Author Archives: Bodger


Last night.

Mother and Baby Home activists Breeda Murphy, Eunan Duffy and Frank Brehany discuss the fallout from the UN envoy job offer to Katherine Zappone.

Ms Zappone served as Minister of Children and Youth Affairs from May 2016 to June 2020, a tenure often marred by criticism over her handling of the Mother and Baby Home issue by survivors, their families and supporters (and the UN).  Not least for her personal plea to Pope Francis (top), during his visit to Ireland in 2018, asking if the Vatican would contribute to costs for the exhumation of remains discovered at Tuam.

This is the 21st in a series of shows looking at all aspects of the Mother and Baby Home Report.

RollingNews

DB writes:

‘I am getting extraordinary abuse for this tweet (above). For the record, it’s government data. If I’m going to be vilified for interpretations of it I didn’t make I might as well give my actual interpretation of it. I think there are broadly four possible explanations for these figures:

1. Scary delta – more cases, more hospitalisations
2. Vaccines aren’t having much of a national impact
3. Vaccines are harmful
4. People are finally returning to hospitals and those increased numbers are being miscast as Covid cases when they’re there for something else.

I’m mostly number 4. I think 2 is true insofar as there is no *sign* of the vaccines having a national impact in any of these figures. That impact might exist but it isn’t visible yet. I see nothing substantial to support 3 at this time. As for number 1, Delta is commonly said to be less virulent and our increased cases are said to be mainly among the young. So do we think all these extra cases in hospital are unvaccinated young people? I don’t think so.’

Anyone?

Meanwhile…

RollingNews

Anyone?

RollingNews

This evening.

Earlier…

This morning.

Via Irish Times:

Live music and performances will be permitted and multiple tables can be booked for outdoor events of up to 200 people under new guidelines published by Fáilte Ireland today.

However, there must be “robust protective measures” are in place, with numbers attending up to the limit of 200 to be determined by the area an event is taking place, under new guidelines.

The guidelines also state that “intermingling between tables is not permitted”.

New Covid-19 outdoor guidelines permit gatherings of 200, live music in hospitality settings (Irish Times)

Earlier: Fitting The 5,000

Update:

From top: Protest outside the Rotunda Hospital in May; HSE Clinical Director of Women and Infants Health Dr Peter McKenna

This morning/afternoon.

New guidance from the HSE will allow for partners to attend 12-week scans and to be present during some caesarean sections and early scans if miscarriages are suspected.

HSE Clinical Director of Women and Infants Health Dr Peter McKenna said with the move to ease restrictions further there are conflicting priorities; to keep people safe and also to keep the process of childbirth as normal as possible.

He said the conversation can mean tension between these two priorities.

Dr McKenna said if a C-section is done under general anaesthetic, there would not be much of a role for partners to support, as the woman would be asleep.

Additional lifting of maternity hospital Covid restrictions in coming weeks – HSE official (RTÉ)

RollingNews

From top: Aerial view of the Merrion Hotel; venue capacity covid guidelines

Oh.

This morning.

Further to Merriongate…

…TD Translator writes:

This is what the rules are. No way can that hotel hold 5000 outside on its patio. It’s clear Leo The Liar and friends broke the law!

Anyone?

Last night: “A Grubby Little Episode”