Wreck (2016) by Philadephia-based sculptor Jordan Griska, who sez of it:

Wreck is based on a computer-generated model of a luxury sedan, in a video game, which was manipulated to look like it was involved in a crash that resulted in a fatality. I crafted 12,000 individual pieces of mirror-finish stainless steel, over the course of almost two years, in order to transform that model into a full-sized three-dimensional monument. The perfect geometry and flawless materiality of the piece reflect the inspiration of idealized digital design, in stark contrast with the grimness of the reality it represents. Beauty, technology and engineering collide with death and reality.

thisisnthappiness

NO!

This morning

Buswells Hotel, Dublin 2

The launch of the Olympic Council of Ireland’s Strategic Plan 20180-2024 which introduces new governance rules following last Summer’s ticketing scandal in Rio.

OCI President Sarah Keane said:

“We finally have a modern, fit for purpose constitution that will stand the organisation in good stead for years to come.”

Former OCI President Pat Hickey is awaiting trial on charges of ticket touting, forming a criminal association/cartel and illicit marketing

Top from left: Member of the OCI executive committee Lochlann Walsh, Honorary General Secretary Sarah O’ Shea, OCI President Sarah Keane and Chair of the OCI athletic committee Shane O’Connor.

Leah Farrell/RollingNews

Meanwhile…

The Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) remain at loggerheads with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) ahead of an EGM this evening, with former OCI President Pat Hickey set to remain on their board.

In September, Hickey resigned from his position on the executive board of the IOC, having ‘self-suspended’ himself while facing charges related to alleged ticket touting at the Rio Games in 2016.

Hickey, 72, stayed on as an ordinary IOC member though, and the world body have insisted Hickey be subject to no term limit. That entitles him to remain as a member of the OCI board, a rule that’s proved to be a bone of contention.

OCI and IOC at loggerheads over Hickey membership (RTÉ)

Meet Ibrahim Halawa and his sisters.

In the Teacher’s Club, Parnell Square, Dublin 1 at 7pm.

United Against Racism writes:

We are delighted to host an evening with our special guests Ibrahim, Somaia and Fatima Halawa.

After four long years Ibrahim was finally freed and returned home to Ireland. We would like to dedicate this evening to the struggle for his freedom and the widespread solidarity the campaign received.

We are delighted to have the opportunity to listen to Ibrahim’s story first hand, and talk to Fatima and Somaia about the ‘Free Ibrahim Halawa Campaign’, their resilience and persistence.

An Evening with Ibrahim Halawa

Is RTE Lol-ing At Its tutebianche Own Since opening our doors in 2003, has delivered thousands of web and digital experiences, across a multitude of jugglersareus platforms alarge enough to offer you the knowledge and expertise we’ve gained servicing the Corporate and website design companies san Francisco Government sectors, yet small enough to care. .

This morning.

Dublin Docklands.

Sting aka Gordon Summer announcing a Dublin run of his musical The Last Ship, inspired by the ship building industry in Tyne on Wear, and playing at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre next year (june4-9, 2018).

He’s 76!

*begins yoga stretches*

Sam Boal/RollingNews

Update:

Inside the Bord Gáis Theatre

Sting chats about The Last Ship.

Shut up and play the hits.

Sam Boal/Rollingnews.ie


From top: UN and Defence Forces veterans march on Leinster House last week. They claim one in five soldiers is currently accessing income support as serving members; Derek Mooney

Tempting though it is to add my 2 cents worth to the vast swathes of analysis of what happened, or almost happened, on Brexit yesterday, I will resist. There is still just over a week to go to the crucial December EU Council summit and I am sure that we will see a lot more manoeuvring before then.

In the meantime, best to follow RTÉ’s excellent Brussels correspondent Tony Connolly and Politico.co.uk’s Ian Dunt for up to minute analysis of the Brussels and Westminster machinations.

Instead of looking at Brexit, I want to look back at last week’s 24 hour protest outside Leinster House by the wives and partners of members of our Defence Forces and offer two additional perspectives, which may help illustrate why the Defence Forces are a special case and worthy of a far higher priority than this government is according them.

