Author Archives: Bodger

Psst!

Bodger at 4:50 pm September 30, 2019

On Thursday.

Ireland will play Russia at the Kobe Misaki Stadium in Kobe City, Japan, in the Rugby World Cup with kick-off taking place at 11.15am Irish time.

Further to this…

CEO of Vodafone Anne O’Leary tweetz:

On Thursday [Ireland’s rugby team] take on Russia during office hours. Vodafone employees are getting 2 hours off to watch it. Canterbury of New Zealand, Aer Lingus & Diageo Ireland, I challenge you to do the same and nominate 3 other businesses. Here’s a note from Joe [above] to help!

*Pass it on*.

UPDATE:

Our retail shops and call centres are open with the match shown on all TV’s for our staff and customers to enjoy, as will as for our HQ employees. Our myvodafone app is available 24×7 too 🤷‍♀️#teamofus #everyonein @VodafoneIreland we wish @IrishRugby all the best on Thursday 👍💪 https://t.co/KEfvBL65Ph

— Anne O’Leary (@annatters) September 30, 2019

Oh.

Ireland V Russia

Not Helping

Bodger at 4:31 pm September 30, 2019

Friscondo writes:

Jesus! Dublin 8, now.

UPDATE:

2/2 If anyone sees this van acting in any way illegally please report it to your local garda station as it is not an #ICHH owned vehicle any longer.

Thank you. pic.twitter.com/B45jmlrRSx

— ICHHDUBLIN (@ICHHDUBLIN) September 30, 2019

Earlier: 10,345

‘When A Garda Pressures A Sex Worker To Have Sex With Him That’s Consensual?’

Bodger at 3:56 pm September 30, 2019

Director of Sex Workers Alliance Ireland (SWAI) Kate McGrew (middle) at a sex workers conference in Stockhom, Sweden this afternoon

This afternoon.

In Stockholm, Sweden.

The International Committee on the Rights of Sex Workers in Europe (ICRSWE) is hosting a conference to mark the 20th anniversary of the Swedish Model.

Irish solicitor Wendy Lyon is live-tweeting from the conference, entitled Sex Work, Human Rights And Health: Assessing 20 Years Of Swedish Model, including a contribution from the director of the Sex Workers Alliance Ireland Kate McGrew.

From her tweetz:

.@LadyGrew now up, apologises for speaking on behalf of migrant sex workers in Ireland (even though she’s American) #ffconf

— Wendy Lyon (@wendylyon) September 30, 2019

In Ireland, some workers have had to drop their prices to attract clients, some clients are avoiding particular nationalities out of fear of police attention #ffconf

— Wendy Lyon (@wendylyon) September 30, 2019

.@SWAIIreland recently met Ombudsman over policing. A sex worker who’d been raped by a police officer that had raided her premises earlier complained but her complaint was dismissed #ffconf

— Wendy Lyon (@wendylyon) September 30, 2019

So you’re telling us sex work is paid rape but when a Garda pressures a sex worker to have sex with him that’s consensual? #ffconf

— Wendy Lyon (@wendylyon) September 30, 2019

Now referring to findings from the DOJ-NI study which show what a giant dud the Swedish model has been (see my pinned tweet for more details!) #ffconf

— Wendy Lyon (@wendylyon) September 30, 2019

Clients in Ireland know that prostitution is policed through brothel raids, so now they’re asking us are we alone. That used to be a red flag but now we can’t use that to screen out dangerous clients #ffconf

— Wendy Lyon (@wendylyon) September 30, 2019

Our “liaison officers” come from the police crackdown unit so we can’t trust that you’re not going to pass on inforrmation about where I work or my immigration status. Clients also know this. #ffconf

— Wendy Lyon (@wendylyon) September 30, 2019

We worked with 3 Czech workers and supported them to make a police report, testify against him, he got 20 year sentence. But next week we learned another man was back attacking workers – and none of them would talk to liaison officers because of the brothel laws #ffconf

— Wendy Lyon (@wendylyon) September 30, 2019

“Trafficking” can mean anything and everything in Ireland. Rarely do they check the indicators. Often the police just take the workers’ money and say go home. If you’re lucky they might give you plane fare. #ffconf

