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MORE THAN HALF the population of Ireland owns a Facebook account, according to new figures released by Ipsos/MRBI.
The figure of 53 per cent recorded for the past three months is the highest seen since the surveys began more than a year ago. It also represents a six point jump on numbers revealed in February this year.
Daily usage figures also offer more good news for Zuckerberg et al as the proportion of daily usage has increased by 4 per cent.
Of those aged between 15 and 24, a whopping 90 per cent own a Facebook account. This drops to 69 per cent in the 25 to 34 age bracket and further to 60 per cent for the 34 to 44 category.
There are still plenty of silver surfers out there though, with 19 per cent of over-65s now using Facebook.
Only 42 per cent of those teenagers (over the age of 15) and adults surveyed said they had no social networking account.
Facebook remains the most popular site by far but Twitter is gaining some ground as it saw a 3 point increase to 15 per cent. LinkedIn and Google+ are the joint third most popular websites with 13 per cent of respondents stating they had an account with them.
In the last year, LinkedIn ownership has grown by 6 points.
Bebo has actually gained a point in the last three months but it still lags behind on just 7 per cent.
The findings come from a survey conducted by OmniPoll with a sample of 1,000 Irish adults aged 15 or over.
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Referenda!
@Alan Bell: Referendums changed to referenda circa 2010/2011 and quite sure why or in what context. It’s a bit like the law
@Alan Bell: you beat me to it.
@Eugene Walsh: sorry I got that bassakwards but you know what I mean…huh
@Alan Bell: Well at least we’re going to be asked multiple questions.
More power to the people to effect change and influence the direction of the country.
Very positive.
@Eugene Walsh: Changed from referenda to accomodate the dum(b)
@Eugene Walsh: Both now equally correct in English, but “referenda” was the only acceptable Latin plural.
@Alan Bell: Referendums is correct as a plural form meaning ‘ballots on one issue’ (as a Latin gerund, referendum has no plural).
@Alan Bell: will we ever be askef about our sentencing laws? Too laxed . Guys romaing the streets with hundreds if convictions or double murderers serving concurrent sentences with remission baked in . Legal lobby mantains revolving door on crime as the state id there best client for “off the shelf” legal defences at huge tax payer cost
A Referendum on the ownership of Irish Water would be nice.
The Eight Amendment Referendum is the longest one in gestation, if you will forgive a pun, and it should be held well beofre the expected Papal visit. Pre Easter 2018 would be good.
Right to a dignified home like alot of other first world countries would be a nice referendum too.
@Stan: well said.
@Stan: Well have that right, you’re confusing a right with an entitlement.
@Stan: Ya Stan let’s put it in the constitution so I can give up work and claim my 3 bedroom entitlement.
@Link: if incorporated into the Constitution, it becomes a right, not necessarily justiciable but a right nonetheless.
Looking at the scale of needs for a dignified and humane human life, a home should be the one of the priorities.
It could be incorporated into Article 45, the Social Policy principles. It would fit there very well and inform economic, social and legislative policy in a positive and beneficial way.
@Mike Power: it would not work that way.
@Fiona deFreyne: Really if you are giving people a constitutional right to a home it becomes the government’s responsibility to provide that home. That is my take on it. How will it work if it is not the government’s responsibility to provide it?
@Mike Power: Banning the privatisation of our natural resources and state assets would be nice.
@Fiona deFreyne:
It’s crazy how Irish water is up there with abortion, divorce and blasphemy in terms of importance for some people… really?
@Niall Quinlan: Agreed totally but not what I was talking about.
@Fiona deFreyne: It is already in the UN Declaration of Human Rights, and the Irish Constitution (thinking back to Junior Cert History here so I stand to be corrected) but nobody can deprive you of your right to a home. However, along with Rights there are Rules and Responsibilities. If you don’t fulfil your responsibilities (ie rebt/mortgage payments, the homeowner or bank can remove you from their property. If you fulfil your end of the bargain, nobody can deprive you of your right to own a house/land.
