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			<title>Senator Rónán Mullen's website RSS Feed</title>
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			<copyright>Senator Rónán Mullen's website 2006</copyright>
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				<title>‘Art against Stigma’ Project</title>
				<link>http://www.ronanmullen.ie/429.html</link>
				<description><![CDATA[ And that is why we owe so much to those whose art is exhibited here today. They have not just expressed themselves personally and artistically, and opened themselves up - those of us who come and see are opened up too. Heart speaks to heart. I mentioned earlier that art is a good-in-itself and requires no further justification – but that is not to say that it serves no purpose. The philosophy behind ‘Art against Stigma’ sees in human creativity the ability to express the sometimes inexpressible, and to help bring healing and hope to wounds and frustration. ‘Art against Stigma’ recognizes the potential inherent in all human beings regardless of the obstacles we sometimes have to face.

 
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				<pubDate>Thu, 09 Sep 2010 10:14:15 +0100</pubDate>
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				<title>Senator Mullen dissatisfied with statement from Seanad Committee on Members’ Interests </title>
				<link>http://www.ronanmullen.ie/428.html</link>
				<description><![CDATA[ Senator Rónán Mullen has expressed dissatisfaction at this evening’s statement from the Seanad Committee on Member’s Interests, which while dismissing a complaint brought by the ‘People before Profit’ organisation against him, fails to acknowledge the possible damage caused to his reputation by the Committee’s own handling of the complaint.

 
 ]]></description>
				<pubDate>Thu, 26 Aug 2010 16:34:52 +0100</pubDate>
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				<title>Senator Rónán Mullen lodges formal complaint to Select Committee about vague and damaging statement </title>
				<link>http://www.ronanmullen.ie/426.html</link>
				<description><![CDATA[ Senator Rónán Mullen has written to the Chairman of the Seanad Select Committee on Members’ Interests, Senator Pat Moylan, to express his “extreme concern” about the unspecific nature of the statement released by the Select Committee last evening, and at the media coverage that this has generated. ]]></description>
				<pubDate>Tue, 10 Aug 2010 16:48:45 +0100</pubDate>
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				<title>Islam, Islamism and Islamophobia in Europe </title>
				<link>http://www.ronanmullen.ie/416.html</link>
				<description><![CDATA[ I welcome the fact that, in the context of political extremism, this report draws a distinction between religion on the one hand and the manipulation of religious beliefs for political reasons on the other. Indeed, there are many praiseworthy aspects to the report. It astutely pinpoints the dual wrongs of both Islamism, as a terrorist and anti-democratic force, and Islamophobia, as a form of secular and religious bigotry. 

 ]]></description>
				<pubDate>Mon, 28 Jun 2010 12:53:08 +0100</pubDate>
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				<title>Challenges facing the HSE</title>
				<link>http://www.ronanmullen.ie/415.html</link>
				<description><![CDATA[ I will make four brief points. First, the Minister mentioned the cardiovascular implementation plan, which is to be welcomed, but funding is the issue. She rightly pointed out that there were 12 stroke units, but some, including the Irish Heart Foundation, would say not all of these measures are up to international standards. Some 20% of people could benefit from thrombolysis, yet only 2% get it. The good news is that money up front in stroke prevention can prevent the outlay on nursing home care or hospital stays down the line. The emergence of a business plan that would allow the investment needed to improve the service should be possible.

