Texts & Emails, Wednesday 4th Nov, 2009

I am very annoyed to listen to Fr Purcell acting so flippant on your show tonight.  How dare he treat such
a serious subject so coolly and with such jest. That is the subject of the Portmarnock Golf Club not allowing women
member to their golf club.

He has just showed up what the church in Ireland are really about. No wonder they are in such trouble. His arrogance was diluted by his so called jest.... Sorry Father some of us saw well beyond that,

I sent you a text a moment ago regarding the fact that the it was only decided at the 'Council of Trent', ceca 1554 that women have souls and that was only agreed by one vote.

How dare Father Purcell sit there on air and act in such a flippant way.  I as a women who by the way does not play
golf, understand only too well how us women have been discriminated especially by the Catholic Church for many years.

He is a disgrace and a very bad reflection to his church he belongs to.

By the way my mother was not allowed, (thanks to the Catholic Church) attend my younger brother's baptism... why?  because she had to be churched! In other words she had to be cleansed after giving birth to her lovely son Michael.

Does Father Purcell realise this sort of behaviours is still in the consciousness of many of us to this very day?

DerryAnn Morgan, Swords

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Withourt the Eq Authority I would have a deeper struggle than I already have with my former employer to get justice. I have recently reuqested a response from my local politicians to answer the question, "Why are all Vec'c exempt fro the Freedom of Information Act. I had to retire from my job of 26 years because of homophobic bulling and not one politician gives a hoot.
Pearse Brannigan
Drogheda

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Sirs,

The fact is, the lengths of holes for mens' and womens' golf are different, golf course dimensions are for males on all courses at present and installing womens' tee boxes is a special accommodation for women.

Women would make a massive saving if just one of them had the confidence and iniative to construct a womens only golf course. There would be,

1. a saving in land purchase,
2. a saving on course construction,
3. a saving on mowing and other maintenance and
4. an end to the long walks from greens to women's tee boxes.

Why is this not mentioned in this debate?
Should women be prohibited from building a women's only course and availing of all these advantages? Should anyone be prohibited from operating a women's (or men's) only golf course? Should women's (or men's) only golf competitions be allowed?

Why don't you ask that Equality Authority fellow if the Authority would opppose the type of women's golf course which I describe?

Owen from Rush

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All non-members at Portmarnock are treated equally rudely by the club – and that applies to non-member men as well as non-member women

Tony

Portmarnock`

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what about curves womens only gyms. cheap cheerful and only for women. men dont have this type of gym available to them at all.

shane in kildare

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"Keep your coffee fresh and your money instant"

That is if you have a bean left.

Colm Magrath

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Vincent, listening to Brian Lenihan/Cowen telling us that they are cutting social welfare, I thought why  are we , the tax payers, paying them over 4000 euros per week, if people are expected to live on less than 200 euros per week.

This is my answer to the proposed McCarthy cuts.

* Our government must lead by example
* I say that we must start at the very top.
* Ireland does not need both a President and a Taoiseach, either one can do the job.
* Government jets to be sold, there are plenty of commercial flights available.
* Junior ministers and the senate must go.
* The government can easily double the time in the Dail.
* We do not need all those T.D’s; one per county is quite enough.
* Salaries to be cut in half at least.
* Special increases and bonuses stopped.
* All expenses to be stopped, we pay them enough.
* Pay for, and drive their own cars, we have to do it.
* No pensions to be paid until they fully retire at sixty-five, and then have one pension.
* Full accountability, and a put-out or get-out clause will have to be introduced.
* Monthly reports on progress must be given.
* We must have full attendance by our ministers and T.Ds in the Dail.
* Cut travelling abroad, we have video conference capabilities.
* When we have a lean, mean government, let us, the tax-payers, the unemployed, Old age pensioners and the sick play our part.

Mike Ryan.

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Vincent

As you are fully aware, NAMA has the potential to wreck the country for many years.

However, I have an idea that will reduce our exposure.  I hope you agree and will lend it your considerable support.

There are two elements to NAMA: 

First there are the non-performing loans.  It is widely accepted that these must be taken from the banks so that they can resume lending …blah, blah, blah. [Banks will only lend money to people who can prove they don’t need it]

Then, there are the performing loans that will provide an income stream to NAMA (or the SPV) that will pay all the interest and fees of the hangers on etc. 

There are several reasons why we should not take these performing loans:

It is not necessary
It increases our exposure to commercial property that will almost certainly fall in value for many reasons: the negative effects of the recession on retail business will worsen as measures are taken to reduce the fiscal deficit; international ‘green shoots’ are entirely due to government stimulus that cannot continue; prices are still much too high, supported by high yields due to upward-only rent reviews that cannot continue…etc
The banks are best equipped to manage performing loans.  It is their normal business.  NAMA will either make a total mess of it or cost a fortune doing a half-arsed job among ongoing suspicions of corrupt, politically-influenced decisions  
We are paying too much for the loans anyway, so we would all feel better of we could reduce the volume that we are taking  

We already have huge exposure to property with the non-performing loans.  If NAMA must have a high-yielding asset to hedge this non-performing exposure, there are several non-property alternatives available.  It is an amateurish, irresponsible risk to hedge a property exposure with another property exposure.  I can’t understand why no one has noticed this?  

