Can directly elected mayors really make a difference in improving our cities?
Directly elected mayors (DEMs) have been proposed as the solution to the general malaise in local government. But it is arguable that the problems with local government run deeper than can be resolved by giving someone chosen by the electorate a five-year term as mayor. In the case of Limerick city and county, a plebiscite […]
The fruits of populism are ripening, falling and rotting
I suppose many people will have asked themselves whether there is not a contradiction of sorts in a society which appears to prohibit state legislatures from infringing the right of all citizens to keep and bear firearms on the one hand but upholds a right for the same state legislatures to prohibit all abortions, even […]
Darragh O’Brien has the fate of the Government in his hands
Darragh O’Brien is the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage. That is a difficult brief for any politician these days. He has his hands full with a soaring inflation rate, an expanding population, a shortage of homes, high rents, huge delays in building large-scale residential developments, spiralling building costs, and apparent inability of state […]
Tories realising that Johnson has led them into political wilderness
Boris Johnson has appealed to Tory MPs to “draw a line” and let him get on with the job. Drawing a line is derived from the phrase “drawing a line in the sand” – a fixing of a notional boundary. The problem for Boris is that there isn’t even sand to have a line drawn […]
Talk of Border poll must be seen in context of some basic political realities
In the last fortnight Belfast has witnessed two big rallies – one concerning the Irish language and the other concerning the protocol and Irish unity. Each was impressive in its own way. Apart from large participation on each occasion, the theme of each rally was quite indicative of a polarised society. And the marching season […]
No time for wand-waving or wishful thinking on our energy supply
On the 19th May, Seanad Eireann debated an important private member’s motion tabled by independent senators with a view to having Eamon Ryan set out his plans for meeting Ireland’s energy needs. The motion sought clarity on whether Ireland was considering the option using nuclear energy. Ryan has until now indicated that nuclear energy was […]