Public Services Card; Minister for Employment Affairs and Social Protection Regina Doherty

A week on from the Data Protection Commissioner Helen Dixon announcing that there is no legal basis for anyone to have to present a Public Services Card in respect of any transaction between a person and a public body outside the Department of Employment and Social Protection…

And that the supporting information that millions of card holders had to hand over in order to get their card – such as utility bills, proof of ID, etc – must now be deleted…

And that the Minister for Public Expenditure Paschal Donohoe was informed of Ms Dixon’s report’s findings a year ago…

A press release released this lunchtime by the Department for Employment Affairs and Social Protection includes the following comment from Minister Regina Doherty:

“Both myself and my department take very seriously the findings of the Data Protection Commission and the good work it does.

“For that reason it is important that bodies that are subject to findings by the commission give very careful consideration to those findings.

“Such careful consideration is also necessary in order to be fair to the commission and to ensure that when we do speak that the public hears a properly prepared response.

“As soon as our consideration of this final report is complete, the department will publish its response along with the report and any other relevant information on its website and I will speak then at greater length on the matter.”

Meanwhile, in the same press release from the department, a spokesperson said:

“The Department is currently reviewing the report together with the Attorney General’s Office and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform. This process is not yet complete and is expected to take another week or so.

“While the Department understands that some may wish for us to respond sooner, it should be noted that this is a comprehensive report and requires significant attention.

“It is not true, as has been reported in some quarters, that the Department has had this report for a year.”

“The Data Protection Commission (DPC) provided a draft investigation report in August of last year at the mid-point of a two year investigation. It came with instructions that it was provided on a strictly confidential basis and was not to be shared with any third parties.

“This draft report contained what it described as preliminary findings and the DPC asked the department to make submissions on these findings. The report also posed a number of additional questions in the form of requests for information.

“These submissions and response to requests for information were sought to assist the DPC in the ongoing investigation and to inform the content of the final report.

“The department together with Department of Public Expenditure and Reform considered the interim report very carefully and sought and received the advice of the Attorney General’s Office.

“Based on this consideration, and the advice received, the Department submitted a very detailed response setting out how it believed the SAFE process/PSC was administered in full compliance with all relevant law.

“In this context, in the absence of any determination by the DPC and pending the receipt of the final report, the Department and other specified bodies continued to rely on the PSC and SAFE process.

“The revised and final version of the report was received last Thursday. It contains a significant volume of additional analysis, a number of the findings have been changed and some have been removed.”

Previously: House Of Card

Rollingnews

Meanwhile…

From top: Brian O’Driscoll on Newtalk’s Off The Ball; Johnny Green

This is Brian O’Driscoll speaking to ‘Off The Ball; on Newstalk recently about codeine and pain killers:

“I’d have been part of teams where the doctor would have walked down the bus on the way to games inquiring who wanted what in advance [of kick-off].

“For me, for the last couple of seasons, part of my match prep would have been a Difene and couple of co-codamol.”

Pity really that BOD instead of also taking the highly addictive Diazepam, could not have legally smoked a joint to help get some sleep and counteract those caffeine tablets, after all it’s only a game.

Chronic pain is not a qualifying condition under Fine Gael’s bad faith medical cannabis experiment, yet it’s the number one reason by a long way for US patients.

Let’s start with a few US stats sourced from the recently published ASA State of the States Report.

Yearly deaths 2017:

0 deaths caused by Cannabis
47,600 deaths from opioids,over half from prescription
70,2000 deaths from prescription drugs

There are over 95 qualifying medical conditions in medical cannabis programs, Ireland has three. These range from epilepsy and seizure disorders to cachexia or wasting syndrome, with chronic pain the primary qualifying condition, accounting for over 60%.

Fine Gael decided it’s non qualifying in Ireland, but you can get Benzos and codeine just sitting on a bus.

Since California in 1996, 33 states and DC have legalised cannabis for medical reasons and ten for recreational use.

Over one hundred million Americans suffer from chronic pain, with increasing numbers reporting relief from cannabis, which patients have to pay for, it’s not covered by any insurance in US.

Medical cannabis is medicine and has shown to be effective in the treatment of many ailments, including Crohn’s disease, a condition that afflicts current Minister for Health Simon Harris.

The modern cannabis industry is a green job-creating machine and Ireland has it all to be a major player in the 100 Billion EU market, except the political nous.

