theirishtimes--2020-01-20--Exceptional needs payments soar by close to 70%

The cost of providing exceptional payments for items like bedding , household items and furniture for social welfare recipients has risen by almost 70 per cent since 2016 .
Figures released for exceptional needs payments ( ENP ) by the Department of Social Protection show that more than €27.5 million was approved for housing-related items last year , compared to €16.3 million in 2016 .
The payments are made following an application by someone who it is deemed can not be reasonably expected to meet the cost for a particular item out of their weekly income .
Housing payments cover @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deposits , furniture and household appliances .
However , the largest housing-related items by a significant factor relate to the kit-out of new social housing units , which are provided unfurnished .
Some €18.2 million was approved to fit out units where the incoming social housing tenant could not afford to furnish the property from their own resources .
Housing-related payments are by some distance the largest of the exceptional needs payments approved by the department , accounting for more than 63 per cent of the total budget .
The State stepped in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deposits last year , although this figure has been decreasing since 2017 , when €2.1 million was paid to cover almost 3,000 individual rent deposits .
Aside from housing-related costs , the ENPs also cover rent and mortgage payments for people who can not meet them , amounting to €1.9 million last year , and other items such as burial and funeral costs , which amounted to €5.7 million .
Since 2016 , the department has approved funds totalling almost €2.2 million to pay for cots , buggies and other child-related items , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ household bills .
Mike Allen , director of advocacy with Focus Ireland , said the willingness to pay ENPs was positive as they had been more difficult to access during the recession .
However , he said he was concerned by the increases recorded in recent years as they were driven by greater difficulties people were facing in meeting costs .
“ You have a snapshot of the lives of people who have to resort to their community welfare officer for these things , ” he said .
“ It ’ s great @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people have to rely on them is an indication of how tough things are getting at the bottom end of society.
” He said higher rents caused by the housing crisis in many instances meant people were dipping into money usually used for utility bills and other expenses , and then applying to the state for assistance .
“ We force people into this demeaning , means-tested exceptional system where they have to go and ask for these payments.
” Elsewhere , figures for last year show that more than 50 per cent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ department were either overturned or revised in favour of the recipient following appeal .
In any year , about 15 per cent of claims are not awarded , and 1 per cent of those decisions are appealed .
Of the 22,572 appeals finalised last year , some 7,543 – more than one-third – were allowed by appeals officers and a further 4,669 – or 20.7 per cent – were revised in favour of the appellant , figures provided by the department show .

Since 2016, funds totalling almost €2.2m have been approved to pay for cots, buggies and other child-related items, and almost €1.2m to assist with household bills. Photograph: Andy Rain
The cost of providing exceptional payments for items like bedding, household items and furniture for social welfare recipients has risen by almost 70 per cent since 2016.
Figures released for exceptional needs payments (ENP) by the Department of Social Protection show that more than €27.5 million was approved for housing-related items last year, compared to €16.3 million in 2016.
The payments are made following an application by someone who it is deemed cannot be reasonably expected to meet the cost for a particular item out of their weekly income.
Housing payments cover a range of categories, including rent deposits, furniture and household appliances. However, the largest housing-related items by a significant factor relate to the kit-out of new social housing units, which are provided unfurnished.
READ MORE
Some €18.2 million was approved to fit out units where the incoming social housing tenant could not afford to furnish the property from their own resources.
Housing-related payments are by some distance the largest of the exceptional needs payments approved by the department, accounting for more than 63 per cent of the total budget.
Funeral costs
The State stepped in to pay some €1.4 million in rent deposits last year, although this figure has been decreasing since 2017, when €2.1 million was paid to cover almost 3,000 individual rent deposits.
Aside from housing-related costs, the ENPs also cover rent and mortgage payments for people who cannot meet them, amounting to €1.9 million last year, and other items such as burial and funeral costs, which amounted to €5.7 million.
Since 2016, the department has approved funds totalling almost €2.2 million to pay for cots, buggies and other child-related items, and almost €1.2 million to assist with household bills.
Mike Allen, director of advocacy with Focus Ireland, said the willingness to pay ENPs was positive as they had been more difficult to access during the recession.
However, he said he was concerned by the increases recorded in recent years as they were driven by greater difficulties people were facing in meeting costs.
‘Snapshot of lives’
“You have a snapshot of the lives of people who have to resort to their community welfare officer for these things,” he said. “It’s great the system is there but the fact people have to rely on them is an indication of how tough things are getting at the bottom end of society.”
He said higher rents caused by the housing crisis in many instances meant people were dipping into money usually used for utility bills and other expenses, and then applying to the state for assistance. “We force people into this demeaning, means-tested exceptional system where they have to go and ask for these payments.”
Elsewhere, figures for last year show that more than 50 per cent of appealed claims originally denied by the department were either overturned or revised in favour of the recipient following appeal.
In any year, about 15 per cent of claims are not awarded, and 1 per cent of those decisions are appealed. Of the 22,572 appeals finalised last year, some 7,543 – more than one-third – were allowed by appeals officers and a further 4,669 – or 20.7 per cent – were revised in favour of the appellant, figures provided by the department show.


theirishtimes--2020-01-20--Government to consider sanctions for striking teachers

The Department of Public Expenditure has said it will consider “ in due course ” whether thousands of teachers who are scheduled to go on strike next month will face financial penalties .
About 19,000 members of the Teachers ’ Union of Ireland ( TUI ) are to stage a one-day stoppage on February 4th , which is likely to lead to the closure of hundreds of second-level schools .
The Government in 2016 imposed financial penalties on members of the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland ( ASTI ) after they were considered to have “ repudiated ” the public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ industrial action .
Members of the ASTI lost out on about €15million in payments such as increments and other benefits as a result .
The amounts lost varied depending where an individual teacher stood on the pay scale and the date on which their increment was originally paid .
Union sources said €1,000 in losses could be at the low end of the scale and it could be €2,000 or more in some cases .
However , when nurses who were members of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation ( INMO ) went @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Government decided not to impose similar financial penalties .
Asked if members of the TUI would face financial penalties as were imposed on ASTI teachers following their strike in 2016 , the department said : “ On the issue of sanctions , such matters will be given appropriate consideration in due course.
” The planned strike is in protest at continuation of the controversial two-tier pay system in place for teachers recruited since 2011 .
The dispute is aimed at making what the union described as “ pay discrimination ” a key political @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At least half of the country ’ s 700-plus secondary schools are likely to be affected by the planned strike .
About 260 schools under the wing of Education and Training Boards would almost certainly close should the strike proceed .
The sector ’ s umbrella body , Education and Training Boards Ireland , is due to meet on Monday to discuss the scale of school closures .
In addition , a majority of the almost 100 community and comprehensive schools are also likely to close as are significant numbers of the 380 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this latter category of schools are mostly represented by the ASTI , it is likely the union will direct its members not to provide cover for striking TUI members .
This , say sources , would force school managers to shut many schools on health and safety grounds , even where only a relatively small number of staff are TUI members .
A spokesman for the school management body that represents voluntary secondary schools , the joint managerial body , confirmed it expects disruption but said it was difficult at this stage to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Siptu has warned that up to 500 home-help staff working in community and disability services in Dublin may go on strike the day before the general election .
The dispute centres on restoration of pay in organisations providing health and social care services that receive State grant aid ( known technically as section 39 bodies ) which was cut following the economic crash .
Siptu is starting a ballot of these workers on Monday and will stage a one-day stoppage on February 7th if the vote is carried .
Talks on the issue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Workplace Relations Commission at the end of the month .

The Government has previously imposed financial penalties on the ASTI as they were considered to have ‘repudiated’ a public service agreement by taking industrial action.
The Department of Public Expenditure has said it will consider “in due course” whether thousands of teachers who are scheduled to go on strike next month will face financial penalties.
About 19,000 members of the Teachers' Union of Ireland (TUI) are to stage a one-day stoppage on February 4th, which is likely to lead to the closure of hundreds of second-level schools.
The Government in 2016 imposed financial penalties on members of the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) after they were considered to have "repudiated" the public service agreement then in place by taking industrial action. Members of the ASTI lost out on about €15million in payments such as increments and other benefits as a result.
The amounts lost varied depending where an individual teacher stood on the pay scale and the date on which their increment was originally paid. Union sources said €1,000 in losses could be at the low end of the scale and it could be €2,000 or more in some cases.
READ MORE
However, when nurses who were members of the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) went on strike a year ago, the Government decided not to impose similar financial penalties.
Asked if members of the TUI would face financial penalties as were imposed on ASTI teachers following their strike in 2016, the department said: “On the issue of sanctions, such matters will be given appropriate consideration in due course.”
The planned strike is in protest at continuation of the controversial two-tier pay system in place for teachers recruited since 2011. The dispute is aimed at making what the union described as “ pay discrimination” a key political issue in the general election campaign. At least half of the country’s 700-plus secondary schools are likely to be affected by the planned strike.
About 260 schools under the wing of Education and Training Boards would almost certainly close should the strike proceed. The sector’s umbrella body, Education and Training Boards Ireland, is due to meet on Monday to discuss the scale of school closures.
In addition, a majority of the almost 100 community and comprehensive schools are also likely to close as are significant numbers of the 380 voluntary secondary schools.
While staff in this latter category of schools are mostly represented by the ASTI , it is likely the union will direct its members not to provide cover for striking TUI members. This, say sources, would force school managers to shut many schools on health and safety grounds, even where only a relatively small number of staff are TUI members.
Why might home-help staff strike?
A spokesman for the school management body that represents voluntary secondary schools, the joint managerial body, confirmed it expects disruption but said it was difficult at this stage to say on what scale.
Separately, Siptu has warned that up to 500 home-help staff working in community and disability services in Dublin may go on strike the day before the general election.
The dispute centres on restoration of pay in organisations providing health and social care services that receive State grant aid (known technically as section 39 bodies) which was cut following the economic crash.
Siptu is starting a ballot of these workers on Monday and will stage a one-day stoppage on February 7th if the vote is carried. Talks on the issue are scheduled to take place at the Workplace Relations Commission at the end of the month.


