Monthly Archives: May 2013

816d52_fc8f016d66a7135a6f96cb2ca29942d9.jpg_srz_400_514_85_22_0.50_1.20_0Last week, US comedian Tim Renkow (above), who has Cerebral Palsy, took an early flight from London to Dublin.

Tim was performing that night at the Stag’s Head, Dame Court, and had a pre-booked room at The Times Hostel, in nearby College Street.

Tim’s friend Susan Warren writes:

Tim approached The Times hostel at approximately 8am on Saturday and the front door was closed in his face, after assuming this was a misunderstanding (as it was so early) he returned at approximately 9am. Without giving him an opportunity to speak the reception staff claimed the hostel was full and he needed to leave.

He attempted to explain he had a room booked but before he had a chance to be heard the guards were called to remove him from their grounds as they assumed he was drunk/homeless.

At this point he was too embarrassed to fight his corner any further. He ended up having to find alternative accommodation down the road in a vulnerable state. We have attempted to contact the hostel so they can apologise directly to Tim and explain their behaviour and take some accountability.

The hostel has not answered our calls or emails [Broadsheet contacted the hostel for comment but they have yet to respond] and this has left Tim, his friends and family hurt and frustrated. I am contacting you so this may be taken seriously and support given to Tim and all other Cerebral Palsy suffers to be given fair and equal treatment. Thank you.

 

Tim Renkow

letter

Kieran writes:

I got a letter yesterday from my local TD Lucinda Creighton responding to emails I have sent to her about the localĀ property tax.

Lucinda has been busy writing to Michael Noonan about some of her constituents’ disapproval and she forwarded me one of the letters she received back from Noonan (above). I find all the bullet points laughable but especially:

“The tax structure was known to the purchasers at the time”

and

“The revenues have already been spent on the provision of public services.”

The tax structure did not state that x number of years from now you will be made pay a property tax on top of the stamp duty. I’d also like to see evidence of how revenues spent stamp duty on the “provisions of public services” Is there a money trail that can hightlight exactly where the stamp duty payments went? German unsecured bondholders perhaps? Ex-ministers’ massive pensions maybe?

90300754 90300755 90300758 90300760 90300761 90300762 90300763 90300764 90300768 90300771 The Suicide charity Pieta House’s annual Darkness into Light fundraising event with Electric IrelandĀ  got underway at 4am with double last year’s turnout.

An estimated 30,000 people turned out for dawn walks at 20 locations around the country to show support for suicide prevention, including the flagship walk at Phoenix Park, Dublin, above.

From top: Gillian O’Brien, Dania Romiddi and Julie Little; The runners’ registration centre in the Phoenix Park; Aoife Kavanagh; runners completing the course; Rita O’Byrne and Liz Conroy; on the 5km course; as before; Louise O’Beirne; Tara Monaghan and Lucy; Lauren Tuite and Chantelle O’Neille, partcipating in memory of James Tuite who was 20 years old when he took his own life.

Pieta House

Thanks Tara Walsh

(Sasko Lazarov/Photocall Ireland)