I want to thank the Master and Fellows of Sidney Sussex College and, in particular, Professor Eugenio Biagini for inviting me to give this paper. It is a real pleasure for me to return to Sidney Sussex College, albeit remotely, having spent a number of very happy years in the college in the 1990s studying law as a postgraduate student. Sidney Sussex had very strong links with Ireland at that time and it was a Cambridge college that was particularly receptive to Irish graduates doing masters or doctorates in law. I know that the links between the college and Ireland continue to grow and I believe those links are strong evidence of the ongoing good relationship that exists between our two islands notwithstanding the troubled nature of our shared history.
The huge transformation that has occurred in Anglo-Irish relations in recent times is evident from a brief appraisal of the history of Sidney Sussex and the involvement it had with Ireland. This college was founded in 1596 through a bequest from Lady Frances Sidney, Countess of Sussex, for the establishment of an educational institution at Cambridge. Forty years earlier in 1556 Lady Frances accompanied her husband, Thomas Radcliffe, later Lord Fitzwalter, to Ireland on foot of his appointment by Queen Mary as Lord Deputy of Ireland. The Tudor conquest of Ireland is a difficult part of our shared history and poisoned the attitude of the majority of Irish people towards the British Crown for centuries. Relationships got even worse in the following century when another alumnus of Sidney Sussex, this time not representing the Crown but the Rump Parliament, landed on the shores of Ireland with his model army in August 1649 and unleashed a savage repression that is not widely understood in England but will never be forgotten in Ireland.
Fortunately, relationships between the two islands have improved immeasurably since those times. Part of the reason why there has been such an improvement is because of the ongoing educational interaction between students and scholars on the two islands.
A Dominican College student is continuing to push for better mental health supports in schools.
Fifteen-year-old Aisling Murphy set about working on the ‘Mental Health in Irish Schools‘ initiative last year after witnessing her sister struggle with severe anxiety. Aisling has set up a petition requesting the Irish Government to investigate providing a system of mental health supports in Irish schools and has just begun recording Zoom interviews with those interested in adding their voices to the discussion. The petition already has over 500 signatures.
‘I started the petition to help raise awareness about mental health,’ said Aisling.
‘This is an issue many students, parents, teachers, professionals and politicians feel very strongly about. I have been in contact with TDs and senators about the initiative. We want the Government to put in mental health supports in all schools all over the country so there will be a dedicated mental health professional for every school.’
Aisling’s Zoom interviews with others interested in taking part in the discussion are available to view on her podcast.
‘I have spoken to Mark Ward, TD and published it to the Mental Health in Irish Schools YouTube Channel. Jim O’Callaghan TD and Marina Dillon, psychologist in training, took part last week. I spoke with Maria Parker today, who is a clinical nurse specialist and a psychotherapist and I am due to speak with Mary Butler, Minister of State for Mental Health and Older People next week.
‘I hope that by speaking to a wide range of people with differing interests and experiences, these interviews will promote discussion of the issues and raise the awareness that these supports are very much needed within the school system. Two of the interviews I did are up on the podcast and two more are due to be posted. It was really interesting hearing the different points of views. The pandemic probably made things a little easier because more people are now online or on social media,’ added Aisling.
She also has a mental health fair planned for the Dominican College Wicklow which will take place if Covid restrictions are lifted. She aims to pull all her work together so it is contained in the one document which she hopes will allow other students in other schools to run similar campaigns and awareness events in the future.
‘I want to get involved so I can see these changes being made. There should be a dedicated mental health professional for every school in the country. The approach to mental health in the Irish school system in Ireland must be improved. Student and parent voices are missing from this vital discussion and therefore I am looking to interview students, parents, past pupils and those who also wish to advocate alongside side our voices in order to strive for change,’ said Aisling.
Mental Health in Irish Schools is inviting others to take part either in recorded interviews or via a guest blog post if they have something they think would benefit this discussion. Aisling can be contacted via the website https://mentalhealthinirishschools.wordpress.com, and on Facebook and Instagram at Mental Health in Irish Schools.
What is the next Government coalition do you want this time around?
