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GAMBLING APPS HAVE created a gambling addiction epidemic among third-level students, the Union of Students in Ireland National Congress heard this morning.
Officers from student unions across the country were in consensus that the growing popularity of gambling apps have created a problem for students.
“It’s a huge problem for students. It’s ok to come out and say that gambling is the same as any other addiction and it’s self-destructive and we can deal with it as a students union and as a student government,” according to James Donoghue, Education Officer in DCU.
Why not be ahead of the problem now when students are in college?
The USI is hosting its annual National Congress in Ennis Co. Clare this week and delegates from universities across the country took to the stage in a string of emotionally-charged pleas to implore the USI to take action against the problem.
“The first time I started to notice it with my peers was in fourth year in secondary school. It became a tradition after class with the lads, go to the chipper, go to bookies, go to the gym,” said incoming DIT Students’ Union President, Boni Odoemene.
Nowadays in our society, gambling has become the norm. Turn on any rugby match, football game whatever and you will see a thousand pro-gambling advertisements in between, before and after sports games. Before it was smoking ads and drinking ads but now it’s gambling ads. Once we realise the effect it’s having on young people we can begin to tackle these corporations. It’s not being taken as seriously as it should be.
The motion to establish gambling awareness brought forward by the Blanchardstown Institute of Technology Students’ Union , was passed unanimously after several speakers recounted their experiences with the problem.
Kevin Donoghue, President of the Union which represents 354,00 students nationally, was happy to see the issue raised.
There was recognition in the room today that when you talk about people drinking there’s concerns but when it comes to gambling it’s seen as just a bit of craic. In actual fact, this is something my mother would always say, you’ll only ever hear about the wins and not the losses, people suffer in silence. It does an awful lot of damage as people can’t pay rent or cover basic goods because they get themselves into serious trouble with gambling. It does a lot of damage and it’s something that we should be active on.
“I’ve gone and placed bets, I know how addictive it is. My brothers are slightly addicted to gambling and I know it affects students massively more than anything,” said Cathal Sherlock, incoming NUIG Students’ Union Education Officer.
“Last week alone, I went and gambled myself and I went to spend a fiver but ending up spending a fifty, it left me struggling.”
Jason Aughney from Blachardstown IT explained that apps such as Paddy Power and Bet 365 allow people to gamble with ease. He said that apps facilitate gambling in such a way that punters aren’t physically going in the bookmakers and handing over the money so the gravity of the addiction seems less severe.
“They were just numbers on a screen to him,” Aughney said, recalling his relative’s battle with addiction.
Katie Quinlan, UCC Students’ Union Welfare Officer has encountered the problem on her campus also, especially last week.
“I was watching people leave continuously for Cheltenham. Students would be huddled together in groups around a laptop placing bets on Paddy Power and Bet365. That’s the one time that really struck me. The problem is that students will take bets on anything from sports to the royal baby.”
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An absolute hero who gave everything and never thought of himself.
RIP, he was genuinely one of the good ones, saw through the religious divide and saw the good in everyone.
I had the honour of meeting Fr. Reid while he was at a seminary in San Sebastian in the Basque Country. The Basque people loved and admired him too. He was an inspiration and set an example for conflict resolution in that region also. Rest In Peace.
May he rest in peace. How many lives were saved because of this man’s actions? A real hero in the modern age.
Heard him described on the radio as “a fully paid up member of the human race”…cant add to that..RIP.
terrible news, he was a good man who done his best for the people in the North
He used to pop in to Comans in Rathgar to watch the football games, he never said who he was, nor I never asked him, as the match went on, he’d close his eyes for 40 winks, he never failed to say hello whilst out walking, but that wasn’t me, that was for everyone
What a contribution this man made towards the well being and safety of all of his fellow human beings on this tiny Island of ours.
Gosh, if in my lifetime I could do but a thimble full of the goodness which this man did, I would count my life as having been well worth while.
If ever there was a life worth celebrating and commemorating it would have to be the life of Alec Reid. Perhaps a scholarship in peace studies or some such educational endevour should now be considered in his honour of his memory.
We must never be allowed to forget the great good this man did in his lifetime.
The future of peace within the human family on the entire plot of land called Ireland will likely depend on it.
May you rest in peace Alec and may the good you did live on and be known to our children and our children’s children.
Nice to see a positive story about priests in news. They get a lot bad press over last few yrs,well done FR.
I believe that it was Father Alec Reid who was more instrumental than Bertie Ahern in initiating and mataining the momentum of the peace process.
Sadly, many prefer to ascribe the credit to Bertie but Bertie was not the sole mover in the peace process.
Father Red exercised personal courage, miral integrity and enormous skill in what he achieved. Many, many lives were saved as a result.
Atheist myself, but ‘God’ bless the peacemakers, of which this fine old gent was one.
If only more had the balls to act half of what he was. History will remember him to be the true architect of the good Friday agreement not the political fools that did kicking and screaming.
a sad day indeed
This priest went beyond the call of Duty. He was able to bring both sides together to try and sort out issues. That was no mean achievement. I heard an interview today on the radio it was said that he had a special gift of getting people together no matter what persuasion they were from. So I think Fr. Reid R.I.P. Deserves all the Great tributes that are being paid to him today.
Fr. Alec Reid, thank you for your unique approach that has transformed peace to this land.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam
“May his soul be on God’s right side”
He never sought attention for himself but without him the Peace Process would never have come to anything.
A true Christian in that while he always condemed the sin he loved the sinner, irrespective of who he was & the photo of him praying over the dead soldier, one of the most iconic photos of the 20th century, was truly what Christ would have done in the same circumstances.
May he rest in peace.
We lost a good man today.
Goodnight Father.
We were blessed to have this man in our Country. I heard him described today on de radio as a reluctant hero, so true. Rip
is it not interesting that we are celebrating and remembering this mans great leadership and accomplishments on the day that he dies, 50 years to the day that another leader was cut down before he could show his qualities ….
A rarity in the clergy. He was a good man
What he did was to sit on the fence. By failing to condemn he indirectly supported the murder of the innocent.
Aaaaand here we go. You and your ilk bugger off you’ve no place here. He was a great, selfless and noble man. End of.
D**khead
Yeah just like your Idol and hero the great Rev Ian Paisley who did so much to try end Sectarian violence between two tribes. One majority tribe trying to keep the other in the gutter and trying to cling to power. But your days are up Kido
Imagine being you. I’d say it is terrible.
He condemned violence on all sides, his words and more so his actions proved that. Well done good and faithful servant. May he rest in peace.
Parm can’t be bothered to write your name properly (anyone betting on the cheap return shot) you are a complete and utter ignorant Sprat ( take away the s)
His years of work for peace in Northern Ireland, will always be remembered.
RIP to a truly great man.
There have been hundreds of comments on British Ex-Services sites thanking Father Reid for his actions and wishing RIP.
Saturday around 8pm over 500 on the Royal Signals site, both soldiers wereSignals.
Father Reid carried out his duty as a Priest in an exemplary fashion.
I also believe the actions of people present at the incident showed the respect he was held in
RIP
A great man of peace. ~~I’m surprised he didn’t join the “disappeared” for praying over the two murdered soldiers. people had been killed for much less!
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