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THE CHAIRMAN OF the US Republican party leapt to the defence of presumptive GOP nominee Donald Trump today, after the businessman’s latest effort to appeal to a group of voters he’s spent months alienating was met with widespread ridicule.
Trump wrote “Happy #CincoDeMayo! The best taco bowls are made in Trump Tower Grill. I love Hispanics!” alongside a picture of him perched over a full plate, fork in hand.
Much of the attention online has focused on the fact that he appears to have plonked his dinner down on top of a picture of his ex-wife…
Others have pointed out that Cinco de Mayo is a Mexican celebration not a Hispanic one…
While Hillary Clinton – who he’ll likely face in the general election later this year – was amongst those pointing out the irony of the sentiment…
For the record, Cinco de Mayo (5 May) marks the victory of Mexican troops against French forces in 1862. It’s not a wider Hispanic festival.
In his defence
“Honestly, he’s trying,” Republican National Committee chairman Reince Priebus, who has urged fellow conservatives to back Trump, said today.
I honestly think he understands that building and unifying and growing the party is the only way we’re going to win.
Leading Republican figures – from former presidents (both Bushes) to current elected officials – have either said they won’t back Trump or that they’re not prepared to do so yet.
The nation’s top elected Republican official, House Speaker Paul Ryan, refused to publicly support the presumptive nominee yesterday, saying he had “some work to do” to win over sceptics.
Mitt Romney, the 2012 nominee, is reportedly declining to attend the party’s convention.
Meanwhile, Barack Obama also weighed in on Trump today – after the controversial businessman became the last man standing in the GOP race this week.
“We are in serious times and this is a really serious job,” Obama told reporters at the White House.
This is not entertainment. This is not a reality show.
With reporting from AFP.
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And where will those centres be? Let’s be honest no one will want them in their area.
Slap bang in the city centre….. The zombies, sorry addicts, will come in droves. The more important thing is that drug legislation would have to changed. “eh sorry guard, I know it’s illegal but i’m just off to the injection centre with me bag of heroin” that in itself would create a massive stumbling block.
Finglas?
@B9xiRspG: It’ll have to be somewhere central, and easily accessible, otherwise it won’t be used.
@Ian Breathnach: Because the current setup means that there are no junkies in the city centre at the moment. Better them doing it off the street than in doorways.
The point that I’m trying to make it that it will increase the draw to the city centre as there is a more tolerant approach to drug use. Thus increases anti social behaviour as these people fall out onto the street, more dealers/drugs as there is an increased demand. They will arrive by the bus load resulting in a strained emergency accommodation services also.
I’m open to correction on this and if successful I will put my hands up but until then I will be very sceptical as it also puts Gardaí in a compromised position. Allow people walk around freely with drugs as they are going to inject or follow the letter of the law. In my opinion drugs is one thing I personally would not tolerate.
@Ian Breathnach: The problem is that non-tolerance of drugs simply doesn’t work. We’ve been trying it all over the globe for decades and it has failed in every way.
Outright prohibition of drugs increases harm to users, increases crime, funds criminal behaviour/gangs and has very little impact on the amount of people that actual do drugs.
Will there be dealing in the centres too?
@B9xiRspG: How insensitive this mob cannot see themselves, following the show on RTE last night the following day they announce safe harbours for drug addicts. People who stayed off drugs get nothing, great FF
@ Rosie, the article says there won’t be
@B9xiRspG: BESIDE SOME TDs HOUSE AS THEY WANT NOBODY ELSE WANTS THEM
Ffs you can shoot up now legally .we will put a roof over your head give you free needles .dispose of your used ones and we are still getting arested for smoking a joint …something very wrong somewhere along the line ……
Not sure why you’re getting red thumbs.
This is pure madness, anyone willingly pumping class a drugs has issues they need help with, not more of the same and a slap on the back.. If they used the Vagrancy Act the streets could be cleared in an instant and these people made a ward of the state and put into rehab and helped through. Even Russell Brand says out doesn’t work without the primary care needed.. But no.. we keep spending money on some liberalised boll*x..
@martin critten couldn’t agree more. Injections centres will not stop them roaming the streets like zombies robbing people in order to get money for their next fix. Also where will these centres go? Probably next to shops and business they will no doubt ending up losing their livelihood so people have a safe space to take illegal substances. Joke
@Martin Critten: “Anyone willingly pumping class a drugs has issues they need help with”
And that’s exactly why these injection centres need to exist. If you create a safe place for them to inject themselves, and it’s done right, they will have access to services to help them get rid of the addiction – counselling, etc.
