Maman Poulet | Clucking away crookedly through media, politics and life

Ask Minister Pat Carey – if you are a FF member

July 28th, 2010 · Irish Politics, Social Media

Minister Pat Carey has been seeking questions from members of the public and members of his party. He invited people to email or tweet him with the questions. Today those of us who are on the FF supporters mailing list (the things I do for my readers !) received a video of a recent meeting where the Minister met with some of the people who had ‘asked him questions’. So herewith ‘Pat Carey Answers‘.

Jane Dignam and Adrian O’Higgins and others are members of the party but you wouldn’t know that from the video as they speak animatedly following their meeting with the Minister in Leinster House.

I’m not knocking the concept of speaking to the Minister and engaging with him like this but Fianna Fáíl might put the cumann names under the speakers names so we’re all clear. Especially as party members are being encouraged to spam send a link to the video to their friends. Did the Minister not get questions from non party members during this initiative? Or maybe this is the first video in a series. I’m also wondering where are all the questions asked and their resulting answers. There were pages of the questions on the website up until yesterday. Did anyone ask a question and get an answer? Comments please!!

While I’m at it – maybe the Minister could clarify the matter of his twitter account and if he does all his own tweeting. Last week at the MacGill summer school he tweeted that he had finished his speech before his backside hit the chair. It would be good to be clear on it all as he and his colleagues rush to go Obama on us.

Share

» 1 CommentTags:·

Labour LGBT to lodge complaint against Cllr. Keaveney

July 27th, 2010 · Irish Politics, LGBT

A statement from Labour LGBT was issued this morning.

At a meeting last night we decided to formally initiate the party complaints procedure against Cllr Colm Keaveny. We believe his recent comments in the Sunday Tribune are contrary to party policy and inconsistent with the principles and objects we stand for.

The group also issued a reminder regarding Labour Party national policy on transgender rights which was adopted earlier this year.

Share

» 2 CommentsTags:

Caption?

July 26th, 2010 · Irish Politics

Photo thanks to DFmagazine.ie

Back from Chad is the Minister… eh no back from Chad is all the equipment, landed in Dublin Port today.  Minister for Defence, Tony Killeen, was there to kick the tyres, and check for rust presumably.  The soldiers who were on the peace keeping mission in Africa arrived back weeks ago. But a Minister has got to do what a Minister has got to do eh?!

Share

» 4 CommentsTags:

Labour Party distance on Keaveney comments

July 26th, 2010 · Irish Politics, LGBT

A spokesperson for the Labour Party has distanced the party from comments made by Cllr Colm Keaveney on medical treatment required by people undergoing gender reassignment.

In a telephone call this afternoon the spokesperson said that Cllr. Keaveney’s comments were personal and not in line with party policy, he said that the Labour Party believed that ‘if there is any medical procedure required people are entitled to have it paid for by public funds like any other procedure. ‘

Further clarification is expected shortly from others and TENI may also issue further comments later this week.

Earlier today Sinn Fein issued a press release calling the comments ‘transphobic and wrong’

Deputy Aongus O’Snodaigh said he was ‘baffled as to why he would wish to make a target of an already-marginalised and vulnerable community.

“The HSE’s funding difficulties are not the fault of transgender people – or indeed of any service user. They are the consequence of political decisions made by the Health Minister and the Fianna Fáil-Green Party Government. His comments give credence to their lie that savings must be made in the health service by rationing care. Shame on him for pitting public patients against each other in this way.

Readers may also be interested in a post from Fiona de Londras on the Human Rights in Ireland blog regarding rights perspectives on the comments and issues involved.

Enhanced by Zemanta
Share

» 2 CommentsTags:··

Playing political games with people’s health

July 25th, 2010 · Equality, Irish Politics, LGBT

Colm Keaveney is a Labour Party Councillor in East Galway and a SIPTU official. He has stood unsuccessfully in two general elections for the party, left the party for a while in 2007 and rejoined in 2008.

In today’s Sunday Tribume, Cllr. Keaveney gives his opinion on the matter of HSE spending and how one group don’t deserve it and should wait their turn. Cllr. Keaveney thinks that the 22 people who in the last ten years have been supported to undergo gender reassignment are 22 operations too many when there are others waiting for surgery for hearing aid implants. He plays the trans fear card.

“When allocating scarce resources, we must establish what actually delivers best value for society and the individual,” he said.

“Depriving children of necessary aids and appliances at this point in their life will have a devastating social outcome in later years when compared to some very expensive procedures being paid for by the taxpayer.

“While I understand this may be offensive to transgender people, I would ask them to look at this through the eyes of a parent and try to empathise with how they feel about their child’s wellbeing.

“Given the dire straits the country finds itself in, it is vital that we focus government spending on areas that will deliver positive results for our society in the long run.”

Not sure if Colm knows anything about transgender issues and the impact of waiting for surgery on peoples lives or indeed the impact of politicians spouting this sort of rubbish on the safety and mental health of transgendered people in Ireland. Well given that Colm was President of USI when I knew him and supported the development of structures for lgbt students one might have thought he would know better. It’s fairly clear he can’t see things with their eyes and empathise with them.

Transgender Equality Network Ireland point out that transgendered people are also part of Irish society and tax payers and ‘are entitled to access healthcare appropriate to their specific needs, just like other people living in Ireland.’

I assume the Labour Party health spokesperson Jan O’Sullivan will be along shortly to clarify matters.

Share

» 9 CommentsTags:·