Journalists

Colette Browne: 'Brexiteers enjoyed making threats about no-deal exit - but, true to form, didn't bother to make a plan for it' 

This time next week we will know if Prime Minister Theresa May has managed to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat and secured the support of the House of Commons for her Brexit deal - but the omens are not good.

Colette Browne: 'It looks like Fianna Fáil is using excuse of Brexit as convenient way to hide bigger problems in party' 

Speaking at the party's ard fheis on Saturday, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin told delegates "we have to get through Brexit first … and then we must focus on showing the Irish people that there is an alternative".

Colette Browne: 'It is time even the most dense and intransigent Brexiteer gets the message of what no deal means' 

There is an incoherence at the heart of the Irish negotiating position on Brexit that is becoming increasingly untenable with every passing day.

Colette Browne: 'Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is causing a storm in US politics - but will anyone in the Irish Government listen?' 

The success of a young Democratic congresswoman in the United States has taught us how politics can be done, but will anyone in this country listen?

Colette Browne: 'May is now starting to run out of options, and as time ticks down we still hear no answer to Border question' 

Theresa May travelled to Northern Ireland yesterday to deliver a set-piece speech, reiterating her commitment to avoiding a hard Border, and she will leave today with no one any the wiser about how she plans to achieve this.

Colette Browne: 'The FAI isn't the only one in the spotlight today - its interrogators must also prove they're up to the job' 

Today, the nine members of the Oireachtas Committee on Sport will have an opportunity to do something that few in the media have ever enjoyed - grill John Delaney. They better not blow it.

Colette Browne: 'British politicians have led their people to the cliff edge. Soon, the only option available to them will be to jump' 

If the current state of British politics were personified, its exemplar would be Tory MP Mark Francois - gobby, cocksure and dense.

Colette Browne: 'Between zealot Brexiteers, lame-duck May and DUP fanatics, hopes of sensible outcome look entirely lost' 

Now we know. A disorderly Brexit could be worse than anyone had ever imagined, costing 80,000 jobs and resulting in a €100bn hit to the economy over 10 years. The most stark aspect of new research from the ESRI is that the economic damage caused by a managed no deal or a chaotic no deal is almost identical - GDP reduced by 4.8pc or 5pc over the next decade.

Colette Browne: 'Ireland and the EU have stood firm on Brexit - but no one in the UK seems to have the first clue about what they are doing, what they want or how to get it' 

Theresa May's Brexit shambles has now become so bad she can't even put her deal to a vote - never mind win one.

Colette Browne: 'Before yesterday, Mrs May was in office but not in power. Now she has neither power nor credibility' 

In the end, even Theresa May's voice abandoned her. Her deal is now dead and buried, along with her political career. Mrs May was undone by her own intransigence, dogmatism and divisiveness. Having opted to pursue the hardest Brexit possible, she relied on the fanatical right wing of her party and the DUP for support.

Colette Browne: 'May is now kowtowing to deluded zealots for whom a crash-out catastrophe is something to be welcomed' 

How best to explain the madness that has gripped the House of Commons in recent weeks? Maybe we should look to the Middle Ages and the mysterious case of the meowing nuns for some answers.

Colette Browne: 'British politicians and media don't give a damn about what happens in one part of their precious union' 

To truly understand the level of disinterest in England when it comes to Northern Ireland, one only had to glance at the front pages of leading British newspapers on Monday.

Colette Browne: 'Our Government cannot allow Brexit charlatans to take us down with them as they sacrifice UK's future' 

Brexit is a cult supported by fanatics so zealous they would sacrifice Britain's cohesion, security and prosperity at its altar. The only question that remains is, will parliament allow them?

Colette Browne: 'Attempts to normalise the horror of our homelessness crisis will cost the nation its soul if they succeed' 

It's just one week into the new year and there have already been attempts to normalise our homeless crisis - we cannot let it happen.

Colette Browne: 'It's hard to be optimistic for the new year with the same old problems and same old incompetent Government' 

For individuals, the new year is an opportunity to usher in a 'new you'; but it's a case of 'same old' for the Government which will spend 2019 grappling with endemic problems which have bedevilled it for years.

