Everyone’s talking about the Oscar Pistorius verdict, staff at University Hospital Galway being disciplined and Leo Varadkar responding to criticism from the Taoiseach.
The UN criticised Ireland’s abortion laws and lambasted the State for failing “to assign any accountability” to issues like Magdalene Laundries, mother-and-baby homes, child abuse and symphysiotomy.
Reliance on ex gratia redress schemes should be read against a backdrop of Government reluctance to allow these victims – and others like them – to speak on their own terms about the recent past, writes Máiréad Enright.
The government’s u-turn on the lifting of the statute of limitations for one year, to facilitate legal action for the women, has been described as “appalling”.
THE REQUIREMENT FOR a president to make a declaration when entering office has cropped up as a talking point before due to its mention of religion.
The Constitution states that the president when entering office must make a declaration “in the presence of Almighty God” about their promise to fulfil their duties and maintain the constitution.
TDs Róisín Shortall and others including Senator David Norris are taking a case to the European Court of Human Rights to challenge this constitutional requirement for the president and a body that advises the president.
According to the Irish Times, they argue that this oath excludes non-Christians and non-believers from these positions unless they are willing to declare something “which goes against their conscience”.
This issue previously cropped up in the past, including in 2013 when then-Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore said he would swear the oath despite being an agnostic.
So today we’re asking: Should the President have to swear an oath in the presence of God when being sworn in?
Rain; breezy this morning
Max: 19 °C
Min: 13 °C
Cloudy and breezy with a shower
Max: 18 °C
Min: 13 °C
