theirishtimes--2020-11-24--Demand that barristers repay Covid grants may be unlawful

Barristers have been told that a demand to give back thousands of euros in Covid grants paid in error may be unlawful , according to correspondence seen by The Irish Times .
About 150 barristers were told on Monday that they had to pay back the grants – worth up to €5,200 each – administered under the Government ’ s Restart Grant Plus Scheme as they were ineligible to receive it , despite having the funds paid over to them and their applications approved by Dublin City Council .
In a letter sent to barristers on Monday afternoon , Maura @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bar Council , told colleagues that the council is “ both shocked and dismayed by this surprising and disappointing development ” .
A total of 500 barristers have been affected , said the Bar Council , 150 of whom have been asked to repay the funds .
The city council said it is seeking the repayment of just over €750,000 paid in error .
Ms McNally wrote that it was up to individual members to make their own decisions on whether to appeal the decision to revoke funds .
But it was open @ @ @ @ @ @ @ change in position announced is unfair and constitutes a breach of your rights based on legitimate expectation and is unlawful ” .
The grant scheme , which is administered by local authorities on behalf of the Department Employment , is based on a complex rebate and waiver scheme linked to the payment of local rates .
On Monday , affected barristers were told by the local authority that they must repay the funds as “ following a clarification issued to all local authorities .
.
.
it was apparent that the interpretation used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” The barristers concerned rent desks in the Law Library , rather than offices .
For the purposes of the grant , the desks are not being considered as a rateable space “ and therefore applicants in such a space are not entitled to the Restart Grant Plus ” .
Ms McNally has written to Minister for Employment Leo Varadkar over the issue , arguing that rates are paid for the workspaces concerned by the Bar Council , which in turn is paid by members through fees .
She warned that the move @ @ @ @ @ @ @ new requirement which was introduced after applications were submitted and approved .
She has sought a meeting with the Tánaiste .
Legal sources said that many of the affected barristers would be among the junior ranks of the profession , as they would not be generating income from their practice sufficient to pay for an office .
To qualify for the grant , barristers had to be earning less than €100,000 per annum and had to have lost at least 25 per cent of their income due to Covid-19 .
While the city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ineligible , in September , the Bar Council told barristers that it had engaged with Dublin City Council and that “ it appears that members who occupy and pay for an assigned seat on a permanent basis in our buildings , and subject to complying with other criteria , may qualify for this grant ” .
In October , the Bar Council told barristers that while each individual had to determine whether they were eligible , members were paying a percentage of commercial rates through their fees .
They were also told members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ratable buildings as a result of paying their fees .
A spokeswoman for the department said it is not aware of any other council with this issue .

To qualify for the grant, barristers had to be earning less than €100,000 per annum. File photograph: Getty
Barristers have been told that a demand to give back thousands of euros in Covid grants paid in error may be unlawful, according to correspondence seen by The Irish Times.
About 150 barristers were told on Monday that they had to pay back the grants – worth up to €5,200 each – administered under the Government's Restart Grant Plus Scheme as they were ineligible to receive it, despite having the funds paid over to them and their applications approved by Dublin City Council.
In a letter sent to barristers on Monday afternoon, Maura McNally SC, the chairwoman of the Bar Council, told colleagues that the council is "both shocked and dismayed by this surprising and disappointing development".
A total of 500 barristers have been affected, said the Bar Council, 150 of whom have been asked to repay the funds. The city council said it is seeking the repayment of just over €750,000 paid in error.
READ MORE
Ms McNally wrote that it was up to individual members to make their own decisions on whether to appeal the decision to revoke funds. But it was open to them to argue that “the change in position announced is unfair and constitutes a breach of your rights based on legitimate expectation and is unlawful”.
The grant scheme, which is administered by local authorities on behalf of the Department Employment, is based on a complex rebate and waiver scheme linked to the payment of local rates. On Monday, affected barristers were told by the local authority that they must repay the funds as “following a clarification issued to all local authorities . . . it was apparent that the interpretation used to approve your application was not correct.”
The barristers concerned rent desks in the Law Library, rather than offices. For the purposes of the grant, the desks are not being considered as a rateable space "and therefore applicants in such a space are not entitled to the Restart Grant Plus".
Ms McNally has written to Minister for Employment Leo Varadkar over the issue, arguing that rates are paid for the workspaces concerned by the Bar Council, which in turn is paid by members through fees. She warned that the move by the council appeared to be a new requirement which was introduced after applications were submitted and approved. She has sought a meeting with the Tánaiste.
Ineligible barristers
Legal sources said that many of the affected barristers would be among the junior ranks of the profession, as they would not be generating income from their practice sufficient to pay for an office. To qualify for the grant, barristers had to be earning less than €100,000 per annum and had to have lost at least 25 per cent of their income due to Covid-19.
While the city council is now arguing the barristers are ineligible, in September, the Bar Council told barristers that it had engaged with Dublin City Council and that “it appears that members who occupy and pay for an assigned seat on a permanent basis in our buildings, and subject to complying with other criteria, may qualify for this grant”.
In October, the Bar Council told barristers that while each individual had to determine whether they were eligible, members were paying a percentage of commercial rates through their fees. They were also told members had access to seating in seven commercially ratable buildings as a result of paying their fees.
A spokeswoman for the department said it is not aware of any other council with this issue.


theirishtimes--2020-11-24--‘Shock and dismay’ as barristers asked to repay Government Covid grants

About 150 barristers have been asked to repay grants totalling €750,000 approved and paid in error under a Government Covid-19 grant scheme .
Dublin City Council , which administers the grant on behalf of the Department of Enterprise , Trade and Employment , wrote to the impacted lawyers on Monday requesting repayment , in a move which the Bar Council said left it “ shocked and dismayed ” .
Barristers face repaying up to €5,200 each after initially receiving at least €4,000 with some being paid a top-up of €1,200 , when Level 3 restrictions were introduced in September .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ We believe [ Dublin City Council ’ s ] interpretation is not correct , we are obtaining legal advice and we are going to write to the Tánaiste and the council about it.
” The Restart Grant Plus scheme operates through a system of rebates and waivers of commercial rates payments .
The barristers who have been asked to repay the money rent desks , rather than offices , in the Law Library , and have therefore been determined not to be rates payers .
In an email sent to barristers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Irish Times , the local authority explained : “ Following a clarification issued to all local authorities , not specific to your application , it was apparent that the interpretation used to approve your application was not correct.
” In an email to members on Monday , the chair of the Bar Council , Maura McNally SC , said the group was “ shocked and dismayed by this surprising and disappointing development ” .
Legal sources said many of those impacted would be junior without the income from their practice to afford @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were approved for the grant but had it withdrawn before funds issued .
In a statement , the city council said those who have received the funds have a period of seven days to appeal the decision .
“ Following any appeals received , the return of the grant payments will be reviewed and appropriate action will be taken to ensure the return of any outstanding funds , ” the council said .
A spokeswoman for the department said the eligibility criteria for the grant are clear and have been communicated to all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not aware of any other council with this issue .
The department understands that the council are in the process of engaging in cases where the grant has been paid out , ” she said .

