Author Archives: Bodger

This lunchtime.

Outside Leinster House.

Cyclists held a ‘die-in’ demonstration following the death of Neeraj Jain (top) who was cycling to work last Friday morning when his bike collided with a cement mixer at the back of the building site of the National Children’s Hospital.

Mr Jain, from Faridabad, India, moved to Ireland in 2018 to pursue a Masters degree in Engineering in UCD and was working with Deloitte in Dublin.

Last week in the Shankill area of Paulstown, Kilkenny, a cyclist in his 70s died after he suffered serious injuries following an incident with a parked lorry.

Today’s ‘die-in’ is the second such ‘die-in’ in as many days.

Rollingnews

Meanwhile…

Neil Fox (above) – whose sister Donna (above inset) died when she was hit by a lorry turning left at the junction between Seville Place and Sheriff St Upper in September 2016 – has written a blog post about today’s “die-in”.

From this post…

“‘Die-Ins’ have a very clear purpose and the fact they horrify is the real reason for them, they bring the harsh reality across in a way nothing else quite can.

“As someone who had to wait days before I could see my sister, one might imagine I’d never need a reality check on the horror.

“But I do, and if I do, how much more others who have thankfully never been directly effected by the tragic brutal violent death of a loved-one in a cycling collision.

“I’ve recently been thrilled by the new dangerous overtaking of a cyclist regulation which Minister Ross will bring in next week, but of course the other key ingredient is: infrastructure, infrastructure, infrastructure, so I am in total solidarity with those protesting today in our shared vision for a safer Ireland, in particular a safe Dublin for cyclists.

“…I call on the Government as ever, to wake up, to do whatever possible to curb such carnage. Carnage, lives lost, lives destroyed. Real people. Not mere statistics.

“…I really hope some good comes of today’s demonstration. It is heartbreaking but perhaps a re-enactment, dramatic as it is, is needed to bring our government to act. Really act.”

“Die-In” by Neil Fox

Yesterday: Extreme Steps

Top pic: Muiris Ó Conchúir

Artist James Earley (above left and top) and Neil Rooney (above right), Global Innovations Manager/Country Support Ireland, Movember

This morning.

Dublin 2.

Artist James Earley, in partnership with men’s health charity Movember, has created an animated piece of artwork in Coppinger Row titled ‘Leading the Good Fight; Transparent Conversations’.

Movember’s Neil Rooney writes:

The outdoor piece provides a direct and effective message – men’s mental health is at a crisis point and as a nation, we need to remove stigmas associated with mental health, encourage men to stay connected and to talk with someone they trust, especially when things get tough.

Movember

Four Courts

People Before Profit TD Bríd Smith tweetz:

Just out of Four Courts – trying to get Dáil to debate our motion on Government misuse of money messages and unblock democratic process – climate and housing crisis measures blocked by this trickery; back at 2.30pm today.

Meanwhile…

Yesterday…

Opposition TDs seek injunction over decision to disallow new bill due to be debated in Dáil (Daniel McConnell, The Irish Examiner)

Related: What is the Dáil ‘money message’ argument about?

 

Chemiwhatnow?

This morning.

Leixlip, County Kildare.

Glum scenes at the very gloomy Leixlip Water Treatment Plant from where a boil water notice was re-issued for parts of Dublin, Kildare and Meath due to “bad weather” less than a fortnight after the last one was lifted.

Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy has revealed the Government considered shutting-off the water supply for homes and businesses that receive their water from this plant, but decided a boil water notice would be less inconvenient.

Yesterday: On The Boil

Chemifloc?

Sam Boal/Rollingnews

Moments ago.

In the Dáil during Leaders’ Questions.

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar told Fianna Fáil Mícheál Martin that his “self-righteousness knows no limits”.

It followed Mr Martin raising concerns about hospital overcrowding and the number of patients on hospital trolleys.

In response, Mr Varadkar reminded Mr Martin of his record as Minister for Health and told him “you should be off your high horse when it comes to this one”.

Sigh.

649 patients waiting for beds in Irish hospitals (Breaking News)

Related: Healthcare chief apologises as images emerge of psychiatric patients sleeping on floor (Catherine Shanahan, Irish Examiner, November 1, 2019)


O’Devaney Gardens site in Dublin 7; letter from Bartra Capital Property Group CEO Michael Flannery to Dublin City Council dated October 31, 2019

Further to a post yesterday about Dublin City Council’s controversial vote on a fresh €7million deal with Bartra Capital for the regeneration of O’Devaney Gardens in Dublin…

Journalist Lois Kapila, in Dublin Inquirer, has written a detailed account of that meeting on Monday night.

In her report, she refers to a letter sent from Bartra Capital Property Group CEO Michael Flannery to Dublin City Council dated October 31, 2019 (pictured above).

Ms Kapila reports:

The big change from last month, when councillors delayed voting and said they’d seek a better deal, and this month, when they voted to back the deal, was the offer of “affordable” rental housing on the site.

