Search results for: constitutional convention

By Mary MinihanOne of the Taoiseach’s nominees to the Seanad has accused the Government of failing to keep Oireachtas members informed about the forthcoming constitutional convention.Independent Senator Katherine Zappone was addressing the Irish Council for Civil Liberties “Hear Our Voices” event in Dublin yesterday.“Why are…

More than 20 leading rights organisations believe Ireland's constitution is out-dated in terms of protecting the fundamental human rights of Irish people.The groups have joined forces ahead of the forthcoming Constitutional Convention, highlighting in a letter to the Taoiseach the need to examine equal access to healthcare…

By Michele BrandtOPINION: The Taoiseach has announced that Ireland is going to have a “constitutional convention”, which will examine the options for reform on a range of issues: review of the electoral system; reducing the presidential term to five years and aligning it with local and…

By Noel Whelan.  Extraordinary patience has finally paid off and constitutional change will one day follow. The overwhelming parliamentary support witnessed again this week for the legalisation of same sex civil partnerships arises from the basic decency and generosity of the Irish people. Politicians across…

Steps to repair the US justice system are outlined in this speech by Gara LaMarche, The Atlantic Philanthropies’ President and CEO, at the Alliance for Justice 30th Anniversary Luncheon, Washington, D.C. View video of this speech at the Alliance for Justice web site. Thank you,…

One result of the Bush Administration’s striking combination of ineptitude and contempt for law and government is a growing shelf, on its way to becoming a library, of books that chronicle and analyze the ways in which constitutional rights and international law have been assaulted…

The Gay and Lesbian Equality Network is an Atlantic grantee.Kathy SheridanTHE GAY WEDDING BUS is revving up. In the driving seat is Tánaiste Eamon Gilmore, sporting a big red T-shirt with the message, “Civil partnership is NOT marriage equality”. Behind him, highly excited, the latest…

Fergus O'FerrallOPINION: Those who have power to change have not the will and those with the desire remain powerless‘Irish society is being challenged to little less than to remould itself.”This was stated by President Michael D Higgins when launching a book of essays entitled Towards a…

In June, The Atlantic Philanthropies supported a citizens' assembly organised in Dublin by We the Citizens. The group of 100 participants discussed political and electoral reform, and debated tax increase options, spending cuts and privatisation. Topics were determined by popular issues discussed at seven prior…

The end of one year and the start of the next is a traditional time for looking both back and forward, and a good time to check in with readers of this column – an unusual experiment in philanthropy that we started in July, a…