The whip system is too severe – conscience votes should be permitted
The Oireachtas is the name given by the Constitution to our national parliament. Article 15.2 states that it “shall consist of the President and two Houses, viz. : a House of Representatives to be called Dáil Éireann and a Senate to be called Seanad Éireann”. Using American terms such as House of Representatives and Senate […]
Seanad reform has been cynically promised and never delivered
You may recall that when the people rejected Enda Kenny’s threadbare political stunt proposal to abolish the Seanad, supported by the Labour Party, he remarked that the defeat was a “wallop” for his government. He had even tried to blackmail voters by threatening no reform of the Seanad if his proposal was defeated. Chastened by that wallop, he […]
Let’s not make the Dublin traffic plan the subject of a culture war
With a yellow weather warning in operation for Dublin and the east of the country, it was notable that centre city traffic was very light on Tuesday morning. Were people working more than usual from home? Was it the holiday effect? Whatever the reason, it was no day to venture out unnecessarily. And there was every reason […]
Democrats need to find an alternative to Biden-Harris ticket
It did not take the latest head-to-head debate between Joe Biden and Donald Trump for me to start doubting whether Biden’s age was likely to become a major issue in the November election race. Will there be another such debate which was, by the way, very fairly umpired. Would Trump offer Biden a second chance? Could Biden do any […]
Brexit has been a disaster but Britain will not admit it
The outcome of the UK general election seems to be a foregone conclusion insofar as the Tories will lose, Labour will win, Sir Keir Starmer will form a government, the Reform party will splutter and die, and many of the fundamental issues in UK politics will go unaddressed and unremedied. It could be worse. If […]
Ireland’s capacity to deal with EU migration pact is deeply suspect
The Government is using the party whip to push resolutions through each House of the Oireachtas this week to allow Ireland to exercise an option it has kept opting in to the EU migration pact. Cynics will note that the motions were due to be passed before the recent local and European parliament elections but […]