Politics watch: Bill to ban trade with illegal Israeli settlements
Government to draft Bill to ban trade with illegal Israeli settlements
The
Government is to draft legislation
to ban the trade of goods with Palestinian lands illegally occupied by Israeli settlements.
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Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Harris received Cabinet approval to draft the law on Tuesday.
The Government has opted for fresh legislation instead of progressing the Occupied Territories Bill, first tabled in 2018.
The Government has said there is 'a narrow pathway', based on an advisory opinion from the UN's top court, to ban trade with illegal Israeli settlements.
Bill aimed at banning fox hunting
A bill that would
ban 'cruel' fox hunting
in Ireland has been introduced to the Dáil.
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The bill was immediately opposed by two rural independent TDs, who said foxes pose concerns for farmers.
Solidarity TD Ruth Coppinger, who introduced the bill, said it was 'unprecedented' for a bill to be opposed at the first stage.
Government apology over hit-and-run crash
The
Justice Minister
has announced a review of bail laws after apologising to the family of a Monaghan cyclist who was killed in a hit-and-run crash almost 14 years ago.
On August 2nd, 2011, 23-year-old law graduate Shane O'Farrell was cycling home when he was struck by a car in the Carrickmacross area of Co Monaghan.
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The driver of the car, Zigimantas Gradzuiska, failed to remain at the scene.
The Lithuanian national had a number of previous convictions including for theft and drugs offences.
The Dáil heard that the day he struck Mr O'Farrell, Gradzuiska should have been in jail for breaches of bail conditions that were applied to him at the time.
In one instance, the late Judge John O'Hagan had told him that he would be 'going to prison' if he got in trouble again after January 11th, 2011.
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Public express outrage over McGregor/Trump meeting
Members of the public expressed their anger at Conor McGregor's St Patrick's Day meeting with US president Donald Trump in messages to Taoiseach Micheál Martin.
The vast majority of messages were critical of McGregor, with many accusing the UFC fighter of "hijacking our identity".
Mr Martin met the US president on March 12th, and the Government was blindsided by McGregor's St Patrick's Day trip to the White House, in which he made a number of unfounded claims about immigration into Ireland.
Claims McGregor made about crime levels in Dublin were also found to be from a discredited 'study' published by an online gambling company.
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In messages to the Taoiseach, seen by
BreakingNews.ie
after a Freedom of Information request, people expressed anger at McGregor's White House appearance.
At 10.15pm on March 17th, one email to Mr Martin read: "You did a great job on your recent visit to the White House, congratulations on your diplomacy, but I'm furious with that clown (and I'm being generous) McGregor hijacking our identity."
Abroad
A 50 per cent tariff on EU imports to the US has been delayed from June 1st until July 9th following a call with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen, Donald Trump said.
Speaking to reporters in New Jersey late on Sunday, the US president said the delay was to allow time for 'serious negotiations' with the bloc.
In the UK, Nigel Farage's Reform UK continues to rise in opinion polls, with prime minister Keir Starmer and Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch struggling for a response.
