Our co-ordinator Emma was a guest on Gossip Radio's "tea time three" in which she discusses her work with the IFN and picks three songs which reflect different aspects of her experiences in feminist activism. You can listen to the interview here.

First Step Toward More Equitable Ireland Achieved

The Equality Budgeting Campaign, a group of over 30 civil society organisations, has responded to yesterday’s vote on the Equal Status (Amendment) Bill 2013. The bill, which was tabled by Sinn Féin, would have placed a positive duty on all public bodies to ensure equality of opportunity. It would have added new equality categories to existing equality legislation, and would have introduced mandatory impact assessments on budgetary measures.

Spokesperson for the campaign, Dr. Clara Fischer, said that “the campaign was delighted to have the support of  Sinn Féin, Fianna Fáil, United Left Alliance, all Independent TDs, and former Labour Party members for this bill. Although the government voted against it, we feel very strongly that this is a turning point in our campaign.”

“We are disappointed that Labour, in particular, have voted against equality-proofing, and thereby against their own official party policy. However, the campaign for increased equality in Ireland continues, and has been given a vital boost by yesterday’s vote. To have the issue of equality and impact assessments, particularly in relation to the budget, discussed in our national parliament is a significant achievement. We look forward to working further with our supporters to make equality budgeting a reality in Ireland.”

Equality Budgeting Campaign
www.equalitybudgeting.ie
equalitybudgetingcampaign@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/EqualityBudgetingCampaign
twitter.com/EBCampaign


Further information on the bill:
http://www.sinnfein.ie/contents/27075

The Equal Status (Amendment) Bill 2013 was tabled by Sinn Féin on Tuesday, 2nd July, as a Private Members Bill. The bill was defeated by the government, with 89 votes against 46. SF, FF, ULA, Independents and former Labour Party members voted in support of the bill.

About the Equality Budgeting Campaign:
The Equality Budgeting Campaign is a broad-based coalition of NGOs, trade unions and concerned individuals seeking the introduction of equality budgeting in Ireland. Members include the National Women’s Council of Ireland, the Irish Feminist Network, SIPTU, SPARK (Single Parents Acting for the Rights of Kids), Campaign for Labour Policies, and Union of Students in Ireland. The campaign was set up in light of research showing increased levels of inequality in Ireland and the disproportionate disadvantaging of certain sections of Irish society by successive governments since the beginning of the economic crisis.

Facts:

• 1 in 10 people in Ireland experiences food poverty – Carney & Maitre, “Constructing a Food Poverty Indicator for Ireland using the Survey of Income and Living Conditions”, Department of Social Protection, 2012

• The deprivation rate of families headed by lone parents increased from 44.1% in 2009 to 56% in 2011

• The percentage of children living in consistent poverty increased from 6.3% in 2008 to 9.3% in 2011

• Those who are unemployed saw their deprivation rate increase from 34.3% in 2009 to 42.4% in 2011 - CSO EU SILC 2011

• Following a report on poverty in Ireland in 2011, the UN Independent Expert on Human Rights and Poverty called on Ireland to immediately implement a human rights review of all budgetary and recovery policies

Further information on equality budgeting available from here:
http://equalitybudgeting.ie/index.php/campaign-resources/eb-campaign-documents/

Time to put policy ahead of politics to ensure Ireland brought in line with other jurisdictions

A group of over 30 civil society organisations, the Equality Budgeting Campaign, today welcomed the launch of Sinn Féin’s Equal Status (Amendment) Act 2013. The new bill proposes a radical overhaul of existing equality legislation in Ireland by imposing a positive duty on public bodies to ensure equality of opportunity. Spokesperson for the campaign, Dr. Clara Fischer, said that “the proposed legislation would bring Ireland in line with other jurisdictions, such as Northern Ireland and Scotland, by ensuring public authorities equality-proof their work. At present, Ireland is lagging behind its neighbours, especially as much our equality infrastructure has been dismantled since the onset of the economic crisis.”

