Maman Poulet | Clucking away crookedly through media, politics and life

Claiming Our Future heads to Cork

September 22nd, 2011 · Equality, Irish Politics, Social Policy

The next national Claiming Our Future event will take place on November 5 in Cork.

An Economy for Society is the theme for this event which is organised by Claiming Our Future in association with PlanBetter (part of IEN the Irish Environmental Network).  It is a one day discussion on our economic system.  Individuals and people from a wide range of civil society organisations will talk through the issues.   Attendance is free and you can register for the (e)vent and find out more information here.

Claiming Our Future events encourage the participation of all in the discussions with the aim of sharing information and debating whether the current economic system serves society and what needs to happen to change to make it more equal and environmentally sustainable. The proposals then form part of further ongoing dialogues building a movement progressing those changes.  I attended the first national event last year in Dublin and the grouping of NGO’s, Trade Union groups and Environmental organisations has continued to work locally and nationally holding the discussions and enabling exchanges of views.

 

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Campaign Diary #1

September 21st, 2011 · Elections, Irish Politics, Trot for the ARAS 2011

Think it’s time to start the campaign diary entries again.  Thanks to Rick O’Shea for the first poster find from the ploughing (where all the candidates tweeted that they had a marvellous time but I’m not sure how much ploughing they saw!)

Martin McGuinness declared on Sunday morning and lo and behold the campaign posters were up in Athy ready for action less than 48 hours later.

So if you see any posters (homemade ones most welcome) videos, songs (you know how I love the election music), canvassing stories, please feel free to send them to tipsATmamanpoulet.com  All donations/tips/gossip gratefully received!

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Irish Government response to A,B,C vs Ireland placed under ‘enhanced’ supervision

September 20th, 2011 · Abortion

Last year the European Court of Human Rights ruled that the Irish Government must ensure that a woman’s right to abortion in certain circumstances as outlined in the constitution is upheld.  The court found “that the authorities failed to comply  with their positive obligation to secure to the third applicant [C] effective respect for her private life by reason of the absence of any  implementing legislative or regulatory regime providing an accessible  and effective procedure by which the third applicant could have  established whether she qualified for a lawful abortion in Ireland in  accordance with Article 40.3.3 of the Constitution.”

The Irish Government wrote an action plan regarding the judgement and submitted it to the Council of Europe in June of this year.  The action plan involved the establishment of an expert committee by the end of this year.  (This expert committee was mentioned in the programme for government and was acknowledged at the time as an inadequate response to the Court ruling.)

A Committee of ministers deputies review all rulings of the European Court of Human Rights and ensure that they are executed.  Ireland’s response to the ruling  is now being placed under ‘enhanced’ supervision.  A meeting yesterday of the committee also reminded the Irish government of

‘the importance of putting in place substantive measures to execute the judgment and invited the authorities to keep the Committee informed in relation to the steps taken under the timetable set out in the action plan.’

It doesn’t look like the Irish answer to the problem of putting it on the long finger of an expert committee is going to cut it as a substantive measure.

The Irish Council for Civil Liberties and the Irish Family Planning Association both wrote to the committee and outlined their concerns with the Programme for Government proposals and overall response of the state to the ruling.

The ICCL welcomed the decision of the committee to keep the response of the Irish government under ‘enhanced’ supervision.  Mark Kelly, Director of ICCL noted that

It is probable that a woman in position of the victim in this case  would be treated in exactly the same manner today, in clear violation of  her rights under the European Convention on Human Rights. The mere  creation of an “expert group” to look into the matter is not a  substantive measure to implement this legally-binding judgment by  Europe’s top court. Consequently, the ICCL welcomes this clear signal  from the Committee of Ministers that it will take a firm line on the  need for abortion law reform in Ireland.

Note: The Committee of Ministers Deputies was the process used to review Irelands response to the Norris ruling in 1988.  The committee meets several times a year and Ireland and other states found to have contravened human rights of plaintiffs have to explain themselves and what they are doing to change the law and stop the cases happening again.

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JobBridge – Unscrupulous ’employers’ and management of scheme criticised – TD

September 18th, 2011 · Irish Politics, Recession, Social Policy

Following reports of the issue being raised at last weeks closed meeting of the Parliamentary Party in Tullow, Labour Party TD’s are now issuing press statements questioning the way in which JobBridge positions are being screened.

Ged Nash TD (Louth) this afternoon has called exploitation of unemployed people on the scheme ‘shameless’. He called on FAS to ‘up it’s game’ in screening applications for internships from ’employers’.

JobBridge was set up to give graduates and those coming off training schemes an opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills in the workforce with the potential to lead to full-time employment.