DESPITE ANOTHER ELECTION probably being a long way off for now, there’s been chatter about what the next government coalition might look like recently.
Fianna Fáil’s Jim O’Callaghan when asked about potential coalition talks with Sinn Féin this week said: “Fianna Fáil should neither rule in, nor rule out, any other party in respect of coalition, in advance of the next General Election.”
His comments come after The Irish Times reported this week that almost 20 Fianna Fáil TDs have said they would not rule out holding coalition talks with Sinn Féin in the future.
With the polls continually on the up for Sinn Féin, it is likely the next general election will be a three-horse race.
So, today we’re asking: What Government coalition do you want next time around?
Same again. Fianna Fáil-Fine Gael-Greens
Fianna Fáil-Fine Gael with some other smaller parties
Sinn Féin-led coalition with smaller parties
Fianna Fáil-led coalition with smaller parties
Fine Gael-led coalition with smaller parties
Sinn Féin-Fianna Fáil coalition with smaller parties
Sinn Féin coalition – A year after the general election, Martin indicates a sea-change in FF stance
Almost 20 Fianna Fáil TDs have said they would not rule out holding coalition talks with Sinn Féin after the next general election.
It comes after Taoiseach Micheál Martin appeared to soften his stance on the prospect of Fianna Fáil negotiating with Mary Lou McDonald’s party, suggesting it “may evolve depending on policy”.
While some party members expressed concerns about Sinn Féin’s policies, almost every Fianna Fáil TD who responded to queries from The Irish Times expressed a willingness to sit down with Sinn Féin after the next election.
Some TDs also said they believed the party made a mistake in not doing this after the 2020 general election.
Those who are open to the possibility include senior party members such as Jim O’Callaghan as well as Ministers of State Robert Troy and James Browne.
The Irish Times attempted to contact all 38 Fianna Fáil TDs on this issue and 19 responded.
In all, 17 TDs including Mr Martin indicated they were open to revising the party’s approach to Sinn Féin.
The development marks something of a sea-change in Fianna Fáil’s stance exactly one year after a general election, where Mr Martin ruled out talks with Ms McDonald citing policy differences and because he didn’t consider Sinn Féin to be a normal political party.
One year later the picture has changed.
In an interview with The Irish Times for the Winter Nights Festival at the end of January Mr Martin was asked what his position was now and if the situation had evolved.
He said: “It may evolve depending on policy and policy content and how things develop.
“When I look into the future I am not going to be totally predicting what will and what will not happen.
“That said, at the moment, I think Sinn Féin’s policy platform on a range of issues would make it very difficult for us to coalesce with them.” He cited the economy, social matters and Sinn Féin’s attitude to the EU.
Mr Martin also said: “In future situations I think there will be far more flexibility all around but I think it will centre on policy and policy initiatives.”
Several other Fianna Fáil TDs have now expressed similar views.
Mr O’Callaghan, a TD for Dublin Bay South, said: “Fianna Fáil should neither rule in nor rule out any party for coalition purposes” after the next election. He said the party should fight the election on its own manifesto and record and, if successful, seek to form a government with “parties who have compatible policies”.
‘Error’
Another senior TD, Barry Cowen of Laois-Offaly, said he would “rule nothing out but it’ll be a matter to be considered down the road”. He said it was an “error” not to meet Sinn Féin after the last election.
He said it may not have led to government-formation talks but the public would have appreciated the option being explored.
Dublin South West TD John Lahart echoed the view that it was a mistake not to hold exploratory talks last year though he said he believed Sinn Féin would have rebuffed any Fianna Fáil overture.
He said that next time “if the necessity arises, we should not exclude anyone who is serious about forming a government”.
Minister of State for Trade Robert Troy said he believes the current coalition with Fine Gael and the Green Party is doing well and doesn’t envisage an election for another four years.
He also said: “Any party with a democratic mandate deserves to be spoken with and I don’t think you should rule anybody out without at least talking to them.”
Minister of State for Justice James Browne also said what while Fianna Fáil should not be ruling out anyone for coalition, he would have “deep concern” about entering government with Sinn Féin in particular in relation to what he says are “their populist economic policies”.
