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THERE HAVE BEEN ten cases in the past three years where lecturers and other staff members at Irish universities have been accused of sexual misconduct.
In two of these cases at UCD, it has resulted in the staff members receiving disciplinary action according to documents released to TheJournal.ie under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act.
The number of cases is small relative to the thousands of staff members at these universities but that doesn’t mean these figures aren’t a worry, according to Dublin Rape Crisis Centre CEO Noeline Blackwell.
She told TheJournal.ie: “This cannot be the full picture. It’s inconceivable in workplaces, institutions and universities that there are so few instances of sexual harassment.”
We asked the same questions to each university.
We asked how many allegations of sexual misconduct, covering harassment, inappropriate behaviour and assault, had been made against lecturers and other staff within the university since 2015.
We asked how many investigations took place into such allegations, and how many staff members had disciplinary action initiated against them on the foot of said allegations.
In many cases, the university’s policy in such matters advised aiming to resolve issues that arise in an informal manner at first, before making a formal complaint – unless the initial concern is serious enough to warrant going straight to the formal complaints procedure.
UCD
The person acting as the FOI decision maker at UCD decided to grant the request for information in full.
It said: “Since 2015, there have been three formal allegations of sexual harassment made against lecturers/staff within the university.
UCD conducted investigations into all three formal allegations in accordance with the Dignity and Respect policy, following which two lecturers/staff had disciplinary action initiated against them.
In this policy on UCD’s website, it says there are “several ways where dignity and respect issues can be dealt with informally”.
Engaging in formal procedures can occur when informal attempts to resolve have been unsuccessful, what is being alleged is too serious to be treated informally, and if what is being alleged continues after an informal process.
The making of a formal complaint, leads to an investigation which can lead to “appropriate disciplinary action” if it is upheld.
Trinity
Trinity College Dublin refused our request for this information to be provided.
The decision maker said: “In making this decision I consider that the public interest in the right of access does not outweigh the public interest in upholding the privacy of the individual(s) concerned.”
However, Trinity did say that there have been no accusations of “sexual assault” made by students against staff members at the university during this time.
Maynooth University
There have been three alleged instances of sexual harassment in Maynooth.
“Due to the small numbers in question the university would be in breach of data protection legislation to disclose further information about the allegations,” the university said.
The college also directed us to its policies on the matter.
It cites examples of misconduct which include sexual gestures, displaying sexually suggestive objects, sending sexually suggestive or pornographic correspondence, unwanted sexual comments and jokes, or unwanted physical contact. Maynooth also recommends informal resolution before progressing to formal complaints.
NUI Galway
The request was granted by NUI Galway.
It said that there’d been one allegation of sexual misconduct in the past three years. One investigation against a staff member is currently under way. No staff member has been disciplined in relation to any allegation of sexual misconduct in this time.
DCU
Dublin City University said there’d been no cases relating to staff since 2015, and therefore no investigations or disciplinary action had been taken.
University of Limerick
The University of Limerick also advised there’d been no cases of official complaints made in this regard since 2015.
UCC
University College Cork took a similar approach to Maynooth.
It said that three allegations of sexual harassment had been received since 2015. Two investigations were conducted under its Duty of Respect and Right to Dignity Policy. One of the allegations was withdrawn.
Details on whether disciplinary action had been taken were not disclosed.
‘A lot of work needs to be done’
Research published last year by NUI Galway showed that over half of women reported unwelcome comments about their bodies or sexual activities by their third year in college, while over half had also reported someone making unwelcome comments about their bodies or sexual activities.
While these stats don’t specifically single out reports of misconduct from staff towards students, 57% of first years said they’d received some sort of unwanted sexual attention since beginning college.
Blackwell said the relatively small figures raise questions.
“People are coming in to the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre and phoning the helpline,” she said. “They’re uneasy in class, at their college and sometimes unable to cope with things. They don’t have a safe space, and a lot of work needs to be done on this.
I really worry here about the fact that process may not be conducive to getting the support of the university. It has to be the case that they’re not.
Writing in TheJournal.ie late last year, Minister of State for Higher Education Mary Mitchell O’Connor said the figures “paint a picture of third-level institutions hot housing harassment and assault”.
She said that institutions in receipt of public funding must demonstrate a uniform minimum standard of best practice engagement.
