Trudging slowly over wet sand
Back to the bench where your clothes were stolen
This is the coastal town
That they forgot to close down
Armageddon – come Armageddon!
Come, Armageddon! Come!
A stunning, literally barking ‘Everyday Is Like Sunday by Morrissey last night in the 3Arena.
Still has it.
Thanks KD
Arts Minister Heather Humphries (top)arriving at government buildings this morning. Above: An ad for ‘pro-bono’ board appointments from the Department of Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht
Where does working for nothing mean nothing at all?
In October 2012, the then Minister for Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht Jimmy Deenihan announced a set of reforms pertaining to the 12 organisations that are funded by the department.
Namely the National Gallery of Ireland, Irish Museum of Modern Art, Crawford Art Gallery, National Archives of Ireland, National Museum of Ireland, National Library of Ireland, Irish Manuscripts Commission, Culture Ireland, Chester Beatty Library, the Heritage Council, An Coimisinéir Teanga (Irish Language Commissioner) and An Coimisiún Logainmneacha (Placenames Commission).
Under these reforms board members of certain institutions would operate on a pro bono basis {volunteer their services]- specifically the board members of the National Gallery of Ireland, Irish Museum of Modern Art, Crawford Art Gallery in Cork, Heritage Council and An Coimisiún Logainmneacha.
He also announced that, in regards to the National Archives of Ireland, the National Library of Ireland, the National Museum of Ireland and the Irish Manuscripts Commission, that a new National Museum and Library Advistory Council would replace existing boards and this work would also be carried out pro bono.
Since this announcement, positions have been advertised stating that they are ‘pro bono’ positions. One of those advertisements included positions at the Arts Council.
However,the following exchange took place during the Joint Committee on Environment, Culture and the Gaeltacht meeting last Tuesday between Fianna Fáil’s Seán Ó Fearghaíl and newly appointed Arts Minister Heather Humphreys.
Seán Ó Fearghaíl: “The Minister referred to the Arts Council, which is of enormous importance. Its budget for this year is €56.9 million. A new chair and members of the Arts Council were recently appointed. Those appointments followed an announcement by the then Minister, Deputy Deenihan, in March 2013 when he addressed the Royal Irish Academy that he would look at the boards of the cultural institutions. The Minister, Deputy Humphreys, has probably heard more than she wants to hear about the cultural institutions; she will forgive me for raising such a matter again. The then Minister said he would reduce the membership of these boards and streamline them, with members serving on a pro bono basis. An advertisement was subsequently placed for those boards, including the Arts Council. Have things changed? Are the members of the Arts Council being remunerated? If they are being remunerated, who has approved their remuneration? Is their remuneration in addition to expenses they are being paid, if they are being paid expenses? If this has happened, was there any public announcement of the change of position by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, or is it something that has happened quietly behind the scenes?”
Later
Heather Humpheys: “Members of the Arts Council are being remunerated because new members get the same as the old members. If we want to change that, the legislation must change.”
Later
Ó Fearghaíl: “I understand the positions on the Arts Council were advertised by the Minister’s predecessor and were described as being pro bono positions. If people did not apply because they understood the positions were pro bono and it has now transpired that the members are being remunerated, how can the Minister reconcile that? Is the Department, the Minister or the Arts Council at risk of legal challenge from somebody who might have applied had he or she known the position would be remunerated and now finds that the successful applicants are being remunerated? There seems to be a significant inconsistency in that situation.”
Later
Humphreys: “I understand that board vacancies were advertised on a pro bono basis. It could not be on a pro bono basis until the legislation was changed because all members of the Arts Council had to be treated the same. I did not see the advertisement at the time but it was on the basis that the Government’s intention was that it would be pro bono. However, we cannot treat board members differently, so until the legislation is changed, they all get the standard remuneration.”
Good times.
Transcript via Oireachtas.ie
Deenihan outlines reform actions for Arts, Heritage and Gaeltacht organisations (October 10, 2012)
A Homeless man in Molesworth Street, Dublin
Dan Boyle writes:
The death of homeless man a stone’s throw from Leinster House will give many pause for thought. No doubt it will be raised there as the political football of the day. That may create some rethink on releasing some small additional resources, but soon again, I fear, the issue of homelessness will be as intractable as it has ever seemed to be.
While a member of the Oireachtas I was aware of about a dozen similar perches within five hundred meters of Leinster House. It wouldn’t be fair to suggest there was or has been there any indifference. When being lobbied, speaking with homeless charities, their frustration was obvious at the lack of any co-ordinated approach to the issue.
Each homeless person lives a unique life. There may be factors in common such as addiction, mental health or economic need but all combine differently to define the circumstances of each homeless person.
The homeless man I remember on Molesworth Street (given the length of time I hope not the same person) would spend his waking time at the same spot shouting abuse at whoever passed by. It didn’t really matter who was being shouted at, on the law of averages by walking down that street you had to be a person with some influence and a certain degree of responsibility.
