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Brexit: No hard border to Northern Ireland – Is that really possible?

Written by Joerg Steegmueller
Brexit: No hard border to Northern Ireland – Is that really possible?

For weeks this issue is in the media and it is/has been a big hurdle for the Brexit negotiations. No matter what some might WANT, Northern Ireland is part of the UK and the fact that it once was part of Ireland or the fact that it is located on the island of Ireland does not change that. Valid treaties are in place and unless they change Northern Ireland will remain to be a part of the UK. And if the whole UK leaves the EU, then this will also mean that Northern Ireland will leave the UK.

I am well aware that the population of Northern Ireland is divided on their allegiances and many would prefer a closer relationship or even a “re-unification” with Ireland, I am also aware that nobody would want to get back to the situation before the “Good Friday Agreement” from 1998, when terrorist organisations on both sides and highly questionable official forces made life hell for everybody.
But being from a border area elsewhere, I also am well aware that a border or even border controls is not the biggest problem in the world. Sure, we would all prefer a borderless world, but we have on one hand no problem causing a huge amount of in-humane problems to non-EU citizens who want to visit us in the EU, but on the other hand, many think that a border between Ireland and Northern Ireland would be the worst possible scenario.

I don’t agree that borders are a problem. When I grew up we regularly went to France, which was only 20 minutes away and it was never a big problem. Two countries, two set of laws and rules and a border made some sense. The EU states worked hard to break down the borders, but if one state decides to leave, I can’t see how it will work not to have borders again.

Nevertheless, it was announced on Friday that after long negotiations it was agreed that there will be NO hard borders between Northern Ireland and Ireland. So no border controls! But nobody seems to know yet how that will work in reality.

UK government said that they will ensure that there are no barriers to trade between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK. So, there won’t be a border between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK and there won’t be a border between Northern Ireland and Ireland. BUT there might be completely different tax rules. Do you see the problem?

Have a look at the agreed document here. It says nothing and leaves a lot to Phase 2 negotiations and at the same time the agreement says a lot. Clause 49, for example, more or less implies that Northern Ireland might stay in the EU Customs Union and in the Single Market. And Clause 50 promises that there won’t be any barriers between Northern Ireland and the UK, but this is then probably only possible if the UK also stays in the EU Customs Union and the Single Market. :-O

Either that agreement is not worth the paper it is printed on OR the UK just has abandoned Brexit in large parts. Odd!!

Brexit, Irish, Odd, Politics, Taoiseach, , , , ,

Are we all becoming Snowflakes?? Public opinion about “Ophelia Offenders”

Written by Joerg Steegmueller
Are we all becoming Snowflakes?? Public opinion about “Ophelia Offenders”

The ex-hurricane Ophelia came to visit us last Monday and it was very much a mixed experience. Some people lost property, experienced damage to their house, were cut off from electricity and phone/Internet and sadly three people even lost their lives. Others, however, just saw a few leaves being blown around or a plastic bag flying by. Yes, the experience was THAT diverse! And by the way, this is not a flippant assessment of the storm that Met Eireann warned us with a “RED” weather warning about, but it is based on actual media reports and on comments from people like you and me on the Dublin Event Guide Facebook Page.

People were at home on Monday because a large part of business asked their staff to stay at home all over the country because the weather warning applied to the whole country. And when we are unexpectedly at home with no other plans and nowhere to go, we do nowadays “jump on” the Internet. A huge amount of people did and also shared their opinions and I would definitely say that there were many more opinions given than on other days.

