Social Justice Matters

45. SJI Interviews Ep24: Dr. Liam Thornton on Direct Provision in Ireland

The current system of Direct Provision was first introduced into Ireland in the year 2000. Over two decades later national and international experts have been damning in their assessment of the system and its "significant human rights" issues. The Programme for Government committed to the abolition of Direct Provision, a welcome move.  But how can this be done?

In the latest episode of our Interview series, Colette Bennett chats with Dr. Liam Thornton of UCD on the system of Direct Provision and what needs to be done in Budget 2021 to start the abolition process.

In other news, we are delighted that Social Justice Matters has been recognised by FeedSpot as one of the 20 social justice podcasts you should be following in 2020. Check out the list here: https://blog.feedspot.com/social_justice_podcasts/

 

44. SJI Ten Minute Lessons Ep9: The Sustainable Development Goals

It's Global Goals Week, it's also the 5th anniversary of the Global Goals, or as they're also known, the Sustainable Development Goals or SDGs.  In this episode, we look at the Sustainable Development Goals, what they are, how they are measured and how Ireland is progressing towards them.

In other news, we are delighted that Social Justice Matters has been recognised by FeedSpot as one of the 20 social justice podcasts you should be following in 2020. Check out the list here: https://blog.feedspot.com/social_justice_podcasts/

 

43. SJI Seminars Ep11: Our pre-Budget 2021 Briefing Seminar

The first budget of the Government of the 33rd Dáil is a mere 3 weeks away. Budget 2021 will be a litmus test of how serious Government is taking its commitment to the creation of a new social contract. It is also important because the Covid-19 pandemic gives this budget unique context.

The most important decisions will be around the fiscal stance: what approach will government take to the significant deficit that will characterise this budget. But all the many challenges that existed pre-Covid remain, and cannot be ignored.

Earlier this week, we launched our Budget Briefing, tackling several key issues and giving fully-costed Budgetary packages in more than a dozen policy areas, and additional costed tax proposals. 

Listen here to  our commentary on the key issues.

In other news, we are delighted that Social Justice Matters has been recognised by FeedSpot as one of the 20 social justice podcasts you should be following in 2020. Check out the list here: https://blog.feedspot.com/social_justice_podcasts/

 

42. SJI Interviews Ep.23: A New Social Contract

Despite well documented problems and challenges, Ireland is in the privileged position of having public services and social infrastructure to rely on at a time of crisis.   This is due to the social contract that underpins our social infrastructure.  The social contract as a concept has evolved to encompass a situation whereby citizens contribute to the common good – whether economically, socially or culturally – on the assumption that the State will provide a minimum standard of living, essential social services and infrastructure, and the protection of their basic rights.

In this episode, following the launch of Social Justice Ireland's 81 Policy Recommendations for a new Social Contract, Colette Bennett and Eamon Murphy discuss this vision and how it could shape a better future for all.

41. SJI Seminars Ep10: Michelle Murphy on Pathways to a Basic Income

To mark Basic Income Week, we take a look back to our Annual Social Policy Conference in 2016 on the theme of Basic Income and a presentation by our own Michelle Murphy on Pathways Towards a Basic Income.

For more papers and presentations from this conference, check out our website www.socialjustice.ie

40. SJI Interviews Ep22: Dr. Carol Baumann on Domestic Abuse

An estimated 1 in 5 women in Ireland will experience domestic abuse over the course of their life.  Ireland ratified the Istanbul Convention, yet fails to provide the political oversight or economic investment needed to underpin our commitments.

In this episode of Social Justice Matters, Colette Bennett speaks with Dr. Carol Baumann, Head of Domestic Abuse with Cope Galway, about the experiences of women in domestic abuse situations; the supports available; and the investment necessary in Budget 2021 to protect women and children. 

39. SJI Ten Minute Lessons Ep8: Deprivation in Ireland

This week, the CSO released the Deprivation statistics for Ireland for 2019.

This Ten Minute Lesson examines the key numbers and trends for that release, and explains what deprivation is, how it’s measured, and what can be done about it.

38. SJI Interviews Ep21: Catherine Cox of Family Carers Ireland

Family Carers Ireland (FCI) is the national charity that supports over 350,000 family carers across the country - people who care for loved ones with physical or intellectual disabilities, care for older people, the terminally ill, or those suffering from chronic illnesses.

In this episode of Social Justice Matters, Catherine Cox of FCI tells us about how her organisation and the people it represents has been affected by the current pandemic, and their priorities for Budget 2021.

37. SJI Seminars Ep9: Paddy Cosgrave - learning from the past to shape the future

Paddy Cosgrave is the founder and CEO of Web Summit. In this week's episode of Social Justice Matters, we go back to our Social Policy Conference of 2018, and Paddy's presentation, 'Learning from the past to shape the future'.

 

If there's one positive from Covid-19 and the resultant lockdown, it was the fact that so many people have been willing to re-consider how we have structured our society, particularly the way it has been built around the needs of capital. This presentation is a timely reminder of how we can learn from the past to create a new and better future.

36. SJI Interviews Ep20: Welfare Conditionality and Stigma with Joe Whelan, UCC

"Spongers", "Scroungers", "Welfare Cheats" - just some of the many tropes used to belittle people dependant on social welfare supports.  But the idea of these supports being free and easy money just doesn't ring true.  

In the latest episode of our SJI Interviews series, Colette Bennett chats with Joe Whelan, Lecturer in Applied Social Sciences in UCC and author of the paper "We have our dignity, yeah? Scrutiny under suspicion: Experiences of welfare conditionality in the Irish social protection system", among others, on the experiences of people in receipt of social welfare.  This is an eye-opening conversation, and gives another layer of understanding beyond the statistics to the lived experience of people dependent on welfare payments.