Tag Archives: Enda Kenny

Enda+Kenny+New+York+St+Patricks+Day+Parade

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[Enda Kenny at the New York St Patrick’s Day parade, and a LGBT pin]

We the undersigned wish to express our strong concerns regarding your proposed participation in the St Patrick’s Day Parade in New York City. By singling out openly LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender) groups for exclusion from the parade, the organisers are sending out a message of discrimination and intolerance towards a section of the community and diaspora who deserve to have their contribution to the global Irish family celebrated and recognised on the same basis as everyone else.

It has been claimed, disingenuously, that because no group is allowed to display overtly political banners, the prohibition on LGBT people depicting any sign or symbol that would identify them as openly lesbian or gay is not discriminatory.

This is a claim that our identities are inherently political, which is false. Our organisations are first and foremost about community and visibility, not any political beliefs. The many other groups who make up the Irish-American community are all allowed to march under banners identifying who they are so we are clearly being subjected to a discriminatory double standard.

You gave a very welcome personal vow last November to actively campaign for what you describe as the ‘equality issue of gay marriage’ in next year’s referendum. You are also on record as stating that you are “proud to stand here as a public representative, a Taoiseach who happens to be a Catholic but not a Catholic Taoiseach. A Taoiseach for all of the people, that’s my job”. These were crucially important statements about the kind of Ireland you envision. You have an opportunity to serve as an ambassador for these same modern and inclusive values, ones which are shared by the vast majority of Irish people, at home and abroad.

Therefore, we strongly urge you to decline to march in the St Patrick’s Day Parade in New York next week – an honourable stance adopted by the city’s Mayor, Bill De Blasio, and the New York City Council. The exclusionary policies of the organisers are completely at odds with the statements you have made around these issues.  If, however, withdrawal at this stage is problematic, we ask that you wear the rainbow-flag lapel-pin [above] as a sign of solidarity with the Irish and Irish-American LGBT communities.

Where we are banned from marching and representing ourselves, our organisations and our community, you can act as our representative, our “Taoiseach for all of the people”, and show New York, Ireland and the world the values of our proud, inclusive and modern Ireland, that draws strength from our traditions but has dispensed with the damaging prejudices of the past.

LGBT Noise
National LGBT Federation (NXF)
Marriage Equality
Gay Switchboard Ireland
INTO LGBT Teachers Group
Atheist Ireland
Dundalk Outcomers
Union Of Students In Ireland (USI)
SIPTU LGBTQ
BeLonG To Youth Services
ShoutOut
LGBT Lawyers Association of Ireland
Trans Student Network Alliance
Action For Russia
Senator Katherine Zappone and Dr Ann Louise Gilligan
Senator David Norris
Senator Averil Power
Panti Bliss – Rory O’Neill
John Halligan TD
Clare Daly TD
Ailbhe Smyth, Feminist campaigner

Add yours below if you wish.

FIGHT!

Previously: He Reigns Over Our Parade

New York St Patrick’s Day Guidelines

Pic: James Higgins

Thanks Max Krzyzanowsk

90333321[Enda Kenny and Frank Flannery at a Fine Gael think-in in 2008]

Mr Flannery’s future as director of elections for Fine Gael is also uncertain after it emerged he was paid to lobby the Government on behalf of Rehab.
Last night, Mr Flannery said he and Mr Kenny had already “had a chat” about all these matters – but he added that their discussions were private.
The former Rehab chief executive said all his work for Fine Gael was voluntary and he did not take a penny in expenses. He also insisted he has not received any direct communication from PAC requesting his attendance at its hearings.

Ger writes:

“I have total outrage fatigue at this stage but this is completely ridiculous. How do these fuppers sleep?.”

FG adviser to quit Rehab board as Enda Kenny seethes (Independent.ie)

(Eamonn Farrell/Photocall Ireland)

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Oh.

An Taoiseach Enda Kenny and Colm Reddy, a friend of jailed anti-war protester Margaretta D’Arcy, on his way into the weekly Cabinet meeting at Government Buildings, Merrion Street, Dublin this morning.

(Laura Hutton/Photocall ireland)

Wayra

Taoiseach Enda Kenny, Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore and Minister for Jobs Richard Bruton at the launch of the Action Plan for Jobs 2014, at The Wayra Academy on Sir John Rogerson’s Quay in Dublin this morning.

Pidge

Oh.

Backing- Jerry with Enda Kenny[Fine Gael TD Jerry Buttimer (left)  with Brian Hayes and Enda Kenny  during the 2011 General Election]

A Fine Gael TD comes out to Enda.

…[Enda Kenny]’s a man in his mid 60s from the west of Ireland who may be uncomfortable and who may have gone on a big journey himself, and he has, he showed me great empathy and support and affirmation”
…“He looked at me and he gave me a dig into the chest and he says ‘you’re still the same guy, I’m still mad about you, let’s go do this’.

Jerry Buttimer to Matt Cooper on The Last Word on Today FM this evening.

Listen here

Thanks Mary Carroll

(Photocall Ireland)

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Justice Minister Alan Shatter addressing the Dáil within the past hour.

A clean sweep, as they say in G2.

Earlier: “The Politicisation Of Policing In Ireland”

‘Certain Events Prompted This Security Sweep’

 

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An Taoiseach Enda Kenny with Apple CEO Tim Cook in Apple’s European HQ at Hollyhill, Cork today for a private lunch meeting.

‘Double Irishes’ all round.

Via Merrion Street

Previously: Anything Good In The FT?

They’re On To Us

Not Far From The Tree

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“I think this was an example of a woman of extraordinary commitment, over a long number of years, to following through her case being taken before them. Sadly, it’s one that’s indicative of a long litany of cases in Ireland, where these and other events took place. That’s why, in the past, we’ve had to deal some exceptionally sensitive cases that scar our memory. And for that reason I just think that, while this judgement is exceptionally complex and will be studied by Government, I would like to say to Louise O’Keeffe that I apologise for what happened to her in the location where she was and for the horrendous experience that she had to go through.”

Taoiseach Enda Kenny, speaking in the Dail this morning.

How committed?

Ms O’Keeffe was sexually abused by teacher Leo Hickey when she was eight and attending Dunderrow National School in Co. Cork in 1973.

In 1998 Hickey was convicted of 21 sample charges involving 21 children from 380 charges.

Ms O’Keeffe tried to hold the State liable but the High Court dismissed her case, as did the Supreme Court.

It’s believed 200 similar cases were dropped after the Supreme Court case.

This week the European Court of Human Rights overturned the Supreme Court ruling.

The State had tried to stop Ms O’Keeffe’s application to the ECHR, arguing her failure to sue the Diocese of Cork and Ross, which owned the school, showed she didn’t exhaust legal avenues in the Irish court system

The ECHR found: “That obligation [to protect her from harm] had not been met when the Irish State…continued to entrust the management of the primary education of the vast majority of young Irish children to National Schools, without putting in place any mechanism of effective State control against the risks of such abuse occurring”.

Taoiseach apologises to Louise O’Keeffe for ‘horrendous’ sex abuse suffered (Newstalk)

Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland