Brian Cowen non si presenta alle prossime elezioni. Il comunicato integrale

Taoiseach Brian Cowen announced that he would not contest the upcoming General Election. In a statement to the nation Mr Cowen said:

“In the next few weeks, the people of this country will be asked to vote in a very important General Election. Decisions have to be made which will affect all citizens, both now and into our future.

“I hope that all those involved in the campaign treat the issues with the respect, consideration and measured analysis they deserve.

“I said previously that I was going to reflect on my own position and whether I would offer myself for re-election. I have done that.

“I am humbled by and grateful for the many messages of support I have received. The genuine decency and warmth of people in this country is one of our finest traits and long may that be so. Buíochas ó chroí libh.

“Having considered the situation with my family, close colleagues and friends over the past number of days, I have decided not to put my name forward for selection as a candidate in the Laois-Offaly constituency for the forthcoming election.

“Although I am conscious that the Laois-Offaly Fianna Fáil organisation’s support remains available to me, they also made it clear that the decision rests with me and my family and that they will respect that decision. I thank them for their understanding and their solidarity.

“Is mór an dul chun cinn atá feicthe agam sa tír seo ó thosaigh mé sa Dáil agus is cúis bróid dom é sin.

“Ach is cúis bróin dom an cúlú a tharla dúinn mar phobal le roinnt blianta anuas, de bharr an géarchéim eacnamaíochta idirnáisiúnta.

“Guím gach rath orthu siúd a thoghfar sa toghchán seo agus iad ag dul i ngleic leis na fadhbanna atá romhainn ar fad. Tá dóchas agam go dtiocfaidh muintir na hÉireann as seo, mar a tháinig muid as géarchéimeanna cheanna.

“Fianna Fáil faces new challenges ahead. We will do so with a new leader, and a new team. I am proud and grateful to have served with each and every one of my party colleagues. I pledge them my full support and wish them well.

“I look forward to addressing the Laois -Offaly Fianna Fáil convention tomorrow night, when I can express my deep appreciation and gratitude to my constituents and supporters for the consistent and steadfast support they have given to me throughout my career and in seven successive elections.

“I will also be taking the opportunity to reiterate Fianna Fáil’s continuing commitment to address those issues that affect our people in pursuit of the common good.

“Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil le mo chomrádaí sa Dáil agus ar Údaráis Áitiúla an Dáil ceantair, go h-áirithe iad siúd nach bhfuil linn a thuile.

“D’oibre muid le céile mar fhoireann aontaithe i gcónaí.

“I have been greatly assisted down the years by the commitment of past and present local councillors at County and Town level. We have always worked together as a team.

“But of course, my deepest gratitude of all belongs to my family for their support, forbearance and encouragement at all times. To my wife Mary, my daughters Sinéad and Maedhbh, go raibh míle míle maith agaibh. To my mother and brothers my sincere thanks also.

“The work of a TD in serving the daily needs of individual constituents and local community organisations could not be done without the dedication, discretion and professionalism and of my constituency staff, who greatly assisted me in that important work.

“In particular, I want to thank my Constituency Secretary, Councillor Sinead Dooley, who along with Elaine Hogan and Colette Waters managed a considerable workload in my constituency office in Tullamore.

“I would also like to thank Peter Lenehan, Annette McManus and Yvonne Graham who attended to constituency matters and wider political representations in my Dublin office.

“I also want to acknowledge the many years of dedicated service to both my father and I by the late Patricia Johnson, our former constituency secretary, who worked in our office in Clara for many years.”

Hilary Benn chiede di cambiare le regole sulle dimissioni dei parlamentari

Il Leader Ombra della House of Commons chiede uno snellimento della costituzione, per permettere ai parlamentari di Westminster di dimettersi semplicemente tramite lettera.

Hilary Benn issues challenge to rules on MP resignation

The Shadow Leader of the House of Commons has called for a change in the constitution to allow a member of parliament to resign by letter.

Under current rules, members wishing to step down must apply for an office of profit under the crown.

It has led to Gerry Adams, who wrote to the speaker last week to resign his seat, being appointed Steward and Bailiff of the Manor of Northstead.

