Ireland – Page 37 – Slugger O'Toole

How brexit is destroying NI’s centre ground – and could take the Union with it

Brendan Heading on December 4, 2017, 11:24 pm

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The brexit negotations are not going well. During the course of the past few weeks, we’ve seen a sharp deterioration of Anglo-Irish relations as the Irish government found themselves with no choice other than to call out the UK government’s lack of preparation or proposals on how it would approach the sensitive matter of the Irish border in the context of the UK’s departure from the EU. Today, we’ve seen the DUP intervene to scupper an agreement that had been …

#Brexit: the DUP and the Risks of Not Passing Go

Gerry Lynch on December 4, 2017, 8:44 pm

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The DUP torpedoed today’s sensible UK-EU compromise deal on the border because, according to an Arlene Foster tweet, the party could not accept any deal which separates Northern Ireland politically from the rest of the UK. This will come as a great surprise to campaigners for marriage equality, liberalisation of the abortion laws, and comprehensive education. There is no great Unionist point of principle against the terms of what was on the table in Brussels earlier today, except on the …

The DUP are barking up the wrong tree

Brian Walker on December 1, 2017, 6:10 pm

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The DUP’s kneejerk reaction to the Times story that the Brexit sherpas are working on a plan to “avoid divergence” of regulations and standards on our island proves how insecure they feel the Union really is. According to the ancient rule of our politics that the insecure pay more attention to their opponents than their candid friends, they’ll receive perverse validation from Sinn Fein ‘s parallel rejection and their old jibe, “We always knew the Brits would betray ye. Whadida …

Relationships: The Bridge between Principles & Practicalities

Soapbox on December 1, 2017, 12:15 pm

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“We are committed to partnership, equality and mutual respect as the basis of relationships within Northern Ireland, between North and South and between these islands” – Belfast / Good Friday Agreement 1998 Last month, I had the immense honour of speaking at the international youth conference One Young World: 1500 young leaders from 196 countries meeting in Bogota, Colombia to explore how we collectively resolve some of the greatest global challenges. Despite the many complexities we continue to face in …

Sinn Fein Senator Trevor Ó Clochartaigh resigns from the party over ‘serious disciplinary issues’

Mick Fealty on November 30, 2017, 5:15 pm

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Trevor Ó Clochartaigh, who only narrowly lost out on a Dail seat for Sinn Fein in Galway West and South Mayo, his statement reads… I, with a sizeable number of other dissatisfied members have sought to deal with all these issues through the appropriate channels – locally, regionally and nationally. We have taken them as high as the Ard Chomhairle and the Office of the President and now have no other internal avenue to have them addressed within the party. Discussions …

McCabe story exposes how public institutions still really view whistleblowers

Mick Fealty on November 30, 2017, 4:39 pm

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The Sergeant Maurice McCabe case has now accounted for the extraordinary haul of two Garda Commissioners (Chief Constables if you’re reading this in Britain), two Ministers of Justice and one Secretary-General (or Permanent Secretary). McCabe reported the quashing of penalty points by senior gardaí in Cavan/Monaghan in 2007. When it landed with the Comptroller and Auditor General in 2013 his report concluded: “there is almost no overall management or coordination of the fines system”. But what’s most disturbing about this story was the …

“For me to refuse to talk about these things when I’m asked a straight question almost suggests I’m ashamed to be a nationalist – and I’m not”

David McCann on November 30, 2017, 12:13 pm

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The Irish News Political Correspondent, John Manley has a really interesting interview with the Foreign Affairs Minister, Simon Coveney which outlines his views on a border poll and a United Ireland. In the interview he says; “I would like to see a united Ireland in my lifetime – if possible, in my political lifetime,” Manley does not that Coveney was disappointed that his evidence to the Good Friday Agreement committee was focused mainly on his comments in this area. But …

Is this the magic bullet to sort the problems of Brexit and the border?

Brian Walker on November 30, 2017, 7:01 am

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New version: The Times is reporting that agreement is close on “regulatory convergence” on the island of Ireland even if there is a divergence between the UK and the rest of the EU after Brexit. The agreement would involve the devolution of a package of measures to the Assembly to help maintain common standards and regulations for agribusiness and electricity, gas and water which are substantially integrated on the island. Pressure to restore the Executive would therefore increase. A …

“…the policy he was so central to for so long was toxic to public morality.”

Mick Fealty on November 29, 2017, 5:01 pm

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Just putting this here because I think it tails nicely with Diarmuid Ferriter from Saturday and Newton Emerson last Thursday. It’s Colm Keena on Gerry Adams… The career of the politician and republican activist Gerry Adams has shown an almost unerring capacity over the decades to get the important things wrong. This marked capacity is as true of his time as a leader of a movement committed to the use of killing and destruction in pursuit of its aims, as …

And the Department of Justice Secretary-General “retires” with immediate effect…

Mick Fealty on November 28, 2017, 8:00 pm

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Statement from Noel Waters, the Secretary-General at the Department of Justice, to his departmental staff who has taken the extraordinary step of retiring with immediate effect… “This is a particularly difficult time for the Department of Justice and Equality and I have no doubt that you are trying to understand and make sense of the issues that are the subject of public discourse. “The Department has been subject to a barrage of unwarranted criticism in recent days and most particularly …

Diarmaid Ferriter on Gerry Adams: “Many political careers end in failure; some just end in irony.”

