Historical Photos and Information About The Cosy Corner

We would like to thank Paul Brooks for sending over some family photo and historical information relating to the Cosy Corner.  Paul's family origianlly owned the Cosy Corner when it was called "J Brooks". They sold it back in the 1950's. 

To read about the Brooks family and see the photos, please click here.

Ben Gilroy - Direct Democracy

What is Direct Democracy Ireland?

Direct Democracy Ireland is a new political service whose aim is to restore the provisions of direct democracy to the people of Ireland, and by doing so:

• To provide the people of Ireland an alternative to the current model of governance which will ensure that election promises are kept and that the interests of the people of Ireland are the deciding factor in all decisions of the government.
• To create the situation whereby the people of Ireland chose their own representatives via a consultative process in local communities, and are truly represented by their government.
• To create the situation whereby the government of Ireland are truly accountable for their actions.
• To create the situation whereby the current arrangement of political parties in opposition to each other and employing the party whip system to enforce the party line becomes obsolete.
• To encourage the people of Ireland to organise a nationwide conversation on the issues facing Ireland and to work together to create proposals to solve the many problems facing Ireland and the Irish people.
• To create the situation whereby proposals approved by the people are implemented as a matter of course.

Direct Democracy Ireland’s core values are:

•  Equality, Justice, Transparency, Initiative, Vision, Inclusiveness, Honesty, Accountability, Clear Communications, Fairness, Direct Democracy.

What is direct democracy?

Direct democracy is a form of democracy in which the people have the right to:

  • Select their own candidates to represent them.
  • Call a referendum on any topic if a sufficient number of people deem it necessary, by gathering a set number of signatures.
  • Create legislation and put it to a referendum if a sufficient number of people agree with it, by gathering a set number of signatures.
  • Recall, remove from office, any representative deemed to have acted in breach of their terms of employment.

What are DDI’s policies?

DDI intends, if elected, to do the following:

• Call a referendum on a constitutional amendment to Bunreacht na hEireann to re-introduce provisions for direct democracy.
• Launch a full independent, international legal review of the bailout, which we hold to be an odious debt and illegal under international law.
• Suspend all payments relating to the bailout, capital and interest, pending the results of the legal review.
   Halt the sale of state assets.   Any contracts signed or sales completed in relation to state assets since the bailout will be treated as part of the   original odious debt and fully investigated.
• Launch a legal review of the transfer of €1 billion of assets from AIB balance sheets to the private pension fund of AIB staff.
• Launch a legal review of the use of state assets where irregularities or corruption are suspected.
• Halt all repossessions and evictions in Ireland pending personal debt renegotiations between lending institutions and citizens.
• Support and assist in the development of a collaborative consultation process in communities nationwide to examine and discuss issues facing communities, regions and the state.  Work with groups engaged in this process to create a nationwide mechanism of proposal generation via which the wishes of the people of Ireland will be determined and communicated directly to government to be implemented via direct democracy.
• Review all sectors of local and national government via the national consultative process and Implement any and all necessary reform determined by the review process.
• Review all sectors of the economy, local and national, via the national consultative process and implement any and all necessary reforms determined by the review process

In this video, Ben explains what Direct Democracy and Recall are.