theirishtimes--2020-02-20--Woman arrested over alleged threats to victim of rape

A woman has been arrested for alleged threats to kill or cause harm to a victim of sexual violence in @ @ @ @ @ were jailed for raping her .
On Monday morning , two Leitrim men were jailed @ @ @ @ @ a woman who had blacked out at a house party in 2017 .
After the @ @ @ @ @ the judge had left the courtroom , some supporters of the men shouted at the @ @ @ @ @ obscenities , and another person shouted “ You ’ re a liar ” and “ @ @ @ @ @ pay for this ” .
On Thursday gardaí said they had “ arrested a woman @ @ @ @ @ connection with an allegation of making threats to kill or cause harm to the injured @ @ @ @ @ concluded at the Criminal Courts of Justice on Monday February 17 last ” .
They @ @ @ @ @ on foot of a complaint received by gardaí .
She was being held under the @ @ @ @ @ the Criminal Justice Act 1984 at a Garda station in Co Leitrim .

A woman has been arrested for alleged threats to kill or cause harm to a victim of sexual violence
A woman has been arrested for alleged threats to kill or cause harm to a victim of sexual violence in a courtroom after two men were jailed for raping her.
On Monday morning, two Leitrim men were jailed for seven years for raping a woman who had blacked out at a house party in 2017.
After the sentence was handed down and the judge had left the courtroom, some supporters of the men shouted at the victim. One woman shouted obscenities, and another person shouted “You’re a liar” and “You’re going to pay for this”.
On Thursday gardaí said they had “arrested a woman in her early 20s in connection with an allegation of making threats to kill or cause harm to the injured party in a trial which concluded at the Criminal Courts of Justice on Monday February 17 last”.
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They said the woman was arrested on foot of a complaint received by gardaí. She was being held under the provisions of Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 at a Garda station in Co Leitrim.


theirishtimes--2020-02-20--Drug-taking caused death of student at Co Cork music festival, inquest hears

A 19-year-old student who took ill at a music festival in Co Cork last year died from total organ failure after taking ecstasy and morphine , an inquest into his death has heard .
Jack Downey from Ard Caoin in Clonmel , Co Tipperary , was attending the Indiependence Festival in Mitchelstown with five friends when he took ill on the afternoon of August 2nd , 2019 .
Mr Downey ’ s friends brought him to the festival ’ s medical tent where a doctor was so concerned over his condition that he organised an ambulance to transfer him to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the hospital ’ s intensive care unit where he was put on a ventilator and he remained in a coma over that weekend as his parents , John and Elaine , maintained a bedside vigil .
But two days later , on August 4th , Mr Downey , an only child and student of Cork Institute of Technology , was taken off the ventilator and he passed away with his parents at his bedside .
On Thursday at Cork City Coroner ’ s Court , Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster gave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a postmortem .
Dr Bolster said that Mr Downey died from total organ failure due to hyperthermia — or overheating — due to the ingestion of ecstasy and the ingestion of morphine with aspiration pneumonia .
Insp Ronan Kennelly of Togher Garda Station applied under Section 25 of the Coroner ’ s Act to have the inquest adjourned as a Garda investigation associated with Mr Downey ’ s death was still ongoing .
Cork City Coroner Philip Comyn granted the application and adjourned the inquest until August 22nd for mention when it is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criminal investigation .
Mr Downey ’ s parents , John , a garda based in Clonmel , and Elaine did not attend today ’ s brief hearing but Insp Kennelly said that gardaí would ensure they were informed of the adjournment .

Jack Downey from Clonmel was attending the Indiependence Festival in Mitchelstown with five friends when he took ill on the afternoon of August 2nd, 2019. Photograph: Clonmel Óg Hurling and Football Facebook page
A 19-year-old student who took ill at a music festival in Co Cork last year died from total organ failure after taking ecstasy and morphine, an inquest into his death has heard.
Jack Downey from Ard Caoin in Clonmel, Co Tipperary, was attending the Indiependence Festival in Mitchelstown with five friends when he took ill on the afternoon of August 2nd, 2019.
Mr Downey’s friends brought him to the festival’s medical tent where a doctor was so concerned over his condition that he organised an ambulance to transfer him to Cork University Hospital.
He was admitted to the hospital’s intensive care unit where he was put on a ventilator and he remained in a coma over that weekend as his parents, John and Elaine, maintained a bedside vigil.
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But two days later, on August 4th, Mr Downey, an only child and student of Cork Institute of Technology, was taken off the ventilator and he passed away with his parents at his bedside.
On Thursday at Cork City Coroner’s Court, Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster gave evidence of her findings after carrying out a postmortem.
Dr Bolster said that Mr Downey died from total organ failure due to hyperthermia — or overheating — due to the ingestion of ecstasy and the ingestion of morphine with aspiration pneumonia.
Insp Ronan Kennelly of Togher Garda Station applied under Section 25 of the Coroner's Act to have the inquest adjourned as a Garda investigation associated with Mr Downey's death was still ongoing.
Cork City Coroner Philip Comyn granted the application and adjourned the inquest until August 22nd for mention when it is expected that gardaí will have progressed their criminal investigation.
Mr Downey's parents, John, a garda based in Clonmel, and Elaine did not attend today's brief hearing but Insp Kennelly said that gardaí would ensure they were informed of the adjournment.


theirishtimes--2020-02-20--Public warned about social media scam targeting bank customers

Gardaí have warned the public to be aware of social media fraud , after a recent scam targeted customers of a banking institution via advertisements on Facebook .
The advertisement refers to internet banking and invites the customer to take a tour of the system for a small reward ( €15 or €30 ) .
The customer clicks on the link to a fake login page where they enter their login details .
These details are then in the hands of the fraudster , who takes control of the account and sets up a new beneficiary , to whom money @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an automated text from the bank , with a code to authorise the addition of the beneficiary to the account .
“ The customer will then enter the code into the fake account , which is captured by the fraudsters , or intercepted via malware on a computer , laptop or mobile phone , ” gardaí said .
“ The bank account can then be emptied in minutes.
” Gardaí said warning signs include social media advertisements offering “ rewards ” to people , who must take some action that will reveal their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and access codes .
Detective chief superintendent Pat Lordan of the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau ( GNECB ) said members of the public should not click on links in the advertisements .
He said to check with the bank or other organisations that are apparently offering the “ reward ” by searching for the institution online and independently of the link in the advertisement .
“ If the genuine website is not clearly offering the advertisement for a reward – the social media advertisement is a fraud , ” he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a simple check.
” Detective chief superintendent Lordan also reminded the public to never share banking details , pin numbers or passwords with unknown persons online , by text , SMS , over the phone or any other way .
“ Trust your instincts – if it sounds like it is too good to be true , it is probably not true , ” he added .
“ Never download or install a file from an unknown or suspicious source .
If in doubt , don ’ t do it .
”

The customer clicks on the link to a fake login page where they enter their login details. Photograph: iStock
Gardaí have warned the public to be aware of social media fraud, after a recent scam targeted customers of a banking institution via advertisements on Facebook.
The advertisement refers to internet banking and invites the customer to take a tour of the system for a small reward (€15 or €30).
The customer clicks on the link to a fake login page where they enter their login details. These details are then in the hands of the fraudster, who takes control of the account and sets up a new beneficiary, to whom money can be transferred.
Customers will receive an automated text from the bank, with a code to authorise the addition of the beneficiary to the account.
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“The customer will then enter the code into the fake account, which is captured by the fraudsters, or intercepted via malware on a computer, laptop or mobile phone,” gardaí said.
“The bank account can then be emptied in minutes.”
Gardaí said warning signs include social media advertisements offering “rewards” to people, who must take some action that will reveal their bank account details or credit card numbers and access codes.
Detective chief superintendent Pat Lordan of the Garda National Economic Crime Bureau (GNECB) said members of the public should not click on links in the advertisements.
He said to check with the bank or other organisations that are apparently offering the “reward” by searching for the institution online and independently of the link in the advertisement.
“If the genuine website is not clearly offering the advertisement for a reward – the social media advertisement is a fraud,” he said. “Your money has been protected by a simple check.”
Detective chief superintendent Lordan also reminded the public to never share banking details, pin numbers or passwords with unknown persons online, by text, SMS, over the phone or any other way.
“Trust your instincts – if it sounds like it is too good to be true, it is probably not true,” he added. “Never download or install a file from an unknown or suspicious source. If in doubt, don’t do it.”


theirishtimes--2020-02-20--Two arrested in connection with murder of Keane Mulready-Woods

Two people have been arrested in connection with the murder of 17-year-old Keane Mulready-Woods Gardaí believe Keane was killed in Drogheda on January 12th .
His body was dismembered in what is believed to be connected to the ongoing criminal feud in Drogheda , Co Louth .
Limbs discovered in a bag in Darndale in north Dublin were later confirmed as those of Keane .
More remains were discovered in a stolen car found ablaze on a laneway near Croke Park in Dublin ’ s north inner city early .
Gardaí said two males were arrested on Thursday morning and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Garda stations under Section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act , 2007 .
His burial took place in Drogheda , Co Louth , last week , one month after the boy ’ s death , but his torso has still not been found .
Detectives are working on the theory he was killed , probably by stabbing , and dismembered in a house in Drogheda before his remains were separated .
His limbs were found in a bag on a pavement in the Moatview estate in Coolock , north Dublin , at about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In the early hours of Wednesday , January 14th , the teenager ’ s head , feet and hands were found in a stolen car that was set on fire in a laneway off Clonliffe Avenue in Dublin ’ s north inner city .
Despite intensive searching in Drogheda , including along the banks of the river Boyne close to a house where gardaí believe the victim was dismembered , his torso has not been found .
The teenager ’ s killing was the third in the worsening feud between two drug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ linked to Dublin criminals .
Gardaí suspect the teenager ’ s body parts were to be dumped outside the homes of leaders of the Drogheda crime gang the teenager was aligned with as a warning to them .
Gardaí also suspect that plan was abandoned because those transporting the body parts came close to encountering gardaí at or near the locations where they intended to leave them .
Sources said it had proven almost impossible in the past to charge people with murder in cases where the victim ’ s remains had never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were found , and the cause of death could not be confirmed .
Detectives working on the investigation have no cause of death to inform their inquiry , because the fatal injury is believed to have been to the torso .
Gardaí have not ruled out the possibility the torso was disposed of in a deliberate plan to ensure the investigation would be frustrated .
Graham Dwyer was convicted in 2015 of the murder of childcare worker Elaine O ’ Hara ( 36 ) in 2012 despite the cause of death never being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s remains were never found .
However , Garda sources said that case was an exception and that prosecutions in such cases were “ extremely difficult ” .

