Author Archives: Bodger

This morning.

Health Committee, Dail Eireann.

Via RTÉ News:

Outgoing Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan has said it is not his intention to return to the role “at any point in the future“.

In his opening statement to the Oireachtas Committee on Health, Dr Holohan said his secondment to Trinity College Dublin means he has relinquished his role as CMO.

He announced last month that he is taking on a new role as Professor of Public Health Strategy and Leadership at TCD.

A TCD spokesperson has said the role is “funded by the Department of Health … under the same terms and conditions of his existing contract”.

The TCD role was not put out to open competition and the university said it “was created with Dr Holohan in mind”.

Holohan says he does not intend to return to CMO role (RTE)

RollingNews

This morning.

Via Paul Cullen in The Irish Times:

Patients with Covid-19 face an increased risk of serious blood clots up to six months after being infected, according to new research.

There is an increased risk of pulmonary embolism – a blood clot in the lung – up to six months after infection, the study by Swedish researchers indicates.

For deep vein thrombosis – a blood clot in the leg – there is an increased risk for up to three months and for bleeding events up to two months, they found.

From the records of more than one million people with Covid-19 and four million who were not infected, the researchers identified 401 patients who had the disease and suffered a deep vein thrombosis, and 267 cases in the control group…

However…

The study is observational, so the researchers cannot establish cause. They also note limitations such as possible underdiagnosis of clotting, limited testing for Covid and the non-availability of information on vaccination.

Hmm.

Risk of blood clots rises in Covid-19 patients, Swedish study finds (Paul Cullen, Irish Times)

Meanwhile…

New research may help shed light on a rare but serious blood-clotting problem associated with the COVID-19 vaccines from AstraZeneca and Johnson & Johnson….

Rare vaccine-related blood clots tied to gene (EuroNews)

RollingNews

From top: the Dáil chamber yesterday during the address to the joint houses of the Oireachtas by Ukraine President Zelensky; Miniuster For Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney

Last night.

Via RTE News:

Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney has said that Ireland would support a complete ban on Russian coal, oil and gas.

Speaking about Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky’s address to the Dáil chamber, Mr Coveney said” “Undoubtedly his (Mr Zelensky’s) biggest ask was for sanctions to be tougher, to act as a strong deterrent to Russia in terms of the continuation of this war,” he added.

Speaking on RTÉ’s Six One News, Mr Coveney said: “I think the EU has signed off, or at least the EU Commission has signed off on a strong fifth package of sanctions and we will hopefully confirm that politically in the next few days.”

He said that while there is a proposed ban on the purchase of coal from Russia into the EU, he would like to see oil added to this.

“I can accept that there are complications in relation to gas, although Ireland would certainly support a complete ban on Russian coal, oil and gas,” he said.

The minister added that he recognises that some countries in the European Union, particularly on its eastern borders, are highly reliant on Russian gas in particular.

Ireland ‘would support complete ban’ on Russian fuel, says Coveney (RTE)

RollingNews

Meanwhile…

Yesterday.

Stop that.

This morning.

Unidentified park, Dublin.

Actor Johnny Ward is’ reaching new heights’ by taking part in Down Syndrome Ireland’s Abseil in Croke Park on Saturday, May 7.

The charity is calling for all ‘adrenaline junkies’ to join Johnny and help children and adults with Down syndrome across the country. DSI needs to fundraise 80% of its running costs each year/

Down Syndrome Ireland

Sasko Lazarov/Photocall Ireland

This afternoon.

Via RTÉ News:

The National Immunisation Advisory Committee (NIAC) has recommended a fourth Covid vaccine dose for everyone aged 65 and older.

It also recommended a second booster for those aged 12 and older who are immunocompromised and children aged five to 11 who are immunocompromised should complete an extended primary course, which is a total of three vaccine doses.

Meanwhile…

“Those who are unvaccinated or incompletely vaccinated continue to be disproportionately affected and account for approximately a third of hospitalisations for Covid-19.

“As such, I urge anyone for whom an additional dose of vaccine has been recommended, or anyone yet to receive their primary course or booster vaccine do so as soon as possible.

“I have asked the NIAC to continue to actively examine the evidence regarding the likely benefit of a second booster to other groups, vaccine choice and interval, in order to make further recommendations in this regard.”

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland

Um.

Anyone?

Fourth Covid vaccine dose recommended for over 65s (RTÉ)

RollingNews

Alternatively…

Hush now.

Minister for Finance Paschal O’Donohue (left) and Minister for Public Expenditure and Reform, Michael McGrath in the Department of Finance this afternoon

This afternoon.

The public finances recorded a surplus at the end of March of €200m, according to the latest Exchequer figures published by the Department of Finance.

Via RTÉ News:

Today’s figures show that on a 12-month rolling basis, there was a deficit of €3 billion.

On a cumulative basis, for the first three months of this year, income tax was up almost €1 billion or 16% to €6.8 billion. This is also 37% higher than the same period of 2019.

VAT returns were up €1.4 billion or just over 30% to €5.9 billion compared to the same period in 2021. This is 17% higher than the same period in 2019.

Due to what the department describes as a “timing issue” with returns usually expected in August being made in March, corporation tax is up €1.3 billion or 224% to €1.9 billion.

The surge in corporation tax is also explained as “increased profitability of a small number of companies in the ICT sector”.

Tax revenue in total came in at €17.2 billion, some €4.2 billion higher or 32% ahead of the same period last year.

Public finances show surplus of €200m in March (RTE)

Sam Boal/RollingNews

This morning.

Leinster House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressing a joint sitting of the Oireachtas via video link.

He said:

“Please, I would like you to show more leadership in our anti-war coalition. I would like to ask you to convince EU partners to introduce more rigid sanctions against Russia to make sure the Russian war machine will stop.

“We have to put an end to trading with Russia. We have to cut ties of the Russian banks to the global system and cut the sources of their income from oil that they use for their weapons and killing,”

Earlier: Tour Stop

Meanwhile…

Meanwhile…

This morning.

Leinster House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2.

RollingNews

Housing Minister Darragh O’Brien has said up to 8,000 Homes currently vacant because their owners are in the care of nursing homes could be used to house Ukrainian refugees

This morning.

Via Irish Times:

Ministers have been briefed on plans to try to make around 8,000 vacant properties linked to the Fair Deal nursing home scheme available to those fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

One option mooted is that the Government could waive the current requirement under the scheme that 80 per cent of rent receipts for Fair Deal properties be returned to the State, which officials hope could lead to many of these being made available. However, the details of the scheme have yet to be worked out.

The Cabinet also heard yesterday that an emergency summit of builders and accommodation providers is to take place next week as the Coalition seeks to find ways to accommodate the thousands of refugees arriving into the State weekly.

Some 18,628 people have come to Ireland so far, with 11,214 requiring help with accommodation and others staying with friends and relatives.

Coalition spokespeople said only a small number of the 20,000 offers of accommodation received by the Red Cross from the public had yet been taken up.

Properties linked to Fair Deal scheme could be used to accommodate Ukrainian refugees (irish Times)

Meanwhile…

Anyone?

RollingNews

Meanwhile…

 

Gulp.

This morning.

What are those men doing?

Pause.

RUN!

New Omicron hybrid found to be even more infectious – so what do we know so far about it? (Eilish O’Regan, Independent.ie)

Meanwhile….

Last night.

Channel 4 News in Shanghai, China.

Hardcore.