How the Phoenix Park gates were re-opened to traffic

Phoenix Park drive through.

Closed for the rona.

Re-opened without consultation.

Freedom of Information warrior Ken Foxe writes:

Text exchange (above) between Minister of State for Office of Public Works Patrick O’Donovan’s private secretary and a senior Office of Public Works (OPW) official requesting the reopening of all gates in Phoenix Park.

OPW warns: “As directed, the gates will reopen from tomorrow morning. As advised … there will be a degree of opposition to this.”

The gates re-opened the next morning.

An email from OPW Chairman Maurice Buckley also shows Minister O’Donovan had asked at a meeting about whether it was realistic to keep gates closed when there was “no alternative for traffic” in the surrounding areas.

Fianna Fáil Minister and TD Jack Chambers had forwarded on six representations received from constituents who had complaints about the closure of the Phoenix Park gates. He looked for a response from the OPW…

Good times.

Name that jammer (top), anyone?

Right To Know

Ken Foxe

Behold: the Gordon Murray Automotive T.50 Coupe – a supercar from the man who designed the original supercar of supercars.

The 653bhp T.50 is powered by a 4.0l Cosworth V12, capable of an ear-splitting 12,500rpm. No wings, splitters, automatic transmission or flappy-paddle gear change – just an old-school H-pattern six speed box heavily reliant on the driver’s left foot.

Only 100 will be made and you won’t get much change from €2.6 million.

uncrate

Answer: ‘Jeans’.

Sinn Féin TD’s bilingual child actor past is revealed.

FIGHT!

Elizabeth Canavan , Deputy Assistant Secretary General at the Department of Taoiseach in Government Buildings

This afternoon.

Government Buildings. Dublin 2.

“As I mentioned previously COVID-19 Illness Benefit is available to any person employed and self-employed who is diagnosed with COVID-19, or who has been advised that they are a probable source of infection of COVID-19 and is self-isolating.

As of this week that will also include workers who live in Direct Provision. This will ensure that these workers can follow the relevant health advice in relation to COVID-19 with the same confidence that there are financial supports in place to assist them.

In addition with effect from this week the Pandemic Unemployment Payment is available to people living in Direct Provision centres as well as applicants for International Protection who live in the community outside the Direct Provision system.”

Deputy Assistant Secretary General at the Department of Taoiseach, Elizabeth Canavan

COVID Benefits for those in Direct Provision (Gov.ie)

Rollingnews

Meanwhile…

Back to school!

WHEN!?

An anachronistic print by British artist and calligrapher Seb Lester featuring an intricate metallic gold letter ’S’ rendered on black paper, comprised of hundreds of symbols including cave paintings, hieroglyphs, emojis and corporate logos from prehistory to modern times via the Dark Ages and Renaissance. Lester tells Colossal:

I have spent two decades studying the most beautiful examples of intricate letterform and ornamental design I can find. This letter ‘S’ is arguably the most intricate letterform that has ever been drawn.

Fair enough.

Available here for €92 in a limited run of 85 62cm² prints.

colossal

At top from left Former Debenhams Workers Jane Crowe (worked at Debenhams for 24 years) , Linda Carroll (19 years) and Alicia Alonso (14 years).

This morning

Henry Street, Dublin 1.

The launch of a national demonstration this Saturday calling for the support of some 1,000 workers who were laid off by Debenhams and told that the company does not have sufficient assets to fund their agreed redundancy package.

Saturday 2pm at the Garden of Remembrance, Parnell Square, Dublin 1.

Sam Boal/Rollingnews

This afternon

A campaign aimed at the 3,500 pubs across Ireland which had been expecting to reopen next week,

The majority of pubs will now have to keep their doors shut for a minimum of 168 days…

…which represents 46% of a year.

The LVA and the VFI said the “sympathy” being expressed by the Government figures will not save pub businesses or jobs.

This is the second time in three weeks that the Government has delayed the reopening of the pubs. The Government is also yet to publish the guidelines for how these pubs will be expected to operate…..

550 Pubs say they will reopen on Aug 15th against Government Guidelines (John Daly, An Síbín)

Former Fine Gael minister Brian Hayes, CEO of Banking and Payments Federation Ireland, speaking to the press outside the Department of Finance after a meeting with Minister of Finance Paschal Donohue in March

This  afternoon.

Dawson Street, Dublin 2

Politico-turned-bank-lobbyist Brian Hayes surprises financial whistleblower Jonathan Sugarman.

Turned over a new leaf?

Clone malfunction?

We may never know.

Banking and Payments Federation Ireland

Previously: Who Is Jonathan Sugarman?

Rollingnews

Thanks wickedfairysad

Broadsheet.ie