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The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Irish Sun
Disturbing rise in racist attacks must be met with decisive action from Government – Ireland should be safe for everyone
The time for platitudes has passed, the time for action is now SUNDAY ISSUE Disturbing rise in racist attacks must be met with decisive action from Government – Ireland should be safe for everyone MICHAEL D Higgins this week blasted the 'despicable' wave of attacks on members of the Indian community in Ireland. The President hit out following a spate of recent racially-motivated assaults, which have prompted safety fears. 4 Representatives of the Indian community in Ireland have asked for a cross-departmental taskforce to address the attacks Credit: � 2025 PA Media, All Rights Reserved 4 Michael D Higgins blasted the 'despicable' wave of attacks on members of the Indian community in Ireland Credit: PA:Press Association 4 Labour senator Laura Harmon Credit: Collect On Monday, the Ireland India Council announced it will not go ahead with the India Day festival at Farmleigh in the Phoenix Park today because of safety concerns. Hundreds of performers had been preparing for the event. Co-chairman of the Ireland India Council, Prashant Shukla, admitted making the decision was 'very difficult', but that the safety and security of the community was more important. The issue has been highlighted after an Indian man was the victim of an unprovoked attack while walking to a Hindu temple in Tallaght, Dublin, last month. A silent vigil was held outside the Department of Justice by Friends Of India in response — with the Indian Embassy warning of a rise in attacks. Labour senator Laura Harmon today calls on the Justice Minister to act now. THE disturbing rise in racist attacks on Ireland's Indian community must be met with decisive action from Government. Yet, as each new report of violence emerges, the silence from our Minister for Justice, Jim O'Callaghan, grows more deafening. In recent weeks, the scale and frequency of these incidents have been truly alarming. Every new day seems to bring another report of an assault or attempted assault on someone simply because of the colour of their skin. Last week, we even heard of a child being assaulted for that very reason. We cannot continue to look away. We cannot allow these crimes to become so frequent that they are normalised. Our President, Michael D. Higgins, was right to speak out. He condemned these attacks as being in 'stark contradiction to the values that we as people hold dear'. Those words should be a rallying cry for action. They reflect the Ireland we strive for: a country that treats all who live here with dignity and respect, no matter their heritage. It is telling that the strongest moral leadership in this moment is coming from Aras an Uachtarain — not from the Department of Justice. In my own community, I have been contacted by people originally from India who are deeply worried about their safety. These are neighbours, colleagues and friends who contribute enormously to the life of our towns and cities. Out of shared concern, we worked together to create a local group to offer mutual support, share information, and stand united in the face of intimidation and violence. That such a step is necessary in Ireland in 2025 should be cause for national reflection — and national action. OUR GOVERNMENT IS FAILING It is deeply shameful that the Indian Embassy has felt the need to issue a public warning advising Indian citizens and Irish-Indians in Ireland to take extra precautions for their safety. That such advice is even necessary in a country that proudly greets visitors with 'Céad Míle Fáilte' should unsettle us all to our core. If this is the image we are projecting to the world, then our Government is failing in its most basic duty — to keep all who live here safe. Jim O'Callaghan must now break his silence. He must strongly condemn these attacks, and more importantly, set out in detail what concrete measures he will take to address them. That means ensuring Gardai have the resources and training needed to respond quickly and effectively to racist crime, improving community outreach, and guaranteeing that victims have clear, accessible routes to justice. TIME FOR ACTION We need public awareness campaigns to counter the toxic narratives fuelling these attacks. And we need visible, high-profile political leadership that sends the message that racism will not be tolerated anywhere — from anyone. Earlier this month I held a roundtable discussion in Cork about the rise of racism on the ground. I was struck by the contributions from the Indian, Pakistani, Sikh, Romanian, Mexican, African, and Nepalese communities. I'm grateful for their engagement and will continue to advocate for them, together with my Labour colleagues. We cannot afford to wait for another headline-grabbing attack before the minister acts. The stakes are too high. This is not just about protecting one community — it is about protecting the very values we claim as a nation. If we fail to confront this wave of hate now, we risk allowing prejudice and violence to fester, spread, and undermine the fabric of our society. Ireland must be a place where everyone — no matter their skin colour or country of birth — can walk our streets without fear. The time for platitudes has passed. The time for action is now.
