Government Departments. (n.d) retrieved Sep 9 2013, from
gov.ie Web Site: http://www.gov.ie/
Irish Political System. (n.d) retrieved Sep 9 2013, from archive eu2013 Web Site: http://eu2013.ie/ireland-and-the-presidency/about-ireland/irishpoliticsandgovernment/irishpoliticalsystem/
Irish Political System. (n.d) retrieved Sep 9 2013, from archive eu2013 Web Site: http://eu2013.ie/ireland-and-the-presidency/about-ireland/irishpoliticsandgovernment/irishpoliticalsystem/
Current Event Summary:
Ireland Votes on Shutting its Senate
Friday October 4th, 2013: Ireland’s voters had a chance to achieve what some Americans dream of, abolishing one house of the nation’s legislature. And the Irish were expected to vote to do so. Two constitutional amendments were on the ballot on Friday, one to abolish the upper house of Parliament, the Seanad (Senate) and the other to create a new appellate court. Results were expected Saturday. The argument over their Senate turned on money and usefulness. The Irish government argued that the upper house, was simply too expensive. Ireland’s Seanad can’t block laws passed by the lower house, but can only delay them, unlike the American Senate. The Seanad had little changed since 1937, yet are always trying to charge something or start something. Senators claim this is just an attempt at cost-saving. One well-known senator, Feargal Quinn, a former business executive, says: “Shutting half our Parliament is not the correct response to economic collapse,” Mr. Quinn said. “Shutting half our Parliament only shuts down oversight and shuts out new voices. That’s no way to run a country.” Ireland’s Minister for Jobs, Richard Bruton, says: “it’s an expensive, elitist, ineffective luxury the country could no longer afford”. How many people know that the Seanad can only delay legislation, not overturn it, and the last time it used this power was in 1964? The voting turnout was at record lows in many parts of the country.
Dalby, D. (2013. Oct, 04). Ireland Votes on Shitting its Senate. retrieved Sep 9 2013, from New York Times Europe Web Site: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/05/world/europe/ireland-votes-on-abolishing-its-senate.html?ref=ireland&_r=0
Ireland Votes on Shutting its Senate
Friday October 4th, 2013: Ireland’s voters had a chance to achieve what some Americans dream of, abolishing one house of the nation’s legislature. And the Irish were expected to vote to do so. Two constitutional amendments were on the ballot on Friday, one to abolish the upper house of Parliament, the Seanad (Senate) and the other to create a new appellate court. Results were expected Saturday. The argument over their Senate turned on money and usefulness. The Irish government argued that the upper house, was simply too expensive. Ireland’s Seanad can’t block laws passed by the lower house, but can only delay them, unlike the American Senate. The Seanad had little changed since 1937, yet are always trying to charge something or start something. Senators claim this is just an attempt at cost-saving. One well-known senator, Feargal Quinn, a former business executive, says: “Shutting half our Parliament is not the correct response to economic collapse,” Mr. Quinn said. “Shutting half our Parliament only shuts down oversight and shuts out new voices. That’s no way to run a country.” Ireland’s Minister for Jobs, Richard Bruton, says: “it’s an expensive, elitist, ineffective luxury the country could no longer afford”. How many people know that the Seanad can only delay legislation, not overturn it, and the last time it used this power was in 1964? The voting turnout was at record lows in many parts of the country.
Dalby, D. (2013. Oct, 04). Ireland Votes on Shitting its Senate. retrieved Sep 9 2013, from New York Times Europe Web Site: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/05/world/europe/ireland-votes-on-abolishing-its-senate.html?ref=ireland&_r=0
Current Event Summary:
Northern Ireland Police Vow to Pursue Militants
August 10, 2013: The police chief of Northern Ireland vowed Saturday to hunt down and imprison Protestant militants after scores of them attacked and wounded 56 officers protecting a parade by Irish Republican Army supporters in downtown Belfast the night before. This random epidemic of violence involving disputed parades by the extremist Irish Catholics and British Protestants. Matt Baggott (chief constable of Northern Ireland) says, “Seven people were arrested Friday night over attacks on officers and hijacking cars, one of which was set on fire in the middle of the parade route”. Police officials said Protestant extremists, encouraged by messages on social media, rallied to block the parade on Royal Avenue, Belfast’s major shopping boulevard. Some wore British flags as capes or masks, and tore up scaffolding and pavement to attack police officers. Police used water cannons and plastic bullets. Protestant politicians said officers should never have authorized what they called a “deliberately provocative march” by Irish republican hard-liners opposing Northern Ireland’s peace process. After rival crowds briefly outflanked police lines to toss rocks and bottles, march organizers abandoned their plan to parade past Belfast City Hall and diverted back onto Catholic turf. The British government minister for Northern Ireland, Theresa Villiers, destined the Protestant mobs, calling their behavior “utterly disgraceful.” The rising street trouble is because of the rising working-class Protestant anger at Irish Catholics. Other city officials are preparing for more potential violence.
The Associated Press, (2013. Aug, 10). Northern Ireland Police Vow to Pursue Militants. retrieved Oct 4 2013, from New York Times Europe Web Site: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/11/world/europe/northern-ireland-police-vow-to-pursue-militants.html?ref=ireland
Statistics:
Crude Oil:
Imports-53,560 bbl/day
Exports-0 bbl/day
Production- 0 bbl/day
Petroleum:
Imports-166,000 bbl/day
Exports- 17,480 bbl/day
Production- 55,340 bbl/day
Consumption- 144,000 bbl/day
Analysis:
I have seen that Ireland does not produce or export any crude oils or petroleum, but that do import quite a bit. Ireland imports about 50,000 barrels a day while the United States imports over 9 million barrels a day. Ireland uses only a fraction of what the U.S. uses. Ireland does produce petroleum though. They produce about 55,000 but only export 17,000 a day, so they probably keep some for themselves. Ireland consumes 144,000 barrels of petroleum a day while America uses almost 19 million barrels of petroleum a day.
