(05 June 08 - RV) Ireland is considered one of the great successes of Europe. When
the country entered the European Union in 1973, it was the poorest country in Western
Europe. Now, it is an economic powerhouse.
But there is a dark side to the
“Celtic Tiger”, the growing propensity to violence. The nation now has one of Europe’s
highest rates of violence among young people.
The Irish Bishop’s Commission
for Justice and Social Affairs today published the document “Violence in Irish Society,”
and pledged the Church’s help in ending the scourge of violence in the country.
Father
Owen Cassidy, who works at the commission, spoke to us about who violence has become
so prevalent in Ireland.