Author Archives: Bodger

Tonight.

Earlier…

This afternoon.

Earlier…

The vaccine developed by AstraZeneca make up some 21% of the supplies needed to meet the HSE’s target

This morning.

HSE’s target of administering initial vaccine doses to 80 per cent of the willing adult population by June is under question if the The National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) rules out the use of the AstraZeneca jab over blood clotting fears.

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly told RTÉ Radio One’s Morning Ireland:

“Certainly, at the moment, if the vaccines come in as they are forecast to do, then by the end of June, four in every five adults who wants a vaccine will be in a position to be offered one. It really is a great cause for hope, particularly on a day like today, where we’re taking a cautious but important step out of the pandemic.”

When asked whether this goal will remain achievable if recommendations surrounding the AstraZeneca jab change, he responded:

‘All I’m saying is, there’s not much point in gauging “what if NIAC say this or this or this”.

‘We’ll have word from NIAC very shortly, and when we do, if the operations do need to be adjusted, we can adjust them.”

Donnelly concedes possible changes to AZ roll-out could pose ‘big operational challenge’ (Extra.ie)

Meanwhile…

Up to 80 percent of people offered the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine In Sicily refuse it out of fears over its safety, according to the southern Italian region’s president Nello Musumeci.

Public confidence in the Anglo-Swedish jab has been badly shaken by reports linking it to rare, but potentially fatal, blood clots, and by conflicting recommendations on its use.

“In Sicily, there is an 80-percent refusal rate of the AstraZeneca vaccine. Every 100 people, 80 say no,” Musumeci said late Saturday in Catania, according to multiple media reports.

‘Up to 80 percent’ in Sicily refuse AZ vaccine: president (France24)

Meanwhile…

This morning.

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly on Morning Ireland…

Mary Wilson: “Minister, just finally, you’re on the front page of The Irish Times. ‘Donnelly queries exclusion from department analysis of tweets’. It said you looked for an analysis of tweets and retweets of you and your Twitter feed from the department, as compared to your constituency colleague, Simon Harris. You did this in January at a time when we had escalating Covid numbers. Why would you do that?”

Stephen Donnelly: “I believe it was a piece of work that one of the team was looking at Mary. I haven’t seen the article but I believe it was one piece of work that somebody was looking at in a, in a, in a, you know, in a…”

Wilson: “The article says minister, the article says it was an analysis that you looked for and, on your behalf, the Secretary General of your department was contacting your publicity, your communications people, saying, you know, ‘we need to discuss this, there’s no reference to the minister, as you can see’. This was an analysis that you – was it an analysis that you wanted?”

Donnelly: “No, like I said Mary, it, I haven’t seen the article, it’s a piece of work that somebody did within the department. And it came up, presumably, in a FOI request, I’d have to take a look.”

Wilson: “Minister, Stephen Donnelly, thank you very much for joining us on Morning Ireland.”

What a clot.

RollingNews

Anyone?

RollingNews

A quarantine hotel in Santry, Dublin last week

In fairness.

Rocky Dunes

Meanwhile…

Two cases taken by a man and a woman who were each challenging the legality of making them quarantine in a hotel after arriving from Israel, have been struck out at the High Court.

The man and woman were both allowed to leave their hotels yesterday afternoon, so the challenges to the legality of their detention are no longer necessary

Derek Jennings, 47, had arrived home on Friday to support his family after his father, who has cancer, became critically ill.

He had appealed against his quarantine on humanitarian grounds, and on the grounds that Israel was to be removed from the list of designated states by the Government.

Two cases over hotel quarantine struck out by High Court (RTÉ)

RollingNews

Stop huddling.

This afternoon.

Kilcullen County Kildare,

Carefree pupils from local schools in Kilcullen – all re-opened this morning – arriving at a supermarket in the village at lunchtime.

Eamonn Farrell/RollingNews

Minister Anne Rabbitte (right) paid out just over €6,000 from a ‘special allowance’ to Stefanie Preissner writer of RTÉ comedy drama Can’t Cope, Won’t Cope  (left)

This morning.

“I hired Stefanie as everyone knows she’s a great communicator and I knew it was crucial to develop these skills for myself in my new role as Minister for Disabilities.

“I knew this was work she has done in the past and I think it’s helped me become a better communicator.

“I also think it has helped to ensure my constituents and people in the disability community are kept informed of what I’m doing.”

Minister of State at the Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth with responsibility for Disability.

Revealed: Family members among TDs and senators’ €674k spend on ‘special allowance’ (Independent.ie)

Meanwhile…

Ah now.

RollingNews

That’ll learn them.

Gaelcholáiste Phort Láirge

Thanks Bebe

Writer Lee Dunne in 2005

“Born in to what was at that time a place of appalling poverty and squalor, Dunne quickly learned to live on his wits. He began working on a milk round at the age of 5, devotedly offering up his meagre earnings to his mother for the housekeeping jar.

“Later he would also get a paper round as well as a job as a delivery boy for a local butcher. He did not own a pair of shoes until he was 12 and freely admitted that if he had not learned to steal, he would have starved to death at a young age.

“Yet in spite of these tough circumstances, Dunne always remembered his upbringing fondly, as a time when people looked out for one another. His particular joy was the cinema where Roy Rogers soon became his personal hero. His father worked for the ESB at Poolbeg Station while his beloved mother, Katy, did her best to keep the family fed and clothed.”

Peter Dunne on his father Lee Dunne, author and playwright, who has died after a long battle with Alzheimer’s Disease aged 86.

RIP.

Irish author and playwright Lee Dunne dies, aged 86 (BreakingNews)

RollingNews

‘sup?

This morning.

Sandyford, Dublin.

A lollipop lady helps pupils and parents on their way to St Mathew’s National school as all students return to school for the first time in more than 100 days of Level 5 lockdown. The 5km travel limit is among the measures lifted from today.

Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews