theirishtimes--2020-09-02--North’s health service facing probably its ‘toughest winter’, warns Minister

The Northern Ireland health service is probably facing into its “ toughest winter ” in its history , the North ’ s health Minister Robin Swann has stated .
The Minister issued his warning on a day when his department reported two new coronavirus deaths in Northern Ireland , bringing the North ’ s death toll to 562 .
This was the first time since very early in July that more than one Covid-19 death was recorded in the department ’ s daily bulletin .
In the past two months ten people died in Northern Ireland from the virus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ months from mid-March to the end of June .
The department on Wednesday afternoon also reported that 71 people have tested positive for Covid-19 , taking the total number of confirmed cases to 7,365 .
So far 237,003 people have been tested for the virus in Northern Ireland .
“ I am increasingly of the view that Covid-19 has the potential for another full-scale assault , ” said Mr Swann at a departmental press conference .
“ More people will sadly lose their lives and suffer long-term damage to their health.
” “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ winter , the toughest winter probably our health service has faced in its history , ” said Mr Swann .
The Minister said he has approved plans for a second Nightingale facility in Northern Ireland to be located at Whiteabbey Hospital in Co Antrim .
The Whiteabbey facility would provide an additional 100 regional intermediate care beds to tend to patients coming out of more serious treatment .
At the height of the pandemic in the North a Nightingale facility was set up in the tower block of City Hospital in central Belfast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Swann said that hospital could be reactivated if necessary .
The North ’ s chief medical officer Dr Michael McBride told reporters that the ages of people testing positive for the virus was changing .
Two-thirds of those now coming down with Covid-19 were aged under 40 .
He said just ten per cent of cases now were happening to people aged 60 and over compared to that age cohort suffering 40-50 per cent of cases in March .
Mr Swann and Dr McBride acknowledged that the testing system currently was under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ returning to school anxious to have them tested for Covid-19 .
“ If your child needs a test they will be tested , ” he said .
Dr McBride said the testing system was working well , notwithstanding the current pressures .
“ We are testing more per 100,000 of population than any other part of these islands , ” he said .
Dr McBride also said that there was little doubt that with schools returning there would be “ clusters of cases associated with schools ” .
He said the cases would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the school environment but could be linked to activities associated with school , happening “ on the way to school , before school , and after school as much as what happens in school ” .

Northern Ireland health minister Robin Swann said he was ‘increasingly of the view that Covid-19 has the potential for another full-scale assault’. File photograph: PA Wire
The Northern Ireland health service is probably facing into its "toughest winter" in its history, the North's health Minister Robin Swann has stated.
The Minister issued his warning on a day when his department reported two new coronavirus deaths in Northern Ireland, bringing the North’s death toll to 562.
This was the first time since very early in July that more than one Covid-19 death was recorded in the department’s daily bulletin. In the past two months ten people died in Northern Ireland from the virus. More than 550 died in the three-and-a-half months from mid-March to the end of June.
The department on Wednesday afternoon also reported that 71 people have tested positive for Covid-19, taking the total number of confirmed cases to 7,365.
READ MORE
So far 237,003 people have been tested for the virus in Northern Ireland.
“I am increasingly of the view that Covid-19 has the potential for another full-scale assault,” said Mr Swann at a departmental press conference.
“More people will sadly lose their lives and suffer long-term damage to their health.”
“This is going to be a tough winter, the toughest winter probably our health service has faced in its history,” said Mr Swann.
The Minister said he has approved plans for a second Nightingale facility in Northern Ireland to be located at Whiteabbey Hospital in Co Antrim.
The Whiteabbey facility would provide an additional 100 regional intermediate care beds to tend to patients coming out of more serious treatment.
At the height of the pandemic in the North a Nightingale facility was set up in the tower block of City Hospital in central Belfast. It was later stood down. Mr Swann said that hospital could be reactivated if necessary.
The North’s chief medical officer Dr Michael McBride told reporters that the ages of people testing positive for the virus was changing. Two-thirds of those now coming down with Covid-19 were aged under 40. He said just ten per cent of cases now were happening to people aged 60 and over compared to that age cohort suffering 40-50 per cent of cases in March.
Mr Swann and Dr McBride acknowledged that the testing system currently was under strain, particularly with parents of children returning to school anxious to have them tested for Covid-19. “If your child needs a test they will be tested,” he said.
Dr McBride said the testing system was working well, notwithstanding the current pressures. “We are testing more per 100,000 of population than any other part of these islands,” he said.
Dr McBride also said that there was little doubt that with schools returning there would be “clusters of cases associated with schools”. He said the cases would be associated “not necessarily” with the school environment but could be linked to activities associated with school, happening “on the way to school, before school, and after school as much as what happens in school”.


theirishtimes--2020-09-02--Woman sues over vicious 90-minute attack by Japanese Akito dog

A woman who spent 11 days in intensive care after being attacked by a dog allegedly owned by her late father just days after his funeral has sued for damages in the High Court .
The attack on Olivia Donnelly by a Japanese Akito dog called Bran lasted ninety minutes and only ended when she managed to crawl in a door and was dragged to safety , her counsel told the court .
Hugh McGahon SC , with Aaron Shearer BL , said Ms Donnelly was so savagely attacked she was immediately transferred to Beaumont Hospital , Dublin , where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a total eight weeks in hospital .
The key issue in Ms Donnelly ’ s action is who was the owner of the dog at the time of the attack , the court heard .
Her counsel said it is being contended by the defence that Ms Donnelly , as one of the persons entitled to inherit the estate of her late father , may have been an owner of the dog and therefore may be liable for its actions .
Counsel said the early morning attack took place in the yard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Road , Co Louth , owned by Ms Donnelly ’ s publican father Michael at the time of his death on November 4th , 2015 .
Counsel said Mr Donnelly owned the three-year-old dog and never let anyone else near it .
The dog had a history of nipping and biting and was a “ savage attacker ” of other dogs when he got out of the property , he said .
Eight days after Mr Donnelly ’ s funeral the dog attacked Ms Donnelly as she went to bottle feed two pups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counsel said .
Other members of the family “ heard the commotion ” , tried to distract the dog and dragged Ms Donnelly through the pub door after she managed to get to it .
The attack , Mr McGahon said , lasted one and half hours and Ms Donnelly had been left with no use of her left arm and has had to have numerous operations .
“ There is no end to it , ” counsel added .
A mother of three and community officer of Mandydown Close , Red Barns @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 44 ) has sued the administrator ad litem in the estate of her late father .
She claim she thought she was going to be killed by the dog , has suffered nightmares since the attack and has been diagnosed as suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder .
She has further claimed failure to keep a muzzle on the dog and to ensure the dog could not attack her .
The claims are denied and it is contended Ms Donnelly failed to take any or any appropriate care when attending a premises where she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ present .
The court heard there was a complex issue to be considered in relation to ownership .
Mr Justice Bernard Barton said that should be decided before the substantial action proceeds .
The judge will rule on the ownership issue next week .

The court heard there was a complex issue to be considered in relation to ownership .
A woman who spent 11 days in intensive care after being attacked by a dog allegedly owned by her late father just days after his funeral has sued for damages in the High Court.
The attack on Olivia Donnelly by a Japanese Akito dog called Bran lasted ninety minutes and only ended when she managed to crawl in a door and was dragged to safety, her counsel told the court.
Hugh McGahon SC, with Aaron Shearer BL, said Ms Donnelly was so savagely attacked she was immediately transferred to Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, where she spent eleven days in intensive care and a total eight weeks in hospital.
The key issue in Ms Donnelly’s action is who was the owner of the dog at the time of the attack, the court heard.
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Her counsel said it is being contended by the defence that Ms Donnelly, as one of the persons entitled to inherit the estate of her late father, may have been an owner of the dog and therefore may be liable for its actions.
Counsel said the early morning attack took place in the yard of the Redpenny Inn premises at Ardee Road, Co Louth, owned by Ms Donnelly’s publican father Michael at the time of his death on November 4th, 2015.
Counsel said Mr Donnelly owned the three-year-old dog and never let anyone else near it. The dog had a history of nipping and biting and was a “savage attacker” of other dogs when he got out of the property, he said.
Eight days after Mr Donnelly’s funeral the dog attacked Ms Donnelly as she went to bottle feed two pups of another dog on the property, counsel said.
Other members of the family “heard the commotion”, tried to distract the dog and dragged Ms Donnelly through the pub door after she managed to get to it.
The attack, Mr McGahon said, lasted one and half hours and Ms Donnelly had been left with no use of her left arm and has had to have numerous operations. “There is no end to it,” counsel added.
A mother of three and community officer of Mandydown Close, Red Barns Road, Dundalk, Ms Donnelly (44) has sued the administrator ad litem in the estate of her late father.
She claim she thought she was going to be killed by the dog, has suffered nightmares since the attack and has been diagnosed as suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
She has further claimed failure to keep a muzzle on the dog and to ensure the dog could not attack her.
The claims are denied and it is contended Ms Donnelly failed to take any or any appropriate care when attending a premises where she knew a Japanese Akito dog to be present.
The court heard there was a complex issue to be considered in relation to ownership .
Mr Justice Bernard Barton said that should be decided before the substantial action proceeds.
The judge will rule on the ownership issue next week.


theirishtimes--2020-09-02--Watchdog review of disabled in institutions sparks call for action

Renewed calls have been made for the urgent transfer of people with disabilities to community settings following a report identifying poor quality of life for many of those living in institutions .
An annual review of the disability services last year found one-third of residents remain in large settings where they are at a greater risk of such an experience than those living in the community .
The Health Information and Quality Authority ( Hiqa ) published its findings on Wednesday , based on more than 1,000 inspections in 2019 .
Those in congregated settings were often separated from their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and outdated accommodation , said deputy chief inspector of social services Finbarr Colfer .
“ Important aspects of everyday life and person-centred care , such as the privacy of your own room , being able to have local friends , and having access to your own kitchen or laundry facilities are often compromised or unavailable to these residents , ” he said .
At the end of last year there were 1,268 registered designated centres for people with disabilities , providing places for 9,064 residents .
Although the majority of centres provided a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and inspections found increasing rates of compliance in key areas such as protection and social care – many residents living in congregated settings experience a “ poor quality of service and life ” .
The report also outlines concerns regarding poor governance and management in several settings .
It drew an immediate response from Inclusion Ireland , the national association for people with intellectual disabilities , which said it was concerned by familiar outcomes .
“ Over the years countless Hiqa reports have described the abuse , lack of freedom and choice that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ residential care ” said its chief executive Enda Egan .
“ Inclusion Ireland have campaigned for many years for the immediate closure of these types of services and for people with disabilities to be given the opportunity to live their lives in their communities.
” Original targets for moving individuals out of such settings have been missed for years and today there are about 2,900 people living a poor quality of life , the charity noted .
“ At current rates of people moving out it will take more than 15 years to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A mere 132 are planned to move in 2020 , ” said Mr Egan .
The charity has asked for immediate action to accelerate the process of moving from institutions .
A key focus of the inspectors ’ activity was the views of residents .
Most said they were happy in their homes and felt safe , but in some congregated settings their days were primarily focused on campus-based activities often limited by staff shortages .
Inspectors also came across cases where external activities were delayed or cancelled because transport had to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ residents .
Some expressed frustration about the length of time being taken for them to move to community-based services .
“ Worryingly , some residents said that they had stopped engaging in advocacy meetings to support their plans to transition to the community , as they felt progress was not being made , ” the report found .
By contrast to the institutional experience , many of those in the community had developed independent living skills .
A lack of similar experience in congregated settings was often due to simple building design with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ residents did not have their own bedrooms and told inspectors they did not like living with the people in their home , in some cases feeling afraid , uncomfortable or unsafe .
During 2019 , 236 pieces of unsolicited information regarding the concerns of residents , families and others were received by Hiqa .

The Hiqa report noted that many residents living in congregated settings experience a ‘poor quality of service and life’. File photograph: Getty
Renewed calls have been made for the urgent transfer of people with disabilities to community settings following a report identifying poor quality of life for many of those living in institutions.
An annual review of the disability services last year found one-third of residents remain in large settings where they are at a greater risk of such an experience than those living in the community.
The Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) published its findings on Wednesday, based on more than 1,000 inspections in 2019.
Those in congregated settings were often separated from their communities and continue to live in unsuitable and outdated accommodation, said deputy chief inspector of social services Finbarr Colfer.
READ MORE
“Important aspects of everyday life and person-centred care, such as the privacy of your own room, being able to have local friends, and having access to your own kitchen or laundry facilities are often compromised or unavailable to these residents,” he said.
At the end of last year there were 1,268 registered designated centres for people with disabilities, providing places for 9,064 residents.
Although the majority of centres provided a good quality of care and support – and inspections found increasing rates of compliance in key areas such as protection and social care – many residents living in congregated settings experience a “poor quality of service and life”.
The report also outlines concerns regarding poor governance and management in several settings.
It drew an immediate response from Inclusion Ireland, the national association for people with intellectual disabilities, which said it was concerned by familiar outcomes.
"Over the years countless Hiqa reports have described the abuse, lack of freedom and choice that persons with an intellectual disability experience in residential care" said its chief executive Enda Egan.
“Inclusion Ireland have campaigned for many years for the immediate closure of these types of services and for people with disabilities to be given the opportunity to live their lives in their communities.”
Original targets for moving individuals out of such settings have been missed for years and today there are about 2,900 people living a poor quality of life, the charity noted.
“At current rates of people moving out it will take more than 15 years to move all current residents to community settings. A mere 132 are planned to move in 2020,” said Mr Egan. The charity has asked for immediate action to accelerate the process of moving from institutions.
Views of residents
A key focus of the inspectors’ activity was the views of residents. Most said they were happy in their homes and felt safe, but in some congregated settings their days were primarily focused on campus-based activities often limited by staff shortages.
Inspectors also came across cases where external activities were delayed or cancelled because transport had to be shared between a large number of residents.
Some expressed frustration about the length of time being taken for them to move to community-based services.
“Worryingly, some residents said that they had stopped engaging in advocacy meetings to support their plans to transition to the community, as they felt progress was not being made,” the report found.
By contrast to the institutional experience, many of those in the community had developed independent living skills.
A lack of similar experience in congregated settings was often due to simple building design with centralised kitchen and laundry facilities.
Some residents did not have their own bedrooms and told inspectors they did not like living with the people in their home, in some cases feeling afraid, uncomfortable or unsafe.
During 2019, 236 pieces of unsolicited information regarding the concerns of residents, families and others were received by Hiqa.


theirishtimes--2020-09-02--Proposed nuclear power plant not a threat to Ireland, Government says

The Government has said it is satisfied a proposed €22.5 billion nuclear power plant in the UK does not pose a threat to Ireland .
The Irish public has been urged to participate in a consultation process regarding the development of the Sizewell C facility at Suffolk .
In line with a UN convention , UK authorities announced the consultation in Ireland on Wednesday and details of the plant are to be made available for review in planning offices across Ireland .
Located on the east coast of England , it is to contain two reactor units generating 3,340MW of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ homes .
Construction is due to take up to 12 years and the plant itself would have a lifespan of 60 years .
The Department of Housing , Planning and Local Government received notification from the UK authorities regarding the plans under the terms of the UN Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context , known as the Espoo Convention .
The plans were “ screened ” twice by the UK Secretary of State , who said they are “ not likely to have significant adverse transboundary effects on the environment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Department of Communications , Climate Action and Environment said that position was reflected in advice it requested and received from the Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA ) in July .
“ Ireland respects the right of other States to determine their own energy mix ; where that includes nuclear energy ; Ireland expects that the entire life-cycle from generation to waste disposal adheres to the highest possible international standards.
” The Green Party did not immediately respond to requests for comment .
However the environmental lobby , long concerned by the UK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said vigilance was needed .
Issues for campaigners include Ireland ’ s readiness for a worst-case scenario accident as well as questions around waste disposal .
“ While that [ the UK ’ s assurance there is no adverse threat to Ireland ] is very welcome , people can ’ t be complacent , ” said Attracta Uí Bhroin , environmental law officer at the Irish Environmental Network ( IEN ) .
“ The fact of the matter is that nuclear accidents do happen , thankfully very rarely ... absolute vigilance is essential.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ nobody recalls what the initial probability was of an incident at Chernobyl , Fukushima or Three Mile Island in the US , only the disasters themselves .
She said it was important that members of the public - not just environmental groups - take part in order to apply pressure on Irish authorities to ensure oversight , particularly in terms of an environmental impact assessment .
A 2016 report by the Economic and Social Research Institute ( ESRI ) looking at the potential outcomes of a nuclear accident close to Ireland , found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was no actual contamination , reputational losses in relation to tourism and export markets could amount to €4 billion .
Sizewell C has completed eight years of public consultation in the UK .
At the end of June , EDF , the French state-controlled utility behind it , reported that an application had been filed for a nuclear site licence .
It said a planning application , also lodged in June , would be examined over a 15 to 18 month period .
Sizewell C ’ s nearly identical sister station at Hinkley @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Its nuclear site licence application was submitted in July , 2011 and approved in November , 2012 .
The Government has asked the EPA to formally respond to the consultation notice and the spokeswoman said there is ongoing engagement between UK and Irish authorities on nuclear planning and safety matters through the UK-Ireland Radiological Matters Group .
That forum , which is due to meet again later this year , allows Irish experts the opportunity to question UK authorities on various relevant issues .

