Louise O'Reilly FRSA

It’s great to see that the The Labour Party's General Election manifesto has a strong focus on Ireland’s creative industries and independent production sector. Their commitment to increasing Screen Ireland's budget is welcome and it will ensure the continued development of indigenous production and talent in the industry. Labour's commitment to fully implement the AVSMD Content levy at a rate of 5% is very important to the industry, this can fund important, culturally rich programming, which would showcase Irish stories and the Irish language. The manifesto also addresses public service broadcasting. SPI welcomes the commitment to ensure that a robust funding system is maintained for RTÉ and TG4 and the commitment to review the current RTÉ settlement in its final year.  Finally, SPI welcomes their support of Section 481 and their commitment to ensuring the incentive's international competitiveness. This manifesto has a positive vision for the future of Irish storytelling, creativity, and culture. #CreativeEconomy #IrishFilm #IndependentProduction

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listen to the last episode in the current series #CloseToHome which looks to the future and the strategies we need to develop community and policy responses to Domestic Violence . Department of Justice Denise Charlton

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Our new report titled ‘Embracing Diversity in all its Forms’: The Voluntary Secondary Sector in Irish Education examines the contribution of the voluntary secondary sector to the Irish education system, taking a holistic view of what schools are doing and how they are doing it.   💡 Learn more about the report: https://lnkd.in/egey-46y   📄 Read the full report: https://lnkd.in/ePr5mChz

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Grateful for the opportunity to get involved in another PAI Review, this time exploring the human side of innovation and dissecting mental health challenges along the road to driving change. Check out the full edition below!

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📑 PRE-BUDGET SUBMISSION 2025 📑 Read the full pre-budget submission now ✍ This year’s Submission is designed around four key pillars:  1️⃣ The Macro-Economic Picture 2️⃣ Growing the Indigenous Economy 3️⃣ The UK-Ireland Relationship 4️⃣ Investing in Ireland's Future Needs

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Equivalent to £42.8m for NI (pro-rata). A lot more than Arts Council NI #funding (£9.7m ex capital in 2023/24)… but many forget that NI arts organisations have access to UK wide Trusts & Foundations (second largest market in the world); and have benefited from other funds (e.g. Dormant Accounts; NI Screen; National Lottery; DfC; Levelling Up; Council Funds; Certain Tax Reliefs etc). So it’s not an exact comparison… It’s not just #Arts funding though, Ireland make much of their festivals; and civic buildings which can be used for arts. They’ve also a growing philanthropic sector and have public bodies more able to invest. It’s only down the road, so there’s no excuse for NI arts organisations not to explore opportunities further. Virtual offices in a growing mass of connected hubs can be got cheaply, and IRL tenders can be freely accessed. A search friendly website and good reputation helps; and it’s never too early to start relationship building. All attainable. Just need to start.

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Our friends at Act Now NI have launched an important project, looking at the scale of influence wielded by the Loyalist Communities Council - a group which represents Loyalist paramilitary gangs - in the Northern Ireland Executive. They need to fund the research, and I've chipped in to help them at the link below. If you want to know more about the campaign, I've pasted their email below. ---- Matthew, this is outrageous. The Loyalist Communities Council (LCC) - which represents the UVF, UDA and Red Hand Commando paramilitary groups - are putting pressure on Education Minister Paul Givan to halt plans for an Irish Language primary in East Belfast. It’s not acceptable that paramilitary groups which are responsible for so much misery in their communities can hold sway over politicians like this. So here’s the plan, Matthew. We’re going to submit a series of Freedom of Information requests to every Minister in the Executive to find out the scale of LCC’s influence at Stormont over the past five years. We know that government officials have information on when meetings took place and notes from meetings. It’s Act Now’s first piece of investigation work. They’re a great way to hold politicians and companies to account. But investigations take lots of time and effort – which means they’re also very expensive. So, Matthew , can you chip in to help us get this done? The average donation is £8.24, but anything you can chip in will help: https://lnkd.in/ebSg2DFr We all deserve to know who is in their ear of our Ministers. That’s why we have been busy making plans to make Stormont more transparent and expose the LCC’s influence on departments. Here's just some of the information we want: How many meetings LCC has had with each department and their respective Minister over the past 5 years What the reason was for the meeting(s) The minutes from those meetings Exposing lobbying can be hard. But we want to make sure that Stormont works in the interest of everyone in society, not just a bigoted few.  This is a big lift for us Matthew. They will use every trick in the book to keep this information away from us, but that's what's so special about Act Now: when we take action together, we’re more than a match for anyone. So, Roan, can you chip in so we can put resources into getting this done? The average donation is £8.24, but any amount you can chip in really helps. https://lnkd.in/ebSg2DFr Thanks for everything that you do, Roan and the Act Now team. P.S: Act Now doesn’t get money from the government, big corporations or political parties. To keep our independence, our aim is to be 100% funded by people just like you. Will you chip in something small today to keep Uplift going? Click here to donate securely.