When done well and in the full spirit of the scheme, JobBridge represents a fantastic opportunity for both the employer and the intern. An internship is meant to be a structured learning programme for the participant, not a source of free labour for the employer, especially when it comes to those who post stratospheric pre-tax profits on an annual basis.”

There is substantial evidence in the public domain showing that some unscrupulous employers especially in the retail and hotel and catering trades are attempting to flagrantly abuse the scheme. The stacking of shelves and the carrying out of basic cleaning duties does not an internship make.

It is puzzling in the extreme as to how some of these positions managed to make it through the screening process in the first place and find their way on to the JobBridge site for a period. This lax practice should be discontinued immediately.

Earlier this week the Minister for Social Protection said that all positions were screened and that many unsuitable posts had been excluded.  Una Mullally in yesterday’s Irish Times reported however that the Department had only excluded 56 applications from ’employers’.

Following the Minister’s statement defending the scheme in the Seanad it was established that Tesco Ireland have advertised 12 shop floor positions for six months for the Christmas season.  (145 posts in total) Some point to the need for internships in all levels and sectors, however surely these are supposed to provide experience and training and not free labour for companies that make billions in profits.

Deputy Nash’s statement seems to have been spurred on by this development.

No matter what weak defence is put forward, these posts aim to displace real jobs. It is sickening to see massive retail organisations, some of whom are generating profits in the hundreds of millions and operating at much higher margins in Ireland than in other European countries conniving to deliberately exploit a taxpayer funded initiative designed to help those who are anxious to get into the world of work and to map out a future for themselves.

This time of the year is one which usually sees employment created in the retail sector albeit temporarily.  Supervalu, Tesco and others advertising for retail assistants through internships surely can’t be in the interest of the revenue coffers, the EU/IMF overlords or more importantly providing experience and training to graduates or those who have completed training schemes.

Senator Jillian Van Turnhout who raised the need for screening and standards for internships in the Seanad expressed her concern that the scheme could be devalued by the lack of standards and training available.

As someone who comes from the community and voluntary sector I have seen how the community employment scheme became devalued over the years. My fear is that JobBridge will become devalued over time.

An internship should be something of which one is proud of on one’s curriculum vitae. It has a standard. An employer should know that if someone has done a JobBridge internship, they had to go through certain hoops and that there was a certain level of training and standards. My concerns relate to those aspects of the internship programme and this is why I have raised the matter.

*  I’m putting ‘Employers’ in quotes from now on when I write about Jobbridge until things change – If they don’t pay wages they should be called hosts.  Then maybe the right attitude to internships might be taken by all involved.

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Supporting Michael D Higgins

September 16th, 2011 · Irish Politics, Trot for the ARAS 2011

Tonight I am speaking at a meeting where Michael D Higgins will be talking  about equality.  A number of people who are passionate about equality were asked if they would speak at the meeting and endorse his candidacy. I didn’t hesitate.

It’s no surprise to many that I would have long been a fan of Michael D Higgins  as a politician, thinker and public figure.  Having observed the candidates and names that have been thrown around in the past few months it’s clear  we have to truly respect the position and it’s actual possibilities and limitations.  Its not about a party vote and indeed my support is not support of the Labour Party, particularly given the lack of commitment to equality and social justice that is emerging as a theme of the new government and their role in it.

I respect Michael D Higgins and his personal commitment to equality and justice.  When I think of who I want to be representing the country, thinking aloud and observing both the good and worrying things about Ireland  then I would rather have Michael D speaking to the nation than someone who pretends they were inclusive or doesn’t have the political experience needed to make good decisions.  The post is not about entitlement but it is about earned and maintaining respect.

We will soon have a real campaign and the shadow boxing of nominations will be over.  I’m looking forward to it.  I hope we see an end to the damage to the role which this early part of the campaign has done.

Tonight I will be speaking about equality and disabled people and why despite the boom and now particularly in the bust the position of people with disabilities in society remains low and the use of the images of disability and cuts do nothing to improve our standing in society.

Violence (both by the state and others) against people with disabilities increases in all forms as the clamber for the worst off emerges and the lexicon around disability talks of shirkers, stupid, unemployable, and carers and the jobs of staff in the sector instead of the right to live a life of one’s choosing with all rights protected.  Many continue to be hidden away in institutions and homes and promises are broken.  The Commission on the Status of People with Disabilities reported in 1996.  Most of the commitments have not been fully implemented or are being reneged on and I doubt that it’s money or the lack of it that is the excuse for our failure as a society.   I look forward to the chance to speak with Michael D and others tonight on this and other issues.

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