theirishtimes--2020-07-08--Interference with work of receiver had to stop in former car dealer case, court told

A High Court judge has warned a man facing a contempt of court application he will not trawl over the events of the last fifteen years when the case goes to hearing in three weeks ’ time .
Mr Justice Michael McGrath said former car dealer John Alex Kane is entitled to bring witnesses to court but , because of the Covid-19 restrictions , the courtroom may not be able to accommodate all those involved at the same time .
Mr Kane has to answer allegations of breaching undertakings previously given by him not to interfere with the work of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The allegations relate to the former Kanes of Granard car showroom premises , which is now vacant .
It is one of several pieces of property the receiver is selling in a bid to recoup a 2009 judgment for €4.97m obtained by Revenue against Mr Kane related to the non-payment of tax on car sales .
When the alleged contempt was before Mr Justice McGrath on Wednesday , he said he had to balance the rights of the parties but the case will proceed on July 29 next .
Gary McCarthy SC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the court the application related to an incident on June 9th in which it is alleged Mr Kane was seen near his former showrooms and the lock on the door was later observed to have been allegedly forced .
Mr Kane denies all allegations .
Counsel said Mr Kane was later arrested and charged in relation to the alleged incident .
Mr Kane , counsel said had previously given an undertaking to the court not to obstruct or interfere with the work of the receiver .
On Wednesday , Mr McCarthy asked that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end of July .
He said the receiver was at a “ sensitive ” stage in relation to the sale of properties tied up in the receivership .
The “ on the ground sinister set of activities ” had to stop , counsel said .
There had been “ ongoing interference ” with the work of the receiver .
There are also allegations that €25,000 in cash had been found in a cupboard and that a Range Rover worth €80,000 had been driven across the Border , counsel said .
Mr Kane , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had done nothing wrong and the hearing could take two weeks .
He said proceedings against him had been going on several years and interfered with his life .
“ I don ’ t owe money , ” he said .
He had at one stage offered €2.5million to Revenue but “ one man in Revenue ” would not accept it , he said .
Mr Justice McGrath said Mr Kane was entitled to cross examine the garda witnesses who will give evidence in the contempt hearing .

The allegations relate to the former Kanes of Granard car showroom premises, which is now vacant. It is one of several pieces of property the receiver is selling in a bid to recoup a 2009 judgment for €4.97m obtained by Revenue against John Alex Kane related to the non-payment of tax on car sales.
A High Court judge has warned a man facing a contempt of court application he will not trawl over the events of the last fifteen years when the case goes to hearing in three weeks' time.
Mr Justice Michael McGrath said former car dealer John Alex Kane is entitled to bring witnesses to court but, because of the Covid-19 restrictions, the courtroom may not be able to accommodate all those involved at the same time.
Mr Kane has to answer allegations of breaching undertakings previously given by him not to interfere with the work of a Revenue appointed receiver, Myles Kirby.
The allegations relate to the former Kanes of Granard car showroom premises, which is now vacant. It is one of several pieces of property the receiver is selling in a bid to recoup a 2009 judgment for €4.97m obtained by Revenue against Mr Kane related to the non-payment of tax on car sales.
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When the alleged contempt was before Mr Justice McGrath on Wednesday, he said he had to balance the rights of the parties but the case will proceed on July 29 next.
Gary McCarthy SC, for the receiver, previously told the court the application related to an incident on June 9th in which it is alleged Mr Kane was seen near his former showrooms and the lock on the door was later observed to have been allegedly forced. Mr Kane denies all allegations.
Counsel said Mr Kane was later arrested and charged in relation to the alleged incident.
Mr Kane, counsel said had previously given an undertaking to the court not to obstruct or interfere with the work of the receiver.
On Wednesday, Mr McCarthy asked that the contempt proceedings be heard before the end of July. He said the receiver was at a “sensitive” stage in relation to the sale of properties tied up in the receivership.
The “on the ground sinister set of activities” had to stop, counsel said. There had been “ongoing interference” with the work of the receiver.
There are also allegations that €25,000 in cash had been found in a cupboard and that a Range Rover worth €80,000 had been driven across the Border, counsel said.
Mr Kane, who denied the allegations, said he had done nothing wrong and the hearing could take two weeks. He said proceedings against him had been going on several years and interfered with his life.
“I don’t owe money,” he said. He had at one stage offered €2.5million to Revenue but “one man in Revenue” would not accept it, he said.
Mr Justice McGrath said Mr Kane was entitled to cross examine the garda witnesses who will give evidence in the contempt hearing.


theirishtimes--2020-07-08--Man who broke into neighbour’s home while armed with knife is jailed

A man who broke into his neighbour ’ s home while armed with a knife and demanded cash has been jailed for 28 months .
James Doran ( 29 ) of Whitechurch Way , Ballyboden , Dublin 16 pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to aggravated burglary on January 12 , 2013 .
He has seven previous convictions from the District Court .
Detective Garda James Codd told Grainne O ’ Neill BL , prosecuting , that a warrant was issued for Doran ’ s arrest in February 2014 when he failed to show up for a sentence hearing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and was ultimately extradited back to Ireland on foot of a European Arrest Warrant in August last year and has been in custody since .
He said in January 2013 the victim , a taxi driver , was at home shortly after midnight , having just finished work .
His wife and five year old son were sleeping upstairs when he heard a loud knock at the door .
Doran rushed past him when he opened the door , held a knife to him and told him he wanted €400 .
He threatened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to hand it over .
The victim knew Doran as his neighbour .
He later told gardaí that he would regularly call over to him for cigarettes or money but Det Gda Codd accepted that there was “ no bad blood ” between the men .
The garda said Doran continued to shove the knife at his neighbour ’ s stomach and the man got a cut on his thumb while trying to defending himself .
The gardaí were called and Doran eventually left .
Det Gda Codd said the victim ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into a bedroom and only came out when the gardaí arrived .
Doran was arrested immediately at his home .
When gardaí called to the house he dropped a black handled knife from his pocket and he appeared intoxicated .
He said in interview that he had not gone there to hurt anyone and claimed he had never threatened the victim .
Det Gda Codd agreed with Marc Murphy BL , defending , that Doran had “ a fairly sketchy memory of the detail ” of the night but accepted he was there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had taken alcohol and ecstasy that night .
Det Gda Codd further agreed that there was “ nothing sophisticated ” about the crime in that the victim would easily have recognised Doran and he returned to his own home after the burglary .
Mr Murphy said his client has been drug free for quite a while and had been doing well while living in England .
He said he had been drinking heavily and taking drugs at the time of the burglary .
Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Doran to five years in prison @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that sentence on strict conditions .
He said a “ home invasion ” was a pretty serious crime and Doran had “ threatened the occupiers ” .
The judge accepted that Doran had “ built a new life for himself in England ” and had been getting on well there before he was brought back to Ireland .

The court heard the victim’s wife had locked herself and their child into a bedroom and only came out when gardaí arrived. File photograph: Dave Meehan/The Irish Times
A man who broke into his neighbour's home while armed with a knife and demanded cash has been jailed for 28 months.
James Doran (29) of Whitechurch Way, Ballyboden, Dublin 16 pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to aggravated burglary on January 12, 2013. He has seven previous convictions from the District Court.
Detective Garda James Codd told Grainne O'Neill BL, prosecuting, that a warrant was issued for Doran's arrest in February 2014 when he failed to show up for a sentence hearing. He had fled to the UK and was ultimately extradited back to Ireland on foot of a European Arrest Warrant in August last year and has been in custody since.
He said in January 2013 the victim, a taxi driver, was at home shortly after midnight, having just finished work. His wife and five year old son were sleeping upstairs when he heard a loud knock at the door.
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Doran rushed past him when he opened the door, held a knife to him and told him he wanted €400. He threatened to kill the man if he refused to hand it over.
The victim knew Doran as his neighbour. He later told gardaí that he would regularly call over to him for cigarettes or money but Det Gda Codd accepted that there was “no bad blood” between the men.
The garda said Doran continued to shove the knife at his neighbour’s stomach and the man got a cut on his thumb while trying to defending himself. The gardaí were called and Doran eventually left.
Det Gda Codd said the victim’s wife had locked herself and their child into a bedroom and only came out when the gardaí arrived.
Doran was arrested immediately at his home. When gardaí called to the house he dropped a black handled knife from his pocket and he appeared intoxicated.
He said in interview that he had not gone there to hurt anyone and claimed he had never threatened the victim.
Det Gda Codd agreed with Marc Murphy BL, defending, that Doran had “a fairly sketchy memory of the detail” of the night but accepted he was there and expressed remorse. He claimed he had taken alcohol and ecstasy that night.
Det Gda Codd further agreed that there was “nothing sophisticated” about the crime in that the victim would easily have recognised Doran and he returned to his own home after the burglary.
Mr Murphy said his client has been drug free for quite a while and had been doing well while living in England. He said he had been drinking heavily and taking drugs at the time of the burglary.
Judge Martin Nolan sentenced Doran to five years in prison but suspended all but 28 months of that sentence on strict conditions.
He said a “home invasion” was a pretty serious crime and Doran had “threatened the occupiers”.
The judge accepted that Doran had “built a new life for himself in England” and had been getting on well there before he was brought back to Ireland.