“Moving the voluntary commitment that many institutions already demonstrate to a formal footing,” the minister said. “My office will be supporting a small working group to establish a best practice and policy models to address this issue.”
Blackwell acknowledged that for high numbers to emerge of cases of sexual misconduct or assault from a certain university carries a “reputational risk”.
She added: “But there’s a real reputational risk attached to not keeping your students safe. Processes aren’t there and systems aren’t there.”
Given the prevalence of the #Me Too movement that has seen instances of sexual harassment called out and highlighted, Blackwell said a lot has moved forward in recent times.
“We need to keep working at ways to provide help to people who need it in a timely way,” she said. “Student unions are doing great work. Mitchell O’Connor at government level is doing good work. At the same time we need the systems that universities have in place to respond and change to help deal with what’s happening to people.”
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Nah. I don’t care that the Queen is just a ‘figurehead’, Nigel, nobody elected her or her family.
For a man rightly concerned with a lack of democracy in the EU I always found his defence of the monarchy a bit bizarre.
Ah yes the Commonwealth, it counts amongst its members some great bastions of human rights and civility like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Uganda, Sri Lanka and Nigeria to name but a few.
God elected Her, allegedly. Should sit well in the country where questions were so often answered in my primary school years with: “That’s the way it is because Holy God says so!”
Fiachra, don’t forget that the UK wants to ditch the Human Rights Act. Do we really want our potential new “overlords” to have such a dubious record?
Millions of Irish people flock to the Uk and Commonwealth Countries for work.
Gregory – 125,000 Brits live and work in Ireland, proportionally more than the Irish in the UK (there’s not millions, there’s about 300,000). And many more coming to Ireland post brexit as frims relocate here and the UK economy goes down the toilet.
We should not be surprised at this sort of bravado from the Brits. the truth is they’re scared about the future and insecure. Think of Northern Irish loyalists and how insecure they are. Now the whole country is the same.
That makes no sense!! Her dad died, she was next in line, your Catholic God had nothing to do with it, and neither did her Protestant God!
That’s in reply to John ‘O D..
Farage, come and set up an Irish version of UKIP. I hate the EU and think the UK made a stupendous decision to leave it. We need to create closer links with the UK and other common wealth countries where the market is alot bigger than the EU, 1bn people in India for example. Come on Farage.
The market is not bigger than the EU, the EU is the largest market in the world. Even if it has a larger population India is much poorer, has a smaller economy and hence is a smaller market.
@afiachra. The potential market is larger I.e. More room for growth. Throw Canada in etc and there is alot we can do. The euro and EU is falling apart, do you think the euro will be here in 10 years ?
The Euro currency might not be there in 10 years no one really knows, but the large industrialised economy of mainland Europe will be there in 10 years in some way shape or form you can definitely count on that. As for this potential giant India economy, I’ll believe it when I see it they’re a long way behind China it will be quite a while before they become a main player in the world economy.
Also while we’re talking about India guess who their largest export partner is? Would you believe it it’s the EU!!!! You know the Commonwealth isn’t some trade block, what makes you think being outside of the EU and in the Commonwealth will some how magically make your economy more attractive as a trade partner to them. The Indians will trade with the ones who can offer the most and I don’t see the UK having a whole pile to offer in the future.
The UK make up most of the trade with India and EU. Also how can you defend something that is trying to change our tax laws.
@gregory – Ireland should have never left the Commonwealth – Devs doing.
Oh I’m afraid James that’s some serious misinformation your spreading there James, De Valera wasn’t in charge when Ireland left the Commonwealth, it was John A. Costello’s doing.
Lots of chips on peoples shoulders today, yes for practical reasons we should join.
@fiachra29 “Even if it has a larger population India is much poorer, has a smaller economy —”
True, although India has been enjoying good growth for 30 years and last year clocked up a better rate than China.
Besides, all trade between Ireland and India takes place under the trade agreement that India has with the EU and that will continue to be the case whatever the British do. And that would not change even if, for some inexplicable reason, we wanted to have the aul Windsor wan as our figurehead.
