Socialist Party: a not-so-united front?

Most of the soul-searching and probing commentary in relation to Irish political parties has tended to focus on the larger factions, namely Fine Gael or Fianna Fáil, or whatever party finds itself in Government with them.

But in recent weeks we have gleaned some insight into the workings - and tensions - of some of the smaller parties such as the split that has emerged in the Social Democrats following the publicity around the Ellie Kisyombe case.

And today we have another revealing insight into the workings of the smaller parties thanks to a document unearthed by the intrepid Fiach Kelly.

This time it is the Socialist Party under the spotlight. A collection of papers, totalling 66 pages, reveals serious differences between leading figures on domestic political strategy.

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The documents, which were recently circulated within the party, show how the movement has been criticised by international comrades for an excessive focus on abortion and women’s rights issues.

The differences emerged with the International Section of the Committee for a Workers International (CWI), the parent organisation of the Socialist Party.

Interestingly, the sharpest exchanges came over the importance of the abortion referendum.

“It is our duty, as the elected leadership of the CWI, to raise our concerns in order to strengthen the work of the whole international,” the UK-based International Section of the CWI said in a paper called “Women’s oppression and identity politics - our approach in Ireland and internationally”.

“We think the comrades could be in danger of overstating the importance of the victory on abortion rights,” the paper said. “In our view a tendency has also developed of some leading Irish comrades seeing all struggles through the prism of the women’s movement, rather than seeing how it interconnects with other struggles,” Kelly reports the documents as saying.

Another fascinating snippet comes from Paul Murphy. In internal documents discussing Brexit and wider strategy, he asks: “Are we guilty of not ‘telling the truth’ to the working class when we don’t bring a demand to leave the EU?

“We always tell the truth to the working class. But we present the truth in the way which is most digestible to the working class at a particular time.”

Read the story here.

Brexit backstop: ‘temporary means temporary’

The Brexit Omnibus Bill, known informally as Bob, will be debated for a further ten hours today, taking up most of the time in the Dáil.

The Government is ploughing ahead with no-deal Brexit preparations as we are now just three weeks from D-day - AKA divorce day. Pat Leahy and Simon Carswell have the latest on what is happening.

They write that Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney has said EU negotiators are seeking to provide assurances to the UK that “temporary mean temporary” in terms of the backstop and that the UK “won’t be trapped against their will indefinitely into the future or anything like that”.

Leahy and Carswell note Coveney struck a conciliatory tone in his remarks, “stressing the desire of Ireland and the EU to help the UK government to pass a deal through the House of Commons in a crucial vote next week”.

Coveney said: “I think we’re in the space of trying to provide clarification that temporary means temporary and that [British attorney general] Geoffrey Cox and others can recommend to their parliament that they won’t be trapped against their will indefinitely into the future, or anything like that,” Mr Coveney said.

The questions are: Will the British attorney general be in a position to give this new advice to parliament, and, if so, will it be enough? The fact is Mr Cox’s opinion could make or break the Brexit deal. His presence in Brussels last night spoke volumes.

A spokesman for the Irish Government wasn’t saying much when asked by reporters yesterday what plans were afoot in terms of bilateral meetings or phone calls between the British and Irish governments ahead of next week’s votes in the British parliament. For now, the talks remain “in the tunnel”.

Best Reads

Our lead today is from Mary Carolan: Denis O'Brien appeal result proves privilege to be 'seriously robust'.

Denis Staunton reports the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly have come together in a joint no-deal Brexit warning.

The Law Society has assembled a gender-equality and diversity taskforce as part of an effort to address inequality in the legal profession, reports Jack Power.

A report from Suzanne Lynch in the United States as the Clintons say a vendetta claim in a book is "patently false".

Miriam Lord's sketch: Micheál builds to a crescendo as Fianna Fáil orchestra tunelessly sways.

Here's the Irish Times view on Emmanuel Macron's rallying cry to the EU.

Playbook

Dáil

At 9.30am Minister for Education Joe McHugh will take parliamentary questions on his brief.

At 11.00am Bob returns – that is, the Brexit Omnibus Bill. The Withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union (Consequential Provisions) Bill 2019 will go through its committee and remaining stages in a resumed debate.

At 12.00pm, Leaders’ Questions will be taken.

Topical Issues will be taken at 12.32pm.

The Brexit Omnibus Bill returns at 13.20pm before an hour’s break, and then it will resume again until 23.30pm when the Dáil adjourns.

Seanad

At 10.30am, commencement matters will be taken.

The Order of Business will take place at 11.30am.

There will be a statement on the diaspora at 12.45pm.

At 14.15pm there will be statements on Traveller accommodation.

At 15.45pm the European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Bill 2019 will be debated.

Then at 17.45pm there will be time for Private Members’ Business, namely the Registration of Wills Bill that seeks to provide a clear statutory basis for the registration of wills.

Committees

At 9am, the Joint Committee on Justice and Equality will discuss potential reforms to the Family Law System with Dr Carol Coulter, Dr Roisin O’Shea and the Council of the Bar of Ireland.

At the same time the Joint Committee on Health meets to discuss a national medicines strategy and will hear from representatives from Access to Medicines Ireland.

At 10.30am the Joint Committee on Housing, Planning and Local Government will receive an update on the Government’s Rebuilding Ireland plan from Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy.

At 13.30pm the Select Committee on Transport, Tourism and Sport will hear from Minister for Transport Shane Ross on revised estimates for his department.