Bernard Moffatt's blog

With food and fuel poverty an issue in Mann and with last summer's warning from the foodbank about the problems for children from poorer households when there were no school meals I found this initiative on child welfare by the Irish Times of interest (see link below).

Pro Choice supporters in Mann have welcomed the introduction of Abortion law reform legislation but in Ireland where similar changes to allow abortion were introduced women are still having difficulty accessing the service

‘Rebel Telly’ reporter Madeleine Johansson talks to People before Profits Adrienne Wallace about the situation:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=19&v=W1LwXV6xNLs

Bernard Moffatt

Celtic League

The Irish government's decision to licence oil exploration licences in the Celtic Sea has been condemned by political and environmental groups who say it conflict with commitments to climate change targets:

“According to People Before Profit’s Brid Smith, today’s decision to grant the licence contrasts badly with Mr Bruton’s “lofty rhetoric on climate change”.

I was saddened to hear of the death of Brian Stowell a great Manxmen and pivotal figure in the Manx language revival (report here from Manx Radio):

https://www.manxradio.com/…/loss-of-giant-of-manx-language…/

Brian was active for many years in a number of inter-celtic organisations including the Celtic League, the Celtic Congress and the Connolly Association.

Great article here on the legendary Irish singer Margaret Barry in the Irish Times. Margaret Barry started her singing career as a street singer in Ireland in the 1930s and ended up performing at the Newport festival with Joan Baez and Bob Dylan.

There was great passion in her singing as with the 'Cycling Championship of Ulster' often song at sessions in the Isle of Man by the Manx linguist, musician and singer Brian Stowell. Here’s a link to the real thing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuKZdM_NvBY

Manx Radio announces the arrival of its latest MD at what it describes as a ‘pivotal time for broadcasting’.

‘Give my head peace’ haven’t Tynwald just approved ‘John the Baptists’ (aka Tim Baker MHK) status quo resolution with the caveat that Chris Thomas MHK chase up the BBC for a bit of a rebate. Chris mind you on the charm front may just succeed - imagine sending Treasury Minister ‘Alfred C’ he would just shout at everyone!

Talks are underway to avert a strike by Nurses in the Irish Republic planned for the end of the month.

Government Ministers including the Taoiseach have been criticised by remarks they have made about the Nursing profession ahead of the strike.

This report at Green News ie expresses concerns of environmentalists about extensions to heath burning of uplands. The new regulations would allow an additional month of hedge cutting in August and an additional month of burning in March:

https://greennews.ie/public-consultation-upland-burning-bo…/

Burning of vegetation in March would critically endanger birds that are just starting to breed and will also impact bees that depend on the gorse as a food source, according to BirdWatch Ireland. (link):

As we suggested in the earlier post on our CL Mannin Facebook site Hitachi has now confirmed a halt to its plan to develop a new build nuclear power plant at the Wylfa site on Anglesey:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-46900918

The Celtic League welcome the news and hope the 'pause' becomes permanent.

The latest move coming after other plans to build a new series of reactors at Moorside in Cumbria were halted last year and casts a huge shadow over the 'next nuclear' strategy.

David Cretney MLC asks is the tax regime fair and are the free school meal figures an indicator of unfairness. He presumably is going to press the Treasury Minister on this and get the usual bland answer. I know the answer - the tax regime is unfair and people are struggling and indeed by adjusting things like EPA entitlement COMIN want to make it even more unfair:

https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/iom-income-tax-fair-to-all/