The deal on the table last month included 248 social homes, 165 “affordable” homes for sale, and 411 market-rate private homes.

After that, though, Bartra Capital Property CEO Michael Flannery said the company would be willing to enter into an “option arrangement” with the council, or its nominee, which would give the council the right to buy some or all of the 411 private “at the average prices per unit type” set out in Bartra’s final tender.

This could help, for example, the council or an AHB [approved housing body] get another 30 percent of the total units to use as an affordable or cost-rental scheme, the letter says.

To give Bartra certainty, the council and the Department of Housing would need to tell Bartra whether, and to what extent, it wants to exercise that option “within a reasonable timeframe” of signing the development agreement, Flannery’s letter says.

…. Independent Councillor Anthony Flynn said the agreement around the affordable rental was still smoke, mirrors, and promises – with nothing legal yet. “There’s no commitments,” he said. (Bartra’s letter isn’t legally binding.)

…Whether the Department of Housing will agree to help fund the affordable rental or cost-rental homes is unclear. Its press office hasn’t yet responded to queries about that, sent on Tuesday morning.

Meanwhile…

Olivia Kelly, in The Irish Times, also refers to the letter.

In an analysis piece, Ms Kelly reports:

Bartra said it is willing to sell “some or all of the private units” to the council or its nominee.

Well of course. Why wouldn’t it be willing to get these guaranteed sales, particularly when, as it said in a letter to Mr Kenny, it would be at a “price to be determined by the preferred tenderer”.

Bartra said the price would be in line with what it is in its tender documents.

But it is not clear if this relates to the price of affordable homes, which was in the region of €420,000 before State subsidies are applied, or the private costs, which would see prices top €500,000.

Councillors Vote Through Deal to Redevelop O’Devaney Gardens After Fraught Debate (Lois Kapila, Dublin Inquirer)

O’Devaney Gardens gets the go-ahead, but questions remain (Olivia Kelly, The Irish Times)

Yesterday: Passed Under Garda Protection

Above from left: . Brian Killoran, CEO, Immigrant Council of Ireland, Taoiseach and Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar and Sister Stanislaus Kennedy and Raneem Saleh

This morning.

Radisson Blu Hotel, Golden Lane, Dublin 8.

Taoiseach leo Varadkar attends the he Immigrant Council of Ireland’s Integration and Inclusion Conference which will focus on six ‘key areas of significance’: employment; housing; sport; anti-racism; migrant leadership and Direct Provision.

Immigrant Council of Ireland

Leah Farrell/RollingNews

Juli Briskman, new member of Loudoun County Board of Supervisors in Virginia, USA greets US President Donald Trump in 2017

Yes.

She can..

Briskman made national news in October 2017 when a White House photographer traveling with the president [in Virginia] snapped a picture of her riding her bicycle and giving the middle finger to Trump’s motorcade as it passed her

Remember The Cyclist Who Flipped Off Trump’s Motorcade? She Just Won A Virginia Election (Huffington Post)

Geo writez:

Hi, I was hoping you may be able to help with a college project I’m working on with a friend of mine. We’re trying to create an app to improve the buying/renting experience of people in Ireland (it’s horrific). If you could share this survey it would be really appreciated.

In fairness.

You can do the survey here

From top: Michael McDowell;  Quinn Holdings Directors from left: Dara O’Reilly, Tony Lunney, John McCartin and CEO Liam McCaffrey, speak to the meeting ourside Monaghan Garda Station after meeing with Garda Commissioner Drew Harris last night

This morning.

On RTÉ’s Today with Seán O’Rourke, Fianna Fáil leader Mícheál Martin and Senator Michael McDowell spoke to Mr O’Rourke in light of the interview with Quinn executive Kevin Lunney on BBC Spotlight Northern Ireland programme last night.

Mr Lunney’s brother Tony Lunney also participated in the discussion.

Mr McDowell mentioned that if one drives into Crossmaglen, Co Armagh, today, the town’s ‘sniper at work’ sign is still perched on a telephone pole.

He then said:

“I think there has to be extremely heavy policing and surveillance and use of electronic counter measures, bugging, you name it. Tracing cars, you name it, tracing the use of phones, all of that has to be done very intensively.

“And I think that…again, I don’t want to be negative but there has been a  clear lapse in policing  on both sides of the border and there should have been a clear appreciation that this was going to escalate to the point that it has.

“And in any event, if it hadn’t escalated to the point that it has, it was still unacceptable.”

“That sign [in Crossmaglen] on the side of the road should have been removed by the gardai and the county council years ago. If I put up a sign in the middle of Ranelagh, giving out about Luas or something like that, it would be gone in ten seconds.

“You can’t have a differential approach to the rule of law…”

Listen back in full here

Related: Kevin Lunney abduction: QIH director tells of torture by gang (BBC)

Pics: Reddit and Rollingnews