This morning.
Ireland AM.
Ocean FM writez:
Villages in rural Ireland with 300 families could voluntarily restrict themselves to 30 cars per village and share transport needs…
That’s the suggestion of Green Party leader, Eamon Ryan, speaking on Ireland AM on Virgin Media One this morning, challenged by presenter, Ciara Doherty….
Via Ocean FM
Ron writes:
There are no words…
This afternoon.
Further to Budget 2020.
The Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht allocated ‘an additional €5 million’ (from €75m to €80m) to the Arts Council, who administer direct funding to Artists and Arts organisations…
“Given the very difficult budgetary environment in the context of Brexit, the Arts Council is pleased with the announcement of €80m in funding for 2020.
This investment will allow the Arts Council to continue its work in supporting artists to develop their practice, enabling organisations to create work of excellence and allowing people across the country have access to high quality arts experiences.
We look forward, once the Brexit uncertainty has been resolved, to continuing discussions with Minister Madigan on increased funding for the arts”.
Chair of the Arts Council, Prof Kevin Rafter (above)
However…
“A €5 million increase to the Arts Council is a diversion – €3.75 million of that is a reallocation of funding already accounted for, the real additional funding figure is €1.25 million.
How much of that is likely to make its way directly to Artists, Musicians, Writers, Dancers, Poets, Theatre Makers, Arts Workers and the Arts community in general?
They create employment, they contribute to our society, they pay their taxes. Many are working two, three part time jobs just to try and keep their heads above water.
All to make Art for our fellow citizens to enjoy, for our Government to amplify what a great place Ireland is to invest in and visit. And this paltry increase is how we recognise their value? It’s a slap in the face.”
Chair of the National Council For The Arts (NCFA) Angela Dorgan (above)
Mixed reaction to Budget 2020 from the arts sector (Irish Times)
Thanks Aillen Galvin
Emmet Kelly tweetz:
“*Stolen Car. I’ve had nothing back from the gardai so I’m giving this a shot. On September 12th, between 6 & 9pm my car was stolen at Stable Lane, Brunswick Street North in Stoneybatter [Dublin 7].
“It’s a Toyota Rav 4 01MH1936 – if you know or have spotted the car anywhere please contact me.”
Anyone?
And, they‘re back.
This afternoon.
O’Connell Street, Dublin 1.
Activists and protesters from Extinction Rebellion inside Penneys as part of their week-long ‘Climate for Justice week’ demonstrations.
Yesterday: There They Are Now
Gulp.
A post by Coleen Rooney on her Instagram page (top) this morning.
In fairness.
Coleen Rooney accuses Rebekah Vardy of leaking stories to Sun (The Guardian)
UPDATE:
A response posted by Rebekah Vardy on her Instagram.
Yikes.
From top: designer Rion Hannora O’Donovan, Ruth Monahan; James Patrice; Triona McCarthy. Above back row, from left: Norah Casey; Ruth Monahan, Liz Yeates, CEO Marie Keating. Front row, from left: Lorraine Keane; James Patrice; and Paula Rowan, Owner of Paula Rowan Gloves
This afternoon.
Dublin city centre
Personalities, creatives and breast cancer advocates gathered with a selection of self-created bespoke bras as part of the Marie Keating Foundation’s ‘Support Your Girls and Glam Up Your Bra’ campaign (in partnership with Roche).
The aim of the initiative is to get individuals and businesses to share their own bra creations on social media and to donate €4 by texting ‘MARIE’ to 50300 for breast cancer support and awareness services.
Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland
Dundalk Tidy Towns tweetz:
A contractor hired by Louth County Council has destroyed hundreds of newly planted trees (by TT volunteers) and countless numbers of existing gorse along the navvy bank! So much for the biodiversity drive! Whoever is responsible for instructing this needs to be held accountable!
Anyone?
Dublin Rental Watch tweetz:
The advert states this is a shared bedroom for €650pm plus bills. The photos suggest this is another bed-share scenario…
Thud.
Dublin City Coucil offices on Wood Quay, Dublin 8; Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy
Paul Reynolds, of RTÉ, reports:
Officials from Dublin City Council were aware and recommended that protection money be paid to two violent criminals so that council houses could be built in west Dublin in 2016 and 2017, the High Court has been told.
The court heard that three building firms working for the city council paid between €1,200 and €1,500 a week to Derek ‘Dee Dee’ O’Driscoll from Croftwood Grove and “his enforcer” David Reilly from nearby Croftwood Park to prevent the sites and construction staff from being attacked.
Over €250,000 in the men’s bank accounts has been declared the proceeds of crime and confiscated by the Criminal Assets Bureau, along with a mobile home and a horsebox.
Meanwhile…
Minister for Housing Eoghan Murphy was asked about the matter by Claire Byrne on RTÉ’s News At One…
He said the first he became aware of the matter was this morning. He also said his department are trying to get the bottom of it “as quickly as possible”.
Meanwhile…
Eamon Melia tweetz:
Junior minister Catherine Byrne was told about criminals been paid protection money by DCC but didn’t tell her boss Housing Minister Eoghan Murphy. Says Eoghan Murphy, watch this space.
Council officials recommended building firms use services of violent criminals for protection (RTÉ)
UPDATE:
This afternoon.
Junior health minister Catherine Byrne was asked about the matter by Irish Examiner journalist Daniel McConnell at a Department of Health press conference concerning Budget 2020 (above).
Mr O’Connell put it to Ms Byrne that Sinn Féin TD Aengus O’Snodaigh has claimed he told Ms Byrne and the Government about the matter more than two years ago.
She said:
“I did know about the incident. It was highlighted in a newspaper around on the 19th or the 18th of December. I received an email into my office Christmas Eve, I didn’t see the email until the 29th.
“…I had rung the [Dublin] city council after I saw the incident happened and I was talking to officials and the local area officer told me that there had been an incident where there was intimidation and a JCB was burned out and the man who was driving had been injured.
“But he assured me that everything was fine and that the council were dealing with it and the guards were involved.
“After that, on the 29th, when I did receive, I looked at the letter, I read it. I was very concerned with what was in it. But I also noted in the letter that it also been brought to the guards’ attention at Clondalkin and other senior officials.
“And really, my job, at that stage, was finished because this was an investigation by An Garda Síochána.
“I suppose one of the things, I just want to make very clear, I totally condemn intimidation or extortion at any level, particularly in communities and particularly in vulnerable communities.
“Down through the years, Ballyfermot and Cherry Orchard has had problems, not only significant problems around drug issues but around criminal activity aswell.
“But I totally, totally condemn them. And I want to make that very clear.”
Watch back in full here
From top: Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe with RTE Director General Dee Forbes; Sean O’Rourke and at a press conference following his Today show post-budget broadcast
This morning.
Radio Centre, Donnybrook, Dublin 4.
Via RTÉ:
A caller aged 68 is unhappy at recently losing his and wife’s eligibility to a medical card and seeing that in yesterday’s Budget over 70s have had the income threshold limit for medical cards increased to €1,050. He asks why under 70s didn’t have a threshold increase. Mr Donohoe says he had to make changes affordable to the funds he had available. He added that he would like to make further changes in the future when funds are available.
Meanwhile…
Mr Donohoe has defended the decision to make €16.8 million available for the greyhound industry. He was asked on Today with Sean O’Rourke why this money could not be ringfenced for carers. Mr Donohoe said that €1.4 billion overall had been put aside for carers.
He told a caller that Ministers Shane Ross and Michael Creed have looked to put significant changes in place to deal behaviour that he believed was “utterly unacceptable in the greyhound industry”.
