{"id":372683,"date":"2026-03-07T12:06:13","date_gmt":"2026-03-07T12:06:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/372683\/"},"modified":"2026-03-07T12:06:13","modified_gmt":"2026-03-07T12:06:13","slug":"an-outrageous-gender-oversight-and-turmoil-for-st-patricks-day-plans-the-irish-times","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/372683\/","title":{"rendered":"An \u2018outrageous\u2019 gender oversight and turmoil for St Patrick\u2019s Day plans \u2013 The Irish Times"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy<\/a> hosted a lunch to mark International Women\u2019s Day<\/a> (IWD) in the Members\u2019 Restaurant on Thursday.<\/p>\n

It was just as well, because the D\u00e1il<\/a> didn\u2019t seem to notice.<\/p>\n

On Tuesday, Ruth Coppinger<\/a> of People Before Profit-Solidarity<\/a> noted there was no discussion on IWD on the D\u00e1il schedule this week.<\/p>\n

She thought it \u201coutrageous\u201d that the day was overlooked by parliament. She was speaking during a debate on online safety, an issue which is of huge importance to young women and girls. <\/p>\n

It was unusual for the House not to recognise the day, even if it often feels like the same speeches are recycled year after year, particularly by male TDs sent in to deliver a speech.<\/p>\n

The Ceann welcomed guests including current and past women members of the Oireachtas, among them TDs and senators from the Irish Women\u2019s Parliamentary Caucus. Drogheda-based Senator Alison Comyn has just taken over from her Fianna F\u00e1il<\/a> colleague Fiona O\u2019Loughlin as chair of the body. <\/p>\n

Everyone was delighted to see former EU commissioner Mairead McGuinness<\/a> at the lunch, recovered and in great form following a serious illness which forced her to abandon her campaign to contest the presidency for Fine Gael<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The shiny black cars parked out at Leinster Lawn belonged to the many women members of the Diplomatic Corps who also attended.<\/p>\n

\u201cToday is a day of celebration and recognition for women in all aspects of life, women who are defining business, education, science, the arts, public service, and community life. Women who have used their voices to reach out and influence others,\u201d said Murphy. <\/p>\n

There was music and song between courses and uplifting speeches from guest speakers from her Wexford\/Waterford bailiwick in the sunny southeast.<\/p>\n

Tammy Darcy, founder of the Shona Project, told how her experience as a teenager who was bullied at school while coming to term with her big sister\u2019s sudden, devastating illness, shaped her early years.<\/p>\n

Her confidence collapsed and she tried to hide herself away.<\/p>\n

\"TammyTammy Darcy, founder of the Shona Project. <\/p>\n

\u201cOur girls are sitting in classrooms believing that they are invisible, that even if they have the strength to speak out, no one will listen or value what they have to say.\u201d<\/p>\n

Through school workshops and online events, the Shona Project aims to educate, empower and inspire teenage girls to become the strong, young women of tomorrow.<\/p>\n

Another speaker was Eileen Rowe, founder and organiser of the annual Dip in the Nip fundraiser for Hope Cancer Support Centre.<\/p>\n

Eileen revealed that after years of unsuccessful attempts, she finally got Verona Murphy on board. The Ceann said she will be stripping off again this year for the July 19th dip at Rosslare Strand, trying to convince dubious looking political colleagues to join her.<\/p>\n

Students Emma Hickey, Ava Wilson and May Heaphy from St Mary\u2019s Secondary School, New Ross, won the admiration of the their audience with accounts of how they overcame adversities to become successful sportswomen.<\/p>\n

++++<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not just stranded tourists, anxious workers and discommoded Dubai influencers who were repatriated this week.<\/p>\n

Also breathing a sign of relief is Eoin Hayes, the Social Democrat TD for Dublin Bay South, who has finally returned home to his own people.<\/p>\n

Eoin was banished from the fold just weeks after his election in 2024 after he gave wrong information about when he disposed of shares he held in Palantir, a software company with strong links to the US and Israel military. <\/p>\n

