Archive for April 2010
NEED FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHILD WELFARE AND PROTECTION SERVICES
Posted on April 29, 2010
"Many of the abusing priests worked in parishes in my Constituency of Dublin Central. Many of the children who were abused were local innocent boys and girls who were sexually assaulted, had their childhoods traumatised and their adult lives permanently damaged. Coming after the Commission of Investigation into Child Abuse in Residential Institutions and Industrial Schools (The Ryan Report) earlier this year it paints a grim picture of Irish society, where the institutions of the State and the pillars of society invariably colluded with and protected the perpetrator – either passively or actively and left the child victim wholly unprotected. The commitment to "cherish the children of the Nation" rings very hollow when one reads the two reports.
RISE IN UNEMPLOYMENT LEVELS
Posted on April 29, 2010
SPEECH ON THE LABOUR PARTY PRIVATE MEMBERS MOTION ON A STRATEGIC INVESTMENT BANK WEDNESDAY 28TH APRIL 2010 Unemployment levels have trebled in two years from under 5% to nearly 14%. The live register stands at 436,000 with 32% youth unemployment. 40,000 people net left the country in 2009. The ESRI estimates a further 60,000 will emigrate this year. That brings us back to the worst years of the 1950’s when Ireland was drained of its youth and became a conservative backwater. Irresponsible banking, irresponsible regulation and an irresponsible government have contributed enormously to the present domestic crisis. The Government has no answer other than to bail out the banks.
GOVT NEEDS TO ACTIVELY SUPPORT EU TARGET OF 25% REDUCTION IN POVERTY
Posted on April 28, 2010
Speaking on Motion on the Adjournment: "The need for the Government to support the EU Commission’s proposal for an EU target to reduce poverty by 25%, at the next European Council Meeting."
2010 is the European Year of Combating Poverty and Social exclusion. The EU Commission is finalising the new European 20:20 strategy for the next decade.
