theirishtimes--2020-06-21--Man held and swords examined after Dublin mother-of-two killed

Gardaí are investigating the murder of a woman at a house in west Dublin and have arrested the chief suspect in the case .
The suspect and the female victim were known to each other and the killing occurred in the woman ’ s family home in the Willow Wood area of Blanchardstown , Dublin 15 , just after 11am on Sunday .
A number of weapons have been taken from the property , including a Samurai sword , and they were due to be examined as it was suspected they were used during the fatal attack .
The female @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fatal injuries in the attack inside the house and died at the scene .
Her body remained at the house on Sunday afternoon and was due to undergo a preliminary investigation in situ by a pathologist before being removed for a full postmortem .
While the investigation would not be upgraded to a murder inquiry until after the postmortem was completed , all the resources of a murder investigation were immediately committed to the case .
The woman is originally from west Dublin and has worked in retailing .
She was married and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was raised after a person , who may have witnessed some of the fatal attack , ran to a nearby house , where the emergency services were alerted .
When gardaí arrived at the scene the suspect was inside the house and he was arrested after a confrontation involving gardaí , who forced their way into the property .
It is understood a number of less than lethal weapons , including stun grenades , were deployed by gardaí as they entered the house by force .
The suspect , a middle-aged man , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being arrested he was initially taken to Connolly Hospital , Blanchardstown , for treatment .
A statement from Garda Headquarters said the man was being detained on Sunday afternoon at Blanchardstown Garda station under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act .
The house where the killing took place was sealed off immediately when gardai arrived and was undergoing an examination by members of the Garda Technical Bureau .
While the motive , if any , for the attack was unclear , gardaí are treating the man in custody as the chief suspect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for anyone else at this time .

Garda forensics personnel at the scene of a fatal assault at a house in Willow Wood, Blanchardstown, on Sunday afternoon, in which a woman died. Photograph: Stephen Collins/Collins Photos
Gardaí are investigating the murder of a woman at a house in west Dublin and have arrested the chief suspect in the case.
The suspect and the female victim were known to each other and the killing occurred in the woman’s family home in the Willow Wood area of Blanchardstown, Dublin 15, just after 11am on Sunday.
A number of weapons have been taken from the property, including a Samurai sword, and they were due to be examined as it was suspected they were used during the fatal attack.
Garda forensics personnel at the scene of a fatal assault at a house in Willow Wood, Blanchardstown, on Sunday afternoon, in which a woman died. Photograph: Stephen Collins/Collins Photos
Gardaí attend after a fatal assault at a house in Willow Wood, Blanchardstown. Photograph: Stephen Collins/Collins Photos
The female victim, who is middle-aged, suffered fatal injuries in the attack inside the house and died at the scene. Her body remained at the house on Sunday afternoon and was due to undergo a preliminary investigation in situ by a pathologist before being removed for a full postmortem.
READ MORE
While the investigation would not be upgraded to a murder inquiry until after the postmortem was completed, all the resources of a murder investigation were immediately committed to the case.
The woman is originally from west Dublin and has worked in retailing. She was married and had two adult children.
The alarm was raised after a person, who may have witnessed some of the fatal attack, ran to a nearby house, where the emergency services were alerted.
Garda forensics personnel at the scene of a fatal assault at a house in Willow Wood, Blanchardstown, on Sunday afternoon, in which a woman died. Photograph: Stephen Collins/Collins Photos
When gardaí arrived at the scene the suspect was inside the house and he was arrested after a confrontation involving gardaí, who forced their way into the property. It is understood a number of less than lethal weapons, including stun grenades, were deployed by gardaí as they entered the house by force.
The suspect, a middle-aged man, sustained a number of injuries and after being arrested he was initially taken to Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown, for treatment.
A statement from Garda Headquarters said the man was being detained on Sunday afternoon at Blanchardstown Garda station under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act.
The house where the killing took place was sealed off immediately when gardai arrived and was undergoing an examination by members of the Garda Technical Bureau.
While the motive, if any, for the attack was unclear, gardaí are treating the man in custody as the chief suspect in the case and were not looking for anyone else at this time.


theirishtimes--2020-06-21--Det Garda Colm Horkan ‘epitomised’ what members of force should strive to be, funeral told

Detective Garda Colm Horkan was cut down in the prime of his life while doing the job that he loved and serving his country , his State funeral has heard .
The 49-year-old was buried on Sunday afternoon in the graveyard adjoining St James ’ s Church following a service in his hometown of Charlestown , Co Mayo .
Det Garda Horkan was killed on Wednesday night when he was shot a number of times while responding to an incident in Castlerea , Co Roscommon .
Stephen Silver ( 43 ) , of Aughaward , Foxford , Co Mayo , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charged with his murder .
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris told the Mass heard that Det Gda Horkan “ epitomised what all of us as members of An Garda Síochána should strive to be ” .
“ His policing service was characterised by his hard work and his diligence , ” Mr Harris said , before promising the Horkan family they will always have the force ’ s support .
Ahead of the service , Det Gda Horkan ’ s remains were removed from his home in Charlestown , which he shared with his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ church in a procession led by a Garda motorcycle honour guard , his family and members of the local Sarsfields GAA club .
The entire route was lined with some 800 gardaí from the Roscommon/Longford and Mayo Divisions .
His coffin , draped with a Tricolour , was carried into the church side by members of the regional Ceremonial Unit .
Social distancing protocols meant the numbers in the church were limited to Det Gda Horkan ’ s immediate family along with Mr Harris and Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan .
Det Garda @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local colleagues viewed the service on a large screen outside the church while about 1,000 members of the community gathered at the nearby GAA club where it was also broadcast .
In his homily , Monsignor Tommy Johnson said after hearing a garda had been shot dead he pitied the priest who would have to do the funeral .
“ Little did I think I would be that priest and that the Detective Garda was Colm.
” He said Det Garda Horkan “ was a good man , one of nature ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He said the gunshots that rang out on Wednesday “ echoed not just in the town of Castlerea but right across the country , spreading a story of tragedy and sadness and the loss of life of a Detective Garda ” .
Symbols representing Det Gda Horkan ’ s life were presented during the ceremony including a Sarsfield ’ s jersey , a garda notebook and his car keys .
“ He loved his Audi and it shined just like him , ” his brother Dermot said .
A Tommy Hilfiger shirt , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ always looking his best ” , and a CD representing his love for music were also presented .
During the ceremony Det Garda Horkan ’ s hat and gloves and a photograph of him at the Garda College in Templemore were placed on his coffin .
Brendan Horkan said his brother had “ all the values you would associate with a good a decent human being ” .
“ He was kind , considerate , selfless and above all , loyal to the core .
He was a rock in our family .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ held it all together .
He seldom ever made a bad decision and lived his life by the book , ” he said .
Mr Horkan added that his brother “ provided the template ” on how one should live life and get the most out of each and every day .
“ Colm commanded respect wherever he went .
Time spent in his company was precious ; there was always a laugh and a joke to be had with that disarming smile that could lighten up a room and brighten up many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
“ He loved life and lived it up the best way he knew how.
” Mr Horkan became emotional as he remembered the communities in towns across Mayo that came out to greet the family as they drove home after his brother ’ s postmortem took place in Castlebar .
“ One thing is for sure : he leaves a legacy of wonderful memories , which we will cherish and hold dear in our hearts forever as we say goodbye to a giant who brought such joy and happiness to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brilliant years he was here.
” At the conclusion of the ceremony Mr Harris presented the Tricolour to Marty Horkan .
Det Garda Horkan ’ s remains were buried in the adjoining ceremony as Garda musicians played The Last Post .