Do you really think the Indians will give Britain a better trade deal than the one they have with the EU? Why on Earth would they? Hardly out of gratitude for the blissful existence they had during the Raj? If you overlook a few little things like the Bengal Famine of 1943 (3 million dead) or the Amritsar massacre. LOL
Vide ShANNON War and torture-port. We’ve ditched human rights (again) since March 2003. As we do whenever there’s a percentage in doing so.
The whole concept of monarchy is based on someone claiming their genetics entitles them to rule over everyone else and take their stuff as needed because Holy God said so. Allegedly.
Right so he’s suggesting we leave a market of half a billion people, that’s a net contributer of around 12 billion a year in funding to the ROI to join a 17th century, non economic partnership represented by a family of inbreds.
No I think that he wants us to join the Commonwealth alongside the EU. If he proposed this at the FG thinkin the would make him an honorary member. John Bruton would probably get Enda kicked out and get Farage elected as head of FG seeing as how the FG Unionists/Royalists would love to have their beloved Queen over every year instead of a once off.
Exporters to the Uk would agree and they’re suffering right now and cutting jobs. The Tourist industry would agree-see earlier article on severe drops in revenue as sterling fell against Euro. Those paying for the multi billion bailout to Deutsche Bank, Allianz, BNP Paribad etc would agree. Those Irish politicians who will stand alone and get no mercy from Eu colleagues after Brexit would agree. Those workers made unemployed as Irish based Multinationals like Dell-to be followed next year by another major employer in the Midlands-whose jobs are re-located to low cost Eastern European countries would agree.
I know an Irish company shedding jobs right now as they can no longer compete in their biggest market, the Uk.
Tell that Irish company to focus on Europe. That’s where the party is at!
You are slanting that argument alot there Gregory there’s a long list of British bond holders bailed out that you neglected to mention. And a much longer list of people employed by companies mostly here because we are part of the EU. And circa 3000 people that work for Dell in Ireland. Manufacturing seeks the lowest cost base. Unskilled work will always be lost to cheaper economies nothing to do with the EU. If it was most of what you own wouldn’t be made in Asia.
The bigoted pro-Brexit Brits now look upon the Commonwealth as a way of resurrecting their old Empire and find a semblance of relevance for their country now its cast adrift. I cannot believe the Journal and the Irish Times have given column inches and time to this trash.
Thanks Guy but the guys in that company know their stuff and there is no market in the Eu for their products-its all sown up over there and the regulations in each country are unfathomable. The Uk was a good market and they employ 200 badly needed jobs in the West of Ireland.
Bilbo, wrong. I am talking about highly skilled people here whose jobs will be going East. The average salary in East Eu is 25% of Irish salaries. The expansion East was pushed by MNC’s to lower cost/increase profits. Simple, but Not in our interest.
The Eu has destroyed high tech manufacturing jobs and decimated major industries like Steelmaking, Ship Building, Pressure Equipment & Heat Exchanger manufacture by allowing unfettered access to China with nought in return other than market access to BMW, mercedes, airbus as long as those products are made in China. And I agree Mechanical Engineers, Metallurgists, Radiographers, Welders, Inspectors, Ship Surveyors, Machinists are highly skilled jobs whose industries have been decimated by poor Eu policy permitting imports from low cost countries with slave wages, no health and safety or environmental standards to speak of.
Clever; no one cares about rhetoric they care about their jobs. The irish market is sH**te, the Eu sown up, the Uk was good.
We constantly complain how we we’re screwed by the Brits for 800 years,the EU managed to surpass that in just eight and when the EU goes pear shaped where will we run to then?
No thanks, Nige.
Farage is an Ars*hole. He’s a right wing fascist just like his new friend Donald. Imagine us re joining the commonwealth after spending 800 years trying to get away from the likes of him? Does he think we are all eejits here?
Whatever Farage and Trump are they’re not fascists. Language is losing all meaning these days.
John Bruton is wetting himself with excitement just about……..now.
lol..thanks Al, I needed that
@ Al Ca Sorry, I gave you a thumbs down by mistake – still on the first cup of coffee.
I wish I could give you 1,000 thumbs up for that dig at John Brutal, which made me splutter half of said coffee onto my monitor. Brutal is such a shoneen that even Kevin Myarse would be embarrassed by him.
Insufferable right wing thug. He sloped off after Brevity, why the hell is anyone giving this man a platform?
How is Farage a ‘thug’ Jeanette? Has he beaten someone up?