— Wendy Lyon (@wendylyon) September 30, 2019

Most sex workers don’t even know they can plead not guilty to brothel keeping laws – most of them are just run through the system. (thanks for the shout-out Kate ☺️) #ffconf

— Wendy Lyon (@wendylyon) September 30, 2019

We insisted on three year review and this is coming up soon – we’re part of five research projects to gather data. Doing a six-month campaign to try to draw attention to it and try to reach people’s hearts and minds, get them to ask questions of their politicians #ffconf

— Wendy Lyon (@wendylyon) September 30, 2019

The other side will weaponise anything they can against us. They play dirty. #ffconf

— Wendy Lyon (@wendylyon) September 30, 2019

We will be asking at least for legal clarification of the brothel keeping law. Police gonna police but if we can at least get them to stop pretending that they’re going after exploiters and not us, that’s a start. #ffconf

— Wendy Lyon (@wendylyon) September 30, 2019

Antis say they didn’t want sex workers prosecuted under brothel keeping laws. We’re putting it up to them to join us in fighting to have the law changed. #ffconf

— Wendy Lyon (@wendylyon) September 30, 2019

Earlier, Wendy tweeted the contribution from Adeline Berry…

We are facing an HIV epidemic in Ireland and yet migrant sex workers are afraid of carrying condoms as these can be used as evidence against them #ffconf

— Wendy Lyon (@wendylyon) September 30, 2019

Clients are increasingly demanding unprotected sex. There have been at least 7 extremely violent robberies targeting lone sex workers – the ringleader is well known to police but sex workers aren’t willing to report to Gardaí #ffconf

— Wendy Lyon (@wendylyon) September 30, 2019

A sex worker who was working to pay for her son’s kidney operation was fined and the money that she’d earned was ordered diverted to Ruhama #ffconf

— Wendy Lyon (@wendylyon) September 30, 2019

Sex workers are being evicted with gardaí threatening to report their landlords, including myself – @adeline_whitney #ffconf

— Wendy Lyon (@wendylyon) September 30, 2019

Follow Wendy here

Meanwhile…

Yesterday, in Stockholm…

The mighty ⁦@LadyGrew⁩ #ffconf #sexworkiswork #decrimforsafety pic.twitter.com/27Ney3TV3t

— Wendy Lyon (@wendylyon) September 29, 2019

Ms McGrew addressed a crowd gathered for the first ever sex worker rights protest in Stockholm, during which they called for an end to the Swedish Model.

Previously: Let’s Talk About Sex Work

What Do You Mean You ‘Weren’t Invited’?

Bodger at 3:55 pm September 30, 2019

Intercontinental Hotel, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4

The launch of the launch of ‘Taste of Dublin’ Festive Edition which will take place in the RDS this November and will welcome an estimated 18,000 attendees to “enjoy a myriad of signature Taste experiences ranging from chefs’ demos and cooking workshops to wine and spirit masterclasses”.

Needless to say, we’re back, baby.

From top: Ruth Scott and Rob Morgan; Jenny Dixon andTom Neville; Avril Bannerton and Brendan O Connor; Helen Cooke and Jenny Maltese; Lisa Nolan; Avril Bannerton (second right) with chefs, from left: Shane Smith, Jack O’Keffe and Aoife Noonan; Celtic Women singers Eabha Mc Mahon, Mairead Carlin and Megan Walsh; Sinéad O’Carroll and Kate McSwiney.

Photocall Ireland

All Rise

Bodger at 2:35 pm September 30, 2019

This afternoon.

Buswell’s Hotel, Dublin 2.

Paul Murphy, who left the Socialist Party last week, at a Press Conference to launch his new political grouping, called RISE.

Via The Irish Examiner:

It stands for ‘radical, internationalist, socialist and environmentalist’, and was formed after a split in the Socialist Party.

Mr Murphy is the group’s only elected official and says he will stay within the Solidarity – People Before Profit banner in the Dáil.

Deputy Murphy acknowledges some people will see it as the left fracturing again.

