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Make sure you nominate your unsung heroes
THIS week we launch the second Irish Post Pride Of Ireland Awards —
aimed at honouring those in our community who make us proud to be Irish.
The inaugural awards earlier this year proved an outstanding success —
and a shining example of all that is good about the Irish in Britain.
From those who have worked tirelessly to help their local community to
people who campaigned to amend a patently unjust law; figures who have
championed the GAA in Britain to teachers who raised a generation of talented
Irish dancers — the list of achievements was immense.
Most of those honoured are rarely in the limelight — and much of
their dedicated work goes unreported.
But they are the ones who make the Irish community in Britain the strong
and vibrant entity it is today — one that cares about each other,
is proud of its heritage and is constantly looking to help those less
well-off than ourselves.
That’s why we’re now looking for nominations for the next
Pride Of Ireland Awards.
If you know someone deserving of this award fill out the form on page
five of this week’s issue.
You know they deserve it.
Blair government has a duty to help Farepak customers
THE FAREPAK scandal gets worse by the day.
This is the company which took money off some 150,000 mostly low-paid
families every month to go towards Christmas hampers.
But now these people find the company has gone bust and they’ve
little chance of getting their money back.
These were families — many in Irish communities across Britain —
who were prudently saving their cash to ensure an enjoyable Christmas.
By doing what they thought was the right thing they have been left high
and dry.
But even more scandalous is the government’s response so far.
Predictably, the Department Of Trade And Industry has signalled it will
set up an inquiry — but there has been not one mention of the government
coming forward with some sort of compensation package to help the people
so badly let down.
When Tony Blair and his ministers are currently pouring millions of pounds
a day into the war in Iraq it seems inconceivable that they do not have
the money to help out some of their least well-off constituents who, through
no fault of their own, have had their Christmases ruined.
No doubt they would argue it would set a precedent if the government waded
in to compensate consumers every time a company failed.
They’d be right — it would set a precedent. And a very good
one it would be too.
Because while they continue to stand back and do nothing it merely conveys
the impression that they really don’t give a damn.
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