Maman Poulet

Today’s announcement of the Government’s intention to introduce Work for Dole/Mutual Obligation is more than a kite that is being flown.

This evening’s RTE news showed examples of where people who participate in such a scheme may work including cleaning mountain walkways, community childcare, care of the elderly. A pilot scheme of 10,000 places is to be announced next month. No mention of training for participants or support for groups who ‘employ’ participants, who more than likely have had other funding cut over the past few years. Previous employment and training initiatives required Unions and Employers to pass schemes as not displacing or replacing jobs in local economies. This is going to be more difficult to arrange in the current climate due to the professionalisation of community services and the huge job losses there have been in this sector.

It won’t be long now till we see local TD’s clamoring to get places for a community sector which has already been decimated by government cutbacks. Suddenly the Government will say that they want to help communities as well as ensure that people in receipt of benefits ‘truly want to work’.

This scheme as proposed is not much different from the entitlements for Community Employment except that it will be people on jobseekers benefit who will be entitled/forced to apply and not those who are disabled or lone parents. Community Employment has seen cuts in numbers and cuts in the supports/costs towards projects who employ people on CE. Progression on CE is not an immediate occurance either and the lack of supports for full employment in community sector hinders progression further. This new deal sounds like CE on the cheap – there is no mention of accredited training for those involved either?

A lot of emphasis will be placed by Minister O’Cuiv and supporters on the notion that this will stop people claiming unemployment benefits and be cost neutral. It will be followed by a lot of IBEC/ISME/SFA spin about the workshy etc. However there are over 450,000 people unemployed, that’s a lot of ’shy’ people and very few of these will be forced into these schemes or voluntarily take up places. The scheme does not look at the causes of unemployment or propose solutions. It’s a form of labelling a sector of society.

I’m thinking out some of the very glaring problems with this new programme – we’ve been here before with Social Employment Schemes in the 1980’s and Community Employment from 1990’s until the present. I’m sure readers can add to this list.

– The employment of people on some sort of work for benefit programme displaces other jobs despite the ‘approval’ of unions.
– Reduces the numbers on the ‘live register’ thus looking good for the government.
– Tells people in local communities in receipt of services from those on such a scheme that they are not important enough to receive support from properly paid, qualified, motivated and trained staff – eg. services for older people, people with disabilities and children.
- supporting unemployed people back into work requires resources, experienced supervisors, care, counselling, garda clearance, follow up etc. This may be possible if this new plan is part of existing services, but I would expect community organisations who are well experienced (worn out) in employment schemes to point out the current inadequacies and require more support.

This is not an employment creation scheme and should not been seen as such, it’s being introduced by the Minister for Social Protection – actually can anyone point me to the government’s employment strategy? The IDA appears to be in a mess.

So there’s this weeks kite launched sky wards, I expect much debate and little joined up thinking from those proposing it.

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The first national research programme documenting the experiences of LGBT people aged 55 and older has been launched recently and reserachers are seeking participants for research into the lives and concerns of Older LGBT’s.

This is the area I spent 3 years researching for the never completed PhD and I think the initiative will contribute hugely to the development of policy and knowledge in the area.

The study is commissioned by GLEN and funded by Age and Opportunity and the HSE. It is being carried out by a team of researchers in Trinity College Dublin, School of Nursing &
Midwifery. There are a number of other organisations involved in supporting the project.

If you are over 55 or know someone who is over 55 and would be interested you can find out more information at the Visible Lives website.  There is an anonymous survey and further options for participation by interview if people are interested.  Beast of luck to the researchers and I look forward to reading more about the project as it develops.

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Colm Keaveney is a Labour Party Councillor in East Galway and a SIPTU official. He has stood unsuccessfully in two general elections for the party, left the party for a while in 2007 and rejoined in 2008.

In today’s Sunday Tribume, Cllr. Keaveney gives his opinion on the matter of HSE spending and how one group don’t deserve it and should wait their turn. Cllr. Keaveney thinks that the 22 people who in the last ten years have been supported to undergo gender reassignment are 22 operations too many when there are others waiting for surgery for hearing aid implants. He plays the trans fear card.

“When allocating scarce resources, we must establish what actually delivers best value for society and the individual,” he said.

“Depriving children of necessary aids and appliances at this point in their life will have a devastating social outcome in later years when compared to some very expensive procedures being paid for by the taxpayer.

“While I understand this may be offensive to transgender people, I would ask them to look at this through the eyes of a parent and try to empathise with how they feel about their child’s wellbeing.

“Given the dire straits the country finds itself in, it is vital that we focus government spending on areas that will deliver positive results for our society in the long run.”

