Marie Fleming and the right to die with dignity

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Pic: PA

For you and me, sitting here in the best of health - or near enough - it is impossible to imagine the thoughts and emotions of Marie Fleming, the 59-year-old woman who is slowly dying from Multiple Sclerosis.

Marie recently lost her High Court case to secure her right to die an assisted, dignified death; having explained to the court how her life "had become totally undignified and too painful to bear". 


Her hope was that if someone assisted her put an end to her suffering, as she was not able to do so herself, they would not be prosecuted.

Given the inherently conservative nature of Irish society, still informed as it is by residual religious dogma (Reuters reports refer to "mainly Roman Catholic Ireland"), the court said no. It cited the default slippery slope/opening the floodgates argument of those opposed to other forms of rationality and social progress.

So, if Marie dies naturally she will, most likely, in her own words:

"choke to death, where my swallow would stop and then the saliva would dribble out of my mouth or choke me to death."

How must it feel for Marie, waiting for this to happen? Living, as she does, in a country that is not progressive or humane enough to allow her avoid it?

How better it would be for her to live in Belgium,  where euthanasia is an option for the terminally ill.   All out in the open, no nod-and-a-wink, as it is in Ireland.  Hoping your doctor has the moral courage, and has the compassion, to give  you an extra shot of morphine to end it for you - in defiance of the official position that you should simply suffer. 

Maybe in time Ireland will catch up, and allow euthanasia for its terminally ill citizens.  Marie Fleming's brave attempt to win this right will have been the first step, as Sarah Wootton of Dignity in Dying said:



"Dignity in Dying campaigns for a change in the law on assisted dying in Britain. Nevertheless, compassion, dignity and choice in dying are universal issues and we monitor progress towards more compassionate laws in other countries with interest. 
"This result is disappointing, but sadly not unexpected. I commend Marie's courage in working to change the law in Ireland and am pleased that they intend to appeal this ruling.  When the law does change in Ireland it will be in no small part due to the courage and determination of Marie and others like her who do not accept the status quo which forces some people to suffer against their wishes at the end of life.
"In 2013 we will see Assisted Dying Bills in Westminster, Holyrood and across the channel in the French Parliament.  With these parliamentary attempts to change the law, cases like Marie Fleming's in Ireland and Gloria Taylor's legacy in Canada, we hope this year will be one of progress in end of life choice for people across the globe."  

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Kerry publican councillors vote for drink-driving permits

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In a country where one gombeen can often only be distinguished from another by the pattern on his flat cap, the following piece from the Irish Examiner should not come as too big a surprise to us..  

In short, the gombeen publican councillors of Kerry voting for special drink 'n' drive permits for their rural constituents/customers.

And no, it's not a joke.



Councillors back rural drink-drive ‘permits’
Donal Hickey,  Irish Examiner, Tuesday, January 22, 2013

A local authority has backed a call for "gardaí permits" to be issued to allow rural dwellers have a drink or two above the legal limits.

Kerry County Council approved a motion to allow "less severe drink driving regulations" for people in rural areas. 

The drink-drive limit is 50mg for all drivers and 20mg for learner or newly qualified drivers. 

However, the council supported a call for rural gardaí to issue permits to allow people in rural areas drive on little-used roads from their local pub after having "two or three drinks" and travelling at very low speeds. 

The motion, put forward by Independent councillor Danny Healy-Rae, was narrowly passed by elected members, although quite a number of councillors abstained. 

The councillor asked for "a special derogation" for rural drivers, including drivers of small tractors, to allow them to have two or three drinks. 

Mr Healy-Rae called for legislation which would allow rural gardaí to issue such permits. 

The councillor, who is a Kilgarvan publican, was supported by other publicans/councillors at the meeting, who insisted they were not acting as vested interests but out of genuine concern for elderly rural dwellers. 

The meeting heard strict drink-driving laws were leading to isolation which, in some cases, was a factor in suicide, said Mr Healy-Rae. 

It was unfair, he said, to impose the same restrictions on fellows with small tractors and jeeps as on commercial lorry drivers. 

"These vehicles wouldn’t be exceeding 30km/h on third-class tertiary roads and cul-de-sacs," Mr Healy-Rae said. 

"There’s no reason a fellow could not drive his small tractor to collect his messages, have a few drinks and go away home." 

Gardaí — if any were to be left in rural areas — would manage the permits, he suggested. 

Fine Gael’s Bobby O’Connell, a Castleisland publican, strongly supported the motion. 

"Rural isolation is a big problem. People are afraid to go out," he said. 

Fianna Fáil councillor and Milltown publican Michael O’Shea agreed, as did Michael Cahill, a Rossbeigh licensee and councillor. 

But Labour’s Gillian Wharton Slattery strongly objected to the linking of suicide with not being able to drink. 

Alcohol and drugs were huge factors in depression which, in turn, contributed to suicide, she stated. 

Most of the councillors abstained in the vote. 