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🚨 New Polling Data on Youth Issues Ahead of General Election 🚨 The National Youth Council of Ireland has just released crucial polling data conducted by RED C, revealing a significant disconnect between politicians and young people. 📊 The findings reveal that: * 67% of respondents believe that politicians do not fully consider the impacts of their policies on young people. * 72% agree that there is a lack of awareness about youth work services among politicians. * 82% of the electorate believe the housing crisis disproportionately impacts young people, with 78% stating that current policies fail to make homes affordable. As we approach the general election in November, it’s more important than ever for political parties to take these findings seriously. The data highlights the urgent need for policies that genuinely address the concerns and aspirations of young people in our community. Ignoring these issues could further alienate a vital segment of the electorate, their families and the communities to which they belong. Let’s ensure that youth issues are front and centre in election manifestos! 🗳️ https://lnkd.in/eC8Q5JeE

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SDG Week is back! The Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications and Libraries Ireland are hosting Ireland’s third Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) week from 20-29 September 2024, in conjunction with European Sustainable Development Week (ESDW).   The SDGs work towards ambitions such as an end to poverty, access to decent work, sustainable consumption, protection of nature, better health and wellbeing, universal access to education, gender equality, climate action, and peaceful societies. To take part in SDG week, organise an event – no matter how big or small – or highlight an activity or project that promotes sustainable development and join the annual week of action for the SDGs.   For more information on sustainable development, SDG week and ideas for taking part please see www.gov.ie/sdgs/ Please register your event at https://www.esdn.eu/esdw SDGs - the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all #SDGsirl #ESDW2024 #

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Today we publish a new report - “That’s Not Your Role” - into State funding and advocacy in Ireland. The report finds a worrying level of self-censorship by community & voluntary organisations receiving State funding due to fear of impact on funding. Click the link below to read the report. Some key findings: - 37% of participants have curtailed their advocacy and campaigning - 48% of homelessness and addiction organisations have done so - Almost 30% of organisations have explicit clauses in funding contracts limiting their ability to comment on gov policy https://lnkd.in/eYfgY3Td

