Dáil march over disability cuts [IrishTimes]
- Published: 07 July 2010
Up to 1,800 people took part in a demonstration in Dublin earlier today to protest against cuts in services for people with disabilities.
Protestors, led by intellectual disabilities support group Inclusion Ireland, walked from the Garden of Remembrance on Parnell Square to the Dáil. They carried banners saying "No to Cuts" and "Child neglect by proxy".
They had travelled from many parts of the country, including Ballinasloe Co Galway and Enniscorthy Co Wexford as well as from Dublin to take part.
Protestors raised concerns about cuts in respite care and home support services for those with disabilities. They also said some sheltered homes were being amalgamated with others and people were being moved from their homes.#
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
Education Dept suspends Cycle to Work scheme [rte.ie]
- Published: 07 July 2010
Teachers hoping to avail of the Government's Cycle to Work scheme will have to wait until next year to get their bikes, according to the Department of Education.
The Department says the scheme was stopped in December of last year but that it will resume again for 2011.
In a written reply yesterday to a Fine Gael Parliamentary Question the Tánaiste and Minister for Education Mary Coughlan blamed a heavy workload caused by the high number of retirements and new appointments for the cancellation of the scheme.
Full Story: www.rte.ie
A mum's work is never done and replacing her would cost €60,000 [Independent.ie]
- Published: 06 July 2010
A WOMAN'S work is never done and it is also hugely undervalued, a new study shows.
It would cost around €60,000 a year to replace the work done by a typical multi-tasking mother.
This includes jobs such as cooking, housekeeping, taxi-driving for children as well as being an event planner and gardener, a new study into the monetary contribution of stay-at-home parents shows.
Replacing the housekeeping work done by a typical mother alone would cost almost €8,000 a year, the study by Caledonian Life reveals.
Stay-at-home mothers perform a large range of tasks that include everything from being a tutor to school children, to acting as a psychologist to troubled teenagers. Now, insurer Caledonian Life has tried to put a value on these jobs and concluded that replacing a homemaker costs an arm and a leg.
Full Story: www.independent.ie
Protest to highlight disability cutbacks [irishhealth.com]
- Published: 06 July 2010
Thousands of people are expected to take part in a national protest aimed at highlighting cuts to intellectual disability services on Wednesday.
The protest has been organised by Inclusion Ireland, the National Association for People with an Intellectual Disability. According to the association, the Government ‘must listen to people with disabilities and their families on July 7'.
"People with disabilities have been presented with cuts to essential services without prior consultation. The message will go out loud and clear at the gates of Leinster House on July 7 that this is not acceptable. The much lauded National Disability Strategy has been gradually dismantled over the last two years. This has been compounded by cuts to education and social welfare for people with disabilities," insisted Inclusion Ireland CEO, Deirdre Carroll.
She pointed out that a number of recommendations contained in the Disability Strategy, such as the introduction of a personal advocacy service, have been deferred indefinitely.
Full Story: www.irishhealth.com
Row over emails on school building plans [belfasttelegraph.co.uk]
- Published: 06 July 2010
The Assembly has been asked to intervene after the Department of Education finally announced the outcome of Caitriona Ruane’s eight-month review of schools which have been approved or turned down for new building plans.
A total of 34 out of 67 schools have been told they comply with policy. But there is no guarantee any will be built because the Education Minister has said there is not enough money, unless extra funding is found.
DUP education spokesman Mervyn Storey complained that the schools affected were only given the news by email on the last day of term.
Full Story: www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk
