Wednesday, August 31, 2011
The WellChild Awards: Meet Britain's bravest children
The WellChild Awards: Meet Britain's bravest children
By CATHERINE O' BRIEN
Last updated at 8:01 PM on 27th August 2011
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The WellChild Awards, supported by YOU, celebrate the courage of severely ill children and their carers. Catherine O’Brien meets four of this year’s winners, who are all hugely excited about meeting the charity’s patron Prince Harry at this Wednesday’s glittering awards ceremony
Winner Bravest Child aged 3-6 (male) Harley Lane, six
Harley with his mother Sam. 'He's amazed us all,' she says
Harley is as boisterous as any other little boy, but if ever he wants quiet time he goes into his back garden and cuddles his pet rabbit Happy. His mother Sam watches at a respectful distance and, as she does, she invariably pinches herself. For Harley is her miracle child who so easily might not have been here at all.
Two and a half years ago, Harley was struck down by meningitis, which developed into deadly meningococcal septicaemia within hours. His heart stopped three times and doctors told Sam and her husband Adam that the only hope of saving their son’s life was to amputate both his arms and his legs. ‘I remember thinking, “How can he survive such drastic surgery?”’ says Sam. ‘But he’s amazed us all. He just gets more determined every day.’
It was in May 2009 that Harley, then three, from Stockport, Greater Manchester, came over drowsy and feverish. As an asthma and epilepsy sufferer, he needed close monitoring and Sam, 25, a former chef, took him to the A&E department of her local hospital. Doctors diagnosed an upper airway infection and sent him home with painkillers, but just hours later Harley had developed a deep purple rash on
his neck and the side of his face. ‘I knew it had
to be meningitis,’ says Sam. ‘And this time
when I got to the hospital, an entire team surrounded him within minutes.’
Three cardiac arrests within 12 hours led to fears that, even if he survived, Harley could be brain damaged. He was kept on life support for two weeks before Sam and Adam were asked for consent to amputate first Harley’s legs below the knees, and a day later, his arms below the elbows. ‘There was no other option,’ says Sam. After several more days in a drug-induced coma, Harley woke up. ‘I’ll never forget the moment when he came off the ventilator and said “Mummy”. It was only then that we realised our baby was still with us after all.’
‘Harley has survived the most unimaginable challenges – and he pushes himself further every day’
Sam and Adam, a 22-year-old ex-publican who now helps care for Harley full time, still had to face the heartbreaking task of telling their son what had happened. ‘We explained that he had had a nasty bug and that meant that his hands and feet had to be taken away,’ says Sam. ‘He did cry a few nights later and said he wanted his hands back, but that only happened once. He began physiotherapy and it has been hard for him learning to walk all over again with prosthetics, but he pushes himself a little further every day.’
At school Harley uses a walking frame or wheelchair to get around, but at home he prefers to shuffle on his bottom or hold on to the furniture for support. He has already learnt to clean his teeth and get dressed independently using his prosthetic hands, and has no trouble mastering the Nintendo Wii console so that he can play with his four-year-old brother Tyler.
Harley was nominated for his WellChild award by Christine Hughes of the Meningitis Trust. ‘Harley’s fighting spirit is an inspiration,’ she says.
He will have to undergo further skin-grafting surgery, but his parents are now undaunted about his future. ‘Harley’s already survived the most unimaginable challenges,’ says Sam. ‘And every day we learn from him that you don’t have to let anything hold you back.’
Winner Bravest Child aged 3-6 (female) Sophie Cooper, five
Sophie (far right) with her twin Erica and younger sister Kyla (left)
Like all parents, Leanne Cooper likes to ask her children each day what they’ve done at school. In the case of her five-year-old daughter Sophie, however, communication needs to be approached with ingenuity.
Sophie has cerebral palsy, as does her twin Erica. But whereas Erica’s condition is mild, Sophie has no speech. So Leanne and her husband Craig have worked with staff at Sophie’s special school near their home in Lincolnshire to overcome the problem.
Their solution: a recording device which her teachers speak into and she operates. ‘Every day she brings the machine home and when I ask, “What did you do at school today?” she presses the play button and we listen to the teachers explain what she has been doing,’ says Leanne. ‘The smile
on her face as she hears her teacher talking about all she has done never fails to light up my day.’
This small but significant ritual is one that former marketing executive Leanne, 29, could barely have dreamed of when Sophie and Erica were born at just 24 weeks gestation in July 2006. Erica was delivered at 1lb 9oz while Sophie weighed 1lb 6oz. Both had to be incubated. Erica needed emergency bowel surgery but then stabilised; Sophie suffered a bleed on the brain. They were finally allowed home after four months.
In March 2007, doctors told Leanne and Craig, 31, who used to be an RAF weapons instructor but now helps to care for his daughters full time, that Sophie had cerebral palsy. ‘She couldn’t hold up her head or roll on the floor, but the diagnosis still came as a crushing blow,’ says Leanne. She and Craig had learnt earlier that day that they were expecting their third daughter Kyla, now aged three. ‘It was a day of emotional extremes,’ she says.
Sophie’s cerebral palsy has turned out to be severe, and as well as being unable to talk, she cannot walk or sit unaided. She also has epilepsy, a hearing impairment and chronic lung disease. She will need 24-hour care for the rest of her life.
‘One morning last year, I woke up and it was all too much. I had a breakdown,’ says Leanne. Her GP arranged counselling, but the best medicine has been Sophie herself, who is showing remarkable progress at school and has learnt to communicate through eye pointing. ‘We have a yellow smiley face for “yes” and a sad face for “no”. I used them in a shop the other day to buy her a hair clip and when she chose the one she wanted, rather than me choosing for her, I had tears in my eyes,’ says Leanne. ‘Life can be hard, but Sophie is still giggling and that gives us hope for the future.’
Winner Bravest Child aged 7-11 Hanna Bricklebank, ten
Hanna has been 'incredibly brave throughout her life'
Hanna likes reading, Brownies, Hello Kitty, collecting keyrings and anything with owls on. A few months ago, this list would also have included gymnastics, which has been a huge passion for Hanna since the age of three. But earlier this year she was given devastating news: weakened muscles in her right wrist were worsening and unless she gave up gymnastics and allowed them to heal, she could face life-long problems with the use of her hand.
Hanna’s prognosis stems from a rare condition called vacterl. The term is a medical definition for a range of abnormalities which, in Hanna’s case, include a flat trachea (windpipe), smaller than normal airways, only one kidney, and a hole in the heart, as well as the thumb on her right hand having no knuckle joint when she was born. At three she underwent corrective surgery and, explains her mother Fiona, ‘For years it didn’t cause any problems, but last year Hanna started getting pains in her wrist.’
Hanna, who lives in Nottingham, where her father Tony, 40, is a deputy head teacher, was diagnosed with vacterl as a baby when she choked on her first feed. Tests showed that her oesophagus was malformed and she needed an operation to enable her to digest food. Other complications came to light and her parents, whose second daughter, Lotty, is now three, feared that Hanna wouldn’t lead a normal life. Instead, says Fiona, ‘She tells people that having vacterl means she is not normal but special, and she isn’t going to let it beat her.’
Although Hanna is small for her age, she has exceeded her developmental milestones. She plays the piano, dances and has just been placed on the gifted and talented register at school, which is particularly impressive as she is susceptible to chest infections and has had to miss weeks of schooling at a time.
Having to give up gymnastics was the greatest test so far of Hanna’s indefatigable spirit, but she has bounced back by joining a drama group instead. Says Fiona, ‘Hanna has been incredibly brave throughout her life and does everything with a smile.’
Winner Bravest Young Person Connor Rowntree, 17
Connor, who 'has shown immense courage', with his mum Carol
Many teenage boys watch action-hero movies and secretly imagine themselves in the starring role, but Connor has found himself the subject of a film for which no one would wish to audition – a documentary spelling out the terrible price he has paid for playing with fire.
Two years ago Connor suffered horrific burns to 90 per cent of his body while he and a friend were messing about with aerosols and petrol. When an aerosol exploded, flames engulfed Connor, turning him into a fireball. He was given a four per cent chance of survival and spent 11 months in hospital undergoing more than 100 skin grafts and operations. Today, remarkably, he is managing to rebuild his life. And he sets aside time to tell his story in schools.
The youngest of four children, Connor lives in Sunderland with his parents Neil, 45, and Carol, 46, but was visiting a friend one Sunday in May 2009 when he had the accident that almost cost him his life. Only the soles of his feet and top of his scalp were untouched by flames. His father, a former chef, was one of the first to reach the scene. ‘Connor was unrecognisable. I didn’t realise it was him until he screamed, “Dad, help me.”’
Connor was rushed to hospital. Carol, a cashier in a local betting shop, dashed to his bedside. ‘Every day for eight months we woke up not knowing whether he would make it,’ she says.
Connor’s skin had to be painstakingly regenerated from
the tiny patches that remained unscathed, but his recovery was hampered by infections, kidney failure and a collapsed lung. Finally, in January 2010, he was allowed home. He has had to relearn how to feed himself and walk, and he still needs to wear a pressure suit and mask at night to protect his healing skin. Although he’s undergoing further plastic surgery to his face, he will be permanently disfigured.
Connor, who has since returned to college where he is doing a car maintenance course, didn’t hesitate when Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service asked him to help make an awareness DVD. ‘It’s hard reliving what happened,’ he says. ‘But if it stops one person injuring themselves, it has to be worth it.’
Fire safety officer Julie Mullen, who nominated him for the WellChild award, says: ‘Connor has shown immense courage in telling his story and it is humbling to see the effect he is having on other young people.’
HOW WELLCHILD HELPS
WellChild is the national charity for sick children and is committed to helping children and young people — and their families — who are seriously ill or have complex health conditions. The charity focuses on three areas:
CARE The team of WellChild children’s nurses helps to ensure that children around the country with complex care needs can leave hospital and return home.
SUPPORT The WellChild Helping Hands scheme enlists volunteers from companies and organisations to tackle individual home development projects for families with a sick child.
RESEARCH WellChild has invested more than £20 million in ground-breaking children’s health research projects.
For more information and to make a donation, go to wellchild.org.uk
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-2029978/WellChild-Awards-2011-Meet-Britains-bravest-children-Harley-Lane-Sophie-Cooper.html#ixzz1Wck3mR3U
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Housing Discrimination Complaints Based On Disability Up
Housing Discrimination Complaints Based On Disability Up
By MICHELLE DIAMENT
August 30, 2011 Text Size A A
Nearly half of all housing discrimination complaints last year were based on disability, the federal government said in a report released this week.
Of the 10,155 complaints of housing discrimination filed with local, state and federal agencies in 2010, 4,839 were allegations of disability discrimination.
Meanwhile, the next highest number of complaints were on the basis of race with 3,483 grievances filed, according to an annual report on the state of fair housing from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
There were less than half that many filings in each of the other six categories available.
The complaints were brought under the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination based on disability, race, color, sex, religion, national origin or familial status in most circumstances related to renting or purchasing a home.
While the overall number of housing discrimination complaints in 2010 dipped somewhat compared to the 10,242 complaints filed the previous year, disability grievances were up slightly from 4,458 in 2009.
“Our goal is to put an end to unlawful housing discrimination,” said John Trasviña, assistant secretary for fair housing and equal opportunity at the Housing Department. “We have made progress in reducing housing discrimination, but more work needs to be done.
By MICHELLE DIAMENT
August 30, 2011 Text Size A A
Nearly half of all housing discrimination complaints last year were based on disability, the federal government said in a report released this week.
Of the 10,155 complaints of housing discrimination filed with local, state and federal agencies in 2010, 4,839 were allegations of disability discrimination.
Meanwhile, the next highest number of complaints were on the basis of race with 3,483 grievances filed, according to an annual report on the state of fair housing from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
There were less than half that many filings in each of the other six categories available.
The complaints were brought under the Fair Housing Act, which prohibits discrimination based on disability, race, color, sex, religion, national origin or familial status in most circumstances related to renting or purchasing a home.
While the overall number of housing discrimination complaints in 2010 dipped somewhat compared to the 10,242 complaints filed the previous year, disability grievances were up slightly from 4,458 in 2009.
“Our goal is to put an end to unlawful housing discrimination,” said John Trasviña, assistant secretary for fair housing and equal opportunity at the Housing Department. “We have made progress in reducing housing discrimination, but more work needs to be done.
Parishes asked to sell houses and fund diocese abuse bill
Parishes asked to sell houses and fund diocese abuse bill
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The former diocesan house in Killeagh, east Cork, which sold for €240,000 two years ago
Tuesday August 30 2011
PARISH priests in a scandal-hit diocese have been told to draw up a list of properties that can be sold to raise funds for child-abuse compensation.
The Irish Independent has learned that the Diocese of Cloyne in Cork is making the move in a desperate bid to shore up its finances.
Buildings that previously housed priests will be put on the market to help pay the looming compensation bill.
The Diocese of Cloyne will also be seeking a voluntary 6pc levy on all gains from the future sales of parish property.
That means that the parish - which normally controls its own finances - will have to hand over a portion of the proceeds from the sale of property to the overall diocese coffers.
The diocese admits it owns little residential property suitable for immediate disposal. But local parishes -- which do have suitable properties - will be asked to consider to consider selling off houses they don't need.
While the sale decision will remain strictly with the individual parishes, this method has been identified as a key factor in restoring diocesan finances.
The bill for compensation claims in the diocese is expected to reach millions of euro.
Last month, a report into child protection in the diocese identified a litany of failings under the watch of former Bishop John Magee. Archbishop Dr Dermot Clifford -- who has been running Cloyne since early 2009 -- admitted it could be years before the diocesan finances fully recovered from the fallout of the scandal.
"There will be a lot of compensation to be paid -- some has already been paid. The resources of the diocese financially will be very low and it will be a big job to rebuild the Diocese of Cloyne," he said.
However, the diocese will face major hurdles in raising the cash because the individual parishes own the properties, and a decision must be taken at local level on whether to sell or not.
And even if they do opt to sell buildings, property prices have fallen by up to 50pc in some parts of Cork.
The diocese's major assets, such as the Bishop's Palace in Cobh, are unsuitable for disposal in the midst of the worst property crisis in Irish history.
The last major property the Diocese of Cloyne was able to sell -- a former clerical house in Killeagh in east Cork -- fetched €240,000 two years ago.
This money was used to
The individual 46 parishes in Cloyne own a great quantity of residential property, including houses formerly used as homes for clergy. Many of these are now surplus to requirements, given the declining number of priests.
The diocese has a catchment area of about 250,000 people with 133 clerics. That is around 60pc of the number clerics it had 20 years ago.
Diocesan spokesman Fr Jim Killeen said the 6pc levy would be aimed at supporting diocesan finances.
"The diocese actually owns very little property (suitable for sale). That is what we will be asking parishes to contribute," he said.
But since 2008, parishes have been extremely reluctant to sell property given the slashed market returns available.
"It is perfectly understandable, after all, the market is pretty difficult at the moment," Fr Killeen added.
Cloyne is the latest diocese to be identified as having had serious child-protection failings in the past following similar damning reports on the dioceses of Ferns and Dublin.
The Archdiocese of Dublin -- which faces more than €13m in compensation payments -- is considering a Mass levy.
But the Irish Independent understands there are no plans for special diocesan Mass collections to support compensation payments in Cloyne.
Any such move would be hugely controversial in the area. Fine Gael TD Tom Barry, who lives in the Diocese of Cloyne, has bluntly warned against this option. Cloyne has to date settled a total of five compensation claims but it now faces at least a dozen more such claims
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The former diocesan house in Killeagh, east Cork, which sold for €240,000 two years ago
Tuesday August 30 2011
PARISH priests in a scandal-hit diocese have been told to draw up a list of properties that can be sold to raise funds for child-abuse compensation.
The Irish Independent has learned that the Diocese of Cloyne in Cork is making the move in a desperate bid to shore up its finances.
Buildings that previously housed priests will be put on the market to help pay the looming compensation bill.
The Diocese of Cloyne will also be seeking a voluntary 6pc levy on all gains from the future sales of parish property.
That means that the parish - which normally controls its own finances - will have to hand over a portion of the proceeds from the sale of property to the overall diocese coffers.