Colette Browne: ''Thong' case shows rape myths must be consigned to history' 

'She asked for it. The way she was dressed with that skirt you could see everything she had. She was advertising for sex - we felt she was up to no good by the way she dressed, she was obviously dressed for a good time."

Colette Browne: 'It's easy for the Taoiseach to take pot-shots at HSE medics - but what is his solution to the real problem in health?' 

We have a crisis of recruitment within the Irish health service, so what does the Taoiseach decide to do? Attack those already toiling within the system.

Colette Browne: 'They'll blame winter for the coming trolley crisis - but it is our cowardly politicians who are at fault' 

Yesterday we learned that the HSE's winter plan has not yet been finalised. How can we be expected to have faith in a health service that can't even plan for the seasons? Winter rolls around at the same time every year.

Colette Browne: 'Refusal to debate issues raised by Casey sends a message to voters that their concerns are not important' 

Peter Casey is not a radical new alternative on the Irish political landscape - but that doesn't mean he doesn't have a future.

Finnish model shows how a more radical approach could solve homeless problem 

The Government needs to adopt a more radical approach if it wants to solve the homelessness crisis, according to Juha Kaakinen, the chief executive of the Y Foundation, which owns a stock of 16,700 low-cost social housing units in Finland.

Colette Browne: After such a vapid campaign, can anyone honestly believe one of the challengers will do a better job than Michael D has? 

Candidates for the presidency were supposed to set out their vision for Ireland using soaring language on the national stage, but instead the campaign has descended into a theatre of low farce.

Colette Browne: 'Locker-room talk' indicative of demeaning attitude to women 

IN the wake of the not-guilty verdicts that were handed down in Belfast Crown Court this week, there is a real danger that victims of sexual violence will opt not to report those crimes.

Colette Browne: Harris lacks the political will to cure our relentless health crises 

No, you're not suffering from déjà vu. Those comments you heard from Health Minister Simon Harris last week about the trolley crisis sounded familiar because you've heard them all before.

Colette Browne: Ross takes another wrong turn in crusade to score just one win 

Been caught speeding recently? If Shane Ross has his way, your name could soon be added to a list of other offenders and posted publicly for the delectation of your nosy neighbours.

Rubbish bid to bring in bin charges shows nothing was learned from water fiasco 

The Government's botched attempt to introduce pay-by-weight bin charges will inevitably end in a huge public revolt. It only has itself to blame for this impending disaster.

Leo's new politics sure looks a lot like the actions of the old guard 

Upon being elected Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar promised to create a "Republic of Opportunity" - but failed to clarify that the primary beneficiaries of this glorious new era would be his friends and colleagues.

Colette Brown: Public protest only reason nuns won't own maternity hospital 

The decision by the Order of the Sisters of Charity to relinquish control of the St Vincent's Healthcare Group (SVHG) is a victory for protesters - and an indictment of the Government.

Colette Browne: Why the Healy-Rae brothers deserve a toast - not hysterical criticism 

The level of smug condescension directed at the Healy-Raes reached epidemic proportions last week when the Kerry TDs had the temerity to question the effectiveness of new drink-driving legislation proposed by Transport Minister Shane Ross.

For Simon, stuffing developers' wallets is the simple solution 

Keep calm and carry on doling out cash to first-time buyers, was the message from Housing Minister Simon Coveney yesterday when it was revealed that house prices surged in the first quarter of this year.

Commissioner owns this fiasco - and her position is untenable 

How many times will the Taoiseach and the Justice Minister be forced to express confidence in the Garda Commissioner before that confidence evaporates?

Comment: Kenny lecturing Trump is shameless hypocrisy while we mistreat our immigrants 

Enda Kenny is receiving international acclaim for lecturing US President Donald Trump on the value of immigration, but his fine words ring hollow when his Government continues to warehouse asylum applicants in institutions for years.

Church's priority isn't repentance for sins - it is keeping its assets 

It's bad enough the State has picked up almost the entire €1.5bn tab for the redress scheme; is it too much to expect politicians to learn any lessons?