The coffin of Detective Garda Colm Horkan is carried to St James’ church in Charlestown, Co Mayo. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire
Detective Garda Colm Horkan was cut down in the prime of his life while doing the job that he loved and serving his country, his State funeral has heard.
The 49-year-old was buried on Sunday afternoon in the graveyard adjoining St James's Church following a service in his hometown of Charlestown, Co Mayo.
Det Garda Horkan was killed on Wednesday night when he was shot a number of times while responding to an incident in Castlerea, Co Roscommon. Stephen Silver (43), of Aughaward, Foxford, Co Mayo, was remanded in custody on Friday night charged with his murder.
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris told the Mass heard that Det Gda Horkan "epitomised what all of us as members of An Garda Síochána should strive to be".
READ MORE
“His policing service was characterised by his hard work and his diligence,” Mr Harris said, before promising the Horkan family they will always have the force’s support.
The cortege makes its way through Charlestown on the way to church. Photograph: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin
Ahead of the service, Det Gda Horkan’s remains were removed from his home in Charlestown, which he shared with his father Marty, and brought to the church in a procession led by a Garda motorcycle honour guard, his family and members of the local Sarsfields GAA club. The entire route was lined with some 800 gardaí from the Roscommon/Longford and Mayo Divisions. His coffin, draped with a Tricolour, was carried into the church side by members of the regional Ceremonial Unit.
Social distancing protocols meant the numbers in the church were limited to Det Gda Horkan’s immediate family along with Mr Harris and Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan. Det Garda Horkan’s extended family and his local colleagues viewed the service on a large screen outside the church while about 1,000 members of the community gathered at the nearby GAA club where it was also broadcast.
In his homily, Monsignor Tommy Johnson said after hearing a garda had been shot dead he pitied the priest who would have to do the funeral.
“Little did I think I would be that priest and that the Detective Garda was Colm.” He said Det Garda Horkan “was a good man, one of nature’s gentlemen, that and more”.
He said the gunshots that rang out on Wednesday “echoed not just in the town of Castlerea but right across the country, spreading a story of tragedy and sadness and the loss of life of a Detective Garda” .
Symbols representing Det Gda Horkan’s life were presented during the ceremony including a Sarsfield’s jersey, a garda notebook and his car keys.
“He loved his Audi and it shined just like him,” his brother Dermot said.
A Tommy Hilfiger shirt, representing “his love for fashion and always looking his best”, and a CD representing his love for music were also presented.
During the ceremony Det Garda Horkan’s hat and gloves and a photograph of him at the Garda College in Templemore were placed on his coffin.
Decent human being
Brendan Horkan said his brother had “all the values you would associate with a good a decent human being”.
“He was kind, considerate, selfless and above all, loyal to the core. He was a rock in our family. The man that was the glue that held it all together. He seldom ever made a bad decision and lived his life by the book,” he said.
Mr Horkan added that his brother “provided the template” on how one should live life and get the most out of each and every day.
“Colm commanded respect wherever he went. Time spent in his company was precious; there was always a laugh and a joke to be had with that disarming smile that could lighten up a room and brighten up many a dark hour or day,” he said. “He loved life and lived it up the best way he knew how.”
Members of the Gardai prepare for the guard of honour pictured the funeral of Detective Garda Colm Horkan, at St. Jamses’ Church, Charlestown, Co. Mayo. Photograph: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin
Mr Horkan became emotional as he remembered the communities in towns across Mayo that came out to greet the family as they drove home after his brother’s postmortem took place in Castlebar.
“One thing is for sure: he leaves a legacy of wonderful memories, which we will cherish and hold dear in our hearts forever as we say goodbye to a giant who brought such joy and happiness to us all for the 49 fantastic and brilliant years he was here.”
At the conclusion of the ceremony Mr Harris presented the Tricolour to Marty Horkan. Det Garda Horkan’s remains were buried in the adjoining ceremony as Garda musicians played The Last Post.


theirishtimes--2020-06-22--More than 100 Irish troops return from Lebanon after coronavirus delay

Some 115 Irish troops serving in Lebanon returned to Ireland on Monday morning , after their planned rotation home had been delayed by several weeks due to the coronavirus pandemic .
The Defence Forces personnel were the first of two groups or “ chalks ” returning home on rotation , with a second group of 170 troops to return on July 2nd .
The troops were originally due home in the middle of May but that was delayed when UN secretary general Antonio Guterres banned rotations of all UN peacekeepers until June 30th , to prevent the spread of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Government had attempted to secure an exemption for the Irish troops on the Unifil mission in Lebanon from UN headquarters in New York .
The Irish troops had been stationed in the middle eastern country for more than six months , and will now be required to quarantine for 14 days under public health guidelines .
The first chalk of troops rotated in to replace the returning personnel left Ireland at the weekend , having been self-isolating for two weeks in Coolmoney camp in Co Wicklow .
The second chalk to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2nd .
In April Irish special forces troops were rotated home from Mali on time , despite the UN ’ s request for a delay .
Fourteen Army Ranger Wing personnel were flown home with the help of the German air force , while the Spanish air force assisted another seven Irish troops return from a separate mission in Mali .
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar previously told the Dáil the moratorium on rotating troops was to prevent the spread of coronavirus “ by limiting movement of personnel into mission areas ” .
The Defence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lebanon as part of the UN mission , dating back more than 40 years .
The peacekeeping force had been established following the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1978 , and some 47 Defence Forces personnel died in the service of peace over a 23-year period .

Some 115 Irish troops serving in Lebanon returned to Ireland on Monday morning, after their planned rotation home had been delayed by several weeks due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The Defence Forces personnel were the first of two groups or "chalks" returning home on rotation, with a second group of 170 troops to return on July 2nd.
The troops were originally due home in the middle of May but that was delayed when UN secretary general Antonio Guterres banned rotations of all UN peacekeepers until June 30th, to prevent the spread of the illness, also known as Covid-19.
The Government had attempted to secure an exemption for the Irish troops on the Unifil mission in Lebanon from UN headquarters in New York.
READ MORE
The Irish troops had been stationed in the middle eastern country for more than six months, and will now be required to quarantine for 14 days under public health guidelines.
The first chalk of troops rotated in to replace the returning personnel left Ireland at the weekend, having been self-isolating for two weeks in Coolmoney camp in Co Wicklow. The second chalk to be deployed to Lebanon will depart before July 2nd.
In April Irish special forces troops were rotated home from Mali on time, despite the UN’s request for a delay. Fourteen Army Ranger Wing personnel were flown home with the help of the German air force, while the Spanish air force assisted another seven Irish troops return from a separate mission in Mali.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar previously told the Dáil the moratorium on rotating troops was to prevent the spread of coronavirus "by limiting movement of personnel into mission areas".
The Defence Forces has a long-established peacekeeping role in Lebanon as part of the UN mission, dating back more than 40 years.
The peacekeeping force had been established following the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1978, and some 47 Defence Forces personnel died in the service of peace over a 23-year period.


theirishtimes--2020-06-22--Accelerated roadmap will not mean ‘a return to life as we knew it’

Changes to the Government ’ s roadmap to exiting lockdown will not mean “ a return to life as we knew it ” , a senior official has warned .
At the Government ’ s morning Covid-19 briefing on Monday , assistant secretary general at the Department of Taoiseach Liz Canavan said the Cabinet will meet later this week to decide whether the country can safely enter phase three which will see the vast majority of the economy reopen from June 29th .
Ms Canavan said that that while the accelerated measures announced last week are welcome “ we are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have to see the full impact of the lifting of restrictions in phase two .
We will have that data later this week and Government will meet again to consider whether we move forward to phase three .
We ’ ve heard news again this morning about how quickly this disease can research .
So we need to constantly assess the impact of what we ’ re seeing in the data here in Ireland .
“ Everything we heard on Friday is very welcome news but it doesn ’ t mean that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ changes do not signal or return to life as we knew it .
The issue is that this disease is highly infectious .
“ As government steps back population wide restrictions we ’ re asking you to step up for yourself , your family , and your community .
We ’ re asking business owners and service providers to think about how they ’ re protecting customers and clients .
We ’ re asking you to know how to assess the risk of a particular activity or event , and make an informed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safe to participate .
“ For a great many people , it is a mild illness .
But as too many families out there know , for others it is not.
” She said that the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection has on Monday issued payments of €163.1m to 465,900 people for the weekly Covid-19 pandemic unemployment payment .
This represents a decrease of 32,800 on the number of people paid last week .
There are now over 61,800 employers who have registered with the Revenue Commissioners for the temporary Covid-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subsidy being paid in respect of over 551,800 people under that scheme since it began .
Ms Canavan also said the Government is expecting to begin a phased reintroduction of the national screening service programs by the end of the summer and screening invitations will also be issued on a phased basis according to clinical prioritisation .

Assistant secretary general at the Department of Taoiseach Liz Canavan says: “we’re asking business owners and service providers to think about how they’re protecting customers and clients.” Photograph: PA
Changes to the Government’s roadmap to exiting lockdown will not mean “a return to life as we knew it”, a senior official has warned.
At the Government's morning Covid-19 briefing on Monday, assistant secretary general at the Department of Taoiseach Liz Canavan said the Cabinet will meet later this week to decide whether the country can safely enter phase three which will see the vast majority of the economy reopen from June 29th.
Ms Canavan said that while the accelerated measures announced last week are welcome “we are not there yet.”
“We still have to see the full impact of the lifting of restrictions in phase two. We will have that data later this week and Government will meet again to consider whether we move forward to phase three. We’ve heard news again this morning about how quickly this disease can resurge. So we need to constantly assess the impact of what we’re seeing in the data here in Ireland.
READ MORE
“Everything we heard on Friday is very welcome news but it doesn’t mean that the virus has gone away. And these changes do not signal a return to life as we knew it. The issue is that this disease is highly infectious.
“As government steps back population wide restrictions we’re asking you to step up for yourself, your family, and your community. We’re asking business owners and service providers to think about how they’re protecting customers and clients. We’re asking you to know how to assess the risk of a particular activity or event, and make an informed decision as to whether it’s safe to participate.
“For a great many people, it is a mild illness. But as too many families out there know, for others it is not.”
She said that the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection has on Monday issued payments of €163.1m to 465,900 people for the weekly Covid-19 pandemic unemployment payment. This represents a decrease of 32,800 on the number of people paid last week.
There are now over 61,800 employers who have registered with the Revenue Commissioners for the temporary Covid-19 wage subsidy scheme with at least one subsidy being paid in respect of over 551,800 people under that scheme since it began.
Ms Canavan also said the Government is expecting to begin a phased reintroduction of the national screening service programs by the end of the summer and screening invitations will also be issued on a phased basis according to clinical prioritisation.


theirishtimes--2020-06-22--Six arrested after further searches targeting Keane-Collopy gang

