Latest news with #Funchion
The Journal
12 hours ago
- Politics
- The Journal
Sinn Féin MEP calls on EU commissioner to withdraw 'deeply inaccurate' remarks about Ireland
SINN FÉIN MEP Kathleen Funchion has called on the EU's foreign commissioner to her withdraw remarks on Ireland's neutrality. During a debate at the European Parliament in Strasbourg on Tuesday on the upcoming Nato summit next week, Funchion criticised the EU's inaction on dealing with Israel's military operations in the Gaza, Iran and other parts of the Middle East. The Ireland South MEP later noted the sovereign right of each member state to choose its own foreign policies and if they participate in military alliances such as Nato. She said that the EU hopes it recognises Ireland's right to maintain its historical neutral stance. 'We in Ireland have a proud history and tradition of UN peacekeeping, and long may that continue,' Funchion said, adding that it was 'important to reference the creeping militarisation into EU politics'. 'This debate has been a combination of maddening and depressing for the past two hours, listening to the vast majority of speakers. I would also remind people that, at its core, the EU is supposed to be a peace project, and we should not move away from this' Other members also voiced concern over the fulfilment of international law obligations in the conflict during the debate and called for a renewed effort to achieve peace in the Middle East and in Ukraine. 'Peace does not mark end of suffering' During her closing remarks, the European Commission Vice President and foreign affairs Commissioner Kaja Kallas said that peace can only be achieved in Ukraine when the aggressor, Russia, is willing to negotiate. She addressed Funchion's remarks and claimed that Ireland had the chance for 'prosperity' in the years following the World War II, while the rest of Europe experienced 'atrocities'. She said, in that context, that a negotiated peace through surrender would not benefit countries under siege by others. Advertisement 'I want to address our Irish colleagues,' Kallas said. 'Peace doesn't mean the human suffering will stop. If you surrender, you [still] have the aggressor. [If] you say, 'Take all that you want', it doesn't mean that human suffering will stop. 'In our experience behind the Iron Curtain [the border between the Soviet Union and Europe during the Cold War] after World War II, countries like Ireland got to build up their prosperity, but for us, it meant atrocities, mass deportations, suppression of our culture and language. 'This is what happens, it is peace – but not freedom. It's not freedom of choice for people. And that is what the EU is all about and that's what we're fighting for.' 'Ill-advised remarks should be withdrawn' The remarks have been criticised as 'deeply inaccurate' by MEP Funchion, who said the vice-president was dismissive of the post-war experience of people on the island of Ireland. Funchion said Kallas' comments were 'ill-advised and deeply insensitive to the experiences of Irish communities still seeking justice to this day'. She added: 'Ireland too endured atrocities, from the Ballymurphy massacre to Bloody Sunday, where innocent civilians were shot and killed by British soldiers. Our people suffered internment without trial, and widespread discrimination in housing and employment, particularly in the North. 'Furthermore, the suppression of Irish language and culture has been an ongoing battle, as evidenced by the decades-long campaign for an Irish Language Act in the North. She added: 'I have written to the vice-president asking her to withdraw her remarks and to acknowledge the reality of Ireland's past.' Kallas' office has been contacted for comment. Includes reporting by Press Association Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
Extra.ie
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Extra.ie
Sinn Féin MEP Kathleen Funchion details abusive relationship with ex partner
Sinn Féin MEP Kathleen Funchion has urged anyone that knows someone who might be in a coercive relationship to not be judgemental but 'listen to them.' The 44-year-old politician detailed how she has come to terms with her own abusive relationship at the hands of her partner of six years, Sean Tyrell. Mr Tyrell was sentenced to four-months in jail for offences under Coco's Law against Ms Funchion. Sinn Féin MEP Kathleen Funchion has urged anyone that knows someone who might be in a coercive relationship to not be judgemental but 'listen to them.' Pic: Ireland AM/ Instagram Speaking on Ireland AM on Monday, the MEP told presenters Tommy Bowe and Muireann O'Connell how her relationship with Tyrell was 'dysfunctional at times.' 'Hindsight is hindsight for a reason,' she said, 'There was elements of control probably from very early on.' Ms Funchion added that the control can be 'hard to identify' as it is a gradual process which results in you doubting and questioning yourself. She added that it results in a 'huge amount of confidence' lost, which is what the abusive partner wants. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ireland AM (@irelandamvmtv) The MEP for Ireland South detailed how her ex-partner would question if she wasn't home by a certain time, a feat difficult for a politician who deals with the public. 'You're always trying to be ten steps ahead to think what kind of potential issue is happening here,' she detailed. 