theirishtimes--2020-07-08--Dana defamation action struck out at the High Court

A defamation and malicious falsehood action against Independent News and Media plc ( INM ) by Dana Rosemary Scallon has been struck out by the High Court .
On Wednesday , Mr Justice Richard Humphreys found the singer , former MEP and former Presidential candidate had not sued the correct defendant .
INM plc is the parent company of companies which publish a number of newspaper titles but it is not the publisher of the papers , he found .
He also refused to allow Ms Scallon ’ s lawyers amend the proceedings to add the actual publishers - Independent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Newspapers Ltd and INM Ltd - as defendants .
He said Ms Scallon had a “ weighty claim ” to begin with and had already got an apology and substantial damages over the same article from the Sunday World publishers in Belfast .
The fault lay not with her but with her solicitors in suing the wrong defendants and in failing to amend the claim when it was pointed out to them by INM in 2016 , he said .
Ms Scallon sued over four articles she claimed appeared in print editions of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the Irish Independent Twitter account and the Sunday World Facebook account and online edition in July 2014 .
She said they were defamatory because they falsely accused her of being , among other things , an “ enabler ” of paedophilia , a liar and a hypocrite .
She said the articles falsely alleged she had told a trial in England of her brother John Brown - who was cleared of charges of indecent assault on two girls - that she had brought her brother to a priest “ to be cured.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ and breach of privacy .
INM denied her claims but agreed the reference to bringing her brother to a priest was an error and was never said .
INM sought to have her action struck out because she sued the wrong legal entity despite Ms Scallon having been told so by INM early on in the proceedings .
It was argued it was not now possible for her to seek to join the correct entities as defendants because the two year time limit for taking defamation actions had run out .
She had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Independent , Sunday Independent , Sunday World and Belfast Telegraph .
Her lawyers argued INM was the correct defendant .
She opposed the INM strike out application and separately sought summary judgment against INM which was opposed .
The court heard , since the case was before the court last week , Ms Scallon ’ s lawyers had sought to join Independent Newspapers ( Ireland ) Ltd , Sunday Newspapers Ltd and INM Ltd .
Her counsel Mel Christle SC said this was also an action for malicious falsehood and a constitutional action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and providing it was moved before Friday of this week it was within time .
The practical way of dealing with the matter was to join the three limited companies which are wholly owned subsidiaries of the INM “ business empire ” , he said .
There would be no prejudice to INM by allowing this amendment to the proceedings and it did not “ come out of the blue ” , counsel argued .
Eoin McCullough SC , for INM , in opposing the application , said the attempt to join the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ difference to INM ’ s application to have the proceedings against it struck out , he said .
There would be prejudice to the new defendants and the proper approach for Ms Scallon would be to issue completely new proceedings for malicious falsehood against those new defendants .
In his ruling , Mr Justice Humphreys said allowing new defendants to be added would amount to a totally new case .
It was substantially an action in defamation which was manifestly statute barred and the claims of malicious falsehood and breach of privacy were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into another case .
To add the new defendants would be an attempt to circumvent the fact that the defamation proceedings were statute barred , he said .
The consequences of his refusal to allow the new defendants to be added was that he must strike the entire claim as bound to fail .
Costs will be decided later .

The High Court judge found the singer, former MEP and former Presidential candidate Dana Rosemary Scallon had not sued the correct defendant. File photograph: Frank Miller
A defamation and malicious falsehood action against Independent News and Media plc (INM) by Dana Rosemary Scallon has been struck out by the High Court.
On Wednesday, Mr Justice Richard Humphreys found the singer, former MEP and former Presidential candidate had not sued the correct defendant.
INM plc is the parent company of companies which publish a number of newspaper titles but it is not the publisher of the papers, he found.
He also refused to allow Ms Scallon's lawyers amend the proceedings to add the actual publishers - Independent Newspapers (Ireland) Ltd, Sunday Newspapers Ltd and INM Ltd - as defendants.
READ MORE
He said Ms Scallon had a "weighty claim" to begin with and had already got an apology and substantial damages over the same article from the Sunday World publishers in Belfast.
The fault lay not with her but with her solicitors in suing the wrong defendants and in failing to amend the claim when it was pointed out to them by INM in 2016, he said.
Ms Scallon sued over four articles she claimed appeared in print editions of the Sunday World and Belfast Telegraph, on the Irish Independent Twitter account and the Sunday World Facebook account and online edition in July 2014. She said they were defamatory because they falsely accused her of being, among other things, an "enabler" of paedophilia, a liar and a hypocrite.
She said the articles falsely alleged she had told a trial in England of her brother John Brown - who was cleared of charges of indecent assault on two girls - that she had brought her brother to a priest "to be cured."
She also sued for malicious falsehood and breach of privacy.
INM denied her claims but agreed the reference to bringing her brother to a priest was an error and was never said.
INM sought to have her action struck out because she sued the wrong legal entity despite Ms Scallon having been told so by INM early on in the proceedings. It was argued it was not now possible for her to seek to join the correct entities as defendants because the two year time limit for taking defamation actions had run out.
She had sued INM plc trading as the Irish Independent, Sunday Independent, Sunday World and Belfast Telegraph. Her lawyers argued INM was the correct defendant.
She opposed the INM strike out application and separately sought summary judgment against INM which was opposed.
The court heard, since the case was before the court last week, Ms Scallon’s lawyers had sought to join Independent Newspapers (Ireland) Ltd, Sunday Newspapers Ltd and INM Ltd.
Her counsel Mel Christle SC said this was also an action for malicious falsehood and a constitutional action which have a six year time limit and providing it was moved before Friday of this week it was within time.
The practical way of dealing with the matter was to join the three limited companies which are wholly owned subsidiaries of the INM “business empire”, he said.
There would be no prejudice to INM by allowing this amendment to the proceedings and it did not “come out of the blue”, counsel argued.
Eoin McCullough SC, for INM, in opposing the application, said the attempt to join the three new defendants did not make any difference to INM’s application to have the proceedings against it struck out, he said.
There would be prejudice to the new defendants and the proper approach for Ms Scallon would be to issue completely new proceedings for malicious falsehood against those new defendants.
In his ruling, Mr Justice Humphreys said allowing new defendants to be added would amount to a totally new case.
It was substantially an action in defamation which was manifestly statute barred and the claims of malicious falsehood and breach of privacy were more fragmentary and could not be transmogrified into another case. To add the new defendants would be an attempt to circumvent the fact that the defamation proceedings were statute barred, he said.
The consequences of his refusal to allow the new defendants to be added was that he must strike the entire claim as bound to fail.
Costs will be decided later.


theirishtimes--2020-07-08--UL says most students will be allowed on campus for just one week each month

University of Limerick has said most students will be allowed on campus for just one week each month when the new academic year gets underway in September .
In addition , it says almost all lectures will be delivered online - during on and off-campus weeks - due to space constraints created by physical distancing requirements .
However , there will be face-to-face teaching for labs and tutorials during weeks that students are on campus .
The move has sparked anger among some parents and students who say they have paid up to €6,000 in accommodation fees for next year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Times said her daughter had booked accommodation for €6,000 and faced fees of €3,500 .
“ Accommodation on a one week per month basis does simply not exist in third level .
All media attention is centred around getting younger kids back full time , while the fee paying third level students have just been abandoned by their university , ” the parent said .
“ There will be no fee reduction to reflect that her course is now just basically an online course.
” However , a UL spokesman said the move @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were taken in line with the Government ’ s public health guidelines .
UL ’ s move to limit most students to one week in four appears to contrast with the approach of some other universities .
While all say they are planning blended learning - a mixture of in-class and online teaching - most say they expect students will be on campus for about half the normal week .
UCD , for example , says it expects most undergraduate students will be in classrooms for around 40-60 per cent of the normal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be on campus for 50 per cent of the normal timetable .
UL students were emailed details of the university ’ s academic calendar model for autumn 2020 on Wednesday by Prof Kerstin Mey , vice president for academic affairs and student engagement .
The email states that first year undergraduate students will spend four of the 12 weeks of the coming semester on campus .
All other students on taught programmes will spend three weeks on campus in every 12 .
In order to minimise the risk of virus transmission , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ given to students accessing educational facilities during their scheduled on-campus weeks including the library and other study areas .
Access to buildings and sport facilities for extra-curricular activities will be managed by the respective clubs and societies .
A UL spokesman said the move had been signalled earlier this summer when it indicated only a certain percentage or cohort of students may be able to be on campus and accessing the facilities at any one time .
“ It is important to note that all decisions have been taken in line with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the requirement for social distancing and to prevent the spread of infection and keep the campus - and wider - community safe , ” he said .
The email from Prof Mey says UL ’ s blended approach of on-campus and online learning aims to minimises the risk of a Covid-19 outbreak by using “ social bubbles ” - keeping year groups together - and a “ circuit breaker ” , or periods off campus .
This , it states , is based on scientific insight into the spread of the virus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ will resemble a regular teaching week as much as possible .
While lectures will be delivered online during these on-campus weeks , face-to-face teaching for labs and tutorials will take place , This is up to three contact hours per week in each module a student takes .

