From top: Irish nurses and supporters in Sydney, Australia; Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald in the Dáil this afternoon

This afternoon.

During Leaders’ Questions.

Party leaders raised the nurses’ strike with the Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and Mr Varadkar repeated much of what he said yesterday – that he believes borrowing money for pay increases is bad policy and that if one of group of State employees receives a pay increase, other groups will seek the same.

The 24-hour strike – the first in a series – began at 8am this morning while supporters of the strike have been using the hashtags #giveusareasontocomehome and #istandwithnursesandmidwives on Twitter.

Further to this…the following is one short exchange Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald had with the Taoiseach:

Leo Varadkar: “The impression created by some that there are more nurses leaving the country that coming into the country is not correct. The impression created by some that there are more nurses leaving the public service that entering it is not correct. And those are the facts and I hope you at least acknowledge those facts.

Mary Lou McDonald: “So, Taoiseach, then are the pictures of our young nurses from Melbourne and Sydney and all around the globe asking us, asking you to give them a reason to come home: is that like fake news? Are they doctored images? Pardon the pun.

“I don’t believe that they are. I think people know that yes, certain nursing staff would have gone for a year and come back but the reality now is that we’re losing so many of our best and brightest and they’re not coming back.”

“Here’s the other fact. There’s a strike on today. How’s that for a fact? Procedures have been cancelled as you’ve acknowledged. How’s that for a fact? Every man, woman and child in this land knows that should any of us get sick, or a loved one falls sick, you want the very best of care for them. All of us know that that’s only possible if you have the right  staff and you will only have the right staff if they are treated with dignity and they are paid and rewarded at an appropriate level. How are those  for facts, Taoiseach.

“What the nurses and midwives is very, very reasonable. And by the way, I know all about the industrial relations mechanisms of the State. You really don’t have to keep repeating that to us, as though we’re morons. We’re all well acquainted and well versed with all of that. I do not accept that you, as Taoiseach, that it is satisfactory or acceptable for you to passively sit on the sidelines whilst this strike is on.

“I’m asking you again on behalf of the nurses and midwives that I spoke to this morning, they said: tell him to engage. You are there Taoiseach, you’re the head of Government. They are asking you to engage. If you’re interested in sorting this dispute Taoiseach that this is what you will do and you will do it speedily.”

Varadkar: “Deputy, I don’t think you’re a moron. And I can assure you I’m not a moron either. But if you keep asking me the same question, I will keep giving you the same answer.”

Meanwhile…

Earlier: Alternatively

‘The Damage Is Already Done’

Calling Out Around The World

Karen McEvoy who died on Christmas Day

Yesterday, in The Irish Times.

Kitty Holland reported that Karen McEvoy, 24, originally from Tallaght in Dublin, died of suspected sepsis on Christmas Day, a week after she had given birth to a healthy baby girl in the Coombe hospital on December 18.

The baby girl was her third child, as Karen already had two boys with her partner Barry Kelly, 26, and she was discharged on December 19.

Ms Holland reported that within two days of giving birth, Karen was “complaining of severe back and abdominal pain, exhaustion, flu-like symptoms and sweating” and that by the time she was back visiting the Coombe on December 23, for her daughter’s heel-prick test, she needed crutches to walk.

Barry told Ms Holland that, while at the Coombe, Karen went to the A&E and was told she may have sciatica and advised that “If it gets worse go to Tallaght [Hospital] for an X-ray”.

On Christmas morning, she woke up swollen and slurring her words. She was brought to Naas hospital where medics decided to sedate and intubate her – with the aim of helping her to breathe. However she went into cardiac arrest and died.

Barry said the staff at Naas Hospital did everything they could and they “were brilliant. It was very hard for them too”.

This morning, Ms Holland is reporting that Barry is calling for an independent investigation into Karen’s death while a GoFundMe page has since been set up to help Barry and Karen’s children.

Those who wish to donate to the fund can do so here

Woman (24) died on Christmas Day one week after giving birth (Kitty Holland, The Irish Times)

Man calls for independent investigation into partner’s death (Kitty Holland, The Irish Times)

Last night.

In the Dáil.

Fianna Fáil TD John McGuinness raised last week’s announcement that debt cases are being removed from the  Master of the High Court Edmund Honohan, under a direction  by the President of the High Court Peter Kelly, while addressing the Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe.

Mr McGuinness was speaking during the second reading of Sinn Féin’s No Consent, No Sale Bill which provides that lenders/banks may not transfer/sell mortgages on residential properties to a vulture fund without the consent of the borrower.

Mr Honohan wrote the Affordable Housing and Fair Mortgage Bill which was introduced to the Dail last year by Mr McGuinness.

Last night, Mr McGuinness said:

“Another arm of the State, the courts. Now I understand fully the separation of powers and I take all that but I have to say that the last port of call for thousands of families over the last number of years was the Master’s court – where he checked the paperwork from banks, and indeed from borrowers, and where he forced the banks to correct the paperwork, or to acknowledge that their paperwork wasn’t adequate enough to press the charge against the individual before the court.

“Most of these individuals, lay litigants by the way. And having done that and having done this state a hell of a service and has stood by – fair to the banks, fair to the borrowers, creating a level playing field, he has now been removed from that task by the President of the High Court.

“And I would say it’s an absolute scandal.

“I was astonished last week to learn the newspaper, media, knew it before he did.

“And then, to try and compound the problem for the master, there’s certain comments made by other judges and put out into the public domain to discredit him.

“A typical act of trying to destroy the messenger.”

The Ceann Comhairle asked Mr McGuinness to “refrain from criticising the judiciary” and Mr McGuinness continued:

“I’ll refrain now, having condemned them completely for the carry-on of them down in the Four Courts and for the manner in which they treated that individual. It was absolutely incredible to read the reports of it.

“The individuals that appeared there in courts, that was their last port of call, now that that’s gone. So the only thing they can do is turn to this House for further assistance No Consent, No Sale, and I would say to this House that that is the road we need to go.

“We need to offer full protection for the individuals who are trying their best to make a deal, to get out of the problems that they have – similar what we did for the banks, exactly the same thing.

“We bailed them out, we put them back in business.

“And let me tell you now Minister, that they are now beginning to treat business people, borrowers and those that are in distress in the same disgraceful manner that had treated them before.

“It didn’t take them long to get back on their feet, to begin to turn around then and treat people in the way that we did not expect. And I encourage you Minister to please examine this Bill.

“If you’re not going to support it, give us an alternative, give us an alternative and tell the Central Bank they also have a job to look after the consumer in this case, that they’re not doing.”

Watch back in full here

From top: Sculptor John Coll with his bust of Luke Kelly; Vera Klute’s head

John writes:

Two statues being unveiled this week of Luke Kelly on the anniversary of this death. I’m particularly impressed with the Vera Klute sculpture. Love how striking the hair (made from 4mm patinated metal) is & she has captured his intensity perfectly….

Meanwhile…

Rob adds:

Does no one else think the new Luke Kelly statue looks like it’s destined to end up on a spike to ward off other Luke Kellys?

Ah here.

Stop that.

The story behind Dublin’s two new Luke Kelly sculptures (Irish Times)

Pics: Irish Arts Review/Dublin GAA

UPDATE: Thank You For The Days

Via University Times:

Next, novices are told to assemble in Botany Bay. In 2018, novices were militaristically lined up in the pouring rain, where they downed alcohol while more senior members of the club paced in front of them, bellowing in their faces and rattling the fences of the tennis courts with the canes and bamboo sticks.

This episode was witnessed by a resident of Botany Bay and a reporter from The University Times.

To demonstrate that they had finished their drink, the novices were told to place their can, upside-down, on their heads.

Botany Bay is also where the whipping with bamboo sticks often begins, according to several of the accounts. On multiple occasions, it has also been the starting point for a sprint, which sees novices – some told to strip to their underwear – run around Dublin city centre until they are told to stop and consume cans of beer.

The last person to finish their can of beer is told to drop and do press-ups.

According to one account, the whipping on the run was so severe in one year that it resulted in lasting bruises and welts.

Ooh.

Oar.

Whipping, Secrecy and Coercion: Inside Boat Club’s Hazing Culture (Edmund Heaphy and Cormac Watson, University Times)

Pic via Dublin University Boat Club

Thanks Joseph Mulligan

Your time waster of the day is here.

Finally.

Overland Ireland writes:

Do you think you know your Iron Islands from your Stormlands? Could you identify King’s Landing from a mile off, and do you know the exact location where Daenerys and Dragos’ wedding took place?

Well now you can test your Game of Thrones knowledge in a brand new interactive game which has been launched ahead of the new, and final, series of Game of Thrones airing this year.

The game displays Google street views of the real life locations where iconic Game of Thrones scenes and landmarks were filmed, and the player must identify where this is in the Westeros world. But beware the clock is ticking!

Thanks to the functionality of the game, you can drag the street view around so you can view the location from different angles.

Think it sounds easy? Try out the Maester Mode if you’re feeling confident.

The game was created by specialist Ireland tour operators Overland Ireland, and of course many of the Game of Thrones locations were filmed in Ireland – including Kingsroad, Iron Islands and The Stormlands.

But enough clues, you can try the game for yourself here.

And remember, when you play the Game of Thrones you win or you die

Overland Ireland

Behold: the LOV38 – a concept named after the collaboration between  Lynx Yachts, Omega Architects and Van Oossanen Naval Architects. But you knew that.

Fancy a luxury cruiser with an ultra stable fast-displacement hull, twin 2,000 MTU diesel engines,  a top speed of 21.7 knots, two exterior dining areas, a full beam master suite, up to six guest rooms, and a spacious ‘beach club’ area? Thought so.

Price on application.

uncrate

Jack Jones writes:

Got a Public Services Card today and there is no longer a chip on it. The Text from the accompanying letter includes the following: ‘ This card does not contain your data electronically on a chip but data is contained in the magnetic strip on the back of the card….’

I am wondering does the change relate to the findings of the DPC [Data Protection Commission]?

Anyone?

Broadsheet.ie