If we see universal child benefit being systematically dismantled in the next Budget, while we retain tax breaks that massively benefit people with the highest incomes, then the fundamental values underpinning Ireland's budgetary policy need to be questioned. By Nat O'Connor.
Forty-six years ago (in 1966) three High Court judges adjudicated in a case where a child, born to unmarried parents, was adopted. Subsequently the natural parents married each other and made an application to have their child returned to them, after it was found that the adoption order concerning their child had been invalid.
By this time the child was aged 17 months and had bonded securely with his/her adopted parents and, aside from that, concerns were raised about the capacity of the natural mother to parent the child adequately.
Over the next few weeks, when you hear commentators asking – “Will the Government cut child benefit?” – just remember: they're already cutting it. By Michael Taft.
It’s rarely easy to be openly pro-choice in Ireland. This country has no shortage of people willing to tell you how you’re a murderer, selfish, disgusting, a baby-killer. How you’re heartless. How you should be ashamed of yourself.
The Nevin Economic Research Institute's budgetary proposals would remove the need for cuts in public services and social protection, increase investment, and keep more people at work than under the Government’s plans – and all this while maintaining the same pace of deficit reduction. By Michael Taft.
Video: Mary Norris speaks at the launch of the Mary Raftery Fund for Investigative Journalism in Dublin on September 26. Mrs Norris recalls her first meeting with Mary Raftery during Raftery's investigation into child abuse at Magdeline laundries and other church-run institutions for the documentary 'Suffer little children '. Norris traveled from Knocknagoshel in Kerry for today's launch.
The sapping of the community’s skill base, and the deep social problems that go with that, have been the legacy of the Celtic Tiger for Finglas South and West. By Jack Copley.
We need some discussion of the fact that all the main economic indicators are going south. But what we get instead are wall-to-wall demands that the Government cut €75 million in public sector allowances. By Michael Taft.
Over a quarter of the labour force is currently either unemployed or under-employed. Combine that with the EU Commission finding that there are approximately 28 unemployed per job vacancy, and you have a real crisis. By Michael Taft.
The lo-fi celebratory capitalism of The Gathering - carefully calibrated to win broad appeal by tapping into reservoirs of local pride - comes precisely at a time when its opposite number, disaster capitalism, is busily taking advantage of economic turmoil to ensure that when the dust settles, established power remains unchallenged. By Mark Cullinane and Eoin O'Mahony.