Sligo-Leitrim TD Marc Mac Sharry, referring to the Taoiseach’s recent comments to The Irish Times, said: “It is a crying shame that wasn’t his position over the three years running into the last general election.”
He said “the arithmetic” of the Dáil is a matter for the people and it’s “arrogant in the extreme” for parties to say they will “not do business with X, Y or Z”.
All TDs who offered their views to The Irish Times expressed various reservations about Sinn Féin from their economic policies to qualms about the party’s history but none ruled out the prospect of talks.
Just two TDs who responded – Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl and Cork South West’s Christopher O’Sullivan – did not offer a view. Another who did not want to be named was open to future talks with Sinn Féin.
Jim O’Callaghan – Dublin Bay South: “My view is that at the next election Fianna Fáil should neither rule in nor rule out any party for coalition purposes. By ruling out a party we spend too much time talking about that party. Fianna Fáil should contest the next election on our own manifesto and record. If we are successful and receive sufficient support from the electorate, we should try to form a government with other parties who have compatible policies.
Jim O’Callaghan, TD for Dublin Bay South. Photograph: Cyril Byrne
‘Child victim reporting ban can not go on’ says Jim O’Callaghan
The Child victim reporting ban on naming a child murder victim once someone has been charged with the offence is ‘absurd’ and ‘extremely unfair’ on the victim’s families, the Dáil has heard.
Fianna Fáil TD Jim O’Callaghan said the restriction has led to ‘significant harm and damage’, and that it needs to be changed.
Last October, the Court of Appeal ruled that the Children Act 2001, which prevents the identification of a child when someone is charged with an offence against them, did not exclude a deceased child.
This has led to a significant change in the reporting of child murder cases – with victims not able to be named once someone is charged.
Deputy O’Callaghan, who is seeking to introduce an amendment to the Act, told the Dáil that Section 252 of the Act needs to be altered. He added that it was ‘never envisaged’ it would apply to a child that had been killed.
‘Up to 2019 there was no such understanding of the application of that provision, and never was it the case that children who had been killed were anonymised once the case came to trial,’ he said.
‘That has resulted in very significant harm and damage.’
The Fianna Fáil justice spokesman added that the restriction has caused ‘significant confusion’ among the public.
‘People are informed after a child has been killed, and that is correct because it is such a major issue in society,’ he said.
‘The public is informed and the child is named. However, once proceedings have commenced then the media cannot identify the name of the child.
‘It does lead to absurd situations where a child would have been named in the media for a period of days, then once an individual is charged… the child cannot be named anymore.’
Mr O’Callaghan added that it was unfair for families to go through this process whereby ‘the memory of their child is being airbrushed from history’.
He continued: ‘It is extremely unfair to families that this law is now operating as it is.
‘It is unfair to the memory of children that have been killed that we allow this law to continue.’
Minister for Justice Helen McEntee said she intends to bring a memo to Cabinet next week to deal with the issue.
Ban on naming child murder victims ‘absurd’, Dáil hears
A ruling last year led to a significant change in the reporting of child murder cases once someone is charged in relation to the offence.
A BAN ON naming a child murder victim once someone has been charged with the offence has been described as “absurd” and unfair on the victim’s families, the Dáil has heard.
Fianna Fáil TD Jim O’Callaghan said the restriction has led to significant harm and damage.
The Court of Appeal ruled last October that the Children Act 2001, preventing the identification of a child where someone is charged with an offence against them, did not exclude a deceased child.
It led to a significant change in the reporting of child murder cases once someone is charged in relation to the offence.
O’Callaghan told the Dáil that section 252 of the Children Act needs to be amended, saying that it was never envisaged it would apply to a child that had been killed.
He sought to introduce an amendment to the 2001 Act that would allow child murder victims to be named.
“It was never envisaged that the provision would apply in respect of a child that was had been killed and it never applied in that extent,” the Fianna Fáil justice spokesman said.
“Up to 2019 there was no such understanding of the application of that provision, and never was it the case that children who had been killed were anonymised once the case came to trial.
“That has resulted in very significant harm and damage.”
He said the decision has caused “significant confusion” among the public.
“People are informed after a child has been killed, and that is correct because it is such a major issue in society when a child is killed.