Of course, it is possible that property prices will increase in the coming years.  If so, NAMA could make money with its stupid hedge, but this would be down to dumb luck.  However, if this happens, it is likely it will be because there has been a general economic recovery, in which case we will probably be okay anyway.

Johnnie McGrath

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Having listened to " fat cat " Gerry , i wont be buyin d indo again ! A orourke co wicklow .

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99.999% of people wouldnt even get an application form for portmarnock golf club .Those lady golfers are really deprived

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For Gods sake (if i'm allowed to say that) we cant have holy pictures during the angeles nor can they hang crucifixs' in Italy and here we are talkin about women wanting to play golf in the one field in Ireland that they can't! Gimme strength and to hell with the pc brigade! NgM. Galway

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Why no women catholic priests? Martha in Cork

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Father is in his own male club. Aideen. Swords.

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Is the national womens council not discriminatory by its very name

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I can't join the I C A Bill from cork

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there has been a major drop in lady membership since equality arrived Give them back membership at half price and there will a surge Sean

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there are plenty of womens gyms that males can't join thats discrimination am i right?

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Brian merrimam wants to change the rules now that he has lost the contest this has nothing to do with equal rights if i want to start a club for people with red hair that should be my right

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Are there any men on the National Women's Council?

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why is there a " national womens council " is that not more of the same !

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Is the national womens council funded by the taxpayer. Is it a quango.MICK From Laois

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Did portmarnock golf club ever get national lottery funding ? Kathy

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let the ladies set up their own golf club and that would solve the problem noel lìmerick

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how can you take the equality authority seriously when they give 8000 to a boy when he wudn't cut his hair in school to adhere to school rules. Yet won't let woman play in a golf course. what is there relevance? patricia

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what rubbish. The country is going down the pan. Who outside dublin cares about this pricey club. Who is saying for this court case.

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How much money has the Equality Authority wasted on this case?

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I dont play golf. Women in trousers want to be men.

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Sexism is alive and not well. Maura , Connemara

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We have to let women into the golf club otherwise whos going to cook the Grub Frankie in Leitrim

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will the all male Freemasons now be required to admit women ,they too have a bar. Greg

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wil gays+be+next

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what about all the woman only gyms and the irish country womans assocation

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Poor innocent me. . I thought sport was above gender divide. . And that i assumed included golf! Not so it seems. Gillian in tralee.

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Cost of living is down, so COWEN sees this as a chance to JUSTIFY a cut in WELFARE. What happens when the cost of living goes up, will he immediately consider a RISE IN PAYMENTS or, are we to see a NEW POOR IN IRELAND. James Keogh, Galway.

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as a man can i join the icwa from john in clontarf

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let men have their golf clubs women fought for years to be independent why are some women now fighting for men to provide them with a golf club golf is a boring game anyway

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the equality act was written to ensure certain groups are and will be discriminated for ever just like prison officers who are refused access to the equality authority

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do you no that it was only durning the 'Council of Trent', in cera 1554 that it was agreed that women have souls., and it only got in by one vote! I rest my case regarding the Portmarnock Golf Club and its non women members! DerryAnn Morgan Swords, Co. Dublin

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i think the women should set up their own club and i dont think it would bother any man. Ridiculous waste of air time gabrielle naughton

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notice u will never hear women say "there are 2 many women teachers" and while we argue on THEIR behalf they NOW practice reverse inequality and spite

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There is more impqrtant isrues in the country than this the welfare cuts and banks bringing people to court over debts

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all women should withdraw from all work at the club and C how long they manage portmarnock should grow up and move into 21st centery who do they think they are

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what about the elephant in the room ? women cannot play golf on level terms with men.They need their own little courses .

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Why should there be ladies Tee boxes. Would the one Tee box be equal to all.

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ask equality auth how many women golfers asked them to waste public funds on this case. lady golfer

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don't worry folks, thousands of men don't want to play golf in such a stuffy club

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President of ireland is a honary member of portmarnock

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The world's gone mad. In fairness who cares about whether women can join the golf club. I'm a woman and it wouldn't bother me that I couldn't join a golf club or any other club. I'd start my own. Trisha from Wicklow.

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There 's a major sports club in Dublin that has "womens only" swimming hours. I understand the equality authority supports this. Double standards. Liam, Dublin.

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Let those men in portmarnock off, its sad that they need to keep women out to maintain their notions of dominance and male superiority. Its archaic.

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that woman is letting women down. She's all over the place. That "honorary woman" from the equality authority is a real wimp. Thank God 4 Brendan Purcell. He's the only brain on the panel. Siobhan

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why is it if men (and women) only spaces are important that women groups and co. feel it necessary to try erode the very very last male only aspects. Men certainly dont assault women only clubs gyms whatever with the same vigour! Men need space just as much as women or is that a right of women alone. Paul D15

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'its amazing how many people beat you at golf now that you are no longer president'- former US President George Bush. Sender Alan Murray.

