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Female genital mutilation officially banned in Ireland

Over 3,000 women living in Ireland are believed to have undergone FGM.

FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION has been banned in Ireland.

A bill outlawing the practice was passed by the Seanad this afternoon having already gone through all the stages in the Dáil.

As well as prohibiting the practice, the new legislation means anyone resident in Ireland who takes a girl abroad to have FGM performed will now be subject to prosecution in Ireland.

AkiDwA, the network of African and migrant women in Ireland which had campaigned for the legislation, said that the Bill sent a clear message to parents and guardians that FGM will not be tolerated.

Senator Ivana Bacik , who had first proposed the Bill, said that the legislation had been long overdue. Over 3,000 women living in Ireland are believed to have undergone FGM.

“International research shows the enormous dangers to the health of women and girls represented by the barbaric practice of female genital mutilation,” said Senator Bacik.  ”This is a pressing issue in this country, particularly for migrant women and girls and their families”.

The Criminal Justice (Female Genital Mutilation) Bill 2011 had taken almost two years to pass from the time it was first proposed as a private member’s bill in April 2010.

Government criticised for ‘shocking lack of progress’ on tackling racism >

Changing role of Irish women over past 50 years reflected in relationships >

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68 Comments
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    Mute Caroline Molloy
    Favourite Caroline Molloy
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    Apr 13th 2012, 3:06 PM

    Communism doesn’t work !

    26
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    Mute Frank2521
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    Apr 13th 2012, 5:33 PM

    I saw on the TV that china are sending their workers to work in the mines in Zambia and in the forrests in Brazil that they own. This is a result of their work ethic of 7 days weeks with 10 to 12 hour days. As the work dries up in china I expect them to export more workers to Europe and wherever else they own. Our government have just agreed to grant more visas and set up a hub for the Chinese entry point to the EU. We ate selling our soul to the slave masters.

    13
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    Mute Revolting Peasant
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    Apr 13th 2012, 6:08 PM

    “as the work dries up in china”??? uneducated claptrap, only germany exports more than china and that will soon reverse, they are buying as much of africa,asia and south america as they can for 3 reasons, food production to feed their massive population, mineral aquisition to supply their massive industrial production demand and energy production as a commodity to sell to europe and north america, one such plan is the covering of deserts with solar panels, my brother works for a chinese shipping company, they build cities to produce specific items like solar panels or oil pumps, within the next 3 years they will over take the usa as the worlds leading economy, their major advantages is their work ethic and flexibility, as the work dries up in china indeed, also they are building casinos all over the world, in the last 5 years the chinese have built more casinos in asia than all casinos previously built in the rest of the world combined

    9
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    Mute Fagan's
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    Apr 13th 2012, 7:02 PM

    Their work ethic is impressive, however life is absolutely worthless there. If China becomes the leading world power, which it will, in next 5 years, it will represent a massive threat to democracy and freedom and could lead to rights we have taken for granted being rolled back.

    It’s the land of the indentured slave.

    14
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    Mute Saffron Willetts
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    Apr 13th 2012, 6:42 PM

    When the Chinese are the next super power we will wish we had the americans back. Their work ethic is a slavery work ethic – and its not communism its capitalism with Asian values. I saw the zambian workers, they said the Chinese are the worst to work for.

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    Mute Martin Sinnott
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    Apr 13th 2012, 4:38 PM

    Ah no it only grew by 8%, how will they manage ! They should come back here for some lessons from Bertie.

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    Mute Dave Spart
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    Apr 13th 2012, 4:44 PM

    Er, basically this is another sign that international capitalism is in meltdown and only communism can save the oppressed masses…er……

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    Mute Michael J Hartnett
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    Apr 13th 2012, 5:14 PM

    I take it dave from your comment you have never been to a communist country

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    Mute Brian Callinan
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    Apr 14th 2012, 1:07 PM

    I’m pretty sure Dave was taking the piss guys.

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    Mute pip white
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    Apr 13th 2012, 7:09 PM

    see what happens when you sell your kidneys for an Ipad!!!

    8
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    Mute DashRiprock
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    Apr 13th 2012, 5:39 PM

    I was watching an analyst on BBC earlier who stated that at this stage anything below 7% growth on China would basically be viewed as a recession by the markets… nice for some!

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    Mute Saffron Willetts
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    Apr 13th 2012, 6:49 PM

    The analyst on c4 also suggested that at the worst case scenario if economic growth serioiusly stalls in China the party may choose the option of uniting the people against the threat of an outside enemy to stop the huge population turning on itself.

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    Mute phantom duck Nibbler
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    Apr 13th 2012, 4:21 PM

    broken china in the 1 percents display cabinet , they wont be happy

    6
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    Mute Tony Skillington
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    Apr 13th 2012, 10:38 PM

    8.1%????…..Christ we’d take a quarter of that!

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    Mute One-Off Ireland
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    Apr 14th 2012, 4:28 PM

    so 8.1 % means the total size of the Chinese economy doubles every 9 years. Physically impossible. there isnt enough resources or markets in the world. Oil peaked in 2006 and Chinese export economy is impossible without oil at a reasonable price.

    @revolting peasant ‘mineral acquisition’ is a very tame way to describe resource plunder and environmental destruction.

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    Mute Austin Tiernan
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    Apr 14th 2012, 4:09 AM

    That’s what a visit from Enda can do.

    1
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