Keane Mulready-Woods (17). His remais were found in two portions in north Dublin in the days following his disappearance.
One of two men arrested by gardaí investigating the murder and dismemberment of Keane Mulready-Woods (17) in Drogheda, Co Louth, last month has vital information about how the crime was organised, gardaí believe.
After the remains of Mulready-Woods were found in two portions in north Dublin in the days following his disappearance, gardaí identified a house in Drogheda where they believe he was killed and dismembered.
A key part of the investigation has centred on that house, including ascertaining who was present around the time of the crime.
Detectives believe one of two men arrested could provide evidence that would result in serious criminal charges, including murder, being pressed against multiple suspects.
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Gardaí said the two males arrested on Thursday morning were being held at Drogheda and Balbriggan Garda stations under section 50 of the Criminal Justice Act.
The two suspects can be detained for up to seven days without charge as the legislation they have been arrested under is used to deal with suspected gang crime. The arrest of the two suspects came exactly one week after the burial of the teenage victim.
Woods was last seen alive by his family on the evening of Sunday, January 12th. Gardaí believe he was murdered, probably by stabbing to the torso, and probably tortured almost immediately after he was last seen alive by his family.
Late the following night, Monday, January 13th, his limbs were found in a bag dumped on a pavement in Coolock, north Dublin. And in the early hours of Wednesday, January 15th, his hands, feet and head were found in a stolen car that was on fire in a laneway in Dublin’s north inner city.
Bitter feud
The 17-year-old was aligned to one of two drug gangs based mainly in Drogheda who have been involved in a bitter feud for about two years. Mulready-Woods, who had convictions for threatening and intimidating people in Drogheda, was the third person to die in the feud.
Gardaí suspect the teenager’s body parts were to be dumped outside the homes of leaders of the Drogheda crime gang the teenager was aligned with as a warning to them.
Gardaí also suspect that plan was abandoned because those transporting the body parts came close to encountering gardaí at or near the locations where they intended to leave them.
The funeral of the deceased took place last week, although his torso has not yet been found. In his homily, Fr Phil Gaffney called for the feud to end and urged young people present to take lessons from the murder of Mulready-Woods.
He said the boy “had his troubles”, adding that he was “young and naive enough to fall in with the wrong people, not knowing or anticipating the dire consequences”.
“I hope that his death will be a warning to other young teenagers who are being groomed by the ruthless criminals; that the promise of money and gifts will inevitably end in tragedy,” he said.
“Keane’s association with them, sadly, led to the inhuman, unthinkable way in which his young life was to end.”


theirishtimes--2020-02-20--Tusla disclosed location of child victim to alleged abuser – report

Tusla , the child and family agency , accidentally disclosed the contact and location data of a mother and child victim to an alleged abuser , the State ’ s data watchdog has said in its annual report .
The data breach occurred last year and was one of three breach notifications received by the Data Protection Commission between February and May 2019 .
This triggered an investigation by the data protection regulator in October 2019 , according to the annual report of the Data Protection Commission published on Thursday .
Data Protection Commissioner Helen Dixon has said that while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ breaches in Tusla have been mitigated “ clearly there is still a lot to be done.
” Human error had been behind some of the breaches along with a “ failure to think ” and poor redaction .
The formation of Tusla from three agencies , co-location and issues with the IT system and training had led to some of the problems , she told RTE ’ s Today with Sean O ’ Rourke programme .
Sanctions are necessary , she said .
Investigators into the breaches had told her that in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the disclosures which were “ harrowing reading.
” Under new legislation introduced in 2018 a range of corrective measures were introduced , she said , including a fine of up to €1million .
“ I think there has to be something like that , it concentrates the mind.
” Significant changes are being implemented by Tusla , said Ms Dixon , such as the appointment of a Data Protection Officer .
Tusla is the subject of three domestic statutory inquiries by the data protection regulator out of a total of 18 ongoing national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The regulator is conducting another 23 statutory inquiries into technology multinationals .
Overall , the data watchdog received 6,609 valid data breach notifications in 2019 – the first full year that the EU ’ s new data protection law , the General Data Protection Regulation , was in effect .
This is an increase of 42 per cent on the previous year .
The Data Protection Commission handled 7,215 complaints in 2019 .
The regulator received 2,864 complaints between May 25th , 2018 , when GDPR came in effect , and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ notification received by the DPC that led to a statutory inquiry , the Irish Credit Bureau inadvertently allowed incorrect updates to be applied to the loan account records of customers at financial institutions .
This affected the credit ratings of 15,238 individuals .
Some 118 individuals had requested their credit report directly from the Irish Credit Bureau while the data was incorrect .
The Data Protection Commission ’ s inquiry started in July 2019 .
In another breach at Tusla , the family and child agency accidentally disclosed contact , location and school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a grandparent .
As a result , that grandparent made contact with the foster parent about the children .
In the third breach , the State agency accidentally disclosed the address of children in foster care to their imprisoned father , who used it to correspond with the children .
Tusla was the subject of another 71 personal data disclosure breaches notified by the agency leading to an inquiry by the Data Protection Commission in November 2018 .
The subject matter of the breaches included inappropriate system access , disclosure by email and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Data protection investigators conducted site inspections at Tusla head office and at regional offices in Dublin , Naas , Swords , Waterford , Galway and Cork .
“ In the course of the inspections , a number of other data protection issues came to light which fell outside the original scope of the [ DPC ] inquiry , ” the report says .
The Data Protection Commission said that these issues are relevant to the protection of personal so they will be highlighted in its draft inquiry report that it is preparing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ engage with data regulator throughout 2018 and 2019 .
Tusla has made a number of organisational and technical changes , and was advancing “ a significant work programme that will see an IT system wholly managed and controlled by Tusla .
The agency has also confirmed that it “ expects to revise its current record management policy with the aim of aligning it with the necessary and proportionality principles of the GDPR.
” “ The agency is also seeking to review its use of ‘ in perpetuity ’ record retention periods , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dixon also defended her office from complaints by the German Data Commisioner who had been agitating for a ‘ GDPR one stop shop ’ , but was now saying it was far too early to change .
“ I don ’ t think we ’ re overwhelmed , ” she said , but she did acknowledge that there is a need to grow the number of staff incrementally .
It had been disappointing not to see an increase in the most recent Budget , but she had received sufficient funding to take on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We do utilise outside help , in legal and technical terms and I have the power to authorise extra staff .
I have sought his assistance ( German Data Commissioner ) , but he has not been able to do so .
”