Where do all these resources go?
How much money is this production and exporting costing Ireland?
International Energy Statistics, (2013. May, 30). United States Energy. retrieved Oct 4 2013, from eia Web Site: http://205.254.135.7/countries/country-data.cfm?fips=US
The World Factbook. (2013, Sep, 04). retrieved Oct 4 2013, from Central Intelligence Agency Web Site: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html
Crude Oil:
Imports-53,560 bbl/day
Exports-0 bbl/day
Production- 0 bbl/day
Petroleum:
Imports-166,000 bbl/day
Exports- 17,480 bbl/day
Production- 55,340 bbl/day
Consumption- 144,000 bbl/day
Analysis:
I have seen that Ireland does not produce or export any crude oils or petroleum, but that do import quite a bit. Ireland imports about 50,000 barrels a day while the United States imports over 9 million barrels a day. Ireland uses only a fraction of what the U.S. uses. Ireland does produce petroleum though. They produce about 55,000 but only export 17,000 a day, so they probably keep some for themselves. Ireland consumes 144,000 barrels of petroleum a day while America uses almost 19 million barrels of petroleum a day.
Where do all these resources go?
How much money is this production and exporting costing Ireland?
International Energy Statistics, (2013. May, 30). United States Energy. retrieved Oct 4 2013, from eia Web Site: http://205.254.135.7/countries/country-data.cfm?fips=US
The World Factbook. (2013, Sep, 04). retrieved Oct 4 2013, from Central Intelligence Agency Web Site: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/us.html
Economy Systems:
Ireland is a trade dependent economy. Ireland was one of the original 12 European nations to circulate the Euro. Agriculture was one of the most important aspects to Ireland's economy, but now it has been replaced by industry. in 2008 they had recapitalized their banking systems after they went into a recession like the rest of the world. Ireland has a mixed economy. They must favor the private buyers in their industries. In 1990-2000 Ireland had a great economy because they had low taxes and good social programs. Many Irish enterprises have privatized themselves. Technology has caused Ireland's economy to grow recently. Technology has also lowered the unemployment level historically low. After Ireland's economic boom past other European countries, they were nicknamed the "Celtic Tiger". In 2008, they had found out that the boom in banking and construction had no money behind it, which was caused by the previous low taxes and high social programs. Ireland was in a deep recession for years until the Irish financial system was bailed out by the European Union and the International Monetary Fund. In 2010, serious financial cuts made the Irish economy worsen. Poverty Rates in 2010: Ireland(6.2%), Germany(15.5%), United States(15.1%), and Spain(19.8%). Countries Use of Crude Oil in 2011: Ireland(145 barrels/day), Germany(2,400 barrels/day), United States(18,949 barrels/day), and Spain(1,384 barrels/day). Overall, this tells me that Ireland conserves a good amount of their resources and they take care of their people to make sure they don't have many in poverty. The GDP (Gross Domestic Product) for Ireland in 2012 $42,600 per capita.
Spain Population. (2010). retrieved Oct 4 2013, from Index Mundi Web Site: http://www.indexmundi.com/spain/population_below_poverty_line.html
O'Beirne, , J. Ireland: Economy. (n.d) retrieved Oct 4 2013, from Encyclopedia Britannica Web Site: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/293754/Ireland/23017/Economy
Ireland is a trade dependent economy. Ireland was one of the original 12 European nations to circulate the Euro. Agriculture was one of the most important aspects to Ireland's economy, but now it has been replaced by industry. in 2008 they had recapitalized their banking systems after they went into a recession like the rest of the world. Ireland has a mixed economy. They must favor the private buyers in their industries. In 1990-2000 Ireland had a great economy because they had low taxes and good social programs. Many Irish enterprises have privatized themselves. Technology has caused Ireland's economy to grow recently. Technology has also lowered the unemployment level historically low. After Ireland's economic boom past other European countries, they were nicknamed the "Celtic Tiger". In 2008, they had found out that the boom in banking and construction had no money behind it, which was caused by the previous low taxes and high social programs. Ireland was in a deep recession for years until the Irish financial system was bailed out by the European Union and the International Monetary Fund. In 2010, serious financial cuts made the Irish economy worsen. Poverty Rates in 2010: Ireland(6.2%), Germany(15.5%), United States(15.1%), and Spain(19.8%). Countries Use of Crude Oil in 2011: Ireland(145 barrels/day), Germany(2,400 barrels/day), United States(18,949 barrels/day), and Spain(1,384 barrels/day). Overall, this tells me that Ireland conserves a good amount of their resources and they take care of their people to make sure they don't have many in poverty. The GDP (Gross Domestic Product) for Ireland in 2012 $42,600 per capita.
Spain Population. (2010). retrieved Oct 4 2013, from Index Mundi Web Site: http://www.indexmundi.com/spain/population_below_poverty_line.html
O'Beirne, , J. Ireland: Economy. (n.d) retrieved Oct 4 2013, from Encyclopedia Britannica Web Site: http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/293754/Ireland/23017/Economy