Outrage is futile - what we need is the State to protect our children 

Can we dispense with the expressions of shock please? There may be revulsion, yes; disgust, certainly; but not shock.

Body shaming and cotton balls for dinner - how not to tackle obesity 

Obesity expert Professor Donal O'Shea has taken to the airwaves recently to warn of an existential crisis facing the country - fat people with self-confidence.

Ross's ragtag mob hijack McCabe scandal for their own tawdry ends 

The omnishambles that has engulfed Fine Gael for the past two weeks has saved the Independent Alliance from some much-needed scrutiny of its members' pathetic grandstanding.

Government must postpone public tribunal until after new law to slash legal fees 

In rushing headlong into setting up a tribunal of inquiry into the Maurice McCabe scandal using outdated legislation, the Government is acting in its own interest and not the public interest.

Mishandling of the whistleblower row shows Coalition no longer fit for office 

Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil may yet agree some formula of words to save the Government and prevent an election, but the utterly shambolic handling of the Maurice McCabe controversy suggests it's time for this administration to slink from office.

We know health crisis is 'unacceptable', Mr Harris - but when are you going to do something about it? 

Unacceptable. That is the word most commonly used by Health Minister Simon Harris to describe the service that he oversees.

Colette Browne: Trump's attack on media should remind journalists to do their job 

Serious people who work for serious media in America are in something of a crisis. Donald Trump repeatedly, blatantly and unapologetically lies, and they don't quite know what to do about it.

No more talking - scrapping schools baptism barrier is long overdue 

Who knows why Education Minister Richard Bruton has belatedly decided to do something about the baptism barrier, which excludes children from schools on the basis of their religion?

Axing of measly Gaeltacht grant was final straw for McGuinness 

The resignation of Martin McGuinness as deputy first minister has plunged politics in the North into chaos - and caused a major headache for the British and Irish governments.

Four top tips for our Cabinet ministers in desperate need of a 2017 reboot 

'New Year, new you" is the mantra of self-help gurus and there are a number of members of Cabinet who desperately need a reboot. Always eager to help, this column has taken the liberty of suggesting New Year's resolutions for some of our more underwhelming ministers.

Ineptitude of the establishment more to blame for the mess than populism 

Establishment politicians lost control of the political narrative this year and have decided to blame populism for their weakening grasp on power.

Colette Browne: Ireland might win Apple tax legal case, but morally it's indefensible 

The European courts may ultimately decide that Apple doesn't owe Ireland €13bn plus interest, but what's not contested is that this country has knowingly facilitated tax avoidance on an industrial scale.

We've been fleeced on water and those responsible will walk away 

There should be just one item on the agenda of the Oireachtas Committee into water charges when it meets for the first time today - how to emerge from the Irish Water debacle with the least cost to the Exchequer.

Unlike Clodagh and her family, Donna was lucky - she survived 

Donna Foster's former partner stabbed her so viciously that her airway was exposed through her neck and her small intestine was visible through her abdomen.

Colette Browne: Papal visit will remind us just how tangled Church and State still are 

The Ireland that Pope Francis visits in 2018 will be vastly different to the theocracy his predecessor John Paul II toured in 1979, but the Catholic Church's grip on education and healthcare remains as tightly clenched as before.

Kenny is trying to have his cake and eat it while tackling public-sector pay 

Enda Kenny's mixed messages about the country's economic fortunes are throwing petrol on the dumpster fire that is the Government's industrial relations strategy.

Comment: If you're a racist or homophobe you're all right with us - as long as you have some Irish blood in you 

Ancestry obviously trumps ethics for some in Ireland as an unseemly rush to brown-nose the odious new American administration begins in earnest.

Trump is a despicable bigot, a bully, a braggart, a sleazy, thin-skinned egoist - but he is a man 

It was supposed to be a day in which history and justice aligned - where the US elected its first female president, not because she was a woman but because she was the most qualified for the job.

Colette Browne on US election day: 'The malign influence of Trumpism will endure far longer in politics' 

All the indications are that Donald Trump will lose today's US election, but the malign influence of Trumpism will endure far longer than its namesake's presidential ambitions.