The move by UL has sparked anger among some parents and students who say they have paid up to €6,000 in accommodation fees for next year. Photograph: Sean Curtin/True Media
University of Limerick has said most students will be allowed on campus for just one week each month when the new academic year gets underway in September.
In addition, it says almost all lectures will be delivered online - during on and off-campus weeks - due to space constraints created by physical distancing requirements.
However, there will be face-to-face teaching for labs and tutorials during weeks that students are on campus.
The move has sparked anger among some parents and students who say they have paid up to €6,000 in accommodation fees for next year.
READ MORE
One parent who contacted The Irish Times said her daughter had booked accommodation for €6,000 and faced fees of €3,500.
“Accommodation on a one week per month basis does simply not exist in third level. All media attention is centred around getting younger kids back full time, while the fee paying third level students have just been abandoned by their university,” the parent said.
“There will be no fee reduction to reflect that her course is now just basically an online course.”
However, a UL spokesman said the move had been well flagged and all decisions were taken in line with the Government’s public health guidelines.
UL’s move to limit most students to one week in four appears to contrast with the approach of some other universities.
While all say they are planning blended learning - a mixture of in-class and online teaching - most say they expect students will be on campus for about half the normal week.
UCD, for example, says it expects most undergraduate students will be in classrooms for around 40-60 per cent of the normal schedule.
Maynooth University says most students will be on campus for 50 per cent of the normal timetable.
UL students were emailed details of the university's academic calendar model for autumn 2020 on Wednesday by Prof Kerstin Mey, vice president for academic affairs and student engagement.
The email states that first year undergraduate students will spend four of the 12 weeks of the coming semester on campus. All other students on taught programmes will spend three weeks on campus in every 12.
In order to minimise the risk of virus transmission, the email states that priority will be given to students accessing educational facilities during their scheduled on-campus weeks including the library and other study areas.
Access to buildings and sport facilities for extra-curricular activities will be managed by the respective clubs and societies.
A UL spokesman said the move had been signalled earlier this summer when it indicated only a certain percentage or cohort of students may be able to be on campus and accessing the facilities at any one time.
“It is important to note that all decisions have been taken in line with the Government’s public health guidelines, the requirement for social distancing and to prevent the spread of infection and keep the campus - and wider - community safe,” he said.
The email from Prof Mey says UL’s blended approach of on-campus and online learning aims to minimises the risk of a Covid-19 outbreak by using “social bubbles” - keeping year groups together - and a “circuit breaker”, or periods off campus. This, it states, is based on scientific insight into the spread of the virus.
It adds that students’ on-campus weeks will resemble a regular teaching week as much as possible.
While lectures will be delivered online during these on-campus weeks, face-to-face teaching for labs and tutorials will take place, This is up to three contact hours per week in each module a student takes.


theirishtimes--2020-07-08--Bus Éireann urges passengers to take only necessary journeys and avoid peak times

Bus Éireann has urged people to undertake only necessary journeys and to avoid , where possible , peak travel times on its Expressway routes .
The State-owned transport company said that the implementation of public health guidelines to prevent the spread of Covid-19 meant that capacity on buses and coaches was strictly limited to 50 per cent of the total .
It said it regretted that some people were not able to board its Expressway services when they wanted to travel .
The company said its commercial Expressway operation had 8,000 seats available daily , compared to 16,000 before Covid-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ addition 64 per cent of licensed coach and bus services were currently not operational and this “ very substantially reduced capacity on intercity routes from pre Covid-19 levels ” , it added .
Bus Éireann chief commercial officer Eleanor Farrell said on Wednesday : “ We very much regret that , despite all of our available coaches and drivers being deployed , at the moment some people are not able to board Expressway services when they wish to travel .
“ Public health and safety is our absolute priority and there can be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ realise this is disappointing , and also that it can be challenging for our drivers .
No one wants to leave people without transport .
“ Full services can be of particular concern to people wishing to travel from intermediate stops and we anticipate that demand may continue to increase.
” She said the company wanted to encourage people to consider whether their journey is absolutely necessary and , especially if they plan on joining a service mid-route , to check the Expressway and Bus Éireann live Twitter feeds which will advise if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ms Farrell said it was also important to try to travel outside of peak demand periods .
At the moment , the busiest times are from 11am to 1pm and from 3pm to 7pm .
There is more demand at weekends , especially Friday afternoons and Sundays .
“ We very much appreciate the understanding and cooperation of customers and our staff as we manage demand through these unprecedented times and look forward to keeping people connected around the country.
” The company said that due to social distancing requirements , bus stations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for departures .
“ Bus Éireann asks that passengers do not arrive earlier than 15 minutes before their scheduled departure time , as it may not be possible to enter the station before then.
” Since June 29th , wearing a face covering is mandatory on Bus Éireann ’ s services , and terms and conditions of carriage have been amended accordingly .
Drivers are required to wear face coverings during customer interactions including during boarding and alighting .

The company said its commercial Expressway operation had 8,000 seats available daily, compared to 16,000 before Covid-19 restrictions were put in place. File photograph: Dara Mac Donaill/The Irish Times
Bus Éireann has urged people to undertake only necessary journeys and to avoid, where possible, peak travel times on its Expressway routes.
The State-owned transport company said that the implementation of public health guidelines to prevent the spread of Covid-19 meant that capacity on buses and coaches was strictly limited to 50 per cent of the total.
It said it regretted that some people were not able to board its Expressway services when they wanted to travel.
The company said its commercial Expressway operation had 8,000 seats available daily, compared to 16,000 before Covid-19 restrictions were put in place. In addition 64 per cent of licensed coach and bus services were currently not operational and this “very substantially reduced capacity on intercity routes from pre Covid-19 levels”, it added.
READ MORE
Bus Éireann chief commercial officer Eleanor Farrell said on Wednesday: "We very much regret that, despite all of our available coaches and drivers being deployed, at the moment some people are not able to board Expressway services when they wish to travel.
“Public health and safety is our absolute priority and there can be no flexibility on overloading coaches. We realise this is disappointing, and also that it can be challenging for our drivers. No one wants to leave people without transport.
“Full services can be of particular concern to people wishing to travel from intermediate stops and we anticipate that demand may continue to increase.”
She said the company wanted to encourage people to consider whether their journey is absolutely necessary and, especially if they plan on joining a service mid-route, to check the Expressway and Bus Éireann live Twitter feeds which will advise if the coach is full on departure.
Ms Farrell said it was also important to try to travel outside of peak demand periods.
At the moment, the busiest times are from 11am to 1pm and from 3pm to 7pm. There is more demand at weekends, especially Friday afternoons and Sundays.
“We very much appreciate the understanding and cooperation of customers and our staff as we manage demand through these unprecedented times and look forward to keeping people connected around the country.”
The company said that due to social distancing requirements, bus stations also had reduced capacity for those waiting for departures.
“Bus Éireann asks that passengers do not arrive earlier than 15 minutes before their scheduled departure time, as it may not be possible to enter the station before then.”
Since June 29th, wearing a face covering is mandatory on Bus Éireann’s services, and terms and conditions of carriage have been amended accordingly. Drivers are required to wear face coverings during customer interactions including during boarding and alighting.


theirishtimes--2020-07-08--Council apologises to families not able to attend cremations on day of Storey service

The chief executive of Belfast City Council has personally apologised to families who were not allowed to attend cremations on the same day a service was permitted for the senior Belfast republican Bobby Storey .
In a joint statement issued on Wednesday , Suzanne Wylie and another senior council official , Nigel Grimshaw , said they would like to “ reiterate our sincerest apologies to those families who were affected by events on the 30th June at Roselawn [ cemetery ] .
“ We recognise that this is unacceptable , and we apologise to those families wholeheartedly and unreservedly , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said sorry earlier this week for an “ error of judgement ” after Mr Storey ’ s was the only one of nine committal services which took place following cremations at Roselawn on June 30th where family were allowed to be present .
Ms Wylie and Mr Grimshaw said a report was being prepared for the Council which would “ clarify the sequence of events that took place , and what measures the Council will take to ensure that a situation like this does not happen again.
” They said recent months had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of coronavirus , including “ the constant change in guidance and legislation ” , but they prided themselves in “ maintaining the integrity of the Council in what is at times , a very difficult environment .
“ We and all chief officers have always done our utmost to serve all eight political parties in this Council and do our best to serve this city .
“ We are concerned about certain statements and comments that have been made , and the impact these may have on our roles in Belfast City Council @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that they would formally raise these issues with party leaders and the chair of the relevant committee .
The Deputy First Minister , Michelle O ’ Neill , and other members of Sinn Féin have faced widespread criticism for their actions at the funeral of the former IRA member , which appeared to break both the coronavirus regulations and social-distancing guidelines .
On Tuesday evening the North ’ s Assembly passed a motion brought by the DUP , SDLP , Alliance and the Ulster Unionist Party expressing their disappointment and calling on Ms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Conor Murphy , to apologise .
During the debate Ms O ’ Neill repeated her apology to grieving families , saying that they had been “ really , really hurt , and I ’ m sorry that ’ s the case , ” but said she was “ satisfied that I did act responsibly within the church as part of a limited group of no more than 30 people as part of the cortège , and at the cemetery in Milltown where I paid my respects .
The DUP MLA Christopher Stalford @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the regulations and “ knows both the letter and spirit of those regulations ” , and her credibility was “ shot to bits ” .
He said Ms O ’ Neill had been “ zealous ” in instructing others to follow the coronavirus regulations and guidelines .
“ That ’ s what really sticks in people ’ s craw .
That is what is at the core of this issue .
Do as I say , not as I do .
”

