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Irish Independent
11-08-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
‘For people who are paying their rent, this is very unfair' – Louth councillor hits out at millions owed in rent arrears
Louth County Council are owed almost €4 million by tenants of council managed homes, with 1,404 accounts in debt. Over 1,000 of these are facing rents greater than 12 weeks. Local councillors have been voicing their concerns about the rising level of monies owed in back rent, with the issue being frequently highlighted at municipal and county council meetings. An update on rent management is published every month by the council in their monthly management report, with the July figure standing at €3,996,922. The multi-million euro debts are much greater than in other counties in the region, where rental arrears are significantly lower. Monaghan County Council confirmed that as of July 31st, the rental arrears were €508,561, which is almost €3.5million less than in County Louth. Meanwhile in Meath, the figure is on average €1.9 million less than the rental arrears owed in Louth. A spokesman for Meath County Council said that 'As of 31st July, the total collection of rents is 85%. There are 4,902 Rent and Rental Accommodation Scheme customers and currently 823 are in a payment plan, which represents 16.7% of tenancies. As of 31 July 2025, 849 tenancies are in arrears of over four weeks. The total arrears outstanding is €2.11m.' Speaking at the July meeting of Louth County Council, Cllr. Pio Smith described the €4.1 million owed in Louth as: 'A very significant amount of money, which seems to be growing year on year.' He said that of the 1,088 accounts which owe rents greater than 12 weeks, less than half were in a repayment plan, and asked what impact this has on the council's ability to carry out maintenance and other duties. Cllr. Smith said he acknowledged that Louth County Council were 'doing all that they can to address this issue.' He added: 'My own belief is this needs to be addressed nationally,' and asked if the local authority 'has all the tools it needs to tackle this.' 'I do believe that for people who are paying their rent, this is very unfair.' Cllr. Kevin Meenan said this was 'a huge amount of money' and asked if the council had a support unit similar to a mortgage arrears unit, where banks would focus on accounts in debt. He called for a more in-depth report on the issue 'to look at where a lot of the arrears are coming from, whether they are first time tenants, or second time tenants etc, and in what geographical area these arrears are emerging.' "I do get the fact that there are people out there who do not pay, and they are hard to deal with, they have no interest in paying. But there are a lot of people out there with other issues, and we can't just treat them all the people who won't pay and the people who want to pay, but can't pay.' Cllr. Maeve Yore said that when she was first elected to Louth County Council the arrears stood at over €5 million. "Successive governments haven't addressed the rent arrears problem over all the local authorities, nationally there has to be a conversation around paying at source, similar to what people do when they are paying their mortgage.' She added: 'It is having an impact on our maintenance programme,' saying that the monies owed to the local authority could help provide homes for the thousands of people on the social housing waiting list. "Can we consult with other local authorities, with less rent arrears, and look at how we can do things differently?' Cllr. Marianne Butler said rental arrears 'should be tracked around the country' through the National Oversight and Audit Commission (NOAC), the independent oversight body for the local government sector. "That way, we could have a breakdown of arrears, and we would know how we are doing in comparison to the rest of the country, and how big of a problem this is nationwide, as well as county-wide.' Declan Grimes, from Louth County Council's Housing section, told the meeting that the impact of the rental arrears was 'significant' and one that the local authority was 'very conscious of.' 'Looking at the figures, it is substantial the number of accounts that are in arrears.' He outlined how the council work to address the issue, with rent managers engaging regularly with tenants who are in arrears, to encourage them to enter into payment plans, or to look at other issues. The council also impose maintenance restrictions on tenants who are in rental debt, whereby work won't ordinarily be carried out on their property unless they engage with the council about the monies they owe. He admitted that it was 'a complex issue, with some tenants who won't pay, and some tenants who can't pay.' He added that the local authority would examine the accounts in more detail to look at whether the issue was more common in specific areas or housing estates, but said the council's objective was to 'work very closely with tenants who are behind in their payments.'
