The European Pillar of Social Rights: A Timely Lifeline for the EU?
The march of far-right wing political parties across Europe, the recent Brexit, and the US Presidential election of Donald Trump - have all signalled a sweeping social disconnect and disenfranchisement on both sides of the Atlantic.
The Issues of General Election 2016: Childcare and Parental Leave
Childcare Policy & Gender Equality: Will the next government deliver? The incomparably high costs of childcare in Ireland continues to cripple low to middle income earners who work full time. The average annual cost of childcare in the EU accounts for 12% of family income, in Ireland this figure rises to 35% for Irish families....
Income inequality in Capitalist Structures: Live and Let Die?
The recent Oxfam report An Economy for the 1% (Oxfam International 18/01/16) has received widespread international attention for reporting the growing economic disparity between the world’s richest and poorest. The startling figure that resonated with international media was the revelation that 62 of the world’s richest people own the same amount of wealth as half...
The end of Schengen and the Euro dream? Europe’s crisis of consensus
A European project which set out with the intention of complete convergence and policy harmonization has ironically, resulted in widespread divergence and disharmony.
Unity in Diversity? The European Migrant Crisis
In order to comprehensively deal with the unfolding migrant crisis in the long-term, our compassion and empathy must not overshadow room for sustainable solutions, which would in turn jeopardise the quality of life for the refugees and migrants in question. This article aims to emphasise the importance of collective compassion and sympathy, while simultaneously advocating for...
Ending Extreme Poverty: The Case for Relative vs. Absolute
In perhaps the most memorable anti-poverty speech of our time Nelson Mandela remarked “Overcoming poverty is not a task of charity; it is an act of justice. Like Slavery and Apartheid, poverty is not natural. It is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings. Sometimes it falls on...
