The Fiscal Reform Treaty

I was delighted to write for the Guardian’s live blog on the Euro Crisis this week, discussing Ireland’s referendum on the Fiscal Compact Treaty.

On Thursday evening, I wrote about how I voted and why:

I’m euro-skeptic at the best of times, but now, in the worst of times, I don’t think I have the option. I voted no to Lisbon the first time, trying to slow the process of Europe. I was brow-beaten into a ‘yes’ the second time. This time I voted yes with full certainty. We’re in need. It’s a painful reality, but come Monday I don’t want to be looking under the couch cushions for punt coins.

So I’m quite anxious about tomorrow’s results and frustrated by the low turnout, as well as by the government’s failure to properly inform people. It’s left them vulnerable to the outrageously sensationalist attacks of the no campaign.

Many of us are disgusted by the cowboys on the other side of the fence; the rabble-rousing, summoning Ireland’s children to her flag and horribly misrepresenting European leaders. When one side is portraying the blood being squeezed out of Ireland’s veins, “stability and growth” seem like paltry responses, but those are the realities. Giving the finger to Europe, bankers and anyone else in the crossfire is tempting, but dangerously irresponsible.

Then, on Friday my reaction to the decisive ‘yes’ vote:

Colour me relieved. For the sake of Irish stability and (albeit distant) growth, it was necessary for the referendum to be carried. It’s good to see that the loudness of the no campaign was disproportionate to its level of support.

However, I don’t think that the coalition should chalk this up as a victory. The government campaign showed the same electoral complacency that characterized the previous two/four European referenda and we’re lucky that that didn’t decide the result.

The last few weeks have shown the deep divisions between different sectors of Irish society. The range of results across urban constituencies reflect a dissatisfaction with austerity politics in working class communities. Today’s ‘yes’ buys time, but doesn’t resolve the underlying issues.

Tags: austerity, Bank Debt, EU, Euro Crisis, fiscal compact treaty, Fiscal Referendum, Lisbon Treaty, No Campaign, St. Anthony, The Guardian., Yes Campaign

Dublin Rape Crisis Centre

A quick plug.

“Don’t fall over, don’t fall over, don’t fall over.”

I’m running the Flora Women’s Mini-Marathon on Monday in aid of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre. I’ll be running the Flora Women’s Mini Marathon in aid of the Dublin Rape Crisis Centre. This is an organisation that quietly makes a difference in all our lives, by supporting men and women we know and care about. We may never be told their stories, but the DRCC gives them a space in which they can speak and be heard. The value of that service is immeasurable.

The Dublin Rape Crisis Centre offered me support when I needed it most, without question, without charge, and without judgement. I’d like you to help me pay them back.

You can donate here. Many thanks.

Tags: Dublin Rape Crisis Centre, Mini Marathon, Niamh Ni Mhaoileoin., sexual assault

Aung San Suu Kyi to Visit Ireland

According to the Irish Times Aung San Suu Kyi is considering a visit to Ireland on her upcoming trip to Europe. This is her first trip outside Burma since 1988.

She was previously afraid to leave Burma because she believed the junta would not allow her back into the country. Her resolve held even as her husband, based in Oxford, was dying from prostate cancer. The junta refused him to grant him a visa to visit her in Rangoon.  However, having been released from house arrest and elected to parliament, the Lady can now travel outside Burma again.

The trip has yet to be finalised, but she will visit the UK, where she formerly lived and studied, and Norway, where she has a prize to collect.

I’m very excited that she’s coming to Dublin. I’m hoping that that we’ll become best friends. It’s possible, right?

Tags: aung san suu kyi, burma, Human Rights, Ireland, myanmar, Nobel Prize., The Irish Times, The Lady

The Implications of the “Corrib Rape-Tape”

Another day, another sad reminder of the state of the nation. This afternoon, the Gardaí Síochána Ombudsman Commission released its report on the so-called Corrib Rape-Tape. For anyone unfamiliar with the situation, two women were arrested while protesting at the Corrib Gas Project, the police in the car in front of them joked about deporting and raping one of them, the other guards laughed along, they accidentally recorded themselves and unwittingly gave the recording to the women. Chaos ensued. Read the transcript of their comments here.

Today’s report cleared all the guards of serious wrongdoing, but recommended that one be subject to (fairly mild) disciplinary action. Two have already been completely exonerated and the Sergeant who actually used the word rape has since resigned from the force so isn’t subject to disciplinary action.

The report emphasises that neither of the women were directly threatened with rape. Well, that’s a relief, eh? It wasn’t actually a threat of rape, it was just a joke among lads. It doesn’t matter that rape culture unquestionably causes rape to occur by suggesting to men that rape is sometimes acceptable. It doesn’t matter that research on sexual assault has found that potential rapists use rape jokes to gain affirmation for their actions, and laughter acts as that affirmation. It doesn’t matter that the entirety of the force is now less able to represent and support the victims of sexual assault. If the standard the police force holds itself to is avoiding direct threats of rape, then there’s something very wrong with the standards of the police force.

