Dáil returns to business after speaking rights ruling
On Tuesday, Ceann Comhairle (Speaker) Verona Murphy ruled that the bloc of independent politicians cannot form a technical group for the purposes of speaking rights.The row resulted in chaotic scenes in the Dáil (Irish Parliament) before a new government was elected last month.Opposition TDs (MPs) had disrupted the nomination of Michaeál Martin as taoiseach (Irish prime minister).The new government is led by Fianna Fáil, and Fine Gael and these two major parties.The support of the independent TDs could be critical to the survival of the government during its term of office and the two main government parties had sided with the independent TDs in the speaking rights row.
'Pure fiction'
On Wednesday, the opposition leader, Sinn Féin's Mary Lou McDonald, accused Martin and tánaiste (Irish deputy prime minister) Simon Harris of repeating "pure fiction" during the General Election campaign that 40,000 new homes would be delivered in 2024.In reply, the taoiseach said that the government was "extremely disappointed" that the actual number homes delivered in 2024 was lower than the official target of 33,000.However, he rejected the accusation that talking about 40,000 house completions during the election campaign was a "ploy" aimed at convincing voters that the country had "turned the corner on housing".Labour Leader Ivana Bacik said people have been forced to wake dead relatives by candle light due to the ongoing fallout from Storm Éowyn."It is unacceptable that 18,000 homes, farms and businesses are still without power and some won't have their electricity restored until the weekend," she said.The Social Democrats said it was "completely unacceptable" that the government was "missing in action" following the destruction of Storm Éowyn last month.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Courier
2 hours ago
- The Courier
EXCLUSIVE: Fife Reform defector was 'passionate' anti-Brexit voter
A Fife councillor who defected to Nigel Farage's Reform UK campaigned fiercely against Brexit – and won backing from Labour's most pro-EU wing. Councillor Julie MacDougall quit Labour in 2024 after being blocked from standing as a General Election candidate. She is now in Reform, which evolved from the anti-EU Brexit Party. The Courier can reveal Ms MacDougall had publicly supported EU membership and been endorsed as an MP hopeful by Labour Movement for Europe, a pro-EU faction. 'You don't get an endorsement from them without pledging true allegiance to the EU,' a source explained. Ms MacDougall also superimposed the stars of the EU flag over her Facebook profile picture in 2020. One former party colleague described the councillor as a 'passionate' EU supporter who 'despised' Brexit. A Labour source added: 'Julie MacDougall's desperate search for relevance continues. 'Having been rejected as a Labour candidate multiple times, she is now abandoning what she previously said she believed in to try to get herself a seat with any party in any parliament that might have her. 'She has previously been strident in her pro-EU views, as a member of the Labour Movement for Europe, and even displaying an EU flag around her face in social media profile pictures. 'She needs to explain to people in her council ward why she has suddenly abandoned these views in favour of Reform, who were previously called the Brexit Party.' Ms MacDougall told The Courier she had backed Remain during the EU Referendum in 2016, and says she does not know how she would vote if the ballot was re-run. She said: 'I've always been pro-European. It's more about the fact the country has voted to leave. That's what the people of the country decided, and that's democracy. 'I accept that decision by the people that voted.' Asked how she would vote now, the councillor added: 'I haven't thought about a vote at the moment, because I don't think that's something on the table.' Ms MacDougall, whose late father John was a Labour MP in Fife, also denied accusations of careerism. 'Everyone can have their own opinion. Labour was where my heart was. Sadly, things have changed,' she added. 'Had I really wanted to progress my career, I would have joined another party years ago when other parties approached me. It's taken me till now to make my decision.' A Reform UK spokesman said: 'Unlike Labour, who continue relitigating Brexit and driving us ever closer to the EU, Councillor MacDougall is committed to a free, sovereign country that is governed by its citizens. 'We welcome anyone who shares our values of slashing immigration, cutting taxation, and building a better Britain.'
Sky News
2 hours ago
- Sky News
'Alarm' over exclusion of child sexual exploitation from strategy to tackle violence against women and girls
The shadow minister for safeguarding has written to the government demanding action on child sexual exploitation after being "alarmed" by a Sky News story revealing plans to exclude it from their Violence Against Women and Girls strategy. which stated that child sexual abuse and exploitation was not "explicitly within the scope" of their upcoming strategy to tackle Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG). Shadow minister for safeguarding, Alicia Kearns, has written to safeguarding minister, Jess Phillips, saying that "survivors of sexual violence have been left bereft" by the decision. The government insists that its strategy, due to be published next month, will include action to tackle child sexual abuse, but that a distinctive programme will also be announced to address the specifics of the crime. In her letter "demanding answers," Ms Kearns urged the minister to "be transparent and explain why sexual violence has been purposefully excluded" and to "set out when a separate strategy on tackling sexual violence will be published". Poppy Eyre was sexually abused and raped by her grandfather when she was four. Her grandfather was later convicted and died in prison. She told Sky News on Friday: "VAWG is violence against women and girls. If you take child sexual abuse out of it, where are the girls?" 2:58 The Centre of Expertise on Child Sexual Abuse, which is funded by the Home Office, estimates that 500,000 children will experience some form of sexual abuse every year in England and Wales, Rape Crisis told Sky News ministers have failed victims of abuse if they don't consider the "scale of child sexual abuse and exploitation" within their strategy. The campaign group said, "for any strategy to be effective," that the plans "must include all forms of gender-based violence against all women and girls", suggesting there is a "danger" in having a separate plan for child sexual abuse. A Home Office spokesperson said the department was "working tirelessly to tackle the scourges of violence against women and girls and child sexual abuse". In a statement, the spokeperson said: "These issues are complex and run deep within the fabric of society. "The government wholly recognises that they overlap. "But it also recognises that concerted action is needed to tackle child sexual abuse, which is why we have set out a range of actions... and why we are launching a national inquiry into grooming gangs."
The Sun
2 hours ago
- The Sun
Epping's win over asylum hotel is glorious but I know where they'll put evicted migrants & it's bad news for some Brits
SHAZAAM! And in one glorious moment, the government's asylum seeker policies lay in complete ruins. Now, they are in BIG trouble. I say a glorious moment — and it is. For years it has quietly infuriated the ordinary people of England that asylum seekers are housed at our expense in hotels. 8 8 8 And even in some cases get gym membership, or hair extensions! And come down every morning to a full English. While you are pouring milk on your last Weetabix and wondering how to feed the kids. It's no use the lefties howling. 'No, no, it's not like that at all! And in any case most of the migrants go for the continental breakfast option. You know, croissants and stuff.' It is EXACTLY like that, as we have seen. Not to mention the stress on local communities who suddenly get a whole bunch of young men from a different culture dumped on them. Not all of the young men being as nice as pie. Anyway, Epping — where the residents protested about migrants in a local hotel — has won its court battle. As a result there will be no more migrants staying in that hotel. Victory! And now lots of other councils have followed suit. They too will be kicking out the illegals. The government is absolutely spitting feathers. The problem now, then, is where are these migrants to go. My suggestion last week was tents. Or South Georgia. Or Rockall. But the Government won't buy that idea, sadly. And this is where we need to watch them very carefully. To see what they come up with. Because it's largely in the south that migrants are held in hotels. In the north of England, because of cheap property prices, they tend to be housed in what are called Houses in Multiple Occupation. 