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.
EVERY DAY, TheJournal.ie brings you nine things you need to know with your morning cup of coffee.
1. #SYRIA: No major violence is reported in Syria this morning as the deadline for the UN/Arab League-brokered ceasefire came and went at 4am (Irish Time) this morning. The Syrian government of President Bashar Assad pledged to halt fighting against the Syrian rebels following months of conflict which has claimed more than 9,000 lives, according to the UN.
2. #HEARING VOICES: More than a fifth of children aged 11 to 13 are said to hear voices according to a study by the British Journal of Psychiatry. Researchers carried out psychiatric assessments of almost 2,500 children, aged between 11 and 16, in Dublin and determined that between 21 and 23 per cent of those between 11 and 13 experienced auditory hallucinations, the Irish Times reports.
3. #HEALTH: The government is expected to come under fire at the Irish Medical Organisation begins its annual conference in Killarney, Co Kerry today. Cuts to staff and funding in the health service are likely to dominate the agenda with some €2.5 billion cut from the health budget in the last three years and thousands of staff having sought retirement this year.
4. #ROADS: Gardaí are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of a six-year-old boy in Limerick yesterday evening. The boy died after being hit by a car at Farnane, Murroe at 5pm last night.
5. #TRAYVON: A man in Florida has been charged with second degree, unpremeditated murder over the death of the black teenager Trayvon Martin who was shot dead as he walked home from a grocery store in February. George Zimmerman claimed he acted in self-defence after the 17-year-0ld had attacked him in a case which has sparked fresh debate about race in the US.
6. #20TH CENTURY: Small and medium-sized businesses in Ireland are using outdated and traditional methods of communication, such as faxes, instead of embracing more modern technology, a survey has found. Research by DG Group says that 25 per cent of SMEs “do not understand” digital marketing and says that many are “stuck in the 20th century”.
7. #SUED: Apple and major book publishers are being sued by the US government over the pricing of e-books. The Department of Justice is accusing Apple as well as the likes of Harper Collins and Penguin of colluding over the process of e-book sales which they have moved to a model where publishers rather than sellers set the prices of books.
8. #NOT PAYING: An Offaly man has said he is going to stop paying his taxes as he is fed up with the money being used for what he deems to be poor services and the bailing out of banks and bondholders. Self-employed Patrick McGreal says he will not file tax returns and will look to avoid paying VAT where possible. What do you think of his stance?
9. #ABANDONED PUPPIES: A man in the US has been charged with abandoning animals after he left a suitcase with six puppies inside it beside a rubbish bin. He was caught after he left a tag with his contact information on the bag. Three female and three male bulldog-mix puppies were discovered by passers-by and now Howard Davis faces a court appearance in Ohio tomorrow.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
Fair play Mr Mathews. It’s refreshing to see a politation that is prepared to stand up and be counted.
But he still votes with the government when it matters.
Well done Peter. Tell the whip to f€?@ off !
I thought the chief whip’s job was to make sure that deputies voted with the government. No way should any TD get grief from a chief whip for attending any meeting or demonstration. Matthews should tell him to mind his own business.
With Paul Kehoe involved all bets are off.
The man couldn’t hit himself in the face with a tennis racquet.
I’ve seen him try it!
Fair play to him and he got a big cheer yesterday from the people in ballyhea for showing up. This just shows the FG party for what they really are dictators!
To the Fianna Gael party faithful
This is the most qualified man on the Government benches in terms of economic matters
DOES THIS TELL YOU ANYTHING!
Ah yes, you’re not entitled to express your Democratic right now and they say it’s a Democracy?
What a country we live in, where elected representatives are admonished for expressing and sharing the concerns of their constituents.
Huge admiration for the bloke. It was Matthews that stated the promissory note could have its due date pushed back indefinitely, and he is of course correct. meanwhile noonan is trying to get a ‘deal’ which will convert the note into long term soverign bonds, thereby socialising the debt with interest for our kids and grandkids. Fine Geal will hail this avictory, and will be enjoying their ridculous pensions when it lands on the next generation.
And yet Michelle Mulherin was treated to no such summonses from on high for attending the vigil4life (Maybe she got the iPad!)!