'Gardaí have understandably reached the end of their tether' 

With only days to go before more than 12,000 gardaí go on an unprecedented strike, a realisation of the chaos that now looms has only just dawned on the Government.

Comment: There is something about Mary - heavens above, she's a woman 

The knives are out for Jobs Minister Mary Mitchell O'Connor for the crime of being a woman in politics.

'GSOC creaking under weight of investigating trivial complaints' 

Last week, as my bus stopped in traffic outside Leinster House, I watched a young garda on duty at the gates and wondered what he must think of the politicians pontificating inside. With just his high-visibility jacket and cap protecting him from the torrential rain, the garda was standing bolt upright, not betraying any discomfort, apparently impervious to the appalling weather.

Collette Browne on Trump: 'The man is a pig, has always been a pig and is doomed to be a pig in perpetuity' 

The Republican Party has unleashed a monster with Donald Trump. Now, they must take responsibility for him. It's hard to know why Trump's grotesque comments about groping women disgusted the Republican leadership so much that many renounced their endorsement of him en masse at the weekend.

The Brexiteers are deluded and utterly devoid of a plan - but that doesn't mean we have to be 

Think how much happier we could all be if we were half as confident as Brexiteers, whose preening self-regard continues to reach dizzying levels despite the fact that they have yet to define what Brexit means.

Pro-choice campaign now needs to look beyond repeal of Eighth 

The success of Saturday's march for choice is the latest sign that the momentum for repealing the eighth amendment is becoming an unstoppable force. But what does repeal the eighth actually mean?

If Noonan is so eager for PAC to do its job, he should go before it 

What better way for the Government to demonstrate its commitment to new politics than for Finance Minister Michael Noonan to appear before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC)?

Lowry could show naive Halligan a thing or two about getting things done 

John Halligan is being pilloried for doing what politicians have done for decades - using ministerial power to direct additional investment into their own constituencies.

Kenny playing dangerous game in war with EU over Apple tax 

The outraged response to the European Commission ruling against Apple is reminiscent of the reactionary hysteria that led to the Brexit vote in the UK. Listening to it would be disastrous.

Vulture funds are feasting tax-free on carcass of our property crash 

Irish workers have shouldered a hugely increased tax burden since the financial collapse in order to keep the country afloat. The least we should expect is that companies operating in this country pay their fair share.

Brazil empowers its prosecutors to fight white-collar crime - in Ireland, we get another toothless inquiry 

Lawyers will be the only ones to benefit from yet another toothless inquiry into allegations of corruption among Ireland's elite.

HSE's over-reliance on nursing homes is not just bad news for elderly it's bad for economics, too 

The insanity that masquerades as policy in the health service was perfectly exemplified in the plight of one 92-year-old woman trapped in an acute hospital bed for almost a year at a cost of €7,000 per week because funding of €400 per week for a home-care package was unavailable.

Brexit on back burner as musical chairs in the Dáil takes priority 

Some of you ingrates doubted the ability of new politics to deliver, but our born-again politicians have tirelessly laboured to secure its first major victory. After months of tense negotiations, the seating arrangement in the Dáil has finally been confirmed.

The really stressful issue for our banks is non-performing loans 

European stress tests that rated AIB and Bank of Ireland among the weakest financial institutions in the region have served at least one useful function - they've started a renewed debate about the huge levels of non-performing loans on the banks' balance sheets.

Colette Browne: If Healy-Rae wanted to help, he could have gone into government 

The revelation that Michael Healy-Rae submitted 115 parliamentary questions in one day will do nothing to hurt his political career. That, not him, is an indictment of our political system.

Free speech? Twitter is right to silence the hateful trolls 

Liberal free-speech purists have gotten themselves in quite a tizzy since Twitter banned right-wing hero Milo Yiannopoulos for his role in orchestrating the harassment of 'Ghostbusters' actress Leslie Jones.

Entitled brats? It's not millennials who destroyed the world economy 

Young people today are derided by older generations as being entitled brats, but the truth is that it is the middle-aged and pensioners who are spoiled rotten in our society.

As it becomes more obvious 'new politics' is a sham, Fianna Fáil will take opportunity to bring down this Government 

Fianna Fáil is a political scorpion that is eventually going to lash out and put this Government out of its misery.

