Riocard Ó Tiarnaigh

Iriseoir. Suimeanna: rugbaí, polaitíocht, fealsúnacht, ealaíona chomhraic, stair

[The Ditch @wereontheditch]

The Ditch: The Party Line | Episode 16: Triple Locked Down, with People’s Forum on Peace and Neutrality

There's a divide between the top echelons of the Fianna Fáil party, the taoiseach, minister Thomas Byrne and then the backbenchers and the councillors and the base of the party.

'There is that disconnect between people on the local level and people who are more senior in the party. And there's also this democratic deficit. The public hasn't been consulted at all. Micheál Martin suggested that we should have a citizens' assembly on neutrality and issues associated with it. That never happened. Instead we got the consultative forum which was stacked with NATO-friendly, sometimes people directly employed by NATO, various experts, the kinds of experts that you might typically see rolled out onto panel shows to discuss why we need to get rid of the triple lock.'

[The Ditch @wereontheditch]

🚨Abubaker Abed, who joined The Ditch in Doyle's last summer, speaks at the Jewish Anti Zionist Congress this Saturday at 10am with an address titled Freedom is a Verb: Taking Action Without Seeking Permission

'Imagine yourself stuck in a in a tiny swathe of land of around 365 kilometres where your food is controlled by the Israelis, your water is being controlled – everything. It's an open-air prison. You need the permission of the Israelis to get out of Gaza and that's what happened with me when I left three months ago. So growing up under occupation means that you have no freedom and you are like an animal being fed every single day to be slaughtered in one of the wars or escalations.'

⬇️Details below⬇️

[David Larkin @DavidLa40045105]

@wereontheditch In my opinion the guards are working for vulture funds companies.

[Free Thinker @S96424841]

@wereontheditch The Gardaí could say no. If they believe a law violates the rights of the people they could refuse to enforce that law.
They are supposed to protect us - not do this.

[The Ditch @wereontheditch]

The High Court has ruled a vulture fund illegally evicted a woman and her son with special needs from their home of 20 years – during an action gardaí and an asset management company linked to a convicted criminal assisted at.

https://t.co/IPyECOTRMq

[Chay Bowes @BowesChay]

Direct excerpt from her website. Before its deleted.

[Chay Bowes @BowesChay]

The Irish establishment media has written a neat script about "Heroic" Helen Ogbu, the new Black mayor of Galway. The Nigerian born asylum seeker, direct provision survivor, foster carer, now mayor, its a perfect happy ending "immigrant success story". They're all celebrating it, all from exactly the same script.

But here’s what they've convieniently left out.

Back In 2001, at the peak of Ireland’s "anchor baby" scandal  thousands of heavily pregnant Nigerian women were flooding into the country to take advantage of the "Citizenship by birth" rule, In 2003 alone, 4,625 babies were born to "non-national" women in Dublin’s three main maternity hospitals aline, and 1,528 of those were born to Nigerian mothers. Politicians like then minister for justice Michael McDowell and  leader Bertie Ahern publicly condemned it. The issue became so inflammatory the Irish Government held a referendum in 2004 to amend the constitution and end the practice. The result? almost 80% of Ireland's people voted to close the loophole forever.

One of the Nigerian women who timed her trip perfectly was one Helen Ogbu. In 2001 she flew from Nigeria, which is over 5,200 kilometres from Dublin while heavily pregnant. There were no direct flights between the two states and she would have needed a visa,  she then had to  endure at least 11 to 13 hours of flying, with connections through Europe (usually London, Paris or Amsterdam)

This is a very long, expensive, and physically tough journey for anyone, never mind a woman in the late stages of an apparently complicated pregnancy, all supposedly just to "visit friends?"

Helen Ogbu subsequently gave birth to her daughter in Dublin, securing Irish citizenship for her child, and then promptly returned to Nigeria.

Despite this early "interaction" with the Irish state, her own website (and Labour Party material) completely and convieniently ignores this reality, they state -

“In 2006, my family and I moved to Ireland, seeking safety and a fresh start after the tragic loss of my husband.”

Despite this obviously intentional omission regarding her travel to Dublin while in the late stages of pregnancy,  there’s one other glaring problem, her husband, Sunny Orji Ogbu, wasn’t assassinated until October 2010. Four years later in Nigeria.

As the inconsistencies and selective narrative parroted by the idolising Irish media unravels, there are more questions which nobody in the Irish Times or RTE seems to want to ask.

Her husband was a successful businessman and politician in Nigeria, he had property holdings, several business and came from a large well know elite Nigerian family, Where did all his money go? In Nigeria it is exceptionally unusual that a wife would not inherit the deceased husbands estate, but Helen Ogbu says she arrived in Ireland "with nothing" and survived on "Direct Provision" from the Irish state?