Located on the east coast of England, Sizewell C is to contain two reactor units generating 3,340MW of power, enough for about six million homes. Stock image: iStock
The Government has said it is satisfied a proposed €22.5 billion nuclear power plant in the UK does not pose a threat to Ireland.
The Irish public has been urged to participate in a consultation process regarding the development of the Sizewell C facility at Suffolk.
In line with a UN convention, UK authorities announced the consultation in Ireland on Wednesday and details of the plant are to be made available for review in planning offices across Ireland.
Located on the east coast of England, it is to contain two reactor units generating 3,340MW of power, enough for about six million homes. Construction is due to take up to 12 years and the plant itself would have a lifespan of 60 years.
READ MORE
The Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government received notification from the UK authorities regarding the plans under the terms of the UN Convention on Environmental Impact Assessment in a Transboundary Context, known as the Espoo Convention.
The plans were “screened” twice by the UK Secretary of State, who said they are “not likely to have significant adverse transboundary effects on the environment” in Ireland.
In a statement the Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment said that position was reflected in advice it requested and received from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in July.
“Ireland respects the right of other States to determine their own energy mix; where that includes nuclear energy; Ireland expects that the entire life-cycle from generation to waste disposal adheres to the highest possible international standards.”
Environmental Groups
The Green Party did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
However the environmental lobby, long concerned by the UK’s nuclear policy, has raised said vigilance was needed. Issues for campaigners include Ireland’s readiness for a worst-case scenario accident as well as questions around waste disposal.
“While that [the UK’s assurance there is no adverse threat to Ireland] is very welcome, people can’t be complacent,” said Attracta Uí Bhroin, environmental law officer at the Irish Environmental Network (IEN).
“The fact of the matter is that nuclear accidents do happen, thankfully very rarely...absolute vigilance is essential.”
Ms Uí Bhroin pointed out that nobody recalls what the initial probability was of an incident at Chernobyl, Fukushima or Three Mile Island in the US, only the disasters themselves.
She said it was important that members of the public - not just environmental groups - take part in order to apply pressure on Irish authorities to ensure oversight, particularly in terms of an environmental impact assessment.
A 2016 report by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI) looking at the potential outcomes of a nuclear accident close to Ireland, found that even in a scenario where there was no actual contamination, reputational losses in relation to tourism and export markets could amount to €4 billion.
Sizewell C has completed eight years of public consultation in the UK. At the end of June, EDF, the French state-controlled utility behind it, reported that an application had been filed for a nuclear site licence. It said a planning application, also lodged in June, would be examined over a 15 to 18 month period.
Sizewell C’s nearly identical sister station at Hinkley Point is under construction in Somerset. Its nuclear site licence application was submitted in July, 2011 and approved in November, 2012.
The Government has asked the EPA to formally respond to the consultation notice and the spokeswoman said there is ongoing engagement between UK and Irish authorities on nuclear planning and safety matters through the UK-Ireland Radiological Matters Group.
That forum, which is due to meet again later this year, allows Irish experts the opportunity to question UK authorities on various relevant issues.


theirishtimes--2020-09-02--Gardaí find 21 pubs selling alcohol without food in the past week

Another 21 pubs were found to be selling alcohol without food over the past week , gardaí have said .
Inspections were carried out from August 24th to August 30th inclusive as part of Operation Navigation .
Gardaí said there was “ widespread compliance ” by licensed premises in relation to the public health regulations .
“ To date , the vast majority of licensed premises operating have been found to be in compliance with regulations and licensing laws , ” said a spokesman .
In all of the 21 pubs found to be in breach , gardaí found customers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ food also being consumed and no evidence of receipts to show that food had been sold .
Files will now be prepared for the DPP in each of these cases .
The total number of such incidents since Operation Navigation began is now 185 .
Garda deputy commissioner , policing and security , John Twomey said the continued high level of compliance among licensed premises was “ very welcome ” .
“ It is very disappointing that some licensed premises are continuing to put their employees , their customers and their local community @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
“ Customers of such licensed premises also have a responsibility to help reduce the spread of Covid-19 to protect their family , friends and neighbours .
“ It is vital that we individually and collectively follow the public health advice and adhere to the public health regulations to reduce the number of people getting Covid-19.
” Separately , gardaí recommenced Operation Fanacht , a localised policing operation focused on public compliance with travel restrictions , following the decision by the Government to enforce lockdown measures in Co Kildare .
There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Kildare and surrounding divisions on August 29th and 30th .
Of these , 65 were in Kildare , the remaining 53 were conducted in the other surrounding divisions .
The restrictions in the county have since been lifted .

Gardaí found customers consuming alcohol, but no evidence of food also being consumed and no evidence of receipts to show that food had been sold.
Another 21 pubs were found to be selling alcohol without food over the past week, gardaí have said.
Inspections were carried out from August 24th to August 30th inclusive as part of Operation Navigation.
Gardaí said there was “widespread compliance” by licensed premises in relation to the public health regulations.
“To date, the vast majority of licensed premises operating have been found to be in compliance with regulations and licensing laws,” said a spokesman.
READ MORE
In all of the 21 pubs found to be in breach, gardaí found customers consuming alcohol, but no evidence of food also being consumed and no evidence of receipts to show that food had been sold. Files will now be prepared for the DPP in each of these cases.
The total number of such incidents since Operation Navigation began is now 185.
Garda deputy commissioner, policing and security, John Twomey said the continued high level of compliance among licensed premises was "very welcome".
“It is very disappointing that some licensed premises are continuing to put their employees, their customers and their local community at risk of getting Covid-19,” he said.
“Customers of such licensed premises also have a responsibility to help reduce the spread of Covid-19 to protect their family, friends and neighbours.
“It is vital that we individually and collectively follow the public health advice and adhere to the public health regulations to reduce the number of people getting Covid-19.”
Separately, gardaí recommenced Operation Fanacht, a localised policing operation focused on public compliance with travel restrictions, following the decision by the Government to enforce lockdown measures in Co Kildare.
There were a total of 118 checkpoints conducted in Kildare and surrounding divisions on August 29th and 30th. Of these, 65 were in Kildare, the remaining 53 were conducted in the other surrounding divisions. The restrictions in the county have since been lifted.


theirishtimes--2020-09-02--Number of poor households escalates in 2019, says CSO

The proportion of households that are considered to be marginalised or deprived because they can not afford goods and services that are considered to be societal norms rose last year , according to the Central Statistics Office ( CSO ) .
In 2019 , 17.8 per cent of the population was defined as living in enforced deprivation , compared with 15.1 per cent in 2018 and a high of 30.5 per cent in 2013 .
Enforced deprivation is defined as a household which experiences two or more “ deprivation items ” , such as being unable to heat their home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ once a week , or being unable to afford a warm , waterproof jacket .
Most socio-demographic groups experienced an increase in enforced deprivation rates year-on-year in 2019 , according to the CSO .
The largest year-on-year increase in the enforced deprivation rate was among those living in rented accommodation , rising from 27.4 per cent in 2018 to 34.4 per cent in 2019 .
In comparison , for those living in owner-occupied accommodation , there was little year-on-year change deprivation rate , which stood at 10.3 per cent in 2019 and 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enforced deprivation rates were among people living in households with one adult and one or more children aged under 18 ( 45.4 per cent ) , and those not at work due to permanent illness or disability ( 43.3 per cent ) .
Meanwhile , the lowest enforced deprivation rates were among the retired at 9.4 per cent , households with three or more persons at work at 7.4 per cent , and those with a third-level degree or higher at 5.3 per cent .
The most common types of deprivation experienced by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to afford to replace worn out furniture ( 18.1 per cent ) , being unable to afford to meet family or friends for a drink or a meal once a month ( 13.6 per cent ) and an inability to afford a morning , afternoon or evening out in the last fortnight ( 11.7 per cent ) .
While there has been a slight increase in the proportions experiencing most types of deprivation in 2019 compared to 2018 , there has been a general downward trend on figures reported since the peak in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ consistently been more likely than men to experience enforced deprivation , the CSO report states .
In 2019 , 18.3 per cent of females and 17.4 per cent of males experienced enforced deprivation , compared to 15.6 per cent and 14.7 per cent respectively in 2018 .
In terms of age breakdown , children under the age of 18 were most likely to be living in enforced deprivation , while those aged 65 and over were the least likely .
In 2019 , 23.3 per cent of persons aged under 18 were living @ @ @ @ @ @ @ per cent of persons aged 18-64 and 11.2 per cent of persons aged 65 and over .
However , all age groups saw an increase in enforced deprivation rates compared to 2018 .