Before I get to those, it is worth noting why the protest was by the wives and partners. Under Defence Force regulations serving members of the Defence Forces may not make representations regarding any aspect of their employment, including pay and conditions, to third parties, including elected representatives.

Though this may seem a bit draconian, it does reflect the particular nature of their job. Soldiers cannot simply down tools, especially when those tools are often loaded, and go on strike – particularly when they are one of the key services we depend upon in emergency situations. But there is, or at least there should be a quid-pro-quo in this relationship.

While the State curtails your right to trade union membership, it also recognises your employer rights via pay negotiation models (conciliation and arbitration) that parallel those of other public servants. That is theory, at least. The practice over recent years, the wives would argue, has not lived up to that model, hence their protests.

So, to my two perspectives.

First, while the protest and the discussion on RTÉ’s Primetime last Thursday with the Minister of State for Defence [Paul Kehoe] has focused on the issue of allowances, there is another area which has drastically affected the average take home pay of the members of the Defence Forces in a unique way – overseas allowances.

I am not referring to the amount of these individual allowances, though I accept that is also an issue, but rather the number of them.

There are fewer Irish Troops currently serving overseas than there has been for well over a decade and a half. During my time in the Department of Defence there were over 800 Irish soldiers serving somewhere overseas at any one time.

As most overseas tours of duty last six months that means in almost any given year in the 1990s and 2000s over 1600 individual members of the Defence Forces would have served six months overseas and each received a daily overseas allow worth around €85 for an ordinary private. Bear in mind that most soldiers serve at least one six month overseas tour every three years.

By September 2011 the number serving overseas had fallen to 524. It fell further to 440 by June 2012 and stayed in or around that level until late 2016. The number has increased over the last year with around 630 troops currently serving overseas, its highest level in almost seven years.

While part of the reason for the drop is accounted for by the decrease we made in Defence Force strength from 10,500 to 9,500 in 2009/2010 as part of the Bord Snip nua cuts, that only took the overseas figure to approx 780.

Halving the numbers serving overseas as the government has done for almost five out of the past seven years has meant a huge additional drop in income for virtually every army family.

While other groups in the public sector have also endured major cuts, this dramatic hit on Defence Force family incomes is unique and I think it has not been adequately reflected in the public discussions of the Defence Force case.

The second perspective is the damage that this is doing to the aim of public sector reform. The modernisation and reform of the Defence Forces that was undertaken in the late 1990s was a model for how the public sector can reform and do work more efficiently and effectively.

While other areas of the public sector were expanding their numbers, the Defence Forces actually reduced theirs, but not at a cost of efficiency and delivery.

The savings made in reducing both troop and civil servant numbers in the late 1990s were invested in better training and equipment, making our Defence Forces the equal of those they served alongside. We achieved an enviable reputation in both logistics and ordnance disposal, particularly improvised devices.

There has been a needless neglect and indifference shown from 2011 onwards. It started with the appointment of part-time ministers: Alan Shatter was minister for Defence and Justice, while Simon Coveney was Minister for Agriculture and Defence and ended up with the downgrading of the Department to being nominally headed up by the Taoiseach, but in reality managed by an ineffectual Junior Minister.

The fact that he had just appointed himself as Minister for Defence seemed lost on the new Taoiseach on the night he was announcing his Cabinet picks when he neglected to tell the Dáil that he would be the Minister.

We saw just how well meaning but ineffectual the Junior Minister he reappointed was when he appeared on Primetime last week to defend his non defence of our defence forces, but it was also on show in the last budget when Defence saw a miserly 2% spending increase at a time when, as Fianna Fáil’s Defence Spokesperson Lisa Chambers argued at the time, the growth rate is 3.5%.

It is regrettable that the wives and families of our Defence Forces find it necessary to take to the streets to make their case, but it is outrageous that the indifference and disregard of the current ministers put them in that position.

Derek Mooney is a communications and public affairs consultant. He previously served as a Ministerial Adviser to the Fianna Fáil-led government 2004 – 2010.  Follow Derek on Twitter: @dsmooney

Rollingnews

‘Sup.

Marianne McNulty, of Raheny Veterinary Hospital, writes:

“Poor Moo, no one has called about adopting this pretty girl all week, all she wants is a home with an owner who appreciates how playful and fun she is. Please get in touch if you would like to meet her.”

