Today we got a look at the first part of Budget 2012 . Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform Brendan Howlin today announced a series of measures that add up to the €2.2bn in cuts. The main points that I took from today’s announcements: Government will reduce the size of the public service to 282,500 by end 2015 €250 added to the Student Registration Fee Student Support funding cut by 14% Student Maintenance Grant cut by 3% No new...
Willie Penrose TD and Minister of State at Department of Environment, Community & Local Government with responsibility for Housing & Planning has resigned from the Cabinet and from the Labour Party. Penrose was a Super Junior Minister meaning he was entitled to attend all Cabinet meetings. He has resigned over the issue of the closure of Columb Barracks in Mullingar which is within his constituency. He has issued this statement (from Politics.ie ) It was regret that I tendered my...
A group of nine Spanish Bloggers have come together and written a Manifesto on things to improve Europe. There isn’t any political slant to this apart from trying to improve democracy within the European Union and improve the EU itself. Some other bloggers and tweeters are getting behind this. The Manifesto is in English below, but the Manifesto is translated into other languages on the website for the campaign. Some good ideas in this, especially single European Seat...
On Morning Ireland this morning Fianna Fail TD Dara Callaery suggested that the Government had a series of referendums planned for next year. The question is what will these be on? Two we know of. They are the long awaited Children’s Rights Referendum and of course a referendum to abolish Seanad Eireann. But what else can we expect? I asked for suggestions on Facebook and Twitter. There was some interesting answers. Most people wanted a Children’s Rights Referendum...
You may read in the papers and on the internet that Fingal County Council have nominated Senator David Norris for the Presidency. Unfortunately for Senator Norris, this nomination will not count towards the four he needs. This is because the Election has not yet been called and therefore nominations cannot be made. This is covered under the Presidential Elections Act 1993. Under Section 16 of the act a Council is given the right to nominate a candidate. The only...
On the 9th of May each year we mark the Anniversay of the Schuman Declaration. This declaration made by French Minister for Foreign Affairs Robert Schuman in 1950, set the basis for what would has become the European Union. 61 years later and with the EU at a crossroad due to the financial crisis and the lessening impact it has around the world, it its only right we look back at the declation which started it all and remind...
The Government have published the Legislative Agenda for the summer session. The following bills will be published Veterinary Practice (Amendment) Bill Energy (Miscellaneous Provisions) Bill Dormant Accounts (Amendment) Bill Qualifications and Quality Assurance (Education and Training) Bill Patents (Amendment) Bill Electoral (Amendment) (Political Funding) Bill Electoral Commission Bill Local Government Services Corporate Bodies (Amendment) Bill Betting (Amendment) Bill Central Bank (Supervision and Enforcement) Bill Finance (No. 2) Bill Fiscal Responsibility Bill Ministers and Secretaries (Amendment) Bill Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme) Bill Courts (Enforcement of Maintenance and Appointment of...
A lot of people mentioned to me that were surprised that Simon Coveney was appointed Minister for Agriculture, Marine and Food. To me it was no surprise, not only is Simon popular with farmers, in a Red C Poll for the Irish Farmers Journal Simon was the most popular candidate for Agriculture Minister, but he has European experience. The majroity of legislations, rules and payments relating to Agriculture comes from the European Union through the Common Agriculture Policy. This...
Over on the Irish Times Blog Deaglán De Bréadún has a fantasy cabinet and is looking for suggestions for the new Fine Gael/Labour Government that will be appointed next Wednesday. Here is my go at it: Taoiseach: Enda Kenny (FG) Tainiste and Foreign Affairs: Eamonn Gilmore (Lab) Finance: Michael Noonan (FG) Enterprise: Joan Burton (Lab) Public Sector Reform: Richard Bruton (FG) Education: Ruairi Quinn (Lab) Social Protection: Rosin Shorthall (Lab) Agriculture: John Perry (FG) Justice: Brendan Howlin (Lab) Communications,...
There have been a few questions asked about the Election Broadcasting Moratorium which is changing this year in comparison to previous elections. This year, broadcasters will be allowed to cover the election up until 2pm on Thursday. From the BAI Guidance Radio and television broadcasters shall observe a moratorium on coverage of an election. The moratorium will operate from 2pm on the day before the poll takes place and throughout the day of the poll itself until polling stations...
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