Author Archives: Bodger

Paralympic swimming gold medalist Ellen Keane

On The Late Late Show…

…Linda Pototzki writes:

Ireland’s Paralympic heroes Jason Smyth, Ellen Keane, Nicole Turner, Gary O’Reilly, Katie-George Dunlevy and Eve McCrystal will be joining us, along with sports journalist Joanne O’Riordan to talk about their success, their homecoming and their medals.

Samantha Mumba will talk about raising her daughter in LA, why activism is important to her…

Comedian Joanne McNally on why her therapist ghosted her and why she has the spare key to Vogue’s house…

Ireland Rugby Coach and Munster legend Paul O’Connell will join Ryan to discuss how he finds life on the sideline with Ireland and the new challenges he is facing now that he is back with the national team..

We’ll also hear the most extraordinary story of the long-lost siblings who had been left as babies on either side of the Irish border only to find each other over 50 years later…

Orla Gartland is performing You’re Not Special Babe from her hit album Woman on The Internet and Hermitage Green will be premiering their new single Got to Give.

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

This afternoon.

The health secretary told Sky News consent will be sought from parents of 12 to 15-year-olds over COVID jabs as it has been “for decades”, but that if a child is believed to be competent enough to make the decision themselves, they “will prevail”.

His comments suggest most individuals in this age category will be able to give their own consent to receive the COVID-19 vaccine if parents object to the jab.

There you go now.

COVID-19: 12 to 15-year-olds to get ‘final say’ over COVID jab if disagreement with parent occurs (Sky News)

Gillick competence test?

Earlier: Class Divide

This afternoon.

Henry Street, Dublin 1.

Models Laura O’Grady (top pic), Eve Connolly (blonde), Thais Vargas (pic 2 right), and  Aveen Lane (above left) and Yomiko Chen (above right) sport items from new Autumn/Winter womenswear contemporary and classic collections at Arnotts.

Comically enlarged sleeves.

Finally.

RollingNews

This afternoon.

Via RTÉ:

Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald (above) said if the Taoiseach fails to act, Sinn Féin would take action and a no-confidence motion would be on the table.

She said that Mr Coveney’s behaviour was not of the standard expected of a minister.

Asked again if Sinn Féin would table that no-confidence motion, she said: “It could come to that.”

Taoiseach must sack Coveney today – McDonald (RTÉ)

Earlier…

This afternoon.

Earlier…

Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney before the Committee on Foreign Affairs yesterday over the appointment of Katherine Zappone to a special UN envoy role last July

This morning.

Following Simon Coveney’s appearance at an oireachtas hearing to explain the appointment of Katherine Zappone to a position within the UN…

…via Irish Times:

An Oireachtas committee is not the place to go for forensic interrogation. But between rambling speeches yesterday, a number of incisive questioners succeeded in highlighting the legitimate reasons for public disquiet over the affair.

They may not have disproved Coveney’s version of events, but even that account presents a decidedly unflattering picture. If one were to accept everything Coveney says at face value – and many certainly will not – he made at least five big mistakes.

He failed to see that there might be anything wrong with unilaterally appointing a former colleague to a nice position in New York, or the political impact that might have.

In March he failed to tell Zappone she had not actually been offered that job even though her texts to him clearly show she believed that to be the case – well before Department of Foreign Affairs officials began thinking about creating an envoy role.

He blindsided the Taoiseach by failing to tell him about the appointment before it came up at Cabinet.

He deleted official records which should be kept for archiving and transparency purposes and admitted that he does this routinely (Coveney’s definition of official business was extremely narrow and totally unconvincing).

And, when the controversy ignited, he gave partial and confusing evidence to an Oireachtas committee.

Coveney is adamant that the envoy role was not designed for Zappone, and that its creation was the result of extensive deliberations in his department. But the plain fact is that Zappone got it because she had a direct line into the Minister.’

A Debacle Of His Own Making (irish Times)

Yesterday:

Pic: Oireachtas TV

This afternoon.

Lixnaw, county Kerry.

Gardai block access on the approach road to Ballyreahan in Lixnaw and the scene of what they believe is a double homicide and suicide, following the discovery of three bodies last night.

A woman in her 60s was found in a house at Ballyreehan along with her son, aged 23, also in the house. Both had been shot. The body of the woman’s partner was found in a field, along with a shotgun.

Investigation after three people found dead in Kerry (RTÉ)

Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews

Melissa Jeuken (above left), shepherd with the Old Irish Goat Society, and Mayor of Fingal Cllr Seána Ó Rodaigh (right)

‘sup?

This morning.

Howth Head, Howth, north county Dublin.

Fingal County Council writes:

We are delighted to announce a ground-breaking conservation grazing project, with Old Irish Goats, at Howth, in the Dublin Bay UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The scheme, which will last for 3 years, is a partnership project between Fingal County Council and the Old Irish Goat Society with support from the Howth SAAO.

A group of 25 Old Irish Goats, originating from the national herd in Mulranny, Co Mayo, have today arrived in their new home on Howth Head as the first phase of the project gets underway.

The project will utilise traditional methods of management, a goat herder and sheepdogs. It will also trial, for the first time in Ireland, the Norwegian “No-fence” system which employs GPS tracking to define fenceless grazing areas…

Orla Murray/Coalesce

From top: the launch of the Housing for All Programme last week; Cian O’Callaghan TD

This morning.

The Housing For All plan includes measures to increase social and affordable homes in new developments from 10pc to 20pc – except, if a developer bought land between 2015 and 2021.

Social Democrats Housing Spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan said:

“It is utterly unacceptable that thousands of affordable homes will be lost because of an exemption for developers contained in Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien’s new housing plan.

“The Department of Housing has refused to say whether or not it sought any legal advice to justify this exemption, which will lead to the loss of 10,000 affordable homes. This is not good enough.

“The Supreme Court has previously found in favour of Part V and found that the legislature acted constitutionally when setting planning rules of this nature in the public interest.

“I am calling on the Minister for Housing to clarify if legal advice was sought by his Department regarding this exemption and I am calling on Minister [Darragh] O’Brien to publish any such advice.”

Anyone?

Previously: Home Work

Brian O’Doherty,  President of the Irish Primary Principals Network (IPPN)

This morning.

The President of the Irish Primary Principals Network (IPPN) says allowing unvaccinated, asymptomatic confirmed close contacts return to the classroom would be a cause for concern, particularly in the context of increasing cases in schools and the challenges being presented to school leaders.

Brian O’Doherty said pressures are emerging because, in some cases, principals are being called upon to make judgement calls without the benefit of public health advice when a positive covid case is identified in a school.

Speaking on Today with Claire Byrne, Mr O’Doherty explained when a Covid case is notified to the school, the school begins a process that involves undertaking a risk assessment to identify close contacts.

Anyone?

Allowing unvaccinated and confirmed close contact pupils into class ’cause for concern’ (RTÉ)

RollingNews

Meanwhile…

Um.

Ceallachain tweetz;

My friend was trying to book tickets into the movies, and this (above) appeared on screen, is Vue cinema only allowing people who are vaccinated onto their premises? And who only have a vaccine passport?

Anyone?

Meanwhile…