TFD

Collison brothers-backed Progress Ireland has disputed government’s account of its secret meeting with Jack Chambers. It’s understood that Progress Ireland executive director Seán Keyes has been boasting about his close relationship with Chambers. ontheditch.com/collison-back…

Today, the J7 Task Force met with Irish Taoiseach @MichealMartinTD and Secretary General of @dfatirl Joe Hackett to sound the alarm about rising antisemitism in Ireland and to urge immediate action to protect the country's Jewish community. We've seen in our own countries how an increasingly hostile environment for Jews can lead to deadly violence, as we witnessed in Bondi, Manchester, Boulder and Washington D.C. The demonization of Israel generates and fuels the surge in antisemitism in Ireland and beyond. We warned the Taiseaoch and the Secretery General that the conditions for an antisemitic terrorist attack are sadly all too evident in Ireland, and Ireland cannot afford to wait for a tragedy before acting.

Jim O'Callaghan's department refused more than half of Palestinian long-term visa applications decided this year – while denying only a quarter from all other nationalities It supports opposition claims of a policy change, despite O’Callaghan denying it ontheditch.com/more-than-hal…

Today is the day that any concept of a “New Ireland” died. The lies, spin and promises. It was always nonsense, and that had been laid bare. I never want any discord. I want to build a brighter future for Northern Ireland - for all of us. I work to that every day. I believe every person in this place I serve sees that. When others, including the First Minister and her party, have behaved with utter recklessness and disregard for stability and our institutions, I believe in responsibility. I have always embraced those who are different from who I am, and endeavoured to show respect. I have witnessed the tradition I come from treated with such utter contempt and hatred. “Little room, Great Hatred” that is what I’ve seen. That is what we have all saw with our own eyes. I come from the Orange tradition. I am deeply proud of the warmth, compassion, depth and richness of that tradition. All of our traditions come from particular aspects or “sects”. By its very nature, they are “of “something and not “of” something else. They are exclusionary by the very nature of it pertaining to the particular tradition, beliefs or views of some, but it is not exclusionary by experience or engagement. Every religious order or community is exclusionary by doctrine, but not by outreach. We all deserve respect. That respect and tolerance threatens no one. It is hard to believe I have to explain the basics of this so many years after the principles of the Glorious Revolution and our human rights and civil rights frameworks, but here we are. I have been deeply, deeply offended by the way my traditions and culture have been described, treated and expressed. The behaviour, and jubilance tastelessly and appalling shown by some tonight only shines a light on their intolerance, hatred and ignorance. I will never be goaded into punishing the people of Northern Ireland for the reckless of Sinn Fein. But I am disgusted and furious of those who have played to their base and not for what is for everyone. In this election you have a choice - choose those who want Northern Ireland to work, and those who do all they can to make it so.

The not so useful idiots at this left wing gutter rag can barely conceal their contempt for Ukraine. Such communication with citizens on Europe is necessary in a democracy, and all the more so with the vast amounts of mid- and dis-information about the EU out there.

Foreign affairs minister Helen McEntee has defended spending more than €150,000 on pro-EU propaganda for schoolchildren that insists the bloc is a “big family” and peddles the importance of security and European values. ontheditch.com/foreign-affai…