The diocese admits it owns little residential property suitable for immediate disposal. But local parishes -- which do have suitable properties - will be asked to consider to consider selling off houses they don't need.
While the sale decision will remain strictly with the individual parishes, this method has been identified as a key factor in restoring diocesan finances.
The bill for compensation claims in the diocese is expected to reach millions of euro.
Last month, a report into child protection in the diocese identified a litany of failings under the watch of former Bishop John Magee. Archbishop Dr Dermot Clifford -- who has been running Cloyne since early 2009 -- admitted it could be years before the diocesan finances fully recovered from the fallout of the scandal.
"There will be a lot of compensation to be paid -- some has already been paid. The resources of the diocese financially will be very low and it will be a big job to rebuild the Diocese of Cloyne," he said.
However, the diocese will face major hurdles in raising the cash because the individual parishes own the properties, and a decision must be taken at local level on whether to sell or not.
And even if they do opt to sell buildings, property prices have fallen by up to 50pc in some parts of Cork.
The diocese's major assets, such as the Bishop's Palace in Cobh, are unsuitable for disposal in the midst of the worst property crisis in Irish history.
The last major property the Diocese of Cloyne was able to sell -- a former clerical house in Killeagh in east Cork -- fetched €240,000 two years ago.
This money was used to
The individual 46 parishes in Cloyne own a great quantity of residential property, including houses formerly used as homes for clergy. Many of these are now surplus to requirements, given the declining number of priests.
The diocese has a catchment area of about 250,000 people with 133 clerics. That is around 60pc of the number clerics it had 20 years ago.
Diocesan spokesman Fr Jim Killeen said the 6pc levy would be aimed at supporting diocesan finances.
"The diocese actually owns very little property (suitable for sale). That is what we will be asking parishes to contribute," he said.
But since 2008, parishes have been extremely reluctant to sell property given the slashed market returns available.
"It is perfectly understandable, after all, the market is pretty difficult at the moment," Fr Killeen added.
Cloyne is the latest diocese to be identified as having had serious child-protection failings in the past following similar damning reports on the dioceses of Ferns and Dublin.
The Archdiocese of Dublin -- which faces more than €13m in compensation payments -- is considering a Mass levy.
But the Irish Independent understands there are no plans for special diocesan Mass collections to support compensation payments in Cloyne.
Any such move would be hugely controversial in the area. Fine Gael TD Tom Barry, who lives in the Diocese of Cloyne, has bluntly warned against this option. Cloyne has to date settled a total of five compensation claims but it now faces at least a dozen more such claims
Hero mum delivers her best friend's baby
Hero mum delivers her best friend's baby
'Emergency midwife' saves little Dylan's life
Mother Tracey Murphy (left) with best friend Joanne O'Neill who helped deliver baby Dylan
Also in National News
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National News Home
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By Stephen Dunne
Tuesday August 30 2011
SHE'S the squeamish type who normally runs a mile at the first sight of blood.
But Joanne O'Neill overcame her worst fears to become a real hero after she delivered and revived her best friend's baby.
The mother of one (33), from Wicklow town, who has no medical training, turned emergency midwife when Tracey Murphy (26) went into labour at home.
Ms O'Neill told yesterday of the dramatic delivery and how she saved baby Dylan's life by freeing his airways from the umbilical cord wrapped dangerously around his neck.
The dramatic home birth took place in the early hours of Wednesday, August 17, when a desperate Ms Murphy, already a mum to April (9), began to get painful cramps entering her fourth day overdue.
"I got a call from Tracey in distress at around 12.30am and just got into my car and rushed in to help her prepare to go to the hospital," said Ms O'Neill.
She immediately called father-to-be Quintin Doyle to arrange transport to the National Maternity Hospital on Holles Street in Dublin.
But just minutes later, as Ms Murphy was being helped into the waiting car, her waters broke.
Ms O'Neill said: "We realised at that stage there was to be no driving anywhere and that this baby was coming whether we liked it or not.
"Straight away something kicked in and I just went to my knees to help. I just kept telling Tracey to push and in minutes I had the baby's head in my hands."
However, the newborn was not breathing and was not making any movements.
"Tracey pushed some more and I could see that the umbilical cord was wrapped around the baby's neck twice.
"I really started to panic, I didn't know what to do," she said.
Relieved
"I just grabbed it and relieved the baby's neck and as soon as I did a little breath came from his little lungs."
Ms O'Neill said hearing the baby breathe was "the best sound I've ever heard".
Ms Murphy had a healthy 7lb 3oz boy named Dylan, but says she can remember little of the sudden and dramatic birth.
"Dylan would probably have died if Joanne hadn't taken control of the situation in the way she did, and something could have happened to me, too, so I can never repay her."
Ms O'Neill will be Dylan's godmother when he is christened in the coming months
'Emergency midwife' saves little Dylan's life
Mother Tracey Murphy (left) with best friend Joanne O'Neill who helped deliver baby Dylan
Also in National News
Passport backlogs as workers take double average sick days
O Cuiv and FF leader clash over contesting Aras race
Parishes asked to sell houses and fund diocese abuse bill
Surf's up as trio get ready to ride festival wave
Four young women in line for 'farmer of the year'
National News Home
Health Clubs Dublin
Modern Gym With Swimming Pool. Need To Lose Weight? Call Today!
www.energiefitness.ie/clubs.htm
Dental Implants in Dublin
Lower cost than Northern Ireland Save money and travel time
www.seapointclinic.ie
Dublin Gym Deals
Fantastic Deals Every Day With Discounts To Your Favourite Gyms!
www.LivingSocial.com
Joe Duffy Opel Nth Dublin
Cambelt Replacement from Only €339* Exit 5 M50. Within 30 mins of Louth
www.JoeDuffyOpel.ie
Win a Trip to Rugby Final
TV or Rugby Prizes Every Hour. Buy Promotional Pack of Heineken Now!
Heineken.com/Win_Rugby_Prizes
Ads by Google
By Stephen Dunne
Tuesday August 30 2011
SHE'S the squeamish type who normally runs a mile at the first sight of blood.
But Joanne O'Neill overcame her worst fears to become a real hero after she delivered and revived her best friend's baby.
The mother of one (33), from Wicklow town, who has no medical training, turned emergency midwife when Tracey Murphy (26) went into labour at home.
Ms O'Neill told yesterday of the dramatic delivery and how she saved baby Dylan's life by freeing his airways from the umbilical cord wrapped dangerously around his neck.
The dramatic home birth took place in the early hours of Wednesday, August 17, when a desperate Ms Murphy, already a mum to April (9), began to get painful cramps entering her fourth day overdue.
"I got a call from Tracey in distress at around 12.30am and just got into my car and rushed in to help her prepare to go to the hospital," said Ms O'Neill.
She immediately called father-to-be Quintin Doyle to arrange transport to the National Maternity Hospital on Holles Street in Dublin.
But just minutes later, as Ms Murphy was being helped into the waiting car, her waters broke.
Ms O'Neill said: "We realised at that stage there was to be no driving anywhere and that this baby was coming whether we liked it or not.
"Straight away something kicked in and I just went to my knees to help. I just kept telling Tracey to push and in minutes I had the baby's head in my hands."
However, the newborn was not breathing and was not making any movements.
"Tracey pushed some more and I could see that the umbilical cord was wrapped around the baby's neck twice.
"I really started to panic, I didn't know what to do," she said.
Relieved
"I just grabbed it and relieved the baby's neck and as soon as I did a little breath came from his little lungs."
Ms O'Neill said hearing the baby breathe was "the best sound I've ever heard".
Ms Murphy had a healthy 7lb 3oz boy named Dylan, but says she can remember little of the sudden and dramatic birth.
"Dylan would probably have died if Joanne hadn't taken control of the situation in the way she did, and something could have happened to me, too, so I can never repay her."
Ms O'Neill will be Dylan's godmother when he is christened in the coming months
Passport backlogs as workers take double average sick days
Passport backlogs as workers take double average sick days
By Michael Brennan Deputy Political Editor
Tuesday August 30 2011
THE passport service is being hit by unusually high rates of sick leave, with staff taking almost twice as many days off due to illness as other civil servants.
Workers at some of the service's offices call in sick 13 days a year, almost double the amount of time taken by colleagues elsewhere in the Department of Foreign Affairs.
It is also far more than the six days a year private-sector workers take on average.
The high level of sick leave is contributing to backlogs, with applicants recently having to wait up to 15 days for a new passport rather than the usual 10.
In recent weeks, up to 50,000 applications have been behind schedule at any one time. However, despite this, the department has played down the unusually high rates of sick leave affecting each of its three facilities in Dublin city centre, Balbriggan in Co Dublin and Cork city.
The union representing staff has also rejected fears that a culture of absenteeism existed and said no disciplinary action had been taken against workers for abuses of sick leave.
Records obtained by the Irish Independent under freedom of information rules show passport staff in Balbriggan and Cork took an average of 13 days' sick leave last year -- compared with just 6.9 days elsewhere in the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Meanwhile, staff at the passport office in Molesworth Street, Dublin, where there have been lengthy queues, took an average of 10.9 sick days each during 2010. The records show the trend continued in the first six months of this year. The average number of sick days taken in the passport service offices in Cork, Balbriggan and Molesworth Street were 6.9, 6.8 and 5.1 respectively.
In contrast, the average figure for sick days taken elsewhere in the department between January and June was just 3.5.
As a consequence of recent backlogs, the passport service, which already employs 328 people, has been forced to hire in 84 temporary workers at a cost of €362,000.
Overtime payments totalling €457,000 have also had to be made this year to keep up with demand.
This is on top of an overtime bill of €1.7m last year and €844,000 the year before.
High levels of absenteeism in passport offices were previously flagged in 2008, when a KPMG report found sick leave was impacting on the efficiency of the service.
Despite this, the Civil and Public Services Union (CPSU), which represents staff, insisted it was surprised by the levels of absenteeism revealed in the figures obtained by the Irish Independent.
CPSU assistant general secretary Theresa Dwyer said if management felt an absenteeism problem existed, it was open to them to use disciplinary procedures to deal with it.
"It is a difficult place to work in. There's a lot of stress. But I think our members work to it very well," she said.
"The sick-leave regulations are there. If members are not adhering to them, there's an action to be taken."
Under a new policy brought in last year, all public servants have to provide a medical certificate if they are absent for two days or more.
Their managers are also supposed to hold meetings with them if they are repeatedly absent, and disciplinary action can be taken.
The Department of Foreign Affairs said it did not accept absenteeism was a major factor in passport processing delays.
It said exceptional demand during the summer months was the main reason for the backlog.
Fine Gael Mayo TD John O'Mahony, who has raised the issue of the passports backlog repeatedly in the Dail, said it was up to Mr Gilmore to sort out the issue.
"They shouldn't have any higher average (for absenteeism) than the department and there has to be a reason for it," he said
By Michael Brennan Deputy Political Editor
Tuesday August 30 2011
THE passport service is being hit by unusually high rates of sick leave, with staff taking almost twice as many days off due to illness as other civil servants.
Workers at some of the service's offices call in sick 13 days a year, almost double the amount of time taken by colleagues elsewhere in the Department of Foreign Affairs.
It is also far more than the six days a year private-sector workers take on average.
The high level of sick leave is contributing to backlogs, with applicants recently having to wait up to 15 days for a new passport rather than the usual 10.
In recent weeks, up to 50,000 applications have been behind schedule at any one time. However, despite this, the department has played down the unusually high rates of sick leave affecting each of its three facilities in Dublin city centre, Balbriggan in Co Dublin and Cork city.
The union representing staff has also rejected fears that a culture of absenteeism existed and said no disciplinary action had been taken against workers for abuses of sick leave.
Records obtained by the Irish Independent under freedom of information rules show passport staff in Balbriggan and Cork took an average of 13 days' sick leave last year -- compared with just 6.9 days elsewhere in the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Meanwhile, staff at the passport office in Molesworth Street, Dublin, where there have been lengthy queues, took an average of 10.9 sick days each during 2010. The records show the trend continued in the first six months of this year. The average number of sick days taken in the passport service offices in Cork, Balbriggan and Molesworth Street were 6.9, 6.8 and 5.1 respectively.
In contrast, the average figure for sick days taken elsewhere in the department between January and June was just 3.5.
As a consequence of recent backlogs, the passport service, which already employs 328 people, has been forced to hire in 84 temporary workers at a cost of €362,000.
Overtime payments totalling €457,000 have also had to be made this year to keep up with demand.
This is on top of an overtime bill of €1.7m last year and €844,000 the year before.
High levels of absenteeism in passport offices were previously flagged in 2008, when a KPMG report found sick leave was impacting on the efficiency of the service.
Despite this, the Civil and Public Services Union (CPSU), which represents staff, insisted it was surprised by the levels of absenteeism revealed in the figures obtained by the Irish Independent.
CPSU assistant general secretary Theresa Dwyer said if management felt an absenteeism problem existed, it was open to them to use disciplinary procedures to deal with it.
"It is a difficult place to work in. There's a lot of stress. But I think our members work to it very well," she said.
"The sick-leave regulations are there. If members are not adhering to them, there's an action to be taken."
Under a new policy brought in last year, all public servants have to provide a medical certificate if they are absent for two days or more.
Their managers are also supposed to hold meetings with them if they are repeatedly absent, and disciplinary action can be taken.
The Department of Foreign Affairs said it did not accept absenteeism was a major factor in passport processing delays.
It said exceptional demand during the summer months was the main reason for the backlog.
Fine Gael Mayo TD John O'Mahony, who has raised the issue of the passports backlog repeatedly in the Dail, said it was up to Mr Gilmore to sort out the issue.
"They shouldn't have any higher average (for absenteeism) than the department and there has to be a reason for it," he said
Monday, August 29, 2011
Delay on rights of disabled
The Irish Times - Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Delay on rights of disabled
Sir, – The president of the Irish Human Rights Commission Dr Maurice Manning has asked (Home News, August 15th) why it was taking so long for Ireland to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. There have been 103 ratifications to date, including the majority of EU member states.
When this question was asked of the previous government last January, a spokesperson said “It is the Government’s intention to ratify the convention as quickly as possible, taking into account the need to ensure that all necessary legislative and administrative requirements under the Convention are met”. This peculiarly Irish catch-22 is, in effect, an Irish cop-out.
The convention recognises that countries at different levels of development or facing different economic circumstances may require a longer timeframe to work progressively towards the convention’s goals, but may still ratify the treaty. A good example of such commitment is the undertaking in the current Programme for Government “to reform the law on mental capacity to ensure the greatest degree of autonomy for people with intellectual disabilities or suffering with mental illnesses in line with the UN Convention”.
According to the Programme, the Government is “determined to restore Ireland’s standing as a respected and influential member of the European Union and as part of the wider international community”. Ratifying the convention would be an important step in that direction. – Yours, etc,
Dr ARTHUR O’REILLY,
North Avenue,
Mount Merrion,
Co Dublin
Autism needn’t stop kids making friends
Autism needn’t stop kids making friends
Caroline Slater and daughter Megan Slater, who suffers from Autism, taking part in a befriending scheme pictured at home in Hampton Vale. Picture: Paul Franks/Peterborough ET
By Ann Molyneux-Jackson
Published on Thursday 18 August 2011 16:48
CHILDREN with autism can miss out on activities or hobbies many youngsters take for granted because they find it difficult to socialise, this is where a new befriending scheme comes in. Ann Molyneux-Jackson reports:
GOING to the cinema, ten pin bowling, cooking and playing with her Wii and X-Box are some of Megan Slater’s favourite pastimes.
But because the 12-year-old has Asperger syndrome she finds it harder than most to socialise with other people and it’s not easy for her to take part in activities beyond her own front door.
This may all change in the next few weeks and months however, as Megan’s 41-year-old mum Caroline has signed up for a new befriending scheme run by the National Autism Society in Peterborough.
Megan has now become the first person to be matched with a suitable volunteer.
Single mum Caroline, who lives with her daughter in Elderflower Way, Hampton Vale, Peterborough, is hoping that spending time with someone outside of her own family, taking part in hobbies and activities she enjoys, will enrich Megan’s life.