(left to right) Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald, former Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams, and Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill attending the funeral of senior Irish Republican and former leading IRA figure Bobby Storey in west Belfast. File photograph: Liam McBurney/PA Wire
The chief executive of Belfast City Council has personally apologised to families who were not allowed to attend cremations on the same day a service was permitted for the senior Belfast republican Bobby Storey.
In a joint statement issued on Wednesday, Suzanne Wylie and another senior council official, Nigel Grimshaw, said they would like to "reiterate our sincerest apologies to those families who were affected by events on the 30th June at Roselawn [cemetery].
“We recognise that this is unacceptable, and we apologise to those families wholeheartedly and unreservedly,” they said.
Belfast City Council said sorry earlier this week for an “error of judgement” after Mr Storey’s was the only one of nine committal services which took place following cremations at Roselawn on June 30th where family were allowed to be present.
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Ms Wylie and Mr Grimshaw said a report was being prepared for the Council which would “clarify the sequence of events that took place, and what measures the Council will take to ensure that a situation like this does not happen again.”
They said recent months had presented “enormous challenges” in terms of coronavirus, including “the constant change in guidance and legislation”, but they prided themselves in “maintaining the integrity of the Council in what is at times, a very difficult environment.
“We and all chief officers have always done our utmost to serve all eight political parties in this Council and do our best to serve this city.
“We are concerned about certain statements and comments that have been made, and the impact these may have on our roles in Belfast City Council,” they said, and added that they would formally raise these issues with party leaders and the chair of the relevant committee.
The Deputy First Minister, Michelle O’Neill, and other members of Sinn Féin have faced widespread criticism for their actions at the funeral of the former IRA member, which appeared to break both the coronavirus regulations and social-distancing guidelines.
On Tuesday evening the North's Assembly passed a motion brought by the DUP, SDLP, Alliance and the Ulster Unionist Party expressing their disappointment and calling on Ms O'Neill and the finance minister, Conor Murphy, to apologise.
During the debate Ms O'Neill repeated her apology to grieving families, saying that they had been "really, really hurt, and I'm sorry that's the case," but said she was "satisfied that I did act responsibly within the church as part of a limited group of no more than 30 people as part of the cortège, and at the cemetery in Milltown where I paid my respects.
The DUP MLA Christopher Stalford said Ms O'Neill had written the regulations and "knows both the letter and spirit of those regulations", and her credibility was "shot to bits".
He said Ms O’Neill had been “zealous” in instructing others to follow the coronavirus regulations and guidelines. “That’s what really sticks in people’s craw. That is what is at the core of this issue. Do as I say, not as I do.”


theirishtimes--2020-07-08--Failure to sanction Gaelcoláiste on Harold’s Cross site breaches rights, court told

A challenge over a Department of Education decision not to sanction a Gaelcoláiste on a State-owned site in Dublin ’ s Harold ’ s Cross for the 2020/2021 academic year has opened before the High Court .
The action is by An Forás Pátrúnachta ( AFP ) , patron of 70 Irish-medium primary and post-primary schools ; Caitríona Uí Lochlainn and Christine Ní Chiardubhán , two parents who want their children to attend the Gaelcoláiste ; and Glór Mológa , representing families of children attending Gaelscoileanna in the area .
Ms Uí Lochlainn , Bóthar na Coiribe , Tír an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mológa , said they are doing very well there , she wants their second-level education also to be through Irish and the failure to sanction a Gaelcoláiste on the Harold ’ s Cross site breaches her family ’ s language and cultural rights and her choice as a parent .
Ms Ní Chiardubhán , Páirc Laighean , Crois Araild , also with three children attending Gaelscoil Mológa , made similar arguments .
Represented by Cormac Ó Dúlacháin , with Dáithí MacCárthaigh , instructed by solicitor Ruadhán MacAodháin , their case is against the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the Attorney General .
Listed for three days , it opened on Wednesday before Ms Justice Bronagh O ’ Hanlon and is being conducted through Irish .
It arises from the Minister for Education ’ s November 2019 decision approving a new post-primary school for the school planning areas Dublin 6/Clonskeagh and Dublin 6/West .
Four parties applied to be patrons of that school , including AFP and Educate Together , to be located on the site of the former greyhound stadium .
The Department said the total number of valid first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 291 for Educate Together , 167 for AFP , 60 for the City of Dublin Education and Training Board and seven for Scoil Sineád .
The level of parental preferences for instruction through Irish was 172 ( 32.76 per cent ) compared with 325 ( 61.9 per cent ) for English-medium instruction .
It noted there are no Gaelcoláistí or Aonaid ( an all-Irish unit within an English-language school ) within the two school-planning areas and the nearest Gaelcoláiste to the Harold ’ s Cross site was 3.54 km away at Ballinteer .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Together to provide a multi-denominational voluntary secondary school with English as the medium of instruction and recommended the establishment of an Aonaid in that school .
In their action , the plaintiffs want the court to quash the decision not to permit and facilitate a Gaelcoláiste under the patronage of AFP on the site and to declare the defendants have a duty to take every practical step to support the foundation of a Gaelcoláiste in the area for the 2020/2021 school year under patronage of AFP .
They say there is enough space @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a sustainable English speaking second-level school catering for 600 pupils and a Gaelcoláiste for 400 pupils .
They do not want to interfere with provision of an English-medium secondary school but the “ significant ” demand for a Gaelcoláiste in the area should also be satisfied , they argue .
The defendants , it is claimed , did not fulfil their statutory language duties under the 1998 Education Act in the process of appointing a patron .
They also failed to fulfil their constitutional obligation to recognise and protect the status of Irish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to uphold the constitutional rights of the plaintiff parents and their children to have second level education in Irish , it is claimed .
In submissions , it is argued every parent has the right to make a decision that Irish should be central in their child ’ s life and that education though Irish is central to the survival of the language .
Irish is the main official language of the State in terms of education and establishing schools but , in this case , the State was not urging the use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opposite , it is claimed .
The decision and attitude of the Minister means this area will be without a second-level Irish-speaking school despite the demand from parents in the area , a demand more than sufficient in terms of the official policy of the State , it is argued .

The action is listed for three days and will be heard through Irish. Photograph: Chris Maddaloni/Collins
A challenge over a Department of Education decision not to sanction a Gaelcoláiste on a State-owned site in Dublin's Harold's Cross for the 2020/2021 academic year has opened before the High Court.
The action is by An Forás Pátrúnachta (AFP), patron of 70 Irish-medium primary and post-primary schools; Caitríona Uí Lochlainn and Christine Ní Chiardubhán, two parents who want their children to attend the Gaelcoláiste; and Glór Mológa, representing families of children attending Gaelscoileanna in the area.
Ms Uí Lochlainn, Bóthar na Coiribe, Tír an Iúir, whose three sons attend Gaelscoil Mológa, said they are doing very well there, she wants their second-level education also to be through Irish and the failure to sanction a Gaelcoláiste on the Harold’s Cross site breaches her family’s language and cultural rights and her choice as a parent.
Ms Ní Chiardubhán, Páirc Laighean, Crois Araild, also with three children attending Gaelscoil Mológa, made similar arguments.
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Represented by Cormac Ó Dúlacháin, with Dáithí MacCárthaigh, instructed by solicitor Ruadhán MacAodháin, their case is against the Minister for Education and Skills, Ireland and the Attorney General.
Listed for three days, it opened on Wednesday before Ms Justice Bronagh O’Hanlon and is being conducted through Irish.
It arises from the Minister for Education’s November 2019 decision approving a new post-primary school for the school planning areas Dublin 6/Clonskeagh and Dublin 6/West.
Four parties applied to be patrons of that school, including AFP and Educate Together, to be located on the site of the former greyhound stadium.
Parental preference
The Department said the total number of valid first preferences from parents for school patron was 291 for Educate Together, 167 for AFP, 60 for the City of Dublin Education and Training Board and seven for Scoil Sineád.
The level of parental preferences for instruction through Irish was 172 (32.76 per cent) compared with 325(61.9 per cent) for English-medium instruction.
It noted there are no Gaelcoláistí or Aonaid (an all-Irish unit within an English-language school) within the two school-planning areas and the nearest Gaelcoláiste to the Harold's Cross site was 3.54 km away at Ballinteer.
The Department awarded the patronage to Educate Together to provide a multi-denominational voluntary secondary school with English as the medium of instruction and recommended the establishment of an Aonaid in that school.
In their action, the plaintiffs want the court to quash the decision not to permit and facilitate a Gaelcoláiste under the patronage of AFP on the site and to declare the defendants have a duty to take every practical step to support the foundation of a Gaelcoláiste in the area for the 2020/2021 school year under patronage of AFP.
They say there is enough space on the site and enough demand for a sustainable English speaking second-level school catering for 600 pupils and a Gaelcoláiste for 400 pupils.
They do not want to interfere with provision of an English-medium secondary school but the “significant” demand for a Gaelcoláiste in the area should also be satisfied, they argue.
The defendants, it is claimed, did not fulfil their statutory language duties under the 1998 Education Act in the process of appointing a patron.
They also failed to fulfil their constitutional obligation to recognise and protect the status of Irish as the national language/first official language and to uphold the constitutional rights of the plaintiff parents and their children to have second level education in Irish, it is claimed.
In submissions, it is argued every parent has the right to make a decision that Irish should be central in their child’s life and that education though Irish is central to the survival of the language.
Irish is the main official language of the State in terms of education and establishing schools but, in this case, the State was not urging the use of Irish, it was doing the opposite, it is claimed.
The decision and attitude of the Minister means this area will be without a second-level Irish-speaking school despite the demand from parents in the area, a demand more than sufficient in terms of the official policy of the State, it is argued.


theirishtimes--2020-07-08--Man sentenced to 10 years for rape and abuse of daughter

