Latest news with #Cullinane
Business Insider
10 hours ago
- Business
- Business Insider
RBC Capital Sticks to Its Buy Rating for Firstgroup (FGP)
In a report released on June 10, Ruairi Cullinane from RBC Capital maintained a Buy rating on Firstgroup (FGP – Research Report), with a price target of p220.00. The company's shares closed yesterday at p217.80. Confident Investing Starts Here: Easily unpack a company's performance with TipRanks' new KPI Data for smart investment decisions Receive undervalued, market resilient stocks right to your inbox with TipRanks' Smart Value Newsletter Cullinane covers the Industrials sector, focusing on stocks such as EasyJet, Firstgroup, and International Consolidated Airlines. According to TipRanks, Cullinane has an average return of 10.9% and a 60.71% success rate on recommended stocks. The word on The Street in general, suggests a Strong Buy analyst consensus rating for Firstgroup with a p226.67 average price target.
The Journal
13-05-2025
- Politics
- The Journal
Sinn Féin members fear party is about to reverse course on trans rights
SINN FÉIN HAS seen a number of long-time members leave the party over a belief that the party is set to water down its support for LGBT+ issues, in particular on rights for transgender people. The party was set to hold a conference next month to specifically discuss its stance on trans rights, but it confirmed last night to The Journal that it has instead pushed the meeting back to next spring. This surprise move came on foot of meetings with LGBT+ groups, combined with resistance from current members of Sinn Féin. Several current and former members from an LGBT+ background who spoke to The Journal in recent days voiced 'huge concern' over the party's direction as they fear it's being engulfed by culture wars in Ireland . They had also sought clarity on whether the party still supports the law that gives legal recognition to a person's preferred gender. The party supported the 2015 Gender Recognition Act – and proposed its own version two years earlier – and also campaigned in support of the Marriage Equality referendum. However heated online debates and misinformation aimed at undermining trans people, coupled with comments made by two Sinn Féin TDs, have led some members to believe the party will seek to reverse course on trans rights. Sinn Féin has responded to the concern by meeting with LGBT+ groups, but it's understood there remains unhappiness among some members over its stance. When contacted, the party said that it will continue to hold meetings with LGBT+ groups 'across the island' in the months to come. 'Every opportunity to engage, exchange views and listen is hugely valuable to us and these meetings will continue in the time ahead,' a spokesperson said. UK ruling sees issues come to the fore for Sinn Féin The issue blew up for Sinn Féin recently after its health spokesperson David Cullinane said a ruling by the Scottish Supreme Court – that the terms 'woman' and 'sex' in UK equality legislation do not include transgender women – was a 'common sense judgment'. Trans groups have been strongly critical of the Scottish Supreme Court's findings, with opposition also coming from a recent motion by a British doctors union calling the ruling 'scientifically illiterate'. Cullinane posted his thoughts on social media before later deleting them and apologising. But it was quickly followed by Sinn Féin's chief whip Pádraig Mac Lochlainn telling Highland Radio in Donegal that 'we need to have the conversation' surrounding trans rights in Ireland, saying 'the legislation isn't clear'. That last point was cited by a number of current party members we spoke to who feared it was 'flying the kite' for a potential change to the party's previous support. I want to apologise for the hurt and offence that I have caused to the Trans community following a tweet I sent last night. That was never my intention. This is a complex issue for many but we need to approach it with compassion, understanding and dignity for all. — David Cullinane T.D. (@davidcullinane) April 17, 2025 Cullinane's comments saw the party threatened with being banned from Trans Pride Dublin if it didn't roll back on what he said. The party has also faced fierce criticism when, as the co-lead party in the Stormont executive, passed a temporary ban on puberty medication for transgender youth last year. Some party members said Cullinane attempted to 'make amends' in recent weeks by discussing trans rights with members, but one former member who is transgender said they are concerned that Sinn Féin may soon take a harder stance. 'I worry that we were just a political football rather than an actual belief for them,' said Caitlin Wilson, who was a member in west Belfast for seven years until she left last year. Advertisement Wilson said that 'anti-trans rhetoric' is at an 'all-time high' in the modern era across western Europe and the US, and that political parties needed to stand against it. This 'silence' amounts to 'complicity' from Sinn Féin and other political parties if there are rollbacks to equality legislation down the line, according to Wilson. 