@Mike Power: I know Mike, was just adding my tuppence worth :-)
@Link: under their Irish constitution there is the inviolability of the home but you have to have a home first. There is no positive fright to a home.
There are unfortunate circumstances on which people can lose their homes through no fault of their own. Hostels, overnight B&Bs and emergency accommodations don’t help.
The main problem with the right to a a home is that you would need a huge amount of money to expend on the legal costs in order to vindicate that right.
I think that including it in the non justiciable social policies in Article 45 of the Constitution would allow it to influence economic, social, politically and legal policy.
Housing in Ireland has become a speculative commodity. We live in a rentier economy but that is a larger issue.
@Niall Quinlan: sorry man thought you were trying to counter my point my bad :) you are spot on though our natural resources should be enshrined in the constitution. Privatisation of these would not work out well for the ordinary people of the country.
@Fiona deFreyne: sorry fiona but enshrining that in the constitution is nonsense. Can i just decide to not get up in the morning for work and have a house put over my head for free. They try that in some countries. Its called communism. Maybe live in one of those countries before spouting such nonsense
@Mike Power: no worries Mike, cheers.
@will stamp: Sounds good to me, Free Houses built by Free Labour using free Materials to provide us all with a 10 bed detached houses on a 1/4 acre site sounds about right. Oh, and a minimum of €50,000 year income per household!
It’ll be like Soviet Russia meets Zimbabwe, what could possibly go wrong!?
@Mike Power: I’m appalled by the cold hearted selfish begrudging posts on people’s right to a home. Single people only need an en-suite bedroom and a kitchen sitting room to have a home. The money we squandered during our boom and bust would have built free houses for everybody who needed one, Andrew left us with plenty over and prevented the crash. I like thousands upon thousands of other people started in council housing in the late sixties and seventies and then moved on to buy our own homes. The fact that people weren’t dependant solely on private housing prevented price rises and would have prevented the crash.
@Fiona deFreyne: if you want to buy a house for someone why don’t you do it with your own money?
There will be a big “coming home to vote” movement for the abortion referendum and will engage the youth in politics again, which is a very positive trend.
@Paul Fahey: just like Trump is doing.
Joan Burton saying things are unfair now? After what she and Labour done with their Tesco ad lies and not to forget her showtime in the witness box?
@Paul Fahey: and hopefully they will all vote no
@Paul Fahey: Many young people will be in exams or travelling at that time of year. Such a shame to see the government deciding to place the referendum at a time in the year when they know it will be hard for a lot of people to vote.
@cormac o neill: how’s your sister been getting on this weather ? Jeez,I’ll never forget that tweet of yours that you put up on Cora’s twitter,in which you spoke movingly on your sister being refused an abortion..You also wrote a tweet to RTE about it..Very moving Fin/lin
@rick and morto: Exams don’t last 7am – 10pm which is when polling stations are open. Students can register to vote in the constituency they’re based in when in college and be registered at their home address. It’s entirely legal to register to vote in every single constituency in the country, it’s illegal to vote more than once though. I’m sure colleges will have voter registration drives to ensure students’ democratic rights are upheld.
@rick and morto: what is the law in relation to voting in referendum if you don’t live here? Thought I remember 18 months and the home to vote was potential legal challenge.
@lavbeer: it was a poor unfortunate fellow who launched the legal challenged. He got very short shrify in Court. 68% was not going to be set aside. I would judge nothing by reference to the poor fellow who has had a lot of challenges since.
@Fiona deFreyne: agreed no way it was going to turn a decision but we wouldn’t like people voting who have no right to. That’s my point. I think it is 18 months – would be easy to verify but doubt they will
The plural of referendum is referenda.
@Darren Gray: Very positive that we get to have that debate.
More power to the people to effect change and influence the direction of the country.
Why do we have to wait forever for these vital rights?
@Darren Gray: Nah
@Darren Gray: Referendums is correct as a plural form meaning ‘ballots on one issue’ (as a Latin gerund, referendum has no plural). The Latin plural gerundive ‘referenda’, meaning ‘things to be referred’, necessarily means a number of issues in a single ballot.
