During an otherwise sleepy Thursday afternoon Dail debate on the 2021 Commencement Order for the Dumping at Sea Act 1996, several rather explosive pieces of information were put on the public record. It was by no means original information mind, given that the issues involved have been thrown backwards and forwards since Brian Lenihan […]
In a comment piece for the Irish Times, the former Minister for Children, Katherine Zappone has suggested that the publication of the Report of the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation should be used “as an opportunity to listen, confront and accept the uncomfortable realities from the not-so-distant past.” Ms Zappone also reminded readers […]
A newly commissioned Report by the Irish Refugee Council entitled ‘Implementing Alternatives to Direct Provision’ has recommended that regional ‘Accommodation Committees’ should be established to identify housing needs and commission accommodation throughout the state. The Refugee Council say that the Report aims to build on the recommendations of the Advisory Group Report published in […]
Yesterday the Dáil spent two hours debating a Private Members Bill brought forward by the Independent TD from Donegal, Thomas Pringle. The Bill was the Thirty-Seventh Amendment Of The Constitution (Economic, Social And Cultural Rights) Bill 2018. If it is passed it will set in train one of the most radical revisions to the Irish […]
On Wednesday of this week the Dáil will debate the final Report of the Commission of Investigation into Mother and Baby Homes. The Report has now been published in full but not before some of the findings were leaked over the weekend . A move which has angered the Minister for Children, Roderick O’Gorman. The […]
Midway through the Iraq war in 2012, the then UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond declared, ‘I’d rather fire soldiers than send them to war with poor equipment.’ This statement followed years of complaints from senior members of the UK army; complaints that began in 2003 during the original Gulf War when they had […]
Forty-five years ago, the English rock band Supertramp released the album Crisis? What Crisis? It was almost universally panned by critics as an assault upon the ears of anyone unfortunate enough to hear it. But I reckon that despite these musical misgivings, it remains the album of choice for the various Christmas parties held by […]
There are a great many things that are plain wrong or objectionable within the Bills and Acts that have emerged from the Oireachtas in the last number of years. This varies of course, from the attacks on life and liberty to the taxes they have levied or indeed that they have failed to levy, as […]
The European Green Party, which includes the Irish Green Party as a full member, recently held its 32nd Council with the aim of exchanging solutions on “today’s most urgent topics.” This included debates on “how to counter Rule of Law backsliding in Europe; and “how we can continue to fight for the human rights of […]
In the five years from 2014 to 2018, a total of 4,821 Deportation Orders were imposed on non-EU nationals found to be illegally residing within the state. Of course, this does not mean that anything like that number then went on to leave the state. Because while Deportation Orders do create a legal obligation […]
As Gript readers will be well aware, a recent study from UCC has revealed the horrendous reality of how late term abortions are being conducted in this state as well as the astonishing level of medical speciality infighting that is taking place within the Irish maternity hospital network. The silence on the issues that […]
The links and associations between health care professionals, health care organisations and the bio-pharmaceutical industry has long been a source of deep concern. This is perfectly understandable. When we go to see our GP, pharmacist, dentist or hospital doctor, we have every right to expect that they will be acting in our personal interest as […]