Continuing my look through the motions ahead of Young Fine Gael National Conference in Tullamore the next motion to pique my interest is one from my own branch in UCC. The motion reads as follows: YFG believes that a graduate tax should be introduced for all college graduates as a means of funding their education and the present entry fees should be phased out over 5 years. Households with an income of below €45,000 would be exempted One the issues I always...
Young Fine Gael is holding its National Conference in Tullamore, Co. Offaly between the 17th-19th February. One of the motions that has been accepted for debate is on Fracking or to be more exact Hydraulic fracturing which is way to extract Gas from shale. The motion from UCD YFG reads as follows YFG approves of the process of fracking as can it can prove a viable energy source in Ireland for the foreseeable future Clare County Council recently banned the process while in Leitrim and...
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...
After thinking about all the tweets and facebooking from the Irish Presidential Candidates, I decided to ask them if they would contine use Twitter/Facebook if they were elected President of the Republic of Ireland. I asked the question on Twitter initially, but then posted it also on the candidates Facebook to give them all a fair chance of responding. These are the respons in the order I have recieved them and on what medium they responded on. Mary Davis -...
Are you aged between 18-25? Do want to see Social Change in Ireland? Do you want to change something in Irish Society? Check out Wave Change. Wave Change is a new programme being launched by Social Entrepreneurs Ireland for 18-25 year-olds who believe that they have a role to play in building the Ireland we all want to live in and who want to have a stronger voice in society. The programme provides training, development, seed funding and networking opportunities...
As with every election campaign, I am out on the streets and talking up my preferred candidate or cause. This time out, just like with Lisbon 2, I have left Fine Gael behind to support a different group. If you weren’t aware, I am supporting Mary Davis for the Irish Presidency. There are many reasons for this. but I think she is best placed to represent Ireland abroad and to engage Irish communities at home. On Friday I went on my...
RTÉ reported last night that a party whip was being applied to Fianna Fail TD’s and Senators to stop them individually nominating Independent candidates. Speaking in an interview aired on RTÉ’s This Week In Politics, Seán Ó Fearghail, The Fianna Fail whip, said the party would act collectively if it chooses to support an independent candidate. This is seen as a blow to the possible return of Senator Norris to the race for the Presidency. The Irish Times today...
So it looks like we will be having another referendum in Ireland this year. Unfortunately its not the long awaited Children’s Right Referendum, but a referendum to remove Article 35.5 from Bunreacht na hEireann. That article states The remuneration of a judge shall not be reduced during his continuance in office. This article was included to ensure that the Government of the day did not punish judges through their pay. While this may have been seen as an important safeguard in the...
This Column appeared in the Cork Independent on Thursday 26th May 2011 I joined Fine Gael in 2004. If someone told me on that day, that in seven years time Enda Kenny would be welcoming the British Queen and American President to Ireland as the leader of the largest party in Dáil Eireann and the Toaiseach of the largest Government Majority in coalition with Labour. I probably would have laughed in their face and said in your dreams. During...
Wave Change Cork
Over the 12th and 13th of November I spent time in the Cork School Music on the Wave Change programme from Social Entrepreneurs Ireland which I blogged about here. Over the two days there were speakers, such as Bill Liao and Myles McCorry of Bike Pure. We also had workshops on online and offline communication as well as some activities to get us thinking and learning about our skills. There was also a great opportunity to brain storm our ideas and help...
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