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.
Sign in. It’s quick, free and it’s up to you.
An account is an optional way to support the work we do. Find out more.
By continuing, you are indicating that you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.
CANDIDATES FOR THE Dáil in the impending general election are signing up to a new women’s manifesto in their droves.
Just hours after releasing its breakthrough ‘manifesto for women’, the National Women’s Council or Ireland (NWCI) has 28 candidates confirmed as supporting the issues which the manifesto raises.
Among that list are some heavy hitters from the ranks of incumbent TDs including Sinn Féin deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald, Independent Clare Daly, Labour drugs and equality minister Aodháin Ó Ríordáin, and outspoken Labour deputy Anne Ferris.
While the 28 candidates (plus a couple of senators) announced as having signed up reflects a relatively small percentage (6%) of the estimated 456 hopefuls expected to run, it still represents a hefty wedge given the manifesto only launched this morning.
The candidates so far signed up are:
The level of takeup can be seen as a reflection of the fact that the coming election is one in which women’s rights will be to the fore in a manner never before seen in Ireland with the 8th amendment, affordable childcare, and action on violence against women all set to be hot topics.
Other talking-points raised in the 10-point manifesto, on top of the three mentioned above, include: the gender pay gap, budget equality, and a national action plan for women’s equality.
“This election has the potential to be a breakthrough election for women in Ireland,” said director of the NWCI Orla O’Connor.
The gender quota has ensured that, for the first time, voters will have a real choice to vote for more women.
With our manifesto we now want to encourage all candidates to demonstrate their support for concrete policies that will be crucial to accelerate the pace of change for women’s equality in Ireland.
O’Connor stresses the removal of the 8th Amendment of the Irish Constitution, that which puts a mother’s life on par with that of the unborn, as a priority.
The 8th amendment is seen as the chief stumbling block in the abortion debate in Ireland, with Labour in particular committing to a referendum to repeal the eighth as part of their pre-election pledge.
“One of the 10 key demands highlighted in our Manifesto is to provide women with full reproductive rights and ensure that Irish law is in line with international Human Rights standards,” she said.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
The proposed repealing of the 8th Amendment should not be lumped in with gender quotas. The first is entirely legitimate, the second is sheer tokenism which any woman worth their salt would reject out of hand
Attaboy Stephen. You tell those women how they should feel. Can’t imagine why any women would want quotas. Not when they have a helpful man to tell them what their opinion is.
Let’s be clear. Calling Clare Daly a heavy hitter is a joke. She’s a mouthpiece. Just like so many others on the left. Making plenty of noise, playing off the frustration of an electorate which has endured to much but achieving absolutely nothing. As for Mary Lou, women’s issues didn’t seem so important when she was attacking Mairia Cahill and critics of Sinn Fein-Ira sex abuse Kangaroo Courts
Claire Daly in my opinion is a remarkable public representative. As for the media hype over Ms. Cahill, well it would have served them better to ask questions about her dissident past seeing as she refused to do any interviews about it despite Senator David Norris and others calling for it before her appointment to the Seanad. With all the talk of dissident activity on the rise was it not a legitimate concern to ask questions? How do any of us know that this has been a plan of dissidents to push her into the spotlight to attack Sinn Fein seeing as they oppose the peace process. As for the politicians, they were all over her yet Michael Martin refused to meet with Mary Boyle’s sister, the murdered 6 year old girl from Donegal.
Gemma O’Doherty @gemmaod1 20 Dec 2015
Micheal Martin has rejected a request to meet twin of 6-year-old Mary Boyle, whose rape and murder is a cover-up of grotesque proportions
Gemma O’Doherty @gemmaod1 20 Dec 2015
Ann Doherty has asked Deputy Martin why he met Mairia Cahill, whose alleged offence took place outside the jurisdiction, but won’t meet her
@ watersedge
It is flat out untrue to say that Mairia Cahill refused to do any interviews about her past.
