Could Mary Lou McDonald be about to enter the presidential race?
When
Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald
was asked on Monday if she was ruling herself out of this year's
contest to succeed Michael D Higgins
, she replied, 'we're not ruling anything in or anything out.' But could a tilt at the presidency be a potential career-ender for Mary Lou?
Elsewhere, those ruling themselves firmly in include Galway West Independent TD
Catherine Connolly
, who says she plans to launch her presidential election bid next week. The veteran Donegal TD Pat the Cope Gallagher says he is considering seeking Fianna Fáil nomination to run, but
Fine Gael's Seán Kelly
has ruled himself out, with Mairead McGuinness now widely expected to seek Áras election.
The
Occupied Territories Bill
is now undergoing pre-legislative scrutiny. The big question remains whether the proposed bill
will include services
along with the prohibition of trade in goods with Israeli companies operating in the illegally occupied Palestinian territories.
Plus, the panel picks their favourite Irish Times pieces of the week:
The throwaway
lyrics of Oasis
, the social cohesion of the
July 12th bonfires
, and when
crying in public
is the natural thing to do.
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21 minutes ago
- RTÉ News
Slovenia bans imports from Israeli settlements over Gaza war
Slovenia has introduced a ban on imports of goods produced in Israeli-occupied Palestinian territories and approved an additional aid package for Palestinians in Gaza, the government said in a statement. "The government today banned the import of goods originating from settlements in the occupied territories, including a ban on circumventing the ban on these imports," the statement on the government website said. The statement did not specify whether the ban refers to all goods produced in the territories or just Israeli goods. The Slovenian government also instructed the competent ministries to consider banning the export of goods from Slovenia intended for these Israeli-occupied settlements. "Israeli government's actions, including the construction of illegal settlements, expropriations, the forced displacement of the Palestinian population, the destruction of their serious and repeated violations of international humanitarian law," Prime Minister Robert Golob said in statement quoted by the STA news agency. "These actions not only threaten the lives and dignity of the Palestinian population, but also the foundations of the international order," it added. The news agency said the volume of goods affected is extremely low at under €2,000 in 2023. A demonstration was held in the capital Ljubjana to draw attention to the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza. Most of the international community considers the settlements illegal. The Israeli government deems settlements legal under its own laws, while some so-called "outposts" are illegal but often tolerated and sometimes later legalised. Last month, a cross-party Oireachtas foreign affairs committee report on the Occupied Territories Bill "strongly recommends" services as well as goods should be included in any Government legislation. The committee has been tasked in recent weeks with drawing up a pre-legislative scrutiny report on the long-awaited Occupied Territories Bill, which will include a series of non-binding recommendations that will subsequently be considered by Government. The question of whether the bill should be limited to goods from what it describes as the Occupied Territories or be extended to services as well has been a key subject of debate in recent weeks due to the potential economic impact such a move could cause.
Irish Times
21 minutes ago
- Irish Times
No Irish leader exerted as much global influence as Daniel O'Connell, commemoration hears
No Irish leader has exerted as much international influence as Daniel O'Connell with his Catholic emancipation campaign resulting in him being hailed a hero by all who believe in liberty, Taoiseach Micheál Martin has said. Mr Martin said that the success of 'the Liberator' in campaigning for Catholic emancipation in 1829 led to people all over the world looking to Ireland for inspiration about how to bring together oppressed people to achieve dramatic breakthroughs. The Taoiseach was speaking at a State commemoration at O'Connell's ancestral home in Caherdaniel, Co Kerry, to mark the 250th anniversary of his birth. He said aside from being 'an inspiration to many Catholic communities who faced discrimination and repression around the world, he was also an icon for others, in particular Europe's Jewish community'. 'And of course he was a leader and a symbol of hope for those who were campaigning for the abolition of slavery wherever it was to be found,' said Mr Martin. He added that O'Connell and Ireland's story was followed closely by newspapers and journals worldwide. READ MORE Mr Martin said it would be wrong to think O'Connell cared only about Catholic emancipation as his focus was on oppression generally. ' He believed that members of all religions and in all countries should have the right to fully participate in the professional and political life of the state. 