Irish Election - Coverage of Irish Politics, News and Current Affairs

Micheál Martin as Minister for Health & Children, in the Dail on 25 October 2001 to push through the legislation for the 25th Amendment to the Constitution – The purpose of the Twenty-fifth Amendment of the Constitution (Protection of Human Life in Pregnancy) Bill is to provide a secure and effective constitutional basis for a [...]

HSE reports on deaths of Young Person A and Young Person B.   Young Person B  was named by Barry Andrews in Dail Eireann on RTE.   The reports are summaries and only hint at the disastrous care received by A and B.  One example from B – The independent living accommodation that was provided to Young Person [...]

There are days when Ireland is a dispiriting place.  Consider the following three seemingly separate issues.  The HSE report into the life and death of TF.  Niamh Brennan’s still under wraps report on the Dublin Docklands Development Authority.  And the latest delay in the Moriarty Tribunal.  They have something in common: legal sensitivities are being [...]

Concerns have been raised at plans by the Government of Saudi Arabia to establish a school with an Islamic ethos in Dublin, according to the Irish Times. The plans have been announced in Arabic on the website of the Saudi embassy in Dublin which opened in September. From the Irish Times on Wednesday: According to [...]

With the release today of the CSO details on gender in Ireland Labour used the opportunity to push out their policy of Labour believes that state bodies and agencies should be required to achieve at least 40 per cent representation of each gender on their boards and governing bodies. We believe that statutory force should [...]

Hat tip Eurotrib. From VoxEU Gender discrimination is economically inefficient since it prevents equalisation of marginal products. Recent simulations based on calibrated macro models indicate that the economic loss is large. In one thought experiment, the research suggests that a very large fraction of the income differences between many nations and the US is due [...]

Earlier today Damien noted that there were strong rumours that Fianna Fáil campaigners had been telling people in Dublin that the Green Party were in favour of abortion and would legalise it if they got into government. It’s sounds slightly far-fetched that a party would spread such clear lies about another party. It’s not. A [...]

What a croc of shite. Labour’s policy on funding parties page 60 manifesto. We will tie public funding for political parties to the level of participation by women as  public representatives those parties achieve.  Demanding targets for all parties – including our own – will be set out in legislation. Sorry but this is just [...]

Unlike the political parties we here are not scared to address the issue. I guess the reason that the parties do not want to have the debate is that the pro/anti abortion divide runs  through all political spectrum’s.  All Greens may agree on climate change but on abortion they differ. So it is understandable that [...]

Unborn in abortion case gets a lawyer 17-year-old seeking abortion challenges HSE

A four month pregnant 17 year old girl is taking the Health Service Executive to the High Court tomorrow after the Health Service Executive asked gardaí not to permit her to leave the jurisdiction for an abortion. The girl, who is under care of the HSE, found out a week ago that her baby has a condition [...]

Suzy mentions that some of the Irish NGOs are preparing some online election-blogs. Of note is the National Womens Council of Ireland who are keeping an election blog and have launched their election manifesto for 2007 (you are all invited to the launch by the way-lovely part of the world it is in too). Theirs [...]