The Gardaí don’t seem to understand that.  The Commission guaranteed that when victims of rape come forward they’ll be treated with compassion and sensitivity. Yet that has to take place in a culture of compassion and sensitivity. The guards should be considering all those who are already too afraid or too ashamed to come forward because of the culture we’ve built around rape. Because they feel they won’t be believed, or the process of reporting will be too traumatic, or their experience will be acknowledged but minimised.

The police should offer a safe space to the victims of crime, particularly such a traumatic one. The country has been given solid evidence that within the Gardaí rape is quite literally a laughing matter. Further, we have been given evidence that the dangerous norms surrounding rape extend to those responsible for our protection. In failing to recognise the severity of the Corrib-gate comments the Guards have failed us all as potential victims, and created a problem far larger than they seem to recognise. I don’t feel I can trust the Gardaí regarding sexual assault and so I don’t feel as safe. I assume I’m not alone in that.

To finish, the report actually includes this sentence:

“All four confirmed that the use of the word “rape” during this conversation was, at every stage, by their Sergeant and that it is his voice that can be heard on the recording talking of raping the females”.

Seriously? “Raping the females?”

Tags: Answerability, Corrib, Corrib Gas Project, Gardaí, Policing, rape, rape culture, Rape Jokes, Responsibility, sexual assault

Homeless Truths – Child Homelessness in Ireland

What a week this has been in dear, dirty Dublin. There are quite a number of things that I’m hoping to write about this weekend, but I think I’ll need a large cup of coffee and the weekend papers before I can fully untangle my thoughts.

For now, I’d like to flag the report released last week by the Ombudsman for Children, Emily Logan. The report is called “Homeless Truths and deals with child homelessness in Ireland. The Ombudsman’s brief includes consultation with children and so this report describes the experience of child homelessness in the words of homeless children. It’s a striking, sensitive and insightful document, accessible and succint and certainly worth reading here.

Now I’m not going to tell you to take to the streets and fight for homeless children. There are a whole lot of political problems, and only so much any of us can do. But I do have a few observations about this report.

• It once again reminds us of the importance of a stronger presence for children’s rights. In light of the referendum on the issue which (hopefully) will take place in the next twelve months, it’s important to be informed about the situation of children in Ireland. Those who oppose the children’s rights referendum do so largely based on the rights of the family. The children speaking through this report are ones without the protection of the family unit and so it’s crucial they we invest them, and others like them with intrinsic rights.
• As the Ombudsman recognises, homelessness is far more than the lack of a roof over your head. “None of the children were focused on buildings or physical structures, rather what having a home represented – dignity, self-esteem, feeling safe and secure. This is what really mattered to them.” 
• Accordingly, the provision of adequate supports, such as education, counselling, daytime activities and support in learning to live independently, are also vital considerations when we try to seriously address homelessness. Soup runs and shelters are obviously valuable services, but there’s also a bigger picture of which we all need to be aware.
• These children are amazing. This is my most important observation. They’re sensitive, articulate, grateful for the smallest kindnesses, deeply aware of the risks presented to other children in similar situations. Several are completely committed to their education, even in these unimaginably difficult circumstances. They’re not looking for the moon, but for something to do during the day, kindness and attention from social workers and the HSE, school uniforms and a place that allows them to feel like they have a home. We all have our prejudices towards the homeless, with some justification, but this kind of resilience, determination and maturity is exceptional and deserves our attention and respect.

You can also listen to spoken word extracts from the interviews on this page.

Tags: children, Children's Rights, Emily Logan, Homeless Truths, Homelessness

Election Victory for Aung San Suu Kyi

For the last few years I’ve felt a particular attachment to Burma and the struggles of its people. It began, perhaps, in 2007  when I went to see Dr. Sein Win, Chairman of the Burmese government in exile speak in Trinity College. He spoke poignantly about the situation in his country, the chances for reform and  the methods by which that reform could be achieved.

Of course, he also spoke about his cousin, Nobel Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, who was then seventeen years into her period of house arrest, which began after the storming victory of her party, the National League for Democracy, in Burma’s 1990 elections. When asked about the Lady’s mindset, he said that he hoped she had enough books. If she had enough to read, he assured us, she would get by.

I’m thrilled today to hear reports that only a year and a half after being released, Aung San Suu Kyi has won a landmark by-election in rural Kawhmu and the NLD is expected to win most of the 45 seats it’s contesting.

There are still countless problems in Burma.The NLD is vastly outnumbered  by President Thein Sein’s ruling party, which has the backing of the military and still holds a legally enforced majority within the “disciplined democracy.” Indeed, many of the party’s civilian representatives were junta officers until only a few months before the 2010 elections, but conveniently resigned just in time to run. Sunday’s elections were not genuinely free and fair, with reports of deceased voters on the register, coercion of voters in certain stations, and ballot papers which had been tampered with. Furthermore, ethnic tensions continue in some regions and the international community continues to severely sanction Burma, leading to considerable poverty among its people.