When I was 16 was more interested in getting the shift than voting.
@Liam Doyle: The increase in the desire to vote, was proportional to the increase in tax leaving my pay slips!
Bring on the directly elected mayor for Dublin! I know where I’m voting on pretty much all of them. Will need to know more about the ‘role of women in the home’ one and I can’t see the voting age one passing considering the age of presidential candidates vote fell flat on its face.
- Repeal the Eighth
- Finally get rid of that blasphemy law
- NO to extending voting rights to plastic paddies
- Yes to divorce after two years
- Yes to voting at 16
@Darren Bates: What’s the difference between someone who lives abroad , and returns home only to vote , and someone who lives abroad and can’t afford to return home to vote ? Money ?
@Darren Bates:
No to 16. You really don’t have a clue at 16.
Yes to divorce after two years
Yes to Irish passport holders having the right to vote even if out of the country.
@Darren Bates: The constitution was written in the 30s when facsism was running rife accross Europe and was one of the most progressive documents of its day. It would be unheard of in any other European country to change as fast as this.
Leo the liberal intent on ripping up DeVs legacy to write his own with the Communications Unit and FG press office.
@Darren Bates: I agree with you Darren.
On the voting at 16 I think it’d be greatly beneficial if the registration process and act of voting could be covered while kids are still in school to help them into the habit of becoming involved in our democratic process.
@Rochelle: Therein lies the problem Rochelle , they are too young to have formed their own opinions , and are still greatly influenced by an education system which as we have seen in the past can manipulate young minds .
@Niallers:
I’m definitely voting No to allowing Irish citizens to vote on who is Irish president. The day they left Ireland is the day they gave up their voting rights in this country. If they want to vote then let them vote in their new countries
@Just Some Guy: And what about the ones who live abroad and only return home to vote , should they also be refused the right to vote ? After all they live in another country .
@Niallers: Irish passport holders who live in Ireland don’t have the right to vote if they’re out of the country. Postal voting is highly restricted, you don’t get a ballot simply because you’ll be sunning yourself in Lanzarote on the day.
@Rochelle: involvement and inclusion are a good idea. The habit of voting and political engagement.
@Darren Bates: if you can vote then you are not a child so the CA should go at the same tome
@Niallers: how much do you think it will cost to allow people abroad to vote? And are you willing to stump up for it?
@lavbeer: Well I am Bulgarian and I can vote from here, there are voting stations in embasies and consulates, staffed by volunteers, so it can’t be that expensive. The Bulgarian government tried to push through a change in the law so emmigrants can’t vote, since people who emigrated are likely to vote against them, but it didn’t pass.
@Ciarán FitzGerald: DeV removed the constitutional power from the Irish People to be able to hold any Government to account using people-initiated referenda. If Articles 47 (The power to veto) and 48 (The power to initiate new legislation) The country would never be in the mess it is today.
We need a referendum on political reform and political accountability.
@Adrian: that would be strangled at birth!
Where’s the promised Referendum on Irish Water?
@blackcoffee: washed out under the bridge. It was sunk.
@blackcoffee: It’s a referendum on the ownership of the water network I want, not Irish water.
@Trevor Beale: network, infrastructure, collection and resources.
Is there anything too be said for a whole new constitution?
@John Cotter: Unless you are a unionist who would like the return of the border down to the coast of Kerry I would say adapting our existing constitution is how it will continue.
@Gerald Kelleher: said this for years. We need a new constitution!
@Gerald Kelleher: we have a lot of closet sash wearers in the comment section
@Michael Collins: I have known that for a long time Michael but they don’t even know themselves. Was at a meeting once in the States where one of the fisherman suggested they move the Hague sea boundary between Canada and the USA to favor more American fishing and the official reply was that the Southern rednecks would like to see the return of the Mason-Dixon line but that wasn’t going to effin happen anytime soon. The constitution is a work in progress but I can only imagine what would happen if the secularists got their hands of forming a new one.
