gdp's Comments

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/ : Gerry Adams arrest: Police granted another two days to question Sinn Fein president over Jean McConv

Sun, 4 May 2014 09:41:25 +0000

I am not going to get into the speculation or conspiracy theories, because I just don’t know the guilt, or otherwise involvement of Mr. Adams regarding the murder of Mrs. McConville. What is fairly clear though is that the PSNI were compelled to act and investigate all accusations leveled against Mr. Adams, and failing to follow up all leads in a murder inquiry would be inexcusable. It’s the timing of the interview and arrest of Mr. Adams which brings a greater political significance and questions of double standards into what should be normal police practice. Only days before Mr. Adams arrest, Secretary of State Theresa Villers, ruled out an investigation in to the 1971 killing of eleven people in Ballymurphy by members of the British Army. What sort of message does this send out to the world? a single killing is rightfully investigated, while multiple killings are ignored, because its not in the public interest. One thing is now certain regardless of whether Mr. Adams is charged or released, Sinn Fein will now have a field day, and will take full political advantage of what would seem to be double standards. I would not be surprised to see a surge in support for Sinn Fein, and it would be ironic if this happened because of the investigation into the callous murder of Mrs. Jean McConville.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/ : It\'s easy to blame PSNI for riots, but politicians share blame - BelfastTelegraph.co.uk

Thu, 1 May 2014 13:19:36 +0000

A very good synopsis of the situation TJ, the PSNI has an unenviable job to perform in trying to contain hate fueled sectarian mob violence. In hindsight we all can do things better.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/ : Hate crime: Two thugs shouted racist abuse as they stabbed victim in Belfast - BelfastTelegraph.co.u

Sun, 27 Apr 2014 07:52:40 +0000

ribtickler, I totally agree, and Indians obviously feel safe in Australia they were the second highest intake of migrants in the last year. There were some sections of the Indian media who distorted the facts regarding attacks on Indian students and its good to see that the Indian Government investigation, showed that a relatively small number of students suffered racial attacks.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/ : Hate crime: Two thugs shouted racist abuse as they stabbed victim in Belfast - BelfastTelegraph.co.u

Sun, 27 Apr 2014 06:52:06 +0000

turquoise, here is a piece from wiki regarding Indian students in Australia . May help to answer your question. Australia is a popular destination for students from India. During 2009, some media in Australia and India publicised reports of crimes and robberies against Indians in Australia and alleged that they were racially motivated crimes. There were 120,913 Indian students enrolled to undertake an Australian qualification in 2009 and India was the second top-source country for Australia’s international education industry.[29] A subsequent Indian Government investigation concluded that out of 152 reported assaults against Indian students in Australia that year, 23 such incidents involved "racial overtones".[30] in 2011, the Australian Institute of Criminology released a study entitled Crimes Against International Students:2005-2009.[31] This found that over the period 2005-2009, international students were statistically less likely to be assaulted than the average person in Australia. Indian students experienced an average assault rate in some jurisdictions, but overall they experienced lower assault rates than the Australian average. They did, however, experience higher rates of robbery, overall.[32] Additionally, multiple surveys of international students over the period of 2009-10 found a majority of Indian students felt safe.[33]

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/ : Adams\' take on 1916 Rising is a lurid fantasy - BelfastTelegraph.co.uk

Thu, 24 Apr 2014 15:40:30 +0000

Pierce, there was never anything liberal or democratic about British rule in Ireland. The creation of Northern Ireland, against the wishes of the vast majority Irish people is a testimony to that. The resulting decades of marginalization and discrimination carried out against the Nationalist people while Britain turned a blind eye to this abuse of democracy is fresh in the memory of many Irish people. In 2016, Ireland will be rightly honoring those men and women who paved the way for an independent Irish Nation.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/ : Prince George: The bonny Royal baby worth a thousand State visits - BelfastTelegraph.co.uk

Fri, 18 Apr 2014 07:31:22 +0000

The decline in support for a republic in Australia is more than likely down to apathy. Last time around Australians were given a choice of retaining the monarchy or having a president appointed by parliament. It was the option with the least support amongst republicans and many refused to vote for a system that was similar to the current one, namely a leader unelected by the people. The Australian Labor Party have it as part of their policy yet the last two Labor leaders Mr. Rudd and Ms Gillard said it was not a pressing issue, and did not want to pursue it at this time. There is also support among some republicans of doing nothing while Queen Elizabeth remains monarch. In general, the whole issue of whether Australia should become a republic is more important to the monarchists and they tend to live in a constant state of vigilance. There is nothing surer as the demography in Australia changes there is less and less attachment to the United Kingdom. The recent return to imperial honours, system of knights and dames by the current government only has a 35% support, and has been the subject of ridicule and laughter by the majority of Australians. So let the monarchists have their day in the sun where they can greet and welcome the royal couple and their baby and momentarily breathe the same air. The rest of us plebs are just happy to say welcome to Australia Will and Kate and enjoy your stay.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/ : Peter Robinson: If Pope Francis visits Belfast as a head of state, then I would be there to greet hi