She did Drive Time, the Guardian and others. Spoke about her regret at making a mistake when she was younger. At least she admits it. that takes guts – more guts than some senior Irish politicians have.
If you want to talk about dodging interviews, Mary Lou springs to mind.
Sorry, but I remember all the calls for her to do an interview before she was appointed to the Seanad, she gave an interview afterwards but no hard questions were asked.
http://www.thejournal.ie/mairia-cahill-labour-by-election-2435958-Nov2015/
@David Doyle:_
Ah Dane, the irony of you calling anyone else a ‘mouthpiece’. You are all over most threads on this site as an unofficial mouthpiece of FG, spouting the same progaganda day in day out, getting banned and making new profile after profile. Would you ever just fcuk off and leave the site open to rational debate. Although you are very conspicuous by your absence on the story about the old woman left sitting in a chair in Beaumont. Typical really!!
@ watersegde
Fair enough, people miss stuff, and that narrative certainly did the rounds, so not surprised.
Here’s a link to one she did before the election – and they did ask about her past.
Barry, I think Labour have shot themselves in the foot with this and there is more going on than meets the eye. There is always an agenda and I do not believe that she was only a secretary for the R.N.U. for just a few hours, I don’t think it has been thoroughly investigated and I think everybody jumped on the bandwagon.
David Doyle happy new year. On your point about Claire Daly. You have not mentioned she was the first politician to support the police whistle blowers. Yes she roared up to the rafters of the Dail .
She was the first politician to ask Mr Noonan the grand old gent about why Standard variable rate mortgages are so high . His reply was pretty good. But he himself has choosen to ignore his reply.
Daly went to jail over bin charges, she gets the job done.
Mary Lou McDonald has consistently asked questions based around welfare, homelessness, on the 10th of June she questioned why Fine Gael and labour represented by Simon Harris had voted down a bill to Capp rates fairly.
Marie Cahill was a victim of a crime in another district and she herself was a member of the IRA.
She has been politically exploited by labour and Fine Gael. Who took her calls on touch dial. While they ignored stardust fire disaster victims, the dumped babies, symphotomy victims. Etc….
Not to mention Fine Gael and labour cut funding to rape crisis centres.
I will be Claire my number one vote.
Mr Oridain is a nice guy but has forgotten the 350,000 standard variable rate mortgages holders who are being over charged each month by 1.3 % bases points .
Sure they tried to discredit Claire Daly that time the penalty points cancellation scandal came out by accusing her of drink driving which she was cleared of.
At the time Claire Daly said she was surprised that the details of her arrest were leaked to the media so quickly and in a statement she said she felt that the incident was a “deliberate attempt to discredit a left-wing TD who has raised issues of malpractice. She is well able for the establishment and stands up to them which is what we need.
David youre just a yfg mouthpiece.
Dave is a FG mouthpiece but, he is not Dane..
The old crew on here will remember Kevin Dobson ( I won’t bother giving his real name, as I respect that he hasn’t used that in years on here)
Abortion will be a huge topic for the upcoming election. I hope the cuts in funding to women’s refuges are of the same importance.
Abortion will be a huge topic for the Irish media anyway. The media is the main ‘engine’ driving the abortion agenda in Ireland.
Media tend to report what the public want to read. They aren’t necessarily partisan, but businesses underlined by profit. A pro abortion stance sells because it’s the view of the majority to one extent or another
The latest groupthink-in by the anti choice brigade has decided this week’s buzz phrase is “media generated interest” when anyone with more than half a brain will know it’s anything but!
The media tends to report on what gets the most hits (‘If it bleeds, it leads’). In regards to the 8th, if people are so sure no one wants it, why not have the referendum. If you’re so sure it’ll be beaten, what are you afraid of?
I also wonder why….
Abortion is only an election issue for the hard left like todd and daisy. I like many people would vote for a repeal of the 8th, but there is no way it is an election issue. Economy and security are what the vast majority of people care about.