Not sure if Colm knows anything about transgender issues and the impact of waiting for surgery on peoples lives or indeed the impact of politicians spouting this sort of rubbish on the safety and mental health of transgendered people in Ireland. Well given that Colm was President of USI when I knew him and supported the development of structures for lgbt students one might have thought he would know better. It’s fairly clear he can’t see things with their eyes and empathise with them.

Transgender Equality Network Ireland point out that transgendered people are also part of Irish society and tax payers and ‘are entitled to access healthcare appropriate to their specific needs, just like other people living in Ireland.’

I assume the Labour Party health spokesperson Jan O’Sullivan will be along shortly to clarify matters.

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It’s been difficult not to notice that Minister for Community, Equality and Gaeltacht affairs Pat Carey has hit the ground running in terms of visiting community projects around the country and trying to offer soothing words to the decimated sector. Minister Carey has a lot of making up to do given the bad relations which have existed with other ministers in a number of departments in the past three years.

For LGBT groups the area of community development is still rather new, or at least the national recognition and co-ordination of initiatives is still new .

Minister Carey earlier today launched the LGBT Diversity initiative which aims to support lgbt organisations and communities throughout Ireland. Currently there are nine organisations involved in the programme and a number of staff have been appointed throughout the country to work in supporting the development of programmes which support LGBT people, build sustainable communities and support voluntary and statutory bodies at local and regional level in how they work in the area.

Merrionstreet.ie were there to cover the launch and the Minister’s speech – which included his views on gay marriage. (Merrionstreet.ie is the Government’s new online portal/news service with video, ‘blogs’, tweeting etc. It’s cost €40,000 so far and there is no way for the voters to engage back with their socially mediaesque elected officials.)

The Minister believes that same sex marriage will happen ’sooner rather than we think’ but will be difficult and require further lobbying. Interesting to see him take up the issue in a speech and he also spoke about homophobia and suicide in the LGBT community. I can’t find the full text of his speech yet but will include it when it is published. Thanks to the speech genie you can read the Minister’s speech here.

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I don’t usually do blog posts on rumours but there’s an awful lot of whispering going on regarding the President calling a meeting of Council of State and sending the Civil Partnership Bill to the Supreme Court to test it’s constitutionality. Early this afternoon the phone and the gchat started going from people in all the best places.  Politicians were putting long weekend plans on hold, Senior Counsel on standby for August, that sort of thing.

The whispers came from three different sources and Panti has been hearing them too. The President received the bill on Wednesday evening.  And must sign it by next Wednesday and can’t sign it until Monday. (Can’t sign it until after 5 days but not more than 7 days) Panti has been finding out more since and explains all the bits and pieces – we’ll know very soon what is happening anyway.

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The Chairperson of the Equality Authority says that the Authority has been the victim of a campaign of targeted misinformation.

In the forward to the Annual Report launched yesterday she says

that a campaign of misinformation commenced while the Authority was working to reorganise to ensure no diminution of service to the public. This campaign purported to show that the Authority was either no longer in operation or that it was no longer operating effectively.

Wonder if you asked the staff or stakeholders (and not just the favourites) or people who are discriminated against what they thought about what would they say about the ability of the Authority to support people is following the cuts?

In light of this, over the course of the year the Authority was extremely concerned that any vulnerable individual who needed support might have been led to the erroneous belief that the Equality Authority was no longer in a position to assist them. The Authority worked with stakeholders to try to minimise the numbers of vulnerable people who may, because of this misinformation, be affected by this.

The budget of the authority was cut by 43% – this was widely reported but the Annual Report does not report the accounts of the authority for 2009 or compare to previous years. The report shows the impact of the cuts in the very small numbers of information stands that were held, and the types of organisations that were consulted with. The notion of what constituted a case is also something that caused much confusion and the authority are still sorting it out. I encourage you to read the report.

On page 63

The Equality Authority had one meeting with the Community and Voluntary Sector. It is anticipated that these meetings will be re-instated in 2010.

Blaming those campaigning (including 140 NGO’s, and a few Statutory international bodies ) for properly funded, independent, mandated institutions for creating an impression that the body can’t function when well we all know that it’s hands are tied and it can’t properly educate people on it’s work and promote itself effectively and it is very limited in it’s research agenda. Me thinks that doth protesting too much going on if you know what I mean.

PS: There is a great campaign giving an opportunity to everyone to state their opinion on the importance of policy on equality and human rights and their importance at It’s About You.

Meanwhile I’m holding onto the table to stop the dizziness.

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Spot the Cóir Anti Lisbon posters being recycled.

