Author Archives: Bodger

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar being interviewed in RTÉ on Sunday; *Sam, a five-year-old homeless boy who was photographed eating from a piece of cardboard in Dublin last October

This afternoon.

Further to Taoiseach Leo Varadkar’s interview on RTÉ’s This Week at the weekend, in which he was asked about the picture of the homeless five-year-old boy Sam (not real name) who was photographed eating from a sheet of cardboard on a street by volunteer group The Homeless Street Café…

And the Fine Gael leader replying:

“…we tried to find out who that child was, because we wanted to make sure that he was looked after, that perhaps he could be moved into a family hub or perhaps we could make sure there were no child protection issues. We still haven’t been able to find that child unfortunately…

Saoirse McGarrigle, in The Irish Mirror, reports that Denise Carroll, from the Homeless Street Cafe, has said the boy is “very easy to find”.

Further to this…

Independents 4 Change general election candidate Seánie O’Shea, from Wexford, tweetz:

Varadkar to @rtenews This Week: “…shocking, shocking photograph and one I found very upsetting. We still haven’t been able to find that child, unfortunately”

Homeless Street Cafe: “We speak to his mother and him every week.. They also have our contact details and we have hers”

Homeless Street Cafe: “The majority of the soup run would know who this family are … Claire Byrne did a piece and she was in town and he was in the film so he is very easy to find.”

Also Varadkar on his “attempts” to find the child known as Sam: “perhaps we could make sure there were no child protection issues” The children of this country need to be protected from the lies and inhumanity of this Government.

Also, where is the follow up from RTE News or David McCullagh after being blatantly misled?”

Leo Varadkar could’ve found homeless boy Sam, 5, activist insists (Saoirse McGarrigle, The Irish Mirror)

Previously: You Had Nine Years

Sam

This afternoon.

Leinster House, Dublin 2.

Sinn Féin President Mary Lou McDonald (top centre) talking to the media on the start of General Election 2020.

Meanwhile….

Leah Farrell/RollingNews

Meanwhile…

This afternoon.

Labour Party HQ, Aungier Street, Dublin 2

Labour Party Leader Brendan Howlin (centre) and Director of Elections Ivana Bacik (left) speaking to the about the forthcoming General Election.

  Sam Boal/RollingNews





This morning/afternoon.

Moatview Gardens, Coolock, Dublin

Scenes at the estate where human remains were discovered in a sports bag by local residents just after 10pm last night.

The body has not been identified but detectives are “investigating information they received in one case of a teenager involved in the drugs business”.

Human remains found in bag in Dublin estate (RTÉ)

Eamonn Farrell/Rollingnews

This morning [8.35].

Hueston Heuston Station, Dublin 8.

Via Eye on Dublin

Meanwhile…

In fairness.

Village Magazine tweetz:

“Here is the illustration by Faye Larkin for Master of the High Court Edmund Honohan’s interesting analysis of Apple’s tax arrangements with Ireland. Read the piece on our website.”

Rotten fruit: has anybody actually read the EU Commission’s Apple decision? (Edmund Honohan, Village Magazine)

Previously: Edmund Honohan on Broadsheet

Earlier today.

Fianna Fáil leader Micheál addresses journalists after Taoiseach Leo Varadkar announced the election will take place on Saturday, February 8.

Meanwhile…

Earlier: “A Future To Look Forward To”

This afternoon.

The Irish Council for Civil Liberties launched an Election 2020 Manifesto in which it has asked political candidates and parties to commit to eight calls to action.

They are:

“Establish Safe Access Zones at medical facilities so that women and pregnant people can access abortion care in privacy, safety and with dignity.

Introduce Hate Crime legislation so that we all feel safer from hateful attacks.

Protect our privacy and data by halting the illegal Public Services Card project.

Establish a new Independent Office of the Police Ombudsman so that we can all have confidence in An Garda Síochána.

Implement inspections of all places of detention in order to prevent torture behind closed doors.

Establish an Ombudsman for Victims of Crime to ensure justice for victims of crime.

Outlaw image-based sexual abuse to prevent non-consensual creation and/or sharing of intimate images.

Reform the Electoral Act to allow civil society organisations to function without fear.”

The manifesto can be read in full here

Previously: “It’s A Photograph. Let’s Call It What It Is”

Via ICCL

Sryan Bruen tweetz:

Storm Brendan *literally* battering the Dublin coast at Clontarf yesterday. Quite the scene.

Save Poolbeg.

Photograph by Mark Taylor

Yesterday: The Brendan Voyage

UPDATE:

This afternoon.

South Wall, Dublin 4.

Dublin City Council writes:

“There is a further high tide predicted for Wednesday 15th January, 2020 at 3pm. As a result the flood defences and car parks will remain closed at Clontarf, Sandymount and along the tidal reaches of the River Dodder. These will be removed on Thursday 16th January.

Dublin City Council will continue to monitor and take necessary action over the coming days.”

Rollingnews

This lunchtime.

At Government Buildings.

Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar announces, and confirms, that he informed the Cabinet this morning that he will go to Áras an Uachtaráin this afternoon and ask President Michael D Higgins to dissolve the 32nd Dáil.

He said:

“I’ve always said that the election should happen at the best time for the country. Now is that time.”

Earlier: A Past To Look Forward To

UPDATE:

UPDATE:

UPDATE:

Mmf.