Council officials are now to write to the Department of Justice seeking the introduction of rural permits.


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The hole at Oranhill Estate, Oranmore, Galway

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You have to feel sorry for the people who took on massive mortgages to buy homes - as opposed to "investments" -  during Ireland's world-beating, government-sponsored property bubble.  

Priory Hall, where people are paying mortgages for death-trap properties they cannot even stay in, constructed by ex-IRA property developer Tom McFeely.  I wonder what Connolly would have made of it?
Barnwell, Hansfield, Ongar, where many occupants bought properties on Manor Park and Menolly Homes' promise of a train to Dublin city every 15 minutes.   The road to access Hansfield railway station has never been built, and the few trains that do run on the M3 Parkway-Dublin line go through it without stopping.
Glenn Riada, Longford, where people are in danger of carbon monoxide poisoning and cannot light fires in their fireplaces for fear of explosion.
There are hundreds, if not thousands of other such examples - varying in degrees of severity - in our mad little country, run by gombeens and gobshites for gombeens and gobshites.
Here's another one from Oranhill Estate, Oranmore, Galway.  Posted on You Tube by three young residents.

Big thanks to Conor for bringing this to our attention.





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Paschal Mooney's "non-national" taxi driver remark not isolated example of official ignorance

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Here's a little game for you.  Count how many days  elapse before some gobshite gombeen politician  – councillor, senator or TD – says something really stupid (drink driving permits for tractor-driving rural types, for instance) or something incredibly Sixties-Deep-South bigoted (below).
The character pictured left goes by the name of Paschal Mooney –  I confess I'd never heard of him until last week.  
 Apparently he is a Fianna Fail senator for Leitrim and "a popular radio broadcaster and journalist" according to the following account from Sligo Today (24th Jan).  
Last week this fine public representative declared he would not get into a taxi driven by "an obvious non-national".   

When people objected to the nature of his remarks, he then "withdrew" any comments that might be "inferred as being discriminatory in any way".  He called it an apology.
Where else would you get a gobshite like this sitting in public office?   Comments that might be "Inferred as being discriminatory"?  
Here's the Oxford English Dictionary definition of the word "infer":

verb (infers, inferring, inferred)

[with object] deduce or conclude (something) from evidence and reasoning rather than from explicit statements.


In the light such a definition, Mooney's statement was as explicit as explicit can be – no room for inference.    
Amazing that a public representative and "popular broadcaster" can - one - make such a remark,  and – two – think such an "apology" is acceptable. 
Maybe it is?  At least by the standards we have set in Ireland?

Mooney apologises for non-national taxi driver remark

Leitrim-based Fianna Fáil Senator Paschal Mooney issued an apology to the Seanad yesterday for earlier stating he would not get into a taxi driven by an 'obvious non-national'.

The popular radio broadcaster and journalist said, “I made a personal statement to the house in which I withdrew any comments I made that were to be inferred as being discriminatory in any way and apologised. As far as I am concerned that is the end of the matter,” he said last night.

The Irish Times reported that earlier he indicated he would always seek out a local taxi driver rather than a non-national driver because of his concerns they didn’t know their way around.

“I wasn’t the only one who made reference to drivers particularly in Dublin... who didn’t know their way around,” he said last night.

His comments in the Seanad came when the house was discussing the Taxi Regulation Bill, which passed second stage.

Minister of State for Public Transport Alan Kelly took issue with a claim by Seán Barrett (Ind) that proposed new powers to prevent certain taxi drivers from obtaining or retaining public service vehicle licences amounted to double jeopardy.

Taxi Service Standards

Mr Barrett had criticised a provision in the Taxi Regulation Bill to withhold licences from operators convicted of serious criminal offences.

Mr Barrett contended that the wish of parliament to improve taxi service standards should not be used as a back-door method of reintroducing a limit to licence numbers “which gave us an appalling industry in the past”.

The Minister had stated there were about 6,000 taxi drivers who had some form of criminal conviction.

Mr Kelly said an economic analysis had indicated that there was an oversupply of between 13 and 22 per cent in the current taxi fleet.

The Bill represented the most comprehensive review of taxi regulation carried out in the State and he was confident that its new enforcement provisions would be broadly welcomed by the industry and consumers.

National radio stations ae reporting that Senator Mooney is 'unavailable' for comment this morning.


The following, from the same source, is worth a read too:
Show Racism the Red Card statement on Sen Pascal Mooney’s comments:
A year ago, Darren Scully had to resign as Mayor of Naas Town Council, after his position became untenable when he declared that he would not represent constituents from black African backgrounds.

Pascal Mooney took it a step further in his comments in the Senate where he declared that he would not be discriminatory but that he would not be using taxis driven by what he calls ‘non national’ drivers.

He said: ‘ I’ve been in taxis and I have to say, and I am not being discriminatory here, but it’s nearly always non-nationals.  And it’s got to the point where, quite frankly, and I make no apologies for it, that I will now go to a local driver in preference to somebody who’s a non-national – an obvious non-national, and that has nothing to do with the colour of their skin or anything of that nature’.

