Unfriend Coal

Great stuff!



To find out what this is all about, take a look here.

Tackling the Tax Havens

There's a great website with lots of facts, figures and easy to understand explanations of all the tricky ins and outs of tax and tax havens. Very helpful for anyone working on tax justice issues.

Take a look and watch their quirky little promotional video released this month:

Blog Action Day Vs World Food Day

Today is Blog Action Day and bloggers around the world are talking about one thing - FOOD.

As we celebrate World Food Day, nearly a billion people on the planet still go to bed hungry every night. Yet this inexcusable and tragic reality that is faced by around 1 in 7 people is made all the more offensive by the fact that the world currently produces enough food. It is not a lack of food that is the problem but rather a broken food system that fails so many.

The world's population is growing and will reach 9 billion by 2050. This will present its own problems with demand for food rising by 70%, but what of the issues facing the world now:

- 40% of US corn crops end up in gas tanks instead of stomachs.

- 4 in 5 people lack access to social protection of any kind.

- The amount of arable land per head has almost halved since 1960.

- Consumers in rich countries may be wasting up to a quarter of the food they buy.

That is why Oxfam launched its GROW campaign earlier this year - to encourage people to share ideas for better ways to grow, share and live together and work towards a future where everyone on the planet always has enough to eat. During the next few days of GROW Week (October 15th - 22nd), we have a chance to take stock and strengthen our commitment to this more hopeful future.

06/10/2011 - Ireland at the UN Human Rights Council

Via Your Rights. Right Now:

"On 6 October 2011, Ireland will be examined for the first time by the United Nations on our human rights record under the Universal Periodic Review or UPR. Seventeen leading organisations have come together to make sure that the United Nations hears your views about Your Rights. Right Now. Our voices are stronger if we work together. Read our report, and follow the process live from Geneva on this website from 8am (Irish time) on 6 October 2011."

WATCH THE LIVE FEED HERE.

An Audit of Ireland's Debt

I recently had the pleasure of attending the launch of the results of an audit of Ireland's debt in Buswell's Hotel.

Carried out by a team of researchers from the University of Limerick and led by Dr. Sheila Killian, 'An Audit of Irish Debt' provides a very accessible picture of Ireland's debt. The audit was commissioned by the trade union UNITE and the Irish NGOs Afri and Debt and Development Coalition Ireland. Based on information from the Central Bank, the ECB, the CSO and NTMA as well the financial accounts of various financial institutions, Reuters data, Dáil questions and wikileaks cables; the report is extremely thorough.

Of key importance though is that the report is independent and politically neutral.

It may sound like a dry read but the information within this audit personally affects every citizen in Ireland and is well worth a look.

Referendum Matters

The Dáil resumes today and has an opportunity to provide some much needed focus.

Despite the fact that this session will undoubtedly be extremely busy, the reality is that come the end of October, the public will be called upon to cast their votes in two referendums. If approved, these will:

- allow the pay of judges to be reduced in line with any future reductions in public service pay.
- give Oireachtas committees the power to hold inquiries that can make findings of fact.

Whether or not such issues are uncontroversial does not negate the need for robust analysis and discussion. This has been conspiciuously absent.

The dearth of inspirational candidates in the upcoming Presidential election has fostered a degree of public apathy and is debasing the status of an office that should be able to stake claim to a perennial place within the hearts of this country's citizens. This cannot and should not be allowed to happen to a process that alters the document that defines who we are as a people and a country.

Referendums matter. Admittedly some more so than others. But they all count.

Despite the current difficulties this country faces, the upcoming referendums should be treated with the respect and consideration they deserve and not ignored by the media or our political representatives. Some much needed attention would be very welcome in the coming weeks.

14 Seconds...27,000 Deals...1 Question

Technology that allows a contract to move from one trader to another 27,000 times in 14 seconds may sound impressive but it begs the question: How does this benefit society?

A recent report from the Robin Hood Tax Campaign, entitled Financial Crisis 2: Rise of the Machines, has highlighted how an activity called High Frequency Trading is effectively making it impossible for regulators to police and intervene in the market when necessary. High Frequency Trading is computer driven trading that uses algorithms to facilitate shares being bought and sold hundreds of times a second and has the unfortunate innate ability to drive up prices and cause market volatility.