There should also be a referendum on begging. One of the reasons the streets have clogged up with beggars and junkies is because are anti-begging laws were overturned due to the constitution. It has made for more dangerous streets.
@Kal Ipers: @Kal Ipers: one of the much more relevant reasons is the explosion in homeless figures due to social housing. If they can’t beg, what do you imagine desperate people will do instead to get what they need?
@Banjo Gallagher: take in desperation.
@Kal Ipers: I’d like to have that extended to church gates, door to door canvassing and junk mail. After all, they’re all just better organised begging rings.
ReferENDA BLEEDIN KENNY
Leo thinks a womans place is to be homeless & a poor womans last place is a home for herself and she is to be denied an abortion If she chooses but can’t afford having to flee the island to obtain this right.
Why can’t we have all these votes on the same day and within a few weeks instead of being made wait and wait and then wait again while they finally put hopefully passed referendums into effect like finally abortion.
Anyone know what “The role of women in the home” one entails?
@Ronan Sexton: it’s a bit ridiculous to scrap. It recognises a woman’s right to stay home and mind the kids while hubby goes to work and the state shall provide them with support (I think it actually says “compensate”, but I’m open to correction) for doing so. Ie. Mother helps rear the next generation of workers/taxpayers and a stable home life will help them become productive members of society.
If anything it should be
A) changed to a parent (non gender specific) and B) actually enforced!
Just done a bit of googling on it there as wasn’t sure myself. It’s Article 42.1.2. Includes what Link mentioned above and an interesting little paragraph; “The State shall, therefore, endeavour to ensure that mothers shall not be obliged by economic necessity to engage in labour to the neglect of their duties in the home.”
@Link – completely agree with you. I’m sure a lot of families would love the option of having 1 parent stay at home to raise the kids. It’s a luxury that many can no longer afford.
@N: Rent payment or mortgage repayment can be impossible to service out of a single income.
@Fiona deFreyne: True point. It’s just as tough on two incomes.
@trevor @fiona: I agree with you both – most families I know need two incomes to pay the bills / get by due to the rising costs of living (not sure if my comment implied something different).
@N: just expanding on your point which was not implying anything different.
I still think that that it is much harder for single income families than double income families unless the single income happens to be a big income.
@Fiona deFreyne: or you have two low to middling incomes…..which you can just about get by on and most of the time are flying by the seat of your ( worn) pants….
Has the Goverment consulted the Vatican yet?
@Fiona deFreyne: No , but the Clonskeagh mosque will be in their ear about the blasphemy one .
@Paddy Hayden: Blasphemy is archaic. If the offense of blashphemy is what religion depends on for its protection, then religion is already on its knees.
@Fiona deFreyne: That’s true , it should be a normal part of democracy that people can challenge a religious ideology .
But as witnessed on here , anyone who calls out a very dangerous ideology which has no history in Ireland , will be labeled a racist or a phobic .
The sooner the blasphemy law is done away with , the better .
@Paddy Hayden: it depends on the form of criticism and the motive for the criticism. If the motive is to stir up fear of and hate against persons belonging to minorities, it is destructive but the criticism of any religion and all religions based on their dogmatic content should be open season.
@Fiona deFreyne: You obviously don’t know the full meaning of blasphemy , Was the picture published by Charlie Hebdo an incitement to violence , or was the reaction to it a destructive and violent reaction .
Remember , a leading muslim leader here threatened to use the blasphemy laws if it was published here in Ireland .
@Paddy Hayden: the cartoon was replicated here in Ireland.
I looked at the cartoon. I thought that it was not an incitement to hatred of a minority’s however disrespectful it was.
We should not have a right not to be offended but, unless the motive is to stir up hate, it has to be tolerated even if offensive and provocative.
What age do we live in. Referendum on women rights in the home and blasphemy my god these should have been abolished years ago as should the divorce one. I don’t agree with lowering the voting age. But finally a referendum on the 8th ammendment, but it will probably only be a small change as the religious nutters will get their various clauses in. Now to listen to all the drivel from men saying abortion is wrong .
