A Promising Future

GAY PRIDE PARADE DUBLIN 2017

Something in the air perhaps, certainly there has been a flow of positivity in the airwaves today, a refreshing surge of inspiration has been delivered to us by three men. Three men of independent thought and belief, each encouraging us to stand up and help to make necessary changes to our world for the right reasons.

The Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at the Dublin Pride Parade today, said 

“ I pledge as Taoiseach to use my office, for as long as I hold it, to advance the cause of LGBT rights, to press for marriage equality across Ireland, to speak up for LGBT rights around the world where they are under attack, and to push for the implementation of the sexual health strategy here at home at a time when it is more important than ever.”

He continued, "So, I don’t really ask anyone to celebrate the fact that we have a Taoiseach who is a gay man. But rather we should celebrate the fact that we live in a free country, in a democracy where we have a Taoiseach who happens to be gay.”

- We are able to support or criticise him, based on our own beliefs and principles which, to me, is true freedom.

www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/taoiseach-promises-to-speak-up-for-lgbt-rights-around-the-world-at-dublin-pride-parade-794967.html

President of Sinn Féin Gerry Adams

Gerry Adams in Belfast, at a Sinn Féin conference, predicted a successful vote to end partition could come within a "few short years".

"We need a new approach, one which unlocks unionist opposition to a new Ireland by reminding them of their historic place here and of the positive contribution they have made to society on this island. 

Instead of concentrating on the negative aspects of our four centuries of shared history I suggest that we embrace the areas of agreement and of co-operation; of good neighbourliness and the common good. A truly united Ireland will emerge from the reconciliation of the people of this island based on equality."

www.irishexaminer.com/breakingnews/ireland/gerry-adams-we-need-new-approach-to-convince-unionists-about-united-ireland-794972.html

In England Jeremy Corbyn on The Pyramid Stage at the Glastonbury Music Festival gave his audience wise words.

After all of the recent gloom and despair that has rocked the people of theses islands it is good to end the week with hope.

A Bad Idea

As election campaigning enters its final days, the Taoiseach Enda Kenny

yesterday launched a scathing attack on some voters in his own constituency !

At a Fine Gael rally in Castlebar, Co. Mayo last night, Enda Kenny described some local 

people as "All Ireland Champions" in whingeing.

He made the comments to a rally of supporters in his home town last night.

He said they refused to recognise that the town was benefitting from the economic recovery.

The Taoiseach told reporters afterwards that the comments were not aimed a national audience: 

“Locals, nothing to do with national politics at all. Obviously, we get this all the time, but sometimes 

I feel that people find it very difficult to see any good, anywhere, anytime.”

© Irish Examiner

Up date: Irish Times reports;
Speaking on RTÉ radio on Monday, Mr Adams said the reality was that people throughout the country were not seeing the benefits of the recovery.

“The Taoiseach referred yesterday to whingers and people who would not see the sunshine on a sunny day. People do not feel the recovery because there is no recovery for them. The reason they are not seeing the recovery is because this Government made the wrong decisions”, he said.

Footnote

It is time Enda took a long holiday and I do mean that. Does he not know that every word that he utters goes before him and is read as a critical marker by everyone on this island and internationally too. 

It is totally naive of him to believe otherwise.

I presume that the benefits to his constituents he mentions include:

Major bed closures in the district hospitals of Ballina, Belmullet and Swinford, the 32,000 hours of assistance cut from the elderly

and disabled, the reduction of home helps and the slashing of welfare support for those in Back to Education which is no longer available 

for those who wish be teachers.

If these are his benefits it was only the Department of Finance that benefitted.