Welcome immigrants – but don’t shut down the debate
Welcome immigrants – but don’t shut down the debate By Senator Rónán Mullen For a long time, an Irish and Christian tradition of welcome informed our personal and public attitudes. There was majority goodwill towards the stranger at home and abroad, helped by the fact that many of our own people emigrated and were outsiders […]
Benedict offered great wisdom to those in public life
Benedict offered great wisdom to those in public life By Senator Rónán Mullen In Christmas 2007, a few months after I was first elected to the Seanad, I bought two copies of Pope Benedict XVI’s book, Values in a Time of Upheaval. One was for myself. The other was for another first-time senator […]
Essay deadline extended! Register by 30 November for Oireachtas Essay Competition
DEADLINE EXTENDED! Register by 30th November for Oireachtas Essay Competition ‘Parliamentary Politics Matters’ is the theme – aiming to help young people engage with the democratic process It wouldn’t happen in the Leaving Cert Exam Hall! But a surge in interest in the inaugural Oireachtas Essay Competition has led organisers to extend the deadline for […]
Self Help Africa’s Ronan Scully to receive 6th Oireachtas Human Dignity Award
Self Help Africa’s Ronan Scully will receive the 6th Oireachtas Human Dignity Award at a ceremony in Leinster House on Thursday, 1st December. This Award is presented by the Oireachtas Human Dignity Group to a person or group whose commitment to the promotion of human dignity is exemplary. Ronan Scully is being honoured for his many years of […]
Independent Senators condemn Government’s inaction during Derrybrien visit
Independent Senators visited Derrybrien Wind Farm in County Galway on Friday, 14th of October, ahead of a legislative proposal that will attempt to stop the site from being decommissioned. Senators Michael McDowell, Victor Boyhan, Gerard Craughwell, Sharon Keogan, Rónán Mullen and Gort Councillor Geraldine Donohue were all in attendance. The Independent Senators spoke with […]
New essay competition, ‘Parliamentary Politics Matters’, aims to help young people engage with the democratic process
Many people “question the ability of normal politics to deliver solutions to society’s challenges,” Ceann Comhairle, Seán Ó Fearghaíl said today. Launching a new Oireachtas Essay Competition, Aiste an Oireachtais, the Ceann Comhairle said that “populism and polarisation” were threatening “to overwhelm societies and endanger people’s wellbeing.” “Democracy itself looks fragile in the places where […]
Abortion review appointee should ‘honourably withdraw’ in light of social media activity, Rónán Mullen tells Seanad
Seanad Leader supports view that chair appointment process should have been more transparent Independent NUI Senator Rónán Mullen today called on the person appointed to chair the three-year review of the abortion legislation to ‘honourably withdraw’ from the role. This was in light of past social media activity tending to show preference for the […]
How to support the 2021 Ceiliúradh Cois Life Online Auction for Pro-Life Education
Can you donate an Auction item or Raffle Prize? We are looking, in particular, for the below auction items or raffle prizes to provide the biggest possible range of choice for our bidders at this year’s event. These are suggestions, but please feel free to get in touch about other possible items:- – Hotel/B&B breaks […]
Why donate to Haiti?
Hi Rónán, Many thanks for offering to help us. I have been thinking about the question ‘Why is a donation to NPH (Spanish name for Our Little Brothers and Sisters) the best thing to do with my quid?’ I guess it depends on how the person feels about giving money to charity and what expectation […]
Special privileges for those in tune with the Zeitgeist
My Seanad colleague Sharon Keogan doesn’t mind the heat. Lucky for her, because she got plenty of it when she dared to vent her views on the Katherine Zappone affair on Twitter during the week. “The most worrying issue here is the agenda of governments worldwide to catapult #LGBTQIA personnel into high level positions,” Keogan […]