IRISH TIMES chief reporter Carl O’Brien has been awarded an EU journalism award for a series of articles on discrimination against people with disabilities.
The Together Against Discrimination award recognises journalists who contribute to a better public understanding of discrimination and the benefits of diversity.
The award was given for a series of articles published earlier this year highlighting cases of mistreatment and abuse of people with disabilities in residential settings, as well as poor conditions facing many people living in out-dated institutions.
The series, entitled “Invisible Lives”, also explored how there are no mandatory care standards or independent inspections of disability services, unlike nursing homes for older people and residential centres for children in State care.
He was presented with the award by the newly appointed director of the European Commission Representation in Ireland, Barbara Nolan.
An independent jury of media professionals and anti-discrimination experts select a national award winner in each EU member state. These winners go forward to an EU jury which will later choose the overall winner.