Data protection experts have criticised Tusla, the child and family agency, over personal information breaches outlined in a report by a State watchdog.
Among the breaches detailed in the Data Protection Commissioner’s (DPC) annual report, published on Thursday, was that the agency accidentally disclosed the contact and location data of a mother and child victim to an alleged abuser.
The data breach occurred last year and was one of three breach notifications received by the commission between February and May of last year.
Daragh O’Brien, a managing director of privacy firm Castlebridge, said the issues highlighted by the watchdog “are indicative of a historically lax attitude to data protection and data management in Tusla”.
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He said the specific cases referenced by the DPC were “shocking”.
In another breach at Tusla, the agency accidentally disclosed contact, location and school details of foster parents and children to a grandparent. As a result, that grandparent made contact with the foster parent about the children.
In the third breach, Tusla accidentally disclosed the address of children in foster care to their imprisoned father, who used it to correspond with the children.
Tusla was the subject of another 71 personal data disclosure breaches notified by the agency leading to an inquiry by the commission in November 2018.
The subject matter of the breaches included inappropriate system access, disclosure by email and post and security of personal data.
‘Systematic issues’
TJ McIntyre, the chair of advocacy group Digital Rights Ireland, said the issues in the report suggest “that there are systematic issues in the organisation which need to be addressed urgently”.
He pointed out that the role of a data protection officer within the organisation had been vacant at times in recent years, and filled on an interim basis by others, such as the director of corporate services.
Data Protection Commissioner Helen Dixon has said that while some of the risks posed by data breaches in Tusla have been mitigated “clearly there is still a lot to be done.” She said human error had been behind some of the breaches along with a “failure to think” and poor redaction of material.
The formation of Tusla from three agencies, co-location and issues with the IT system and training had led to some of the problems, she told RTÉ’s Today withSeán O’Rourke programme. Sanctions are necessary, she said.
Investigators had told Ms Dixon that in the files involved in the breaches were letters from individuals affected by the disclosures which made for “harrowing reading”.
Under legislation introduced in 2018, a range of corrective measures were introduced, she said, including a fine of up to €1 million. “I think there has to be something like that, it concentrates the mind,” Ms Dixon said.
Significant changes are being implemented by Tusla, said Ms Dixon, such as the appointment of a data protection officer.
Tusla is the subject of three of the 18 domestic statutory inquiries being conducted by the commission. The regulator is conducting another 23 statutory inquiries into technology multinationals.
Data protection investigators conducted site inspections at Tusla head office and at regional offices in Dublin, Naas, Swords, Waterford, Galway and Cork.
“In the course of the inspections, a number of other data protection issues came to light which fell outside the original scope of the [DPC]inquiry,” the report says.
The Data Protection Commission said that these issues are relevant to the protection of personal so they will be highlighted in its draft inquiry report that it is preparing.
The commission said that Tusla continued to engage with it throughout 2018 and last year. Tusla has made a number of organisational and technical changes, and was advancing “a significant work programme that will see an IT system wholly managed and controlled by Tusla”, the commission said.
Progressing
In a statement, Tusla said it had recently recruited a new data protection officer and is “rapidly progressing the development of its data protection unit”.
“Tusla recognises that given the nature of its work, its history as a public service organisation, and advances in GDPR legislation, that we have been challenged in this aspect of our work,” a spokeswoman said.
“Tusla is acutely aware of its responsibilities in relation to the very sensitive data we work with on a daily basis. We continue to work proactively with the office of the Data Protection Commissioner to continuously improve our systems and practices to reflect data protection legislation, and the data protection rights of the children and families we work with.”
Overall, the data watchdog received 6,609 valid data breach notifications in 2019 – the first full year that the EU's new data protection law, the General Data Protection Regulation, was in effect. This is an increase of 42 per cent on the previous year.
The commission handled 7,215 complaints last year. It received 2,864 complaints between May 25th, 2018, when GDPR came into effect, and the end of that year.
In another breach notification received by the DPC that led to a statutory inquiry, the Irish Credit Bureau inadvertently allowed incorrect updates to be applied to the loan account records of customers at financial institutions. This affected the credit ratings of 15,238 individuals.
Some 118 individuals had requested their credit report directly from the Irish Credit Bureau while the data was incorrect. The Data Protection Commission’s inquiry started in July 2019.


theirishtimes--2020-02-20--Teenage girl (16) killed and three boys injured in Cork crash

A 16-year-old girl has been killed and three other teenagers suffered serious injuries in a single-car crash in Cork city late on Wednesday night .
Gardaí have appealed for witnesses after the car , driven by a 16-year-old youth , crashed into a wall on Harbour View Road in Knocknaheeny on Cork ’ s northside at about 11.45pm .
The girl , who was a front seat passenger , was pronounced dead at the scene .
The driver of the car fled the scene on foot and later presented at the Emergency Department at the Mercy University Hospital where he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The body of the girl , who is from Knocknaheeny , was removed from scene to Cork University Hospital where a postmortem is scheduled to take place later on Thursday .
Two rear seat passengers , two youths also aged about 16 , were taken by ambulance to Cork University Hospital where one of them is believed to be in a critical condition .
Gardaí are satisfied that the car , a 19-year-old Seat Toledo , was not stolen but was what is known as “ a company car ” where teenagers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cheaply .
Gardaí have closed off Harbour View Road and put diversions in place to allow a Garda forensic crash investigator examine the scene and the road is likely to remain closed for several hours .
Gardaí are appealing to anyone who may have witnessed the collision or have information regarding the collision to contact Gurranabraher Garda Station on 021 494 6200 .
They are particularly keen any road users who were travelling Harbour View Road between 11pm on February 19th and 12.30am on February 20th and may have camera footage to contact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s collision is not far from the scene of a fatal crash 10 years ago when two teenagers were killed after their car smashed into a house trying to flee another car .
CJ Dolan ( 16 ) and Derry O ’ Callaghan ( 19 ) were killed when the car in which they were travelling was rammed by another car before crashing into a house on Harbour View Road in May 2010 .
Last night ’ s fatal crash is the third such fatal collision in Cork in the space of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ collisions on both Monday and Tuesday in which men lost their lives .

The family of a 16-year-old girl killed in a car crash near their home in Cork city on Wednesday night, have spoken of their loss and devastation as they recalled their daughter and sister.
Kimberly O'Connor from Harbour View Road in Knocknaheeny on Cork's northside was killed when the car in which she was a front seat passenger crashed into a wall on Harbour View Road.
A back seat passenger in the car, an 18-year-old local youth was rushed by ambulance to Cork University Hospital where he remains in a critical condition in an induced coma in intensive care.
And the driver of the car, a 16-year old-boy, who left the scene but later presented at the Mercy University Hospital, is now being treated in hospital for non-life threatening injuries.
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Kimberly was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. It is less than 50 yards from her home on Harbour View Road where she lived with her mother, Jennifer and other family members.
‘Lives shattered’
On Thursday, Kimberly’s mother, Jennifer Haynes, issued a statement on behalf of herself and her other children including Kimberly’s older sisters, Shannon and Britney.
“Our hearts are broken today at the loss of our beautiful daughter, sister, granddaughter, aunt, niece and friend Kimberly O’Connor,” said Ms Haynes who recently gave birth to a baby boy.
“Our lives are shattered today and it is difficult to put into words how we are feeling,” she added, before recalling her daughter’s kindness and generosity and how she was loved by everyone.
Ms Haynes recalled that, just last month, Kimberly had gone to Kolkata along with four other pupils and two teachers from Terence MacSwiney Community College to work with the Hope Foundation.
“She had just returned from Kolkata in January – she had gone there with her school to work with the Hope Foundation and participate in the Hope You Can Paint Project painting local orphanages.
“And she was also involved in an exchange programme with Cooperation Ireland visiting Belfast and engaging in cross-border projects and relationships working with students in the north of Ireland.”
Ms Haynes said her daughter had a great interest in drama and singing, having played the lead role in two musicals at Terence MacSwiney Community College and hoped to make a career in drama.
“Our Kimberly had a bright future and was very talented and a great career lay ahead of her – she was a very kind and generous person who was loved by so many people,” she said.
Thanks
Ms Haynes thanked family members, friends and neighbours as well as Kimberly’s teachers at Terence MacSwiney Community College and local parish priest, Fr Greg Howard for their support.
She also thanked the gardaí at nearby Gurranebraher Garda station and the local community in Knocknaheeney for their sympathy and support.
“We pray for those who are injured and thank the emergency services for attending the accident last night and ask for all your prayers at this very sad time,” she said.
Local Fianna Fail Cllr Tony Fitzgerald said the tragedy had shocked everyone in Knocknaheeny with many only learning about what happened when they woke up on Thursday morning.
“The accident happened late last night but I don’t think people heard about it until early morning – people are in shock and deeply sad – there’s a huge sense of loss and mourning in the community.
“It happened right near the roundabout in the middle of Knocknaheeny and to see a young life like this, a talented young girl taken from us, there’s just devastation at the loss of such a young life.
“Everyone who knew Kimberly through the school and the youth centre is numb today and then there’s huge concern for two lads who were in the car with her that they will make a recovery.”
School
Principal at Terence MacSwiney Community College, Phil O’Flynn spoke of her sense of shock at the death of Kimberly, whom she described as, “one of the school’s bright lights”.
“She was a very bright light in the school, full of talent and energy – she was involved in Co-operation Ireland and she went to Kolkata last month to work with the Hope Foundation.
“And she was also full of fun and full of mischief and she had an absolutely extraordinary acting talent – she had played the lead in a number of our school musicals over the last two years.
“Only yesterday our musical director, Ciaran Bermingham was speaking about the upcoming play and he said ‘Look Phil, she has such a talent I am going to make sure she goes all the way’.”
Ms O’Flynn said that although the school was closed for mid-term, they re-opened on Thursday to provide support for Kimberly’s many friends.
“We opened today because the students came into day looking for a bit of solace, just to talk to us and we are open again tomorrow for students to come in for counselling and guidance and advice.
“Everyone was coming in because it was just outside the school so we had a lot of visitors today and a lot of grief because Kimberly was always contributing to so many aspects of school life.”
Ms O’Flynn said that people’s thoughts were also with the driver of the car who is also a pupil at the school and the back seat passenger who is a past pupil.
Appeal
Meanwhile, gardaí have appealed to anyone who may have witnessed the collision or have any information that can assist them to contact Gurranebraher Garda station on 021-4946200.
Gardaí believe the driver of the car may have only bought the 19-year-old Seat Toledo in recent weeks and they are trying to trace its movements prior to the crash just before midnight.
They are investigating whether it came down Court Town Drive and hit the roundabout at the junction with Harbour View Road before demolishing nearby pedestrian traffic lights and crashing.
They are keen to speak to any road users who were travelling Harbour View Road between 11pm on February 19th and 12.30am on February 20th and may have camera footage.
The scene of Wednesday’s night’s collision is not far from the scene of a fatal crash ten years ago when two teenagers were killed after their car smashed into a house trying to flee another car.
CJ Dolan (16) and Derry O’Callaghan (19) were killed when the car in which they were travelling was rammed by another car before crashing into a house on Harbour View Road in May 2010.
Fatalities
Wednesday night’s crash is the third such fatal collision in Cork in the space of three days and follows two separate fatal collisions on both Monday and Tuesday in which men lost their lives.
The first fatal collision happened around 1pm on Monday afternoon when a foreign national in his 40s died after being struck by a truck on the Kinsale Road not far from Cork Airport.
The man, who was living in the Lehanaghmore area, was driving on the Kinsale Road some 500 yards beyond Cork Airport when he crashed into the ditch but managed to get out of his car.
The man was walking back towards Cork Airport around some dangerous bends when he was struck by a truck. He was taken by ambulance to Cork University Hospital but died a short time later.
On Tuesday night, a 52-year-old Polish man living in Carrigaline was killed when his car was in collision with a car driven by a 19 year old man from Limerick on the main Cork-Limerick Road.
The collision happened on bends near Ballybeg quarry outside Buttevant just before 11pm as the man from Limerick and two friends were returning from attending a match in Cork to Limerick.
The Polish national, who was heading home towards Carrigaline and Cork, was pronounced dead at the scene while the three teenagers from Moyross in Limerick escaped with minor injuries.


