
An féidir linn? Braitheann sé…
Coicís nó mar sin ó shin rinneadh mionchomóradh ar an óráid a rinne Uachtarán Stáit Aontaithe Mheiriceá, Barack Obama, agus é ar camchuairt go hÉirinn in 2011.
Agus é ina sheasamh os comhair slua lústrach súilghléineach ar Shráid an Dáma, labhair Obama go cumhachtach faoi na ceangail láidre stairiúla atá idir an dá thír.
Rinne sé cur síos ar thionchar na nÉireannach ar stair na Stát Aontaithe, 'sínithe Éireannacha atá ar ár gcáipéisí bunaidh, fuil Éireannach a doirteadh ar ár machairí catha, le hallas Éireannach a tógadh ár gcathracha móra.'
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Lena cheart a thabhairt dó, ní raibh caill ar bith air mar óráid.
Mar sin féin, níor luadh, ar chúis éicint, an pháirt a bhí ag Éireannaigh i ndíothú na ndúchasach óna gcríocha i Meiriceá Thuaidh (théis an tsaoil, deirtear go ndearna an ginearál Gael-Mheiriceánach Phil Sheridan, a bhí i gceannas ar Arm Stáit Aontaithe Mheiriceá, an ráiteas a thug bunús don mana cáiliúil 'The only good Indian is a dead Indian'). Níor luadh an ciníochas a d'eascair as an gcoilíneachas agus as an gcóras caipitlíoch thall ach an oiread, ach is dócha nárbh é sin an cineál cruinnithe a bhí ann.
Chríochnaigh Obama a óráid dheisbhéalach le haistriúchán Gaeilge ar a mhana cáiliúil pearsanta - 'Is féidir linn' – é ag tabhairt le fios nach bhfuil dúshlán ar bith nach féidir a fhreagairt nó a shárú.
Bailíonn brobh beart mar a deirtear, agus le cur chuige nó le dearcadh dearfach mar sin, cá bhfios cén feabhas a d'fhéadfaí a chur ar chúrsaí.
Ar ndóigh, bhí tuiscint sa tír le tamall maith roimhe sin ar an bpraiseach a rinne na páirtithe móra le linn ré an Tíogair Cheiltigh, ar an drabhlás, an díobhlás, agus an loiceadh tubaisteach a rinneadh ar an bpobal agus a chuir flaithiúnas na tíre ar ceal.
Bhí glactha leis nach bhféadfaí na botúin chéanna a dhéanamh in athuair agus mar a thug Obama le fios, d'fhéadfaí athruithe móra a chur i gcrích ach an toil a bheith ann.
Ach léim ar aghaidh ceithre bliana déag ón lá ar sheas Obama ar ardán Fhaiche an Choláiste agus pé tobar a líonadh leis an spiorad a bhí san aer an lá sin, tá cuid mhór de ligthe i ndísc ó shin.
In ainneoin na ngeallúintí a lean an teip eacnamaíoch agus géarchéim an bhoilscithe tithíochta in 2008, agus in ainneoin an rabhaidh go raibh orainn ár bhfoinsí cánacha a leathnú chun díobháil a sheachaint arís, an féidir a rá gur foghlaimíodh ceacht ar bith?
Mórscéil nuachta
Ar dhá mhórscéal nuachta le gairid tá an ghéarchéim tithíochta agus an fonn atá ar an Rialtas fáil réidh leis an Glas Triarach.
Tá an ghéarchéim tithíochta imithe in olcas, tá an óige fós faoi shrathair an mhargaidh agus ní acmhainn dóibh tithe a cheannach nó díol cíosa a íoc. Is léir go bhfuil drogall ar an Stát tithíocht a thógáil mar a rinne sna blianta a d'imigh thart agus is faoin margadh is mó a fhágtar an dualgas sin anois.
Tá an ghéarchéim teangeolaíochta á fadú agus á luathú ag an ngéarchéim tithíochta céanna. Is minic a bhíonn tithe cónaithe á gceannach agus á n-úsáid sna ceantair Ghaeltachta mar thithe saoire nó ag lonnaitheoirí nua a bhfuil an Béarla mar theanga labhartha acu.
Má bhreathnaítear ar chás na Breataine Bige, bhí géarchéim den chineál céanna ansin. Cosúil le cás na tíre seo, mhéadaigh líon na dtithe saoire praghsanna na dtithe go mór agus níorbh acmhainn do mhuintir na háite iad a cheannach.
