Political forum

It may seem a basic point, but the very relevance of local government is the fact that it is local. Local government is not only a provider of services but also an instrument of local democracy. Local government has a role as the mouthpiece of shared community interests due to the fact that people identify strongly with their local communities.
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Being on social media is considered a political necessity these days and one academic in Dublin has examined the attitudes and movements of all 166 members of Dáil Eireann. Ciarán McMahon, a lecturer in psychology in Dublin Business School, has spent nearly two years compiling the twitter and facebook accounts, where available, of those TDs in the national parliament.
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Democrats Abroad Ireland will screen the first Presidential debate today, Thursday 4 October at the home of City Councillor Mary Shields in Bishopstown.  The debate will be preceded by a live conference  call with Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren and other members of Democrats Abroad around the world.
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Cork Senator Deirdre Clune defended the issue of gender quotas this week at a meeting of the European Council in Strasbourg.  Speaking in response to a report entitled ‘Political parties and women’s political representation’ the former Cork South Central TD outlined the provisions of the recently enacted Electoral Amendment (Political Funding) Bill 2011, which ensures party funding from the State is linked to a 30 per cent requirement to have female candidates at the next election.
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Ireland South MEP Sean Kelly was named MEP of the year in research and innovation at the annual awards in Brussels on Tuesday evening. The former GAA president was nominated along with German MEP Christian Ehler and Spanish MEP Teresa Riera Madurell for their work.
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"I asked Cllr McCarthy for some speaking notes on City Hall for Culture Night and he sent me on some 20 pages... which I am still studying" - Ken O'Flynn is feeling the study pressure from Kieran McCarthy "They'll be coming in with guns and holsters next.
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It’s rare that politicians actually keep the promises they make at election time, which is why it comes as a pleasant surprise that in the case of the Constitutional Convention, the 31st Dail has stepped up and put the wheels in motion to review and reform Bunreacht na hÉireann.
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A war of words over a war of words has broken out between two Fine Gael councillors and the Independent Fianna Fáil representative on Cork City Council. Cllr Ken O’Flynn tweeted on Tuesday morning that “Fine Gael have made very personal attacks on me at council, I have been called the poison dwarf, Bipolar and mentally ill.
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The European Commission in Ireland will hold a public seminar on European economic policy and the benefits for Ireland next week in University College Cork.  The event will feature presentations from the Chief Executive of Bord Gáis, John Mullins, UCC economics lecturer, Seamus Coffey and the resident adviser on economic and financial affairs at the European Commission, Nigel Nagarajan, who was involved with the introduction of the euro currency.
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An event to inform women about the upcoming constitutional convention and the need to affect real change in the document will be held next Monday in Cork city. The event, open to the public and being organised by the National Women’s Council of Ireland and UCC’s Women’s studies programme, is urging women from all over Munster to attend the seminar.
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Captain of the South African cricket test team, Graeme Smith discussing ways to help Irish cricket with MEP Brian Crowley and Senator Mark Daly, Seanad spokesperson for the Irish overseas, at a meeting in Cork this week.
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When people ask ‘why did they cut the mental health budget again?’ and ‘why do they always target the most vulnerable in society?’ I always smile because the answer is simple.  There are no votes in mental health.
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Cork North Central TD, Jonathan O’Brien, has been reassigned to his party’s education brief, following a reshuffle by Sinn Féin President, Gerry Adams. Mr O’Brien had been the party’s justice spokesman but will now take over from Séan Crowe in the education portfolio, while Mr Crowe moves to foreign affairs.
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"Heading home to the People's Republic with the Sultans of Ping F.C playing in the DVD #timetochillout" - Hopefully Deputy Jonathan O'Brien didn't forget his jumper. "Hope all of Bishopstown hangs their brightest colours in support.
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