Society – Page 289 – Slugger O'Toole

A Cherry Room for everyone

Pete Baker on November 23, 2005, 4:29 pm

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Under the threat of legal action if their earlier decision was not reversed, and with the legal advice to the council supporting that view, last night Lisburn City Council voted again on whether to allow same-sex civil partnership ceremonies to be held in the, by now infamous, Cherry Room. As the BBC reports they voted in favour this time.. but not without some dissent, most notably from the Alliance Party’s Seamus Close, who according to the Belfast Telegraph, walked out …

a reduced role in politics for religion?

Pete Baker on November 22, 2005, 8:05 pm

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In the Irish Times Gerry Moriarty reports on the analysis of trends in religious affiliations [subs req] in NI, and the dissaffection with politics, by Professor Ian McAllister of the Research School of Social Sciences, Australian National University – who suggests [Implications page 7] – “If these trends continue, secularists will represent the second or third largest religious group in Northern Ireland society by the time of the next census, in 2011.” but that this group may not influence the …

Regressive attitudes towards rape victims

Mick Fealty on November 21, 2005, 3:18 pm

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Shocking statistics on some residual attitudes towards victims of rape. Mick FealtyMick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty

happy with the status quo?

Pete Baker on November 11, 2005, 4:36 pm

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The Irish Times today described it as “strongly defended”, and RTÉ described yesterday as “a robust defence”, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern spoke to the Association of European Journalists yesterday in response to Progressive Democrat TD Liz O’Donnell’s speech in the Dáil in which she criticised the deference shown by the State towards the Catholic Church in Ireland. In his response Bertie Ahern focused, in particular, on the role of the Church in primary education, as the Irish Times reports – “The …

Separate Church and State

Pete Baker on November 9, 2005, 8:30 pm

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As Mick noted, Fionnuala O’Connor’s contrasting of the reaction, north and south, to the findings of the Ferns Inquiry was less than favourable to northern Catholics. That contrast was reinforced today when Progressive Democrat TD Liz O’Donnell, speaking in the Dáil[updated direct link to Liz O’Donnell’s speech], called for an end to the special relationship between Church and State – RTÉ report – accusing the Irish State of having “tip-toed around the Irish [Catholic] hierachy” and that, although that hierarchy …

The irony of it all

Pete Baker on November 4, 2005, 9:21 pm

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The refusal of the sisters of Robert McCartney to share a platform with Margaret Thatcher at the Women of the Year Awards has caused concern among a section of the commentariat [or rather the inability to comment on it has *ahem*], but while Thatcher’s former press secretary Bernard Ingham has taken offence on her behalf I heard Norman Tebbit express his understanding of their decision on one radio interview [the Irish Times has the quote subs req], and the award …

On gunpowder and plotting

Pete Baker on November 4, 2005, 8:09 pm

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Tomorrow, 5th November, sees the annual celebration of the failure of the 1605 Gunpowder Plot, a time of conflict and violent religious turmoil – it’s an intriguing historical event whether you celebrate that failure.. or lament it. For everything you ever wanted to know about Guy Fawkes, Robert Catesby [the plot’s ring-leader] and the other disaffected 16th/17th Century Catholics involved in the plot to destroy the parliament buildings together with the king, James I, and his lords, check out the …

Love, Ulster Redux again?

Pete Baker on November 1, 2005, 8:38 pm

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Joanne Lowry, in the Newsletter, reports that Belfast City Council will tonight consider whether to ratify a committee decision to challenge the Court of Appeal verdict, on the rejection by the council of licence applications from adult-orientated shops as noted previously, in the House of Lords – the Appeal Court verdict would cost rate-payers in Belfast £100,000. The director of legal services for the council, Ciaran Quigley, is reported to have urged council members to appeal the decision, following the …

Social capital deficit in protestant areas

Mick Fealty on November 1, 2005, 12:33 am

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Interesting event in Lisburn recently which had Robert Putnam as a keynote speaker. Most of the speakers quoted assert that working class protestant areas are feeling isolated and vulnerable. According to Putnam this indicates a weakness in social capital – something of a norm for most de industrialised societies in the west.It’s interesting also to note that the Life and Times survey of 2002 noted significantly different levels of social engagement between protestant middle classes who have higher levels of …

More on the Ferns Inquiry report

Pete Baker on October 31, 2005, 1:20 am

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The publication of the Ferns Inquiry report, noted here, has been followed by a number of statements from other diocese containing their own statistics on allegations of, and confirmed cases of, abuse – as well as an announcement of an inquiry focusing on the Dublin diocese, which has acknowleged a settled cases cost of €4.07m. However, despite being available, by mail, from the Department of Health and Children, according to this lengthy RTÉ report – “The report will not be …

When democracy gets in the way..