Her new friend Lianne Riddy also has Asperger syndrome so will not only be able to understand what Megan is going through but will also be able to give her mum an insight into what life is like for her daughter.
“It will enable her to go out in the community with someone who is not family and she will be able to go shopping for birthday presents and Christmas presents for me because she can’t go out on her own to do that at the moment,” said Caroline.
“She will also be able to go to the cinema without having me with her and ten pin bowling.
“I pay for anything they do where there is any cost involved but there are plenty of things they can do for free like going to the park.
“It will enable Megan to gain some social interaction and because the lady who is befriending her also has Asperger’s I can say to her, ‘Megan is going through this at the moment, what should I do?
“It will give me an insight into how Megan is feeling from someone who has Asperger’s and is now an adult.”
During the first meeting, Megan and her befriender Lianne will be doing some cooking but in the next few weeks they are likely to decide between them what they want to do or where they want to go.
“The befriending service will match people as closely as they can so they both get enjoyment out of it and it means the befriender is not doing something they don’t like just because the child likes it and vice versa,” said Caroline.
For Caroline, respite from taking care of Megan will bring some much-needed “me-time” when she can take up salsa dancing and perhaps an evening class to learn a new language.
“Rather than thinking I can’t do that because I have got Megan with me, I can go out and widen my social network,” said Caroline.
“It has opened up an opportunity that I wouldn’t otherwise have.
“Even if it is just going down to the local pub for a drink.”
Caroline found out about the befriending scheme at an information event held by the National Autistic Society in Peterborough and filled in an application form.
As a result, Megan has become the first child to be matched to a volunteer.
“The reason I’ve done this is because social services won’t give me any help,” said Caroline.
“I’ve been asking them for respite care for the last 18 months and they just say they don’t offer it.
“The only people who have done anything for me are the National Autistic Society.”
Megan was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome with dyspraxia and sensory modulation difficulties at the beginning of July, last year.
“I’d known for quite a few years that something was not quite right but the special needs co-ordinator at her primary school said there was nothing wrong with her.
“She started at Hampton College last September and one of the teachers spotted something was wrong and we went to the GP.
“She has shut downs where she totally switches off, she is listening but she will not acknowledge that she is listening to what we are saying, then she goes to the opposite extreme and can be quite violent.”
For the first few meetings, Megan, Lianne and Caroline will all be present at the family home.
“I have to make sure I’m happy with Lianne before Megan can go out with her but she seems like a lovely lady,” said Caroline.
As someone who has Asperger syndrome herself, 24-year-old Lianne appears to be an ideal match for Megan.
She was diagnosed at the age of ten and admits to being bullied throughout her school years.
“The befriending scheme is something I wish I’d had when I was Megan’s age because I didn’t have many friends, although I did have a twin sister Natasha, who doesn’t have Aspergers,” said Lianne. “The National Autistic Society have been brilliant but they wouldn’t have had funding to do anything like this when I was younger.”
Lianne, who has worked as an administrative assistant for the BGL Group in Bretton, Peterborough, for five years, added: “From my experience people with autism don’t tend to have many friends and tend to spend a lot of time with their parents. They don’t get the chance to spend time with other people.”
She believes that having Asperger’s herself will help her to understand Megan.
“I have been through it, I’ve been there and done that so it does give me an insight but she’s different from me, people with Asperger’s are not all the same.
“You do tend to offload everything onto the people who are caring for you and maybe Megan will be able to offload onto me as well. I’m hoping that I can help her.”
Lianne believes that having similar interests will be just as important in their friendshiop.
“I like the same things as her but apparently she is a whizz kid on the computer so I’ve told her she’ll have to show me what to do,” she added.
How to get involved with the scheme
IT is just four months since the befriending scheme was set up by the National Autistic Society to help youngsters in Peterborough.
The scheme is being run in partnership with Peterborough City Council with Aiming High funding which pays for short breaks and respite care for children and teenagers up to the age of 18.
Volunteers are matched with families with children with autism on an ideal match rather than a first come first served basis.
The distance the volunteer would have to travel to see the youngster is taken into account and they are generally matched with people who have similar hobbies and interests.
Volunteers don’t need to have any previous knowledge of autism as they will have full training and CRB checks are carried out and references taken.
Children with autism whose behaviour is extremely challenging are excluded from the scheme and volunteers are not involved with personal care.
They need to give two hours a week but when is fairly flexible, it can be any day, or any evening, whatever suits the volunteer and the family best.
“The volunteers will come into the family home or take the child out and about in the community,” said National Autistic Society befriending and mentoring coordinator Laura Clark.
“If the child is a football mad little boy we will match him with someone who likes football or the volunteer can play board games or Lego with them or take them to the cinema or bowling to give the family some respite.
“The volunteers enable them to access more opportunities.
“They can go along to Brownies or Scouts and other things within the community with them.”
Laura added: “Children with autism and teenagers in particular struggle to make friends and this scheme takes them out into the community with someone who is not mum or dad.
“The youngsters can also struggle with social skills and this helps to increase these.
“They may not have travelled on a bus before or been in McDonalds, it encourages them to get out and about in the local community.”
Volunteers have to be aged 17 or over, need to live within the Peterborough City Council area and are expected to give a year’s commitment to the scheme.
“It takes a while to build up relationships and to allow time for that relationship to grow,” said Laura.
“The befriender can also end up being involved with the whole family to help them to access events as a family.
“They can act as an extra pair of hands so the family can do things like, go to a farm park, with siblings.
“The volunteer goes as well and can support the child with autism.
“Children with autism can be very demanding and this scheme provides them with respite care so they can spend time with siblings.”
So far six volunteers have been trained and the role is already appealing to a diverse range of people, nursing students from Anglia Ruskin University, who are based in the city, among them.
“We are holding another training course at the beginning of October and are hoping to recruit more volunteers,” said Laura.
“It would also be good for students and people looking to work with children with special needs.”
As well as looking for more volunteers, Laura is also compiling a list of families who want to get involved in the scheme with the help of the children’s services department at Peterborough City Council and social workers.
For more information about the befriending scheme, look at the website
Caroline Slater and daughter Megan Slater, who suffers from Autism, taking part in a befriending scheme pictured at home in Hampton Vale. Picture: Paul Franks/Peterborough ET
By Ann Molyneux-Jackson
Published on Thursday 18 August 2011 16:48
CHILDREN with autism can miss out on activities or hobbies many youngsters take for granted because they find it difficult to socialise, this is where a new befriending scheme comes in. Ann Molyneux-Jackson reports:
GOING to the cinema, ten pin bowling, cooking and playing with her Wii and X-Box are some of Megan Slater’s favourite pastimes.
But because the 12-year-old has Asperger syndrome she finds it harder than most to socialise with other people and it’s not easy for her to take part in activities beyond her own front door.
This may all change in the next few weeks and months however, as Megan’s 41-year-old mum Caroline has signed up for a new befriending scheme run by the National Autism Society in Peterborough.
Megan has now become the first person to be matched with a suitable volunteer.
Single mum Caroline, who lives with her daughter in Elderflower Way, Hampton Vale, Peterborough, is hoping that spending time with someone outside of her own family, taking part in hobbies and activities she enjoys, will enrich Megan’s life.
Her new friend Lianne Riddy also has Asperger syndrome so will not only be able to understand what Megan is going through but will also be able to give her mum an insight into what life is like for her daughter.
“It will enable her to go out in the community with someone who is not family and she will be able to go shopping for birthday presents and Christmas presents for me because she can’t go out on her own to do that at the moment,” said Caroline.
“She will also be able to go to the cinema without having me with her and ten pin bowling.
“I pay for anything they do where there is any cost involved but there are plenty of things they can do for free like going to the park.
“It will enable Megan to gain some social interaction and because the lady who is befriending her also has Asperger’s I can say to her, ‘Megan is going through this at the moment, what should I do?
“It will give me an insight into how Megan is feeling from someone who has Asperger’s and is now an adult.”
During the first meeting, Megan and her befriender Lianne will be doing some cooking but in the next few weeks they are likely to decide between them what they want to do or where they want to go.
“The befriending service will match people as closely as they can so they both get enjoyment out of it and it means the befriender is not doing something they don’t like just because the child likes it and vice versa,” said Caroline.
For Caroline, respite from taking care of Megan will bring some much-needed “me-time” when she can take up salsa dancing and perhaps an evening class to learn a new language.
“Rather than thinking I can’t do that because I have got Megan with me, I can go out and widen my social network,” said Caroline.
“It has opened up an opportunity that I wouldn’t otherwise have.
“Even if it is just going down to the local pub for a drink.”
Caroline found out about the befriending scheme at an information event held by the National Autistic Society in Peterborough and filled in an application form.
As a result, Megan has become the first child to be matched to a volunteer.
“The reason I’ve done this is because social services won’t give me any help,” said Caroline.
“I’ve been asking them for respite care for the last 18 months and they just say they don’t offer it.
“The only people who have done anything for me are the National Autistic Society.”
Megan was diagnosed with Asperger syndrome with dyspraxia and sensory modulation difficulties at the beginning of July, last year.
“I’d known for quite a few years that something was not quite right but the special needs co-ordinator at her primary school said there was nothing wrong with her.
“She started at Hampton College last September and one of the teachers spotted something was wrong and we went to the GP.
“She has shut downs where she totally switches off, she is listening but she will not acknowledge that she is listening to what we are saying, then she goes to the opposite extreme and can be quite violent.”
For the first few meetings, Megan, Lianne and Caroline will all be present at the family home.
“I have to make sure I’m happy with Lianne before Megan can go out with her but she seems like a lovely lady,” said Caroline.
As someone who has Asperger syndrome herself, 24-year-old Lianne appears to be an ideal match for Megan.
She was diagnosed at the age of ten and admits to being bullied throughout her school years.
“The befriending scheme is something I wish I’d had when I was Megan’s age because I didn’t have many friends, although I did have a twin sister Natasha, who doesn’t have Aspergers,” said Lianne. “The National Autistic Society have been brilliant but they wouldn’t have had funding to do anything like this when I was younger.”
Lianne, who has worked as an administrative assistant for the BGL Group in Bretton, Peterborough, for five years, added: “From my experience people with autism don’t tend to have many friends and tend to spend a lot of time with their parents. They don’t get the chance to spend time with other people.”
She believes that having Asperger’s herself will help her to understand Megan.
“I have been through it, I’ve been there and done that so it does give me an insight but she’s different from me, people with Asperger’s are not all the same.
“You do tend to offload everything onto the people who are caring for you and maybe Megan will be able to offload onto me as well. I’m hoping that I can help her.”
Lianne believes that having similar interests will be just as important in their friendshiop.
“I like the same things as her but apparently she is a whizz kid on the computer so I’ve told her she’ll have to show me what to do,” she added.
How to get involved with the scheme
IT is just four months since the befriending scheme was set up by the National Autistic Society to help youngsters in Peterborough.
The scheme is being run in partnership with Peterborough City Council with Aiming High funding which pays for short breaks and respite care for children and teenagers up to the age of 18.
Volunteers are matched with families with children with autism on an ideal match rather than a first come first served basis.
The distance the volunteer would have to travel to see the youngster is taken into account and they are generally matched with people who have similar hobbies and interests.
Volunteers don’t need to have any previous knowledge of autism as they will have full training and CRB checks are carried out and references taken.
Children with autism whose behaviour is extremely challenging are excluded from the scheme and volunteers are not involved with personal care.
They need to give two hours a week but when is fairly flexible, it can be any day, or any evening, whatever suits the volunteer and the family best.
“The volunteers will come into the family home or take the child out and about in the community,” said National Autistic Society befriending and mentoring coordinator Laura Clark.
“If the child is a football mad little boy we will match him with someone who likes football or the volunteer can play board games or Lego with them or take them to the cinema or bowling to give the family some respite.
“The volunteers enable them to access more opportunities.
“They can go along to Brownies or Scouts and other things within the community with them.”
Laura added: “Children with autism and teenagers in particular struggle to make friends and this scheme takes them out into the community with someone who is not mum or dad.
“The youngsters can also struggle with social skills and this helps to increase these.
“They may not have travelled on a bus before or been in McDonalds, it encourages them to get out and about in the local community.”
Volunteers have to be aged 17 or over, need to live within the Peterborough City Council area and are expected to give a year’s commitment to the scheme.
“It takes a while to build up relationships and to allow time for that relationship to grow,” said Laura.
“The befriender can also end up being involved with the whole family to help them to access events as a family.
“They can act as an extra pair of hands so the family can do things like, go to a farm park, with siblings.
“The volunteer goes as well and can support the child with autism.
“Children with autism can be very demanding and this scheme provides them with respite care so they can spend time with siblings.”
So far six volunteers have been trained and the role is already appealing to a diverse range of people, nursing students from Anglia Ruskin University, who are based in the city, among them.
“We are holding another training course at the beginning of October and are hoping to recruit more volunteers,” said Laura.
“It would also be good for students and people looking to work with children with special needs.”
As well as looking for more volunteers, Laura is also compiling a list of families who want to get involved in the scheme with the help of the children’s services department at Peterborough City Council and social workers.
For more information about the befriending scheme, look at the website
Revealed: the shocking truth of domestic abuse of disabled women
Revealed: the shocking truth of domestic abuse of disabled women
The abuse of disabled women is often unreported.
By John Baker
Published on Friday 26 August 2011 17:18
Deputy features editor John Baker spoke to a brave victim of domestic violence who has escaped her torment, and learned how two agencies want to know more about combating the problem.
DOMESTIC abuse affects one in four women in their lifetime, but very little is known about the effects and frequency of attacks on disabled women. What is known is this: disabled women are reportedly twice as likely as non-disabled women to experience domestic violence; are less likely to report it, and are more likely to experience it for longer before attempting to escape.
IT may be withholding or controlling benefits, or barring access to the bathroom or outside world. Sometimes it is threats of violence, or promises to exclude them from their family.
Because of their condition many disabled women who are abused are unable to speak out or escape from their perpetrators so endure their misery alone, the outside world unaware of their torment.
And because of the nature of the man who beats or abuses his partner he may see a disabled woman as an easy target, and continue the bullying, preventing her from seeing the very people in whom she can confide.
It is not always easy to find suitable refuge accommodation which has been fully adapted with disabled facilities and for provision of personal care.
DIAL Peterborough, the centre for free confidential and impartial advice for physically disabled people, their friends and families, have teamed up with Peterborough Women’s Aid to research the issue funded by the EHRC (European Human Rights Commission). They aim to reach out to disabled women across a range of different impairments including learning difficulties, mental health problems, and physical and sensory consitions to find out what other services are needed in the city.
Disabled women can fall through the gaps of service provision. Mainstream domestic abuse services may not have the resources to tackle the issue, while few organisations of or for disabled people consider domestic abuse to be part of their remit.
Peterborough Women’s Aid Service manager Tracy Foster said over the past year it had supported ten disabled women in the city who have been abused by their partner, including Sue (not her real name), whose story is revealed here (right).
But she said: “That number is quite low and I am sure this is not a true reflection – we don’t know what the true number is.
“Women in this position are often difficult to reach due to increased isolation, and we hope we will be able to support more women who are in need of our service in the future.”
The two agencies have produced a questionnaire, which they hope will be completed by interested parties by the end of September.
“Tracy said: “We have secured funding for the research, and this will inform us if we need more resources across the city.
“For example, of the 400 refuges available for victims of domestic violence only 138 have wheelchair access, and Peterborough is not one of them.”
“So depending on the results, putting wheelchair access in place may be high on the wish list.
Tracy added: “We know that men can be victims of domestic abuse, and that it can happen in same sex couples, however we are focusing on female victims for this research.
“In many ways it’s sad that our organisation is still even needed. We have been going since 1975 and domestic abuse still exists.
“Domestic abuse is on the increase in young people, particularly 16 to 19-year-olds. Young people are getting into relationships earlier but don’t understand the warning signs of abusive behaviour.
“Support from our Outreach service has trebled in demand, and we believe this is because more victims are coming forward because they are getting better support from the police, ourselves and the independent domestic abuse advocacy service.”
q If anyone is interested in completing the questionnaire, get in touch with DIAL or Peterborough Women’s Aid.
