Digital Commons Network^™

Market Segmentation Of Wine In Ireland: Are We Fostering A Desirable Consumption Culture?, Enea Bent

Dissertations

The aim of this research is to evaluate the wine sector in Ireland and its impact on the wine consumption culture that is being promoted here as a result. With supermarkets leading in terms of sales, this study evaluates the product offering of the various types of retailers and the attainability of the same to different demographics of consumer. A high level of government intervention in the industry is highlighted throughout the study, the intention and subsequent successes and failures are examined. A comparison to the rest of Europe and the United Kingdom is carried out to understand Ireland’s position …

Local Food In Tourism: An Investigation Into Food Offerings At Irish Visitor Attractions—Are We Telling The Right Story?, Kate O Hora

Dissertations

This study’s aim is to investigate food offerings at visitor attractions in Ireland. Recent comments by Fáilte Ireland regarding food at visitor attractions has called on operators to localise their food offerings. A sample of eleven providers of food at visitor sites were invited to participate in qualitative interviews, to conceptualise their experiences with the provision of local food. The results showed that the sector had an overall interest in local food with most of the participants recognising that not enough emphasis was being placed on its promotion. The results of the study reveal that provision of local food provides …

An Exploration Of How Gardaí Perceive Whistleblowing In An Garda Síochána., Aodhán Healy

Dissertations

An Garda Síochána was established in 1922 as the national police force of the Irish state and has undergone organisational, developmental, growth and cultural change siical Unce inception in line with societal, legislative and governmental demands throughout the intervening 97 years. In more recent times and in tandem with this growth expansion and development, there has also grown a maleficent and damaging culture within the force where a culture of secrecy and lack of transparent function has emerged, whereby whistle-blowers of bad practice have been bullied and vilified for highlighting wrongdoing in the organisation. Following formal tribunals of enquiry and …

A Decade Of Desistance: An Exploratory Study In Desistance Theory, Brendan Marsh

Dissertations

The purpose of this research paper is to explore the lived experience of five ex-offenders who have not offended for a minimum period of ten years. How, and why, these individuals have maintained their crime free status shall be explored in detail in an attempt to understand the causal process that permits successful long term desistance from crime. Furthermore the desisting ex-offenders in this study are also ex-drug addicts. Exactly how criminal offending and drug addiction interacted in the past lives of the people is documented, as is the impossibility of abstaining from one of these behaviours only. This necessitates …

Identifying And Scoping Context-Specific Use Cases For Blockchain-Enabled Systems In The Wild., Fiona Delaney

Dissertations

Advances in technology often provide a catalyst for digital innovation. Arising from the global banking crisis at the end of the first decade of the 21st Century, decentralised and distributed systems have seen a surge in growth and interest. Blockchain technology, the foundation of the decentralised virtual currency Bitcoin, is one such catalyst. The main component of a blockchain, is its public record of verified, timestamped transactions maintained in an append-only, chain-like, data structure. This record is replicated across n-nodes in a network of co-operating participants. This distribution offers a public proof of transactions verified in the past. Beyond tokens …

Cop Culture: The Impact Of Confrontation On The Working Personality Of Frontline Gardai, Paul Williams

Dissertations

The unofficial, internal culture of An Garda Siochana is an area where there has been a deficit of academic research and scrutiny despite it being existential to the public discourse on garda reform, especially in recent years. It has been pointed out that the lack of data on the organisational value system of the Irish police is due in part to the nascent state of criminological research in Ireland and a reluctance on the part of the Garda authorities to co-operate in research studies. The primary objective of this study was to explore one aspect of police culture: the impact …

An Exploration Of The Factors That Support Improved Pro-Social Outcomes For Young People In Detention: Social Care Practitioners' Perspectives., Emer Loughrey

Dissertations

Youth detention facilities like many other services funded by public money need to be able to demonstrate the difference it makes to the lives of the small cohort of young people who are detained. In a world which has become more security and safety conscious, evidencing the difference made to the lives of these ‘troubled youths’ is of particular interest to society today. This study aimed to explore the factors that support improved pro social outcomes for young people detained. As key agents of change having access to a formative time in young people’s lives while in detention, social care …

An Exploration Of The Relationship Between The Partisan-Business Cycle And Economic Inequality Within Developed Economies, Richard O'Doherty