'Less trustworthy' As well as Wilson, The Journal has found several long-serving members have also left the party over the issue. Some have decided to remain inside Sinn Féin to fight to maintain its current stance. Orla Ní Dhúil – who left last year after 15 years of membership, having been in a Glasnevin-based cumman – said she has felt the party's 'confused' stance has had the effect of making them 'less trustworthy' to those interested in progressive politics. Ní Dhúil outlined that she had contacted the party's senior spokespeople seeking an outline of the party's stance on trans rights and found the response frustrating, claiming little engagement on policy discussions for trans rights and other LGBT+ matters. This was a marked change to 2013, Ní Dhúil said, when Sinn Féin proposed a Gender Recognition Bill to allow trans people to legally change gender markers through self-determination. The party later backed the 2015 Gender Recognition Act, laws giving people a right to self-declare their gender. Among the rank and file, Wilson said she believed that members 'by and large' have little to no issue with trans people. 'I do not believe that Sinn Fein is an inherently transphobic party – I do believe they are a populist party,' Wilson said. She added that she wants to see all parties have a 'pro-trans stance, which I very truly just means ensuring trans people have a standard level of care'. As reported recently by The Journal Investigates , some transgender people have resorted to DIY-healthcare due to delays in the health system. Party leader interview Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald weighed into the debate in the aftermath of her health frontbencher Cullinane's comments. McDonald said that conversations about the rights of trans people need to be calm and respectful, while making reference to her own sister, who is a trans woman. Speaking on The Late Late Show, McDonald said that Sinn Féin's position has not changed but that the implications of the UK Supreme Court ruling would need to be studied, particularly since it will impact Northern Ireland. But the interview sparked concern among some members, with Kevin O'Hara, an election candidate at last year's local elections in Connemara, Co Galway, among those. 'Mary Lou's statement on the TV wasn't very clear,' said O'Hara, who also has a trans sibling. It was very clear about how much she loves her sister but in terms of party policy, it wasn't clear. What I have been asking our elected reps is, what is Sinn Féin's policy on the Gender Recognition Act? Do we put support it? I haven't been able to find out yet. O'Hara believes many people, whether living in a rural or urban area, have a 'live and let live' attitude to the issue. This was why he was so shocked and disappointed at the recent statements by Sinn Fein spokespeople', adding that he believes they are 'jumping on every passing bandwagon'. 'It's a pity that this whole toxic debate has spread to this country, but given recent statements by Sinn Féin TDs I think Sinn Féin leadership needs to urgently clarify their position on this issue – so that members, supporters and trans people know where we stand.' When contacted about whether Sinn Féin supports Ireland Gender Recognition Act, a spokesperson for the party said: 'Yes, the Gender Recognition Act is a matter of law since 2015.' Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
BreakingNews.ie
26-04-2025
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
McDonald says all rights should be respected after Sinn Féin TD criticised
Mary Lou McDonald says she wants everyone to be able to live a 'full, authentic life' following criticism of a social media post by a Sinn Féin TD on trans issues. Last week, Sinn Féin health spokesman David Cullinane apologised for a post on X, formerly Twitter, about the UK court ruling on excluding trans women from the definition of 'woman' in equality law. Advertisement Mr Cullinane said the 'complex' issue needs to be approached with 'compassion' and he apologised for any offence caused. The UK Supreme Court ruled last week that the terms 'woman' and 'sex' in the 2010 Equality Act 'refer to a biological woman and biological sex'. Sinn Féin TD David Cullinane (Brian Lawless/PA) This means transgender women with a gender recognition certificate can be excluded from single-sex spaces, such as changing rooms and homeless hostels, if 'proportionate'. On Wednesday evening, Mr Cullinane called for the ruling to be 'fully examined in this state'. Advertisement The Waterford TD said on X: 'The Scottish (sic) Supreme Court ruling on the legal meaning of woman is a common sense judgment. 'The ruling found that for the purposes of equality legislation a 'woman' means a biological woman & 'sex' refers to biological sex. 