Fine Gael is following the playbook of West Virginia, passing laws but failing to implement them resulting in lots of frustration in the slow roll out,

The following was reported in The Irish Mirror back in 2014, five years ago:

“The CEO of the Health Products Regulatory Authority (HPRA) Pat O’Mahony confirmed today that the Department of Health was working on legislation to allow medicinal cannabis to be made available for patients.’

The HPRA is not fit for purpose, it already covers all medical products/devices and veterinary things, now its also going to run, sorry slow walk, Ireland’s medical cannabis program.

It is long past time the minister used his powers to grant patients in pain the right to use medical cannabis.

He also needs to establish a Cannabis Board who can approve or fastback cannabis and cannabis based products in areas like, oh say, the treatment of chronic pain under the care of a doctor.

Next week we are going look at why this government decided that the most popular and effective ways take it, smoked,vaped, eaten are not options for patients in Ireland while under the care of their physician.

The Roll Up column by Johnny Green will attempt to keep Broadsheet readers up-to-date on the growing cannabis industry worldwide. Follow Johnny Green on twitter for even more updates.

RTÉ presenter Ryan Tubridy (above) at RTÉ’s new season launch in Donnybrook, Dublin 4, this morning with environmental activists Saoi O’Connor (left) and James Dunne; also left from top: Tubridy with Dermot Bannon; Rebecca Gimes, Marty Whelan, Neili Conroy and Tina Kellegher; Eileen O’Higgins, Demi Isaac Oviawe, Tubridy and Anna Geary; Anna Geary, Brian Redmond,  Lorraine Barry and Donncha O Callaghan

This morning.

Montrose, Donnybrook, Dublin 4

As you may have spotted earlier, RTÉ launched its new schedule for the forthcoming season.

The season includes factual content:

Quinn Country: “The story of how a billionaire became a bankrupt prisoner, brought down by the collapse of a multibillion-euro gamble on shares in the Anglo Irish Bank, the financial domino which toppled Ireland into economic collapse. Consisting of three 60-minute episodes the makers of this series have been granted unprecedented access to Sean Quinn.”

The Redress Board: “Twenty years after the ground-breaking documentary series States of Fear, RTÉ returns to the stories behind Ireland’s industrial schools and asks, have we learned anything? ”

The Teenage Ambassadors: “Natasha Maimba and Minahil Sarfraz met whilst growing up as asylum seekers in Direct Provision, their childhoods spent in cramped caravans on the outskirts of Athlone. Finally granted leave to remain, this film will follow the journey of these articulate, intelligent and funny young women as they prepare to sit their Leaving Cert exams.

The Yellow Brick Road: “Be it an issue of loneliness, unemployment, relationship, a phobia, anxiety or addiction, four carefully chosen Fairy Godmothers Claire Fullam, Noel Sutton, Greg Xavier and Jordan Dunbar will listen, offer advice and support those in need.”

Brendan Grace – Thanks for the Memories: “A three-part documentary which began following Brendan Grace on his journey to put on a show with the Forget-Me-Nots choir and a group of his showbiz friends in the Olympia Theatre. Then, Brendan got sick. At first with pneumonia, then with cancer. The series changed focus immediately and went from a documentary about a man fighting to put on a show, to the story of a man fighting for his life.”

The Rotunda: “Award-winning series returns this Autumn with eight episodes charting the highs and lows of pregnancy and childbirth in the world’s longest running maternity hospital.”

Pulling with my Parents: “In this brand-new series for RTE 2, a generation who have only known digital dating, let their parents take control of their love lives, including their apps! Can a parental filter help unlock the conundrum of modern hook-ups? Or will ‘Grindr’ be too much for Mum to handle?”

My Big Day Home or Away: “In each of the four episodes, a loved-up engaged couple is given the services of two top class wedding planners, Tara Fay and Bruce Russell. One planner arranges a wedding at home, in Ireland, one plans a wedding away, somewhere fabulous and foreign.”

First Dates Ireland: Ireland’s favourite daters are back for another series which sees hopefuls search for love over the course of dinner in central Dublin. Over 4,000 people applied for the upcoming series, which will air on RTÉ Two early in 2020.”

Niall Tóibín: With exclusive access to rare family archive and countless excerpts from his TV shows, movies and stand up performances, this documentary is a rare insight into one of Ireland’s greatest comical minds. Featuring interviews with all of Niall’s children as well as Pierce Brosnan, Gabriel Byrne and Jim Sheridan.

