Author Archives: Bodger

This afternoon.

Leinster House, Dublin 2.

Sinn Féin spokesperson on Children, Kathleen Funchion (top) and the party’s spokesperson on Social Protection, Claire Kerrane launch the party’s Alternative Budget 2022 for ‘building back better’ social protection.

Ms Kerrane said:

My proposals include a €10 increase across working age social welfare payments. This is a first step to linking all social welfare rates to the Minimum Essential Standard of Living.

“Another key proposal I am outlining today is the right to a state pension at 65; restoring the State Pension (Transition) and increasing State Pension payments by €5 per week. People have worked hard all their lives and should be able to retire at the age of 65, if they choose to do so.

“I am also outlining Sinn Féin’s commitment to recognise Carers by increasing the annual Carer Support Grant to €2,000, increasing income thresholds for Carers Allowance and proposing a Long-term Carers Pension in line with our State Pension measures. This recognises the incredible and vital role which carers have and which is not recognised enough.”

Sinn Féin launch Alternative Budget proposals to build better Social Protection for all – Claire Kerrane TD (Sinn Féin)

RollingNews

This morning.

Unidentified location, Dublin

Supple-jointed, powerfully-skulled pensioner Francie Hughes and his grandson Calum launch the HSE 2021/2022 flu campaign, urging people to ‘come forward’ and get their free flu vaccine ‘if it is recommended for them’.

Will there be boosters?

It’s a waiting game.

Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland

This afternoon.

Aviva Stadium, Dublin 4.

Blah blah blah.

National Development Plan.

Blah blah blah.

More as we get it.

Blah blah blah.

Stop that.

Govt publishes €165bn National Development Plan (RTÉ)

Earlier: Derek Mooney: Maybe We’d Believe Them More If The Numbers Were Smaller?

Last night.

Unidentified location, Dublin.

Rory O’Connor, aka comedian Rory’s Stories, on behalf of Focus Ireland and Bord Gáis Energy, launching Shine A Light Night on October 15, which calls on people to sleep out in their homes or gardens to help raise funds ‘to help end family homelessness in Ireland’.

Rory is featured (above) with a note written by a child experiencing homelessness in Ireland projected on the wall behind him. According to latest figures from Focus Ireland, 8,212 people are homeless in Ireland which includes 953 families and 2,189 children.

Shine A Light

Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland

This afternoon.

Via RTÉ News:

A retired garda superintendent has been charged over a €600,000 cannabis seizure at his home in Dublin last week.

John Murphy, 61, was arrested last Wednesday and detained at Irishtown Garda Station for questioning.

He was charged just after 8pm last night and appeared before Dublin District Court this morning, where he was charged with possession of cannabis worth more than €13,000 at his home in a north Dublin suburb.

Detective Sergeant Hanley did not object to bail but told Bryan Judge Smyth that he was seeking several conditions, including that Mr Murphy not contact four people who cannot be named.

Former garda superintendent charged over cannabis seizure at Dublin home (RTÉ)

Meanwhile…

John Murphy, is one of the garda’s youngest superintendents, and decided to hand in his badge at the age of 50, having served on the force for 30 years.

Supt Murphy served in the detective branch in Dublin for much of his career, and on promotion was in the Traffic Department at Dublin Castle, later becoming the district commander at the Bridewell station.

John enjoyed a fitting farewell party at the Aviva, surrounded by hundreds of friends, colleagues and family.

His dad, John Snr, the famous former chief of detectives in Dublin, was in attendance as was Commissioner Fachtna Murphy.

John has been a senior detective in Raheny and later Pearse Street.

On promotion to Superintendent he moved to Cavan and then Dublin Traffic. In 2008, he took command at the Bridewell.

As District Officer, John’s been in charge of the courts and played a major role in setting up the new court complex.

Top Detective Retires In Style With Pals At new Aviva (Irish Independent, May 24, 2010)

RollingNews

Attorney General Paul Gallagher

This morning.

Via Irish Times:

Attorney General Paul Gallagher acted in a private capacity for former Independent News & Media (INM) directors in a hearing with High Court inspectors, days before the Government said his private client work as a barrister had ceased.

Informed sources said Mr Gallagher, a senior counsel who had Government permission to work privately, was known in legal circles to have participated in a very recent cross-examination of a witness before the inspectors who are inquiring into INM’s affairs. The inspectors have been conducting hearings in private, sometimes on a Saturday to facilitate witnesses.

….The Government said last Thursday that Mr Gallagher had “no continuing private professional obligations” but did not say when such obligations ceased. An authoritative source, who had said the previous day that Mr Gallagher’s work for the former INM directors was continuing, said after the Government statement that such work had stopped, but did not say when or why.

…The inspectors were appointed by the High Court to carry out a company law inquiry into INM on foot of a request from the Office of the Director of Corporate Enforcement, the State’s business law enforcer.

Mr Gallagher’s work in a private capacity for former INM directors has led to Opposition claims of a conflict of interest because the Attorney General is the Government’s legal adviser and the State’s chief law officer.

Good times.

Call for answers on Attorney General’s private work grows louder (Irish Times)

Previously: Nixer

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