John Hume 18 January 1937 - 3 August 2020 RIP

“I never thought in terms of being a leader. I thought very simply in terms of helping people.”

“I want to see Ireland as an example to men and women everywhere of what can be achieved by living for ideals, rather than fighting for them, and by viewing each and every person as worthy of respect and honour. I want to see an Ireland of partnership where we wage war on want and poverty, where we reach out to the marginalised and dispossessed, where we build together a future that can be as great as our dreams allow.”

John Hume
- Northern Irish Peace Process Architect
- Nobel Laureate

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

Travel Alert

Important Update for anyone travelling via UAE eg Dubai and Abu Dhabi
effective 1 August

Inquiry into the Working Holiday Maker program

The Australian government is seeking submissions from the public on the Working Holiday Maker VISA and importantly the impact of COVID-19 on the program. The closing date for submissions is 24th July. If you have been adversely affected by having to return home, or being unable to undertake or complete your regional work, this presents a real opportunity to have your voice heard. The terms of reference and contact details can be found here

Terms of Reference Submissions

International travellers flying into NSW will have to pay $3000

International travellers flying into NSW will have to pay $3000 for their two-week quarantine from midnight on Saturday, July 18. The new charges mean that a family of two adults and two children over three will have to pay $5000 for their 14 day stay in a designated quarantine hotel.

NSW to charge returned international travellers for hotel quarantine

Important Update for Dual Citizens and Permanent Residents

Important Information -COVID-19 and the border

Leaving Australia -Australian Citizens and Permanent Residents

If you are an Australian citizen or a permanent resident you cannot leave Australia due to COVID-19 restrictions unless you have an exemption.
You can apply online

but you must meet at least one of the following:

your travel is as part of the response to the COVID-19 outbreak, including the provision of aid
your travel is essential for the conduct of critical industries and business (including export and import industries)
you are travelling to receive urgent medical treatment that is not available in Australia
you are travelling on urgent and unavoidable personal business
you are travelling on compassionate or humanitarian grounds
your travel is in the national interest.
You must provide evidence to support your claims

https://covid19.homeaffairs.gov.au/leaving-australia

Your job search with John Corrigan

The Irish 30 continues its series of  webinars with a fresh new approach. On the first Monday of every month the team of experts will be introducing a new topic which has the potential to positively impact your mental health and well-being. Accessed through a link on the Irish Support Agency's website, it starts at 7pm and will last 30 minutes with an opportunity for Q&A . You can join using the link below.  

Kicking off the new format on Monday 6th July at 7pm will be Your job search with John Corrigan

Register

Blooms Day 16 June

Bloomsday is an annual celebration of the life and work of Ireland’s most famous author, James Joyce. Every year the events of his best-known novel, Ulysses, are recreated in their exact locations, and literary events are held around the world. Bloomsday celebrates Thursday 16 June 1904, the day depicted in Ulysses. The day is named after Leopold Bloom, the central character in Ulysses.
We would love to hear from you wherever you are in the world and find about your special plans for Bloomsday.

Mental Health and Wellbeing Webinar

Our next Mental Health and Wellbeing webinar will be held on Monday 15th June 6 pm and can be viewed live on our website https://www.irishsupportagency.org.au/the-irish-30 or accessed later via The Irish Support Agencys YouTube channel

Staying connected during physical distancing can be challenging but not impossible. In this webinar we will explore the impact that social connections have on our wellbeing, the importance of different types of connections and ways to remain connected during COVID-19. We will also outline the role that ISA plays in connecting our Irish community in NSW

Irish Support Agency launch new ' You Tube' Channel

In a world which is digitalising rapidly and where the COVID-19 crisis has amplified the need to communicate online, The Irish Support Agency is launching our own channel on YouTube. This new communication platform will be used for a variety of messages and informative videos about what is happening within the Irish/Australian community.
You can check out the site at the link below

Irish Support Agency You Tube Channel

All our new Mental Health and Wellbeing Webinars are available on our You Tube channel

This week’s webinar discusses Mental Resilience with Ronan Mac Domhnaill

Wish you were Here

Troubadour Presents along with the Irish Embassy & Consulate are excited to present 'Wish You Were Here',

a free online concert & fundraising initiative raising much-needed funds for Irish Support Agencies in Australia during the covid-19 pandemic.

There are almost 18,000 Irish temporary visa holders in Australia, and many of them are unable to access Australian Government assistance of any kind, leaving them in financial crisis. Returning to Ireland is not a straightforward option for those who have lost their livelihoods as a result of the pandemic, and many will be seeking urgent support just to cover basic expenses

FEATURING (in alphabetical order)..

