The 2007 Traveller Focus Week was launched this week by the Irish Travellers Movement (ITM) under the theme ‘Inclusion'. There are several objectives to the week including encouraging travellers to participate more in policy development and public life, to promote an understanding of Travellers position in Irish society. The organisers also hope that the week will highlight the contribution Travellers bring to Irish Society.
Fourteen members of the Traveller community were denied admission to a New Years Eve party in the “South” Nightclub, Tramore on 31 December 2002. They believed that the refusal was solely because they were recognised as members of the Traveller community. They had not bought the tickets as a group and they arrived in various groups at the nightclub at separate times.
Every week thousands of US soldiers continue to troop through Shannon airport en route to and from the war in Iraq. Often there are four or flights a day, each carrying hundreds of troops. The airline now being used in the main is Omni Air International based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, a charter airline (see picture).
The Social Welfare payment provided to asylum seekers in Ireland has not increased in the last eight years. It is the only social welfare payment never to have increased. Asylum seekers receive accommodation and food and a weekly allowance of €19.10 for adults and €9.60 per child. Asylum seekers are not allowed to work so they have no way of boosting this weekly income. The Irish Refugee Council is calling for the payment to increase to €60 per week for adults and €35 per week for children in this year's Budget.
On 9 October Waterford City Council evicted twelve Traveller families from a halting site in Kilbarry, forcing them to locate to by the side of the road with no access to water or sanitary facilities.
Village presents details of the private 1962 report, conducted by prison chaplain Fr. Henry Moore for Archbishop John C. McQuaid, outlining the various deficiencies of the Artane school for boys. In the report, Fr. Moore details the shortfall in medical treatment, the 'rigid and severe' discipline and the low educational standard reached by boys at the school. Moore also speaks of the band - the 'only worthwhile achievement of the school'. Fr. Moore concluded that Artane was in need of 'drastic revision'.
A recent survey of 931 people it was found that an additional 395,640 people would have voted on Election Day had e-voting been available to them.
Animal rights activists staged a colourful demonstration at the GPO today to lobby the newly elected Minister for Environment, John Gormley to ban blood sports. The protesters specifically appealed to the minister not renew a stag hunting licence this week.