Raheny Veterinary Hospital (Facebook)

Your pet at Xmas to broadsheet@broadsheet.ie marked ‘My Pet At Xmas’. No fee.

Last night.

Gresham Hotel, O’Connell Street, Dublin 1

Sinn Fein deputy leader Mary Lou McDonald ran unopposed as a candidate in the Dublin Central Constituency and formally announced her wish to replace Gerry Adams as President of Sinn Féin.

Touching on recent bullying allegations against the party, Ms McDonald said:

“Where relationships break down or rivalries take hold, where disciplinary issues emerge, it is important that we remember why we each joined Sinn Féin, what we are about as republicans, that we put front and centre our political ambition for a united, equal Ireland

“…It is also important that the rules of the party are respected by every member of our party and that they are applied fairly.”

Ms McDonald also signed the Sinn Féin General Election pledge…

Gulp.

Mary Lou McDonald wants to replace Adams as Sinn Fein president (Belfast Telegraph)

Rollingnews

From top: Claire Byrne and Jason Lester; Jason

Yesterday, Jason ‘Jay’ Lester won his appeal against falsely imprisoning Joan Burton and her advisor in Jobstown, Tallaght, three years ago after lawyers for the State said they would not be contesting the case.

Jason, of Brookview Close in Tallaght,  was 15 when he was charged.

Last night, he spoke to Claire Byrne on RTÉ 1’s Claire Byrne Live.

Claire Byrne: “Jason first of all how do you feel tonight after that verdict today?”

Jason Lester: “Extremely happy. Relieved that it’s all over. Three years. It’s been a very long three years. So tonight I suppose I’m feeling a lot better than I have been over the past few years. Extremely relieved and happy. Really really happy.”

Byrne: “What was that moment like today in court when you knew finally that this was over?”

Lester: “Yeah when everything became official in court I was sitting with my mam. I looked at her, and the two of us, you know, it was sudden relief. You know when we were just… 30 seconds… after three years, 30 seconds of the judge speaking, it was all over. The DPP said they weren’t going to contest it. It was amazing the feeling, you know, it was a serious relief.”

Byrne: “When all this started at the time the protest, you were only fifteen.You’re a young man now. You were a child at that time. So this has been going on right through your late teens.”

Lester: “That’s right, yeah. Through the Leaving Cert as well, it was all going on.”

Byrne: “What was that like. What was the impact on you and your life over the last three plus years?”

Lester: “Certainly a negative impact. So I was sick in hospital with stress twice throughout the trial. I was constantly feeling down in myself. My mental health as well, I was really hit by it. You know it is a hard thing to go through the court process at such a young age, in and out of court hearings all the time. It was really hard you know it wasn’t easy. For sure it wasn’t easy at all.”

Byrne: “What was difficult about the court process for you then?”

Lester: “It was a really intimidating thing to be brought before a court. You know it’s really serious you have a judge, you have legal argument and such serious charges which were brought against me, you know, really frightening if anything.”

Byrne: “In the case, you were convicted of false imprisonment. But you were discharged conditionally, on good behaviour for nine months so that you wouldn’t have a criminal record. What made you decide to contest that when you weren’t going to have a criminal record at the end of it?”

Lester: “I suppose it wasn’t about waiting for the nine months or anything like that. It was suddenly, straight away, the day we got the verdict I spoke to the legal team and said, you know, I want to go for an appeal here. I felt I was failed by the justice system and the legal system in the country. I didn’t feel that justice was done. You know, I was found guilty. It’s proven now I was found guilty on evidence that adults weren’t proven guilty on in the adult court, you know. So initially it was my idea to speak to the legal team, get an appeal in, and get the conviction overturned. And I think the position we’re in today kind of proves it was the right decision to do.”

Byrne: “It took guts to challenge the system and to stick with it.”

Lester: “Yeah, it did. But, again I’m really happy that was what I done. You know, I think if you’re not happy with something you have to speak up about. And that’s what I done.”