‘Get out, it doesn’t stop, and will only get worse’
SHE struggles through Peterborough with a crutch because of her disability – a permanent reminder of the brutality suffered at the hands of her ex-partner.
His sustained assaults caused injuries that will never leave, but his power was so domineering she suffered his attacks for more than a decade, terrified and physically incapable of leaving. Only now does she have the confidence and bravery to speak out about this monster, who managed to escape justice.
Resentment is still there, anger that a lack of evidence or conclusive proof that he is responsible for her disability means he is free. And while her physical bruising is gone the mental scarring remains.
Sue (40) was once a happy woman in her 20s looking forward to life with her new partner.
She said: “We met at a party and he was lovely at first, absolutely fine, he was a real charmer, and I fell in love with him”
“I got pregnant after five months and we were living together, and things were going well.
“But he started to change. He started going in my handbag and purse, started telling me what I could and couldn’t do. When I fell pregnant he felt he had control.
“After I had the baby the violence started.
“I forgot something from the shop once that he wanted, and offered to go back and get it. But before I could do that he started punching me. He was so big, more than six feet tall, and I am only 5ft 2ins. They were slow, hard blows.
“I couldn’t believe it. He stopped and told me it wouldn’t happen again, but it did. And it became more regular.
“Sometimes I would be knocked unconscious and he would stamp on me. I was moved from one side of the house to the other, dragged by my hair, thrown down the stairs. I was being hit three or four times a week.
“I had numerous black eyes, and broken ribs and fingers. At no time was I allowed to get treatment – the wounds had to heal themselves.
“I fell pregnant with child number two. He didn’t want it but I said I was keeping it – I thought it may change him. It didn’t. I had bruises all the way through the pregnancy, and I remember after one attack I couldn’t feel the baby move for three days. I thought it was dead. Then it jerked, and the relief was incredible.
“He would play the doting dad when we were out and about. He was a hypocrite. Once he saw a man hitting his wife on our street, and went out and confronted him.
“It was all about power, and control, and him doing what he wanted to me.
“Then, about seven years ago, I had a stroke. We can’t prove that all the times he hit me contributed, we’ll never know. I fell down, unconscious for a while, and damaged my leg very badly, but I wasn’t allowed to go to hospital. In the end, after about 48 hours where I couldn’t move, I went.
“I had surgery and my leg was reconstructed, but I had little movement down my left side. So I spent a year in a wheelchair while I recovered – and he continued to abuse me. He used to push the chair back and forward knowing I had a bad leg, or throw me out of it.
“And that January he pushed me out and left me in the garden for an hour, knowing I couldn’t get back in. I had no energy, nothing left, and it was freezing.
“I used to carry a mobile phone in my sock because I didn’t know what he would do next. He told me he was going to take me to the woods, force me to dig my own grave, and then pour lime over me to make me decompose.
“Or he would take me out to the back roads, make me get out of the car, and drive off. It was pitch black.
“He didn’t care whether the children were there or not, he would still hit me.
“But if I tried to leave it would get worse – and where would I go? Who would I go to? I wasn’t allowed to see my family, so mum and dad had no idea I was being abused.
“And I could barely get upstairs or get to the toilet, let alone go very far outside.
“It was terrifying but I had always said that one day I was going to leave, and I did, about two-and-a half years ago. I had prepared for it. I used to go the same way into town to get the bus every time, but on this day I took a different route, and just hid for a while.
“Then I got a taxi into town with a tenner I had stashed, and just fled. I was on crutches by now, sweating and terrified, going into shop doorways and hiding, and looking in windows, convinced he was after me.
“And then I made the phone call that saved my life, to my brother, who came to fetch me. I came to the Women’s Aid soon after, spoke to people from the domestic violence unit at Thorpe Wood. A solicitor was arranged for me.
“I did the Freedom Programme (for women who want to learn more about the reality of domestic violence and abuse) and had counselling every week.
“He was arrested but never charged – but the main thing was that I had left him. If not, I would be dead by now. I would say this to people in an abusive relationship: ‘Get out, it doesn’t stop, and will only get worse’.
“Picking up the phone is difficult. But if I can do this and get out, with only half of my body working, then anyone can. I hate him. He has made me disabled. I still look over my back when I’m in town and I know he is still after me, still looking for me, but the police are aware and would be here like a shot if he found me.
“The children have been badly affected. They are both in their teens now but have no self-esteem or confidence. You look at them and see they are lost, but are getting support. It’s still too early to think about another relationship, I still have no trust in people, but things have got better.
“The counselling is down to once a month. I still get flashbacks, and so do the children.
“To this day I can’t read anything or watch anything on TV about violence.
“I will live it for the rest of my life, but I know it was not my fault. And I love life now. I was never allowed to read anything. Now I read books, magazines, go swimming, and go shopping when and where I want. Now I can live
The abuse of disabled women is often unreported.
By John Baker
Published on Friday 26 August 2011 17:18
Deputy features editor John Baker spoke to a brave victim of domestic violence who has escaped her torment, and learned how two agencies want to know more about combating the problem.
DOMESTIC abuse affects one in four women in their lifetime, but very little is known about the effects and frequency of attacks on disabled women. What is known is this: disabled women are reportedly twice as likely as non-disabled women to experience domestic violence; are less likely to report it, and are more likely to experience it for longer before attempting to escape.
IT may be withholding or controlling benefits, or barring access to the bathroom or outside world. Sometimes it is threats of violence, or promises to exclude them from their family.
Because of their condition many disabled women who are abused are unable to speak out or escape from their perpetrators so endure their misery alone, the outside world unaware of their torment.
And because of the nature of the man who beats or abuses his partner he may see a disabled woman as an easy target, and continue the bullying, preventing her from seeing the very people in whom she can confide.
It is not always easy to find suitable refuge accommodation which has been fully adapted with disabled facilities and for provision of personal care.
DIAL Peterborough, the centre for free confidential and impartial advice for physically disabled people, their friends and families, have teamed up with Peterborough Women’s Aid to research the issue funded by the EHRC (European Human Rights Commission). They aim to reach out to disabled women across a range of different impairments including learning difficulties, mental health problems, and physical and sensory consitions to find out what other services are needed in the city.
Disabled women can fall through the gaps of service provision. Mainstream domestic abuse services may not have the resources to tackle the issue, while few organisations of or for disabled people consider domestic abuse to be part of their remit.
Peterborough Women’s Aid Service manager Tracy Foster said over the past year it had supported ten disabled women in the city who have been abused by their partner, including Sue (not her real name), whose story is revealed here (right).
But she said: “That number is quite low and I am sure this is not a true reflection – we don’t know what the true number is.
“Women in this position are often difficult to reach due to increased isolation, and we hope we will be able to support more women who are in need of our service in the future.”
The two agencies have produced a questionnaire, which they hope will be completed by interested parties by the end of September.
“Tracy said: “We have secured funding for the research, and this will inform us if we need more resources across the city.
“For example, of the 400 refuges available for victims of domestic violence only 138 have wheelchair access, and Peterborough is not one of them.”
“So depending on the results, putting wheelchair access in place may be high on the wish list.
Tracy added: “We know that men can be victims of domestic abuse, and that it can happen in same sex couples, however we are focusing on female victims for this research.
“In many ways it’s sad that our organisation is still even needed. We have been going since 1975 and domestic abuse still exists.
“Domestic abuse is on the increase in young people, particularly 16 to 19-year-olds. Young people are getting into relationships earlier but don’t understand the warning signs of abusive behaviour.
“Support from our Outreach service has trebled in demand, and we believe this is because more victims are coming forward because they are getting better support from the police, ourselves and the independent domestic abuse advocacy service.”
q If anyone is interested in completing the questionnaire, get in touch with DIAL or Peterborough Women’s Aid.
‘Get out, it doesn’t stop, and will only get worse’
SHE struggles through Peterborough with a crutch because of her disability – a permanent reminder of the brutality suffered at the hands of her ex-partner.
His sustained assaults caused injuries that will never leave, but his power was so domineering she suffered his attacks for more than a decade, terrified and physically incapable of leaving. Only now does she have the confidence and bravery to speak out about this monster, who managed to escape justice.
Resentment is still there, anger that a lack of evidence or conclusive proof that he is responsible for her disability means he is free. And while her physical bruising is gone the mental scarring remains.
Sue (40) was once a happy woman in her 20s looking forward to life with her new partner.
She said: “We met at a party and he was lovely at first, absolutely fine, he was a real charmer, and I fell in love with him”
“I got pregnant after five months and we were living together, and things were going well.
“But he started to change. He started going in my handbag and purse, started telling me what I could and couldn’t do. When I fell pregnant he felt he had control.
“After I had the baby the violence started.
“I forgot something from the shop once that he wanted, and offered to go back and get it. But before I could do that he started punching me. He was so big, more than six feet tall, and I am only 5ft 2ins. They were slow, hard blows.
“I couldn’t believe it. He stopped and told me it wouldn’t happen again, but it did. And it became more regular.
“Sometimes I would be knocked unconscious and he would stamp on me. I was moved from one side of the house to the other, dragged by my hair, thrown down the stairs. I was being hit three or four times a week.
“I had numerous black eyes, and broken ribs and fingers. At no time was I allowed to get treatment – the wounds had to heal themselves.
“I fell pregnant with child number two. He didn’t want it but I said I was keeping it – I thought it may change him. It didn’t. I had bruises all the way through the pregnancy, and I remember after one attack I couldn’t feel the baby move for three days. I thought it was dead. Then it jerked, and the relief was incredible.
“He would play the doting dad when we were out and about. He was a hypocrite. Once he saw a man hitting his wife on our street, and went out and confronted him.
“It was all about power, and control, and him doing what he wanted to me.
“Then, about seven years ago, I had a stroke. We can’t prove that all the times he hit me contributed, we’ll never know. I fell down, unconscious for a while, and damaged my leg very badly, but I wasn’t allowed to go to hospital. In the end, after about 48 hours where I couldn’t move, I went.
“I had surgery and my leg was reconstructed, but I had little movement down my left side. So I spent a year in a wheelchair while I recovered – and he continued to abuse me. He used to push the chair back and forward knowing I had a bad leg, or throw me out of it.
“And that January he pushed me out and left me in the garden for an hour, knowing I couldn’t get back in. I had no energy, nothing left, and it was freezing.
“I used to carry a mobile phone in my sock because I didn’t know what he would do next. He told me he was going to take me to the woods, force me to dig my own grave, and then pour lime over me to make me decompose.
“Or he would take me out to the back roads, make me get out of the car, and drive off. It was pitch black.
“He didn’t care whether the children were there or not, he would still hit me.
“But if I tried to leave it would get worse – and where would I go? Who would I go to? I wasn’t allowed to see my family, so mum and dad had no idea I was being abused.
“And I could barely get upstairs or get to the toilet, let alone go very far outside.
“It was terrifying but I had always said that one day I was going to leave, and I did, about two-and-a half years ago. I had prepared for it. I used to go the same way into town to get the bus every time, but on this day I took a different route, and just hid for a while.
“Then I got a taxi into town with a tenner I had stashed, and just fled. I was on crutches by now, sweating and terrified, going into shop doorways and hiding, and looking in windows, convinced he was after me.
“And then I made the phone call that saved my life, to my brother, who came to fetch me. I came to the Women’s Aid soon after, spoke to people from the domestic violence unit at Thorpe Wood. A solicitor was arranged for me.
“I did the Freedom Programme (for women who want to learn more about the reality of domestic violence and abuse) and had counselling every week.
“He was arrested but never charged – but the main thing was that I had left him. If not, I would be dead by now. I would say this to people in an abusive relationship: ‘Get out, it doesn’t stop, and will only get worse’.
“Picking up the phone is difficult. But if I can do this and get out, with only half of my body working, then anyone can. I hate him. He has made me disabled. I still look over my back when I’m in town and I know he is still after me, still looking for me, but the police are aware and would be here like a shot if he found me.
“The children have been badly affected. They are both in their teens now but have no self-esteem or confidence. You look at them and see they are lost, but are getting support. It’s still too early to think about another relationship, I still have no trust in people, but things have got better.
“The counselling is down to once a month. I still get flashbacks, and so do the children.
“To this day I can’t read anything or watch anything on TV about violence.
“I will live it for the rest of my life, but I know it was not my fault. And I love life now. I was never allowed to read anything. Now I read books, magazines, go swimming, and go shopping when and where I want. Now I can live
Family win fight to access son’s benefits
Family win fight to access son’s benefits
By Jennifer Hough
Monday, August 29, 2011
THE parents of an autistic man who lives in a residential service have won a legal battle against the HSE over control of money owed to him by the state.
Jim Hyland, from Ballincollig, Co Cork, took the HSE to court to gain control of his 37-year-old son’s money so he could use it for his son’s benefit, rather than allow it to sit indefinitely in a central fund controlled by the HSE.
The money was owed to Colin Hyland under the Health Repayment Scheme 2006, which made amends for the illegal overcharging of long-stay residents in state-funded services.
Those overcharged were invited to make a claim to the HSE.
However, for people who have been deemed to lack "mental capacity" to make decisions, the HSE made claims on their behalf and the money is now held in Patients’ Private Property Accounts. There is €191 million being held in this account, which also receives social welfare payments on behalf of clients.
Mr Hyland’s challenge is the first of its kind, and the outcome has set a favourable precedent for others who might consider such a move.
The chairman of disability charity Balance, Mr Hyland said that the way he and his family had been treated during the case was "disgusting", as they simply wanted Colin to enjoy the benefit of his money.
"We don’t know how that money will be spent after we are gone. It’s only right that we look after it on his behalf," he added.
He also expressed shock at the way the HSE had described his son in court.
The HSE’s affidavit describes Colin Hyland as requiring care on a 24-hour basis.
"I say and believe that he requires constant supervision and assistance in relation to all activities of daily living, including dressing, eating and walking, by reason of disability," the sworn statement says.
Mr Hyland said his son is very independent, goes horse-riding once a week and is able to get about by himself.
"I would completely dispute that description of my son," said Mr Hyland. "That is not Colin at all. Where did the man who swore this affidavit get that from?"
The dispute over the money began in 2009, when Mr Hyland enquired about it. "We found out about this account in Tullamore, and that we had no access to it as parents," he said.
"The Cope Foundation [where Colin lives five days a week] could draw from it, and if we requested then they could get money on his behalf. We said that wasn’t good enough, that is his money and we want to hold it for him."
In July, the Circuit Court ordered that the money be transferred to Colin’s parents. Family solicitor Brian Long had argued that if the money had not been taken in the first place, Colin would have enjoyed the benefit of it in years gone by.
Furthermore, he said, the HSE was treating the money as a long-term investment for Colin’s future needs, which was not its original purpose, and it should therefore be available to his parents to use for his benefit now
Read more: http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/family-win-fight-to-access-sons-benefits-165721.html#ixzz1WSct6IR1
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Council expects Finn Valley footpath will be finished by end of September
Council expects Finn Valley footpath will be finished by end of September
Posted: 26/Aug 14:30
Last Updated: 26/Aug 14:31
Donegal County Council says it hopes a footpath at Drumboe Lower leading to the new Finn Valley College will be finished by September 30th.
In a statement issued this afternoon, the council acknowledges that it would have been better to have had this work finished before new the school year.
However, the council says the contractor has started, and proper traffic management arrangements are being put in place for traffic and pedestrians.
The traffic management plan provides for one way traffic to operate on the uphill lane and is controlled by traffic lights. Pedestrians will be directed by cones and signs through a safe walking corridor. There may be intermittent delays while a house is demolished and construction of the footpath is completed.
On the delay in completing the work, the council says it originally intended to undertake the work by direct labour using its own work crews but due to a number of constraints had to arrange for an external contractor to carry out the work. That meant it had to issue tender documents, and allow time to award the contract, and that delayed the start of the work.
The estimated date for completion of the footpath is 30 September 2011, with the council saying this will be monitored regularly with every effort made to finish sooner if possible
Posted: 26/Aug 14:30
Last Updated: 26/Aug 14:31
Donegal County Council says it hopes a footpath at Drumboe Lower leading to the new Finn Valley College will be finished by September 30th.
In a statement issued this afternoon, the council acknowledges that it would have been better to have had this work finished before new the school year.
