Despite 2019’s “green wave”, just a small percentage of the electorate says the environment is their top priority when choosing who to vote for in next month’s general election. To see it as disconnected from the other electoral issues is an error, says Kevin Hargaden.
It has been difficult to remain unmoved by the many images of homelessness and poverty which have confronted us in the past weeks and months. A young boy kneels to eat a warm meal provided by a soup kitchen. Using a piece of cardboard, probably provided by a parent, he is trying to prevent the… Read more »
Prison reform is not a topic that is high on the election agenda. However, the inhumane conditions of our prisons and the number of prisoners who come from backgrounds characterised by poverty and trauma should concern us as members of a modern, progressive society.
In our general election guide to the economy, our Social Theologian, Kevin Hargaden says we should ask ourselves who the economy serves, and how it is affecting our lives and the life of the planet.
The Irish housing and homelessness crisis is a crucial election issue. In this guide to the topic, our Social Justice Advocate, Keith Adams says our incoming politicians need to answer questions about expenditure and payments to private landlords, as well as their position on the right to housing.
Our series of guides for the upcoming general election will help you decide who deserves your vote. We cover the key facts about the issues, questions you should ask yourself, what to ask politicians who canvass at your door and how to interpret their answers. In this article, our Environmental Justice Advocate, Ciara Murphy pushes… Read more »
Australia’s bushfires are a devastating consequence of a combination of environmental and social injustices, decades in the making. For Aboriginal people, the fires are burning not only through their land, but also through their identity.
2020 is just a week old, but between the prospect of war and a continent aflame, it is all-too-easy to grow despondent.
Last week, a homeless, brain-damaged man was revealed to have been on indefinite remand for over a year within the high dependency unit in Mountjoy prison. He was deemed unsuitable to stand trial. Yet, due to the cancellation of a care-plan by the HSE for “resource” issues, he was to remain imprisoned as he was… Read more »
On December 5th, 2019, the Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice welcomed friends, supporters and collaborators to the beautiful Ignatian Chapel in Gardiner Street for the launch of our 2019-2023 Strategic Plan. Hosted by JCFJ Director, John Guiney SJ, the event was an opportunity to share and reflect on the goals and ambitions of the… Read more »
This episode of The Ethics Age podcast is the first in a series of four which discuss the book, Theological Ethics in a Neoliberal Age by Kevin Hargaden, social theologian of the Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice (JCFJ). The book addresses the Christian problem with wealth and provides a persuasive theological critique of neoliberalism.… Read more »
Last week saw the most concerted campaign yet by the Irish wing of the international environmental activist group, Extinction Rebellion (XR). Those who think it is a disproportionate response would be wise to think again. While the Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice is not aligned with XR (we are committed to addressing climate injustice… Read more »
While the Irish Government has paid lip service to the existence of both a housing and homelessness crisis and to a climate crisis, Budget 2020 reveals that action is reserved for the fiscal crisis that could emerge from a No Deal Brexit. A Budget Without Precedence Last Tuesday, Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe used language… Read more »
The Irish Government’s afforestation plan is to plant 22 million trees every year for the next 20 years. While this sounds ambitious it will do nothing more than reach quantitative targets as it currently lacks the substance and complexity to reduce our carbon footprint, says Ciara Murphy. On the surface the Government’s plan sounds positive.… Read more »
A recently published report by the European Commission echoes the view of the JCFJ that there is “statistical obfuscation, if not corruption” in the Department of Housing’s monthly homelessness figures, says Keith Adams. Much has been written in the past three years about the homelessness and housing crisis in Ireland. Analysis and human-interest pieces are… Read more »
The Global Climate Strikes that take place this Friday (20th September) are about demanding that climate breakdown be addressed with the urgency it requires by governments. Part of this process is engaging with, and moving towards, a just transition to a low carbon economy. A Just Transition*, according to the Climate Justice Alliance (CJA) is… Read more »
As our approach to the climate emergency is informed by Laudato Si’, our Social Theologian Kevin Hargaden has created Homily Notes to be used in church to accompany the day’s readings, or by lay persons as a reflection for prayer. On Friday, September 20th the School Strikes for Climate will take place around Ireland as… Read more »
On Friday, September 20th, there will be a Global Climate Strike, a protest led by school students who are calling on everyone to make their voice heard and demand action on the climate emergency. Ciara Murphy is joining them. “I’ll be one of the thousands of people marching on Friday 20th September because I want… Read more »
Hundreds of homeowners have been left high and dry by the SEAI retrofit scheme. Kevin Hargaden asks if the Government is really as invested in climate breakdown mitigation as it should be? The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland (SEAI) launched a pilot programme in 2017 to experiment with how best to approach the mammoth task of… Read more »
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) special report on land use was published today [8 August 2019]. It paints a stark but familiar picture of the impact human activities are having on the environment. The report, which draws on contributions from over 100 leading scientists from 52 countries across the world, highlights the need for… Read more »
Ireland’s bogs are more than a distinctive feature of the landscape, they are a part of our identity. Restoring them is important for biodiversity, cultural and ecological significance, as well as in the fight against climate chaos, says Dr Ciara Murphy.
When published on 19th July 2016, the Irish Government’s Rebuilding Ireland action plan for housing and homelessness described the Irish housing sector as ‘dysfunctional and under-performing’. Three years later, by practically every metric, the crisis has deepened, leading Peter McVerry SJ to label it ‘an abject failure‘. Rebuilding ‘Rebuilding Ireland’, our analysis of the plan,… Read more »
The Irish Government has resorted to using the ‘money message’ tactic to kill off the Climate Emergency Measure Bill which would have banned gas and oil exploration in Irish waters. This decision is a catastrophic error of judgement which demonstrates that the current Government does not have the required leadership capacity to face the global… Read more »
A response to the Department of Finance consultation on Carbon Tax, from the Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice.
The Climate Action Plan completely ignores the fact that we need to adapt to climate breakdown now, not at some undefined future date. Ireland is already experiencing extreme weather events including flooding, drought and extreme snow-fall. But the Government’s plan for adaption is concentrated on building resilience through plans, strategies and support. It is a… Read more »
Working Notes is a journal published by the Jesuit Centre for Faith and Justice. The journal focuses on social, economic and theological analysis of Irish society. It has been produced since 1987.