Three big questions. Zero answers from the Irish client media. Just lectures about racism for anyone questioning the rise of a Nigerian immigrant to become the darling of pro migration elites?

Race shouldn't be a shield from enquiry and accountability.

[The Ditch @wereontheditch]

🗣️Two events in @30southannest this week

Tomorrow, 6.30pm: The Ditch's Eoghan McNeill, Trinity College Dublin's Brendan Ciarán Browne and Ulster University's Niall Gilmartin discuss British occupation of the north and the links between all those burnt out of their homes during the conflict with the riots this month in Belfast. Brendan and Niall will be signing copies of their book Refugees and Forced Displacement in Northern Ireland’s Troubles.

Friday, 6.30pm: The Whistleblower's Art O'Connor in conversation with CODEPINK co-founder @medeabenjamin. They'll be talking about the realities of Palestine, Cuba, Iran, and how the U.S. war machine continues to shape global politics.

⬇️Tickets below⬇️

[Yanis Varoufakis @yanisvaroufakis]

Keir Starmer was not merely a disappointment. He is a mendacious figure of ethical decrepitude, a man who won the Labour Party leadership based on promises that he jettisoned five seconds after winning - a Labour leader who dared banish from the Labour Party not only his predecessor but also remarkable human beings like director Ken Loach - the gentleman who has taken the historic Labour Party and transformed it into a vessel for the very oligarchy it was elected to restrain.

Consider the litany of Starmer’s moral and logical failures. He promised a 'different Britain', yet his actions were a masterclass in Tory-lite politics—using the same maxed-out credit card analogies that once served the austerity brigades to justify his own failure of vision. He promised a human rights lawyer’s approach but he embraced a racist-lite version of Farage.

On Europe, Starmer promised Brexiteers that Brexit is Brexit yet stood before those who yearn to rejoin the European Union, winked at them to make them feel that Britain would gradually reconnect, even rejoin, with the EU while offering nothing of substance. This is not leadership; it is a fraud.

And then there's the manner in which Starmer and his government rushed to offer Israel unequivocal support in pursuing its genocide in Gaza, sacrificing precious political and civil liberties in the UK by imprisoning grandmothers, priests and peaceful activists who dared support Palestine Action, an organisation that Starmer and his minions proscribed as terrorists for practising the usual activist tactics of trespassing to spray paint military planes that had demonstrably aided in the genocide. To add insult to injury, Starmer performed the diplomatic pantomime of recognising a Palestinian state, in a manner that ensured it would never happen.

But above all else, this is a government that has learned nothing from the post-2008 era. Starmer and his Chancellor are playing the same tired austerity game while enabling and empowering the Finance Curse perpetrated by the City of London, throwing in forgood measure cuts in international aid to fund a military spending trickle under the guise of a "Strategic Defence Review" . It is the same old doctrine: austerity for the masses, socialism for the financiers and the arms dealers.

History will remember Mr Starmer as a man without conviction, a Prime Minister who offers not a shred of honesty, but merely the cruel illusion of change. He is ethically decrepit because he had chosen, consciously, to abandon principle for power. And for that, history will indict him. Good riddance, I say.

https://t.co/sGfebPkDXR

[Jeremy Corbyn @jeremycorbyn]

Keir Starmer could have ended child poverty, homelessness and the grotesque levels of inequality in this country.

Instead, he abandoned those in need, destroyed our civil liberties and facilitated genocide in Gaza.

That is how this Prime Minister will be remembered - and that is the legacy of moral and political bankruptcy he leaves behind.

The crises in our society are not going away. Neither are we - and we will keep fighting for a more equal, peaceful and dignified society for all.

[The Countess @TheCountessIE]

Third parties entering schools to promote trans ideology without parental knowledge or consent is profound safeguarding failure. This includes teaching children that biological sex is merely “assigned at birth,” that “gender is fluid,” and disconnected from sex, and that feelings override material reality.

Check out our Guide https://t.co/fDVMH3hiOd

This ideology tells distressed children, especially during puberty, that their discomfort means they were “born in the wrong body,” paving the way for puberty blockers, cross-sex hormones, and possibly surgery. These interventions can have life-long harmful consequences.

Parents have a fundamental right to know what their children are being taught on sensitive issues on sex, gender, & identity.

Schools and external activists should not be colluding to hide information from the very people responsible for their child’s welfare.

Ideological capture of education must end. Children deserve protection and the right to grow up free from coercive ideology.