theirishtimes--2020-02-20--The science of rest and why it is important to daydream

We ’ ve heard a lot about the importance of getting enough good quality sleep in the past few years but what about rest .
In a time when people wear busyness as a badge of honour , are we missing out on opportunities to rest our minds and bodies ?
And what exactly constitutes rest ?
Is it different for each person and how can you work out what you find most restful ?
In The Art of Rest : How to Find Respite in the Modern Age ( Canongate ) , psychology professor at the University of Sussex @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trawls through the psychological research while analysing the top 10 ways to rest .
Her findings stem from the Rest Test , the largest global survey into the topic to date which she collaborated on with researchers from Durham University in the UK .
It was completed by 18,000 people in 135 different countries in 2016 .
Participants were recruited through the BBC programmes , All in the Mind and Health Check , presented by Hammond .
She builds a kind of manifesto for rest as she believes many people feel guilty or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if they yearn for it .
She suggests we suffer from a rest deficit .
“ We need to rest more .
And to rest better .
Resting is good not just for wellbeing but for productivity , ” she writes .
And , she advises people to give themselves permission to rest and re-frame their wasted time as rest , stop fetishising busyness and schedule periods of downtime into their week .
Two-thirds of respondents said they weren ’ t getting enough rest and younger people working either shifts or traditional full-time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Of course , ever-present smartphones with their insistent pings and addictive social media apps deter a lot of people from resting their minds .
Yet there is increasing evidence that spending time relaxing helps us to make better decisions , lowers risk of depression , boosts memories and immune systems .
So , how do you work out which activities you find most restful ?
First off , it ’ s important to realise many people find physical exertion restful , either while doing it or afterwards .
This can be anything from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hiking or doing a gym class .
Others find meditative forms of exercise such as yoga or tai chi more restful .
And interestingly , respondents who did more exercise also believed that they got more rest .
In the survey , having a good walk came in as the sixth most popular way to rest .
Hammond speaks about how philosophers , writers and composers through the centuries have all extolled the virtues of walking .
Researchers at Stanford University found that walking – particularly walking outdoors – helps increase creativity .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ while people who tracked their steps walked further , they enjoyed their walk less .
Walking with others also increases our empathy and co-operation .
So much so that some suggest conflict resolution talks should be carried out when walking not sitting around a table .
And as researchers find that micro-walks of five minutes every hour are more beneficial than 30 minutes at the beginning of the day , office workers could consider walking as a rest from sitting down .
Interestingly , the top five of the most popular forms of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their own .
One researcher worked out that on average we spend about 29 per cent of our waking time alone .
So , perhaps there are greater opportunities for rest than many realise .
Hammond suggests we experience the restfulness of being alone more as we get older .
And while daydreaming fosters creativity , so too can spending time alone as many writers and artists will testify .
There has even been a call for business leaders to spend more time alone to help them come to the right ethical decisions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ watching television come in as the ninth most restful thing to do .
Hammond says that historically negative attitudes towards watching TV as a passive , lazy activity should now be reconsidered given its role in combating loneliness .
Researchers have found that if people are in a bad mood in the afternoon , a few hours of watching television later on left them feeling much better by the end of the evening .
“ Like reading , watching TV improves empathy and makes us better at seeing things from other people ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of hours can certainly help you relax but five hours of TV a day is almost certainly too much , ” she writes .
Hammond says she was surprised that spending time with friends and family didn ’ t make it into the top 10 most restful things .
It came in at number 12 .
Gardening and spending time with pets didn ’ t make it into the top 10 either – though Hammond says people she meets mention them a lot .
And she acknowledges enforced rest – through unemployment or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rather than restfulness .
And , when asked what she finds most restful herself ?
Her answer is gardening – although she also loves walking and having regular hot baths .
“ Gardening allows my mind to switch off like no other activity .
I get to spend time in the open air and to feel the soil between my fingers and – sometimes – the sun on my back , ” she says .
Hammond also suggests , in this noisy world many of us live in , the sound that can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Claudia Hammond will speak at the Northern Ireland Science Festival on February 23rd – See claudiahammond.com According to The Rest Test global survey the most popular ways people rest are : 1 ) Reading : The unconscious ability to speed up and slow down the pace of our reading , to linger over the good bits or skip over the dull passages helps to make reading so absorbing and relaxing , according to Claudia Hammond .
And , like music , it ’ s all about reading what you enjoy most .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Restoration theory is a psychological explanation why spending time in nature is restful .
The more repetition there is in a landscape , the more we enjoy it .
Researchers have also found people feel most rested when they are in nature for at least 30 minutes .
3 ) Being alone : Even extroverts rated time spent alone as more restful than time spent with other people even if they were less drawn to solitude than introverts .
4 ) Listening to music : The key to this is being able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Teenagers are best at using music successfully to improve their moods availing of a wider variety of music .
5 ) Doing nothing in particular : 10 per cent of respondents said they find rest of any kind so difficult as it made them feel guilty .
With the so-called attention economy drawing us in 24/7 , maybe simply lying on the couch after a busy day is more important than you think .
6 ) Having a good walk : 38 per cent of respondents selected walking as one of their top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cent choose exercise and eight per cent said that running is restful .
7 ) Enjoying a hot bath : The benefits of bathing go back to Ancient Rome where public baths were a popular form of relaxation .
Nowadays , hot baths are more of a private pleasure , except of course in luxurious spas .
A hot bath an hour or two before bedtime lowers body temperature to induce sleepiness .
8 ) Daydreaming : Scientists often use the term mind wandering rather than day dreaming , describing it as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maligned ( especially by teachers ) daydreaming is now considered important for creativity , problem-solving and planning .
9 ) Watching TV : More women than men choose watching TV as one of their top three restful activities .
10 ) Mindfulness : It gives people an opportunity to quieten their minds and relax their bodies but perhaps its benefit also lies in the decision to put uninterrupted time aside for rest .