He was readmitted to the parliamentary party last summer following a near eight-month suspension, although we hear not all members of the Soc Dem team in Leinster House were happy with the decision.<\/p>\n

At the time of his suspension, the Oireachtas was allocating office space to the various parties and groupings in the new D\u00e1il. As an accidental independent, Eoin was billeted in a different building to his erstwhile colleagues. <\/p>\n

It has taken over a year, but he has now been moved from his office in the Engineering Block to join the rest of the gang over in Agriculture House. <\/p>\n

Perhaps not the best time for Eoin to return, with his former employer Palantir in the spotlight for its work providing real-time AI data intelligence for US and Israel military operations in their war on Iran. <\/p>\n

\"EoinEoin Hayes leaving Leinster House in 2025. Photograph: Sam Boal\/Collins <\/p>\n

The burning question now is: Did Deputy Hayes pay \u20ac800 to be repatriated or did the Soc Dems waive the fee?<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, over at Government Buildings, they won\u2019t have to worry about repatriating the Minister of State at the Department of Justice Niall Collins, who was due to visit Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates as part of the annual St Patrick\u2019s week ministerial airlift.<\/p>\n

We understand his trip is unlikely to happen now. <\/p>\n

However, we hear Niall may be diverted to Chile and Argentina, where Minister for Education Hildegarde Naughton is already pencilled in for a visit.<\/p>\n

Jim O\u2019Callaghan, the Minister for Justice, was due to visit Greece and Cyprus, but the Cyprus leg of the trip has been cancelled. <\/p>\n

+++++<\/p>\n

Sinn F\u00e9in\u2019s Matt Carthy was on Virgin Media\u2019s Tonight show this week, talking about the war in Iran. <\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a scary time, and again, to go back to it, the UN isn\u2019t perfect but it\u2019s the only hope humanity has. Therefore I think it is critically important that independent neutral states actually adhere and protect our neutrality and become vital globally for conflict resolution,\u201d he told presenter Shane Coleman.<\/p>\n

The TD for Cavan-Monaghan, was in reflective mode.<\/p>\n

\u201cBecause there isn\u2019t … I can\u2019t think of an instance where bombing a country ended up resulting in a better situation …\u201d<\/p>\n

\"SinnSinn F\u00e9in TD Matt Carthy. Photograph: Sam Boal\/Collins <\/p>\n

Matt would have been a child when the IRA\u2019s armed struggle \u2013 eulogised and mythologised by his party \u2013 was in full, murderous spate and its indiscriminate bombing campaign in this country and in England killed hundreds of ordinary working people and their children. <\/p>\n

And it was good to hear one of Sinn F\u00e9in new generation say this. <\/p>\n

It may not go down so well in Belfast, though. <\/p>\n

And they\u2019ll have to tear up the script for a lot of their commemorations now.<\/p>\n

+++++<\/p>\n

Maria Zakharova, the spokeswoman for Russia\u2019s foreign ministry, held one of her regular press sessions in Moscow last month and Dublin figured early on in her lengthy briefing.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe took note of the heated debate in Ireland regarding the proposal by the European Commission to provide a \u20ac90 billion loan to Ukraine for 2026 and 2027,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

\u201cRepresentatives of major Opposition parties chastised the Government of Miche\u00e1l Martin for his readiness to provide these funds, and the majority of these funds will be used for military expenses as Dublin agrees to such an initiative.\u201d<\/p>\n

During the debate on a Government motion seeking approval to take part in the loan scheme, Sinn F\u00e9in\u2019s finance spokesman Pearse Doherty strongly opposed sending this financial aid to the war-torn country while both the Labour Party and the Social Democrats asked for assurances that Ireland\u2019s portion of the loan would be in line with our policy of military neutrality.<\/p>\n

\"Russia'sRussia’s foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova. Photograph: Ramil Sitdikov\/Pool\/AFP via Getty <\/p>\n