The highest enforced deprivation rates were among people living in households with one adult and one or more children aged under 18. File photograph: Getty
The proportion of households that are considered to be marginalised or deprived because they cannot afford goods and services that are considered to be societal norms rose last year, according to the Central Statistics Office (CSO).
In 2019, 17.8 per cent of the population was defined as living in enforced deprivation, compared with 15.1 per cent in 2018 and a high of 30.5 per cent in 2013.
Enforced deprivation is defined as a household which experiences two or more “deprivation items”, such as being unable to heat their home, being unable to afford a roast once a week, or being unable to afford a warm, waterproof jacket.
Most socio-demographic groups experienced an increase in enforced deprivation rates year-on-year in 2019, according to the CSO.
READ MORE
The largest year-on-year increase in the enforced deprivation rate was among those living in rented accommodation, rising from 27.4 per cent in 2018 to 34.4 per cent in 2019.
In comparison, for those living in owner-occupied accommodation, there was little year-on-year change deprivation rate, which stood at 10.3 per cent in 2019 and 10 per cent in 2018.
The highest enforced deprivation rates were among people living in households with one adult and one or more children aged under 18 (45.4 per cent), and those not at work due to permanent illness or disability (43.3 per cent).
Meanwhile, the lowest enforced deprivation rates were among the retired at 9.4 per cent, households with three or more persons at work at 7.4 per cent, and those with a third-level degree or higher at 5.3 per cent.
The most common types of deprivation experienced by Irish households in 2019 were an inability to afford to replace worn out furniture (18.1 per cent), being unable to afford to meet family or friends for a drink or a meal once a month (13.6 per cent) and an inability to afford a morning, afternoon or evening out in the last fortnight (11.7 per cent).
How have women fared?
While there has been a slight increase in the proportions experiencing most types of deprivation in 2019 compared to 2018, there has been a general downward trend on figures reported since the peak in 2013.
Since 2004, women have consistently been more likely than men to experience enforced deprivation, the CSO report states.
In 2019, 18.3 per cent of females and 17.4 per cent of males experienced enforced deprivation, compared to 15.6 per cent and 14.7 per cent respectively in 2018.
In terms of age breakdown, children under the age of 18 were most likely to be living in enforced deprivation, while those aged 65 and over were the least likely.
In 2019, 23.3 per cent of persons aged under 18 were living in enforced deprivation, compared to 17.1 per cent of persons aged 18-64 and 11.2 per cent of persons aged 65 and over.
However, all age groups saw an increase in enforced deprivation rates compared to 2018.


theirishtimes--2020-09-02--No-swim notice placed on popular north Co Dublin stretch of beach

A no-swim notice has been placed on one of north Dublin ’ s most popular stretches of beach .
The @ @ @ @ @ place at Velvet Strand in Portmarnock due to a storm water overflow at a pumping @ @ @ @ @ local rain .
It is due to remain in place for four days , according @ @ @ @ @ A water sample will be taken on Thursday with results due on Saturday , at @ @ @ @ @ be reviewed .
“ Velvet Strand Portmarnock remains open but beach users are asked to @ @ @ @ @ Swim ’ notice as it has been put in place to ensure that the health @ @ @ @ @ , ” the council said in a statement .
The strand is made up of @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Eye island and the Howth peninsula and is a popular summer swimming destination @

The ban is due to remain in place for four days, according to Fingal County Council. File photograph.
A no-swim notice has been placed on one of north Dublin's most popular stretches of beach.
The temporary prohibition was put in place at Velvet Strand in Portmarnock due to a storm water overflow at a pumping station, caused by heavy local rain.
It is due to remain in place for four days, according to Fingal County Council.
A water sample will be taken on Thursday with results due on Saturday, at which point the notice will be reviewed.
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“Velvet Strand Portmarnock remains open but beach users are asked to respect the ‘Do Not Swim’ notice as it has been put in place to ensure that the health of bathers is not compromised,” the council said in a statement.
The strand is made up of 5km of beach facing Ireland's Eye island and the Howth peninsula and is a popular summer swimming destination.


theirishtimes--2020-09-02--Patient complaint against Walkinstown GP over face mask letter

A doctor has been subject to a Medical Council complaint after refusing to provide a letter excusing a patient from wearing a face mask in mandatory settings , such as on public transport or in shops .
Dr William Behan , a GP based in Walkinstown , southwest Dublin , said in his clinical experience the woman did not meet the criteria to be exempt from mandatory requirements to wear face coverings .
People with autism , sensory issues , mental illness or some physical disabilities are exempt from the requirements , as are children under the age of 13 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Government in recent months to help stop the spread of coronavirus .
Individuals can be permitted on public transport , and into shops and other indoor public settings without a mask with a letter from a GP outlining that they are unable to wear a face covering .
Dr Behan said about two months ago a patient requested a letter excusing her from wearing face coverings , following a long consultation about a separate matter .
The woman told him “ I don ’ t want to wear a face mask ” as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public transport , Dr Behan said .
After discussing the matter with the woman the GP said he felt she did not meet the requirements to be exempt from wearing face coverings .
“ I felt she didn ’ t fulfil the criteria , ” he said .
The woman then raised the matter with the local Health Service Executive office , who contacted the GP .
“ They obviously wanted me to give her a letter .
In my clinical experience I thought she didn ’ t warrant it , ” Dr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ HSE office responded to the woman to say it was “ going round in circles ” speaking to the GP , and suggested she could complain to the Medical Council over the matter , said Dr Behan .
The Medical Council is responsible for regulating doctors and has the power to conduct fitness to practice inquiries into complaints .
In recent weeks the GP received a letter from the council outlining a complaint had been made against him .
Dr Behan said GPs countrywide were already “ massively burdened ” with additional workloads @ @ @ @ @ @ @ took “ several hours ” to draft a detailed response to the council .
Dealing with the regulator can be “ stressful ” , he said , adding he was “ disappointed ” with the approach the local HSE office had taken on the matter .
Dr Behan said he expects to hear from the council in the coming weeks and is hopeful the matter would be settled .
“ The Medical Council is generally good for dealing with trivial complaints , ” he said .
A spokeswoman for the HSE said if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advice “ they should bring this to the attention of the medical professional in the first instance .
If the person can not resolve their clinical complaint with the medical professional involved , then they will have to raise the complaint with the relevant governing agency.
” A spokesman for the Medical Council said it could not comment on individual cases and is obliged to investigate all complaints it receives .
When a complaint is made it is handled by the council ’ s preliminary proceedings committee who decide if it requires further @ @ @ @ @

The GP said he felt the patient did not meet the requirements to be exempt from wearing face coverings. File photograph: Getty
A doctor has been subject to a Medical Council complaint after refusing to provide a letter excusing a patient from wearing a face mask in mandatory settings, such as on public transport or in shops.
Dr William Behan, a GP based in Walkinstown, southwest Dublin, said in his clinical experience the woman did not meet the criteria to be exempt from mandatory requirements to wear face coverings.
People with autism, sensory issues, mental illness or some physical disabilities are exempt from the requirements, as are children under the age of 13. The requirements were introduced by the Government in recent months to help stop the spread of coronavirus.
Individuals can be permitted on public transport, and into shops and other indoor public settings without a mask with a letter from a GP outlining that they are unable to wear a face covering.
READ MORE
Dr Behan said about two months ago a patient requested a letter excusing her from wearing face coverings, following a long consultation about a separate matter.
The woman told him “I don’t want to wear a face mask” as she regularly had a long commute on public transport, Dr Behan said.
After discussing the matter with the woman the GP said he felt she did not meet the requirements to be exempt from wearing face coverings. “I felt she didn’t fulfil the criteria,” he said.
The woman then raised the matter with the local Health Service Executive office, who contacted the GP. "They obviously wanted me to give her a letter. In my clinical experience I thought she didn't warrant it," Dr Behan told The Irish Times.
The HSE office responded to the woman to say it was “going round in circles” speaking to the GP, and suggested she could complain to the Medical Council over the matter, said Dr Behan.
The Medical Council is responsible for regulating doctors and has the power to conduct fitness to practice inquiries into complaints.
In recent weeks the GP received a letter from the council outlining a complaint had been made against him. Dr Behan said GPs countrywide were already “massively burdened” with additional workloads due to Covid-19. He said he took “several hours” to draft a detailed response to the council.
‘Trivial complaints’
Dealing with the regulator can be “stressful”, he said, adding he was “disappointed” with the approach the local HSE office had taken on the matter.
Dr Behan said he expects to hear from the council in the coming weeks and is hopeful the matter would be settled. “The Medical Council is generally good for dealing with trivial complaints,” he said.
A spokeswoman for the HSE said if a person is unhappy with their clinical advice “they should bring this to the attention of the medical professional in the first instance. If the person cannot resolve their clinical complaint with the medical professional involved, then they will have to raise the complaint with the relevant governing agency.”
A spokesman for the Medical Council said it could not comment on individual cases and is obliged to investigate all complaints it receives.
When a complaint is made it is handled by the council’s preliminary proceedings committee who decide if it requires further action by the regulator.


theirishtimes--2020-09-03--Covid-19 tracker app: ‘1,500 people downloading a day’

