Tag Archive | Ireland

Donegal Public Consultation for National Cancer Strategy

Donegal Action for Cancer Care (DACC) has been invited by the National Cancer Strategy Steering Group, as part of the development of a new strategy, to seek out the opinions of people who access our services and their loved ones as to how cancer services could be better organised in Ireland. With this in mind DACC are doing what they can within its role to ensure as far as possible that Donegal people are aware of this opportunity.

They are therefore asking:

Have you had direct experiences of cancer services in this country?
What was that like? Are there things that you think work really well?
Are there things that could be improved?
For people diagnosed with cancer in future, what would your one wish be for them in making life that little bit easier?

DACC will be making its own submission and we have identified the following four key priorities:

the need for provision of, timely access to, and appropriate funding of psycho-social services for all people with cancer and their families countrywide
the need for psycho-social services to be included as a key element of the clinical care pathway and for training to be provided to health care staff in signposting patients to these services
the need for equality of access to early diagnosis and treatment of cancer for all patients irrespective of means and travel difficulties for patient who have to travel long journeys for treatment
the need to increase the numbers of oncology nurse staff in our hospitals, significantly impacted as a result of the previous moratorium on the recruitment of the staff in the public sector

However, we very much believe that there is strength in numbers and would strongly encourage you to share your experiences of cancer services also. You can answer as little or as much as you wish. You may want to comment on one aspect of the cancer journey, or all of it. The choice is yours. The closing date for completion of submissions is Friday July 24 at 5pm. These can be made by email to cancerconsultation@health.gov.ie or by post to Cancer Strategy Public Consultation, Department of Health, Hawkins House, Hawkins Street, Dublin 2. To download the question form (in word-document) please click Cancer Strategy Public Consultation Document (Final)-6 DACC believe it is really important that you have your say in the development of the new National Cancer Strategy 2016-2025. For further information you can contact DACC at: Moneygreggan, Newtowncunningham, Lifford, Co. Donegal, Tel: 087 2905 946

Where do Donegal Councillors Stand on issues of Equality and Social Inclusion?

Sep3

Where do the 37 Donegal County Councillors stand on issues relating to Childcare, Cuts to Carers, Domestic Abuse + Violence Against Women, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT), Travellers, Women’s Political Representation and Equality within our society?

In early 2014, The National Women’s Collective- Donegal Women’s Network held a number of meetings to hear and collect what are the main issues locally and nationally for women in Donegal. Some of the issues discussed and debated were the lack of women’s representation, lack of local training and employment issues, cuts to home helps and services for the older person and people with disabilities, domestic abuse, lack of transport and accessible affordable community child-care. These meetings were supported by Longford Women’s Manifesto Project.

Following on from these meetings a questionnaire was designed by Network and an “Open Invitation” was sent out to the Donegal Councillors.

To-date the responses we have received have been insightful and we are delighted that all of the councillors who responded stated that they would work towards upholding and promoting the ethos of social inclusion, equality and human rights. Those who responded all agreed that gender equality is a fundamental principle underpinning the concept of social justice, and human and civil rights in Ireland. And they further All pledged to sign up to the MAN UP campaign and to undertake a half day workshop on domestic violence in 2014 that would be delivered by Donegal Women’s Domestic Violence Service.

To read your local councillors full responses to our questions please click on their picture and you will be taken to their individual response.

Donegal Electoral Area

Respondents

As of 03/09/14 STILL WAITING to hear from these Councillors

Glenties Electoral Area

Respondents

As of 03/09/14 STILL WAITING to hear from these Councillors

Inishowen Electoral Area

Respondents

As of 03/09/14 STILL WAITING to hear from these Councillors

Letterkenny Electoral Area

Respondents

As of 03/09/14 STILL WAITING to hear from these Councillors

Stranorlar Electoral Area

Respondents

As of 03/09/14 STILL WAITING to hear from these Councillors

Brought to you by the Donegal team at The National Women’s Collective Donegal Women’s Network.

Don’t Silence Women’s Voices

Aug13

NCCWN-Donegal Women’s Network and the other 16 NCCWN are under threat of closure. We truly need the support of the community to prevent this closure and we are therefore asking people to join us in lobbying the government to secure future funding for our valuable work in the community.