Making matters worse is the fact that such trading is increasingly being used for trading commodities, meaning oil and food. Wild volatility in these areas would not only cause havoc in the market, but more importantly will impact directly upon people's lives.

So once again, though impressed with the mathematical equations embedded in such technology, I must ask how this benefits society? And if the answer is that it doesn't, well then it's time to once again reiterate and intensify the call for a financial transaction tax - which would throw some much needed sand in the wheels of these technological trades.

Human Rights Concerns in Ireland

A great summary of the human rights concerns highlighted by key stakeholders in Ireland has been published by the UN in advance of the UN Human Rights Council's examination of Ireland in October 2011.

Some issues demanding attention include:

- The need for the ratification of the Optional Protocol to the Convention Against Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.
- The desirability in conducting an analysis of the contribution that the Community & Voluntary sector makes to human rights promotion and protection in Ireland.
- The policing of protestors around the Corrib Gas Project.
- The demand for full civil marriage legislation for same sex couples.
- The lack of recognition of Travellers as an ethnic minority.
- The necessity for greater legislative and policy protections for vulnerable migrant workers.

The above is just a small selection of the great many submissions made by 60 stakeholders in Ireland in advance of the UN Human Rights Council's examination. View the full summary here.

Oxfam's Food Prices Map

A very cool interactive map has recently been produced by a colleague in Oxfam. Enjoy

MV Saoirse Sabotaged

MEP for Dublin, Paul Murphy, this morning issued a statement surrounding the supposed act of sabotage directed at the Freedom Flotilla 2:

...The revelation that terrorist-style sabotage of the MV Saoirse caused serious damage to the ship and threatened the loss of life is extremely serious. The evidence pointing towards the Israeli state being guilty is overwhelming. It cannot be a coincidence that two of the boats destined to sail to Gaza have now been sabotaged in the same way, with their propeller shafts damaged.

These attacks match with the Israeli government rhetoric that they would do everything they could to prevent the flotilla from sailing. Those, like Hillary Clinton, who gave an implicit green light to Israeli Defence Forces aggression against the flotilla share responsibility for this sabotage. The sabotage has not only caused tens of thousands of euros of damage to these ships, but also threatened the lives of all the participants aboard. If we had been travelling to Gaza at full speed, an explosion could have been caused that would have sunk the boat and threatened all our lives. An international independent investigation should be launched to fully investigate the sabotage of the ships.

I demand a statement of condemnation of these terror attacks from the Israeli state. If such a statement is not forthcoming, I call on the Irish government to expel the Israeli ambassador from Ireland.

Although I am very disappointed at not being able to sail on the MV Saoirse due to the damage to the ship, this sabotage will not deter me from sailing to Gaza to protest at the continuing siege and virtual imprisonment of the 1.6 million Palestinians living there. I will be participating in the Italian boat as part of the Flotilla and will be setting sail in a few days.

It was a pleasure campaigning alongside the other participants on the MV Saoirse, all of whom made big sacrifices to try to break the blockade to Gaza. The organisers and crew in particular put in a herculean effort to prepare our ship and team and I am very thankful to them. I am deeply disappointed for those that will not be able to travel to Gaza due to this terrorism. However, I am hoping to bring their messages of solidarity to the Palestinian people.

To follow latest updates of the flotilla from Paul Murphy check out paulmurphymep.eu/gaza

Six Voices Project

B'Tselem has teamed up with the Guardian Newspaper to showcase the voices of five Palestinians and two Israelis who created personal video diaries about their human rights' reality in East Jerusalem.

Calling on supporters to share these video diaries with friends and colleagues, B'Tselem hope to draw attention to the concrete reality in East Jerusalem.

Click here to watch the videos.

GROW

Oxfam launches it's new GROW campaign this week. Here's the introductory video that's just been released:

Update: Ireland and the UN Committee Against Torture

Today (or possibly tomorrow) will see Ireland appear for the first time before the UN Committee Against Torture.

The Committee has the mandate to review and is expected to comment inter alia on Ireland's current deportation system, the number of deaths that have taken place in recent years in Garda custody, the extent of human trafficking in the country and Ireland's complicity in facilitating renditions.