A man who began to rape and abuse his young daughter from when she was just 10 years old until she married in 2015 shortly before her 18th birthday has been jailed at the Central Criminal Court for 10 years .
The 41-year-old Dublin man , who can not be named to protect the identity of the victim , was convicted after a trial that ended last February of multiple counts of sexual assault and rape of his daughter on various dates between 2009 and 2015 .
During the two-week trial the man ’ s lawyers put it to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in order to explain to her husband why she wasn ’ t a virgin after their marriage .
Patrick Gageby SC put it to the woman , now in her early 20s , that she was afraid her husband “ would send her back ” .
The woman denied this suggestion and testified that she was telling the truth .
The court heard that shortly after the offending came to light there was a serious attack on her abuser .
A relative of the victim is facing charges in relation to this .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ north Dublin , denied the allegations .
Passing sentence on Wednesday Mr Justice Tony Hunt said that the offending involved repetitive abuse , and the man had engineered opportunities in order to attack the child .
The behaviour represented a serious breach of trust , said the judge .
He suspended the final year of an 11-year prison term on condition that the man keep the peace and heed Probation Service instructions for a year after his release .
He also ordered that the man have no contact whatsoever with the victim .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ court that the victim wished to waive her anonymity so that her abuser could be named .
The judge ordered a stay on this for legal reasons but said the matter could be brought back to the court .
In her victim-impact statement , which was read out before the court , the woman said her childhood was stolen from her by her father .
She said she remembers waking up every day wondering why he was doing this to her .
The only memories she had were of the abuse .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keep me safe was hurting me , ” she said .
The woman said she never felt safe in her home while he was there .
A local garda told Shane Costelloe SC , prosecuting , that prior to the victim attending secondary school , the man began to molest her by touching her privates on numerous occasions .
The initial abuse had taken place in the home of the victim .
The man was no longer living at the address at the time of the offences but he would often sleep in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raping his daughter on five occasions .
On one of these occasions , he brought his daughter shopping .
Instead of bringing her home , he took her to a B & B where he raped her .
He was remembered by the B & B owner because he left without staying for the night , or paying his bill .
The abuse came to an end after the woman ’ s marriage to her husband .

During the two-week trial the man’s lawyers put it to the victim that she had fabricated the allegations in order to explain to her husband why she wasn’t a virgin after their marriage. Photograph by Matt Kavanagh
A man who began to rape and abuse his young daughter from when she was just 10 years old until she married in 2015 shortly before her 18th birthday has been jailed at the Central Criminal Court for 10 years.
The 41-year-old Dublin man, who cannot be named to protect the identity of the victim, was convicted after a trial that ended last February of multiple counts of sexual assault and rape of his daughter on various dates between 2009 and 2015.
During the two-week trial the man's lawyers put it to the victim that she had fabricated the allegations in order to explain to her husband why she wasn't a virgin after their marriage. Patrick Gageby SC put it to the woman, now in her early 20s, that she was afraid her husband "would send her back".
The woman denied this suggestion and testified that she was telling the truth. The court heard that shortly after the offending came to light there was a serious attack on her abuser. A relative of the victim is facing charges in relation to this.
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The man, with an address in north Dublin, denied the allegations.
Passing sentence on Wednesday Mr Justice Tony Hunt said that the offending involved repetitive abuse, and the man had engineered opportunities in order to attack the child.
The behaviour represented a serious breach of trust, said the judge.
He suspended the final year of an 11-year prison term on condition that the man keep the peace and heed Probation Service instructions for a year after his release. He also ordered that the man have no contact whatsoever with the victim.
Maddie Grant, prosecuting, told the court that the victim wished to waive her anonymity so that her abuser could be named. The judge ordered a stay on this for legal reasons but said the matter could be brought back to the court.
Victim-impact statement
In her victim-impact statement, which was read out before the court, the woman said her childhood was stolen from her by her father. She said she remembers waking up every day wondering why he was doing this to her.
The only memories she had were of the abuse. “The one man who was supposed to keep me safe was hurting me,” she said. The woman said she never felt safe in her home while he was there.
A local garda told Shane Costelloe SC, prosecuting, that prior to the victim attending secondary school, the man began to molest her by touching her privates on numerous occasions.
The initial abuse had taken place in the home of the victim. The man was no longer living at the address at the time of the offences but he would often sleep in the house. He was convicted of raping his daughter on five occasions.
On one of these occasions, he brought his daughter shopping. Instead of bringing her home, he took her to a B&B where he raped her. He was remembered by the B&B owner because he left without staying for the night, or paying his bill. The abuse came to an end after the woman’s marriage to her husband.


theirishtimes--2020-07-08--Coronavirus: Eleven new cases and no further deaths reported in the Republic

There have been no further deaths of people diagnosed with Covid-19 reported by the National Public Health Emergency Team on Wednesday .
No deaths were reported on three of the past four days , Tuesday being the exception when one death was reported .
The total number of deaths from the virus is now 1,738 after validation of data at the Health Protection Surveillance Centre ( HPSC ) resulted in the denotification of four deaths .
Nphet however reported another 11 new confirmed cases of the virus , bringing the total number of cases in the Republic to 25,542 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ resulted in the denotification of seven confirmed cases .
The figure of 25,542 confirmed cases reflects this .
There are currently 12 confirmed cases in hospital , nine of which are in intensive care .
There have been no new admissions to hospital or ICU in the past 24 hours , while three people have been discharged from hospital .
Overall , a total of 3,313 people have been hospitalised with the virus , while 436 have required treatment in ICU .
A total of 8,251 healthcare workers have been infected .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1,860 clusters of infection .
Some 65 per cent of cases have involved close contact with an infected person , while exactly one third of transmissions have been in the community .
A further 2 per cent have been associated with overseas travel .
A further 4,361 tests have been carried out in the past 24 hours , bringing the total number to 478,339 .
The HSE said it is working to identify any contacts the new patients may have had to provide them with information and advice to prevent further spread .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ officer at the Department of Health , said a key element of the response to Covid-19 is ensuring that any person experiencing symptoms such as cough , shortness of breath , fever , loss of sense of smell or taste comes forward for testing .
“ Please do not adopt a wait-and-see approach .
Instead , isolate yourself and contact your GP without delay , ” he said .
The National Public Health Emergency Team meets again on Thursday to continue its review of Ireland ’ s response to Covid-19 .
Meanwhile no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ North on Wednesday , according to the Department of Health .
The total number of fatalities in Northern Ireland remains at 554 .
Four people tested positive for the virus in the last 24 hours , out of 808 people who were tested .
The number of cases identified in the North since the beginning of the outbreak stands at 5,765 .

The total number of deaths from the virus is now 1,738 in the Republic. Photograph: Alan Betson
There have been no further deaths of people diagnosed with Covid-19 reported by the National Public Health Emergency Team on Wednesday.
No deaths were reported on three of the past four days, Tuesday being the exception when one death was reported.
The total number of deaths from the virus is now 1,738 after validation of data at the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) resulted in the denotification of four deaths.
Nphet however reported another 11 new confirmed cases of the virus, bringing the total number of cases in the Republic to 25,542.
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Validation of data at the HPSC has resulted in the denotification of seven confirmed cases. The figure of 25,542 confirmed cases reflects this.
There are currently 12 confirmed cases in hospital, nine of which are in intensive care. There have been no new admissions to hospital or ICU in the past 24 hours, while three people have been discharged from hospital.
Overall, a total of 3,313 people have been hospitalised with the virus, while 436 have required treatment in ICU.
A total of 8,251 healthcare workers have been infected. The latest data also shows there have been 1,860 clusters of infection.
Some 65 per cent of cases have involved close contact with an infected person, while exactly one third of transmissions have been in the community. A further 2 per cent have been associated with overseas travel.
A further 4,361 tests have been carried out in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number to 478,339.
The HSE said it is working to identify any contacts the new patients may have had to provide them with information and advice to prevent further spread.
Dr Ronan Glynn, acting chief medical officer at the Department of Health, said a key element of the response to Covid-19 is ensuring that any person experiencing symptoms such as cough, shortness of breath, fever, loss of sense of smell or taste comes forward for testing.
“Please do not adopt a wait-and-see approach. Instead, isolate yourself and contact your GP without delay,” he said.
The National Public Health Emergency Team meets again on Thursday to continue its review of Ireland’s response to Covid-19.
Meanwhile no further coronavirus-related deaths were reported in the North on Wednesday, according to the Department of Health.
The total number of fatalities in Northern Ireland remains at 554.
Four people tested positive for the virus in the last 24 hours, out of 808 people who were tested. The number of cases identified in the North since the beginning of the outbreak stands at 5,765.


theirishtimes--2020-07-09--Learner drivers could be forced to take driving lessons to renew permits

The Road Safety Authority has recommended that people who have had five or more learner driving permits take mandatory driving lessons .
The authority made a submission to the Department of Transport calling for anomalies in the provisional licence system to be addressed .
The submission was made before it was revealed that Minister for Agriculture Barry Cowen had been driving for years on a learner permit and only received a full licence after failing a drink driving test .
The authority recommends that drivers who have had five learner permits should not be allowed to renew their permits unless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They should also have to take mandatory driving lessons .
The authority has recommended that the cost of renewing a learner permit , which is currently €35 , be increased considerably , though it did not suggest a figure .
At present a learner permit lasts two years if you have failed a test and a year if you have not sat it .
The RSA is recommending that the length of the learner permit be reduced to six months for those applying for a fifth permit or more .
Speaking at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safety for motorcyclists , the authority ’ s chairwoman Liz O ’ Donnell said there were longstanding concerns about the “ the over-reliance for too long on the learner permit ” .
She stated that the so-called Clancy Amendment , which allowed gardaí to impound cars if they are being driven by unaccompanied learner drivers , had seen a 25 per cent increase in those applying for the driving test .
An Garda Síochána said it had impounded 3,000 vehicles in the first five months of the year despite the country being in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ I hope the new Minister for Transport will look at these proposals which are significant , ” Ms O ’ Donnell added .
“ They are broadly speaking to decrease the time of the renewal permit and to increase the cost of endlessly renewing your permit .
I would urge everybody out there to apply for their test .
A learner permit is meant to be short term.
” Ms O ’ Donnell said there was a cultural problem in Ireland with people driving on learner permits for a long period of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drink driving though that had decreased in recent years .
The authority and the Garda are calling for motorcyclists to “ ease off the throttle ” and to slow down .
An analysis of available coroners ’ files for 2013 to 2017 found that a third of motorcyclists were exceeding the speed limit when they died .
As of July 9th , eight motorcyclists had died on Irish roads , up from three in the same period last year .