Mon, 14 Apr 2014 20:51:58 +0000

Wrecked Hum take it easy now, the Pope if he does visit will be seeing the new emerging Catholic state of Northern Ireland, and you should be delighted to witness a new dawning. Peter Robinson will be able to tell him how things use to be, and promise not to be a sectarian bigot anymore.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/ : Can the DUP still display leadership amid elections and parades? - BelfastTelegraph.co.uk

Mon, 14 Apr 2014 10:28:05 +0000

The reality is that Northern Ireland is about to become Unionism’s worst nightmare, namely a Catholic majority with Sinn Fein the dominant party and no amount of wishful thinking is going to change what is about to happen. They have been politically out maneuvered by a better educated and a more politically astute opposition

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/ : 2,500 get shirty over Jim Allister\'s bid to ban GAA tops from university campuses - BelfastTelegrap

Sat, 12 Apr 2014 09:55:36 +0000

Bigchief, having read pages 4and 5 of the GAA official guide, I would agree that it is Irish Nationalist in its ethos; however I do not see it as being political. There is nowhere that I could see that it supports any particular party. In fact on page 7 of the document it states "Non-Party Political The Association shall be non-party political. Party political questions shall not be discussed at its meetings, and no Committee, Club, Council or representative thereof shall take part, as such, in any party political movement. A penalty of up to twenty four weeks suspension may be Imposed " I would imagine that there are members of the GAA that support a variety of political parties. The PSNI have a Gaelic Football team and here in Australia the GAA have clubs in most states and territories .Here is an extract from their website. "Whether you're out from Ireland for a year or two, here to stay or whatever your ethnic background -Aboriginal, Maori, Papuan, Anglo, European, Asian, Afro, Nth or South American, Aussie or Kiwi you are welcome to come and play the all-round game of Gaelic football or even try your hand at the ancient art of Hurling or Camogie. If you just want to come and have a pint of Guinness or your favourite brew and watch or join in the "craic" (good fun and socializing) then check out the nearest venues and clubs on this site. " http://www.gaelicfootball.com.au/ The problem with accepting the GAA as a sporting and cultural body only exists in Northern Ireland where some sections of the community find anything Irish offensive, the refusal to introduce an Irish Language Act is proof of the bigotry which exists towards anything that could be seen as culturally Irish. Many of the Unionist population do not even identify as Irish, and are proud of their British identity and culture which of course is their right to do so. It is also the right of the GAA to promote Irish Nationalism through sport and language.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/ : Martin McGuinness has hijacked history, fumes Ulster Unionist leader Mike Nesbitt - BelfastTelegraph

Thu, 10 Apr 2014 22:52:41 +0000

Kid, you say the people of Northern Ireland need to be united before there is a United Ireland, and I would tend to agree that that would be the better option, however they are not united and Northern Ireland is still part of the United Kingdom. The reality is that it takes only a voting majority in Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic for unification to succeed. In a major constitutional change there would be a long negotiation period and the arguments for and against would be put to both electorates. Whatever the result, there would be those who would not like the outcome; but they would still have to accept the democratic will of the people. The Northern Ireland conflict arose because the partition of Ireland was established along sectarian lines with the threat of an all out war against the people of Ireland. The democratic process was totally ignored and continuous Unionist Governments abused the power that they were handed. We live in different times now and if ever an all Ireland state were to be established any threats of violence by those opposed to the democratic process would be dealt with by both the Irish and the British governments. The new understanding between Britain and Ireland will not be subjected to the whim of those who wish to operate outside the democratic process whether their views are Unionist or Republican.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/ : On the runs: Ex-PSNI chief constable Hugh Orde says \'no call to Downing Street asking him to releas

Fri, 4 Apr 2014 04:04:13 +0000

Whatever the outcome of this investigation may be there has been no evidence to date to support Mr. Baxter’s allegations. The whole thing sounds like a game of Chinese whispers, and being a non judicial enquiry the laws of hearsay or double hearsay do not apply. The only thing that can be said at this time is that either Mr. Baxter or Mr. Orde is being untruthful. This may come as a shock to some people but, police officers have been known to be untruthful when giving evidence. In allegations such as this, often people believe what they want to believe. This serious allegation of political interference in the matter of police in the performance their duty is scandalous and should be fully investigated, but until then we just don’t know what the truth of the matter is.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/ : Every one of Northern Ireland\'s top five schools is a Catholic grammar - BelfastTelegraph.co.uk

Wed, 2 Apr 2014 03:30:05 +0000

I totally agree TJ

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/ : Every one of Northern Ireland\'s top five schools is a Catholic grammar - BelfastTelegraph.co.uk

