Caoimhe Butterly is an Irish activist who has been working with refugees across Europe. Over the past year she has started making short films with and about the people she has met through this work. Mog Kavanagh caught up with her to find out more.
Out Of Sight, Out Of Mind.
Martin Leen caught up with asylum seeker Lucky Khambule to discuss the realities and frustrations of living under the Direct Provision system in 2016. Here he outlines the steps some of those seeking asylum have taken to ensure their voices are heard. How long have you been in direct provision, what was the process when you arrived in Ireland? It’s been three and a half years now. I came to Ireland … Read More
UNFair.
Pictured: An Irish Housing Network protest just as the Christmas season was ramping up. The nation is getting grilled again in the international spotlight. This time over our the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. We ratified it back in 1992 and today’s examination will be carried out by a group of 18 independent experts elected by the UN. Michael Barron is he founder of Belong2 and … Read More
€15.60
Above: illustrator JTB provided us with this piece of art for this article on asylum ages ago. The state has just announced it’s jacking up the direct provision allowance paid to kids by a whole six quid. It’s the first increase in 16 years and not surprisingly multiple organisations are coming out heavy on the critique. Right they are too. A number of press releases have landed in … Read More
Selective Memories.
Photos: Holly Shortall sent us these snaps of people sorting donations for Calais and working to build a shelter for a pregnant woman in the camp. Jamie Goldrick tries to suss out the reason for Ireland’s pitiful response to the most recent refugee crisis and discovers a state that has been stuck in a cycle of perpetual hypocrisy since its formation. This country is no stranger to emigration, at … Read More
Unchallenged Racism On National TV.
Tracy Ryan of Cork Calais Refugee Solidarity on OpinionLine 96 On the Claire Byrne Live Show on Monday there was a segment on the Refugee Crisis framed from an Irish perspective. As usual on the show none of the facts were checked, challenged or corrected. Anyone who remembers Byrne’s shows before the Marriage Referendum will be unsurprised. In the name of “balance” we get nodding heads and serious brows while … Read More
Stats A Lot Of Racism.
Ireland experienced its first major phase of immigration in the mid to late nineties. Racist abuse and assault on the streets of our towns and cities, but also at the hands of the state and the media, is nothing new here. David Fleming tots up the figures and looks at the facts. Statistics released by the Immigrant Council of Ireland show a disturbing 85% increase in reports of racist … Read More
How Far Does €9.60 Really Go?
People have started to share photos of receipts for €9.60 or less to highlight just how little a child in direct provision is expected to live on. The Irish Refugee council are doing trojan work to highlight the realities of institutional living. This is their latest creative challenge to the public and a solid pop at myths around asylum seeking spongers taking over our shores. They are asking people to … Read More
Athlone Asylum Seekers Refuse Food.
Reports have just come in, via the Irish Refugee Council, that the residents of Lissywollen Direct Provision Centre in Athlone have been refusing food since yesterday. Those living there collectively outlined their main frustrations with management of the centre at the start of the month. So, far there has been no response. This not the first time that the catering company involved in running the centre has been shy when faced … Read More
Shatter’s U-Turn on Asylum Seekers’ Rights
In 1999 Alan Shatter criticised the Department of Justice for it’s ‘disgraceful reputation’ in dealing with refugees and demanded a right to work for asylum seekers. Now he sings a very different tune. Aisling Twomey asks will the real Alan Shatter please stand up? During the passage of the Immigration Act of 1999, questions arose as to the possibility of asylum seekers gaining employment. The Bill was rushed through the … Read More