Author Archives: Bodger

The classic.

Timeless and genuNOMNOMNOMNOM

Darren Conway

Darren Conway (Patreon)

Claire Byrne

Staying in tonight?

Course you are.

On Claire Byrne Live…

…Sarah Neville writes:

As Ireland enters a two-week period of further restrictions in an effort to curb the coronvirus’ spread, Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney gives an update to viewers.

And one week into lockdown in the UK, Irish presenter Angela Scanlon speaks about the solidarity of the London Irish.

Bernard Brogan tells us about the many GAA volunteers who are helping vulnerable people in communities all over the country.

Fair City actor Jim Bartley, best known for his role as Bella Doyle, talks about his experience of cocooning and Irish Times columnist Jennifer O’Connell will reflect on how our lives have changed.

Cork Consultant in Emergency Medicine Dr Chris Luke, GP Dr Illona Duffy and Dr Suzanne Crowe, Intensive Care Specialist at Crumlin Children’s Hospital give their take on how Ireland is handling this crisis.

Tonight’s programme will be co-presented by Sarah McInerney in studio, and Claire Byrne via live video link…

Claire Byrne Live at 10.35pm on RTÉ One.

Previously: “I Had Completely Convinced Myself That This Was Just A Chest Infection”

Sick Byrne

I’m In A Glass Case Of Contagion

Um.

Steve White writes:

How do you maintain two metres social distancing when boarding, alighting and on board on a bus? as Dublin Bus says it wants you to do. I don’t believe its possible and Dublin Bus statement is corporate nonsense.

Anyone?

Introduction of Social Distancing Measures On-board (Dublin Bus)

Meanwhile…

Dublin Bus seating Yesterday.

Via Hille

This afternoon.

At Dublin Castle.

Returning Officer Martin Grove (above) directs the counting of ballots to fill 43 of 60 senators’ seats from vocational panels in the Seanad Éireann election after its postal voting closed at 11am this morning.

Counting of votes is expected to continue until Friday, April 3.

Journalists are not allowed to attend the count, due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Results will instead be posted on the Oireachtas.ie website here or the House of Oireachtas’ Twitter account here.

Rollingnews

Earlier: Counting On The Seanad

Members of the Irish Defence Forces loading PPE equipment after it arrived in Dublin Airport yesterday from China

This morning.

On RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, China’s Ambassador to Ireland He Xiangdong spoke to Rachael English about the shipments of personal protective equipment (PPE) on their way to Ireland from China, a deal in which Mr He and his staff have been involved.

The interview followed the Netherlands, Spain and Turkey claiming they have encountered problems with Chinese-made coronavirus testing kits and protective equipment.

It also followed the first batch of PPE arriving in Ireland from China, as part of a €208million deal, yesterday and being distributed around the country from last night.

Before the ambassador spoke to Ms English, the HSE’s Chief Operations Officer Anne O’Connor told Ms English that further shipments will arrive in Ireland via a total of ten flights by Wednesday this week.

She added:

“I think we have 300 flights coming with PPE over the coming weeks so that is very significant.”

At the end of her interview with the ambassador, Ms English and Mr He had this exchange…

Rachael English: “People may have seen reports over the past days from the Netherlands, the Government there saying that some face masks it imported from China, that there was a problem with them. Can you reassure people that that won’t be the case here?”

He Xiangdong: “I think that the HSE procurement department are working closely with the suppliers there in China. I think that we will try our best, do our best, together, to make sure that all the PPE will abide by the standards.”

English: “Well, listen, thank you very much for joining us…”

Listen back in full here

Faults in China-supplied coronavirus equipment reported in Europe (The Irish Times)

UPDATE:

From top: Bedrooms of direct provision centres in Cork City; Roscrea, Co Tipperary; Swords; Miltown Malbay, Co Clare; Cahersiveen, Co Kerry; Newbridge, Co Kildare; tweet from the Kinsale Road Accommodation Centre in Cork City and a tweet from Graham Clifford, of The Sanctuary Runners

Various refugee and asylum seeker support groups have been calling on the Department of Justice to move people deemed to be the “most vulnerable” out of direct provision centres because of Covid-19.

It comes as asylum seekers, some of whom are healthcare workers, say the Government’s direction for people to maintain “social distancing”, “self-isolation” and “cocooning” is impossible at centres where, in most cases, several people share single rooms.

It also follows councils and the Government spending money on information campaigns about social distancing in public places and on facilities such as Dublin Bus.

Last week it was reported that residents in a direct-provision centre in the west of Ireland were informed a person in their building had tested positive for Covid-19.

Further to this, the Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland (MASI) write:

“Disgraceful but not surprising that the Department of Justice and Equality refused to provide self-contained units for asylum seekers.

Dublin Region Homeless Executive said it would source self-contained units for people in emergency accommodation so that they can observe social distancing. We hope other service providers for homeless people do the same.

The handling of Covid-19 in Direct Provision shows us once more than the provision of accommodation for asylum seekers should be taken away from the Department of Justice and Equality. Direct Provision operators will always put profits above everything.

Solidarity with people in overcrowded accommodation at this time.”

Meanwhile, MASI has posted the following video from the Grand Hotel Direct Provision Centre in Wicklow where a “self-isolation” room is being set up…

Thud.

A petition calling on the Department of Justice to move people deemed to be “at risk” of Covid-19 out of direct provision can be signed here.

Previously: No Room To Isolate

From report by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development on the initial impact of Covid-19 containment measures on economic activity

This morning.

Dan O’Brien tweetz:

“The OECD’s five-pager on the economic impact of the pandemic here. All countries very badly affected. Believes Ireland will be the least affected. No detail, but large tech and pharma sectors the likely reason.”

Hmmm.

Anyone?

The five-page report can be read in full here.

Earlier this morning.

At the intersection of Benburb Street and Queen Street near McGettigan’s Bar in Smithfield, Dublin 7.

A crash took place between a Luas tram and a truck.

The Dublin Fire Brigade have reported that one person has suffered non-life threading injuries.

One injured as Luas car derailed in crash with truck in Smithfield, Dublin (Irish Mirror)

Pics via Dublin Fire Brigade