@Allison Smith: agreed, except for the lowering of the voting age. Voting engages citizenship and participation for those inclined to vote at all.
When I look at how my elderly generation have voted on some matters, I am inclined to the view that 16 year olds might do better or least as well.
Looking at the age dimension, I have less of a personal vested interest in the future than 16 year olds. So, I favour inclusivity on the voting aspect.
On the 8th Amendment, I confess to feeling disheartened. I doubt that those such as me who would prefer complete repeal will get a democratic opportunity to vote on that option.
@Liam Doyle: LOL ! ” How you voting on the women in the home referendum?” Ouch !
@Liam Doyle: ZING
@Liam Doyle: If I can be guaranteed an income that will cover my mortgage and modest living expenses, I’d happily be a stay at home woman!
@Liam Doyle: it’s in the constitution!
Hopefully the Irish people will vote to trust women to make their own decisions about their own lives.
@Kevin.: so if your missus became pregnant with your child ,and she did,nt want the child,and wanted to have an abortion ,and you wanted to keep the child,would u still be happy for her to have the final say.?
@ian kennedy: would you like Kevin to be given the opportunity of tying her up in chains for a few months ?
@ian kennedy: After the forced birth, would you force her to feed, bathe, and raise a child she didn’t want?
@ian kennedy: it should be her final,say and no one else’s.
@ian kennedy: How about you keep it in your pants until you are certain that your potential partner feels the same way you do and shares your views on abortion. Ya know, personal responsibility and all that.
@Ollie Mac: Why force someone to travel for a medical procedure when they could just have the same procedure carried out here? If a woman wants to have a termination, she can legally have it in another country and come back to Ireland and under the eyes of our constitution, she will carry on with her life as if nothing had happened. Isn’t that the height of hypocrisy? Hiding away our “problems” and “shame” and letting another country deal with it? Why make something that is already a difficult decision even more of a financial and emotional burden?
@grace keogh: do you agree then that abortion is acceptable if pregnancy is basically inconvenient?. Keep it in your pants??. So if she fell pregnant and didn’t want a child what’s your advice for her……
Why can’t we just elect politicians that can do a job.
@Adrian:
Constitution can only be changed by Referendum.
@Adrian: History tells us not to trust the political system, the political game, the rules of the game and it’s players. I Trust Us.. The People
16 year olds voting? Sure, they’ll all vote for Niall Horan or some Bebo social influencer. Madness
@Liam Doyle: I was codding. Trying to Grandpa Simpson myself
@Liam Doyle: ha Bebo….that’s not old! In my day it would have been whoever was on the cover of Jackie or Blue Jeans magazines….
BY the looks of things we will be having referenda about referenda ,can this government not just get on with implementing the laws that we have ,in a clear ,transparent ,and accountable manner ,much to do about nothing .
@Anthony Gallagher:
Moan, moan, complain, complain. People ask for New Politics and then whinge about having to make a choice.
Why should the people not get to decide things that affect us?
This is a hugely positive move.
@Brinster: we have far more serious problems in our country right now ,like housing ,like homelessness ,like healthcare ,like shadow banking ,these are at the top of my agenda ,millions will be spent on some of these issues and it wont make a blind bot of difference to most of the people on the street .wake up and smell the coffee .
@Anthony Gallagher: the issues you list are critically important, far more influential on real life than the referenda, but it does not have to be either or.
@Fiona deFreyne: I disagree ,lets get the basics right first ,A dads army mentality ,we just soldeir on putting up with the same old same old ,introducing new legislation when we cant provide basic citizen rights ,such as healthcare and housing ,most of these referendum issues will not touch the masses ,lets get the fundamentals right rather than showing the world how cool and modern looking we are .ITs time we demanded high satdards and accounatbility .
@Anthony Gallagher: yes these are more serious issues for Ireland but Leo’s populist referenda will distract people from the real issues for a few years and wont cost the Exchequer a penny and the rich can continue to get richer.
@tom McCormack: Actually from what i remember referenda are quite expensive…
Have a referendum on if our government aren’t preforming that we can get rid of them and not wait 4 years??
