Opinion

Friday 19 October 2018

Wild geese to return early - but it's not clear where we are going to put them

The knock-on effect of Brexit is likely to see plenty of our older emigrants come home to roost early, along with a whole new tranche of British-born immigrants to boot.

Planning ahead: President Michael D Higgins consults a member of his staff at his campaign office in Dublin as he prepares his bid for a further seven years in Aras an Uachtarain. Photo: David Conachy

Presidential Election

The biggest change is that I don't have privacy any more - Michael D Higgins

He has come through the first debate of this presidential campaign largely unscathed and remains on course to return to the Park for the next seven years.

Michael D still on course for victory after fractious radio debate

Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin believes such discussions have “contaminated the process” designed to roll out fibre broadband across rural Ireland. Photo: Andreas Berthold

Technology

Broadband plan hangs by a thread as rural Ireland pays the price

When Denis Naughten travelled to New York to address the UN last July, he went out of his way to...

DEALS: EU negotiator Michel Barnier, DUP leader Arlene Foster, and centre, DUP European Parliament member Diane Dodds. Photo: AP

Dan O'Brien

As Brexit tears Irish/UK relations apart, are upsides to Commonwealth growing?

It is not often that the British media pays attention to Irish foreign policy decisions. It is even rarer for an Irish foreign policy decision to get more coverage in Britain than in Ireland. That is exactly what happened last week.

Brendan O’Connor

Brendan O'Connor: Making politics great again

These are heady times. There are days when you know you are living through the Reeling In the Years of the future, and this is one of those times. We will look back and laugh at what yokels we were back in 2018, at the ridiculous navy suits with narrow lapels and narrow trousers the politicians all wore. "Fashion hadn't evolved on to flares, large lapels...

HUMOUR AND HUMILITY: CervicalCheck scandal victim Emma Mhic Mhathuna on stage in the Laughter Lounge. Photo: Kyran O'Brien

Comment

Celtic warrior who fought a selfless fight

Emma Mhic Mhathuna died last Sunday from cervical cancer that developed undetected. At her funeral the celebrant Fr Paddy Moran recalled: "Her illness, she said, she did not see as part of God's plan, but rather as the result of human error."

HOIST WITH HIS OWN PETARD?: If Leo Varadkar accepts Micheal Martin’s offer not to bring down the Government in this critical Brexit period, he would be deprived of a legitimate argument to go to the country before year’s end

Comment

Can Martin form a FF government if President refuses to dissolve the Dail?

Will this be the most important presidential election in the history of the State? That is a question you did not expect to be asked in a week of high drama at Leinster House.

MEETING: Leo Varadkar met David McCourt this year to present him with Science Foundation Ireland’s St Patrick’s Day Science Medal

Irish News

Liam Collins: Tough guy McCourt, the man who could bring down Government

When billionaire David McCourt went for lunch in the members' restaurant in Leinster House, he didn't exactly over-extend himself, with a bill that came to €37.

Closed doors: David Taylor (left) and former Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan. Photo: RollingNews.ie

Analysis

Spin and lies clouded truth of Garda smear campaign

The Disclosures Tribunal report shows how a terrible wrong can take on a life of its own once it gets into the public domain; puffed up on political rhetoric, distorted by agendas, fuelled by lies. It makes the truth harder to find.

Declan Lynch

Trump is the global brand leader of Impunity

There's been a lot of classy writing about Trump, and some of it might even be doing some good, but I particularly like the Canadian writer Naomi Klein's clear definition of the essence of the Trump brand as Impunity.

Gene Kerrigan

McCabe vindicated, Dinny leaves the table

Last Thursday, within a couple of hours, two major political developments occurred. First, around 1pm, we got the final, thorough vindication of Sergeant Maurice McCabe. Second, around 3pm, we had the downfall of Denis Naughten, the Minister for Dinners.