Pregnancy is an economic and security issue. Do yo know how much it costs to have and raise a child?
Agree Moderate. It is merely a headline issue and largely media driven. If the NWCI are pushing for abortion, then why are they doing so with taxpayers money?
Ye those foetuses sure are a security issue. Their culture is just not compatible with ours, and their constant terror attacks are awful. Raising a child sure is expensive, but that only affects the parents. Why would I make somebody else’s problem an election for myself. I’m not that altruistic
Moderate – I am certainly not “hard left”, but the repeal of the 8th is certainly an issue for me in the election. The other main issue I have is the removal of discriminatory practices on religious grounds in education. I think you will find everyone has different issues of importance and just because they are not strictly finance based does not make you “hard left”.
Maybe so, Paul. I’m just telling you that for the vaasst majority is voters, it is not an issue.
And me. If a politician doesn’t support repealing the 8th, they’re not getting my vote, even a transfer.
REALLY …!!!!
You should be careful what you wish for..!!!!!
I think you are wide off the mark, irish people supported gay marriage which i supported myself 100%..but to support abortion there is absolutely no comparison. No Matter how the Media try to Brain Wash Me…
Under no circumstances Bobby ?
When there is a immediate danger to the mother life…
And aborting the nations future, the child in utero is costing society an awful lot more in the long run. Now western society is confronted with an aging population with not enough taxpayers to prop up pensions. The truth always comes back to haunt us in the end. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/aug/23/baby-crisis-europe-brink-depopulation-disaster
@Bobby. Thanks,and I find that fair enough. I’m wondering is Marion our very own Maria / Josephine / Bridget ??
A list of who NOT to vote for. Respect for human life begins with that life in the womb.
With no empathy or consideration for the mothers circumstances and health ?
I think it begins when the child is 4 months, others when the child is born. All about perspective. Women should have choice when it comes to their own bodies
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0Wwgh7kdKM Gianna Jessen lived to tell her story.
Perspective all you want
Life begins at conception
OTHERWISE
the woman would not be pregnant now would she.
Eartha Kitt.
No Bridget when you consider life to begin is completely subjective. Otherwise it would be a divisive issue
@Bridget. Is that you Maria. The Christian fundamentalist?
Could have been aborted http://townhall.com/tipsheet/sarahjeanseman/2014/01/22/abortion-almost-killed-these-five-people-n1782943
I always try to see both sides in every issue. I respect everyone’s personal views as long as they don’t try and inflict those views on others.
As much as I try, I just cannot see any sense on the so called ‘pro life’ side. As if anyone would be anti life. Nobody is proposing mandatory abortions. If you’re against abortions you will never have to get one. The ‘pro choice’ people would never attempt to make you have one. You get to make that choice, let others make their own. To insist on controlling women’s bodies because of your own religious or moral belief is wrong.
Very common sence post commonsence. Its about choice, and the necessity of choice. The pro – lifers have no empathy for the individual circumstances of each case. Most of their arguement comes from a belief in and the following of an archaic ethos.
The children are not given a choice. It is up to the born to protect the unborn.
“To insist on controlling women’s bodies because of your own religious or moral belief is wrong.”
So, you also have an issue with all the other laws we have to live by and you also think term limits on abortion is wrong too?
“The “children”are not given a choice. It is up to the born to protect the unborn.”
It is up to the woman and her physician what is best for her ..
Vinnie I’m against sane people’s bodies being controlled by the state. If we don’t own our bodies we own nothing.
I think the term limits used in the uk are acceptable.
So Toddimus you think you just magically “morphed” into existence, when you were at 16 weeks gestation. Before that you were nothing, did not exist etc. Is that your perspective?
@Vinnie. Commonsence was talking about making decisions based on a religious ethos, not making laws based on them. Separation of the church and state is required here.
@Maria. Howya joesepine.
@Maria. Howya Bridget.