We have put together this online petition and asking people across Ireland to please sign it. The petition will be presented to Alan Kelly TD, Irish Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government, who is overseeing the changes which affect our funding.

Why you should support NCCWN

The “National Collective of Community-based Women’s Network’s” (NCCWN) is an organisation made up of 17 women’s networks, its work includes the advocacy of equality and human rights for all women in Ireland. With a working mission to “empower and support community-based women who experience disadvantage and marginalisation as a result of barriers to participation and lack of opportunities”.

Working within a limited budget in 2013 the NCCWN Projects engaged with 36,589 women from communities who do not engage with state agencies. NCCWN have demonstrated that this represents excellent value for money. Funding enables the NCCWN across its 17 projects to not only employ core staff but to also lever in additional funding to coordinate and run development programmes including equality, health & wellbeing, active citizenship, community education, domestic abuse support, employment pathways. Services provided include childcare centres, drop-in/information centres and counselling. In the 17 Projects, this has resulted in the additional employment of approximately 200 people, managed and coordinated by NCCWN staff.

One of the main reasons it is possible to deliver this level of work within a limited budget is that the work is and always has been volunteer managed and led. Work with women from the most disadvantaged communities in the country is happening only because it is underpinned by thousands of volunteer hours and decades of commitment and voluntary effort. NCCWN development programmes encompass equality, education, health, employment paths and supports including childcare provision.

However funding to this project is to end December 2014. NCCWN is extremely concerned that its work in removing barriers to disadvantaged women’s full and equal participation in society and in local and national decision-making and policy arenas will be lost. NCCWN now finds itself lobbying the government to safeguard the funding of the organisations work which is why we are asking for your support today to help secure the future of NCCWN and its local Women’s Projects beyond 2014.

Will you sign the NCCWN on-line petition? Your support is just a click away!

People in both Donegal and round the country are petitioning the government to ensure the future work of NCCWN and the 17 networks

Niamh Kennedy Letter of support

Michael Daly

HSE support letter Donegal Women’s network

Minister for the Environment Letter of Support NCCWN (3)

5050 letter of support Min Hogan letter re W Networks 10 7 14

Donegal Change Makers letter to Phil Hogan re DWN

DWDVS letter to minister Kelly 2014

DWN Leter of Support Lifford Clonleigh

Finola Brennan, Co ordinator NCCWN- Donegal Women's Network

Deputy Pádraig Mac Lochlainn T.D.and Finola Brennan, Co ordinator- NCCWN- Donegal Women's Network taken after NCCWN briefing to members of the Oireachtas

BE INFORMED…About your 2014 Local Election Candidates

May15

Where does your Donegal Local Election Candidate stand on issues relating to Childcare, Cuts to Carers, Domestic Abuse + Violence Against Women, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT), Travellers, Women’s Political Representation and Equality within our society?

Early 2014, The National Women’s Collective- Donegal Women’s Network held a number of meetings to hear and collect what are the main issues locally and nationally for women in Donegal. Some of the issues discussed and debated were the lack of women’s representation, lack of local training and employment issues, cuts to home helps and services for the older person and people with disabilities, domestic abuse, lack of transport and accessible affordable community child-care. These meetings were supported by Longford Women’s Manifesto Project.

Following on from these meetings a questionnaire was designed by The National Women’s Collective- Donegal Women’s Network and an “Open Invitation” was sent out to the 83 candidates running in the local elections to respond to questions identified as areas of concern by voters in Donegal.

To-date the responses we have received have been insightful and we are delighted that all of the candidates who responded stated that they would work towards upholding and promoting the ethos of social inclusion, equality and human rights. All agreed that gender equality is a fundamental principle underpinning the concept of social justice, and human and civil rights in Ireland. All candidates pledged to sign up to the MAN UP campaign and to undertake a half day workshop on domestic violence in 2014 that would be delivered by Donegal Women’s Domestic Violence Service.

To read your 2014 Local Election Candidates full responses to our questions please click on the candidates picture and you will be taken to their individual response. This we believe will give the electorate an insight into each candidate as well as giving the candidates an open forum which could be helpful in securing votes.