#10 | Launch of the Participating People Report

Insight Matters

This live recording of the Insight Matters podcast comes to you from Dublin’s Royal College of Physicians, for the launch of the Participating People report, which is a collaboration between The Wheel and Carnegie UK Trust.

For this episode, we are focusing on active citizenship, and how citizens can proactively help to shape the society around them. To help with this, we have a phenomenal panel of guests who are going to share their story with you and no doubt by the end of this podcast you will be ready to start your own revolution!

Fr. Peter McVerry
Fr. McVerry is the founder of the Peter McVerry Trust, which has progressed from a three-bedroom flat in Ballymun to becoming one of the country’s largest organisations responding to the issue of homelessness. In 2018, the charity worked with over 5,800 people and was active in 14 local authorities across Ireland.

Peter and Dil discuss how Peter started the Peter McVerry Trust, how it all started from taking in and helping a nine year-old, who was sleeping on the streets. Then, as one thing led to another—as more problems arose, and the trust began to help with them as they could—it grew into what it is now.

Salome Mbugua

Salome Mbugua is Head of Operations and Strategy with AkiDwA . In June 2018 Salome was appointed by the Tánaiste to chair the working group on Ireland’s Third National Action Plan on Women Peace and Security. Salome was also recently appointed to the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission by President Michael D. Higgins.

Salome and Dil discuss how Salome’s curiosity and feeling of isolation in Ireland, led her to seek out migrant women to learn what their experience living in Ireland was like, which then led to AkiDwA – a network for migrant women. Salome also discusses some of the challenges surrounding migrants in Ireland including racism, and inequality.

Molly Mercier Redmond

Molly is just 16 and is already involved with two organisations, which she discusses with Dil: Schools Climate Action Network – a network of teachers and students who are fighting for climate justice. SCAN has helped to organise protests and strikes for climate justice. Molly is also involved with Fridays For Future, for which she was recently at a conference in Switzerland, where representatives from all over Europe met to come up with European climate change demands. Molly is also a delegate for the Youth Assembly, started by RTE. The Youth Assembly will discuss proposals for Climate Change and present these to the Dáil. Delegates from the Assembly will also be on the Late Late Show.

Stephen Teap

Stephen Teap is a leading Cervical Check campaigner and the husband of the late Irene Teap. Stephen was instrumental in the launch of the 221 Plus Patient Support Group, which help victims directly affected by the Cervical Check screening failure, as well as their families. He is one of three patient representatives on the Cervical Check Steering Committee.

Stephen and Dil discuss Stephen’s experience with his wife’s death from cervical cancer. He explains how tests were read incorrectly, and important information was withheld from his wife. He also discusses the lack of support for women with cervical cancer and the need he felt to do something about it.

Dil and the panel discuss role models that have inspired them to be kind and proactive in their community, be it teachers, parents or other members of their community. Dil also asks each member of the panel how they can keep going in the face of the negativity we see today on the news and in everyday life; Molly explains why she doesn’t think Ireland will be able to successfully combat the climate crisis; Dil asks each member of the panel why they think more people don’t get actively involved with causes important to them; Dil also asks each member what advice they would have for people who want to be more proactive citizens but don’t know where to start. Dil also discusses the stage of our life where we begin to think about legacy, and what we will think of ourselves in relation to what we did for issues that were important to us – did we do anything about it?

Finally, there is a Q & A between the panel, joined by Ivan Cooper – Director of Public Policy at The Wheel, and members of the audience, which includes questions about changing the system that is causing problems, as well as the issue of succession in organisations to keep the goal of these organisations on track.

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