The bill also entails publication of impact assessments, which would bring much-needed clarity and transparency to the budgetary process. “The budget is carried out in secret by four government ministers and the Taoiseach, with limited input from the rest of government, our legislature, and civil society stakeholders. It is unclear how decisions are arrived at, despite the fact that inequality has increased in recent years. Impact assessments, undertaken before final decisions on the budget are made, would allow us to examine how specific cuts or tax increases affect different sections of Irish society. Decision-making could then be based on evidence, in public, and with due regard to equality and justice.”

Spokesperson, Louise Bayliss said, “many of the measures proposed in this bill are already official Labour Party policy, adopted at last year’s Labour Party Conference. We hope TDs will put policy ahead of politics tonight, and show their support for equality.”


Further information on the bill:
http://www.sinnfein.ie/contents/27075

About the Equality Budgeting Campaign:
The Equality Budgeting Campaign is a broad-based coalition of NGOs, trade unions and concerned individuals seeking the introduction of equality budgeting in Ireland. Members include the Irish Feminist Network, National Women’s Council of Ireland, SIPTU, SPARK (Single Parents Acting for the Rights of Kids), Campaign for Labour Policies, and Union of Students in Ireland. The campaign was set up in light of research showing increased levels of inequality in Ireland and the disproportionate disadvantaging of certain sections of Irish society by successive governments since the beginning of the economic crisis.

Facts:
·      1 in 10 people in Ireland experiences food poverty – Carney & Maitre, “Constructing a Food Poverty Indicator  for Ireland using the Survey of Income and Living Conditions”, Department of Social Protection, 2012
·      The deprivation rate of families headed by lone parents increased from 44.1% in 2009 to 56% in 2011
·      The percentage of children living in consistent poverty increased from 6.3% in 2008 to 9.3% in 2011
·      Those who are unemployed saw their deprivation rate increase from 34.3% in 2009 to 42.4% in 2011 - CSO EU SILC 2011
·      Following a report on poverty in Ireland in 2011, the UN Independent Expert on Human Rights and Poverty called on Ireland to immediately implement a human rights review of all budgetary and recovery policies

Further information available from here:
http://equalitybudgeting.ie/index.php/campaign-resources/eb-campaign-documents/

We had a fantastic time marching in the 2013 Dublin Pride parade. Not only was it the 30th anniversary of gay pride in Ireland, but it was also the 20th anniversary of the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Ireland. It's amazing to think we've come so far as a nation in terms of LGBTQ rights in such a short time. However, there is still so much more to do. Marriage Equality, parental rights and more widespread acceptance and respect for LGBTQ people are still to be achieved. Judging by the huge numbers, energy and great atmosphere at Pride this year, it's only a matter of time! Check out some photos of our banner and display below.

The next book club will be held on Thursday, 4th of June at 7:30pm in Bewleys cafe. All are welcome!

As chosen by the last book club's attendees and those in the online group, the play of the month is: Hedda Gabler (& A Doll's House) by Henrik Ibsen.

You can read these texts for free from:
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/4093 &
http://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/2542

"Hedda Gabler is the name, to my mind, of Ibsen's greatest play, and of the most interesting woman that Ibsen has created."

"Over the years, Ibsen has been called a revolutionary, a nationalist, a romantic, a poet, an idealist, a realist, a socialist, a naturalist, a symbolist, a feminist, and a forerunner of psychoanalysis."

Read more:

http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/melani/cs6/ibsen.html

http://thebluebookcase.blogspot.ie/2011/03/review-dolls-house-by-henrik-ibsen.html

To facilitate discussion, we'll have these ground rules:

-Everyone has the right to contribute to the discussion
-Refrain from personal attacks, criticise the idea and not the person
-Everyone is welcome to attend regardless of age, gender, race, class, sexual orientation, gender identity, religious belief, disability, membership of the travelling community, marital status or family status.

We'll be in the back of Bewleys in the restaurant section. The reservation will be under Irish Feminist Network.