Month: January 2013

News from Ireland6 Comments

Potential Disaster for Ireland if UK Opts Out of European Union

Michael Green

The amount of genuine ‘Euro-skepticism’ that really exists in the United Kingdom is about to be put to the test. The UK has always had a vocal faction who are very unhappy with the EU. This skepticism ranges from those who want to have their London parliament retain more of its power rather than ceding ever-more to Brussels, to those who want the UK out of the European Union altogether. British Prime Minister David Cameron has announced that, should his Conservative party be re-elected, a referendum will be held in the UK by 2017. The vote will likely include a … Continue reading Potential Disaster for Ireland if UK Opts Out of European Union

News from Ireland1 Comment

‘Drink and Drive’ Permits Sought by Irish Politician

Michael Green

Kerry County Councillor Danny Healy-Rae has called for a special permit to be given to rural people to allow them to visit their local pub, have a few drinks and then drive home without fear of prosecution. Successive Irish Governments have enabled a big crackdown on the ‘drink and drive’ culture over the last decade. The blood-alcohol limit has been reduced significantly on a number of occasions and there is now much greater enforcement of the laws. An Garda Siochana (Irish Police) can now breathalyse any driver in any situation – no ‘please walk a straight line’ test is needed. … Continue reading ‘Drink and Drive’ Permits Sought by Irish Politician

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Unionists May Call Bluff On Sinn Fein Over United Ireland Referendum

Michael Green

In a surprise development Democratic Unionist Minister Arlene Foster has suggested that her party may actually support Sinn Fein’s call for a vote on a United Ireland – the ‘border poll’. Sinn Fein have recently begun a campaign to have a border poll held in Northern Ireland to decide if a majority still want to stay within the United Kingdom. The Republican party have been boosted by recent census statistics that have revealed a big reduction in the overall size of the majority of Protestants in Ulster. The party has repeatedly said that it wants a referendum held in advance … Continue reading Unionists May Call Bluff On Sinn Fein Over United Ireland Referendum

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Ned Kelly, Irish-Australian Outlaw Finally Laid to Rest

Michael Green

The infamous Irish bushranger Ned Kelly has been buried in an unmarked Australian grave some 132 years after his death. Despite being hanged in 1880 it was not until 2011 when DNA evidence from one of his living relatives was matched against bones and remains found in a derelict Melbourne Jail that any funeral could take place. For a time there was a legal wrangle over the ownership of the remains but in the end his descendants won the right to give him the Catholic burial he is said to have wanted. A crowd of over 500 people turned up … Continue reading Ned Kelly, Irish-Australian Outlaw Finally Laid to Rest

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Irish Government Finally Gets Tough on Public Service Pay

Michael Green

Irish Government Finally Gets Tough on Public Service Pay The ‘Croke Park Agreement’ is a deal between Public Service Unions and the Irish Government. It broadly states that there the Government will not implement any further cuts in pay for Public Servants in exchange for an increase in productivity and greater flexibility in respect of work practices. The rates of pay and conditions enjoyed by Irish public servants have been the subject of severe criticism in Ireland in the last few years, especially given the appalling state of the public finances. A successor to the Cork Park Agreement is being … Continue reading Irish Government Finally Gets Tough on Public Service Pay

News from Ireland2 Comments

Sinn Fein Calls for Vote on United Ireland – a ‘border poll’

Michael Green

The ‘Good Friday Agreement’ that saw an end to the armed conflict in Northern Ireland has a number of provisions including the possibility of a vote on the removal of the border with the Republic and thus a United Ireland. It has always been the express political aim of Sinn Fein to achieve a United Ireland and the party has clearly taken heart from recent census results of the population in the six Counties. The census revealed that the once significant gap between the Protestant majority and Catholic minority has diminished significantly. The Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency published … Continue reading Sinn Fein Calls for Vote on United Ireland – a ‘border poll’

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Irish Water Tax to be introduced in 2014

Michael Green

A new tax on the private use of tap water is to be introduced in Ireland in 2014. This is despite the fact that most Irish homes will not have an actual water meter installed until 2016 at the earliest. A flat-rate fee will be introduced initially and will be based on the size of a property as well as the number of occupants. Irish businesses already pay for their water usage but private homes do not, the funding for which comes from general taxation revenue. The new plans to install a water meter in every house in the country … Continue reading Irish Water Tax to be introduced in 2014