Can Aung San Suu Kyi’s election resolve all of these problems? Almost certainly not. However, Al Jazeera describes these elections as “a key test of the military-backed civilian government’s commitment to recent democratic reforms.” In the last two years, Thein Sein has relaxed media restrictions, released hundreds of political prisoners, facilitated political opposition, and built up some international ties. Hopefully, the voices of the NLD in parliament will push these reforms forward, as well as rebuilding the people’s trust in the capacity of government and the efficacy of democracy.

Suu Kyi has defended her decision to run despite the irregularities and argues that these by-elections have served a greater function of boosting the people’s interest in politics. Daw (Auntie) Suu’s symbolic significance cannot be overestimated, nor can her influence over large sections of the Burmese population, who trust her absolutely as the nation’s true leader.

The international media is, rightfully, warning us not to count Burma’s democratic chickens before they’re democratically hatched. There’s still a long way to go. Still, today matters and we should allow ourselves a little victory dance.

Tags: aung san suu kyi, burma, democracy, elections, myanmar, National League for Democracy, politics, sanctions, thein sein, Union Solidarity and Development Party.

What are you Doing with Yourself?

I’ve got a new job, friends.

I haven’t mentioned “unemployment” here over the last few months. Partially because given my particular set of circumstances I didn’t see myself as unemployed. Partially because I was embarrassed that people would think of me as unemployed. Most importantly though, because it wasn’t relevant to my writing or opinions.

It also hasn’t been particularly relevant to my life. In many ways, over the last few months I’ve done and learnt more than I did in my fours years of university. I won’t necessarily get a line on my CV from it, but I will live a better life for it. I’ve written here and elsewhere on the internet (Gaelick, Siren, broadsheet.ie) and begun a creative writing course, reawakening a huge interest that had lain largely dormant in recent years. I travelled to Italy, Scotland, London, Sweden and New York. I volunteered with a great organisation called Fighting Words. I cooked good food and drank good wine. I’ve read widely, watched good films, and gone to plays. I’m learning to kick-box, a very long-held ambition of mine.

And yet, throughout this time I’ve been filled with dread at the prospect of going to parties and events, and running into friends and acquaintances. I was massively intimidated by the inevitable question: “so, what are you doing with yourself these days?”

Now, I’ve always disliked this question. I don’t think people are or should be defined by their jobs, nor do I think work is often a fun topic to discuss at parties. However, in the last few years I have come to think of the prevalence of the question in all of our lives as rather cruel and unusual. In “these recessionary times” there are just too many people for whom this question is intrusive, uncomfortable, or even humiliating. Of course, the friend we previously thought of as interesting and intelligent isn’t less so because he or she doesn’t happen to have a job or be in college. But the pitying, understanding nods make it feel that way.

I have lied outright in response to this question. I’ve pretended to be a student or English teacher. I’ve exaggerated the small amount of paid writing that I’ve done (because somehow I believe that getting money for writing generic internet content is more impressive than writing news or opinion for its own sake.) Or I’ve just talked about the future.

“Well, I’m planning on starting a Masters in September”.

“Ah”, people nod in relief. “Learning in a narrow field for which you will be rewarded with a piece of paper? Good for you”.

I have often been tempted to defiantly spit back “Actually, I’m doing loads, LOADS. What are you doing? Hmmm? Skipping lectures and boozing?” Unfortunately, there’s only so confrontational you can afford to get over bad wine and biscuits. I’m also entirely aware that the people asking have no negative intention, are usually genuinely interested and are probably not judging me nearly as much as I think, if at all. I was largely projecting my own insecurities about what I’ve been doing. But I doubt I’m alone in that insecurity, so the principle remains the same.

Eventually, I came up with a reasonably effective strategy. When someone asked what I was doing I replied with the most interesting thing I’d done/was going to do that week. “I’m reading a lot of existentialist philosophy”, “my band is playing a gig this weekend*”, “I’m going to the Irish Craft Beer Festival later on”, “I’ve become very interested in Arctic exploration.”  Most often those kinds of answers spark a much more interesting conversation. And even if they don’t, no one with the slightest inclination towards good manners can follow up and say “actually, with that question I was hoping to ascertain your employment status…”

Now, even though I’m employed, I’m pledging to continue answering like this. Even though there’s a part of me that wants to say “Me? Funny you should ask. I have a JOB!” My answer might sometimes relate to my job, if I’ve done something particularly interesting in work that week,  but otherwise if you ask the question you can look forward to enthusiastic responses about researching feminist rock, training for the mini-marathon and eating awesome Hindu food in Govindas.

I can only hope that I’ll hear some of the same kinds of stories from other people too. Because I’ve never yet found a person who isn’t incredibly interesting in his or her way, and it’s a shame to waste all that on tick-the-box conversations on jobs or the lack thereof.

*I don’t have a band, but a girl can dream.

Tags: conversation, Recessionary times, unemployment