This morning.

Further to a letter yesterday from President Michael D Higgins to the Ceann Comhairle expressing concerns over the volume of legislation being sent for his signature…

…via RTÉ

In response, the Ceann Comhairle and the Cathaoirleach of the Seanad told the President they understand and appreciate his concerns.

They were convening a meeting of the Dáil’s Business Committee and the Seanad’s Committee on Procedure at 2pm today.

Duncan Smith, who will attend that meeting for the Labour Party, said he welcomed the President’s intervention and that the issue of condensing legislation must be addressed.

Cian O’Callaghan of the Social Democrats said it should not take an intervention from the President to realise that ramming through legislation at the last minute is no way to treat the democratic process.

Politicians consider President’s legislation concerns (RTÉ)

Meanwhile…

RollingNews

Behold: the Tulip Nebula also known as Sh2-101 – a bright glowing cloud of interstellar gas and dust viewed along the plane of the Milky Way toward the constellation of Cygnus the Swan. To wit:

Nearly 70 light-years across the complex and beautiful Tulip Nebula blossoms about 8,000 light-years away, shown in a Hubble palette image that maps the glow of the nebula’s sulfur, hydrogen, and oxygen ions into red, green, and blue colors. Ultraviolet radiation from young energetic stars at the edge of the Cygnus OB3 association, including O star HDE 227018, ionizes the atoms and powers the emission from the Tulip Nebula. Also in the field of view is microquasar Cygnus X-1, one of the strongest X-ray sources in planet Earth’s sky. Driven by powerful jets from a black hole accretion disk, its fainter bluish curved shock front is only just visible though, directly above the cosmic Tulip’s petals near the top of the frame.

(Image: Carlos Uriarte)

apod

Sally’s Bridge, Grand Canal, Dublin, yesterday.

Colum Cronin tweetz:

“The sun had set, but a faint pastel haze lingered in the mid-summer sky.”

― R.J. Lawrence, ‘The Fortunate Only’

Details of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth’s efforts to exempt her land in Scotland from a green energy initiative will remain confidential

It seems the Queen didn’t consent
To follow some laws that were meant
To make things more green
But her words can’t be seen
By those who aren’t in government

John Moynes

Getty

Behold: the immense 150,000 light years wide circumference of newly formed, extremely bright, massive stars forged by the violent birth of AM 0644-741, also known as the Lindsay Sharply Ring. To wit:

AM 0644-741 is known as a ring galaxy and was caused by an immense galaxy collision. When galaxies collide, they pass through each other and their individual stars rarely come into contact. The large galaxy’s ring-like shape is the result of the gravitational disruption caused by a small intruder galaxy passing through it. When this happens, interstellar gas and dust become compressed, causing a wave of star formation to move out from the impact point like a ripple across the surface of a pond. Other galaxies in the field of view are background galaxies, not interacting with AM 0644-741. Foreground spiky stars are within our own Milky Way. But the smaller intruder galaxy is caught above and right, near the top of the frame taken by the Hubble Space Telescope. Ring galaxy AM 0644-741 lies about 300 million light years away toward the southern constellation Volans.

(Image: NASA, ESA, Hubble, HLA; Processing: Jonathan Lodge)

apod

 

Paul Reid, CEO HSE, at Dr Steevens’ Hospital this afternoon

This afternoon.

Dr Steevens’ Hospital, Dublin.

The weekly HSE operational update on the response to Covid-19.

Meanwhile….

In relation to a question about frontline healthcare workers who have refused a vaccine, the HSE’s CEO Paul Reid said: “There have been occasions where teams have gone through a health risk assessment and moved people into different roles.”

He described them as a “small number”.

Meanwhile…

Niamh O’Beirne, National Lead, Testing and Tracing, HSE at Dr Steevens’ Hospital

Not around the eyes.

National Lead for Testing and Tracing with the HSE Niamh O’Beirne said positivity rates for Covid-19 are rising across testing sites.

She said the positivity rate is currently at 11.7%, but some sites are seeing positivity levels of more than 21%.

Covid vaccine ‘floodwall’ holding amid Delta infections- HSE (RTÉ)

She said there are a number of particularly busy sites, notably in Donegal, Louth, Meath, and Monaghan.

Covid vaccine ‘floodwall’ holding amid Delta infections- HSE (RTÉ)

Earlier: Adam And Aoife

RollingNews

Above from left: John Molloy, Rachel O’Byrne, Kathy Rose O’Brien and Rachel O’Byrne from the cast of The Dead outside the Gaiety theatere in Dublin

This afternoon.

King Street, Dublin 2.

The cast of The Dead, a short opera of the short story by James Joyce, announce performances on August 7 and 8 at the Gaiety Theatre with audience members capped at 50 people. Jelly was among the side-dishes served during the Christmas party at the story’s centre.

Its arias will give you the Chivers.

Chivers/shivers.

Suit yourselves.

The Dead: An Opera (Gaiety Theatre)

RollingNews

Broadsheet.ie