Author Archives: Bodger

Novak Djokovic and his father, Srdjan in 2017

This morning.

Via BBC:

Novak Djokovic is not being held captive in Australia, a top official says, as the men’s world number one tennis player faces deportation over Covid vaccination rules.

“He is free to leave at any time that he chooses to,” Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews said.

The Serb star remains in immigration detention in Melbourne after being denied entry on Wednesday.

A court challenge is due on Monday, a week before the Australian Open begins.

Now more uncertainty surrounds the schedule of the tournament that Djokovic has won nine times. A 10th win would see him become the men’s most successful player, with 21 Grand Slams.

ABC News is reporting that Czech player Renata Voracova also had her Australian visa cancelled on Friday and is being detained in the same immigration hotel.

Novak Djokovic visa: Australia says tennis star not being held captive (BBC)

Meanwhile…

Gulp.

Dr Anne O’ Connor, Chief Operations Officer, HSE

This morning.

Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, she said the HSE is not doing a “blanket shutting up” of services but has advised hospital sites to pull back where they need to.

Ms O’Connor said there will be some “inability” to do some scheduled work and some people will be left waiting as a result.

“There are certain things we have to do. We can’t just shut up, we have to respond to emergencies and people who are very sick people, and people with time dependent care needs, people with cancer surgeries, cardiac procedures etc.,” she said.

She said Covid-19 is impacting all of their services, not just hospitals and staff have to be redeployed to into areas where they are needed such as emergency departments and residential care.

HSE expects challenging week amid Covid case increase (RTE)

Rollingnews

In case you missed it.

VMTV Tonight show.

Further to alarming new year alcohol price hikes – with the cheapest can of beer now €1.70, and a typical bottle of wine no less than €7.40 and a bottle of spirits at least €20.70 – Ian O’Doherty makes a sound case for reasonably-priced hooch in a nanny state off her meds.

Hic.

This morning.

Newstalk.

Dr Ciara Kelly refutes claims from BodyWhys, the Eating Disorder Association of Ireland, that RTÉ One’s Operation Transformation had the potential to have a “negative impact on mental health” and was “triggering” to many users of the service.

Via Her.ie:

RTÉ has now defended the new season, which aired on Wednesday night, due to its more “holistic” approach.

“In this year’s series, for example, the weekly check-in (the part of the show where the leaders meet the experts) incorporates an overall health check looking at a range of health indicators including blood pressure, cholesterol, hydration, sleep quality and psychological wellbeing.

Viewers have long expressed their concerns about the show, with some calling it “fatphobic”, and have criticised the “humiliating” and revealing Lycra outfits worn at weekly weigh-ins.

RTÉ responds to Operation Transformation concerns (RTE)

Meanwhile…

Hello you.

ESB writes:

Broadsheet off the jelly…

*triggered*

Paul Reid, CEO, HSE, at Dr Steevens’ Hospital this afternoon

Yikes.

This afternoon.

HSE weekly covid briefing at Dr Steevens’ Hospital, Dublin.

Mr Reid said there are now at least 8,500 staff out of work due to Covid.

Some healthcare settings have gone from 60 people out to over 300 people out over the course of this week.

He said that there could be at least 12.5% impact on staffing levels.

He said that this figure includes over 3,000 nurses and midwives, over 1,500 staff involved in patient and client care and almost 1,500 health and social care professionals.

“This is a real frontline impact on us overall,” he added.

He said that “we still haven’t seen the tap turned off in terms of staff being impacted”.

‘Persistent stress’ across the health system – Reid (RTE)

Leah Farrell/Photocall Ireland

Meanwhile…

Ah now.

Vicky Phelan and Charlie Bird

On The Late Late Show…

…Maureen Catterson writes:

RTÉ stalwart Charlie Bird will be back in studio, with a cast of willing volunteers to launch the inaugural “Climb with Charlie” event.

Charlie, along with Vicky Phelan, hopes to inspire thousands of Irish people to climb Croagh Patrick and other peaks around the country (and across the world!) on April 2nd next.

We’ll hear from Charlie, Vicky, Mary McAleese, Davy Fitzgerald, Baz Ashmawy, Joanna Donnelly, Dr Harry Barry, Dermot Bannon, Karl Henry and many, many more who are throwing their full support behind the epic climb.

Leitrim actor and writer Seamus O’Rourke will be giving us his inimitable take on “new year, new you”, while comedian Jason Byrne will be giving us all a laugh through his trials and tribulations of the last year.

We’ll be showcasing the magnificent music of the Beatles with stunning performances by Niamh Farrell and Somebody’s Child.

And we may even get to have a look inside Bosco’s box…All will be revealed!

The Late Late Show tomorrow on RTÉ One at 9.35pm.

Pic via Charlie Bird

The Station House Hotel in Clifden, Connemara, County Galway, which hosted the Oireachtas Golf Society, dinner in 2020

This morning/afternoon.

The trial of two politicians and two hoteliers over their alleged breach of Covid restrictions in organising a golf society dinner has begun in county Galway.

Via RTE news:

Prosecution Barrister Eoghan Cole said amendments to the Health Act were contained in a number of Statutory Instruments passed in 2020. These clearly stated that no more than 50 people could attend an indoor event.

He said the prosecution case was that all four accused – Independent Galway West TD Noel Grealish, former Fianna Fáil Senator Donal (Donie) Cassidy, along with James and John Sweeney of the Station House Hotel in Clifden – fit into the category of event organisers, and were in breach of the regulations in place.

Legal representatives for the accused contend that the status of Fáilte Ireland guidelines for the hospitality sector needed to be taken into account.

They say these allowed for separate gatherings in separate rooms, and that such measures were put in place for the Oireachtas Golf Society dinner.

They have argued that guidelines had the imprimatur of the State and as such were valid determinants of how the rules should be interpreted….

The trial is expected to last five days and some 50 witnesses are listed. Gulp, etc.

Four standing trial over alleged roles in Oireachtas golf dinner event (RTÉ)

RollingNews