According to today’s Observer, the European Commission has told the UK Government that it must change a new Equality Law as the exemption proposed for Religious bodies contravenes ‘an EU directive prohibiting discrimination on the grounds of a person’s sexual orientation.’ The law allowed religious groups to discriminate against gay employees “so as to avoid conflicting [...]
Tags:#cpbill·Directive·Discrimination·European Commission·European Union·Religion·Sexual orientation
Keeping a close eye to the Oireachtas Schedule this week I noted two committee meetings that might be interesting to keep an eye to. The first is being held by the Joint Committee on the Constitution on Wednesday morning. Review of the Electoral System: The effect of PR-STV on Women’s Representation in Parliament + Ms. [...]
Tags:Equality Rights Alliance·European Commission·European Union·Government·Republic of Ireland
It’s probably no surprise to read that I’m a Yes voter. I voted Yes to Lisbon the last time and I’m voting Yes again – this time with a lot more passion and understanding and conviction. This time I’ve been more incensed by the lies being told by the No side, by the poor campaigns [...]
Tags:EU·European Union·Government·Human rights·Ireland·Lisbon Treaty
While I was on holidays a work colleague texted me to say she had been canvassed by Cóir. The canvasser told her that if Lisbon was passed that she would be put down like a dog. My colleague has cerebral palsy. She didn’t argue back and managed to move away. I was shocked but not [...]
Tags:Disability·EU·European Union·Human rights·Ireland·Lisbon Treaty·Society and Culture
Today Labour LGBT launches a leaflet on why LGBT people should vote yes to the Lisbon Treaty. You can see the leaflet here and here. The leaflet says that Lisbon is ‘Good for Gays’ (Lesbians, Bisexuals and Transgendered people disappear again for the sake of alliteration) and makes three points First Ireland’s involvement in Europe [...]
Tags:Council of Europe·European Court of Human Rights·European Parliament·European Union·Institutions of the European Union·Labour Party·Lisbon Treaty
In January 18 pieces of legislation were promised for publication by Goverment Chief Whip and Minister for State, Pat Carey. They were to be published by April 9, the last day of the current Dáil session. Seven of these bills were to emerge from the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform including the Civil [...]
Tags:Chief Whip·Civil Partnership Bill·Department of Justice·European Parliament·European Union·Government
Across the EU this weekend groups of citizens are debating the question ‘What do you think the EU can – and should – do to shape our economic and social future in a globalised world?’ In Dublin Castle 50 independently selected Irish Citizens are debating questions set by facilitators and using ‘deliberative polling’ to come [...]
Tags:Debate·Dublin Castle·EU·European Commission·European Union·Irish people
I’m getting emails, phonecalls, texts and IM’s about Ganley – it is amusing and agitating many it seems. This joins the matter of the farce that is the Equality Authority board and resulting machinations in the LGBT sector as items keeping people talking when not concentrating on economic meltdown and mismanagement. World by Storm indeed [...]
You may remember that last year I was looking for recommendations for blogs about European Union affairs to read. Yesterday I read via Jon Worth’s blog of the launch of Bloggingportal.eu. It’s a blog syndicator but as opposed to a mere aggregator it has editors which rate posts and summarise them. We don’t think the [...]
Jon Worth needs to be recognised for services to European Union blogging – he like I has been casting an eye towards Prague and the first two weeks of the Czech EU presidency. It’s not been good – but maybe after President Klaus’s visit to Ireland late last year and that dinner with Chairman Ganley [...]
Tags:Czech Government·EU·European Union·European Union Presidency·Gaza·Israel
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