'I felt that I was always trying to find a solution as I really loved Sean, I really wanted this relationship to work. For me, this was it. I was determined to see how we could figure this out.' Ms Funchion detailed how her partner had been threatening to go to journalists with 'various stories' about her claiming that she was financially and physically abusive to him. Speaking on Ireland AM on Monday, the MEP told presenters Tommy Bowe and Muireann O'Connell how her relationship with Tyrell was 'dysfunctional at times.' Pic: Ireland AM/ Instagram 'I went to the Gardaí; I reached out to the Amber Women's Refuge as well,' the politician shared. She went on to give her praise to Gardaí and the protective services unit in Kilkenny who she branded as 'amazing' during the case. Speaking about writing her victim impact statement, she admitted it took her a 'very long time' to write it, adding that she was 'physically sick' in the lead up to having to read it out in court. 'It is very, very difficult for people,' she said, 'I've always had admiration for people who come forward but even more-so after going through it.' The Kilkenny woman added that she did feel 'physically lighter' following the case, but detailed there are still difficulties in her life following on from the relationship, such as letting people into her life. 'That is something that has changed for me,' she stated, 'But I am really glad that I did go all the way with it.'
Irish Examiner
03-05-2025
- Irish Examiner
Elaine Loughlin: Kathleen Funchion's case shows what coercive control really looks like — and why we need to listen
Gardaí, legal teams and defendants milled in and out of courtroom 1 as Judge Cephas Power made his way down a list of thefts, pub spats and public order cases. Behind the bare charges outlined, snippets of the turmoil and strive of some of those before the district court emerged. Like the mother-of-two up on several shoplifting charges, who herself had been adopted and suffered sexual abuse in childhood before becoming addicted to medication she had been prescribed. The court heard that many of the items taken were basic necessities and was also told of the struggles of rearing a child with a severe disability. The morning dragged into lunch as sentences were handed down or cases were put back to another date. It was mid-afternoon by the time Sean Tyrrell was called to appear before the judge, at which point the courtroom had largely filtered out. But the sentencing hearing, which on the day was sandwiched between the humdrum circuit court itinerary of cases and family court hearings on Monday, has since made national news. Tyrrell was given a four-month prison sentence, with a sperate four-month jail term suspended for two years, for offences under Section 4 of the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020, also known as Coco's Law. In a powerful impact statement, which she read out in court, his former partner MEP Kathleen Funchion described the lasting trauma of being in a relationship in which her ex-partner "always had to control the narrative" and "did everything in his power to continue this until the very end". The impact that this has had on the rest of my left is that my life has become a very lonely and isolated place where I have issues trusting others. I do not allow people into my life, I question everyone's motivation that is around me and I can become incredibly paranoid. "It is very difficult to have to say this aloud but it is the reality of my life now," an emotional Funchion told the court. In coming forward and speaking out, Ms Funchion who was an elected representative in Dáil Éireann throughout what was described as the "dysfunctional" relationship with Tyrrell, should be a wake-up call for many that harassment, manipulation, coercive control and other forms of abuse are quietly pervasive and are not limited to any specific social class, ethnicity, or educational background. "Shocking it can even happen to someone like a TD," was one text message I received from a colleague working in the media after my report on the case was published this week. The stereotype of a broken and vulnerable woman who is easily taken advantage of, needs to be done away with. Outwardly strong leaders in their communities, such as Ms Funchion, can and are being subjected to manipulative abuse that ekes away at the person and makes them doubt everything about themselves. "It is something that will stay with me forever, the worry, the upset and at times to this day the disbelief of what has happened, will never leave," the Sinn Féin politician said in her victim impact statement. Disbelief is an emotion felt by many. Coercive control creates invisible chains and a sense of fear that pervades all elements of a survivor's life. American sociologist Evan Stark, who developed the concept of coercive control, likened it to being taken hostage as 'the victim becomes captive in an unreal world created by the abuser, entrapped in a world of confusion, contradiction and fear.' In speaking up, Kathleen Funchion has created much-need publicity around a crime that often is hidden. File photo: Gareth Chaney/Collins Speaking after Tyrrell was jailed this week, Ms Funchion described the slow realisation of the situation she found herself in: "When you're with someone who is a controlling person, that doesn't happen overnight, it's subtle and it happens over time and I suppose you really get to a stage where you feel there's something wrong with you, and it's not something where you wake up one morning and realise, this is not a great situation. It happens over time. "I'm conscious that there are probably other people in situations like that and they are probably thinking, 'is there something wrong with me?'