Archive for 2009
Getting on with working as part of the EU on the issues that matter
Posted on September 28, 2009
The saying goes that eaten bread is soon forgotten and that is the case when it comes to the billions Ireland has received in funding from the European Union from the time it joined back in 1973. When canvassing people for a yes vote in the Lisbon referendum I have tried to remind people about some of this investment, the investment in our education system through the European Social Fund. We have received over €6 billion ESF funding since joining the EEC. We are due to receive further funds over the next few years but the time when we received the highest levels of funding was from the early 1980s to the late 1990s and that funding made a significant contribution to third level education in Ireland.
Home Defence Bill will not make people more secure in their homes
Posted on September 18, 2009
This is the Dail transcript of my speech about the Fine Gael Criminal Law (Home Defence) Bill 2009 in the Dail this week. The bill can be accessed on line on the Oireachtas website www.oireachtas.ie under Bills and the full Private Members Debate on the Bill is also available on the Oireachtas website under Dail Debates 17/9/2009. There is an online debate on the merits of the bill at www.irishelection.com at http://www.irishelection.com/2009/09/guilty-until-proven-innocent/
Permanent link | Comments (0) | Categories: Justice
We need a new vision for Ireland
Posted on August 27, 2009
Mary Robinson in her speech at Beal naBlath commeroration (Irish Independent August 24) spoke about the need for a vision of what sort of society Irish people want to see emerge out of current difficulties.
In her speech, she argued for the need for this vision to be based on a broad consensus, as opposed to every interest group fighting to protect their own interests.