Gardaí in Limerick have made further seizures and arrests in a large-scale operation targeting the activities of the Keane-Collopy organised crime gang .
Six people were arrested on Wednesday evening during follow-up searches under Operation Coronation and three high-value cars were seized “ along with evidence of the accumulation of wealth from suspected drug trafficking , ” the Garda said .
Eleven bank accounts were also frozen while €40,000 in cash and “ evidence relating to the sale and supply of controlled drugs ” were confiscated .
A fourth car was seized for having no insurance .
On Saturday morning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Co Limerick where they found two firearms and an extendable “ Taser baton ” concealed in plastic wrapping .
Operation Coronation was established by gardaí to target the Keane-Collopy gang , which has been involved in drugs trafficking in Limerick and the west for many years .
The gang formed one side in the Limerick feud with the McCarthy-Dundon gang which ran for about 10 years and claimed up to 20 lives .
The operation began in the early hours of last Wednesday with 67 raids taking place across Limerick , Clare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
About 170 gardaí from the Garda divisions across the three counties carried out raids supported by armed gardaí from specialist units – the Emergency Response Unit and Armed Support Unit — and colleagues from a number of Dublin-based units specialising in tackling organised crime .
The search was also backed by significant support from the Defence Forces , including an Defence Forces helicopter and Army bomb disposal experts and search engineers .
The Criminal Assets Bureau ( Cab ) was also involved along with the Garda Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Garda ’ s serious crimes squad .
Two cocaine presses were seized and gardaí said the gang was bulking up pure cocaine and repackaging it for sale .
Gardaí also seized approximately €220,000 in cash including some sterling and UAE dirham as well as Irish punts .
One vehicle , valued at € 50,000 , and jewellery and luxury watches with a combined value of €100,000 were confiscated by Cab , along with the deeds to a property in Dubai .
Designer clothing was confiscated along with financial documents relating to bank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with about €119,000 in two bank accounts frozen .
As well as the cocaine presses , some €23,500 worth of illicit drugs was also found , including cannabis , heroin and crack cocaine .
“ Operation Coronation was established to target organised criminality in Limerick city and its environs , ” Garda Headquarters said in a statement .
“ This operation is targeting organised extended criminality , drug trafficking and the financial returns achieved from this type of activity through money laundering.
” It said the operation was co-ordinated by Limerick gardaí with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to address the accumulation of wealth by those engaged in serious and ongoing criminality ” .
“ The targeting of the gang criminals forms part of the Limerick Divisional crime strategy and was conducted under the new divisional policing model , which is reducing the number of Garda divisions around the Republic and increasing the serious crime investigation function in each enlarged division.
” Twenty people have been arrested to date under Operation Coronation .
Of these , 10 have been charged with the drug dealing or trafficking and three have appeared before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people arrested on money laundering offences have been released with a file being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions ( DPP ) .
Two others accused of drugs possession and drink driving have also been released pending a file to the DPP .

Gardaí in Limerick have made further seizures and arrests in a large-scale operation targeting the activities of the Keane-Collopy organised crime gang.
Six people were arrested on Wednesday evening during follow-up searches under Operation Coronation and three high-value cars were seized “along with evidence of the accumulation of wealth from suspected drug trafficking,” the Garda said.
Eleven bank accounts were also frozen while €40,000 in cash and “evidence relating to the sale and supply of controlled drugs” were confiscated. A fourth car was seized for having no insurance.
On Saturday morning gardaí searched a waste ground in Prospect, Co Limerick where they found two firearms and an extendable “Taser baton” concealed in plastic wrapping.
READ MORE
Operation Coronation was established by gardaí to target the Keane-Collopy gang, which has been involved in drugs trafficking in Limerick and the west for many years.
The gang formed one side in the Limerick feud with the McCarthy-Dundon gang which ran for about 10 years and claimed up to 20 lives.
The operation began in the early hours of last Wednesday with 67 raids taking place across Limerick, Clare and Tipperary and 14 people being arrested.
About 170 gardaí from the Garda divisions across the three counties carried out raids supported by armed gardaí from specialist units – the Emergency Response Unit and Armed Support Unit — and colleagues from a number of Dublin-based units specialising in tackling organised crime.
The search was also backed by significant support from the Defence Forces, including an Defence Forces helicopter and Army bomb disposal experts and search engineers.
The Criminal Assets Bureau (Cab) was also involved along with the Garda Drugs and Organised Crime Bureau and the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Garda's serious crimes squad.
Cocaine
Two cocaine presses were seized and gardaí said the gang was bulking up pure cocaine and repackaging it for sale.
Gardaí also seized approximately €220,000 in cash including some sterling and UAE dirham as well as Irish punts. One vehicle, valued at € 50,000, and jewellery and luxury watches with a combined value of €100,000 were confiscated by Cab, along with the deeds to a property in Dubai.
Designer clothing was confiscated along with financial documents relating to bank accounts and the purchase of property, with about €119,000 in two bank accounts frozen. As well as the cocaine presses, some €23,500 worth of illicit drugs was also found, including cannabis, heroin and crack cocaine.
“Operation Coronation was established to target organised criminality in Limerick city and its environs,” Garda Headquarters said in a statement.
“This operation is targeting organised extended criminality, drug trafficking and the financial returns achieved from this type of activity through money laundering.”
It said the operation was co-ordinated by Limerick gardaí with the assistance of national units, “to address the accumulation of wealth by those engaged in serious and ongoing criminality”.
“The targeting of the gang criminals forms part of the Limerick Divisional crime strategy and was conducted under the new divisional policing model, which is reducing the number of Garda divisions around the Republic and increasing the serious crime investigation function in each enlarged division.”
Twenty people have been arrested to date under Operation Coronation. Of these, 10 have been charged with the drug dealing or trafficking and three have appeared before the courts on previous warrants.
Five people arrested on money laundering offences have been released with a file being prepared for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP). Two others accused of drugs possession and drink driving have also been released pending a file to the DPP.


theirishtimes--2020-06-22--Stormont poised to allow six people to gather indoors

Stormont ministers are considering further easing of Northern Ireland ’ s lockdown on Monday .
The executive is poised to allow up to six people to gather in an indoor setting .
The final decision at the meeting of the executive on Monday afternoon will depend on the latest evidence on the suppression of the disease .
On Saturday , Northern Ireland ’ s heath trust labs reported no new confirmed cases of coronavirus for the first time since lockdown .
The daily update from Northern Ireland ’ s Department of Health revealed there were no positive results in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday .
It was the first day since March that no new positive tests had been reported in a 24-hour period by health trust labs across the region .
There was one coronavirus-linked death announced on Saturday and none announced on Sunday .
Earlier this month , ministers approved the creation of indoor social bubbles involving one person living on their own and another household , without the need for social distancing restrictions .
While a move to allow six people to gather indoors would allow for multiple people from different households to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have some social distancing guidance attached .
The suppression of the virus in the region has prompted Stormont ministers to quicken Northern Ireland ’ s exit out of lockdown .
Traffic wardens were back on the beat across the region on Monday after the lockdown suspension of on-street parking charges was lifted .
From June 26th , caravan parks , campsites and self-contained tourist accommodation will be able to reopen .
A week later , on July 3rd , hotels , restaurants , cafes , coffee shops , pubs and bars will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ services are set to resume on June 29th while a provisional date for hair salons , barbers and nail bars to reopen has been set for July 6th .
Guidance advising people in high-risk categories to shield indoors is to be paused at the end of July .
Stormont ministers have also announced plans for childcare services to start to look after more children over the summer .
They are also seeking to maximise the number of children who can return to school on a full-time basis in the autumn by reducing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to one metres .

The Stormont executive is poised to allow up to six people to gather in an indoor setting. File photograph: PA
Stormont ministers are considering further easing of Northern Ireland’s lockdown on Monday.
The executive is poised to allow up to six people to gather in an indoor setting.
The final decision at the meeting of the executive on Monday afternoon will depend on the latest evidence on the suppression of the disease.
On Saturday, Northern Ireland’s heath trust labs reported no new confirmed cases of coronavirus for the first time since lockdown.
READ MORE
The daily update from Northern Ireland’s Department of Health revealed there were no positive results in the 995 tests analysed in their labs through Friday.
It was the first day since March that no new positive tests had been reported in a 24-hour period by health trust labs across the region. There was one coronavirus-linked death announced on Saturday and none announced on Sunday.
Earlier this month, ministers approved the creation of indoor social bubbles involving one person living on their own and another household, without the need for social distancing restrictions.
While a move to allow six people to gather indoors would allow for multiple people from different households to meet inside, it is set to have some social distancing guidance attached.
The suppression of the virus in the region has prompted Stormont ministers to quicken Northern Ireland’s exit out of lockdown.
Traffic wardens were back on the beat across the region on Monday after the lockdown suspension of on-street parking charges was lifted.
From June 26th, caravan parks, campsites and self-contained tourist accommodation will be able to reopen. A week later, on July 3rd, hotels, restaurants, cafes, coffee shops, pubs and bars will be able to welcome customers back.
Church services are set to resume on June 29th while a provisional date for hair salons, barbers and nail bars to reopen has been set for July 6th.
Guidance advising people in high-risk categories to shield indoors is to be paused at the end of July.
Stormont ministers have also announced plans for childcare services to start to look after more children over the summer.
They are also seeking to maximise the number of children who can return to school on a full-time basis in the autumn by reducing the social distancing measure for pupils from two to one metres.
- PA


theirishtimes--2020-06-22--‘One size fits all’ rule on indoor gatherings unfair on churches, archbishop says