 ]]></description>
				<pubDate>Tue, 22 Jun 2010 15:15:14 +0100</pubDate>
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				<title>Irregular migrants and voluntary return</title>
				<link>http://www.ronanmullen.ie/414.html</link>
				<description><![CDATA[ One of the most pressing issues facing Europe from a human rights perspective is that of migrants’ welfare. It is a perennial problem for Council of Europe contacting states: how best to protect the dignity of immigrants yet at the same time uphold the integrity of the state’s border? Just as was the case with our predecessors in Strasbourg, a huge amount of our time here at the Council of Europe is devoted to the issue of migrants and immigration. The scale of the problem is vast with 10 million irregular migrants currently living in Europe and a further 500,000 additional irregular migrants entering or becoming irregular every year.  ]]></description>
				<pubDate>Tue, 22 Jun 2010 15:07:29 +0100</pubDate>
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				<title>Children do not come first: the failure of the HSE</title>
				<link>http://www.ronanmullen.ie/406.html</link>
				<description><![CDATA[ If one strips away the polite public service jargon, the report is an indictment of the HSE and will lead people to question the extent to which Government responses extend beyond the commissioning of reports.The Fail ]]></description>
				<pubDate>Thu, 03 Jun 2010 14:31:16 +0100</pubDate>
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				<title>Government’s Cardiovascular Policy and Stroke Care Implementation Plan</title>
				<link>http://www.ronanmullen.ie/405.html</link>
				<description><![CDATA[ The Health Service Executive said 20% of patients could benefit from thrombolysis, a clot-busting treatment which can have miraculous effects in preventing death and disability from stroke ]]></description>
				<pubDate>Thu, 13 May 2010 12:47:13 +0100</pubDate>
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				<title>Greek problems: not just economic</title>
				<link>http://www.ronanmullen.ie/404.html</link>
				<description><![CDATA[ I support the call for a debate on Greece. There are many issues we could discuss. One fact is the report that 75% of applications for asylum in this country have been rejected. It would be timely for the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to come to the House to give us an update on the operation of our asylum laws and for us debate whether that is an appropriate percentage in light of the circumstances.  ]]></description>
				<pubDate>Thu, 13 May 2010 12:39:05 +0100</pubDate>
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				<title>Trafficking Laws fail the vulnerable</title>
				<link>http://www.ronanmullen.ie/403.html</link>
				<description><![CDATA[ I am asking for a debate on the need to tidy up Irish law, to harmonise it with that of Britain so we do not have the appalling spectacle of people coming south of the Border to avail of the sexual services of persons who are victims of human trafficking.  ]]></description>
				<pubDate>Thu, 13 May 2010 12:33:56 +0100</pubDate>
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				<title>Statement on The Common Agricultural Policy</title>
				<link>http://www.ronanmullen.ie/402.html</link>
				<description><![CDATA[ The agrifood sector is of fundamental importance to the economy. Almost 50,000 people are directly employed in the food and drink sector, with a further 60,000 employed indirectly in all regions of the country. The industry uses 90% of the output of Ireland’s 120,000 farmers. In 2008 it accounted for a figure of €8.3 billion or almost half of all purchases of Irish goods and services offered by manufacturing industry. It is one of the few major industries controlled mainly by indigenous companies. While the agrifood sector is of importance now, it will become even more important in the future. ]]></description>
				<pubDate>Thu, 13 May 2010 12:23:53 +0100</pubDate>
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				<title>Forum on End of Life</title>
				<link>http://www.ronanmullen.ie/401.html</link>
				<description><![CDATA[ Another area in which we need a debate is on the report from the Forum on End of Life in Ireland. There is a great debt of gratitude owing to the Irish Hospice Foundation for the excellent work it does in hospice-friendly hospital care. I was honoured to be asked to take part in one of the sessions in the forum and the report has been published today. ]]></description>
				<pubDate>Thu, 13 May 2010 12:13:04 +0100</pubDate>
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				<title>Amendment to Council of Europe report into sexual orientation has implications for Civil Partnership Bill – Senator Mullen</title>
				<link>http://www.ronanmullen.ie/190.html</link>
				<description><![CDATA[ Independent NUI Senator Rónán Mullen and colleagues in the EPP (European People’s Party) and ALDE (Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe) scored a key victory yesterday evening when an amendment was passed safeguarding freedom of conscience in a radical report on sexual orientation and gender identity. ]]></description>
				<pubDate>Fri, 30 Apr 2010 15:00:55 +0100</pubDate>
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				<title>Migrants and Refugees: a Continuing Challenge for the Council of Europe‏</title>
				<link>http://www.ronanmullen.ie/189.html</link>
				<description><![CDATA[ Better cooperation is also needed between the individual member states as these issues are necessarily trans-European - involving countries of origin, transit and destination. This is especially true in matters pertaining to human trafficking which involves criminal networks across many member states. Although not explicitly mentioned in the report it would be a wonderful development in human rights protection if member states could act with procedural and humanitarian unity in welcoming genuine asylum seekers who are fleeing from human rights abuses in their countries of origin. Harmonisation of approaches would provide greater clarity to asylum seekers and could potentially lead to a more even and efficient response by member states in accommodating asylum seekers. 