It’s a much better alternative to forcing these addicts to inject themselves down an alley in secret, leaving dirty needles on the ground or even on a bus for a child to sit on and pr*ck themselves.
Best comment. People on heroin are unable to help themselves so they need help not abandonment. They need to be taken out of the hands of the dealers
This is the case in many major cities, the heroin problem isn’t going away. Would you prefer for them to do nothing and leave it the way it is because it’s a mess at the moment
@Aiden exactly!!!
Vagrancy act was repealled years ago after it was challenged through the courts.
Why begrudge sick, marginalised people the opportunity of getting help. And be serious, no one gets arrested for smoking a joint anymore – just gets confiscated (annoyingly)
Put it on Merrion Square, at the Dail gates. Maybe our esteemed politicians might be reminded exactly who they are there to serve, then.
Drug addicts?.
@George Salter: Sure Jonathon Corrie died just around the corner and it didn’t solve the homeless crisis.
@Tony Jonathan Corry wasn’t homeless tough
Is that the official government line for the continuing homeless crisis now? “Sure jaysus that lad sleeping in a doorway wasn’t TECHNICALLY homeless.”
@ Tony Canning. John Corry was offered emergency accomadation he turned it down. He family twice found him while he was on the streets he refused there help and disappeared again and again. He’s parents also bought him 2 homes to live in he sold both of them. He had more help given to him than most people in this country and refused it all. He’s death was he’s fault and nobody else’s.
Tony he had a house, maybe even two I can’t remember but he wasn’t homeless. He chose to live out
Thank you Roy. I knew he choose to live life his way
Who is going to run these centres hopefully not the HSE, we know what will happen if it is these.
Lets go the whole hog and control the sale of other soft drugs get rid of the criminals who are selling and lining their own pockets and killing some of our young people act now politicians in years to come!
I have been anti drug ever since I found a friend of mine dead after overdosing , that was about 35 years ago and it completely opened my eyes. I do agree that the government should step in and control/regulate soft drugs . Personally ,the only drugs I have used is cigarettes and alcohol.
@Paddy Mac: Great point! This was always going to be the tough cookie, but I feel that if we can take care of this hard drug, we absolutely must tackle soft drugs.
The very same building would likely suit, could be grown on-site and destroyed on-site if needed.
@ michael
Alcohol and tobacco are far more dsngerous drugs than a lot of illegal drugs. For example cannabis, extasy, lsd, mushrooms.
Regulation & harm reduction are the only means to reduce drug harms and reduce deaths from the more harmfull substances.
This is a long time coming. Injection centres protect the public and the people with addictions. They’re a win win scenario
Thank god somebody is showing a bit of sense on this post. 100% ageee
More hug a thug crap . This will lead to an increase in criminal activity in the area of the shooting up gallery. Junkies bring crime . Zero tolerance to drug crime end of story
Insightful! Zero tolerance has proven not to work, the war on drugs has failed and places with injection centres have had great success in health and crime but you know, details and facts eh?
Obvious troll is obvious.
Typical . If you don’t agree with the hug a thugs you are a troll . Well should be interesting to see where gets landed with this shooting up gallery. Just follow the herds of walking dead lookalikes towards the feeding station . Stupid stupid stupid idea .
I don’t know how it works legally speaking that you can provide a safe place for someone to engage in illegal activities. However, it protects the public in many ways particularly in relation to dirty needles, it somewhat protects the user from sharing dirty needles and hopefully it will also provide services to help those who want to turn their lives around to get off the stuff.
Absolutely appalled by this…these people need help to get off drugs not centres to inject themselves and effect themselves even more..arrest them for using illegal drugs and breaking the law…put them into prison and let them detox,,then try to educate them in prison..sure why don’t we make an extra lane on the roads for drink drivers while we are at it..disgraceful carry on
@Noel O Mahony: Yes, prison is always good for detoxing. LOL
There’s a lot of drugs in prisons.
This is a way for the addicts to get direct help by staff in the centre to help them off their addiction, stop them injecting down an alley in broad daylight and leaving their dirty needle on the ground.
Alot of people text while driving too meaty slaps…does that make it okay????no it doesn’t. .There is law and order for a reason..breaking the law is a crime..our government giving junkies the freedom to inject is a crime..
@Noel O Mahony: Apples and oranges, Noel.
Texting and driving is not an addiction – the people who do it are idiots and need to be educated on the dangers of it, but it is not an addiction and not comparable to heroine addictions.