Fágadh folamh sa gheimhreadh iad agus líonadh le Béarla sa samhradh iad, rud a chuir an Bhreatnais – Cymraeg – go mór faoi bhrú sna ceantair thuaithe sin, mar a tharlaíonn leis an nGaeilge anseo.
Uachtarán Sát Aontaithe Mheiriceá, Barack Obama, i mBaile Átha Cliath. Grianghraph: Eric Luke/The Irish Times
Ach dhá bhliain ó shin glacadh cinneadh cead a thabhairt do chomhairlí contae cáin a ghearradh ar úinéirí tithe saoire. Tugadh cead do na húdaráis áitiúla méadú 300 faoin gcéad ar an ngnáthráta cánach a ghearradh agus cuireadh deireadh leis an gcead a bhí ag úinéirí a dtithe a chlárú mar ghnó, rud go dtí sin a lig dóibh cíos ard gearrthéarmach a ghearradh.
De réir alt a foilsíodh sa nuachtán The Guardian le déanaí, spréach nuachtáin ar nós an Express agus an Telegraph mar gur thit luach na dtithe saoire de thoradh na cánach. De réir an ailt, d'ardaigh comhairle Gwynedd an cháin ar thithe saoire go 150 faoin gcéad den ghnáthráta i mí Aibreáin 2023 agus de réir mar a thosaigh úinéirí na dtithe saoire á ndíol, faoi dheireadh 2024, bhí praghsanna tar éis titim 12.4 faoin gcéad.
Tharla an rud céanna in Sir Penfro, áit ar thit praghsanna na dtithe faoi 8.9 faoin gcéad tar éis don chomhairle áitiúil an cháin a ardú. Is léir mar sin cén freagra a tugadh sa Bhreatain Bheag nuair a cuireadh an cheist, 'An féidir linn rud éicint a dhéanamh faoin ngéarchéim tithíochta agus teangeolaíochta seo'!
Ach in Éirinn, seachas 'Is féidir linn' a rá agus réitigh nuálacha ar nós sin, nó ar nós cearta cómhargála do thionóntaí agus do mhorgáisteoirí a fhiosrú, is ar leasú ar chriosanna brú cíosa atáthar ag caint. .
Má bhreathnaítear ar chás na Breataine Bige, bhí géarchéim den chineál céanna ansin…ach dhá bhliain ó shin glacadh le cinneadh cead a thabhairt do chomhairlí contae cáin a ghearradh ar úinéirí tithe saoire.
An Glas Triarach
Tuairiscítear go dteastaíonn ón Rialtas moltaí a chur i gcrích roimh bhriseadh samhraidh na Dála chun an glas triarach a chur ar ceal. Cuireadh an córas i bhfeidhm in 2001 tar éis don phobal vótáil i gcoinne reifreann Nice. Tá sé mar fheidhm aige a chinntiú nach gcuirtear ár gcuid fear agus ban óg sa bhearna bhaoil gan cead an rialtais, cead na Dála agus cead na Náisiún Aontaithe. Tá sé mar aidhm ag an Rialtas anois coscán Chomhairle Slándála na Náisiún Aontaithe a bhaint as an áireamh. Dar leo siúd atá ar son an athraithe nach bhfuil 'baol dá laghad' ann go ndéanfadh an leasú creimeadh ar bith ar pholasaí neodrachta míleata na tíre.
Aithníodh in 2001 nár bheag an bhuairt a bhí ar phobal na tíre seo go ndéanfadh Conradh Nice creimeadh ar neodracht na hÉireann agus go mbeadh ballraíocht in Arm Eorpach mar thoradh críochnúil air. Ach beagnach 25 bliain níos déanaí, nuair a chuirtear an cheist: an féidir linn an glas triarach a chur ar ceal gan reifreann? 'Is féidir linn', a thugtar mar fhreagra.
Mar atá feicthe againn i gcás na tithíochta agus i gcás lagú an Bhille um Chríocha faoi Fhorghabháil le gairid, ní léirítear an díogras nó an dúthracht sin i gcónaí. Is minicí a chloistear 'Ní féidir linn' mar fhreagra ar na ceisteanna úd. 'Is tír bheag muid agus níl mórán gur féidir linn a dhéanamh', nó, 'luíonn inniúlacht an pholasaí áirithe sin leis an Eoraip', seachas leis an rialtas atá tofa ag na daoine.
Nuair a fhéachann muid go humhal ar thionscadal mór na síochána, mar a tugadh ar an AE tráth dá raibh, tá iarracht mhór mhíleataithe ar bun anois le hairm á dtógáil ar bhonn tionsclaíoch.
