Let’s face it: they’re not wrong. If ever there was going to be a time to legalise drugs, it’s now, right? We can all forget about this blasted pandemic and get high: Drugs could be decriminalised under the current government if all parties work together to help those with addiction issues, Labour said. Aodhán Ó […]
It wasn’t Leo’s fault at all you see, this whole fuss about the leaking of confidential documents. The real issue is that when you’re madly popular and powerful (and a media darling to boot), all these hangers-on start to think you’re their friend, when you’re not. It’s the kind of problem other globetrotting celebs like Prince Harry – and […]
Much is being made here of Biden being a “friend indeed to Ireland.” Actually if you examine these paeans what you generally find is that the purveyor of this means that he will be a friend to their friends, and unlike Trump, knows some mediocre poet who is also their chum. Real cosmopolitans are our […]
An interesting, but ultimately certain to be futile, move: NEW: Sinn Féin have put down a motion of no confidence in Leo Varadkar over the leak controversy. Will be debated next week — Seán Defoe (@SeanDefoe) November 6, 2020 With all the noise around the US election, the Varadkar/Maitiu O’Tuathail scandal has sort of faded […]
As we all know, Ireland is currently under a level 5 lockdown, which is the strictest level of lockdown possible under the current government plans. Throughout it all, we keep hearing from official sources about how quote-unquote “non-essential” travel and activities are forbidden, and how no public gatherings of any kind are allowed. Now, don’t […]
All of us will be familiar with what a PPS number is. It is a bit like a barcode that you don’t have stamped on your forehead. Any person born in the state will have one, as will anyone who comes here because it is a requirement in having any dealings with the state. You […]
‘Answer a fool according to his folly’, is advice that could be adapted to ‘answer your opponents according to their stated principles, rather than yours.’ It calls them out on their inconsistency and prejudice and tends to put them on the defensive. This is not what the delegation of bishops did when they met Taoiseach […]
Fianna Fail’s latest contortions on the Leo the Leak fiasco have proven that it is in fact quite possible for a political party to occupy a space some distance below rock bottom. In fact, if shooting yourself in the foot was a sport, Fianna Fail would surely be Olympic champions by now. For what is […]
As I write, the news media is reporting that at least 4 people have died and 17 more have been injured as a result of what has been declared to be a terror attack by Islamist terrorists in Vienna last night. This comes after the recent murders of a teacher in Paris and 3 people attending […]
The recent spate of head-chopping terrorism in France would appear, at first glance, to be relatively easy to explain: The culprits are a group (it’s popular, but of dubious accuracy, to say “a tiny minority”) of extremists in the French Muslim community who believe themselves to be waging a holy war against the French state […]
Leo Varadkar has been finding allies in unusual places, this morning, following last Friday’s publication in Village magazine of allegations that he had acted unlawfully by sharing details of a draft contract for GPs with a rival group of GPs: Former minister for agriculture Barry Cowen has said Leo Varadkar is “entitled to make a […]
One of the issues that have been exercising people during the Covid-19 panic has been what impact the lockdowns have had on access to essential healthcare for other life-threatening conditions. In particular there is increasing concern about the possible impact that lack of hospital referrals may be having on the long term prospects and mortality […]