Sources in the Law Library said the grant had been relied on by many junior barristers, often younger and less experienced, who had seen their incomes severely impacted by Covid-19. Photograph: iStock
About 150 barristers have been asked to repay grants totalling €750,000 approved and paid in error under a Government Covid-19 grant scheme.
Dublin City Council, which administers the grant on behalf of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment, wrote to the impacted lawyers on Monday requesting repayment, in a move which the Bar Council said left it "shocked and dismayed".
Barristers face repaying up to €5,200 each after initially receiving at least €4,000 with some being paid a top-up of €1,200, when Level 3 restrictions were introduced in September.
Hospital Report
A spokesman for the Bar Council said: “We believe [Dublin City Council’s] interpretation is not correct, we are obtaining legal advice and we are going to write to the Tánaiste and the council about it.”
READ MORE
The Restart Grant Plus scheme operates through a system of rebates and waivers of commercial rates payments. The barristers who have been asked to repay the money rent desks, rather than offices, in the Law Library, and have therefore been determined not to be rates payers.
In an email sent to barristers by Dublin City Council and seen by The Irish Times, the local authority explained: “Following a clarification issued to all local authorities, not specific to your application, it was apparent that the interpretation used to approve your application was not correct.”
‘Disapointing development’
In an email to members on Monday, the chair of the Bar Council, Maura McNally SC, said the group was “shocked and dismayed by this surprising and disappointing development”. Legal sources said many of those impacted would be junior without the income from their practice to afford an office.
About another 350 barristers were approved for the grant but had it withdrawn before funds issued.
In a statement, the city council said those who have received the funds have a period of seven days to appeal the decision.
“Following any appeals received, the return of the grant payments will be reviewed and appropriate action will be taken to ensure the return of any outstanding funds,” the council said.
A spokeswoman for the department said the eligibility criteria for the grant are clear and have been communicated to all local authorities.
“The department is not aware of any other council with this issue. The department understands that the council are in the process of engaging in cases where the grant has been paid out,” she said.


theirishtimes--2020-11-24--Séamus Woulfe row: Judicial appointments for review over public trust concerns

The Oireachtas Committee on Justice is set to review the way in which judges are appointed , amid concerns over “ public confidence ” in the system in the wake of the Séamus Woulfe controversy , its chairman has said .
James Lawless , the Fianna Fáil TD for Kildare North , who chairs the committee , said that he intended to include judicial selection on the committee ’ s work programme for 2021 , and intended to produce recommendations on how it could be improved .
“ It ’ s essential that the system holds public confidence , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made would be helpful in that regard , ” Mr Lawless told The Irish Times , adding that it was important to do so “ given recent events which have posed pertinent questions ” about the process .
Mr Lawless , who is a qualified barrister , said the committee is currently working on its programme for next year , and he will propose the inclusion of a module on judicial selection to “ consider whether current practices are fit for purpose ” .
He said he wanted to examine , in particular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Advisory Board ( JAAB ) , which reviews applications from non-judges interested in judicial positions .
“ There have been prolonged debates on the subject for over 20 years and it ’ s time we grasped the nettle , ” he said .
“ The role of JAAB remains uncertain .
Does it perform an assessment process which selects the best candidates or is it merely a clearing house for initial vetting ?
What are the parallel tracks and how are conflicts of interest managed ?
” he asked .
It comes as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s appointment continues , with the Opposition trying to force the Government into a full question-and-answer session with Minister for Justice Helen McEntee on the issue .
Ms McEntee has committed to addressing the issue during oral questions in the coming weeks , a move which has been rejected by the Opposition as inadequate .
The Meath East TD gave a statement on her handling of the Woulfe controversy , defending it and saying she followed a “ clear process ” when recommending the former attorney general for a position on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s attendance at the Oireachtas Golf Society dinner in August , and a subsequent interview he gave during a review of his actions , have attracted widespread political criticism .
Earlier this month , Chief Justice Frank Clarke said it was his personal view that Mr Justice Woulfe should resign .
Pádraig Mac Lochlann , the Sinn Féin whip , tweeted on Monday evening that all seven Opposition parties and groups have requested a meeting of the Dáil ’ s business committee on the matter , but that it was still being resisted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ draft motion due to go before the Dáil this week will state that “ Mr Woulfe ’ s attendance at an event which was inconsonant with both the public health regulations in force and those which had been announced the day previously had the effect of undermining the public health effort ” .
The motion is due to be tabled by Rise TD Paul Murphy and People Before Profit TD Bríd Smith .
It will argue that Mr Woulfe ’ s “ stated misbehaviour ” is his “ conduct in and in relation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Clifden on 19 August 2020 ” .
The motion will also say that Mr Justice Woulfe ’ s “ subsequent response to the public controversy ... further undermined the public effort ” .

The political controversy over Mr Justice Woulfe’s appointment continues, with the Opposition trying to force the Government into a full question-and-answer session with Minister for Justice Helen McEntee on the issue. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw
The Oireachtas Committee on Justice is set to review the way in which judges are appointed, amid concerns over “public confidence” in the system in the wake of the Séamus Woulfe controversy, its chairman has said.
James Lawless, the Fianna Fáil TD for Kildare North, who chairs the committee, said that he intended to include judicial selection on the committee’s work programme for 2021, and intended to produce recommendations on how it could be improved.
“It’s essential that the system holds public confidence, and greater clarity over how judicial appointments are made would be helpful in that regard,” Mr Lawless told The Irish Times, adding that it was important to do so “given recent events which have posed pertinent questions” about the process.
Mr Lawless, who is a qualified barrister, said the committee is currently working on its programme for next year, and he will propose the inclusion of a module on judicial selection to “consider whether current practices are fit for purpose”.
READ MORE
He said he wanted to examine, in particular, the role of the Judicial Appointments Advisory Board (JAAB), which reviews applications from non-judges interested in judicial positions.
“There have been prolonged debates on the subject for over 20 years and it’s time we grasped the nettle,” he said. “The role of JAAB remains uncertain. Does it perform an assessment process which selects the best candidates or is it merely a clearing house for initial vetting? What are the parallel tracks and how are conflicts of interest managed?” he asked.
Oral questions
It comes as the political controversy over Mr Justice Woulfe’s appointment continues, with the Opposition trying to force the Government into a full question-and-answer session with Minister for Justice Helen McEntee on the issue. Ms McEntee has committed to addressing the issue during oral questions in the coming weeks, a move which has been rejected by the Opposition as inadequate. The Meath East TD gave a statement on her handling of the Woulfe controversy, defending it and saying she followed a “clear process” when recommending the former attorney general for a position on the Supreme Court.
Mr Justice Woulfe’s attendance at the Oireachtas Golf Society dinner in August, and a subsequent interview he gave during a review of his actions, have attracted widespread political criticism. Earlier this month, Chief Justice Frank Clarke said it was his personal view that Mr Justice Woulfe should resign.
Pádraig Mac Lochlann, the Sinn Féin whip, tweeted on Monday evening that all seven Opposition parties and groups have requested a meeting of the Dáil’s business committee on the matter, but that it was still being resisted by the Government.
Meanwhile, a draft motion due to go before the Dáil this week will state that “Mr Woulfe’s attendance at an event which was inconsonant with both the public health regulations in force and those which had been announced the day previously had the effect of undermining the public health effort”.
The motion is due to be tabled by Rise TD Paul Murphy and People Before Profit TD Bríd Smith.
It will argue that Mr Woulfe’s “stated misbehaviour” is his “conduct in and in relation to attending the Oireachtas golf society dinner in Clifden on 19 August 2020”.
The motion will also say that Mr Justice Woulfe’s “subsequent response to the public controversy... further undermined the public effort”.