Agus cogadh ag bagairt san Eoraip, má bhaintear coscán na Náisiún Aontaithe anois, nach bhfuil baol ann go nglacfar céimeanna eile arís i dtreo an mhíleatachais?
Anuas ar sin, tá páirtithe antoisceacha na heite deise á múscailt, ag fás, agus ag treisiú lá i ndiaidh lae. Má éiríonn leo dul chun cinn eile a dhéanamh sa Ghearmáin, sa Fhrainc nó sa Pholainn, ní fada go mbeidh móramh acu san Aontas Eorpach.
Nuair a bhuailfear an cnag ar dhoras Theach Laighean ansin, agus nuair a chuirfear an cheist 'An féidir libh?'
Cén freagra a thabharfar?

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Irish Times
4 hours ago
- Irish Times
Trump accuses Obama of ‘treason' over 2016 election in stunning attack
There is a peculiar deal that world leaders must make with themselves when they sit down beside president Donald Trump in the Oval Office . Yes, they are entering the sanctuary of arguably the most fabled political office in the world. But they are also entering the stream of consciousness of Donald J Trump himself, bystanders and props in whatever subject on which he feels the need to vent. On Tuesday, it was the turn of the president of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. After a few civil remarks about the historic and economic relations between the nations and an inevitable trade agreement, Marcos was invited to sit back and watch as his host accused a former US president, Barack Obama , of 'treason' and 'sedition'. The president spoke quickly and fluently and at length and managed to not once mention the name of the ghost who hangs over a stagnant summer week in Washington, DC, Jeffrey Epstein. The clamour, from Republican Maga supporters and several prominent legislators, to release the files into the public domain will not die down. Over on Capitol Hill, House speaker Mike Johnson called an early summer recess rather than take a vote on the issue of releasing the files on the investigation into the late financier. Meanwhile, it was announced that the Department of Justice would seek to interview Ghislaine Maxwell, the daughter of the former English newspaper baron Robert Maxwell, and a former girlfriend of Epstein's, at her Florida prison. She is currently serving 20 years for sex trafficking minors in consortium with Epstein. She remains the lone conviction in the Epstein investigation. READ MORE President Trump cocked an ear when this issue was brought up in the Oval Office before launching into a surreal attack on the 44th president. 'I don't know anything about it,' Trump began when Ghislaine Maxwell's name bounced around the walls of the Oval Office – a weird moment in itself. 'They're going to what ... meet her? Yeah, I don't know about it but I think it is something that sounds appropriate to do.' Among the officials involved in that interview would be Todd Blanche, Donald Trump's personal attorney during last year's Manhattan trial and now the deputy attorney general of the United States. President Donald Trump and president Ferdinand Marcos Jr of the Philippines speak in the Oval Office of the White House. Photograph: Kenny Holston/The New York Times 'I have no concern,' Trump said in relation to that. 'He's a very talented person. He's very smart. I didn't know that they were going to do it. I don't really follow that too much. It's sort of a witch hunt. The witch hunt you should be talking about is they caught president Obama absolutely cold. Tulsi Gabbard. 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Extra.ie
7 days ago
- Extra.ie
Dustin the Turkey to 'run for Irish presidency'
Dustin the Turkey plans to 'give back' to the people of Ireland by running to replace Michael D Higgins as the nation's next president. The iconic turkey has announced his intention to run for the position and is prepared to challenge Fine Gael candidate Mairead McGuinness and independent TD Catherine Connolly after their recent campaign confirmations. Dustin told RTE Entertainment: 'Look, I'll be honest with you – I am willing to move to a smaller property, I will go to the Phoenix Park and I will embrace it. Olympic boxer and brand ambassador Jack Marley with Dustin the Turkey at the relaunch of Chadwicks Sallynoggin. Pic: Conor McCabe Photography 'I can do stupid poems in Irish like your man, Mickey D Higgins, and funny enough, Michael D said to me, 'Dustin, you should go for it and I'll leave my wardrobe here at Áras an Uachtaráin because it is the exact same size, it will fit you', so I can just go straight up. 'Now, he has bit more of a Ned Kelly then me but I'd be straight into Áras an Uachtaráin and you know, my First Lady, or Vogue Williams as she is known, would be great, too.' This is not the first time Dustin has declared his intention to be Ireland's head of state. In 1997, the singer and tv host ran against Mary Robinson in an ultimately unsuccessful bid for office. He continued: 'The short answer is of course I will be running for the presidency, I am not ruling myself out because the people of Ireland have been good to me and I should be giving back to them. 