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A NEW FRENCH law banning full-face veils in public places will take effect from next month – a move widely accepted as targeting the country’s Muslim population.
The law follows France’s so-called burqa ban, which outlawed the wearing of the full-length garment worn by women in some Islamic traditions. From 11 April, the full-face veil will be illegal to wear in public places – on the street, in the supermarket, in classrooms, in museums, on buses and in parks. The only exceptions to a woman wearing the niqab in public will be if she is travelling in a private car or worshipping in a religious place.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been accused of trying to secure the vote of the far-right with the new legislation. Critics have pointed out that tiny minority of women in France wear full niqab – Muslim groups have estimated that just a few hundred people, in a country with a population of five million, wear the garment.
Those falling foul of the new law will face fines of €150 and be forced to attend a citizenship class, which will outline the ‘secular values’ of the republic. (Although, confusingly, Sarkozy yesterday gave a speech praising the “Christian heritage of France”, reports the Guardian.)
Those who are proved to have forced a woman to wear a veil can be fined €30,000 and spend a year in prison.
Meanwhile, some local authorities have been forced to step in to stop “pork and wine aperitifs” evenings proposed by some on the extreme right, which were to be deliberately held beside mosques.
However, the French authorities are insisting that the law is not intended to stigmatise Muslims but to promote gender equality. As such, the wording of the legislation – which does not specify that the niqab is outlawed – has proved tricky. As a “full-face covering” naturally includes motorcycle helmets and some sports equipment, exemptions for these items have had to be included in subsequent drafts.
Last year, the French government announced: “Given the damage it produces on those rules which allow the life in community, ensure the dignity of the person and equality between sexes, this practice, even if it is voluntary, cannot be tolerated in any public place,” reports CNN.
Laws that ban garments worn by some Muslims have been criticised by humans rights groups in various European countries. Last year, Belgium banned the wearing of the niqab in public and was chastised by Amnesty International. “A general ban on the wearing of full face veils would violate the rights to freedom of expression and religion of those women who choose to express their identity or beliefs in this way,” said Claudio Cordone, Amnesty International’s Interim Secretary General.
“At the same time the Belgian authorities must make sure that all women who wear the full veil do so without coercion, harassment and discrimination,” she added.
See this Irish Times report for some perspectives of Muslim women in Ireland.
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Another quango. How many more than the 600 Enda Kenny said we had do we have now. They all have a CEO and to justify them, lots of underlings.
We as taxpayers are paying for this and nothing improves. More jobs for the boys/girls.
@Donal Ronan: all decent democracies have such a commission or the like, what do you suggest instead?
@Donal Ronan: What’s your alternative, Donal? Get the UN to run our elections? The Ombudsman?
@Ciaran O’Mara: Are you saying that all the elections we have had were corrupt? If so, this is not going to solve it. It has been created by the corrupt.
If so, the fellow heading it, has been inside the tent a long time.
@Donal Ronan:
So, you have no idea what to replace it with.
@P.J. Nolan: Replace what? We never had one and unless all the past elections were corrupt, it will add nothing. Just more cost.
He said ‘we don’t really know what the turnout rate is.’. Yes we do, if anyone follows the counts and I do, they show the total poll and turnout etc. for every constituency. This guy is making it up. He also said ‘We need to understand why people vote the way they do’ Why?
@Donal Ronan: when he refers to turnout, maybe he wants to include non registered voters in the rate. Agreed on his quote about “needing to understand why people vote the way they do” – strange thing to say – I’d like to see more context. And just because previous elections were fair doesn’t mean that future one will be, so it’s necessarily just a cost adding measure
@SYaxJ2Ts: * not necessarily a cost adding measure
Does anyone at the Journal want to be an actual “journalist”? How about interviewing some of our main politicians and asking pertinent questions and not letting them away with the usual non answers? Seriously, have any of you any pride in your work? And then you’re asking for donations???
@Mike: Dont think its breaking news to know most of the supposed unbiased journalists are very much biased and in the back pockets of the political mob
@Mike: Are you a wannabe journalist Mike or just a sniper from the sidelines? The Journal gives us the 9 at 9, the 5 at 5 and ‘what happened today’ every day with a link to a short accurate report on the story. They are journalists who can take pride in their work as this is exactly why they are the main source of news for many every day. The Journal also does Factchecks; Newsworthy investigations and in depth interviews with politicians from time to time. The recent one with long serving & retiring government TD Fergus O’Dowd included very pertinent questions & answers, Mike. It asks readers who can provide any financial support to the Journal to do so, in order to keep it free to all rather than introducing a pay wall. Btw I have no financial or family or friends links with The Journal!
Just to clarify folks – the main tasks of government are ;
- to set up lots of quangos with no meaningful powers
- to do zero planning around the fact that our population has been increasing for 30 years. This not enough school places hospital beds or houses
- to ignore the 80 percent of population who think we’ve taken in enough refugees & asylum seekers
- to give the civil servants a regular pay rise with zero in return
It’s all about priorities
@Gerry Kelly: what do you suggest instead of an electoral commission? You do realise, elections must be above scrutiny.
@Paul Fahey: how about working for the people instead of against them and ignoring them completely, how that for a suggestion… Bot..