In her briefing, Zakharova pointed out that Ireland has already given over \u20ac464 million to \u201cthe Zelenskiy regime\u201d and the latest payments would be \u201ca burden for the rank-and-file Irish taxpayers\u201d.<\/p>\n

These attempts to increase the EU\u2019s military budget are taking place \u201camid sharp lack of funding to address social and economic issues in Ireland\u201d while helping to \u201cdestroy the traditional neutrality of the country\u201d. <\/p>\n

Somebody in the Russian Embassy in Orwell Road was paying close attention to what was said in Leinster House. In particular, the main points in Pearse Doherty\u2019s fiery contribution were reflected in the remarks from spokeswoman Zakharova in Moscow.<\/p>\n

His party voted against the motion and its MEPs subsequently voted against the loan in the European Parliament. Independent Ireland TDs, People Before Profit and Aont\u00fa also rejected the motion. <\/p>\n

The vote was carried by 92 to 38, with the Social Democrats and Labour Party voting with the Government.<\/p>\n

Zakharova appeared heartened that \u201cthe majority of the Irish people are reasonable\u201d and understand that this \u201cutopian\u201d idea that the loan will be recouped through Russian reparations or the \u201cstealing of our assets\u201d is an \u201cillusion\u201d. <\/p>\n

Dublin is becoming \u201ca tool for geopolitical games of London and Brussels, but that doesn\u2019t bother the Government of Miche\u00e1l Martin,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

The issue resurfaced in the D\u00e1il this week when Sinn F\u00e9in Leader Mary Lou McDonald called on the Taoiseach to condemn the US-Israeli strikes on Iran without qualification and state clearly that they are in breach of international law. <\/p>\n

In his reply, Miche\u00e1l Martin stuck to the Government\u2019s pre-Washington visit drill and dodged giving a direct answer. But he noted that Mary Lou referenced Ukraine in her question.<\/p>\n

She didn\u2019t, but it gave him a chance to remind her that Sinn F\u00e9in opposed the \u20ac90 billion loan from Europe to Ukraine.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we were to follow Sinn F\u00e9in\u2019s advice, it would have been tantamount to asking Ukraine to surrender now to the Russians.\u201d<\/p>\n

Miche\u00e1l\u2019s Government has never had problem saying straight out that Russia illegally invaded Ukraine. But then, he won\u2019t be in the Kremlin with a bowl of shamrock any time soon.<\/p>\n

Without that loan, Ukraine would not have been able to continue defending itself, he told the Sinn F\u00e9in Leader. <\/p>\n

\u201cPutin was delighted\u201d with their stance, taunted the Taoiseach. \u201cIf everybody else took the Sinn F\u00e9in view, the happiest man globally would be Putin.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sounds like Maria Zakharova, Putin\u2019s foreign affairs spokeswoman, agrees.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy hosted a lunch to mark International Women\u2019s Day (IWD) in the Members\u2019 Restaurant on…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":372684,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[3],"tags":[9,10,4767,13415,18,2219,13,14,4771,553,108505,6,19,17,11,12,15,16,556,108361,5765,55915,5,27171,550,81363,47,7,8,2264,4768,2263,2267],"class_list":["post-372683","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-headlines","tag-breaking-news","tag-breakingnews","tag-dail-eireann","tag-drogheda","tag-eire","tag-european-union","tag-featured-news","tag-featurednews","tag-fianna-fail","tag-fine-gael","tag-fiona-o-loughlin","tag-headlines","tag-ie","tag-ireland","tag-latest-news","tag-latestnews","tag-main-news","tag-mainnews","tag-mairead-mcguinness","tag-matt-carthy","tag-micheal-martin","tag-miriam-lord","tag-news","tag-people-before-profit-solidarity-pbps","tag-russia","tag-ruth-coppinger","tag-sinn-fein","tag-top-stories","tag-topstories","tag-ukraine-crisis","tag-verona-murphy","tag-vladimir-putin","tag-volodymyr-zelenskiy"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/372683","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=372683"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/372683\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/372684"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=372683"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=372683"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=372683"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}