Why donate to Haiti?
Hi Rónán, Many thanks for offering to help us. I have been thinking about the question ‘Why is a donation to NPH (Spanish name for Our Little Brothers and Sisters) the best thing to do with my quid?’ I guess it depends on how the person feels about giving money to charity and what expectation […]
Special privileges for those in tune with the Zeitgeist
My Seanad colleague Sharon Keogan doesn’t mind the heat. Lucky for her, because she got plenty of it when she dared to vent her views on the Katherine Zappone affair on Twitter during the week. “The most worrying issue here is the agenda of governments worldwide to catapult #LGBTQIA personnel into high level positions,” Keogan […]
Senator Mullen tables amendment to help fill ‘vacant’ Vacant Site Levy coffers
Making Vacant Site Levy self-assessed would bring in more revenue and remove incentive to leave sites undeveloped, Senator argues. Independent NUI Senator Rónán Mullen has tabled an amendment to the Affordable Homes Bill which aims to increase the revenue netted by local authorities from the Vacant Sites Levy and to release more land for the […]
Letter to Olympic Federation of Ireland
Dear Ms Keane, We write to you as concerned members of the Oireachtas in relation to the 2022 Winter Olympics, due to take place next February in Beijing and at locations in the nearby Heibei province in China. As you know, sport plays a vitally important role in our world. Central to the Olympic spirit […]
Letter to Minister for Health seeking clarification on legal restrictions affecting public worship during Covid-19 pandemic
Letter to Minister Donnelly 29th March 2021 Dear Stephen, Thank you for your reply to me in the Seanad today in which you undertook to respond in writing to me about the precise legal situation pertaining to the organisation of public worship (with regard to Regulation 8 of SI 701/2020) and to leaving […]
HSE lack of joined-up thinking on vaccine may have cost lives among religious,” Mullen says
Clergy presiding at funerals also a vulnerable category doing ‘essential work’ Independent Senator Rónán Mullen has said that a lack of joined-up thinking at the HSE over the roll-out of the Covid vaccine may have cost lives among elderly members of religious orders. Senator Mullen was speaking as news broke that the HSE was planning […]
Sunday Independent: Mothers and Babies
Article published in the Sunday Independent on the 24th January 2021 Yet again I have reason to be glad that I opposed the 2011 referendum to give greater powers to Oireachtas Committees to mount public inquiries. Last week in the Dáil and Seanad, Judge Yvonne Murphy and her Commission of Inquiry were subjected to repeated […]
Mullen calls for ‘National Voluntary Collection’ as part of Mother and Baby Home redress package
“We are all connected with families who are part of this story.” Independent Senator Rónán Mullen called for a national voluntary collection to be organised to enable individuals and families in the community to contribute to a redress package for those who spent time in the State’s Mother and Baby Homes or County Homes as […]
Education Committee may quiz colleges on links with Chinese universities
Concern that Chinese students in UCC may face sanctions back home for speaking up in class The Oireachtas Education Committee may invite Irish university heads to explain their developing links with Chinese universities in light of human rights concerns for Chinese academic staff and students in Ireland, and for Irish staff and students based in […]
Submission to Future of Media Commission
Reflecting the views of those with religious faith, and greater respect for diversity of social outlook, in broadcasting media, especially public service broadcasting Dear Prof MacCraith, This brief submission relates most specifically to the first of the three areas on which the Commission has sought input, and to some of its subcategories, specifically:- “Question 1. […]