About 1,500 people per day are downloading the Covid-19 tracker app , the Health Service Executive ( HSE ) has said , bringing the number of devices with the application installed to 1.28 million .
The app was launched in early July , and the HSE said the number of people who have the app downloaded increases each day .
The health service acknowledged a “ significant number ” of people with Android phones uninstalled the app due to a battery issue in early August .
“ Those issues were fixed quickly , and we are seeing the number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to levels achieved before this issue , ” a spokeswoman said .
More than 300 people who have tested positive for Covid-19 have uploaded the random IDs that have been generated by their phone to anonymously alert people they were in close contact with .
The HSE has recorded nearly 900 close contact alerts through the app since its launch .
“ As we have said from the start , the app does not replace the normal contact tracing process but is a really significant enhancement .
It can help us to speed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instances , ” the spokeswoman said .
“ People can restrict their movements as soon as they get an alert while they are waiting to talk to the contact tracing team who will arrange a test for them .
This is really important as it reduces the number of people that could potentially be exposed to the virus.
” The HSE said that no form of contract tracing can pick up 100 per cent of close contacts but noted the benefits of combining manual and app-based contact tracing .
“ One of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ identify and communicate with close contacts that are unknown to each other .
Manual contact tracing simply can ’ t do this .
These types of close contact might happen in a restaurant , café , out shopping or on public transport , ” the HSE spokeswoman said .
The Covid-19 tracker app determines the default language of the phone and presents the app in that language assuming the translations are present .
The most recent update included a Portuguese translation , and future versions will be released in the languages used most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on data from the Central Statistics Office and the HSE ’ s Social Inclusion Office .
Asked about issues around the accessibility of the app for some older phones , the spokeswoman said although the app will work on older phones , the “ underlying Exposure Notification System ( ENS ) which enables the contact tracing function is not available ” .
“ This is out of our control , but we have requested that Apple and Google work to make ENS available on as many phones as possible , ” she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other options to make the app more universal , including the possible use of wearable devices .
”

About 1,500 people per day are downloading the Covid-19 tracker app, the Health Service Executive (HSE) has said, bringing the number of devices with the application installed to 1.28 million.
The app was launched in early July, and the HSE said the number of people who have the app downloaded increases each day.
The health service acknowledged a “significant number” of people with Android phones uninstalled the app due to a battery issue in early August.
“Those issues were fixed quickly, and we are seeing the number of Android devices with the app installed returning to levels achieved before this issue,” a spokeswoman said.
READ MORE
More than 300 people who have tested positive for Covid-19 have uploaded the random IDs that have been generated by their phone to anonymously alert people they were in close contact with.
The HSE has recorded nearly 900 close contact alerts through the app since its launch.
“As we have said from the start, the app does not replace the normal contact tracing process but is a really significant enhancement. It can help us to speed up the contact tracing process in some instances,” the spokeswoman said.
“People can restrict their movements as soon as they get an alert while they are waiting to talk to the contact tracing team who will arrange a test for them. This is really important as it reduces the number of people that could potentially be exposed to the virus.”
The HSE said that no form of contract tracing can pick up 100 per cent of close contacts but noted the benefits of combining manual and app-based contact tracing.
“One of the most significant benefits is its ability to identify and communicate with close contacts that are unknown to each other. Manual contact tracing simply can’t do this. These types of close contact might happen in a restaurant, café, out shopping or on public transport,” the HSE spokeswoman said.
The Covid-19 tracker app determines the default language of the phone and presents the app in that language assuming the translations are present.
The most recent update included a Portuguese translation, and future versions will be released in the languages used most widely by people on Ireland, based on data from the Central Statistics Office and the HSE's Social Inclusion Office.
Asked about issues around the accessibility of the app for some older phones, the spokeswoman said although the app will work on older phones, the “ underlying Exposure Notification System (ENS) which enables the contact tracing function is not available”.
"This is out of our control, but we have requested that Apple and Google work to make ENS available on as many phones as possible," she said.
“We are continuing to explore other options to make the app more universal, including the possible use of wearable devices.”


theirishtimes--2020-09-03--Bullying and school pressure contribute to Irish teens’ low life satisfaction - Unicef

Bullying , pressure to do well in school , and negative feelings about their bodies all contributed to Irish teenagers being less satisfied with their lives than peers in other wealthy countries , according to research from Unicef .
Irish adolescents had one of the lowest rates of life satisfaction in the OECD , at 72 per cent .
When asked to rate their satisfaction with life out of ten , 28 per cent of Irish teenagers said it was lower than five .
The findings were contained in a major annual study on the wellbeing of young people in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s charity Unicef .
The Unicef Report Card comparing countries across several measures of childhood wellbeing and development has been running for over two decades .
Overall Ireland ranked 12th out of 38th when it came to young people ’ s wellbeing , with the Netherlands in the top spot , followed by Denmark and Norway .
Gwyther Rees , Unicef lead researcher on the work , said the findings showed one in six Irish children were not satisfied with life , and felt they had no sense of purpose .
Speaking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday , Mr Rees said the research found several factors were contributing to Irish teenagers ’ low life satisfaction levels .
These included bullying , which was one major factor that “ affects children hugely , ” he said .
Children who reported being bullied had markedly lower levels of life satisfaction , he said .
Other factors included pressure to do well at school , poor family relationships , negative feelings about their bodies , and material deprivation , Mr Rees said .
The research found that technology use , such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on young people ’ s wellbeing , he said .
Addressing a virtual press conference , Mr Rees said “ one of the big risks of Covid is that it may accentuate inequalities that already exist in societies.
” Minister for Children Roderic O ’ Gorman said he was aware of the “ acute ” impacts an economic recession due to the coronavirus would have on young people .
Irish adolescents aged between 11 and 15 were more comfortable with their bodies than the OECD average .
Some 27 per cent of Irish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ too fat , while 14 per cent felt they were too skinny , according to the Unicef research .
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development is made up of 38 member countries , and includes much of Europe , and other countries such as the United States , Japan , Australia , Turkey and Canada .
Young people in Poland , Germany , Estonia and Greece were among the most uncomfortable with their bodies , while those in Iceland were by far the most satisfied .
When it came to young people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the bottom third at 26th , and 17th in terms of physical health .
Ireland ranked sixth in the overall table when it came to young people ’ s skills , in areas like education and socialisation .
Some 78 per cent of Irish teenagers had basic reading and maths skills , second only to Estonia .
Irish teenagers also ranked above average when it came to making friends , with 76 per cent of 15 year olds reporting they easily made friends , the research found .

Irish adolescents had one of the lowest rates of life satisfaction in the OECD, at 72 per cent. Photograph: iStock
Bullying, pressure to do well in school, and negative feelings about their bodies all contributed to Irish teenagers being less satisfied with their lives than peers in other wealthy countries, according to research from Unicef.
Irish adolescents had one of the lowest rates of life satisfaction in the OECD, at 72 per cent. When asked to rate their satisfaction with life out of ten, 28 per cent of Irish teenagers said it was lower than five.
The findings were contained in a major annual study on the wellbeing of young people in OECD countries, conducted by global children’s charity Unicef.
The Unicef Report Card comparing countries across several measures of childhood wellbeing and development has been running for over two decades. Overall Ireland ranked 12th out of 38th when it came to young people’s wellbeing, with the Netherlands in the top spot, followed by Denmark and Norway.
READ MORE
Gwyther Rees, Unicef lead researcher on the work, said the findings showed one in six Irish children were not satisfied with life, and felt they had no sense of purpose.
Speaking following the report’s publication on Thursday, Mr Rees said the research found several factors were contributing to Irish teenagers’ low life satisfaction levels.
These included bullying, which was one major factor that “affects children hugely,” he said. Children who reported being bullied had markedly lower levels of life satisfaction, he said.
Other factors included pressure to do well at school, poor family relationships, negative feelings about their bodies, and material deprivation, Mr Rees said.
The research found that technology use, such as smartphones, had little to no impact on young people’s wellbeing, he said.
Addressing a virtual press conference, Mr Rees said “one of the big risks of Covid is that it may accentuate inequalities that already exist in societies.”
Minister for Children Roderic O’Gorman said he was aware of the “acute” impacts an economic recession due to the coronavirus would have on young people.
Irish adolescents aged between 11 and 15 were more comfortable with their bodies than the OECD average. Some 27 per cent of Irish adolescents surveyed said they thought they were too fat, while 14 per cent felt they were too skinny, according to the Unicef research.
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development is made up of 38 member countries, and includes much of Europe, and other countries such as the United States, Japan, Australia, Turkey and Canada.
Young people in Poland, Germany, Estonia and Greece were among the most uncomfortable with their bodies, while those in Iceland were by far the most satisfied.
When it came to young people’s mental health Ireland ranked in the bottom third at 26th, and 17th in terms of physical health. Ireland ranked sixth in the overall table when it came to young people’s skills, in areas like education and socialisation.
Some 78 per cent of Irish teenagers had basic reading and maths skills, second only to Estonia. Irish teenagers also ranked above average when it came to making friends, with 76 per cent of 15 year olds reporting they easily made friends, the research found.


theirishtimes--2020-09-03--Covid-19: Roma community sees 22 positive tests in one outbreak