Whereas addiction to heroine, is a health issue. Zero tolerance has been proven not to work – see Dublin city centre on any given day for proof! The inject themselves on any street or alley way, leaving dirty needles on the ground for others to step on/pick up.
Having approved injection centres, where the used needles can be disposed of properly, easy access to medical professionals and other services to help with the addiction will reduce the number of users.
It will also stop them sharing needles, reducing the spread of HIV and other diseases among users.
Your so blind meaty slaps it’s actually scary…first you open this centre for the junkies. .then you have the hash heads saying ” if they can have that why can’t we legalise hash”..then you get people like you agreeing with it..then all of sudden the freedom to do drugs is getting easier and easier..its open now and legal so the fear factor is gone..give it 20 years and the situation is 20 times worse all because they want to open a centre for safe injection of poison…its these things that make it worse..fight drugs till the end..have zero tolerance..this is the only way we will ever win the battle against addiction
@Noel O Mahony: “Your so blind meaty slaps it’s actually scary”
You’re so paranoid and naive, it’s scary.
“have zero tolerance..this is the only way we will ever win the battle against addiction”
Because drugs are so hard to find now, with our zero tolerance policy?
Admit it, the war on drugs is a failure. It makes so much more sense to treat addiction as a health issue, and not a criminal offense, to avoid users going underground, hiding themselves from the law and preventing them getting the help they need.
@Noel yes I agree and I wonder who will have to pay compensation when an addict dies in one of these places?? Will the taxpayer have to yet again fork out more taxes??
The insite programme in Canada has been a great success
What an absolute joke, put the money to better use, our healthcare is a disgrace put the money towards this, rather encouraging and help people to take ILLEGAL drugs
@Pamela Lynch: Well if you want to look at it from a purely financial way, in places where these canters are in place such as Switzerland, Canada, Australia etc, they have been proven to be very cost effective. Housing addicts in prison is very expensive plus all the additional costs such as courts, responding to ODs, cleaning up hazardous waste etc.
Lace their drugs & clear out the rubbish , they don’t contribute anything positive to society , responsible for most of the crime , & walk around like zombies !
Anyone else you consider a drain on society you’d like to add to your little extermination programme… Gamblers? Alcoholic’s?
@meatyslaps “addicts who made bad choices” lol who in their right mind decides to inject themselves with heroin ? The majority of our crime is drug related, most of these people can barely speak never mind holding down a job and making a contribution And now we want to pander to the do-gooders by allocating resources & setting up rooms supervised by trained medical professionals so these parasites can safely inject themselves with illegal drugs purchased with the proceeds of crime whilst we have children and adults on hospital waiting lists are you F***ing serious ?
@Mrs M: “who in their right mind decides to inject themselves with heroin ?”
Exactly – they aren’t in their right minds when they start – which could be due to a multitude of reasons – and due to the devastating effects of heroine, they won’t be without help. Should we really leave them in the gutter to die? How f*cking heartless do you have to be? They’re still people at the end of the day.
“most of these people can barely speak never mind holding down a job and making a contribution”
And the idea of these centres is to help these people get out of the horrible cycle of addiction – so they can improve their circumstances, get a job and contribute – by putting the into contact with medical professionals that can help them.
As for the hospital waiting lists issue, there’s no reason it can’t be tackled at the same time. It doesn’t have to be an either/or scenario. All it requires is the political will to sort it – something we know FG have none of.
Junkies win . Law abiding citizens lose again .
Why are we so concerned with saving these zombies instead of saving our children on hospital lists?? We are already paying these people money to waste on their drugs now we are going to make it easy for them to take illegal drugs!!! Bloody sickening.
@Mary Murphy: Funny Mary, because over the past year I’ve often seen you calling people asking for help from the welfare system sponges, but once you can pit them against another group you don’t like you’re oh so concerned for their well being, I find that quite sickening.
Darren I’ve never asked for anything for welfare sponges.
These “zombies” are somebody’s children. I’m all for this. A public health approach to addiction is the way forward.
Mary,
These “zombies ” are people with serious issues. They are people who for lack of options, mental issues or otherwise have given up on life and need help in the same way as we should help suicidal people. Not criminalise then adding to their already long list of problems. Nobody wants to end up like that and it could happen to a relation of any of us so think about who you are hating on.
So the junkies will get doctors on tap! Where is the centre going? Then these will pop up all over the place at what cost? They will be OK if they OD they will have ambulances on standby as well. If drug’s are illegal why is a government body allowing this and everyone heading to this place could be arrested!