With this in mind I support the report’s call for the inclusion of a right to apply for asylum in the European Convention of Human Rights. 
 ]]></description>
				<pubDate>Fri, 30 Apr 2010 11:41:23 +0100</pubDate>
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				<title>Senator Mullen joined by FF and FG delegates in protecting freedom of conscience by opposing elements of Council of Europe report into sexual orientation </title>
				<link>http://www.ronanmullen.ie/188.html</link>
				<description><![CDATA[ Independent NUI Senator Rónán Mullen was joined by Fianna Fail and Fine Gael delegates at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe in opposing radical elements of a report on sexual orientation and gender identity.
 
Senator Mullen tabled 10 amendments to the controversial Gross report, including wording which defends freedom of conscience in relation to ‘legitimate moral disagreements between people concerning same-sex relationships’ (Amendment 22), and including wording which calls for mutual respect to be fostered ‘between supporters of LGBT rights and persons and institutions with religious, ethical or moral concerns around same-sex relationships’ (Amendment 23).
 ]]></description>
				<pubDate>Fri, 30 Apr 2010 11:38:30 +0100</pubDate>
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				<title>Senator Mullen calls for greater sensitivity in debate concerning transfer of Catholic schools, pluralism and redress scheme</title>
				<link>http://www.ronanmullen.ie/187.html</link>
				<description><![CDATA[ Speaking alongside Labour education spokesman Ruairi Quinn TD at the Jesuit Education Boards of Management Conference in Maynooth, Senator Mullen stated “I do not believe that the linking of the indemnity and redress scheme issues with the transfer of Catholic schools to the state sheds any light on the debate. They are two separate issues to be considered on their own merits. The main area where transfer of Catholic schools is needed is at primary level where the religious orders run very few schools. Most Catholic schools at the primary level are diocesan.” ]]></description>
				<pubDate>Fri, 30 Apr 2010 11:34:48 +0100</pubDate>
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				<title>Criminalising FGM</title>
				<link>http://www.ronanmullen.ie/185.html</link>
				<description><![CDATA[ Yesterday the Labour Party brought forward an excellent Bill in this Chamber to criminalise female genital mutilation. It deserves great credit for bringing forward this issue because it is about a terrible violation of human dignity that all should condemn. ]]></description>
				<pubDate>Thu, 29 Apr 2010 11:43:28 +0100</pubDate>
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				<title>The modern day slavery of sex trafficking must be urgently addressed.</title>
				<link>http://www.ronanmullen.ie/183.html</link>
				<description><![CDATA[ Today (1st April, 2010)  the Policing and Crime Act, which introduces measures aimed at tackling the heinous crime of sex trafficking, enters into force in the United Kingdom. There is, therefore, a danger that Ireland could become the red light district of western Europe, as people in the North, where the regime is tougher, move South. ]]></description>
				<pubDate>Tue, 27 Apr 2010 11:48:05 +0100</pubDate>
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				<title>Call for a Debate on Stroke Care</title>
				<link>http://www.ronanmullen.ie/182.html</link>
				<description><![CDATA[ The Minister for Health and Children’s statement that the Government’s cardiovascular policy and implementation plan, which would transform stroke services, will go to Cabinet within a week has been welcomed by the Irish Heart Foundation, among others.  ]]></description>
				<pubDate>Tue, 27 Apr 2010 11:37:47 +0100</pubDate>
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				<title>FGM Bill necessary to protect vulnerable girls</title>
				<link>http://www.ronanmullen.ie/181.html</link>
				<description><![CDATA[ As of April 2006, 2,585 women resident in Ireland had undergone female genital mutilation. The World Health Organization estimates that between 100 million and 140 million women worldwide have undergone FGM. Others have referred to the detrimental physical, psychological, emotional, spiritual and social effects of this practice. Rights experts are in agreement that it constitutes a violation of fundamental human rights. It seems almost trite to say this, as it is so self-evident. ]]></description>
				<pubDate>Mon, 26 Apr 2010 14:00:09 +0100</pubDate>
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