Citizens’ Assemblies and Political Reform Speaker: Prof. Kenneth Carty, University of British Columbia, Canada Date: Monday 18 October 2010 – 6 to 8 pm Venue: Trinity Long Room Hub, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin 2 The Oireachtas Joint Committee on the Constitution has just recommended that Ireland create a Citizens’ Assembly to consider electoral reform. But…
Adrian K avanagh, 8th October 2010 There has been increasing talk in recent times about the need for a national government, but also increasing reticence on the part of the opposition parties. Not surprising, as this would be a Fianna Fail dominated administration – the Dail arithmetic being such that Fianna Fail could push their own agenda more and…
Fine Gael TD Lucinda Creighton has posted the following on her blog, essenatially arguing for a Tallaght II strategy. Posted by Jane Suiter Some may say it is naive of Opposition politicians to suggest that now is a time when we must put aside the old fashioned confrontational, adversarial politics of old and replace it,…
Some of the political correspondents writing over the last week are reading a great deal into every government minister’s’ utterance. Micheál Martin made an extremely banal comment when asked on Newstalk about the Cowen incident; “I think we all have to reflect in terms of how the conference was organised, in terms of communications issues and so on like…
By Gary Murphy 23 August, MMX It may be the silly season but the front page article in the Irish Daily Mail on Sunday suggested that a number of disaffected Fine Gael politicians were secretly discussing a type of merger with Fianna Fail after the next election as they do not want to go into…
Elsewhere on this site the full text of Lucinda Creighton’s speech to Magill is produced. However, there are no comment faculties there and given the importance of some of what she said I thought I would link it here for comments. She is obviously disillusioned but makes some interesting points. In particular she points to…
David Farrell, July 5, 2010 In a letter in today’s Irish Independent, a correspondent writes of how the “obsessive behaviour” of Mr Gormley: “has become more than just an embarrassment to the Government, it has become a dangerous impediment to this country’s economic recovery and the creation of much-needed jobs. Along with business leaders, United…
by David Farrell (June 23 2010) A letter in today’s Irish Times calls for the creation of a new political party: Madam, – With all the recent musings and mutterings from various media sources about the possible establishment in Ireland of a new political party, may I add my voice of consent to the chorus…
By Eoin O’Malley (17 June, 2010) Enda Kenny won today’s confidence motion, it is said by a margin of six votes. So he will be relieved and Richard Bruton disappointed. But might the happiest people as a result of this be Brian Cowen and Eamon Gilmore?
by Michael Gallagher (16 June 2010) If FG asked the PSAI for its opinion on whether it should change its leader, would Irish political science be able to offer any evidence-backed advice? There are (as usual) arguments on both sides. Someone alternative such as Richard Bruton may be in some sense a ‘better’ leader
Irish Politics Forum 