theirishtimes--2020-01-20--Gap between retirement and getting State pension set to widen

Patrick Heavy ( 57 ) works in a factory in Co Cavan .
He will have to retire when he is 65 in 2027 , but he will not be entitled to the State pension until 2030 .
During the three years between his retirement and getting the pension , he will be entitled to Jobseekers ’ Benefit .
It is €203 per week , while the State pension is €248 per week – a difference of €2,340 a year .
In addition , while on jobseekers ’ he will have to prove he is actively looking for work .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” says Mr Heavy .
“ I am very angry about it .
I wouldn ’ t mind working a couple of extra years but they don ’ t want people working in the factory whose health is going downhill and what have you .
I ’ m talking about it now because there ’ s no point talking about it when I ’ m 65.
” Mr Heavey never married and has no children .
He lives in a rural area .
As an only child he inherited the family home , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I shell out about €300 a week on food , heating , petrol and all the other bills .
They are after throwing so much at us .
I have to get the car NCT , there ’ s the property tax , keeping the septic tank in order .
I have car insurance , car tax .
What else are they going to take ?
This is an emergency .
It ’ s not only me .
It ’ s thousands of people being affected .
They have to look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I have worked all my life , paid my tax and I have to wait three years for my pension .
It is a scandal .
Enda Kenny got to go off with a nice package and he doesn ’ t have to wait.
” The pension age is rising and a growing number of older people are being affected .
In 2014 , the age of entitlement to the State pension increased from 65 to 66 years .
Next year it increases to 67 and from 2028 retirees will have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Siptu will on Thursday publish a document , Stop 67 , as part of a campaign to halt further increases in the pension age .
The union says the increases were “ implemented with little consultation or debate ” and though “ supposedly ” introduced for budgetary reasons “ the Government has yet to publish a detailed impact on the public finances ” .
What is the saving ?
The union says the average retirement age across the 36 OECD ( Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ) member states by 2050 will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ far fewer older people ” in Ireland – nearly 30 per cent fewer than in other EU countries .
Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe last week said the Government would press ahead with increasing the State pension age , arguing it would cost €200 million a year not to and asking where this money would come from .
Siptu , however , said it could be paid out of the surplus in the Social Insurance Fund , which is about €1 billion a year .

Patrick Heavy (57) works in a factory in Co Cavan. He will have to retire when he is 65 in 2027, but he will not be entitled to the State pension until 2030.
During the three years between his retirement and getting the pension, he will be entitled to Jobseekers’ Benefit. It is €203 per week, while the State pension is €248 per week – a difference of €2,340 a year.
In addition, while on jobseekers’ he will have to prove he is actively looking for work.
“It’s a scandal,” says Mr Heavy. “I am very angry about it. I wouldn’t mind working a couple of extra years but they don’t want people working in the factory whose health is going downhill and what have you. I’m talking about it now because there’s no point talking about it when I’m 65.”
READ MORE
Mr Heavey never married and has no children. He lives in a rural area. As an only child he inherited the family home, so has no mortgage or rental costs.
“I shell out about €300 a week on food, heating, petrol and all the other bills. They are after throwing so much at us. I have to get the car NCT, there’s the property tax, keeping the septic tank in order. I have car insurance, car tax. What else are they going to take? This is an emergency. It’s not only me. It’s thousands of people being affected. They have to look at this again,” he says.
"I have worked all my life, paid my tax and I have to wait three years for my pension. It is a scandal. Enda Kenny got to go off with a nice package and he doesn't have to wait."
The pension age is rising and a growing number of older people are being affected. In 2014, the age of entitlement to the State pension increased from 65 to 66 years. Next year it increases to 67 and from 2028 retirees will have to wait until they are 68.
Siptu will on Thursday publish a document, Stop 67, as part of a campaign to halt further increases in the pension age. The union says the increases were “implemented with little consultation or debate” and though “supposedly” introduced for budgetary reasons “the Government has yet to publish a detailed impact on the public finances”.
What is the saving?
The union says the average retirement age across the 36 OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) member states by 2050 will be 66 years. Yet there are "far fewer older people" in Ireland – nearly 30 per cent fewer than in other EU countries.
Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe last week said the Government would press ahead with increasing the State pension age, arguing it would cost €200 million a year not to and asking where this money would come from.
Siptu, however, said it could be paid out of the surplus in the Social Insurance Fund, which is about €1 billion a year.


theirishtimes--2020-01-20--Dublin’s Inchicore at risk of escalation of anti-social behaviour, report warns

Persistent antisocial behaviour by a small number of young people around Inchicore could expand into the “ type of criminality that has plagued other parts of Dublin ” , an unpublished report warns .
The children most involved in such behaviour in the area are from just seven families , according to another unpublished report .
It states that 25 families – involving more than 50 children – are “ of concern ” because of the children ’ s involvement in antisocial behaviour and welfare worries regarding the youths .
Of these families , 11 “ have difficulties relating to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had experienced homelessness , states the report , adding that many of the children “ have also struggled with the school system ” .
The report , compiled last February , says 19 children were aged between seven and 11 years , 25 between 12 and 17 years and six were over 18 at the time .
The two reports – Building a Sustainable Community in Inchicore and Kilmainham , and Report on Children Involved in Antisocial Behaviour in the Inchicore Area – have been seen by The Irish Times .
The former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the wake of a public spat between Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy and his Fine Gael colleague and local TD Catherine Byrne over plans for the State ’ s first large-scale cost-rental scheme being developed in the area .
Cost rental is a housing model where rents charged cover the cost of delivering , managing and maintaining the homes , and so are generally significantly below market rents .
The report was submitted to the department last August and examines the area ’ s housing and other needs .
It comes down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 500 homes – 30 per cent social housing and 70 per cent cost rental – on the site of the former St Michael ’ s Estate .
Its author , retired assistant Garda commissioner Jack Nolan , says the development presents an “ opportunity .
.
.
to [ provide ] an example of high-quality .
.
.
housing ” and to be the national pilot for the cost-rental model .
Concerns about “ persistent intergenerational social problems ” in Inchicore are widespread , he adds .
And Dr Nolan notes that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , unemployment , lack of education and lack of opportunities or possibly an unwillingness to accept opportunities when offered ” .
A “ more comprehensive approach ” than heretofore “ is required at this stage to mitigate the potential for these issues to descend into the type of criminality that plagued other parts of Dublin in the recent past .
What currently exists is not working effectively and certainly is not working to the satisfaction of all sections of the community.
” The second report , by independent consultant Justin O ’ Brien @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Policing Forum following an upsurge in antisocial behaviour among a small number of young people in Inchicore in summer 2018 .
These have continued sporadically and include racist attacks , attacks on cyclists and pedestrians along the canal , vandalism and shop-lifting .
It is critical of Tusla , citing a high number of child-protection cases not allocated to a social worker ( 619 in July 2018 ) .
The agency must commit more resources to the area which includes many families “ adversely affected by poverty , poor housing and drug addiction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not engage with the report but told The Irish Times there had been “ a significant reduction in cases awaiting allocation ” in recent times , though the number is higher than that cited in the report .

