Category Archives: Misc

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Director General of the HSE Tony O’Brien

You may recall how the HSE repeatedly told the Public Accounts Committee it had apologised to ‘Grace’ – the mute woman with intellectual disabilities who suffered extreme physical and sexual abuse while she was in a foster care home from 1983 until 2009.

The Irish Examiner, on Monday, January 25, reported that the whistleblowers involved in the case claimed the HSE, in fact, had not apologised to Grace.

On Saturday, January 30, the HSE released a statement admitting no official apology had been given to ‘Grace’ or her mother – or the 46 other people who had contact with the foster home over the years.

Further to this, Fianna Fáil TD and chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, John McGuinness, on Today with Seán O’Rourke, said:

“We got a letter into the Public Accounts Committee, from the HSE, which basically rubbished the report that was written by the Irish Examiner, and referring to the apology as one of ‘for the poor quality of service’. These individuals, allegedly, were raped, abused and treated in the most abominable way and then, after that, we received, the following week, we received, the Public Accounts Committee received a letter from the agency concerned and they said they were being treated as despicable today, their treatment, as it was on day one when they raised this issue. What does that say about the protectors of those who are weakest, the HSE?.”

“Those that discovered this, that were professional enough and brave enough to come forward, did so, the whistleblowers. Unfortunately, the system within the HSE served them very badly and the whistleblower legislation, it would appear, is not worth the paper it’s written on. Because the whistlebowers fear for their professional futures.”

“We want to hear [from HSE director general Tony O’Brien] the full truth, we want to hear him tell us exactly what he knows from beginning to end, as much as he can – because we know there’s a Garda investigation going on. What we don’t want is for them to hide behind that investigation…”

HSE director general Tony O’Brien will appear before the Public Accounts Committee at noon today.

Related: Foster care scandal: The drip-drip of misinformation and mistruth (Irish Examiner)

Previously: No Saving Grace

‘What Was In The Records?’

Mark Stedman/Rollingnews

90s

Want to hear your best-loved 90s hit tune?

On the radio?

Online?

Mike O’Brien writes:

We are an Ireland-based online radio station playing the very best top 40 hits from the 90s and have recieved two temporary licences from the BAI since 2009.

We have been broadcasting online since 2009, we have slowly gained in listenership since then Our two FM temporary runs were a huge hit with Dublin listeners. We relive the 90s Tunes, Movies, News and TV themes.

We would like to ask Broadsheet readers to select their favourite chart hit from the 1990s and we’ll play the top three selections at midday TODAY

Lines MUST close at 11.45am 12.15pm HAMMER Time!

The 90s Network

The 90s Network (Facebook)

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From left: Fine Gael Dublin South-West candidate Colm Brophy; Newstalk’s Shona Murray, Ivan Yates and Chris Donoghue; and Anti Austerity Alliance TD Paul Murphy on Newstalk

Fine Gael TD candidate for Dublin South-West Colm Brophy and Anti Austerity Alliance TD Paul Murphy, also from Dublin South-West spoke on Newstalk Breakfast this morning.

They were discussing Irish Water when presenter Chris Donoghue asked Mr Brophy for his opinion on attachment orders which would allow the State to deduct money from people’s welfare payments and pay packets in order to pay unpaid water charge bills.

Chris Donoghue: “Colm at the moment, Irish Water claims it’s 61%, Paul claims it’s lower than that – the compliance rate. The business model for Irish Water is based on 85% of people paying their bills, that’s not happening. Is it time, in your opinion, for attachment orders to welfare, or to wages, for people who don’t pay?”

Colm Brophy: “I tell you, yeah, what I’m, first of all, 61%, I think it should be full compliance and I think basically we have to reach a point where people need to understand that water is something that costs and therefore, if you don’t pay, there’ll have to be some method of getting that payment back.”

Talk over each other

Donoghue: “You’ve arrived at my question and the Government has deferred this decision. Should attachment orders be placed to welfare and wages of those who don’t pay?”

Brophy: “I believe everyone should pay and if they’re refusing to pay, there should be whatever means, including looking at that, as a means to…”

Listen back in full here

Pic: Newstalk Breakfast