Social Justice Matters

125. SJI Interviews Ep 76: Lifelong Learning with Nora Condon, Solas

This week, Susanne Rogers chats with Nora Condon, Senior Data Analyst with Solas about lifelong learning and gaining skills for life and work. The world of work is changing with green and digital transitions and as we live longer, we may work for longer. We need access to upskilling and reskilling in order to benefit from these opportunities and deal with the challenges.

SOLAS is the State agency tasked with building a world class Further Education and Training (FET) sector to fuel Ireland’s future. All their work can be accessed HERE. We discuss these three reports specifically Lifelong Learning Women on home duties Moving on up.

Further information about courses and options for learning can be found here: https://www.fetchcourses.ie/ and  https://smartchoices.ie/

124. SJI Seminars Ep29: Liina Carr on the role of the European Trade Union Confederation in delivering the EU Pillar of Social Rights.

Liina Carr was re-elected ETUC Confederal Secretary in 2019, having first been elected in 2015. Her responsibilities at ETUC include macroeconomic policy, economic governance and the European Semester, the European Pillar of Social Rights, social protection, external relations, implementation of UN Agenda 2030 Sustainable Development Goals in the EU and development cooperation, as well as human resources. Liina has been a member of the European Economic and Social Committee since 2004. 

We can listen back to Liina presenting her paper for the Social Justice Ireland's 34th Annual Social Policy Conference on the European Pillar of Social Rights, "The role of the European Trade Union Confederation in delivering the EU Pillar of Social Rights".

All the Papers and Videos from the Conference can be accessed HERE.

123. SJI Interviews Ep 75: Violence in Women’s Prisons with Keith Adams, JCFJ

There have been a number of reports recently of issues and complaints in Dóchas, the women's prison in the Mountjoy campus in Dublin. In this week's episode, Colette Bennett discusses these issues, the lack of transparency and the Government's decision not to publish reports of the Inspector of Prisons, as well as how the narrative to end violence against women leaves many behind.

122. Special Episode: The MA in Social Justice and Public Policy 2022

Social Justice Ireland is a key partner in a Masters programme that is run in conjunction with the Waterford IT campus of the new South East Technological University and delivered in Dublin city. This programme is called the MA in Social Justice and Public Policy.

This is our second special episode of Social Justice Matters and it should be of great interest to anyone considering enrolling in this MA. The episode is anchored by MA Programme Leader Dr. Paul Clogher of WIT, and includes information on the evolution of the programme and the major ideas and themes behind.

We also hear from Dr. Susan Flynn, Head of the Department of Arts, Dr. Hazel O'Brien, Department of Arts, Dr. Seán Healy, CEO, Social Justice Ireland and we get the student experience of the programme from recent graduate Susanne Rogers, who also works for Social Justice Ireland as a research and policy analyst. 

More details about this programme are available here: https://www.wit.ie/courses/ma-in-social-justice-and-public-policy

 

121. SJI Interviews Ep 74: Children’s Rights with Saoirse Brady

The Children's Rights Alliance published its Report Card 2022 in February of this year (Report Card 2022 | Children's Rights Alliance (childrensrights.ie)) "the second analysis of Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party’s joint Programme for Government: Our Shared Future and how it performed for children in 2021."

In this week's episode, Colette Bennett chats with Saoirse Brady of the Alliance about the results of this year's Report Card, the improvements that have been made in the area and the policy challenges that are yet to be overcome. 

120. SJI Seminars Ep28: Launch presentation of Social Justice Matters: a 2022 guide to a fairer Irish Society

We launched our socio-economic review for 2022 on Tuesday, 19th April 2022. This annual publication is where we present a detailed analysis of a range of key matters which are central to social justice; a vision of Ireland’s future as a just and sustainable society; and a policy framework to move consistently and coherently towards that society. 

In this episode, you can listen back to the presentations from this launch. The full publication is also available to download from our website here.

119. SJI Interviews EP.73: Séamus Boland on the Conference of the Future of Europe

This week, Séamus Boland, from the European Economic Social Council, chats with Susanne Rogers about the Conference on the Future of Europe. As Europe shapes more and more of Irish life, whose voice gets to be heard is an important topic. 

Séamus is the current President of the European Economic Social Council - Diversity Group III. The Diversity Group is made up of delegates drawn from each member state, representing sectors which include, community, agriculture, environment, consumers, social economy and various professions.

118. SJI Interviews Ep72: Ruairi McKiernan on connections and a new Social Contract

We need a radical re-think of our society and our place in it. In today's episode, Colette Bennett chats with Ruairi McKiernan about the Ukrainian crisis; the need for connection; youth mental health; a new Social Contract; and finding our place in it all. It's a fascinating episode. 

117. SJI Interviews Ep71: Environmental Justice and Inequality

On the 24th March 2022, CLM and DCU published their report, 'Environmental Justice in Ireland: Key dimensions of environmental and injustice experienced by vulnerable and marginalised communities', looking at the impact of environmental injustice on people and communities most impacted by environmental issues and least supported to address them. In today's episode, Colette Bennett speaks with lead author Sadbh O'Neill, Project Lead Dr. Diarmuid Torney, and Clodagh Daly of Community Law and Mediation on the need to increase awareness and deliberative democracy around environmental justice and key policy proposals for now, for Budget 2023, and beyond.

 

If you would like to read the report, view the videos of the launch, or the infographics developed by CLM on environmental justice, all are available at Environmental Justice in Ireland: New research and resources by DCU and Community Law & Mediation - Community Law (communitylawandmediation.ie)

116. SJI Interviews Ep 70: Dr Madeleine Lyes from Space Engagers

This week, Dr. Madeleine Lyes from Space Engagers chats to Susanne Rogers about they work they do, the importance of community engagement and public participation in the co creation of shared spaces and some exciting new projects. 

Space Engagers is a research and co-design collective on a mission to make our towns and cities more resilient and sustainable by utilising research, citizen engagement and co-design tools. Dr Madeleine Lyes specialises in policy-oriented research and community engagement. She has a background in critical urbanism, with a PhD focused on the development of urbanity in New York City at mid-century. She has worked on worldwide diaspora engagement, developing recommendations which fed into government policy, and was founder of City Intersections, an urban forum for public engagement around issues facing Dublin city. She is based in Limerick.