The Catholic Archbishop of Dublin , Diarmuid Martin has said it was unfair to have a “ one size fits all ” rule in relation to the number of people who can attend church .
Religious buildings and places of worship are among the places which are allowed to reopen on June 29th under plans announced by the Government on Friday .
But the guidelines also limit indoor gatherings to 50 people .
Some churches in the diocese of Dublin are so small that they would not 50 people while others could fit 1,500 , Dr Martin told RTÉ radio @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ve worked very hard to prepare churches - to put signage , to arrange stewarding , to ensure there is very little interaction and if you ’ ve got a church with 1,500 people and only 50 people are allowed to enter , it is surprising .
“ We have to find a way in which you have some relationship between the size of the church and the number of people who will come .
Now , I ’ m not advocating huge numbers , I believe , particularly in the early @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we should allow this time to settle in so that we can be comfortable with how these are managed , ” he said .
“ But I do believe that compared to other situations and what you see , for example , retail outlets brimming with people , that this is unfair also to the extraordinary effort that has been put in by priests and people in preparing churches .
“ All I can see is we need to find some sort of way there can be some proportion to the size of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very large gatherings .
“ Believers have been very , very patient over the last few months .
People have a right to be able to attend worship , ” Dr Martin said .
The archbishop said he thought there was room to be flexible , especially with very large churches .
David Pierrepoint , Church of Ireland archdeacon of Dublin agreed with Dr Martin , pointing out that with some large churches , like Christchurch Cathedral it would be unfair to make “ someone at the door with a clicker machine ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the figure of 50 had been reached .

The Catholic Archbishop of Dublin, Diarmuid Martin has said it was unfair to have a "one size fits all" rule in relation to the number of people who can attend church.
Religious buildings and places of worship are among the places which are allowed to reopen on June 29th under plans announced by the Government on Friday. But the guidelines also limit indoor gatherings to 50 people.
Some churches in the diocese of Dublin are so small that they would not 50 people while others could fit 1,500, Dr Martin told RTÉ radio's Morning Ireland.
“We’ve worked very hard to prepare churches - to put signage, to arrange stewarding, to ensure there is very little interaction and if you’ve got a church with 1,500 people and only 50 people are allowed to enter, it is surprising.
READ MORE
“We have to find a way in which you have some relationship between the size of the church and the number of people who will come. Now, I’m not advocating huge numbers, I believe, particularly in the early period, the next three weeks, we should allow this time to settle in so that we can be comfortable with how these are managed,” he said.
“But I do believe that compared to other situations and what you see, for example, retail outlets brimming with people, that this is unfair also to the extraordinary effort that has been put in by priests and people in preparing churches.
“All I can see is we need to find some sort of way there can be some proportion to the size of the church - I would be against very large gatherings.
“Believers have been very, very patient over the last few months. People have a right to be able to attend worship,” Dr Martin said.
The archbishop said he thought there was room to be flexible, especially with very large churches.
David Pierrepoint, Church of Ireland archdeacon of Dublin agreed with Dr Martin, pointing out that with some large churches, like Christchurch Cathedral it would be unfair to make "someone at the door with a clicker machine" telling people they could not enter once the figure of 50 had been reached.


theirishtimes--2020-06-22--Man (30s) dies after collision between car and lorry in Co Louth

A man in his early 30s has died following a collision between a lorry and a car in Co Louth early on Monday morning .
The collision , which occurred at about 5am , happened on the M1 southbound between junction 17 and junction 16 at Dundalk , Co Louth .
The car driver was fatally injured during the collision and his body has been removed from the scene to the mortuary in Dundalk .
The lorry driver , who is in his early 40s , was uninjured and was arrested at the scene .
He is currently detained under @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 1984 at Dundalk Garda Station .
The scene is currently preserved and the services of Forensic Collision Investigators have been requested .
A section of the M1 is currently closed with local diversions in place .
Gardaí in Dundalk are appealing for any witnesses to this incident to come forward and for any road users who may have camera footage , including dash-cam , and were travelling on the M1 at the time of the collision or prior to it , to make this footage available to them .
Anyone with information @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on 042 9388400 , the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 , or any Garda station .

The scene is currently preserved and the services of Forensic Collision Investigators have been requested. File photograph
A man in his early 30s has died following a collision between a lorry and a car in Co Louth early on Monday morning.
The collision, which occurred at about 5am, happened on the M1 southbound between junction 17 and junction 16 at Dundalk, Co Louth.
The car driver was fatally injured during the collision and his body has been removed from the scene to the mortuary in Dundalk.
The lorry driver, who is in his early 40s, was uninjured and was arrested at the scene.
READ MORE
He is currently detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984 at Dundalk Garda Station.
The scene is currently preserved and the services of Forensic Collision Investigators have been requested. A section of the M1 is currently closed with local diversions in place.
Gardaí in Dundalk are appealing for any witnesses to this incident to come forward and for any road users who may have camera footage, including dash-cam, and were travelling on the M1 at the time of the collision or prior to it, to make this footage available to them.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Dundalk Garda station on 042 9388400, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.


theirishtimes--2020-06-22--Supreme Court to hear appeal over environmental group’s claim that State’s climate plan is flawed

A seven judge Supreme Court will hear an important appeal on Monday over the dismissal of an environmental group ’ s claim that a Government plan to tackle the climate crisis is flawed and inadequate .
The hearing , to be held in the King ’ s Inns , marks the first major physical hearing of the Supreme Court since the Covid-19 lockdown was put in place in March .
The court has been conducting remote hearings and delivering judgments electronically during the lockdown but has not held physical hearings .
Monday ’ s hearing is being held in King @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Supreme Court in the Four Courts , it has adequate space to allow the seven judges sit two metres apart from each other in line with Covid-19 social distancing guidelines .
The appeal , by Friends of the Irish Environment ( FIE ) , concerns a High Court decision rejecting the group ’ s challenge to the Government ’ s National Mitigation Plan .
Published in July 2017 , the plan set out measures described as the first steps on a path designed to transition Ireland to a low carbon , climate-resilient and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proceedings against the Government , Ireland and the Attorney General , FIE sought to quash the government ’ s decision approving the plan and asked the High Court to direct the government to produce a plan that will properly tackle the risks posed by global warming , including flooding , fires , ecological destruction and loss of life .
The existing plan fails to specify any measures to urgently reduce greenhouse gas emissions as it is required to do , it claimed .
The State respondents argued the plan was not justiciable , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be decided on by a court .
FIE , they argued , was impermissibly advancing a prescribed policy and seeking to impose a positive obligation on the State to deliver such a policy .
In his September 2019 judgment dismissing FIE ’ s case , Mr Justice Michael McGrath ruled the Government must be afforded broad discretion in adopting plans under the Climate Act .
In light of the constitutional separation of powers , the court could not interfere with the plan , he ruled .
The Supreme Court later agreed to hear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ directly to that court rather than the normal route via the Court of Appeal .
The Supreme Court said the issues raised are of “ general public and legal importance ” and all the parties involved accepted there is “ a degree of urgency in respect of the adoption of remedial environmental measures ” .
There is no dispute between the parties as to the science underpinning the plan , the likely increase in greenhouse emissions over the lifetime of the plan and “ the gravity of the likely effects of climate change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will address the availability of judicial challenge to the legality of the plan ; the standard of such review if adoption of the plan is justiciable as a matter of law ; and broader environmental rights asserted by FIE under the Constitution , European Convention on Human Rights and/or from Ireland ’ s international obligations .