Pete Baker on November 28, 2017, 4:16 pm

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It’s worth quoting at length from historian Diarmaid Ferriter in Saturday’s Irish Times on the ironic legacy Gerry Adams leaves for Sinn Féin. Fianna Fáil continued to invoke its republican “heritage” while determinedly staying the revisionist course; the same conclusions are likely to be reached about Sinn Féin under Adams. One of the reasons for the self-righteous defensiveness beloved of Adams was precisely to mask the revisionism, or what has been referred to as the “creative ambiguity” of peace process …

Local Environmental & Planning Governance Under Scrutiny (Somewhat)

Peter Doran on November 28, 2017, 2:43 pm

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On the heels of another damning report on failures relating to compliance with environmental and planning rules, Northern Ireland will be subject to international scrutiny December under the aegis of the authoritative United Nations Economic Commission for Europe’s (UNECE) Aarhus Convention. The Convention – named after the Danish city where it was adopted in 1998 – grants citizens rights and imposes on Parties (including the UK) and public authorities obligations regarding access to information and public participation and access to environmental …

Frances Fitzgerald resigns from cabinet

David McCann on November 28, 2017, 1:53 pm

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Statement in from the outgoing Tanaiste & Minister, Frances Fitzgerald; Today I made the decision to tender my resignation to the Taoiseach, stepping-down with immediate effect as Tánaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation. It has been the greatest honour of my life to serve in Government, but I believe it is necessary to take this decision to avoid an unwelcome and potentially destabilising general election at this historically critical time. “Throughout my career I have always sought to …

EXCLUSIVE POLL: Unionist supporters content with East West post #Brexit border controls…

Soapbox on November 26, 2017, 6:31 pm

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The dilemma facing Brexit negotiators on the ‘Irish border’ question is how to retain an invisible, frictionless, ‘soft’ North-South border in Ireland and somehow avoid the seemingly inevitable reality of the emergence of a ‘hard’ border if the UK leaves the single market and the customs union. Squaring this circle is a little tricky. It’s hard to have a border and not have a border all at the same time. Borders are a bit like boiled eggs, either hard or …

Ireland and the border has emerged as the current acid test. In their own interests, Leo Varadkar and Micheal Martin should give Theresa May space to pass it

Brian Walker on November 25, 2017, 5:57 pm

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The current British position is admirably described by James Forsyth in the Brexit leaning, Conservative supporting Spectator. I can do no better than to quote it at length. It covers a viewpoint that cannot be dismissed by ardent Remainers like me. Whatever the mood music, it will be taken seriously in the chancelleries of Europe. For they see that the British are gradually shifting. The next few weeks are the time for quiet diplomacy with the megaphone put away and the tweeting held in check.

Former BBC journalist and manager in Belfast, Manchester and London, Editor Spolight; Political Editor BBC NI; Current Affairs Commissioning editor BBC Radio 4; Editor Political and Parliamentary Programmes, BBC Westminster; former London Editor Belfast Telegraph. Hon Senior Research Fellow, The Constitution Unit, Univ Coll. London

Six Things We Learned From Ireland’s Failed Rugby World Cup Bid…

Steve Bradley on November 24, 2017, 4:48 pm

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Last week’s surprise decision to grant the 2023 Rugby World Cup (RWC) to France was a huge disappointment for the Irish, who had been bookies’ favourite throughout the process. As the dust finally settles on the five-year effort to bring one of the world’s largest sporting events to these shores, here are six key lessons we can draw from the experience : Ireland CAN hold events of global significance. The positive message for Ireland in a disappointing process was that …

Domestic political turmoil renders the Brexit negotiations even more unpredictable. This time it’s not London’s fault

Brian Walker on November 24, 2017, 9:34 am

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Compared with some other key leaders, Theresa May’s position is looking remarkably stable for a change as she flies into Brussels today for what’s being billed in London as crucial meetings with EU leaders including Council president Donald Tusk. The Westminster lobby is reporting that she’ll be taking soundings over whether a British offer of a bigger divorce bill – £40 billion is being mentioned off the record – would be enough to persuade EU leaders to allow Brexit talks …

Out of left field, Sinn Fein launched the perfect storm. So let’s hear it for Leo

Brian Walker on November 24, 2017, 1:16 am

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Wouldn’t you know it? Sinn Fein put down a vote of no confidence first and so set the hare running. Can Fianna Fail afford to lag fortoise-like behind? In a sprung election no-one entirely wants just now, which party holds the initiative in the tangled web of minority government and balf in. half out opposition? Back wbere they still feel they belong for Fianna Fail under Micheal Martin? The Last hurrah for Gerry Adams or a rushed new hello …

Election looms as Fine Gael backs Frances Fitzgerald

David McCann on November 23, 2017, 11:06 pm

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The following is a statement from the Fine Gael Parliamentary Party Chairman, Martin Heydon following a meeting of TDs this evening over the the growing crisis in Dublin; The Fine Gael parliamentary party unanimously passed a motion tonight to stand firmly behind Tánaiste Frances Fitzgerald. At a meeting in Leinster House tonight, the party heard from An Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar who said their colleague Minister Frances Fitzgerald was facing a trumped up charge from the opposition. …

Another leak against the Brits, but Theresa’s not for budging

Brian Walker on November 23, 2017, 2:21 pm

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Another leak to RTE, another bout of Irish pressure, accompanied by Irish Times columnist Stephen Collins joining a chorus of “ contempt” for British tactics and urging his government to stand firm. The (British position that the) Border issue should be dealt with in phase two of the Brexit negotiations dealing with future trade rather than in phase one as the EU is insisting. This is an obvious attempt to use the Border as a bargaining tool in the negotiations …