Thursday, December 11, 2008
Democracy is dead
This is not a surprise to me as I predicted it would happen but I am still disgusted by the decision...
Ireland agrees to 2nd vote on EU treaty
This destroys forever the myth that the European Union is a democratic institution and, if this wretched Treaty is endorsed at the second attempt, then Irish democracy dies with it.
I voted against this Treaty in June like 53% of the electorate. We have now been dismissed in the most contemptible act of arrogance I have ever seen displayed by an Irish government.
I hear today the EU talking about issues like abortion and neutrality. These issues had no bearing whatsoever in my decision to reject this Treaty. I don't want it as I perceive it to be a threat to the sovereignty of nation-states across the EU.
My feelings are being dismissed out of hand. It is a disgrace.
If they want to push through this Treaty then they will have a fight on their hands to do it. I urge Irish people to stand up for democracy and not allow the European elite in Brussels to ignore our concerns.
As a proper European democrat once remarked, "I may not agree with what you have to say but I will defend to the death your right to say it."
I would implore even those voters who voted Yes in June to defend our right to say No, or risk losing that right forever.
Sunday, December 07, 2008
Pork recalled in massive food scare
In news that has meat-lovers everywhere sweating and vegetarians everywhere looking rather smug, all pork products made and sold here in the Irish Republic since September have been recalled over fears they are contaminated with a toxic substance.The dioxin, known as PCB, has been banned since 1979 and has been known to affect the immune system and reproductive system and, in certain cases, cause cancer.
Tests showed some pork products contained up to 200 times more dioxins than the recognised safety limit.
The contamination first came to light last Monday, but the positive tests in the pork were only confirmed Saturday afternoon and the Irish public have been advised to destroy all pork products purchased since September.
Contaminated feed was used at a total of 47 farms, nine of which were pork producing farms, with the remaining 38 being beef farms - one of these also produced pork products.
However the Food Safety Authority of Ireland has advised that it is not necessary at this time to have a similar withdrawal of beef products.
Alan Reilly of the FSAI said a whole range of products, including sausages, bacon, pizza toppings, should be destroyed. He urged consumers to return Irish pork products to retailers if possible or simply put them in the bin.
The Taoiseach and Minister for Agriculture Brendan Smith, have attended crisis talks at the Department of Agriculture following the discovery of the toxic substance in slaughtered pigs.
The discovery has also provoked concern in the farming community as the pork industry is the fourth biggest in the agriculture sector and is worth around €400 million per year.
Make no mistake about it this is a catastrophe for this country, and that is no exaggeration. This will really hit the farming sector hard and I know butchers who will be having a very bleak Christmas over this development.
The health question is of course the major concern though. Are we safe? I myself like pork and beef products as much as the next Irishman. I don't wolf down the stuff on a daily basis but I eat enough of it to be uneasy. What does this mean for me and people like me? What about the kids who eat ham sandwiches everyday for lunch at school? What about the elderly folks who enjoy a bacon sandwich for their supper? Are we all at risk? The government are telling us no...
"The state's Chief Medical Officer there was no need for the public to worry and that the government had taken a precautionary approach to minimise the risk to public health.
"Dr Tony Holohan said the public should simply destroy what pork products they have in their fridge and freezer. He said the dioxin is only dangerous if a person is exposed to it over a long period of time. In such circumstances, he said, it can have a range of effects on organs such as the liver and nervous system.
"But he stressed that the period in question here is much shorter, and such effects should not arise as the exposure has been identified at an early stage.
"Dr Holohan said because there is no risk from the low exposure, people do not need to seek medical help."
Yeah, SHOULD not arise. Much in the same way that situations like this SHOULD NOT ARISE. I wonder if this is simply being said in order to alleviate fears and prevent widespread panic?
Whatever the case, this is yet another sorry incident to add to this government's absolutely blunderful record in power. Have we put other countries at risk also? Well the UK's Food Standards Agency are awaiting confirmation from authorities here as to whether any of the affected products have been exported to the UK. So that's a maybe.
I have a few questions in all of this. Firstly, why isn't the beef being recalled if there are question marks hanging over it? Not that I'll be going near the stuff anyway. Secondly, how the hell was this allowed to happen? The idea that this stuff has been on sale for THREE MONTHS is frightening. And finally, if we shouldn't panic, then why are government ministers holding crisis talks, hmm?
I've disposed of my meat products anyway and have had to throw out some good ham. Like a lot of people I imagine, I'm fretting over the meat I have consumed in recent times including those tasty sausages I had on Friday night.
Anyways, to any overseas visitors who may be reading this, may I urge you to enjoy your Christmas ham this year because I'm sure there will be many Irish people giving it a miss.
This is another fine mess these clowns in office have gotten us into. You'd think they couldn't ruin anything else but they've actually made a pretty good stab at ruining Christmas. Kudos to them for that.
I would personally like to see the Minister for Agriculture Brendan Smith RESIGN, to see that waste of space Health Minister of ours Mary Harney RESIGN, plus, last but not least, a general election called for early next year so we can put right the mistake of last year and boot out this shower of incompetent idiots. Then we can get in some people who can actually govern the country without putting the country's citizens at risk. Only in Ireland eh?
Alas, that's about as likely right now as me tucking into a bacon cheeseburger.
Still if we aren't able to enjoy a bacon roll or a sausage roll at the present time, that doesn't mean we can't aspire for a few minister's heads to roll, isn't that right?
© 2008 United Irelander.