More than just sleep, when awake we should set time aside to rest our minds and bodies
We’ve heard a lot about the importance of getting enough good quality sleep in the past few years but what about rest. In a time when people wear busyness as a badge of honour, are we missing out on opportunities to rest our minds and bodies? And what exactly constitutes rest? Is it different for each person and how can you work out what you find most restful?
In The Art of Rest: How to Find Respite in the Modern Age (Canongate), psychology professor at the University of Sussex and BBC Radio 4 presenter Claudia Hammond trawls through the psychological research while analysing the top 10 ways to rest.
Psychologist Claudia Hammond
Her findings stem from the Rest Test, the largest global survey into the topic to date which she collaborated on with researchers from Durham University in the UK. It was completed by 18,000 people in 135 different countries in 2016. Participants were recruited through the BBC programmes, All in the Mind and Health Check, presented by Hammond.
She builds a kind of manifesto for rest as she believes many people feel guilty or anxious about taking a rest – even if they yearn for it. She suggests we suffer from a rest deficit. “We need to rest more. And to rest better. Resting is good not just for wellbeing but for productivity,” she writes. And, she advises people to give themselves permission to rest and re-frame their wasted time as rest, stop fetishising busyness and schedule periods of downtime into their week.
READ MORE
Two-thirds of respondents said they weren’t getting enough rest and younger people working either shifts or traditional full-time jobs felt they rested the least. Of course, ever-present smartphones with their insistent pings and addictive social media apps deter a lot of people from resting their minds. Yet there is increasing evidence that spending time relaxing helps us to make better decisions, lowers risk of depression, boosts memories and immune systems.
So, how do you work out which activities you find most restful? First off, it’s important to realise many people find physical exertion restful, either while doing it or afterwards. This can be anything from playing football to swimming, running, hiking or doing a gym class. Others find meditative forms of exercise such as yoga or tai chi more restful. And interestingly, respondents who did more exercise also believed that they got more rest.
In the survey, having a good walk came in as the sixth most popular way to rest. Hammond speaks about how philosophers, writers and composers through the centuries have all extolled the virtues of walking. Researchers at Stanford University found that walking – particularly walking outdoors – helps increase creativity. Yet researchers at Duke University found that while people who tracked their steps walked further, they enjoyed their walk less.
Walking
Walking with others also increases our empathy and co-operation. So much so that some suggest conflict resolution talks should be carried out when walking not sitting around a table. And as researchers find that micro-walks of five minutes every hour are more beneficial than 30 minutes at the beginning of the day, office workers could consider walking as a rest from sitting down.
Interestingly, the top five of the most popular forms of resting are things people often do on their own. One researcher worked out that on average we spend about 29 per cent of our waking time alone. So, perhaps there are greater opportunities for rest than many realise. Hammond suggests we experience the restfulness of being alone more as we get older.
And while daydreaming fosters creativity, so too can spending time alone as many writers and artists will testify. There has even been a call for business leaders to spend more time alone to help them come to the right ethical decisions.
Readers may be surprised to see watching television come in as the ninth most restful thing to do. Hammond says that historically negative attitudes towards watching TV as a passive, lazy activity should now be reconsidered given its role in combating loneliness.
Researchers have found that if people are in a bad mood in the afternoon, a few hours of watching television later on left them feeling much better by the end of the evening. “Like reading, watching TV improves empathy and makes us better at seeing things from other people’s points of view. A couple of hours can certainly help you relax but five hours of TV a day is almost certainly too much,” she writes.
Hammond says she was surprised that spending time with friends and family didn’t make it into the top 10 most restful things. It came in at number 12. Gardening and spending time with pets didn’t make it into the top 10 either – though Hammond says people she meets mention them a lot. And she acknowledges enforced rest – through unemployment or illness – can often result in restlessness rather than restfulness.
And, when asked what she finds most restful herself? Her answer is gardening – although she also loves walking and having regular hot baths. “Gardening allows my mind to switch off like no other activity. I get to spend time in the open air and to feel the soil between my fingers and – sometimes – the sun on my back,” she says. Hammond also suggests, in this noisy world many of us live in, the sound that can be most restful of all is silence.
Claudia Hammond will speak at the Northern Ireland Science Festival on February 23rd – See claudiahammond.com
Top 10 most popular ways to feel rested
According to The Rest Test global survey the most popular ways people rest are:
1) Reading: The unconscious ability to speed up and slow down the pace of our reading, to linger over the good bits or skip over the dull passages helps to make reading so absorbing and relaxing, according to Claudia Hammond. And, like music, it's all about reading what you enjoy most.
2) Spending time in nature: Restoration theory is a psychological explanation why spending time in nature is restful. The more repetition there is in a landscape, the more we enjoy it. Researchers have also found people feel most rested when they are in nature for at least 30 minutes.
3) Being alone: Even extroverts rated time spent alone as more restful than time spent with other people even if they were less drawn to solitude than introverts.
4) Listening to music: The key to this is being able to select the music you listen to. Teenagers are best at using music successfully to improve their moods availing of a wider variety of music.
5) Doing nothing in particular: 10 per cent of respondents said they find rest of any kind so difficult as it made them feel guilty. With the so-called attention economy drawing us in 24/7, maybe simply lying on the couch after a busy day is more important than you think.
6) Having a good walk: 38 per cent of respondents selected walking as one of their top three restful activities. Another 16 per cent choose exercise and eight per cent said that running is restful.
7) Enjoying a hot bath: The benefits of bathing go back to Ancient Rome where public baths were a popular form of relaxation. Nowadays, hot baths are more of a private pleasure, except of course in luxurious spas. A hot bath an hour or two before bedtime lowers body temperature to induce sleepiness.
8) Daydreaming: Scientists often use the term mind wandering rather than day dreaming, describing it as the brain's natural state. Often maligned (especially by teachers) daydreaming is now considered important for creativity, problem-solving and planning.
9) Watching TV: More women than men choose watching TV as one of their top three restful activities.
10) Mindfulness: It gives people an opportunity to quieten their minds and relax their bodies but perhaps its benefit also lies in the decision to put uninterrupted time aside for rest.


theirishtimes--2020-02-20--Airbnb-style short-term rentals to be refused applications in Dublin

Full-time use of houses and apartments in Dublin city for Airbnb-style rentals is set to be eliminated , following a Dublin City Council decision not to grant permission to short-term lets .
The policy decision comes as a company that owns five luxury city centre houses , previously approved for holiday-letting , was ordered to stop using the properties for short-term accommodation .
The houses on Grattan Court East , close to Merrion Square , one of which had been marketed as the Bobby Sands Suite , had been used for holiday accommodation since they were built in 2017 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ rent pressure zones have to get planning permission to use their housing for short-term lets for more than three months a year .
However , while property owners can apply for permission , the council said it does not intend to approve these applications , and has granted no permissions date .
The city council has received 16 applications for short-term letting .
Of these eight were refused planning permission , two applications were declared invalid , three were withdrawn by the applicant and three are still awaiting decision by the council .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ councillors next week , the council said its policy is “ to refuse planning permission for any development which would result in the loss of permanent residential units within designated rent pressure zones ” .
The policy effectively means no houses or apartments , that could be used as full-time rental homes , will be granted planning permission for short-term letting .

Full-time use of houses and apartments in Dublin city for Airbnb-style rentals is set to be eliminated. Photograph: Getty Images
Full-time use of houses and apartments in Dublin city for Airbnb-style rentals is set to be eliminated, following a Dublin City Council decision not to grant permission to short-term lets.
The policy decision comes as a company that owns five luxury city centre houses, previously approved for holiday-letting, was ordered to stop using the properties for short-term accommodation.
The houses on Grattan Court East, close to Merrion Square, one of which had been marketed as the Bobby Sands Suite, had been used for holiday accommodation since they were built in 2017.
Since last July owners of properties in rent pressure zones have to get planning permission to use their housing for short-term lets for more than three months a year.
READ MORE
Permission
However, while property owners can apply for permission, the council said it does not intend to approve these applications, and has granted no permissions date.
The city council has received 16 applications for short-term letting. Of these eight were refused planning permission, two applications were declared invalid, three were withdrawn by the applicant and three are still awaiting decision by the council.
In a report to be presented to councillors next week, the council said its policy is “to refuse planning permission for any development which would result in the loss of permanent residential units within designated rent pressure zones”.
The policy effectively means no houses or apartments, that could be used as full-time rental homes, will be granted planning permission for short-term letting.


theirishtimes--2020-02-20--Firm behind luxury Dublin rentals to appeal short-term let ban

The company behind five holiday rental houses in Dublin city , valued at more than €1 million each , is to appeal a decision banning their use for short-term let accommodation .
Dublin City Council refused permission to Robert Pierse of Hiphipstay to continue the use of 14-18 Grattan Court East , four-storey luxury houses close to Merrion Square in Dublin 2 , for short term letting .
The company is one of 16 applicants to seek permission from the city council to use houses and apartments for short-term let accommodation , since restrictions on the use of homes for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The council has not granted permission in any of the 16 cases .
Last June , a month before the short-let legislation came into force , the council had ruled that the five houses did not need planning permission for holiday letting .
However , this was appealed to An Bord Pleanála , which determined a planning application was required .
Representatives of the company said the developer Ddsis Homes Ltd had constructed the houses with a view to sale , but when completed in 2017 and placed on the market , none @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hardship as a result ” , the developer “ had no choice ” but to offer them for short-term letting , the respresentatives said .
Due to the cost of the apartments , they were “ not the kind of rental accommodation which could be relevant to the majority of victims of the housing crisis ” , which the short-term let legislation was trying to protect , they said .
However , residents in the short cul-de-sac said up to 50 guests were being accommodated in the five houses at weekends .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many of which were “ loud , noisy and disruptive ” , residents Alvaro and Sandra Lopez-Lagua said .
“ For example our family had to see semi-naked guests walking down the street , people urinating on the street , cans and glasses being thrown form the roof-top terraces of the units.
” The houses had been marketed for short-term rental as the Phil Lynott Suite , John Fitzgerald Suite , Samuel Beckett Suite , Michael Collins Suite , and Bobby Sands Suite , with prices starting at about €350 a night .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to continue would “ result in the loss of five long term residential dwellings , which is of concern to the planning authority having regard to the existing housing shortage currently experienced within the city ” .
The proposal would also “ result in an unwanted precedent for similar type development in the area , which may then result in the further unacceptable loss of existing long-term residential rental properties in the locality ” .
Since last July owners of properties in rent pressure zones have to get planning permission to use their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three months every year .
Homeowners who want to rent out a room or rent their entire home for less than three months do not need planning permission , but must register with their local authority .
However , the council said it was its policy to “ refuse planning permission for any development which would result in the loss of permanent residential units ” .
A spokesman for Airbnb said it wanted to “ work with Ireland to make its home sharing rules work ” .

