Health: Ireland’s average health system
Tuesday, February 7th, 2012“The Irish lifestyle may be fun but there’s no way you can describe it as healthy,” according to the head of the OECD’s health division Mark Pearson. Meadhbh Monahan reports. Ireland has had “stunning” increases in life expectancy (with the age of the total population at birth increasing from 76.6 to 80 years since 2000) but is “doing badly” at preventing and treating chronic conditions, which are largely self-inflicted through lifestyle choices. Mark Pearson brought this message to the ESRI Budget Perspectives event. While Ireland’s health spend per capita rose quicker...[full story]
Education: Transition year, promoting independence
Tuesday, February 7th, 2012Transition year is “one of the few hopes” the Irish education system has of teaching pupils how to learn, as opposed to training them to pass exams, two Dublin principals tell Meadhbh Monahan. Designed to promote confidence, maturity and independent learning, transition year is an optional programme in most secondary schools, bridging the gap between the junior and senior cycles. It should be a model for the direction in which the leaving certificate must go, according to the headmaster of Belvedere College, Gerard Foley, and the head of Mount Temple Comprehensive, Liam Wegimont. In...[full story]
Public affairs: John McGuinness on the Public Accounts Committee
Tuesday, February 7th, 2012Public Accounts Committee Chairman John McGuinness talks to Stephen Dineen about its work, a possible banking inquiry and public service reform. For John McGuinness, who was previously a member of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) between 2002 and 2007, the workload has “increased dramatically” and “there is a huge amount of public commentary now” through phone calls and letters, both anonymous and named. The committee, which examines the Comptroller and Auditor General’s audits and value for money reports on public bodies, is “poorly resourced,” with three people staffing...[full story]
Public affairs: Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan shares his approach to protest politics
Tuesday, February 7th, 2012Continuing eolas’ series on the independent TDs, Meadhbh Monahan speaks to Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan about his frustration with the Government, his priorities as a TD and missing his children. Turf cutting, starting a debate on Ireland’s future in Europe and the legalisation of cannabis are the diverse priorities that will preoccupy Luke ‘Ming’ Flanagan’s time for the next 12 to 14 months. Flanagan was elected TD for Roscommon-South Leitrim in the general election, symbolising the disregard the electorate had for conventional politicians and the last government. While...[full story]
Europe: European Citizen’s Initiative explained
Tuesday, February 7th, 2012Peter Cheney considers the pros and cons of the European Citizens’ Initiative, a new system for sending 1 million-strong petitions to the Commission. From 1 April, people can start mass petitions to the European Commission, which it promises to consider as it draws up policy. The European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) is a lesser known part of the Lisbon Treaty which may improve the EU’s accountability or, alternatively, become a vehicle for populist causes. Commissioners claim that the initiative will help citizens influence EU policy. The Commission is commonly viewed as the most...[full story]
Trade union desk: Time for a growth plan
Tuesday, February 7th, 2012ICTU’s Macdara Doyle argues that austerity has failed Ireland and urges the troika to open its eyes to the country’s economic predicament. Speaking recently in Dublin, Mr István Székely, the European Commission representative in the troika, issued a plaintive public appeal for proof that austerity was killing the Irish economy, not curing it. Speaking at a press conference held just before the troika departed Dublin for less austere climes, Mr Székely asked “everyone to bring up evidence because this discussion should be evidence-based and not on beliefs and definitely not...[full story]
Public affairs: Tough decisions in Labour
Monday, February 6th, 2012Meadhbh Monahan discusses future plans and visions of a better government with former Labour TDs Patrick Nulty and Tommy Broughan. The loss of three TDs in the space of one month is “regrettable”, according to the Labour Party. Longford-Westmeath TD Willie Penrose resigned from the party on 15 November over the Government’s decision to close Columb Barracks in Mullingar, a move that he argued was “not backed up by the facts and figures.” He consequently resigned from his position as Minister of State with responsibility for housing and planning and...[full story]
For & Against: Minimum alcohol pricing
Monday, February 6th, 2012For: Fiona Ryan, Director Alcohol Action Ireland Cheap alcohol in Ireland is fuelling a crisis that is costing us over €3.7 billion a year in health, crime, public order and ancillary costs. The Government is in the dubious position of being both debtor and creditor in this exchange. It makes around €2.2 billion a year from alcohol but this figure is surpassed by how much it has to spend metaphorically cleaning up at the end of the night. The Government has a range of options. It could ignore the inconvenient truth by tinkering at the edges but not doing anything that...[full story]
Public affairs: Investigations, Oversight and Petitions Committee – the way ahead
Monday, February 6th, 2012The Joint Oireachtas Committee on Investigations, Oversight and Petitions has studied its future role and wants to focus on oversight of public service delivery and petitions. eolas considers the proposals. The Joint Committee on Investigations, Oversight and Petitions is set to be re-named as the Joint Committee on Public Service Oversight and Petitions and to work in three areas: engagement with the Ombudsman and her work; dealing with public petitions; and oversight of public service delivery in a similar manner to the Public Accounts Committee’s oversight of public spending. Last...[full story]