theirishtimes--2020-11-24--Over-65s most hit by Covid-19 fatalities, study shows

Older people in Ireland , North and South , have been among the most disproportionately affected internationally for deaths from Covid-19 , a new study indicates.s The gap between the number of actual virus deaths in over-65s and the number that might be expected on a population basis is greater in Northern Ireland and the Republic than in 43 other countries , apart from Belgium and Scotland .
Due to the large number of nursing home deaths in Ireland , the burden of Covid-19 mortality has hit older people here to a greater extent than almost anywhere else , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cambridge and Institut Pasteur in Paris shows .
The study , led by Irish scientist Megan O ’ Driscoll , noted that 63 per cent of Covid-19 deaths in the Republic occurred in nursing homes and other long-term care settings , the highest proportion of 14 western countries for which figures are quoted in the study .
In Northern Ireland , almost 40 per cent of virus deaths were of people in long-term care settings .
Simply comparing total deaths across countries may provide a misleading representation of the underlying level of transmission @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in virus death rates in elderly populations in different countries , according to the study published in leading scientific journal Nature .
Outbreaks in nursing homes in Ireland and other European countries help to skew data on deaths for older age groups , rendering cross-country comparisons of the scale of the pandemic inaccurate , researchers say .
A better way of comparing countries is to look at deaths among under-65s , they suggest .
“ Simply comparing the total number of deaths across countries can be misleading as a representation of the underlying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus that causes Covid-19 .
Most deaths are in older people , but they are the least comparable across countries , ” said O ’ Driscoll , a UCC graduate and PhD researcher in the University of Cambridge ’ s department of genetics .
“ Our model shows the number of Covid-19 deaths by age , in people under 65 years old , is highly consistent across countries and likely to be a reliable indicator of the number of infections in the population .
This is of critical use in a context where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says .
An estimated 3.12 per cent of the population of the Republic had been infected with Covid-19 on September 1st , compared to 4.31 per cent in the North , the study says .
This compares to an average of 5 per cent across the 45 countries examined for the study , and much higher figures in some countries hit by the pandemic – over half the population of Peru , for example , has been infected with the virus .
The infection-to-fatality ratio ( IFR ) for the Republic is estimated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about one of every 200 Irish people who contract the virus will die .
This is different from the case-fatality rate , which relates deaths to confirmed cases .
Ireland ’ s IFR is “ quite a bit lower ” than for other European countries because of our younger population demographics , O ’ Driscoll explains .
“ However , individual-level risks are much greater for older people , those with co-morbidities and particularly for nursing home residents .
”

Outbreaks in nursing homes in Ireland and other European countries help to skew data on deaths for older age groups, rendering cross-country comparisons of the scale of the pandemic inaccurate, researchers say. Photograph: John Stillwell/PA
Older people in Ireland, North and South, have been among the most disproportionately affected internationally for deaths from Covid-19, a new study indicates.s
The gap between the number of actual virus deaths in over-65s and the number that might be expected on a population basis is greater in Northern Ireland and the Republic than in 43 other countries, apart from Belgium and Scotland.
Due to the large number of nursing home deaths in Ireland, the burden of Covid-19 mortality has hit older people here to a greater extent than almost anywhere else, the research by scientists at the University of Cambridge and Institut Pasteur in Paris shows.
Hospital Report
The study, led by Irish scientist Megan O’Driscoll, noted that 63 per cent of Covid-19 deaths in the Republic occurred in nursing homes and other long-term care settings, the highest proportion of 14 western countries for which figures are quoted in the study. In Northern Ireland, almost 40 per cent of virus deaths were of people in long-term care settings.
READ MORE
Level of transmission
Simply comparing total deaths across countries may provide a misleading representation of the underlying level of transmission of Covid-19, because of large differences in virus death rates in elderly populations in different countries, according to the study published in leading scientific journal Nature.
Outbreaks in nursing homes in Ireland and other European countries help to skew data on deaths for older age groups, rendering cross-country comparisons of the scale of the pandemic inaccurate, researchers say.
A better way of comparing countries is to look at deaths among under-65s, they suggest.
“Simply comparing the total number of deaths across countries can be misleading as a representation of the underlying level of transmission of Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19. Most deaths are in older people, but they are the least comparable across countries,” said O’Driscoll, a UCC graduate and PhD researcher in the University of Cambridge’s department of genetics.
Number of infections
“Our model shows the number of Covid-19 deaths by age, in people under 65 years old, is highly consistent across countries and likely to be a reliable indicator of the number of infections in the population. This is of critical use in a context where most infections are unobserved,” she says.
An estimated 3.12 per cent of the population of the Republic had been infected with Covid-19 on September 1st, compared to 4.31 per cent in the North, the study says.
This compares to an average of 5 per cent across the 45 countries examined for the study, and much higher figures in some countries hit by the pandemic – over half the population of Peru, for example, has been infected with the virus.
The infection-to-fatality ratio (IFR)for the Republic is estimated at 0.51 per cent, meaning that about one of every 200 Irish people who contract the virus will die. This is different from the case-fatality rate, which relates deaths to confirmed cases.
Ireland’s IFR is “quite a bit lower” than for other European countries because of our younger population demographics, O’Driscoll explains. “However, individual-level risks are much greater for older people, those with co-morbidities and particularly for nursing home residents.”


theirishtimes--2020-11-24--Co-living in the Liberties: Rapidly changing urban fabric proves divisive

Ongoing “ chopping and changing ” to planning regulations was “ very frustrating ” for local authorities and developers , the assistant chief executive of Dublin City Council has warned .
Brendan Kenny , responding to news that co-living developments would no longer be permitted , said : “ Planners , local authorities and developers need certainty .
We need to be able to plan long term , and this upsets the apple cart.
” Asked if co-living developments that had planning permission but were not yet under construction would be affected , he said he was not certain but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” to take permission back that had been granted .
In the Liberties , three planned developments involving more than 700 “ shared living ” units will be “ disastrous ” for the area , according to historian and activist James Madigan .
Like many living in the locality , he would like to see plans for three co-living developments shelved .
He shows a half-acre site , at Fumbally Lane , within a five-minute walk of Newmarket Square , where international co-living company The Collective plans 69 shared accommodation dwellings .
Around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 397 units are planned by Stoneweg , a Geneva-based investment firm .
Down the street , on the site of the long-closed Paddy Whelan bike and electricals shop , another 375 “ studio suites ” are proposed .
“ It ’ s not just the co-living developments .
It ’ s the student accommodation , the hotels , the luxury apartments , ” said Madigan .
“ The community is not being engaged with on these plans , not until it ’ s too late .
What we need is housing , parks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protects the historical integrity of the area .
“ International investment funds buying up the land aren ’ t interested in any of that .
Their only interest is profit .
And what happens is , when they make their profits the value of the land goes up so much that housing for ordinary people isn ’ t worth building.
” The streetscapes of this most historic part of Dublin have undergone rapid change .
Almost 3,500 student beds have either been built , are under construction or are proposed , in 11 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dublin 8 .
Add to these a plethora of new hotels and , says Madigan , “ anyone new coming to the Liberties is just passing through while young people growing up here can ’ t stay because there ’ s no housing being built ” .
Local People Before Profit councillor Tina MacVeigh said that although permissions already granted can not be revoked , Minister for Housing Darragh O ’ Brien must set higher standards for those that will be built .
“ Ventilation , safe gathering spaces , private recreational space @ @ @ @ @ @ @ kitchens – these are all key issues as well as the size of the actual bedroom units.
” “ The Minister could immediately issue higher standards for those developers that have applied but have not yet been granted planning permission.
” Mr Kenny said his main concern was to get “ building happening on these vacant sites ” .
He agreed land values in parts of the city meant standard housing was not profitable or “ viable ” in them .
Dublin 8 ’ s student accommodation , which follows a similar model @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eight small bedroom units around one shared kitchen and living area , is currently for rent for €250-€300 a week .
Architect and housing policy analyst Mel Reynolds calculated the profit per square metre for such schemes could be up to eight times that of standard housing .
The question , whether co-living is permitted or not , remains how to make it attractive to developers to build the housing people want in these areas .
And if they won ’ t , to what extent will the State step in to provide @ @ @ @ @