. So I just wanted to be able to stress that it can be very subtle and you can't see it creep up and you can nearly become agreeable to some of the ways that this person acts towards you like handing over your phone. "When you're removed from the situation and you're speaking to other people, you realise that that is not normal behaviour.' Coco's law Coco's law, the legislation which Tyrrell was jailed under, was debated by politicians in the Dáil and enacted in 2021 when Ms Funchion was a sitting TD. A year later, she sought support through Amber women's refuge in Kilkenny before going to gardaí. Coco's Law was named after 21-year-old Nicole 'Coco' Fox, who died by suicide in 2018 after suffering years of physical and online abuse that started just after she turned 18. The law, criminalises the sharing of, or threatening to share, intimate images without a person's consent, with or without intent to cause harm to the victim. The act also targets other areas of harmful communications by creating a new offence of distributing, publishing, or sending a threatening or grossly offensive communication with intent to cause harm. Kilkenny district court this week heard that Tyrrell persisted in making allegations of unfaithfulness, which were incorrect, and tried to force Ms Funchion to take a lie detector test that caused "very considerable upset". In August of 2022, after the couple had fully separated, Tyrrell contacted a national newspaper journalist outlining what the court heard was "false information" of domestic violence and financial abuse by a Sinn Féin politician. He sent screengrabs of these emails to Ms Funchion and threatened to provide the journalist with her name if she did not agree to a number of demands which included taking the lie detector test and arranging a meeting with Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald. Tyrell also threatened to contact the spouses of a number of Ms Funchion's close friends to falsely claim they had been unfaithful in their marriages if she did not comply with his demands. Addressing the court, Ms Funchion said: "This has been without a doubt the most difficult process that I have ever dealt with in my life. Sean tried to destroy some of the most important parts of my life through his actions, threatening my relationships with my family members, my long-term close friends and trying to use my job against me." An operational review published last September showed that almost 100 cases had been prosecuted in the three years since Coco's law came into effect. Ms Funchion's case will now be added to the statistics. But in speaking up, she has created much-need publicity around a crime that often is hidden. Read More MEP urges victims of harassment and coercive control to seek help
Sunday World
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Sunday World
‘I feel I spent all that time in my life crying,' says MEP after ex jailed under Coco's Law
SPEAKS OUT | The Sinn Féin MEP hopes that by going public with her story, it will inspire others to seek help and speak out MEP Kathleen Funchion has spoken out about the years of coercive control she endured at the hands of her ex-partner, Sean Tyrell Ms Funchion's ex-partner and former Kilkenny County Councillor, Sean Tyrell, was convicted on Monday under Section 4 of the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020, also known as Coco's Law. Tyrell was handed a four-month prison sentence, with a separate four-month jail term suspended for two years. Ms Funchion first met Tyrell in 2016 when he helped out during her Dáil election campaign. Tyrell was co-opted onto Kilkenny County Council that year, taking up the seat that Ms Funchion vacated after becoming a TD. The pair began a romantic relationship in 2016, before getting engaged in 2017. Speaking on RTÉ's News at One , Ms Funchion said that coercive control happens 'subtly' over time, and for that reason, many people do not recognise when they are the victim of coercive control in their own lives. "I think one of the reasons why I was anxious to speak about the situation is to maybe explain to people, and for other people in the situation, is that it is something that you don't see happening, in terms of it's very subtle," said Ms Funchion. "When you're with someone who is a controlling person, that doesn't happen overnight, it's subtle and it happens over time and I suppose you really get to a stage where you feel there's something wrong with you, and it's not something where you wake up one morning and realise, this is not a great situation. It happens over time. "I'm conscious that there are probably other people in situations like that and they are probably thinking, 'is there something wrong with me?'