Tuesday, Feb 7th 2012
There was no need for Mario Draghi’s words to understand that the crisis has already reached an irreversible threshold in Europe. A crisis of “systemic dimensions” was what Jean-Claude Trichet said a couple of months ago. Now Draghi, his successor at the European Central Bank, tells us that “the situation has worsened” (January 16th). It is [...]
Can you feel it? Brian has dinner with Sean and Co. Was one of the Anglo-Irish 10 there breaking bread with the Taoiseach-elect? And Senator Dan Boyle signals a wobble on the part of the junior coalition partner. Low-paid civil servants are demonstrating; as are the Guards; Dublin Bus is facing into an all-out strike. The National [...]
The category ‘immigrant’ has been systematically substituted for the category ‘worker’, only to be supplanted in its turn by the category of the ‘clandestine’ or illegal alien. First workers, then immigrants, finally illegal aliens. If we insist that we are actually talking about workers - and whether they have worked, are working, or no longer [...]
Debate and analysis about the meaning of Ireland’s vote on the Lisbon Treaty continues to tax the commentariat in Ireland and abroad. Next week, the topic will once again become the focus of debate as the Government has suggested today that it is considering putting together a forum where both sides of the campaign can [...]
The European Commission’s Eurobarometer report is available (PDF)
Background to the Referendum
On June 12th, 2008, the Irish electorate was presented with the opportunity to vote “yes” or “no” to the Lisbon Treaty. This was the seventh referendum on European integration in Ireland in the last 36 years, so EU referendums are very much part [...]
