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Over 200 organisations and individuals have signed a letter calling for internet access for all in response to COVID-19
Participation and the Practice of Rights (PPR) have sent a letter to all telecoms companies on the island of Ireland - signed by over 200 organisations and individuals including representatives of rural communities, essential workers, asylum seekers, homeless advocates and celebrity figures such as boxer Mick Conlan, singer-songwriter Damien Dempsey, and stand-up comedian Colin Murphy – calling on them to ensure that no one is excluded from internet access during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Those identified as being particularly vulnerable to exclusion from adequate internet access include:
• Families locked-down in homeless hostels who are reporting having no available WiFi;
• People living with mental illness who are unable to access care and support;
• Asylum seekers unable to earn an income who cannot afford monthly charges and often lack the appropriate technology;
• The sick, disabled and unemployed who cannot access public services because they can't afford to connect;
• Rural communities who are denied the basic internet infrastructure that was built to support our cities.
PPR Director Dessie Donnelly said “Internet access is an essential life line. During the Covd-19 pandemic, an accessible, reliable and fast internet connection is as important as freedom of movement. If you don't have it you can't stay home, you can't work, you can't stay safe, you can't see loved ones, your children can't learn and you can't access essential information and services. Connecting to the internet should be a right, not a privilege based on income.
“Communities all over Ireland are rallying in support of each other while essential workers risk their health and lives in an Island wide effort to defeat Covid19.
“Industries which have benefited greatly from the public's custom, government assistance and privatization policies now need to step up and show the same sacrifice. Telecom companies must remove all unnecessary financial barriers to internet access by opening up their WiFi infrastructure and removing prohibitive charges on people without the means or infrastructure to secure an affordable, reliable and fast connection."
The Signatories
Community and Voluntary Groups
Adam Turkington
Aideen Gilmore
Alicia Toal – Voice of Young People in Care
Andrew McCracken, CEO Community Foundation for Northern Ireland
Angus Lambkin – Consultant Humanitarian Planning for Emergencies
Annette Curley, Mental Health Charity Support Worker Galway
Ann Godfrey
Anne McVicker, Director Women’s Resource and Development Agency
Barry Murray, Turas na nDaoine
Bernadette McAliskey, Director South Tyrone Empowerment Programme
Brian Mac Domhnaill, National Federation of Group Water Schemes Monaghan
Charlie Fisher, Development Trust NI
Cherif Labreche, CEO New Communities Partnership
Chloe O’Malley, Community Activist Louisburgh Co. Mayo
Ciaran McClean, Chair Save Our Sperrins
Ciarán O Brien, Belfast Housing Action
Claudia Belloni, Co-ordinator Belfast Unemployed Resource Centre & North Belfast Friendship Club
Colum Benstead, Senior Social Worker, Childrens Safeguarding
Conchur O’Muadaigh, Bainisteoir Abhcóideachta Conradh Na Gaeilge
Collette O’Regan, LGBT Ireland
Deirdre Garvey, CEO The Wheel
Dermot Devlin, My Way Access
Dermot Nelson, Addiction Services, Co. Cavan
Denise Charlton, Denise Charlton Associates
Denise Wright
Desy Jones, Counsellor
Ed Peterson, Chairperson Forthspring Inter Community Group
Ellen McNally
Emerge Counselling Services, Lisburn
Emma Cassidy, Public Interest Litigation Support (PILS) Project
End Deportations Belfast
Etain O’Kane, Therapy Belfast
Feargal Mac Ionnrachtaigh, Stiúrthóir, Glór na Móna
Felicity Mckee, Disability Rights Campaigner
Frankie Quinn, Co-ordinator Éalú
Gerard McCartan, Chairperson Participation and the Practice of Rights (PPR)
Grian Ní Dhaimhín, Student Renters Group
Hugh Brennan, Director Ó Cualann Housing
James Orr, Director Friends of the Earth NI
John Dunbar, Chair Alternative A5 Alliance
John O’Doherty, Director The Rainbow Project
John Peacock, National Secretary YMCA Ireland
Josh O’Dowd, Sean Óg Le Cheile
Karen McGuigan, Suicide, Talking, Education, Prevention, Support (STEPS)
Kate Clifford, Director Rural Community Network
Kerry Melville, Belfast Food Network
Kyle Heffernan, Council for the Homeless Belfast
Laura Wright
Lilian Seenoi, Director North West Migrants Forum
Nicola Browne
Nigel McKinney
Mairtín Mac Gabhann, Cathaoirleach Loachra Loch Lao
Mary Ryan, CEO MACS Supporting Young People
Manus Maguire, Director Cliftonville Community Regeneration Forum
Markets Development Association
Margaret O’Riada, Director Galway Travellers Movement
Margaret Walker, West Belfast Suicide Awareness
Oyedamola Bolajoko, Project Co-ordinator Sawa Womens Space
Padraig Bennett, Community Worker Co. Meath
Pádraic Mac Coitir
