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JUSTICE MINISTER ALAN Shatter has just released this statement:
There is predictably a grossly misleading headline in today’s Irish Independent. It quotes me as saying that “I refuse to reveal if I met Lowry”. In fact in reply to a query from the journalist concerned, as reported in the body of the story, he was informed that “As Minister for Justice I am not participating in Independent Newspapers agenda.”This is an agenda that has been in play for some time. As Minister for Justice it is my obligation to uphold the rule of law. The Garda Commissioner is consulting with the Director of Public Prosecutions as to whether aspects of the Moriarty Report may be pursued from a criminal point of view and as Minister for Justice I am determined to ensure that I neither do nor say anything that could prejudice matters. This is entirely consistent with my contribution in the Dáil to the debate on the Moriarty Report.
The loaded question posed by the Independent journalist is designed to elicit a response that facilitates the publication of a story that either condemns Michael Lowry or implies guilt by association or both. I am unwilling to engage in an unethical media project of compiling a blacklist of elected TDs that Ministers should not meet on legitimate official business and also with whom no conversations should ever take place.It is worth asking in this context, in addition to Michael Lowry, who from Sinn Féin, Fianna Fáil and TDs from smaller parties and none should be included in such list? Should Ministers only legitimately engage with those TDs with whose words and deeds, both past and present, they agree or with those approved by the media?This is a slippery slope we should not slide down nor encourage. It has echoes of the discredited McCarthy era of the 1950s in US politics. We should not allow such an approach to gain even a foothold in a robust constitutional democracy that takes political elective office and constituency representation seriously.
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Occupy Sydney! 15 dollar minimum wage, full employment, sound economy. What the hell are they complaining about?
Greed, unmitigated corporate greed as exampled by, but not limited to, the multi billion dollar annual profits made by mining companies, which they send off shore, while they pay little our no tax. At the same time they are engaged in an ongoing campaign to drive down the pay and conditions of Australian workers, whether they work in mining or not, by bank rolling the rise of tea party politics in Australia. Aided and abetted by the Murdoch “News” group who own 71% of media in Australia. Thank god Australia has a female Prime Minister, as only a woman would have the “balls” to stand up to the might and power being throw at the Australian way of life.
Well said lad these krustys wud go to the openin of an envelope !
“Riot police, armed with chainsaws?”
LOL
Breaking and entering. They broke the law and they were arrested. is this really news?
Hi Evert, this incident occurred today and is part of our ongoing reportage of the Occupy protests worldwide.
Thanks for the comment
Aoife
@Aoife It was more of a rhetorical question on my behalf…
Thanks for clarifying – I assumed it was aimed at me as the author of the news story.
Aoife
I reckon if the Guards were seeing carrying a squatter away like in that pic above they’d be in jail by now for police brutality. In this country we’d probably use tax payers money to give the squatters new beds and a cup of tea
What part of these protests do ppl not understand. Same rules apply in Australia, massive income disparity, over 20% under the poverty line, a system that is very much corrupt. Do people wanna go on living under these laws or do people want change. The only way there has been change through history is by people protesting.
have your say