Irish Independent
6 days ago
- Health
- Irish Independent
Labour Party calls for sun cream dispensers to be installed in all OPW parks
The idea follows a pilot initiative run by Cork county councillors in June where units containing sun protection factor (SPF) cream were placed around Marina Park, Fitzgerald Park and Meelick Park for use by the public. SPF functions to protect the skin from the harmful effects of ultraviolet (UV) rays from the sun which can lead to skin cancer. The motivation for the initiative stems for what Labour senator Laura Harmon sees as a 'common-sense measure' in preventing a rise in the disease. 'We cannot ignore the public health challenge this presents,' Senator Harmon said. "Making SPF sun cream free and easily accessible in public spaces like our OPW parks is a simple, preventative measure that could save lives.' On average, 11,000 people in Ireland are diagnosed with skin cancer every year, but current trends indicate that this figure is likely to increase to 30,000 per year by 2040, according to the Irish Cancer Society. Ms Harmon is adamant that the initiative can be successful nationwide, claiming that the public response to its trial run in Cork was 'overwhelmingly positive'. 'SPF is not cheap, and that can be a barrier for many. By providing it in public parks, we remove that barrier and encourage people to protect themselves when outdoors. "We know that prevention is better than cure - we must make SPF available to everyone, regardless of income. 'In the same way that we have defibrillators in public places, or hand sanitiser stations during the pandemic, sunscreen dispensers should be part of our standard public health infrastructure.' She added: 'I am calling on the Minister for the Office of Public Works to immediately engage with local authorities to roll out SPF stations in every OPW park. "We have the model, we know it works, and we know it will save lives. Let's get it done.'
Irish Daily Mirror
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Irish Daily Mirror
Protest told students may be forced to drop out if college fees return to €3,000
Students are concerned they will have to drop out of college if student fees are returned to €3,000, a protest has heard. Students gathered outside Leinster House on Tuesday evening to protest against suggestions from Higher Education Minister James Lawless that the €1,000 reduction in college fees will not be repeated. The Government has insisted that it will honour its commitment to reduce fees but has ruled out reintroducing the cost of living package that saw the fees drop to €2,000 in recent years. The protest was organised by Labour Senator and former Union of Students in Ireland (USI) President Laura Harmon and addressed by members of the opposition. Alex Angland, President of the UCC Student Union, said that 'as the cost of living continues to increase, students are being pushed towards a breaking point'. He added: 'Education is a right, not a privilege. Yet the government continues to place undue financial burden on students and on their families. 'More and more students are forced to take on unsustainable debt, to work excessive hours, and in some cases, to abandon their dreams of third-level education due to financial hardship.' Matt Mion, Education Officer at UCD Students' Union, told the crowd that he had brought a copy of page 72 of the programme for government, which stated the Government would 'continue to reduce the student contribution fee over time'. He also read from the Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil manifestos and the promises that were made during the election regarding fees, He said: 'What are they doing now? They're reversing. 'I have it here. I have the paper it's written on and it's not worth sh*t.' Maeve Farrell, President of Maynooth Student Union, said any decision to return student fees to €3,000 would be a 'disgraceful and unjustifiable decision'. She added: 'Myself and my fellow officers in Maynooth Students Union have been contacted by students who are devastated and terrified that this will mean the end of their studies.' Sinn Féin's Pearse Doherty accused the Government of 'weasel words' and said they had made a promise to cut student fees in the Programme for Government. He said: 'The question I have to the Government is, what have the students of Ireland done on you? 'Just last month, you unleashed your Minister for Housing, which has unleashed the landlords and allowed them to jack up rent for students to whatever level they want. 'Now we have the Minister for Higher Education jacking up student fees by another €1,000 at a time when rents are up, prices are up and now they want to put student fees up. 'Enough is enough. Now is the time to fight back.' In the Dáil, Taoiseach Micheal Martin defended the Government's stance on student fees, saying there are 'lots of instruments' to help students make college more affordable. Mr Martin said: 'This time last year was exactly the same position because the previous year had not provided estimates for the reduction of €1,000 that happened last year. 'It was exactly the same position and actually Sinn Fein had a motion down this time last year as well doing the exact same thing. 'There is an estimates process and there will be a budget. We will look at the full range of supports, including fees. 'We will look at student supports and stronger supports for students with disabilities. 'We will look for stronger supports for children from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, and we will look at progression into third level from different areas, and into postgraduate and research. 'There is a significant menu, and lots of instruments with which we can help students, particularly those on middle and lower incomes to make college more affordable. 'It is across the full gamut of instruments we have or provisions we can make in the budget.'