But what surprised me was how judgemental and condemning people are without KNOWING better, just by THINKING they know better. And it also surprised how all this judgement was not based on REAL events but only on EXPECTED events. Let me give you some examples:

1) Two surfers were rescued in Co. Louth on Monday and outraged ensued: “How could they be out in the water during a RED Weather Warning? How irresponsible to get a Lifeboat and a helicopter and other rescue services to bail them out when everybody knows that it is super dangerous.”
Well, let’s look at some of the facts: Surfers ALWAYS go surfing in strong wind, there is no surprise. The rescue happened at 10:20, which was approx. THREE hours before Ophelia arrived in Dublin and between 4 and 5 hours before it was forecasted for Co. Louth, so there were without a doubt NO “RED” state conditions out there even if the Red warning was already – and probably unnecessarily – applicable for the whole country. In addition it was not reported why these surfers got into difficulty and – like mountain walkers – surfers get in difficulty regularly. Can you criticise them over getting into difficulty? Most likely YES!!! If they lack experience, they shouldn’t be out there. But that is completely independent from the Met Eireann weather warning and applies in every storm that is outside of their skill level.
Conveniently the report in the Irish Independent was decorated with a dramatic pictures of mad and dangerous waves in the Tramore, Co. Waterford, one of the worst affected areas. There was no picture from Co. Louth displayed.

2) The missing picture of the REAL conditions in Co. Louth was provided in the next case, but it was duly ignored by the masses of complainers: Dave and Steve Flynn, the owners of “The Happy Pear” in Greystones and other parts of Dublin posted a picture of themselves on Instagram leaving the sea after their morning swim and they wrote “Happy Monday. The calm before the storm this morning where there was blue sky and the sea was like a pool. Inspite of weather warning it was one of the calmest mornings in a while so there was no risk in having a swim.” On the picture you could see a TOTALLY calm see with no waves and no danger. Unfortunately the time is not reported, but I’d say the Flynn brothers are the type of people that mean “early morning” when they say morning, so that means the storm was still far away and we CLEARLY see in the picture that there is no danger.
That didn’t stop “Moneymaid”, however, to comment on The Journal.ie article with “People who swim/walk piers etc in weather like this intentionally put our front line staff in danger. They should be prosecuted if front line staff are required to assist them.”
How does that make sense? NO “front line staff” was put in danger by their swim! Nobody was called out. WHY should anybody be prosecuted if in perfect conditions someone goes for a swim.
Just because there is a blanket warning in place? What about taking personal responsibility and being able to assess the dangers yourself instead of freaking out over something that MIGHT happen in a few hours.
And by the way, if the picture had shown ANY choppiness or waves – and I am talking about moderate waves, not just high waves – I would totally agree that maybe there was a risk and it would be wiser to avoid putting yourself in danger and risking to need help. But there was NO danger.
The Flynn brothers had to apologise over this storm in a teacup … and I am not referring to Ophelia, but to the uproar about their swim!

So what is going on here? Why are people so hypersensitive and so over “protective” (or rather judgemental)?

In 1996 Chuck Palahniuk used the term “Snowflake” in his novel Fight Club and that since has become a term used to characterise a generation that is more prone to taking offence and less resilient than previous generations or that is too emotionally vulnerable to cope with views that challenge their own. (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation_Snowflake) (There is also a more recent meaning of Snowflake in a political context, I am not referring to that!)

Are we all becoming snowflakes? Worried stiff about totally calm water just because someone said “Code RED”? Are we becoming incapable of correctly (!) assessing dangers and making appropriate decisions? Do we need to be wrapped in cotton wool by our government and other authorities?

I think the surfers in Co. Louth possibly should have stayed at home. Not because of the storm warning, but because maybe they didn’t have the skills required even if there had been no warning. But it also is possible that they would have got into trouble without an approaching storm. Leg cramps and lots of other things can happen even on the finest day.
The Flynn brothers on the other hand did absolutely nothing wrong!

And in case you wonder: My opinion about the man who swam in Galway, while the storm was raging: He is an idiot and DEFINITELY shouldn’t be there!

