EU office in Dawson Street: Challenges to inadequate social policies

international | rights, freedoms and repression | opinion/analysis Tuesday October 06, 2009 17:49 by Michelle Clarke - Media Pulse and Diversity

Protection of vulnerable sectors in the Community

In the past, I have written about a treasure trove of information much under utilised for parents, for individuals, for children, for the elderly concerned about the future, and for students. It is the EU office in Dawson Street. This is adjacent to the Royal Irish Academy, and St. Anne's Church which is also a haven for people with time on their hands and a curious mind. They have a coffee centre and for over 50's they assist people in learning how to use the computer

The Lisbon Treaty Re-Run has proved one point and that is the splintered groups of socialism that were unable to form the phlanx of NO. We need to ask ourselves now, as a Nation that has said yes to the Treaty, what do we expect from the Government?

At the moment in Ireland domestically, we have serious problems. We have the abuse of taxpayers money by who? Let's go: FAS, TD's expenses, Ministers expenses, county councillor expenses, and now as the whole country knows we have John O'Donoghue, Ceann Comhairle of the Oireachtas (above politics) but as Eamonn Gilmore placed a No Confidence Vote in the Dail today for the resignation or dismissal of Mr. O'Donoghue, it raises serious questions.

Doom and gloom abounds for 1 year now. The collapse started with one of the biggest banks in the US - Lehman Brothers and since then economics worldwide are in free flow.

Ireland is in particular disgrace. Led from the front by politicians, bankers and professionals, Ireland is awash with people who have lived lavishly off others and now, without shame, we the ordinary people ask will they be held accountable?

The people have expressed an opinion. The re-run of the Lisbon II Treaty indicated a change in consensus about Europe and support for Lisbon Treaty. This time, we were not influenced by the No campaigners, there was a change of perspective, a change of view, and the fact that the European Central Bank has intervened to support us, all these factors contributed to the Irish people saying yes to Europe.

In the past, I have written about a treasure trove of information much under utilised for parents, for individuals, for children, for the elderly concerned about the future, and for students. It is the EU office in Dawson Street.. This adjacent to the Royal Irish Academy, and St. Anne;s Church. St. Anne's Church is also a haven for people with time on their hands and a curious mind. They have a coffee centre and for over 50's they assist people in learning how to use the computer.

Now all we need is for Government to embrace the Knowledge Economy, my acknowledging the importance for high speed Broadband and putting into effect.

There is plenty of publications available and for free at the EU office. The one that caught my attention is titled

Media4Diversity - Taking the Pulseof Diversity in the Media

A study on Media and Diversity in EU Member States and 3 EEA countries. The manuscript was completed in March 2009.

Immediately, I thought of Indymedia. Blogs are popular but Indymedia is more about people press; it is more about the diversity part of the 'unity' and an exchange of views. This can be witnessed by using the search topic and say typing in a key word e.g. Peace, Corruption, and Indymedia will take you back a number of years and you will witness for yourselves about a different kind of interaction. Articles written about Tara, and writers like Chris Murray, Sean Crudden introduced us to a broad range of subject including Prisons, mental health, suicide, the Peace Process, the Gardai, Child Sexual Abuse, housing, public private partnerships and O'Devaney Gardens.

The ENFO office in Suffolk Street has been closed - an immediate response to An Bord Snip snipes. Let's now starting looking to the libraries, to Indymedia, to the EU offices, to form that Knowledge platform that the Europeans expect Ireland to have arrived at.

Ireland stands challenged now but where is the Shame? Where is the public Outrage? Do we really want to have a two tier society, the really rich and very poor 'underclass'. The indicators exist but alas the facts stand that people are already suffering. There are more young people begging on the streets. There are small businesses humbled for small loans to the banks that have been bailed out by NAMA. Old people are worrying what lies ahead of them, will they be able to live on social security, middle aged people are wondering how long will they have to continue to work beyond retirement age and what jobs will they be expected to do? What about third level education? Will people with disabilities, or from poorer backgrounds be able to access third level education? Will young people be able to take responsibility and work and study to pay for education? Do we expect too much of them? What about our prison system? What about life long learning? Why do so many young people quit school before leaving certificate? What about Suicide? I have heard that 5 taxi drivers have committed suicide in the last number of weeks? Who cares about these people?

Regrouping is needed and Indymedia has a broad spectrum coverage but biases hinder the diversity that Indymedia is supposed to be about.

For people who are serious about going forward, I would suggest a visit to the EU office and I would highly recommend the book (free of charge) on Media4Diversity - Taking the Pulse of Diversity in the Media to form an underbelly of how to extract from 'the fatted' calf of the Celtic Tiger and help us move forward into that Knowledge Economy of the Celtic Tiger.

A positive for us to take account of is: There is now a Whistleblower Charter. People will be free to make revelations!! and not be penalised by their employers.

Michelle
Shell on Trial by Ken Saro Wiwa (1941-95) Nigerian Writer and Activist: Leader of the Ogoni people who were protesting against Shell's exploration on their land, environmental destruction and human rights abuses. Saro Wiwa was executed with eight others by the Nigerian Government

'I and my colleagues here are not the only ones on trial. Shell is here on trial...the company has indeed ducked this particular trial, but its day will surely come'. The power of print and people
Quotation