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OECD says young Irish are among main victims of the crisis

November 7, 2013

Peter Singhatey Uncategorized Development, Financial Crisis, Ireland, OECD, People & Society, peter singhateh Leave a comment

OECD says young Irish are among main victims of the crisis.

A new report by the global economic think-tank found the share increased by 1 percentage point on average in the area covered by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

But Ireland suffered the biggest hike, followed by Spain which increased 6 percentage points, according to an OECD study measuring the human cost of the crisis. It found that ordinary people’s satisfaction with life has plunged in the eurozone countries worst hit by the financial crisis as faith in their governments’ ability to ease the strain has diminished.

Government has no plans for sex filters | Irish Examiner

October 18, 2013

Peter Singhatey Education Education, Ireland, peter singhateh Leave a comment

Government has no plans for sex filters | Irish Examiner.

DESPITE the on going debate in Britain, there are no plans here to introduce pornography filtering in Ireland, according to the Department of Justice.

The Department of Education states that access to pornography on children’s phones is primarily a matter for parents as they are the primary educators of children…

Doctors call for 20% budget tax on sugary drinks | Irish Examiner

October 7, 2013

Peter Singhatey Irish News Health, Ireland, obesity, People & Society, peter singhateh Leave a comment

Doctors call for 20% budget tax on sugary drinks | Irish Examiner.

The Royal College of Physicians of Ireland also called for a review of how sugary drinks are promoted and the effect their consumption has, particularly on children.

Donal O’Shea warned that such drinks provide no nutritional benefits but are linked with weight gain.

“With one in four Irish schoolchildren classified as overweight or obese, we have an epidemic and the Government must take action,” said Prof O’Shea, a hospital consultant.

“There is widespread agreement among health professionals, now backed by a convincing body of evidence, that sugar-sweetened drinks, including sports drinks, and their pattern of consumption, are significant factors in weight gain and obesity, especially among children,” he said…

Hyperactivity can be useful – especially if you’re a mother – Family News & Advice | Parenting, Marriage & Kids | The Irish Tim – Tue, Sep 24, 2013

September 26, 2013

Peter Singhatey Irish News ADHD, Education, Ireland, People & Society, peter singhateh Leave a comment

Hyperactivity can be useful – especially if you’re a mother – Family News & Advice | Parenting, Marriage & Kids | The Irish Tim – Tue, Sep 24, 2013.

‘A weight off my shoulders” is how Monaghan-based artist and fashion designer Helen Steele describes the day six years ago when she was diagnosed with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder). Today is ADHD Awareness Day, which aims to highlight the positive aspects of the condition and its link with creativity and sport.

ADHD is a genetic condition that is caused by a balance of chemicals in the brain that is different to that of the average person. It affects an estimated 60,000 children in Ireland, with the majority diagnosed between the ages of five and seven.

This misunderstood psychiatric condition leads people to assume that a child’s hyperactive and erratic behaviour is down to bad parenting.

Research by HADD, the Irish support group for people living with ADHD, found that more than six in 10 parents of children with the condition feel it isn’t properly recognised by society. Some eight in 10 parents of children with ADHD feel judged by other parents.

But Steele is “quite proud to wear the ADHD label”…

Parents will receive training on bullying | Irish Examiner

September 16, 2013

Peter Singhatey Irish News Bullying, Education, Ireland, People & Society, peter singhateh Leave a comment

Parents will receive training on bullying | Irish Examiner.

Adults will be expected to teach children about the problem behaviour after attending courses paid for by the education department. A total of 40,000 euros are earmarked to deliver sessions for parents by the end of the year.

The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO) estimates up to 40% of nine-year-olds have been victimised.

Education minister Ruairi Quinn said: “Bullying is not a problem schools can or should be left to tackle alone. Parents, families and the wider community have an important role to play in tackling all forms of bullying and in teaching children how to manage relationships, be resilient and have empathy for others.”

The minister said the anti-bullying parent training programme will be available nationwide. It will be a two-and-a-half hour session that helps parents support their children with issues of bullying and informs them about new anti-bullying procedures for primary and secondary schools…

Dealing with bullies – Political News | Irish & International Politics | The Irish Times – Fri, Jul 12, 2013

July 12, 2013

Peter Singhatey Research Cyberbulling, Ireland, peter singhateh, Research Leave a comment

Dealing with bullies – Political News | Irish & International Politics | The Irish Times – Fri, Jul 12, 2013.

At a time of rising concern over the effects of cyberbullying, new proposals by the Government’s special rapporteur on child protection to criminalise this kind of abusive behaviour are a welcome step in the right direction. Research suggests almost one in five secondary school students have felt bullied or abused online. But pupils, parents and teachers often feel powerless to tackle the problem. Legal difficulties in proving harassment on social networking websites mean there have been relatively few prosecutions to date. The report by Dr Geoffrey Shannon recommends amending existing laws used to combat harassment – the Non-Fatal Offences Against the Person Act – to provide for a specific offence of cyberbullying. Significantly, it also proposes that homophobic bullying in schools should be classified as a child protection issue. This would require schools to address these issues and report them to social services, if necessary…

Fight against hunger ‘at heart of Irish foreign policy’, says Eamon Gilmore – World News | Latest International News Headlines | The Irish Times – Wed, Apr 17, 2013

April 18, 2013

Peter Singhatey World News Africa, Ireland, MDGs, peter singhateh, world hunger Leave a comment

Fight against hunger ‘at heart of Irish foreign policy’, says Eamon Gilmore – World News | Latest International News Headlines | The Irish Times – Wed, Apr 17, 2013.

Ireland will push for a greater focus on the links between climate change, hunger and poor nutrition at international gatherings including the UN General Assembly and the forthcoming G8 summit in Fermanagh, Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Eamon Gilmore said yesterday.

Mr Gilmore was speaking at the close of a conference, hosted by the Government and the Mary Robinson Foundation – Climate Justice, and organised with the World Food Programme (WFP) as part of Ireland’s EU presidency, which examined the overlap between climate change, hunger and under-nutrition and its impact on the world’s most vulnerable populations.

“Ireland will keep the fight against hunger at the heart of our foreign policy,” Mr Gilmore said, adding that the Government would advocate for a “single set of measurable goals” to be put in place after 2015, the deadline set when the UN’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) were first launched. Progress on achieving the MDGs has fallen far short of what was initially hoped for.

Ireland is 10th best country to be a child but poverty gap is widening

April 14, 2013

Peter Singhatey Irish News Ireland, peter singhateh Leave a comment

Ireland is 10th best country to be a child but poverty gap is widening.

Unicef cited Ireland as the 10th best place in the world to be a child in a league table for child wellbeing in 29 industrialised countries. Its report card found that, while Ireland has a relatively low child-poverty rate of 8.5pc, those who do fall below the breadline fall harder than in 25 other countries – giving Ireland one of the largest child- poverty gaps. The data, calculated in 2010, will be launched at a meeting of international experts in Dublin who aim to end child poverty within the EU…

Globally, the Netherlands retained its position at number one, followed by Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. The UK was 16th on the report card.