P- anti – careful. Maria is the most hypocritical hateful poster on here, a nasty woman who will accuse you of interfering with children if you dismiss her arguments.
@Paul. I know yeah. You can’t argue points with them/her so I just call them/her out for what she is.
Actually P anti most people of normal intelligence can. YOU can’t because you are not good enough!
Well at least you didn’t have the audacity to deny you multiple accounts from where you spew your hateful archaic rethoric. Grab your Christian fundamentalist handbook and you spout away maria/Josephine/Bridget. We’re all onto ya.
I don’t have Multiple accounts Panti it’s just me! You are on to nothing! As usual!
Well according to your logic I can claim that to be an absolute truth without any evidence and no obligation to prove it. That fair ?
Maria – if you lie I will post up the comments where you accuse me of “interfering with children” and “wanting to interfere with other children”. You are a hateful nasty person and you accuse others of name calling.
Maria. Who supports a man who kicks his pregnant girlfriend In the stomach. Sick alright.
Term limits in the UK are barbaric.. They abort up to a limit were a child can be born and live.
Well I certainly don’t agree with that Stephen. Thats barbaric.
Well Paul, Keep bringing it up!
Maria. Who thinks the bible is 100% accurate, because it says so in the bible.
I’m not Maria or anyone else no matter how much you would like to think so.
Seems this is just another pro abortion front.
Come off the stage, the public demand is certainly there. By delaying the referendum we’re just putting off the inevitable
Ah come off it yourself Toddimus – There is no demand for abortion in Ireland. Its a push by the pro abortion media and huge backing form America. Don’t be blind and look into why Amnesty are pushing so hard for abortion in Ireland.
Some polls indicate as high as 80% favour abortion in cases of FFA, incest and rape. There is a want to remove the 8th
Your idea of public demand is the demand of the social justice warriors spread out across news websites like the Journal, Buzzfeed and Jezebel, etc. You’re living in a bubble in which (thankfully) the majority of the population laughs at and knows the true meaning of what repealing the 8th would do. ‘Some polls indicate’ is the equivalent to saying ‘I found a poll somewhere on the interweb that agrees with my opinion so I will use it to back up my ill-researched stance on the neo-liberal and issue of the day’.
Every other country in Europe apart from Malta allows for abortion. What makes us so special? I’ve always wondered
Sure have a referendum so, and see how many people populate my so called bubble? The will is there, we should stop exporting women and deny women their right to self determine what they would like to do with their own bodies. If someone told you what you could and couldn’t do with your own body you’d be on the “liberal social justice” bandwagon too. But somehow that is different?
Typical failed politician, Stephen. No clue of the real world.
I’m not afraid of a referendum repealing the 8th amendment, I would actually welcome it. However, what is frightful is the idea that the pro-choice side spews so much bullish!t about ‘what women want’. The 8th amendment being repealed will not just be limited to the small percentage of cases that occur with FFA, rape, incest etc. but will indeed include a clause likening that to other ‘progressive’ European nations with a 11-24 week period allowing for abortion. You do not understand what repealing the 8th actually means and it is indeed frightful that your pro-choice groupthink attempts to shut down any rational debate on what could fill the void of a repeal of the 8th. If it is repealed, it is up to the whim of our politicians to decide as it has no longer any constitutional protection. And clearly, irrespective of your political affiliations, any politician or political party does not have the moral or legitimate authority to decide what is suitable for a system of abortion in a country that is deeply divided on the issue.
Donal Campell – can you not see the irony, in you a man, calling “bullsh!t” on knowing “what women want”. By the way, how is your uterus?
Actually Toddimus the recent Millward Brown Poll shows support for abortion for children with terminal conditions at 55%, and that is down 9% since June. Furthermore demand for a referndum at all is 56%, and is down from 66% in june.
Hardly a huge demand, and getting smaller.