Dissertations

Recent contributions to the study of inequality have provided strong evidence towards the presence of an established trend, over several decades, of growing economic inequality (with a particular focus on distribution within their tails; i.e. top 10%, 1%) across countries with developed economies and indications of similar trends across developing economies. While the causality and influencing factors to these trends has widely been discussed, and has range from declining domestic growth rates as economies move towards high mass consumption states to globalisation, political decision making and policy application been referred to as both contributory or an instrument for dampening such …

Ex-Prisoners’ Perspectives On Prison Drug Treatment In Ireland, John M. Duggan

Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to explore ex-prisoners’ perspectives on prison drug treatment in Ireland. Prison drug treatment has increased across Europe over the last 20 years both in availability and modality. However, the delivery of drug treatment services in a prison setting is not without its challenges. The prison population is a multiply disadvantaged group, which experiences a disproportionate level of health inequality and social exclusion. Substance misuse is prevalent for a high proportion of prisoners. This research is based on seven semi-structured qualitative interviews with ex-prisoners who have had experience of prison drug treatment. The perspectives of …

An Investigation Of Youth Participation In An Irish Youth Mental Health Service: Staff And Young People’S Perspectives., James Barry

Dissertations

Youth participation is widely recognised as essential to the design and delivery of youth mental health services (Coates & Howe, 2014). Despite this there is limited literature available on youth participation in these services (Monson & Thurley, 2011). This study aimed to develop an enhanced understanding about youth participation in Headstrong, The National Centre for Youth Mental Health and it’s programme of service delivery Jigsaw. A mixed methods approach, using focus groups and questionnaires, gathered the opinions of 160 staff and young people involved in the organisation, on their experiences of youth participation. The factors that supported youth participation were …

An Exploration Of The Experiences Of Individuals Caring For A Family Member And The Impact This Caregiving Role Has On Their Lives., Tara Duigenan

Dissertations

Ireland, in keeping with most western societies has witnessed a steady increase in the distribution of old and very old individuals in the population. This, combined with escalations in degenerative and chronic diseases, and together with the development of new sophisticated and portable medical technologies that assist people with highly complicated health conditions to be cared for at home, places further demands on individuals to care for a family member. Furthermore, a fundamental objective of Irish Government policy for older people, children and adults with a condition or a disability is to enable these individuals to live in dignity and …

Advocates Of The Peace, A Qualitative Study Of Former Politically Motivated Female Prisoners And Conflict Resolution In Northern Ireland, Mary Mccourt

Dissertations

The Good Friday Agreement is extensively recognised and acknowledged as a successful model of conflict resolution. Prior to its implementation and in the aftermath of the agreement, former politically motivated female prisoners have been instrumental in securing support for the agreement and also sustaining the agreement in the grassroots communities in Northern Ireland. This study explores the roles in which former politically motivated female prisoners have undertaken in micro levels of conflict resolution and presents a gendered perspective of conflict resolution. Findings within this study reveal the grassroots activities of participants, which is aligned with preventing violence within interface communities …

Applying Data Visualisations To Open New Perspectives In Birdwatching, Frank Kendlin

Dissertations

Advances in data analytics for big data have affected many different domains and are providing new insights from these data for their respective communities. One such community is conservation science. A part of section of this community, ornithologists and bird conservationists has at its disposal millions of volunteers willing to contribute to a new ‘big’ data set. This can be achieved by means of new technology and the use of citizen science. This is already underway in North America through the excellent work of the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology (CLO). This institute has harnessed the technology and the people and …

Defining Terrorism: A Risky Business?, Helena Kiely

Dissertations

The Criminal Justice (Terrorist Offences) Act 2005 introduced definitions of terrorist activity, terrorist group and terrorist offences for the first time. These definitions, enacted subsequent to the Good Friday Agreement (1998), were examined to ascertain whether perspectives of crime control or risk influenced their formulation. Evidence of control perspectives were elicited within the definitions but themes of risk or actuarial justice were not found. The policy analysis established that the definitions which emerged through process of coerced policy convergence emanating from the Council of the European Union with Irish legislators having limited influence.