Ongoing "chopping and changing" to planning regulations was "very frustrating" for local authorities and developers, the assistant chief executive of Dublin City Council has warned.
Brendan Kenny, responding to news that co-living developments would no longer be permitted, said: "Planners, local authorities and developers need certainty. We need to be able to plan long term, and this upsets the apple cart."
Asked if co-living developments that had planning permission but were not yet under construction would be affected, he said he was not certain but added it would be “very difficult” to take permission back that had been granted.
In the Liberties, three planned developments involving more than 700 "shared living" units will be "disastrous" for the area, according to historian and activist James Madigan. Like many living in the locality, he would like to see plans for three co-living developments shelved.
READ MORE
He shows a half-acre site, at Fumbally Lane, within a five-minute walk of Newmarket Square, where international co-living company The Collective plans 69 shared accommodation dwellings. Around the corner, on Cork Street, 397 units are planned by Stoneweg, a Geneva-based investment firm. Down the street, on the site of the long-closed Paddy Whelan bike and electricals shop, another 375 "studio suites" are proposed.
“It’s not just the co-living developments. It’s the student accommodation, the hotels, the luxury apartments,” said Madigan. “The community is not being engaged with on these plans, not until it’s too late. What we need is housing, parks, facilities and an area plan that protects the historical integrity of the area.
“International investment funds buying up the land aren’t interested in any of that. Their only interest is profit. And what happens is, when they make their profits the value of the land goes up so much that housing for ordinary people isn’t worth building.”
Rapid change
The streetscapes of this most historic part of Dublin have undergone rapid change.
Almost 3,500 student beds have either been built, are under construction or are proposed, in 11 different developments in this small part of Dublin 8. Add to these a plethora of new hotels and, says Madigan, “anyone new coming to the Liberties is just passing through while young people growing up here can’t stay because there’s no housing being built”.
Local People Before Profit councillor Tina MacVeigh said that although permissions already granted cannot be revoked, Minister for Housing Darragh O'Brien must set higher standards for those that will be built. "Ventilation, safe gathering spaces, private recreational space such as balconies, less sharing of kitchens – these are all key issues as well as the size of the actual bedroom units."
“The Minister could immediately issue higher standards for those developers that have applied but have not yet been granted planning permission.”
Mr Kenny said his main concern was to get “building happening on these vacant sites”. He agreed land values in parts of the city meant standard housing was not profitable or “viable” in them.
Dublin 8’s student accommodation, which follows a similar model to co-living units, with up to eight small bedroom units around one shared kitchen and living area, is currently for rent for €250-€300 a week.
Architect and housing policy analyst Mel Reynolds calculated the profit per square metre for such schemes could be up to eight times that of standard housing.
The question, whether co-living is permitted or not, remains how to make it attractive to developers to build the housing people want in these areas. And if they won’t, to what extent will the State step in to provide it, asks Reynolds.


theirishtimes--2020-11-24--‘Shatter the glass ceiling’: First woman university chief in Ireland on breakthrough role

Earlier this year Prof Kerstin Mey shattered one of the highest and hardest glass ceilings there is in Ireland .
Her appointment as president of University of Limerick in July ended a 428-year tradition of men only running Irish universities .
By her own admission , the full significance of it only sank in later .
“ I was really surprised when I was being stopped in Limerick , on the street or in the shops , by women who I had never met before who were congratulating me and saying how fantastic it is and how important it was… @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appreciate how big a deal it was.
” Part of that , she thinks now , was down to wanting to avoid over-thinking the enormous responsibility of the position as a role model for women .
“ The expectations are huge that as a woman you will do things differently , you will change things… it ’ s a very symbolic role , and you serve as a role model in your own institution and in the sector and beyond . ''
Prof Mey was born and raised in East Germany ( what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Equality for women was rooted – officially , at least – in the doctrines of the eastern bloc state .
In reality , she says , it was a flawed model which relied on near full participation of women in employment to make up its low industrial productivity .
However , she says , being the first member of her family to obtain a PhD instilled a strong belief in her that it was “ possible to knock at and shatter the glass ceiling ” .
Ireland , she says , is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ women at senior levels of academia .
While about half of all lecturers in Irish universities are female , these numbers fall dramatically at higher grades such as associate professor – one in three are women – and professor – one in four are women .
Prof Mey says promotional pathways don ’ t always take account of women ’ s rounded experience ; the socialisation of women and expectations in society may also lead to greater hesitation among women to put their head above the parapet .
“ That needs to develop @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on , and support them to realise their talent and aspirations , ” she says .
She is a strong supporter of an initiative , spearheaded by previous minister for higher education Mary Mitchell O ’ Connor , which is resulting in the appointment of dozens of women-only professorships aimed at tackling gender inequality .
“ It ’ s not about promoting women who haven ’ t got the capability to contribute to the positions .
The process [ for appointing women-only professors ] is highly competitive , and there are many talented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the helm of UL at a time when the Covid-19 pandemic has changed the traditional college experience beyond recognition .
She accepts students are losing out by not having a campus experience and taking part in clubs and societies .
They also have to contend with mental health pressures and patchy access to technology .
But , she says , positives may also emerge from the experience such as an ease with technology among graduates which will prepare them for a world where digital disruption will be a way of life .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ takes place in future , she says , with a greater emphasis on blended learning , combining in-class with online learning .
Quite apart from gender , Prof May ’ s appointment is also unusual for her background in the arts and humanities .
Most college presidents are steeped in Stem ( science , technology and engineering ) , where the most lucrative research funding is .
She studied for a master ’ s degree in art and German language and literature at Humboldt University in Berlin , followed by a PhD in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she says , will be integral to our economic success .
The future of research and work will focus on the intersection of a range of different disciplines .
At a time when many say higher education faces a crossroads and there are questions over how it will be funded , Prof Mey is not a supporter of student loans or privatisation .
“ I am of the view that education is a public good .
So I would not speak for privatisation of tuition , tuition fees , but of continued State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be needed , she says , in future .
Higher education won ’ t stop at graduation ; lifelong learning will become more of a reality for all .
“ I think we have to think about that , look at what ’ s already there and look at the debates about allowances for every citizen towards a lifelong education .
”

Earlier this year Prof Kerstin Mey shattered one of the highest and hardest glass ceilings there is in Ireland.
Her appointment as president of University of Limerick in July ended a 428-year tradition of men only running Irish universities.
By her own admission, the full significance of it only sank in later.
“I was really surprised when I was being stopped in Limerick, on the street or in the shops, by women who I had never met before who were congratulating me and saying how fantastic it is and how important it was… So, I didn’t fully appreciate how big a deal it was.”
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Part of that, she thinks now, was down to wanting to avoid over-thinking the enormous responsibility of the position as a role model for women.
“The expectations are huge that as a woman you will do things differently, you will change things… it’s a very symbolic role, and you serve as a role model in your own institution and in the sector and beyond."
Prof Mey was born and raised in East Germany (what was then the German Democratic Republic).
Equality for women was rooted – officially, at least – in the doctrines of the eastern bloc state.
Flawed model
In reality, she says, it was a flawed model which relied on near full participation of women in employment to make up its low industrial productivity.
However, she says, being the first member of her family to obtain a PhD instilled a strong belief in her that it was “possible to knock at and shatter the glass ceiling”.
Ireland, she says, is not unusual with its huge under-representation of women at senior levels of academia.
While about half of all lecturers in Irish universities are female, these numbers fall dramatically at higher grades such as associate professor – one in three are women – and professor – one in four are women.
Prof Mey says promotional pathways don’t always take account of women’s rounded experience; the socialisation of women and expectations in society may also lead to greater hesitation among women to put their head above the parapet.
“That needs to develop by bringing women into leadership training early on, and support them to realise their talent and aspirations,” she says.
Gender inequality
She is a strong supporter of an initiative, spearheaded by previous minister for higher education Mary Mitchell O’Connor, which is resulting in the appointment of dozens of women-only professorships aimed at tackling gender inequality.
“It’s not about promoting women who haven’t got the capability to contribute to the positions. The process [for appointing women-only professors] is highly competitive, and there are many talented women around...”
Prof Mey is at the helm of UL at a time when the Covid-19 pandemic has changed the traditional college experience beyond recognition.
University of Limerick: “The president of UL has also been on the record in acknowledging that suspending employees for over two years is not acceptable management practice”
She accepts students are losing out by not having a campus experience and taking part in clubs and societies. They also have to contend with mental health pressures and patchy access to technology.
But, she says, positives may also emerge from the experience such as an ease with technology among graduates which will prepare them for a world where digital disruption will be a way of life.
It may also change the way learning takes place in future, she says, with a greater emphasis on blended learning, combining in-class with online learning.
Quite apart from gender, Prof May’s appointment is also unusual for her background in the arts and humanities.
Most college presidents are steeped in Stem (science, technology and engineering), where the most lucrative research funding is.
The arts
She studied for a master's degree in art and German language and literature at Humboldt University in Berlin, followed by a PhD in art theory and aesthetics.
Arts, she says, will be integral to our economic success. The future of research and work will focus on the intersection of a range of different disciplines.
At a time when many say higher education faces a crossroads and there are questions over how it will be funded, Prof Mey is not a supporter of student loans or privatisation.
“I am of the view that education is a public good. So I would not speak for privatisation of tuition, tuition fees, but of continued State funding… “ she says.
Major changes will be needed, she says, in future. Higher education won’t stop at graduation; lifelong learning will become more of a reality for all.
“I think we have to think about that, look at what’s already there and look at the debates about allowances for every citizen towards a lifelong education.”