@Linda Hughes: Would you prefer them to inject themselves in the middle of the day, on a main street and then leaving their dirty needles on the ground for a child to pick up?
Or god forbid, they OD on the side of a road and some unfortunate person finds them.
@Meatyslaps as far as I am concerned they can inject away wherever because I am sick of footing the bills for these people. Smokers and alcoholics don’t get any help for their addictions but now we are coming up with this??? Ffs. If it’s illegal then it’s a crime
@Mary Murphy: Well if they can “inject away wherever”, then your precious tax will still be paying for the cleanup of blood, used needles, etc. on the street/alleyways currently used.
smokers do get help – one example is the QUIT program run by the HSE: http://www.hse.ie/eng/health/hl/change/quit/help.html
“If it’s illegal then it’s a crime”
Sure, you’re right here. But proof is there that treating addiction as a crime is NOT working. It is a health issue and should be treated as such.
They should have a racetrack for stolen cars as well. Bring back market overert perhaps
Bad idea keeps people addicts. People out there on methodone 10/15/20 years! This is just keeping them addicted. People need to CHANGE ALOT to recover. Know I had to. This is a cop out as what incentive is there to recover by changing and growing spiritually?!?!?. Zero here.
Bad idea keeps people addicts. People out there on methodone 10/15/20 years! This is just keeping them addicted. People need to CHANGE ALOT to recover. Know I had to. This is a cop out as what incentive is there to recover by changing and growing spiritually?!?!?. Zero here.
5 star service for de junkies ..meanwhile Irish children are enduring years of agonizing pain on waiting lists for lack of funds.
A perverse morality has invaded society.
The centre should be mobile
Anyone else notice how what once was termed drug abuse has now become drug use? Subtle.
What a waste of taxpayers money when it could be better spent in our hospitals and getting people and children of waiting lists
Personally think this is a step in the right direction. Much better than seeing addicts injecting behind wheelie bins in the laneways of Dublin. I would suggest somewhere near the methadone clinic just north of connolly.
Poor luvvies, sure all theyre short is a massage and a happy ending. Better keep the zombie centre away from my area, dont want kids seein that crap.
Looks better than the ANEs departments.
Why not spend this funding elsewhere and provide a “safe harbour” for the people sleeping rough on the streets? This is a waste of tax payers money.
And no hospital beds for sick and dying!The Country is sick!!!
As a smoker I would like for the government to supply me with an indoor smoking area around town so I don’t have to get cold and wet, it seems even smoking outside cafes is dangerous now. I would also like the government to supply me with cigarettes as I give up (however many years it takes me) I am well aware this will not happen and I would not expect it to be supported, so why support some addictions and not others?
I dont agree with it as people should know at this stage about heroin but the Gardai dont have the resources to keep lifting junkies only for them to be released again as there are no prison places, detox facilities what realistic strategy can be deployed. 20,000 in Dublin is shocking and who knows how many more countrywide. Why not put the cash and assets seized from the cartels towards cost of running these facilities.
There is a methadone clinic in an industrial estate, a 5 minutes’ drive from where I live, and I’d have no problem if they changed it to a shooting gallery instead. You see the addicts leave the area after collecting their methadone, and they then use drugs openly in the area in public after leaving the premises. Then some of them decide to smoke or inject heroin in public, in alley ways, on public transport, and in parks where kids play.
The system we have is broken, and has done sweet f all to curb the heroin and drug problem in this country. Town is an embarrassment compare to a lot of cities I’ve been to around the world. Our main tourist and shopping areas are full addicts, openly selling and using drugs, with no fear of any punishment.
Drugs addiction treated as a crime is not successful, it needs to be treated as a social and medical issue. We have tried this war on drugs for 60 years, and drugs today are more accessible, cheaper, and more common in society than ever before. We need a new approach to drugs; recreational drugs should be available to buy from strictly regulated businesses which pay tax. Hard drugs are decriminalized, and supplied to addicts by the State, and treatment/shooting centers with support should be set up.
The amount of money saved from prison space, court time, Gardai time, and tax gains would more than pay for this system. Crime, diseases, violence, and addiction would all drop. We need harm reduction policies, we need to educate our kids, we need drugs of the streets. Or we can just keep the drug war going for another 50 odd years…
Get a move on!
This scourge in all cities & towns needs to be managed off the streets, & to block out the criminal impulses & enterprise that drive it.
As for locations, the methadone clinics seem to be well controlled & policed, so surely it is better to have controlled medication environments rather than the widespread back lane practices.
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