'I ran against Mary Robinson and she was a good president but she put a light in the window and left the door open and that's a dangerous thing to do on the north side. 'Then we had Mary McAleese and then we nearly had a lad from Cavan, that's how bad this country was getting but Mickey D stepped in and I think he was a good president apart from the stupid poems as Gaeilge but he is a good, honest man.' Dustin the Turkey also ran for presidency in 1997. Pic: RTÉ Dustin announced his ambitions while opening the newly refurbished branch of hardware shop Chadwicks in his native Sallynoggin, Dublin. The veteran bird is supporting his local hardware shop as a way of repaying the neighbourhood that raised him before he gained fame as the host of RTE kids show 'The Den'. Dustin added: 'The people of Sallynoggin raised me. It is one of those communities where you can leave your back door open. Now, you'll get robbed, but you can leave your back door open. They'll even rob the back door. 'When Chadwicks told me they were refurbin', I put in a tender for it, right? But apparently, some Eastern European builders got it because they turn up in time and charge a fair price and come back if there's anything wrong with the job.' Despite his big ambitions, Dustin is not limiting his campaigning to just the Irish presidency. He believes he could fall back on the vacant Liveline position left open by the recent departure of Joe Duffy, should his Áras bid fall through. He said: 'Me and Joe get on well. Joe was the ringmaster of a circus full of clowns and I'd be able to continue that on Liveline. You get all the nuts and madsters coming on and you just say, 'dear god, dear god, dear god . . . I don't know what to do' and you get a quarter a million a year. It's that simple.'


RTÉ News
15-07-2025
- RTÉ News
Dustin the Turkey: "I will run to be president of Ireland"
Dustin the Turkey has said that he intends to run for the presidency of Ireland and has claimed that out-going President Michael D Higgins has endorsed him for the role. With former EU Commissioner Mairead McGuinness confirmed as Fine Gael's candidate and Independent TD Catherine Connolly expected to launch her campaign tomorrow, the singer, tv host and occasional carpenter has said that he "owes it to the people of Ireland" to make a bid to become head of state. Speaking to RTÉ Entertainment, Dustin said, "Look, I'll be honest with you - I am willing to move to a smaller property, I will go to the Phoenix Park and I will embrace it. "I can do stupid poems in Irish like your man, Mickey D Higgins, and funny enough, Michael D said to me, `Dustin, you should go for it and I'll leave my wardrobe here at Áras an Uachtaráin because it is the exact same size, it will fit you', so I can just go straight up. "Now, he has bit more of a Ned Kelly then me but I'd be straight into Áras an Uachtaráin and you know, my First Lady, or Vogue Williams as she is known, would be great, too. "Sometimes you see her and you don't whether to snog her or throw her a bale of hay - with teeth like that, she looks like she won the Grand National last year." Dustin, who harboured presidential ambitions before when he ran in 1997, added, "The short answer is of course I will be running for the presidency, I am not ruling myself out because the people of Ireland have been good to me and I should be giving back to them. "I ran against Mary Robinson and she was a good president but she put a light in the window and left the door open and that's a dangerous thing to do on the north side. "Then we had Mary McAleese and then we nearly had a lad from Cavan, that's how bad this country was getting but Mickey D stepped in and I think he was a good president apart from the stupid poems as Gaeilge but he is a good honest man." Dustin was speaking as he opened the newly refurbished branch of hardware shop Chadwicks in his native Sallynoggin, deep in South Country Dublin. A chip off the old block, the famous turkey, who rose to fame as a host of RTÉ kids show The Den alongside Zig and Zag, said he decided to support his local DIY outlet because he wanted to give something back to neighourhood that made him who he is. "You hit the nail on the head there," he said. "The people of Sallynoggin raised me. It is one of those communities where you can leave your back door open. Now, you'll get robbed, but you can leave your back door open, they'll even rob the back door. "When Chadwicks told me they were refurbin', I put in a tender for it, right? But apparently, some Eastern European builders got it because they turn up in time and charge a fair price and come back if there's anything wrong." Another high profile position in Ireland waiting to be filled is the new host of Liveline following Joe Duffy's departure from the role last June, and Dustin is more than ready to take over. "Me and Joe get on well," he said. "Joe was the ringmaster of a circus full of clowns and I'd be able to continue that on Livelive. You get all the nuts and madsters coming on and you just say, "dear god, dear god, dear god . . . I don't know what to do' and you get a quarter a million a year. It's that simple."