Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

This political giant is coming to Ireland for the first time today

Here’s everything you need to know about what’s happening in Irish politics right now…

DO YOU WANT State of the Nation delivered to your inbox every morning at 9.30am? Sign-up to our email alert at the bottom of this story.

Everyone’s talking about…

modi Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (centre) takes a selfie with Sheikh Hamdan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, UAE Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research. PA PA

Narendra Modi, the Prime Minister of India, will visit Ireland for the first time today.

He will meet the Taoiseach, Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan, Education Minister Jan O’ Sullivan and Health Minister Leo Varadkar to discuss trade and investment links, and cooperation in education and tourism.

It’s the first visit to Ireland by an Indian leader in more than half a century.

During his visit, Modi will also meet representatives of the Indian community in Ireland at a special event organised by the Indian Embassy in Dublin.

people DFAT DFAT

trade DFAT DFAT

Speaking ahead of the visit, Flanagan said: “Despite the geographic distance between us, our histories are entwined, with strong historical links between the independence movements in both our countries.”

Our people to people links remain strong to this day. The Indian community makes an enormous contribution across Irish society from small family businesses to the IT sector and particularly in health care across the country.

“There is much potential that remains untapped,” he added.

The agenda

  • Environment Minister Alan Kelly announced details of the Village and Town Renewal Scheme – a €30 million initiative to improve rural areas – at the National Ploughing Championships.

  • Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Government Building to meet the Taoiseach, Foreign Affairs Minister Charlie Flanagan and a number of other ministers.
  • Enda Kenny is travelling to Brussels with European Affairs Minister Dara Murphy for an extraordinary meeting of EU heads of state or government to discuss Europe’s overall approach to the refugee and migrant crisis.
  • Transport Minister Paschal Donohoe will answer questions in the Dáil at 9.30am.
  • The Foreign Affairs Committee will discuss the refugee and migrant crisis at 10am, as will the EU Committee at 12.30pm.
  • Justice Minister Frances Fitzgerald will introduce the Marriage Bill 2015 to the Dáil at 10.45am.
  • Leaders’ Questions will take place at midday.
  • The Petitions Committee will meet representatives from Irish Water and officials from the Department of the Environment to discuss issues around the installation of water meters at 4.15pm.
  • Private Members Business at 7.30pm will focus on a Fianna Fáil motion about hospital waiting lists.

Inside Leinster House

Things got a bit awkward on the plinth yesterday.

What the others are saying

  • Ireland is ready for a gay Taoiseach, according to the results of an Irish Exmainer/ICMSA opinion poll.
  • The Examiner also notes that the State paid nearly €20,000 for the Taoiseach’s car and limousine hire in July.
  • On its front page, the Irish Independent quotes Enda Kenny as saying gangs are using night-vision goggles to evade gardaí after robberies.
  • The Irish Times notes that Northern Secretary Theresa Villiers has appointed a panel to help assess the status of the IRA and other paramilitaries.

In case you missed it…

Good day for…

Enda Kenny: A confidence motion in the Taoiseach was passed by 94 votes to 52 – meaning he’s safe, for now.

Bad day for…

Paschal Donohoe: The Transport Minsiter had to sign emergency legislation to close a drink-driving loophole and he came under fire when it emerged plans for an underground Dart line have been delayed.

On the Twitter machine…

You never know Ciara, there could be a few of you...

Originally published: 9am

Read: Micheál Martin says a gun was put to Martin Callinan’s head

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

Close
73 Comments
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Martin Sinnott
    Favourite Martin Sinnott
    Report
    Apr 7th 2013, 8:50 AM

    Send them the report in the Irish language !

    62
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ian Crowley
    Favourite Ian Crowley
    Report
    Apr 7th 2013, 9:40 AM

    Irish is considered an official language in the EU.

    AFAIK, all EU documents eventually get published (printed???) in every language for dissemination to the other member states.

    Not taking the piss but I believe there are a series of robots that deliver documents through out the EU building in Brussels that follow pre-programmed paths. The look like a cross between a shopping trolly and a 1950′s Sci-Fi “Future-Dog”.

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Keith O'Brien
    Favourite Keith O'Brien
    Report
    Apr 7th 2013, 11:54 AM

    Wrong Council. Official COE languages are English and French.

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Damocles
    Favourite Damocles
    Report
    Apr 7th 2013, 8:54 AM

    Of course they don’t care about the badgers, badgers aren’t bondholders. ;)

    55
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute skerriesred
    Favourite skerriesred
    Report
    Apr 7th 2013, 8:58 AM

    I thought that nobody knows who the bond holders are.
    Why couldn’t it be the badgers?