@Brian Hackett: so, there is no suggestion just nonsensical platitudes. Anything constructive to suggest?
So another new quango ( the ” electoral authority”) announced on same day as Helen mc enteee announces her latest quango ( ” cuan”) ……. you couldn’t make it up
@Ken Mc Carthy: You are making it up – the commission was launched months ago and was responsible for the constituency boundary report published in August.
@Kilkenny Proud: hey there Boris blank…..is this your new ‘handle’ for 2024?? Best wishes in the ‘trolling’ game in 24′
@Ken Mc Carthy: funny, when people point out the inaccuracy of your post, you reply by calling him a troll
@SYaxJ2Ts: Posting facts usually provokes insults here.
@SYaxJ2Ts: In fairness though Kevin he does stand out like a troll, the person operating his and scores of other trolls on the Journal has little imagination, you can tell them a mile away because they all have the same personality their writing style is exactly the same.
What do you think?
Quango. Jobs for the favoured few.
This upcoming referendum must be a 100% no on both counts. If anyone has an hour to spare go and read the fine detail, it’s an absolute giveaway for refugees and leaves Irish people screwed for housing.
@Thomas Reddy: You should do some research into how right wingers use referendums to pitch fear and lies in an effort to bring American style culture wars here. This has the side benefit of allowing our local extremists to con their gullible fellow travellers in the US out of lots of cash.
@Kilkenny Proud: What is your actual point? You’re ranting against every comment, yet saying nothing. Say clearly what you think should happen politically in this country. I am genuinely curious. Instead of telling everyone how little they know, tell us now what it is that you know….
@Mike: What is your actual point? You are ranting about my comments, yet saying nothing. Say clearly what you think should happen politically in this country. I am genuinely not curious. Instead of telling me to solve the country’s problems maybe you could share your opinions on the actual issues instead of focusing on me.
@Kilkenny Proud: I asked you a clear question. You are deflecting and showing your lack of direction and intellect. Answer the original question or else fk off.
@Mike: Sorry, that was a bit rude. Happy New Year, dude. Whoever you are. Internet gets a bit weird, I wish you well in your own real life, genuinely.
@Mike: Cheers Mike – same to you.
@Kilkenny Proud: Thanks, man!
@Kilkenny Proud: I don’t live in the US and couldn’t give a toss about it or the so called can’t be seen right wing. If this referendum passes with a yea vote it’ll bring years of hardship and many many more racist attacks from both sides into Ireland. It’s what you call a Wolve in sheep’s clothing.
When can we have a referendum to change are justice system and tougher prison sentences. That the Government can sack Judges. That we have a say on the laws on immigrants that their checked out and if criminal records deported or receive one deported with immediate effect.
@Paddy Geoghegan: No, we need to keep the seperation between government and judges (not that the current system for appointing judges is great). We are still waiting for the reform of the legal system that was part of the Trioka bailout agreement,although the government don’t seem to want to touch this issue as it’s already cost a few Justice ministers.Their attitude seems to be to bury the issue and just bring in laws around “in vogue” issues.
We should have politician police who have the powers to lock up politicians who are serving those other than the people of Ireland
If this current government proposes a Yes vote, then the correct answer is definitely No.
Building an organisation for the next 100 years, careful you done make a mess of the country like the main ruling political party’s have done for the last 100 years.
Billions of euros in debt, a broken health service, not enough houses for the population and 13,000 of our citizens without a place to call home, some living on the streets of town and city’s in 2024.
It’s a sad reflection on the main ruling political party’s of the last 100 years.
I wish Limerick well with its directly elected mayor.
I hope Dublin gets same soon – the city is screaming for someone to run it who actually cares.
Local democracy is something our country could seriously do with a lot more of – not least if we are to create a new United Ireland in the very possibly near future
@Gerry Kelly: Agreed, however it will only work if there is more local revenue raising streams, if not, it’s just another person going begging to central government for funds.
@Gerry Kelly: shouldn’t be long now, Bertie’s got the oul’ anorak in the drycleaners…..
@Mike Finnegan:
Unfortunately, whoever it is it will probably be just another party man or woman.
@Gerry Kelly: I would be careful what we wish for in Limerick.
You do know Brian Leddin is looking for a new job?.
Another qaungo for the taxpayers to fund….wonderful
A Mayor for Limerick City???
@Godfrey Ryan: The people of Limerick voted for it back in 2019.
Nobody said they were other than the usual electoral provokers for change opposition supporters.
The sooner this government is out the better for us all. Let’s just hope the Shinners don’t get a majority or go into coalition with FFG!
It’s a little disappointing that a brand new commission , it’s 2024 , and in the first article I’m reading about it they are talking about printing millions of colour booklets of explanation – surely to his a new commission could look at best practice globally , ascertain what segments of the community such as older and less digitally connected people who may need to get costly printed booklets – a fraction of the overall country – and perhaps love the country along into the digital age in a more appropriate cost effective way at the very least to avoid the perception this is just another quango wasting millions on printing ffs
They’d want to hold an election fast and a vote of no confidence – not one of them is getting re elected unless this stops – it will be a house of independents joined in will for the people
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