The Week in Politics - Heckle Here

[PaddyJoe]

I've always thought that Shane Ross shouldn't appear on TV without slippers and a pipe and the Daily Mail.
Isn't he the quintessential Home Counties Tory kind of lad?

[PaddyJoe]

Indeed

I'm a hard grafter and as some of them found out, they shouldn't tangle with me too often,"

Tis true..

[C. Flower]

The Haitians were forced to pay off the equivalent of €17 billion "freedom price" to the French, up to 1947, after they liberated themselves from slavery in 1825. There is no sign of the French making any restrospective agreement to pay it back.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisf...6/haiti-france

[MPB]

The Haitians were forced to pay off the equivalent of €17 billion "freedom price" to the French, up to 1947, after they liberated themselves from slavery in 1825. There is no sign of the French making any restrospective agreement to pay it back.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisf...6/haiti-france

At least the French had the good grace to actually invade. The British did the same with us. It gave us an enemy we could see.

The current crop of politicians are traitiors, because they have accepted invasion without even attempting to lead a rebellion.

[Baron von Biffo]

Alan Kelly of Lab will be on tonight talking about cutting subsidies to fee paying schools. RTE News reported that he favours continuing subsidies to schools run by religious minorities.

Quinn would have done future generations a better service had he removed religion from schools instead of wasting time and resources on his new Colouring In Cert.

[bernadette]

Alan Kelly of Lab will be on tonight talking about cutting subsidies to fee paying schools. RTE News reported that he favours continuing subsidies to schools run by religious minorities.

Quinn would have done future generations a better service had he removed religion from schools instead of wasting time and resources on his new Colouring In Cert.

+10

[goatstoe]

Alan Kelly of Lab will be on tonight talking about cutting subsidies to fee paying schools. RTE News reported that he favours continuing subsidies to schools run by religious minorities.

Quinn would have done future generations a better service had he removed religion from schools instead of wasting time and resources on his new Colouring In Cert.

I agree with you about removing religion from core Education time, they should make it extra curricular. Colouring in Cert, is that reference to new proposals for the Junior Cert?

[PaddyJoe]

Alan Kelly on. I guess there's no chance of any awkward questions about his special train

The Irish Independent has learned that Labour TD Mr Kelly put "considerable pressure" on Iarnrod Eireann for a train to bring more than 150 north Tipperary fans from his constituency to Dublin for game on September 4, which Kilkenny won 2-17 to 1-16.

It is understood that it is at least a decade since a special train ran on the Birdhill line, which serves the Co Tipperary towns of Nenagh and Roscrea. Mr Kelly lives in Nenagh.

A rail source said trains to bring Tipperary supporters to Dublin had previously used the Limerick/Thurles line because of demand and because they incur less staff costs than using the Nenagh route

http://www.independent.ie/national-n...l-2887246.html

[Baron von Biffo]

I agree with you about removing religion from core Education time, they should make it extra curricular.

The state should stay out of it entirely. If parents want religion for their kids they should do it on their own time and at their own expense. Schools should be about education, not indoctrination.

Colouring in Cert, is that reference to new proposals for the Junior Cert?

It is.

[Baron von Biffo]

Is the actual pupil teacher ratio 21 in fee paying schools or is that just the level which is used as the basis for calculating state payments?

[DCon]

Is the actual pupil teacher ratio 21 in fee paying schools or is that just the level which is used as the basis for calculating state payments?

No idea

I have a friend teaching in Belvedere. I can check with him

[DCon]

"Sure, Reilly's mate is in NAMA. He does not benefit"


What??

[Baron von Biffo]

One way to deal with this business of ministers sitting on information would be to give the opposition an office in each department with access to ministerial briefings and papers. Obviously some regard would have to be had for confidentiality but it shouldn't be impossible to put in place.

It would cut out a lot of the political mischief from both sides and help shift debate to genuine differences of policy.

[MPB]

One way to deal with this business of ministers sitting on information would be to give the opposition an office in each department with access to ministerial briefings and papers. Obviously some regard would have to be had for confidentiality but it shouldn't be impossible to put in place.

It would cut out a lot of the political mischief from both sides and help shift debate to genuine differences of policy.

Or we could cut a lot of the spongers that create the mischief.

[Baron von Biffo]