However, the council says the contractor has started, and proper traffic management arrangements are being put in place for traffic and pedestrians.
The traffic management plan provides for one way traffic to operate on the uphill lane and is controlled by traffic lights. Pedestrians will be directed by cones and signs through a safe walking corridor. There may be intermittent delays while a house is demolished and construction of the footpath is completed.
On the delay in completing the work, the council says it originally intended to undertake the work by direct labour using its own work crews but due to a number of constraints had to arrange for an external contractor to carry out the work. That meant it had to issue tender documents, and allow time to award the contract, and that delayed the start of the work.
The estimated date for completion of the footpath is 30 September 2011, with the council saying this will be monitored regularly with every effort made to finish sooner if possible
Power outages as Hurricane Irene makes landfall in US
irishtimes.com - Last Updated: Saturday, August 27, 2011, 16:51
Power outages as Hurricane Irene makes landfall in US
Pedestrians pass sandbags place to protect buildings in Manhattan in anticipation of flooding caused by Hurricane Irene. Photograph: Eduardo Munoz/Reuters
Related
'Prepare for the worst | 27/08/2011
' says Obama as hurricane approaches | 26/08/2011
US east coast braces for 'extremely dangerous' Irene | 25/08/2011
Irene threatens Washington | 25/08/2011
Gallery: Hurricane Irene hits US
External
National Hurricane Center
The Irish Times takes no responsibility for the content
or availability of other websites
Hurricane Irene knocked out power to nearly 250,000 customers in North Carolina and Virginia today after making landfall.
The storm howled ashore in North Carolina today after weakening to a Category One hurricane overnight.
Irene, carrying winds of 140 km/h, is a Category One hurricane on the five-step Saffir-Simpson intensity scale and was moving north northeast at 22 km/h the Miami-based National Hurricane Center said.
Irene is expected to continue churning its way up the east coast through some of the most densely populated areas of the United States. Some 65 million people may be vulnerable to Irene’s strong winds, heavy rains and battering coastal waves.
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano warned yesterday of extensive power outages from the storm.
Operations at the two units of the Brunswick nuclear power station in Southport, North Carolina, were ramped down to 65 per cent of the total to make sure they could still run if the storm interrupted the electric grid operations.
New York City ordered unprecedented evacuations and transit shutdowns as states from the Carolinas through to Maine declared emergencies due to Irene.
President Barack Obama said the unusually large storm could be "extremely dangerous and costly" for a country that still recalls the destruction in 2005 from Hurricane Katrina, which swamped New Orleans, killed up to 1,800 people and caused $80 billion in damage.
Speaking from Martha’s Vineyard last night before returning to Washington to deal with the crisis, Mr Obama said all indications point to the storm being a historic hurricane.
“Don’t wait. Don’t delay,” said Mr Obama, who decided to cut short his summer holiday by a day. “I cannot stress this highly enough: If you are in the projected path of this hurricane, you have to take precautions now.”
Airlines cancelled nearly 7,000 flights over the weekend and all three major New York area airports were due to close to incoming flights this afternoon. The suspension affects John F Kennedy International, Newark Liberty
International, LaGuardia, Stewart International and Teterboro airports. It applies to domestic and international flights.
All Aer Lingus flights scheduled to operate to and from New York today and tomorrow have been cancelled. Flights to an from Boston tomorrow have also been cancelled.
Hundreds of thousands of residents and holidaymaker have fled from Irene's path. Supermarkets and hardware stores were inundated with people stocking up on food, water, torches, batteries, generators and other supplies.
Irene, the first hurricane of the 2011 Atlantic season, caused as much as $1.1 billion in insured losses in the Caribbean this week, catastrophe modelling company AIR Worldwide said, with more losses expected to come.
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said the military stood ready to help in the response to Irene, with more than 100,000 National Guard forces available if needed in eastern states.
A quarter of a million New Yorkers were ordered to leave homes in low-lying areas, including the financial district surrounding Wall Street in Manhattan, as authorities prepared for flooding tomorrow.
A mandatory evacuation was ordered for residents in large areas of nearby Long Island, which juts into the Atlantic.
New York's mass transit system, which carries 8.5 million people on weekdays, was due to start shutting down later today.
"We've never done a mandatory evacuation before and we wouldn't be doing it now if we didn't think this storm had the potential to be very serious," Mayor Michael Bloomberg said.
Irene will be the first hurricane to hit the US mainland since Ike pounded Texas in 2008.
In Washington, Irene forced the postponement of tomorrow's dedication ceremony for the new memorial honouring civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. Tens of thousands of people, including Mr Obama, had been expected to attend.
A man died in North Carolina today when he was hit by a falling tree branch.
Flooding from Irene killed at least one person in Puerto Rico and two in Dominican Republic. The storm knocked out power in the Bahamian capital, Nassau, and blocked roads with trees
Power outages as Hurricane Irene makes landfall in US
Pedestrians pass sandbags place to protect buildings in Manhattan in anticipation of flooding caused by Hurricane Irene. Photograph: Eduardo Munoz/Reuters
Related
'Prepare for the worst | 27/08/2011
' says Obama as hurricane approaches | 26/08/2011
US east coast braces for 'extremely dangerous' Irene | 25/08/2011
Irene threatens Washington | 25/08/2011
Gallery: Hurricane Irene hits US
External
National Hurricane Center
The Irish Times takes no responsibility for the content
or availability of other websites
Hurricane Irene knocked out power to nearly 250,000 customers in North Carolina and Virginia today after making landfall.
The storm howled ashore in North Carolina today after weakening to a Category One hurricane overnight.
Irene, carrying winds of 140 km/h, is a Category One hurricane on the five-step Saffir-Simpson intensity scale and was moving north northeast at 22 km/h the Miami-based National Hurricane Center said.
Irene is expected to continue churning its way up the east coast through some of the most densely populated areas of the United States. Some 65 million people may be vulnerable to Irene’s strong winds, heavy rains and battering coastal waves.
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano warned yesterday of extensive power outages from the storm.
Operations at the two units of the Brunswick nuclear power station in Southport, North Carolina, were ramped down to 65 per cent of the total to make sure they could still run if the storm interrupted the electric grid operations.
New York City ordered unprecedented evacuations and transit shutdowns as states from the Carolinas through to Maine declared emergencies due to Irene.
President Barack Obama said the unusually large storm could be "extremely dangerous and costly" for a country that still recalls the destruction in 2005 from Hurricane Katrina, which swamped New Orleans, killed up to 1,800 people and caused $80 billion in damage.
Speaking from Martha’s Vineyard last night before returning to Washington to deal with the crisis, Mr Obama said all indications point to the storm being a historic hurricane.
“Don’t wait. Don’t delay,” said Mr Obama, who decided to cut short his summer holiday by a day. “I cannot stress this highly enough: If you are in the projected path of this hurricane, you have to take precautions now.”
Airlines cancelled nearly 7,000 flights over the weekend and all three major New York area airports were due to close to incoming flights this afternoon. The suspension affects John F Kennedy International, Newark Liberty
International, LaGuardia, Stewart International and Teterboro airports. It applies to domestic and international flights.
All Aer Lingus flights scheduled to operate to and from New York today and tomorrow have been cancelled. Flights to an from Boston tomorrow have also been cancelled.
Hundreds of thousands of residents and holidaymaker have fled from Irene's path. Supermarkets and hardware stores were inundated with people stocking up on food, water, torches, batteries, generators and other supplies.
Irene, the first hurricane of the 2011 Atlantic season, caused as much as $1.1 billion in insured losses in the Caribbean this week, catastrophe modelling company AIR Worldwide said, with more losses expected to come.
Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said the military stood ready to help in the response to Irene, with more than 100,000 National Guard forces available if needed in eastern states.
A quarter of a million New Yorkers were ordered to leave homes in low-lying areas, including the financial district surrounding Wall Street in Manhattan, as authorities prepared for flooding tomorrow.
A mandatory evacuation was ordered for residents in large areas of nearby Long Island, which juts into the Atlantic.
New York's mass transit system, which carries 8.5 million people on weekdays, was due to start shutting down later today.
"We've never done a mandatory evacuation before and we wouldn't be doing it now if we didn't think this storm had the potential to be very serious," Mayor Michael Bloomberg said.
Irene will be the first hurricane to hit the US mainland since Ike pounded Texas in 2008.
In Washington, Irene forced the postponement of tomorrow's dedication ceremony for the new memorial honouring civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. Tens of thousands of people, including Mr Obama, had been expected to attend.
A man died in North Carolina today when he was hit by a falling tree branch.
Flooding from Irene killed at least one person in Puerto Rico and two in Dominican Republic. The storm knocked out power in the Bahamian capital, Nassau, and blocked roads with trees
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
I won't distance myself from something for which I am not responsible
Commentary by Josef Banom: I won't distance myself from something for which I am not responsible
Prague, 24.8.2011 20:44, (ROMEA)
3
Two cases of attacks recently committed by Romani people against ethnic Czechs in Nový Bor and Rumburk have prompted anti-Roma, racist sentiment throughout the entire Czech Republic. Discussion forums, the media, and online social networks have outdone themselves in describing these situations, primarily never forgetting to emphasize that Romani people are responsible.
The discussions of these events that are being posted to the websites of serious Czech dailies have shifted toward such extremism that in a normal country, half of the posts would be removed by administrators and charges filed against the authors. Here are some examples:
"I'm not a doctor, but I would gladly sterilize all of the gypsy women you can send me free of charge. At the locksmith workshop I have tools and a pick-axe and a shovel in the woodshed."
"All it will take is one election where the right party gets into power and we will shoot you all on sight. You'd be better off as pig feed, you fuckers!"
"This is why it is necessary to establish militias and systematically liquidate the gypsy trash. These creatures (I am intentionally not using the world 'people') are not fit to live in a shared state among decent people. Naturally as a certain percentage, definitely, but not as the vast majority."
"Enough bullshit! PATRIOTS let's rise up and go after them!!!"
This is not about freedom of speech, but about inciting a racial pogrom. These remarks play to the lowest common denominators of human nature - desire for revenge, hatred, racism and xenophobia. It seems that part of the public is losing the ability to think normally. Instead, like sheep in a herd, they are succumbing to the intoxication of hatred, which is being richly fed by the media. Just like someone drunk on alcohol, these people, drunk on hatred, are losing their capacity to tell right from wrong.
Germany underwent a similar process both before and after Nazism was established. Otherwise non-violent, ordinary people, manipulated by an ideology and the media, lost their capacity to perceive the world as it is and joined the doctrine of hatred of all difference.
Like any normal person, I reject all violence, including what has happened in Nový Bor and Rumburk. I hope those responsible are punished harshly. However, as a Romani man I refuse to play the blame game being forced upon me by public discourse at a time of rising tensions between communities of different skin colors, especially when this has to do with collective blame. I will not distance myself from something I am not responsible for and which I had no opportunity to influence. I am not responsible for other people's actions, and neither are other Romani people in the Czech Republic.
Prague, 24.8.2011 20:44, (ROMEA)
3
Two cases of attacks recently committed by Romani people against ethnic Czechs in Nový Bor and Rumburk have prompted anti-Roma, racist sentiment throughout the entire Czech Republic. Discussion forums, the media, and online social networks have outdone themselves in describing these situations, primarily never forgetting to emphasize that Romani people are responsible.
The discussions of these events that are being posted to the websites of serious Czech dailies have shifted toward such extremism that in a normal country, half of the posts would be removed by administrators and charges filed against the authors. Here are some examples:
"I'm not a doctor, but I would gladly sterilize all of the gypsy women you can send me free of charge. At the locksmith workshop I have tools and a pick-axe and a shovel in the woodshed."
"All it will take is one election where the right party gets into power and we will shoot you all on sight. You'd be better off as pig feed, you fuckers!"
"This is why it is necessary to establish militias and systematically liquidate the gypsy trash. These creatures (I am intentionally not using the world 'people') are not fit to live in a shared state among decent people. Naturally as a certain percentage, definitely, but not as the vast majority."
"Enough bullshit! PATRIOTS let's rise up and go after them!!!"
This is not about freedom of speech, but about inciting a racial pogrom. These remarks play to the lowest common denominators of human nature - desire for revenge, hatred, racism and xenophobia. It seems that part of the public is losing the ability to think normally. Instead, like sheep in a herd, they are succumbing to the intoxication of hatred, which is being richly fed by the media. Just like someone drunk on alcohol, these people, drunk on hatred, are losing their capacity to tell right from wrong.
Germany underwent a similar process both before and after Nazism was established. Otherwise non-violent, ordinary people, manipulated by an ideology and the media, lost their capacity to perceive the world as it is and joined the doctrine of hatred of all difference.
Like any normal person, I reject all violence, including what has happened in Nový Bor and Rumburk. I hope those responsible are punished harshly. However, as a Romani man I refuse to play the blame game being forced upon me by public discourse at a time of rising tensions between communities of different skin colors, especially when this has to do with collective blame. I will not distance myself from something I am not responsible for and which I had no opportunity to influence. I am not responsible for other people's actions, and neither are other Romani people in the Czech Republic.
Monday, August 22, 2011
As it happened: Kerry v Mayo
As it happened: Kerry v Mayo
Yesterday, 3:16 PM 4,284 Views 5 Comments Share25 Tweet5
Declan O'Sullivan and Kevin McLaughlin
Image: INPHO/James Crombie
Send us your thoughts and comments on this afternoon’s action from Croke Park. E-mail tony@thescore.ie, tweet us@thescore_ie, find us on Facebook, or leave a comment below.
15.19 - We’re live as Kerry and Mayo prepare to lock horns for the right to face either Dublin or Donegal. It’s already been a great day for the Tipperary Minors, who beat Roscommon 1-11 to 0-12 in their semi-final clash.
15.31 - We’re underway in the first All-Ireland football semi-final…
15.32 - Just wide from Darran O’Sullivan inside 22 seconds! Robert Hennelly did well to come out and narrow the angle. Bryan Sheehan sends the 45 wide.
15.36 - A scrappy start. Kerry have been overcooking their passes and O’Sullivan’s chance remains the only moment of note in the game.
15.37 - Colm Cooper hits the post…
15.37 - Enda Varley takes the first score of the game well from distance – Mayo 0-01 Kerry 0-00.
15.39 - Great goalkeeping again by Hennelly to deny O’Sullivan, before Tomás O’Sé bags Kerry’s first point. Mayo 0-01 Kerry 0-01.
15.41 - Four wides for Kerry, the latest coming from Eoin Brosnan.
15.43 - Enda Varley makes great contact from a dead ball situation and makes it Mayo 0-02 Kerry 0-01.
15.46 - Brendan Kealy makes brilliant save from Andy Moran, who teased the Kerry defence before unleashing a powerful shot.
15.47 - The referee sees something he doesn’t like and Cillian O’Connor extends Mayo’s lead from a free. Mayo 0-03 Kerry 0-01.
15.50 - Kieran O’Leary is fouled and Kerry take advantage from the free. The Gooch. Then, ar nós na gaoithe, Donal Vaughan grabs a brilliant score for Mayo. Mayo 0-04 Kerry 0-02.
15.54 - Darran O’Sullivan reduces the arrears. Mayo 0-04 Kerry 0-03.
15.56 - O’Connor bags his second point of the game and makes it a two-point game once again. Kerry, however, are pressing a bit more and Mayo have become wasteful. O’Mahony shoots wide for the Kingdom. Mayo 0-05 Kerry 0-03.
15.57 - Brosnan bides his time before recording a wonderful point from distance. Mayo 0-05 Kerry 0-04.
15.59 - The teams are level for the second time as Kerry’s patience pays off – Kieran Donaghy scores. Kerry 0-05 Mayo 0-05.
16.02 - Kerry lead the match for the first time as Cooper and O’Sullivan work well together, and the former points from a tight angle. Kerry 0-06 Mayo 0-05.
16.04 - Four successive points from Kerry, who lead by 0-07 to 0-05. Cooper again.
16.08 - Bryan Sheehan was never going to miss from there – five unanswered points from Kerry. Mayo need a point and Andy Moran obliges – Kerry 0-08 Mayo 0-6. Very much a half of two halves. Mayo dominated the early exchanges before Kerry came back into it.
16.23 - We’re back – no changes to either side in the second half.
