Local Authority Housing in Ireland Essay Example for Free

Local Authority Housing in Ireland Essay Local authority housing plays a vital role in Ireland housing system. Without it many people would find themselves on the streets without a roof over their heads. However it is not a solution to all problems we are experiencing in this country today. In fact while local authority housing solves many problems it can also be the cause of some problems too. In this paper I will look at and evaluate the strengths and the weaknesses of local authority housing in Ireland today. I will also look at prime examples of these strengths and weaknesses, using a number of local authority housing estates throughout the country. Firstly I feel it is imperative to briefly describe the housing system Ireland as a whole, in order to gain a clearer perspective on the status of local authority housing in the country. In Ireland we have a dual housing system. This means we have a mix of both private and social housing and public tenures. State owned and social housing accounts for 19% of the housing market. The government enforced policies to ensure that a percentage of newly constructed houses were to be kept and dedicated to the local authority housing scheme. Local authority housing caters for poor and low income households, who may otherwise not be able to afford housing. It is accessed by means testing and also by special needs qualification. The rent for these houses are determined by the income of the household occupying them. The landlords are generally the local authorities. Some examples of well known local authority housing estates are: Moyross estate in Limerick City, Fatima Mansions in Dublin and Knocknaheeny in Cork. Unfortunately over the years these local authority housing estates have built up a bad reputation, negative images and negative stigmas. A few different factors play a role in this. I will be looking into these factors in more detail, as I speak later, about the weaknesses of local authority housing. An example of this would be the former Ballymun high rise flats which were renowned for appearing on the news linked with stories of crime and violence. In order to combat this problem and create less of a bad image for these problem estates, the government set out a ten year plan to regenerate 7 local authority housing estates throughout Ireland. They aimed to do this by means of policy changes and state funding. These estates are : â€Å"Fatima Mansions and Finglas South in Dublin City, Fettercairn, Tallaght, in South County Dublin; Deanrock estate in Togher, Cork City; Moyross in Limerick City, Muirhevnamor in Dundalk and Cranmore in Sligo town.† (Norris, M and OConnell, C. 201 0) Strengths of local authority housing: Local authority housing provides affordable homes for those who would not otherwise be able to afford housing and this is a much needed and great service provided by our local authorities here in Ireland. Local authority housing has a number of benefits to both its tenants and to the community as a whole. It has many strengths. Good quality houses: As stated above the government as part of the local authority housing scheme set out a number of newly built houses during the construction boom, and dedicated them to the local authority housing scheme. This was a very clever tactic by the government as it meant that these local authority houses were newly built good quality housing, moving away from the previous opinion that local authority houses were often undesirable and of poor quality. The most typical form of these houses were â€Å"cottage type or terrace housing in low density estates† (Fahey 1999. Pg. 236) Cheaper, affordable rent: Because local authority housing is accessed via means testing and rent payment is determined by household income it means that lower income households can afford to live more comfortably and ensures that they have a roof over their heads. Without this scheme homelessness rates would undoubtedly be a lot higher in Ireland. More owner occupation: A lot of people renting local authority housing as a long term arrangement often eventually come to own their houses. This instills a level of independence which they could never have achieved otherwise. Happier tenants: For the most part, people in local authority housing have reported that they are â€Å"happy with their overall housing experience† (Fahey 1999. Pg. 236) Community Development Programmes: Often in areas of local authority housing local authorities dedicate themselves to the provision of facilities and programmes to improve living conditions, social condition, education and employment conditions for those living there. Community employment schemes are just one example of this. This is a great benefit to both the residents and the community as a whole as it leads to a higher standard of living for the individuals and also helps reduce rates of unemployment in the area, which in turn leads to a reduction in other social problems in the area such as crime. (Fahey, T., Norris, M., McCafferty, D. Humphreys, E. 2011 Pg. 24) Preventative Interventions: Local authority housing can also act as a means of protection and prevention for many people. Local services provided within these local authority estates provide â€Å"support for families and individuals who would otherwise have negative outcomes†(Fahey, T., Norris, M., McCafferty, D. Humphreys, E. 2011 Pg. 24) Previously at risk people have more chance of being safe from abuse and crime etc. in these local authority housing estates. An example of the strengths within a local housing estate: Dean Rock estate, situated in Togher in Cork city, is a prime example of the many strengths of local housing estates in Ireland. This estate is in high demand with a very low turnover, long waiting lists to get in and very settled conditions. Dean Rock is now home to a voluntary, community based family support centre and also to social workers too. The estate has flourished over the years and is now a highly popular local authority housing estate with low levels of crime, delinquency, unemployment and enjoys a high status in terms of its visual appearance, absence of litter and graffiti and upholds high levels of planting and public green areas. It has become a very desirable place to live with good quality neighbors, ridding it of any stigmas which had previously applied to local authority housing estates. (Fahey, T. 1999. Pg. 238-239) Weaknesses of local authority housing estates: The fundamental aim of local authority housing that is, to help those who cannot otherwise afford housing, means that local authority housing should be a very positive and problem free area. Unfortunately this is not always the case. Because these estates are linked with poor and low income families it often means there are high levels of unemployment, low levels of education and thus resulting in high levels of delinquency and crime. (Fahey, T. 1999. Pg. 238) These factors all cause great social problems within these estates. Also high levels of diversity within the estates lead to a hierarchy within them. Higher and lower status areas emerge within the estates, causing a lack of social cohesion. â€Å"Appearances of houses, presence/ absence of litter and graffiti, and vandalism†(Fahey, T. 1999. Pg. 239) can often result in conflict between neighbors and thus lead to poor quality neighborhoods. Failure of the government to integrate with local authorities to improve provide vital amenities and service to the local authority housing estates also creates a huge problem in these estates. It creates a great level of social exclusion between those living in these estates and those that dont. (Fahey, T., Norris, M., McCafferty, D. Humphreys, E. 2011 Pg. 31) An example of the weaknesses within a local housing estate: Fatima Mansions is a local authority housing estate in Dublin. Unlike Dean Rock estate in Cork, Fatima Mansions has been described as â€Å"troubled and difficult to let†(Fahey, T. 1999. Pg. 238) Over 15% of the premises are vacant and some are derelict. There is no waiting list to get in to this estate. There is a severe lack of social cohesion and this causes other social problems. Heroin usage is high in the area and this has knock on effects to the levels of crime and violence in the area two. It is in stark contrast to Dean Rock estate and highlights the diversity between local authority estates. Conclusion: While it is evident, from the information in this paper, that local authority housing has huge and undeniable benefits to the lower income population of society I think that many improvements can still be made to these schemes. I feel the government needs to take more responsibility perhaps in funding local authorities and enabling them to better facilities and services available to these estates. This would bring about a major difference in the areas for the better and hopefully result in all the local authority estates being as successful as Dean Rock estate in Cork. Bibliography: Cowan, D. and McDermont, M. (2006) Regulating Social Housing: Governing Decline, Routledge, London. Fahey, T. (1999) (ed.) Social Housing in Ireland: A study of success, failures and lessons learned. Oak Tree Press, Dublin. Fahey, T., Norris, M., McCafferty, D. Humphreys, E. (2011) Combating Social Disadvantage in Social Housing Estates: The policy implications of a ten-year follow-up study. Combat Poverty Agency. National Economic and Social Forum (1999), Local Development Issues, Dublin: National Economic and Social Forum. Norris, M and OConnell, C (2002), ‘Local Authority Housing Management Reform in the Republic of Ireland: progress to date impediments to further progress’, European Journal of Housing Policy. Norris, M and OConnell, C (2010) Social Housing Management, Governance and Delivery in Ireland: Ten Years of Reform on Seven Estates. O’Connell, C and Fahey, T. (1999), ‘Local Authority Housing in Ireland’, Fahey, T. (eds.), Social Housing in Ireland: A study of success, failure and lessons learned, Oak Tree Press, Dublin.

