The decision by the European Court of Human Rights to declare Ireland in violation of Article 8 in the European Convention of Human Rights with regards to abortion legislation has thrust this contentious issue to the forefront of debate yet again. Following a previous article on women and abortion, several Politico readers asked about mens rights in the abortion debate. Christina Finn investigates.
At a long session of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on 16 December, there was further grilling of Michael Scanlan, Secretary General in the Dept of Health and Cathal McGee, HSE chief (pictured) on the unorthodox SKILL fund and new information on another health services partnership fund. By Sara Burke
Charles Dicken's novels like A Christmas Carol may be much-loved classics but today's readers should not ignore the ingenuity of their social commentary nor forget that their anger at injustice was born of Dickens' own childhood deprivation. By Edward O'Hare
Of the multitude of Irish books published this Christmas Great Endeavour, Michael Smith's superb celebration of Irish Antarctic explorers, is the one that deserves a place beneath the tree. By Ed O'Hare
Despite the concerted efforts of left-wing activists, community groups and movements like Claiming Our Future, Ireland's protest movement appears to be waning. While some might argue this is down to a political apathy peculiar to Ireland, many consider the media and organisations such as Ictu and the USI to be serious obstacles to widespread resistance. By Alison Spillane
America stood as the last superpower after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Unrivalled, American values spread as globalisation increased, perhaps embodied by Francis Fukuyama's call for an 'end of History' (in a 1989 essay and also a book in 1992). What was Fukuyama arguing for? Does his hypothesis still make sense? By Shane Creevy
Listening to Brian Lenihan's Budget speech, you'd think the health services were going to be untouched by austerity in the years ahead. Although health services make up 27 per cent of current spending, they are just under one-third of the €2.2 billion in cuts outlined, yet they did not even get a mention. By Sara Burke
A cut of 4% in social welfare payments has been introduced in Budget 2011. Although there has been a 4,200 decline in the Live Register, there are still 438,800 people on welfare according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
Politico is running a series of interviews with people in Ireland living on the verge of poverty who will be plunged deeper into poverty now that their allowances will be cut further.
Statement by Claiming Our Future (COF) on the lowering of the minimum wage. COF is asking people to support a 'Save the Minimum Wage' demonstration at the Dail on Thurs 9 Decembed at 1pm. It also asks people to sign petition against lowering the minimum wage by clicking here
For all its benefits the internet might not be the universal friend we believe. In his new book The Shallows Nicholas Carr argues that it has a serious drawback: it is turning us into superficial minds addicted to information highs and endangering our ability to contemplate deeper questions of existence. By Ed O'Hare.