A referendum on capital punishment for treason. That would help clear out the gangsters from the Dail and Senate.
@Primusdeo: how very right to life of you!
A list of populist referenda by a populist Taoiseach.
Finally – Irish voters are to be treated as adults capable of considering more than one question at a time.
The Swiss have an average of 12 referenda per year, held in batches of 4. No reason why we can’t do the same. Unless you think Irish people are stupid.
@Brinster: Wasn’t it marriage equality that was held on the same day as lowering the age of presidential candidates? Two very different results but showed an informed voter base.
@Darren Bates: Absolutely Darren – should be a regular feature of a functioning democracy. Helps to engage people in voting and exercising their rights.
@Darren Bates: It was the Same Sex Marriage referendum. Marriage equality were just a lobby group.
@JMac: and civil marriage equality was the positive result voted in favour by more than 68% of the those who voted.
@Brinster: 83% of those who attended the Constitutional Convention voted in favour of a referendum to put People-Initiated Referenda into the Irish Constitution. Over 140 candidates at the last General Election supported the same thing of which 47 TDs and 13 Senators also support it. If introduced, it would ensure the Irish people can hold ANY Government to account if the Government goes against the will of the People. So, the question is: Where is this Referendum?
Seven referendums coming up in the next two years.
1. Allowing abortion. Yes.
2. Allowing directly elected mayors. Yes.
3. Removing the constitutional basis for blasphemy laws. Yes.
4. Removing the constitutional reference to women as homemakers. Yes.
5. Extending voting rights to citizens living abroad. No.
6. Liberalising divorce laws. Yes.
7. Reducing the voting age to 16. No.
Need to lie down now.
Having a referendum on whether to allow 16 year old’s to vote? What a waste of money
@Just Some Guy: can 16 year olds vote on it?
That vote on should the seanad be abolished or not was a great success wasn’t it
Yes to all.
Repeal the 4th!
@Diarmuid: FG is half way there.
I would vote yes to all six referenda.
Referendii!
@Robert O’Rourke: Refendummies.
Don’t worry. We’ll vote as we’re told by the EU/ government or we have to vote a second time.
83% of those who attended the Constitutional Convention voted in favour of a referendum to put People-Initiated Referenda into the Irish Constitution. Over 140 candidates at the last General Election supported the same thing of which 47 TDs and 13 Senators also support it. If introduced, it would ensure the Irish people can hold ANY Government to account if the Government goes against the will of the People. So, the question is: Where is this Referendum? Why is this not the number one priority? Perhaps because the Irish people continue to be led like sheep? I don’t trust the political system, the political game, the rules of the game and the players… I Trust Us – The People.
@Mark McAuley: look if democracy worked it would be illegal,what country want to go to war?but whip a media frenzy and the general public vote for war,we r mere spectaters
2 years for the divorce law!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mental….
and as blasphemy law…. Jesus christ!!
@Barry morcom: careful, God/Allah spends its time monitoring comments in The Journal.ie.
@Fiona deFreyne: well im knackered then haha
“He said he would like to hear why such a date might work better.”
ha ! how bout 20 years ago
Under art 29 5 2 of the constitution the govt. ( minister and taoiseach) can not bind the state to an international agreement involving a charge on public funds unless the terms are approved by dail eireann. No govt has presented a bill before the dail requesting it permission to accept the term of loan to Ireland from IMF/EU/ and Sweden Denmark and UK contained in Council Decision of 7 12 10. No TD has challenged the authority of Taoiseach and minister to speak of the national debt until legislation is on statute books charging the public funds with the loan and approving terms .. the negotiation of which can only begin on laying of the bill before the dail. U talk of no referendum on irish water. One of the many terms of loan offer is establishment of a water ultility. As for housing sure is nt ireland i debt.? Really beg question of worth of constitution when TD the people most charged with protecting public fund to use for public service handed them to taoiseach and minister in credit institution act 10 who handed them over to IMF/EU for that check.
have your say