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A Vision for North South co-operation? Strand 2 – a generation on. I was pleased to join North South CEOs Sharon McMahon (Loughs Agency) and Margaret Hearty (InterTradeIreland) at a symposium organised by the Irish Association for Cultural, Economic, and Social Relations (IACESR) in the Royal Irish Academy in Dublin. The IACESR was formed in 1938, and its principal objective is the promotion of communication, understanding, and co-operation between all the people of Ireland, both north and south. Keynote speakers were Angela McGowan, CBI Northern Ireland and Danny McCoy, CEO, Ibec who spoke on Shared Economic Prospects & Challenges – the business perspective. Session two ‘The Joint Bodies at 25’ focused on the North South Implementation Bodies in the 25th anniversary year since their foundation. Each of the NS CEOs spoke of the past, the now, and the future showcasing the impacts which have been delivered whilst pointing to future strategies. The diversity of the ongoing activities and projects across the island of Ireland (and beyond in the case of Loughs Agency) certainly captured the attention of a well-informed audience many of whom have had previous experience of the NS Bodies. I shared a recent update of our quantitative research which highlighted the 3.5m visitors to our waterways in the last 12 months. Significantly, almost 25% or 800,000 of these visitors can be categorised as cross-border visitors. This is a larger segment than I had appreciated, and I am looking forward to examining the quantitative output in detail. Through another lens 3.5m visitors is 49% of the island of Ireland’s population leaving a huge opportunity to grow participation further with the remaining 51%. Growing participation on and along our waterways is a strategic priority in our 10-year plan. We will do this by developing awareness, enhancing the customer proposition, and reimagining the experiences. My thanks to Brian Walker, President IACESR for the invitation to be part of the event and to moderator Michael D'Arcy for his stewardship of the panel discussion. Waterways Ireland Gina McIntyre Sean Ó Coinn Gary Kearney Alice Mansergh

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🚀 Redefining Community Engagement and Policymaking in Northern Ireland 🚀 In a world where data drives decisions, how do we ensure community voices are heard loud and clear? We’ve partnered with Northern Ireland Local Government Association to bring Citizen Led Impact (CLI) to local authorities across Northern Ireland. This groundbreaking approach empowers communities to take an active role in shaping policy, while leveraging the power of data insights to ensure those policies are effective and inclusive. 👥 The Problem: Too often, policies are designed without real input from the people most affected by them. This disconnect leads to ineffective solutions and eroded trust between communities and governments. ✨ The Solution: Our Citizen Led Impact model bridges the gap by integrating community input directly into the policymaking process. With powerful data insights, local authorities can now make decisions that reflect the true needs of the people they serve. Community-driven engagement: CLI ensures that policies are not only informed by data but also shaped by the community’s voice. Better outcomes: When communities and governments work hand in hand, everyone benefits. 👉 Read the full blog post here: https://www.impera-https://lnkd.in/ekN2zM8F #PolicyMaking #CommunityEngagement #DataDrivenDecisions #CitizenLedImpact #ImperaAnalytics #NILGA #InclusiveGovernance #SocialProgress #NorthernIreland

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The Age-Friendly Network NI (AFNNI) online meeting attended by representatives from PHA, Age Sector Networks, Age NI, Councils’ Age Friendly leads, Department for Communities, and the Commissioner for Older People NI’s Office (COPNI). Updates were provided on strategic planning, action plans and research related to promoting and advancing age friendly communities across N.Ireland. Everyone welcomed Anthony O’Neill, the DfC new policy lead for the Active Ageing Strategy and Conor Tinnelly, who is new to the COPNI Policy Advice and Research Unit; Conor is supporting research into the need, impact, and best practice across the Age Sector Networks. AFNNI Members received partner updates on key Action Plan priorities, including Transport, Communications, Resourcing of the Age Sector Networks, and Age Friendly Housing. The AFNNI Action Plan for 2024-2026 was unanimously approved. The Frailty Network NI will be the guest speaker at the next meeting on 10th December in Omagh. A reminder for groups and organisations - if you are sharing any positive ageing activities throughout the Positive Ageing Month in October, you can use the following hashtags: #PAM24 #AgefriendlyNI. #Ageingwell #changehowweage #strategicplanning #wellness #leadership Liam Hinphey Jenny Marshall

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It is great to see key commitments in Sinn Féin’s manifesto that support the independent production sector in Ireland. The proposals to increase funding for TG4 and Screen Ireland and a renewed focus on regional production are very important, particularly for our indigenous producers and for increasing the amount of Irish language programming available to audiences. The plan to make use of the Audiovisual Media Services Directive to support Irish audiovisual production is a welcome step forward and could be crucial for supporting Irish stories on our screens. These commitments will be vital in strengthening the role of Irish independent productions and promoting Irish culture on screen. #ScreenProducersIreland #IndependentProduction

