The author of this piece is His Excellency Ophir Kariv, the Ambassador of Israel to Ireland. Over the past year, it has become clear that Covid-19 knows no borders and countries, the world over, are all facing the same challenges to public health and their economies. From the outset of the pandemic, Israel emerged as […]
Women have reacted furiously to one of the very first executive orders from President Joe Biden which they say is part of a trend to “erase women” by insisting that there is no biological reality to being a woman and that gender is simply fluid. The hashtag #BidenErasedWomen has been trending since the inauguration. One of Biden’s […]
It’s been five years since the last Olympic games, in Rio de Janeiro. That’s already a year too long, because they were due to be held in Tokyo last summer, before Covid intervened. The plan at the time was to push them back a year, and hold them this summer instead. Alas, nope, says the […]
On Friday last, January 15, Dublin City Council announced the closing of the public consultation on the proposed pedestrianization of the east end of Dame Street as part of a projected College Green Plaza. Over 90% of those who made submissions approved of the option that would close the street to most traffic between College […]
Josepha Madigan has come under fire for the second time after making what were deemed to be unacceptable remarks about children with special needs. In fact, no sooner had she read an apology for one misstatement into the Dáil, than she had to make a second for another claim which equally appalled the already hard-pressed […]
In many ways, this is the perfect first thing for a newly inaugurated Democratic President to do: It can be done at the stroke of a pen; it pleases all his own supporters; it sends the right signals internationally, especially in Europe; and it will have next to no practical impact whatsoever: President Biden: "We're […]
For most of us, September 11th, 2001, was mostly memorable for the attacks by Al-Quaeda operatives on New York and Washington DC, with planes crashing into the World Trade Center, and the Pentagon. But for a little-remembered British Government advisor, by the name of Jo Moore, it marked the day her career in Government came […]
Tasmania, Australia’s smallest state, like many other jurisdictions, is currently considering legalising voluntary assisted dying (VAD). It is of great concern that legislators are seeking to incorporate this into palliative and medical care. Voluntary assisted dying sounds like a description of what should be occurring in normal medical practice: clinicians recognising those who are dying […]
In 2020 up to the end of November, there were 15,295 work permits issued to non EU nationals. The total for the previous year including renewals was 16,380. It is quite likely then, given the numbers who have arrived since Christmas from Brazil that the total of permits granted last year was very similar to, […]
To be fair, it’s a common sentiment on this island, or most of it, anyway. It’s a less common sentiment coming from…. The former Tory Chancellor of the Exchequer? Here he is: The former Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne believes the majority of the English public “will not care” if Northern Ireland leaves the […]
“Some of you are waiting with baited breath, for that favourite media phrase, the u-turn”, drawled Margaret Thatcher to the Tory party conference, at the height of her first-term unpopularity. “Well, you turn if you want to. The lady’s not for turning”. The most prominent lady in the Irish Government, however, very much is for […]
Co-authored with Daniel O’Dowd At exactly 5pm Irish time this afternoon, Donald Trump will be a private citizen again. His presidency will be at the mercy of history to judge – and judge it will. One could make an educated guess that his presidency will be described, in the short term at least, as four […]