Anyone who has renewed a learner driving permit more than four times should be compelled to take driving lessons, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) has said.
The recommendation is one of a number of measures called for by the authority in a submission to the Department of Transport aimed at addressing anomalies in the provisional licence system.
Speaking at a road safety event on Thursday, RSA chairperson Liz O'Donnell said there was a cultural problem in Ireland with people driving on learner permits for a long period, and also a cultural problem of drink-driving, though that had decreased in recent years.
The authority recommends that drivers who have had five learner permits should not be allowed to renew their permits unless they sit a driving test first, and they should also have to take mandatory driving lessons.
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The authority has recommended that the cost of renewing a learner permit, which is currently €35, be increased considerably, though it did not suggest a figure. At present a learner permit lasts two years if you have failed a test, and a year if you have not sat it.
The RSA is recommending that the length of the learner permit be reduced to six months for those applying for a fifth permit or more.
The submission was made before it was revealed that Minister for Agriculture Barry Cowen had been driving for years on a learner permit, and only received a full licence some time after failing a drink-driving test.
Concerns
Ms O’Donnell said there were long-standing concerns about the “the over-reliance for too long on the learner permit”.
She said the so-called Clancy amendment, under which gardaí were allowed to impound cars if they were being driven by unaccompanied learner drivers, had seen a 25 per cent increase in those applying for the driving test.
An Garda Síochána said it had impounded 3,000 vehicles in the first five months of the year despite the country being in lockdown for much of that period.
“I hope the new Minister for Transport will look at these proposals which are significant,” said Ms O’Donnell. “They are broadly speaking to decrease the time of the renewal permit and to increase the cost of endlessly renewing your permit. I would urge everybody out there to apply for their test. A learner permit is meant to be short term.”
She was speaking at the launch of a campaign to improve road safety for motorcyclists, at which both the RSA and the Garda called on such road-users to “ease off the throttle” and to slow down.
An analysis of available coroners’ files for 2013 to 2017 found that a third of motorcyclists were exceeding the speed limit when they died.
As of July 9th, eight motorcyclists had died on Irish roads, up from three in the same period last year.


theirishtimes--2020-07-09--Six counties had no Covid-19 case over past week

Six counties have stayed Covid-19 free over the past week despite a slight increase in cases of the disease .
Counties Carlow , Clare , Kerry , Laois , Mayo and Tipperary recorded no new confirmed cases in the week up to last Monday , according to the latest HSE figures .
Counties Donegal , Kilkenny , Longford , Monaghan , Roscommon and Wexford added just one new case , the epidemiological report from the HSE ’ s Health Protection Surveillance Centre says .
The biggest increase was in Co Kildare , where 11 new cases were confirmed , followed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saw its case numbers rise by five as a travel-related cluster in the county .
Overall , the number of cases recorded by the HPSC increased by 60 , to 25,531 .
Despite concerns expressed over the past week about foreign travel , so far this route of transmission has had little impact on the official figures .
The number of travel-related cases grew by six to 599 over the week and the number of imported cases by six to 391 .
Currently , there are 12 patients with confirmed Covid-19 in hospitals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to the HSE .
The National Public Health Emergency Team is meeting today to review the data on the transmission of the disease .
Public health officials are also reviewing the impact of the easing of restrictions over recent months , in particular last week ’ s loosening of measures that saw national travel permitted again , along with the opening of restaurants and creches .

New cases of Covid-19 are increasingly occurring among young people. All new cases of Covid-19 reported on Thursday were in people aged under 44, and 77 per cent were among under 25-year-olds, NPHET has announced. Video: Department of Health
New cases of Covid-19 are increasingly occurring among young people, and giving rise to clusters of the disease, public health officials say.
All new cases of Covid-19 reported on Thursday were in people aged under 44, and 77 per cent were among under 25-year-olds, the National Public Health Emergency Team reported.
This was the first time officials had seen such a concentration of cases among younger people, acting chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn said.
And of the 23 new cases reported on Thursday 15 were “directly or indirectly” related to travel, according to Dr Glynn.
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Of the 140 cases that occurred last week, the median age was 34 years, compared to a median of 83 years for all cases that have occurred in the pandemic.
Only 29 per cent had underlying conditions, compared to 94 per cent among all cases.
Men accounted for 44 per cent of cases and women for 56 per cent, Dr Glynn said.
He said a “good number” of recent cases were related to travel, and to “groups having met up”.
One new cluster involved nine cases and was “not a pub gathering”, he said.
He said the rise in cases was not unexpected as people moved about more. People could get on with their activities but they had to do so safely, he said. Non-essential overseas travel should be avoided.
Deaths
Another six deaths of people diagnosed with Covid-19 were reported by the Nphet on Thursday. This brings to 1,743 the total number of deaths from the disease in the Republic.
The 23 new confirmed cases of the virus reported on Thursday brings the total number of cases to 25,565.
The reproduction number, which measures how many people a confirmed case goes on to infect, has increased to “at or above 1”, according to Prof Philip Nolan, chair of the Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group.
However, it is difficult to accurately measure the reproduction number when the number of cases involved is small, as at present, he cautioned.
A reproduction number of less than 1 means an epidemic is dying out; a figure greater than 1 signals it is spreading.
Sounding a “note of caution”, he said there was an “immediate need” for people to take care and caution in their decisions and actions. About 15-20 per cent of cases were travel-related.
Case numbers are showing a small increase but other indicators are stable or declining, Prof Nolan said. As a result, Ireland’s 14-day incidence of the disease has risen to four per 100,000 of population.
There are currently an average of 14 new cases per day, one hospital admission a day and one ICU admission every five days.
The rise in cases is not unexpected as people move about more freely, he said.
One out or every five contacts of a confirmed case failed to attend for initial testing on “day 0”, according to Dr Cillian de Gascun, head of the National Virus Reference Laboratory, and almost half failed to go for testing a week later, on “day 7”.
Some 64 per cent of deaths occurred in residential care facilities; and 57 per cent in nursing homes alone.
Over 6,000 tests a day were performed last week, but the positivity rate was just 0.29 per cent.
Covid-free counties
Meanwhile, six counties have stayed Covid-19 free over the past week despite a slight increase in cases of the disease.
Counties Carlow, Clare, Kerry, Laois, Mayo and Tipperary recorded no new confirmed cases in the week up to last Monday, according to the latest Health Service Executive figures.
Counties Donegal, Kilkenny, Longford, Monaghan, Roscommon and Wexford added just one new case, according to the epidemiological report from the HSE’s Health Protection Surveillance Centre.
The biggest increase was in Co Kildare, where 11 further cases were confirmed, followed by Co Dublin with nine. Sligo’s case numbers rose by five due to a travel-related cluster in the county.
Overall, the number of cases recorded by the surveillance centre increased by 60, to 25,531.
Despite concerns expressed over the past week about foreign travel, so far this route of transmission has had little impact on the official figures. The number of travel-related cases grew by six to 599 over the week and the number of imported cases by six to 391.
There are 12 patients with confirmed Covid-19 in hospitals, including nine in intensive care, according to the HSE.
The National Public Health Emergency Team is meeting today to review the data on the transmission of the disease.
Public health officials are also reviewing the impact of the easing of restrictions over recent months, in particular last week’s loosening of measures that enabled national travel again, along with the opening of restaurants and crèches.
WHO Covid-19 chief on Ireland
Separately, the World Health Organisation’s special envoy on Covid-19, Dr David Nabarro, has said Ireland’s data in relation to the suppression of the virus is promising. But he warned that “a dashboard of indicators” is necessary.
Speaking on RTÉ radio’s News at One, he explained that the dashboard includes the ability to isolate and track cases, how well hospitals are stocked and performance of nursing homes.
“It’s not just the number of cases, it’s how well prepared you are for a second wave,” he said.
The situation in the world is disturbing, said Dr Nabarro. “I am really worried about the next six months.”
Dr Nabarro said he found it hard to understand the rationale for US president Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw from the WHO, especially at such a time.
Dr Nabarro also defended the global health organisation’s line on transmission through airborne or aerosol connections. There is not “a bundle of evidence” so it is correct for the organisation to be extra careful.
“The implications are absolutely huge,” he added. It is important that the WHO advice “is as good as we can make it”.
Meanwhile, the evidence remained that the “vast majority” of transmission was via droplets so keeping the 2m rule is important, he said.


theirishtimes--2020-07-09--Aldi Ireland aims to cut plastic packaging by 50% by 2025

Aldi Ireland has announced a commitment to reduce the volume of plastic packaging used in its outlets by 50 per cent by 2025 .
The supermarket group has pledged to remove 9,874 tonnes of plastic packaging during the next five years – equivalent to 200 million items of plastic .
To achieve this target , it said it would work to remove and reduce unnecessary packaging and switch to alternative materials .
Where plastic is required , it will be recyclable and made of recycled material wherever possible .
The commitment is part of the retailer ’ s strategy to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reusable or compostable by 2022 , while it is envisaged that branded products sold at Aldi will follow suit by 2025 – a timeline that is among the most ambitious of any supermarket group based in Ireland .
Since introducing its plastic-reduction strategy in March 2018 , Aldi said it has removed more than 600 tonnes of plastic , replaced more than 850 tonnes of unrecyclable material with recyclable alternatives and removed 490 tonnes of packaging from its core range .
Aldi UK and Ireland chief executive Giles Hurley said : “ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the amount of plastic packaging used across our business because it is the right thing to do for a sustainable future .
We know this issue matters to our customers too and are confident they will support our initiatives to reduce plastic in the coming years.
” The supermarket chain has been working with suppliers in recent months to develop ways to reduce avoidable plastics , including most recently replacing plastic wrapping on toilet rolls with a paper alternative .
“ We can only achieve our long-term plastic reduction targets with support from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so far has been extremely positive , and we look forward to working with them to develop further innovative packaging solutions , ” Mr Hurley added .
The company said it would report annual progress against its plastics and packaging targets via its website .

Aldi Ireland has announced a commitment to reduce the volume of plastic packaging used in its outlets by 50 per cent by 2025.
The supermarket group has pledged to remove 9,874 tonnes of plastic packaging during the next five years – equivalent to 200 million items of plastic.
To achieve this target, it said it would work to remove and reduce unnecessary packaging and switch to alternative materials. Where plastic is required, it will be recyclable and made of recycled material wherever possible.
The commitment is part of the retailer’s strategy to ensure all own-label products are recyclable, reusable or compostable by 2022, while it is envisaged that branded products sold at Aldi will follow suit by 2025 – a timeline that is among the most ambitious of any supermarket group based in Ireland.
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Since introducing its plastic-reduction strategy in March 2018, Aldi said it has removed more than 600 tonnes of plastic, replaced more than 850 tonnes of unrecyclable material with recyclable alternatives and removed 490 tonnes of packaging from its core range.
Aldi UK and Ireland chief executive Giles Hurley said: "We are stepping up our efforts to reduce the amount of plastic packaging used across our business because it is the right thing to do for a sustainable future. We know this issue matters to our customers too and are confident they will support our initiatives to reduce plastic in the coming years."
The supermarket chain has been working with suppliers in recent months to develop ways to reduce avoidable plastics, including most recently replacing plastic wrapping on toilet rolls with a paper alternative.
“We can only achieve our long-term plastic reduction targets with support from suppliers. The response we have received so far has been extremely positive, and we look forward to working with them to develop further innovative packaging solutions,” Mr Hurley added.
The company said it would report annual progress against its plastics and packaging targets via its website.


theirishtimes--2020-07-09--Almost €67,000 in cash and Audi car seized by Cab in Dublin

Almost €67,000 in cash , a 161 Audi Q7 , two encrypted phones and documentation were seized by the Criminal @ @ @ @ @ during a search operation in Dublin on Thursday morning .
A residential address located in @ @ @ @ @ Division and a commercial business located in the DMR West Division were both searched .
@ @ @ @ @ the Regional Armed Response Unit , DMR South District Detective Unit , the Stolen Motor @ @ @ @ @ Dog Unit .
Gardaí said the search operation is “ a significant development ” in @ @ @ @ @ and other assets accumulated by a local organised crime group from the sale and supply @ @ @ @ @ This search operation is just one example of the Criminal Assets Bureau working with local @ @ @ @ @ of persons involved in drug dealing in the local community , ” a statement from @ @ @ @ @ .

A former associate of jailed gang leader Brian Rattigan has been targeted in Garda raids led by the Criminal Assets Bureau (Cab). Some €67,000 in cash and an Audi Q6 were seized on suspicion they represented the proceeds of crime.
The raid in west Dublin on Thursday was the second time in two months that former associates of Rattigan, who began the Crumlin-Drimnagh feud in Dublin by carrying out a stabbing killing, were targeted in pre-planned operations by the Garda.
Rattigan has been in prison since 2003. But as a murder conviction against him was overturned and he was convicted of manslaughter for the same killing, his release day is due to fall in November.
The suspected drug dealer targeted in Thursday’s raids is a Dubliner gardaí believe has been criminally active in the Tallaght area of the city. In recent years he has come to the attention of the Garda less frequently, though gardaí became concerned about his apparent displays of unexplained wealth and Cab began an investigation into him.
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Those inquiries resulted in Thursday’s search operation, with two encrypted mobile phones and documentation related to financial transactions also seized by Cab’s officers.
The search party led by the bureau also included the Regional Armed Response Unit, members of the Dublin Metropolitan Region South District Detective Unit, the Stolen Motor Investigation Unit and the Customs Dog Unit.
“This morning’s search operation is a significant development in an ongoing investigation into cash and other assets accumulated by a local organised crime group from the sale and supply of controlled drugs,” said the Garda.
The documents seized, and the phones, were due to be examined in an attempt to determine if the man targeted by investigating officers has other assets or cash hidden in Ireland or abroad.
Long prison sentence
Garda sources said when the target was younger he was a known associate of Rattigan (40), who has continued in his efforts to direct drug dealing from jail though he has been in prison for almost two decades.
He was convicted in 2009 of stabbing 21-year-old Declan Gavin to death in Crumlin in August, 2001, and was jailed for life. He successfully appealed that conviction, subsequently pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to nine years in January, 2019.
In June, 2008, he was linked to a €1 million drug seizure in Dublin. In 2013, he was convicted of directing that drug deal from his prison cell and jailed for 17 years; a sentence backdated to June 2008, when the drugs were found.
At present Rattigan’s manslaughter conviction is served and though his drugs conviction is keeping him in prison, when remission of 25 per cent is included, he will be due for release.


theirishtimes--2020-07-09--Ex-Fianna Fáil TD apologises to Mary Lou McDonald over ‘damaging’ tweet

Former Fianna Fáil TD Declan Breathnach has apologised to Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald over a tweet he published almost two years ago .
Ms McDonald sued the ex- Louth deputy over the October 11th , 2018 Twitter post , which was in reply to a message she had posted in support of the now-retired Garda Sgt Maurice McCabe .
At the High Court on Thursday Mr Justice Charles Meenan heard that the proceedings had been settled on terms .
As part of the settlement an apology by Mr Breathnach , who lost his Dáil seat in this February @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the court by his counsel Darren Lehane Bl .
“ On the 11th of October 2018 I published a statement on Twitter concerning Mary Lou McDonald in which I wrongly accused Ms McDonald of being a hypocrite and someone who condoned the murders of members of An Garda Síochána , ” he said in his statement .
“ I deeply regret that I made these unfounded and damaging accusations and I retract them in full .
“ I unreservedly apologise to Ms McDonald for the upset and distress caused by my comments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reputation.
” Tom Hogan SC , instructed by Johnson Solicitors for Ms McDonald , told the court that the other terms of the settlement were confidential .
Counsel asked the court to adjourn the matter for a month to allow for the implementation of the other terms .
Counsel added he did not expect the matter to trouble the court any further , and that final orders could be made on the return date .
Mr Justice Meenan agreed to put the matter back for mention to a date in August .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Breathnach ’ s tweet meant that her sympathy for Mr McCabe was disingenuous , insincere and that she was a hypocrite .
Ms McDonald also claimed that the tweet meant she had failed to speak out about and condoned the murders of members of An Garda Siochana by dissident republicans and criminals .
She alleged that the tweet defamed her , and as well as seeking damages including aggravated damages , she also sought an injunction restraining the ex-FF TD from further publishing the same of a similar statement about her .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ms McDonald ’ s solicitor Ms Laura Cunningham said her client was satisfied that her reputation had been “ completely vindicated ” following the “ categoric public apology ” made by Mr Breathnach “ together with a financial settlement ” .
“ My client has been left with absolutely no alternative but to take the legal action as a result of an entirely unprovoked attack upon her good name by Mr Breathnach on Twitter , ” Ms Cunningham said .
“ My client is not prepared to tolerate false and malicious accusations being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ announcement reflects this .
”

Former Fianna Fáil TD Declan Breathnach has apologised to Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald over a tweet he published almost two years ago. Photograph: Gareth Chaney/Collins.
Former Fianna Fáil TD Declan Breathnach has apologised to Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald over a tweet he published almost two years ago.
Ms McDonald sued the ex- Louth deputy over the October 11th, 2018 Twitter post, which was in reply to a message she had posted in support of the now-retired Garda Sgt Maurice McCabe.
At the High Court on Thursday Mr Justice Charles Meenan heard that the proceedings had been settled on terms. As part of the settlement an apology by Mr Breathnach, who lost his Dáil seat in this February’s general election, was read to the court by his counsel Darren Lehane Bl.
“On the 11th of October 2018 I published a statement on Twitter concerning Mary Lou McDonald in which I wrongly accused Ms McDonald of being a hypocrite and someone who condoned the murders of members of An Garda Síochána,” he said in his statement.
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“I deeply regret that I made these unfounded and damaging accusations and I retract them in full.
“I unreservedly apologise to Ms McDonald for the upset and distress caused by my comments and for my unjustified attack on her reputation.”
Confidential
Tom Hogan SC, instructed by Johnson Solicitors for Ms McDonald, told the court that the other terms of the settlement were confidential. Counsel asked the court to adjourn the matter for a month to allow for the implementation of the other terms.
Counsel added he did not expect the matter to trouble the court any further, and that final orders could be made on the return date.
Mr Justice Meenan agreed to put the matter back for mention to a date in August.
In her action, Ms McDonald claimed Mr Breathnach’s tweet meant that her sympathy for Mr McCabe was disingenuous, insincere and that she was a hypocrite.
Ms McDonald also claimed that the tweet meant she had failed to speak out about and condoned the murders of members of An Garda Siochana by dissident republicans and criminals.
She alleged that the tweet defamed her, and as well as seeking damages including aggravated damages, she also sought an injunction restraining the ex-FF TD from further publishing the same of a similar statement about her.
Vindicated
In a statement issued after the hearing, Ms McDonald’s solicitor Ms Laura Cunningham said her client was satisfied that her reputation had been “completely vindicated” following the “categoric public apology” made by Mr Breathnach “together with a financial settlement”.
“My client has been left with absolutely no alternative but to take the legal action as a result of an entirely unprovoked attack upon her good name by Mr Breathnach on Twitter,” Ms Cunningham said.
“My client is not prepared to tolerate false and malicious accusations being made against her and today’s announcement reflects this.”


