Author Archives: Bodger

From top: Daft report for the second quarter of 2021; Cian O’Callaghan

This morning.

The latest report from Daft.ie shows that on average rents in Dublin increased in the second quarter of this year by around 0.5% with a national increase of 5.6%.

Cian O Callaghan – Social Democrat housing spokesman – whose party wishes to see a freeze on rent increases, said:

“Today’s report reveals the abject failure of this government to tackle the rental crisis. Rents climbed by an average annual rate of 5.6pc in the second quarter of this year, but the rates of increase were even higher in many areas.

For instance, rents in Kerry, Leitrim and Roscommon surged by more than 16pc while rents in Donegal, Cavan, Clare, Galway, Mayo, Sligo and Waterford all increased by more than 14pc.

“The unprecedented nature of this crisis is evident in the fact that it is now cheaper to repay a mortgage than pay rent in nearly every region of the country. In fact, the only two places where a mortgage for a three-bed home is more expensive than rent is in Dublin 4 and Dublin 6.”

Record increases in rents outside Dublin amid ‘chronic’ supply shortages – Daft report (Newstalk)

RollingNews

Anyone?

Retrospective – Clannad and the RTÉ Concert Orchestra (RTE Player)

Meanwhile….

Anyone?

This morning.

More as we get it.

Meanwhile…

Um.

This morning.

Via Irish Times:

[Historian] Diarmaid Ferriter considers that the leadership of the Catholic Church is “overdoing the righteousness, as whether the controversy about Communions is primarily about sacraments is highly debatable.

The assertion this week by Catholic Archbishop of Dublin Dermot Farrell that the ‘only gathering that seems to cause risk is a parent taking their child to receive a sacrament’ was disingenuous” (“Church is overdoing the righteousness amid Communions row”, Opinion & Analysis, August 6).

He misunderstands the Archbishop, who clearly means that it is contradictory to rule that taking a child to receive a sacrament is risky, while other kinds of congregating with larger numbers and closer contact are not so ruled. No righteousness there – just common sense.

Prof Ferriter also says that “the leadership of the Irish Catholic Church has been exhibiting a passive aggressiveness in recent years.”

My behaviour is “passive aggressive” if I conceal my true position, say I’m agreeable, and yet act obstructively. The true position of Catholic leadership is usually clear, whether others agree or not.

To have a healthy democracy, their positions, like that of others, need to be respected.

I agree with Prof Ferriter that it is not wise to require any person to make a profession of religious faith (or lack thereof) in order to hold public office.

The days are gone when it was required to take an oath rejecting the Catholic Church and its teachings, and to attend and receive Communion in the established church, in order to hold public office in Ireland.

However, in UK, the monarchy is still closed to a Catholic, as also in Denmark, Norway and Sweden.

Padriag McCarthy,
Sandyford,
Dublin 16

Fight!

Irish Times letters

RollingNews

From top: Minister for Education Norma Foley; Department of Education briefing note

Last night/This morning.

Mandarin Chinese using simplified script was introduced as a new subject on the Leaving Cert curriculum in 2019. Ireland is the only country to refuse to accept traditional script.

Via RTÉ

Controversy already surrounds the new exam over a ban on traditional Chinese characters, used in Hong Kong and Taiwan, in favour of China’s simplified script, which the Department said was more suitable for beginners.

RTÉ has learnt that the Department of Education signed a memorandum of understanding with China’s Ministry of Education agreeing “support for implementation of the Leaving Certificate curriculum, particularly in relation to teacher supply and teacher training”.

In response to a request for a copy of the agreement and minutes of a meeting with Chinese officials in July 2019, a Department spokesperson said that the Chinese Ministry of Education and the Chinese Embassy would first need to be consulted “to ensure there is no objection to the release” and in order to “maintain codes of good practice and courtesy.”

Some academics argue that the Communist Party has an interest in promoting its script above alternative writing systems because they provide a gateway to diverse political and historical narratives, at odds with its own.

New questions over China’s role in Leaving Cert exam (RTÉ)

Meanwhile…

RollingNews

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RollingNews

Meanwhile…

Meshuggeneh.

This morning.

Robert Brady in the Irish Examiner, writes:

I am 19 years old and have spent 15 months in a psychiatric unit in Dublin. I was admitted as an involuntary patient.

There, I received a diagnosis of schizophrenia. I was on my own when I received this news as I was unable to see family due to Covid. To this day, I find it hard to believe. I was told I was extremely unwell.

My path was long and gruesome until medication could be found that was suitable and worked to get me stable. I was told my next step would be intense rehabilitation after being in hospital so long and due to the illness I lost all my skills.

My memory was affected and a referral to one of the only two inpatient rehabilitation centres in Ireland was made by my team.

I was then made a voluntary patient and I awaited my rehabilitation acceptance but bad news came. They refused me as I was not chronic enough in my mental illness for the programme.

My illness is lifelong, and my hopes were dashed. I was discharged back to my community. My days are spent lying around my house.

I feel that for young people like me we could be given a chance of a better outcome for our future if we had rehabilitation beds.

I am at lost how to handle this diagnosis I have been given and would like to be in a rehabilitation unit where I could gain independence, living skills, and the tools to help me live the best life possible with my illness.

Robert Brady
Walkinstown
Dublin 12

Irish Examiner Letters

Pic: HSE

This afternoon.

Leinster House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2.

Science-loving, climate change campaigners gather outside Leinster House as a ‘landmark’ report by the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is released warning ‘strong and sustained reductions in emissions of carbon dioxide’ are required to limit  damage to the planet.

Could do with some warming up this week.

Pause.

How dare you.

RollingNews

Yesterday evening.

Tuam, county Galway.

Catholic activists Eugene Jordan and Brian Nugent applaud the findings of the Mother and Baby Home Commission of Investigation while standing on a burial ground at the former Tuam Mother and Baby Home, where the remains of 796 dead babies and children were left in a sewage tank underneath and still await exhumation.

Meanwhile..

Thanks Breeda