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The Guardian
5 hours ago
- The Guardian
Why I withdrew my book from an LGBTQ+ literary prize
Last week, I withdrew my nomination from the longlist for the Polari first book prize. The awards had become mired in controversy due to the nomination of the Irish author John Boyne, best known for The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas, for the main prize for his novel Earth. Four days before the longlist announcement, Boyne had written in the Irish Independent, celebrating JK Rowling 'as a fellow terf' and saying of women who had 'pilloried' her for her gender activism: 'For every Commander Waterford, there's a Serena Joy standing behind him, ready to pin a handmaiden down as her husband rapes her.' I think such a viewpoint is abhorrent, but Boyne is free to hold whatever views he wants. What was unacceptable was a statement from the Polari prize addressing the backlash, emphasising its commitment to 'support trans rights and amplify trans voices', but defending Boyne's inclusion on the grounds that submissions are assessed purely 'on the merits of craft and content' and that 'within our community, we can at times hold radically different positions on substantive issues'. I immediately withdrew upon reading it, after the resignation of judge Nicola Dinan, who won the prize last year, and withdrawal of fellow longlisted author Mae Diansangu. Since then, a further judge has withdrawn and at least 16 authors across both lists have excused themselves from consideration. It was not a difficult or painful decision – I felt misled about the principles underpinning the organisation and I no longer cared to be awarded by it. I have, in the past, been shortlisted for my work alongside writers whose views I did not agree with. But in those instances, their positions didn't undermine the stated values and politics of the prize. This isn't a matter of differing views, but of an institution properly and accurately representing itself. The prize has always been for the entire LGBTQ+ community, as evidenced by previously shortlisted, and winning, entries from trans writers. And so it is a contradiction to include someone who is trans-exclusionary (terf stands for trans-exclusionary radical feminist). The prize claims that it does 'not eliminate books based on the wider views of the writer'. But a prize claiming to be a celebration of LGBTQ+ inclusion should know that the condition of trans people isn't reducible to a debate in which people are simply holding 'different positions' – they are a minority group facing unprecedented levels of harassment and political antagonism. Not all of my fellow longlisted authors have chosen this path; some have, while affirming their commitment to trans rights, stated their intentions to remain. Avi Ben-Zeev (the only trans author nominated) stated his reasoning as, 'If I walk away, I'm erasing my trans story' and regretted that 'transphobia has shifted the conversation away from the celebration of LGBTQ+ literature', while emphasising the solidarity between longlisted writers regardless of their decision. I can understand such a position, but I think it undermines collective solidarity, rather than being an example of it. I think there is significant power in authors acting as a collective bloc. I was particularly moved by the example of the US writers who withdrew from the PEN America literary awards last year, in protest against the institution's lack of criticism of Israel's actions in Gaza. And to me, the real celebration of LGBTQ+ literature has come not from the prize, but from the community that has rallied behind the withdrawn authors. Our withdrawal has been followed by a 800-strong petition to remove Boyne from the longlist. That is not about him per se – he is obviously suffering great personal upset at this situation. It is, once again, about the stated aims of the organisation. We have, of course, been subjected to the usual name-calling: described as the 'Trans Taliban' and 'Queer Isis' by Julie Bindel; accused of being proponents of 'radicalised', 'totalitarian' politics by Canadian novelist Allan Stratton. Some have accused critics of bullying Boyne, and compromising freedom of speech and expression. But we have not called for his books to be pulped, and evidently he has, and continues to be, more than free to share whatever views he likes and write as many books as he wants. Boyne has since issued a statement outlining his views on trans rights and calling on the writers who have withdrawn their nominations to restore themselves to the longlist, writing that he has 'shelves full of awards at home' and that while he would not withdraw, he would ask the judges not to shortlist him. Perhaps some writers will take up this offer. But from where I stand, the response is not for Boyne to propose, as this action is not specifically about him – it is about Polari as an institution. Where does it go from here? This year's prizes are still going ahead and a 'shortlist' will still, somehow, be forged from the depleted pool of authors (PEN America, under similar circumstances, had the good sense to cancel its awards). Polari has also said it will be 'undertaking a full review of the prize processes', to avoid the 'hurt and anger' caused by this year's awards. I do wonder what that will look like. Poring through the public statements of all authors to ensure that nothing offending has been said? I can only hope that whatever processes are put in place will be sufficient to secure the confidence of the queer writers who have found themselves having to weather abuse and hostility for taking a public stand. Mostly, though, I think – with or without Boyne's nomination – Polari needs to figure out what it wants to be. If it wants to be a prize that is inclusive of trans-exclusionary views and writers, it is free to do this and must accept that large swaths of the community will find this intolerable and disengage. I suspect that this reluctance to commit is exactly because of that. As the response to this boycott has shown, the swell of public support is behind those who are supportive of the entire LGBTQ+ community. At one time, Polari seemed to recognise this: Bindel herself has noted that in 2021, after 'the trans train had chugged into town', she was told by its organisers that her presence at an event would cause 'a major pushback'. Polari finds itself at another crossroads, called upon to tell us what kind of organisation it is and where it really stands. Perhaps bridges will be rebuilt and the community will return, or we will go off and build something else. Jason Okundaye is an assistant newsletter editor and writer at the Guardian. He edits The Long Wave newsletter and is the author of Revolutionary Acts: Love & Brotherhood in Black Gay Britain Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here.
