A Rapid Reading Review of the media – short reports and web links – to 12 reports including President’s speech that protecting children must be the first priority for Irish society ; article by Senator Averil Power on gay teachers’ dilemma
Protecting children must be first ‘priority for society’ – President
Irish Examiner – President Michael D Higgins has welcomed the upcoming referendum on children’s rights, claiming it was a chance “to set down a marker once and for all”. Addressing a conference organised by Barnardos, the children’s charity of which the former Galway TD is a patron, President Higgins said the history of the State had showed that a focus on property had always overtaken the guarantee of children’s basic rights.
His comments at the conference on the future for child welfare in Ireland came as Barnardos chief executive Fergus Finlay said there was now a “once in a lifetime opportunity’” to overhaul child protection services based around a community hubs model. President Higgins told the conference in Croke Park: “We have failed to protect children.
”Protecting children must be the first and most important priority for society.” He said that while there had been progress, there were “places where the light has yet to shine”.
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/protecting-children-must-be-first-priority-for-society-185491.html
Child pornography blocking system to be debated by Seanad
TheJournal.ie – New proposals could radically cut the number of people in Ireland accessing child abuse material, according to backers.
http://www.thejournal.ie/child-pornography-blocking-system-to-be-debated-by-seanad-368774-Feb2012/
Why should gay and lesbian teachers live in fear for their jobs?
TheJournal.ie – Some teachers are being forced to keep double lives. We need to tackle this now, writes Senator Averil Power.
80% of priests want to be allowed marry
Irish Examiner – Eight out of 10 priests believe they should be allowed to marry. And six out of 10 who took part in a national radio survey believe women should be ordained priests. Newstalk invited 320 priests to participate in the survey and 114 responded. Most (96%) had been serving members for 10 years or more. Many (65%) felt their reputations have been damaged by abuse scandals in the Church.Meanwhile, 75% of priests feel Enda Kenny’s criticisms of the Vatican were undeserved. One priest said Mr Kenny’s comments were outrageous and totally uncalled for. Another accused him of behaving like “an angry, ill-informed teenager”.
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/80-of-priests-want-to-be-allowed-marry-185464.html
US cardinal declines dinner invite with Kenny
Irish Times – Taioseach Edna Kenny will be honoured by the White House and snubbed by Cardinal Archbishop Francis George of Chicago during his St Patrick’s Day visit to the US. Following President Barack Obama’s visit to Ireland last May, the Obamas invited Enda and Fionnuala Kenny to spend the nights of March 19th and 20th in Blair House, the official guest residence across the street from the White House. Charlie Haughey was the last taoiseach to stay in Blair House, some 20 years ago. The Taoiseach will arrive in Chicago on March 16th to attend a dinner for 1,000 people hosted by the Irish Fellowship Club, the foremost Irish organisation in Chicago, composed of leading legal, business and political figures. Cardinal George declined an invitation to attend the dinner, telling the organisers he had a previous engagement at a less prestigious event: a youth retreat at Guerin College Prep High School.
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0228/1224312481693.html
Irish EU treaty vote threatens chaos
Telegraph – Ireland has shocked Europe with plans for a referendum on the EU’s fiscal treaty, a move that risks an unprecedented fragmentation of the eurozone and a major clash with Germany.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/financialcrisis/9112155/Irish-EU-treaty-vote-threatens-chaos.html
Atheists criticise religion exam at student teacher college
TheJournal.ie – Students at Hibernia College are given course notes which say atheism produced “the worst horrors history has ever witnessed”.
http://www.thejournal.ie/atheists-criticise-religion-exam-at-student-teacher-college-368004-Feb2012/
Bangor Salvation Army celebrates 124 years of witness
Bangor Salvation Army celebrated 124 years of witness and ministry in the town with a special visit from second in command of the International Salvation Army, Commissioner Barry C Swanson and his wife Commissioner Sue Swanson. The Commissioners’ message during their visit was one of encouragement and action, giving thanks for the past ministry of Bangor Salvation Army while looking forward for new opportunities to reach out to the local community in practical and meaningful ways. Commissioner Sue Swanson spoke of her Ballymena roots linking back to her great-great-grandmother who emigrated to New York from Ballymena.
http://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/uki/ChurchNewsBangor124
Community with deep sense of compassion mourns
Irish Times – The mourners who thronged the beautiful, old Church of Ireland church for the 2.30pm funeral service were drawn from the same people who had earlier filled St Andrew’s Catholic Church in Bagenalstown, for the 11am funeral Mass of Michael Jordan, …
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0228/1224312482438.html
Former N. Ireland leader Paisley out of hospital
AFP — Former Northern Ireland first minister Ian Paisley has been released from a Belfast hospital after treatment for a heart condition, his wife said Tuesday. Paisley, the firebrand Protestant preacher who became the unlikely leader of a …
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iizzH5giHt-XzSLu9dOMyYCv4e5w?docId=CNG.6aa694077c5563d51ed91bc06a119ca2.221
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/0228/breaking11.html
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-17188962
Newtownabbey church service to mark Women’s World Day of Prayer
Newtownabbey Times – The 2012 Women’s World Day of Prayer on Friday, March 2, is being marked in Newtownabbey with special services at Glengormley Methodist and Ballyhenry Presbyterian. The services will take place at 10.30am in Glengormley Methodist Church on the Ballyclare Road and in the evening at 8pm at Ballyhenry Presbyterian on Ballyhenry Road. The children of Ballyhenry Primary School Choir will sing at the morning service while Ms Muriel Cromie, Deaconess at Belfast City Hospital and Northern Ireland Cancer Care will speak at the evening service at Ballyhenry.
Occupy protesters asked to leave before St Patrick’s Day
Irish Times – Dame Street protest group camped outside the Central Bank in Dublin has been asked by the Garda to vacate the site before the St Patrick’s Festival. A member of the group said yesterday, however, that while it recognised the importance of the request, it had no plans to leave the site.The camp was established on the Central Bank plaza on October 8th in solidarity with other “Occupy” protests in the US and Europe against economic and social inequality. In a letter delivered to the Dame Street camp yesterday afternoon, Garda Supt Joseph Gannon asked for “assistance and co-operation in removing” the camp.
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2012/0229/1224312525416.html