Pearse Doherty of Sinn Fein: Enda Kenny Taoiseach ‘running scared of a debate’
SINN FÉIN has accused the Taoiseach of “running scared” from a debate with Gerry Adams and Fianna Fáil has in turn attacked the party for refusing a one-to-one debate with Micheál Martin.
Sinn Féin finance spokesman Pearse Doherty told a news conference on the fiscal treaty: “I think it’s disappointing that the Taoiseach is running scared from a debate with Sinn Féin on this issue.” He was responding to an earlier comment by Enda Kenny who said he debated with the Sinn Féin leader on Tuesdays and Wednesdays when the Dáil was sitting.
“I am very happy to debate with Deputy Adams but I do not do the Vincent Browne programme,” the Taoiseach said.
Mr Doherty commented: “I would say to the Taoiseach directly that he needs to put aside his petty differences with TV3 or any presenter and debate the contents of this treaty.
The comments from the party’s finance spokesman Pearse Doherty come after Enda Kenny said he would not take part in a programme fronted by Vincent Browne.
But this evening TV3 has said Vincent Browne has offered to stand aside if the Taoiseach wishes to take part in the debate.
The station says the debate would instead be hosted by TV3′s political editor Ursula Hannigan
“If he really believes in the austerity measures that are contained within this treaty, then he has a duty and a responsibility as Taoiseach of this State to debate that with the leader of the No campaign, Gerry Adams.
“Gerry Adams has made it clear that he will debate Enda Kenny on TV3 or any other TV station at any time. This is so important, not just for the future economy of the country but for the future people of this country.
“They require and demand of our Taoiseach to debate in a proper, sensible and logical way.
“There is an onus on him to step up to the mark and meet Gerry Adams at the TV3 studios and have that debate.”
However, Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin accused Mr Adams of taking a similar approach and he repeated his invitation to the Sinn Féin leader to take part in a head-to-head debate.
“It is quite clear that Gerry Adams is not serious about debating the real issues in this treaty directly with the Yes side.
“After refusing my invitation for a head-to-head debate last weekend, Deputy Adams issued an invitation to the Taoiseach that he knew was unlikely to be accepted.”
The Fianna Fáil leader added: “Sinn Féin has accused the Taoiseach of ‘running scared’ from a head-to-head debate.
“They have said that the Fine Gael leader has a duty and a responsibility to ‘step up to the mark’ and debate the contents of this treaty. We agree. The same rules must apply to Gerry Adams, and to the leaders of all political parties involved in the campaign,” Mr Martin said.
Mr Doherty said Mr Adams was prepared to take part in a group debate with Mr Martin and other party leaders. He said there were “key questions in this treaty in relation to economic sovereignty and the transfer of powers from this State to the European Commission and the European Court of Justice”.
“What will it mean in relation to the formulation of taxation policy in the future, the ownership of State assets, the delivery of public services, or the household budgets of hundreds of thousands of people? It is shocking that any state would voluntarily cede such economic sovereignty and many people are asking has the Government really understood or thought through the consequences of such actions,” the Sinn Féin finance spokesman said.
The Communist Party of Ireland said in a statement that the suspension of the German government’s ratification of the fiscal treaty and the ESM treaty “must send a strong warning signal to the Irish people. These two treaties pose a serious threat to their livelihood and to what little remains of their democracy and sovereignty. There is growing opposition throughout the EU by working people, who are sick of endless cuts with little if any prospect of relief any time soon . . . ”
‘Tornado’ twister spotted off the Rosses point coast in Co Sligo
A picture of a seaspout seen off the Co Sligo coast earlier this week.
Video footage of what appears to be an over water tornado has been recorded off the Co Sligo coast & can be seen on You Tube.
Images of the apparent tornado were captured by Graeme Salter at Rosses Point at about 3.50pm on Monday afternoon.
The weather phenomena, also known as a seaspout, occurs over a body of water and is connected to a cumuliform cloud formation.
Seaspout tornados are often associated with active weather fronts and can appear during periods of thunder, lightning or strong winds.
Mr Salter, from the Glen of Aherlow in Co Tipperary, said he spotted the “twister” from a car park overlooking the bay at Rosses Point and that the phenomena continued for a number of minutes.
“I thought it was a massive spray from a speedboat but after a few seconds I realised it was going straight up into the air,” he said.
“I’ve been going to Rosses Point since I was a child and have seen some mad weather, but never anything like this.”
Another seaspout was spotted off the Co Wicklow coast last month
Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) warns against further pay cuts
Angry nurses and midwives have warned that they will not tolerate attempts by the Government or the HSE to impose further pay cuts to allowances or premium pay entitlements.
Nurses have been urged to meet any planned cuts with ‘forced resistance’
At the annual conference of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation in Killarney, nurses were urged to meet any such moves with “forced resistance.”
INMO Director of Industrial Relations Phil Ní Sheaghdha said that allowances and premium rates were core pay and the Croke Park agreement did not allow for any cuts in these areas.
She told the conference that industrial peace was agreed on this basis.
The conference passed a motion opposing any cuts to allowances, premiums or increments.
And delegates at the INMO conference are warning that a reduction in allowances may be the final straw:
“This is the year of the dragon, we as nurses need to become dragons and breath fire out of our mouths and say to the HSE and the powers that be enough is enough is enough”, said one delegate.
“If they touch my pay as I say for what I am doing now I cannot possibly account for what I will do next”, said another.
Meanwhile, the INMO is carrying out a survey of 300 hospital wards today in order to determine correct staffing levels.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Today with Pat Kenny, INMO General Secretary Liam Doran said it is one of a number of initiatives being carried out to allow members to assess how many staff are actually needed.
Good news as 400 Irish Aviva jobs are saved
There was some relief among Aviva workers today as it emerged that up to 400 jobs have been saved — seven months after it announced almost 1,000 job losses.
The insurance giant today confirmed the revised loss of 550 jobs — down from the 950 redundancies originally announced last autumn.
Aviva, which currently employs 2,000 people here, will also create another 200 jobs in the next two years in a new service centre in Galway.
Aviva Ireland chief executive Sean Egan, who was appointed immediately after the job losses were announced, is believed to have fought hard at corporate headquarters to salvage as many of the axed jobs as possible. He emphasised the valuable skills and experience of the targeted workers.
Mr Egan said today that the saving of so many jobs was good news.
But he was “beyond disappointed” that the news leaked out as he wanted all staff to be informed about developments by their own managers rather than in media reports.
The good news comes in the wake of the departure of top executives in the international insurance group, including two with a central role in axing the Irish jobs — Andrew Moss and Igal Mayer.
Mr Moss resigned as group chief executive in the UK after shareholders revolted over the size of his salary.
Last year Moss flew into Dublin to tell Aviva’s workforce that half of them would be losing their jobs.
And Mr Mayer, who was deeply involved in laying off a huge section of the Irish workforce as part of a takeover of roles by the British operation, also resigned.
It was revealed recently that Mr. Mayer earned a basic salary of €740,000 last year and received generous expenses, including family travel, accommodation and car allowance.
The manner in which Mayer axed the Irish jobs here caused public outrage.
Speculation was rife for months that 950 Irish jobs would go before Mr Mayer finally delivered the terrible news on October 19, flying out of Dublin just hours later.
We revealed how he had bragged about awarding himself a €600k Mercedes Gullwing car just months before delivering the body blow to Irish staff.
The Gullwing car is so sought after — it is favoured by Saudi princes and movie stars.