The company behind five holiday rental houses in Dublin city, valued at more than €1 million each, is to appeal a decision banning their use for short-term let accommodation.
Dublin City Council refused permission to Robert Pierse of Hiphipstay to continue the use of 14-18 Grattan Court East, four-storey luxury houses close to Merrion Square in Dublin 2, for short term letting.
The company is one of 16 applicants to seek permission from the city council to use houses and apartments for short-term let accommodation, since restrictions on the use of homes for Airbnb-style rental were introduced last July. The council has not granted permission in any of the 16 cases.
Last June, a month before the short-let legislation came into force, the council had ruled that the five houses did not need planning permission for holiday letting. However, this was appealed to An Bord Pleanála, which determined a planning application was required.
READ MORE
Representatives of the company said the developer Ddsis Homes Ltd had constructed the houses with a view to sale, but when completed in 2017 and placed on the market, none were sold.
“Facing extreme financial hardship as a result”, the developer “had no choice” but to offer them for short-term letting, the respresentatives said.
Disruptive parties
Due to the cost of the apartments, they were “not the kind of rental accommodation which could be relevant to the majority of victims of the housing crisis”, which the short-term let legislation was trying to protect, they said.
However, residents in the short cul-de-sac said up to 50 guests were being accommodated in the five houses at weekends. The guests included hen and stag parties, many of which were “loud, noisy and disruptive”, residents Alvaro and Sandra Lopez-Lagua said.
“For example our family had to see semi-naked guests walking down the street, people urinating on the street, cans and glasses being thrown form the roof-top terraces of the units.”
The houses had been marketed for short-term rental as the Phil Lynott Suite, John Fitzgerald Suite, Samuel Beckett Suite, Michael Collins Suite, and Bobby Sands Suite, with prices starting at about €350 a night.
The council said allowing the short-term rental to continue would “result in the loss of five long term residential dwellings, which is of concern to the planning authority having regard to the existing housing shortage currently experienced within the city”.
The proposal would also “result in an unwanted precedent for similar type development in the area, which may then result in the further unacceptable loss of existing long-term residential rental properties in the locality”.
Planning permission
Since last July owners of properties in rent pressure zones have to get planning permission to use their housing for short-term lets for more than three months every year. Homeowners who want to rent out a room or rent their entire home for less than three months do not need planning permission, but must register with their local authority.
However, the council said it was its policy to “refuse planning permission for any development which would result in the loss of permanent residential units”.
A spokesman for Airbnb said it wanted to “work with Ireland to make its home sharing rules work”.


theirishtimes--2020-02-20--How many numbers begin with a 1? More than 30 per cent!

The irregular distribution of the first digits of numbers in databases provides a valuable tool for fraud detection .
A remarkable rule that applies to many datasets was accidentally discovered by an American physicist , Frank Benford , who described his discovery in a 1938 paper , The Law of Anomalous Numbers .
With nine possible choices , we should expect each digit to occur on average one time in nine .
In fact , the digits are heavily skewed toward smaller values : the first digit is more likely to be 1 than 2 , more likely to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The number 9 occurs as the first digit less frequently than any other number .
Benford ’ s law has unexpected practical benefits : it has led to surprising applications in forensic accounting and elsewhere .
Imagine a large list of numbers , such as might be found in census returns or stock market reports .
Suppose a number is picked at random from the list .
We might expect that the first digit , which may be anything from 1 to 9 , is equally likely to be any of these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ found that the number 1 appears as the first digit about 30 per cent of the time , whereas 9 occurs less than 5 per cent of the time .
Benford tested his idea on numerous datasets : lengths of rivers , population sizes , street addresses , death rates and so on .
He found the same curious pattern in all these cases .
The law applies most accurately to data that span several orders of magnitude .
For datasets where all the entries are similar , this is not the case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ most adults are in the range from 150 to 190cm , all beginning with 1 .
Changing units to inches , the range runs from 60 to 75 , so only 6 and 7 appear as leading digits .
However , many real-world distributions have wider ranges and satisfy Benford ’ s law with remarkable accuracy .
Benford ’ s law can reveal highly unlikely frequencies of numbers in a dataset .
It has been used to detect fraud in elections and tampering with digital images .
Swindlers who fabricate figures tend to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who choose amounts just below checking thresholds , leave tell-tale signals that show up as anomalies using the law .
Benford was not the first person to notice the peculiar distribution of leading digits .
In 1881 , the American astronomer Simon Newcomb , thumbing through a table of logarithms , noticed that the earlier pages , where the numbers start with 1 , were more heavily worn than the later pages .
Newcomb proposed that the probability for leading digits followed a logarithmic law .
However , his finding was forgotten until @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Numerous websites , papers and textbooks present simple proofs of Benford ’ s law , but fallacies in their arguments are common .
The eminent logician and mathematician CS Peirce once observed that “ in no other branch of mathematics is it so easy for experts to blunder as in probability theory ” .
Although many aspects of Benford ’ s law have solid theoretical foundations , there is still no unified approach that accounts for its ubiquity .
Most experts agree some mystery remains about the widespread occurrence of the law @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emeritus professor at UCD School of Mathematics & Statistics – he blogs atthatsmaths.com

Benford’s law can reveal highly unlikely frequencies of numbers in a dataset. It has been used to detect fraud in elections and tampering with digital images. Photograph: iStock
The irregular distribution of the first digits of numbers in databases provides a valuable tool for fraud detection. A remarkable rule that applies to many datasets was accidentally discovered by an American physicist, Frank Benford, who described his discovery in a 1938 paper, The Law of Anomalous Numbers.
With nine possible choices, we should expect each digit to occur on average one time in nine. In fact, the digits are heavily skewed toward smaller values: the first digit is more likely to be 1 than 2, more likely to be 2 than 3, and so on.
The number 9 occurs as the first digit less frequently than any other number. Benford’s law has unexpected practical benefits: it has led to surprising applications in forensic accounting and elsewhere.
The first-digit law
Imagine a large list of numbers, such as might be found in census returns or stock market reports. Suppose a number is picked at random from the list. We might expect that the first digit, which may be anything from 1 to 9, is equally likely to be any of these values. However, it is frequently found that the number 1 appears as the first digit about 30 per cent of the time, whereas 9 occurs less than 5 per cent of the time.
READ MORE
Benford tested his idea on numerous datasets: lengths of rivers, population sizes, street addresses, death rates and so on. He found the same curious pattern in all these cases. The law applies most accurately to data that span several orders of magnitude.
Benford’s distribution
For datasets where all the entries are similar, this is not the case. For example, the heights of most adults are in the range from 150 to 190cm, all beginning with 1. Changing units to inches, the range runs from 60 to 75, so only 6 and 7 appear as leading digits. However, many real-world distributions have wider ranges and satisfy Benford’s law with remarkable accuracy.
Fraud detection
Benford’s law can reveal highly unlikely frequencies of numbers in a dataset. It has been used to detect fraud in elections and tampering with digital images. Swindlers who fabricate figures tend to distribute their digits uniformly. Others, who choose amounts just below checking thresholds, leave tell-tale signals that show up as anomalies using the law.
Benford was not the first person to notice the peculiar distribution of leading digits. In 1881, the American astronomer Simon Newcomb, thumbing through a table of logarithms, noticed that the earlier pages, where the numbers start with 1, were more heavily worn than the later pages. Newcomb proposed that the probability for leading digits followed a logarithmic law. However, his finding was forgotten until Benford re-discovered it some 60 years later.
Numerous websites, papers and textbooks present simple proofs of Benford’s law, but fallacies in their arguments are common. The eminent logician and mathematician CS Peirce once observed that “in no other branch of mathematics is it so easy for experts to blunder as in probability theory”.
Although many aspects of Benford’s law have solid theoretical foundations, there is still no unified approach that accounts for its ubiquity. Most experts agree some mystery remains about the widespread occurrence of the law in real-life circumstances.
Peter Lynch is emeritus professor at UCD School of Mathematics & Statistics – he blogs atthatsmaths.com


theirishtimes--2020-02-20--Australian bush fires were not caused by climate change alone

The recent bushfires in Australia were exacerbated not only by global warming but also by other factors .
There is no doubt climate change must be tackled as an urgent priority but it is equally clear that , despite our best efforts , progress will be slow and gradual .
However , other factors that exacerbate these bushfires can be effectively tackled immediately .
In particular , I believe , more action should be taken to reduce the fuel load in the bush and forests .
Millions of hectares of bush were burned in the recent fires and 28 lives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are an unavoidable natural phenomenon .
The explorer Captain James Cook ( 1728 - 1779 ) sailing along the east Australian coast in 1770 remarked : “ Smoke by day and fires in the night.
” Particularly bad bushfires in terms of lives lost , homes destroyed and areas of land burned occurred in 1851 , 1926 , 1939 , 1967 , 1983 and 2009 .
The worst fire to date was in 2009 in Victoria where 173 people died and over 2,000 homes were lost .
Global warming is exacerbating the bushfire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ factors that are also completely amenable to reform in the immediate term .
These factors include : ( A ) failure to regularly reduce “ fuel load ” in bush and forests ; ( B ) the growing lack of skilled firefighters ( most firefighting is voluntary but the firefighters are ageing and fewer volunteers are coming forward ) ; ( C ) zoning laws allowing greater penetration of housing into the bush ; and ( D ) arson .
Many experts such as Vic Jurskis , a fellow of the Institute of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the biggest factor exacerbating the bushfire problem .
Fuel load refers to accumulation in the bush of undergrowth , fallen trees and grass killed by previous fires , fallen branches and leaves , etc .
This accumulation provides much extra fuel for the next fires .
Doubling the available fuel doubles the rate of fire spread and quadruples the intensity .
In the 1950s and 60s the Australian Government regularly reduced this fuel load by controlled use of hazard-reduction fires in winter .
This precautionary burning is smokey and uncomfortable for nearby suburban @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wildlife .
And so , under pressure from the Greens , such precautionary prescribed burning has significantly reduced in recent decades .
Fuel loads now increase greatly in unburned areas and then erupt into intense summer fires .
The 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission Report identified the failure to reduce fuel load as a factor that intensified the huge 2009 fires.But all that said , it must be acknowledged also that climate change accelerates the danger of bush fires .
Australia experienced both its hottest-ever and driest-ever year in 2019 – the next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2018 and 2017 in that order .
Two oscillating meteorological patterns helped to generate Australia ’ s recent extreme conditions as outlined by Graham Redfearn in the Guardian last month .
The Indian Ocean Dipole ( IOD ) was in a positive phase , meaning the Indian Ocean off Australia ’ s north-western side was colder than normal while the western Indian Ocean off Africa was warmer .
This condition draws moisture and rainfall away from Australia .
And a 2018 Nature Communications paper reported that global warming increases the frequency of extreme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ another meteorological phenomenon called the Southern Annular Mode in a manner that tends to dry Australia during the winter .
There is a distinct preponderance of media opinion that the Australian bushfires confirm our worst fears about the consequences of climate change .
Greta Thunberg tweeted : “ We still fail to make the connection between the climate crisis and increased extreme weather events and natural disasters like the Australian fires .
That ’ s what has to change .
Now.
” That ’ s fine , but even if the entire world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at reducing greenhouse gas emissions , which is unlikely to happen , slowing down and reversing global warming would still be a slow process akin to stopping a fast moving ocean super-tanker .
We must of course acknowledge the role played by climate change and make every effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions , but , in the meantime , measures known to directly reduce the extent and severity of the annual Australian bush fires , such as reducing fuel loads , should be implemented now .
Pointing exclusively to global warming only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these other simple and immediately effective measures .
William Reville is an emeritus professor of biochemistry at UCC

