Cabinet warned changing the definition of family to any "durable relationship" in the constitution could affect the family reunification program.

Since 2015, all asylum seekers granted refugee status or subsidiary protection can apply for family reunification, where a family is defined as someone's spouse, parents, and any children under 18.

Prior to 2015, the definition of family for the purposes of family reunification also included grandparents, children over 18, siblings, nephews, and nieces.

Minister David Stanton told the Dáil that this definition of family resulted in refugees bringing an average number of 20 family members to Ireland. The highest case was over 70. Local authorities were struggling to house them all, so the govt decided to reduce the scope.

However, the NGO sector want to revert to the old definition of family again, so the referendum to expand the definition of family in the constitution could give them more options to do this.

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Fine Gael TD Neale Richmond admitting that the government's desired change for the definition of family in the constitution to 'any durable relationship' is in part aimed at expanding the eligibility scope for family reunification applications for immigrants.

"This has serious consequences, particularly when we think of immigration law and proving that someone is a family member...or family reunification. This will allow that to be accommodated as well."

The referendum to amend the constitution is planned to take place on the 8th of March, 2024 (International Women's Day).

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Cormac Lucey: Our duties to our own people come first.

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[LIVE] Peaceful protestors blockading new migrant centre in Fermoy, Co. Cork believe Gardaí are mobilising to move them by force tonight/tomorrow At the scene Derek Blighe
told our reporter of their need for support + supplies. If you can get there, now's the time

Protestors need support, food, and gas for heating on this cold evening - their blockade will persist 24 hours

If you can't make it down, please show support with the hashtag #FermoySaysNo

https://twitter.com/TheBurkeanIE/status/1734684803713421605

The infantile dishonesty of the so-called housing crisis debate as seen on last night's Tonight Show — "Migrants are part of the solution".

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Update on the Ballyshannon plantation.

Cllr. Barry Sweeny (Fine Gael) told Ocean FM this morning that the family, who own the Cavangarden B&B which is earmarked for 90 single male asylum seekers, will now not be signing the lease.

Sweeny said the family told him that they had planned to lease their property to an unnamed business which specialises in accommodating asylum seekers. This business has signed a one-year contract with the Department of Equality.

However, the family is still yet to sign the legal lease agreement with this asylum seeker business.

The family had intended for the B&B to accommodate families and believed 60 people could be housed there comfortably in the 26 rooms, but due to their dissatisfaction with the plan to house 90 single men, they have opted not to sign the lease at the current time.

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A man’s conviction for causing serious harm to two partners, one of whom was his wife, by intentionally or recklessly infecting them with HIV has been quashed by the Supreme Court.

>The African national denied the charges against him. His 2018 circuit court trial was told he commenced a relationship with both women in 2009 and was “reluctant” to use contraception and had unprotected sex. A later analysis of the man’s medical records allegedly revealed he was diagnosed with HIV in 2008 and had received treatment, advice and medication.

>The court heard he was advised not to have unprotected sex and was prescribed anti-retroviral medication, which should have eliminated his symptoms and rendered him non-infectious. However, a 2010 screening showed he had a positive viral load, suggesting he was not taking his medication, the court was told.

The man was sentenced to 10 years in jail.

But the Supreme Court ruled today that the judge in the case should have emphasised to the jury that they could not convict unless they believed beyond reasonable doubt that the complainants were fully truthful and accurate when each said they had never had unprotected sex with any person other than the man, and it should be communicated clearly to a jury that lies told by an accused, even in the hopes of evading responsibility, do not prove transmission.

Meanwhile, a Dept. of Justice briefing on deportation policy, released under a Freedom of Information request, has revealed that there are a significant number of illegal migrants deemed ‘non-returnable’ in Ireland. This is in part due to a reluctance to deport people with HIV, as they are unlikely to get the same standard of medical treatment in their home country.

Anti-retroviral medication for people with HIV costs the Irish State approximately €25,000 per case annually.

According to the HSPC, the majority of all HIV diagnoses in Ireland occur in migrants and the key group affected is gay men.

In 2018, HIV Ireland reported that 76% of both heterosexual male and female cases were born in sub-Saharan Africa.

Ireland had the highest rate of HIV diagnoses in western Europe last year which was over three times higher than the European average at 17.5 per 100,000 people, according to the European Centre for Disease Control and the WHO.

#NewToTheParish

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I think McGregor could get the Christmas No.1 if he dropped a few more bars. I'll add them in if he does. 😁

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