Irish Examiner
11-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Examiner
Cork 'lagging behind' other Irish cities in providing public student accommodation
There have been calls to examine why Cork is 'lagging behind' other Irish cities when it comes to publicly-owned student accommodation. The Oireachtas committee on further and higher education met on Wednesday to hear from Minister James Lawless on his priorities for the department. The majority of student accommodation in Cork is not owned by the colleges, the meeting heard. Labour senator Laura Harmon said she recently met with University College Cork's (UCC) student union, which has raised concerns over the lack of purpose-built student accommodation in Cork that's owned by its third level institutions. 'Only 18% is publicly owned in Cork, compared to 44% in Dublin, 36% in Galway, 56% in Limerick,' she said. These figures are 'concerning' she said, flagging that they were last collected in 2023 so this may have changed since. Labour TD Eoin Kenny also raised the issue with the minister. Can the department outline why there is such a percentage difference in purpose-built accommodation from Cork to other major cities like Limerick and Dublin? 'Has it been poor planning over a course of a number of years, or is it just a case of that we're finding it difficult to find suitable locations to build purpose built accommodation? 'It would be quite interesting to know why Cork is lagging behind in terms of the amount of purpose built accommodation for students that we have.' Mr Lawless said there will be a private development proceeding on the Bandon Road, which will see 500 beds coming on stream shortly. There are also proposals due to come through from Munster Technological University (MTU), he added. UCC was also included in consultation about short term activation with his department, he added. "At that point in time, they weren't ready to take up the offer." A new student accommodation strategy is due to be published, he confirmed. "Certainly by the end of the year, but I would hope by the end of the summer", he added. "Its very much something I'm mindful of and very keen to progress myself so I very much intend to bring that through quickly." Read More Irish students cancelling J1 summers in Trump's America
The Journal
19-05-2025
- Politics
- The Journal
Labour's marriage equality event forced to move venues amid protest threats
THE LABOUR PARTY was forced to change venues for its marriage equality anniversary event today following threats of protest, it has said. The event was due to be held at the Hen's Teeth in Dublin 8, but following threats being made against a number of public representatives and due to concerns being raised about staff working at the venue, the party said it had no choice but to move the event to the Outhouse LGBTQ+ Centre. The party said it informed the gardaí about a number of public representatives being targeted and also about protests which were due to take place this evening. Sources within the party said the protest is understood to centre around the issue of immigration rather than about the subject of the event, the tenth anniversary of marriage equality in Ireland. They said posters to advertise the event were hung around Dublin in the last week. Party leader Ivana Bacik, Senator Laura Harmon, James Kearney, Chair of Labour LGBTQ+ and Eamon Gilmore, former leader of the Labour Party spoke at tonight's event. Speaking this evening, Bacik said: 'It's a great shame that our event to celebrate 10 years of marriage equality was targeted by members of the far right. Like many groups which have been historically marginalised in Ireland, the LGBTQ+ community has had to fight for its rights, often in the face of intimidation. Advertisement 'Labour has always been proud to stand with them in that fight, whether it was for the decriminalisation of homosexuality, for legal protections from employment discrimination, for the right to marry, for gender recognition laws, for access to PrEP and other prophylactics, and more. 'More recently, Labour was one of few political parties in Ireland to remain steadfast in our support for the introduction of stronger hate speech and hate crime legislation.' Bacik said while the safety of activists is paramount, the party took a decision 'not to bow to intimidation'. She thanked the Outhouse Centre for offering the use of its venue to allow tonight's event to go ahead and the gardaí for their advice and support in advance of tonight. Thanks was also extended to those in other political parties who came in support of the event this evening such as Green Party politicians, Michael Pidgeon and Patrick Costello, Jen Cummins of the Social Democrats and Sinn Féin's Kourtney Kenny. 'The far right cannot stop us from coming together to celebrate ten years of marriage equality, and they cannot stop us from asking 'what's next?' for LGBTQ+ rights. The events of the last few days have only served to emphasise the importance of that question,' said Bacik. She said the Labour Party remains steadfast in its determination to see the values of equality, solidarity and fairness for everyone in society be realised. Speaking at the event, Labour Senator Laura Harmon said the ten year anniversary of marriage equality is a reminder that there is much work to do in terms of equality for LGBTQI+ families and in terms of supporting the transgender community. 'Seeing Hungary ban Pride Parades is a reminder that rights can be rowed back on and we must protect the rights we have won,' she said. Harmon said the party must never stop campaigning for a better future. Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone... A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation. Learn More Support The Journal
