Author Archives: Bodger

From top: Dublin Airport yesterday: Stephen Donnelly on RTE One’s Prime Time last night

Last night

Following European Commission pressure, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said regulations to allow fully vaccinated people arriving to Ireland quarantine at home will be drafted and signed in the coming days…

Via Irish Times:

European Union embassies had earlier renewed their criticism of the quarantine system. They were joined by the European Commission, which contacted Irish authorities seeking clarifications on the criteria used to designate countries and raising “some concerns in relation to the general principles of EU law, in particular proportionality and non-discrimination”.

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly, speaking on RTÉ’s Prime Time programme last night, said he would “make no apologies” to the European Commission or Italian ambassador to Ireland for introducing mandatory hotel quarantine and that he is “confident” the move is in compliance with EU law.

Hmm.

Covid-19: Vaccinated people to be exempt from hotel quarantine, Donnelly says (Irish Times)

Meanwhile…

Good times.

Last night: Back In The Old Country

Meanwhile…

Terminal 2 arrivals at Dublin Airport this afternoon

Tonight.

The European commission sent a list of questions to Government Buildings this evening on behalf of concerned EU citizens concerning Mandatory Hotel Quarantine (MHQ)/

In a statement to RTÉ News, the European Commission said:

“We understand that Ireland requires travellers coming from a “designated” country, irrespective of their nationality, to undergo a mandatory hotel quarantine.

“The commission is looking into these measures as there are some concerns in relation to the general principles of EU law, in particular proportionality and non-discrimination.

“While quarantine and testing requirements are a national competence, nevertheless, when affecting citizens’ rights to free movement, such measures have to comply with general principles of EU law.”

EU raises concern about mandatory hotel quarantine (RTÉ)

Earlier…

This afternoon.

Dublin Airport.

American travellers are greeted by Irish Army soldiers and escorted to the Crowne Plaza Hotel for mandatory quarantine. USA was added to the list of covid ‘hot spots’ at 4am.

Bookings were temporarily paused yesterday as the Tifco Group of hotels have reached capacity. Those who have already made a booking are not affected by the pause.

RollingNews

President Michael D Higgins

On The Late Late Show…

…Jennifer O’Brien writes:

Our President Michael D. Higgins turns 80 this Sunday, and Ryan will sit down with him at Áras an Uachtaráin to discuss the President’s hopes for Ireland’s future.

Kathy Bates, the Academy Award-winning actress and star of Misery, Titanic, and PS I Love You, will tell how she is trying to perfect a Ballyfermot accent for her latest role.

Ireland rugby captain Johnny Sexton will be chatting about his chances of making the Lions team, the return of Simon Zebo to Munster, and lending his support to DEBRA Ireland. Claudia Scanlon, who has EB, will be joined by her mother Liz to speak to Ryan about living with the condition and thriving against the odds.

Singer Imelda May will give an exclusive performance of Don’t Let Me Stand on My Own, with Niall McNamee, from her new album 11 Past the Hour.

Plus, we have the debut TV performance of Crybaby from Noel Hogan featuring Bronagh Gallagher.

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

RollingNews

This afternoon.

Via RTÉ News:

The price of residential property nationally rose by 3% in February, according to the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office.

This compares to an increase of 2.6% in January and a 1% increase in the 12 months to February of last year.

Prices were slower to rise in Dublin with an increase of 1.2%. Houses in the capital rose by 1.2% while apartments rose by 0.9%.

Meanwhile…

…Tony Geraghty writes:

Actually, the CSO’s latest figures don’t say any such thing. In fact they say that the price of residential property nationally rose by 0.3% in February, just one tenth of the figure RTÉ uses.

The reality is that residential property nationally rose by 3% in the full 12 months up to February, over a full year (the headline of the RTÉ article actually got it right). Housing is expensive enough without RTÉ talking it up any further with their misplaced decimal points…

Fight!

Home prices see annual increase of 3% in February – CSO (RTÉ)

RollingNews

 

Just ‘dropped’.

Episode 5 of Poxy Bleedin Shop

In this episode the Guards discover what has been going on and have a showdown in the alley. Meanwhile Emily and Celine bump into each other on the street and discuss the state of the rockets and green clouds in an effort to get to the bottom of it all, while also continuing an old grudge.

Starring Aidan J Collins, Bernard Casey, Colman Hayes, Emma Doran, Karl Spain, Mark Mc Auley, Owen Colgan, Tadhg Hickey and Valerie Ni Loinsigh.

Poxy Bleedin Shop

 

This morning

Those who refuse an offer of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine will go to the back of the queue , according to the Tánaiste Leo Varadkar.

The rollout of the AstraZeneca jab has been restricted to people over the age of 60 because of concerns about a blood clotting side effect in younger people.

Via Irish Times:

Asked what would happed to people who refuse the AstraZeneca vaccine, he told RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland “they will have to wait until the end”.

People who refuse AstraZeneca vaccine will go to back of queue, says Varadkar (Irish Times)

RollingNews

This morning.

RollingNews/FireBrigade