—–

Let me leave you with one more story:
In 2015 Teresa Mannion became famous with her report about storm Desmond www.youtube.com/watch?v=mI5Oxj04_8s and she is a bit of a “storm personality” since then. So many were hoping for a repeat of her warnings during Ophelia but it was a much calmer affair this time here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=X5BYKUBOvAs Still you have to wonder what Teresa Mannion means when she says in the report “This was a day to remain indoors, unless absolutely necessary to venture out.” Hmm is it really absolutely necessary for Teresa Mannion to venture out on such a day?

 

Environment, Irish, Society, Uncategorized, , , , , , , , , , ,

Is This the End of Drinks Receptions and Exhibition Openings?

Written by Joerg Steegmueller
Is This the End of Drinks Receptions and Exhibition Openings?

I don’t drink much alcohol and because I usually drive, it is just to risky even to have a glass of wine, so it wouldn’t affect me personally much, but it is interesting to observe how confused and ambivalent the attitude to alcohol in our society is.

We know that it is not doing anything good, but it is completely normal to get access to alcohol. Things are different for other substances that could possibly even help suffering patients. An interestingly different approach between the two.

But alcohol challenges the politicians. On one hand, they would like to forbid it, on the other hand they are SERIOUSLY afraid to do so because they fear the negative consequences from the voters at the next elections.

So instead they tinker around with the rules. More and more stringent drink driving laws which drive Danny Healy-Rae crazy and other attempts to influence what happens in society, but the consequent step of a blanket ban will be avoided at all cost.

Now it looks like the next restriction could be free alcohol that you might get at your hair dresser. It seems that the “Irish Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (IACP)” and “Addiction Counsellors of Ireland” are asking the Health Minister to forbid free alcohol at a hair dresser. But if that will be forbidden, then all free alcohol, even at a drinks reception or at an exhibition opening will have to be forbidden. And if free alcohol will be forbidden, then there won’t be any glass of wine to welcome people anymore because the only other alternative would be to sell it and that is obviously illegal without a license.

Just forbid alcohol completely. That would be the only honest thing and then we (and politicians) have to deal with the consequences OR alternatively stop getting into a panic over the odd glass of free drink!

The Irish Independent reported it here.

Irish, Society, ,

Don’t mention the war!! – Mentioning Condoms in Ireland is maybe even worse

Written by Joerg Steegmueller
Don’t mention the war!! – Mentioning Condoms in Ireland is maybe even worse

The brilliant comedy “Fawlty Towers” from 1975 had a quote in its sixth episode that survived decades and even today is still known by many – even younger generations  – although they often don’t know where it originally came from. The episode was about a military drill in Fawlty Towers Hotel when Basil Fawlty insults a group of Germans with lots of references to the war despite his own mantra “Don’t mention the war!”.

You can read the whole plot here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Germans

I remember when I was in Germany the first time and some friends had invited a group of friends for an evening of “Fawlty Towers” screenings. They had forgotten about the quote and were hugely embarrassed (because of my presence) when the “Don’t mention the war!” episode was screened. I wasn’t embarrassed in the slightest (or insulted!). In fact, I find Fawlty Towers hilarious and loved that episode.

Anyway, why am I mentioning this? Well the war was this unspeakable thing that must not be mentioned or someone would be insulted.

Until 1980 (!!) contraception was illegal in Ireland and only from 1985 (Imagine!) condoms were allowed to be sold in Ireland without a prescription. That was shockingly late, but Ireland was anything but liberal at that time. Luckily a lot has changed in the 32 years since. …or has it??

Breaking News reported about complaints that were submitted to the Advertising Standards Authority for Ireland (ASAI) and one of the complaints was about a Lidl ad in which a (real) mother and her two grown up (real) sons go shopping in Lidl. They buy lots of different things and at some stage, the mother asks her sons “Family pack of condoms?”

AIDS/HIV and STD awareness campaigners would be thrilled with the smart mother who can openly advise her sons and is “brave” enough to suggest that they should use condoms, not so a viewer of the ad. He or she thought this was “inappropriate” because the advertisement was broadcast at a time when children may have been watching.