theirishtimes--2020-07-09--UCC’s Séamus Davis wins international prize for work in quantum physics

Prof Séamus Davis has been awarded an international prize for his contributions to quantum physics .
The Olli V Lounasmaa Memorial Prize for 2020 was awarded to the UCC-based scientist for his pioneering research into visualising electronic quantum matter at the atomic scale .
His work is exploratory , setting out to find quantum states .
Prof Davis compares the field to Christopher Columbus ’ s discovery of the New World while searching for a route to the Indies : researchers set out into the unknown , discover unexpected new continents , and then have to explore further .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quantum technology , he predicts .
Such technology at present relies on superconductors operating at temperatures close to absolute zero , but to be commercially viable , room temperature quantum computing is needed .
He has built tools that are moving the field forward .
“ Direct visualisation of electronic quantum matter at the atomic scale is a revolutionary new approach to discover and study such quantum materials , ” he explains , “ and plays a central role in high temperature superconducting research for quantum technology.
” The award is in honour @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quantum matter physics at Aalto University , Finland .
The award citation praises Prof Davis ’ work : “ Today , the instruments emulating his design have spawned a worldwide revolution in electronic quantum matter studies , allowing direct visualisation of electronic matter .
His persistent scientific and technological work has generated numerous advances in the understanding of strongly correlated superconductivity , changing the direction of discourse in the field of low temperature physics .
”

Professor Séamus Davis has generated numerous advaces through his work in visualising electronic quantum matter at the atomic scale.
Prof Séamus Davis has been awarded an international prize for his contributions to quantum physics. The Olli V Lounasmaa Memorial Prize for 2020 was awarded to the UCC-based scientist for his pioneering research into visualising electronic quantum matter at the atomic scale. His work is exploratory, setting out to find quantum states.
Prof Davis compares the field to Christopher Columbus’s discovery of the New World while searching for a route to the Indies: researchers set out into the unknown, discover unexpected new continents, and then have to explore further.
A revolution in computing will be driven by quantum technology, he predicts. Such technology at present relies on superconductors operating at temperatures close to absolute zero, but to be commercially viable, room temperature quantum computing is needed. He has built tools that are moving the field forward.
“Direct visualisation of electronic quantum matter at the atomic scale is a revolutionary new approach to discover and study such quantum materials,” he explains, “and plays a central role in high temperature superconducting research for quantum technology.”
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The award is in honour of a pioneer in low temperature and quantum matter physics at Aalto University, Finland.
The award citation praises Prof Davis’ work: “Today, the instruments emulating his design have spawned a worldwide revolution in electronic quantum matter studies, allowing direct visualisation of electronic matter. His persistent scientific and technological work has generated numerous advances in the understanding of strongly correlated superconductivity, changing the direction of discourse in the field of low temperature physics.”


theirishtimes--2020-07-09--Writer John Banville among signatories of letter criticising ‘cancel culture’

Irish writer John Banville and author JK Rowling are among a number of literary and academic figures to pen an open letter stating that the free exchange of information and ideas is “ daily becoming more constricted ” .
The letter , which appears on Harper ’ s magazine ’ s website and is due to be published in the letters section of its October issue , says it is now “ all too common to hear calls for swift and severe retribution in response to perceived transgressions of speech and thought ” .
The letter has been signed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Canadian poet and novelist Margaret Atwood , British novelist Salman Rushdie , British novelist and screenwriter Martin Amis and American linguist and philosopher Noam Chomsky .
The letter begins by stating that “ our cultural institutions are facing a moment of trial ” .
“ Powerful protests for racial and social justice are leading to overdue demands for police reform , along with wider calls for greater equality and inclusion across our society , not least in higher education , journalism , philanthropy , and the arts , ” it says .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a new set of moral attitudes and political commitments that tend to weaken our norms of open debate and toleration of differences in favour of ideological conformity .
As we applaud the first development , we also raise our voices against the second.
” The letter goes on to say that the free exchange of information and ideas , “ the lifeblood of a liberal society ” , is daily becoming more constricted .
“ While we have come to expect this on the radical right , censoriousness is also spreading more widely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opposing views , a vogue for public shaming and ostracism , and the tendency to dissolve complex policy issues in a blinding moral certainty , ” it adds .
“ We uphold the value of robust and even caustic counter-speech from all quarters .
But it is now all too common to hear calls for swift and severe retribution in response to perceived transgressions of speech and thought .
“ More troubling still , institutional leaders , in a spirit of panicked damage control , are delivering hasty and disproportionate punishments instead of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for running controversial pieces ; books are withdrawn for alleged inauthenticity ; journalists are barred from writing on certain topics ; professors are investigated for quoting works of literature in class ; a researcher is fired for circulating a peer-reviewed academic study ; and the heads of organisations are ousted for what are sometimes just clumsy mistakes.
” The signatories say “ this stifling atmosphere ” will ultimately harm the most vital causes of our time .
“ The restriction of debate , whether by a repressive government or an intolerant society , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ makes everyone less capable of democratic participation .
“ The way to defeat bad ideas is by exposure , argument , and persuasion , not by trying to silence or wish them away .
We refuse any false choice between justice and freedom , which can not exist without each other .
“ As writers we need a culture that leaves us room for experimentation , risk taking , and even mistakes .
We need to preserve the possibility of good-faith disagreement without dire professional consequences .
If we won ’ t defend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ depends , we shouldn ’ t expect the public or the state to defend it for us.
” Rowling was recently criticised for her views on transgender issues .
She has previously voiced her support for a researcher who was sacked after tweeting that people can not change their biological sex .

Irish writer John Banville and author JK Rowling are among a number of literary and academic figures to pen an open letter stating that the free exchange of information and ideas is “daily becoming more constricted”.
The letter, which appears on Harper’s magazine’s website and is due to be published in the letters section of its October issue, says it is now “all too common to hear calls for swift and severe retribution in response to perceived transgressions of speech and thought”.
The letter has been signed by 150 authors, academics and journalists including Canadian poet and novelist Margaret Atwood, British novelist Salman Rushdie, British novelist and screenwriter Martin Amis and American linguist and philosopher Noam Chomsky.
The letter begins by stating that “our cultural institutions are facing a moment of trial”.
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“Powerful protests for racial and social justice are leading to overdue demands for police reform, along with wider calls for greater equality and inclusion across our society, not least in higher education, journalism, philanthropy, and the arts,” it says.
“But this needed reckoning has also intensified a new set of moral attitudes and political commitments that tend to weaken our norms of open debate and toleration of differences in favour of ideological conformity. As we applaud the first development, we also raise our voices against the second.”
The letter goes on to say that the free exchange of information and ideas, “the lifeblood of a liberal society”, is daily becoming more constricted.
“While we have come to expect this on the radical right, censoriousness is also spreading more widely in our culture: an intolerance of opposing views, a vogue for public shaming and ostracism, and the tendency to dissolve complex policy issues in a blinding moral certainty,” it adds.
‘Counter-speech’
“We uphold the value of robust and even caustic counter-speech from all quarters. But it is now all too common to hear calls for swift and severe retribution in response to perceived transgressions of speech and thought.
“More troubling still, institutional leaders, in a spirit of panicked damage control, are delivering hasty and disproportionate punishments instead of considered reforms.
“Editors are fired for running controversial pieces; books are withdrawn for alleged inauthenticity; journalists are barred from writing on certain topics; professors are investigated for quoting works of literature in class; a researcher is fired for circulating a peer-reviewed academic study; and the heads of organisations are ousted for what are sometimes just clumsy mistakes.”
The signatories say “this stifling atmosphere” will ultimately harm the most vital causes of our time.
“The restriction of debate, whether by a repressive government or an intolerant society, invariably hurts those who lack power and makes everyone less capable of democratic participation.
“The way to defeat bad ideas is by exposure, argument, and persuasion, not by trying to silence or wish them away. We refuse any false choice between justice and freedom, which cannot exist without each other.
“As writers we need a culture that leaves us room for experimentation, risk taking, and even mistakes. We need to preserve the possibility of good-faith disagreement without dire professional consequences. If we won’t defend the very thing on which our work depends, we shouldn’t expect the public or the state to defend it for us.”
Rowling was recently criticised for her views on transgender issues. She has previously voiced her support for a researcher who was sacked after tweeting that people cannot change their biological sex.