“The public is informed and the child is named, however once proceedings have commenced then the media cannot identify the name of the child.
“It does lead to absurd situations where a child would have been named in the media for a period of days, then once an individual is charged in respect of a child’s death, the child cannot be named anymore.
“It is extremely unfair on the families of the deceased that they have to go through this process whereby the memory of their child is being airbrushed from history.
“It is extremely unfair to families that this law is now operating as it is.”
Minister for Justice Helen McEntee said she intends to bring a memo to Cabinet next week to deal with the issue.
“It is unfair to the memory of children that have been killed that we allow this law to continue,” O’Callaghan added.
KNIFE CRIME, Gardai begin policing operation in Dublin’s north inner city after spate of violence
2 February 2021 • Neil Fetherstonhaugh • Sunday World
This follows an emergency motion at last night’s Dublin City Council meeting where local councillors called for prison sentences to be doubled for knife possession.
Gardai have confirmed that they have initiated a policing operation in Dublin’s North Inner city in response to a number of recent incidents in the area.
This follows an emergency motion at last night’s Dublin City Council meeting where local councillors called for prison sentences to be doubled for knife possession.
Councillors in Dublin’s north inner city made the call following a spate of stabbing incidents in the area in recent weeks.
One motion called for the prison sentence for possession of a knife to be increased from five years to ten as had been proposed in a private members bill from Fianna Fáil’s Jim O’Callaghan TD.
The motion was put forward by independent North city councillors Nial Ring, Anthony Flynn, Cieran Perry and Christy Burke and also called for a Ministerial task force to be set up.
Another cross party motion called for a meeting between the Lord Mayor and the Minister for Justice and Garda Commissioner.
Speaking ahead of the meeting, one of the councillors, Nial Ring, said the impact of recent knife attacks on the streets cannot be underestimated.
“People are literally living in fear and looking to the authorities for action,” he claimed.
“The four independent councillors in the Central Area are now, through this motion, calling for this action and the Minister must answer this call.
“Jim O’Callaghan’s proposed legislation, if enacted, will send out a powerful signal that knife crime will not be tolerated ” he added.
Another councillor, Cllr Cieran Perry, added: “Legislation is one part of the jigsaw in tackling this scourge but ultimately we need buy-in from the affected communities and in particular, the young people in the areas. The four Independent councillors intend to spearhead a ground-up initiative to highlight the knife risk to our youth”.
Cllr Christy Burke has requested an immediate meeting with senior Gardaí as well as senior officials from the Department of Justice to discuss the issue.
“A meeting with Senior Gardaí is essential as we need to know what policing response is in place and what additional resources are needed to equip the Gardaí to effectively deal with this problem,” he said
“If there are any barriers to tackling this problem we need to know what they are and what is needed to remove them.”
Also, Cllr Anthony Flynn pointed out that there has been “an alarming increase in knife crime within the North Inner City over the last number of months.
“What is required is an increase in visual police presence, active community policing and engagement with young people,” he said.
“The reintroduction of Jim O’Callaghan’s private member’s bill will be the first step in reassuring the city that knife crime will be taken seriously”.
Councillors to make urgent appeal for increase in knife-crime sentence to 10 years
Four Dublin councillors will table an emergency motion at today’s city council meeting calling on the Justice Minister Helen McEntee to act on previously suggested changes to the law which would double the sentence for knife crime to 10 years.
The former Fianna Fáil justice spokesman, Jim O’Callaghan, had proposed the change to the legislation.
But the Government has said there are no plans to amend the current legislation.
In the space of just over a week, the north-inner city of Dublin has been hit with a spate of savage knife crimes.
A 14-year-old boy has been charged in connection with a knife attack that led to an office cleaner needing life-saving surgery after she was stabbed in the neck on January 20 at the IFSC between George’s Dock and Custom House Quay.
Then on Tuesday last, a youth was stabbed on East Wall Road and died from his injuries.
In another attack last Thursday, a person was stabbed in an attack at Seville Place.