Fire and Rescue personal run to move their truck as a bushfire burns next to a major road and homes on the outskirts of the town of Bilpin on December 19th, 2019 in Sydney, Australia. Photograph: David Gray/Getty Images
The recent bushfires in Australia were exacerbated not only by global warming but also by other factors. There is no doubt climate change must be tackled as an urgent priority but it is equally clear that, despite our best efforts, progress will be slow and gradual. However, other factors that exacerbate these bushfires can be effectively tackled immediately. In particular, I believe, more action should be taken to reduce the fuel load in the bush and forests.
Millions of hectares of bush were burned in the recent fires and 28 lives were lost. Annual bushfires in Australia are an unavoidable natural phenomenon. The explorer Captain James Cook (1728 - 1779) sailing along the east Australian coast in 1770 remarked: "Smoke by day and fires in the night." Particularly bad bushfires in terms of lives lost, homes destroyed and areas of land burned occurred in 1851, 1926, 1939, 1967, 1983 and 2009. The worst fire to date was in 2009 in Victoria where 173 people died and over 2,000 homes were lost.
Global warming is exacerbating the bushfire situation, but so are several other factors that are also completely amenable to reform in the immediate term. These factors include: (A) failure to regularly reduce “fuel load” in bush and forests; (B) the growing lack of skilled firefighters (most firefighting is voluntary but the firefighters are ageing and fewer volunteers are coming forward); (C) zoning laws allowing greater penetration of housing into the bush; and (D) arson.
Many experts such as Vic Jurskis, a fellow of the Institute of Foresters of Australia identify fuel load as the biggest factor exacerbating the bushfire problem. Fuel load refers to accumulation in the bush of undergrowth, fallen trees and grass killed by previous fires, fallen branches and leaves, etc. This accumulation provides much extra fuel for the next fires. Doubling the available fuel doubles the rate of fire spread and quadruples the intensity.
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In the 1950s and 60s the Australian Government regularly reduced this fuel load by controlled use of hazard-reduction fires in winter. This precautionary burning is smokey and uncomfortable for nearby suburban areas and also imposes a burden on wildlife.
Precautionary
And so, under pressure from the Greens, such precautionary prescribed burning has significantly reduced in recent decades. Fuel loads now increase greatly in unburned areas and then erupt into intense summer fires. The 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission Report identified the failure to reduce fuel load as a factor that intensified the huge 2009 fires.But all that said, it must be acknowledged also that climate change accelerates the danger of bush fires. Australia experienced both its hottest-ever and driest-ever year in 2019 – the next hottest years were 2013, 2000 and 2018 and 2017 in that order.
Two oscillating meteorological patterns helped to generate Australia's recent extreme conditions as outlined by Graham Redfearn in the Guardian last month. The Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) was in a positive phase, meaning the Indian Ocean off Australia's north-western side was colder than normal while the western Indian Ocean off Africa was warmer.
This condition draws moisture and rainfall away from Australia. And a 2018 Nature Communications paper reported that global warming increases the frequency of extreme IOD events. Global warming also affects another meteorological phenomenon called the Southern Annular Mode in a manner that tends to dry Australia during the winter.
There is a distinct preponderance of media opinion that the Australian bushfires confirm our worst fears about the consequences of climate change. Greta Thunberg tweeted: "We still fail to make the connection between the climate crisis and increased extreme weather events and natural disasters like the Australian fires. That's what has to change. Now."
That’s fine, but even if the entire world immediately went “hell for leather” at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, which is unlikely to happen, slowing down and reversing global warming would still be a slow process akin to stopping a fast moving ocean super-tanker.
We must of course acknowledge the role played by climate change and make every effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but, in the meantime, measures known to directly reduce the extent and severity of the annual Australian bush fires, such as reducing fuel loads, should be implemented now. Pointing exclusively to global warming only serves to remove the incentive to take these other simple and immediately effective measures.
William Reville is an emeritus professor of biochemistry at UCC


theirishtimes--2020-02-19--Gardaí investigating four-lane motorway sulky race

A sulky race which took up four lanes of a motorway in Dublin is under investigation by gardaí .
Video @ @ @ @ @ the race which took place at some stage over the weekend .
It shows two @ @ @ @ @ speed down the inbound lane of the N7 motorway in Naas .
The carts , @ @ @ @ @ the front and rear by rows of tightly packed cars and vans acting as a @ @ @ @ @ Six vehicles at the front of the race had people sitting out of the driver @ @ @ @ @ the rear , as do a number of those travelling closely behind the horses and @ @ @ @ @ , empty roads and relative darkness suggest the race was held in the early hours @ @ @ @ @ Garda spokesman said investigations into the incident are ongoing .
The video circulating on social @ @ @ @ @ nearby overpass .
Voices are heard shouting apparently in support of one of the racers @

Gardaí have opened an investigation after footage was shared online of a sulky race taking place on the N7 motorway in Naas.
A sulky race which took up four lanes of a motorway in Dublin is under investigation by gardaí.
Video emerged on social media of the race which took place at some stage over the weekend.
It shows two horse and carts travelling at speed down the inbound lane of the N7 motorway in Naas.
The carts, however, are flanked to the front and rear by rows of tightly packed cars and vans acting as a sort of moving cordon.
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Six vehicles at the front of the race had people sitting out of the driver and passenger side doors to the rear, as do a number of those travelling closely behind the horses and drivers.
The street lights, empty roads and relative darkness suggest the race was held in the early hours of the morning. A Garda spokesman said investigations into the incident are ongoing.
The video circulating on social media was taken from a nearby overpass. Voices are heard shouting apparently in support of one of the racers.


theirishtimes--2020-02-19--‘If all the immigrants go back, who will work in the meat factories and do the crap jobs?’

Displayed on the window of Asta European food store in Derry are two flags : one is Lithuanian , the other is the EU flag .
The shop ’ s owner , Asta Kereviciene , moved to Derry from Lithuania in 2005 .
A young mother , chatting to Kereviciene as she makes her purchases , asks : “ If all the immigrants go back , who will work in the meat factories and do the crap jobs ?
” In the first quarter of 2018 there were 40,000 EU nationals from outside the UK or the Republic of Ireland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the North ’ s Department of the Economy .
That figure has fallen from 54,000 since the Brexit referendum in June 2016 .
Kereviciene notes that while others have gone back since , few have arrived .
“ This year , very few people have come , ” she says .
“ It ’ s not like it was in the beginning.
” She describes a Polish family she knows that have moved back .
Life is better in Poland now , she says , and fewer feel they have to emigrate .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ immigration system , which was announced on Wednesday , only skilled emigrants with 70 points are eligible to apply for a visa for the UK .
To gain points , potential employees must meet certain criteria , which include the offer of a job with a minimum salary threshold of £25,600 ( €30,600 ) , and the ability to speak English .
The country with most to lose from the UK ’ s new emigration rules , she feels , is the UK itself .
“ If you ’ re in Poland , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ EU countries – you can go to Germany , you can go to France .
“ It ’ s not a very big loss if you can ’ t come here .
It ’ s only one country you can ’ t go to .
“ The UK leaving the EU , it ’ s not very good for its economic situation .
Now they have cut themselves off from business , it will be very difficult for it to get better [ for them ] .
Another customer , Patrick Healey , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and half-Irish , and adds : “ It won ’ t be a big problem .
Derry is an Irish city .
The Brits can ’ t stop people coming in here – we have Donegal .
You can easily walk across.
” In any case , he believes , there will soon be a united Ireland .
“ Britain has signed its own death warrant with this.
” Business leaders have spoken of their concerns that the new rules will lead to a labour shortage ; they already have difficulty filling jobs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospitality .
Gavin Killeen ’ s firm , Nuprint Technologies , makes labels for the food and drink industry in his factory in Derry .
Unable to fill positions locally , he turned to Poland to fill vacancies .
“ Potentially that avenue I have used in the past to plug a gap is more or less going to be cut off for me , ” he says .
Neil Doherty agrees .
His company , Wafer NI , manufactures ice-cream cones and other ice-cream products ; approximately 20 per cent of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I am very concerned , ” he says .
If he was unable to recruit freely , he says , “ it might be in our interests to set up in Donegal because the labour would be more plentiful and people could come there more easily ” .
He was approached on Wednesday by three members of staff who were concerned about the implications for them .
His own grandfather , he points out , was a migrant worker who travelled from Donegal to work in Scotland .
“ People have done @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people doing this now and to introduce these news laws , it ’ s almost racist , I think.
” Lilian Seenoi-Barr has similar concerns .
The director of programmes with the North West Migrants Forum , she describes the new scheme as “ shocking ” .
“ The UK government looks like it undervalues the contribution that low-skilled workers contribute to this part of the world , ” she says .
“ This economy specifically here in the North is being driven by people who are in low-skilled jobs , the people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the farms , who work in the chicken factories .
“ They come here with a wealth of culture , social and economic benefits to our society , now they are being told they ’ re not welcome here ?
“ It ’ s an absurd policy that is not going to be sustainable .
”

