by Kate McFarland | Jul 18, 2016 | News
Basic Income Ireland held its Summer Forum in Dublin on June 11, 2016.
The event included scholarly presentations on the theme of “how a universal, sufficient and unconditional basic income could help us all — women and men — have richer choices about how to live our lives creatively and with greater equality,” followed by open discussion and strategizing about how to advance the cause of basic income in Ireland.
The keynote speaker was Barb Jacobson of Basic Income UK, who spoke about the historical roots of the idea of universal basic income — deriving from the works of Thomas Paine and Edmund Burke — and described her experience with the UK’s Wages for Housework Campaign, which was part of a global movement that emerged during the 1970s.
Responses were presented by Ursula Barry (lecturer and researcher in Women’s Studies at University College Dublin) and Shane Fitzgerald (organizer of the We’re Not Leaving campaign, representing students, interns, and the young unemployed).
Barry spoke about feminist views for and against basic income. Eileen Boyle, a Basic Income Ireland member who attended the forum, recollects:
Some feminist arguments believe that basic income could further silence women and lock them Into their household roles. In particular what emerged for me from Ursula’s considered presentation was how basic income can be regarded as one of the necessary transformational steps (when combined with many others) which would address gender differences in society.
Next, Fitzgerald related his personal journey through college and work as a young adult, explaining how a basic income could have helped him and other youth in similar situations.
Photo from Eileen Boyle
During the open discussion, more than 40 audience members formed groups in which they defined their own topics and tasks. According to Boyle’s report, topics ranged from “how to take advantage of the current political scene in Ireland” to “basic income as part of a basic ‘dignity’ movement” to “basic income and the money system in general.”
One group worked on composing “a succinct statement about basic income that people could be asked to endorse.”
Finally, as Boyle relates, the event concluded with “the chorus of two songs coined by one group to celebrate the undoubted benefits of a Basic Income…….having ‘a few bob in her pocket’.”
Thanks to Eileen Boyle and Genevieve Shanahan for comments — and, as ever, thanks to my supporters on Patreon.
Feature Image (Garden in Dublin) CC Sean O Domhnaill.
by Dejan Tachevski | Jan 3, 2016 | News
Basic income is knocking on the door in Ireland too. Fianna Fáil, an Irish republican party, will pledge to introduce a basic income in their new election manifesto, as reported by John Downing in the Irish Independent:
“Fianna Fáil will promise every citizen of the country – from the richest to the poorest – a minimum welfare income in excess of current basic welfare rates which average €188 per week.”
They plan to establish “an expert group to report within six months on matters like how much the minimum payment would be and what kind of taxation changes would be needed to fund it.” Their main argument for the inclusion of the basic income pledge is that it would be “major protection against poverty in an era where few will be guaranteed work throughout their lives.”
Additionally, Fianna Fáil “will also argue that many sections of the population already receive considerable welfare payments, such as pensions or child benefit, which would be factored into the minimum income – making the final cost not vastly greater than current welfare spending.
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For the full article, click here.
Credit picture: CC Lee Jordan
by Toru Yamamori | Nov 5, 2015 | News
Fianna Fáil, the largest opposition party in Ireland, has proposed to establish a commission which examines the introduction of an unconditional basic income in Ireland.
Willie O’Dea, the party’s social protection spokesperson, reveals that ‘Fianna Fáil commits to the establishment of a government commission to further investigate the feasibility of establishing a Basic Income system’, in the outline of the party’s priorities over a five-year term including reforms to social welfare and pensions system.
Its media coverage can be read here and here (the latter is negative).
The related news in the past in this site is: https://basicincome.org/news/2015/07/ireland-fianna-election-manifesto/
by Liam Upton | Jul 13, 2015 | News
Ireland’s Fianna Fáil party will include a commitment to a Basic Income of €230 a week in its manifesto for next year’s general election.
The news was revealed by Fianna Fáil spokesperson for social protection and social equality, Willie O’Dea in an interview with the Sunday Times newspaper. O’Dea said that he will outline the plan in the party’s social protection policy document, which is due to be published in a few week’s time.
This commitment makes Fianna Fáil the most significant party in Ireland to support Basic Income, they are currently the largest opposition party and are usually the third largest party in opinion polls, not far behind those in front. The €230 Fianna Fáil proposal is also higher than that suggested by Social Justice Ireland, who presented a Basic Income affordability study at a BIEN conference in 2012. The Green Party also supports Basic Income but has never campaigned on it nor laid out a concrete proposal.
In terms of costing, the document says that refunding tax credits would be the first step to a Basic Income and that “Any income earned above [the Basic Income] would be taxed at a new single rate.”
The policy document will also outline some of the justification for Basic Income, making a number of criticisms of Ireland’s current taxation and social welfare system, noting that social work such as caring and volunteering go financially unrewarded. It will further mention that “It would promote gender equality, as all forms of ‘work’ are rewarded, not just paid employment.” and that “It would remove poverty traps and unemployment traps, as seeking paid employment or increased income would still be worthwhile.”
The inclusion in Fianna Fáil’s manifesto reflects the increasing political support Basic Income has been receiving worldwide in the last year.
by Will Wachtmeister | Jun 20, 2015 | News
From: https://enno-schmidt.weebly.com/bilder.html
The Irish Times runs an interview feature with Enno Schmidt of the Swiss Basic Income campaign.
The article, which features Schmidt’s comments as well as a cost-calculation for Ireland, was published in the run-up to Basic Income Ireland’s summer forum which took place in Dublin on June 13 [2015].
Joe Humphreys “Would an unconditional basic income save democracy or breed laziness?“ Irish Times, June 6, 2015