. So I just wanted to be able to stress that it can be very subtle and you can't see it creep up and you can nearly become agreeable to some of the ways that this person acts towards you like handing over your phone. When you're removed from the situation and you're speaking to other people, you realise that that is not normal behaviour.' Kathleen Funchion. Photo: PA During the course of their relationship, Ms Funchion said that Tyrell had insisted on having access to her phone and her messages and even wanted her to take a lie detector test as he continuously alleged that Ms Funchion was being unfaithful to him. Ms Funchion said at one stage, she even considered doing the lie detector test to prove that she had nothing to hide. "No matter what I said, he was adamant that I was being unfaithful in the relationship and I found that very difficult. He wanted me to take a lie detector test, which I would say at one point I was considering doing and I think that shows how it really gets into your head and you really do doubt yourself. "I suppose the important thing here is that actually, somebody who is controlling like that, no matter what you do, it's never going to be good enough.' The situation continued to escalate to a point where Tyrell started making allegations that Ms Funchion's close friends were being unfaithful in their marriages. 'I think it kind of came to a head in August of 2022 where I was really at breaking point,' said Ms Funchion. 'I was very, very upset. I wasn't sleeping, I wasn't eating. I feel like I spent all that time in my life crying.' Ms Funchion first contacted the Amber women's refuge in Kilkenny, before reaching out to Gardaí. She was then put in contact with the Protective Services unit of the Gardaí in Kilkenny, who she said were 'incredible'. 'They have been incredible, and unbelievable in the work that they do on a daily basis,' said Ms Funchion. 'I found that they were objective, but so professional and kind in their approach. They really made me feel that I wasn't going crazy. "Abuse can be physical, it can be emotional,' added Ms Funchion. 'There's a range and I think that sometimes people think that they have to rock up with signs of physical abuse, but actually that's not the case.' While Ms Funchion said she feels relieved and 'vindicated' following Tyrell's sentencing, the emotional scars from the years of coercive control and harassment will never fade. "I definitely think, and I find it difficult to acknowledge this about myself, but it has changed my life and not in a positive way. I have very serious issues with trust as a result. I don't see that ever leaving me and I do find that I maybe question people more who do come into my life and I keep my circle very small. "But I am really glad that I did see this through to the end and that there was justice. I do feel very strongly about that and I do feel that I was listened to.' The Sinn Féin MEP added that by going public with her story, she hopes it will inspire others in a similar situation to seek help and speak out.
Irish Daily Mirror
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Irish Daily Mirror
Sinn Fein MEP admits to 'serious' trust issues after ex jailed under Coco's Law
Sinn Féin MEP Kathleen Funchion said she has 'very serious trust issues' and her life has been changed after her former partner was jailed under Coco's Law. On Monday, Sean Tyrell was jailed under Section 4 of the Harassment and Harmful Communications Act for four months, with a separate four-month jail term suspended for two years. The court heard that Tyrell made false accusations about Ms Funchion, saying she had been unfaithful. They began a relationship in 2016, and after they split in August 2022, he contacted a journalist at a national newspaper saying a Sinn Féin politician was making false claims about domestic violence and financial abuse. Screengrabs of these emails were sent to Ms Funchion, as he threatened to give the journalist her name if she didn't meet a number of his demands. One of these demands was taking a lie detector test. Speaking after Tyrell was jailed, the MEP said she considered doing this, and these thoughts are the reality for many people who are coercively controlled. She told RTÉ's News At One on Tuesday: 'He wanted me to take a lie detector test, which I would say at one point I was considering doing. That shows how it really gets into your head and you really do doubt yourself. "When I think back about that now, I thought that this will resolve the issue, that someone being able to go through your phone, that you can show that there's nothing to hide. 'Somebody who is controlling like that, no matter what you do, nothing is going to be good enough.' Ms Funchion decided to go to the Gardaí after she was at 'breaking point' in August 2022. She said: 'I was very, very upset. I wasn't sleeping or eating. I feel like I spent all of that time in my life crying... I went into the Gardaí and spoke to them. "They have been incredible, and unbelievable in the work that they do on a daily basis. I found that they were objective, but so professional and kind in their approach. They really made me feel that I wasn't going crazy.' While the Sinn Féin politician said she felt 'physically lighter' leaving court on Monday, it has left her with 'very serious trust issues'. She continued: 'I don't see that ever leaving me. I find it difficult to acknowledge this about myself, but it has changed my life, and not in a positive way. "I question people more that come into my life, and I keep my circle very, very small... But I am really glad that I did see this through to the end, and that there was justice yesterday."