BusinessToday
11-07-2025
- Health
- BusinessToday
Why Fertility Rates Don't Tell the Whole Story About Youth and Parenthood
According to a statement from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific, Mr. Pio Smith, millions of young people across Asia and the Pacific still lack the information, support, and autonomy needed to plan their futures. More than 40 per cent of adolescent pregnancies in the region are unintended, putting the health and rights of young people at risk. On World Population Day, Mr. Smith has called for systems that empower young people to make decisions about their futures. He stresses that parenthood should be a choice, not a risk or a burden. Fertility rates are falling throughout Asia and the Pacific. While headlines warn of a looming 'population collapse,' young people are often blamed for turning away from parenthood. Yet the real crisis is not about having 'too many' or 'too few' births. The real issue is whether young people can choose when and how to start or grow a family, on their terms. For many, the answer to the question 'Can I build the life I want?' is a resounding no. In reality, young people across the region and the world are often either excluded from parenthood or pushed into it by systems that fail them. Girls are steered into early motherhood without access to contraception or education. Young couples delay parenthood due to job insecurity, housing unaffordability, or entrenched gender roles. Others are shut out entirely because of their identity, who they love, or where they live. A recent encounter with a 17-year-old mother in a remote part of Vanuatu highlights these challenges. She had walked for hours to reach the nearest clinic—her first experience with healthcare as a young adult. She had no access to contraception or antenatal care, yet she dreamed of finishing school and becoming a teacher. Her aspirations are not unusual, but the obstacles she faces are. Such stories are echoed throughout the region. Over 40 per cent of adolescent pregnancies are unintended, and fewer than one in four sexually active, unmarried adolescents use modern contraception. Barriers are even higher in rural areas, conflict zones, and among marginalised groups, including migrants, LGBTQIA+ youth, young people with disabilities, and ethnic minorities. Social stigma, legal restrictions, and outdated gender norms prevent many young people from accessing the care they need. In crisis-affected regions, health services are often overstretched or absent altogether. These are not just healthcare challenges — they are fundamental injustices. Even where services are available, factors such as economic insecurity, unpaid care responsibilities, and social expectations continue to limit reproductive autonomy. According to UNFPA's State of World Population 2025 report, most people in Thailand want two or more children, yet the fertility rate has dropped to just 1.2 children per woman. In the Republic of Korea, it's 0.8 — the world's lowest. These figures reflect not a rejection of parenthood, but a failure of the systems surrounding young people to support their goals. Reproductive agency is about more than access to services. It means being able to make informed, free choices — without stigma, coercion, or discrimination. It means starting a family, or not, in safety, dignity, and hope. Today's young people face a world marked by climate disasters, economic uncertainty, and rising conflict. Many feel they have inherited a fragile future shaped by decisions made without their input. When hope disappears, so too does the motivation to bring new life into the world. But this outcome is not inevitable. To build stronger families and resilient societies, the conditions for choice and hope must be created. This means providing youth-friendly health services and comprehensive sexuality education, decent jobs, affordable housing, and parental leave. It also requires building safe and inclusive digital spaces and education systems that equip young people to lead and thrive. Investment in youth-led solutions, mentorship, and civic leadership must be treated as priorities, not afterthoughts. None of this can be achieved through one-off incentives or reactive policies. Sustained, long-term investment in systems that uphold rights and dignity is essential, regardless of fertility rates. As Mr Smith puts it, we must stop trying to 'fix' fertility. The real issue lies in the systems that continue to fail young people. A young contributor to the UNFPA report summed it up powerfully: 'Before I bring a child into this world, I have to fight for the right to do so on my terms. This isn't just my fight. It's the fight of billions of young people trapped in systems that deny them the rights and dignity they deserve.' Post Views: 7 Related
The Hindu
11-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
The real fertility crisis is one of agency: UNFPA Asia Pacific director
UNFPA is advocating advocating for a lifecycle approach that invests in women so that their health, education and other needs, are equitably invested in by governments throughout their life Nations across the world reacted predictably to the conclusion of the UNFPA's Global State of the World's Population Report released last month, some with a sense of alarm, and others with the assurance of having fast-tracked policies to improve declining populations. The media mostly headlined falling fertility rates. But the real fertility crisis, said Pio Smith, Asia-Pacific Regional Director for the UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health and rights agency, is one of agency. 'It is not about too many or too few births. At the UNFPA, we're looking at those fertility outcomes that are shaped by a range of different factors,' he told journalists on the sidelines of the 3rd Ministerial Conference on Civil Registration and Vital Statistics, held in Bangkok late last month. 'There have been many demographic alarm bells, about falling population rates, and some have missed the mark. And there have been anticipatory responses, and some have been effective and some less so. And they varied, I would say, across regions and across the globe. Very often, what we see at UNEPA is that, the headlines, the policymakers too often frame the decline in fertility rates as the result of deliberate choice.' 