File photograph of members of Friends of the Irish Environment (left to right) David Healy, Sadhbh O’Neill, Tony Lowes and Clodagh Daly at the High Court, Dublin. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw/The Irish Times.
Unless the Government acts "urgently and significantly" to reduce rising greenhouse gas emissions, there will be "catastrophic" consequences for life, health and the environment, a seven judge Supreme Court has been told.
A 2017 Government plan to tackle climate change will not reduce rising emissions and breaches rights under the Constitution and European Convention on Human Rights, including to life, bodily integrity, and to a healthy environment consistent with human dignity, Eoin McCullough SC said.
The failure in the National Mitigation Plan (NMP) to set out “concrete” measures to substantially reduce carbon emissions in the short term also breaches the State’s national and international obligations, he said.
Climate change “is the most important issue we face, we have reached a pivotal moment”, he said. Unless significant measures are taken urgently, “we are at risk of runaway climate change.”
READ MORE
Counsel was opening an appeal by Friends of the Irish Environment (FIE) over the High Court’s rejection of its challenge to the plan.
The appeal, being heard by a court presided over by Chief Justice Mr Justice Frank Clarke and comprising four female and three male judges, represents the first physical hearing of the Supreme Court in 102 days since the Covid-19 lockdown, although the court has held remote hearings and delivered electronic judgments.
The appeal is being heard in the King’s Inns dining hall which, unlike the Supreme Court building in the Four Courts, is large enough to meet social distancing guidelines.
Published in July 2017, the NMP set out measures described as the first steps on a path designed to transition Ireland to a low carbon, climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable economy by 2050.
In its proceedings against the Government, Ireland and Attorney General, Friends of the Irish Environment wants the court to quash the NMP and to direct the Government to produce a plan that will properly tackle the risks posed by global warming.
The respondents contend the plan is not justiciable, meaning its adequacy or otherwise could not be decided on by a court. The appeal will explore the availability of judicial challenge to the legality of the plan; the standard of such review if adoption of the plan is justiciable as a matter of law; and broader environmental rights asserted by Friends of the Irish Environment under the Constitution, European Convention on Human Rights and/or from Ireland’s international obligations.
In submissions, Mr McCullough said there is no dispute between Friends of the Irish Environment and the government about the facts concerning climate change, the impact of emissions and the consequences of rising global temperatures.
Ireland has very high per capita emissions which are rising, not falling, and has consistently failed to meet targets to reduce emissions but the government has not engaged in the NMP with the consequences of its inaction for this country and its people, he argued.
Those include risks to life and health from altered weather events, including large parts of the country being susceptible to flooding because of rising sea levels.
The Environmental Protection Agency has projected Ireland’s emissions will continue to rise, they will be some 35 per cent above the target Ireland should have reached by this year and there will be no substantial reduction by 2030, counsel said. The Climate Change Advisory Council has also expressed strong concerns about rising emissions.
While the government maintains it is entitled to produce any plan it wishes and the court cannot intervene, that is not the case, Mr McCullough submitted.
A statutory plan must comply with the Constitution and the NMP does not do so, he said. The plan “forms a threat” to the rights to life, bodily integrity and to the environment.
The court has a duty to intervene where rights are being failed and this is not an area of government activity that is immune from judicial scrutiny, counsel argued.
Friends of the Irish Environment has the necessary legal standing and bona fide interest to assert the rights at issue, he said.
The hearing continues.


theirishtimes--2020-06-22--College students report harassment and non-consensual sexual encounters

Almost 30 per cent of female college students have experienced non-consensual sexual penetration due to force , the threat of force or while they were incapacitated , a survey of 6,000 people has found .
The Sexual Experiences Survey , a report by the Union of Students in Ireland ( USI ) and the Active Consent research team at NUI Galway , examined the experiences of consent in higher education among people of different genders , sexual orientations , ethnicities and disabilities .
Just over half of first-year students reported experiencing sexual harassment in the form of sexual hostility – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , body or sexual activities – since beginning college .
This increased to 62 per cent among second-year students and 66 per cent for those in third year or above .
Dr Pádraig MacNeela , senior lecturer in psychology in NUI Galway and co-author of the report , said the findings provide a “ stark depiction ” of the experiences of many students in Ireland .
“ Over 1,000 of the female students who took part in the survey described incidents that correspond to rape , while one quarter of male students said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during their time in college , ” he said .
“ Bisexual , non-binary , and queer students described particularly high levels of sexual harassment.
” Some 29 per cent of females , 10 per cent of males and 28 per cent of non-binary respondents said they had experienced penetration without consent due to force , the threat of force or being incapacitated .
Of those , two thirds reported that the perpetrator had used drugs or alcohol just before the incident , while three quarters of victims reported using drugs or alcohol @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those who reported experiencing non-consensual penetration , 49 per cent of males , 35 per cent of females , and 25 per cent of non-binary students said they did not disclose the incident to anyone prior to taking part in the survey .
Among those who did not disclose the incident , 54 per cent of females , 37 per cent of males , and 33 per cent of non-binary students said they remained silent because they did not think what had happened was serious enough to report .
However , the report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as non-binary , which also includes transgender and gender non-conforming individuals , represents only 1 per cent of the total number of respondents , and requires additional research to be more representative .
Sexist hostility was the most common form of harassment experienced across all student groups , ranging from 46 per cent among Asian students to 70 per cent among white Irish students .
More than half of students with a disability ( 56 per cent ) reported an experience of sexual misconduct of some form , compared with 42 per cent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carried out online between February and April with 6,026 students , representing 21 third-level campuses across the State , participating .
Róisín O ’ Donovan , USI vice-president for welfare , said the number of responses the survey received illustrates that consent and sexual misconduct “ remains a huge issue for students ” .
“ While a lot of work has been done in raising awareness of issues around consent , this research shows a gap in knowledge of how to report and what happens and should happen when a student makes a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Ms O ’ Donovan said higher education institutions could “ very quickly ” address this and that it needs to be “ one of the on-campus actions taken as a result of these survey findings ” .
Speaking at the publication of the report on Monday , Minister of State for Higher Education , Mary Mitchell O ’ Connor , said she was “ appalled at the numbers ” .
“ I find it so hard to believe that this happening .
I just think we ’ ve a lot of work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Maybe we need to look at not just the victims but also at the perpetrators , especially if they too are students enrolled in our tertiary education colleges .
I think we need more information there .
I think we need to be informing students what is acceptable.
” The questionnaire was based on a similar model used to survey sexual harassment and violence on American college campuses , and was sent to students in 14 higher education institutions .
Several other universities and Institutes of Technology had agreed to ask students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but this was disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic .
The USI also advertised a link to the survey on its website .
Over 12,000 students began the survey but only 6,054 completed it .
A small number of respondents were removed from the data as they were under 18 years of age , and in three cases due to “ questionable response patterns ” and offensive comments given in answers .
In total , 3,928 female students and 1,986 male students completed the survey , along with 42 non-binary and 11 trans students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the majority of respondents ( 4,689 ) were white Irish .
Of the respondents 4,455 described themselves as heterosexual , 824 bisexual , 274 asexual , 179 as gay , and 73 lesbian .

Just over half of first-year students reported experiencing sexual harassment in the form of sexual hostility since beginning college. Photograph: iStock
Almost 30 per cent of female college students have experienced non-consensual sexual penetration due to force, the threat of force or while they were incapacitated, a survey of 6,000 people has found.
The Sexual Experiences Survey, a report by the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) and the Active Consent research team at NUI Galway, examined the experiences of consent in higher education among people of different genders, sexual orientations, ethnicities and disabilities.
Just over half of first-year students reported experiencing sexual harassment in the form of sexual hostility – defined as offensive remarks about their appearance, body or sexual activities – since beginning college.
This increased to 62 per cent among second-year students and 66 per cent for those in third year or above.
READ MORE
Dr Pádraig MacNeela, senior lecturer in psychology in NUI Galway and co-author of the report, said the findings provide a “stark depiction” of the experiences of many students in Ireland.
Sexual misconduct
“Over 1,000 of the female students who took part in the survey described incidents that correspond to rape, while one quarter of male students said they had been subject to sexual misconduct during their time in college,” he said.
“Bisexual, non-binary, and queer students described particularly high levels of sexual harassment.”
Some 29 per cent of females, 10 per cent of males and 28 per cent of non-binary respondents said they had experienced penetration without consent due to force, the threat of force or being incapacitated.
Of those, two thirds reported that the perpetrator had used drugs or alcohol just before the incident, while three quarters of victims reported using drugs or alcohol prior to the sexual misconduct.
Of those who reported experiencing non-consensual penetration, 49 per cent of males, 35 per cent of females, and 25 per cent of non-binary students said they did not disclose the incident to anyone prior to taking part in the survey.
Among those who did not disclose the incident, 54 per cent of females, 37 per cent of males, and 33 per cent of non-binary students said they remained silent because they did not think what had happened was serious enough to report.
However, the report’s authors acknowledged that those categorised as non-binary, which also includes transgender and gender non-conforming individuals, represents only 1 per cent of the total number of respondents, and requires additional research to be more representative.
Sexist hostility was the most common form of harassment experienced across all student groups, ranging from 46 per cent among Asian students to 70 per cent among white Irish students.
‘Huge issue’
More than half of students with a disability (56 per cent) reported an experience of sexual misconduct of some form, compared with 42 per cent of other students.
The survey was carried out online between February and April with 6,026 students, representing 21 third-level campuses across the State, participating.
Róisín O’Donovan, USI vice-president for welfare, said the number of responses the survey received illustrates that consent and sexual misconduct “remains a huge issue for students”.
“While a lot of work has been done in raising awareness of issues around consent, this research shows a gap in knowledge of how to report and what happens and should happen when a student makes a disclosure or report,” she said.
Ms O’Donovan said higher education institutions could “very quickly” address this and that it needs to be “one of the on-campus actions taken as a result of these survey findings”.
Speaking at the publication of the report on Monday, Minister of State for Higher Education, Mary Mitchell O’Connor, said she was “appalled at the numbers”.
“I find it so hard to believe that this happening. I just think we’ve a lot of work to do,” she said.
“Maybe we need to look at not just the victims but also at the perpetrators, especially if they too are students enrolled in our tertiary education colleges. I think we need more information there. I think we need to be informing students what is acceptable.”
Methodology
The questionnaire was based on a similar model used to survey sexual harassment and violence on American college campuses, and was sent to students in 14 higher education institutions. Several other universities and Institutes of Technology had agreed to ask students to take part in the survey, but this was disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic.
The USI also advertised a link to the survey on its website.
Over 12,000 students began the survey but only 6,054 completed it. A small number of respondents were removed from the data as they were under 18 years of age, and in three cases due to “questionable response patterns” and offensive comments given in answers.
In total, 3,928 female students and 1,986 male students completed the survey, along with 42 non-binary and 11 trans students. Some 884 students had a disability, and the majority of respondents (4,689) were white Irish.
Of the respondents 4,455 described themselves as heterosexual, 824 bisexual, 274 asexual, 179 as gay, and 73 lesbian.