Then why the passivity of the political system? Why because to those to whom the political system is the narrow mechanism of getting and staying elected, it is not seen to be an issue ‘that had votes in it’.
That observation may add to further cynicism in which politics itself is held, however, it does reflect a sentiment that is found in wider Irish society.The political agenda is set by those who shout loudest and produce the largest numbers. It is an agenda that has been largely untouched by the issue of homelessness because it is believed that for most people, it has been put into a metaphorical box marked ‘It Doesn’t Affect Me’.
Each of us not only has a responsibility to give homelessness the importance it deserves, but also to further question how we have developed a society where issues of homelessness have been kept on the periphery, while issues of far less significance have preoccupied us.If we are to be angry let us be angry at this.
Dan Boyle is a former TD and Senator and member of the Green Party.
Previously: Less Than 50 Metres From The Dáil
(Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland)
Full credit to fucreddit.
Brightening up our streets .
For a quarter of a century.
Frank Carroll writes:
I am a Signwriter at Freeney’s Graphics in Tallaght, Dublin (you’ve featured some of our work on this page under ‘Dublin Bus porn’) we are now launching a book about our work over the past 25 years of painting buses.
It’s full colour, 256 pages and coffee table sized (10 x 11.5 inches) and is a part of Dublin’s transport history. Judging by the interest shown already we think this book will be very popular with anybody who has an interest in Art, Signs, and Buses. As a thank you to Broadsheet we are giving your readers a chance to win a signed copy of this book .Just send in your best/worst/funniest story about a Dublin Bus journey….
Lines MUST close at 12.45 1.45 5.45
Built with love.
Pinched with HATE.
Gavin Hinfey writes:
I know you don’t usually do this but my bike (above) was robbed from out side my apartment on Harcourt Terrace [south city centre, Dublin 2]. I had built it myself and use it all the time. It was taken yesterday morning. I was waiting to see if it might have popped up on Adverts or Done Deal to no avail. Some details: It had a Kyrptonite lock attached and Raleigh badge at the front. Its a silver single speed bike. Red saddle and yellow handlebars. Paint job is brand new. It had broken but functional pedals and an improvised drop bolt on the brakes (which is not a good idea I know). I built it myself and I would really like it back. Thanks for listening…
Anyone?
Meanwhile…
Gorugeen writes:
Truck spotted in cycle lane on Thomas st [Dublin] last night. The driver actually checked to see what room he had left!!!
‘sup?
The Santy Tea Cosy by nifty knit wit Moira Cardiff.
Impressive.
Of clause it’s no Michael Tea Cosy, in fairness.
Fr Niall Molloy (top) and last weekend’s Irish Sunday Times
Bill Maher a nephew of Fr Niall Molloy, writes:
My family were shocked this Sunday to read an article in the Irish Sunday Times headed “review finds no cover-up in Molloy case”. This is not the first time information has been leaked to the media. The family have already reported a previous article to GSOC who held an investigation over three months. The investigation came to an end when the GSOC said the reporter in question would neither confirm or deny that he had written the article in question. Despite the fact that the article appeared in a national Sunday paper.
Last Sunday’s article article maintains that Dominic McGinn SC’s report ” has concluded there is no evidence to support allegations of a cover-up. This report is highly confidential and is at present with the Minister for Justice who is in in consultations with the Attorney General on it’s contents. The family only heard that the report was actually finished when we read about it on Broadsheet.. Neither the Minister or her Department kept the Molloy family up to date on the progress of the report which was to have finished before the end of the summer.
We had written numerous letters to the Minister requesting a meeting with her prior to the findings of the report being made public.
The Minister has not agreed to meet us. She has however been very fast to meet with Mairia Cahill to discuss her case which happened in another jurisdiction. The Taoiseach who also will not meet with us has also met with Mairia Cahill
The Fr Molloy case is probably one of the most high profile cases in the Republic for the past 29 years. In fact it made world headlines when my Uncle Fr Molloy was found beaten to death in Clara, Co. Offaly 29 years ago.
My family are deeply insulted at recent developments, leaks to the media and a failure of the Minister for Justice to give us an update on Mr McGinn’s review.
Previously: Death, Cover-Up And Martin Cahill
Leak of report into priest’s 1985 killing ‘a gross insult’ (Irish Examiner)
Dannielle from Showoff writes:
We saw in the media that Childline were in trouble regarding funding so we thought that we might be able to help somehow. Based on the success of our 99 Finder app, we decided to alter that product and turn it into a “Santa Finder”.
Users can locate the nearest Santa’s Grotto, rate it by giving Santa candy canes, and add Santa Snaps which they can then share through social media.
The main function of the app, however, is to encourage donations to a good cause. Users can easily donate through the app via SMS. We had fun creating the product and we hope plenty of people have fun using it, but most importantly that it helps to raise a good bit of money for Childline.
The app is available now for FREE on the Apple App Store.
You can donate €4 by texting ‘Childline’ to 57911 or donate online at savechildline24.ie.
Do you have an Irish app (especially an Android one)? Let us know: Broadsheet@broadsheet.ie
