WHITE IRISH PRIVILEGE: Education Minister Norma Foley is asked about the new draft SPHE curriculum, which urges students to recognise their “privileged status” as a white person, a male, or an Irish person.
“Environmental NGOs are a vital cog in our planning system”: Ministers Darragh O’Brien & Malcolm Noonan defend controversial NGOs like An Taisce – a serial housing objector – being given a “special position” within the planning process. Question by Ben Scallan.
“I prefer to use the term evaluation”: Tánaiste Micheál Martin says he’d prefer an “evaluation” of the State’s handling of Covid, rather than the term “inquiry.” Asked by Ben Scallan if this could be expected by the end of 2023, he replied: “I would hope so.”
“I’ve given you my answer.” “You kind of haven’t, or I wouldn’t be asking you again.” Ben Scallan presses Irish Education Minister Norma Foley on whether or not children can be transgender. #gript
Irish Health Minister Stephen Donnelly denies knowing whether there have been excess deaths in the post-Covid period, and says he’d “need to see the data” before he could comment. Question by Ben Scallan. #gript
“BelongTo was not encouraging teachers to lie to parents”: Roderic O’Gorman denies that teachers telling parents they “don’t know” if their children have gender issues, when they in fact do know, qualifies as a lie.
Irish Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys, who is responsible for pensions, says she’s not aware of any plans the Irish government has to increase birthrates, despite the demographic timebomb threatening pensions long-term.
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Speaking at the party Ard Fheis on Saturday Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín has said the government is ‘out of touch’ with the needs of the Irish people and is focusing on culture wars instead of more pressing issues.
Niall Boylan: Views should not be banned because they hurt your feelings
Gript met up with Ger, Madge, and John who are being evicted from the house they share in Clontarf. Madge, 79, who says she is battling cancer says the stress of the situation is “awful”. #gript
“That’s not an answer to the question”: Ben Scallan accuses Irish Equality Minister Roderic O’Gorman of “evasion” for refusing to say whether or not “misgendering” someone at work could constitute unlawful discrimination or harassment. #gript
“The question is, who gets to say what’s hateful and what isn’t?”: Toby Young of the UK’s Free Speech Union says a Hate Speech law would stop people expressing “perfectly legitimate points of view”, as he talks about similar attempts to police speech throughout the UK. #gript