Could you imagine Nigel refusing 13 billion owed to the people of Britain?
We need to listen to this man. He has our interests more at heart than Fine Tory ever will.
He would have spent it on tax breaks for his rich friends.
Joey I work for your bank. There seems to be a problem with your account. Can you just confirm your card number,expiry date and security code? While you bend over as well, that would be great thanks.
Joey, Farrage is a f@cking coward with no B@llox he jumled ship when he knew the real hard work was only begininng….
Farage went into politics with one mission – to take Britain out of the EU.
Despite all the odds he succeeded.
His work is done.
Joey, you really are away with the fairies
At least he knows what Farage’s agenda was unlike you Robert.
Clever by name maybe…Farage is not despised by everyone, in fact a fair few comments here in support. All Irish people did not celebrate and there has not been 100 years of separation (hint: the rebellion failed). In fact there’s only been 68 years and Ireland’s leaving was a technicality unnecessary only 1 year later when India became independent. Even your leader Devalera said Ireland should rejoin the Commonwealth of Nations – most of the 53 States are republics anyway. If you’re going to represent “the Irish” on an internationally accessible access abandoned widely read website, the least you could do is do a little bit of research on your own country, before insulting others with different points of view.
@Clever Jake.
‘ do you not realise that this is Ireland and Farage is despised by everyone apart from American Trump supporters :)’
Jake.
Hearda journalist on radio hightlighting that fact that the latest analysis of the Brexit vote shows that a majority of Irish in Britain voted in support of Farage and leaving the EU.
Interesting eh?
Actually Clever J, Bernard shows an excellent understanding of our history
The Irish celebrated 100 years since the proclamation not to become part of a European superstate.
@ Joey_Wasteland The greatest irony of it all is that Farage is now trying to get a German passport on the strength of the fact that his current wife was born in Germany. And he hasn’t succeeded in getting the UK out of the EU yet, either. The UK is still in the EU and hasn’t even made its formal declaration of intention to leave.
Piss off Nigel!
Just what we need… Another banker to fck the country over!
He was never a banker.
Na mate your alright
He’s right. Our interests lie with the English speaking world. And our mission should be that it stays English speaking.
No he isnt. Ireland will never rejoin the commonwealth.
We should make our own trade group and they can join ours.
Problem solved!
Well who would’ve thunk it!? Margie Murph a Unionist!?
@Tom
Tom,you took the words out of my mouth. I’m have been thinking for a long while and based upon my years of experience living in the UK and Canada that rejoining the commomwealth would be disasterous politically and pshchologically for Irish people.However to solve the problem and keep us all together I suggest that Ireland set out to form an ‘Association of English Speaking Peoples’ that would not be headed by any monarch of any kind. We could progress it from there.
Another stupid injuction from Charlemargie.
Injunction???
@guybrush. Furthest thing from a unionist. It’s about our interests. I would fall short of joining the commonwealth but our cultural and economic ties goes deep and we should recognise that instead of constantly trying to ingratiate ourselves with the Germans.
…because their first language isn’t English(trying to connect your posts here.)
@charlemargie
Here http://www.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/injunction
You can add the definition to the Urban dictionary here http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=injunction
Poor you. You have ridiculed yourself again.
Prouesse. Your post makes no sense. Try to use the correct word for the meaning you want get across. It’s about context. But then when your first language is gibberish,…..
lol @ Charlemargie !
I was just teaching you your own language, which is quite ironical regarding someone who goes on about “Our interests [that] lie with the English speaking world. “
Joke of the day???
We are run by France and Germany so would it make any difference
Defending a monarchy with and made up family name and German blood coursing through their veins. The loyalists air brush that piece of history away
No one understands what the heck that means John, or where it’s coming from.
He’s married to a German, do you think he cares about her German blood.
Betty and Phil are cousins through both sides. Leitrim will finally have role models to look up to!
His first wife was Irish.
Read a history book Caz.
The far right is becoming more and more of a threat. Farage and UKIP are no friends of Ireland.
Farage is just trying to stir up and encourage Irish anti EU sentiment in the hope of breaking down the EU. Farage said that the UK’s departure is the start. Farage wants the collapse of the EU and a joint British/German hegemony over Europe.
