Statement by an Taoiseach  Brian Cowen on the resignation of Willie O'Dea

The Taoiseach wishes to announce that Mr Willie O’Dea TD has this evening tendered his resignation as Minister for Defence and the President has accepted it.

In tendering his resignation, Mr O’Dea said: “I have come to the regrettable conclusion that my continuing in office will only serve to distract from the important and vital work of Government in addressing the serious challenges that the country continues to face at this time.”

Topic: Willie O’Dea’s resignation

Panellists: Alan English (editor of the Limerick Leader), Vincent P Martin (Barrister and former Green Councillor), Noel Whelan (Barrister and Commentator) and Sarah McInerney (Sunday Times).

Close, but no cigar Groucho O Dee! Another gangster from limerick but by far the worst! Jim, Galway.

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How sad that Vincent Browne finds perjuring politicians an amusing and commonplace spectacle.

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The passing of eight months since the fraudulent presidential election in Iran on 12 June 2009, and the coincident thirty-first anniversary of the Islamic revolution of 11 February 1979, is an appropriate time to assess the current political situation in Iran; and especially the record of the “green movement” that acquired an incipient identity during the election campaign and emerged as a force in the series of protests that followed it.

(Picture: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad speaks at a rally commemorating the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution last week)

Despite repeated rhetoric from government championing education and training for the unemployed and the focus on a ‘knowledge economy’, returning to education for mature students has become more difficult, indeed impossible for some. 

Due to cuts in December’s budget, new applicants in the Back to Education Allowance (BTEA) scheme will no longer be entitled to student maintenance grants. 

A conference in Dublin this week heard about the dangers of human rights work, and how the lives of human rights defenders around the world are often at risk. By Deirdra O'Regan.

Over 100 human rights defenders from ninety countries gathered in Dublin this week for the 5th Frontline Platform for Human Rights Defenders. Participants from Afghanistan, Zimbabwe, Saudi Arabia Iran, Burma, Nicaragua and Haiti travelled to Ireland for the three day event.

Statement by Enda Kenny on George Lee

I’m greatly saddened by George Lee's decision to resign from Fine Gael and politics just eight months into his new Dáil career. 

I wish to announce that I have resigned from the Fine Gael Party and from my seat in Dáil Eireann today Monday 8th February 2010. 

It has been a very difficult decision, but it is one that I have taken after a great deal of reflection on my position and on the role that I have been playing in Fine Gael since I joined that Party in May last year. 

Minister for Social and Family Affairs, Mary Hanafin today launched the Irish Programme for 2010, the ‘European Year for Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion’. However, in an inverview with Politico, Minister Hanafin could not commit to reducing the vast disparity in poverty rates around the country. Nor could she assure that further cuts to Community Development Programmes would not be made in 2010, the year dedicated to combating poverty and social exclusion. (Audio below)

Fourteen Community Development Projects tackling social exclusion in some of the most disadvantaged parts of Ireland will soon close their doors to the public, due to funding cuts by the Government. 

In total, 13 of the 14 Community Development Projects (CDPs) that have been forced to close are in the most underprivileged parts of Dublin. These include North Clondalkin CDP, the North West Inner City Women's Network, the Ballymun Community Action Programme and the West Tallaght Resource Centre. 

Topic: The Public Sector Work to Rule.

Panellists: Blair Horan of the CPSU, Louise O'Reilly
from SIPTU and Fine Gael TD Leo Varadkar.