Ar Son na Poblachta returns to RTÉ One screens in October 2019 as the decade of centenaries continues. Episode one is The story of the life and death of Private George Duff Chalmers – Born in Edinburgh 1902 executed by the IRA in June 1921 and buried in a bog in Co Clare for almost 100 years. Episode 2 deals with Thomas Hodgett, who was abducted from his home never to be seen alive again.

All Hands on Deck: “During each hour-long episode, Francis Brennan will gain an insight into what life is like for the ship’s 1,600 crew members by stepping into the shoes of three of the most senior onboard roles: Maitre ‘D, Entertainment Director and Hotel General Manager.”

Raised by the Village: “After a hugely successful pilot series, Raised by the Village returns for four-part series, featuring 8 teenagers from Darndale, Neilstown, Swords, Waterford and Dundalk. The teenagers are embraced by families in Roscommon, Leitrim, Laois and Donegal.”

Sirloin Steaks & Semtex: “Documentary told by Brian Kerr and the League of Ireland players who made the trip to Libya to play against the Libyan national side in 1989 when he Gadaffi regime was public enemy number one.

“The film uses the RTE Archive to contextualise the overt and covert links between Libya and the Irish State in the 1980s – as beef went one way in major deals between Irish beef barons and Gadaffi’s State while guns came the other way as Gadaffi backed the Provisional IRA as a proxy force in his war on the West.”

Children of the Troubles: Joe Duffy explores the lives and tragic deaths of the children who were killed during the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

Building Ireland: Join our team of experts in Architecture, Engineering and Geography as they explore and celebrate some of the finest examples of Ireland’s building and engineering heritage.

DIY SOS Ireland: “‘The Big Build’ is an inspirational and feel-good format for RTÉ One, which will see a deserving family facing hugely difficult personal circumstances get a significant home makeover to help improve their quality of life. Presenter Baz Ashmawy and his team of experts set out to renovate the homes of deserving families, changing their lives.”

Beyond The Menu: “Presented by award-winning chef, Mark Moriarty, this exciting series goes behind the kitchen doors at some of Ireland’s top restaurants run by young chefs.”

Goodbye House: “The series features downsizers from all walks of life and from all over Ireland, who are looking for new beginnings.”

The Test: “From Cork, Donegal and Limerick, across the Midlands to Dublin and Wicklow, each episode will follow the journeys of learner driver as they are put through their paces before taking their driving test.”

Cat Hospital: “Nestled in the leafy environs of Glanmire near Cork City sits Ireland’s only purpose-built cat veterinary hospital. The cameras follow Claire Meade and her team of veterinary specialists as they attend to some poorly felines.

Home Rescue: “Architect Róisín Murphy and builder Peter Finn and the crew are back to rescue six cluttered houses around Ireland.

Mary Black – Only a Woman: “A documentary celebrating the Irish Singer.”

Changing Ireland: “A look at the effects of Social Entrepreneurs on the people whose projects they are designed to assist.”

As regards drama and comedy, RTÉ writes:

Continue reading →

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson (left) and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris, France this morning

Emmanuel Macron tells Boris Johnson backstop is ‘indispensable’ (The Guardian)

Central Perk LEGO too mainstream for you?

How about a Jean-Michel Basquiat themed UNO set? A collectible 112-card collaboration between Mattel and global artists’ agency Artestar available online from Macy’s (but only shipping to addresses in the US).

Destined for the resale market at multiples of the RRP.

designboom

Splutter.

This morning.

RTE, Montrose, Dublin 4.

Jennifer Zamparelli joins fellow RTÉ presenters at the launch of the station’s new season ‘showcasing the very best in public service broadcasting’.

*boobies*

More as we get it.

Good times.

College living: the pitfalls of buying property for your children (Conor Pope, The Irish Times, subscriber only)

Previously: The Property Porn Hub

No Regrets

Yesterday.

Brown Thomas, Grafton Street, Dublin 2

The cast from the musical Kinky Boots made a ‘surprise’ appearance at the M·A·C make-up stand and performed an impromptu ‘Soul of a Man’ from the award-winning musical at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre Dublin until Saturday August 31.

At top, from left: Josh Lovel, Kayi Ushel (who plays Lola) and Jason Winter; Kayi Ushel with ‘influencers’ Holly Carpenter, James Patrice and Rosie Doran.

Kinky Boots at the Bord Gais Energy Theatre.

Leah Farrell/Photocall Ireland

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