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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 - Facebook

Hi Stephen, when I am elected I will definitely ensure that social media is a key part of my Áras an Uachtarán communications.

Sean Gallagher – Facebook

Certainly Stephen. I was using both Facebook and Twitter well before I announced my intention to run for the Presidency. Social media and new technologies mean that I can reach people and hear what you, the people of Ireland are saying more clearly than ever before. Best wishes, Seán

Michael D Higgins – Twitter

@spiller2 if elected I hope to continue using social media Stephen #aras11

Martin McGuinness – Twitter

@spiller2 I do indeed Stephen

UPDATE 20:25

Dana Rosemary Scallon - Twitter

@spiller2 I’m still learning, but I will keep it up while I’m in office. It’s a great way to connect with the people. #aras11 #dana

Senator David Norris (Team) – Facebook

Hi Stephen, I have asked your question and can confirmed a David Norris Presidency would certainly be using Social Media to make the Office of President even more accessible while continuing on the fantastic dialogue David Norris has enjoyed throughout his campaign. Admin (Ronan)

I have yet to recieve a response from Gay Mitchell. When I do I will update this post.

Gathering between 150 and 200 participants from all over the Euro-Med region who work in the fields of Artistic creation, Media and Social Networks, Civil society development and Resources for Citizenship, the event will be a great opportunity for participants to learn from each other, exchange experiences, best practices and project ideas as well as to build partnerships.

I shall be attending the Exchange and I will be part of the team covering the event through twitter, facebook and blogs. As part of that I have posted a blog post on the conference up on the official blog just on the background!

Do check out the website tunisforum.org for all the ways to follow the Forum. On twitter follow the #tunisforum tag! Or follow the list I created on twitter which will be updated over the course of the exchange. On Facebook like the Anna Lindh Foundation Page and the Believe in Dialogue Page to get updates there! There will be some live coverage and videos on the website so do keep an eye on it!

Im really looking forward to it now!

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This morning I awoke to the sad news that former Taoiseach Garret Fitzgerald had passed away. “Garret the Good” as he was known was always someone held in high regard in my family. He is one of the Giants of Irish Politics. He gave his all to Irish Politics and was a shining example of active citizenship in this country.

He was the founding fathers of Young Fine Gael as part of his reorganisation of Fine Gael in 1977. He is one of the reasons I joined the Fine Gael party. He dragged the Fine Gael party to the centre and allowed it be the party that is now.

Garret played a massive role in the peace process in Northern Ireland and this weeks events is a testament to the ground work he did.

Also Garret was Minister for Foreign Affairs during Ireland’s first EU Presidency and was widely praised for this. He interest in Europe never waned and he was involved in the campaigns for the Nice and Lisbon Treaties. In future campaigns on Europe he will be sorely missed. For both his passion and his intellect.

We now as a state must be thankful to Garret for what he did for us.

My thoughts and prayers are with him and his family. May he Rest in Peace.

Ar dheis de go raibh a anam dilis

Links

• Statement on the Death of Former Taoiseach and Founder of Young Fine Gael Garrett Fitzgerald – YFG.ie
• Ireland wakes to the news of Garret FitzGerald’s death – the political world reacts – Journal.ie
• “Gentleman”, “statesman” and “servant” all trending – Twitter tributes to Garret FitzGerald – Journal.ie
• President hails FitzGerald as Renaissance man – RTÉ
• Gallery: Garret FitzGerald – RTÉ

Related articles

• Garret FitzGerald (sluggerotoole.com)
• Former Irish PM Garret FitzGerald dies (ft.com)
• Garret FitzGerald: The nicest man in Irish politics (independent.co.uk)

Do check out the Liveblog Click Here.

In the mean time check out my posts on We the Citizens.

• VLOG: We the Citizens
• We The Citizens hits Cork this week
• We The Citizens

So tonight its all about the preparation for the tally tomorrow. I have to be in the concert hall in Cork City Hall.  I shall be doing the tally for Cork South Central but Cork North Central will be counted in the same hall. I will be trying to keep people updated on both counts on twitter. Keep an eye on the #tags #CNC and #CSC

Check out Mamanpoulet.com for more ways to follow the counts tomorrow.

Also there will be a first for a tally when the tally in Cork South Central will be updated online.

It may be a long day tomorrow, but let see what happens.

Also the RTÉ exit poll will be announced at 8am on Morning Ireland. That should give us an idea of how the counts will progress.

Related articles

• Irish Examiner\Red C – Cork South Central Poll (stephenspillane.com)
• Follow for updates on CNC & CSC (corkindependent.wordpress.com)
• Watch the count live (corkindependent.wordpress.com)
• Election Tally / Count Tags (irishelection.com)
• That local poll in Cork North Central… (cedarlounge.wordpress.com)

You too, though, will be able to see whats happening and pass on your comments as the plenary sessions will be webcast. I received an email about it today.

JOIN THE DEBATE

‘Bridging the Gap in Mutual Perceptions between people across the Mediterranean’
09.30 to 11.00 AM CET Friday 5th March 2010
�
Join the debate with live web-cast and blog at:
www.annalindhforum.org�
�
The debate will be broadcast live from the Anna Lindh Forum in Barcelona, involving an audience of over 900 civil society representatives from the 43 countries of the Union for the Mediterranean.
�
You can also follow us at www.twitter.com/AnnaLindh to get the latest quotes and updates, and join the online discussion using the hashtag #forum2010

Do join in! It will be interesting to hear what you think!