Paul, that’s sexist and offensive! Women politicians can’t debate on men’s issues? Why can’t men debate on women’s issues? You are a typical guilt-ridden sad male feminist. Women are not the victims you lay ten out to be. What IS ironic is how you are pathetically attempting to stand up for women’s rights, by simultaneously suggesting that they need men like you to ‘protect’ their rights. You’re patronising women more than you are helping them.
Donal – wow, you seem to have got so angry your typing went to shyte. Assuming you meant to say “women are not the victims you make them out to be” that is a whole heap of hate there. Where did I say men cannot debate women’s issues? I just pointed out the irony/stupidity in your saying “pro choicers” do not really know “what women want” when many of them are women and you are a man, apparently a very angry woman hating one. Think women know what they want more than you and I so let’s allow them to make their own mind up and we can mind our own business.
Male feminist, no, just a husband, father, brother and friend to women and I want to support them against people like you who seek to control them and their bodies.
@Donal. You said alot but im still at a loss to understand where your opions are coming from and why you are against repealing the 8th. Are you coming from a religious or moral stance ?
I’m not coming from a religious stance as I do not follow religion. No hate towards it, just don’t follow it. So I’m coming for from a moral objective. And Paul, you are clearly aware that you’re argument is flatulent as you spent half of your reply insulting me about a single spelling mistake. Many women are pro life also, does that not make your argument completely moot? Who’s to say. Maybe you’re right. I cannot be the judge of what laws should dictate women’s right to choose versus a child’s right to continue it’s life. But when you’re arguing, at least show some competence and you’re real opinion (depending on your capability to stray from the herd) instead of blindly following an idealism that is harmful at the whim of your liberal comrades.
@Donal, fair enough thanks, and can you clarify if you are against all abortions or what are your opinions in FFA and rape victims cases ect ?
@Donal, in other words, if you are not totally against abortion in certain circumstances, what would you suggest we do to fill the void repealing the 8th would leave. Dont misread this post Donal, im interested in any ideas for a solution you may have, im not trying to be smart.
Donal, don’t worry these, the vast majority of them at least just resort to type. Once you even challenge their argument, it falls apart, and they just resort to name calling.
There are a few exceptions to this rule, but for the most part, debating a topic is completly beyond their capability.
@Donal. Sorry about maria/Bridget/Josephine, our resident Christian fundamentalist, im genuinely interested in your opinions as they don’t come from Marias archaic ethos.
Maria – you complaining about name calling, you accused me of u terse ring with children you hypocritical, hateful nasty woman. I am going to call you out on it at every opportunity and you can complain about all the name calling you like, if the cap fits you will wear it.
onal – you made two ridiculous statements about women and yet you castigate me. You stated that some of them do not know what they want and then stated “they are not the victims they claim to be”, nice. So where in calling you out on that is flatulence and following the liberal herd?
Why do you not trust women to make their own choices? Why do feel as though you have the right for your beliefs to impact on these women? Why do you feel you have the right to make choices for them? You can call it a liberal agenda all you like, but that is just avoiding the issue. I don’t see it as liberal by the way, I just see it as decent and right.
Strange that you state you cannot judge what laws dictate what choices women can make, but then you have done exactly that throughout the thread. Instead of trying to be witty, perhaps you should focus on consistent.
Donal – and if anyone doubts that you have an issue with women (and Muslims) they should have a quick read of your Twitter feed.
Paul, seriously? I clearly did not say that women don’t know what they want. I said that you think that repealing the 8th is what all women want. And I said that’s not true. And you are also incorrect in your assertion that I do not think women should not be able to make their own choices. That is such a vague argument Paul. Think about the choice that is at stake here. We don’t allow women or men to make the choice to do a lot of things, such as stealing from a supermarket shelf to committing offences such as rape. It is my belief, in some extreme circumstances anyway, that abortion on demand is just as criminally abhorrent as other crimes to a similar extent. I appreciate our differences of opinion in this argument but you are absolutely deflecting it away by stating that I am forcing women to live a life of treachery that you describe. Of course FFA and threat to life of the mother including suicide should be treated as an exception to our abortion laws and that is my sincere belief for everyone involved. Anything beyond that seriously compromises public morality and the protection of those who cannot speak for themselves. Please understand that this is my opinion and don’t confuse it with me ‘pushing’ my beliefs downs people’s throats. It’s a public forum and we should appreciate and thank our society for allowing us to speak on such a platform. You are part of the authoritarian left who adores shutting down free speech by saying I am forcing my opinion on others.