Pádraig Ó Tiarnaigh, Gníomhaí Teanga Gaelphobal Ard Mhacha Theas
Patrick Yu, Executive Director Northern Ireland Council for Racial Equality Pat Finucane Centre
Pilip Ó Ruanaí, TACA
Phillip McTaggart, Mindskills
Rachel Mullen
Rachel Powell, Women’s Resource and Development Agency
Rebekah McCabe
Ryan Doherty, Homeplus NI
Ryan McKinney
Refugees Welcome NI
Richard Higginson, Loveworks
Rory Doherty, Quaker Service NI
Sara Connolly, Homeless Services, Tallaght, Dublin
Sara Ferrigan, Clare Public Participation Network
Sarah Mason, CEO Women’s Aid Federation NI
Sister Maureen Lalley, CEO Tochar Valley Rural Community Network Mayo Stephanie Leonard, Founder Act Build Change
Stephanie Mitchell, Director Belfast Friendship Club
Stephen Wood, Co-ordinator Tools for Solidarity
Stevie Nolan, Trademark
Susan McCrory, Director Falls Women’s Centre
Suzanne O’Brien Participation Officer EPIC – Empowering People in Care The Lantern Intercultural Centre
Trade Unions
Caoimhín MacColaim, INTO Northern Committee Rep Gerry Murphy, Northern Secretary of INTO
John Boyle, INTO General Secretary
Kevin Daly, INTO Northern Chairperson
Mary Magner, INTO President
Niall McCarroll, Derry Trade Unions Council and UNISON Community and Voluntary Branch Taryn Trainor, Unite the Union
UNISON NI
Academics
Dr. Brian Kelly, School of History, QUB Dr Brigitte Anton
Professor Colin Harvey
Dr. Deena Haydon
Dr. Elizabeth McArdle Goretti Horgan
Dr. Ionnis Tsioulakis Professor John Barry Professor John Pinkerton Dr. Maria Pentaraki
Dr. Paula McFadden Dr. Siobhan McAllister
Arts and Entertainment
Alan Braniff, Belfast Grime Man
Anne Devlin, Playwright
Ciarán Mac Giolla Bhéin, Stiúrthóir An Chultúrlann Charlotte Dryden, Oh Yeah Centre
Colin Murphy, Comedian
Colum Sands, DJ and folk artist
Connor Kerr and Rebecca Clough, Another World Belfast Daniel Jewesbury, Artist
Denis O’Hearn, Author
Declan McLaughlin, Singer/Songwriter
Damien Dempsey, Singer/Songwriter
Finn Kennedy – Theatre-Maker
Gareth Moore, Artist
Joby Fox, Singer/Songwriter
John Connors, Actor/Playwright/Director
Maria McManus, Poet
Mimi Turtle, CEO Strand Arts Centre
Niamh Flanagan, Director Theatre NI
Oliver Martin, Artcetera
Paula McFettridge, Artistic Director Kabosh Theatre Peter O’Neill, Director Imagine Belfast
Robin Wilson, Author and Campaigner
Ruth Carr, Poet
Simon Magill, Creative Director The MAC
Sarah Clancy, Poet
Tim Brannigan, Writer
Vincent Higgins, Playwright/Actor
Education
Ashleigh Galway, Principal Currie Primary School
Bronagh McVeigh, Principal St Vincent de Paul Primary School Emer Hughes, Principal Our Lady’s Primary School
Emma Clarke, Acting Principal Wheatfield Primary and Nursery Máire Uí Éigeartaigh, Príomhoide Bunscoil Bheann Mhadagáin Pádraig Mac Cathail, Oideachasóir, Coláiste Feirste
Siobhan McQuaid, Principal Holy Family Primary School
Media
Adam Ramsay, Open Democracy Chris Donnelly, commentator Craig Dwyer, For A Change
Daithí McKay - commentator
John Gibbons, Retired Producer Marilyn Hyndman, NV Media Trust Sean Murray Film Maker
Trevor Birney, Below the Radar, Fine Point Films, Meon Ellie, and The Detail Tyler McNally, The Last Round
Youth
Barry Fegan, Clonard Monastery Youth Centre
Carmel O Connor, Talk About Youth Project Dublin
Eddie Burns Youth Leader in Charge St Malachys Youth Centre
Israel E Nogie, Diverse Youth NI
Mary Field, CEO Northern Ireland Youth Work Alliance
Niall Enright, Manager Upper Springfield Youth Team
Paddy Mooney, Director Include Youth
Philip Glennon, Head of Operations Northern Ireland Youth Forum
Sean Madden, Holy Family Youth Centre
Shane Whelehan, Director Ardoyne Youth Enterprise
Siobhan McKinley, Quakers Teen Project Belfast
Sinead Keane, BeLonG To Youth Services
Start 360 - Stephen Barr
Steph O Rourke, Springboard Opportunities – Director of Springboard Angila Chada Thomas Turley, Ardoyne Youth Club
Sports
Árd Éoin GAC
Joe Gormley, Cliftonville Football Club Player
Mick Conlan, Boxer and Intercontinental Title Holder Paddy Barnes, Ex-Pro Boxer and Olympic Medallist
Religious
Adam McCormick, Site Pastor Christian Fellowship Church Sign Language Alister and Ruth Wallace, Site Pastor Christian Fellowship Church Antrim Andrew Gibson, Site Pastor Christian Fellowship Church Holywood
Rev Brian Anderson, Superintendent East Belfast Mission
Rev David Campton, Superintendent East Belfast Mission
Rev Ivan Steen for Windsor Presbyterian Church, Belfast
David Smith, Head of Northern Ireland Evangelical Alliance
Garath Baxter, Missions Pastor Christian Fellowship Church East Belfast Laura Bell, Site Pastor Christian Fellowship Church South
Fr. Martin Magill
Owen Crane, Senior Pastor Christian Fellowship Church East Belfast
Thomas and Leanne Todd, Site Pastor Christian Fellowship Church Inner East
Legal
Ciaran Moynagh, Director Phoenix Law Human Rights Lawyers LTD
Daniel Holder, Deputy Director Committee for the Administration of Justice Paddy Kelly, Director Children’s Law Centre
Other
Emma Bricknell, Made in Belfast John Dennehy, Founder ZARTIS