Communication Breakdown Essay -- Communication

Ever wonder why a message that seems clear to us is not comprehended by someone else the way we think it should be. How can something we think is stated so clearly become misunderstood that the person we are stating the message to becomes confused? Let’s examine the definition of the word communication. Defined by the freedictionary.com, communication is the exchange of thoughts, messages, or information, as by speech, signals, writing, or behavior. Merriam-Webster, defines communication as an act or instance of transmitting and, an exchange of information. Simply stated we are sending a message to the person who is receiving it. The idea we want to send should be clear to the person who is receiving the message, but that is not always the case. There are several factors that can breakdown a message in the communication process. Communication is only successful when both the sender and the receiver understand the same information as a result of the communication . A transactive model suggests we send and receive messages concurrently. If any kind of disturbance blocks any step of the communication, the message will be destroyed. There seems to be an interesting and sometimes disastrous disconnection between what is said, what is heard, and what happens next. No matter how much detail is given, there is always space for individual interpretation. Think of how many times a teacher can give instructions in a classroom only to discover not everyone did the assignment on time and correctly. The way people interpret situations or sets of facts depends on their personalities, background, experiences, values, attitudes, motives, assumptions, and expectations of each individual. Each individual brings to the situation a diff... ... 2011 www.web-authoring.com Communication Strategies, Power-Ed Solutions, Inc, Carol Dickson-Carr Glenn Standly, Selecting a Topic, Feb 12, 2011 Words Mean Different Things to People, Communication Resource Center, Bacal and Association, work911.com Denise4wm, How to Talk So People Will Listen, ehow.com Glenn Standly, Report or Business Activity, Feb 24,2011 Getting Understood Skills, Communication Resource Center, Bacal and Association, work911.com Denise4wm, How to Talk So People Will Listen, ehow.com Glenn Standly, Class Rules, Procedures and Suggestions, Jan 13,2011 Donnell King, Four Principals of Interpersonal Communication, pstcc.edu, 2009 Kendra Cherry, Top 10 Non-Verbal Communication Tips, Psychology about.com Delia Thompson, Body Language and Communication, SelfGrowth.com Glen Stanley, Selecting Your Topic, Feb 12, 2011

