Gary Murphy’s IT peice on regulation of lobbyists
The article can be read online here.
Ceann Comhairle-response to Eoin O’Malley
It’s the not the government, but the Dáil that elects the Ceann Comhairle. The constitution makes no reference to how the Ceann Comhairle is elected, so if the Dáil wished to change the rules of election, it is free to do so.
Kenny Commits FG to Abolishing Seanad and Reducing Number of TDs by 20+
Fine Gael have proposed abolishing Seanad. Pat Rabbitte and Dick Roche agree worth looking at on Week in Politics. http://finegael.org/news/a/1402/article/ http://www.rte.ie/live/index.html
A different type of Ceann Comhairle could have made a difference
Posted by Eoin O’Malley In the political calculations made last week on the removal of John O’Donoghue and selection of a new Ceann Comhairle, two things seemed to be most important in the Taoiseach’s calculations. One was the FF/ Green majority – so getting a Fine Gael or Labour TD would have eased the pressure…
Electoral reform – Green agreement?
Th Irish Times today says The Greens have won commitments on electoral reform http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2009/1010/1224256346911.html It is also understood that the Greens have won some far-reaching concessions on electoral reform. The Electoral Commission will be asked within the next year to advise if the number of TDs in Dáil Eireann, currently 166, is too high. It…
Fintan O’Toole on ‘Oireachtas Oversight’
Link to article
Paul Krugman on rational politics. Ireland?
Paul Krugman in today’s New York Times on the need for rational politics. Many of the retrospectives on Ted Kennedy’s life mention his regret that he didn’t accept Richard Nixon’s offer of a bipartisan health care deal. The moral some commentators take from that regret is that today’s health care reformers should do what Mr.…
Twittering grannies
half of Facebook users are over 26 and the fastest growth is in users over 35.
More Policy Oversight Required
The mixed messages coming from Government on the purpose of Nama shows that even with godd debate in the Dáil and the media, government is where policy is made and any attempt to reform the political system should not ignore this. Eoin O’Malley’s IT article.
Reform of Political System Key to Developing National Polciy
Muiris MacCartaigh’s IT article.
Irish Politics Forum 