Thanks for the pics P – all contributions are welcome to tips(@)mamanpoulet.com

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The report stage of the Civil Partnership Bill will take place in the Dáil tomorrow night between 5pm and 9 pm. (Amendments tabled for debate)

There is a liveblog available for commentary and you will be able to watch the debate on the liveblog or you can watch it by picking a stream from the Dáil here.

The past week has seen mildly frenetic activity in the papers and on radio from those opposing the bill (and not just opposing the lack of conscientious objection protection – this is homophobia is full swing) and those who support the bill and oppose the right of the Church/religious to interfere in secular matters.

We’ve even had an opinion piece from Angela Kerins, Chairperson of the Equality Authority today to support the bill and remind society that it’s a civil matter.

Mattie McGrath TD (just lost the FF whip) is blaming the Green’s for the legislation and saying that they have the run of the government. (His accusations of the Green Party bullying gave me a laugh – if they were so good at it maybe the bill would offer some protection to children’s and family rights)

No confirmation yet of when the Bill will reach the Seanad – Senator Dan Boyle confirmed to me tonight that bill will go before Seanad on July 13 – expect far more direct ire there as there are a number of opponents of the bill on both sides of the house – and they are far more likely to give their opinions and not just talk about florists, photographers and registrars.

Photos sent to me from a protest today outside the Dáil.

Are there activities planned by groups supporting the legislation tomorrow?  I know that GLEN are launching a document containing the Second Stage speeches at 1pm.   Any other press calls or celebrations?

If you want to go and watch in person in the public gallery to observe/support the debate – ring your local TD’s office and ask for tickets. (You can find the list here) The number of the Dáil switchboard is (01) 6183000.

UPDATE:
Senator Dan Boyle confirmed to me tonight that the bill will go before the Seanad on July 13th.

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Launching today is a campaign to highlight that equality and human rights issues are important for everyone. The Equality and Rights Alliance are inviting people to be part of the campaign by uploading a photo and telling what equality and human rights mean to you.

So take a moment to spread the word and encourage friends to visit the site and explain why equality and human rights issues are important to them and build up support for protection and support of these rights in all areas of life.  A really simple and effective idea to raise the profile of both the groups who campaign for the issue and the many people who are concerned, interested and affected by policy on equality and human rights.

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Last March following their spring meeting the Catholic Bishops issued a statement and published a leaflet on marriage and the family. Yesterday they met for the summer meeting and made another statement on the Civil Partnership Bill.

* Protection and support for marriage and family

Bishops discussed the statement Why Marriage Matters which was published by the Bishops’ Conference in March in the context of the Civil Partnership Bill which has just completed its Committee Stage in Dáil Éireann. Why Marriage Matters is available in print format and has been distributed in parishes. It is also available to download from the Bishops’ website www.catholicbishops.ie.

Bishops appealed to Oireachtas members to consider Why Marriage Matters as they discuss this Bill and in particular to consider in conscience the following excerpt from it before voting on the Bill:

“Oireachtas Eireann is about to pass legislation that seeks to give same-sex relationships a standing which will be as similar as possible to marriage. The Civil Partnership Bill will not permit adoption by same-sex couples. In most other respects, including tax and social welfare purposes, same-sex civil partnerships will be regarded as being equal to marriage.

“This is not compatible with seeing the family based on marriage as the necessary basis of the social order and as indispensable to the welfare of the Nation and State. Nor does it ‘guard with special care the institution of Marriage, on which the Family is founded.’� (Art. 41.3.1, Bunreacht na hÉireann)

Bishops called on Oireachtas members to allow for greater recognition of the proper autonomy of Churches and the right to social and civil freedom in religious matters. This includes the right of individuals to the free exercise of conscience in accordance with the objective moral order and the teaching of the Gospel. The current Bill, by exposing Civil Registrars to a fine and/or imprisonment should they act in accordance with their conscience on the matter of same-sex unions, undermines this cherished principle of a free and diverse society and imposes unjust limits on the ‘freedom of conscience and free expression and practice of religion’ guaranteed to every citizen in Article 44.2.1 of Bunreacht Na hÉireann. Bishops therefore appeal to Government to introduce amendments to the Bill to accommodate freedom of religious conscience on this vital matter. Bishops also ask Government to support a free vote for all members of Dáil Éireann and the Seanad on this Bill as it passes through the Houses of the Oireachtas.

So in brief they want Oireachtas members to have a free vote and for the Church to be allowed freedom of conscience and it and it’s members freedom to interfere/refuse to participate in duties required of them by the law in their job descriptions. Not withstanding the fact that Civil Partnership is all about Civil and nothing to do with religious organisations they are looking for it to be made into a religious issue.

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