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have a look in the phonebook and see the number of organisations with Womens in front of them, then compare with Mens! Womens Council, Womens liberation, bla bla. The mini marathon should be cancelled by the supreme court unless Women removed from title. Seamus Dublin

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The women who play n Portmarnock should stop playing there, unless they enjoy being treated as second class citizens. M. Walsh

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what a load of rubbish in the midst of potential poverty facing a lot of people,some of them golfers male and female.Its the case of the public service again pushing their agenda.jobs for the boys or girls.same as the sham of free legal aid for thugs.Padraic Cafferty.

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Why can men not b Nuns ? Eve Keating Dundalk ?

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i am a secondary school teacher and i am disgusted by the so called Teaching Council that is supposedly regulating the profession and ensuring standards. They do nothing, are a Quango, and should be abolished. Teachers who are starting out are losing contracts as a result of the councils incompetence. There is no transparency, accountability, or consistency with them. Extremely unhelpful and the information that they give is inaccurate. The council have registered unqualified teachers in the past, does this not defeat their purpose?. I and every teacher that i have spoken to would like them to be abolished, stop wasting our time, money, ruining our lives and have the minister abolish them immediately. I would appreciate if you could mention this topic on your show in the future. Thank you

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leaving aside the right and wrong issue think of why men go in there -to get away from thoes nagging females round them. Surely arent men entitled to that one thing in their lives PJ lynch co limerick

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as a young woman i am in no way offended by portmarnock ruling or by fewer woman in highend jobs.i like many women choose looking after children. My career is secondary to this. My husband works for promotions and bonuses to provide more for us.the need for a woman's council is long gone.

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Will it resolve the problem if Portmarnock changes it's name to Portmarnock Men's Golf Club and bans women from playing there?

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Surely it is the privelage of the golf club or any club to grant privelages based on their own ethos. Privelages are just that----not rights. Taken to its logical conclusion women will next be on the. Irish rugby team and men wearing bikinis on beach volleyball teams. Surely the end of the world is nigh when this nonsense has prime air time!!

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Would women and Equality Authority please stop definning women with men as benchmark. Vive la differance! Colette Cole

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do u have any comment on de banning of crucifixes in catholic schools after a complaint by a muslim person eamonn in Arklow

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they'll want into the mens toilets next.

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what about the unepual favour that women get with regard to the home and access to the kids .maybe the muslims have it right. Bring back the 40 foot. Declan.

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I'm a women and am horrified by the womens council , what about the womens resourse centre s government funded . The local development companies that have a special category for women , the womens council itself , fantastic , they must have too much time on their hands . All the womens groups are goverment funded so the sooner we get rid of them the better and save some money for real causes . A very bothered anti feminist, Mary .

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I don't feel a 'need' for golf. Am I a real man at all? Pat Mitchell Carlow

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Elite group like the K.K.K are a cloak 4 like minded individuals who feel a sence of superiority 2 others.Port Marnock Golf Club is an example of 'tolerance yet exclusion' once it becomes public knowledge.They should b made an example of.No Equality then no Golf Club.Shut them down.Sure who knows d matcho alpha male members could b cross dressers! ! Limerick listener.

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I work for Dublin City Council does what is being said that we cant support Womens clubs because they *earn a privlage from the state* - the equality authority may have shot themselves in the foot with this one

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I can't beleive our Country is in a crisis and these people ar worrying about being a member of a golf club! Tell them to Get real and put their energy into something useful . . .

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Women get free admission into nightclubs on certain nights, according to a recent BBC report; that's clearly illegal. Ditto in Ireland. Women have ladies classes only at spas, swimming pools etc. Are we going to continue to equalise everything and deny liberty and fraternity as your panellist says? Ruairi O'Brien. Tullamore

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when people undrstand that the rich MUST/have always hated the poor, fear of the r's ie rebellion/revolution then cuts to the poor are usually over savage as the suppressed rage/hatred indeed anger at the fear o the r's is set loose. Safe in the knowledge of standin armies and vicious judicary?

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When are we going to change de tax laws in de horse industry?

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Why doesn't the government take over the national lottery for a few years?

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My beautiful son was abused by a patritian brother who was shifted by his order an parish preast . Around schools for 20years until he was caught served 4 yrs for abuse of numours kids and is out roaming around again . A bastard

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Why not create jobs have spies in these public places and let these spies be vetted and then report to the social welfare officers. Maureen.

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the amazing thing about these discussions about social welfare is the the ones doing all the talking about cuts are on big salaries so what chance have we

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abraham lincoln a smart man said you do not make the poor rich by making the rich poor

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Brendan has hit the nail on the head - Portmarnock won't allow most ordinary men join anyway but very few people are bothered . NWC are completely diminishing their own worthy status by getting involved in this debate! Happy golfer

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powerful men wil do anything 2 preserve privilege no matter who suffers. Portmarnock is just one salvo. Goliath stirs.

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irish and eastern europeans leaving. Yet we flooded with africans who will never leave. Peter

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