CHRIS KAVANAGH
DAMIEN DEMPSEY
DANNY O’REILLY (The Coronas)
DECLAN O’ROURKE
ELEANOR MCEVOY
JOHN SPILLANE
LUKA BLOOM
LUNASA
MARY BLACK
MICK FLANNERY
MICK MCHUGH
MUNDY
PADDY MCHUGH
PANTI BLISS
PAUL BRADY
PAULINE SCANLON
SHANE HOWARD
THE 2 JOHNNIES
ULAID

RSVP HERE

See you on Facebook Live on 23 May -please donate generously if you can.

Funds will be shared equally with the four Irish Support Agencies in Australia – Claddagh Association (Western Australia), Irish Australian Support Association of Queensland, Irish Australian Support and Resource Bureau (Victoria) and Irish Support Agency NSW Inc.

Irish 30

Mental Health and Wellbeing

Important News
We are excited to announce the launch of our new mental health and wellbeing initiative commencing the 18 May at 6 pm.
Promoting the mental health and wellbeing of our community has been a priority for the ISA for many years. The ISA and our skilled volunteers have been helping us address the critical issue of mental health and wellbeing during this challenging time. We are launching 'The Irish 30' on 18 May'; this is a series of free weekly wellbeing webinars designed to promote the mental health and wellbeing of the Irish Community in Australia during the Covid 19 challenge.

Irish 30

Coronavirus Covid 19 - Appeal

The effects of the Covid 19 pandemic have been felt far and wide. We want to assure you that the ISA continues on our mission to support vulnerable Irish citizens living in NSW who are struggling. As the economic crisis escalates, we are experiencing a significant increase in requests for support from young individuals and families. These individuals fall outside of the Government assistance and stimulus packages. Many of whom are struggling to fund their very basic needs. We are calling on you, the Irish diaspora, to donate what you can. With this recent increase in demand, the Agency anticipates requests for emergency support will exceed $500,000 in the months ahead. Now more than ever, it is critical that Irish citizens who are in crisis and living in NSW can access our programs to support their financial, mental and physical wellbeing, social inclusion and sense of connection in our community. Any financial support you can assist with is greatly appreciated.
History shows that Irish people are extraordinarily generous, resilient and optimistic and we will not let the current crisis dim that light.
All donations exceeding $2 are tax deductible.
DONATE

Early Access to Superannuation

The Australian Government is allowing individuals affected by the Coronavirus to access up to $10,000 of their superannuation in 2019-20 and a further $10,000 in 2020-21. 

TEMPORARY EARLY ACCESS TO SUPERANNUATION 

While superannuation helps people save for retirement, the Australian Government recognises that for those significantly financially affected by the Coronavirus, accessing some of their superannuation today may outweigh the benefits of maintaining those savings until retirement.

Eligibility Australian and New Zealand citizens and permanent residents

To apply for early release you must satisfy any one or more of the following requirements:

• you are unemployed; or

• you are eligible to receive a job seeker payment, youth allowance for jobseekers, parenting payment (which includes the single and partnered payments), special benefit or farm household allowance; or

• on or after 1 January 2020:  you were made redundant; or  your working hours were reduced by 20 per cent or more; or  if you are a sole trader — your business was suspended or there was a reduction in your turnover of 20 per cent or more.

Temporary visa holders  To apply for early release you must satisfy any one or more of the following requirements:

Student visa holders (Subclasses 500, 570-576):

 • you have held your student visa for 12 months or more; and 

• you are unable to meet your immediate living expenses. 

Temporary skilled work visa holders (Subclasses 457 and 482)

• on or after 1 January 2020, you had your working hours reduced to zero by your employer; and 

• you are still employed by that employer. 

All other temporary visa holders (including Working Holiday Maker visa holders and other working visas) 

• you are unable to meet your immediate living expenses

Full details of the scheme are detailed in the link below

Australian Government Fact Sheet Early Access to superannuation

Returning home to Ireland

Returning home to Ireland? - Travel and Coronavirus
If you are returning to Ireland from another country.
You will need to self-isolate for 14 days if you arrive in Ireland from any other country. This includes Irish citizens coming home. Self-isolation means staying indoors and completely avoiding contact with other people. You will be asked to fill in a form before you arrive in Ireland called the Public Health Passenger Locator Form You may be contacted during the 14 days after you arrive in Ireland to check that you are self-isolating. You do not need to self-isolate if you:
return to the Republic of Ireland from Northern Ireland
are an essential supply chain worker, for example, a pilot, haulier, maritime staff member
are briefly stopping over at an airport on your way to another country
Follow this advice to protect yourself and others from coronavirus.
Thanks to the HSE Ireland for this information.
Please share with family and friends who are returning home.

Tenants know your rights

Renting and Corona Virus (COVID-19): What you need to know

ISA News & Events April Edition

PRESIDENT'S WELCOME

In our last edition of the ISA newsletter I talked about the difficult time Australians and Irish Australians were experiencing as a result of the bushfires. Little did we know back then about the new challenges that lay ahead. 

