Within Ireland, honest, rational and challenging debate in Ireland.

City Centre Diary

The Line Riders march on: 22nd April 2011

The Line Riders on train services in Dublin are a dangerous breed. Be sure to consider taking a taxi if you think they may be near your carriage. >> Read More

The Deprivation of Dublin 1: 7th April 2011

A look at Marlborough & Talbot Street; two city centre streets that will be giving the staff of Failte Ireland headaches if tourists see all that there is to see here. >> Read more

A tense ride on the 65B - 15th April 2011 

Safety is never a guarantee when using public transport anywhere in the world and Irish bus services have more horrors on board than just a lack of comfortable seating >> Read More
 

Features

Leaving Already! The exodus of migrants from the newest EU states and Irish immigration policy since 2004

Migration trends have shown that immigrants from the twelve newest EU countries make up the largest category of people leaving the Republic of Ireland since 2009. While many Irish born people have also been forced to leave by the economic crisis, have the immigration policies adopted by the Irish government since 2004 cancelled out any moral highground for their own diaspora setting sail for the United States, Australia and other economic safe havens? >> Read More

 

The wipe-out of the free market right?

Being an advocate and supporter of the free market right in Ireland can be a thankless occupation. While the free market lobby has had great success globally, it has been a small force in Ireland with little or no influence in mainstream political policy. Free market advocates have never been able to find a home within any of the political parties in Ireland and this has become more of a struggle in recent times. In the last three years, several right of centre and free market movements and parties have been pushed out of the political spectrum but is there more to their downfall than just lack of support? >> Read More
 
 

Comment

The one big accomplishment that evaded Joan Burton

Joan Burton is now a full Minister in the FIne Gael-Labour cabinet. However, she passed up a chance to truly make her name known in Irish politics. >> Read More

Getting future EU Treaties passed in Ireland: An Impossible Task?

If previous Irish governments thought it was difficult getting the Nice and Lisbon treaties passed through the public vote, the next EU treaty will an enormous challenge when the time comes to put it to the people. >> Read More

Politics over Economics: Ireland must regain political control before it can regain economic control

The Irish government has decided to throw another 24 billion euro into a failed banking sector yet none of this can be challenged as long of external agents control Ireland's political fate. >> Read More

Lessons from the election (2): The losing battle of female representation

The 31st Dail returned just 25 female representatives. For those who have campaigned to address the gender imbalance in Irish politics, it seems that the gender quotas may be the only answer. However, is it the right policy and would it work? >> Read More

Lessons from the election (1) - Fianna Fail on the margins

Fianna Fail suffered their biggest general election defeat in February 2011. They lost 50 Dail seats along with their mantle as largest party in the lower house. Can they learn from the example of Fine Gael and make a comeback or is the task beyond a party which has lost the trust of Ireland? >> Read More

A 'Moral Coventry' for Cowen & Co

If Brian Cowen and his former Ministers don't want to accept the blame for Ireland's demise, then they must pay by losing their place in history. Ireland must be indifferent to those who refuse to accept the truth. >> Read More

Ireland: When myth leads to ruin

Ireland harbours many myths just like other country in the world. But not only are these myths becoming detrimental to Irish society but people outside of Ireland are beginning to believe them. >> Read More

Volunteering is great until we have to pay for it!

The volunteer sector is attempting to shield itself from cuts in government funding ahead of Budget 2011 but their public relations campaign is inadvertently highlighted misguided policy of using taxpayers’ money to fund private concerns. >> Read More