theirishtimes--2020-06-22--Legislation setting up €500m climate action fund to be published

The Government will publish legislation on Monday to establish a €500 million climate action fund , using the proceeds of an existing levy paid by oil companies for climate action projects .
The legislation , which will be brought to the Dáil later this year if a government is formed this week , would establish a fund to invest in projects that would help decarbonise the economy over the next decade .
A number of projects have already been funded on an interim basis , including €20 million to develop the ESB charging network for electric cars .
The legislation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amendment ) and Provision of Central Treasury Services Bill 2019 , is being published by Minister for Climate Action Richard Bruton , who said the State had an “ enormous transition ” to make .
“ That transition presents opportunities to be seized as well as patterns to be changed .
This demands that we be both agile and fair as we manage the challenges.
” The fund would be authorised to make investments in projects that seek to reduce greenhouse gas emissions ; increase the production or use of renewable energy ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and initiatives in regions and sectors of the economy impacted by the transition to a low-carbon economy .

The National Oil Reserves Agency (Amendment) and Provision of Central Treasury Services Bill 2019 is being published by Minister for Climate Action Richard Bruton, who said the State had an “enormous transition” to make
The Government will publish legislation on Monday to establish a €500 million climate action fund, using the proceeds of an existing levy paid by oil companies for climate action projects.
The legislation, which will be brought to the Dáil later this year if a government is formed this week, would establish a fund to invest in projects that would help decarbonise the economy over the next decade.
A number of projects have already been funded on an interim basis, including €20 million to develop the ESB charging network for electric cars.
The legislation, the National Oil Reserves Agency (Amendment) and Provision of Central Treasury Services Bill 2019, is being published by Minister for Climate Action Richard Bruton, who said the State had an “enormous transition” to make.
READ MORE
“That transition presents opportunities to be seized as well as patterns to be changed. This demands that we be both agile and fair as we manage the challenges.”
The fund would be authorised to make investments in projects that seek to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; increase the production or use of renewable energy; improve energy efficiency; and support projects and initiatives in regions and sectors of the economy impacted by the transition to a low-carbon economy.


theirishtimes--2020-06-21--Shopping locally: what difference does it make?

There was no sign of much change in consumer behaviour as folk lined up in their hundreds to buy cheap clothes from Penneys when its flagship shop on Dublin ’ s Mary Street reopened 10 days ago after three months in mothballs .
Government pleas to “ stay local and shop local ” also appeared to go unheeded in the line outside Zara in the Dundrum Town Centre when its doors opened again last Monday while those standing in line outside Ikea a week before that seemed more concerned about what another country could do for them than what they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ major reopenings aside , there are still unmistakable signs that the habits Irish shoppers picked up over more than 10 weeks of confinement and curtailment might endure .
While it is probably too much for Irish retailers to hope that Amazon will be Amazgone or Asos will go Awol , there is a definite sense that more people will choose to continue shopping in their local communities in the weeks and months ahead .
And if that happens we will all benefit .
Yes , Dan ’ s Dodgy Deals which is operating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5,000km away might be able to sell you stuff cheap but at what cost ultimately ?
If we all shop online all the time then our local retailers will disappear and we will all be the poorer .
More than two-thirds of the more than €5 billion Irish consumers spend online each year disappears overseas .
If we are buying more and more online then we are losing the local multiplier effect which means that every €100 spent in the local economy is actually worth €500 .
Local spending can increase by that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local economy .
It is spent on locally-sourced goods and services and wages , which are also spent locally .
But when the spending is online and outside the country , then all of the money is just vacuumed up and leaves the country .
According to the EY Future Consumer Index published earlier this month , the global consumer is changing rapidly , with 45 per cent of people saying that how they shop will change permanently as a result of the pandemic , with 38 per cent saying it will permanently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this page last month about how the consumer mindset might shift , Yvonne Keily of that consultancy firm said an “ interesting shift is how we will view time , talent and natural resources ” .
She said we would most likely regard such things as “ increasingly precious , with traditional notions of status receding , replaced by purpose and social good .
We are likely to see an increase in people buying local and , even more interest in transparency around the farm-to-fork and maker-to-model journey of our goods .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the validity of brands and the ease of accessing , assessing and buying goods and services will also be under scrutiny.
” Jean McCabe , a retailer with boutiques in both Ennis and Galway and acting head of umbrella group Retail Excellence Ireland , told Pricewatch recently that after opening her shops in early June she had detected “ a real appetite out there to support local businesses and get back to what is the biggest hobby in the world .
I think that desire to shop local is something that will endure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are shopping now.
” Glenna Lynch , meanwhile , owns a sofa shop in Dublin and said the pandemic may give retailers the “ impetus to offer something distinctly better than click-and-buy across all types of product .
Maybe this is the arrival of unique offerings that will put the human and personal contact back into buying , the pushback against Amazon.
” Kasha Connolly is the Willy Wonka of the west and the brains and creative heart of Hazel Mountain Chocolate , a small chocolate factory located in Co Clare .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ pandemic has recalibrated people ’ s awareness of local businesses and it is almost like they rediscovered the absolute necessity of small shops , ” she says .
“ It helped people to reconnect with their local communities and even after crisis lifts , even after people might take a little step back , I believe that connection with local retailers will endure .
I think the pandemic made people realise that maybe that less is more , that maybe they don ’ t need 10 pairs of socks from Penneys and maybe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mind better.
” She says that as she has started to get back to the business of chocolate and coffee , it has been “ really nice to see loads of people coming in .
I think people like to see the connection between the producer and the product and to understand all the hard work that goes into making something .
As a society we are re-evaluating so many things in our lives and shopping is just one of those elements .
I think there is a much greater understanding today that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ money stays local , all that money stays in Ireland.
” She says the economic crisis the country is now confronting will impact on how people spend .
“ We are definitely going to mind our money because we ’ re going to have to mind but I think people might become better shoppers and spend more sometimes but buy less and keep the things they bought for longer.
” Certainly we could do with being better shoppers .
We live in a world where too many people treat clothes almost like they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ selling stuff so cheaply that there is little incentive to take care of it .
Collectively Ireland throws away more than a million tonnes of food every year and about a third of what the typical shopper buys ends up in the bin – the cost to individual consumers is more than €1,000 .
The cost to the environment is almost incalculable .
Local shopping has helped to reduce the waste , however , as it is easier to buy only what you need when you are not bombarded with special offers on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t need at every turn in the supermarket .
“ A big problem for Irish people is accessibility .
They really want to shop locally and support the people in their communities – that is almost in our DNA – but there have been issues when it comes to the ease of doing that online and what our platform wanted to do was make that as comfortable and as pleasurable an experience as possible , ” says Tara Prendergast .
Her platform is thebiscuitmarketplace.com , an online platform which allows Irish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ products online in a comparatively simple fashion .
But in recent weeks Prendergast has been thinking about more than just the biscuit .
“ During the pandemic , people have had time to think about their lives and have had time to experience all the amazing local businesses , ” she says .
“ And may of those business have started providing services in a completely different way.
