

“Recently, I’ve been approached by workers in a new, very swanky and expensive Ivy restaurant where the company are taking the major proportion of tips paid to staff – using these tips to make up the difference in their wages.

“I’ll give you an example. One worker signed a contract, in October, for €14.90 an hour. They’re now being paid €9.80 an hour and the difference is being made up with the tips. So this company is robbing the workers of their money and we don’t know where the rest of the money is going…it seems to be pocketed by the company.”

[The Independent4Change TD’s office confirmed Ms Collins was referring to  the Ivy restaurant in Dawson Street, Dublin 2]

During his response, Mr Coveney said:

“Just on the tips issue, let me just be very clear: Any employer that calculates salary and includes tips in that figure is acting illegally. You can’t do it. Tips are separate to salary. And if there are issues the Government needs to act there: we will look at that closely.”

Watch Dáil proceedings live here

Free Friday?

A public meeting about  PESCO (Permanent European Structured Cooperation), an EU defence’ agency, and its implications for Irish neutrality.

At the Central Hotel, Donegal Town, County Donegal at 7pm.

Luke Ming Flanagan MEP writes:

“There is an urgency to talk about the ramping up of military projects in the European Union. Ireland as a neutral country should not be aligning ourselves with imperial powers in Europe. I look forward to exploring this and other implications in Donegal this Friday”.

Luke ‘Ming Flanagan (Facebook)

Previously: PESCO on Broadsheet

Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley in the House of Commons yesterday

Yesterday, I made comments regarding the actions of soldiers during the Troubles. I want to apologise. I am profoundly sorry for the offence and hurt that my words have caused.

The language was wrong and even though this was not my intention, it was deeply insensitive to many of those who lost loved ones.

I know from those families that I have met personally just how raw their pain is and I completely understand why they want to see justice properly delivered.

I share that aim and that is why I launched the public consultation on addressing the legacy of the Troubles. My position and the position of this Government is clear.

We believe fundamentally in the rule of law. Where there is evidence of wrongdoing this should be pursued without fear or favour whoever the perpetrators might be.

That is a principle that underpins our approach to dealing with legacy issues and it is one from which we will not depart.

A statement released by the Northern Ireland Secretary Karen Bradley this afternoon.

It follows her comments in the House of Commons yesterday in which she said killings by the British security forces during the Troubles were “not crimes”.

Yesterday: Obeying Orders

Trees recently cut on the main street in Fethard, Co Tipperary

Your editorial “Tree cutting – Let them stand” expresses dismay at the irresponsible and unnecessary tree-felling epidemic currently laying waste to the countryside.

The same edition also carries a report on the National Transport Authority’s compulsory purchase orders whose implementation will have the effect of mass tree-felling along three of the six proposed new bus corridors, in Rathfarnham, Terenure and Rathgar in Dublin.

This is an act of premeditated – indeed, officially sanctioned – vandalism, whose motive is to generate yet more space for yet more surface traffic which will, in short time, produce yet more congestion, and at the cost of irreparable environmental destruction.

This is blinkered, short-term thinking, and certainly not progress. What price beauty?

Tony Fitzmaurice,
Dublin 6.

Pic: Tipp FM

Trees – let them stand (The Irish Times letters page)

]

The company confirmed to The Times that up until now all its female staff had to wear make-up as part of their uniform. Aer Lingus said that new guidelines would not include mandatory use for the first time. Women working on board the Irish airline’s fleet will soon be allowed to wear trousers, instead of the previously obligatory skirts.

Aer Lingus won’t make cabin crew wear make-up (Ellen Coyne, The Timesa Ireland Edition)

Pic: Aer Lingus

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