    35
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Little Jim
    Favourite Little Jim
    Report
    Apr 7th 2013, 9:02 AM

    I thought that was the wombles of Wimbledon common.

    10
    See 2 more replies ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dilcos
    Favourite Dilcos
    Report
    Apr 7th 2013, 9:30 AM

    Do Bondholders carry TB as well?

    26
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Damocles
    Favourite Damocles
    Report
    Apr 7th 2013, 12:27 PM

    “Why couldn’t it be the badgers?”

    Because then the government would be falling over backwards to help them.

    12
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute JibberIrish
    Favourite JibberIrish
    Report
    Apr 7th 2013, 10:53 AM

    I think the Irish motorways are culling enough badgers.

    49
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dermot Fennelly
    Favourite Dermot Fennelly
    Report
    Apr 7th 2013, 8:39 AM

    That’s the least of our worries , I’m sure our friends in Europe have filed very detailed analysis

    17
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Pádraig O'hEidhin
    Favourite Pádraig O'hEidhin
    Report
    Apr 7th 2013, 8:46 AM

    Next they’ll want detailed analysis on the amount of tiddly-winks played on an annual basis.

    32
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Figo murphy
    Favourite Figo murphy
    Report
    Apr 7th 2013, 10:03 AM

    It’s not the least of the Badges problems

    15
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Vinnie Bonar
    Favourite Vinnie Bonar
    Report
    Apr 8th 2013, 12:14 AM

    It’s an island… Why do they care?

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Maureen Ellen McGill
    Favourite Maureen Ellen McGill
    Report
    Apr 7th 2013, 9:55 PM

    article is about badger culling though one wouldn’t think so from the comments. Science has proved that killing badgers does not stop Bovine TB from spreading so let’s just give these guys a break and clean up best practice and hygienic farming.

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute cormac
    Favourite cormac
    Report
    Apr 7th 2013, 11:57 AM

    European law my ass. Free trade across the eu? I just paid €3000 in vrt to bring a car in from the UK. We can choose which laws to enforce or not. I am not worried about a badger law. I’ve never seen as many of them in my life.

    10
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Keith O'Brien
    Favourite Keith O'Brien
    Report
    Apr 7th 2013, 12:12 PM

    It’s highly worrying that a secondary school teacher can’t distinguish between the EU and COE …. especially when that person claims to be interested in politics.

    13
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Íde Mhic Gabhann
    Favourite Íde Mhic Gabhann
    Report
    Oct 19th 2013, 9:25 AM

    Especially when the article refers to Bern

    1
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Tom Kiely
    Favourite Tom Kiely
    Report
    Apr 7th 2013, 10:06 AM

    Next ill be telling Europe how many squares if toilet paper I use….but us as nation of sheep..I say no more

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Clifford Brennan
    Favourite Clifford Brennan
    Report
    Apr 7th 2013, 11:19 AM

    Im sure we recently learned that EU wide agreements dont necessarily mean anything.

    9
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Burke
    Favourite John Burke
    Report
    Apr 7th 2013, 1:06 PM

    I met a badger last night in the local, not bad looking either

    8
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute OU812
    Favourite OU812
    Report
    Apr 7th 2013, 9:25 AM
    7
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Dermot Fennelly
    Favourite Dermot Fennelly
    Report
    Apr 7th 2013, 9:30 AM

    Let’s send them that

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute Ian Crowley
    Favourite Ian Crowley
    Report
    Apr 7th 2013, 9:42 AM

    Thats fantastic. Nothing will ever be the same again….EVER!

    2
    See 1 more reply ▾
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute RP McMurphy
    Favourite RP McMurphy
    Report
    Apr 7th 2013, 12:00 PM

    ‘Russian dancing men’ also catchy!

    2
    Install the app to use these features.
    Mute John Anthony Duignan
    Favourite John Anthony Duignan
    Report
    May 22nd 2013, 8:10 PM

    There is huge debate about this, the farming lobby think that these creatures spread TB to cows, many of us think that this a simplistic take on things. The debate is really that of industrial scale farming that has encroached up and indeed nearly wiped out the majority of Irish wildlife in the name maximizing profit per square meter of land, the hell with the cost to the natural environment and the diversity of wildlife that lives in tune with it. We on the environmental side of the debate feel that this kind wonton destruction has no justification whatsoever. Unfortunately the farm lobby is powerful in both finance and in terms of governmental representation and it is a bit of a battle.

    6
Submit a report
Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
Thank you for the feedback
Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.
JournalTv
News in 60 seconds