Displayed on the window of Asta European food store in Derry are two flags: one is Lithuanian, the other is the EU flag.
The shop’s owner, Asta Kereviciene, moved to Derry from Lithuania in 2005. A young mother, chatting to Kereviciene as she makes her purchases, asks: “If all the immigrants go back, who will work in the meat factories and do the crap jobs?”
In the first quarter of 2018 there were 40,000 EU nationals from outside the UK or the Republic of Ireland working in Northern Ireland, according to the North's Department of the Economy. That figure has fallen from 54,000 since the Brexit referendum in June 2016.
Kereviciene notes that while others have gone back since, few have arrived. “This year, very few people have come,” she says. “It’s not like it was in the beginning.” She describes a Polish family she knows that have moved back. Life is better in Poland now, she says, and fewer feel they have to emigrate.
READ MORE
Under the UK’s new points-based immigration system, which was announced on Wednesday, only skilled emigrants with 70 points are eligible to apply for a visa for the UK. To gain points, potential employees must meet certain criteria, which include the offer of a job with a minimum salary threshold of £25,600 (€30,600), and the ability to speak English.
Most to lose
The country with most to lose from the UK’s new emigration rules, she feels, is the UK itself. “If you’re in Poland, you can go to any of the EU countries – you can go to Germany, you can go to France.
“It’s not a very big loss if you can’t come here. It’s only one country you can’t go to.
“The UK leaving the EU, it’s not very good for its economic situation. Now they have cut themselves off from business, it will be very difficult for it to get better [for them].
Another customer, Patrick Healey, agrees. He says he is half-Russian and half-Irish, and adds: “It won’t be a big problem. Derry is an Irish city. The Brits can’t stop people coming in here – we have Donegal. You can easily walk across.”
In any case, he believes, there will soon be a united Ireland. “Britain has signed its own death warrant with this.”
Labour shortage
Business leaders have spoken of their concerns that the new rules will lead to a labour shortage; they already have difficulty filling jobs in many sectors, including agri-food and hospitality.
Gavin Killeen’s firm, Nuprint Technologies, makes labels for the food and drink industry in his factory in Derry. Unable to fill positions locally, he turned to Poland to fill vacancies. “Potentially that avenue I have used in the past to plug a gap is more or less going to be cut off for me,” he says.
Neil Doherty agrees. His company, Wafer NI, manufactures ice-cream cones and other ice-cream products; approximately 20 per cent of his employees are originally from eastern Europe.
“I am very concerned,” he says. If he was unable to recruit freely, he says, “it might be in our interests to set up in Donegal because the labour would be more plentiful and people could come there more easily”.
He was approached on Wednesday by three members of staff who were concerned about the implications for them. His own grandfather, he points out, was a migrant worker who travelled from Donegal to work in Scotland. “People have done this for centuries, and to stop people doing this now and to introduce these news laws, it’s almost racist, I think.”
‘Shocking’
Lilian Seenoi-Barr has similar concerns. The director of programmes with the North West Migrants Forum, she describes the new scheme as “shocking”.
“The UK government looks like it undervalues the contribution that low-skilled workers contribute to this part of the world,” she says.
“This economy specifically here in the North is being driven by people who are in low-skilled jobs, the people who pick our fruit, who work on the farms, who work in the chicken factories.
“They come here with a wealth of culture, social and economic benefits to our society, now they are being told they’re not welcome here?
“It’s an absurd policy that is not going to be sustainable.”


theirishtimes--2020-02-19--Marine salvage experts will decide how to remove oil, diesel from ghost ship

Marine salvage experts will assess how best to remove a number of sealed barriers containing fuel and oil from the ghost ship , MV Alta , which remains stranded on rocks near Ballycotton in East Cork .
According to the county ’ s engineer , Kevin Morey , Cork County Council is liaising with a marine surveyor as well as the Irish Coast Guard and the Receiver of Wrecks as to how best to proceed to remove the barrels which contain diesel and machine oil from the stranded freighter .
Mr Morey said a helicopter may be used to airlift @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long vessel over the coming days with careful consideration being given to both sea and weather conditions .
A marine contractor had been unable to fully assess the fuel levels in the ship ’ s tanks on Tuesday because of water in some compartments but the contractor was able to access the area after water was pumped from the vessel on Wednesday morning .
“ Cork County Council ’ s marine contractor boarded the vessel again this morning ( Wednesday ) and was able to carry out a full assessment of the materials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there is very little diesel fuel on board , ” said the council in a statement .
The council again confirmed that there is no visible pollution within the Ballycotton Bay Special Protection Area or nearby proposed Natural Heritage Areas before urging members of the public to stay away from the wreck as it is in an unstable condition in a dangerous area .
Meanwhile the Revenue Commissioners has confirmed that one of their officials , who has been appointed Receiver of Wreck for the MV Alta , is continuing to try and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contacted by a person purporting to be a representative of the owner .
However the Revenue Commissioners declined to comment further on what progress has been made in terms of securing the necessary documentation to prove ownership , saying that “ the Receiver of Wreck is pursuing this matter , therefore no further information is available.
” However The Irish Times has established that the MV Alta appears to have had a chequered history in terms of ownership with various maritime websites suggesting that the 44-year-old freighter may have changed ownership after she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Atlantic .
According to Insurance Marine News , the US Coast Guard rescued the crew of ten from Panama , Honduras and Greece when the ship was some 1,300 miles south east of Bermuda in October 2018 after damage to the ship ’ s main engine and Tropical Storm Leslie threatening .
The MV Alta at that stage was registered in Tanzania and was owned and managed by Alta Shipping of Miami , Florida and salvage attempts by the owners were continuing but the ship appears to have begun drifting eastwards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Marine News .
While on its way to the Bahamas to assist with hurricane relief efforts , the Royal Navy ice patrol ship , HMS Protector came across the abandoned MV Alta off Africa on August 30th 2019 and attempted to make contact with the ship but received no response .
But according to the Marine Traffic website , the MV Alta was by then registered in Norway where having been registered there on May 26th 2019 , having been first registered in Panama on April 1st 2019 with both registrations appearing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the high seas .

Marine salvage experts will assess how best to remove a number of sealed barriers containing fuel and oil from the ghost ship, MV Alta which remains stranded on rocks near Ballycotton in East Cork. Photograph: David Creedon /Anzenberger
Marine salvage experts will assess how best to remove a number of sealed barriers containing fuel and oil from the ghost ship, MV Alta, which remains stranded on rocks near Ballycotton in East Cork.
According to the county's engineer, Kevin Morey, Cork County Council is liaising with a marine surveyor as well as the Irish Coast Guard and the Receiver of Wrecks as to how best to proceed to remove the barrels which contain diesel and machine oil from the stranded freighter.
Mr Morey said a helicopter may be used to airlift them from the from the 77 metre long vessel over the coming days with careful consideration being given to both sea and weather conditions.
A marine contractor had been unable to fully assess the fuel levels in the ship’s tanks on Tuesday because of water in some compartments but the contractor was able to access the area after water was pumped from the vessel on Wednesday morning.
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“Cork County Council’s marine contractor boarded the vessel again this morning (Wednesday) and was able to carry out a full assessment of the materials aboard. All compartments were accessed and there is very little diesel fuel on board,” said the council in a statement.
The council again confirmed that there is no visible pollution within the Ballycotton Bay Special Protection Area or nearby proposed Natural Heritage Areas before urging members of the public to stay away from the wreck as it is in an unstable condition in a dangerous area.
Revenue Commissioners
Meanwhile the Revenue Commissioners has confirmed that one of their officials, who has been appointed Receiver of Wreck for the MV Alta, is continuing to try and establish ownership of the vessel after being contacted by a person purporting to be a representative of the owner.
However the Revenue Commissioners declined to comment further on what progress has been made in terms of securing the necessary documentation to prove ownership, saying that “the Receiver of Wreck is pursuing this matter, therefore no further information is available.”
However The Irish Times has established that the MV Alta appears to have had a chequered history in terms of ownership with various maritime websites suggesting that the 44-year-old freighter may have changed ownership after she was abandoned by her crew and drifting in the Atlantic.
According to Insurance Marine News, the US Coast Guard rescued the crew of ten from Panama, Honduras and Greece when the ship was some 1,300 miles south east of Bermuda in October 2018 after damage to the ship's main engine and Tropical Storm Leslie threatening.
Registered
The MV Alta at that stage was registered in Tanzania and was owned and managed by Alta Shipping of Miami, Florida and salvage attempts by the owners were continuing but the ship appears to have begun drifting eastwards across the Atlantic, according to Insurance Marine News.
While on its way to the Bahamas to assist with hurricane relief efforts, the Royal Navy ice patrol ship, HMS Protector came across the abandoned MV Alta off Africa on August 30th 2019 and attempted to make contact with the ship but received no response.
But according to the Marine Traffic website, the MV Alta was by then registered in Norway where having been registered there on May 26th 2019, having been first registered in Panama on April 1st 2019 with both registrations appearing to take place when the ship was adrift on the high seas.