To Cctv Or Not? An Examination Of Community-Based Cctv In Ireland, Aidan Donnelly

Dissertations

Over the last twenty years, there has been a significant increase in the use of closed circuit television (CCTV) systems. Most people are familiar with the use of such systems in locations such as shops, financial institutions, hotels, schools, hospitals, sports stadia and so forth. However, there are also a significant number of public CCTV systems that have been erected and operate in public space areas such as town centres, residential housing estates etc. Some of these CCTV systems are police only or local authority only systems but a growing number are what is termed community-based systems. The principal aim …

Accessible Information: Advocating The Use Of Technology For Individuals With Intellectual Disability On Their Path To Individualised Services, Michelle Moloney

Dissertations

Providing people with an intellectual disability (ID), opportunities for social integration have been shown to have a reliable positive influence on their well-being (Wehmeyer et al., 2006; Bunning, 2009). A large percentage of individuals with ID are unable to read and write. For this reason in order for the person to make an informed choice the person needs to have good information presented in a way that they can understand. They may need to see tangible visual aids (video, role play, film, photographs). It may need to be demonstrated to them a number of times. This assists a person in …

An Investigation Into Obstacles Effecting The Use Of Support Technology For Accommodation Facilitation In Third Level Education, Conor Brennan

Dissertations

The profile of students attending third level education in Ireland has changed over the past number of years. More non-traditional students have entered mainstream education. These non-traditional students may be mature students, students whose first language is not English and students with disabilities. In the 2010-2011 academic session 6,932 students with disabilities were enrolled in third level education. This represent 3.9%(AHEAD 2011) of all students enrolled in third level education, which constitutes a 10% increase on 2009-2010. This increase is putting pressure on an already strained system. Efforts have been made to educate and inform lecturers and teaching staff on …

The Prevailing Obstacles In Web Accessibility On Three Well-Known Websites For Older People With Sight Difficulties, Sarah O'Reilly

Dissertations

Prior research has argued that there is no one best approach to evaluating web accessibility and proposes the adoption of multiple approaches. Following these proposals this research used three different approaches for evaluating accessibility on websites for accessibility to older persons with sight difficulties as there are advantages and disadvantages to each approach. Approached used included: (1) Using automated tools to determine accessibility, which looks at the code of websites to get a general overview of accessibility issues. (2) Manually looking at the design, code and also how it might impact the user. This involved a manual assessment of each …

Looking Through The Eyes Of A Homeless Prisoner, Exploring Homeless Offender’S Perspectives On Their Transition From Custody To Community., Louise Rowlands

Dissertations

The research study provides a phenomenological approach to investigate individual’s experiences of their journey through homelessness and examining it within the concept of homeless identity. The study was concerned with exploring and acquiring a rich description on what is homeless offenders/prisoner’s perception of their transition from custody to the community and the pathways they endure. The study examined pathways into, through and out of homelessness through available literature and by conducting five interviews with individuals who are currently or have a history of homelessness and offending. Similarly the researcher sought to highlight and develop issues that drew individuals back into …

Leisure, Organised Sport And Antisocial Behaviour An Examination Of Youth’S Involvement In Leisure, Organised Sports And Its Effect On Antisocial Behaviour, Ann Meenagh

Dissertations

Over the last ten years national strategies and policies placed youth at the forefront of their developments. Particular attention has been placed on antisocial behaviour and the appropriate punishments and rehabilitation methods. Programmes have been developed with the objective to deter antisocial behaviours with little empirical support to justify them. This study aims to determine whether youth’s involvement in leisure and sport has any effect on their involvement in antisocial or delinquent behaviour. This is mainly achieved through the quantitative research method of a survey. Sixty-five people aged between 14-20 years old from two contrasting educational institutions in Dublin were …

Death In Irish Prisons: An Examination Of The Causes Of Deaths And The Compliance Of Investigations With The European Convention On Human Rights, Colette Barry

Dissertations

Death is a tragic and unfortunately unavoidable aspect of life in a prison. The death of a prisoner raises significant questions in relation to the conditions of confinement and the conduct of the prison authorities. Robust investigations into these deaths can enhance accountability by shedding light on deficits in both institutional and systemic practices, as well as providing families of the deceased with a sense of closure. In Ireland, the investigative responses to prison deaths are neither robust, nor do they allow for significant scrutiny of the circumstances surrounding the death. The causes of deaths in custody and the compatibility …

Emerging Adulthood In Ireland: Is The Quarter-Life Crisis A Common Experience?, Mairead Murphy

Dissertations

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of young people between the ages of eighteen and twenty-eight in Ireland to establish the prevalence of what has become known in popular culture as the quarter-life crisis. This transitional period in a young person’s life is academically referred to as emerging adulthood and is a time of great change and personal growth. The study utilised a qualitative approach; individual interviews and focus groups were carried out with the identified research group. The findings of the study indicated that indeed, emerging adulthood is a challenging time, and for some, …

