Author Archives: Bodger

An entwined couple on the banks of the River Lee, Cork City in 2016

This morning.

Recruitment is underway for a HSE-funded ‘public sex environment outreach worker’ role with the Sexual Health Centre in Cork city.

Via The Irish Examiner:

Dr Martin Davoren, the centre’s executive director, described it as a “challenging yet exciting new role”.

“It’s quite a bespoke role and it’s not going to be for everybody but we are excited to introduce it,” he said.

While some people use apps to hook up with sexual partners, Dr Davoren said there was a significant cohort of mainly older men who don’t use such technology to meet sexual partners.

“Public sex environments are active and alive in Ireland,” he said.

Recruitment underway for outreach worker to visit Cork’s public sex spots (Irish Examiner)

 

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen

This afternoon.

Who triggered Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol without consulting Dublin?

Via Tony Connelly at RTÉ News:

…Several well-placed sources are of the firm view that the text was drafted by an official within the UK Task Force, ie, Michel Barnier’s team.

…The sources say this was not a collective effort by the Task Force, and that Barnier himself, and his chief advisers who were involved in both the Withdrawal Agreement and the recently concluded trade negotiations, were not in the loop.

As such, the belief is that the individual who drafted the text did so at the direction of Ms von der Leyen’s cabinet.

However, another senior Commission source strongly denies this suggestion…

…Whoever was involved at the last minute on Friday, the first Dublin found out about the paragraph was when it broke in the media, around 4pm Irish time. Senior officials in the Department of the Taoiseach had been working on the travel issue when phones began going off…

The vaccines, the Commission and the NI Protocol: What went wrong? (Tony Connelly, RTE)

RollingNews

 

An employee at a quarantine hotel in Taiwan disinfects a bedroom

This afternoon.

The Government’s plan to use hotels for the mandatory quarantining of some international arrivals could face delays.

It is understood the Cabinet heard this morning that primary legislation will be needed to establish the system.

The Government said it is now working to promptly draft this legislation.

Pesky Constitution.

Hotel quarantine plans may face delay over legislation (RTÉ)

Getty

This morning/afternoon.

Dublin Airport.

Earlier: Slow Set

Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews

Meanwhile…

Eoin Cannon and Róisín Sullivan in ‘Daddy Long Legs’ streaming online from March 8

Missing live DRAMA?

Chill.

Ian Collns writes:

Theatre fans rejoice, as Dublin based theatre company, Boulevard Productions announce a week-long special of streamed performances of the award-winning stage musical, Daddy Long Legs in association with Stream.Theatre.

Filmed in Smock Alley, Dublin directed by Killian Collins and Mark O’Looney, with musical direction by David Wray, enjoy the best of Irish theatre and talent from the comfort of your very own couch.

The musical  is based on the classic novel by Jean Webster that inspired the 1955 film starring, Fred Astaire. Available to stream online from the 8th – 14th March, tickets are on sale now from link below.

Daddy Long Legs (Stream Theatre)

Boulevard Theatre

This morning.

A Garda checkpoint just outside Dublin Port. From this week, new legislation allows the Gardai to fine travellers who are found passing through Dublin Port or Dublin Airport without a valid reason.

Earlier: Dance Like Nobody’s Watching

Port Authority

Sasko Lazarov/RollingNews

RollingNews

Gulp.

He’s playing one-dimensional chess.

And we’re the pawns.

Save yourselves.

January 15

 

This morning.

Via An Garda Síochána:

We have stepped up to the Swiss police Jerusalema Challenge. Gardaí across Ireland answered the call to give the public we serve a lift in these challenging times.

Mighty craic?

Or taking the absolute Swiss?

YOU decide.

Meanwhile…

Ted writes:

Are those Swiss plates on the Mercedes? How did they get in?

Graffiti appeared in Larne last month describing port staff as “targets”

This morning.

Following yesterday’s decision by Northern Ireland’s Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA)  to temporarily suspend physical inspections of products of animal origin at Larne and Belfast amid safety concerns.

A DAERA spokesman said: “The situation will be kept under review and in the meantime full documentary checks will continue to be carried out as usual.”

Speaking this morning, Mr Martin said “It’s a very sinister and ugly development. Obviously, we will be doing everything we possibly can to assist them to defuse the situation.”

NI port safety issue ‘a sinister and ugly development’ – Taoiseach (RTÉ)\\

Top pic via Belfast Live

Um.

Last night.

Claire Byrne Live on RTÉ 1.

Fight!