Author Archives: Bodger



This afternoon.

County Louth.

Members of the Garda Armed Support Unit and Garda Negotiator team deal with a hostage situation outside the Newtown Fane pumping station during a training exercise today.

Sam Boal/Rollingnews

Meanwhile...

This afternoon.

Castleblayney County Monaghan.

Fire Service personnel in chemical suits join members of the emergency services from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland in a training exercise as they deal with a major incident involving a fuel truck which has crashed into a bus on a rural road.

Sam Boal/Rollingnews

This afternoon.

Falsk, Strokestown, County Roscommon

The scene of a forced, violent eviction last December of the McGann family – two elderly brothers and sister – and the repossession of a farmhouse by security guards working on behalf of US vulture Cabot, which purchased the loan from KBC Bank.

Via RTÉ:

More than a dozen people have gathered inside the gates of a house in Co Roscommon in support of a family at the centre of a repossession row.

The McGann family had been given until midday to vacate the house at Falsk near Strokestown.

The house has been at the centre of a long running legal battle between the family and KBC bank.

 

People gather in support of McGann family at Falsk in Co Roscommon (Shannonside)

Supporters inside Roscommon property at centre of repossession row (RTÉ)

Previously: Cause And Effect

Pic: ShannonsideFM

Um.

Anon writes:

This is THE day taxes are due if you file online and you currently cannot file online.

It’s been offline for a few hours…

25 minute wait on the ROS help phone lines….

Will Revenue extend the deadline? No information given on website?

Anyone?

Revenue.ie

Update:

All better.

This afternoon.

A statement released by the family of the late Shane O’Farrell.

EARLIER:

Terms of reference submitted by Judge Gerard Haughton for a scoping exercise into the death of Shane O’Farrell; terms of reference set by the Department of Justice; Lucia and Jim O’Farrell with their daughters outside Garda HQ in Phoenix Park in January

This afternoon.

Further to the family of the late Shane O’Farrell highlighting the Department of Justice’s rejection of terms of reference drawn up by District Court Judge Gerard Haughton who was appointed by the Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan to chair a scoping exercise into the death of 23-year-old Shane…

Daniel McConnell, in The Irish Examiner, reports:

Fianna Fáil is calling on the Government to reverse its decision and permit an inquiry into the death of Monaghan man Shane O’Farrell proceed.

…The party’s Justice spokesman Jim O’Callaghan has said the purpose of his private members’ bill is to pressure the Government to accept the original terms of reference for an inquiry as produced by Judge Haughton,

“The purpose of the motion this evening is very simple. We want to get down there and to approve the terms of reference that were put forward by Judge Houghton in April of this year, we believe they are satisfactory that they will achieve the purpose and spirits of what’s all there and voted for in June of 2018.

“We’re hoping to get support from other parties, and we believe we will,” he said.

Fianna Fáil calls on Govt to permit inquiry into death of Monaghan man Shane O’Farrell (Daniel McConnell, The Irish Examiner)

Juno McEnroe, of The Irish Examiner, tweetz:

Oireachtas Commission meeting on TD fobbing & allowances agrees

-an independent examination of other parliaments

-no repercussions for any TDs

-report back in New Year

-formal statement released shortly

-ensure public confidence in system

TDs agree to independent examination of parliament attendance and expenses after controversies (Juno McEnroe, The Irish Examiner)

Related: Oireachtas Commission to discuss controversy over fobbing in (The Irish Times)

This morning.

National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2.

Author Jessica Traynor and actor Stephen Rea (looking very well for a man of 73, in fairness) at the launch of Dublin Book Festival from November 14-17 with over 60 events, includeingthe launch of Correspondences: An Anthology to Call for an End to Direct Provision edited by Stephen and, Jessica a special evening of conversation and performance with writer Pat McCabe and an “afternoon of laughs” with Colm O’Regan & Bernard O’Shea

Dublin Book Festival 2019

Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland

This morning.

Alex Hotel, Dublin 2.

Sinn Féin’s deputy leader in the Dáil Pearse Doherty – joined by TD for Carlow/Kilkenny Kathleen Funchion (above right) and MP for Fermanagh/Tyrone Michelle Gildernew (above centre) speaking to the media during the Publication of Sinn Féin’s 2019 Ard Fheis Clár (motions) ahead of its ard fheis in Derry this weekend.

Sinn Fein

Leah Farrell/RollingNews

Former Independent MEP Marian Harkin

This morning.

Ocean FM reports:

There is growing speculation that former [Independent] TD and MEP, Marian Harkin, could stand for Fine Gael in the Sligo-Leitrim constituency at the next General Election.

Ocean FM News understands there has been contact between senior Fine Gael officials and Ms Harkin in recent weeks in relation to her candidacy.

Ms Harkin is not commenting on the matter, nor is the Fine Gael party.

Harkin to contest general election for Fine Gael (Ocean FM)

Rental Chart in today’s Irish Independent

This morning.

Via Charlie Weston in Independent.ie:

It now costs €70 more to rent than it did last year, a rise of 5.2pc. Over a year, the additional cost works out at €840.

Rents have risen so much that they are now €373 a month higher than the previous peak they hit during the property bubble in 2008, according to the latest Daft.ie rental report.

Dublin rents are up almost 4pc in the past year, with the average monthly cost in the capital now €2,044. This is €76 a month more expensive than the same period last year. This means it is costing a Dublin family €912 more a year for accommodation.

Revealed: Areas with highest rental hikes as country braced for ‘ten more years of rent misery’ (Charlie Weston, independent.ie)

Meanwhile…

Anne-Mare McNally, Social Democrats spokesperson on Consumer affairs, and Dublin MidWest by-election candidate, said:

“The only solution is to put in place a mandatory country-wide rent freeze for at least two years until increase in supply drives prices down

“Berlin and other cities have recognised that pricing ordinary people and families out of renting is a disaster for a city, for its people and for the economy. Berlin has limited rental increases to the rate of inflation and set caps on maximum rents. We urgently need these kinds of protections here. It’s time that this Fine Gael Government prioritised the ‘locked out generation’ – those for whom even renting a home is now becoming a daily struggle, never mind owning one.”

Fight!