Society

The Fine Gael plan to dismantle the Health Service Executive (HSE) has been defended by Fine Gael health spokesman James Reilly, Leo Varadkar and Richard Bruton. By Christina Finn

The controversial plan will result in almost 30,000 redundancies and has been criticised by trade union SIPTU.

Fine Gael insists that a health system based on the Dutch model would work in Ireland. The HSE would be replaced with a universal health insurance system and would "prioritise the protection of frontline services and put the patient first," said Mr Reilly.

Barnardos CEO Fergus Finlay last night launched a scathing attack on the government over the children's rights referendum. By Alison Spillane.

Speaking at a public forum in Liberty Hall theatre, Mr Finlay (pictured) referenced the Ryan report, the Ferns report and the Roscommon child abuse case saying what all the victims had in common was the fact that "nobody ever listened to them, they had no voice".

Irish people can use the current crisis as an opportunity to effect positive and lasting change on our society, a public forum heard last night. By Alison Spillane.

Speaking to a packed auditorium in Liberty Hall theatre, Fintan O'Toole said, "We [Irish citizens] have the capacity to imagine a political project for ourselves".

There were heated exchanges at the Sandymount and Merrion Residents' Association (SAMRA) meeting in October over the Dublin City Council's Development Plan which proposes extending the 'inner city' to include areas outside the current canals area. By Sandy Hazel.

Under the proposal, Lansdowne Road (pictured), Beech Road, Bath Avenue and stretches of the Dodder will become part of the inner city according to residents at the SAMRA meeting. The redefinition of this boundary will enable the city planners to allow high rise development in these areas.

Levies will be placed on the operation of the proposed Ringsend incinerator "regardless of threats by Covanta to sue" Minister John Gormley told a local meeting in October. By Sandy Hazel

John Gormley assured residents that figures quoted in recent media reports "are wrong" regarding the costs of stopping the controversial incinerator project at Poolbeg.

The November series of rugby Internationals will be Ireland's toughest ever itinerary, with South Africa visiting on 6 November, followed by Samoa, then New Zealand, and finally Argentina. Declan Murphy previews series. 

The team will want to do better than in the summer when they were trounced by the All Blacks, beaten by the New Zealand Maoris and, finally, by Australia. Here's a look ahead to each match.

Tens of thousands of students marched in Dublin today to protest education cutbacks mooted for December's budget. But protest turned to violence as riot police attempted to move protestors from outside the Department of Finance. By Shane Creevy

The group had been attempting a 'sit-in' outside the Department as the large crowds were dispersing after the main event had finished.

Politico is running a series of interviews with Irish people living on the verge of poverty. These people will be severly impacted by cuts to welfare in the coming budget. In the first article, a Dundalk man describes the basic necessities his family can no longer since he became unemployed in 2008. [Interviews conducted in conjunction with the European Anti-Poverty Network.]

Roger has been unemployed for nearly two years. He lives in Dundalk with his family and previously worked for 20 years as a qualified electrician. In 2003, he was in a car accident and injured his back.

A fairer, sustainable and more equal Ireland is possible said Fr Seán Healy, director of Social Justice Ireland (SJI) today. By Alison Spillane.

In an interview with Politico at the Claiming Our Future (COF) event in the RDS, Fr Healy said that the next step for COF would be to involve more people in the discussion. He said that involvement should be at local, regional, and national level and that there is tremendous potential in developing this type of citizens' forum and addressing the problems we are facing.

1,000 people have gathered at the RDS today to discuss ways of achieving an equal, sustainable, and inclusive Ireland. The Claiming Our Future (COF) event, organised by civil society groups such as Is Feidir Linn, Social Justice Ireland and the Community Platform, aims to debate and agree on alternative policies for dealing with the recession. By Alison Spillane