Restrictions in Australia’s New South Wales forbids dancing…
…except at weddings.
Meanwhile…
In Washington DC:
As wedding season kicks off in May, D.C. has a strict new rule in place. Guests cannot dance or stand during a wedding cocktail hour or reception...For some couples no dancing and standing is a deal breaker so they’re looking to move their wedding to a place where restrictions are looser like their hometowns or Virginia or Maryland. In Virginia, weddings are capped at 50 people indoors and 100 outdoors.
However, starting May 15, those numbers will increase to 100 people inside and 250 outside. Over in Maryland, outdoor and indoor venues can operate at 50% capacity. Both states do not have any sort of ban on dancing and standing during weddings like there is in D.C.
.@CathMurphyTD told Prime Time that her constituents are "absolutely enraged" that an investment firm is in talks to buy 115 homes in a Maynooth housing estate, saying first-time buyers cannot compete with institutional investors #rtepthttps://t.co/2PYeEtOx6A
The 170-home estate has had 135 homes bought by Round Hill Capital, a global property investment firm, who will be putting the houses on the rental market, making them unavailable to first-time buyers in Ireland.
Surreal popular culture/Irish location mash-ups from Black and Water Prints.
Founder Jonny O Malley writes:
I make trippy or alternative digital art of famous people and put them around Dublin and Ireland, some other trippy stuff too. Framed and delivered by post to anywhere in the universe, they are €40 each, or any 3 of your choice for €90…
Darragh O’Brien, Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage arriving for a cabinet meeting at Dublin Castle earlier
This afternoon.
Dublin Castle, Dublin 2.
Minister for Housing Darragh O’Brien has said legislation on affordable housing, which is being brought to the Cabinet, will deliver up to 6,000 affordable homes on State lands within four years.
The Affordable Housing Bill will provide for the direct building of affordable homes by the State.
It also includes plans for a cost rental scheme and a new shared equity scheme.
The legislation will require 10% of social homes and 10% of affordable homes in housing developments in every local authority area.
Social Democrat TDs Holly Cairns and Cian O’Callaghan addressing media on the Plinth outside Leinster House in Dublin earlier
This afternoon.
Leinster House, Dublin 2.
Social Democrats Housing Spokesperson Cian O’Callaghan said,
“The ‘shared equity’ scheme will drive up house prices. It happened when the scheme was introduced in England and it will happen here. It is more of the same, failed, developer-led policy making that characterised the Celtic Tiger era. We need an urgent change of direction.
“The Central Bank, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform and ERSI have raised serious red flags about the ‘shared equity’ proposals. You have to ask why is the Minister for Housing not listening to their expert advice? We know big developers have been lobbying heavily for this scheme. Are they the only ones who have his ear?
“Last week in one day, in one town, one vulture fund bought up three times more houses than the government’s affordable scheme is going to deliver this year – across the entire country.
“The scale of the government’s effort, and ambition, is tiny. If we want genuinely affordable homes, the State must directly build thousands of them and sell or rent them at cost.”
Denmark has become the first country in the world to stop using Johnson & Johnson’s coronavirus shot, weeks after the country banned AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine. https://t.co/iy6WuLaze4@BusinessInsider
— Catherine Schuster-Bruce (@drcatherinesb) May 4, 2021
This morning/afternoon.
Denmark is the first country to exclude Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 shots from its vaccination programme over a potential link to a ‘rare but serious’ form of blood clot. It comes after the country stopped using AstraZeneca’s (AZN.L) vaccine altogether citing similar concerns.
The country’s health authority said in a statement it had found that “the benefits of using the COVID-19 vaccine from Johnson & Johnson do not outweigh the risk of causing the possible adverse effect in those who receive the vaccine”.
Meanwhile…
AstraZeneca, Johnson and Johnson use to be approved for people in 40s https://t.co/g62Z0QJB75
Letterkenny-based Garda Gráinne Doherty revealed the special phone number has been set up at Letterkenny Garda station which will cover the entire county.
Anybody who hears of illegal parties or gatherings is encouraged to contact the telephone number, 0749167101 to report incidents.
Garda Doherty said all calls will be investigated.