While the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted us all in some way or another, I want to reassure our members that we are working around the clock to make sure that the Irish in NSW have a safety net during this unprecedented time. 

We have made several changes in response to the COVID-19 pandemic including:

• Suspended our Seniors programs including Cara Club and Silvers Surfers computer class

• Closed our INA based office and supported our team to work remotely from home

• Scheduling regular staff and committee meetings to manage our response to COVID-19 and the huge demand this has put on our team.

I would like to thank our team for the tremendous effort they have put in over the last few weeks to deal with huge demand being placed on our services. They have worked tirelessly to answer the endless queries from concerned Irish citizens in NSW and to provide reliable information and financial support when needed. 

We thank the many volunteers and community members who have reached out to offer support over the past few weeks. I hope you and your loved ones are all staying safe and well during this challenging time. 

Best wishes
Donna

ISA COVID-19 online resources

During times of crisis, it is important to access reliable and trustworthy information to inform decision making. We have pulled together a list of recommended resources and put these together in our new COVID-19 section on our website. 

Staff Update

After six jam packed months at the Irish Support Agency we are sad to say goodbye to our Project Officer Paula, who has recently left us to complete further study. We wish her all the best for the future and thank her for her enthusiasm and hard work.

We now welcome Nicola Farrell as our new Project Officer. Nicola is originally from Kilkenny and has been in Australia with her family for 13 years. Originally trained as a nurse, she also has significant experience in project management and business and is well connected within the Irish Community. 

Nicola has been well and truly thrown in at the deep end since she joined, keeping abreast of developments and government advice to ensure our team has access to accurate information for our clients. She is looking forward to getting to know you all over the coming months. 

Irish Life Down Under Podcast

Friend of the ISA, Paul Kilroy, interviews Consul General Owen Feeney in his latest episode of the Irish Life Down Under Podcast. Owen answers listeners questions about Irish DFA's response to COVID-19 and outlines offical Government advice for Irish Migrants in Australia. 

The episode is available on Spotify and Apple podcasts.

Community Strong

Identifying the huge demand that will be placed on our services over the coming weeks and months, Paul has also set up a fundraising page for the Irish Support Agency. 
We appreciate that these are unsteady times for everyone right now, but if you are in a position to contribute towards this appeal we would be very grateful for your support.
Be assured that we carryout a comprehensive assessment of each individual that requests assistance, and first identify any government support they are entitled to before offering financial help. This ensures that we have funds available to help those who are most in need.

St Patrick's Day 2020

We were devastated for the Sydney St Patrick's Day Organisation Committee who were forced to cancel this year's parade after months of planning and hard work. 

We thank them for their efforts to celebrate St Patrick's Day in Sydney each year and we hope they have a well earned rest before coming back bigger and better than ever next year. 

We miss these faces!

We are missing our regular catch ups with our seniors at Cara Club and Silver Surfers but we must consider the best interests of our members at this time. 

We have instigated a new outreach program for our seniors whereby the Committee / Staff are reaching out by telephone to offer social support during what is undoubtedly a difficult time. This allows us the opportunity to make sure they are adequately supported in their home environments but also to offer a chat to those who may feel isolated. If you know of some one who might benefit from this program, please ask them to give us a call.  

It's ok not to be ok

It is normal to feel overwhelmed, stressed, worried or anxious in times of uncertainty, but there are some simple things you can do right now to help maintain your mental health and wellbeing.

Check out our latest blog post for some helpful wellbeing advice and information on where to seek help, if required. 

Maintaining Mental Health During COVID-19

This is a time of unknowns and uncertainties and it’s normal to be feeling overwhelmed or anxious right now. If you are concerned about your own or someone else’s wellbeing you can contact the ISA team who can provide you with confidential support and referrals.

Remember that little things can have big impacts on our response to stress and or ability to adapt to changes. We can’t control what is going on in the world right now, but we can control our own response to it by taking some simple steps to maintaining our mental health and wellbeing.

Below are six tips to get you started:

1. Be selective of your information sources

There is a lot of conflicting information in the media about COVID-19 and it can be difficult to determine fact from myth. It is good to be informed but avoid overwhelming yourself with constant updates. Checking the reliable websites below once per day is enough to stay informed.

• NSW Health 

• World Health Organisation (WHO) 

• Psychological tips for dealing with infectious diseases

2. control the scroll

It is hard distract yourself from COVID-19 when your social media feed is a minefield of mis-information and anxiety inducing ‘what ifs?’. On the other hand, you may fall into the comparison trap, feeling bad about yourself because you have’t quite nailed the WFH schedule or home based workout. As author Bryann Andreá put it “This is a pandemic. Not a productivity contest.”, so go easy on yourself.