” She suggests that a key focus in the weeks ahead should be “ about keeping the money in the community , I think that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is obviously on trend now but it would be so simple to sleepwalk back into way we were I think it ’ s the responsibility of the media and the Government and influencers and retailers and people like me to campaign for local shopping to become an ongoing thing.
” She says people need to be reminded of the difference small acts can have .
“ I think it is important to keep telling people that if they spend even €5 more in their local community each week it makes a difference to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ money with .
When you spend within your community almost half of what you spend gets recirculated in the local economy , it ’ s not much more than 10 per cent if you spend with a big multinational retailer and how much goes back into your local community it if you spend with a big online retailer based overseas ?
” She concludes with a simple message for everyone .
“ I think what we could all do is look at three things we could in terms of spending that could make @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week .
Just keep it simple and if just 1,000 people were to do those things , whatever then might be , then it could make an enormous difference to people across the country.
” Just three things ?
How hard can that be ?
Keeping it local – what difference does it make ?
1 .
Help your neighbours .
If you shop at locally-owned businesses , more of your money stays in your local community because locally-owned businesses tend to buy goods and serves from other locally-owned businesses .
2 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ hit hard by the crisis .
While big companies – or at least some of them – contribute to charitable causes on a local level , local companies are likely to do that more frequently and in a more granular way .
3 .
The country character .
While big retailers and online giants undoubtedly have a role to play , do we really want to strip the heart and soul out of our towns and villages by spending all our money with them ?
The US main street has been decimated by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be no point mourning the passing of the shops and businesses that make Ireland unique if we do not support them while they are still here .
4 .
Think of the environment .
Local shops buying local produce from local farms and selling it to local people leave a much smaller carbon footprint than giant retailers flying products in from all over the world to central distribution centres and then driving them all over the country to us .
The locally-bought produce tastes better too .
5 .
Gizza job .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the months ahead as the aftershocks of the pandemic reverberate .
If you shop locally you will support local jobs and everyone wins .
6 .
Better customer service .
One of the things people have discovered in recent weeks is the pleasure of doing business with people who know their names .
Many people were starved of human contact during the lockdown and the small interactions with local retailers became a lifeline and those local retailers deserve to be rewarded for that as things get back to normal .
Not only that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you are is more likely to entertain your complaints and care about looking after you when if there is a problem .
Do you really think some AI bot working out of some server farm in Mongolia really cares if you are having a problem with that T-shirt you bought online ?
Have a butcher ’ s : how it should be done McLoughlin ’ s Craft Butchers is a third generation family business which has been operating in Dublin since 1965 .
It is run by a father and daughter team , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business has long been the supply of beef , lamb , pork and cooked meats to some of Dublin ’ s finest restaurants and hotels , including Guilbaud ’ s and Coppinger Row but , with the closure of the entire restaurant sector last March , that revenue stream all but completely dried up .
It has been a different story entirely when it comes to the butcher shop and delicatessen in Ballyfermot and new avenues have opened up in recent weeks including a delivery service and a move into farmer ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rediscovered the joys of keeping it local .
“ For the past decade the shop has been in decline as we were surrounded by Aldis and Lidls and Tescos but the last few weeks have seen a reversal and we have really reconnected with people who maybe only would have come in at Christmas.
” Kate is realist and knows that many people will most likely return to their old ways of shopping with the big multiples once the country restarts and routines return .
“ But I think real connections have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keep coming back to us , ” she says .
She is not , however just hoping and nor is she willing to passively wait for customers to come through the doors .
“ Retailers like us have a job to do and we have to be inventive and creative and we have to diversify .
Wholesale made up around 80 per cent of our business and it will be a long time before that comes back to the level it was so we have to continue to reach new customers and we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sales and markets .
“ The job of a small business is to make it easy for people to shop with us .
We can ’ t just sit back and wait for customers to walk into their local shops , we have to work hard at continuing to provide an excellent service , maybe by delivering to their doors or being where they are .
We have to make it easier for people to support us ” .
She says that as more people have shopped with local butchers and greengrocers they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the value to be found there .
“ People are going to be more careful with their money , of course they are , but I think shopping locally allows for better meal planning which will reduce food waste and ultimately save people money.
” Last week on Twitter we asked if people had been shopping locally more in recent months than they might have done in pre-pandemic times and if they had any tips on how to do it better .
This is just small selection of what came back .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been developing click and collect and I now shop online for all my fresh and seasonal food midweek .
What I can ’ t get I add to my supermarket list knowing that my veg and fish orders are at Naomh Olaf GAA club food market on a Friday .
Aidan ’ s fish stall initially had a WhatsApp group for customers and offered a delivery service to cocooners but as the roads were so clear , he delivered to all .
He now operates click and collect and still delivers to cocooners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outofthebluemarket .
Also the farmers market is IG @ naomholaffood.
” – Melissa O ’ Callaghan “ I will be supporting local shops much more than large supermarkets from now on .
Was pleasantly surprised at what a large range of items Behan ’ s in Kill have .
Great staff , efficient and pleasant .
Think we will all reassess our shopping habits.
” – Mary MacRory “ Buying most of my books online from independent bookstores now and trying to support more Irish clothing companies/boutiques & pharmacies.
” – Claire @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Talk to your butcher .
You wouldn ’ t ask a farrier to size your shoes or a dentist to treat your gout .
Buy from merchants who know their product and customers .
Buy local and try and buy Irish , if not buy European.
” – Justin Leonard “ I ’ ve tried to [ shop local ] .
But today a small specialist food shop in Dublin refused to take contactless payment as my purchase was under €5 .
I had no cash so walked off .
Sometimes retailers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – Deryck Fay “ Small local shops all the way .
Haven ’ t gone in a major supermarket since beginning of lockdown.
” – JP McMahon “ I bought a new helmet at the local bike store ( would usually shop Amazon ) , going to local fruit and veg shop and I ’ m only buying what I need – less waste .
I cycle to the local butcher every Saturday with my kids , they love it.
” – Mischa McInerney “ Noticed I could order from my local bookstore @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – they even dropped to my door for free .
Also ordered the @ BellLaneCoffee they use for the full experience !
” – Róis Ní Fhloinn “ If you can ’ t buy it in Ventry post office , you don ’ t really need it !
Local butcher is amazing , keeps me special stuff and my dog is spoilt with bones .
Also using @ NeighbourFoodIE from @ Pantridingle for delicious treats.
” – Deanna O ’ Connor “ Our local butcher and veggie shop played a stormer .
Being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ then pick up later was a revelation .
Joints properly sized for 4 rather than buying larger joints at cut price and creating lots of waste .
My change .
Buy right sized.
” – Denise Edwards “ Yes @ EnglishMarket & started shopping in @ dunnesstores – I try to keep going before my vouchers expire .
.
.
the stress !
Have given up Amazon .
Trying to avoid spending anywhere that isn ’ t Irish owned.
” – Ruth Fuller “ Local butchers ( Smyths , Raheny ) a few @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( the amazing Bread Naturally ) .
The rest from SuperValu and Nolan ’ s ( local-ish ) .
” – Anne-Louise Foley “ It ’ s often a simple case of looking for what you need locally .
We don ’ t always know what ’ s available to us by our neighbours .
Support a hard-working family whose kids go to the same school as yours .
They give your kids birthday cards , lifts to matches.
” – Juliet O ’ Connell