To Farage, Ireland is just a small pawn, interesting only for its symbolic value.
In fairness the EU is doing its best to stir up resentment as well in Ireland. With its directive against Apple and now the fact we have been told to charge VAT on government owned toll roads. Who needs enemy’s when you have a “friend” like that?
Based on the 5 page Press Release and without sight of the full text of the Negatuve Decision, there appears to be a reasonable basis for concluding that Apple’s uniquely tax deal approved in 1991 and 200y may offend the State Aid provisions of The TFEU. There are previous cases holding that favourable tax treatment can constitute unlawful State Aid.
There is much wrong with the EU and all of its institutions but challenging extremely artificial and contrived tax avoidance applied to only one corporate entity is the least of its sins.
@Kerry, Their timing is pretty poor alright.
The EU should be making some effort at positive PR.
How is Farage and UKIP ‘far right’ Michael?
@micheal. That’s complete and utter rubbish. Farage is a decent honest man who listened to his people and fought for his country. If you had it your way, you would have no borders and let every tom,dick and Harry into the country and liberalise it beyond recognition. Farage and the UK will prove themselves right.
Nigel Farage’s comments display his complete lack of understanding of the Irish psyche and as such show he could not have our best interests at heart.
Nor the interests of the UK, it would appear?
go away Nigel you waster
They didn’t like that… not sure why ;-/
What Farage is saying makes perfect sense.
Perfect irony.
…if his goal is to try to destabilize other EU countries, yes.
800 years of oppression they inflicted on us. We should have NO link with them
“They” , “us” lol Get a grip and join the rest of the world in the 21st century.
The player on your profile makes a good living in England !
Why should we forget how badly they treated us eh simon. They turned a blind eye to us during the Famine, killing innocent catholics on bloody Sunday, during the troubles british soldiers used children as shields at times to avoid being shot. You get a grip Simon
You’re addicted to that victim mentality like a fat guy is addicted to sugar. I prefer to live life without being a bitter knob obsessed with the past. If everyone had your mentality no country with get on with another. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. In 100 years Syria will be relatively normal and okay after 300,000 deaths and the likes of you will still be whinging about Paddy Joe who got hard done by in 1867. Get over it you loser.
Shut up Simon you hateful loser. Your no Irishman, all you are is a west brit. Now go worship your queen you pathetic man
I’m the hateful loser here? Hahaha okay yeah sure. Maybe one day you’ll grow up.
Maybe the UK should as well, I mean how archaic is a Royal Family?
So you suggest cutting off all diplomatic ties then with the UK? Not a smart idea.
Yes you are Simon. Maybe one day you will grow up and start looking at all the crimes of Britain instead of ignoring them. You stupid Brit
Eamon the 800 years story is a myth. Read a history book and realise the Irish are NOT “the most oppressed people on Earth”. You’re not any different to anywhere or anyone else in “these islands” – so grow up, get a grip and join us here in the 21st century.
Bernard look at the crimes of Britain website or twitter and Facebook page. This is no myth
Eamon, a Facebook page isn’t a myth. Right, got it!
It said it on Facebook so it must be true, it worries me that clowns like eamon populate this planet. You hate English people because of what their ancestors did, suppose it’s cool to hate the Germans for the nazis too? The past is the past it’s he 21st century move on
Not just Facebook you stupid idiot
Shitebag of the highest order
I somehow doubt this will be read amidst the apparently popular EFFOFF comments, but here goes.
I think joining the British Commonwealth would be a bad idea because Ireland is too different to most countries that are already members.
I do, however, think that Ireland, north and south, should begin negotiations on establishing some common political and economic structures with England, Wales and Scotland (the Scots also need a new arrangement).
Not an enlarged United Kingdom, but perhaps more like four countries that enjoy substantial Home Rule but share enough sovereignty and economic infrastructure to benefit everyone.
The EU will not survive unless it dominates smaller states to a degree that it becomes a tool for tyrants. We are going to need a new arrangement with partners we understand.
Apparently there’s a long queue of countries trying to get in to the Commonwealth now. It appears that it’s not even run by the British now too. It’s nothing like the EU and the mountains of bureaucracy involved with trading within it would scare most smaller businesses. I’m sure that Nigel would understand a polite reply from us that only involved two words.