Leader of the House, Sir George Young, said the current rules would remain.

In a statement following his appointment to the crown role, Mr Adams said comments by the prime minister that he accepted the title were untrue and that he had “simply resigned”.

Downing Street later confirmed that it had apologised to the Sinn Fein president for David Cameron’s comments.

The Speaker of the House, John Bercow, later ruled that Mr Adams had been appointed to the Manor of Northstead and had therefore been disqualified from parliament.

Long-standing precedent

In the Commons on Thursday morning, Hilary Benn asked his opposite number if the government would consider changing the rules.

He said: “Does the Leader (of the House) agree with me that it is time we changed these ancient ways of enabling members to step down and move to a simple system where a member can write to you, Mr Speaker, and step down?”

Sir George Young said the office had been granted by the chancellor in line with “long-standing precedent”.

“So Mr Speaker, we have delivered Mr Adams to the required destination, though we may have chosen a vehicle and a route that was not one of his choosing,” he added.

He dismissed the “hypothetical possibility” raised by some members that a future chancellor could appoint an MP to an office under the crown without a relevant application.

“I find it inconceivable that such a situation would occur. It is a matter of constitutional principle that the chancellor does not act without an unambiguous request from a member to relinquish his or her seat.”

Lettera di un attivista del RNU, maltrattato dalla RUC/PSNI

ARDOYNE REPUBLICAN: A Letter from an RNU Activist

“I have been constantly harassed at my address by the PSNI/RUC by the means of 5 house raids in 8 weeks and the removal of personal items, including 23 mobile phones, 2 tower computers, 5 laptops, 3 or 4 hold all bags, 3 digital cameras belonging to our youth club, personal documents i.e. bank statements and my c.c.t.v cameras. They also took many SIM cards.


On the 11th of January 2011, my wife and I received a phone call from her mother in a panicked state saying she couldn’t breathe. We phoned the doctor who asked us to bring her down to Belview Terrace. My wife went on in with her mother while I parked the car around the corner. After a few minutes my wife came out to inform me that her mother was being seen to by the doctor and then she went back inside.


A couple of minutes later a police officer on his own approached me and asked for my name which I gave him. He then preceded to continually ask my name and ask ‘are you going to answer the question?’ At this stage I was worried about what he was doing as he could clearly see that I was on a walking stick and was a registered disabled person, as he could see from my parking badge which I had displayed.


He shouted at me that I was watching the police station, he got up close to my face when I asked him accompany me approximately two yards to the doctors office so the doctor could explain why I was there. He then reached at me, pushing me back and I was left unstable. My leg went from under me as I tried to grab hold of the railing to steady myself. He preceded to pull me to the ground, I fell on my back, he jumped on top of me, in a man handling manner. He hand-cuffed me so tight that my hands were turning blue. I repeatedly asked that the hand-cuffs be loosened, he refused. I also asked for medical assistance as I hurt my back as I fell and I couldn’t feel my leg, he also refused this.


He then called to a female office, to come take his rifle as he attempted to lift me to my feet, which he could not do. As my anxiety levels rose, my Tourettes got worse, he then told me to stop cursing, and I told him I had Tourettes. He then belittled this and said that he knew that I only used this as an excuse to curse at them. I then had to call out to a woman leaving the doctors so she could inform my wife that they were arresting me. My wife came out and they completely ignored her and started to try to drag me into a police car that arrived.


I continued to ask them for a doctor and told them my back and leg were sore, but they just ignored me. They eventually took me into the police station were I continued to complain about the hand-cuffs but they did not listen. I was left in the car for a half an hour with the hand-cuffs on tight, this can be verified by the police doctor, who said he would document this incident for the police ombudsman; the skin on my wrists had been removed by the hand-cuffs. I was then taken into the police station and after sitting around for nearly an hour, they then charged me with disorderly behaviour, creating a fray and assaulting a police officer which is totally ridiculous. I intend to fight this injustice and complain to the police ombudsman as I have an independent witness to these events and of course this all happened ten metres or so from the police station gates”.

Is Mise,
Eugene Mc Loone,
(Derry RNU)