The four local councillors, Nial Ring, Christy Burke, Anthony Flynn and Cieran Perry, will bring a motion to the council calling on the Justice Minister to immediately facilitate the reintroduction of Deputy Jim O’Callaghan’s private members bill.
“The purpose of the bill is to amend Section 9 of the Firearms and Offensive Weapons Act, which increases the maximum sentence that can be imposed for the possession of a knife to cause injury to incapacitate or intimidate any person from five to 10 years,” the motion reads.
The councillors will also call on the minister to immediately set up a task force to address, research and analyse the causes of the increase in knife crime. But the Justice Department has previously said it has no plans for changing the sentencing on knife possession.
In an email to the Irish Independent last October, around the time of the sentencing of a youth for the killing of Dublin teenager Azzam Raguragui, a department spokesman said the Government is “very aware of the concerns which many members of the public hold with regard to the issue of knife crime”.
“We are all familiar with the problems which have emerged in neighbouring jurisdictions in this regard and the Government is determined to ensure similar problems do not develop here in Ireland.
“While the problem is not of a similar scale here, any stabbing incident can cause irreparable physical harm and have potentially tragic consequences,” he said, adding that the maximum penalty for a conviction for possessing a knife in a public place without good reason or lawful authority was already increased from one to five years.
“There are no plans under the Programme for Government to amend this legislation further at this time,” he said.
Mr Ring said: “People are literally living in fear and looking to the authorities for action. The four independent councillors in the Central Area are now, through this motion, calling for this action and the minister must answer this call,” he said.
Mr Perry said legislation is one part of the jigsaw “but ultimately we need buy-in from the affected communities and in particular, the young people in the areas”. Mr Flynn said: “What is required is an increase in visual police presence, active community policing and engagement with young people.”
Mr Burke has requested an immediate meeting with senior gardaí and senior officials from the Justice Department.
Josh Dunne: Knife thugs should spend more times behind bars, TD demands
30 January 2021 • Ailbhe Daly, Aakanksha Surve • DublinLive
Funeral arrangements for Josh Dunne will be announced on Tuesday
Knife thugs should spend more time behind bars in the wake of Josh Dunne’s tragic murder, a TD has demanded.
But Fianna Fail’s justice spokesman Jim O’Callaghan also acknowledged longer sentences alone won’t solve the problem.
Speaking after the teenager was stabbed to death this week, he said: “What we really need to emphasise to young men and boys is that it’s unacceptable for them to carry knives.
“Very many young men and boys now carry knives because they think it’s important for their self-defence.
“But we have learned, not just from the case of Josh, but in similar cases involving Azzam Raguragui or Cameron Blair, that people are unfortunately being killed with knives at an increasing level in Ireland and we need to approach it with education and warning young people of the danger.
“But I do think it’s important we increase the maximum sentence of carrying a knife with intent to cause harm or intimidate a person.”
Josh, 16, from Ballymun, North Dublin, was fatally stabbed in East Wall on Tuesday evening where he was believed to have been helping to defend someone.
A Brazilian man in his 30s was arrested in relation to the attack.
Mr O’Callaghan also warned child victims of crime are being forgotten due to a gap in the Children’s Act that needs to be amended. It says child victims can no longer be named once someone is charged with an offence against them – even if the child is dead.
Speaking on RTE, the TD said: “Section 252 says in relation to any proceedings in an offence against a child, you can’t report the name or identify the child.
“That makes sense when you’ve a child who is a victim of sexual abuse or has been assaulted, but it doesn’t if the child is deceased.
“While we’re able to talk now about how Josh Dunne was fatally stabbed, if somebody is charged, no broadcaster or newspaper will be able to report his name.
“Instead what we will hear is that a person has been charged in respect of the killing of a child. It creates an absurdity, as you can see.”
Irish soccer legend Robbie Keane also paid tribute to Josh who was described as a talented player.
He said: “Heartbreaking. A talented young footballer gone way too soon.”
Funeral arrangements for Josh will be announced on Tuesday.
His death notice reads: “Very sadly missed by his parents, brothers Dean, Warren, Ryan and Braden, sisters Jade and Emilia and especially Tina.”
Josh Dunne was a promising footballer who was a Bohs Academy player (Image: Bohemian FC)