The irony of Farage defending an unelected monarchy while berating an unelected EU Commission.
Also, I thought he didn’t like foreign intervention in sovereign countries affairs, so why is he seeking to intervene in Ireland’s relationship with Europe?
The truth is the Brits would have loved the EU if they were at the top table instead of the Germans. That’s why they want to turn the Commonwealth into a new type of EU, where they can run it for their own amusement.
Rule Britannia! That’s what it’s all about.
The countries in the “Commonwealth” will make sure that they’re the ones doing the shafting this time, because Britain’s a bit short on gunboats.
Why wouldn’t we want to rejoin a union with a country responsible for genocidal levels of starvation of our ancestors?
Farage should keep his big gob shut, and his nose out of the affairs of other countries.
I’d rather see us become a state of America. The Irish state of America.
That would Trump him wouldn’t it? Be careful what you wish for…
Lord Vador: Ireland should join the Empire..
Patronising clown. Risable bigoted Brexit Britain represented by one man. Makes the blood boil. How dare he try to interfere in other countries affairs, especially a country that spent 800 years getting rid of those same people. Get lost Nigel.
‘Get lost Nigel’…Right Fred. And let that nice Mr Juncker tell us what to do instead. Irony much?
Go jump in the lake with your anti-EU nonsense, you utter clown and fool.
Valt __ I’ve no respect for either of the insufferable tools, and haven’t decided yet which of them is the biggest, but both can be blamed for the Brexit result, even though they were on opposite sides of the debate.
With your every word Fred you demonstrate the ignorance, arrogance and contempt for diversity of opinion that is the hallmark of the Eurofanatic. Your day is done. Brexit is merely the start of the democratic renunciation of the corporatist superstate that you and your friends hold so dear.
Independent Ireland Clever Jake? So why did EU insist on ignoring results of Nice and Lisbon referendums?
Thats nice !!!!!
I am sure what he is saying now is as reliable as his promise to “use the money spent on the EU for the NHS” – a promise which he described as not feasible right after the Brexit.
Would this little langer Feck OFF!
We were hoodwinked into leaving the commonwealth we were promised a real republic we got a bananna republic
Out athletes would love if they could enter the commonwealth games and it may help increase our medal count at the olympics
Jeebus most of the comments here are the sort of nonsensical rhetoric one has come to expect from the Journal threads whenever anything to do with the UK comes up. The Commonwealth is NOT a bunch of countries “ruled” by the Queen – most in fact are republics. Ireland only left because at the time they had to recognise the Monarch as head, but that changed 1 year later when India became independent. 53 member states and a population of over 2.3 billion. Ireland could quite happily join without compromising anything. Next, Farage and UKIP are NOT “right wing” nor “Fascists”. In fact they put forward views commonly seen here on the Journal – the difference is its seemingly OK if from an Irish point of view. Ireland has gained enormously in terms of net cash from the EU but at what cost? The ultimate aim of the EU is dilution of sovereign states to form one supernational State with uniform laws, taxes etc. Ireland will be reduced to a region – which I’m sure the revolutionary leaders didn’t have in mind all those years ago.
Indeed Bernard. Excellent analysis.
Brexit*
Irex
Irenter
Nigel Farage should f__k off. The irony of a foreigner telling us what to do when he’s campaigned (on false pretences) for years to stop foreigners telling the UK what to do.
No dogs no blacks no Irish, that was Nigel’s mob in the 70′s. Lest we forget..
Ireland is a member of the European Union which despite what Farage thinks is not going anywhere.
The Commonwealth is nothing but a shadow of British Imperialism. I also find it rather ironic to hear Nigel Farage talking about something like The Commonwealth when he is preaching a gospel of “splendid isolation” and talking about a Britain which has long since ceased to exist.
I think he would do will to keep his nose out of other countries affairs.
Maybe you want to be part of a European superstate, most Irish people don`t, and the EU is going somewhere, it is going in the direction of full federation, globalization, one world government with it`s own army.
First of all there have been numerous polls which have shown that the majority of Irish people DO want to remain in the European Union.
Secondly I do not want to be part of a “European Super State” I want to be part of an autonomous country which is a member of a union of other autonomous countries working together to achieve a better Europe (The European Union). It’s not perfect I’ll admit that, but it’s better than anything we’ve had before.