Pete Baker on October 27, 2005, 7:16 pm

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In the absence of an operational NI Assembly, the announcement of a smoking ban in all public areas can be made by NIO Minister Shaun Woodward to an invited audience at the Waterfront Hall. Alas, when it comes to a functioning polity, such proposals must negotiate the trickier waters of democratic politics. In this case resulting in a partial smoking ban, described as unworkable in this report, which also notes Tony Blair as being against a total ban.. in England. …

Lisburn City Council facing legal action on access to Cherry Room

Pete Baker on October 27, 2005, 5:42 pm

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The decision by Lisburn District Council to deny the use of the Cherry Room to same-sex [civil] marriage ceremonies, a motion proposed by Alliance Party Councillor Seamus Close, and initially passed by the Council, caused discord among councillors when the issue gathered media coverage. It has also prompted a protest at Wednesday’s council meeting by the Gay Rights Association and they may take the council to court to challenge the decision. Pete Baker

liberty, equality and solidarity

Pete Baker on October 25, 2005, 6:46 pm

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Taoiseach Bertie Ahern faces criticism in the Irish Times today – from two different angles. Ronnie Kasrils, the South African Government Minister for intelligence, and South African Communist Party member, who is visiting Northern Ireland as a guest of Sinn Féin, is reported to be shocked that the Taoiseach has been talking about reclaiming republicanism from those who have “debased” and “abused” it. While Fintan O’Toole argues that “The only way to reclaim republicanism, for Fianna Fáil and for everyone …

Nuclear kite-flying?

Pete Baker on October 22, 2005, 9:07 pm

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The debate on if, or rather when, nuclear energy is to be seriously considered as an option has barely begun here in Ireland, but, arguably, there are signs that the UK government is much more convinced. In yesterday’s Guardian, the UK government’s chief scientific advisor, Sir David King, indicated that new nuclear power stations would have to be included in future energy production.From the Guardian report – In an interview with the Guardian, Sir David King said there were economic …

Guardian journalist to tell his story

Pete Baker on October 22, 2005, 12:51 am

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The Guardian’s Newsblog is trailing Rory Carroll’s own account of his abduction and subsequent release, with, for now, an extract and a brief audio report[mp3 file].. and it’s worth pointing to the brutal contrast with Saadoun Sughaiyer al-Janabi, defence lawyer for one of Saddam Hussein’s co-defendents, abducted and murdered yesterday, and Muhammad Haroon, 37, the editor of al-Hakeka newspaper, who was killed by unknown gunmen on Monday. Update From the Newsblog. Read Rory Carroll’s full account here, also available seven …

Review of planning permission for John Lewis

Pete Baker on October 20, 2005, 8:25 pm

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NIO minister Lord Rooker’s decision, announced in June this year, to grant planning permission for the proposed retail superstore by John Lewis Partnerships at Sprucefield now faces a judicial review by the High Court following the decision by Mr Justice Girvan today. The planning permission announcement in June, opposed in the review by 6 groups including Belfast City Council, and the Belfast Chamber of Trade and Commerce, came after John Lewis threatened to abandon plans for their only retail development …

7th IMC report published

Pete Baker on October 19, 2005, 6:46 pm

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The 7th IMC report has been made public, assessing paramilitary and criminal activity from 1 March to 31 August this year. Available here [pdf file]. Its general tone could be accurately described as cautious.. maybe, at a stretch, even cautiously optimistic. But the same [cautious, that is] could not be said for Secretary of State, Peter Hain.In relation to the activities of the Provisional IRA it has this to say – 3.18 In conclusion, on PIRA we emphasise again that …

More corrupt than last year?

Pete Baker on October 18, 2005, 8:55 pm

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BackSeatDriver Dick O’Brien taunts [some] of his co-bloggers with Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index for 2005. But, as I noted this time last year [has it really been that long? – Ed] Ireland was rated as 17th least corrupt at 7.5 in 2004. A year later the perception is that Ireland has become slightly more corrupt – now 19th with a rating of 7.4, and as equally corrupt as Belgium, more corrupt than the US or the UK or France, …

Why society needs ‘degenerate’ changemakers…

Mick Fealty on October 18, 2005, 5:32 pm

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Or why a healthy society thrives on dissent. And even, who will save us from the stupidity of endless, repetitive order? Fascinating thesis from that most excellent political dissenter John Lloyd, which he kicks off with a seminal quote from Nietzsche: “The danger to those strong communities founded on homogeneous individuals who have character is growing stupidity, which follows all stability like a shadow. It is the individuals who have fewer ties and are much more uncertain and morally weaker …

a combination of historical ignorance and monumental self-pity

Pete Baker on October 18, 2005, 4:54 pm

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Also in the Irish Times, Fintan O’Toole was in the Polish city of Wroclaw when Fr Alec Reid’s comments hit the newswire. As he says, he didn’t discuss them with his Polish hosts, he was too ashamed “..that this combination of historical ignorance and monumental self-pity is far from rare” and he wondered “How could you possibly explain that Irish nationalists, who are thought to be so steeped in the past, know so little about the recent history of the …