BreakingNews.ie
6 hours ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Dublin City Council refuse planning retention to 10 apartment Airbnb operator
Dublin City Council has refused planning retention to a significant Airbnb operator close to Dublin Castle and Temple Bar to continue offering its apartments for short-term letting to tourists. Dublin Castle Suites advertises its 10 apartments on the Airbnb platform and can earn up to €350 per night per apartment on busy weekends. Advertisement The owner of the apartments facing onto Parliament Street and Dame Street would earn only a fraction of its current rental income if the apartments are to be rented for long-term letting only. A question mark has now been put over the lucrative enterprise following the City Council's decision to refuse planning retention to allow the apartments to continue to be used for short-term letting. Applicants, Olympia Real Estate Limited, now have the option of appealing the decision to An Coimisiún Pleanála, which may reverse the council's planning refusal. However, in its decision, the city council pointed out that there is a general presumption in the Dublin City Council Development Plan against the provision of dedicated short-term tourist rental accommodation in the city due to the impact on the availability of housing stock. Advertisement In refusing planning permission, the Council stated that Olympia Real Estate Ltd has not provided a sufficient justification for the provision of short-lease apartments at this location. The Council found that the proposal to continue the apartments for short-term letting 'would create an undesirable precedent for similar type development and would devalue property in the vicinity'. The planners concluded that the proposed retention of short-term residential use is not compatible with the architectural character, historic fabric and special interests of the protected structure. The Council planning report which recommended a refusal concluded that the continued use of the apartments for tourist accommodation 'would result in existing residential stock being lost to the residential housing system, meaning less long-term and secure accommodation will be available to the growing number of families and people who need it'. Advertisement Olympia Real Estate Limited lodged the planning application after the Council issued it with a Warning Letter over the use of the apartments for short-term letting. Planning consultants for the applicants, Cunnane Stratton Reynolds (CSR) state that 'enabling housing as short-term let accommodation in this instance redirects such demand away from mainstream housing'. The consultants state that 'the proposed tourism accommodation will assist in the attractiveness of the area for tourists and will promote a continued busy and vibrant city centre'. CSR states that its client's ability to acoustically meet the standards of normal accommodation is not available, given the protected status of the subject premises. Advertisement They state, 'in a period of substantial housing crisis these units cannot remain vacant'. Objecting to the planned retention, Fiachra Brennan of Oakcourt Park, Dublin 20 and who works on Parliament Street, said that 'these are high-quality urban apartments which should be available on the long-term rental market'. He said: 'The applicant has pointed to issues with regards to soundproofing and insulation – this should not preclude the use of the property for its intended purpose. He added: 'I work on Parliament Street – it is a vibrant area with a range of commercial and hospitality businesses but is also an important urban, residential city neighbourhood. This status should be protected.'
BreakingNews.ie
7 hours ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Man (20) accused of 14 counts counts of rape and sexual assault of man
A 20-year-old student has been charged with multiple counts of rape and sexual assault of another male in Dublin four years ago. The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was aged 16 and a juvenile at the time of the sexual abuse over a three month period in 2021. Advertisement He was arrested on Friday and charged with six counts of rape and eight for sexual assault at a specific address in south Co Dublin. He appeared before Judge John Brennan at a late sitting of Dublin District Court. Detective Garda Liam Conway said the young man's replied 'No' when each charge was put to him. The court heard that the Director of Public Prosecutions has directed that the man would face 'trial on indictment'. That means, due to the nature of some of the charges, he will be tried in the Central Criminal Court. Detective Garda Conway confirmed that the accused was a minor when the alleged offences occured and there was no objection to bail provided he obeyed a series of conditions. Advertisement Judge Brennan ordered him to provide gardaí with a contact phone number, remain contactable at all times, notify them of any address change, sign on at a north Dublin Garda station, and surrender his passport. Furthermore, he told the man that it was as conditions of bail that must not communicate with the complainant, directly or indirectly, including by social media. Defence counsel Kevin McCrave consulted with the accused who did not address the court, before telling the judge that his client consented to those terms. Judge Brennan warned there would be consequences for breaching them and the barrister stressed that he would explain that to his client, who has yet indicate a plea. Bail was set at €750 and he was ordered to appear at the Children's Court in September to be served with a book of evidence and returned for trial to the Central Criminal Court. Legal aid was granted after the court heard the accused was a student, on social welfare and unemployed.