'At the UNEPA, we are unmasking that to say, very often, it is women who are too seldom able to make voluntary informed choices about their reproductive opportunities. Particularly when you look at, you know, about a quarter of women are unable to say no to sex,' he added. The report underlined that women are, all too often blamed for these demographic shifts. Some governments are employing drastic measures to incentivise young people to make fertility decisions in line with national targets. But the real crisis is that the most consequential reproductive decision a human being can make – when, whether and with whom to have a child – is being undermined. The 'alarm bell' It is true, Mr. Smith adds, that it falling fertility is often the face of a woman. It begins with the lack of equality and equity that is afforded to girls and women from the beginning of life. 'And that's the alarm bell. That she is unable to exercise her choice and decide whether she wants to have a family. And if she does, is she able to do so in an economically and socially responsible and acceptable way?' Mr. Smith answered that himself: 'That's why at the UNFPA, we're advocating for a lifecycle approach that invests in women so that their health, but also their education and other needs, are equitably invested in by governments throughout their life.' The UNFPA is tasked with working with governments in nearly 150 countries across the world to provide real support to people to form the families that they want to, resting on a rights-based approach to fertility. So what is this 'real support' and what does a rights-based approach entail? A rights-based approach Mr. Smith lists these as cost of living, gender norms, social pressure, and uncertainty about the future – including about wars, conflicts, and pandemics. 'The urgency is really clear for us - demographic transitions are accelerating, but people's choices are increasingly constrained,' he says. In effect, real support is not 'about baby bonuses or coercive policies'. 'It's actually about providing support that empowers people to help create the families that they want. That includes various elements like affordable housing, childcare, decent work, and equitable pay. It's also about parental leave for all parents and all families. It's about accessible fertility care, reproductive health services also that are accessible, particularly to our adolescents,' Mr. Smith listed. The UNFPA is also advocating among member countries to provide better support and legal recognition for all family types. Same-sex couples face certain legal and social barriers to full access. In this context, the social aspect is almost more important because legal conditions can be created, but social barriers may still stymie equal access. So acting on the social conditioning too is important. 'We are calling on governments to invest in rights-based systems, that would enable reproductive autonomy, regardless of a country's fertility rate. We have a programme around demographic resilience (2:05) and that offers policy support to help governments harness the opportunities that are available to them and that come with demographic change,' according to Mr. Smith. He added that it would not be good enough just to have a policy. 'You need leadership that is going to be courageous and that's going to have the foresight to look into these demographic changes. They also have to make sure that the policies are responsive, and that they're investing.' (The reporter was at the 3rd Ministerial Conference on CRVS held in Bangkok at the invitation of UNESCAP)
Scoop
28-06-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
UNFPA Report: Fertility Crisis Is Rooted In Denied Choices, Not Birth Rates
BANGKOK, 25 June, 2025 – The real fertility crisis gripping countries across Asia and the Pacific is not about birth rates being too high or too low – it is about people being denied the power to make choices about their own bodies, futures, and families. This is the core message of UNFPA's 2025 State of World Population report, ' The real fertility crisis: The pursuit of reproductive agency in a changing world ', launched in Asia and the Pacific at the Third Asia and the Pacific Ministerial Conference on Civil Registration and Vital Statistics in Bangkok, today. 'This isn't a crisis of 'too many' or 'too few' births – it's a crisis of denied choice,' said Pio Smith, UNFPA Regional Director for Asia and the Pacific. 'We cannot assume that birth rates reflect people's desires when so many are held back by gender inequality, economic pressure, or lack of access to healthcare, information, and services. Fertility rates may fluctuate, but the universal right to reproductive freedom must remain constant.' The global report finds that rising economic insecurity, unaffordable housing, and unpaid care burdens are deterring people from having the number of children they want, even in countries with accessible health services. In contrast, early marriage, lack of contraceptive access, and social stigma still drive unintended pregnancies across Asia and the Pacific. UNFPA warns against both simplistic and coercive responses to population shifts, such as baby bonuses and fertility targets, noting that these measures are not only ineffective but violate human rights by denying individuals and couples the right to reproductive freedom and choice. Instead, governments are urged to focus on rights-based solutions by: Investing in affordable housing, decent jobs, and parental leave Expanding access to the full range of reproductive health services and accurate information Offering better choices for parenthood to single people and discriminated groups, including people with disabilities and LGBTQIA+ individuals Tackling restrictive workplace norms and gender stereotypes Gender inequality also remains a persistent barrier to reproductive autonomy. Women are often pushed out of the workforce due to caregiving responsibilities, while men face stigma for taking on active parenting roles. A tailored mix of economic, social, and political measures is needed across countries to help people start or grow the families they want. As countries across Asia and the Pacific navigate complex demographic shifts, UNFPA stands ready to support with evidence, technical expertise, and a shared commitment to realizing rights and choices for all.
