90175333 NI First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness

First Minister Peter Robinson has rejected Sinn Féin claims he was showing cowardice as a politician.

Earlier this month Deputy First Minster Martin McGuinness accused Mr Robinson of “cowardice of the worst kind”.

He claimed Mr Robinson had not spoken out about alleged UVF involvement in violence and racist intimidation.

Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness MLA said: “I have stood shoulder to shoulder with unionist leaders in condemning the activities of so-called dissident republicans.

“We have not seen the same united approach in response to UVF-orchestrated violence against isolated members of our ethnic minority communities, against the small nationalist community of the Short Strand, against the PSNI during the flag protests or against Alliance party offices.“

Hmm.

From the 1980s, the then MP for East Belfast Peter Robinson was interviewed by John Ware for BBC’s Panorama (above) where he described Loyalist prisoners as “counter-terrorists”.

First Minister Peter Robinson rejects ‘cowardice’ claims (BBC News NI)

Previously: Was It For This?

File Pic: Photocall Ireland

 

Update:

annmaree

Screen Shot 2014-05-17 at 14.28.33

[Campaign literature for Anne-Maree Quinn and notice of a pro-life campaign meeting in Blessington]

Anon writes:

I recently met an Independent local election candidate for Pembroke-South Dock, Anne-Maree Quinn. She seemed quite nice, so I had a quick search to see what she stands for. It turns out she’s very involved in pro-life campaigning. She’s much more reticent about this on her website. I’m not advocating a witch hunt against her, but it would be very easy for a pro-choice person to vote for her in the belief they’re supporting an independent voice.

Anne-Maree Quinn

Might this be the same Anne-Maree Quinn who wrote to the Irish Times in November 2007 opposing marriage equality?

It might not be accidental that this exclusive focus on emotional gratification coincides with a high divorce rate…”The question is not whether gay people should have relationships. The only question is whether this should be done in the specific context of marriage.”

Of course, the most important cross-cultural and historical function of marriage as an institution is raising children.

Previously: Opus Dei, You Say?

allowances

Political parties received €12.9 million in state funding for 2013, according to figures released today by the Standards Commission. The attached table shows the amounts received by qualified political parties for 2013 under the Party Leaders Allowance and the Electoral Acts legislation.

The amount payable to each such non-party member of Dáil Éireann during 2013 was €41,152 and the amount payable to each non-party member of Seanad Éireann during the same period was €23,383. The total paid to non-party members was €878,389 (of which funding amounting to a total of €617,279 was available to non-party members of the Dáil during 2013 and funding amounting to a total of €261,110 was available to non-party members of the Seanad during 2013).

Until the 2014 legislation comes into effect, non-party members of Dáil or Seanad Éireann are not required to furnish to the Standards Commission, or to any other authority, a Statement of Expenditure in relation to the allowance.


Exchequer Funding and Party Leaders Allowance received by Qualified Political Parties (SIPO)

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Behold the glory of the Real Gabinete Português de Leitura (Royal Portuguese Reading Room) in Rio de Janerio, built between 1880 and 1887 by architect Rafael da Silva e Castro, it contains the largest (350,000 volumes) and most valuable collection of Potuguese books outside Portugal.

The limestone facade was carved in Lisbon and transported to Brazil. The interior is a Neo-Manueline extravaganza of ornate pillars, arches and bookcases stretching up to the ceiling.

(Pix: Ruy Barbosa Pinto)

mymodernmet

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