Jeffersonian VS Hamiltonian Ideals

Alexander Hamilton was the sculptor who chiseled the rough edges of America’s economy away. He was the essential part in the plan to solve the massive war debt after the revolution. As a strong federalist, he had views that he and his party shared and were deemed fit for the refinement of America’s economy. Thomas Jefferson was his eternal rival in terms of views. Along with James Madison, Jefferson was the polar opposite to Hamilton. The two past presidents seemed to be rigid with their views concerning political strategies the United States was taking in its early decades.These men before their presidencies were rock solid anti-federalist. However, Jefferson and Madison had yet to experience the heaviness of the political tension they would be dealt with once elected into office. Hamiltonian views were applicable to the challenges Madison and Jefferson faced. They began to differ to the side of federalist as they realized that anti-federalism was not practical for the young America. The presidents of 1801-1817 made turnarounds during their presidencies once they saw contradicting actions became necessary for the country's welfare.Thomas Jefferson made moderate changes in his presidential behavior, resembling Hamiltonian actions, for the benefit of America while James Madison saw federalist Hamiltonian views as a better fit to the country’s government and acted on his changed views to a higher extent meaning that both presidents adapted within their respectful presidencies as they saw fit for the better benefit of the nation. Before the election of Jefferson in 1801 there was a clear line between federalist and antifederalist views that were defined by the lines of conflicts between Hamilton and Jefferson in the 1790s.In 1791 Hamilton argued that a National Bank would be of great benefit to the economy and would be the keystone of his plan for economic refinement. Jefferson was against it in every aspect. (Document A) Thomas’s logic was that the written constitution was not a wall of rules for the states but rather a wall to contain the federal government. Thomas perceived it as the confines the federal government had to work within; no more no less. Madison described it as a constitutional charter of constructs.  (Document C)Thomas debates that the powers left unaddressed by the constitution are given to the states; Thomas uses the tenth amendment as evidence for his argument against the national bank. (Document A) However, a national bank is set up anyways, but it expires once its twenty charter is up. Hamilton wanted a consistent neutrality for the United States to express internationally as part of his plan. Britain was a crucial trade partner with America and would be needed once peacetime had begun and routine trade could begin.Jefferson and Madison believed isolation was the proper way to go; even in 1808 Jefferson passed the Embargo Act shutting all trade ports to other countries. (Document F) Jeffer son saw trade as a source of conflict and a gateway to wars, which was not wrong. Alexander wanted neutrality to keep international trade so the economy would thrive. Jefferson was already in favor of complete isolation from any other country in any sort of manner. (Document D) Jefferson would argue against Hamilton over the topic of isolation versus neutrality.Jefferson believed that international trade and tariffs were unnecessary to the nation however tariffs were strongly supported by the federalists. (Document H) These taxes federalists would pass were planned to help pay for internal improvements. However, Madisonians/Jeffersonians believed that it is the state’s responsibility to pay for the improvements. (Document I) Hamilton also supported the use of force when domestic rebellion is unable to be contained by laws alone.  (Document B)Jefferson and other anti-federalists viewed this as encroachment on state’s liberties and thought the federal government was ex tending its boundaries. Even in 1798 Jefferson was seeing the federal government infringe on the states rights with the Sedition Acts. Madison states that it is the state’s responsibility and right to interject when the federal government is crossing lines over any state’s natural rights. (Document C) Many Jeffersonian editors were arrested for showing strong negativity to the US government in papers.Jeffersonians saw the Sedition Acts as the catapult that launched the federal government over the wall that was set up to separate state power and federal power. The federalists, who were the creators of the law, used it as an advantage against Jeffersonians but set it to expire in 1801 in anticipation of the same act being used against them. Jeffersonians/Madisonians also sided with the French during their revolution in Europe and during their war against Britain. They saw the French as a future sister republic to relate to.Hamiltonians/federalists were naturally siding w ith the British to keep up consistency with Hamilton’s economic plan. Although, Jefferson in 1808 was thought to have passed the Embargo Act to help the French instead of practical reasons according to propaganda in the time period. (Document F) Jefferson will come to contradict himself once his presidency follows through. Madison will come to act identical to Hamilton and will be known for the turnaround he made. From 1801-1817 both Jefferson and Madison make changes to their normal agenda so they can adapt to their difficult situations as presidents.In 1805 African pirates seized American ships in the Mediterranean and were only taking ransoms for their freedom. (Document E) . Jefferson’s hand was forced and a five year war lasting until 1805 broke out. Jefferson wanted to be isolated from the world for proper growth but he was dragged into the war and forced to fight. Even though Jefferson tried to solve his problem with international trade with the Embargo Act of 1 808 it was quickly adjusted with the Non-Intercourse Act of 1809 that reopened trade with all nations of Europe except France and Britain.This was due to a massive public disapproval and merchants having excess goods that were normally shipped to England in their warehouses because of the ports shut down. (Document F) Jefferson showed little change from Democratic-republican views to practical Hamiltonian views when compared to his successor in the presidency: James Madison. John Adams admitted to Benjamin Waterhouse that his vote would go to Madison because he saw how the federal government was operating on a system he tried to enact during his years as president.Madison showed federalist views and was in no way concealing them. James passed the tariff of 1816 as a protective tax for the textile industry in New England. This new tariff was looked down on by the anti-federalist community despite being passed by Madison. (Document H) Another big issue Madison had changed on was inter nal improvements. His supporters began to see the scale of the improvements and how states do not have the resources to build them. (Document I) The majority of Madison’s terms was spent changing his perspective and that is why his views changed drastically.Jefferson made leaps of change when responsibility struck while he was president; as did Madison when his whole viewpoint was altered to federalism and made practical actions to show his change in a much higher extent than Jefferson. Despite the wide gap between the two presidents and their rival, Hamilton, they made a bridge to compromise with themselves for the better of the young United States. Jefferson stepped out of his comfort zone because his views were not sufficient to run the government. Madison was already adapting to the position of president once the War of 1812 seemed inevitable.  (Document G)Jeffersonians were adapting closer federalistic views during Madison’s presidency. (Document I) Jefferson wa s a leader who stuck to his basic principles as best as he could until his hand was forced while Madison adopted federalist views because a federalistic point of view was beneficial to the United States rather than anti-federalist views that impeded the nation’s progress; lastly, Jefferson was hardly a changed anti-federalist when compared to the responses Madison made but they were both no longer the stone cold anti-federalists they once were.

