On the final day of Michael D. Higgins’s Presidency, I’m reminded of his inspiring speech to @setu-research.bsky.social and @ucc.ie Economy and Society PhD Summer School in 2015—welcoming him at the gates was an honour. www.president.ie/en/media-lib... Thank you, Uachtarán.

Regional imbalance: How Ireland’s regional cities’ funding compares to Dublin – and why it matters

We say unemployment “scars” people. Is it a damaging metaphor that limits how we think about labour & worth. New piece in Social Europe asking: 🔗 www.socialeurope.eu/the-dangerou... #Work #Welfare #SocialEurope #FutureOfWork #NarrativePolitics

Great to be at the Sociological Association of Ireland Annual Conference 2025 to present a panel on our new publication “Digital Public Employment Services in Action” (open access doi.org/10.51952/978...) #SAIcon25 #SociologyIreland @sociologyireland.bsky.social #SociologyUCC #SAI2025 #SETU @ucc.ie

An underappreciated global trend, is the spread of basic welfare-state institutions to middle and lower-income countries. For more insight, visit Chartbook Top Link. Subscribe here: tinyurl.com/3ezpyy2b

Irish Social Welfare needs new thinking- is the new government up to the challenge? With Tom Boland m.independent.ie/business/new...

Congrats to Dr Niall Egan, Assistant Sec. Gen. of Dept of Social Protection on passing his viva🏆 🥳 👏 Many thanks to supervisors Dr @nessawinston-ucd.bsky.social and Michael Mulreany (IPA); and exam panel Dr Ray Griffin, Prof. @michellenorris.bsky.social & @naokody.bsky.social @ucddublin.bsky.social

Back to work I suppose.

Thrilled to be able to catch the Nevin lecture by the always brilliant Prof. Mary Murphy.

Delighted to be presenting at this symposium in a couple of weeks. All welcome: email Diana (email in poster) for tickets. ‘The problem of Critique and Truth-Telling in Public – a Symposium’, 26-27th April 2024, University of Galway, Arts Millennium Building, G065 #socialtheory

My opinion piece on how Government has failed the Irish technological universities... the promised transformation agenda of new programmes, disciplines, capital, funding framework, lecturer contracts, borrowing framework & student accommodation.... are all stalled. www.irishtimes.com/ireland/educ...

Fiercely dark & uncomfortably funny theatre about family grief and spectral encounters with lost children… I saw #AudreyOrSorrrow at the Abbey Theatre this weekend— a Christmas gift from my sister. Now left in tatters.... unpacking the semiotics of that gift.

Speaking at the @oireachtasnews.bsky.social Joint Committee on Finance, Public Expenditure and Reform on how positive #datafication can improve governance and oversight of public capital spending. With Máire Henry dhb architects.