'He was not looking for supremacy, but for equality and respect. And to achieve it he built an organisation the like of which the world had never before seen. There had been many popular risings in world history, but there was no example of a mass democratic political movement before.' He said O'Connell brought all the fire and determination that had characterised his legal work to the cause of Catholic emancipation, and, as he grew older, he became much more personally and deeply committed to his faith. Taoiseach Micheál Martin officiated at the commemoration marking the 250th anniversary of the birth of Daniel O'Connell. Photograph: Maurice Gunning Mr Martin said O'Connell does not simply represent a distant part of Irish history but his tireless campaigning seeking to unite the Irish people behind the shared values of solidarity and justice means he remains an inspiring beacon for Irish people today. The event, at the OPW-managed Derrynane House, was attended by 200 invited guests, including Minister for Culture Patrick O'Donovan, who also spoke of O'Connell's continuing relevance in the modern world. 'The world can be a turbulent place, and it can appear to be worsening. Daily we see breaches in civil rights, famine and wars. We can draw strength from our past. We can remember what we have already overcome, we can look to the example of O'Connell. [ Daniel O'Connell would have enjoyed his life being celebrated 250 years on, says historian Opens in new window ] 'And when we do, we can see what one man was capable of achieving through peaceful means, and how his success motivated so many others in the global pursuit of civil rights and democratic reform,' said Mr O'Donovan. Among the guests, which included many public representatives, were more than 20 of O'Connell's descendants including his great-great-great granddaughter, Emily Lenehan, who delivered a reflection on her illustrious ancestor on behalf of the O'Connell family. The ceremony concluded with Mr Martin unveiling a commemorative plaque to O'Connell carved from Valentia slate and the planting of an oak tree, for which he was joined by two of O'Connell's youngest descendants, Finlay (12) and Charlotte Davidson (six). [ TV aerial in Daniel O'Connell stamp is a 'visual signal' to the modern age, not AI, says An Post Opens in new window ]
Irish Times
an hour ago
- Irish Times
The Irish Times view on racist attacks: no place for hate on our streets
In recent weeks there has been a disturbing uptick in reports of violent attacks targeting ethnic minorities, particularly affecting members of Ireland's Indian community. Members of that community have spoken of rising verbal abuse and assaults on Irish streets, leading them to feel unsafe. Many such incidents remain unreported to the Garda Síochána, though details have surfaced on local WhatsApp groups. The situation has left many people feeling increasingly vulnerable as they go about their daily lives in what was once seen as a welcoming environment. And last weekend the Indian embassy warned its citizens to take extra precautions for their own security. Indians have become Ireland's fastest-growing immigrant group, with thousands receiving residence permits in the past three years alone. In a relatively short period, the community has grown to become the largest non-white ethnic group in the country, contributing significantly to various sectors of the economy. Particularly notable is the valuable contribution of Indian professionals to the health service and technology industries, where their expertise is in high demand. But many now report feeling a sense of threat. The Garda has responded to the reports of violence with statements emphasising its commitment to addressing the problem. But some victims, especially those who have lived in Ireland for many years, believe that things are getting worse. They point to an increase in hostile, racially charged encounters on the streets, fuelled in part by poisonous rhetoric on social media. All of this forms part of a broader, worrying trend that has seen public spaces and public discourse become sites of escalating toxicity. READ MORE Reports suggest that many perpetrators are minors, complicating the issue of legal accountability. While recently passed hate crime legislation now makes it possible to treat racial animus as an aggravating factor when sentencing, the effectiveness of this as a deterrent remains to be seen. The debate on regulating hate speech remains contentious, as evidenced by last year's controversy over proposed legislation on the issue, which was ultimately abandoned. But alongside legislation and enforcement, civil society and individual citizens also have a role to play in rejecting those who carry out these reprehensible acts. It is concerning that in some cases, bystanders have witnessed assaults but failed to intervene or report them. However, there have also been instances where members of the public have come to the aid of victims and brought the assaults to public attention. Such solidarity sends an unequivocal signal that racist violence is unacceptable. It is everybody's shared responsibility to ensure that no one feels unsafe because of their ethnicity or the colour of their skin.