Twenty-two people have tested positive in a single outbreak of Covid-19 among the Roma community in the past week , according to public health officials .
The outbreak was the only one recorded in the Roma community during the week , according to figures supplied by the Department of Health .
So far in the pandemic , 13 Roma have been hospitalised with the disease , six were admitted to ICU and four have died .
Among other at-risk groups , there was one outbreak last week among homeless people and those with addiction issues , involving fewer than five @ @ @ @ @ @ @ date , four homeless people have been hospitalised during the pandemic , one was admitted to ICU and there have been two deaths .
There were also two outbreaks last week in direct provision centres last week .
To date , 15 asylum-seekers or staff in direct provision centres have been hospitalised but there have been no ICU admissions or deaths .
An increase in Covid-19 cases in Dublin in recent weeks is being largely driven by “ social transmission ” involving clusters in families and extended families , according to the National @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rises in case numbers have occurred in relatively deprived parts of the county , including the north city , the northwest and the west .
Dublin has accounted for 45 per cent of all new cases in the past fortnight .
Its 14-day incidence is 53 per 100,000 population , compared to 33 for the country as a whole .
Acting chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn has appealed to people in Dublin to “ take particular care ” , reduce their social contacts over the coming days and seek medical attention immediately @ @ @ @ @

Twenty-two people have tested positive in a single outbreak of Covid-19 among the Roma community
Twenty-two people have tested positive in a single outbreak of Covid-19 among the Roma community in the past week, according to public health officials.
The outbreak was the only one recorded in the Roma community during the week, according to figures supplied by the Department of Health.
So far in the pandemic, 13 Roma have been hospitalised with the disease, six were admitted to ICU and four have died.
Among other at-risk groups, there was one outbreak last week among homeless people and those with addiction issues, involving fewer than five cases, the department said.
READ MORE
To date, four homeless people have been hospitalised during the pandemic, one was admitted to ICU and there have been two deaths.
There were also two outbreaks last week in direct provision centres last week. To date, 15 asylum-seekers or staff in direct provision centres have been hospitalised but there have been no ICU admissions or deaths.
An increase in Covid-19 cases in Dublin in recent weeks is being largely driven by “social transmission” involving clusters in families and extended families, according to the National Public Health Emergency Team.
The biggest rises in case numbers have occurred in relatively deprived parts of the county, including the north city, the northwest and the west.
Dublin has accounted for 45 per cent of all new cases in the past fortnight. Its 14-day incidence is 53 per 100,000 population, compared to 33 for the country as a whole.
Acting chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn has appealed to people in Dublin to “take particular care”, reduce their social contacts over the coming days and seek medical attention immediately if they experience symptoms.


theirishtimes--2020-09-03--Woman attacked by late father’s dog settles court action

A woman who claimed she was viciously attacked by her late father ’ s dog just days after his funeral has settled her High Court action on undisclosed terms .
The attack on Olivia Donnelly by the Japanese Akita dog called Bran lasted 90 minutes and only ended when she managed to crawl in a door and was dragged to safety , the court was told .
On Thursday , Aaron Shearer BL , for Ms Donnelly , told the court the case had been settled and could be struck out .
Mr Justice Bernard Barton said he was very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compromised , adding it was clearly a difficult case .
The judge also noted a claim for loss of earnings had been withdrawn .
At the opening of the case on Wednesday , Hugh McGahon SC , for Ms Donnelly , said she was so savagely attacked she was immediately transferred to Beaumont Hospital , Dublin where she spent eleven days in intensive care and a total eight weeks in hospital .
The key issue in her action for damages concerned the ownership of the dog at the time of the attack in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contended by the defence that Ms Donnelly , as one of the persons entitled to inherit the estate of her late father , may have been an owner of the dog and therefore may be liable for its actions .
Counsel said the early morning attack took place in the yard of the Redpenny Inn premises at Ardee Road , Co Louth , owned by Ms Donnelly ’ s publican father Michael at the time of his death on November 4th 2015 .
Counsel said Mr Donnelly owned the three-year-old Japanese Akita dog @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The dog , he said , had a history of nipping and biting and was a “ savage attacker ” of other dogs when he got out of the property Eight days after Mr Donnelly ’ s funeral the dog attacked Ms Donnelly as she went to bottle feed two pups of another dog on the property .
Counsel said other members of the family “ heard the commotion ” , tried to distract the dog and dragged Ms Donnelly through the pub door after she managed to get to it .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ lasted one and half hours and Ms Donnelly had been left with no use of her left arm and has had to have numerous operations .
“ There is no end to it , ” counsel added .
Ms Donnelly ( 44 ) , a mother of three and community officer of Mandydown Close , Red Barns Rod , Dundalk , had sued the administrator ad litem in the estate of her late father who owned the Redpenny Inn where the attack took place on November 15th , 2015 .
She claimed she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the dog , has suffered nightmares since the attack and has been diagnosed as suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder .
She further claimed failure to keep a muzzle on the dog and to ensure it could not attack her .
The claims were denied and it was contended Ms Donnelly failed to take any or any appropriate care when attending a premises where she knew a Japanese Akita dog to be present .

A woman who claimed she was viciously attacked by her late father’s dog just days after his funeral has settled her High Court action on undisclosed terms.
The attack on Olivia Donnelly by the Japanese Akita dog called Bran lasted 90 minutes and only ended when she managed to crawl in a door and was dragged to safety, the court was told.
On Thursday, Aaron Shearer BL, for Ms Donnelly, told the court the case had been settled and could be struck out.
Mr Justice Bernard Barton said he was very pleased to hear the action had been compromised, adding it was clearly a difficult case. The judge also noted a claim for loss of earnings had been withdrawn.
READ MORE
At the opening of the case on Wednesday, Hugh McGahon SC, for Ms Donnelly, said she was so savagely attacked she was immediately transferred to Beaumont Hospital, Dublin where she spent eleven days in intensive care and a total eight weeks in hospital.
The key issue in her action for damages concerned the ownership of the dog at the time of the attack in 2015.
Her counsel said it was contended by the defence that Ms Donnelly, as one of the persons entitled to inherit the estate of her late father, may have been an owner of the dog and therefore may be liable for its actions.
Counsel said the early morning attack took place in the yard of the Redpenny Inn premises at Ardee Road, Co Louth, owned by Ms Donnelly’s publican father Michael at the time of his death on November 4th 2015.
Counsel said Mr Donnelly owned the three-year-old Japanese Akita dog and never let anyone else near it. The dog, he said, had a history of nipping and biting and was a “savage attacker” of other dogs when he got out of the property
Eight days after Mr Donnelly’s funeral the dog attacked Ms Donnelly as she went to bottle feed two pups of another dog on the property.
Counsel said other members of the family “heard the commotion”, tried to distract the dog and dragged Ms Donnelly through the pub door after she managed to get to it.
The attack, Mr McGahon said, lasted one and half hours and Ms Donnelly had been left with no use of her left arm and has had to have numerous operations. “There is no end to it,” counsel added.
Ms Donnelly (44), a mother of three and community officer of Mandydown Close, Red Barns Rod, Dundalk, had sued the administrator ad litem in the estate of her late father who owned the Redpenny Inn where the attack took place on November 15th, 2015.
She claimed she thought she was going to be killed by the dog, has suffered nightmares since the attack and has been diagnosed as suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
She further claimed failure to keep a muzzle on the dog and to ensure it could not attack her.
The claims were denied and it was contended Ms Donnelly failed to take any or any appropriate care when attending a premises where she knew a Japanese Akita dog to be present.


theirishtimes--2020-09-03--Berlin D2 owner promises ‘well supervised’ brunches this weekend

The owner of a Dublin venue that failed to observe social distancing guidelines has promised that more brunches planned for this weekend will be “ very well supervised ” to avoid a repeat .
Restaurateur and publican Jay Bourke said that his Berlin D2 venue in Dublin city centre will host a family brunch on Saturday and Afro-Caribbean themed brunch on Sunday .
Mr Bourke said there would be “ strict controls ” in place to avoid a repeat of the scenes captured on video shared on social media last month that showed customers not social distancing in the venue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ man danced on it pouring drinks into their mouths .
He described the incident caught on video last month as “ 20 seconds of madness ” and that there was “ never an issue ” with us but with social media .
The video clips did not reflect how the full event took place where diners were spaced out during the four-hour brunch , he said .
The upcoming brunches would be carefully supervised with staff operating to “ strict instructions ” with Covid-19 precautions in place to manage the event , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well supervised , very - with a capital V-E-R-Y - or I will have a f**king heart attack , ” said the publican , who joked that he was “ in exile ” abroad over last month ’ s incident .
Mr Bourke said that he has had repeated visits from the Garda Síochána since reopening the business in July following the lockdown and they were “ happy during all of them.
” The State ’ s acting chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn said last month that the scenes recorded in Berlin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be tolerated ” and he called for a “ zero tolerance approach.
” Last week the National Public Health Emergency Team further delayed the reopening of pubs that do not serve food , saying that it “ simply isn ’ t the appropriate time right now.
” Mr Bourke disagreed with the delayed reopening , saying that many pubs have invested in ventilation , security and CCTV that makes them sufficiently supervised to reopen .
“ It sounds a bit ironic me saying this at this point because I am the enemy of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ environments are where people are safest .
I mean that absolutely sincerely .
A publican ’ s job is to keep things under control , ” he said .
He described the decision not to reopen pubs as “ almost anti-logical ” because opening all bars would mean there would be more space to accommodate more people .
“ More space means more spacing .
It is illogical not to let people into the space , ” he said .
“ The attitude of Nphet comes out of some weird Catholic original sin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our lives .
“ We have to learn to live with this virus and that is all about social distancing , and that can happen in a pub too .
People are far safer in our bars than on the streets or in house parties .
”

