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THE MINISTER FOR Transport Leo Varadkar yesterday told an all-male lunch that Ireland should be “free and independent”.
Speaking at the Hibernian Society in Savannah, Georgia, Varadkar said that Irish people should aspire to a country that includes everyone.
“Catholic, Protestant, believer and non-believer, gay, straight, male, female,” Varadkar told the event, which caused headlines last year when Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore declined to attend.
Varadkar recalled images of Robert Emmett in his speech.
We must remember the spirit of Robert Emmet and recognise that real change requires that we find the courage within ourselves to make our future as it ought to be – free and independent, equal and just.
He added that on St Patrick’s Day, we “celebrate all that we have achieved, and rededicate ourselves to what we still must do”.
Varadkar said that places like Savannah, which has held a St Patrick’s Day parade for the last 200 years, helped make Ireland what it is.
“We share a vision of the kind of Ireland we hope to see in the future – free and independent, both economically and culturally, embodying a spirit of justice, opportunity and equality on the national and international stage. Ireland as she ought to be.”
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It’s parents leave, not parental. Parental is fully unpaid, parents is paid by the state and then company dependent.
@D: perental leave is a term describing the type of leave not weather you get paid for it or not. Get a grip.
@Joe Byrne: I was explaining that it wasn’t the unpaid leave in case anyone was confused as the article initially said parental leave and it’s confusing with the different types of leave. Absolutely no need for that rude reply.
@Joe Byrne: it’s spelled parental
@Joe Byrne: what’s the weather like Joe???
Looks like I picked the wrong day to get a vasectomy.
14 months in Germany
Previously it was stated this bill would increase the parents leave to 7 weeks from 5 for parents of children born after July 2022. However now everywhere seems to say parents are entitled to take 7 weeks with no mention of the child having to be born after a specific date. Has this been extended retrospectively to all parents of children under 2? Would be good if some publishment whether it’s media or citizens information website could confirm as I’m not long (about 1 week ago) after receiving a reminder from social welfare that I’ve yet to apply to take the “5 weeks” that I’m eligible for.
@Darragh Bailey: The published information says you get seven weeks as long as the child is under two. If a parent has already taken five weeks and the child is still under two they are able to apply for the additional two weeks now also.
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