kate_oconnell

Shelter

From top: Fine Gael Dublin City Councillor Kate O’Connell and a leaflet that was circulated in the Baggot Street area of Dublin in August 2013

The Irish Times reports this morning that Dublin City Council has approved plans to turn the former Longfield Hotel on Fitzwilliam Street into a homeless hostel.

It will be run by the Simon Community, which plans to close its Harcourt Street shelter once the hostel on Fitzwilliam Street is ready to be opened.

Olivia Kelly, in this morning’s Irish Times, reports:

“A report by city council chief executive Owen Keegan said the council received 63 submissions in relation to its plans to convert Longfield’s Hotel for use as a homeless hostel, one of which was “fully supportive”.

Several raised concerns about potential antisocial behaviour, and the safety of pedestrians and property owners. The “temptations” close to the location, including a “gambling casino”, public houses, nightclubs, and shops selling alcohol, were highlighted.”

Further to this…

Alternatively…

Screen Shot 2015-02-03 at 10.03.45

Previously: Finally

Former Georgian hotel to be converted into homeless shelter (Olivia Kelly, Irish Times)

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Yesterday.

New Garda recruits at Templemore College, Co Tipperary yesterday, among 100 candidates selected from 27,000 applications.

The Government has insisted a new syllabus at the Garda College will encourage criticism, from new Garda members, of established practices.

They also claim the new training course will encourage recruits to question parts of policing culture without fear of colleagues’ reactions.

Hmm.

From top: Fionnuala Lawlor (right) and Aoife McEvoy; Some of the 100 new garda instake on parade; Rachel Killen and Angela Gavin.

New gardaí must be prepared to disobey an order, says Minister (Irish Times)

(Mark Stedman/Photocall Ireland)

seand reform

The findings are in.

‘The Government has too much control over the Seanad for it to be effective. Political parties have too much control over the nomination and election of senators and the Seanad is used as a creche for novice politicians and/or a safety net for failed election candidates. The Seanad should be an effective check on the Dáil and Government and different strands of Irish society should be represented better in the Seanad….’

Oh yes.

Oliver Moran, of 2nd Republic, writes:

I thought your readers might be interested to know that we have submitted the findings of the public survey we held on Seanad reform to the Government working group on Seanad reform. Over 1200 people took part in the end. Above is a a textual representation of the combination of all the public responses. You can read the results in full at the link below.
Thanks a lot for your help. And thanks to your readers and everyone who took part too. Broadsheet readers made up an estimated 15% of all participants.

Seanad Reform Survey (2nd Republic)

Broadsheet.ie