Members of Spinal Muscular Atrophy Ireland and their supporters outside Leinster House

HSE approves Spinraza after lengthy campaign by patients (Paul Cullen, The Irish Times)

Pic: SMA Ireland

Yesterday.

Former Sgt Maurice McCabe’s father Michael passed away.

In the above clip from last year’s RTÉ documentary Whistleblower: The Maurice McCabe Story, Maurice credits his father for his painstaking commitment to seeking justice.

In the 1970s, Michael McCabe took a stand against businesses polluting Lough Sheelin in Cavan with pig slurry.

In the same clip, Maurice’s wife Lorraine also credits Michael for instilling in Maurice an ability to continue his fight, despite setback after setback.

Last year, Supreme Court judge Peter Charleton found in the Disclosures Tribunal that Maurice was the victim of a ‘campaign of calumny’ by former Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan, aided by former Supt David Taylor.

RIP.

Michael row the boat ashore (Anglo Celt, October 2015)

The Defence Forces’ elite Ranger Wing; Máirín Ní Ghadhra, of TG4

Tonight.

On TG4’s 7LÁ at 7.35pm.

Broadcaster Máirín Ní Ghadhra will present an item on Ireland’s Defence Forces which will include an interview with Frank Reidy, a former Defence Forces officer.

TG4 writez:

According to former officers from the Irish Defence Forces, soldiers are at a very low ebb and they say that they cannot survive on the wages they are being paid.

The force is also reputedly 650 short of its full complement and the Department of Defence is failing in it’s efforts to recruit new members because of the unsatisfactory working conditions.

The Public Service Pay Commission is due to publish a report soon which will make recommendations to Minister Paschal Donohoe to resolve the issues.

7 Lá (TG4)

Previously: Indefensible

See The World

John Leahy, former leader of Renua

“The background is that I was a manager over a team that prepared 3 years to for an election and we got nobody elected.

“Do I spend another two or three years at? I haven’t made an impression in three years. Maybe the message I have is not the change that people want,” Mr Leahy said.

He informed a meeting of the party’s executive last night that he intends to return to the independent ranks of Offaly County Council. He has already struck a deal to support Fianna Fáil in his local authority and will be Leas Cathaoirleach for the next 12 months.

‘I haven’t made an impression in three years’ – John Leahy stepping down as Renua leader (Independent.ie, Kevin Doyle)

Rollingnews

Meanwhile…

Yikes.

Thanks Lorcan

UPDATE:

On the front page of today’s Irish Mirror…

Austin Kavanagh tweetz:

What have we become as a nation, a mother and her 3 children eating a meal from a soup kitchen in the street… this is beyond sad.

Homeless children forced to queue at the roadside for food as volunteers struggle to cope with surge in demand (Irish Mirror)

Off Clanbrassil Street, an Apartment Block of Tenants Told They Have to Leave (Lois Kapila, The Dublin Inquirer)

Oliver Callan: Don’t throw baby Jesus out with bath water (The Irish Times, June 8, 2019)

A message sent out on June 9 by Gary (Gaz) Smith (top), chef at Michael’s seafood restaurant in Mount Merrion, Dublin 4.

Gaz added:

I’ve not had the balls to discuss this for 20 years…. I’ve written and deleted these words so many times over the years but now I feel brave enough to admit my suicide attempt. Chat to somebody, anybody, me, I’m here.

Gaz on Twitter

Broadsheet.ie