Should the Iona Institute back off?

retro:electro · 22-05-2015 11:58pm #1

Let's say there is a high yes majority tomorrow (over 65%) should the Iona Institute back off slightly and not be given such a public platform? In the same way party politicians have to step down after defeat, I think it's only right that they back off somewhat. I'm not calling for an obliteration of the Institute or anything, we are a democracy and all, but surely it would be respectful to democracy if they, ya know, went away for a small while since their views (hopefully) don't reflect those of the Irish public.
Thoughts?

Giblet · 23-05-2015 12:00am

I think the 'f' and 'u' keys on your keyboard are broken.

silverfeather · 23-05-2015 12:01am

anna080 wrote: »

I'm not calling for an obliteration of the Institute or anything, but surely it would be respectful to democracy if they, ya know, went away for a small while.
Thoughts?

Respect for democracy would mean they are actually entitled to be here no matter how much I disagree with them. However I do wish they would refrain from gagging those who want to contradict their opinions or how they label themselves.

If they have a platform to voice an opinion we are allowed to listen to that opinion and call them homophobes or bigots.

I do wish they would go away. But I think democracy is not so simplistic.

P_1 · 23-05-2015 12:04am

No that would be rather undemocratic. However either way a critical official eye needs to be cast over their charity, tax exempt status.

retro:electro · 23-05-2015 12:13am

P_1 wrote: »

No that would be rather undemocratic. However either way a critical official eye needs to be cast over their charity, tax exempt status.

But theyre an embarrassment. I mean they're everywhere. They assert themselves as if they are the voice of the nation. Im not saying they need to get lost, just wish they would stfu for a while.

Carlos Orange · 23-05-2015 12:15am

P_1 wrote: »

No that would be rather undemocratic. However either way a critical official eye needs to be cast over their charity, tax exempt status.

Seems doubtful since someone disagreeing with something isn't a reason something isn't a charity. A quick Google gives

In accordance with section 3 (1) of the Charities Act 2009 each of the following shall be a charitable purpose:

Trusts for the Relief of Poverty
Trusts for the Advancement of Education
Trusts for the Advancement of Religion
Trusts for Other Purposes Beneficial to the Community

which seems like a pretty low bar for the Iona Institute to reach.

hotmail.com · 23-05-2015 12:16am

They are toxic. They may well have to withdraw their key personalities and rebrand. But sadly, the Catholic fundamentalists won't go away.

They will blame all sorts of things if there is a Yes vote and won't publicly admit that they themselves were part of the problem.

Drexel · 23-05-2015 12:17am

Who is actually funding these nutters? They seem to have plenty of money

P_1 · 23-05-2015 12:17am

anna080 wrote: »

But theyre an embarrassment. I mean they're everywhere. They assert themselves as if they are the voice of the nation. Im not saying they need to get lost, just wish they would stfu for a while.

I won't argue there, however if we applied the same criteria in a legal basis, Rockabill would be rather crowded very quickly once we banish all our embarrassments there.

Like it or not, once someone has the money, contacts and lack of law breaking they're free as a daisy to irritate us till the cows come home

donvito99 · 23-05-2015 12:17am

jonny666 wrote: »

Who is actually funding these nutters? They seem to have plenty of money

The fecking Americans.

bodice ripper · 23-05-2015 12:18am

No, I want them in the public eye while they watch the country they want to live in slip away from them.

And then put them in stocks outside Tara Street station.

Arsemageddon · 23-05-2015 12:19am

I'd happily feed them to the lions.

They're just a shower of cvnts

P_1 · 23-05-2015 12:19am

psinno wrote: »

Seems doubtful since someone disagreeing with something isn't a reason something isn't a charity. A quick Google gives

In accordance with section 3 (1) of the Charities Act 2009 each of the following shall be a charitable purpose:

Trusts for the Relief of Poverty
Trusts for the Advancement of Education
Trusts for the Advancement of Religion
Trusts for Other Purposes Beneficial to the Community

which seems like a pretty low bar for the Iona Institute to reach.

Grand job I've now found another criterion to grill any potential general election candidate over so. That section of an act has no business existing in a secular republic, particularly when we need every penny we can get our hands on.

RobertKK · 23-05-2015 12:19am

At the time of the abortion debates, I was having a discussion on twitter with a presenter on RTE. The person said that there is only a small number of people who will appear on TV or radio, and this is why the same people appear again and again.

23-05-2015 12:20am

Who silences the silencers?

Drexel · 23-05-2015 12:20am

donvito99 wrote: »

The fecking Americans.

What Americans??

emersyn · 23-05-2015 12:21am

jonny666 wrote: »

Who is actually funding these nutters? They seem to have plenty of money

I would guess their main income is from suing RTE every time someone dares to argue with them

Knasher · 23-05-2015 12:23am

Nope, they can do what they like. Thankfully we don't have to listen to them 50% of the time any more.

silverfeather · 23-05-2015 12:26am

jonny666 wrote: »

Who is actually funding these nutters? They seem to have plenty of money

Lolek Ltd, Trading as "The Iona Institute"

https://search.cro.ie/company/

You could try a search.

But it's unlikely they would identify donors anymore than a commercial company would identify customers.

The reason accounts have to be filed under the companies act is so that people can see the solvency of a company. For that you need only know the amounts of donations, sales or subscriptions etc. But you don't need to know who gives the money.

The admin contact is a Patrick Kenny. There head office appears to be in Merrion Square. I think it's the office of St. Joseph's young Priest Society in the same building but I don't know if there is an actual link between them.

