Author Archives: Bodger

This morning.

Members of Fine Gael, including Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Minister for Agriculture and Cork TD Michael Creed (centre pic) and Maria Bailey TD and Marcella Corcoran Kennedy TD (above), at the party’s ‘think-in’ at Garryvoe Hotel in Garryvoe, Co Cork.

Meanwhile…

On RTÉ’s News At One…

Tánaiste Simon Coveney, above, told the show:

“Fine Gael is a safe pair of hands in Government. Yes, we’ve made some mistakes….I would ask people to judge governments and judge political parties by their record and I think, by the time an election comes around next May, I would hope that we’ll be able to stand over a very strong record.”

Listen back in full here

Rollingnews

UPDATE:

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has told those attending the Fine Gael think-in:

“I have always said that I believed that the next general election should take place in the summer of 2020.

“I think May 2020 is the right moment. It will allow to us to complete a full parliamentary session in the new year, discharge our Government duties around St Patrick’s Day and the March European Council and have a new Government in place well in advance of the next summer recess.”

May 2020 is the ‘right moment’ for a general election, says Taoiseach (The Irish Times)

Minister for Children Katherine Zappone; clip from RTE Investigates: Creches – Behind Closed Doors which was broadcast on July 24 last

On Wednesday, July 24 last, RTÉ’s Investigates broadcast a report about the standards of care at the Hyde & Seek Childcare company.

The report, called Creches – Behind Closed Doors, exposed failings in the standard of care provided to children in a number of the company’s branches across Dublin.

A Garda investigation into some issues raised in the report was launched after the broadcast.

Further to this…

Aoife Hegarty, of RTÉ, reports today that concerns about the company were raised with the Minister for Children Katherine Zappone more than a year ago.

Ms Hegarty reports:

Correspondence obtained by Fianna Fáil TD Anne Rabbitte shows Minister Zappone received a copy of a complaint forwarded to the Child & Family Agency TUSLA from a parent regarding the Hyde & Seek crèche at Glasnevin on Dublin’s northside.

The new purpose-built facility operated for 14 months without registration.

…The complaint from the parent, which detailed a series of issues with child-to-staff ratios and other safety concerns, was first shared with Minister for Finance Paschal Donohue, who subsequently forwarded it to Minister Zappone.

Minister Zappone acknowledged the crèche was not registered with TUSLA, but said it would be inappropriate for her to interfere in the agency’s ongoing investigations.

Zappone alerted to concerns at Hyde & Seek Childcare more than a year ago (Aoife Hegarty, RTE)

Watch the RTE Prime Time investigation back in full here

Yesterday: Misleading Survivors And The Dáil

UPDATE:

A day after the RTE Investigates documentary was broadcast…


President of the European Central Bank, Mario Draghi

ECB cuts deposit rate and announces return of QE (RTÉ)

Monetary policy decisions (European Central Bank)

Rollingnews

Uncanny.

Nareis sandersi?

Poster for INM’s cyber security conference at Dublin’s RDS today; Data Protection Commissioner Helen Dixon

Independent News and Media is hosting a cyber security conference in Dublin’s RDS today.

At 12.15pm, INM’s Technology Editor Adrian Weckler will speak with Ireland’s Data Protection Commissioner Helen Dixon.

According to the conference agenda, they will discuss:

Tackling the power and reach of the big tech companies in our society.

How to protect people’s privacy and personal security in an era when everything is online.

Making sure that individuals know and exercise their rights.

Navigating international law and geopolitics when legislatures, courts and cultures clash.

Companies’ rights and responsibilities when it comes to data breaches and making mistakes.

*Cough*

Not the first time, mind.

Related: Data Commissioner dismisses conflict of interest in addressing INM data conference (Irish Examiner, April 9, 2018)

Previously: Legal Coffee Drinker: A Serious Judgement Call

Pic: Cormac Bourke

Meet Your Maker.

The award-winning podcast featuring people who make things hosted by Liam Geraghty.

Liam writes:

This week on Meet Your Maker we sit down to talk to disgruntled North Dublin anti-folk pop merchant Big Monster Love aka Cormac McCanney (top).

An enthusiastic collector of old photographs Cormac has also written a book called True Dublin where he uses photographs, postcards, and other rare documents to give a glimpse into life in Dublin at the end of the 19th century.  Above he discusses the stories behind his music and why he decided to return to gigging.

Meet Your Maker

Pic: Alan Moore

Um.

A Branflake shaped like Ireland is being sold for €112. The seller, who lives in Cornwall in England, is hoping to bag cash for the “amazing” food on eBay. Parts of Connacht and Ulster are not fully present.

Branflake Shaped Like Ireland (eBay)

Branflake shaped like Ireland being sold on eBay for €112 – with seller describing item as ‘amazing’ (The Irish Sun)

The Broadsheet Book Of Unspecified Things That Look Like Ireland (edited by Aidan Coughlan)

Thanks Aran B

On Tuesday, Dublin City Council central area committee announced Bartra Capital [who are behind the Dun Laoghaire co-living experiment] as the preferred developer for the O’Devaney Gardens site [near the Phoenix Park].

The plan will see half of the 824 units being private – 30 per cent (192) as social housing and 20 per cent (165) as affordable housing. Some 56 of the houses are already under construction as part of a separate deal with Careys Construction.

A discount of 30-40 per cent will apply on the affordable units, with a price range for a three-bed apartment of €360,000-€420,000 and a price range for a two-bed house of €270,000-€315,000.

The council’s report says the development will not feature any student accommodation, shared accommodation or studio apartments.

On public land.

Good times.

Anger over ‘affordable’ redevelopment where buyers will need to earn at least €108K per year and have €42K savings (Independent.ie)

Co-living developer the preferred bidder for O’Devaney Gardens plan (Irish Times)

Previously: O’Devaney Gardens on Broadsheet.