Local Government Training Course for Polish activists who want to engage in the local politics in Ireland will be launched by Lord Mayor, Emer Costello, Minister O’Dowd and Polish Ambassador as a part of “Vote! You are at home” campaign.
2nd September, 3pm
at the Polish Embassy, 5 Ailesbury Rd
The training run by Forum Polonia and School for Leaders Association in cooperation with the Polish Embassy in Dublin aims to prepare Polish activists for the forthcoming local elections. It is designed for those who wish to stand as candidates, educate and encourage their communities to register and vote. The 7-day intense course giving them necessary knowledge and skills will include workshops and seminars with Irish political figures, mentors and trainers from Poland.
Polish activist Barnaba Dorda from Forum Polonia explains the purpose of the campaign: “Since the enlargement of the European Union almost 10 years ago, Poles who moved to Ireland have settled down here with their families and became an integral part of the society. They also bought houses and progressed their careers here. Poles now want to take responsibility and play a vital role in developing local communities.
The training itself is a part of broader campaign “Vote! You are at home” which Forum Polonia along with School for Leaders Association are about to launch. The campaign aims to encourage the Polish community to register and vote in the local elections in Ireland as well as to enhance sense of belonging to their local communities.
Lord Mayor of Dublin Oisín Quinn strongly supports the action: “ I am glad to see the Polish community actively engaging in the life of Irish towns and cities. I see them every day living, working, attending cultural events, truly integrating in our city and I believe they will play a significant role in the forthcoming local elections. I am happy to see such an initiative”.
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For more information please contact Barnaba Dorda (barnaba.dorda@forumpolonia.org; 087 291 5591) or Artur Banaszkiewicz (artur.banaszkiewicz@forumpolonia.org; 0833 833 426).
Notes to editors:
Poles voting in Ireland in Polish parliamentary and presidential elections:
2005 – 885 registered (Polish parliamentary elections)
2007 – 21 333 registered (Polish parliamentary elections)
2010 – 20 403 registered (Polish presidential elections)
2011 – over 14 000 voted (Polish parliamentary elections)
Poles standing in last local elections: 9 candidates (Fine Gael, Finna Fail, Labour Party, independent)
Forum Polonia (www.forumpolonia.org) is a cooperative platform that brings together representatives of Polish community organisations, media and individuals involved in projects relating to the Polish minority and its links to Irish society as a whole. Forum operates through information exchange, mutual supports, social integration and promoting and developing the interests of the Polish community in the Republic of Ireland.
School for Leaders Association (www.szkola-liderow.pl) based in Warsaw, Poland, acting in over 40 countries, for the last 17 years School for Leaders has been educating the leaders of public life, providing them with the skills and knowledge necessary in their socio-political activity and by creating space for the development of their attitudes and opinions. Since 2006 SLA is involved in increasing the voters’ turnout in Poland as a part of ‘Your vote, your choice’ campaign.
Aplications for the new Community Grant Initiatives from Dublin City Council are being accepted now.
Details here: http://www.dublincity.ie/Community/Pages/ApplyforaCommunityGrant.aspx
Key priorities for funding 2013
· Community Development
· Social inclusion
· Children and young people
· Digital Inclusion
· Integration
· Marginalised groups
· Local area issues
The 2013 application form and terms and conditions are available in both word and pdf in English and Irish. Please note that the closing date is 5pm Thursday the 31st January 2013. It is envisaged that successful groups would receive their award by End of May/Beginning June 2012.
A conference “Free movement and participation of EU nationals – making it work for all” was held in Rotterdam, on the 3-4 September 2012. It concerned freedom of movement in the EU and how it may affect social cohesion and civic participation in member countries. The full text of a speech by the Irish delegate to the conference is available here: Free movement and participation of EU national – break out session
The Polish community in Ireland wishes to express its deep concern about the consequences of the Irish Independent article ‘Polish waitress packs in job for ‘good life’ on Irish welfare’ published on Wednesday, February 1st, 2012. This article was based on an article published in a Polish newspaper, Gazeta Wyborcza, but parts of the interview were inaccurately translated into English. The facts were presented in a selective manner, and, as a result, grossly misrepresented the Polish community in Ireland.
The Polish Ambassador and Polish groups including Forum Polonia and The Centre – Together-Razem have all issued letters of complaint to the editor of the Irish Independent.
We wish to take this opportunity to acknowledge the publication in the Feb. 2nd issue of the Irish Independent the Polish Ambassador’s letter as well as the correct translation of parts of the original Gazeta Wyborcza article. We also wish to acknowledge the apology of one of the journalists who wrote the piece, Norma Costello, on her blog.
This Saturday, Feb 4th, the Irish Polish Society will host a discussion on immigration in the Polish House, 20 Fitzwilliam Place, Dublin 2. All are welcome to attend.
If you have been adversely affected by the content of the Irish Independent article, you may complain directly to the Office of the Press Ombudsman. See how to complain here.
The Minister for Justice, Equality and Defence, Alan Shatter T.D., today
congratulated Mr. Michael Farrell on taking up his position as the Irish
member to the Council of Europe’s European Commission against Racism and
Intolerance (ECRI). Mr. Farrell was nominated by the Minister for the
position and he replaces Dr. Mazhar Bari, whose term expired in November
2011. The term of office of a member of ECRI is five years.
Mr. Farrell is a Senior Solicitor with the Free Legal Advice Centres and
was a member of the Irish Human Rights Commission (IHRC) from 2001-2011.
During that period, he acted as Chair of the Racism, Migration and
Trafficking Committee of the IHRC and Chair of the Racism Sub-committee of
the Joint Committee of the IHRC and the Northern Ireland Human Rights
Commission. Mr. Farrell was also a member of the Steering Group on the
development of the National Action Plan against Racism and subsequently a
member of the Strategic Monitoring Committee which oversaw the
implementation of the Plan. He was Vice-Chair and then Co-Chair of the
Irish Council for Civil Liberties in the 1990s.
Congratulating Mr. Farrell, Minister Shatter said “Mr. Farrell is highly
qualified to take up the position of Ireland’s member to the European
Commission against Racism and Intolerance given his wide range of expertise
and experience in this area at both national and international levels. I
have no doubt that he will make a significant contribution to the work of
this important body.”
The position of Ireland’s member of ECRI was publicly advertised by the
Department of Justice and Equality in August this year and expressions of
interest were sought from suitably qualified and experienced persons.
Following objective evaluation of the applications by appropriate
officials, the Minister decided to forward Mr. Farrell’s nomination to the
Secretary General of the Council of Europe and it was approved by the
Committee of Ministers’ Deputies today.
Commenting on the process of Mr. Farrell’s selection, Minister Shatter said
“This was the first time that the vacancy of Ireland’s member of ECRI was
publicly advertised and qualified persons were given the opportunity to
apply for the position. I am delighted to note that the openness of the
nomination process has been commented on favourably by the Council of
Europe.”
The European Commission against Racism and Intolerance is a Council of Europe body entrusted with the task of combating racism, xenophobia, antisemitism and intolerance in greater Europe and from the perspective of the protection of human rights.
ECRI’s objectives are: to review member states’ legislation, policies and other measures to combat racism, xenophobia, antisemitism and intolerance and their effectiveness; to propose further action at local, national and European level; to formulate general policy recommendations to member states and to study international legal instruments applicable in the matter with a view to their reinforcement where appropriate.
Members of ECRI attend 3 plenary meetings in Strasbourg each year, each of 3-4 days duration and participate in country visits. The meetings, country visits and preparatory work consists of approximately 25 days work per year.