I don’t know why I’m surprised that political parties indulge in such double standards. Well done to Dep Matthews. A FGer with integrity!
Good point on the Michelle Mulherrin comparison ….. Double Standards is right.
Being such a polite man I doubt Deputy Matthews will respond in the most appropriate manner, which would involve raising two of his fingers.
he may well restrain himself from giving of the 2 fingers but i’m sure he’s no fool either and will run rings around the crazies who will try to put him back in his box
Peter Matthews is a nice guy & should not belong to a political party, especially one as devious as FG.
Mr Matthews came to Charleville and Ballyhea (which I consider a very courageous thing to do). While other TD’s were relaxing for the weekend he put himself out there and spoke very well. After all he is qualified to do so with years of experience in the Banking sector. He did not distance himself from his position in government or from FG. In actual fact he supported the position of the government and acknowledged their difficult task. He asked that we put the energies of our protesting behind the government to put pressure on Europe in securing a so badly needed solution. He did not play to the crowd or take the easy line considering his audience.
I’d have to say I respect him greatly for coming to speak, for not waivering from his support of government and to fully engage in what was a very interesting evening. He was an utter gentleman and professional
The Ballyhea Protest is not about any party and involves those from all walks of life and political interests.
I hope more like Peter Matthews express themselves and connect with the feelings of the country.
Its a shame the government is not interested to engage with those that want more for this wonderful country.
I have to say I like Peter Matthews , he seems like a nice man . I agree that he should be free to attend any public forum that is used to discuss any and all issues effecting our country . I do not agree with what he said that people should stop protesting and should row in behind the government . Is he for real ???? Protest is the cornerstone of democracy. Why was he there ? I bet he went there to see for himself the people and to hear for himself what they were saying first hand . The whip imo has no say only when it comes to a government vote .
Fair play to Mr Matthews.
However what does it take for our TD’s to get the message that,
in the current situation,
it is like as if,
the government and corrupt/criminal bankers and their cronies are gloating from their luxury lifeboats as their people and their country drown around them.
As a member of the Ballyheasaysno group I am not in the business of either villyifying or defending any politician but I take huge issue with the whip making an issue of a td attending an open meeting on an issue of importance for all of us.Mr Matthews attended the meeting and had an opportunity to speak as did other speakers from other sides of the political and intellectual spectrum. While he was clear about the prom notes and bank debt bailout he was also very careful not to act in defiance of his party.So what’s the problem? Freedom of speech/movement is a democratic right or is supposed to be. When we live in a society where attendance at an open public meeting is made an issue of , then we are travelling down a very dangerous road. This should be a time of political unity, when politicans stand together to represent the people, regardless of their personal beliefs, against the ECB and the odious debt that is being piled upon our shoulders and not a time of political point scoring and control.Peter Matthews was asked to take a message back to his party by myself and I certainly hope he will do so. That is his job as a public representative I hope?
very well said Fiona!
Well said. I agree 100 per cent!
Democracy is an illusion. Good to see him speak there.
He got my first vote last time…..sadly because of the rot in the rest of the bondholder party I won’t be voting for him again. Fair play to him for attending the protest but what’s the point? He is tarnished with the FG rust.
Fair play Peter matthews you are a man of your word ,the time has come to get rid of these self serving gangsters .
The guy is just about the most intelligent and articulate politician in the country. I’d vote for him if I could.
Mathews should be able to attend whatever he wants.
I agree, it’s close to dictatorial for him to be called in over this.
What about the stroke politics, they’re pulling right now with the Hospital upgrades/ Alan shatter commenting on an ongoing criminal investigation, to deflect attention away from O’ Reilly and his Amigoes is pretty low!
Jaysus David..I’m shocked!
So am I Tony. I’d say David Higgins is too. Not too often his green thumbs outweigh his red ones.
On matter of Peter Matthews I was in Ballyhea for the weekend too and while I’m no fan of Fine Gael or right wing politics I acknowledge that Matthews showed courage attending and I agree with him that we should all be united in finding a solution to this debt that was unfairly foisted upon us.