16.25 - Kerry lead 0-09 to 0-06. Declan O’Sullivan breaks and the ball falls to O’Leary, who plays the percentages to score.
16.27 - A great angled free from Sheehan as Kerry put more daylight between themselves and Mayo. Kerry 0-10 Mayo 0-06.
16.31 - A snapshot from Vaughan earns Mayo their first point of the second half. Paul Galvin is warming up for Kerry, he’s coming in soon. Then Andy Moran is brought into play by a brilliant cross-field ball, and he makes it Kerry 0-10 to Mayo 0-08.
16.31 - Things have really lifted a gear as Cooper grabs a beautiful score for Kerry. Galvin is in play and is immediately caught by Aidan O’Shea. Kerry 0-11 Mayo 0-08.
16.32 - Galvin announces his arrival with a point for Kerry. He looks fit and keen. Kerry 0-12 Mayo 0-08.
16.35 - Nothing can stop The Gooch and we can’t keep up with his tally. The only stat that matters is Kerry 0-13 Mayo 0-08.
16.38 - It’s suddenly a huge lead as Sheehan scores a fine free from distance. Kerry 0-14 Mayo 0-08.
16.40 - Donaghy is alert as a long range shot comes back off the post, punching over the bar. Kieran O’Leary then makes it six Kerry points in a row. Mayo are overwhelmed. Kerry 0-16 Mayo 0-08.
16.43 - Mayo goal! Kealy makes a fine stop from Andy Moran and the ball falls to O’Connor, who lashes in when he had no right to score… but… but… as I write that Cooper displays some wonderful opportunism and scores a goal for Kerry! It’s Kerry 1-16 Mayo 1-08.
16.44 - Cillian O’Connor makes it three from three in free-kicks. It’s Kerry 1-16 Mayo 1-09.
16.48 - Text message: “Cooper sets up Galvin and the ‘fashionista’ does the rest.”
16.49 - Vaughan blazes over the bar when Mayo need a goal. Still, it’s better than nothing. Kerry 1-16 Mayo 1-10.
16.51 - Anthony Maher takes a bad knock but he’s ok to play on.
16.52 - Aidan O’Shea battles his way through, barrels his way through, but as he goes for glory Brosnan appears out of nowhere to block. Stunning defending.
16.54 - Mayo could easily have had two goals in the last 90 seconds – will they live to regret their profligacy? Probably.
16.56 - Keegan slots over for Mayo to make it Kerry 1-16 Mayo 1-11. Only a couple of minutes left but Mayo can’t be faulted for effort.
16.58 - Cooper takes his time with a free-kick as he looks to kill some time. He then deposits it over the bar. Kerry 1-17 Mayo 1-11.
17.01 - Scanlon finds acres of space as he marauds up the pitch and shoots over the bar. Kerry have been tested at times but they have proved too strong to Mayo. Cooper makes it 1-19 to 1-11 as the clock ticks down.
17.03 - Galvin rounds off a brilliant second half Kerry performance to make it 1-20 to 1-11 at the finish. Kerry’s class and experience proved the difference, it was a great performance to watch from Jack O’Connor’s side. That’s it from us, thanks for reading and enjoy The Sunday Game tonight…
Friday, August 19, 2011
Judges to assess capacity of intellectually disabled witnesses
Judges to assess capacity of intellectually disabled witnesses
By Jennifer Hough
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
JUDGES will be given the power to assess whether a person with an intellectual disability has the "capacity" for decision-making, or to be a reliable witness in a court of law.
Under proposed capacity legislation, it is hoped that legal loopholes whereby people with an intellectual disability are often deemed "incapable" of making decisions, or giving evidence, will be closed.
The laws — dating back to the Lunacy Act of 1871 — create barriers for disabled people on a wide range of issues such as access to justice, medical treatment, control of money and the right to marry.
Submissions to the joint committee on Justice, Defence and Equality relating to the promised legislation must be received by Friday.
Campaigning group Inclusion Ireland said it receives many queries about problems arising from the lack of a modern legal framework.
"Under current law, parents, carers and service providers have no legal authority to take necessary decisions on behalf of adults with disabilities. Hardly a week goes by without this problem being raised by a parent, family member, professional or service provider and, more frequently, by the person themselves," the group’s submission states.
"The complete absence of any guidance on how to assess capacity for this group of people, who may not have capacity to make decisions, and/or may not be able to communicate their decision, means that decisions that need to be taken are sometimes not taken, or that decisions are taken that may involve an infringement of the person’s rights."
Inclusion Ireland said decisions are often made for people because the family or service provider feels the person lacks decision-making capacity, without attempting to find out what that capacity may be.
"They may have a paternalistic view, based on the assumption that people with greater intellectual ability know better."
There is concern this view could continue, however, as judges who are assessing people will be relying on medical evidence and definitions.
In Britain, specialist judges are put in place to carry out this function, but here it is understood it will become a role of the high court.
The inadequacies of the law in serious issues such as abuse have been highlighted many times.
In one case, a 23-year-old woman, Laura Kelly, was prohibited from giving evidence about her alleged sexual assault by a judge who deemed she did not have the capacity to testify in court.
Legislation has been signalled for some years and is required to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Read more: http://www.examiner.ie/ireland/health/judges-to-assess-capacity-of-intellectually-disabled-witnesses-164361.html#ixzz1VU5HsLKP
By Jennifer Hough
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
JUDGES will be given the power to assess whether a person with an intellectual disability has the "capacity" for decision-making, or to be a reliable witness in a court of law.
Under proposed capacity legislation, it is hoped that legal loopholes whereby people with an intellectual disability are often deemed "incapable" of making decisions, or giving evidence, will be closed.
The laws — dating back to the Lunacy Act of 1871 — create barriers for disabled people on a wide range of issues such as access to justice, medical treatment, control of money and the right to marry.
Submissions to the joint committee on Justice, Defence and Equality relating to the promised legislation must be received by Friday.
Campaigning group Inclusion Ireland said it receives many queries about problems arising from the lack of a modern legal framework.
"Under current law, parents, carers and service providers have no legal authority to take necessary decisions on behalf of adults with disabilities. Hardly a week goes by without this problem being raised by a parent, family member, professional or service provider and, more frequently, by the person themselves," the group’s submission states.
"The complete absence of any guidance on how to assess capacity for this group of people, who may not have capacity to make decisions, and/or may not be able to communicate their decision, means that decisions that need to be taken are sometimes not taken, or that decisions are taken that may involve an infringement of the person’s rights."
Inclusion Ireland said decisions are often made for people because the family or service provider feels the person lacks decision-making capacity, without attempting to find out what that capacity may be.
"They may have a paternalistic view, based on the assumption that people with greater intellectual ability know better."
There is concern this view could continue, however, as judges who are assessing people will be relying on medical evidence and definitions.
In Britain, specialist judges are put in place to carry out this function, but here it is understood it will become a role of the high court.
The inadequacies of the law in serious issues such as abuse have been highlighted many times.
In one case, a 23-year-old woman, Laura Kelly, was prohibited from giving evidence about her alleged sexual assault by a judge who deemed she did not have the capacity to testify in court.
Legislation has been signalled for some years and is required to ratify the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Read more: http://www.examiner.ie/ireland/health/judges-to-assess-capacity-of-intellectually-disabled-witnesses-164361.html#ixzz1VU5HsLKP
day out with my service user Thomas Chambers
A day out with my service user Thomas Chambers to the Westport Music Festival 5th August 2011.
My name is Becky, a personal assistant with the Irish Wheelchair association. I work twenty hours with Tom Chambers, a Mayo man. Tom is an independent access campaigner able to do things by himself but more interested in making life more independent for other people that cannot do things on their own. He believes there should be accessibility for all.
We went out on the 5th August Friday night to the music festival in Westport. We arrived early at the festival, Dick Burke the organiser and the committee welcomed us then we went to one of the shops, and was chatting with people we went there while having some refreshments that were all hoping the festival would be lovely. The Lord Mayor shook Tom welcoming him to the festival.
We arrived at the festival early enough to check if the venue was made accessible for all. Checking the portloo toilet, Tom pointed out that the kerb was high to someone on the wheelchair to gain access to the toilet. The festival committee got a carpenter and attached two planks to the kerbs to help people get to the toilet easily.
Tom pointed out that the barrier placed behind the chairs for people with disabilities was too close making the space limited for mobility. A member of the festival committee moved the barrier a little further and there was more room for movement for people that used the space.
The festival started off well with the Lord Mayor of Westport declaring it open and the musicians well great. I particularly enjoyed the songs Michelle Lally sang and loved the Sweet sixteen most. The bluegrass band did very and a group from England; I reckon that the crowd enjoyed the music played by Frank Garvin and De Danann.
During the festival, while Tom was enjoying the music I went to get some pints of larger for him and he also had some cups of tea. We got some German hot dogs to pass away the time while we enjoyed the music.
I am indeed glad I went to the festival, I really had a nice time and the memory still lingers in me. It was a good time and thanks to God the weather was fine. I look forward to the next festival and really hope that there were enough donations to keep the festival up and running, free of charge.
We left the venue late and Tom was worried if I was going to be able to drive home safely in the dark, I told him I will be fine and will let him know when am home. When I got home, I sent him a text to let him know I was home safe and sound, then he replied he was happy and can go to bed now.
Tom went to the festival on Sunday but I don’t think he enjoyed lit as much as Friday night and I guess he must have missed my company.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
80% of child disability assessments delayed
80% of child disability assessments delayed
By Fiachra Ó Cionnaith
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
FOUR out of every five disability assessments for children who may be suffering from serious, life-long conditions are not taking place within the legally outlined timeline.
Figures revealed in the HSE’s June performance report, the latest available, show that despite 850children under the age of five being assessed in the first half of this year, the vast majority of those in need are not receiving treatment as soon as recommended.
According to section two of the Disability Act, 1997, any child who is believed to have a disability must be assessed by health service officials within three months of application.
In addition, this assessment must also be completed within three months of its commencement date.
However, while the legislation outlines the treatment timeline which is involved, trade newspaper Irish Medical News has reported that four out of five of children are now being told to wait past the allotted three-month period.
The HSE performance report explained that this "disappointingly low" figure is due to the recruitment ban, the non-filling of vacancies caused by maternity and sick leave for workers, and the "prioritisation of intervention over assessment"
Read more: http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/80-of-child-disability-assessments-delayed-164525.html#ixzz1VGwwgYYA
By Fiachra Ó Cionnaith
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
FOUR out of every five disability assessments for children who may be suffering from serious, life-long conditions are not taking place within the legally outlined timeline.
Figures revealed in the HSE’s June performance report, the latest available, show that despite 850children under the age of five being assessed in the first half of this year, the vast majority of those in need are not receiving treatment as soon as recommended.
According to section two of the Disability Act, 1997, any child who is believed to have a disability must be assessed by health service officials within three months of application.
In addition, this assessment must also be completed within three months of its commencement date.
However, while the legislation outlines the treatment timeline which is involved, trade newspaper Irish Medical News has reported that four out of five of children are now being told to wait past the allotted three-month period.
The HSE performance report explained that this "disappointingly low" figure is due to the recruitment ban, the non-filling of vacancies caused by maternity and sick leave for workers, and the "prioritisation of intervention over assessment"
Read more: http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/80-of-child-disability-assessments-delayed-164525.html#ixzz1VGwwgYYA
Monday, August 15, 2011
Disabled Protesters in Sofia Fighting against Personal Assistance Reductions confronted by Government backed Disability Groups: call for action
Disabled Protesters in Sofia Fighting against Personal Assistance Reductions confronted by Government backed Disability Groups: call for action
Action, Politics, internationalAdd comments
Aug
15
2011
Disabled People against Cuts (DPAC) were shocked to learn of the events of 28th July in Sofia, Bulgaria in which members of the Sofia Centre for Independent Living (CIL) were abused by another group of disabled people while protesting against reductions in the PA scheme for disabled people. Disabled people in Sofia were told by the government that it was ‘not fair’ to allow the same disabled people use the limited funds for employing personal assistants to live independently.
Provision for Personal Assistance Reduced
Unfortunately the system of Personal Assistance (P.A.) Provision in Sofia is not promoting independent living and a better quality of life. An inquiry among PA users proved that most of them ‘improved their social contacts’, ‘INCREASED THE FAMILY INCOME’ and only 3. 7% found a job. In Sofia the PA salaries are most likely to go to family members while the situation of disabled people remains unchanged. The PA scheme budget has doubled over the last 4 years whereas the number of users has grown by a factor of four. As a result people are receiving fewer and fewer hours to allow for more users.
Disabled people get their PAs for one year and have to be assessed on yearly basis regardless of their situation. The new assessment system involves two stages: a) points based on the individual situation, which determine access to funds; and b) transfer of points into hours (by a panel of experts who will not see the applicant at all), which determine the size of individual funding.
Reductions in PA lead to Confrontation
The issue of reduced support for disabled people to live independently is, sadly, no longer news: it is something that is happening all over Europe. It is no surprise that there have been protests all over Europe by disabled people. What is a surprise is when those protesting for their rights are confronted and mistreated by another disabled peoples’ group.
In this case CIL – Sofia, an organisation highly respected throughout the European Independent Living Movement were confronted by other disabled people from the National Disability Council: an umbrella organisation of well subsidised Disabled Peoples’ Groups.
On one of the hottest days of the year supporters of CIL – Sofia were left reeling from the opposition demonstrated by the National Disability Council (NDC) members against them.
In addition, Sofia CIL were left waiting outside the government building from 9:00am to 5:00pm in intense heat while the NCD were invited inside by the local government officials to see the results of the Metropolitan Council voting.
Kapka Panayotova, the founder and CEO of CIL – Sofia, said
“Police officers who were providing the security measures for our protest were shocked… They couldn’t believe it was happening!”
NCD supported the key notion of the local politicians in Sofia: each year different disabled people should enjoy PA support; access to the scheme with the number of hours awarded dependent on the employment/schooling status of the applicant for PA not on the daily needs alone. In fact, the PA scheme in Sofia will become a tool for employment, not for better quality of life or independent living.
A couple of weeks before the action a monitoring report on the performance of the National Council on the Integration of Disabled People (NCIDP) dominated by national Groups was made public. It was conducted by a consortium of advocacy NGOs – Institute for Modern Politics (IMP), Bulgarian Helsinki Committee (BHC) and Bulgarian Centre for Non-Profit Law (BCNL), it showed that:
(1) The NCIDP does not operate in line with the ‘good governance’ principles;
(2) Six out of its nine functions are not performed at all; the remaining 3 are partially performed;
(3) The NCIDP and its member groups are being subsidised in a non-transparent and unaccountable way, which takes them away from the status of ‘independent’ organisations;
(4) Despite the consultative process between the government and NCIDP, Bulgarian policies are not inclusive and far behind European human rights standards.
NDC the umbrella of the impairment based Groups and the European Disability Forum
This is not the kind of group most would want representing their interests. It seems that they may not be representing the interests of disabled people at all, but those of the government in agreeing with cuts in return for continued subsidies.
What is even more shocking is that NDC are the spokespeople for Bulgaria at the European Disability Forum (EDF): a large organisation set up to be ‘The Representative Organisation of Persons with Disabilities in Europe’ and ‘the frontrunners for Disability Rights’. We are not sure if EDF are aware of the behaviour of their member organisation or their activities, but would like to draw it to their attention and ask them if they agree with it.
DPAC condemns all cuts to funds to help disabled people live independently according to the framework of the European Convention of Human Rights and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
DPAC also condemns disabled peoples’ groups that abuse other disabled people fighting for independent living and disabled peoples’ rights.
We welcome comments from both NDC and the EDF on this issue. We urge all to help them and Sofia Metropolitan Council understand that independent living rights extend beyond education and employment to day to day living as recognised by article 19 in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Call for Action
Contact the Sofia Metropolitan Council on why the PA scheme should be used as a tool for independent living rather than exclusively supporting employment and study and on their behaviour towards Sofia CI confronted by Government backed Disability Groups: call for action
Action, Politics, internationalAdd comments
Aug
15
2011
Disabled People against Cuts (DPAC) were shocked to learn of the events of 28th July in Sofia, Bulgaria in which members of the Sofia Centre for Independent Living (CIL) were abused by another group of disabled people while protesting against reductions in the PA scheme for disabled people. Disabled people in Sofia were told by the government that it was ‘not fair’ to allow the same disabled people use the limited funds for employing personal assistants to live independently.