@1Hildegarde

[The Ditch @wereontheditch]

South Dublin County Council reluctantly caved to legal pressure and will hold a meeting about proposed council rent hikes – but its unelected chief executive has said, even if councillors vote against the increases, rents will rise regardless. 

https://t.co/8MfP23rkVw

[Nick Delehanty 🇮🇪 @Nick_Delehanty]

Ireland's media regulator, Coimisiún na Meán, has paid €83,103,429.00 in public money to broadcasters, newspapers and journalists since 2023:

Virgin Media Television Limited €2,989,200
Tyrone Productions Ltd €2,671,569
Irish Times Group €2,544,114
Macalla Teoranta €2,278,861
Bauer Media Audio Ireland €2,095,553
Iconic Media Group €1,998,484
Mediahuis Ireland €1,964,38
Animo TV Productions Limited €1,930,00
Celtic Media Group €1,256,083
Keeper Pictures Ltd €1,070,000
Loosehorse Limited €1,055,117
Meangadh Fíbín Teo €1,024,678
Dyehouse Films €996,000
Turnip & Duck Ltd. €920,000
Element Pictures (The Dry)Limited €900,000
Deadpan Pictures €870,000
Scratch Films €826,432
Hot Press €801,487
Samson Films €800,000
Studio Meala Limited €795,000
Village Magazine €33,177
Dublin Inquirer €197,385
The Journal €197,500

This raises serious questions about editorial independency.

Ireland's entire mainstream media landscape is being propped up by Govt.

Whether its current affairs or light entertainment, the Irish Govt are involved.

This is not good.

[Brian Berletic @BrianJBerletic]

🇺🇸🇵🇭🇨🇳 US Continues Expanding Military Footprint in Philippines Aimed at China

▪️While the US pretends to make peace with Iran and as it has been pretending decreased involvement in its OWN proxy war on Russia in Ukraine it still 100% is directing in reality, the US continues a military build-up in the Asia-Pacific vs China;

▪️Expanding US aircraft & drone operations in the Philippines is admittedly aimed at flying more sorties over Chinese claims across the South China Sea;

▪️The move was actually signed in 2023 under the Biden administration, and true to continuity of agenda, continues under the Trump administration;

▪️The Philippines are being fashioned into the "Ukraine" of Southeast Asia alongside South Korea, Japan, and Australia, all of whom are having their armed forces fashioned into a de facto NATO for the region under US command and control;

▪️The Philippines in particular are being encouraged by the US to provoke China over disputed waters in a cycle of senseless, ever-escalating clashes despite China being the Philippines' largest most important trading partner and potential infrastructure partner;

[Arnaud Bertrand @RnaudBertrand]

Eric Schmidt saying the quiet part out loud: "What I don't like about [China's AI] is that it's all open source which means it's largely uncontrolled and not controlled in any way by us."

He adds, "if that makes you feel any better," that only 2 or 3 countries can be independent AI powers.

In other words, it's all about hegemony: the ideal scenario is a world where AI is controlled by the US - and the fewer countries that can resist that, the better.

Src for the video: https://t.co/Gk5iAMtBqa

[nwl @nwl88444048]

Can someone now verify the "ladies man" image that was portrayed about Jeffrey Donaldson during his trial, his affair with a divorcee (adult female) in London in 2008 and the suspected affair with an adult female constituent in 2021 and Eleanor Donaldson's supposed bugging of his car because of her suspicion her husband was having an affair with an adult female.

Was this all a ruse to divert attention away from the fact Donaldson is sexually attracted to pre-pubescent girls?

And why did the prosecution allow this evidence which planted in jurors' minds the notion that Donaldson was sexually attracted to adult females. How was it relevant?

Jeffrey Donaldson and wife Eleanor guilty of all charges. Victims enjoy lifelong anonymity, and best wishes to them to overcome the ordeals including the latest ordeal of being accused of lying.

[Eamon Melia @EamonMelia]

Three week now since this lad was arrested for drink driving and still no result of a urine test carried out, If the test was clear it would have been announced already but my hunch is its positive and they are waiting for the Dail to go into recess so he can keep his head down for the summer.

[Theo McDonald @tbald101]

Couldn't make it up

The gov paid KPMG over 100k for an inaccurate report on data centre employment

The report claimed data centres support over 800,000 jobs

In reality data centres support around 20,000 jobs mainly in construction while putting massive strain on the energy grid

In 2019, PwC told the govt to stop relying on consultants. The gov paid them 500k for this advice

🤯

[Mick Caul @caulmick]

I am the "Minister for Finance"

#datacentres #KPMG

[Paddy Cosgrave @paddycosgrave]

“Most expensive country in the EU” is another way of saying “most profitable” country in the EU for the cronies, who with Fine Gael and Fianna Fail’s help, have rigged the Irish economy to squeeze as much hard earned income out of people’s pockets. It’s a mafia state.