Democracy, for all its difficulties, is in need of being cherished
The savage slaying of Jo Cox, by all accounts a really great emerging politician, at the hands of a deranged loner came at a time when the Brexit referendum campaign was about to reach its climactic last weekend. And the awfulness of her death led to a temporary cessation of hostilities in that campaign. Terrible […]
100 years ago the fuse was lit – now we owe it to ourselves to deliver a true democracy
On Monday, my friend and former Progressive Democrat colleague Jason O’Mahony argued in The Times (Ireland Edition) that the Seanad was an “offensive monstrosity” and criticised the manner in which it is elected. He was, as usual, perceptive and pithy on the real shortcomings of the upper house as presently elected, but the real issue […]
My open letter to Enda and Michéal
Dear Enda and Micheál,
It was about time that the two of you at least agreed to talk to each other.
The present impasse is definitely a problem for each of you personally. But it is a much bigger problem for the rest of us.
A note to say thanks – #Seanad16 campaign event
On Tuesday 5th April, we hosted a campaign meeting for over 170 friends, colleagues and supporters in the Royal Irish Academy as part of my candidacy for the NUI panel of Seanad Eireann. For us, the event was a reminder of the warmth and friendliness which characterises many election campaigns, but which is often not […]
The narcissism of small differences
This has been a bad week for Ireland. Instead of earning the respect of the people, the leaders of the two large parties seem intent on courting their contempt. Their efforts to position themselves favourably in the public eye and to outflank each other are pitiful. All the talk of 1916 and of patriotism, vision […]
No more political fudges on Seanad Reform
The NUI register which has more than 103,000 named voters is very much out of date, incomplete and patchy. The use of Registered Post is causing huge difficulties too.