Taoiseach Leo Varadkar

In the realistic manner of Hulk Hogan.

He wrestled with his conscience.

In an interview on BBC Mr Varadkar said he believed the country’s current abortion laws were too restrictive and indicated he would support liberalisation.

He said “We will have that referendum, hopefully in the summer and we should be in a position to make a decision on that in Government next week.”

When asked if he will be campaigning for the abortion laws to be relaxed Mr Varadkar replied:

“I’ll be campaigning for them to be changed and to be liberalised, yes”.

He was asked if his views had changed since 2014, when he said he was pro-life. He replied:

“I suppose in that period I think it’s fair to say that my own views on this matter have evolved but I think sometimes that term pro-life and pro-choice can be misunderstood, you know, I think even people who are in favour of abortion in certain circumstances are pro-life, you know. I still believe in life but I understand that there are circumstances under which pregnancies can’t continue.”

 

Over to you again, Micheál.

Taoiseach to campaign to liberalise abortion laws (RTÉ)

Rollingnews

Ah here.

Star Wars and the struggle for Irish Independence

By Chris Williamson, who writes:

After being bombarded by The Last Jedi marketing campaign and done over the course of a few lunchtime breaks last September – I thought it would be a fun idea to see about having Dublin as part of a Star Wars Universe.

So, inspired by the work of Jakub Rozalski, I used mostly war-torn landscapes of Dublin in the early 20th Century. Made for the perfect backdrop.

In fairness.


From top: Bill Kenneally; Solicitor Darragh Mackin and five of Keneally’s 10 victims: Jason Clancy, Colin Power, Paul Walsh and Barry Murphy

Waterford basketball coach Bill Kenneally, who received a 14-year sentence for indecently assaulting ten boys between 1984 and 1987, is appealing against the severity of his sentence.

Kenneally was sentenced at Waterford Circuit Criminal Court to 14 years and two months imprisonment by Judge Eugene O’Kelly in February 2016

Kenneally’s victims claim that certain gardai, the South Eastern Health Board, members of the Catholic Church, certain politicians and certain businessmen knew of the abuse and that it continued despite their knowledge of it.

Via Ruaidhrí Giblin, at Ireland International News Agency, writes:

The Court of Appeal heard today that the sentencing judge imposed imposed consecutive 17 month sentences in respect of each of the ten victims.

Opening an appeal against the severity of his sentence in the three-judge court today, Kenneally’s barrister, Michael Counihan SC, submitted that the sentencing judge decided that he was going to give Kenneally 14 years and he built in everything that he could to reach that “pre-determined” point.

Mr Counihan said the sentencing judge picked a tariff and multiplied it out “to give satisfaction to the victims – as he says so himself”. However, he said “one can’t let one’s outrage be the only informing factor”.

Mr Counihan said the duty of a court is not to victims, but to the public, and to reach a sentence the public demands not what the victims demand “and that’s where he (the sentencing judge) became blinkered”.

The appeal hearing continuesdin the three-judge Court of Appeal this afternoon.

Mr Justice George Birmingham remarked that in his experience, he was personally not aware of case involving 10 victims where the abuse was so severe as it was here, coupled with the breach of trust, the use of alcohol, the payment of money and the use of photos as a form of coercion….

More as we get it.

Update: The three judge Court Of Appeal  panel has reserved its judgment to give time to review evidence.

Previously: Bill Kenneally on Broadsheet

Courtesy of Ireland International News Agency

From top: Taoiseach leo Vardkar and Minister for Education Richard Bruton; Vanessa FORAN

Vanessa Foran (her off the telly) writes:

I wanted to post some follow up thoughts to the Bank of Mum & Dad segment on Broadsheet on the Telly last evening.

I have to repeat how disappointed I am that the popular Leader of a Country with a national housing and accommodation crisis, that just happens to be running alongside a decade old mortgage arrears crisis, would promote methods for saving for a regulatory deposit that includes the sourcing of funds from parents, and from working overseas.

Only this morning that latter point slipped up on its own banana skin with Minister of Education and  Skills Richard Burton deciding to limit Career Breaks for Teachers. The next National Shortage is already appearing in your blind spot by the way: teachers. (I hardly need to mention nurses, hospital consultants and hospital beds, but it looks like I did anyway.)

In addition to reminding the electorate that young people starting out should look at better paid opportunities overseas. our current Taoiseach is conveniently ignoring an already known obstacle to our economic viability; we have a Labour shortage.

He also failed to bring to your attention that once these future first time buyers get declared Non-Residential, there is also the possibility of a tax implication from remitting funds from Countries Ireland does not have a tax agreement with.

What irks me just as much is that this very Government had an opportunity to promote sensible saving for all first time buyers, regardless of family means, in the last budget; Allow these  first home buyers savings accounts be exempt from DIRT Tax.

Or even create a type of National Home Buyers account with the NTMA, like that of the Solidarity Bond or the old SSIA (Incidentally, I have already promoted this initiative myself to a post Budget Breakfast Meeting hosted by members of Fianna Fáil).

Family Home Mortgages can come off the rails so easily and with no warning. The healthier the deposit, including the source, the more viable the mortgage is, and the more capable it is of surviving an unexpected financial crunch. That is a fact no about of spin and quirky congenial laddish remarks can cloak.

Yet Leo Varadkar himself is advising his own generation and the one coming up behind them, to rely on Mum and Dad, and to head off overseas rather than actually stay here, work and develop careers here, contribute taxes here, and more importantly, save their tax paid income here.

I am one of those who may one day be one of those Banks. But will I get a bail out too?

I am of the generation whose own retirement is within 20 years, I do not have a viable pension plan beyond a State Contributory one.

If Leo Varadkar and Fine Gael are to continue to encourage younger taxpayers to go abroad as a means of getting on the property ladder here, then who do they think will provide the Social Welfare funds when its my turn for that €200 a week?

From my own perspective here as I type off these final words, I cannot deny I am more narked about the shallow leadership displayed in the Oireachtas, and in Leader’s Questions no less, and the narrow minded long-term planning of Leo Varadkar’s Fine Gael.

The very least we should expect from a Taoiseach and Government who are provided with a well funded Communications Unit, along with brigades of Special Advisors is some disciplined and sensible messaging.

Our Taoiseach and his Government could have at least tried to be seen to promote equal opportunity, from access to secure homeownership to quality education, and the many many other basic pillars for an equal, fair, healthy and civilised society to all our children; no matter who they are, or where they are from.

Promoting the Bank of Mum and Dad has actually confirmed to me who is really gaming the system.

Vanessa Foran is a principal at Recovery Partners. Follow Vanessa on Twitter: @vef_pip

Previously: You’re 100 Per Cent On Your Own Son

Broadsheet.ie