February 16, 2011
By Staff Reporter
By Ray O’Hanlon
New York Gov. George Pataki has submitted legislation in Albany that would have all New York State government authorities abide by the MacBride Principles when entering public contracts with private companies.
The legislation would correct an oversight in New York’s procurement laws, one in which state agencies are required to enter contracts only with companies that abide by the nine fair-employment guidelines for Northern Ireland, but public authorities are not so required.
State agencies are under the governor’s direct control, but state authorities — an example is the Metropolitan Transportation Authority — generally run themselves on a day-to-day basis but are ultimately answerable to the state.
Pataki’s bill requires that all companies entering into contracts with state public authorities, and which also have business dealings in Northern Ireland, abide by the principles.
"This legislation takes important steps to guarantee that companies that do business with the State of New York and its public authorities are serious about non-discrimination and workers’ rights," Pataki said in a statement.
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Songs for Aileen
Some of the best singers and musicians in the New York area will perform for Aileen Fearon this Sunday, May 20, in Queens. Aileen, who is just 4-years-old, suffers from a rare illness called aplastic anemia. The condition means that her bone marrow has stopped producing enough blood cells and she needs constant blood transfusions to stay alive. A bone marrow transplant is being considered should a suitable donor be found. Aileen’s parents, Mike and Marie, are originally from County Armagh.
Raglan Road will lead the assembly of groups and singers at The Breffni, 43-45 40th St., Sunnyside, starting at 2:30 p.m. Donations, checks or money orders can be sent and made payable to Dominic Cromie, PO Box 731, Levittown, NY 11756. For details, call Cromie at (516) 520-9858 or the Breffni at (718) 729-9803.
PR guru Scanlon eulogized
Legendary New York public relations man John Scanlon was remembered for his love of Irish culture at the memorial service last week. Scanlon, who was 66, died of a heart attack at his Manhattan apartment on May 4.
The service, at the Cathedral of St. John Divine, was packed with well-known faces from journalism, politics and public relations.
ABC News anchor Peter Jennings, speaking from the pulpit, recalled Scanlon’s lifelong love of all things Irish and in particular a party thrown by Scanlon a few years ago to mark the publication of the "Field Day Anthology of Irish Writing."
He told the congregation that Scanlon sang Irish songs and recited Irish poetry late into the night. "I actually thought John had already gone to heaven," Jennings said.
In one of his most recent assignments, Scanlon had acted for former Sen. Bob Kerrey following the breaking of the story centered on Kerrey’s combat record in Vietnam.
Nobel Laureate Seamus Heaney and journalist Pete Hamill also at the service.
Trimble retreat sought
Members of the U.S. House of Representatives have called on Northern Ireland’s first minister, David Trimble, to end his ban on Sinn Féin ministers attending North-South Ministerial Council meetings.
The House International Relations Committee recently approved a motion by Rep. Joe Crowley, the Queens Democrat and co-chair of the Ad Hoc Committee on Irish Affairs, which notes with approval the recent decision of the Belfast High Court that called on Trimble to lift the sanctions against ministers Martin McGuinness and Bairbre de Brun.
The ban was imposed by Trimble in the light of the IRA’s continued refusal to decommission its weapons.
In supporting the Crowley motion, GOP Rep. Ben Gilman, also an Ad Hoc co-chair, said the exclusions were "arbitrary and unlawful" and were undermining nationalist support for the Good Friday agreement.
The committee also agreed to a motion put forward by Reps. Peter King and Chris Smith reiterating support for the current suspension of FBI/RUC exchanges and insisting on full implementation of the Patten report, which Smith said, had been stalled by the British government.
The motion also called for an independent judicial inquiry into the murders of Pat Finucane, Rosemary Nelson and Robert Hamill.
S.F. bigs in Trenton
Two leading members of Sinn Féin, Martin Ferris and Tom Hartley, are expected to attend a Mass and rally in Trenton this Saturday, May 19, to mark the 20th anniversary of the death of the hunger strikers in 1981. The commemoration, which is also designed to create awareness and support for the peace process in Northern Ireland, is being organized by a number of New Jersey-based Irish American groups including the AOH and Irish Northern Aid. Details from Bill Young at (732) 280-0221.
Mo honored
Former Northern Ireland Secretary of State Mo Mowlam will be honored in New York this Thursday by the National Committee on American Foreign Policy. Mowlam will be presented with the committee’s "Initiative for Peace Award" at a ceremony in the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. Mowlam will deliver a speech, "Steppingstones on the Road to Peace," at the event, which is due to be attended by Gov. George Pataki and former U.S. Ambassador to Ireland Jean Kennedy Smith.
Hunger strike resolution?
The U.S. House of Representatives is considering a resolution honoring the 10 hunger strikers who died in Northern Ireland 20 years ago.
The resolution, HR 132, was introduced by Rep. Michael Capuano, a Massachusetts Democrat. The resolution recognizes "the historical significance of the sacrifices made by the Irish Republican hunger strikers of 1981 and the subsequent political impact their actions had on the Northern Ireland peace process."
The resolution currently has about a dozen co-sponsors and the Irish American Unity Conference is asking people to contact their congressional representative to urge support for the resolution.
O’Hagan honored
Former St. Patrick’s Day Parade grand marshal Al O’Hagan was honored by New York city Council at a recent ceremony marking the council’s annual Irish Heritage Celebration.
Also honored at the event, hosted at City Hall by Speaker Peter Vallone, was this year’s New York City St. Patrick’s Day Parade grand marshal, Ed Malloy, and Dr. Kevin Cahill, who led the parade up Fifth Avenue in 2000.
O’Hagan was honored for his work as chairman of the Great Irish Fair, held every year at Coney Island in Brooklyn.