Printing Is Making A Bigger Impact On The World - 1046 Words

We use printers every day, but printing is making a bigger impact on the world then we may realize. Using 3D printing, innovators are coming up with ways to create solutions to problems we encounter every day. 3D printing is, surprisingly, not a new concept, and has been around since the eighties. 3D printing entails multiple layers of material that is formed using computer programs to create an object. The most common material used in 3D printing is plastic, but can also be silver, titanium, steel, and wax, to name a few. There are many different programs to run 3D printers. They range in price from free to thousands of dollars. They also range from beginner programs, which offer more direction, to intermediate/ professional programs.†¦show more content†¦The first industry that is utilizing 3D printing is surgery. This technology allows doctors to print exact replicas of organs in order to practice surgery procedures. An advancement like this allows doctors to perform more difficult surgeries, and be comfortable in their understanding of the mechanics of the surgery they are performing. These prototypes also help them see critical elements that may have been missed using 2 dimensional imaging. One such case was a 9-month old who was found to have holes in her heart, more than they had anticipated before the 3-D replica was built. There are many other ways that 3-D printing is changing surgery. Surgeons have replaced jaws, formed new skulls, replaced cancerous vertebra, created titanium heels, and used printed hip implants to make surgeries easier on the patient and more cost effective. The future of surgery using 3-D printing offers incredible opportunities to help even more patients with some of the most deadly and common issues, like the heart. According to 3DPrint.com, â€Å"The heart is an incredibly complex organ, but some experts are optimistic that even it will eventually be able to be repaired with 3D printed parts† (Scott, 2016). The next field that is being revolutionize by 3-D printing is architecture. Currently in China, a company, WinSun, is using 3-D printers to build housing. They specifically are working to build low income housing. According to NYDailyNews.com, â€Å"Last year, the engineering and