WTF? How do kids get damaged by that question? I hope that viewer is old (and catholic) that would be the only half-acceptable justification for such nonsense and for taking the time to send a written complaint about this non-story.

Luckily (and rightly so) the ASAI rejected the complaint, but it shocked me that they didn’t say that the complaint was ridiculous, instead they said because the ad was not broadcast before 19:00 it was not seen in or around children’s programming. And they also said that they did not consider that the advertising “had addressed children either directly or indirectly” and they were of the opinion that the question at the time specified was “inappropriate”.

This reply is more shocking than the complaint! Because it implies that if the sentence had been asked BEFORE 19:00, then it would or could have been inappropriate. What a mad idea!

Irish, Odd, Society, , , , , , , ,

ID Cards for Ireland? – Storm in a Tea Cup

Written by Joerg Steegmueller
ID Cards for Ireland? – Storm in a Tea Cup

There are passports in Ireland and most people have one, but for some strange reason some people in Ireland are totally and passionately against any type of ID Card system and currently there is a huge amount of panic amongst that group of people. I really can’t understand why that is! But then I read something that worried even me!

It all started with a report in the newspapers about a woman who’s pension was withheld because she didn’t agree to getting a Social Services Card. We are told that there are currently close to 3mio Social Services Cards issued to people in Ireland and with all children excluded and a population of around 4.7mio, that seems like a huge amount. The card was initially used to combat Social Welfare fraud, but it seems it is now unnecessarily also used for lots of other things and that seems to panic people.

The unnecessary uses of the card are in areas where it seemingly is used as an ID Card, for example if you want to do a driver theory test or if you want to apply for or renews a drivers license or a passport. There is NO need to use a “Public Services Card” in these cases. Instead it should be absolutely find to bring your passport as ID. (The worldwide joke of having to bring some other forms of identity to renew a passport is something I will write about another time. ;-) )

There is no obligation to have a passport AND there is no obligation to have a Public Services Card, but it seems without the Public Services Card you can’t get any services so there is a form of obligation.

But let me pick the pieces apart first:
1) Is an form of ID Card justified for people that receive Social Welfare? I absolutely think so. It helps fighting against fraud.
2) Should a Public Services Card be used for all the other services I have mentioned above? Absolutely not if the person has a passport instead. Sure it can be an option to ID yourself, but only ONE option.
3) Is the Public Services Card a National ID card? No! It isn’t and it doesn’t look like one BUT it is used like an ID card and therefore the principle of “If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck it most likely is a duck” will apply.

Now SHOULD there be a National ID Card? I definitely think so! It does make sense to have a form of ID (instead of having to bring two household bills!!) but the use of the information “behind” the ID Card has to regulated and should be limited and that is where even I have concerns about the ability of the Irish government and state to protect its citizens.

As you know, I am German. In Germany we have National ID Cards (called Personalausweis) since 1951!! And the requirement to always have an ID card with you was introduced in 1939 and nobody has a problem with this law. I never experienced any problem due to the fact that I had an ID Card or that I had to carry it with me all the time and even today in Ireland, I always have my ID Card with me.

So what is the panic? It seems that the panic is caused by the fear of how the authorities could do bad things to you if they know who you are. BUT they can arrest you anyway if you do something bad with or without ID Card and if you don’t do anything bad then they should not be interested in you, right?

Well, in Germany (and other countries) the system seems to work and you wonder if this panic is just a storm in a tea cup!? A panic about some imaginary risk that will never happen?

But then I read the article in the Irish Times about the person that found her car registration details in the records of the Department of Social Protection. Information that they should have NO access to because every department should only have access to the information they need for their own business.

And when you realise that most likely the Irish government WILL screw this up again and will share information across all departments even if they shouldn’t. Then suddenly you wonder if the worries of the panicking privacy defenders and ID Card opponents are maybe a lot more plausible than it should be?

Irish, Justice, Politics, Society, Uncategorized, , , , , ,
 
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