Archive for 2010
TDs' constituency work did not cause crisis
Posted on December 12, 2010
This is a letter from me published in the letters page of the Sunday Tribune today, 12 December, 2010. I wrote it in response to an article by journalist Diarmuid Doyle in last Sunday's tribune 'Our politicians are the way they are because we keep electing them to be that way' (5 December, 2010) which can be accessed on the archive section of the Tribune or at this link:
http://www.tribune.ie/article/2010/dec/05/diarmuid-doyle-our-politicians-are-the-way-they-ar/
TDs' constituency work did not cause crisis
My contribution to the Second Stage Debate on the Property Services Regulatory Authority Bill
Posted on November 28, 2010
Ireland United?
Posted on November 07, 2010
I spoke this weekend at the SDLP Conference at their panel on Unity. It was chaired by Fearghal McKinney and the other speakers were Mark Durkan MP and MLA, Minister Mary Hanafin TD, David Adams Irish Times Columnist and Brian Hayes TD. It was a very interesting discussion and I had to think about the topic before hand, as it is not something I thought about before, tending just to think in terms of the conflict and the peace process. I spoke about how it is not an issue that is being debated in Ireland. It was something aspired to in theory but not thought through and it would raise very difficult issues about our institutions, our constitution etc. While there was the desire for a peace process, our identity in the Republic is very much based around the history of the foundation of the free state and then the republic. It reminded me of the speech made by a historian at a John Hewitt School in Armagh that I attended a few years ago. The historian depicted the British as the nationalists for whom Northern Ireland was a problem to get rid of, and the people of the Republic, through the actions of its Government over the years, were the Unionists who did not really want to take on that problem. I felt there was something in what the historian had to say. Our upcoming commemerations were discussed too and the need to embrace the different traditions and the different kinds of Irish identity, nationalist, unionist, republican, North and South, and the new communities making Ireland their home. I mentioned that the kind of United Ireland mattered too, and that we had never had social democracy implemented on this Island.
My Dail speech on the Economy (this week's economy that is!)
Posted on October 28, 2010
Our main business in the Dail this week was an approximately 15 hour debate on the Economy with the official title 'Statements on Macro Economic and Fiscal Outlook'. I spoke yesterday evening and thanks to the Oireachtas 'Watch and Listen' Facility on its website I attach the video clip of my speech here.
Importance of Community Employment Schemes and Job Initiative Schemes to community of Clondalkin
Posted on October 28, 2010
This is the debate I initiated last Thursday in the Dail about the need to maintain Community Employment Schemes and Job Initiative Schemes in Clondalkin, and their benefit to the participants and the local community. Fears had been expressed that these schemes might be cut. The Minister of State's response on this occassion was welcome. The debate also illustrates the fact that issues relevant to local communities are relevant to the Dail. Decisions about employment schemes such as this are made by Government but the impact is felt in local communities.
Student Support Bill
Posted on October 28, 2010
I raised the whereabouts of the Student Support Bill in the Dail last week. The delay of this bill in its progress through the Oireachtas had been raised with me by representatives of USI at their recent briefing meeting for TDs and Senators. My Labour colleague, Deputy Michael D. Higgins, also spoke on the bill and the Tanaiste replied that the bill would be brought forward this session.
James Connolly, founder of the Labour Party
Posted on October 05, 2010
I anticipated, but I am still amazed and annoyed that RTE and Joe Duffy could do a programme about James Connolly and not mention that he founded the Irish Labour Party. It was his life's work to set up such a party. He proposed the motion that led to he founding of the Labour Party at the ICTU congress in Clonmel in 1912. He was a member of the executive of the Labour Party when he was executed in 1916. The programme highlighted that he founded the IRSP and no mention of the Irish Labour Party! Update: My letter to the Irish Examiner Letters page on the programme was published on Friday and there was a piece where I was quoted in yesterday's Sunday Mail. To be fair Joe Duffy linked to my letter on his twitter account and also described James Connolly as James Connolly founder of the Labour Party.
Still against quotas
Posted on September 24, 2010
I had an article published yesterday in the Irish Daily Mail on the calls for gender quotas. In the piece published Susan O'Keefe, a journalist and Labour candidate for the next election argued for gender quotas and I, Labour TD, argued against. This is the article as submitted to the Daily Mail below prior to editing, the with-the-kitchen-sink-thrown-in version, on why I oppose gender quotas, which by the way are not Labour Policy, in respect of candidate selection for Dail elections:
Milliband of Brothers
Posted on September 18, 2010
That's the title of a programme I hope I get to see about the tensions the British Labour Leadership contest has apparently brought to the fore between David and Ed Milliband when it is shown on More4 this Thursday at 9pm. Good title with that hint of drama and it is a docudrama. There are 5 candidates for this election but by the looks of it the contest will come down to a fight between the two brothers. This makes it a drama and an epic contest which is how it has been portrayed. 'Milliband of Brothers' will air on the eve of the election.
Sparks at the Oireachtas
Posted on August 31, 2010
The Energy Regulator is attending the Oireachtas Joint Committee on Economic and Regulatory Affairs tomorrow and I will be attending on behalf of Labour.
The issues to be discussed include a planned increase in electricity prices and the record numbers of electricity and gas customers being disconnected due to their inability to pay their bills.
The meeting will be at 12.30 and the proceedings can be viewed live on line at the Oireachtas website www.oireachtas.ie There may be sparks flying.