Byrne: “Can we go back to the day of the protest because lots of people watching this will have seen the pictures from that time. It was a lengthy protest, it was a loud protest, it was a difficult situation for everybody. It looked very tense. What was it like being there being in the middle of it? What was it like for you?

Lester: “Yes for me partaking in it, I was taking part in the political protest on the day. Peaceful to myself definitely. slow marching, chanting slogans and holding a megaphone and a banner. And these are some of the points that I was actually convicted on. I stood in front of Joan Burton for three seconds that was a momentary stoppage as such if you like. And that begs the question then in the court case, does a momentary stoppage lead to false imprisonment?

But on the day I took part in a peaceful protest, I slow marched, and you know, there was talk about people throwing things, but I was one of the people, and this was said in the court and evidence to show, I was one of the people that encouraged people on the sideline who weren’t part of the protest to stop throwing things, and the judge did thank me for that as well, you know.”

Byrne: “We know that things were thrown on that day.”

Lester: “That’s right. And you know the protesters weren’t happy about that. It’s important that we know, the people that were throwing those things weren’t involved in the protest and the protesters were encouraging those people to stop. Because we were there for a political protest. You know, those people possibly weren’t. And we encouraged them to stop, and evidence was shown of that, and the judge even thanked me for that.”

Byrne: We’ve talked about how this impacted you, and the long process through the court system and all of the rest. Would you do it again if you were back in that situation?

Lester: “If there was a political protest tomorrow, I’d certainly take part in a protest tomorrow if there was one. Be it of the homeless issue, the health crisis that we have in the country at the minute, or if it was on water charges. I’d certainly take part in the protest again tomorrow.”

Byrne: “So you see yourself as an activist, as a political activist?”

Lester: “Yeah I would classify myself as an activist, I took part in Apollo House last Christmas which was a great experience to take part in, also you know.”

Byrne: “Moving on from the day of the protest to the day of your arrest. Tell us what happened that day.”

Lester: “That morning I was getting ready to go to school. I came back into my bedroom after getting ready, and there was suddenly a loud bang on the door. I looked out the window to find I think it was 10 to 11 guards in the front garden of the house. Next thing I knew there was two of them in my bedroom, telling me you know they were here to arrest me for the charge of false imprisonment of the Tánaiste of the country, Joan Burton and her advisor Karen O’Connell.

Extremely shocked at that point. Frightened, definitely. They asked me did I understand what they were arresting me for. I said no I don’t. Can you explain it again and they said well we just did. So that was it. I was under arrest so to speak, being charged brought to the station in a separate car than my mam, three guards, very intimidating, the whole situation the way it’s done. Brought down to the station, put in a the cell for two and a half hours then brought out to have your fingerprints taken your pictures, treated like a top class criminal really. Then the interview process that lasted over two hours again. It was a totally discomforting scenario to be in. Certainly not one I enjoyed.”

Byrne: “Now you’ve had your result today and you say you’re relieved that you’re at the end of this process, but for you, more needs to happen?”

Lester: “Yeah, I’d like to see a public inquiry go on, and to see, you know, things explained a bit more as to what went on. You know, how evidence was given in the Children’s Court and the same evidence was allowed be given in the adult’s court, and the evidence in the adult’s court wasn’t contested whereas it was in the children’s court. The DPP didn’t accept the facts in the Children’s Court but when the same facts were put before him and the adult’s court they were accepted. So I think there needs to be some type of an investigation into what actually went on, the policing of this whole investigation so to speak, and the trial process.”

Byrne: “So you’ve questions for the policing system and for the legal system?”

Lester: “Yes.”

Byrne: “And you think a public inquiry is the only way to have those answered for you?”

Lester: “I believe it can contribute towards getting those answers.”

Byrne: “And who do you make that call to?”

Lester: “I suppose you could speak to your local representatives. That’s what they’re elected for, to be your voice in government. You know and if we lobby them enough, we might just get that.”

Byrne: “Where does your life go from here, Jason?”

Lester: “At the moment I’m in a full time job. Politics is a part-time thing so to speak. But, you know I’d never rule anything out. Anything is possible. I could be in your chair in a few years, who knows?”

Watch in full here

Yesterday: No Contest

Thanks Laura Fitzgerald

Meanwhile…

Oh, Claire.

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