For more information about this monitoring body and Ireland's appearance in particular, check out this blog. Alternatively, to read the Irish delegation's opening statement, visit the committee's schedule page.

Youth Worker Exchange

A colleague of mine recently passed on a report from the National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI) which reviews the organisation's 2010 youth worker exchange.

Sinze 2006, NYCI has promoted and facilitated this exchange of Irish and Zambian youth workers . One of the most appealing aims of the project is to create direct links between youth organisations in the Global North and Global South beyond the exchange, thus fostering a greater sense of global solidarity.

For a glimpse at the benefits that such exchanges can have for youth workers and the sector in both countries, have a read of the very user-friendly report.

Breaking the Silence

There are rare moments when action is taken by individuals that has the potential to change the very nature and premise of a debate. The formation in 2004 of Breaking the Silence may well still prove to be such a moment. The organisation is comprised of Israeli veterans dedicated to stimulating:

...public debate about the price paid for a reality in which young soldiers face a civilian population on a daily basis, and are engaged in the control of that population’s everyday life.

Now, Breaking the Silence is taking the brave move to post videos on Youtube of ex-soldiers speaking about wrongdoing by the Israeli army in the occupied territories. Here is one such example:

Living in Limbo

The Immigrant Council of Ireland released a new report yesterday, Living in Limbo - Migrant's Experience of Applying for Naturalisation in Ireland.

The report examines the experience of 315 migrants from more than 60 countries and calls for urgent reform as unfortunately, as is the case with many areas of immigration law and related policy, naturalisation can be a complicated and at times unjust process.

Interestingly, the research shows that many migrants applied for citizenship to secure a permanent immigration status. Addressing this point, yesterday's press release quotes NASC chief executive Fiona Finn:

Citizenship should not be perceived as the only viable means of overcoming the stress and strain of living on temporary residence permissions year after year.

Looking forward to delving into the report in detail.

Climate Wise Women

Women Leaders On Climate Justice: A Grassroots Perspective was jointly run this month by Oxfam Ireland and the Mary Robinson Foundation for Climate Justice in Trinity College.

The roughly 300 in attendance were treated to speeches from the inspiring Ursula Rakova (Executive Director of Tuele Piece) and Constance Okollet (Chairperson of the Osukura United Women Network). Part of the Climate Wise Women tour, they travel the globe to bring a first hand account of the effects of climate change to colleges, universities, businesses and communities and to foster discussion about climate justice and gender equality.

Read their stories here.

Family Reunification in Ireland

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has recently voiced some much needed concern about the family reunification decision making process in Ireland.

Individuals in Ireland with refugee status have the right to apply for permission to have family members live with them in the state. Often it will be years before an individual can exercise this right due to the excessive length of time taken for refugee status to be granted in many cases and even then, the onerous requirements laid down by the Department of Justice make the process a complicated and drawn out affair.

Noting such problems the UNHCR has said it is:

...concerned at the length of the decision-making process, which is currently between 18 to 24 months for a decision on a family reunification application.

Hopefully, Irish authorities will seriously consider the recommendations made by the UNHCR, including:

...the strengthening of the family reunification process by reducing processing times, relaxing evidentiary and interpretation rules and by extending the national legal provisions on family reunification to resettled refugees.

Read the full report here.

Ireland, Tax and Development

A fantastic piece of work done on behalf of Oxfam Ireland, Trócaire, Afri, Christian Aid, Comhlámh and Debt and Development Coalition Ireland, was published today entitled Driving the Getaway Car? Ireland Tax and Development.

Read the full publication here and see the press release below:

Poor countries are being robbed of tax revenue and Ireland is not doing enough to stop the theft, according to 6 leading global development organisations. At a Dublin launch of a new book on the issue, ‘Driving the Getaway Car? Ireland, Tax and Development’, written on behalf of the organisations by Dr Sheila Killian of the University of Limerick, the organisations demanded that Ireland act urgently for global tax justice.