'It also confirmed that trans people are protected under their Equality legislation in a separate category of gender reassignment.' He subsequently deleted the post and stated: 'I want to apologise for the hurt and offence that I have caused to the trans community following a tweet I sent last night. Advertisement 'That was never my intention. This is a complex issue for many but we need to approach it with compassion, understanding and dignity for all. 'I'm sure those in the trans community will feel vulnerable and isolated today in the aftermath of yesterday's judgment, and I apologise that my words added to that.' On Friday, Ms McDonald said Mr Cullinane had explained his position in the subsequent post. Sinn Féin housing spokesman Eoin O Broin said his colleague 'responded appropriately' in deleting the tweet and apologising (Cillian Sherlock/PA) The Sinn Féin leader said a problem with social media is that it is 'immediate, fast and reflexive', adding that short posts are not the best way to comment on 'sensitive and complicated matters'. Advertisement Speaking on the Late Late Show, Ms McDonald said the matter was not an 'abstract issue' for her personally. 'I have a trans sibling, and I love my sister. She's compassionate and clever and accomplished, and she's loved beyond measure and unconditionally. 'I want her to live a full, authentic life. I want that for every human being and I want us to live in a society where that's possible.' She added: 'So, the first thing in discussing any of the issues around this, you need to have the right atmosphere, and we need to reassure each other that we're starting from a position of respect. Advertisement 'If we don't have that, we can't have the conversation to clarify, to reassure and to straighten out the issues that need to be addressed. 'So for me, I look across to Britain, you look further afield and you see a really toxic, divided, divisive approach to issues that can't be solved in a hostile environment.' Pressed on whether the UK Supreme Court decision would influence Sinn Fein policies, Ms McDonald said it would have implications in Northern Ireland. However, she said it was unclear what influence it would have in the Republic of Ireland. She added: 'The first decision has to be that we work for equality, for inclusion and, by the way, the rights of everybody can be protected and maintained. 'We shouldn't have to select individuals – women, men, trans women, trans men – everybody has to have their rights respected, and I believe that we can that to point in a fair, balanced way that brings reassurance to people.' Earlier, Sinn Féin housing spokesman Eoin O Broin said trans constituents contacted him after being 'upset' by Mr Cullinane's social media post. Mr O Broin said his colleague 'responded appropriately' in deleting the tweet and apologising, adding that he was satisfied the matter was closed. Asked if the party needed to clarify its position on transgender people, Mr O Broin said: 'The party's policies are the party's policies. 'And David Cullinane did the right thing in removing the tweet and apologising. 'I've been contacted by quite a few constituents who are trans, or family members of trans people who were very upset by it. 'Obviously, the party is doing a piece of work around further developing a policy on trans rights and trans healthcare in due course.'
Irish Independent
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Irish Independent
Mary Lou McDonald says discussion on gender equality must start from ‘position of respect'
David Cullinane apologised after he praised a UK Supreme Court ruling defining women by their biological sex as a 'common sense judgement'. Last week, Mr Cullinane had welcomed the judgement by Britain's highest court and suggested that it should be 'fully examined' in Ireland. The UK ruling could effectively exclude transgender women from certain equality protections. But by lunchtime on Thursday last week, Mr Cullinane had apologised for the 'hurt and offence' that he caused to the transgender community with his post on X. Speaking to Patrick Kielty on the Late Late Show, Ms McDonald said the issue is also a personal one for her as her sister is a transgender woman. 'In terms of David, the great thing about social media is that it's immediate but that's also the problem,' she said. 'I have a trans sibling, and I love my sister. She's loved beyond measure, and I want her to live a full life, and I want that for any individual.' Ms McDonald said the discussion on equality and LGBTQ+ issues must start from a 'position of respect'. 'The first decision has to be that we work for equality. Everyone has to have the right to respect, and I believe we can reach that in a fair way,' she said. In relation to the last general election, she said: 'Simply put, we didn't get enough votes. We learned lessons from the last campaign. We just need to convince people we can do things differently. 