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Wednesday, July 11th, 2007A Cork monument honouring Irish emigrants isn’t getting enough attention, according to a report in the Irish Examiner. The newspaper reports that city councillors are concerned that the monument, which was launched in September, needs more promotion.
The Listening Post monument on Penrose Quay is comprised of four stainless steel posts, which play recordings of interviews with hundreds of emigrants, their descendents, people left behind and ship workers. Penrose Quay was a departure point for emigrant boats in the middle decades of the last century.
The monument was developed by sculptor Daphne Wright, Meridian Theatre Company artistic director Johnny Hanrahan and sound designer Dan Jones. The €100,000 project is the city’s first permanent sound installation.
But city councillors say not many have heard the Listening Post monument. “These are supposed to be listening posts. But I’ve never seen anyone listening to them”, the paper quotes Fianna Fáil Councillor Tom O’Driscoll. Mr O’Driscoll added the worthy project was suffering from a lack of promotion.
City manager Joe Gavin agreed to distribute brochures to Cork’s tourist offices and hotels. City arts officer Liz Meaney said the public reaction to the project’s launch was hugely positive.
Read the full report on the Irish Examiner website.
New moves on free travel for older emigrants?
Wednesday, July 11th, 2007Older emigrants living in Britain may soon be getting access to free travel in Ireland, according to a report in the Irish Post. The newspaper reports that leading politicians have promised that the issue is being prioritised to be addressed when the Irish Government reconvenes after the summer holidays.
Emigrant advocates have been campaigning on this issue for years, and while there appears to be much goodwill toward the idea among politicians, there have been difficulties in implementing a plan. Last year, then-Minister Seamus Brennan attempted to introduce a provision that would have allowed for free travel for those abroad who were receiving an Irish pension; the EU Commission rejected the proposal as discriminatory. Currently residents of the island of Ireland are entitled to the free travel scheme once they reach 66.
Most campaigners want to see free travel introduced for all Irish nationals who have reached pension age. The newspaper quotes a Department for Social and Family Affairs spokesperson:
“The Government will examine the introduction of free travel for Irish citizens of pension age, particularly those resident in Britain, when visiting Ireland and press the European Commission to examine a similar EU-wide scheme.”
The paper notes the free travel campaign is backed by the Green Party, a coalition government party, and the opposition Labour Party.
The issue was one of those that loomed largest at the Irish Pensioners Consultation and Conference Day recently organised by the Irish Elderly Advice Service at the London Irish Centre.
Read the full reports on the Irish Post website:
Newfoundland-Irish festival celebrates links
Thursday, July 5th, 2007Links between Newfoundland and Ireland were celebrated in Wexford recently, with the third annual festival organised by the Waterford Estuary-Newfoundland Festival of the Sea Committee.
The festival alternates every year between Ireland and Newfoundland. A delegation from Newfoundland visited for a series of events held in Wexford, Waterford and Kilkenny. These included workshops aimed at enhancing links between commercial fishing enterprises between the two regions, a community development conference, and a history conference exploring links between Kilkenny and Newfoundland.
Nearly half of Newfoundlanders today are of Irish descent; during the pre-Famine era a large number of people from Ireland’ s southeast settled there. The festival is meant to foster collaboration in the cultural, educational and business sectors. Organisers say the festival’s three pillars are:
- celebrating the history and culture of the linked communities
- promoting local, sustainable community amenities
- identifying and responding to community development issues.
Visit these sites for more information:
- Newfoundlandireland.com – includes a journal of this year’s festival.
- Festivalofthesea.ie
Is construction slowdown increasing emigration?
Wednesday, July 4th, 2007Irish tradespeople are moving to Australia and New Zealand in increasing numbers, according to a report in the Irish Examiner.
Migration.ie spokesperson Edwina Shanahan says that about 4,000 Irish people moved to Australia and New Zealand in 2006. “There has been a steady overall increase, but particularly among tradespeople. For most, the main reason for moving is better job prospects and quality of life”.
While Migration.ie says the increase in tradespeople leaving is a result of a slowdown in the Irish construction industry – a claim disputed by the Construction Federation of Ireland.
The CFI acknowledges that the housing sector has slowed in recent months, but says the commercial and public sector has grown, resulting in static employment in the construction over the last six months. There are about 290,000 employed in construction currently, up from 260,000 two years ago.
The Economic and Social Research Institute says the economy will slow down this year, and says that employment growth will fall to 58,000 next year, down from 87,000 new jobs in 2006.
Read the report in the Irish Examiner.
Returning Irish being refused benefits
Wednesday, July 4th, 2007The issue of emigrants are being refused benefits under the Habitual Residence Condition needs to be addressed says Éan member agency Emigrant Advice in today’s Irish Times.
The paper reports that Brian Flynn, director of the Social Welfare Appeals Office, “said appeals officers were concerned at ‘the deteriorating standards of decision-making and poor quality of file presentation’ by Department of Social and Family Affairs and HSE staff dealing with cases coming before them on appeal”. Mr Flynn made the comments at the launch of his 2006 annual report.
Joe O’Brien of Emigrant Advice said that his agency saw returning emigrants being refused social welfare payments. “Between May 2004 and April 2006, 880 Irish people were refused a payment because they were not classified as habitually resident in Ireland. We see returning Irish emigrants being refused payments because of this rule. ”
Journalist Alison Healy adds that O’Brien “referred to one case where a returned emigrant was refused social welfare, then granted a pyament on appeal but then refused when he went to collect it.”
See the full story in the Irish Times (subscription required)
Irish undocumented speak of frustrated hopes
Monday, July 2nd, 2007The Sunday Business Post carries an article on the failure of the US immigration reform efforts. The article, by Susan Mitchell, interviews several undocumented Irish immigrants, who described the pain of being unable to return home for visits.
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