Mothers Who Use Illicit Drugs:An Exploration Of Professional Workers’ Perceptions Towards Mothers Who Use Illicit Drugs, Julieann Lane

Dissertations

Although much has been written in recent times about women’s drug use, there has been a scarcity of research into motherhood and drug use in Ireland as it remains both a complex and sensitive issue. Since the 1980’s Ireland has seen a dramatic and unprecedented increase in the availability of illicit drugs. This increased availability reflects rising consumption of illicit drugs amongst women. The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions that a sample of professional workers hold of mothers who use illicit drugs in Ireland. The study reviews the literature applicable to the area of drug use …

Early School Leaving : An Exploration Of The Factors Contributing To School Non-Completion, Jennifer Mcgarr

Dissertations

This study is of an explorative nature, investigating early school leaving in Ireland today. Despite a range of interventions to address school non-completion, approximately 14% of students (as of 2007) continue to leave school without completing their education every year (Byrne & Smyth, 2010). A disproportionate amount of these young people come from disadvantaged backgrounds (Barnardos, 2006). Education is a powerful predicator of life chances and opportunities. Those who leave school with little or no formal education have less opportunities in later life, are more likely to be unemployed, have lower levels of general health and are at a greater …

Cloud Computing For Schools, Shane O'Doherty

Dissertations

This project evaluates previous Information and Communication Technology policy and practice relating to primary schools in Ireland with a view to suggesting a better way forward in light of advances in ICT, such as the availability of fast broadband services, including fibre broadband, browser-based applications and the advent of cloud computing. Cloud computing refers to the Internet as a source of both software programs and also data retention, in effect the Internet provides the software and data services via browsers to users who may remain entirely unaware of the technology at work, uncluttered by hardware or software licensing issues or …

Deference Under The Separation Of Powers: An Increasingly Acceptable Trait Amongst The Irish Judiciary?, Philip Smith

Dissertations

Deference refers to a certain respect or esteem which is due to a superior or an elder or a tendency of inferiors to acknowledge the legitimacy of superiors’ powers.It is a concept which is becoming increasingly popular in the works of legal commentator’s as of late. This is a direct result of the growing perception that it is a trait which is becoming synonymous with the Irish Judiciary.

The object of this research is to examine whether this accusation is true i.e. have our Superior Courts changed their mindset and adopted a more deferential stance than they used to exhibit. …

Deference Under The Separation Of Powers: An Increasingly Acceptable Trait Amongst The Irish Judiciary?, Philip Smith

Dissertations

Deference refers to a certain respect or esteem which is due to a superior or an elder or a tendency of inferiors to acknowledge the legitimacy of superiors’ powers.It is a concept which is becoming increasingly popular in the works of legal commentator’s as of late. This is a direct result of the growing perception that it is a trait which is becoming synonymous with the Irish Judiciary.

The object of this research is to examine whether this accusation is true i.e. have our Superior Courts changed their mindset and adopted a more deferential stance than they used to exhibit. …

A Study Of Anti-Social Behaviour On Dublin Bus Routes, Kevin Scott

Dissertations

The area under investigation was the phenomenon of criminological behaviour occurring on Dublin Bus Routes. Research questions were based around: 1) what anti-social behaviour is occurring on buses, 2) when is this behaviour occurring, 3) who is perpetrating this behaviour and 4) how is anti-social behaviour on buses being tackled? Two problematic bus routes and one control route were selected based on geographic spread and the comparative ratio of criminal incidents involved (the 78A, 77 and the control case: 46A). A statistical analysis of existing information from Dublin Bus surrounding anti-social behaviour on these routes was conducted. The researcher then …

Knowledge Sharing: Using Searchable Email Databases, Frank Wedgeworth

Dissertations

In today’s knowledge driven economy, a company’s intellectual capital is increasingly becoming its most important asset. The knowledge of how to create value defines a company’s success. Through knowledge management the value of knowledge within a company can be increased. One way of increasing the value of knowledge is by making it more accessible. The accessibility of knowledge can be facilitated by integrating the search for knowledge into the user’s workflow. Another way to increase the value of knowledge is through the capture of undocumented, tacit knowledge and converting it into explicit, documented knowledge. Email has been identified as the …