Distinctive designs for the Abbey Theatre.
Will Rice writes:
“I’m a designer in Zero-G, a Dublin-based design studio that’s been producing posters for the Abbey theatre for over five years (you might have seen them around town now and again). We’ve finally gotten an archive up and running, and thought your readers might be interested in having a look :)
Former Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan, outgoing Secretary General of the Department of Justice Brian Purcell and former Justice Minister Alan Shatter in 2012
Further to the publication yesterday of the Report of the Independent Review Group on the Department of Justice and the revelations that Brian Purcell is to step down from his role at the Justice Department – and to be re-assigned elsewhere – Ivan Yates put forward his thoughts on the matter during Newstalk Breakfast this morning.
“These are the questions that Brian Purcell has refused to answer. On the day of the 10th of March. And remember the context of this was to save Shatter. On the 10th of March, the Garda Commissioner Martin Callinan sends a couriered letter to the Secretary General, Brian Purcell. This was no ordinary letter. It was the months of analysis of a working group involving the gardai, the attorney general, civil service about recordings of telephone conversations from the gardai.”
“The first line of the letter says, on the 10th of March, bring this letter to the minister’s [of justice] attention, in accordance with Section 41 1D of the Garda Siochana Act 2005. The question that Purcell won’t answer is why did he not bring that letter to the attention of Alan Shatter for 14 days. And, from the get go, I had serious reservations about the veracity of that.”
“The second issue that he must answer is: there is indications that on the weekend, on the 21st of March, that Callinan was prepared to withdraw the ‘disgusting’ remark and was advised not to do so. And the next set of questions he won’t ask [sic] is: Purcell was called to the Taoiseach’s office on Monday the 24th of March and asked questions in relation to the tapes controversy.”
“Now, in my view, the tapes controversy was significant for the Bailey case, but otherwise it was a bottle of smoke. It was blown out of all proportion but it was Tapegate, which led to the drive-by sacking as such. So then Purcell was then dispatched on the Monday night to the house of the Garda Commissioner and he resigned. What then happened was the next morning, on the Tuesday morning, the first the Cabinet heard of this was that they were notified at 9.30am, before the Cabinet met, that Callinan was retiring. No explanation was given.”
“Now the law, and the Constitution says, yes, a Government can fire a Commissioner but the Taoiseach does not have that power. It must be a resolution of the full Government sitting and, therefore, what then happens is it’s not what you do when you’re in a sticky spot – which was all to get rid of Callinan, to save Shatter – was the cover-up.”
“And, basically, what I’m suspicious of is: that Purcell is being paid €200,000 a year to keep his mouth shut. Now what the strategy was, to set up a Commission, under Niall Fennelly, to make sure that this investigation of Tapegate – but also the specific instances of what happened in relation to the Garda Commissioner – to kick this beyond Spring of 2016.”
Listen back in full here
Previously: The Thin Blue Timeline [Updated]
It brings shame to our nation to see,
A man who was once a TD,
Locked up for a spell,
In a small prison cell,
Oh when will our Ivor run free?
John Moynes
(Sam Boal/Photocall Ireland)
Buddleia
A chara, – Is there anything to be said for the rampant buddleia to be seen in recent weeks, sprouting from windowsills, carparks, scrubland and even chimney stacks? The species becomes more brazen by the year. And yet, no steps are taken to rein it in. It is on a par with the seagulls.
Is mise,
CORMAC O’CULAIN,
McKee Park,
Dublin 7
Anyone?
Roisin Burke tweetz:
The iconic Stella cinema in Rathmines signage, gone!! Anyone?
(Pic via Built Dublin)
From top: Members of the Survivors of Symphysiotomy outside the Dáil in 2012 (with Sinn Féin’s Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin and Gerry Adams) and (above) Sunday Times journalist, Justine McCarthy, investigative journalist Darragh McIntyre and Marie O’Connor, from Survivors of Symphysiotomy on TV3’s Tonight With Vincent Browne last night
Sunday Times journalist Justine McCarthy presented the Tonight With Vincent Browne Show last night and her guests included investigative journalist Darragh McIntyre and Marie O’Connor, from Survivors of Symphysiotomy.
During their discussion, Ms McCarthy spoke to Ms O’Connor about how the United Nations Human Rights Committee recommended that those who carried out symphysiotomies in Irish hospitals be prosecuted.
She then specifically talked about Noreen Burns, originally from Cobh, Co. Cork, who died very recently on July 19, 2014. In the Sunday Times at the weekend it was reported that Ms Burns had had a symphysiotomy, after she had her first child by caesarean section in 1959. The paper reported: “The child, Catherine, died. An ‘on the way out symphysiotomy’ (post-caesarean section) was performed to avert the need for future sections, thus allowing her to have many more babies. She went on to have six children, all delivered by either emergency or elective caesarean sections.”
Justine McCarthy: “At a press conference last week, responding to the UN committee’s report, you told the story of a 92-year-old woman who is suing over a symphysiotomy and she received a solicitor’s letter, I think it was on behalf of the National Maternity Hospital saying that she should accept the State redress offer and discontinue the proceedings against the hospital and, if she didn’t do that, they would seek legal costs against her.”
Marie O’Connor: “That’s correct, I actually have the letter here. The National Maternity Hospital threatened this 92-year-old applicant with legal costs should she decline a so-called redress scheme from the State, which has clearly been found defective by the UN human rights committee. And should she have the temerity to continue her legal action against the hospital, and of course, in a sense this had echoes of a previous outrage I suppose one can only call it, and that was a threat again of legal costs – which of course, as we know, is one of the most intimidating threats that can be levelled at a citizen – and this was made to Reena [Noreen] Burns. And, it’s a long story, I can’t go into it all but, suffice to be said, that the hospital only consented to having Reena examined after she had been placed on a ventilator, after her health had disimproved so significantly. And this, after two earlier requests, by the solicitors acting for Reena. Those requests were ignored. On the 4th of July, following receipt of a GP report, which said that Reena was ‘imminently grave’ was the term used. A fourth notification, from the solicitor again, the hospital said that the application for an early hearing was totally premature. And that they would be seeking costs for having to appear in court in order to block that application for an early hearing. And it was only after Reena had been placed on a ventilator, on the 8th of July, that the hospital consented to having her finally examined by their own doctors.”
McCarthy: “But it was too late because…”
O’Connor: “And at that point…”
McCarthy: “Mrs Burns has died since.”
O’Connor: “That’s right, yeah. Tragically. And she spent the best part of the last three years hoping and believing that she would come through this.”
Watch back in full here
Previously: What The Man From The UN Said
Sasko Lazarov/Photocall Ireland
The Horror writes:
So this Thursday’s stroke competition is sponsored by an undertaker…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLrH0eTZNTg
Lisa Gallagher writes:
Here is a video you may like from an Artist I’ve worked with (I am a television producer) called “Miss Kate”. I got sent this recently after she shot this for a new online bit called TRAFFIC JAMS dir. by David Coffey of “Dan & Becs” and he also directed “Sarah and Steve” and “The Commute” on RTE, each week a different band pick a cover and perform it while squashed into a car.
