Report from Meath Meeting
Some of the concerns outlined by those who attended included:
- Concerns about the level of despondency among people e.g a sense of failure and see themselves and the country as having failed
- Sense of being let down and hoodwinked
- Anger about the direction of the country will come but when it comes will it be misdirected
- Peoples strength and power is being diluted
- The fears people have about protesting and the sense that people are disempowered as a result
- Its important to give people who feel disempowered a space to speak about the direction of the society and the issues raised in the discussion document
- The Constant media bombardment of people with messages about the recession and debt and the sense of inevitability about potential cuts with no alternatives being provided
- There is a need to raise consciousness again to re energise people about the issues affecting them
The importance of linking in with the hosptials campaign was also highlighted as this event takes place on October 30th in Navan, one member of the steering committee Navan CDP will highlight the national event at the group’s Navan meeting and Kells PRC will also flag events at the public meeting in Kells. It was decided that a number of key events linked to Meath Social Inclusion week will take place and the planning for these events is currently happening.
Events
1. Discussion Group with Meath Youth Cafe on Choices Document -A Young Person’s perspective on the future direction of Ireland
2. Rate the issues and responses questionairre at upcoming RAPID information events taking place in October -to be confirmed
3. Debate with Careers Start Women’s Programme as part of Meath Social Inclusion which will include a dicussion on the choices document
4. Potential of Navan Writiers Group writing a piece on the Claiming our Future event and Choices Document post the national event to presented at a lunch time session