'In this work, every day is a school day, every campaign is different.' ADVERTISEMENT Learn more The Dubliner said she never considered stepping down as leader of the party. 'I'm in the job now seven years, I'm in my prime. I believe in what we're doing. I'm a proud Dubliner, a proud Irish woman. There are so many things that can be achieved, and I want to be part of leading those discussions,' she said. She also discarded the prospect of running for president and said Michael D Higgins is 'a national treasure'. 'It's a very important job but my work is to make sure we get a change in government, so we have better opportunities for young people,' she said. She said Sinn Féin is considering backing a candidate within the party. 'We have options, we're going to have a discussion. I have my eye on one or two possible candidates,' she said. In relation to the prospect of a United Ireland, Ms McDonald said she believes 'we're in the end days of partition'. She said it's' not acceptable' that people in Northern Ireland can't vote for matters concerning the country. 'Isn't it crazy that people that live in your county – in the six counties – that they can't vote for their president,' she said. 'For me, the role of the president, the essence of it is inclusivity. The important thing is we need to get over the first hurdle to ensure that people living in Ireland can vote for their president.' Asked about why her party boycotted the trip to Washington for St Patrick's Day, she added: 'When the Americans declared openly that they had changed policy to the extent that they were going to evacuate Gazans from Gaza City – that to us was just a step too far. 'Unfortunately, I'm not the Taoiseach, but it is essentially a meeting between the Taoiseach and the president. 'We have deep roots in the United States but for us, this year, that pledge in terms of Gazans, we believed, this was our way of marking our protest.' Separately, Ms McDonald said she is 'still processing' the loss of her father. 'I had a complicated relationship with my father, it's always hard,' she said. 'I kind of did my best to always have relationship with him, I didn't always succeed but I think I'll spend the rest of my life processing that.'
BreakingNews.ie
25-04-2025
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
Trans constituents ‘very upset' over Cullinane post, Sinn Féin TD says
A Sinn Féin TD has said trans constituents contacted him after being 'upset' by a social media post made by one of his colleagues. Last week, Sinn Féin health spokesman David Cullinane apologised for a post on X, formerly Twitter, about the UK court ruling on excluding trans women from the definition of 'woman' in equality law. Advertisement Mr Cullinane said the 'complex' issue needs to be approached with 'compassion' and he apologised for any offence caused. Sinn Féin housing spokesman Eoin O Broin said his colleague 'responded appropriately' in deleting the tweet and apologising. Photo: Cillian Sherlock/PA. The UK Supreme Court ruled last week that the terms 'woman' and 'sex' in the 2010 Equality Act 'refer to a biological woman and biological sex'. This means transgender women with a gender recognition certificate can be excluded from single-sex spaces, such as changing rooms and homeless hostels, if 'proportionate'. On Wednesday evening, Mr Cullinane called for the ruling to be 'fully examined in this state'. Advertisement The Waterford TD said on X: 'The Scottish Supreme Court ruling on the legal meaning of woman is a common sense judgement. 'The ruling found that for the purposes of equality legislation a 'woman' means a biological woman & 'sex' refers to biological sex. 'It also confirmed that trans people are protected under their Equality legislation in a separate category of gender reassignment.' He subsequently deleted the post and stated: 'I want to apologise for the hurt and offence that I have caused to the trans community following a tweet I sent last night. Advertisement 'That was never my intention. This is a complex issue for many but we need to approach it with compassion, understanding and dignity for all. 'I'm sure those in the trans community will feel vulnerable and isolated today in the aftermath of yesterday's judgement, and I apologise that my words added to that.' On Friday, Sinn Féin housing spokesman Eoin O Broin said his colleague 'responded appropriately' in deleting the tweet and apologising, adding that he was satisfied the matter was closed. Asked if the party needed to clarify its position on transgender people, Mr O Broin said: 'The party's policies are the party's policies. Advertisement Ireland Garda Commissioner attempts to stop senior gardaí... Read More 'And David Cullinane did the right thing in removing the tweet and apologising. 'I've been contacted by quite a few constituents who are trans, or family members of transpeople who were very upset by it. 'Obviously, the party is doing a piece of work around further developing a policy on trans rights and trans healthcare in due course.'