Diarmaid O’Flynn who organized the Ballyhea fightback left Ireland this morning to go to America to attend his brother’s funeral. All this weekend he put his grief aside and put his country first. A real patriot.
It was a privilege to play a small part in their 100th protest this weekend and I hope we can build upon this for their 2 year anniversary protest weekend of 3rd March.
Oh dear, a free-thinking TD…….. what next?
@ William…maybe a Taoiseach with a spine perhaps or a Finance minister with humanity or a government with a purpose.
I think the man is demonstrating quite clearly that he is politically inexperienced and a lightweight.
Or that he shares the concerns of the electorate and not just Enda’s overlords.
Give it a rest Paddy/Michael/mark/ Richard. No one wants to hear from you. Fair play Mr. Matthews sir, you have restored my faith in decency
Richard/Paddy/Michael/Mark
this guy has forgotten more than the entire cabinet know about economics
I’ve met muppets in my life but you are out there on your own,
hahaha your a shining example of why we must rid this country of gombeens!
You would. Didn’t expect anything less from you.
Not towing the line then? Cheek of him for using his conscious huh?
He is saying what the people are thinking ,stop letting asset management companies strip this country and impoverish us ,if this is a democracy listen to your people,STOP GIVING OUR MONEY AWAY TO WEALTHY GREEDY SOCIOPATHS,each of the asset strippers is managing about 200 BILLION euro,and there are many many many of them,cut pay and perks ,PROTECT the vulnerable,stand up to Europe ,and give us back our sovereignty,DEMOCRACY NOW !!
Ah good old Peter Matthews, took a bet off him when I worked in the bookies, backing himself to get elected, put a huge amount on, then paraded around the shop showing everyone his betting slip as part oh his campaign to the customers. Decency isn’t a word I’d associate with him.
G’way outta that!
Putting a bet on yourself is an extremely common campaigning gimmick!
It’s cheesy, but there’s no reason to dislike the guy over it…
Now, back on topic…
Fair play to Deputy Mathews for attending this meeting & it’s a disgrace that the Fine Gael Whip is pulling him up over it…
What does the government have to fear from one of its members communicating with the electorate in an open forum?
I note the people from Ballyhea were prevented by the police from peacefully handing out leaflets at Croke Park last September. The day before, just up the road, the police did not intervene when guns were produced at Alan Ryan’s funeral. Peculiar priorities.
Although seemingly not reported by RTÉ, Last week it emerged that 42% of all Eurozone banking crisis costs are being shouldered by Ireland .
Two years on, this government have failed to get the false odious ‘debt’ substantially reduced. Equally they have failed to reinstate accountability – and Ireland has fallen 20 places on the international corruption index by Transparency International. What justification is there for Eamon Gilmore get paid more than David Cameron? So much for ‘austerity’ – seems more like Apartheid Austerity to me.
I believe the good people of Ballyhea are showing the way, and it is clear more of us need to follow their lead.
Peter Matthews is in my opinion an honourable politician. He should be a Minister.All TDs should be free to express their own private views and should not be forced to be under the party whip!
I take it then,you haven’t heard him defending FG policies on Vincent Browne ???
Another political hero to join the ranks of Roisin Shortall and Colm Keaveney,give me a break,he’s still a member of FG and still defends their policies. Have we become that starved and disillusioned with politics in this country,that when a politician seems to be “DOING THEIR JOB” they are held up as some kinda hero ??? All three of the above mentioned,supported the lies that came from their respective parties during and after the election.
It’s like some kind of a collective Stockholm syndrome people are suffering from,that’s the only reasonable explanation I can come up with.
Peter Mathews on Vincent Browne now,defending James O’Reilly….Yeah he’s a real stand up guy,alright!!!
I think most if not all of FG/Labour should do just what he’s done ….get out there AND LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE THAT ELECTED YOU….THE VERY PEOPLE THAT YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE REPRESENTING. Fair play to the man ….brave too in the current climate. Most are tucked away and are ony showing there faces for photo shoots to try and big themselves up, how many TD’s do you know from FG/Lab that are out there listening to us…not very many.
have your say