Mon, 31 Mar 2014 23:11:03 +0000

I just thought that I would give some statistics regarding Catholic and Independent schools as opposed to public schools in Australia. I quote from an article published in May 2011. “Figures quoted in the Commonwealth Parliamentary Library Background Note on school funding (November 2010) state, on average, that state school students receive $12,639 from state and federal governments, whereas a student at a non-government school receives $6,606. The Library paper also notes that the existing socioeconomic status (SES) funding model, currently being reviewed by a committee headed by the Sydney businessman David Gonski, is needs-based. In relation to government funding, wealthier non-government schools receive only 13.5 per cent of the recurrent cost of educating a student at a government school, what is known as the Average Government School Recurrent Cost (AGSRC). Research, both nationally and internationally, also concludes that Catholic and independent schools, even after adjusting for a school’s socio-economic profile, are able to achieve stronger results that government schools in areas like academic standards, completion rates and entry to tertiary studies. Gary Marks, from the Australian Council for Educational Research, argues that the strong performance of Catholic schools “cannot be attributed to socioeconomic background” and that students do well because of high levels of “parental and community involvement” with “higher standards of discipline and greater emphasis on academic performance”. Researchers Ludger Woessmann and Eric Hanushek in studies funded by the OECD investigating stronger performing education systems conclude that such systems are characterised by autonomy, diversity and choice in education – attributes commonly associated with non-government schools.” For the full article see http://www.abc.net.au/unleashed/2729036.html

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/ : Unionists apoplectic over \'colonialism\' quote - BelfastTelegraph.co.uk

Sat, 22 Mar 2014 09:24:20 +0000

Totally agree with you Dr Green, N Ireland is not a colony, if it were Britain would have walked out long ago. Instead it has a total mess on its hands a failed political entity, as it has been most aptly described.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/ : Where is equality on St Pat\'s Day? - BelfastTelegraph.co.uk

Wed, 19 Mar 2014 10:49:23 +0000

BPR, It should be remembered that not only is St Patrick’s Day a feast day on the Christian calendar, It is also Ireland's national day. It’s a day that the Irish celebrate throughout the world and it is also celebrated by those who are not Irish but wish to participate in the celebration of Irish culture. The problem lies with you, the celebrations do not exclude you, but you have self excluded because the idea of celebrating anything Irish does not sit well with your narrow minded attitude to you fellow citizens who identify as Irish. You are pathetic.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/ : Haass warning on failure to deal with Northern Ireland\'s divisive issues - BelfastTelegraph.co.uk

Wed, 12 Mar 2014 11:08:19 +0000

Dr Hass has every right to express his fears for Northern Ireland, he may have had limited knowledge of the place when he accepted this poison chalice but he now has first hand knowledge of the intransigence of Unionism. He was not to know that the unelected Orange Order could veto any reasonable proposal that may be put forward. Northern Ireland has been the carbuncle on the backside of Britain for decades, hardly surprising that Dr Hass failed to remedy, in a matter months, a malady that has been left to fester without adequate treatment by the Westminster Government . They established the sectarian state of Northern Ireland, and handed it over to the Orange Order to govern as they saw fit. Surprise surprise that Dr Hass failed to get agreement.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/ : Peter Robinson \'foolish\' to say he knew nothing about OTRs and John Downey, says Gerry Kelly - Bel

Thu, 27 Feb 2014 05:03:02 +0000

Simon, does the St Andrews agreement not give Dublin an input?

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/ : Fury as Gerry Kelly sues Matt Baggott over his Land Rover fracas - BelfastTelegraph.co.uk

Wed, 26 Feb 2014 08:09:41 +0000

Bap, The officer may well have felt that he was in danger. The PSNI are in an unenviable position having to deal with angry mobs and the violence that ensues. However the officer would have been armed, and enclosed in an armoured vehicle. Had he felt threatened, and in danger, requesting backup from the scores of police positioned close by would have been a better option rather than continuing to drive. He has pleaded guilty to the offense and is facing the prospect of disciplinary proceedings. His behaviour on the day has been called into question and rightly so. To ignore this behaviour would create a precedent that would be detrimental to the integrity of the PSNI.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/ : Fury as Gerry Kelly sues Matt Baggott over his Land Rover fracas - BelfastTelegraph.co.uk

Tue, 25 Feb 2014 22:43:53 +0000

If this civil case does go to court, the decision will be made regarding the actions of the pedestrian and the actions of the driver and unlike this forum, the personalities regarding the litigants in the matter will have little or no bearing on the outcome. The onus is normally placed upon the driver, to come to an immediate halt should a pedestrian accidentally or deliberately walk into the path of a vehicle. Making an emergency stop is mandatory in any driving test. If a driver was taking a driving test and continued driving after making contact with a pedestrian, and the pedestrian was still holding on to on the bonnet of the car for some short distance before the car stopped, he would fail the test.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/ : Black widow spider bites Irishman in Africa - BelfastTelegraph.co.uk

Thu, 20 Feb 2014 01:51:56 +0000

I agree Barbara, the Black Widow is similar to our Australian Red Back spider and the bite is not necrotic. They also tend to hide away under rocks logs or even outdoor furniture, they are not aggressive and will shy away when disturbed.