Logan re-appointed as Ombudsman for Children despite Bord Snip proposal [IrishExaminer]
- Published: 16 December 2009
THE Ombudsman for Children, Emily Logan, has been re-appointed for a six-year term despite the recommendations of An Bord Snip Nua her office be scrapped.
The Cabinet yesterday decided to grant Ms Logan another six-year term; however, it fell short of giving an explicit commitment to protect the office in the future.
A spokesman for the Government said her new term was independent of decisions which may yet be taken on Professor Colm McCarthy’s proposals.
Full Story: www.irishexaminer.com
Unions warn of political action [IrishTimes]
- Published: 16 December 2009
Trade union leaders have warned the campaign against pay cuts will become political and focus on removing the Government from power.
Speaking ahead of a meeting of Ictu’s executive council in Dublin today general secretary of the Irish Bank Officials' Association Larry Broderick said the unions’ strategy “has to be at taking this Government out of power”.
Mr Broderick said he didn’t expect full scale strikes to emerge as a strategy from the meeting but rather the executive council would look at “broad details not just in the public sector but in the private sector”.
Full Story: www.irishtimes.com
O’Keeffe under pressure to withdraw statement [IrishExaminer]
- Published: 16 December 2009
MINISTER for Education Batt O’Keeffe was under pressure last night to admit that the state was involved in sending women to Magdalene Laundries after Department of Justice officials admitted to former Magdalene women that they and the Irish judiciary system sent women to the laundries.
Justice for Magdalenes (JFM) say this information contradicts the Mr O’Keeffe’s controversial statement last September that the state “did not refer individuals nor was it complicit in referring individuals to Ireland’s Magdalene Laundries”. Responding last night, Mr O’Keeffe said this “information wasn’t available” when he issued his letter.
Full Story: www.irishexaminer.com
Launch of children’s mental health group [IrishExaminer]
- Published: 16 December 2009
CHILDREN with mental health issues are being failed at almost every turn, according to the newly formed Children’s Mental Health Coalition which was launched yesterday.
The coalition, which includes members of Amnesty International, Barnardos, Educate Together, and the Children’s Rights Alliance, among others, launched its manifesto demanding action in four key areas: the education system, children in detention, children in care, and mental health services.
Full Story: www.irishexaminer.com
Government is committed to reducing spend on school prefabs - O’Domhnaill [fiannafail.ie]
- Published: 16 December 2009
Donegal Senator Brian O’Domhnaill said it is ‘outrageous’ of Sinn Fein’s Senator Pearse Doherty to suggest that the Minister for Education Batt O’Keeffe TD is more interested in pouring money down the drain on prefabs than investing in a large scale school building programme.
The Minister has for a long time now shown he is fully committed to reducing the level of dependence and spend on temporary classrooms, according to Senator Brian O'Domhnaill, who is a member of the Oireachtas Committee on Education.
Full Story: www.fiannafail.ie