Persistent antisocial behaviour by a small number of young people around Inchicore could expand into the "type of criminality that has plagued other parts of Dublin", an unpublished report warns.
The children most involved in such behaviour in the area are from just seven families, according to another unpublished report. It states that 25 families – involving more than 50 children – are “of concern” because of the children’s involvement in antisocial behaviour and welfare worries regarding the youths.
Of these families, 11 “have difficulties relating to drug and alcohol dependency” and nine had experienced homelessness, states the report, adding that many of the children “have also struggled with the school system”.
The report, compiled last February, says 19 children were aged between seven and 11 years, 25 between 12 and 17 years and six were over 18 at the time.
READ MORE
The two reports – Building a Sustainable Community in Inchicore and Kilmainham, and Report on Children Involved in Antisocial Behaviour in the Inchicore Area – have been seen by The Irish Times.
The former was commissioned by the Department of Housing in the wake of a public spat between Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy and his Fine Gael colleague and local TD Catherine Byrne over plans for the State's first large-scale cost-rental scheme being developed in the area. Cost rental is a housing model where rents charged cover the cost of delivering, managing and maintaining the homes, and so are generally significantly below market rents.
The report was submitted to the department last August and examines the area’s housing and other needs. It comes down in favour of the plan to build 500 homes – 30 per cent social housing and 70 per cent cost rental – on the site of the former St Michael’s Estate.
Its author, retired assistant Garda commissioner Jack Nolan, says the development presents an "opportunity . . . to [provide] an example of high-quality . . . housing" and to be the national pilot for the cost-rental model.
Unemployment and opportunity
Concerns about “persistent intergenerational social problems” in Inchicore are widespread, he adds. And Dr Nolan notes that the underlying causes of this are “deprivation, unemployment, lack of education and lack of opportunities or possibly an unwillingness to accept opportunities when offered”.
A “more comprehensive approach” than heretofore “is required at this stage to mitigate the potential for these issues to descend into the type of criminality that plagued other parts of Dublin in the recent past. What currently exists is not working effectively and certainly is not working to the satisfaction of all sections of the community.”
The second report, by independent consultant Justin O’Brien, was commissioned by the Canals Community Policing Forum following an upsurge in antisocial behaviour among a small number of young people in Inchicore in summer 2018. These have continued sporadically and include racist attacks, attacks on cyclists and pedestrians along the canal, vandalism and shop-lifting.
It is critical of Tusla, citing a high number of child-protection cases not allocated to a social worker (619 in July 2018). The agency must commit more resources to the area which includes many families “adversely affected by poverty, poor housing and drug addiction that is intergenerational”.
Tusla did not engage with the report but told The Irish Times there had been “a significant reduction in cases awaiting allocation” in recent times, though the number is higher than that cited in the report.


theirishtimes--2020-01-20--Next government’s budget decisions must be ‘rural-proofed’

A strategy to “ rural proof ” all government budgetary decisions must be an “ essential component ” of any future administration ’ s approach to rural Ireland , Social Justice Ireland has said .
In the first of a series of election briefing papers published on Monday , the think tank says rural communities are older , poorer and less well-served by public services than urban centres .
Priorities for rural communities must include high-speed broadband ; a “ just transition ” to ensure rural people are not disproportionately affected by carbon taxes ; an accessible and efficient public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and targeted education and training programmes especially for older workers .
According to 2017 data , the paper says , the deprivation and “ at-risk ” of poverty rates are higher in rural areas than the national or urban rates .
“ The driver of the rural economy in Ireland has moved from being primarily agricultural to a more diverse base involving services , manufacturing , tourism and others , ” it says .
“ Two out of every five jobs in Ireland are at high risk of automation with towns where employment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exposed to the impact of automation on employment.
” Social Justice Ireland says any future government should be planning for “ viable rural communities in all parts of Ireland where people have access to meaningful work , adequate income and decent services and infrastructure ” .
Policy must “ ensure public service delivery in rural areas according to the equivalence principle and that rural-proofing is an essential component of all government policies ” .
The think tank makes 11 calls on a future government , among them is ensuring balanced investment between the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and preparations for the impact of technology on the future of work .

“Two out of every five jobs in Ireland are at high risk of automation with towns where employment is dominated by agriculture and manufacturing most exposed to the impact of automation on employment.” Photograph: Frank Miller
A strategy to "rural proof" all government budgetary decisions must be an "essential component" of any future administration's approach to rural Ireland, Social Justice Ireland has said.
In the first of a series of election briefing papers published on Monday, the think tank says rural communities are older, poorer and less well-served by public services than urban centres.
Priorities for rural communities must include high-speed broadband; a “just transition” to ensure rural people are not disproportionately affected by carbon taxes; an accessible and efficient public transport network; sustainable agriculture policies; and targeted education and training programmes especially for older workers.
Deprivation and poverty
According to 2017 data, the paper says, the deprivation and “at-risk” of poverty rates are higher in rural areas than the national or urban rates.
READ MORE
“The driver of the rural economy in Ireland has moved from being primarily agricultural to a more diverse base involving services, manufacturing, tourism and others,” it says.
“Two out of every five jobs in Ireland are at high risk of automation with towns where employment is dominated by agriculture and manufacturing most exposed to the impact of automation on employment.”
Equivalence principle
Social Justice Ireland says any future government should be planning for “viable rural communities in all parts of Ireland where people have access to meaningful work, adequate income and decent services and infrastructure”.
Policy must “ensure public service delivery in rural areas according to the equivalence principle and that rural-proofing is an essential component of all government policies”.
The think tank makes 11 calls on a future government, among them is ensuring balanced investment between the regions, support for rural entrepreneurs, and preparations for the impact of technology on the future of work.


theirishtimes--2020-01-20--Navigating the health insurance maze and finding the best deal

If you are one of the more than a million people in Ireland who have had the same health insurance @ @ @ @ @ years you are almost certainly wasting money .
With hundreds of thousands of policy renewals @ @ @ @ @ ahead , now is the time to act or else risk being locked into a @ @ @ @ @ 12 months .
Before we come to the savings we need to acknowledge that there @ @ @ @ @ in need of healthcare .