theirishtimes--2020-11-24--Sharp fall in antibiotic use as prescriptions dip 20% in 2020

The use of antibiotics dispensed by pharmacies in the State has fallen by nearly a fifth this year , following a sharp drop in the number of people going to doctors ’ clinics for non-Covid appointments .
Up to the end of October , the number of private and medical/GP visit card antibiotic prescriptions fell by almost 700,000 compared to the same period last year , according to new data from the Health Service Executive .
Irish College of General Practitioners lead adviser on Covid-19 Dr Nuala O ’ Connor has described the decline as an “ amazing drop-off ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to emerge from the pandemic .
In a recent online presentation , Dr O ’ Connor said when Covid-19 first emerged here in March there was a concern that antibiotic use could increase .
This is , she said , because of the effect of the virus on the respiratory system and the fact that antibiotic prescribing increases annually during the flu season .
Instead the opposite occurred , as it quickly became evident that secondary bacterial infections are extremely uncommon in Covid-19 patients , while it is well known that antibiotics are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the end of October 2019 , more than 3.6 million antibiotics were dispensed by community pharmacies .
During the same time period in 2020 , about 2.98 million antibiotics were prescribed .
The biggest reductions were recorded in April and May , when antibiotics dispensed fell by 31 per cent and 33 per cent respectively compared to the same months in 2019 .
Ireland was in lockdown at this time and non-Covid consultations in general practice decreased significantly during these months .
Antibiotic prescribing has reduced significantly at GP out-of-hours co-operative Southdoc @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Overall prescribing went from an average of one in three consultations to on average one in five .
The improvement in the rate of antibiotic prescribing has been maintained.
” A breakdown of antibiotic prescribing at the co-op , which covers counties Cork and Kerry , reveals that in March alone , antibiotic prescriptions fell from 2,026 in 2019 to 645 this year .
The reduction was even more stark in April , with just 50 antibiotics prescribed compared to almost 2,000 in April 2019 , according to the HSE Antimicrobial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Commenting on the threat of antimicrobial resistance in the community , and the “ frightening statistic ” that it is predicted to be responsible for more deaths than cancer globally by 2050 , Dr O ’ Connor said that the challenge after Covid-19 would be in sustaining the welcome reductions .
Attempts are ongoing here to improve the quality of antibiotic prescribing and to ensure antibiotics are only prescribed when necessary , in a bid to reduce the threat posed by antimicrobial resistance .
In Europe about 25,000 patients die every year from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 10 million deaths will be attributable to antimicrobial resistance worldwide by 2050 .
According to the HSE , using antibiotics needlessly “ allows bugs that cause infections to build up resistance against antibiotics and renders them useless over time ” .

Up to the end of October, the number of private and medical/GP visit card antibiotic prescriptions fell by almost 700,000 compared to the same period last year, according to new data from the HSE. Photograph: iStock
The use of antibiotics dispensed by pharmacies in the State has fallen by nearly a fifth this year, following a sharp drop in the number of people going to doctors’ clinics for non-Covid appointments.
Up to the end of October, the number of private and medical/GP visit card antibiotic prescriptions fell by almost 700,000 compared to the same period last year, according to new data from the Health Service Executive.
Irish College of General Practitioners lead adviser on Covid-19 Dr Nuala O’Connor has described the decline as an “amazing drop-off” and a “good news story” to emerge from the pandemic.
In a recent online presentation, Dr O’Connor said when Covid-19 first emerged here in March there was a concern that antibiotic use could increase.
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This is, she said, because of the effect of the virus on the respiratory system and the fact that antibiotic prescribing increases annually during the flu season.
Instead the opposite occurred, as it quickly became evident that secondary bacterial infections are extremely uncommon in Covid-19 patients, while it is well known that antibiotics are ineffective in treating viral infections.
Up to the end of October 2019, more than 3.6 million antibiotics were dispensed by community pharmacies. During the same time period in 2020, about 2.98 million antibiotics were prescribed.
Reductions
The biggest reductions were recorded in April and May, when antibiotics dispensed fell by 31 per cent and 33 per cent respectively compared to the same months in 2019.
Ireland was in lockdown at this time and non-Covid consultations in general practice decreased significantly during these months.
Antibiotic prescribing has reduced significantly at GP out-of-hours co-operative Southdoc, according to Dr O’Connor.
“Overall prescribing went from an average of one in three consultations to on average one in five. The improvement in the rate of antibiotic prescribing has been maintained.”
A breakdown of antibiotic prescribing at the co-op, which covers counties Cork and Kerry, reveals that in March alone, antibiotic prescriptions fell from 2,026 in 2019 to 645 this year.
The reduction was even more stark in April, with just 50 antibiotics prescribed compared to almost 2,000 in April 2019, according to the HSE Antimicrobial Resistance and Infection Control Programme data.
‘Frightening’
Commenting on the threat of antimicrobial resistance in the community, and the “frightening statistic” that it is predicted to be responsible for more deaths than cancer globally by 2050, Dr O’Connor said that the challenge after Covid-19 would be in sustaining the welcome reductions.
Attempts are ongoing here to improve the quality of antibiotic prescribing and to ensure antibiotics are only prescribed when necessary, in a bid to reduce the threat posed by antimicrobial resistance.
In Europe about 25,000 patients die every year from resistant infections. If current trends continue, 10 million deaths will be attributable to antimicrobial resistance worldwide by 2050.
According to the HSE, using antibiotics needlessly “allows bugs that cause infections to build up resistance against antibiotics and renders them useless over time”.


theirishtimes--2020-11-24--North’s civil service sick leave costs £169m in five years