There was no sign of much change in consumer behaviour as folk lined up in their hundreds to buy cheap clothes from Penneys when its flagship shop on Dublin's Mary Street reopened 10 days ago after three months in mothballs.
Government pleas to "stay local and shop local" also appeared to go unheeded in the line outside Zara in the Dundrum Town Centre when its doors opened again last Monday while those standing in line outside Ikea a week before that seemed more concerned about what another country could do for them than what they could do for their country.
But major reopenings aside, there are still unmistakable signs that the habits Irish shoppers picked up over more than 10 weeks of confinement and curtailment might endure. While it is probably too much for Irish retailers to hope that Amazon will be Amazgone or Asos will go Awol, there is a definite sense that more people will choose to continue shopping in their local communities in the weeks and months ahead.
And if that happens we will all benefit. Yes, Dan’s Dodgy Deals which is operating out of a warehouse in a country 5,000km away might be able to sell you stuff cheap but at what cost ultimately? If we all shop online all the time then our local retailers will disappear and we will all be the poorer.
READ MORE
How much poorer? Loads.
More than two-thirds of the more than €5 billion Irish consumers spend online each year disappears overseas. If we are buying more and more online then we are losing the local multiplier effect which means that every €100 spent in the local economy is actually worth €500.
Local spending can increase by that much because the money circulates in the local economy. It is spent on locally-sourced goods and services and wages, which are also spent locally. But when the spending is online and outside the country, then all of the money is just vacuumed up and leaves the country.
Permanent change
According to the EY Future Consumer Index published earlier this month, the global consumer is changing rapidly, with 45 per cent of people saying that how they shop will change permanently as a result of the pandemic, with 38 per cent saying it will permanently change what they buy.
Speaking to this page last month about how the consumer mindset might shift, Yvonne Keily of that consultancy firm said an "interesting shift is how we will view time, talent and natural resources".
She said we would most likely regard such things as “increasingly precious, with traditional notions of status receding, replaced by purpose and social good. We are likely to see an increase in people buying local and, even more interest in transparency around the farm-to-fork and maker-to-model journey of our goods. The whole value ecosystem around packaging efficiency, the validity of brands and the ease of accessing, assessing and buying goods and services will also be under scrutiny.”
Jean McCabe, a retailer with boutiques in both Ennis and Galway and acting head of umbrella group Retail Excellence Ireland, told Pricewatch recently that after opening her shops in early June she had detected "a real appetite out there to support local businesses and get back to what is the biggest hobby in the world. I think that desire to shop local is something that will endure. People are really conscious about where they are shopping now."
Glenna Lynch, meanwhile, owns a sofa shop in Dublin and said the pandemic may give retailers the "impetus to offer something distinctly better than click-and-buy across all types of product. Maybe this is the arrival of unique offerings that will put the human and personal contact back into buying, the pushback against Amazon."
Kasha Connolly of Hazel Mountain Chocolate says the lockdown has “helped people to reconnect with their local communities”.
Kasha Connolly is the Willy Wonka of the west and the brains and creative heart of Hazel Mountain Chocolate, a small chocolate factory located in Co Clare. "I think the lockdown and the pandemic has recalibrated people's awareness of local businesses and it is almost like they rediscovered the absolute necessity of small shops," she says.
“It helped people to reconnect with their local communities and even after crisis lifts, even after people might take a little step back, I believe that connection with local retailers will endure. I think the pandemic made people realise that maybe that less is more, that maybe they don’t need 10 pairs of socks from Penneys and maybe I can have three pairs that I mind better.”
She says that as she has started to get back to the business of chocolate and coffee, it has been “really nice to see loads of people coming in. I think people like to see the connection between the producer and the product and to understand all the hard work that goes into making something. As a society we are re-evaluating so many things in our lives and shopping is just one of those elements. I think there is a much greater understanding today that if you buy local, then the money stays local, all that money stays in Ireland.”
She says the economic crisis the country is now confronting will impact on how people spend. “We are definitely going to mind our money because we’re going to have to mind but I think people might become better shoppers and spend more sometimes but buy less and keep the things they bought for longer.”
Certainly we could do with being better shoppers. We live in a world where too many people treat clothes almost like they are disposable items, with some shops selling stuff so cheaply that there is little incentive to take care of it.
Collectively Ireland throws away more than a million tonnes of food every year and about a third of what the typical shopper buys ends up in the bin – the cost to individual consumers is more than €1,000. The cost to the environment is almost incalculable. Local shopping has helped to reduce the waste, however, as it is easier to buy only what you need when you are not bombarded with special offers on stock you don’t want and don’t need at every turn in the supermarket.
Accessibility
"A big problem for Irish people is accessibility. They really want to shop locally and support the people in their communities – that is almost in our DNA – but there have been issues when it comes to the ease of doing that online and what our platform wanted to do was make that as comfortable and as pleasurable an experience as possible," says Tara Prendergast.
Her platform is thebiscuitmarketplace.com, an online platform which allows Irish artists, designers and producers get their products online in a comparatively simple fashion.
But in recent weeks Prendergast has been thinking about more than just the biscuit. “During the pandemic, people have had time to think about their lives and have had time to experience all the amazing local businesses,” she says. “And may of those business have started providing services in a completely different way.”
She suggests that a key focus in the weeks ahead should be “about keeping the money in the community, I think that’s incredibly important. Shopping local is obviously on trend now but it would be so simple to sleepwalk back into way we were I think it’s the responsibility of the media and the Government and influencers and retailers and people like me to campaign for local shopping to become an ongoing thing.”
She says people need to be reminded of the difference small acts can have. “I think it is important to keep telling people that if they spend even €5 more in their local community each week it makes a difference to the people you’re spending your money with. When you spend within your community almost half of what you spend gets recirculated in the local economy, it’s not much more than 10 per cent if you spend with a big multinational retailer and how much goes back into your local community it if you spend with a big online retailer based overseas?”
She concludes with a simple message for everyone. “I think what we could all do is look at three things we could in terms of spending that could make an impact on our local communities this week. Just keep it simple and if just 1,000 people were to do those things, whatever then might be, then it could make an enormous difference to people across the country.”
Just three things? How hard can that be?
Keeping it local – what difference does it make?
1. Help your neighbours. If you shop at locally-owned businesses, more of your money stays in your local community because locally-owned businesses tend to buy goods and serves from other locally-owned businesses.
2. A charity bounce. Charities have been hit hard by the crisis. While big companies – or at least some of them – contribute to charitable causes on a local level, local companies are likely to do that more frequently and in a more granular way.
3. The country character. While big retailers and online giants undoubtedly have a role to play, do we really want to strip the heart and soul out of our towns and villages by spending all our money with them? The US main street has been decimated by the Walmarts of the world. There will be no point mourning the passing of the shops and businesses that make Ireland unique if we do not support them while they are still here.
4. Think of the environment. Local shops buying local produce from local farms and selling it to local people leave a much smaller carbon footprint than giant retailers flying products in from all over the world to central distribution centres and then driving them all over the country to us. The locally-bought produce tastes better too.
5. Gizza job. The economy is facing enormous challenges in the months ahead as the aftershocks of the pandemic reverberate. If you shop locally you will support local jobs and everyone wins.
6. Better customer service. One of the things people have discovered in recent weeks is the pleasure of doing business with people who know their names. Many people were starved of human contact during the lockdown and the small interactions with local retailers became a lifeline and those local retailers deserve to be rewarded for that as things get back to normal. Not only that, a local retailer who knows who you are is more likely to entertain your complaints and care about looking after you when if there is a problem. Do you really think some AI bot working out of some server farm in Mongolia really cares if you are having a problem with that T-shirt you bought online?
Have a butcher’s: how it should be done
McLoughlin’s Craft Butchers is a third generation family business which has been operating in Dublin since 1965. It is run by a father and daughter team, Pat and Kate McLoughlin.
Their main business has long been the supply of beef, lamb, pork and cooked meats to some of Dublin’s finest restaurants and hotels, including Guilbaud’s and Coppinger Row but, with the closure of the entire restaurant sector last March, that revenue stream all but completely dried up.
It has been a different story entirely when it comes to the butcher shop and delicatessen in Ballyfermot and new avenues have opened up in recent weeks including a delivery service and a move into farmer’s markets while customers in the area have rediscovered the joys of keeping it local.
Kate and Pat McLoughlin of McLoughlin’s Craft Butchers. ‘The job of a small business is to make it easy for people to shop with us,’ says Kate.
“For the past decade the shop has been in decline as we were surrounded by Aldis and Lidls and Tescos but the last few weeks have seen a reversal and we have really reconnected with people who maybe only would have come in at Christmas.”
Kate is realist and knows that many people will most likely return to their old ways of shopping with the big multiples once the country restarts and routines return. “But I think real connections have been made and I hope many customers will keep coming back to us,” she says.
She is not, however just hoping and nor is she willing to passively wait for customers to come through the doors. “Retailers like us have a job to do and we have to be inventive and creative and we have to diversify. Wholesale made up around 80 per cent of our business and it will be a long time before that comes back to the level it was so we have to continue to reach new customers and we have to explore new channels with online sales and markets.
“The job of a small business is to make it easy for people to shop with us. We can’t just sit back and wait for customers to walk into their local shops, we have to work hard at continuing to provide an excellent service, maybe by delivering to their doors or being where they are. We have to make it easier for people to support us”.
She says that as more people have shopped with local butchers and greengrocers they have come to appreciate the quality and the value to be found there. “People are going to be more careful with their money, of course they are, but I think shopping locally allows for better meal planning which will reduce food waste and ultimately save people money.”
What readers say
Last week on Twitter we asked if people had been shopping locally more in recent months than they might have done in pre-pandemic times and if they had any tips on how to do it better. This is just small selection of what came back.
"My farmer's market stalls have been developing click and collect and I now shop online for all my fresh and seasonal food midweek. What I can't get I add to my supermarket list knowing that my veg and fish orders are at Naomh Olaf GAA club food market on a Friday. Aidan's fish stall initially had a WhatsApp group for customers and offered a delivery service to cocooners but as the roads were so clear, he delivered to all. He now operates click and collect and still delivers to cocooners. The site is eastcoastfish.ie and IG @outofthebluemarket. Also the farmers market is IG @naomholaffood." – Melissa O'Callaghan
"I will be supporting local shops much more than large supermarkets from now on. Was pleasantly surprised at what a large range of items Behan's in Kill have. Great staff, efficient and pleasant. Think we will all reassess our shopping habits." – Mary MacRory
“Buying most of my books online from independent bookstores now and trying to support more Irish clothing companies/boutiques & pharmacies.” – Claire McGing
“Buy from horses for courses. Talk to your butcher. You wouldn’t ask a farrier to size your shoes or a dentist to treat your gout. Buy from merchants who know their product and customers. Buy local and try and buy Irish, if not buy European.”– Justin Leonard
“I’ve tried to [shop local]. But today a small specialist food shop in Dublin refused to take contactless payment as my purchase was under €5. I had no cash so walked off. Sometimes retailers do their best to discourage custom.” – Deryck Fay
“Small local shops all the way. Haven’t gone in a major supermarket since beginning of lockdown.” – JP McMahon
“I bought a new helmet at the local bike store (would usually shop Amazon), going to local fruit and veg shop and I’m only buying what I need – less waste. I cycle to the local butcher every Saturday with my kids, they love it.” – Mischa McInerney
"Noticed I could order from my local bookstore @WoodbineBooks so chose them over Amazon – they even dropped to my door for free. Also ordered the @BellLaneCoffee they use for the full experience!" – Róis Ní Fhloinn
“The seed potato company is another fabulous local service I discovered. Fabulous fresh fruit & veg!” – Elizabeth O’Leary
"If you can't buy it in Ventry post office, you don't really need it! Local butcher is amazing, keeps me special stuff and my dog is spoilt with bones. Also using @NeighbourFoodIE from @Pantridingle for delicious treats." – Deanna O'Connor
“Our local butcher and veggie shop played a stormer. Being able to leave a list in and then pick up later was a revelation. Joints properly sized for 4 rather than buying larger joints at cut price and creating lots of waste. My change. Buy right sized.” – Denise Edwards
"Yes @EnglishMarket & started shopping in @dunnesstores – I try to keep going before my vouchers expire. . . the stress! Have given up Amazon. Trying to avoid spending anywhere that isn't Irish owned." – Ruth Fuller
"Local butchers (Smyths, Raheny) a few times a week. Bread from bakery (the amazing Bread Naturally). The rest from SuperValu and Nolan's (local-ish)." – Anne-Louise Foley
“It’s often a simple case of looking for what you need locally. We don’t always know what’s available to us by our neighbours. Support a hard-working family whose kids go to the same school as yours. They give your kids birthday cards, lifts to matches.” – Juliet O’Connell