You need to get up to speed, the EU federalists like Junker and Verhofstadt want to go much further than your vision of autonomous countries, they are now in the ascendant. The biggest stopgap to this was the UK, now they are gone. We have voted twice against EU treaties, if we were asked about EU membership we would do so again. Prior to the Nice I and Lisbon I treaty referendums, there was also a majority in favor, but the actual results were against the treaties.
The irony! He defends the commonwealth, seems to want to expand it yet its that very commonwealth that opened the UKs doors to immigration from former colonies which is causing the social problems in Britain his party was founded to oppose, namely immigration from the sub continent and northern africa
Not that anyone should give much of a hoot what Fartage thinks about anything, but what on Earth would we be doing in the Commonwealth, whether or not Britain leaves the EU?
The Commonwealth is not a trade bloc and no guarantee of good relations between members, either. Just look at India and Pakistan, two nuclear powers that have been sniping at and shelling each other for decades. On the other hand, Ireland has excellent relations with several Commonwealth countries, but those relations are founded on practical realities rather than some vague yearning for the days when the British were bearing “the white man’s burden”.
That bumpf about the Queen only being a figurehead doesn’t wash at all. The Commonwealth might make some tiny bit of sense if it had a rotating head rather than the British monarch always holding that position. But how would the British feel if the President of, say, India (the world’s biggest democracy) was elected head of the Commonwealth for a term?
We are European and our future is with Europe.
As I see it, if the Commonwealth was headed by a leadership that rotated between the different member states, we could talk.
No…we couldn’t! Not unless the Commonwealth changes its name to the Hibernian Delian League.
Nigel Farage thinks only of Ireland’s best interests. He lies away considering how he can best advance Ireland’s interests.
There are 53 countries in the commonwealth including Australia and Canada. it has a combined population of 2.1 billion. Ireland would athletics compete in the commonwealth games. Other than licking the royals arse something our politicians already got a taste already. we should at least consider the possibility that joining would not include hanging a portrait of the queen in every overpriced hovel on this rock. northern Ireland is already a member for those looking dreaming of a united Ireland. we are a small corrupt tax haven who shits on its population while our legislators elite steal every which way they can so our politics would fit in perfectly with other members. some tax exiles would also be unhappy as there status would change and the tax man would start investigating.
At least the Britain looked us in the eye and didn’t pretend to be our friend when she occupied us. We knew who the enemy was.
Domination and oppression by €urope is far more subtle. EUrope numbs you before biting and doesn’t suck a host country dry, but leaves it barely functioning as a Shell of it’s former self. Some nations have stronger antibodies than others resulting in successful immunological responses such as Brexit. Ireland unfortunately, is in grave danger of lapsing into a coma. At that point we’ll have been effectively EUthanised.
- ‘the’
If Nigel Farage says something the wisest thing to do is ignore him!
I would prefer to be part of a toothless commonwealth, than a European superstate/dictatorship with it`s own army, which is coming down the tracks folks, you agreed to it when you voted for Lisbon 2, the protocols have already been reneged on.
Isn’t theJournal ashamed of reproducing this picture knowing the disgusting reference to the nazi regime it contains?
The same Nazis supported by IRA/SF.
Never
We followed the UK on entering the EEC in 1970s to safeguard exports and we will follow the uk on brexit for the same reason
When we joined the EEC along with Britain in 1973, our GDP per capita was about one-third of the UK’s. Now it is higher.
The EU enabled us to escape from a situation in which as much as 80% of our trade was with Britain – and very much on their terms. No sensible person would want to go back to that.
Don’t grouch so much about the EU – fix its shortcomings.
We followed the UK in to EEC to safeguard exports in 1970s and we will follow the uk with brexit for the same reasons
How about, you f**k off Nigel!
Funny man
Farage – the man who did a runner. No thanks Nige!
This guy also supports Trump. So any advice from this guy is with a pinch of salt.
One way to celebrate the Rising of 1916? If we did can you imagine the trouble saying nothing about the fracking that would happen here???
Unite ireland join with scotland and wales in a celtic trinity…and leave the brits out in the cold…..karma has been coming a long time for that fallen empire.
They can join the republic of the Irish isles if they want. Just pay us 2 billion a year membership
have your say