Sickness absence in the Northern Ireland civil service has increased by 10 per cent in five years , with staff off for an average of almost 13 days annually , auditors have found .
A joint report by comptroller and auditor general Kieran Donnelly and local government auditor Pamela McCreedy said “ consistently high levels ” of sick leave within the organisation had cost £169 million ( €190 million ) since 2015 .
They said the levels are almost double that within the civil service in England .
Sickness absence levels with councils in Northern Ireland are even higher , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ per employee in 2018-19 – a 13 per cent increase in five years .
Council sick leave is also the highest in the UK .
Mr Donnelly said : “ High levels of sickness absence within the public sector are not a new phenomenon .
However , this report finds few signs of sustained improvement .
“ It is time for public sector organisations to make a concerted effort to reduce the level of sickness absence and to develop a consistent approach to managing attendance .
With that in mind , the Local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of key principles in managing attendance that should be applied across central and local government .
“ A strong attendance culture needs to be embedded across the Northern Ireland public sector , and driven from the top .
“ We are recommending that organisations focus on targeting long-term absence through preventative measures and early intervention .
“ It is also vital for all organisations to measure and analyse sickness absence levels if they are to understand their impact , not only in terms costs , but also on the quality of services delivered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last week highlighted that long-term absences account for over three quarters of the working days lost in the NICS and almost two thirds of the days lost in local councils .
The latest report highlighted mental health conditions as a prominent cause of sickness absence , often involving longer absences .
The report noted that older employees make up a significant proportion of the public sector workforce .
It said while older employees are not off more often , when they are absent it tends to be for longer periods of time .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ The level of sickness absence is regrettable .
“ The NICS remains committed to working jointly with trade union colleagues and other partners such as our Employee Counselling , Welfare and Occupational Health teams to support colleagues to stay in work and return to work as soon as they are able .
”

A joint report by comptroller and auditor general Kieran Donnelly and local government auditor Pamela McCreedy highlighted mental health conditions as a prominent cause of sickness absence, often involving longer absences. Photograph: Istock
Sickness absence in the Northern Ireland civil service has increased by 10 per cent in five years, with staff off for an average of almost 13 days annually, auditors have found.
A joint report by comptroller and auditor general Kieran Donnelly and local government auditor Pamela McCreedy said "consistently high levels" of sick leave within the organisation had cost £169 million (€190 million) since 2015.
They said the levels are almost double that within the civil service in England.
Sickness absence levels with councils in Northern Ireland are even higher, with an average of almost 14 days per employee in 2018-19 – a 13 per cent increase in five years.
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Council sick leave is also the highest in the UK.
Mr Donnelly said: “High levels of sickness absence within the public sector are not a new phenomenon. However, this report finds few signs of sustained improvement.
“It is time for public sector organisations to make a concerted effort to reduce the level of sickness absence and to develop a consistent approach to managing attendance. With that in mind, the Local Government Auditor and I identified a number of key principles in managing attendance that should be applied across central and local government.
“A strong attendance culture needs to be embedded across the Northern Ireland public sector, and driven from the top.
“We are recommending that organisations focus on targeting long-term absence through preventative measures and early intervention.
“It is also vital for all organisations to measure and analyse sickness absence levels if they are to understand their impact, not only in terms costs, but also on the quality of services delivered to the public.”
The Audit Office last week highlighted that long-term absences account for over three quarters of the working days lost in the NICS and almost two thirds of the days lost in local councils.
The latest report highlighted mental health conditions as a prominent cause of sickness absence, often involving longer absences.
The report noted that older employees make up a significant proportion of the public sector workforce.
It said while older employees are not off more often, when they are absent it tends to be for longer periods of time.
A Department of Finance spokeswoman said: "The level of sickness absence is regrettable.
“Reducing sick absence rates remains a priority for the civil service.
“The NICS remains committed to working jointly with trade union colleagues and other partners such as our Employee Counselling, Welfare and Occupational Health teams to support colleagues to stay in work and return to work as soon as they are able.”


theirishtimes--2020-11-24--More than 4 in 10 students feel college does not prepare them for work

More than four in 10 students in Ireland believe they acquire very little or just some skills at university and college that will help them get a job , a survey has found .
The Irish Survey of Student Engagement , or StudentSurvey.ie , polled 44,707 first year and final year undergraduate students as well as post-graduate students attending third-level institutions this year .
Most of the study was carried out before restrictions were introduced to curb the spread of Covid-19 , with report authors saying next year ’ s findings will better reflect the full impact of the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at university or college contributed to them being better equipped to find employment , more than one in 10 ( 13 per cent ) responded “ very little ” .
Three in 10 ( 29 per cent ) answered just “ some ” .
However , more than a third ( 34 per cent ) believed their experience prepared them “ quite a bit ” for the world of work , with just less than a quarter ( 24 per cent ) saying it helped with job-related skills and knowledge “ very much @ @ @ @ @ @ @ higher education institutions throughout the country in February and March .
Asked if university and college life prepared them for solving complex real-world problems , more than 15 per cent said “ very little ” and a third ( 33 per cent ) thought just “ some ” .
Some 32 per cent felt third-level education prepared them for the real-world “ quite a bit ” compared to less than a fifth ( 19 per cent ) who thought it “ very much ” bolstered them .
The survey also asked students how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – both academically and otherwise .
While most ( 58 per cent ) believed that they were academically supported “ quite a bit ” or “ very much ” , a third of students felt they were only getting “ some ” backing at college in pursuing their studies .
Nearly one in 10 ( 9 per cent ) said they had “ very little ” academic support .
When it came to getting adequate campus support for non-academic responsibilities – such as work or family life – almost four in 10 ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ very little ” support , while more than a third ( 34 per cent ) reported just “ some ” .
Less than a fifth ( 19 per cent ) said there was “ quite a bit ” of non-academic support , with just 8 per cent feeling “ very much ” backing .
However , the vast majority of students were positive about their overall educational experience at third level .
More than half ( 51 per cent ) rated it as “ good ” , 29 per cent as excellent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Just 3 per cent reported a poor experience , and most students said if they were to start over again they would go to the same college or university .

Asked if university and college life prepared them for solving complex real-world problems, more than 15% said “very little” and 33% thought just “some”
More than four in 10 students in Ireland believe they acquire very little or just some skills at university and college that will help them get a job, a survey has found.
The Irish Survey of Student Engagement, or StudentSurvey.ie, polled 44,707 first year and final year undergraduate students as well as post-graduate students attending third-level institutions this year.
Most of the study was carried out before restrictions were introduced to curb the spread of Covid-19, with report authors saying next year’s findings will better reflect the full impact of the pandemic.
When asked how much their experience at university or college contributed to them being better equipped to find employment, more than one in 10 (13 per cent) responded “very little”. Three in 10 (29 per cent) answered just “some”.
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However, more than a third (34 per cent) believed their experience prepared them “quite a bit” for the world of work, with just less than a quarter (24 per cent) saying it helped with job-related skills and knowledge “very much”.
Students were polled at 26 higher education institutions throughout the country in February and March.
Asked if university and college life prepared them for solving complex real-world problems, more than 15 per cent said “very little” and a third (33 per cent) thought just “some”.
Some 32 per cent felt third-level education prepared them for the real-world “quite a bit” compared to less than a fifth (19 per cent) who thought it “very much” bolstered them.
Supported
The survey also asked students how supported they felt by their chosen institution – both academically and otherwise. While most (58 per cent) believed that they were academically supported “quite a bit” or “very much”, a third of students felt they were only getting “some” backing at college in pursuing their studies.
Nearly one in 10 (9 per cent) said they had “very little” academic support.
When it came to getting adequate campus support for non-academic responsibilities – such as work or family life – almost four in 10 (38 per cent) said there was “very little” support, while more than a third (34 per cent) reported just “some”.
Less than a fifth (19 per cent) said there was “quite a bit” of non-academic support, with just 8 per cent feeling “very much” backing.
However, the vast majority of students were positive about their overall educational experience at third level. More than half (51 per cent) rated it as “good”, 29 per cent as excellent, and 17 per cent as fair.
Just 3 per cent reported a poor experience, and most students said if they were to start over again they would go to the same college or university.