‘Driving the Getaway Car?' explains how impoverished countries lose billions of euro through weak domestic tax collection capacities and through unjust international tax structures. Transfer pricing abuse is highlighted as a particular area of concern. This is when subsidiaries of the same multi-national company artificially set the prices of goods and services in order to minimise their tax bills, often through the use of secrecy jurisdictions, popularly known as tax havens. This illegal practice is very difficult to monitor and costs impoverished countries billions in lost tax revenue.

Nessa Ní Chasaide of Debt and Development Coalition commented, “Dr Killian’s important new research demonstrates that impoverished countries are being stripped of billions of euro every year due to an unjust and elaborate international system that enables tax avoidance and evasion. Our message to the Irish government is that impoverished countries are clearly being robbed, and it needs to ensure Ireland doesn’t become the getaway car.

Author of the newly published book, Dr Sheila Killian, highlighted the fact that “Ireland’s tax model clearly does not do enough to protect vulnerable countries from tax revenue losses. Specifically, Ireland should adjust its transfer pricing regime to properly protect impoverished countries from losing tax revenue, and close domestic tax loopholes that may facilitate capital flight from impoverished countries“.

Colin Roche of Oxfam Ireland commented, “Impoverished countries should be supported in protecting desperately needed tax revenue that is rightfully theirs. In particular, multi-national companies must become more transparent in their financial reporting. We call on the Irish government to support the creation of a new financial reporting standard that requires multinational companies to report on their profits and taxes on a ‘country-by-country’ basis. This would provide vulnerable countries with an important new tool to expose tax evasion.”

Your Rights, Right Now

In October, Ireland will be examined for the first time by the United Nations on our human rights record under the Universal Periodic Review (UPR).

To ensure a robust examination takes place, the Your Rights, Right Now campaign report will be submitted this month to the United Nations Working Group of the UPR.

Individuals and organisations can visit the campaign website and show their support for the great work done by 17 leading organisations in Ireland in compiling this piece of work.

The UPR process is about ensuring real change happens on the ground and human rights protection is verifiably improved.

International Women's Day

The 100th anniversary of International Women's Day is celebrated today with millions of people around the world expected to mark the progress made in women's rights since 1911.

Despite the achievements, women are still denied basic rights in many parts of the world and this is a direct cause of global poverty. International issues ranging from climate change to food justice can only be adequately tackled if the rights and role of women is secured at the very core of any action taken.

However, today is about celebration so it is worth remembering the achievements to date. Take a look at this very brief examination of the last 100 years released by UNWomen earlier this year:

Programme for Government 2011

After 6 days of negotiations, here's what the new coalition partners-to-be have presented the public with:

Programme for Government

Forgotten Generation

Some interesting new research from the National Youth Council of Ireland has examined the current difficulties faced by young unemployed people in Ireland. Key findings include:

- 70% agreed that is likely they will emigrate in the next 12 months.

- 90% agreed that being unemployed has a negative effect on my sense of wellbeing.

- Only 32% awarded a mid-point satisfaction with their meeting with Social Welfare.

- Half of the respondents rated the quality of the information or support provided with a Job Facilitator at Social Welfare as unsatisfactory to poor.

Read the full report here.

Election Fever

Whether it is February 25th or March 11th , the Irish people will soon be given the opportunity to remove the current inept Government from power.

Opposition parties and independent candidates will surely seize this opportunity with great vigor and seek to inspire the Irish public, convincing them that they are different, better and worthy of our trust.

Maybe not...



If this is the type of debate we can expect over the coming weeks, let's hope the election is scheduled for earlier sooner than later.

Have Your Say on the Climate

On 23 December 2010, the long overdue Irish Climate Change Bill was published.

A public consultation will now take place until 28 January 2011 and I would implore everyone to read the Bill (it's only 15 odd pages) and tell the Irish Government what you think at climatebillconsultation@environ.ie.

Some positives are that Ministers will have responsibility for taking action on climate change in their respective areas, an Expert Advisory Body will be set up and progressive emission reduction targets have been proposed. However, from a first glance there also seems to be a few issues such as the fact that overall responsibility for climate change does not lie with the Taoiseach and the Expert Advisory Body's annual reporting function can be severely curtailed by Government.

Good or bad, let the Irish Government know what you think of the Bill at climatebillconsultation@environ.ie.