Take a break from social media and the news when you need to. Follow accounts sharing the good news stories and tips on how to feel more connected . Consider taking a break from those that make you feel anxious or down on yourself.

3. Show compassion to yourself and others

Everyone is experiencing their own struggles and fears so it’s important that we show compassion and kindness to those around us. Check in on your elderly neighour, smile at the supermarket assistant and call your loved ones at home. Most importantly check in with yourself and ask yourself how you are feeling.

4. Stay active

Gyms may be closed but that doesn’t stop you staying active. There are lots of home workouts you can try out without the need for equipment. Search for free workouts online and remember you can still go for a walk or run in the fresh air unless you have been advised to isolate. Try to get some activity in each day and you will notice the benefits for both body and mind.

5. Practice mindfulness

‘If you can’t go outside, go inside’. Practising mindfulness has loads of health benefits and is a great way to manage COVID-19 stress. It doesn’t mean you have to sit in the lotus position for hours on end. You can be mindful in loads of ways without actually meditating. Try out an online yoga session, start journaling or if you want to give mindfulness a go try out a free meditation app.

6. Stay connected

Social distancing may sound scary but it does not mean social isolation. In fact some experts argue that 'physical distancing with social connection’ is more helpful language.  Studies suggests that social connection is one of the best things you can do to boost wellbeing. Call your family, arrange virtual coffee dates with friends and check in on those who may be feeling lonely.

Remember, it is ok not to be ok

If you are feeling overwhelmed and in need of support reach out for help:

• Lifeline 13 11 14 (if you are in crisis)

• Speak to your GP (telehealth sessions are widely available)

• Helplink Mental Health - Irish Abroad Online Counselling Service

• Contact us for support, referrals and information about access to services.

For further information and advice on managing your wellbeing check out this useful resources below:

Head to Health

Beyond Blue

Blackdog Institute

This Way Up

16 March 2020 Coronavirus

Coronavirus

As you are aware we are entering unprecedented times with the new Coronavirus. In consideration of the risk and keeping everyone safe, we have made the difficult decision to postpone the following programs and events;

Silver Surfers (Free weekly seniors computer classes)

Cara Club (Fortnightly cards and craic)

Music for Seniors

The ISA will still be open from 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday and can be contacted by phone on 1800186 966 or by email at admin@irishsupportagency.org.au

The Emergency On Call service will operate from 8 am to 8 pm daily. Please get in contact with us if you need assistance with illness or injury, health and well being, death and repatriation, employment advice, senior services, homelessness, arrest, imprisonment or advocacy.

If you know of anybody who may need our services, please encourage them to contact us as outlined above.

The Department of Health has a collection of resources for the general public, health professionals and industry about the Coronavirus available on their website https://www.health.gov.au/resources/collections/novel-coronavirus-2019-ncov-resources

Our team will be working remotely at this time.

The New ISA Committee

After joining our Committee in 2013 and holding the role of Vice President in 2015, we are delighted that Donna McKiernan has taken over the reigns as President of the Irish Support Agency. Over the last five years on the Committee, Donna has been heavily involved in client assistance, fundraising and community engagement, putting her on good footing for this new role.

Donna will be supported on the committee by some familiar faces; Harvey James (Vice President), Marian Schaffer (Secretary), Eoin Scannell (Treasurer), Liz Kenny, Terence Mc Caughan, Roisin Trainor and Dave Stewart.

We would like to thank Harvey James for his tremendous service throughout his three year term as President. Harvey has led significant improvements and developments for our organisation including overseeing the rebrand in 2016 bringing us into the forefront of the Irish Community in NSW. We are glad to have him remain on the Committee in the position of Vice President. 

Thank you to everyone who came along to our AGM on Monday 22nd October and to all our members for their ongoing support. 

Paul's Cycle Across Australia

On the 6th of September Paul Kilroy will depart Byron Bay, Australia's most eastern point, and head on a 5,100km cycle to Shark Bay, Australia's most western point to raise awareness and funding for the much needed Irish Support Agency in Sydney.

Paul will be travelling alone without the aid of a support crew and will be fully equipped to make any repairs that may be needed along the way. He will be carrying everything he needs for the trip on his bike, including tent, sleeping bag, cooking equipment, clothing and water.

Paul aims to cycle around 130 – 150km per day, hoping to complete the trip in 40 – 45 days. However, a recent lower back injury will require monitoring and may impact the distance he can travel each day. 

If you are as inspired by Paul as we are please make a donation to his fundraising page to help encourage him along the way. Any donation, large or small will make a difference to the Irish Community in NSW. You will be issued with a tax receipt and donations above $2 are tax deductible.

To find out more about Paul's cycle visit