The identification of offenders as members of a criminal gang is generally not an essential criterion in the prosecution of offences. It is not therefore possible to ascertain the precise number of criminals who are members of criminal gangs operating in this country. Nor is it possible to provide statistics of the kind sought by [...]

Annually for the past nine years, the UK Department of Health have issued statistics showing a decline in the numbers of women giving Irish addresses when accessing abortion services in Britain. The 2010 figures, released earlier this week, revealed that 4,402 women gave Irish addresses to British clinics when they accessed abortion services - 12 [...]

The old adage that children should be seen and not heard seems to have been a mantra taken to heart by some members of the political establishment in the run up to the recent general election. As the narrative of the election was dominated by discussions around the country’s fiscal meltdown, children’s issues were reduced [...]

Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people (LGBT) experience mental health problems in a similar manner to the rest of the population. It should be emphasized that being lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender in no way constitutes a mental health issue in itself. Furthermore, although LGBT people are often referred to as if they make up [...]

As we enter a winter of searing discontent, the prognosis is bleak. While the government continues to funnel truckloads of cash into the gaping maw of our banking sector, the rest of us have to prepare for a slash and burn raid on our public services, together with an increase in our taxes and corresponding [...]

The World Health Organization (WHO) has highlighted stigma and the associated discrimination as comprising the “single most important barrier”  facing people with mental health and behavioural issues. The World Psychiatry Association and World Association for Social Psychiatry have joined the WHO in identifying Stigma as a key public health challenge.
As the State Minister for Mental [...]

Details of the 2010 FEPS/TASC Autumn Conference have just been announced for those interested in attending. Full program and list of speakers is available here.
The booking form, which you have to complete and return to TASC is available here.
Registration forms should be returned to contact@tascnet.ie.
The Conference - entitled “Towards Recovery” - is being organised jointly [...]

Abuse of Women in Conflict Zones
It is only in the last couple of decades that the world has focused on the horrific levels of violence perpetrated against women in times of war. Although women and girls have been the victims of sexual violence and other forms of aggression dating back several millennia, their plight has [...]

The world is suffering from an increasing burden of mental disorders, which has been further aggravated by a widening “treatment gap”. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that mental health ranks second amongst global illnesses. Furthermore, recent WHO analyses calculate that neuropsychiatric conditions impacted upon some 10% for adults or approximately 450 million people.
Irish-based studies [...]

The Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT) has today expressed deep concern at the resignation of Kathleen McMahon, Governor of the Dóchas Centre.  The issues cited by the Governor on her resignation are worrying in the extreme, and IPRT is calling on both prison management and the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform to take [...]