Ireland has a new president

[ríomhaire]

I think the votes are still being counted but the result is clear. Michael D. Higgins has beat out a former IRA commander, a Dragon's Den judge and a Eurovision winner to become the ninth president of Ireland.

BBC article.


To familiarise yourself with the man, please watch this video of him calling a Tea Partier a Wanker:

He also has his own song. (the Dáil is the Irish parliament, this song is about him as a TD (read: MP) not president).

 

[Raziaar]

Seems cool enough. Sure is old though.

 

[<RJMC>]

he sounds like a character of a caroll novel movie

 

[Mr Stabby]

He looks crazy.

 

[Dog--]

Says a guy with the name: Mr. Stabby

 

[DEATHMASTER]

Says a Dog--.

 

[Stigmata]

Says a guy who thinks he can hear dogs talk.

 

[Raziaar]

Need I say more!?

 

[kineaesth]

Good work on the Catholicism joke!

 

[Raziaar]

Wasn't a Catholicism joke despite the fact that stigmata is a Catholic belief.

 

[ríomhaire]

Also, we had two referenda at the same time as the election and the results are in for those.

The first was to allow judges pay to be cut during their term "subject to the imposition of taxes, levies or other charges that are imposed by law on persons generally or persons belonging to a particular class." Originally under the constitution it was impossible for a judges pay to be reduced at all even if the tax went up during his term. This was to prevent the government from being able to lower their pay to coerce them into making the decisions they want. This was passed.

The other amendment was basically to allow the government to "conduct an inquiry" into a matter "of general public importance" and "make findings in respect of the conduct" of "any person (whether or not a member of either House)" and do vague things about it. This was apparently to save money by fixing the way government tribunals currently work but it was so vaguely worded it would have let them do anything! Thankfully it was not passed.