Videos on social media of a packed Dublin bar have gone viral and the Licensed Vintners Association has called for the "business to be shut down immediately." Video: As credited
The owner of a Dublin venue that failed to observe social distancing guidelines has promised that more brunches planned for this weekend will be “very well supervised” to avoid a repeat.
Restaurateur and publican Jay Bourke said that his Berlin D2 venue in Dublin city centre will host a family brunch on Saturday and Afro-Caribbean themed brunch on Sunday.
Mr Bourke said there would be “strict controls” in place to avoid a repeat of the scenes captured on video shared on social media last month that showed customers not social distancing in the venue and crowding around the bar as a man danced on it pouring drinks into their mouths.
He described the incident caught on video last month as “20 seconds of madness”and that there was “never an issue” with us but with social media. The video clips did not reflect how the full event took place where diners were spaced out during the four-hour brunch, he said.
READ MORE
The upcoming brunches would be carefully supervised with staff operating to “strict instructions” with Covid-19 precautions in place to manage the event, he said.
“It will be very well supervised, very - with a capital V-E-R-Y - or I will have a f**king heart attack,” said the publican, who joked that he was “in exile” abroad over last month’s incident.
Mr Bourke said that he has had repeated visits from the Garda Síochána since reopening the business in July following the lockdown and they were "happy during all of them."
A sreengrab from a video showing the inside of Berlin D2 bar during the incident.
The State's acting chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn said last month that the scenes recorded in Berlin D2 bar last month "cannot be tolerated" and he called for a "zero tolerance approach."
Last week the National Public Health Emergency Team further delayed the reopening of pubs that do not serve food, saying that it “simply isn’t the appropriate time right now.”
Mr Bourke disagreed with the delayed reopening, saying that many pubs have invested in ventilation, security and CCTV that makes them sufficiently supervised to reopen.
“It sounds a bit ironic me saying this at this point because I am the enemy of the people at the moment but supervised environments are where people are safest. I mean that absolutely sincerely. A publican’s job is to keep things under control,” he said.
He described the decision not to reopen pubs as “almost anti-logical” because opening all bars would mean there would be more space to accommodate more people.
“More space means more spacing. It is illogical not to let people into the space,” he said.
“The attitude of Nphet comes out of some weird Catholic original sin. We have to get on with our lives.
“We have to learn to live with this virus and that is all about social distancing, and that can happen in a pub too. People are far safer in our bars than on the streets or in house parties.”


theirishtimes--2020-09-03--Parents should find ‘alternative ways’ of celebrating LC results - HSE

Parents of Leaving Cert students should develop “ alternative ways ” of celebrating their results next week in order to prevent the spread of Covid-19 , the head the HSE has said .
Paul Reid said he would encourage parents and guardians to “ talk openly ” with their Leaving Cert children about the risk of socialising after they get their results .
About 60,000 Leaving Cert students are set to receive their final calculated grade results at 9am on Monday .
Acknowledging how different this year ’ s release of results will be , Mr Reid also stressed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many students as not being able to celebrate their results “ in the usual way ” .
He also acknowledged the “ burden ” placed on this group of young people through the loss of traditional milestones , and uncertainty , caused by the pandemic .
Young people have played a major role in supporting families during the pandemic , he said , though a small minority have engaged in irresponsible behaviour that puts other people at risk .
“ However , we shouldn ’ t resort to shaming young people , particularly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Meanwhile , up to one-quarter of people sent for Covid-19 testing are failing to turn up for their swabs , according to the Health Service Executive .
The failure of people to attend is becoming “ an issue ” at many swabbing sites around the country , HSE chief operations officer Anne O ’ Connor told a briefing on Thursday .
No-shows account for up to 750 of the 3,000 people referred for testing each day , though the rate of non-attendance varies in different centres , she said .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ means their slot is not available for someone else , she pointed out .
“ It ’ s challenging , particularly when we have to have capacity for ( testing ) schools.
” Almost 62,000 tests were processed last week , with a positivity rate of 1.3 per cent , HSE chief executive Paul Reid said .
This included 27,000 tests in the community , over 16,000 in hospital and 16,000 carried out as part of serial testing among healthcare workers and in meat processing plants .
The number of close contacts attending @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cent to 80 per cent and the proportion of those attending a week later has also improved , to 50 per cent , according to Mr Reid .
The HSE was able to meet all demand , he said , despite a three-fold increase in demand for community testing .
Mr Reid said the turnaround time from point of referral for a test to completion of contact tracing currently stands at 2.2 days .
The new swabbing centres are to be established shortly in Blanchardstown and Dublin ’ s inner city , he @ @

Paul Reid said he would encourage parents and guardians to ‘talk openly’ with their Leaving Cert children about the risk of socialising after they get their results. . Photograph: Gareth Chaney/Collins.
Up to one-quarter of people sent for Covid-19 testing are failing to turn up for their swabs, according to the Health Service Executive (HSE).
The failure of people to attend is becoming “an issue” at many swabbing sites around the country, HSE chief operations officer Anne O’Connor told a briefing yesterday.
No-shows account for up to 750 of the 3,000 people referred for testing each day, though the rate of non-attendance varies in different centres, she said.
If people failed to turn up, that meant their slot was not available for someone else, she pointed out. “It’s challenging, particularly when we have to have capacity for [testing] schools.”
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Almost 62,000 tests were processed last week, with a positivity rate of 1.3 per cent, HSE chief executive Paul Reid said.
This included 27,000 tests in the community, about 16,000 in hospital and another 16,000 carried out as part of serial testing among healthcare workers and in meat processing plants.
The number of close contacts attending for testing had improved from 60 per cent to 80 per cent and the proportion of those attending a week later had also improved, to 50 per cent, according to Mr Reid
Turnaround time
The HSE was able to meet all demand, he said, despite a three-fold increase in demand for community testing.
Mr Reid said the turnaround time from point of referral for a test to completion of contact tracing currently stood at 2.2 days.
New swabbing centres were to be established shortly in Blanchardstown and Dublin's inner city, he said.
Meanwhile, the HSE plans to recruit hundreds of new staff to swab patients for Covid-19 and trace contacts as part of a revamp of the service.
A campaign to recruit over 700 people to work in testing and contact tracing will start next week, according to Mr Reid.
Full- and part-time positions are available for the service, which operates 8am to 8pm, seven days a week.
No specific qualifications are required beyond the Leaving Certificate and the HSE has been in discussion with the Union of Students in Ireland about recruiting students for the roles, Mr Reid said.
Specialists
Additional public health specialists are also being recruited to improve staffing. Large numbers of HSE staff were redeployed from other areas of the health service during the pandemic but many have returned to their original roles.
The HSE chief said a national pandemic workforce needed to be created to deal with infectious disease threats as they occurred.
Parents of Leaving Cert students should develop “alternative ways” of celebrating their results next week in order to prevent the spread of Covid-19, he also told the briefing.
He said he would encourage parents and guardian to “talk openly” with their Leaving Cert children about the risk of socialising after they get their results.
He acknowledged the “burden” placed on this group of young people through the loss of traditional milestones, and uncertainty, caused by the pandemic.
Mr Reid said young people had played a major role in supporting families during the pandemic, though a small minority had engaged in irresponsible behaviour that put other people at risk.
“However, we shouldn’t resort to shaming young people, particularly on social media,” he added.


theirishtimes--2020-09-03--Dublin cyclist death: ‘I tried to call him several times, but there was no answer’

The fiancee of the Deliveroo cyclist Thiago Cortes has told of how she found out he had been involved in a fatal hit-and-run incident in Dublin when a garda answered his phone .
Speaking on Newstalk Breakfast and RTÉ radio ’ s Today with Claire Byrne show , Teresa Dantas called for those responsible to come forward as she did not want what happened to Thiago to happen to anyone else .
Ms Dantas said she knew something was wrong on Monday night when her fiance had not returned home at his usual time of between 11pm and 11.30pm .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ or that the battery in his phone had gone .
At midnight , however , Ms Dantas said she received a message saying a Deliveroo driver had been involved in an accident .
“ At that moment I felt it might be him .
I tried to call him several times , but there was no answer .
Then a guard answered his phone and said that he was in the hospital and he told me to go there , ” she told Today with Claire Byrne .
Earlier on Newstalk Breakfast Ms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the delivery company for only 10 days .
When she spoke with the garda she thought perhaps he had a broken leg or a broken arm – “ something not that bad ” .
But when the garda told her “ don ’ t worry your fiance is alive ” she thought his injuries must be very serious .
“ I went to the hospital , I was with my flatmate – one of Thiago ’ s best , best friends – we got there , they let us in .
The sergeant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to me , saying he was in an accident , it was a hit-and-run and that I ’ ll be able to see him , that he was alive .
“ We had over 24 hours to stay with him since the time that I found out about the accident and the time he died , ” she said .
Her fiance had persuaded her to come to Ireland two-and-a-half years ago as he thought they would have a better life – “ and we did have that here.
” The couple had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proposed on her birthday .
They had not yet set a date but had been planning a civil service in Ireland at the end of the year with a church wedding and big party at a later stage , she explained .
Ms Dantas issued an appeal to the people involved in the hit and run .
“ Please come forward .
If you know something tell the gardaí .
We need to know something .
“ Unfortunately it happened , but it could happen again .
I don ’ t want it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
These people have to answer for what they did .
”

