Thousands rally after Georgian PM vows 'no negotiations' with pro-EU oppositionThe Dublin-based architect Thomas Cooley was consulted on the plans for the building which was designed by the printer and philanthropist Robert Joy. Cooley, who was born in London, worked in the neoclassical style on several public buildings in Dublin and together with James Gandon was part of a small team of architects. Joy had drawn an initial plan of the structure on a napkin in the George Inn where rich Presbyterian merchants and burgesses met to form the Society in summer 1752 with the aim of establishing a charitable hospital infirmary. With its spire, elegant wings, weathered brick, octagonal stone tower and original features, Clifton House stands on an eminence as one of the city’s finest Grade A-listed Georgian buildings. But the stylish exterior belies the social deprivation that brought it into existence. In 1740-41 a combination of atrocious grain harvests, shortage of milk and frost damage to potatoes led to a severe famine in Ulster with a death toll of around 300,000. When the Poor House opened it was incorporated by an Act of Parliament in Dublin in 1774 which gave it power over the welfare of citizens, especially the vulnerable and needy. It sheltered all creeds with beds for the homeless who carried out spinning and weaving work. Regular meals of stirabout, bread, broth, cheese, milk, and “pease porridge” (a savoury pudding dish) were served, while meat – then a rare treat – was provided every Sunday. A stay in the Poor House, however, was a temporary expedient to help people over difficulties before taking their place again in the outside world. It effectively became Belfast’s earliest hospital and in 1800 was where the first smallpox inoculation in Ireland was administered. In the early 1790s the freed African slave Olaudah Equiano visited Ireland to promote his autobiography and was invited to speak to the Society. He was well received throughout his Irish stay and described his welcome in Belfast as especially warm. As a progressive body the charity was influenced by the American War of Independence and the French Revolution. Those actively involved in setting it up included the Joy and McCracken families, while the United Irishmen Dr William Drennan and Samuel Neilson were supporters. However, in 1798, the year of the Irish Rebellion, the Society was given 48 hours’ notice from the military to clear the Poor House because of its radical connections. The building was eventually returned to them in 1800. One of the most illustrious names linked to the house was the abolitionist and social reformer Mary Ann McCracken, born in 1770. A founding member of the Poor House Ladies’ Committee, she became its treasurer, secretary, and chair, offering support to hundreds of women and children. Her mantra, preserved on a framed sign in the boardroom, states: “This world affords no enjoyment equal to that of promoting the happiness of others.” An active member of the Belfast Ladies Anti-Slavery Association, Mary Ann campaigned vigorously for an end to slavery. She refused to eat sugar because it was a product of the slave trade and West Indies plantations. Earlier this year, to coincide with International Women’s Day, a bronze statue marking her achievements was unveiled in the grounds of Belfast City Hall. In the foyer at Clifton House a display of heritage artefacts, including a cotton spinning wheel, wooden water pipes, and streetlamps from 1771, are a reminder of former times. A warning notice in the boardroom from an 1820 orderly book states: “If a window in this room is not kept open every day, when the weather is favourable, the allowance of tea, sugar, snuff, or tobacco will be withdrawn from those persons who get them.” The society’s work continues today. The grounds of Clifton House are still used as a home for the care of older people where mews accommodation is made available by a housing association. Present-day concerns over poverty are also addressed. Since December 2023, the society’s funding has ensured that 12,200 children in schools in North Belfast affected by the cost-of-living crisis, have had at least one nutritious meal a day. The Clifton House Interpretative Centre holds public tours, and the adjacent Clifton Street Cemetery is widely recognised as a significant historical site. Not only is the cemetery the resting place of notable families, it is also home to the mausoleum erected by John Dunville who established the Irish whiskey brand in 1808 and was renowned for his philanthropy. In keeping with its ethos, the charity has used the sestercentennial celebrations to bring people together to discuss the current reality of poverty and disadvantage, while an exhibition shines a spotlight on some of its proudest moments.Qatar tribune It’s an abiding promise of newly elected American presidents: The executive branch henceforth will be liberated from the perils of waste, fraud and abuse. President-elect Donald Trump, in his contribution to the canon, has announced he’ll create the Department of Government Efficiency, led by tech impresarios Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy. The aim, Trump says, is to “dismantle government bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure federal agencies.” There’s reason to be skeptical about Trump’s ambitions for this body. And many previous efforts along these lines — from the Truman Committee to Al Gore’s “reinventing government” initiative — have failed to tame the federal leviathan. But the goal of getting taxpayers better value for their money remains eminently desirable. As a start, any effort of this kind requires setting achievable goals — and Musk and Ramaswamy have already emphasized a good one. They want to get federal workers back to the office. Long after the pandemic, government buildings are still conspicuously underpopulated. In his 2022 State of the Union address, President Joe Biden called on federal workers to return to their offices, and his administration has periodically urged people back to their desks, but with little apparent effect. A recent report on telework arrangements at four agencies found that one (the Veterans Benefits Administration) has failed to collect the data it needs to manage the system effectively, and that the other three (the Farm Service Agency, the Internal Revenue Service and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services) haven’t evaluated telework’s effects on performance. There’s little here to allay taxpayers’ suspicions that absence from the office means less work being done. What taxpayers should expect from public services would, more generally, be a good focus for DOGE’s efforts. The client-facing aspects of the U.S. government badly need attention. Whether it’s filing taxes, claiming benefits, buying savings bonds from TreasuryDirect, securing licenses and permissions, or dealing with regulators with overlapping jurisdictions, effective customer service rarely seems to be a priority. Entrepreneurs like Musk and Ramaswamy don’t need to be told why this matters. As important as this mission is, however, voters should be realistic. Musk once said he aimed to cut “at least $2 trillion” from Biden’s proposed $6.5 trillion-a-year budget. On the face of it, such a claim isn’t credible: It would mean cutting all spending, including defense, Medicare and Social Security, by a third. Trump has already promised to protect the main entitlement programs. Regardless of who’s in charge, even modest cuts in such spending are politically perilous. The savings from thinning the federal workforce, as Musk and Ramaswamy have advocated, are trivial when set against the biggest outlays. Another concern is that both men may have conflicts of interest and, as outside advisers, may not be subject to normal disclosure rules. For their effort to work, they’ll need to be forthright with the public about their financial involvements. Ideally, DOGE would aim to strengthen and broaden the audit powers that currently reside with the Government Accountability Office (which advises Congress) and the Office of Management and Budget (a branch of the White House). To the general public, these existing functions are all but invisible and lack teeth: Too often, reports are issued and little if anything happens. DOGE could improve this oversight by publicizing opportunities to make government work better — by highlighting the real waste, duplication, underperformance and poor customer service that the existing audit systems let slide, as well as recommending changes. Set up that way, DOGE can promote accountability as well as transparency. But to succeed, its leaders will need to know what they’re talking about and command credibility with taxpayers. Musk and Ramaswamy should be commended for their ambition. They should also remember that fixing the government is an incredibly arduous task — and making ridiculous promises doesn’t help. Copy 09/12/2024 10panalo999 login 。

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