Provision for Personal Assistance Reduced
Unfortunately the system of Personal Assistance (P.A.) Provision in Sofia is not promoting independent living and a better quality of life. An inquiry among PA users proved that most of them ‘improved their social contacts’, ‘INCREASED THE FAMILY INCOME’ and only 3. 7% found a job. In Sofia the PA salaries are most likely to go to family members while the situation of disabled people remains unchanged. The PA scheme budget has doubled over the last 4 years whereas the number of users has grown by a factor of four. As a result people are receiving fewer and fewer hours to allow for more users.
Disabled people get their PAs for one year and have to be assessed on yearly basis regardless of their situation. The new assessment system involves two stages: a) points based on the individual situation, which determine access to funds; and b) transfer of points into hours (by a panel of experts who will not see the applicant at all), which determine the size of individual funding.
Reductions in PA lead to Confrontation
The issue of reduced support for disabled people to live independently is, sadly, no longer news: it is something that is happening all over Europe. It is no surprise that there have been protests all over Europe by disabled people. What is a surprise is when those protesting for their rights are confronted and mistreated by another disabled peoples’ group.
In this case CIL – Sofia, an organisation highly respected throughout the European Independent Living Movement were confronted by other disabled people from the National Disability Council: an umbrella organisation of well subsidised Disabled Peoples’ Groups.
On one of the hottest days of the year supporters of CIL – Sofia were left reeling from the opposition demonstrated by the National Disability Council (NDC) members against them.
In addition, Sofia CIL were left waiting outside the government building from 9:00am to 5:00pm in intense heat while the NCD were invited inside by the local government officials to see the results of the Metropolitan Council voting.
Kapka Panayotova, the founder and CEO of CIL – Sofia, said
“Police officers who were providing the security measures for our protest were shocked… They couldn’t believe it was happening!”
NCD supported the key notion of the local politicians in Sofia: each year different disabled people should enjoy PA support; access to the scheme with the number of hours awarded dependent on the employment/schooling status of the applicant for PA not on the daily needs alone. In fact, the PA scheme in Sofia will become a tool for employment, not for better quality of life or independent living.
A couple of weeks before the action a monitoring report on the performance of the National Council on the Integration of Disabled People (NCIDP) dominated by national Groups was made public. It was conducted by a consortium of advocacy NGOs – Institute for Modern Politics (IMP), Bulgarian Helsinki Committee (BHC) and Bulgarian Centre for Non-Profit Law (BCNL), it showed that:
(1) The NCIDP does not operate in line with the ‘good governance’ principles;
(2) Six out of its nine functions are not performed at all; the remaining 3 are partially performed;
(3) The NCIDP and its member groups are being subsidised in a non-transparent and unaccountable way, which takes them away from the status of ‘independent’ organisations;
(4) Despite the consultative process between the government and NCIDP, Bulgarian policies are not inclusive and far behind European human rights standards.
NDC the umbrella of the impairment based Groups and the European Disability Forum
This is not the kind of group most would want representing their interests. It seems that they may not be representing the interests of disabled people at all, but those of the government in agreeing with cuts in return for continued subsidies.
What is even more shocking is that NDC are the spokespeople for Bulgaria at the European Disability Forum (EDF): a large organisation set up to be ‘The Representative Organisation of Persons with Disabilities in Europe’ and ‘the frontrunners for Disability Rights’. We are not sure if EDF are aware of the behaviour of their member organisation or their activities, but would like to draw it to their attention and ask them if they agree with it.
DPAC condemns all cuts to funds to help disabled people live independently according to the framework of the European Convention of Human Rights and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
DPAC also condemns disabled peoples’ groups that abuse other disabled people fighting for independent living and disabled peoples’ rights.
We welcome comments from both NDC and the EDF on this issue. We urge all to help them and Sofia Metropolitan Council understand that independent living rights extend beyond education and employment to day to day living as recognised by article 19 in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Call for Action
Contact the Sofia Metropolitan Council on why the PA scheme should be used as a tool for independent living rather than exclusively supporting employment and study and on their behaviour towards Sofia CI
Action, Politics, internationalAdd comments
Aug
15
2011
Disabled People against Cuts (DPAC) were shocked to learn of the events of 28th July in Sofia, Bulgaria in which members of the Sofia Centre for Independent Living (CIL) were abused by another group of disabled people while protesting against reductions in the PA scheme for disabled people. Disabled people in Sofia were told by the government that it was ‘not fair’ to allow the same disabled people use the limited funds for employing personal assistants to live independently.
Provision for Personal Assistance Reduced
Unfortunately the system of Personal Assistance (P.A.) Provision in Sofia is not promoting independent living and a better quality of life. An inquiry among PA users proved that most of them ‘improved their social contacts’, ‘INCREASED THE FAMILY INCOME’ and only 3. 7% found a job. In Sofia the PA salaries are most likely to go to family members while the situation of disabled people remains unchanged. The PA scheme budget has doubled over the last 4 years whereas the number of users has grown by a factor of four. As a result people are receiving fewer and fewer hours to allow for more users.
Disabled people get their PAs for one year and have to be assessed on yearly basis regardless of their situation. The new assessment system involves two stages: a) points based on the individual situation, which determine access to funds; and b) transfer of points into hours (by a panel of experts who will not see the applicant at all), which determine the size of individual funding.
Reductions in PA lead to Confrontation
The issue of reduced support for disabled people to live independently is, sadly, no longer news: it is something that is happening all over Europe. It is no surprise that there have been protests all over Europe by disabled people. What is a surprise is when those protesting for their rights are confronted and mistreated by another disabled peoples’ group.
In this case CIL – Sofia, an organisation highly respected throughout the European Independent Living Movement were confronted by other disabled people from the National Disability Council: an umbrella organisation of well subsidised Disabled Peoples’ Groups.
On one of the hottest days of the year supporters of CIL – Sofia were left reeling from the opposition demonstrated by the National Disability Council (NDC) members against them.
In addition, Sofia CIL were left waiting outside the government building from 9:00am to 5:00pm in intense heat while the NCD were invited inside by the local government officials to see the results of the Metropolitan Council voting.
Kapka Panayotova, the founder and CEO of CIL – Sofia, said
“Police officers who were providing the security measures for our protest were shocked… They couldn’t believe it was happening!”
NCD supported the key notion of the local politicians in Sofia: each year different disabled people should enjoy PA support; access to the scheme with the number of hours awarded dependent on the employment/schooling status of the applicant for PA not on the daily needs alone. In fact, the PA scheme in Sofia will become a tool for employment, not for better quality of life or independent living.
A couple of weeks before the action a monitoring report on the performance of the National Council on the Integration of Disabled People (NCIDP) dominated by national Groups was made public. It was conducted by a consortium of advocacy NGOs – Institute for Modern Politics (IMP), Bulgarian Helsinki Committee (BHC) and Bulgarian Centre for Non-Profit Law (BCNL), it showed that:
(1) The NCIDP does not operate in line with the ‘good governance’ principles;
(2) Six out of its nine functions are not performed at all; the remaining 3 are partially performed;
(3) The NCIDP and its member groups are being subsidised in a non-transparent and unaccountable way, which takes them away from the status of ‘independent’ organisations;
(4) Despite the consultative process between the government and NCIDP, Bulgarian policies are not inclusive and far behind European human rights standards.
NDC the umbrella of the impairment based Groups and the European Disability Forum
This is not the kind of group most would want representing their interests. It seems that they may not be representing the interests of disabled people at all, but those of the government in agreeing with cuts in return for continued subsidies.
What is even more shocking is that NDC are the spokespeople for Bulgaria at the European Disability Forum (EDF): a large organisation set up to be ‘The Representative Organisation of Persons with Disabilities in Europe’ and ‘the frontrunners for Disability Rights’. We are not sure if EDF are aware of the behaviour of their member organisation or their activities, but would like to draw it to their attention and ask them if they agree with it.
DPAC condemns all cuts to funds to help disabled people live independently according to the framework of the European Convention of Human Rights and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
DPAC also condemns disabled peoples’ groups that abuse other disabled people fighting for independent living and disabled peoples’ rights.
We welcome comments from both NDC and the EDF on this issue. We urge all to help them and Sofia Metropolitan Council understand that independent living rights extend beyond education and employment to day to day living as recognised by article 19 in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Call for Action
Contact the Sofia Metropolitan Council on why the PA scheme should be used as a tool for independent living rather than exclusively supporting employment and study and on their behaviour towards Sofia CI confronted by Government backed Disability Groups: call for action
Action, Politics, internationalAdd comments
Aug
15
2011
Disabled People against Cuts (DPAC) were shocked to learn of the events of 28th July in Sofia, Bulgaria in which members of the Sofia Centre for Independent Living (CIL) were abused by another group of disabled people while protesting against reductions in the PA scheme for disabled people. Disabled people in Sofia were told by the government that it was ‘not fair’ to allow the same disabled people use the limited funds for employing personal assistants to live independently.
Provision for Personal Assistance Reduced
Unfortunately the system of Personal Assistance (P.A.) Provision in Sofia is not promoting independent living and a better quality of life. An inquiry among PA users proved that most of them ‘improved their social contacts’, ‘INCREASED THE FAMILY INCOME’ and only 3. 7% found a job. In Sofia the PA salaries are most likely to go to family members while the situation of disabled people remains unchanged. The PA scheme budget has doubled over the last 4 years whereas the number of users has grown by a factor of four. As a result people are receiving fewer and fewer hours to allow for more users.
Disabled people get their PAs for one year and have to be assessed on yearly basis regardless of their situation. The new assessment system involves two stages: a) points based on the individual situation, which determine access to funds; and b) transfer of points into hours (by a panel of experts who will not see the applicant at all), which determine the size of individual funding.
Reductions in PA lead to Confrontation
The issue of reduced support for disabled people to live independently is, sadly, no longer news: it is something that is happening all over Europe. It is no surprise that there have been protests all over Europe by disabled people. What is a surprise is when those protesting for their rights are confronted and mistreated by another disabled peoples’ group.
In this case CIL – Sofia, an organisation highly respected throughout the European Independent Living Movement were confronted by other disabled people from the National Disability Council: an umbrella organisation of well subsidised Disabled Peoples’ Groups.
On one of the hottest days of the year supporters of CIL – Sofia were left reeling from the opposition demonstrated by the National Disability Council (NDC) members against them.
In addition, Sofia CIL were left waiting outside the government building from 9:00am to 5:00pm in intense heat while the NCD were invited inside by the local government officials to see the results of the Metropolitan Council voting.
Kapka Panayotova, the founder and CEO of CIL – Sofia, said
“Police officers who were providing the security measures for our protest were shocked… They couldn’t believe it was happening!”
NCD supported the key notion of the local politicians in Sofia: each year different disabled people should enjoy PA support; access to the scheme with the number of hours awarded dependent on the employment/schooling status of the applicant for PA not on the daily needs alone. In fact, the PA scheme in Sofia will become a tool for employment, not for better quality of life or independent living.
A couple of weeks before the action a monitoring report on the performance of the National Council on the Integration of Disabled People (NCIDP) dominated by national Groups was made public. It was conducted by a consortium of advocacy NGOs – Institute for Modern Politics (IMP), Bulgarian Helsinki Committee (BHC) and Bulgarian Centre for Non-Profit Law (BCNL), it showed that:
(1) The NCIDP does not operate in line with the ‘good governance’ principles;
(2) Six out of its nine functions are not performed at all; the remaining 3 are partially performed;
(3) The NCIDP and its member groups are being subsidised in a non-transparent and unaccountable way, which takes them away from the status of ‘independent’ organisations;
(4) Despite the consultative process between the government and NCIDP, Bulgarian policies are not inclusive and far behind European human rights standards.
NDC the umbrella of the impairment based Groups and the European Disability Forum
This is not the kind of group most would want representing their interests. It seems that they may not be representing the interests of disabled people at all, but those of the government in agreeing with cuts in return for continued subsidies.
What is even more shocking is that NDC are the spokespeople for Bulgaria at the European Disability Forum (EDF): a large organisation set up to be ‘The Representative Organisation of Persons with Disabilities in Europe’ and ‘the frontrunners for Disability Rights’. We are not sure if EDF are aware of the behaviour of their member organisation or their activities, but would like to draw it to their attention and ask them if they agree with it.
DPAC condemns all cuts to funds to help disabled people live independently according to the framework of the European Convention of Human Rights and the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
DPAC also condemns disabled peoples’ groups that abuse other disabled people fighting for independent living and disabled peoples’ rights.
We welcome comments from both NDC and the EDF on this issue. We urge all to help them and Sofia Metropolitan Council understand that independent living rights extend beyond education and employment to day to day living as recognised by article 19 in the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
Call for Action
Contact the Sofia Metropolitan Council on why the PA scheme should be used as a tool for independent living rather than exclusively supporting employment and study and on their behaviour towards Sofia CI
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
An Open Letter to David Cameron’s Parents
An Open Letter to David Cameron’s Parents
August 10, 2011 in whingeing | Tags: #ukriots, Andy Hayman, Bernie Ecclestone, boris johnson, corruption, david cameron, ed vaizey, Hazel Blears, London, Michael Gove, Tony Blair, uk riots
Image via Wikipedia
Dear Mr & Mrs Cameron,
Why did you never take the time to teach your child basic morality?
As a young man, he was in a gang that regularly smashed up private property. We know that you were absent parents who left your child to be brought up by a school rather than taking responsibility for his behaviour yourselves. The fact that he became a delinquent with no sense of respect for the property of others can only reflect that fact that you are terrible, lazy human beings who failed even in teaching your children the difference between right and wrong. I can only assume that his contempt for the small business owners of Oxford is indicative of his wider values.
Even worse, your neglect led him to fall in with a bad crowd.
There’s Michael Gove, whose wet-lipped rage was palpable on Newsnight last night. This is the Michael Gove who confused one of his houses with another of his houses in order to avail himself of £7,000 of the taxpayers’ money to which he was not entitled (or £13,000, depending on which house you think was which).
Or Hazel Blears, who was interviewed in full bristling peahen mode for almost all of last night. She once forgot which house she lived in, and benefited to the tune of £18,000. At the time she said it would take her reputation years to recover. Unfortunately not.
But, of course, this is different. This is just understandable confusion over the rules of how many houses you are meant to have as an MP. This doesn’t show the naked greed of people stealing plasma tellies.
Unless you’re Gerald Kaufman, who broke parliamentary rules to get £8,000 worth of 40-inch, flat screen, Bang and Olufsen TV out of the taxpayer.
Or Ed Vaizey, who got £2,000 in antique furniture ‘delivered to the wrong address’. Which is fortunate, because had that been the address they were intended for, that would have been fraud.
Or Jeremy Hunt, who broke the rules to the tune of almost £20,000 on one property and £2,000 on another. But it’s all right, because he agreed to pay half of the money back. Not the full amount, it would be absurd to expect him to pay back the entire sum that he took and to which he was not entitled. No, we’ll settle for half. And, as in any other field, what might have been considered embezzlement of £22,000 is overlooked. We know, after all, that David Cameron likes to give people second chances.
Fortunately, we have the Met Police to look after us. We’ll ignore the fact that two of its senior officers have had to resign in the last six weeks amid suspicions of widespread corruption within the force.
We’ll ignore Andy Hayman, who went for champagne dinners with those he was meant to be investigating, and then joined the company on leaving the Met.
Of course, Mr and Mrs Cameron, your son is right. There are parts of society that are not just broken, they are sick. Riddled with disease from top to bottom.
Just let me be clear about this (It’s a good phrase, Mr and Mrs Cameron, and one I looted from every sentence your son utters, just as he looted it from Tony Blair), I am not justifying or minimising in any way what has been done by the looters over the last few nights. What I am doing, however, is expressing shock and dismay that your son and his friends feel themselves in any way to be guardians of morality in this country.