So at what stage of the pregnancy , in your opinion does the mother have the(right ) to end the pregnancy..???.. just curious
So lets all be like the rest of Europe, try not to be different ..: (SHEEP)
U terse ing? Whaaa!!!????
And you slag of Donal for a spelling mistake!!!???
Maria – Glen Abhainn Park, Enfield, Co Meath. Did I spell that correctly? 50 The Park, I am sure that is correct too. I have made statements to Lavelle Solicitors regarding the defamation, so I suggest you step very carefully.
A defence to defamation is truth, Paul. If you’re silly enough to pursue a defamation action against Maria then I suggest you weight up the likelihood you would succeed beforehand instead of running to a solicitor because of a tiny insult on the Internet. And my Twitter feed? That is a retweet from a satirical women’s magazine, Reductress, which laughs at the word feminazi, should you have actually read the article you wouldn’t sound like such an idiot. If you can’t handle Internet forum responses then I suggest downgrading to an old Nokia that can’t support such apps.
Donal you poor boy, you are only a student, I have worked in the industry for years including Clifford Chance, a big five here and a top Barristers set in London. Now forgive me If iI know more than you, but I do and I wish you well in your studies, but seriously you must be clueless if you think being told you interfere with children on a public forum is not a defamation. Maria stated it more than once, now run along back to Donoghue v Stevenson.
Maria you really are silly, but there you go.
@Paul. Please stop calling Maria silly. Shes taken that up as a challenge.
Paul I’m so impressed by you self-acclaimed experience! Please tell me more how I can learn for thee that is so wise.
Please, I can guarantee you will not pursue defamation proceedings against Maria as you are aware that it is pointless, so don’t try to act above her, let alone myself, by acting the big fella. Regardless of my experience v yours, it doesn’t take a half-wit like yourself to know that constitutes legitimate defamation.
Also, I’d be genuinely surprised if you are currently employed as a solicitor or legal advocate in any developed legal system if all of your arguments cease by way of arbitrary and ad hominem personal remarks. You know you’re losing an argument when all you can do is poke fun at the studies of a young student.
*you’re. Spellcheck on the new phone the boyfriend got me for Christmas – aaaaah!!
@Donal. I believe you’re a male so I take it you’re gay, and that’s fine with me, but do you plan to adapt a child some day and if so I suppose a constant stream of rape babies carried to full term and unwanted helps in those situations.
Planning my life there are we P-anti? Lol. I would love to have children some day but not if I’m unmarried as it’s just something personal I would like to have done before having children. I think I’m far too young to be thinking about such a step (I’m 20 and still in university). Maybe I will adopt, maybe I will use a surrogacy or other means developed in the future. I haven’t decided yet.
Haha I’m sure you’re well able to plan yourself, and good luck to you. I doubt you will receive much support from Maria now in the future, she hates Gay marraige, i know, dinasaur. I think you also got my point though !!
Donal – I am afraid you are wrong again, but at least you are consistent.
Maria will find out, but a friendly word of advice, remove all the woman hating nonsense on your Twitter feed before you seek employment, particularly if you are seeking to be a devil/pupill or a apprentice, because you will have no chance with that bile all over you wall. The bigoted stuff against Muslims, I would remove that too. Why a gay man would hate women so much is beyond me, but the evidence is there all over your feed and if I can read it so easily so can all the HR departments (dominated by females) can read it too. My wife is the head of HR for one of the large US investment banks, trust me they check I won’t charge you for that advice and being the know it all twenty year old you are you wont listen, but that suits me dandy,
it is not wisdom you need, but maturity and you are severely lacking in that.
