Author Archives: Bodger




Yesterday.

Lower Kevin Street, Dublin 2.

The former Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) building has been sold  to Dublin-based, US-backed Westridge Real Estate for €140 million.

It is understood that Westridge will now press ahead with plans to seek planning permission for a major mixed-use scheme on the 3.57 acre site, comprising mainly Grade A office space alongside a large element of private rented sector (PRS) apartments, and food and beverage offerings.

…While the figure paid by Westridge Real Estate represents a premium of 75 per cent on the €80 million price guided by Knight Frank when they brought the property to the market last February on behalf of DIT’s successor, Technological University Dublin, the site is acknowledged as being one of the best redevelopment opportunities to have been offered for sale in the capital in recent years.

The former DIT campus is located just 300m from the Luas Green Line stop at St Stephen’s Green, and sits within walking distance of the city centre.

Westridge Real Estate completes €140m purchase of DIT Kevin Street campus (Irish Times)

Sam Boal/rollingnews



Ministers Paschal Donohoe and Regina Doherty; Public Services Card; Section 263, sub section 3 of the Social Welfare and Consolidation Act of 2005

Yesterday, Minister for Employment and Social Protection Regina Doherty went on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland to defend the Government’s position on the Public Services Card, despite findings about the card made by the Data Protection Commissioner Helen Dixon.

During the interview, Ms Doherty repeatedly said the Social Welfare and Consolidation Act of 2005 has allowed the Government to do what it has done in respect of the card and she said that that is the legal advice she’s received from the Attorney General’s Office – advice she will not publish

Ms Doherty  said:

“Where we [the Government and the DPC] have a difference here is in the interpretation of the Social Welfare and Consolidation Act of 2005. My legal advice is incredibly strong, that we have a clear and unambiguous legal basis to do exactly what we intended to do from 2005 and what successive governments have done since…”

She also said:

“In the 2005 legislation in sub section 3 of that legislation, it very, very clearly sets out exactly what the anticipated use was for, what the legal right and the responsibility of the data controller is and that’s exactly what we’ve done and so we really believe that we have a very, very strong legal basis to do exactly what we have done…”

However.

This morning.

Ciannan Brennan, in The Irish Examiner, writes:

The minister referred to subsection three of that Act, and 23 words that the department and the DPC disagreed over.

Loose talk aside, there is only one section she could mean — subsection three of section 263 regarding a prospective Public Service Card.

Those words are: “A person shall produce his or her Public Service Card at the request of a specified body for the purposes of a transaction.”

That’s it. You’ll note that nowhere in that sentence are the words “mandatory” or “compulsory” to be found.

Put simply, there is no basis there for the blanket issuance of cards to citizens looking to access State services.”

Much more at stake than a little plastic card (Ciannan Brennan, The Irish Examiner)

Meanwhile…

Solicitor Simon McGarr has also tweeted his thoughts on the matter…

Yesterday: ‘It Would Be In The Circuit Court So It Probably Wouldn’t Be Very Expensive’

Rollingnews






Last night.

The Sugar Club, Leeson Street, Dublin 2

Irish slebs enjoyed a first look at ‘The Keith Barry Experience’, a new four part series ‘showcasing mentalism, magic and and music acts’ which airs on RTÉ One on Wednesday evenings.

From top: Keith Barry on stage;  members of hip-hop collective Chasing Abbey; Emma Power (left) and Laura Fox; Catherine McKeown and Paul Byrom; Irma Mali and Karl Bowe; Keith Barry and Alannah Beirne.

The Keith Barry Experience

Pics: Karen Morgan

Thanks Ian Collins

Ah here.

Dublin Rental Watch tweetz:

A #TipOff for a ‘one bedroom own door flat’ offered by Colin O’Neill in Templeroan, €1,170pm Mon-Fri. I’ve narrowed down the street. I suspect there’s no window in the bedroom. The kitchen has a microwave while retaining the garage doors.

UPDATE:

The property is no longer available.

 

Carlosfandango writes:

So, this is a very talented and hard working young man. He goes to an incredible amount of effort to produce fabulously detailed videos on his restoration escapades.

This one (above) is a compilation of the restoration of a beautiful Range Rover Classic. It’s mesmerising.

It would be very helpful for this chap if we collectively got his subscribers up – he deserves it. I am biased, this is middle aged porn for a petrolhead like me…

SOUP Classic Motoring

Bookshelf stacker-turned-author Vivienne Kearns (left) with publisher Paula Campbell of Poolbeg Press

Last night.

Hodges Figgis, Dawson Street, Dublin 2.

The launch of The Emerald Dress by Vivienne Kearns – Set in modern day Dublin and the city in Swift’s time mixing “fashion, mystery, feminism and romance”.

Peter O’Connell writes:

It was a particularly fitting venue for Kearns, who told the packed launch: ‘I never thought when I worked at Hodges Figgis twenty years ago that I would one day be launching my novel at the store’

In fairness.

The Emerald Dress by Vivienne Kearns – read an extract (RTÉ)

Pics: Frank Courtney

Meanwhile, in non-fiction…

G’wan the Vera.

Iveagh Market at its opening (top) in 1907 and today (above)

Temple Bar hotelier and publican Martin Keane secured planning permission in 2007 to redevelop the Edwardian market in the Liberties, following a long-term lease deal agreed with the council in 1997. That permission expired in 2017. However, Mr Keane said he will be in a position to submit a fresh application for a €100 million development of the market and surrounding area within the next two months.

Hmm.

Iveagh Markets ‘unsafe’ and in ‘advanced state of dereliction (Irish Times)

Top pic via Stephen Coyne


This afternoon.

Elm Green, Griffeen Glen Park, Lucan, Dublin.

Via RTÉ

A man in his 40s has been shot and seriously wounded

The shooting happened just before 2pm. As many as ten shots were fired at a man in a Toyota car. The car appears to have been rammed beforehand.

Man seriously wounded in shooting in Dublin (RTÉ)

Rollingnews

Above from left: Michael Heffernan in Tangos Formal Wear, Dublin and Simona Va in Pronovias from De Stafford Bridal, Dublin

Stop that.

This morning.

A survey by The Wedding and Honeymoon Show has revealed that cash is the most preferred gift for Irish couples who have just tied the knot.

The survey explored wedding trends across Ireland with newlyweds opting out of the traditional ‘gift list’ and  87% of couples preferring cash as a wedding gift.

The findings come ahead of the Wedding and Honeymoon Show this weekend at the RDS, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4.

Beats a toaster, spose.

The Wedding And Honeymoon Show

Sasko Lazarov /Photocall Ireland