Can they really, as 650 people who have shown themselves to be venal pygmies, moral dwarves at every opportunity over the last 20 years, bleat at others about ‘criminality’. Those who decided that when they broke the rules (the rules they themselves set) they, on the whole wouldn’t face the consequences of their actions?
Are they really surprised that this country’s culture is swamped in greed, in the acquisition of material things, in a lust for consumer goods of the most base kind? Really?
Let’s have a think back: cash-for-questions; Bernie Ecclestone; cash-for-access; Mandelson’s mortgage; the Hinduja passports; Blunkett’s alleged insider trading (and, by the way, when someone has had to resign in disgrace twice can we stop having them on television as a commentator, please?); the meetings on the yachts of oligarchs; the drafting of the Digital Economy Act with Lucian Grange; Byers’, Hewitt’s & Hoon’s desperation to prostitute themselves and their positions; the fact that Andrew Lansley (in charge of NHS reforms) has a wife who gives lobbying advice to the very companies hoping to benefit from the NHS reforms. And that list didn’t even take me very long to think of.
Our politicians are for sale and they do not care who knows it.
Oh yes, and then there’s the expenses thing. Widescale abuse of the very systems they designed, almost all of them grasping what they could while they remained MPs, to build their nest egg for the future at the public’s expense. They even now whine on Twitter about having their expenses claims for getting back to Parliament while much of the country is on fire subject to any examination. True public servants.
The last few days have revealed some truths, and some heartening truths. The fact that the #riotcleanup crews had organised themselves before David Cameron even made time for a public statement is heartening. The fact that local communities came together to keep their neighbourhoods safe when the police failed is heartening. The fact that there were peace vigils being organised (even as the police tried to dissuade people) is heartening.
There is hope for this country. But we must stop looking upwards for it. The politicians are the ones leading the charge into the gutter.
David Cameron was entirely right when he said: “It is a complete lack of responsibility in parts of our society, people allowed to think that the world owes them something, that their rights outweigh their responsibilities, and that their actions do not have consequences.”
He was more right than he knew.
And I blame the parents.
August 10, 2011 in whingeing | Tags: #ukriots, Andy Hayman, Bernie Ecclestone, boris johnson, corruption, david cameron, ed vaizey, Hazel Blears, London, Michael Gove, Tony Blair, uk riots
Image via Wikipedia
Dear Mr & Mrs Cameron,
Why did you never take the time to teach your child basic morality?
As a young man, he was in a gang that regularly smashed up private property. We know that you were absent parents who left your child to be brought up by a school rather than taking responsibility for his behaviour yourselves. The fact that he became a delinquent with no sense of respect for the property of others can only reflect that fact that you are terrible, lazy human beings who failed even in teaching your children the difference between right and wrong. I can only assume that his contempt for the small business owners of Oxford is indicative of his wider values.
Even worse, your neglect led him to fall in with a bad crowd.
There’s Michael Gove, whose wet-lipped rage was palpable on Newsnight last night. This is the Michael Gove who confused one of his houses with another of his houses in order to avail himself of £7,000 of the taxpayers’ money to which he was not entitled (or £13,000, depending on which house you think was which).
Or Hazel Blears, who was interviewed in full bristling peahen mode for almost all of last night. She once forgot which house she lived in, and benefited to the tune of £18,000. At the time she said it would take her reputation years to recover. Unfortunately not.
But, of course, this is different. This is just understandable confusion over the rules of how many houses you are meant to have as an MP. This doesn’t show the naked greed of people stealing plasma tellies.
Unless you’re Gerald Kaufman, who broke parliamentary rules to get £8,000 worth of 40-inch, flat screen, Bang and Olufsen TV out of the taxpayer.
Or Ed Vaizey, who got £2,000 in antique furniture ‘delivered to the wrong address’. Which is fortunate, because had that been the address they were intended for, that would have been fraud.
Or Jeremy Hunt, who broke the rules to the tune of almost £20,000 on one property and £2,000 on another. But it’s all right, because he agreed to pay half of the money back. Not the full amount, it would be absurd to expect him to pay back the entire sum that he took and to which he was not entitled. No, we’ll settle for half. And, as in any other field, what might have been considered embezzlement of £22,000 is overlooked. We know, after all, that David Cameron likes to give people second chances.
Fortunately, we have the Met Police to look after us. We’ll ignore the fact that two of its senior officers have had to resign in the last six weeks amid suspicions of widespread corruption within the force.
We’ll ignore Andy Hayman, who went for champagne dinners with those he was meant to be investigating, and then joined the company on leaving the Met.
Of course, Mr and Mrs Cameron, your son is right. There are parts of society that are not just broken, they are sick. Riddled with disease from top to bottom.
Just let me be clear about this (It’s a good phrase, Mr and Mrs Cameron, and one I looted from every sentence your son utters, just as he looted it from Tony Blair), I am not justifying or minimising in any way what has been done by the looters over the last few nights. What I am doing, however, is expressing shock and dismay that your son and his friends feel themselves in any way to be guardians of morality in this country.
Can they really, as 650 people who have shown themselves to be venal pygmies, moral dwarves at every opportunity over the last 20 years, bleat at others about ‘criminality’. Those who decided that when they broke the rules (the rules they themselves set) they, on the whole wouldn’t face the consequences of their actions?
Are they really surprised that this country’s culture is swamped in greed, in the acquisition of material things, in a lust for consumer goods of the most base kind? Really?
Let’s have a think back: cash-for-questions; Bernie Ecclestone; cash-for-access; Mandelson’s mortgage; the Hinduja passports; Blunkett’s alleged insider trading (and, by the way, when someone has had to resign in disgrace twice can we stop having them on television as a commentator, please?); the meetings on the yachts of oligarchs; the drafting of the Digital Economy Act with Lucian Grange; Byers’, Hewitt’s & Hoon’s desperation to prostitute themselves and their positions; the fact that Andrew Lansley (in charge of NHS reforms) has a wife who gives lobbying advice to the very companies hoping to benefit from the NHS reforms. And that list didn’t even take me very long to think of.
Our politicians are for sale and they do not care who knows it.
Oh yes, and then there’s the expenses thing. Widescale abuse of the very systems they designed, almost all of them grasping what they could while they remained MPs, to build their nest egg for the future at the public’s expense. They even now whine on Twitter about having their expenses claims for getting back to Parliament while much of the country is on fire subject to any examination. True public servants.
The last few days have revealed some truths, and some heartening truths. The fact that the #riotcleanup crews had organised themselves before David Cameron even made time for a public statement is heartening. The fact that local communities came together to keep their neighbourhoods safe when the police failed is heartening. The fact that there were peace vigils being organised (even as the police tried to dissuade people) is heartening.
There is hope for this country. But we must stop looking upwards for it. The politicians are the ones leading the charge into the gutter.
David Cameron was entirely right when he said: “It is a complete lack of responsibility in parts of our society, people allowed to think that the world owes them something, that their rights outweigh their responsibilities, and that their actions do not have consequences.”
He was more right than he knew.
And I blame the parents.
Greenway ‘a disaster waiting to happen’
Greenway ‘a disaster waiting to happen’
TUESDAY, 09 AUGUST 2011 06:26
Traffic has to travel on the wrong side of the road to safely pass out cyclists on a 2km stretch that is currently doubling up as the Greenway. Pics: Paul Mealey
Greenway ‘a disaster waiting to happen’
Cyclists and walkers compete with fast-moving heavy traffic on busy N59
Trevor Quinn
Westport-based Councillor Brendan Mulroy has called for the urgent completion of an emergency cycle lane and an underpass on two separate locations on the Greenway as he fears it is only a matter of time before “someone will get badly hurt or killed.”
Speaking to The Mayo News yesterday (Monday), the Fianna Fáil representative said that while the “off-road” amenity Greenway has been widely acknowledged as a great success, there were significant safety concerns that need to be addressed “as soon as possible.”
At issue is a two-mile section of the Greenway in Kilbride, on the N59 just outside Newport, where there is no off-road track. Here, cyclists and walkers have no option but to walk on the busy road, which has no footpath and no hard shoulder.
Cyclists and pedestrians are being forced into hedgerows and ditches as they battle for space with passing motorists for two miles of the Greenway. Until further works are completed in 12 months time Cllr Mulroy is concerned that tourists and young people will be unknowingly putting their lives at risk.
Frightening
“The Greenway is a positive story but this really is a disaster waiting to happen,” Cllr Mulroy said. “I think there needs to be an emergency lane completed in this area, and people need to be made aware that they are entering on to a national secondary route. In the long term, there are plans to address this issue but in the short-term you would be afraid that an accident will happen.”
On Bank Holiday Monday, August 1 last, Mulroy was one of 32 participants who walked the much-heralded tourist attraction, covering a distance of 43 kilometres in nine-and-a-half hours. Other walkers included Castlebar DJ Johnny Oosten and Matt Loughrey of Croagh Patrick 365 fame.
According to Oosten, the two-mile stretch lying between Newport and Kilmeena is ‘frightening’ and he added, “There’s going to be an accident there.”
Cllr Mulroy said, “It’s only when you walk it that you can really appreciate just how dangerous it is. It’s an accident waiting to happen”. He added, “During our walk we met in excess of 500 people on bicycles and 99 per cent of these were tourists. If people knew what they were cycling into, they’d be more careful. Ideally, I think the council should put in an emergency lane or bollards to safeguard tourists and in particular children.”
Allocation
Funding for the necessary road works, which are estimated to cost in the region of €2 million, were allocated in January. The council believed at the time that the work would be completed by early summer of this year.
Independent Belmullet-based councillor Michael Holmes said he can understand why people are anxious about the situation. “In January this year the money for incorporating a cycle lane in this area was allocated. There was hope the work would be completed by spring or early summer this year. It’s not in my area so I cannot lobby the NRA but that’s irrelevant, I’ve been very vocal about this and I have highlighted it on a number of occasions. I’d be concerned about this if it was in Mullingar.
“Over the last 20 years there has been a lot of accidents (on the N59). It’s been a notorious road for cyclists as long as I can remember. It’s a national secondary road with a large volume of traffic. There should be more signs installed as a precautionary measure. The real answer is to get the job done as soon as possible.”
By law, cyclists are supposed to cycle on the left of the road, with walkers on the right. This picture show a vehicle trying to pass cyclists just before a dangerous bend on the N59.
Long finger
“Like all things this as been put on the long finger,” Holmes said. “ When the money was allocated we were led to believe it would be done by spring or early summer.”
Cllr Holmes said he would be in favour of the installation of ‘flashing lights’ and added that the NRA could do more to highlight the risks. He agreed with Cllr Mulroy and said a mile-long stretch on the Newport to Burrishoole road is also very dangerous and a footbridge or an underpass is required.
Cllr Mulroy said, “If you’re driving down from Newport in the direction of Burrishoole Abbey there’s an area on the Greenway where you have to cross the road. I’ve seen cars halting to let pedestrians cross and tourists are subsequently overtaking … accidents could easily happen. Tourists fly by and don’t know why cars are pulling in. We’re now flagging it because we don’t want to be held accountable if something does happen.”
Not ideal
Joe Beirne, Director of Services at Mayo County Council, acknowledged that the situation ‘was not ideal’, but said he was confident the segregated cycling and walking lane would be substantially completed by the start of the 2012 tourist season. “The works will facilitate the completion of a segregated track for cyclists and walkers, which will run adjacent to the road, ensuring that participants can travel the route securely and unperturbed,” he said. Beirne admitted there were ‘a few ifs’ but said the main aim was to negotiate the relevant works with a contractor and get the project started by October next.
“We only started at the end of last year and we had some problems acquiring land and in relation to planning. It takes a bit of time. We’ll be reviewing signage in the meantime,” he concluded
TUESDAY, 09 AUGUST 2011 06:26
Traffic has to travel on the wrong side of the road to safely pass out cyclists on a 2km stretch that is currently doubling up as the Greenway. Pics: Paul Mealey
Greenway ‘a disaster waiting to happen’
Cyclists and walkers compete with fast-moving heavy traffic on busy N59
Trevor Quinn
Westport-based Councillor Brendan Mulroy has called for the urgent completion of an emergency cycle lane and an underpass on two separate locations on the Greenway as he fears it is only a matter of time before “someone will get badly hurt or killed.”
Speaking to The Mayo News yesterday (Monday), the Fianna Fáil representative said that while the “off-road” amenity Greenway has been widely acknowledged as a great success, there were significant safety concerns that need to be addressed “as soon as possible.”
At issue is a two-mile section of the Greenway in Kilbride, on the N59 just outside Newport, where there is no off-road track. Here, cyclists and walkers have no option but to walk on the busy road, which has no footpath and no hard shoulder.
Cyclists and pedestrians are being forced into hedgerows and ditches as they battle for space with passing motorists for two miles of the Greenway. Until further works are completed in 12 months time Cllr Mulroy is concerned that tourists and young people will be unknowingly putting their lives at risk.
Frightening
“The Greenway is a positive story but this really is a disaster waiting to happen,” Cllr Mulroy said. “I think there needs to be an emergency lane completed in this area, and people need to be made aware that they are entering on to a national secondary route. In the long term, there are plans to address this issue but in the short-term you would be afraid that an accident will happen.”
On Bank Holiday Monday, August 1 last, Mulroy was one of 32 participants who walked the much-heralded tourist attraction, covering a distance of 43 kilometres in nine-and-a-half hours. Other walkers included Castlebar DJ Johnny Oosten and Matt Loughrey of Croagh Patrick 365 fame.
According to Oosten, the two-mile stretch lying between Newport and Kilmeena is ‘frightening’ and he added, “There’s going to be an accident there.”
Cllr Mulroy said, “It’s only when you walk it that you can really appreciate just how dangerous it is. It’s an accident waiting to happen”. He added, “During our walk we met in excess of 500 people on bicycles and 99 per cent of these were tourists. If people knew what they were cycling into, they’d be more careful. Ideally, I think the council should put in an emergency lane or bollards to safeguard tourists and in particular children.”
Allocation
Funding for the necessary road works, which are estimated to cost in the region of €2 million, were allocated in January. The council believed at the time that the work would be completed by early summer of this year.
Independent Belmullet-based councillor Michael Holmes said he can understand why people are anxious about the situation. “In January this year the money for incorporating a cycle lane in this area was allocated. There was hope the work would be completed by spring or early summer this year. It’s not in my area so I cannot lobby the NRA but that’s irrelevant, I’ve been very vocal about this and I have highlighted it on a number of occasions. I’d be concerned about this if it was in Mullingar.
“Over the last 20 years there has been a lot of accidents (on the N59). It’s been a notorious road for cyclists as long as I can remember. It’s a national secondary road with a large volume of traffic. There should be more signs installed as a precautionary measure. The real answer is to get the job done as soon as possible.”
By law, cyclists are supposed to cycle on the left of the road, with walkers on the right. This picture show a vehicle trying to pass cyclists just before a dangerous bend on the N59.
Long finger
“Like all things this as been put on the long finger,” Holmes said. “ When the money was allocated we were led to believe it would be done by spring or early summer.”
Cllr Holmes said he would be in favour of the installation of ‘flashing lights’ and added that the NRA could do more to highlight the risks. He agreed with Cllr Mulroy and said a mile-long stretch on the Newport to Burrishoole road is also very dangerous and a footbridge or an underpass is required.
Cllr Mulroy said, “If you’re driving down from Newport in the direction of Burrishoole Abbey there’s an area on the Greenway where you have to cross the road. I’ve seen cars halting to let pedestrians cross and tourists are subsequently overtaking … accidents could easily happen. Tourists fly by and don’t know why cars are pulling in. We’re now flagging it because we don’t want to be held accountable if something does happen.”
Not ideal
Joe Beirne, Director of Services at Mayo County Council, acknowledged that the situation ‘was not ideal’, but said he was confident the segregated cycling and walking lane would be substantially completed by the start of the 2012 tourist season. “The works will facilitate the completion of a segregated track for cyclists and walkers, which will run adjacent to the road, ensuring that participants can travel the route securely and unperturbed,” he said. Beirne admitted there were ‘a few ifs’ but said the main aim was to negotiate the relevant works with a contractor and get the project started by October next.
“We only started at the end of last year and we had some problems acquiring land and in relation to planning. It takes a bit of time. We’ll be reviewing signage in the meantime,” he concluded
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