UN-appointed independent human rights experts on Friday called on Irish authorities to provide adequate redress for victims of racial discrimination and system racism in Irish childcare institutions, stretching over more than 50 years.
Micheál Martin, the head of the Irish Government, used his General Assembly speech on Thursday to express his frustration at the “Security Council’s failure to act” in tackling a range of peace and security issues.
Looking back over the first four days of the high-level week, the Ireland’s Prime Minister said a series of alarms have sounded in the Hall of the General Assembly: for conflict, for COVID, for climate.
Turkey must ensure that an Irish woman and her infant daughter who are being held in custody there are repatriated, independent UN experts said in a statement released on Thursday. The woman, Lisa Smith, has been described in press reports as a supporter of the ISIL terror group, and former member of the Irish military.
Irish military personnel serving under the UN flag in the Golan have been “well trained to deal with challenging situations,” according to the head of the contingent there.
There are 130 Irish nationals, including seven women, currently deployed to the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF); a UN peacekeeping mission which was established in 1974 to monitor a ceasefire between Israel and Syria.
Many have served previously in other UN missions including in Liberia, Lebanon, Kosovo and Western Sahara.
Universities in Europe are being urged to promote more women to professorial level.
According to a university teachers union in Ireland, women occupy just 19 per cent of senior academic posts across the continent.
Joan Donegan is the Deputy General Secretary of the Irish Federation of University Teachers.
Daniel Dickinson asked her what challenges her union faces.
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