Hindustan Times
26-04-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
The new ‘security dilemma' and international relations
Power competition has been a permanent mainstay of international relations since immemorial times. The aspirations of countries to assume the role of the leading actor in the international system has led to a myriad of forms of great power competition. The position of the hegemon of the system is an aspirational one for all States, not just because of associated prestige, but also because of the many benefits that the hegemon receives, in addition to being in a dominant position to maintain its continued existence in the international order. However, the role of the hegemon also includes spending militarily and economically to largely keep the international system stable and free from large-scale conflicts. Given the re-emergence of large-scale wars, as seen in the case of the Russia-Ukraine war, amidst what was understood to be a multipolar system, characterised by a preponderance of the US with severe competition emerging from China, established understandings of international relations have changed. However, what the existing rules based international order was not prepared for was a renegotiation of the terms for ensuring stability of the system, form the hegemon, i.e. the US President Donald Trump's usage of tariffs and transactionalism to ensure its hegemony, while seeking payments from friends and foes alike has led to a rethink of the terms of engagement of the hegemon. While the US continues to be the hegemon and will remain so for quite some time, its withdrawal from institutions like the World Health Organization, or complete stoppage of aid for other countries has led to the emergence of a new form of dilemma. Traditionally the concept of security dilemma referred to the perceived dilemma in one or more of the main powers in the system, when a contending power increased its security, particularly through military means or scientific development or through an increase in economic prowess. The security dilemma dominated Cold War politics, dominated relations between other powers, which include examples such as India and China, Japan and China and so on; and continues to drive rivalry between the US and China. The dilemma that countries, and developing ones in particular, face includes the provision of security in all formats, ranging from medical to developmental. This could be understood better through the example of Afghanistan. The 2025 USAID funding freeze is understood to have drastic consequences as aid has been supporting health and humanitarian needs amid ongoing instability. The freeze could lead to 1,200 additional maternal deaths and 109,000 unintended pregnancies over three years due to disrupted reproductive health programmes, as noted by Pio Smith, UNFPA's Asia Pacific regional director. Such cuts exacerbate Afghanistan's already dire situation, with limited local capacity to compensate for lost aid. Similarly, in eastern Congo, about 4.6 million people depend on food, water and health care funded by aid. The 2025 cuts can deepen humanitarian crisis, as the region continues to face ongoing conflict, cholera, and measles outbreaks. European aid alone cannot replace US contributions, which leaves millions at risk of disease and starvation. The cut of $ 200 million for the DRC is among the largest and adversely affects aid delivery. Myanmar's anti-malaria efforts have been heavily backed by USAID till 2025. From 2010 to 2023, malaria cases dropped drastically, although civil war and displacement since 2021 have strained progress. The withdrawal of USAID threatens to reverse the gains made so far, with fears increasing of malaria spilling into the Mekong region. There is a plethora of such examples from across the globe. The question that arises here is how governments of such countries ensure security for their citizens. Expecting a change of heart in the hegemon is irrational. Countries will have to seek alternative donors and amalgamate donations from other countries or regions like Japan and Europe, or even reach out to regional blocs to offset losses. These will not be able to match the scale of USAID. To match what these countries had earlier, they will also have to seriously work on building local capacity and strengthening regional cooperation. A region-specific approach for countries belonging to different regions may be helpful. For example, South Asian countries can better utilise the funds that come from India and Japan, while seeking other partnerships. Traditional conflict-seeking behaviour with parties that could fund development or bolstering of local capacities will have to be done away with, so that the prime concern of governments--i.e. providing better for their own citizens can be addressed. Even within the era of multilateralism, a renegotiated world order with the US as the leading actor is here to stay, and self-help and a better focus on national interests will be the mainstay from here on. This article is authored by Sriparna Pathak, professor, China Studies and International Relations, Jindal School of International Affairs, OP Jindal Global University, Sonipat.
