Rapid Reading reports and links – from sources throughout Ireland
Service to remember all victims of Troubles
Belfast Telegraph – An “open and all inclusive” service to remember those killed or injured during the Troubles will take place in Belfast at the weekend. According to organisers, the service, held at St Anne’s Cathedral on Sunday (3.30pm), is intended to represent both sides of the community who have been caught up in the violence — including those killed by both paramilitaries and the security forces. Organiser Alan McBride of the WAVE Trauma Centre said he had personally invited both The First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness — along with MLAs and TDs from the Republic and religious representatives.
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/service-to-remember-all-victims-of-troubles-16124154.html
Prefabs to be replaced in 200 schools
TheJournal.ie –The Department of Education is offering grants for the construction of permanent school structures to replace rented prefabs.
http://www.thejournal.ie/e35m-prefab-replacement-fund-announced-for-schools-370593-Mar2012/
RTE News
http://www.rte.ie/news/2012/0301/prefab.html
New suicide prevention boss to be appointed “shortly”
TheJournal.ie – The last Director of the National Suicide Prevention Office retired last year – and a replacement has yet to be appointed.
http://www.thejournal.ie/new-suicide-prevention-boss-to-be-appointed-shortly-370821-Mar2012/
Occupy protesters asked to leave before St Patrick’s Day
Irish Times – The occupy 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.
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/frontpage/2012/0229/1224312525416.html
We need to embrace mercy
News Letter – Ian Bothwell writes – Al Hutchinson has opened up fresh debate on how to deal with the past. It comes with the usual suspicion as to why and who it may please. But all things considered the idea of an amnesty deserves a settled and mature response. Many victims who have hopes raised by new information from HET want justice and sincerely believe that they will feel better when someone is jailed for years. I’m not convinced that this will be the case nor am I convinced that there is the political will to sentence and imprison. The need for a home-produced solution is urgent and needs to be found if our fragile relationships are not to disintegrate further; it needs to be found if we are to prevent dissident republican groups from stealing away what they see as the unwanted ground of cooperation. We in the community sector need to have the courage of our deep conviction, pursue a solution and run the risk of being misunderstood, rejected or isolated.
http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/local/we_need_to_embrace_mercy_1_3570667
Armed robbers steal Buddhas from museum
News Letter – Two antiques have been stolen from a museum cabinet in broad daylight, it emerged yesterday. The two valuable Buddha statues were stolen on Tuesday morning by a gang wielding a baseball bat. Three men smashed the glass cabinet containing the figurines at the Ulster Folk Museum at Cultra outside Belfast in the daytime raid. It is understood they could not be identified because they were wearing hoodies.
http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/local/armed_robbers_steal_buddhas_from_museum_1_3575065
Half of families at C of I schools are not Protestant
Irish Examiner – Less than half of the families whose children attend Church of Ireland schools are Protestant, research has found. The survey of 2,143 families from most of the 175 Church of Ireland primary schools found that 22.5% of parents were Catholic, 20% came from an unspecified Christian background, and 7.4% of families said they belonged to no religion. Families from the main Protestant groupings make up 38%, with another 6% being from other Protestant groups including Pentecostalists and smaller churches. The findings show academic standards, along with the atmosphere, care and individual attention given to pupils, were more important than faith issues when parents decided to send their children to a Protestant school.
http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/half-of-families-at-c-of-i-schools-are-not-protestant-185568.html
Almost 25% of pupils attending Protestant schools are Catholic
Irish Times – Almost a quarter of pupils attending Protestant primary schools are from Roman Catholic backgrounds, a survey has found. The research showed that pupils attending Protestant schools are from a wide variety of religious backgrounds, with just over a third (38 per cent) from the main Protestant groupings. Parents of “no religion” made up 7.4 per cent of those surveyed, 20 per cent came from unspecified Christian backgrounds, while 5.6 per cent came from other Protestant groups such as Pentecostalists.
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2012/0301/1224312582811.html
Bishop apology over priest abuse
BBC – The Bishop of Down and Connor apologises to the victims of a paedophile priest jailed for four years for sexually abusing two boys.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-17211152
Protest in Dublin over rural austerity
Irish Times – Up to 1,000 people attended a rally in Dublin this week to highlight the impact of austerity measures on rural communities. Campaigners were protesting against septic tank measures, the household charge, health service cuts, changes in pupil-teacher ratios and the privatisation of State assets.
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2012/0229/breaking42.html
No history re-write, pledges Robinson
News Letter – The re-writing of history by terrorists to portray the security forces as villains will not be allowed, Peter Robinson has warned republicans. In a speech at the weekend, the first minister outlined his opposition to the creation of a so-called Truth Commission or any amnesty for those involved in paramilitary crime. The DUP leader insisted it was important “no one in Northern Ireland believes they can walk away from crimes they committed in the past”.
http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/local/no_history_re_write_pledges_robinson_1_3565070
Still no consensus on dealing with past
News Letter – Unionists and republicans were at odds this week over how Northern Ireland’s troubled past should be resolved. Speaking after talks with Secretary of State Owen Paterson on the matter yesterday, First Minister Peter Robinson said a story-telling archive focused on victims could be established at the former Maze/Long Kesh prison. Victims have a right to tell their story and in many cases have been denied the opportunity, the DUP leader added.Mr Robinson accepted that there was not a consensus on what happened in the past.
http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/local/still_no_consensus_on_dealing_with_past_1_3567206
http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/local/ulster_risks_lurching_back_to_the_past_1_3570577
Former IRA men ‘seeking forgiveness for their past’
News Letter – A South Armagh peacemaker has revealed he knows several former IRA members who are in “torment” over things they have done during ‘The Troubles’ and would like to find forgiveness for their past actions. Ian Bothwell of Crossfire Trust in Darkley was speaking to the News Letter in the wake of high tensions in south Armagh over a walk for victims of the 1976 Kingsmills Massacre, in which 10 Protestant textile workers were murdered by the IRA.
http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/local/former_ira_men_seeking_forgiveness_for_their_past_1_3570664
‘Real need’ for ex-service support group
News Letter – A new support group was launched on Monday with the aim of providing support to former members of the security forces. Operation Service Support is a Christian organisation that acts as a sign-posting service in directing ex-servicemen and former RUC and PSNI officers to find help for issues such as alcohol and drug addiction, self-harm and marriage breakdown. Lagan Valley MP Jeffrey Donaldson attended the launch event yesterday at Westkirk Presbyterian Church, on the Shankill Road in Belfast. Operation Service Support runs a 24-hour confidential helpline for those in need, telephone 07429 366876.
http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/local/real_need_for_ex_service_support_group_1_3567203
Column: Young people are the future – but we older ones can help them there
TheJournal.ie – Co-operation between the generations benefits everyone, and older people must play their part, writes retiree Betty O’Flynn.