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ARTS MINISTER HEATHER Humphreys met with the Arts Council today to discuss allegations of sexual harassment at the Gate Theatre in Dublin.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said today’s discussion centred on whether it was necessary to take further action on the issue across the arts sector.
Varadkar said he had discussed the matter with Humphreys and that “there can be no tolerance, in my view, of assault or sexual harassment or bullying of any sort in any workplace”.
“And I want that message to go out very clearly,” he added.
Following claims of sexual harassment and abuse of power within the theatre, the Gate Theatre issued a statement yesterday to state that it has set up a confidential process for employees and contractors to raise any concerns they may have.
The board and management of the theatre said it intends to “appoint an independent professional HR advisor to handle any issues raised” through that process.
The Taoiseach said the issue of bullying in the workplace was not discussed at Cabinet today, but said he agrees that it is a very important matter.
It is perhaps one we should discuss. There can be no tolerance of assault, sexual harassment or bullying of any sort in any workplace. I want that message to go out very clearly. The Gate Theatre is a private institution and not a public body.
It has its own board and trustees, and it is incumbent on them to put in place an independent investigation to ensure the allegations made are thoroughly investigated.
He said matters like bullying or sexual harassment are not unique to any one sector.
“They are probably prevalent in society and I am full of admiration for the people who have come forward in this and other countries to tell their stories. If they continue to do so, it may help to change the climate and make people who may consider treating fellow workers or people subordinate to them in the workplace in such a beastly manner. I hope it would cause them to think twice in future,” he said.
Labour’s Joan Burton said the issue is very important, particularly to young people in the workplace, whether men or women, who may be at the start of their careers.
“Powerful dominant figures may use their power and dominance to make life very difficult for other people and seek to extract behaviour and favours from them which they would not otherwise dream of attempting to do,” she said.
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And how much will church pay?
The church should pay the entire bill
I believe that the Religious have a strangle hold over the Health and School System; it is very unlikely that the Government will take legal action against their Landlords? As far as I know they still haven’t finished paying their agreed share from the 2002 Indemnity Deal to pay for Abuse in the Irish Industrial Schools
Surely the bill should be sent to the Vatican?
That’s an insult to these women. You’d be waiting for the Vatican to pay until kingdom come. Give them they’re money and let them get on with their lives.
Correction. State to pay €250,000.
The government gives 638 euros of our money to Africa every year. Where do it go ? Who gets it? They even saw fit to give 7 million euro to Libya. 250,000.? Insulting !
The Irish Psychiatric Profession should also apologise to Magdalene victims.
The Psychiatric profession colluded with the Catholic Church in incarcerating thousands of innocent Irish Women and Men for ” unacceptable, deviant behaviour” – ie. being a Single Mother or being a Homosexual in the Fifties and Sixties. Many lives were ruined by these guys ordering Lobotomies, Freezing Insulin Baths and Electric Shock Treatments on many healthy people.
When will the media scrutinise the numerous abuses by Consultant Psychiatrists ? We know of several cases involving these so called pillars of the Community locking innocent people up in return for large cash payments . They remain above the Law and when they get a diagnosis wrong, the unfortunate patient has no opportunity for redress. They intimidate and bully. Have any of these arrogant elitists ever apologised for the sins committed in the name of their professional research ?
We now know, thanks to great work, by the late Mary Rafferty that these abuses were/are still happening recently in Waterford and other Institutions. Doctor Dennis Lane O’ Kelly has been named in the excellent RTE documentary, ‘Behind the Walls’. Yet those who knew about this and other abuses are still employed by the HSE. Do these experts on all aspects of human nature really expect us to believe that they knew nothing about the sexual abuse of vulnerable people being instigated by one of their colleagues, Dr. Lane O’ Kelly ?
How much did the state give to the soldiers who were actually paid to do their work …..
That should read we give 638 million euro to Africa every or rather our government borrows and gives this huge amount on our behalf. Charity begins athome and 250,000 is a derisory sum
The catholic church should pay the bill. It sickens me that womens rights were violated in this way. Did the european union know this was going on? How did they get away with it
250,000 Given to this unheard of Centre, before the 3 Month audit of need they seem to think is required!! WHY??
On closer Scrutiny this Centre Does Not Exist??
Funding of Survivors Groups in Ireland has been very Controversial! Have they Learned NOTHING?
No doubt it will be London Based, as if there are only Survivors in London?
This is the Group that will receive the money http://www.irishsurvivorsuk.org.uk/
If this money is to paid immediately to a Project that does not exist?
For needs that haven’t been assessed yet?
I would like to know
“What Fund/Budget is this Money to be drawn from?”
HELP US MAGDALENES WHAT WITH A CUP OF TEA OR COFFEE ..I DONT THINK SO ITS A SHAM ..TO SUDDENLY CROP UP WITH NO HISTORY ITS A SUSPICIOUS ORGANISATION ..I FOR ONE WILL SKIP IT I CAN MAKE MY OWN TEA ..WHERE HAVE THOSE DO GOODERS BEEN WHEN SOME OF US LAY DYING FROM OVERDOSES AND ON LIFE SUPPORTS ..WHERE WERE THOSE DO GOODERS AND SO CALLED COUNCILLARS ..WHEN WE NEEDED THEM …I DONT WANT THEM NO THEY CAN SUCK IT UP BUTTERCUPS
can someone in the Irish Government pray tell just WHY ?? is that Woman in London getting another lot of funding £250,000 for a service THAT DOES NOT EXIST??? are they all insane
it is from the compansation that was supposed to be for the survivors, this Group in London and other so called Groups in the UK and Ireland surported by the irish State have been recieving Funding using survivors names saying they surport survivors and offer services to them ,(NOT ) those so called Groups are only interested in keeping themselves and their friends in their well paid JOB’s >While the real survivors have been IGNORED and BULLIED into SILENCE , they help survivors > Pig’s might Fly. It’s another CON
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