I’m proud to be a supporter of Belong To, very proud after seeing this advert this afternoon. Congratulations also to Anna Rodgers and Aoife Kelleher who directed it.
More on the Stand Up 11 campaign.
Census messes up the partnership count
March 31st, 2011 · LGBT, Same Sex Partnerships
The Census due for completion next week is out of date already in its failure to ask about the status of those who have entered into civil partnership or who have had foreign partnerships/marriages recognised.
Last year after trialling a question on the issue the Central Statistics Office decided not to ask at all because people were confused. Maybe they didn’t ask the right question. Now the law has been changed (since JULY last year) and people are in legally recognised relationships and are very very confused at the advice they are being given. The CSO are telling people who are in civil partnerships that they should tick the marriage box. This despite everyone knowing that Civil Partnership is not Marrage and same sex marriage obtained abroad not being recognised as marriage here. This is really stupid and a huge fail on the part of the CSO. (They’ve not done well on the religion/no religion bit either).
GLEN have produced advice to same sex couples on how to ensure their relationship type/status is counted.
» 14 CommentsTags:Census 2011·civil partnerships and certain rights of cohabitants Act 2010
More on that Gilmore meeting with Irish American LGBT ‘reps’
March 30th, 2011 · Irish Politics, LGBT
A response to a written question from Sean Kenny on Eamon Gilmore’s trip to New York and Washington elicted the following information on that meeting with lesbian and gay ‘representatives‘.
I had a very a useful meeting with representatives from the Irish American Lesbian and Gay community about a range of issues of concern to them. It was agreed by that we would stay in touch regarding these matters as well as the ongoing effort to resolve issues surrounding participation by the Gay and Lesbian community in the New York St. Patrick’s Day parade.
Labour Party seek support for Seanad NUI panel candidate
March 28th, 2011 · Irish Politics
Thanks to the chick who sent me the email issued by the General Secretary of the Labour Party to their members regarding the Seanad Election NUI Panel candidate, James Doorley.
No mention of Ivana Bacik on the Dublin University Panel.
Dear Friend,
My name is James Doorley and I am running for the Seanad on the NUI Panel.
I am delighted with the support I have received to date. However I am up against incumbents and others who have greater resources. Former Senator Brendan Ryan of Cork served the party and country very well in the 2002-2007 Seanad and was very unlucky to lose his seat narrowly to Ronan Mullen. I believe I can win a seat and ensure there is once again a progressive and left voice in the NUI Panel of the Seanad.
As a fellow Labour party member I need your help. I am looking for either your No. 1 vote if you are a NUI voter or alternatively if you don’t have a vote could you contact family, friends and colleagues who may have a vote to support my candidacy.
I am the only candidate on the NUI panel who clearly states my membership of the Labour Party, not only on my website but also on the election literature which was sent to all 98,000 NUI voters. I been a party member since 1996 and have campaigned in good and bad times for the party. Most recently I was Director of Elections for Deputy Dominic Hannigan in 2007 and 2011. While we lost narrowly in 2007, we trebled the Labour vote. In 2011 we won the seat and Dominic topped the poll. I am also currently Chair of the Meath East constituency council.
However I am not asking you to vote for solely on the basis that I am a Labour party member, but also because of my track record and expertise working on youth, social and consumer issues for the last 15 years. There is more information about me, why I am running and my policies and priorities at www.jamesdoorley.com
I am also giving a commitment that if elected I will resign my post and be a full time Senator. I do not believe that Senators should be in receipt of two salaries when so many are trying to survive with no salary or a much reduced one.
I would also be grateful if you can add your name to my support map on my website @ www.jamesdoorley.com by including your name and address and a short message if you want, it will only take a minute or so.
And finally you can like my campaign page if you have a facebook profile. Go to my facebook page here http://www.facebook.com/JamesDoorley?i=1168700513136131
In conclusion I would be grateful for your No. 1 vote in this election. If you do not have a vote I would be grateful if you could forward this email to family, friends and colleagues who may have a vote.
Yours sincerely,
James Doorley
James Doorley
Candidate for Seanad Éireann-NUI Panelwww.jamesdoorley.com
www.facebook.com/jamesdoorley
www.twitter.com/JamesDoorleySent by Ita McAuliffe, Labour General Secretary on behalf of James Doorley
» 6 CommentsTags:
Want to work for a TD? Marry One!
March 27th, 2011 · Irish Politics
If we hadn’t gone through a period of mistrust in the government and parliament, Ministers being bought, Senators pretending they lived in Cork to claim mileage, Ministers taking chauffeured cars between terminals in Heathrow and everything else, then the news that Alan Farrell TD is hiring his wife to work for him would be no surprise.
However Deputy Farrell is not alone in hiring a family member. I’m hearing that daughters are being drafted in to take the €41k starting salary. There is no transparency in how the staff who are hired to work for TD’s are recruited. Each TD is entitled to hire a parliamentary assistant and a secretarial assistant. With 76 new TD’s that could be 152 jobs. How many of these were advertised with FAS or in local newspapers? All news of familial appointments in the comments if you hear of them.
» 13 CommentsTags: