Murdoch will do anything in pursuit of power; Trump and Johnson are the press magnate’s useful idiots
Max Hastings, the historian, journalist and newspaper editor, has a sharp pen and intellect. Writing about the character of Boris Johnson, he has delivered a devastating critique of the British Prime Minister’s character, proclivities, and weaknesses. All his criticisms rang true, coming as they did from a man with extended dealings with Johnson over many […]
We run down the Defence Forces at our peril
The leader of the Green Party, Eamon Ryan, last week caused a major row in government by announcing the closure of Cathal Brugha Barracks, an important military campus, to provide for the building of social and affordable housing. Evidently the announcement took his ministerial colleagues by surprise, not least embattled Simon Coveney, the Minister for […]
Does it matter how Sinn Féin organises itself?
Joe Joyce wrote here on Monday about Sinn Féin participation in government. And his opinion piece drew the usual reaction from on-line readers who use anonymity to hide their membership of a well-drilled phalanx of trolls. No surprise there. His central thesis – that Sinn Féin is not, and will not be, a conventional democratic […]
Covid controls should err on the side of keeping society open
When I wrote here last week on the issues of tobacco, alcohol and the State’s public health policies and priorities, I touched on a deeper question as to whether and how far it was legitimate for a liberal democracy to seek to control individuals’ behaviour in pursuit of general health outcomes by law. Can people […]
Anti-alcohol law contains some utterly ridiculous legal provisions
The HSE is supposed to be dealing with the Covid emergency on our behalf. But that does not mean that other health issues have gone away or do not need the attention of the political system, of the health system, and of citizens at large. When the Oireachtas was debating recent legislation on alcohol, it […]
Quidditch falls to earth with a show of intolerance
It being the festive season and goodwill abounding, I have decided to skate out on thin ice and to raise the alarming news that the powers that be in the sport of Quidditch have apparently decided to consider re-naming their game in an attempt to distance themselves from what they consider to be transphobic utterances […]