If you are one of the more than a million people in Ireland who have had the same health insurance policy for more than three years you are almost certainly wasting money. With hundreds of thousands of policy renewals coming up in the weeks ahead, now is the time to act or else risk being locked into a bad-value deal for the next 12 months.
Before we come to the savings we need to acknowledge that there are tough times for people in need of healthcare.
The public system has been struggling to cope with the demands being placed on it – when has it not struggled, you might well ask – over recent years while those who can afford insurance have been hit with increases much higher than the rate of inflation.
Over the course of last summer all three health insurers in Ireland rolled out price hikes of up to 6 per cent, with all three blaming the increased cost of medical treatment in Ireland.
READ MORE
According to the Mercer Marsh Benefits 2019 Medical Trends Around the World report published a few months ago, medical inflation here is outpacing general inflation at a rate of six to one, with the higher price of advanced healthcare likely to lead to more health insurance hikes in the years ahead.
That report suggested that underlying medical costs in the Republic rose by 4.2 per cent in 2018 compared with a general inflation rate of just 0.7 per cent. It added that costs were expected to increase by a further 4.5 per cent in 2019 compared with an inflation rate forecast of 1.2 per cent.
Despite the price hikes more people are taking out health insurance and according to its most recent report on the state of the sector, the Health Insurance Authority (HIA) said that more than 2.2 million people now have policies, which is broadly in line with the numbers seen at the height of the Celtic Tiger boom.
But do we actually need health insurance?
If you are unfortunate enough to have a heart attack or stroke, are involved in a car accident or have to be rushed into an emergency department suffering from some other ailment then health insurance is of little use. You will be taken to the nearest public hospital and treated in the public system at no – or at least at very little – cost.
The public system can be excellent in this country and that is largely down to the medical professionals who run it, but it is a long way from perfect. Even with health insurance people can find themselves stuck on trollies for days even if they have been paying through the nose for insurance.
However, the reality is that people with health insurance get access to consultants more quickly – even consultants working out of public hospitals if they are allowed see patients privately. They also get private and semi-private rooms in public hospitals and can avail of treatment in private hospitals, which significantly reduces waiting times for many procedures – both elective and otherwise.
We all know patients in the public system can be left waiting months, if not years, before they get to see consultants and people have died as a result of those delays. That is why many people believe health insurance is essential.
Another reason many view it as essential was contained in a report from the Economic and Social Research Institute which found that wealthier people with private health insurance are more likely to avail of potentially life-saving cancer screening tests in Ireland.
The think-tank study looked at the uptake of breast and prostate cancer testing among middle-aged and older people and said people with neither private health insurance nor a medical card were “significantly less likely to have received a mammogram or prostate screening” than those with just a medical card.
In their report, researchers Sheelah Connolly and Richard Whyte said their analysis "found a strong relationship between private health insurance and the uptake of cancer screening services. This is somewhat surprising given that, in general, private health insurance does not offer an advantage in accessing these services."
An issue that needs to be dealt with – although it seems intractable – is the removal of private medical practice from public hospitals. A report published last year found that taking privately insured patients out of public hospitals would lead to higher taxes – because the insurance income funds so much of the public system – while leading to but lower health insurance premiums.
The chairman of the expert group that examined this issue for the Government, Dr Donal de Buitléir, told an Oireachtas committee that almost 30 per cent of total hospital activity was funded privately – "a situation comparable only to the US".
“The main element of this is the private income of hospitals [now just over €500 million] paid mainly by insurers. This income is declining in any event due to the campaign by insurers to inform patients that they gain no advantage from using their insurance when admitted via the emergency department of a public hospital.
That is the context but what most people care about as renewal time approaches is whether they can save money while keeping the cover they have.
The good news is they can. While prices are climbing there are ways to save money. The plain and simple truth is if you have had the same health insurance policy for three years or longer you are wasting money. And it doesn’t really matter which company you are with, that basic rule of thumb still applies.
Do not allow them to fob you off with some line about sending you a brochure in the post for approval
The reason why as many as 70 per cent of the 2.2 million people with health insurance don't switch is fear and confusion. It is certainly more complicated than it used to be. There was a time when there was one health insurer in Ireland – Vhi – and it offered five plans, running from A to E. Today there are hundreds of plans on the market with three key players in the space – Vhi, Laya Healthcare and Irish Life Health.
Insurers say they are always introducing new plans in response to consumer demand. A more cynical view has it that the companies benefit from making the sector harder to navigate for consumers. In fact, on a very basic level, it could be argued that they benefit to the tune of €300 million a year because of that confusion and fear that stops people switching in search of better value more often.
Websites worth consulting
When it comes to switching the first thing to remember is that people cannot be penalised based on their age and health.
All plans have to be made available to everyone but there is a but. Companies are not legally obliged to tell people about their best deals, so – unsurprisingly – they don’t. Instead they roll out cheap corporate deals with confusing and off-putting names, while many of the worst-value options have easy-to-remember, friendly-sounding names.
The Health Insurance Authority website hia.ie should be the first stop. It has details of every plan on the market and a comparison tool that lets you see how your existing plan stacks up against other policies. Brokers are also worth considering. Dermot Goode of totalhealthcover.ie is one such person.
He says that when people are looking for better value they should be prepare to ask their insurance company for as much information as they need to make the right decisions.
Make sure your questions are very specific. Your calls will be recorded, so if they don’t tell you the truth it is their head on the block. A good starting point is: “Have you any plans across your entire range – including your corporate plans – which are equivalent to the plan I am on and how much do they cost?”
You should also ask what cover you lose by switching. The key thing is to put the onus on them to explain everything. Do not allow them to fob you off with some line about sending you a brochure in the post for approval. Then the onus falls to you to read the brochure. If you don’t understand something or if it is even vaguely unclear, make them explain it again. And again. For as long as it takes.
Goode says that if a person takes on an excess on inpatient care in private hospitals and are prepared to pay a shortfall for certain orthopaedic procedures for example, the cost of a policy can fall from more than €1,400 to about €800 a year.
If you are in reasonably good health and can cut the cost of your cover by €600 by taking on some excesses, then you should look at that, but if you are in poor health or have a pre-existing condition, then taking on new excesses to save money is not something I would recommend.
When asked for specific plans, Goode says people children under 18 should check out Vhi, which is offering cover at €226 per child on their One Plus Plan. Irish Life Health have a great deal on their Benefit Plan at €190 per child. Laya meanwhile is offering free cover for the second and subsequent child under 18 on the Essential Connect Family, Essential Health 300 and their Flex 125 Explore schemes.
“Many older members are still insured on very dated plans costing in excess of €2,500 per adult and they stand to make the biggest savings from shopping around,” he says. “We see more siblings now reviewing cover for elderly parents to help them generate much needed savings.” When asked for a sample of some ‘private room’ corporate plans across all three health insurers, he points to Vhi’s Company Plan Extra Level 1, which costs €1,670 per adult. There is also Laya Healthcare’s Care Select, which costs €1,556, and when it comes to Irish Life Health he points to 4D Health 4, which costs €1,587.
Remember, if you are making inquiries your new provider can really only ask you the following three questions. Who are you currently insured with? What plan are you on? And how long have you been on that plan? It doesn’t matter if you’re planning to have a double hip replacement tomorrow, you can switch from insurer A to insurer B today, and insurer B becomes liable for the cost of the procedure. Pre-existing conditions are irrelevant once you already have a policy that covers the treatment.
If you move from one insurer to another the new company must give you full credit for time spent with other insurers and they cannot penalise you for prior claims. If you are switching to an equivalent plan, then you are fully covered immediately; if you upgrade your cover, then the additional benefits may not kick in for a period.
Seven steps to take
We asked health insurance expert Dermot Goode of totalhealthcover.ie for some guidance.
1: Ask for the nearest equivalent plan to what you have already that is lower in cost.
2: Advise the insurer that you don’t mind taking on a small excess to reduce the cost.
3: Have them check all their plans, especially their best corporate plans.
4: Do everything over the phone and whatever alternatives they suggest, have them confirm what you are you losing and gaining.
5: Disclose everything to them in terms of existing conditions and likely treatment to get specific answers to all your queries.
6: Ignore any items that are on the plan which may not apply to you such as maternity, psychiatric, convalescence, etc. By law they must be included on all plans.
7: If you’re happy that the new plan meets your requirements, then switch and save.
Readers’ experience
We also asked people what their views of the health insurance market and switching was. Here are just some of the responses.
"Changed Vhi to Irish Life, paying a bit more but overall better benefits and the claims we've made have well paid for the fee increase," says Claire Cluskey Paul. "Was reluctant to change due to wait periods but happy now that we did. Used a broker to help figure it out as it's hard to compare plans."
Jonathan Brazil says he had "tried to take it out multiple times and failed because I can't get a clear picture of anything on offer. It's impossible without taking a leap of faith and far too expensive for a leap of faith."
“I don’t have it but my dad does,” says Cora McNabb . “Made no difference to me in getting a serious diagnosis,” she added, although she did pay €400 to get an MRI done privately rather than wait two years. “I also got private room in hospital by chance.” Her father’s insurance “made no difference to the quality of care dad got following cardiac arrest”.
By contrast, Mike Mc Loughlin says he found the whole process "simple". He suggested people start at the Health Insurance Authority website and look for "the best deal and call and ask for it. People don't realise that you can ask for the same discounts/benefits that are afforded to group discounts as the health insurance companies don't advertise these packages."
Diarmaid Mac Aonghusa says he changed and "saved a fair bit. Had to have a long call with them while they tried to convince me of the value of more expensive plan. Almost as hard as cancelling Sky but not quite!"
Samantha Langan says she tends to change "almost every year". She says the "cost of the current policy goes up every year so I tend to change either between Irish Life and Vhi or within one of them, change plans without ultimately losing out on what I want out of the plan for my current life stage and health."
Fergal Beattie says he knows of someone who says “he’d drive around the country without car insurance before dropping health insurance. He’s a doctor in a hospital. Unfortunately I’ve seen both ends of the system and our public health system is currently in crisis”.
"With Vhi years, happy with service to be honest," says Roseanne Richard. "I would be reluctant to change providers due to to pre-existing conditions though. This year we had to cut back and saved hundreds by cutting out on the day-to-day expenses cover on the policy."
And, finally, this longer piece from Wesley Dawson.
“We have health insurance and pay over €3,500 per year for the family (two adults and two kids); however, we never seen any benefits from having it. The only reason we got it was the fear factor, the ‘What if we didn’t have it and something goes wrong’ combined with me turning 35 and the additional costs they would put on me for never having insurance before.
“So here I am at 38 having never used or seen the benefit of having health insurance, yet I continue to pay for it because of the fear of the great ‘what if’. We still pay for the doctors and A&E visits and – touch wood – we haven’t had to spend any time in hospitals yet.
“We did have to go to A&E about three times In the three years and as far as we could see they get us to sign the form to make sure they get extra money from the insurance, but thankfully all trips to the A&E were sorted out on the day and we know we would have got the same treatment whether we signed the insurance form or not.
“I don’t believe in insurance, but can see why they are in place. If I lived in America I would definitely see why having it is necessary but here in Ireland it’s a joke – sure Kilkenny (our local hospital) doesn’t even have any private beds and by the hospital’s own admission to us on a recent A&E visit they said they couldn’t give us anything different than a medical card holder or non-insured person seeking care: same beds, same doctors, same care.
“So from 18-35 I managed to save €3,500 per year; now I’m just giving it to the Vhi for peace of mind.”


theirishtimes--2020-01-21--Can I use the Trinity matriculation exam for CAO points?

I am sitting the Leaving in June and have listed Bess ( business , economics and social studies ) in Trinity as my first choice .
A friend tells me there is a Trinity matriculation exam which can be used for CAO admissions purposes .
Could I use this option to improve my chances of securing the points to get into my course ?
You ’ re correct .
Not many are aware that a matriculation exam in , graded in equivalent terms to grades used in higher level Leaving Cert exam papers , is held in Trinity every year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exams are available : biblical studies and geology .
You may take one or both subjects and each exam is three hours long .
And , yes , applicants may combine results from the Leaving Cert and the Trinity matriculation examination of the same year for the purposes of CAO entry points .
The closing date for application is March 1st .
Application forms and a syllabus can be obtained online or from the academic registry at Trinity College Dublin ( email : academic.registry @ tcd.ie ) .
An application fee of €98 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It is up to you to decide if it is worth studying or whether there is crossover with subjects you are already studying .
Past papers and suggested reading is available online ( www.tcd.ie/Religions_Theology ) .
To give you a flavour of what to expect , the biblical studies syllabus comprises two sections .
The first section focuses on the Old Testament .
Students may focus on one of two areas .
The first is the history of Israel up to and including the Babylonian exile .
Particular attention is given to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the monarchy , the fall of Samaria and the impact of the exile .
The second area is Old Testament literature including the Joseph story ( Genesis 37-48 ) , poetry ( the Book of Amos ) and wisdom ( the Book of Job ) .
The second section of the syllabus is based on the New Testament .
Similarly , students may focus on one of two areas .
The first is the history of early Christianity in the first century , with particular attention given to the Jewish and Hellenistic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Palestine and developments up to the destruction of the temple in 70AD .
The second area is early Christian literature including the Acts of the Apostles , Mark ’ s Gospel and Letters : First Corinthians .
Students can also register for the Trinity matriculation exam in geology .
The paper will offer a choice of about 10 questions from which five must be answered .
The syllabus includes six key areas .
They include general geology ( theory of plate tectonics and its bearing on the origin of earthquakes , volcanoes , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; surface processes ( such as weathering and its dependence on climate and rock type ) ; earth materials ( minerals , and the diagnostic features sufficient to distinguish between them ) ; geometry of rock bodies ( folds and faults ) ; earth history ( such as the principles of radiometric dating of minerals ) ; and ancient life ( including the origin , evolution and extinction of organisms ) .

I am sitting the Leaving in June and have listed Bess (business, economics and social studies) in Trinity as my first choice. A friend tells me there is a Trinity matriculation exam which can be used for CAO admissions purposes. Could I use this option to improve my chances of securing the points to get into my course?
You’re correct. Not many are aware that a matriculation exam in, graded in equivalent terms to grades used in higher level Leaving Cert exam papers, is held in Trinity every year, usually in April. Just two exams are available: biblical studies and geology. You may take one or both subjects and each exam is three hours long. And, yes, applicants may combine results from the Leaving Cert and the Trinity matriculation examination of the same year for the purposes of CAO entry points.
The closing date for application is March 1st. Application forms and a syllabus can be obtained online or from the academic registry at Trinity College Dublin (email: academic.registry@tcd.ie). An application fee of €98 is payable by all matriculation exam applicants.
It is up to you to decide if it is worth studying or whether there is crossover with subjects you are already studying.
READ MORE
Past papers and suggested reading is available online (www.tcd.ie/Religions_Theology).
To give you a flavour of what to expect, the biblical studies syllabus comprises two sections.
The first section focuses on the Old Testament. Students may focus on one of two areas. The first is the history of Israel up to and including the Babylonian exile. Particular attention is given to the origins of Israel, the rise of the monarchy, the fall of Samaria and the impact of the exile.
The second area is Old Testament literature including the Joseph story (Genesis 37-48), poetry (the Book of Amos) and wisdom (the Book of Job).
The second section of the syllabus is based on the New Testament. Similarly, students may focus on one of two areas.
The first is the history of early Christianity in the first century, with particular attention given to the Jewish and Hellenistic environment, Jesus and his movement in Palestine and developments up to the destruction of the temple in 70AD.
The second area is early Christian literature including the Acts of the Apostles, Mark’s Gospel and Letters: First Corinthians.
Students can also register for the Trinity matriculation exam in geology. The paper will offer a choice of about 10 questions from which five must be answered.
The syllabus includes six key areas. They include general geology (theory of plate tectonics and its bearing on the origin of earthquakes, volcanoes, mountain belts, and rift valleys); surface processes (such as weathering and its dependence on climate and rock type); earth materials (minerals, and the diagnostic features sufficient to distinguish between them); geometry of rock bodies (folds and faults); earth history (such as the principles of radiometric dating of minerals); and ancient life (including the origin, evolution and extinction of organisms).
[ askbrian@irishtimes.com ]


theirishtimes--2020-01-21--Pupil power: how students are helping to turn their schools green

Visit any primary or secondary school in Ireland , and you are likely to find a number of green flags at the gate .
Across the walls , there is artwork , poetry , stories , investigations and reports on why things such as renewable energy , sustainability and conservation are important .
There is no mandate to study this , but school communities are passionate about the environment .
They spend the entire year developing green policies , only to take these even further the next year and so on .
Increasingly , young people themselves are taking the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ habits , growing leaders – and helping to protect the planet .
The work is passionate , and the policies ambitious , but , most importantly , they ’ re successful .
Anything from eliminating plastics to promoting greener travel are things many adults are still struggling to get to grips with .
Schools , meanwhile , are just getting on with it .
Perhaps it ’ s time we listen to school communities – on what works and what needs to be done – and maybe we ’ ll learn some valuable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Monaghan , a student-led “ plexit ” project has eliminated single-use plastic from the entire school campus , and won the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland ’ s 2019 “ One Good Idea ” competition .
The students say : “ Our mission aimed to measurably reduce plastic pollution on our school campus , with a special focus on the reduction and ultimately the elimination of plastic bottles , plastic straws and utensils , and plastic food packaging .
The project began when six students undertook a young scientist-like module for two hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of working to reduce plastics in school took hold .
“ We identified plastic pollution as a key concern on our campus , and we took action to confront the problem .
We ended bottled water sales in the school and introduced a school-branded reusable drink bottle for every student and teacher in our school from September 2019 , ” the students explain .
The students hosted a plastic-free event to demonstrate further to the school community the impact single-use plastics are having on the environment .
There , a contract banning single-use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and , from September 2019 onwards , every student and parent signed this same contract in the school journal .
As a result , the school canteen no longer uses disposable food containers and students use delph plates and stainless steel cutlery which are washed and reused .
For McArdle , the success of “ plexit ” means plastic-free school has become the new norm at Beech Hill College , and shows just how important student-led approaches are to making a difference .
“ It is extremely important that schools listen to and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ This is something we endeavour to do in Beech Hill College every day .
“ Young people are becoming more educated and vocal on environmental issues .
They live in the realm of social media , and contact with other environmentally conscious young people around the world such as Greta Thunberg can have a massive positive influence on their opinions on environmental issues .
“ Our young people are the future and if we don ’ t involve them now , then it will be extremely difficult to encourage them later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change.
” While eliminating single-use plastic might strike fear in schools and businesses alike , McArdle ’ s advice is to start small and engage with all stakeholders from the beginning , including their local environmental officer ; “ a sense of ownership ” of the project is pivotal to its success .
Primary schools are small communities with big ideas , and “ busy as a bee ” takes on a new meaning at St Peter ’ s National School , Dromiskin , Co Louth , as young students learn to play @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In a curriculum which can be tailored towards any issue , it ’ s no longer a case of why teach about the environment , but more why not ?
Principal Aoibheann Lynch says that by engaging children with practical , immersive lessons on the environment , communities will see a significant change in attitudes of their young people .
“ It ’ s about communicating these ideals with the children who in turn educate their parents and the wider community , ” she says .
“ It ’ s not just about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how to plant to enhance the environment .
Finding ways to encourage bees and other pollinators back into our community .
“ We want generations to come to have an appreciation of the vital aspects of life .
And for us , bee pollination is at the top of our agenda.
” As part of redeveloping the school campus , the school worked alongside local beekeeper of 40 years Martin O ’ Rourke to develop best practice , and , more importantly , get pupils involved .
Their work , which spanned from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ researching and planting pollinator-friendly flowers and vegetables , caring for them and harvesting them throughout the year .
Everything from eco-friendly pest control to sustainability and recycling of materials to creating suitable habitats for pollinators and insects was covered throughout the year ’ s curriculum .
Students developed a “ bee drinking station ” at their vegetable patch , to ensure pollinators stayed hydrated during warmer weather .
Lessons do not get much more immersive than 2,000 bees brought into class , inside a glass hive , to give children a picture-perfect view @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s lessons like these , O ’ Rourke says , that children will act on to really make changes in how communities operate .
“ Learning about the environment should always be purposeful and everyone should learn how they can play their part , no matter how small , or young , ” he says .
“ I ’ ve seen a great change in primary schools , with children becoming more environmentally conscious – and you can see that ripple effect in the locality .
I certainly do with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ car is still king when it comes to how students get to school .
In Galway , some schools are trying to change this through an idea borrowed from the Netherlands : the cycle bus .
Alan Curran came across it when trying to work out a more sustainable way of bringing his own five-year-old to primary school , 3km away .
“ I had watched videos in the Netherlands of kindergarten children being escorted by bike to school by their schoolteachers , and I just wondered whether something like that would work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I spoke to a couple of parents in my estate , as they had children in the same school , and they liked the idea of all the children in the estate cycling in together with parents so there was safety in numbers .
As we chatted more , my ambition for the idea grew.
” Curran says the support from schools has been phenomenal and there is huge enthusiasm among pupils .
“ We have teachers in the school who join us in a marshalling capacity every morning , and this strengthens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ community , ” Curran says .
It ’ s an initiative that has inspired many communities across Ireland , with school cycle buses and scooter trainers now operating in Cork , Limerick , Wexford and Dublin .
“ Whether children cycle , walk or scoot to school , 20 minutes of exercise first thing in the morning has such a positive impact on their learning , ” Curran says .
“ They are more engaged in their lessons , more alert in the classroom , and are playing , socialising and chatting with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We ’ ve been waiting decades for local and national governments to act on these issues .
The time for direct action , by the community , is now .
”

Visit any primary or secondary school in Ireland, and you are likely to find a number of green flags at the gate.
Across the walls, there is artwork, poetry, stories, investigations and reports on why things such as renewable energy, sustainability and conservation are important.
There is no mandate to study this, but school communities are passionate about the environment. They spend the entire year developing green policies, only to take these even further the next year and so on.
Increasingly, young people themselves are taking the lead on environmental projects that are changing habits, growing leaders – and helping to protect the planet.
READ MORE
The work is passionate, and the policies ambitious, but, most importantly, they’re successful. Anything from eliminating plastics to promoting greener travel are things many adults are still struggling to get to grips with. Schools, meanwhile, are just getting on with it.
Perhaps it’s time we listen to school communities – on what works and what needs to be done – and maybe we’ll learn some valuable lessons.
Plastic-free schools: getting ‘plexit’ done
At Beech Hill College, Monaghan, a student-led “plexit” project has eliminated single-use plastic from the entire school campus, and won the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland’s 2019 “One Good Idea” competition.
The students say: “Our mission aimed to measurably reduce plastic pollution on our school campus, with a special focus on the reduction and ultimately the elimination of plastic bottles, plastic straws and utensils, and plastic food packaging.
The project began when six students undertook a young scientist-like module for two hours every week, during which the idea of working to reduce plastics in school took hold.
“We identified plastic pollution as a key concern on our campus, and we took action to confront the problem. We ended bottled water sales in the school and introduced a school-branded reusable drink bottle for every student and teacher in our school from September 2019,” the students explain.
The students hosted a plastic-free event to demonstrate further to the school community the impact single-use plastics are having on the environment. There, a contract banning single-use plastics was signed by principal Patrick McArdle and, from September 2019 onwards, every student and parent signed this same contract in the school journal.
As a result, the school canteen no longer uses disposable food containers and students use delph plates and stainless steel cutlery which are washed and reused.
For McArdle, the success of “plexit” means plastic-free school has become the new norm at Beech Hill College, and shows just how important student-led approaches are to making a difference.
“It is extremely important that schools listen to and value student voices,” he says. “This is something we endeavour to do in Beech Hill College every day.
"Young people are becoming more educated and vocal on environmental issues. They live in the realm of social media, and contact with other environmentally conscious young people around the world such as Greta Thunberg can have a massive positive influence on their opinions on environmental issues.
“Our young people are the future and if we don’t involve them now, then it will be extremely difficult to encourage them later in their lives. They are the change.”
While eliminating single-use plastic might strike fear in schools and businesses alike, McArdle’s advice is to start small and engage with all stakeholders from the beginning, including their local environmental officer; “a sense of ownership” of the project is pivotal to its success.
At St Peter’s National School, Dromiskin, students are studying bees to learn about their local biodiversity
Busy with bees: building back biodiversity
Primary schools are small communities with big ideas, and “busy as a bee” takes on a new meaning at St Peter’s National School, Dromiskin, Co Louth, as young students learn to play their part in their local biodiversity.
In a curriculum which can be tailored towards any issue, it’s no longer a case of why teach about the environment, but more why not?
Principal Aoibheann Lynch says that by engaging children with practical, immersive lessons on the environment, communities will see a significant change in attitudes of their young people.
“It’s about communicating these ideals with the children who in turn educate their parents and the wider community,” she says.
“ It’s not just about showing them how to plant, but how to plant to enhance the environment. Finding ways to encourage bees and other pollinators back into our community.
“We want generations to come to have an appreciation of the vital aspects of life. And for us, bee pollination is at the top of our agenda.”
As part of redeveloping the school campus, the school worked alongside local beekeeper of 40 years Martin O’Rourke to develop best practice, and, more importantly, get pupils involved.
Their work, which spanned from Junior Infants upwards, included students actively researching and planting pollinator-friendly flowers and vegetables, caring for them and harvesting them throughout the year.
Everything from eco-friendly pest control to sustainability and recycling of materials to creating suitable habitats for pollinators and insects was covered throughout the year’s curriculum.
I've seen a great change in primary schools, with children becoming more environmentally conscious
Students developed a “bee drinking station” at their vegetable patch, to ensure pollinators stayed hydrated during warmer weather.
Lessons do not get much more immersive than 2,000 bees brought into class, inside a glass hive, to give children a picture-perfect view of the work they’re doing.
It’s lessons like these, O’Rourke says, that children will act on to really make changes in how communities operate.
“Learning about the environment should always be purposeful and everyone should learn how they can play their part, no matter how small, or young,” he says.
“I’ve seen a great change in primary schools, with children becoming more environmentally conscious – and you can see that ripple effect in the locality. I certainly do with my work.”
In Galway, some schools have adopted the cycle bus idea from the Netherlands where groups of students cycle to school under adult supervision
Cycle bus: green light for green travel
Latest figures show the car is still king when it comes to how students get to school.
In Galway, some schools are trying to change this through an idea borrowed from the Netherlands: the cycle bus.
Alan Curran came across it when trying to work out a more sustainable way of bringing his own five-year-old to primary school, 3km away.
“I had watched videos in the Netherlands of kindergarten children being escorted by bike to school by their schoolteachers, and I just wondered whether something like that would work here,” he explains.
“I spoke to a couple of parents in my estate, as they had children in the same school, and they liked the idea of all the children in the estate cycling in together with parents so there was safety in numbers. As we chatted more, my ambition for the idea grew.”
Curran says the support from schools has been phenomenal and there is huge enthusiasm among pupils.
Twenty minutes of exercise first thing in the morning has such a positive impact on their learning
“We have teachers in the school who join us in a marshalling capacity every morning, and this strengthens the link between the school and the community,” Curran says.
It's an initiative that has inspired many communities across Ireland, with school cycle buses and scooter trainers now operating in Cork, Limerick, Wexford and Dublin.
“Whether children cycle, walk or scoot to school, 20 minutes of exercise first thing in the morning has such a positive impact on their learning,” Curran says.
“They are more engaged in their lessons, more alert in the classroom, and are playing, socialising and chatting with their friends from the minute they arrive.
“We’ve been waiting decades for local and national governments to act on these issues. The time for direct action, by the community, is now.”


theirishtimes--2020-01-21--The Secret Teacher: ‘Social media contact with students is an absolute no-go area’

As I watched Sam from fifth year hop into my colleague ’ s car , I wondered when the penny would drop .
For teachers , the cane has died out and the lifts home need to follow suit asap .
Only prohibited in 1982 , corporal punishment was such a norm in schools until then that it is still a powerful memory for a very large proportion of Irish adults .
I had not long started primary school , and yet I have vivid memories of a boy ( always the same boy ) getting beaten across the head @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and sixth class .
Prohibited though his beatings may have been , the master in our school was well into the second half of his career and clearly intended to finish it as he had started .
He wasn ’ t alone , and so it will be some time before all living memories of corporal punishment have died out .
But it is only since 2015 that corporal punishment in all forms and in all settings has been prohibited in Ireland .
Until then , it hadn ’ t been banned in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was one of the later European nations to make it illegal .
There is undoubtedly unanimous satisfaction with the complete and total banning of physical punishment by a teacher of a child .
No controversy , no ongoing debate , no calls to bring it back .
But what about outside schools ?
Is it healthy or helpful to effectively criminalise a parent for corporal punishment ?
At my local pool very recently a father administered a very mild slap to his young son ’ s hand , which had the immediate effect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the wire separating the swimming lanes .
He had been disturbing the swimmers , and after asking him twice to stop , the dad then proceeded to combine the verbal request with a little tap on his son ’ s hand .
The boy was neither fazed nor hurt as far as I could tell .
He seemed not to react at all , other than to let go of the rope .
The lady in the pool beside me reacted enough for everyone around – she was aghast and asked me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seen was illegal .
She stormed off to report the dad to the leisure centre manager , who was visibly under pressure to intervene .
I can not in all honesty say I was remotely disturbed by what I had witnessed .
In my eyes that tap only just qualified as a slap , and even then only a very insignificant one , but it was a slap rather than a nudge or a pat .
Apart from it , every single thing about the interactions between that father and son was entirely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his father questions endlessly , and they were all answered with infinite patience : “ Where are the people going ?
” ( jacuzzi , hot tub , sauna – all out of bounds to him as an under-16 , so well he might have wondered where the doors led ! )
.
“ Why is she doing that ?
” ( pool attendant taking sample from pool for regulatory testing ) and “ Can we go to the swings after ?
” ( “ We ’ ll see ” was as committed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or some other distraction would take care of that for him ! )
.
He never raised his voice and gestures of affection ran into double figures .
But there was still that one slap , and that one lady who feared for the child .
She would have been a convincing and damning witness in court .
The elimination of corporal punishment from our schools is complete and there are simply no grey areas .
How great the contrast with incidents such as the one I witnessed at the swimming pool , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hard application of the legal position .
Equally , there remains too much variety in how we have interpreted the ( in ) appropriateness of ( over ) familiarity between teachers and students .
Children are central to all three scenarios and where children are concerned we must choose our language and modify our behaviour carefully and consistently .
Only thus can we ensure that what we commit to really does serve the best interests of the greatest number of our children at any one time .
In terms of safeguarding children at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to shift to ensuring that a correct professional distance is maintained by teachers at all times .
The glass panels in classroom doors may be unfortunate , but are a necessary protection for both parties ; a reassurance to both teachers and students that when they are alone together they can be observed .
Many teachers , myself included , exercise extra caution by leaving the door propped open when alone with a student .
Teachers also need to be mindful of the dangers of piling students into cars to give them lifts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ student a lift home is unthinkable .
Furthermore , social media contact with students is an absolute no-go area .
No direct phone contact should take place between a teacher and a pupil , and school-related work must not be sent via any channels other than school-administered accounts .
And yet , teachers in Ireland are still leaving themselves wide open to an array of problems by engaging in these acts .
Why are there still grey areas here ?
Where the dad ’ s slap wasn ’ t a problem for me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Our success in moving away from corporal punishment needs emulating in other areas for us to safeguard ourselves against the dangers presented by these acts of overfamiliarity .
As a profession we must uphold the highest standards of behaviour of all kinds in order to maintain the high respect we deserve .

The glass panels in classroom doors reassures both teachers and students that when they are alone together they can be observed. Many teachers leave the door propped open when alone with a student. Photograph: iStock
As I watched Sam from fifth year hop into my colleague’s car, I wondered when the penny would drop.
For teachers, the cane has died out and the lifts home need to follow suit asap. Only prohibited in 1982, corporal punishment was such a norm in schools until then that it is still a powerful memory for a very large proportion of Irish adults.
I had not long started primary school, and yet I have vivid memories of a boy (always the same boy) getting beaten across the head years later when we were in fifth and sixth class.
Prohibited though his beatings may have been, the master in our school was well into the second half of his career and clearly intended to finish it as he had started. He wasn’t alone, and so it will be some time before all living memories of corporal punishment have died out.
READ MORE
But it is only since 2015 that corporal punishment in all forms and in all settings has been prohibited in Ireland. Until then, it hadn't been banned in the home, and in fact Ireland was one of the later European nations to make it illegal.
There is undoubtedly unanimous satisfaction with the complete and total banning of physical punishment by a teacher of a child. No controversy, no ongoing debate, no calls to bring it back. But what about outside schools? Is it healthy or helpful to effectively criminalise a parent for corporal punishment?
Mild slap
At my local pool very recently a father administered a very mild slap to his young son’s hand, which had the immediate effect of stopping the boy from pulling hard on the wire separating the swimming lanes.
He had been disturbing the swimmers, and after asking him twice to stop, the dad then proceeded to combine the verbal request with a little tap on his son’s hand. The boy was neither fazed nor hurt as far as I could tell. He seemed not to react at all, other than to let go of the rope. The lady in the pool beside me reacted enough for everyone around – she was aghast and asked me to confirm that what we had just seen was illegal. She stormed off to report the dad to the leisure centre manager, who was visibly under pressure to intervene.
I cannot in all honesty say I was remotely disturbed by what I had witnessed. In my eyes that tap only just qualified as a slap, and even then only a very insignificant one, but it was a slap rather than a nudge or a pat.
But there was still that one slap, and that one lady who feared for the child
Apart from it, every single thing about the interactions between that father and son was entirely heart-warming to watch. The boy asked his father questions endlessly, and they were all answered with infinite patience: “Where are the people going?” (jacuzzi, hot tub, sauna – all out of bounds to him as an under-16, so well he might have wondered where the doors led!). “Why is she doing that?” (pool attendant taking sample from pool for regulatory testing) and “Can we go to the swings after?” (“We’ll see” was as committed as Dad got, probably hoping fatigue or some other distraction would take care of that for him!). He never raised his voice and gestures of affection ran into double figures. But there was still that one slap, and that one lady who feared for the child. She would have been a convincing and damning witness in court.
No grey areas
The elimination of corporal punishment from our schools is complete and there are simply no grey areas. How great the contrast with incidents such as the one I witnessed at the swimming pool, which urgently require something more subtle than hard application of the legal position.
Equally, there remains too much variety in how we have interpreted the (in)appropriateness of (over)familiarity between teachers and students. Children are central to all three scenarios and where children are concerned we must choose our language and modify our behaviour carefully and consistently. Only thus can we ensure that what we commit to really does serve the best interests of the greatest number of our children at any one time.
In terms of safeguarding children at schools, attention to detail now needs to shift to ensuring that a correct professional distance is maintained by teachers at all times.
Teachers also need to be mindful of the dangers of piling students into cars to give them lifts to training or matches
The glass panels in classroom doors may be unfortunate, but are a necessary protection for both parties; a reassurance to both teachers and students that when they are alone together they can be observed. Many teachers, myself included, exercise extra caution by leaving the door propped open when alone with a student.
Teachers also need to be mindful of the dangers of piling students into cars to give them lifts to training or matches. Giving a student a lift home is unthinkable. Furthermore, social media contact with students is an absolute no-go area. No direct phone contact should take place between a teacher and a pupil, and school-related work must not be sent via any channels other than school-administered accounts.
Array of problems
And yet, teachers in Ireland are still leaving themselves wide open to an array of problems by engaging in these acts. Why are there still grey areas here? Where the dad’s slap wasn’t a problem for me, my colleagues’ risk-taking often is. Our success in moving away from corporal punishment needs emulating in other areas for us to safeguard ourselves against the dangers presented by these acts of overfamiliarity.
As a profession we must uphold the highest standards of behaviour of all kinds in order to maintain the high respect we deserve.


theirishtimes--2020-01-20--Ireland must prioritise female healthcare, urges women’s council

Ireland has had a “ litany of historic health scandals ” affecting women and female healthcare must now be prioritised , the National Women ’ s Council of Ireland ( NWCI ) has said .
In its “ feminist Ireland manifesto ” , published on Tuesday , the NWCI called on general election candidates to show their commitment to gender equality by signing up to 10 key issues , relating to women ’ s health , domestic violence and accommodation .
Among the feminist lobby group ’ s demands were calls for free universal contraception , support for lone parents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the introduction of a universal pension system .
Orla O ’ Connor , director of NWCI , said the election has the potential to “ set the political agenda for the next five years ” and will be “ crucial ” in deciding the future direction of the country .
“ We have seen from recent controversies such as CervicalCheck that women ’ s health must be given consistent focus and dedicated resources , ” Ms O ’ Connor said .
“ We have to put a sustained focus on women ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in services and in driving the change that women have been so active in calling for publicly .
“ We ’ re calling on candidates to commit to the delivery of SláinteCare , to develop women-centred mental health services , to introduce universal , free contraception and to ensure access to the full range of abortion services across the country.
” The NWCI also raised the issue of domestic violence and called for an increase in the number of domestic abuse refuge spaces available across the State .
“ One in four women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Ms O ’ Connor added .
“ After Ireland finally ratified the Istanbul Convention on violence against women in 2019 , we need candidates who will prioritise its full implementation , including strengthening legislation and investing in frontline services , and ensuring Ireland has enough refuge places.
” Ms O ’ Connor said Ireland has “ the highest childcare costs in Europe , one of the highest rates of women ’ s homelessness in Europe , and only one third our recommended refuge spaces for women fleeing violence ” , adding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the incoming government tackle gender equality .
- End the gender pay gap and deliver decent work for women

Ireland has had a “litany of historic health scandals” affecting women and female healthcare must now be prioritised, the National Women’s Council of Ireland (NWCI) has said.
In its “feminist Ireland manifesto”, published on Tuesday, the NWCI called on general election candidates to show their commitment to gender equality by signing up to 10 key issues, relating to women’s health, domestic violence and accommodation.
Among the feminist lobby group’s demands were calls for free universal contraception, support for lone parents, establishment of domestic homicide reviews and the introduction of a universal pension system.
Orla O’Connor, director of NWCI, said the election has the potential to “set the political agenda for the next five years” and will be “crucial” in deciding the future direction of the country.
READ MORE
“We have seen from recent controversies such as CervicalCheck that women’s health must be given consistent focus and dedicated resources,” Ms O’Connor said. “We have to put a sustained focus on women’s health, on the gaps that exist in services and in driving the change that women have been so active in calling for publicly.
Delivery of SláinteCare
“We’re calling on candidates to commit to the delivery of SláinteCare, to develop women-centred mental health services, to introduce universal, free contraception and to ensure access to the full range of abortion services across the country.”
The NWCI also raised the issue of domestic violence and called for an increase in the number of domestic abuse refuge spaces available across the State.
“One in four women in Ireland experience physical and sexual violence,” Ms O’Connor added. “After Ireland finally ratified the Istanbul Convention on violence against women in 2019, we need candidates who will prioritise its full implementation, including strengthening legislation and investing in frontline services, and ensuring Ireland has enough refuge places.”
Ms O'Connor said Ireland has "the highest childcare costs in Europe, one of the highest rates of women's homelessness in Europe, and only one third our recommended refuge spaces for women fleeing violence", adding that it is "critical" that the incoming government tackle gender equality.
The 10 issues in NWCI’s feminist Ireland manifesto
- End the housing and homelessness crisis
- Prioritise women’s health
- Deliver a public childcare service
- Change Ireland’s record on violence against women
- Ensure safe, legal and local access to abortion
- Eliminate poverty
- End the gender pay gap and deliver decent work for women
- Advance women’s leadership
- Lead a green new deal
- Guarantee access to justice


theirishtimes--2020-01-20--Government ignored warnings on increasing pension age – Ictu

The Government ignored repeated warnings about the implications of increasing the State pension age , the Irish Congress of Trade Unions ( Ictu ) has said , adding further pressure on Taoiseach Leo Varadkar on the issue .
The trade union movement also accused Minister for Social Protection Regina Doherty of being “ completely imprudent ” in providing social welfare benefits to the self-employed at a significantly discounted rate .
Mr Varadkar pledged at the weekend to deal with the pension gap for those who are contractually obliged to retire before the age of 67 – the qualifying age for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ following a public backlash over the issue .
On Monday , Fianna Fáil confirmed its plans to outlaw contracts that force workers to leave their jobs at 65 .
The party ’ s spokesman on social protection Willie O ’ Dea said restoring the pension age to 65 would cost €620 million a year , according to the Government ’ s own figures .
This included an estimated bill of €150 million annually if a transition pension was put in place to cover those forced out of their jobs at 65 .
Ictu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wholly unacceptable ” the Government ’ s plan to extend the qualifying age for receipt of the State pension to 67 from 2021 , and to 68 from 2028 .
Ms King said “ the pension issue had been raised by Ictu as a matter of grave concern as far back as 2011 when the change was first proposed and consistently thereafter with various government Ministers and the Taoiseach .
“ However instead of heeding our warnings to pause an increase in the pension-qualifying age , the Government proceeded with strategies which can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fund ” .
Ms King said “ a direct employee , combined with their employer , must pay at a PRSI contribution rate of up to 14.95 per cent , and it was completely imprudent of Minister for Social Protection Regina Doherty to extend 93 per cent of all social insurance benefits to 350,000 self-employed people for a contribution rate of 4 per cent ” .
She said this covered only 24 per cent of the benefit cost to the State .
She predicted that measure would cost the state €413 million by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also chose to ignore the advice of the Government ’ s tax strategy group , which recommended that self-employed people should pay a proportionate contribution of up to 12 per cent towards their pension and other social welfare benefits .
Ms Doherty on Monday said the move to increase the pension age stemmed from a 2007 review of the Social Insurance Fund fund that paid pensions .
There were now more pensioners than workers , she said .
“ There is a pension time bomb , ” she said , and the plan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ got the state pension was introduced “ because we need to ensure sustainability ” .
Mr Varadkar said Fine Gael , if returned to power , would reintroduce a transition pension which was abolished in 2014 when the state pension age was raised to 66 .
Ms Doherty said the thinking behind a reintroduced transition payment was so that people aged 65 who were forced to retire would not be required to sign on until the pension kicks in .
“ I agree that it ’ s not fair to have to go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

The Government ignored repeated warnings about the implications of increasing the State pension age, the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (Ictu) has said, adding further pressure on Taoiseach Leo Varadkar on the issue.
The trade union movement also accused Minister for Social Protection Regina Doherty of being "completely imprudent" in providing social welfare benefits to the self-employed at a significantly discounted rate.
Mr Varadkar pledged at the weekend to deal with the pension gap for those who are contractually obliged to retire before the age of 67 – the qualifying age for a State pension from next January – following a public backlash over the issue.
On Monday, Fianna Fáil confirmed its plans to outlaw contracts that force workers to leave their jobs at 65.
READ MORE
The party’s spokesman on social protection Willie O’Dea said restoring the pension age to 65 would cost €620 million a year, according to the Government’s own figures.
This included an estimated bill of €150 million annually if a transition pension was put in place to cover those forced out of their jobs at 65.
‘Wholly unacceptable’
Ictu general secretary Patricia King described as "wholly unacceptable" the Government's plan to extend the qualifying age for receipt of the State pension to 67 from 2021, and to 68 from 2028.
Ms King said “the pension issue had been raised by Ictu as a matter of grave concern as far back as 2011 when the change was first proposed and consistently thereafter with various government Ministers and the Taoiseach.
“However instead of heeding our warnings to pause an increase in the pension-qualifying age, the Government proceeded with strategies which can only serve to deplete the social insurance fund”.
Ms King said “a direct employee, combined with their employer, must pay at a PRSI contribution rate of up to 14.95 per cent, and it was completely imprudent of Minister for Social Protection Regina Doherty to extend 93 per cent of all social insurance benefits to 350,000 self-employed people for a contribution rate of 4 per cent”.
She said this covered only 24 per cent of the benefit cost to the State. She predicted that measure would cost the state €413 million by 2025.
Ms King said Ms Doherty also chose to ignore the advice of the Government’s tax strategy group, which recommended that self-employed people should pay a proportionate contribution of up to 12 per cent towards their pension and other social welfare benefits.
Ms Doherty on Monday said the move to increase the pension age stemmed from a 2007 review of the Social Insurance Fund fund that paid pensions. There were now more pensioners than workers, she said.
“There is a pension time bomb,” she said, and the plan to increase the age at which people got the state pension was introduced “because we need to ensure sustainability”.
Mr Varadkar said Fine Gael, if returned to power, would reintroduce a transition pension which was abolished in 2014 when the state pension age was raised to 66.
Ms Doherty said the thinking behind a reintroduced transition payment was so that people aged 65 who were forced to retire would not be required to sign on until the pension kicks in. “I agree that it’s not fair to have to go on the dole,” she said.


theirishtimes--2020-01-20--Man jailed for welfare fraud admits to further €18,000 false claim in benefit

A Dutch man who was jailed for four years for claiming over €225,000 in social welfare while living outside of Ireland has admitted to falsely claiming a further €18,000 in child benefit .
Leendert Stolk fraudulently used a school stamp while claiming child benefit for his two children between 2011 and 2018 , Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard on Monday .
Stolk ( 50 ) , of Coppice Road , Worthing , Sussex , England pleaded guilty to 22 sample counts of wrongfully claiming social welfare and four counts of using a false instrument .
He is currently 13 months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fraud during the same period .
The child benefit fraud only came to light after Stolk ’ s wife was arrested in relation to it , the court heard .
Stolk then made full admissions to gardaí .
Judge Patricia Ryan ordered that the fresh charges be taken into consideration , meaning Stolk ’ s prison sentence will remain the same .
The court previously heard that Stolk moved to Ireland with his family in 2009 and left the jurisdiction in late 2010 .
He continued to make claims for jobseeker ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work allowance and back to school allowance for seven years after leaving the country , as well as the child benefit claims .
He regularly returned to the country , often every two weeks , to claim the payments .
The court heard he used a stamp from a school in Meath when filling out the child benefit forms .
Letters were sent to a house in the Dublin 15 area in which he resided while in Ireland and then redirected to his actual address outside of the country .
Authorities began investigating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was returned to the Department of Social Protection instead of being redirected and gardaí discovered that the house was in fact empty .
Stolk was asked to provide proof he did not have a redirection in place and handed over a fraudulent declaration he claimed was from An Post .
Including the child benefit claims , Stolk falsely claimed over €244,000 during the seven-year period .
Stolk , who is originally from the Netherlands , had no previous convictions prior to the fraud .
The court previously heard he was diagnosed with Obsessive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in South Africa , he was kidnapped and confronted by an armed intruder to his property on two separate occasions .

A Dutch man who was jailed for four years for claiming over €225,000 in social welfare while living outside of Ireland has admitted to falsely claiming a further €18,000 in child benefit.
Leendert Stolk fraudulently used a school stamp while claiming child benefit for his two children between 2011 and 2018, Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard on Monday.
Stolk (50), of Coppice Road, Worthing, Sussex, England pleaded guilty to 22 sample counts of wrongfully claiming social welfare and four counts of using a false instrument. He is currently 13 months into a four-year prison sentence for welfare fraud during the same period.
The child benefit fraud only came to light after Stolk’s wife was arrested in relation to it, the court heard. Stolk then made full admissions to gardaí.
READ MORE
Judge Patricia Ryan ordered that the fresh charges be taken into consideration, meaning Stolk’s prison sentence will remain the same.
The court previously heard that Stolk moved to Ireland with his family in 2009 and left the jurisdiction in late 2010.
He continued to make claims for jobseeker’s allowance, rent allowance, back to work allowance and back to school allowance for seven years after leaving the country, as well as the child benefit claims. He regularly returned to the country, often every two weeks, to claim the payments.
The court heard he used a stamp from a school in Meath when filling out the child benefit forms.
Letters were sent to a house in the Dublin 15 area in which he resided while in Ireland and then redirected to his actual address outside of the country.
Authorities began investigating him in July 2018 when a letter was returned to the Department of Social Protection instead of being redirected and gardaí discovered that the house was in fact empty.
Stolk was asked to provide proof he did not have a redirection in place and handed over a fraudulent declaration he claimed was from An Post.
Including the child benefit claims, Stolk falsely claimed over €244,000 during the seven-year period.
Stolk, who is originally from the Netherlands, had no previous convictions prior to the fraud.
The court previously heard he was diagnosed with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and that, while living in South Africa, he was kidnapped and confronted by an armed intruder to his property on two separate occasions.