Deliveroo riders held a vigil on Wednesday for their late colleague Thiago Cortes who was killed in Dublin on Monday night.The Brazilian had been working as a cycling courier for the food delivery company when he was struck by a car.
The fiancee of the Deliveroo cyclist Thiago Cortes has told of how she found out he had been involved in a fatal hit-and-run incident in Dublin when a garda answered his phone.
Speaking on Newstalk Breakfast and RTÉ radio’s Today with Claire Byrne show, Teresa Dantas called for those responsible to come forward as she did not want what happened to Thiago to happen to anyone else.
Ms Dantas said she knew something was wrong on Monday night when her fiance had not returned home at his usual time of between 11pm and 11.30pm. She thought he might still be delivering or that the battery in his phone had gone. At midnight, however, Ms Dantas said she received a message saying a Deliveroo driver had been involved in an accident.
“At that moment I felt it might be him. I tried to call him several times, but there was no answer. Then a guard answered his phone and said that he was in the hospital and he told me to go there,” she told Today with Claire Byrne.
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Earlier on Newstalk Breakfast Ms Dantas said Thiago had been working for the delivery company for only 10 days. When she spoke with the garda she thought perhaps he had a broken leg or a broken arm – “something not that bad”.
But when the garda told her “don’t worry your fiance is alive” she thought his injuries must be very serious.
“I went to the hospital, I was with my flatmate – one of Thiago’s best, best friends – we got there, they let us in. The sergeant that answered the phone came to talk to me, saying he was in an accident, it was a hit-and-run and that I’ll be able to see him, that he was alive.
“We had over 24 hours to stay with him since the time that I found out about the accident and the time he died,” she said.
Her fiance had persuaded her to come to Ireland two-and-a-half years ago as he thought they would have a better life – “and we did have that here.”
The couple had been together for six years when he proposed on her birthday. They had not yet set a date but had been planning a civil service in Ireland at the end of the year with a church wedding and big party at a later stage, she explained.
Ms Dantas issued an appeal to the people involved in the hit and run. “Please come forward. If you know something tell the gardaí. We need to know something.
“Unfortunately it happened, but it could happen again. I don’t want it to happen to anyone in the future. These people have to answer for what they did.”


theirishtimes--2020-09-03--Better names needed for large numbers

Better names needed for large numbers

One year ago , there were just two centibillionaires , Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates .
Recently , Facebook ’ s Mark Zuckerberg has joined the Amazon and Microsoft founders .
Elon Musk , chief executive of Tesla and SpaceX , is tipped to be next to join this exclusive club .
The word ‘ centibillionaire ’ has slithered into common usage for someone with a net worth of more than $ 100 billion .
The term is a linguistic travesty : the prefix ‘ centi ’ normally connotes one hundredth part of something , as when it precedes metre @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is suggestive of one hundredth of a billion , or 10 million .
Alas , the misuse is probably irreversible .
The problem arises from the paucity of terms in common language for large numbers .
In our decimal system , the magnitude of numbers increases by a factor of 10 for each additional digit ; there should be a unique name for each power of 10 up to 20 or so .
We are indebted to ancient Indian mathematicians for the development of the decimal number system .
These mathematicians were fascinated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for powers of 10 far beyond anything in common use today .
Bhaskara , who flourished in the seventh century , was the first mathematician to write numbers using a circle for the zero .
This zero – this “ nothing ” – gives the number system enormous power and versatility .
Bhaskar , a mathematically gifted seven-year-old named after the ancient savant , was a character in Vikram Seth ’ s blockbusting novel A Suitable Boy , a story recently adapted for television .
Speaking to Haresh , a love interest of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ points out a shortcoming in our counting system : names are lacking for some of the powers of 10 .
“ First you have 10 , that is , 10 to the first power .
Then you have a hundred , which is 10 times 10 , which makes it 10 to the second power .
Then you have a thousand , which is 10 to the third power .
But for the next power , 10,000 or 10 to the fourth power , there is no special word.
” The fifth , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one followed by five , six and seven zeros – are a lakh , a million and a crore .
Two of these names , popular in India , are also familiar to crossword solvers .
The eighth power of 10 , 100 million , has no particular name , the ninth power is a billion , and the tenth power is again anonymous .
Bhaskar concludes that “ it ’ s amazing that we don ’ t have a word in either English or Hindi for a number that is as important @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Haresh recalls that Chinese merchants use 10,000 as a natural measuring point “ just as we use a lakh ” .
He consults a Chinese colleague in Kanpur and learns that the missing terms are wan ( to rhyme with ‘ kaan ’ ) and ee ( to rhyme with ‘ knee ’ ) .
“ This gives , in order of powers of 10 : one , ten , hundred , thousand , wan , lakh , million , crore , ee , billion.
” For 10 to its own power Haresh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Bhaskar : “ You will have to invent one for yourself .
I suggest bhask.
” Here is a challenge for inventive readers of The Irish Times : devise a number-naming system that is lucid , unambiguous and aesthetically pleasing and that will rid us of the dog ’ s dinner that is a centibillion .
Peter Lynch is emeritus professor at UCD School of Mathematics and Statistics .
He blogs at : thatsmaths.com

Centibillionaire Mark Zuckerberg. The word ‘centibillionaire’ has entered into common usage for someone with a net worth of more than $100 billion. Photograph: Charles Platiau/Reuters
One year ago, there were just two centibillionaires, Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates. Recently, Facebook's Mark Zuckerberg has joined the Amazon and Microsoft founders. Elon Musk, chief executive of Tesla and SpaceX, is tipped to be next to join this exclusive club.
The word ‘centibillionaire’ has slithered into common usage for someone with a net worth of more than $100 billion. The term is a linguistic travesty: the prefix ‘centi’ normally connotes one hundredth part of something, as when it precedes metre or gram.
So, a centibillion is suggestive of one hundredth of a billion, or 10 million. Alas, the misuse is probably irreversible.
The problem arises from the paucity of terms in common language for large numbers. In our decimal system, the magnitude of numbers increases by a factor of 10 for each additional digit; there should be a unique name for each power of 10 up to 20 or so.
READ MORE
We are indebted to ancient Indian mathematicians for the development of the decimal number system. These mathematicians were fascinated by large numbers, and had names for powers of 10 far beyond anything in common use today. Bhaskara, who flourished in the seventh century, was the first mathematician to write numbers using a circle for the zero. This zero – this “nothing” – gives the number system enormous power and versatility.
Shortcoming
Bhaskar, a mathematically gifted seven-year-old named after the ancient savant, was a character in Vikram Seth’s blockbusting novel A Suitable Boy, a story recently adapted for television. Speaking to Haresh, a love interest of Lata, the main character, Bhaskar points out a shortcoming in our counting system: names are lacking for some of the powers of 10. “First you have 10, that is, 10 to the first power. Then you have a hundred, which is 10 times 10, which makes it 10 to the second power. Then you have a thousand, which is 10 to the third power. But for the next power, 10,000 or 10 to the fourth power, there is no special word.”
The fifth, sixth and seventh powers of 10 – one followed by five, six and seven zeros – are a lakh, a million and a crore. Two of these names, popular in India, are also familiar to crossword solvers. The eighth power of 10, 100 million, has no particular name, the ninth power is a billion, and the tenth power is again anonymous. Bhaskar concludes that "it's amazing that we don't have a word in either English or Hindi for a number that is as important as 10 to the tenth".
Haresh recalls that Chinese merchants use 10,000 as a natural measuring point “just as we use a lakh”. He consults a Chinese colleague in Kanpur and learns that the missing terms are wan (to rhyme with ‘kaan’) and ee (to rhyme with ‘knee’).
“This gives, in order of powers of 10: one, ten, hundred, thousand, wan, lakh, million, crore, ee, billion.” For 10 to its own power Haresh found no special word, and wrote to Bhaskar: “You will have to invent one for yourself. I suggest bhask.”
Here is a challenge for inventive readers of The Irish Times: devise a number-naming system that is lucid, unambiguous and aesthetically pleasing and that will rid us of the dog’s dinner that is a centibillion.
Peter Lynch is emeritus professor at UCD School of Mathematics and Statistics. He blogs at: thatsmaths.com