Noteworthy

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OFF AIR: How deep does abuse run in the Irish entertainment industry?

Ireland

Sexual assault allegations made against Russell Brand are the latest in a long string of cases concerning high-profile UK celebrities. But do we have issues closer to home?

8 Backers raised €505 of €7320

Open

LOOT LEGACY: Are Ireland’s museums hoarding historically stolen goods?

Ireland

Ireland has a number of artefacts in its museum collections which were unquestionably looted, often by Irish soldiers in British colonial service.

3 Backers raised €90 of €3965

Open

ASBOS ON TRIAL: Are Anti-Social Behaviour Orders being used fairly and effectively?

National

Anti-social behaviour orders (ASBOs) have been used in Ireland for over 15 years but how they are applied and how effective they are is under scrutiny.

1 Backer raised €15 of €2730

Open

BORN TO BE WILD: Who is profiting from the unregulated exotic animal trade?

International

In Ireland, you need a licence to own a dog or television but not to own an exotic animal such as a tiger or python. This lack of regulation has allowed this trade to flourish unabated, with potential serious impacts on the health and welfare of the animals sold.

6 Backers raised €115 of €2400

Open

PROLONGING GRIEF: Is the coroner process of investigating tragic deaths failing families?

Ireland

Over 20 years ago, radical reform and major reconfiguration of the coroner service was recommended, yet a recent report stated that most of these reforms remain incomplete.

6 Backers raised €160 of €2930

Open

BREAK-IN: Are we doing enough to protect communities from crime in rural Ireland?

Ireland

Rural crime has been an issue for many years, with serious and sometimes violent incidents leaving people to question if older people living in remote areas are protected by authorities.

0 Backers raised €0 of €3520

Completed

WATCHING THE WATCHDOG: How is GSOC dealing with the public’s complaints?

Ireland

The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (GSOC) has the power to independently investigate gardaí but since its establishment in 2007, issues have been raised in relation to whistleblowers, resources and handling of cases.

5 Backers raised €2540 of €2540

Open

KIDS IN CARE: Are children falling through the cracks of the care system?

Ireland

Almost 6,000 children are currently living in care in Ireland, with nearly 90% of those in foster care. As of January 2023, only 84% of children in care had an allocated social worker; 873 children did not have this support.

7 Backers raised €150 of €2330

Open

NEXT OF KIN: Is the State failing to support older people providing full time care for their grandkids?

Ireland

Under Irish law, grandparents may foster their grandkids where parents are unable to provide an appropriate level of care.

3 Backers raised €100 of €3490

Open

LOST FOR WORDS: Why does Ireland not have any quality standards for vital service interpreters?

Dublin

Those who need the services of a language interpreter in Ireland may find their voices unheard, as a number of reports in recent years highlighted the ‘uneven quality’ of this service and lack of training standards.

8 Backers raised €170 of €2630

Completed

HOLY LAND: How much money are religious orders pocketing from lucrative property sales?

Ireland

Properties worth millions - and offered by religious congregations for redress in institutional child abuse cases - have yet to be handed over to fulfil that promise.

43 Backers raised €1640 of €1640

Completed

BLIND JUSTICE: Is everyone equal in the eyes of the Irish law and prison system?

Ireland

Around the world, minority groups are overrepresented in prisons. In New Zealand, indigenous Maori people make up 15% of the population but half of the prison population while, in the US, black people are over five times more likely than white people to go to prison.

58 Backers raised €1890 of €1890

Completed

RISK TO BABY: Why were Irish women not told for decades about an epilepsy drug that causes birth defects?

Ireland

Sodium valproate is an epilepsy medicine commonly sold under the name Epilim. It was known since its availability in the 1970s that it may cause birth defects if used in pregnancy yet for decades many women across the world were prescribed this drug without being warned of this risk by their doctors.

16 Backers raised €580 of €580

Completed

BURYING THE PAST: Behind the scenes of government talks on Tuam Mother and Baby Home

National

In October of last year, Minister Katherine Zappone announced that the Bon Secours Sisters religious congregation had agreed to contribute €2.5 million towards the costs of excavating the burial site at the Tuam Mother and Baby Home.

2 Backers raised €252 of €250

Completed

COMPO CLAIMS: Does Ireland really have a ‘compensation culture’?

National

The government minister responsible for the insurance industry has said there are 'clusters' for compensation claims in Ireland.

8 Backers raised €1260 of €1250