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• ALF Forum 2010 (stephenspillane.com)

Two recent events should be highlighted to any politician thinking of using twitter to further their electoral prospects. These two stories do serve as maybe a warning, before the commit.

Case 1: Dale v McCarthy.

This case surrounds allegations made by the Hon. Kerry McCarthy, MP for  Bristol East, about the political magazine Total Politics, which is run by tory supporting blogger Iain Dale. I shall leave it to each of them to tell their story.

• Iain Dale: Blocked By Kerry McCarthy!
• Kerry McCathy: It’s so funny, how we don’t talk anymore

As you can see, politicians have to be careful with what they say and do online! Is one over reacting? Or are both responses justified? You be the jury.

Case 2: Limburg v Schüneman

This case from the Lower Saxon State Parliament. After a debate on Aslyum Seekers, Green MP Helge Limburg called Lower Saxony’s state Interior Minister Uwe Schünemann (CDU) an “insufferable agitator” who was “shamelessly on the right-wing fringe.” (Full Story)

This when it came to light in the Lower Saxon Parliament caused uproar and discussions over the budget had to be postponed.

Is that what twitter should be used for?

So its over to you, after these anticas would you recommend that politicans use twitter?

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• Why You Should Use Twitter and Tweet for Your Business (suescaletta.com)
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• Sarah Brown overtakes Stephen Fry on Twitter (telegraph.co.uk)

The blurb:

What would it take for you to kiss someone with HIV? If Konnie Huq was HIV positive, would you kiss her?

The stigma experienced by people living with HIV and AIDS is immensely destructive and can further damage people who may already be in a vulnerable state. For World AIDS Day 2009, the British Red Cross carried out a survey of 16-25-year-olds in the UK, which showed that 85 per cent knew you cannot catch HIV from a kiss. Despite this, 69 per cent still wouldn’t kiss someone with HIV. So while people’s knowledge about HIV is generally good, that doesn’t necessarily translate into action.

Its not just about close contact like kissing the general trend is similar for more casual contact as well. For example, 96 per cent of people surveyed know you can’t get HIV from sharing a meal with someone who is HIV positive – but 44 per cent still wouldn’t want to buy food from a shopkeeper with HIV.

Red Cross peer educators are young people who train and teach people their own age, covering a range of humanitarian issues, including HIV. We can always use more volunteers for this challenging and rewarding role, so if you’d like to change the way people think about HIV, visit redcross.org.uk/hiv

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• Konnie Huq stars in HIV awareness ad (guardian.co.uk)
• World AIDS Day 2009 (stephenspillane.com)
• World AIDS Day 2009: December 1 (one.org)

Someone filled me in on  a little something at is happening on Staurday here in Cork! See below for the details!

Let Mr. Blue Sky in!

Who do we want? Everyone! No experience necessary.

For what? A flash mob to celebrate the arts in Cork.

A Flash mob? Check out these links http://improveverywhere.com/2008/01/31/frozen-grand-central/ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0UE3CNu_rtY

When is it happening? Saturday 14th Nov. at 1.30pm

Where is it happening? Patricks Street, Cork

How long will it last? Around 3.5 minutes

Why? To stand up (and dance a little) for the arts. And to bring fun and bewilderment to Patricks Street punters.

What do you need to do to take part? You need to come to two rehearsals at the newly revamped Savoy Theatre, Patricks Street on Wednesday 11th November, 7.30pm – 9.30pm and Saturday 14th November, 10.30am Then let Mr Blue Sky in at 1.30pm

Sign up for it now RSVP to letmrblueskyin[at]gmail[dot]com

This sounds like a bit of fun and sounds like it will make a point at the same time. Fair play to the Campaign for Arts for it! It will be a marked contrast to the disruption cause by the Union Protest on Friday!

For more on the National Campaign for the Arts, see their website, twitter and facebook. Best of luck to them!

See Also:

Corkpolitics.ie – Arts Audit Call

It is amazing that someone with views like that are allowed print them. It is crazy and it is offensive.

To be honest, I wasn’t too much bothered by Stephen Gately’s death. Yes, I did think it was sad and a tragedy for the family, his partner and his friends, but it didn’t really effect me personnally. This on the other hand has incensed me.

She dosen’t think she has done anything wrong and there in lies the problem. How can you write something that flies in the face of the facts and invent a story around what happened and then wonder why people are angry and claim it is ‘orchestrated’ and ‘mischevious’? That is just absurd! It’s mind boggling!

Its not very often you see mass outrage among friends online. My friends on twitter and facebook have been giving out about her, both gay and straight. Its impossible that this is orchestrated!

I hope the Press Complaints Commission come down heavily on the Daily Mail (if they can).

Anton Vowl has a brilliant fisking of the article and Charlie Brooker has an excellent article in Comment is Free on it.

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• Daily Mail article on Gately’s death sparks social media outrage (inquisitr.com)
• A Columnist Calls Out Stephen Gately’s Death As Suspicious. Now All Of Twitter Wants Her Dead (queerty.com)