16 arrested after protests outside Epping migrant hotel as ring of steel ramps up around TWO asylum seeker centres And so with the hotel option being closed down, it may be that the Government decides to swamp the north of England with migrants. Because it can do so cheaply. It may think (being pretty stupid) that is the only option. The local councils in the north need to shout out a big fat NO to that notion. These are the areas of the UK that already have the biggest social problems. They are also our poorest regions. The last thing these communities want or need is for boatload after boatload of asylum seekers to be dumped on their doorsteps. I think we can trust the councils run by Reform UK to oppose this idea completely. And so the Government will expect the Labour-run councils to help them out. And that means more and more problems for the Government. Because the voters will see that its Reform which says no to housing illegal asylum seekers. And the Labour Party which says yes. And that will be another few hundred thousand votes lost to Sir Keir Starmer at the next election. In the meantime, we might hope that this all sharpens the Government's concentration a little. And that they step up with more measures to stop the asylum seekers arriving here in the first place. As I said last week, a law that says anyone who tries to come here illegally will be barred from ever being allowed to stay would be the first thing to do. But I bet Labour doesn't have the gonads to do it. YES, inflation is up again. Almost double the Bank of England 's target rate. That means no reduction in interest rates. And further down the line, another cash crisis for the poorest of us. Is there any section of the economy Labour hasn't hurt? GET SET FOR AN EXODUS 8 RACHEL Reeves ' next plan to bankrupt everybody in the country is to put a tax on our homes. Don't forget, we've already been taxed on the money we spent on our homes. Now it is reported that she wants a property tax. But only at the more expensive end of the market. Anything that seems aspirational, anything that rewards hard work – the Chancellor will tax it. Soon we'll be left with a country full of skanks. Because everybody who works hard and saves dosh will have fled. DANGER DOLPHIN A DOLPHIN called Reggie has been attacking women off the Dorset coast. Especially if he sees that they are wearing a wetsuit. He swims up to them and seemingly tries to push their heads under water by jumping on their backs. I suspect it's because he's bored stiff with them making awe-stricken 'oohs' and 'ahhs' whenever he hoves into view. And taking selfies. He's basically saying: 'Go on, shove this on WhatsApp, you ditzy cow.' PANTS FOR PC VICTIM WHILE searching through Lea-Ann Sullivan's bedroom drawer, a copper found a pair of her knickers and quickly put them in his back pocket. The policeman, Marcin Zielinski, resigned from the force and has since been sent to prison. Lea-Ann is not happy, though. She said she is constantly thinking: 'What did he want them for? Why did he take them? What's he going to do with them? How many more people has he done it to?' Well, I could give Lea-Ann the answer to some of those questions. All but the last one, in fact. It is not recorded if PC Perv was allowed to keep the knickers. NAIVE ZOE SO WRONG 8 THERE was a woman on the BBC Newsnight programme who showed exactly why asylum seekers have become such a problem. She was called Zoe Gardner. Probably still is. And she thought the protests against the asylum seekers had been organised by ' Nazis and fascists'. She said a solution to the problem would be to build 'not for profit' homes for ALL of the asylum seekers. And that none of them were 'illegal'. She had a grasp of the subject you might have expected in a reasonably responsive four-year-old child. An absolute halfwit. Naive and hating of her own countrymen. And absolutely certain she was right. KEEP IT FIT FOR MOOR THE Government is proposing to ban the winter burning of heather moorland. Good. Come February the moors near me resemble a warzone. All of this activity to protect one bird – the grouse. The Moorland Association, which represents landowners, says the Government should think again. Controlled burning prevents wildfires, the association says. What rubbish. In fact, the so-called controlled burning can lead to wildfires itself, according to the RSPB. We need to reform the grouse moors. And make them fit habitats for a vast array of wildlife, not just grouse. TWISTS ON THE BORING NAME OLIVER 8 8 OK, so the most popular name for baby boys in the UK is Muhammad. But Oliver is high up on the list too. In fact, everywhere I looked in the country, Oliver was coming out near the top. I think I marginally prefer Muhammad, no offence. Know what the most popular girl's name was? Olivia. Have we lost our imaginations? We'll soon be an entire nation of Olivers and Olivias. If you're about to pup, here are a few suggestions for racy alternatives to Oliver and Olivia, with a bit of back history so you can explain the reasoning to rellies. Sputnik – to commemorate the first satellite. Gnasher – to commemorate Dennis the Menace's dog. PraiseGod Barebones – to commemorate a roundhead politician from the 17th century. Reeves – in homage to our brilliant Chancellor. Bakelite – to honour the first commercially available plastic. Nebuchadnezzar – after the Babylonian king. Ngerulmud – 'because she was conceived when we were on holiday on Palau. It's the capital, you know.'