theirishtimes--2020-11-24--Disturbing data emerge from report into Irish prison conditions

A European committee investigating conditions in Irish prisons found a severely mentally ill inmate lying naked on the floor of his cell , with faeces and urine on the floor and walls .
By that stage the prisoner , identified as PM , had been in a solitary “ special observation cell ” in Cloverhill Prison for about two weeks without a shower as he awaited transfer to the Central Mental Hospital ( CMH ) .
PM had not been let out of the cell once and the door was only opened for the sole purpose of passing in food @ @ @ @ @ @ @ behind a shield .
There were no blankets in the cell and the man ’ s poncho was lying beside him covered in urine .
PM was bailed by the High Court to a psychiatric facility in the community two days later , on October 2nd , 2019 , by which time he had still not received a shower .
Details of the incident are contained in the latest report on Ireland from the Council of Europe ’ s Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is highly critical of Ireland ’ s handling of mentally ill prisoners , also detailed the case of another man , MS , who was found in a similarly distressed state and had also not had a shower or been out of his cell in almost two weeks .
He would spend another 10 weeks in a special observation cell before being transferred to the CMH .
The High Court had been willing to allow him out on bail to a community psychiatric facility but this facility would not take him because he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ despite both of these men being very unwell ” neither had an individual care plan as required under standard procedures .
Nursing staff were also unable to gain access to the men as prison staff were unwilling to unlock their cell doors for safety reasons .
About the time of the committee ’ s visit to Cloverhill ’ s D2 Landing , which holds mentally ill prisoners , the unit was overflowing .
Seven prisoners had to sleep on mattresses on the floor “ which the duty doctor confirmed was a regular @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prisoners across the prison system were waiting on beds to open up in the CMH , including 10 on the D2 landing .
The CPT noted prisoners said they were generally treated well by staff .
But several complained of physical abuse , including a man who alleged he was punched in the face by an officer in Cork Prison .
The prisoner said he was threatened with transfer to Mountjoy “ if he did not keep his mouth shut ” .
He made a formal complaint which was upheld by an investigator @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the finding and no disciplinary actions were taken .
The CPT also expressed disappointment with the new National Violence Reduction Unit in the Midlands Prison , which was established to provide intensive psychological care to the country ’ s most violent prisoners .
It found the four inmates on the unit regularly spent up to 24 hours a day in their cells and declined to take part in the activities on offer .
The prisoners were offered once-a-week meetings with a psychologist .
Two of the inmates considered these inadequate while the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all .
In response to the report , the Government said mental health in the criminal justice system is a top priority and said work is ongoing to establish a taskforce to increase psychological care in the prison system .
The unit , it said , is in its early stages of operation .
The Prison Service is to complete a re-evaluation of its operation and will increase access to meaningful activity for inmates , it said .

The prisoner had not been let out of the cell at Cloverhill Prison once and the door was opened only for the sole purpose of passing in food. File photograph: The Irish Times
A European committee investigating conditions in Irish prisons found a severely mentally ill inmate lying naked on the floor of his cell, with faeces and urine on the floor and walls.
By that stage the prisoner, identified as PM, had been in a solitary "special observation cell" in Cloverhill Prison for about two weeks without a shower as he awaited transfer to the Central Mental Hospital (CMH).
PM had not been let out of the cell once and the door was only opened for the sole purpose of passing in food, which was done by officers standing behind a shield. There were no blankets in the cell and the man’s poncho was lying beside him covered in urine.
PM was bailed by the High Court to a psychiatric facility in the community two days later, on October 2nd, 2019, by which time he had still not received a shower.
READ MORE
Details of the incident are contained in the latest report on Ireland from the Council of Europe's Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (CPT).
The report, which is highly critical of Ireland’s handling of mentally ill prisoners, also detailed the case of another man, MS, who was found in a similarly distressed state and had also not had a shower or been out of his cell in almost two weeks.
He would spend another 10 weeks in a special observation cell before being transferred to the CMH. The High Court had been willing to allow him out on bail to a community psychiatric facility but this facility would not take him because he was homeless.
The CPT noted that “despite both of these men being very unwell” neither had an individual care plan as required under standard procedures. Nursing staff were also unable to gain access to the men as prison staff were unwilling to unlock their cell doors for safety reasons.
About the time of the committee’s visit to Cloverhill’s D2 Landing, which holds mentally ill prisoners, the unit was overflowing. Seven prisoners had to sleep on mattresses on the floor “which the duty doctor confirmed was a regular feature”.
A total of 25 prisoners across the prison system were waiting on beds to open up in the CMH, including 10 on the D2 landing.
The CPT noted prisoners said they were generally treated well by staff. But several complained of physical abuse, including a man who alleged he was punched in the face by an officer in Cork Prison.
No disciplinary action
The prisoner said he was threatened with transfer to Mountjoy “if he did not keep his mouth shut”. He made a formal complaint which was upheld by an investigator. However, the prison governor disagreed with the finding and no disciplinary actions were taken.
The CPT also expressed disappointment with the new National Violence Reduction Unit in the Midlands Prison, which was established to provide intensive psychological care to the country's most violent prisoners.
It found the four inmates on the unit regularly spent up to 24 hours a day in their cells and declined to take part in the activities on offer.
The prisoners were offered once-a-week meetings with a psychologist. Two of the inmates considered these inadequate while the other two refused to take part at all.
In response to the report, the Government said mental health in the criminal justice system is a top priority and said work is ongoing to establish a taskforce to increase psychological care in the prison system.
The unit, it said, is in its early stages of operation. The Prison Service is to complete a re-evaluation of its operation and will increase access to meaningful activity for inmates, it said.


theirishtimes--2020-11-24--Orangeman was asked if he wanted Irish flag removed from Dublin Castle

A Co Armagh businessman and former Orange Order member has recounted how during political reconciliation discussions an offer was made to remove the Irish Tricolour at Dublin Castle .
Ian Milne , who also was involved in secret discussions to try to resolve the Drumcree marching disputes of the mid-1990s , has explained in a new book how he was invited to speak at the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation in Dublin Castle in 2003 .
Mr Milne , who runs an undertaking business in Portadown , Lurgan and Banbridge , as an Orangeman and unionist had been invited to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to address the forum , which was established by former taoiseach Albert Reynolds in 1994 and then reactivated in 2002 .
According to a biography of Mr Milne , A Matter of Life and Death , written by Belfast-based journalist Ivan Little , the Government appeared prepared to go out of its way to ensure he spoke .
Mr Milne said that when he arrived at Dublin Castle in January 2003 , he was approached with an “ odd offer ” by a man he took to be one of the caretakers .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ him to take the Irish Tricolour down from the building .
He told me he thought I wouldn ’ t want to do my talk under the Irish flag .
“ But I said that the flag was the flag of his country and I was more than happy to go ahead with my talk .
I said that it wasn ’ t always possible for me to fly my flag at home but that he should always make sure that his flag stayed up on the pole.
” Mr Milne said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beside then Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams .
He said this happened after a Government representative told him she did not want to sit beside Mr Adams , whom she described as a “ terrorist ” .
“ I asked her if she wanted me to sit between her and Gerry Adams , and she replied ‘ Please do ’ .
” Mr Milne , based in Portadown , previously served in the Royal Ulster Constabulary and as a prison officer .
The book also tells the story of how he was a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the annual Drumcree disputes that triggered great community tensions in Portadown and across Northern Ireland from the mid-1990s and into the 2000s .
Each year Portadown Orangemen marched to Drumcree church outside the town and returned via the nationalist Garvaghy Road .
Local nationalists objected to the return parade .
Parades were forced down Garvaghy Road in 1996 and 1997 , but since 1998 the march has been banned by the Parades Commission .
Each week Portadown Orangemen make a token effort to be allowed “ complete ” their 1998 parade down the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first time how Mr Milne tried for years to find a solution to the impasse over the contentious parade .
It tells how he met senior IRA figures and also leading loyalist paramilitaries , including Loyalist Volunteer Force leader Billy Wright , known as King Rat , who was shot dead in the Maze Prison by the Irish National Liberation Army in late December 1997 .
Mr Milne also tells Ivan Little how in his youth he was sexually abused by a man he trusted and how he almost took his own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis that threatened his business , which has since flourished .
He also recounts how he broke new ground as a Protestant funeral director by arranging funerals for Catholics in Portadown as well as for his own co-religionists .
Once famously asked if he buried Catholics he replied , “ Only if they ’ re dead.
” The book is available on Amazon .