Brexiteers on the left must share blame for UK's lurch to the right 

Brexit has delivered Britain into the hands of Eurosceptic Tories, and those on the left who championed the referendum are complicit in this lurch to the right.

From Project Fear to Project Reality - the Brexiteers' lies are exposed 

There is no plan. Let that sink in for a moment. The UK, in opting to leave the European Union, took its most significant political and economic decision in decades and there is no plan, only chaos.

The media's nasty little blind spot when it comes to far-right terrorists 

Judging from the media coverage of Labour MP Jo Cox's murder, terrorism is now a word that is confined to describing violence committed by brown-skinned Muslims.

Why Obama is unable to enact simple measures to stop the gun massacres 

On Sunday, for the 15th time in his presidency, a stony-faced Barack Obama addressed his nation after a mass shooting. The only thing that was different this time was the body count.

Children and parents will pay the price for Bruton's surrender to church power on the 'baptism barrier' 

When it comes to priorities for a new Education Minister, one would have thought a law that discriminates against children on religious grounds would be first on the agenda. Apparently not.

The challenge isn't lambasting Garda failures, it's changing an insular, defensive culture 

The excoriating statement released by the Policing Authority after its meeting with the Garda Commissioner is a hopeful sign that the new body will effect real change in the force. However, An Garda Síochána has weathered blistering criticism before without meaningful reforms being instituted.

Fitzgerald's paralysis over McCabe row puts her credibility on the line 

It is now more than a week since Garda Commissioner Nóirín O'Sullivan issued a clarifying statement on her attitude to whistleblower Sergeant McCabe that, in actual fact, clarified nothing.

'New politics' fails its first test as ministers abandon whistleblowers 

Desperate attempts by a succession of Fine Gael ministers to downplay the current controversy embroiling the Garda Commissioner are pathetic and suggest that new politics is nothing but an empty slogan.

We're such an egalitarian State, we don't need hate crime laws 

Under fire from the UN yesterday over the State's failure to adequately address racism, Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald said her department was reviewing hate crime legislation. Presumably, this review will be quite short because, alone in the Western world, we don't have any.

Why should religious order wield more power in hospitals than Minister for Health? 

The battle between St Vincent’s Healthcare Group (SVHG) and the National Maternity Hospital (NMH) boils down to one thing: should a religious order have ultimate control over the State’s maternity services?

There's no excuse for fastest-growing economy in EU to keep using JobBridge 

JobBridge was introduced as a temporary measure in 2011 at the height of the economic crisis. But why is it still in existence now that Ireland has the fastest growing economy in the EU?

Is Labour seriously ready to be cannon fodder for the Soldiers of Destiny? 

It appears that the geniuses in Labour who oversaw the loss of 30 seats in the General Election are determined to finish the party off. Instead of taking the hint from its mauling by the electorate and slinking quietly into opposition to try to rebuild, kites have now been flown about Labour returning to government with Fine Gael.

Parties baying for abolition of Irish Water have no idea how much it will cost 

Welcome to the new era of responsible governance in Ireland, where parties baying for the abolition of Irish Water appear to have no idea how much it would cost but are determined to plough ahead regardless.

It seems Michaella's big crime is being a strong and pretty young woman 

Michaella McCollum committed a serious offence - but managing to endure nearly three years in the Peruvian prison system without turning into a haggard crone seems to be her biggest crime, as far as some people are concerned.

It is the people, not the faltering politicians, who guard the Proclamation 

The best way to commemorate the 1916 Rising is not through military parades or flag waving but by remembering that we, the Irish people, are the custodians of the Proclamation and the egalitarian ideals that inspired it.

Playing fantasy cabinet is just another insult to voters as time ticks away 

Faced with an unprecedented homeless crisis, our TDs have vowed to take decisive action to alleviate the problem - by making statements in the Dáil today, before they all adjourn for another couple of weeks.

No help for Tyrellstown families from Leinster House as vultures circle 

The prospect of hundreds of evictions from one estate in Tyrellstown is a manifestation of the country's housing crisis writ large - and a portent of things to come given the huge influence vulture funds now wield in the Irish property market.

Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael still refuse to face the reality of life together 

If Fianna Fáil is willing to prop up a minority Fine Gael government from the opposition benches, what's stopping it entering a formal coalition and wielding some real influence over policy?

End of Civil War politics would give us a real choice between Left and Right 

Descriptions of last week's General Election as an earthquake are overblown, but if it results in a realignment of Irish politics along ideological lines, the next one could be seismic.

Politics of fear bombs on doorsteps as voters back independent champions 

With just three days of campaigning left before the country goes to the polls, support for Fine Gael and Labour is stagnating while support for Independents surges.

Vote buying hasn't worked - watch as Coalition now tries bullyboy tactics 

With just 10 days of campaigning left to go before people go to the polls, panic is beginning to set in among the Government parties.

Health Minister's job now seems to be telling us all what he can't deliver 

Good news everyone. Patients languishing on trolleys are not a sign of a broken health service - they're actually an ingenious ploy to boost staff productivity.

The best small country in the world in which to be a white-collar criminal? 

Following the publication of the Banking Inquiry report, politicians have assured the electorate that new laws and tighter regulations mean the mistakes of the past will never be repeated. However, there is little evidence to support this optimistic appraisal.

Noonan loves his fiscal policy buzzwords - but voters should be wary 

At the weekend, Finance Minister Michael Noonan said the fiscal space available for tax cuts and spending increases over the next five years was more than €12bn - which is strange, because his own department put the figure at €8.6bn a few short months ago.

Courts will not turn a blind eye to abortion - we must take the law into our own hands 

The prosecution of women in Northern Ireland for taking abortion pills could be a portent of things to come in the Republic unless our draconian abortion laws are changed.

Denigrating all refugees as 'rapefugees' is designed to stoke fear and prejudice 

The mass sexual assaults committed in Cologne on New Year's Eve were extremely shocking, but let's not pretend violence against women is a new phenomenon in the West.

Men who perpetrated assaults must change - not the victims 

It's hard to imagine how mass sexual assaults against scores of women by marauding young men in Cologne could have been handled any worse by German authorities.

Before we get fooled by tax cuts, let's think about how we will pay for them 

When you think about it, our politicians are modern messiahs. Just as Jesus fed the masses with only five loaves and two fishes, our TDs have figured out a way to slash taxes while also providing stellar public services.

This is how we 'cherish' our homeless children - by dumping them in B&Bs 

While the Government preaches a mantra of recovery and prosperity in advance of the General Election, the numbers of homeless children in the country continues to spiral.

Adams's backing of pal Slab Murphy is a real problem for SF in run-up to election 

Gerry Adams may not like the Special Criminal Court, but as a public office holder and leader of one of the biggest opposition parties in the State, he must respect its judgments.

As the senatorial guff still flows, now don't you wish you'd voted them out? 

So, how are you feeling about that decision in October 2013 to retain the Seanad? Having any regrets about extending a lifeline to some of the motley crew that populate the Upper House yet?

SF's muddled response to McCabe murder shows confusion on party line 

Suggestions that Sinn Féin General Election candidate Louise O'Reilly was prevented from condemning the killing of Garda Jerry McCabe because she was "rounded on" during an interview are laughable.

There's been no shortage of debate on abortion - but what we need is action 

Yesterday's ruling by the Northern Ireland High Court that its restrictive abortion law is a breach of women's human rights is another damning indictment of all-island political cowardice on the issue.

Varadkar has failed and failed again. So why is he getting an easy ride? 

Dr James Reilly was routinely monstered by the media for his many failures as Minister for Health, so why is Leo Varadkar being given an easy ride?

Terror in Paris leads to a rush to judgment and plays into Isil's hands 

Global headlines following Friday night's massacre in Paris proclaimed that the French people remained "defiant" in the wake of the atrocity, but the truth is that they are not defiant, they are afraid - and with good reason.

If women's voices aren't heard, they will just become more marginalised 

Female voices are largely absent from public life in Ireland, but young women are increasingly turning to social media to circumvent this censorship and get their message out.