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✍🏼… well said @TomRoche… and our next Government (hopefully a coalition for change) must “invite” the Vulture Funds to leave Ireland (executed through a State intervention) and then address the need for retribution & redress… #vultureculture #housingcrisis #FFG #homelesscrisis #healthcrisis #change #costoflivingcrisis #Right2Homes #Access2Justice #RetributionandRedress https://lnkd.in/emHGRpHN

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New report – Townscapes: Social infrastructure and the development of new towns – via the Bennet Institute, provides a good overview of the history of new towns and what we have learnt, and still need to learn, about the critical need to social and community infrastructure. Great to see a section on and image of Sherford (Plymouth and the South Hams), and our unfolding work with Sherford Community Land Trust highlighted as good practice. An ongoing journey into community power and ownership, applying what many of us have learnt about “fixing” places, into the design of new places. #communitypower #communityownership #newtowns #CLT #communitybusiness https://lnkd.in/embWXbA2

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NeuroDiverge Irish 'low life scum' Kneecap Rappers Psychology to think about: Cat amongst the pigeons-Religions as artifice..for eg. Our Lord, who art in the big house I'm renting the tiny cottage and dependent on daily 'bread' off' (ref famine 1840s Ireland)..... Miltons' Paradise Lost. Intergenerational Trauma. Reactive Attachment Disorders created to romance the stone to ideologies and not people and principals that uphold common good, like safe homes, safe education, safe communities and zero tolerance for 1 religion being more equal than another or indeed others. King James writing 2 books, one the Bible, and no 2 Demonology(ref Cheryl Prince, 5D Theatre, London, and the Witch Trials). Give Nature a chance, the Sun and the Moon etc were there before the metaphors. Social media to think about: Films portraying actual neuro-divergence (what have they allegedly neuro-diverged from). ASPD particularly, from whose 'lens' is it 'anti-social' and 'why' (ref Reicher UK et al). Is it because one group doesn't want to play sheep to the others whistle. The books of a few centuries ago, namely, Spencers Faery Queene, needs an appendix. Despite this guys, written eloquence he starved most of North Cork with taxes and subsequent death until they got violent and burned his house down. Carte Blanche (Richard) was a one-sided fairness in all dealings, Remotio Criminus is found in philosophical antiquity. It means setting aside the charge. Anti-Quity meants Anti-profit in etymological terms. As Sean Connery has said, without devils we have no need of Gods. GOD HAS NO COUNTRY and he created 'tongues' including 'konjack' (its a flower) just like euphonius (is a serpentine instrument of music with a sweet voice). https://lnkd.in/e4FShYNe

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It is this simple. Creativity is at the heart of innovation. If you want to see innovation - social, economic, community, well-being - you have to invest in it and demonstrate commitment and desire and belief. Reducing support for #culture, #artseducation or just 'saying' you 'support it' but not actually doing so fiscally is literally stupid, like saying you support eating but not contributing to buying or growing the food. Places that are culturally successful are always successful in all the other ways too. Creativity is not something you invest in later (as if it is something disconnected or a luxury in a society), it is something that you prioritise from the start and consistently continue to do so if you want to see innovation, wellbeing and success. Ireland, well done, the transformation is great to see.

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📜Sunday long read: Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) research paper on Lone Parent and Employment Transitions Early Childhood Ireland discusses the new ESRI research paper on Lone Parent Transitions, Employment Transitions and Poverty Outcomes. Among a range of significant and wide-ranging findings, the report concludes that ‘The analysis underscores the importance of education, labour market participation, childcare, and social supports in preventing economic vulnerability among lone parent families.’ 🔗Read the full post here: https://lnkd.in/eTfcQHZ5 #QualityForChildren #EarlyYearsIreland #Education

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