Hate women? That’s a dastardly thing to say, considering most of my friends are female, I have always had a great relationships with women especially the women in my family and also men in my life. What I have a problem with is third-wave feminism set out on demonising innocent white ‘privileged’ male by victimising the women you speak of on a daily basis. Women are more privileged than men in many, many Scenarios in this age and guilt-ridden men like yourself are worse than the feminazis you hear in abundance across the Internet sphere and on the streets. That’s a wider issue though. Women are of course unfairly discriminates against too, in many cases. But the victimisation of women today is disproportionate to the actual reality compared to the demonisation of men, and that’s sad. I’m just as ‘angry’ at that as you are ‘angry’ at what you perceive to be unfair discrimination against women re abortion.
Paul, you’re a lot older than me but you have no authority to tell me what I should post onto my Twitter. Stop trying to control free speech as it doesn’t suit your taste. I’m not tailoring my opinions to suit future employers, yet anyway. Run along and pretend you care about other people when in fact it’s your ego your attaching to each thing you say in this conversation. Hopefully you don’t report me to the Gardaí or to the Press Council for shutting down your ill-fated, hateful views on a public forum :-)
‘Election hopefuls are signing up to support women’s issues in their droves’
What a coincidence that the journal is rowing in behind the same campaign instead of subjecting it to the scrutiny that any journalist should subject any ‘campaign’ to? But it’s not really surprising to anyone who is aware of the Irish media’s craven liberal left bias.
How instructive to hear Ursula Halligan (spokesperson for Liberal left media consensus?) quiz Renua candidates yesterday on her fav topic (scraping the eight amendment) and even demanding a hands up on where they all stood. Well, bad news Irish Liberal left media cronies – the only other people who are obsessed with this are your allies in the abortion lobby. People on the street are not jumping up and down demanding that this be an election issue.
The Irish media are PATHETIC and collectively do not deserve to be called journalists.
Isn’t signing up to support one genders issues sexist itself. Isn’t it our election hopefuls job to support all the genders.
I’m sure when men can have abortions they’ll be supportive too.
It’s not just about abortions is it now
Daisy take your disdain for the entire male gender elsewhere
The reason why the abortion industry is male dominated is because men will never suffer the trauma of abortion.
Vote for the best candidate for the job. Its called equal opportunity, which is what we do in a democracy. We don”t want testosterone driven woohah replaced with oestrogen driven woohah. Its the woohah we object to, stupid.
Neither Claire nor that McDonald yoke are speaking on my behalf anyway!, as for the rest of them who are they????
Have they any other policies?
if they want to support women’s issues then they’d better be willing to curtail immigrant freedoms and enforce rule of law! otherwise its all just bullsh*t!
Hopefully somebody will speak up for the thousands if Irish girls that are aborted year. Why is that support for abortion is stronger among mails than it is among females?
That should read “Hopefully somebody will speak out for the thousands of Irish girls that are aborted next year. How is it that support for abortion is stronger among males than it is among females? Some women’s rights issue..!! “
What about the thousands of irish boys ?
It reads worse the second time. Where do you get your figures? Apparently they’re wrong.
I was addressing the hypocrisy of this “women’s rights” issue…
That article refers to public opinion on reducing the limits on abortion in a state where abortion is already permitted. Totally different question and you have misused it.
ffs read it again… Slowly…. There is a clue in the title..
Maybe read the actual article?
Unlike you I did.. All countries have abortion including Ireland, and the debate is about the restrictions that should apply.. The article clearly indicates that men are more in favour of less restrictive abortion, and why wouldn’t they as in so many cases it’s them that are deciding..
That’s different than you said above. When you misrepresent evidence that makes you unreliable.