They are a regged charity and don't pay tax.

By the way this status also means donations qualify for tax relief for wealthy donators.

Carlos Orange · 23-05-2015 12:27am

P_1 wrote: »

Grand job I've now found another criterion to grill any potential general election candidate over so. That section of an act has no business existing in a secular republic, particularly when we need every penny we can get our hands on.

Always worth knowing what you want from your local politician but I'm don't see the church being taxed any time soon.

silverfeather · 23-05-2015 12:33am

If you really want an insight ....Ronan Mullen was working as spokesperson for Cardinal Desmond Connell at the time of the awful abuse scandals. Desmond Connells neglect of those cases was so bad the church replaced him with Archbishop Martin. Connell insured his archdiocese from abuse allegations as early as 1988. Nice guy. Ronan Mullen was his spokesperson. Yeah ...the no side posters ...yeah

But bring it up and you are derailing the agenda ..of course.

YFlyer · 23-05-2015 12:42am

RobertKK wrote: »

At the time of the abortion debates, I was having a discussion on twitter with a presenter on RTE. The person said that there is only a small number of people who will appear on TV or radio, and this is why the same people appear again and again.

I doubt that. Plenty of organisations or groups would bite the hand off you to be on radio or TV.

Taco Chips · 23-05-2015 12:50am

They are the creepiest, most insidious collection of scumbags I have ever had the misfortune to be regularly confronted with. They very obviously do not represent many Irish people and their prominence in the media is grossly out of proportion. It makes me sick to think that the likes of David Quinn, Breda O'Brien et al were regularly complaining about being silenced and afraid to speak out in their weekly newspaper columns, radio interviews and television appearances. Their means of propaganda is so sneaky and despicable. Absolute horrid, bigoted bunch of cretins.

23-05-2015 12:52am

anna080 wrote: »

But theyre an embarrassment. I mean they're everywhere. They assert themselves as if they are the voice of the nation. Im not saying they need to get lost, just wish they would stfu for a while.

I can honestly say from one day to the next I never see or hear of them. Where are they in this "everywhere"? The first time they surfaced in my consciousness was during that Panti controversy. Anyone who finds them outspoken would have been blown away by groups like SPUC and Youth Defence who swung into action during abortion debates.

K4t · 23-05-2015 12:58am

YFlyer wrote: »

I doubt that. Plenty of organisations or groups would bite the hand off you to be on radio or TV.

Regarding the Marriage equality referendum, they were on rte so much because they were the ONLY real opposition, apart from the splinter group Mothers and Fathers Don't Matter. They're all linked.

For the Yes side you could have had any number of independent organisations such as the Law society of Ireland, Psychological society of Ireland, not to mention the Chidren's groups like Barnardos and the ISPCC, any political party, probably any international human rights organisation etc etc. But of course this was all groupthink according to Iona; and not simply people and organisations who disagree with religious fundamentalist beliefs determining our laws, especially when said beliefs oppose equality.

retro:electro · 23-05-2015 1:00am

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I can honestly say from one day to the next I never see or hear of them. Where are they in this "everywhere"? The first time they surfaced in my consciousness was during that Panti controversy. Anyone who finds them outspoken would have been blown away by groups like SPUC and Youth Defence who swung into action during abortion debates.

Tv, radio, newspaper. I can't watch a bloody video on YouTube without them popping up ffs

It's scary to what kind of a country we'd be living in if they had their way.

I get that the media needed them this time for balance but if its a yes majority I think they should back off for a while.

traprunner · 23-05-2015 1:01am

If the press ignored them then they would fade away.

Guy:Incognito · 23-05-2015 1:04am

They should back off a cliff.

traprunner · 23-05-2015 1:04am

silverfeather wrote: »

Lolek Ltd, Trading as "The Iona Institute"

https://search.cro.ie/company/

You could try a search.

But it's unlikely they would identify donors anymore than a commercial company would identify customers.

The reason accounts have to be filed under the companies act is so that people can see the solvency of a company. For that you need only know the amounts of donations, sales or subscriptions etc. But you don't need to know who gives the money.

The admin contact is a Patrick Kenny. There head office appears to be in Merrion Square. I think it's the office of St. Joseph's young Priest Society in the same building but I don't know if there is an actual link between them.

They are a regged charity and don't pay tax.

By the way this status also means donations qualify for tax relief for wealthy donators.

I thought that under tax law you could not be both a limited company and a charity.

23-05-2015 1:05am

anna080 wrote: »

Tv, radio, newspaper. I can't watch a bloody video on YouTube without them popping up ffs

I never see them on tv or hear them on the radio. I take it they are on RTE a lot? I really only listen to Newstalk or local radio, and watch anything but RTE.

Don't see them on FB either. Are they in one of those ads you skip over after 5 seconds? I never sit through them.

As I said they seem a whole lot less visible than groups in other battles, with SPUC and Youth Defence taking over the Courts and going out with placards showing aborted fetuses.

traprunner · 23-05-2015 1:06am

Deleted User wrote: »

I never see them on tv or hear them on the radio. I take it they are on RTE a lot? I really only listen to Newstalk or local radio, and watch anything but RTE.

Don't see them on FB either. Are they in one of those ads you skip over after 5 seconds? I never sit through them.

As I said they seem a whole lot less visible than groups in other battles, with SPUC and Youth Defence taking over the Courts and going out with placards showing aborted fetuses.

My guess is that they also fund the other groups to do most of their dirty work.

Should the Iona Institute back off?

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