Category Archives: News

news as it is happening-ish

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The husband of Savita Halappanavar is not satisfied with the conclusions of the final draft HSE report into her death, his solicitor Gerard O’Donnell has said.

The final draft report of the investigation team chaired by Prof Sir Sabaratnam Arulkumaran, head of obstetrics and gynaecology at St George’s Hospital, University of London, was given to Praveen Halappanavar on Friday.

Mr O’Donnell said his client had instructed him to seek a meeting with Prof Arulkumaran later this week to outline his concerns.

[…]

“It’s a report trying to establish what happened without naming anybody. So from Praveen’s point of view he wants to find out why this happened, why she was not treated, why she did not get treated.”

Savita husband not happy with HSE report into death (Kitty Holland, Irish Times)

(Brian Farrell/Photocall Ireland)

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On the spot fines for cyclists, alcohol locks and rehabilitation courses for those with poor driving skills are among the key recommendations of a new Road Safety Strategy being launched this morning.

The strategy also proposes a “handbrake lock” for the mobile phones of professional drivers, in-vehicle devices which will detect driver fatigue and the extension of the safety camera network to encompass other offences than speeding.

The new strategy which will run until 2020 aims to further advance Ireland’s position among the safest countries for driving in Europe by reducing overall road deaths to 124 or less per year, down from 182 in 2012.

Pedestrian win.

Fines for cyclists and alcohol locks for drivers on the cards (Tim O’Brien, Irish Times)

(Laura Hutton/Photocall Ireland)

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Nobody will be forced to give up their job where the cost of childcare exceeds their income in dealing with personal insolvency, the Taoiseach said this morning.

His comments on the issue come after Minister for Transport Leo Varadkar said childcare costs would have to be taken into account in insolvency arrangements if the outlay is preventing parents from making mortgage repayments.

Mr Kenny told the Dáil draft guidelines about the conditions for personal insolvency deals with banks would not make any condition about childcare costs being in excess of income.

[…]
Mr Martin called on the Taoiseach to confirm that people who earn less than the cost of their childcare will not be forced to give up their jobs and that the guidelines when finally published will ensure that these draft guidelines will be excluded and will not apply.

“I will so confirm” said the Taoiseach.

Right, so.

Kenny insists nobody will be forced to quit job in debt deal (Marie O’Halloran, Mary Minihan, Michael O’Regan, Irish Times)

(Laura Hutton/Photocall Ireland)

00137139(A horse in Wicklow yesterday, doubtless empathising with the plight of abandoned kin)

The ISPCA has said it can no longer care for abandoned horses because its centres are at capacity. The group has received seen a 33 per cent increase in calls from last year related to stray and neglected horses .

“All our stables are full and without further support sadly there is nothing we can do for horses in distress who need shelter,” said Noel Griffin, chief executive of the ISPCA.

Mmf.

ISPCA says it can no longer take in neglected horses (Judith Crosbie, Irish Times)

(Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland)

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Minister for Justice Alan Shatter has told the staff associations representing the vast majority of gardaí that they have lost their way in trying to represent their members’ interests.

His contentious remarks followed an address to the annual conference of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (Agsi) in Sligo.

When Mr Shatter took the stage to address delegates, sergeants and inspectors from the Carlow-Kilkenny Garda division walked out “as a protest vote of no confidence” in him.

The conclusion of the Minister’s remarks was met with silence from delegates rather than the customary round of applause.

Yeesh. Tough crowd.

Shatter tells Garda associations they have ‘lost their way’ (Conor Lally, Irish Times)

(Laura Hutton/Photocall Ireland)

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The businessman Sean Quinn Jnr has been questioned by gardai after allegations that he was drinking alcohol and caused a disturbance on a train journey over the weekend. Mr Quinn was on a train from Westport, Co Mayo, to Dublin on Sunday afternoon when the incident occurred. The Irish Times understands Mr Quinn had been drinking and that there was a complaint about his behaviour. The driver contacted gardai to alert them to an unruly passenger on board the 3.15pm service from Westport to Heuston. When the train pulled into the station in Tullamore, Co Offaly, gardai arrived and boarded the train. Mr Quinn was found in the toilets area and was handcuffed by gardai and taken from the train. He was then questioned about the matter in Tullamore but was not charged.

Audi manage that?

Sean Quinn jnr questioned by gardai after allegations about behaviour on train (Conor Lally, Irish Times)

(/Photocall Ireland)

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The youth organisation SpunOut.ie has defended itself after a Fine Gael TD accused it of publishing inappropriate sex education content on its website.

Fine Gael TD Michelle Mulherin was quoted by a Sunday newspaper [Sunday Independent] criticising the organisation, which receives €124,000 in State funding a year, for publishing tips on threesomes. She said this was “incredibly regressive” and would raise it with Minister for Health James Reilly, according to the Sunday Independent.

In a statement, the charity said: “Young people are having sex whether the Sunday Independent or Deputy Michelle Mulherin like it or not. Some of them are having sex with more than one person, and sometimes with more than one person at the one time.”

Well, Holy God.

Previously: She So Forni

The Michelle Mulherin Saturday Night Show Transcript

Youth website defends sex advice (Ruadhan Mac Cormaic, Irish Times)

(Sasko Lazarov/Photocall Ireland)

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Some 20,000 people over the age of 70 will lose their medical card under legislation changing the criteria for the card.

Minister of State for Health Alex White said the 20,000 would instead be eligible for a GP-visit card. The changes are part of the Health (Alteration of Criteria for Eligibility) Bill which reduces the income threshold for a person to still retain the medical card from €700 a week to €600 or €1,400 to €1,200 for couples.

Independent TD Tom Fleming said the overall budget for the medical card system was €750 million. “The €24 million being saved is nitpicking in the overall context.” He said 94 per cent of people over 70 visited their GP on a regular basis. “It follows then that they have a high intake of drugs to them cope with illness and disability.”

The Kerry South TD said savings could be trebled or quadrupled if the whole cost of drugs issue was dealt with.

 

Related: That Would Be A Generical Matter

20,000 people aged over 70 to lose medical cards (Marie O’Halloran, Irish Times)

(Sam Boal/Photocall Ireland)