He said: “I will understand people thinking that, to people who are a distance from the left, these debates may seem a bit obscure, I understand that.”

Paul Murphy Launches new Political Party (Irish Examiner)

Leah Farrell/Rollingnews

Update:

Above from left: Dave Murphy; Jessy Ni Cheallaigh, Paul Murphy, Kay Keane and Nicole McCarthy

Leah Farrell/Rollingnews

Last week: Splitter!

A Date Which Will Live In Infamy

Bodger at 1:44 pm September 30, 2019

This day 11 years ago – 30 September 2008 – the Irish government announced it would guarantee Irish banks from possible collapse.

Legislation passed by 114 votes to 18, supported by Fine Gael and Sinn Féin, but not Labour, who said voting against it was “the correct decision.” pic.twitter.com/PfVZPpptoy

— This Day in Irish History (@ThisDayIrish) September 30, 2019

Previously: Why John Gormley Stayed In Bed

Rollingnews

Nothing Upstairs?

Bodger at 12:18 pm September 30, 2019

From top: Before and after pictures of a renovated bungalow in Ashford, County Wicklow on last night’s Room To Improve:; Architect Dermot Bannon (centre) flanked by the owners, Nigel and Frances Coffey.

Last night.

On RTÉ One’s Room To Improve.

Architect Dermot Bannon renovated a 1990s bungalow for a couple with five children in Ashford County Wicklow.

Nigel and Frances Coffey’s budget was €450,000..

Meanwhile…

That #roomtoimprove is a disgusting programme. At no time does Bannon question the morality of what he is promoting. It’s a complete cod of a programme that plays on people’s greed, opulence and avarice. And #rte promotes it as entertainment? Pathetic. They should be ashamed.

— Damien Tiernan (@damienwlr) September 29, 2019

Sorry but am waiting years to say those words! Thought there might just ‘might’ have been a change or realisation of a changed world in past few seasons but no…and as a conceptual prog, it’s shockingly bad.

— Damien Tiernan (@damienwlr) September 29, 2019

And how was it for you?

Watch back here

Room To Improve

Earlier: 10,345

Update:

Um.

This morning.

Aj writes:

RTÉ seem very proud of that show. What a Public Service , eh?

Room to Improve: The best Tweets about the bath, bling and taps (RTÉ)

Watch, Rinse, Repeat

Bodger at 11:47 am September 30, 2019

‘Earth Summit’, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1992.

WarrenP writes:

Same script, different decade.

Another daughter of the elite scolding us….

Earlier: Kevin Higgins: A Climate Of Mistrust

Meanwhile…

"Climate change is a hoax led by the United Nations so that it can end democracy and impose authoritarian rule".

Climate change a UN-led ruse, says Tony Abbott's business adviser Maurice Newman https://t.co/oNsVmdXpCO via @smh

— Fiona Marie Flanagan (@fionamflanagan1) September 30, 2019

10,345

Bodger at 11:07 am September 30, 2019

This morning.

The Department of Housing has released the latest homeless figures which show there were 10,345 people (6,490 adults and 3,848 children) living in emergency accommodation in the final week of August.

This represents a decrease of seven adults but an increase of 70 children compared to the final week of July.

Thanks Inner City Helping Homeless.

Unpredictable

Bodger at 10:46 am September 30, 2019

Carlow Weather tweetz:

“Latest [Hurricane Lorenzo] update: The National Hurricane Center track forecast has been adjusted a little to the left to come into better agreement with the latest consensus aids. Although the spread in the models is not as large as it was yesterday, the forecast beyond 48 hours is still of low confidence.”

Met Éireann ‘closely monitoring’ Hurricane Lorenzo (RTE)

Top pic: National Hurricane Center

UPDATE:

Latest GFS weather charts just rolling out and it takes #Lorenzo back in over Ireland just like the last update. This is going to be very difficult to forecast. Keep up to date with forecasts. I’ll have more details later as more information becomes available. pic.twitter.com/rNpF6c8OWY

— Carlow Weather (@CarlowWeather) September 30, 2019