Is that the best you can come up with after been proven wrong? The message is the exact same throughout.. Men are more supportive of abortion than woman..
No it isn’t the same. And you know that. You suggested that men are more in favour of legalising abortion than women. Then you backed that up with an article that actually said men in uk (where abortion is legalised) were more in favour than woman of extending the time frame for those legalised abortions. That’s completely different. I am fully in favour of legalising abortion, yet I wouldn’t be in favour of extending beyond the uk guidelines. See the difference? I’m pretty sure you do.
Absolute and total bollix…. Why on earth would I use the term “legalise” when as I already explained it’s already legalised. I said that men were more supportive/in favour of abortion and you questioned were I got my figures from and stared they were wrong. I then produce the figure and comprehensive research on the matter to back up my claim and you respond by trying to change the goal posts and set up your own targets for you to shoot down. You obviously find being proven wrong difficult.
I was going to advise you to read back your own comments to see how little sense you have made but that would be pointless.
Your kind of disingenuous misleading will only do your cause harm. I’m only sorry that I wasted the time trying to point out inconsistencies to you that you clearly already knew were there.
Their endorsements has nothing to do with the forthcoming election…they are just being sincere.
Happier women = tastier dinners
Why not support them?
Thank you for sharing this.
Disappointing none from Dublin South as yet have signed up but will keep checking and hopefully have at least one politician to vote for next time round!
One of the most important electoral issues is the number of patients awaiting treatment on trolleys lining the corridors of our hospitals. These patients, many with serious health conditions are neither admitted nor sent home. These people are in no-mans-land but the solution champagne socialists like Mary Lou, Clare Daly & Aodhan O’Riordain suggest is abort them while in the womb or euthanize if born. Window dress abortion as a “choice”, choice sounds nice, abortion sounds awful, brainwash through the public media it’s a positive option while the abortion industry harvest the organs of aborted babies & rapists coerce their victims to abort to cover-up sexual abuse. Pretend the baby in utero is non-human, good tactic, that is what supporters of the slave trade done in the US to permit the slave trade to flourish & Hitler defined Jews as non-human to justify concentration camps. History just repeating itself.
Very interesting post that you put up there,Marion
I will ignore the usual crap that is written about Planned Parenthood and their “harvesting” of body parts ..What I do find interesting is that you never wrote about the ‘Jim Crow’ laws -why is that?
That is one interpretation. Another, if you want to use historical context is thus: African women were routinely raped by their white slave masters. So much so that a new “race” was created: the muletto indicating mixed Caucasion/African blood. These mixed race people were discriminated against by Caucasians – the American law up until the 1970′s proscribed that a person was black even if they had one drop of African blood “the one drop rule”. Africans discriminated against them because they were partially white and had lighter skin. They were not so affectionately referred to as “high yellow”. These children of African women and white slave owners were conceived strictly for commercial purposes. Slave owners preferred to impregnate their slave women aside from prurient interests, it was easier to disrupt familial bonds if the child born was not from its “parents”. Marriages were discouraged as well because it became disruptive to the property process. Therefore, it was not at all uncommon for these African women to abort these rape pregnancies. Many died in the process. The abortion industry prior to the 20th century was alive and well in the shacks and cottages of slave women. I don’t begrudge a woman for not wanting to carry a foetus to term when the woman was raped. I don’t judge the woman for wanting to avoid the incredible stigma attached to having a mixed race child, and to further perpetrating slavery’s cruel pecuniary interests over the interests of the natural family.
Support the 8th Amendment!! Ireland needs a good Culling. Culling of Babies has been successful in Germany, France and Sweden. It has cleared the way for Mass Immigration of those fine young men from Middle east and North Africa to fill up the chronic population shortfall in those European countries. Hopefully the poolbeg incinerator will be opened on time for the implementation of the 8th amendment.
Happy new year and three gropes for yez all. Allah Hu Akbar
have your say