In a later statement he said: ‘It’s come to my attention that remarks I made about non- nationals during my contribution on the Taxis Regulation Bill 2013 earlier today have been misinterpreted’. He added: ‘I wish to unreservedly withdraw the remarks and apologise for any offence caused.  I fully acknowledge the contribution of non- nationals to the life of Ireland and I clearly stated at the time that my remarks should not have been misinterpreted as discriminatory to anyone’.

No misinterpretation of remarks
Co-ordinator for Show Racism the Red Card Garrett Mullan said this evening: ‘It seems as though Senator Pascal Mooney will need to make yet another statement of clarification.  While on the one hand he says he is not being discriminatory, on the other he says he will choose a ‘local’ driver over an obviously non- national.

At this point, I would state that the number of people who can be described as non- national is extremely small to the point of insignificance.  We can assume he is talking about drivers who are non- Irish born.

If he is to stand over his statement that he would choose a ‘local’ over a non Irish national, that would be racism and discriminatory action on his part.

If we were to infer that Senator Pascal Mooney would not have an issue with a non-Irish taxi driver, that would be somewhat welcome, if only normal.  However his second statement does not clarify this matter.

His second statement states he withdraws his remarks but states: ‘It has come to my attention, that remarks have been misinterpreted’.

There can be no misinterpretation of comments that are now on the Senate record’.

Mr Mullan added: ‘It is unfortunate that the issue of racism as it affects the taxi trade was not addressed in this legislation.  We have many reports of customers skipping by cars, as Pascal Mooney suggested he would do, to avoid obviously non-Irish drivers.  De-regulation of the taxi trade led to an explosion in the number of drivers.  

This measure happened when Senator’s party was in government.  One affect of this was to make earning living in the taxi trade a lot more difficult, to the point where drivers are working excessively long hours just to earn a living.  As to the issue of the issue of driver standards and knowledge of geography, if this is regarded as essential to the trade, which is reasonable, then it should apply to all drivers’.

Mr Mullan concludes: ‘Non Irish nationals represent over 10% of Ireland’s population.  They work in different areas including the taxi trade and they have the right to work without being subject to discrimination.  There have been repeated reports about how racism affects the taxi trade produced by the Immigrant Council of Ireland, NUI Galway and other media reports.  It would be more helpful to the taxi trade if politicians sought to address this issue, rather than exacerbating it with their own anecdotal notions’.

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Begging in Dublin... guaranteed Irish

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I have long held the view that racism is deeply institutionalised in Ireland.  And when something is institutionalised it means that very few people even notice it.  It permeates all levels of society, from judges to down-and-outs.  

Having lived outside Ireland for many years  - too few, in retrospect  -  I can honestly say that I've never seen someone begging on the streets and trumpeting their nationality in hope of favour.  

The pic below was seen in The Irish Times, Friday, February 1st.






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I can't believe how nice people can be!!!

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I have a student who has told me about his grandma who sews and sells baby blessing dresses.  Yesterday morning, he stopped me in the hallway before school and pulled out this BEAUTIFUL white baby dress.
I was blown away at the detail and the beading and everything.  After I oohed and ahhed for a few minutes, I folded it carefully and put it back in his backpack.  I just figured he wanted to show me his grandma's amazing work.

THEN!  He came into his class a couple hours later and said, "My grandma actually wants you to have this."

Excuse me??  He couldn't be serious!

He ensured me that he was, indeed, being serious.  Apparently she thought I would appreciate it.  He said she occasionally gives them away, and she thought I would appreciate it.

Umm, yes I do!!!

I asked if he knew her address so I can send her a thank you card.  He didn't know it but told me her website.

I found the website.  I found an address and email address.  And I found the price of the dress she gave me.

Brace yourself...
$258

Oh. My. Word.  I can't even believe it!  What a kind and generous woman!  She's never even met me!

There are good people in this world.

Lookin' Good

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So let me start by showing you approximately what I was wearing at school today...
(oh, and don't forget the brown flip flops)I know...not exactly what Stacy and Clinton would recommend for a teacher to wear to work.  But it was just one of those mornings where I didn't really care what I was wearing and didn't spend much time on packing a lunch (string cheese and an apple...what else do you need, really?)  And I grabbed the jacket at the last second because I knew it was a little chilly outside.

When I got to school, I was walking down the hallway, and a student stopped me and said, "Whoa, Miss Lacey!  Are you teaching PE today?"

Later in the day, I had a student ask me in class, "Miss Lacey, are you sick today?"

For the record, no I was not teaching PE.  And no, I'm not sick.

Apparently I looked frumpy today. And ill.  But my classroom is so stinking cold, so I had a cold, red nose and had to keep my jacket on.

Perhaps I should put a little more time into my clothing selections at work.

Or become a PE teacher.