A Co Armagh businessman and former Orange Order member has recounted how during political reconciliation discussions an offer was made to remove the Irish Tricolour at Dublin Castle.
Ian Milne, who also was involved in secret discussions to try to resolve the Drumcree marching disputes of the mid-1990s, has explained in a new book how he was invited to speak at the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation in Dublin Castle in 2003.
Mr Milne, who runs an undertaking business in Portadown, Lurgan and Banbridge, as an Orangeman and unionist had been invited to address the forum.
Unionists were reluctant to address the forum, which was established by former taoiseach Albert Reynolds in 1994 and then reactivated in 2002.
READ MORE
According to a biography of Mr Milne, A Matter of Life and Death, written by Belfast-based journalist Ivan Little, the Government appeared prepared to go out of its way to ensure he spoke.
Mr Milne said that when he arrived at Dublin Castle in January 2003, he was approached with an “odd offer” by a man he took to be one of the caretakers.
“He asked me if I wanted him to take the Irish Tricolour down from the building. He told me he thought I wouldn’t want to do my talk under the Irish flag.
“But I said that the flag was the flag of his country and I was more than happy to go ahead with my talk. I said that it wasn’t always possible for me to fly my flag at home but that he should always make sure that his flag stayed up on the pole.”
‘Terrorist’ Adams
Mr Milne said that inside the castle he found himself sitting beside then Sinn Féin president Gerry Adams. He said this happened after a Government representative told him she did not want to sit beside Mr Adams, whom she described as a "terrorist".
“I asked her if she wanted me to sit between her and Gerry Adams, and she replied ‘Please do’.”
Mr Milne, based in Portadown, previously served in the Royal Ulster Constabulary and as a prison officer.
The book also tells the story of how he was a mediator in the behind-the-scenes efforts to resolve the annual Drumcree disputes that triggered great community tensions in Portadown and across Northern Ireland from the mid-1990s and into the 2000s.
Each year Portadown Orangemen marched to Drumcree church outside the town and returned via the nationalist Garvaghy Road.
Local nationalists objected to the return parade. Parades were forced down Garvaghy Road in 1996 and 1997, but since 1998 the march has been banned by the Parades Commission. Each week Portadown Orangemen make a token effort to be allowed “complete” their 1998 parade down the Garvaghy Road.
Drumcree impasse
The book relates for the first time how Mr Milne tried for years to find a solution to the impasse over the contentious parade. It tells how he met senior IRA figures and also leading loyalist paramilitaries, including Loyalist Volunteer Force leader Billy Wright, known as King Rat, who was shot dead in the Maze Prison by the Irish National Liberation Army in late December 1997.
Mr Milne also tells Ivan Little how in his youth he was sexually abused by a man he trusted and how he almost took his own life in the middle of a financial crisis that threatened his business, which has since flourished.
He also recounts how he broke new ground as a Protestant funeral director by arranging funerals for Catholics in Portadown as well as for his own co-religionists. Once famously asked if he buried Catholics he replied, “Only if they’re dead.”
The book is available on Amazon.


theirishtimes--2020-11-24--Leaving Cert pressures hurt cultural activity in young - ESRI

Young people preparing for the Leaving Cert are more likely to drop social and cultural activities such as music , dancing and drama classes , and spend less time reading for pleasure , a new study has found .
While 19 per cent of 13 year olds said they never read for pleasure , that had increased to more than half of the same group by the time they were 17 , according to work published by the Economic and Social Research Institute ( ESRI ) .
The research , published on Tuesday , found only 14 per cent of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ times a week .
It found less than a quarter of 17 year olds had taken part in either art , drama , dance or music classes in the past year .
The work is based on data from more than 6,200 17 year olds involved in the Growing Up in Ireland study , which has surveyed a cohort of young people at several stages of their childhood .
The research tracked a “ significant decline ” in teenagers ’ participation in organised cultural activities , like music lessons or drama clubs , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senior cycle .
Before starting secondary school , 39 per cent of young people took part in cultural activities or classes , which dropped to 23 per cent by the time they were 17 .
The ESRI study , which was funded by the Arts Council , also found the number of young people who said they never watched television on weekday evenings increased “ markedly ” while they were preparing for the Leaving Cert .
The average amount of time young people spent listening to music nearly doubled between the ages of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to over 27 minutes a day .
The study said one of the “ most striking findings ” was the highly gendered nature of teenagers ’ likely involvement with cultural activities .
It said young women were much more likely to read for pleasure than young men , and also more likely to sing , play an instrument , or be involved in music or drama classes .
Young men were more likely to be engaged in other activities such as playing computer or console games .
“ Gender differences were so marked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ almost the same level of involvement in more highbrow cultural activities as young men from more advantaged backgrounds , ” the report said .
Fee-paying schools were the most likely to provide extracurricular activities such as choir , drama classes and musical instrument lessons , the research said .
It noted that Deis schools in areas of designated disadvantage were more likely than non-Deis schools to provide extracurricular cultural activities .
The research found 87 per cent of young people said they listened to music to relax or for fun several times a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the same about spending time online .
Some 23 per cent said they sang or played a musical instrument several times a week .
The number of 17 year olds who watched two or more hours of television doubled at the weekends to 37 per cent of the group .
Less than a fifth of teenagers spent two or more hours playing computer or console games at the weekends .
Dr Emer Smyth , author of the report , said the research related to young people ’ s lives before Covid-19 , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gap between some teenagers ’ take-up of cultural pastimes .
“ Young people were already becoming less involved in the arts as they grew older .
There is a real risk that school closures earlier in the year will have accelerated this decline , especially for more disadvantaged groups , ” she said .

Before starting secondary school, 39 per cent of young people took part in cultural activities or classes, which dropped to 23 per cent by the time they were 17. Photograph: Cyril Byrne
Young people preparing for the Leaving Cert are more likely to drop social and cultural activities such as music, dancing and drama classes, and spend less time reading for pleasure, a new study has found.
While 19 per cent of 13 year olds said they never read for pleasure, that had increased to more than half of the same group by the time they were 17, according to work published by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
The research, published on Tuesday, found only 14 per cent of 17 year olds read for pleasure several times a week. It found less than a quarter of 17 year olds had taken part in either art, drama, dance or music classes in the past year.
The work is based on data from more than 6,200 17 year olds involved in the Growing Up in Ireland study, which has surveyed a cohort of young people at several stages of their childhood.
READ MORE
The research tracked a “significant decline” in teenagers’ participation in organised cultural activities, like music lessons or drama clubs, as they moved into the Leaving Cert senior cycle.
Before starting secondary school, 39 per cent of young people took part in cultural activities or classes, which dropped to 23 per cent by the time they were 17.
Music for pleasure
The ESRI study, which was funded by the Arts Council, also found the number of young people who said they never watched television on weekday evenings increased "markedly" while they were preparing for the Leaving Cert.
The average amount of time young people spent listening to music nearly doubled between the ages of 13 and 17, from 17 minutes to over 27 minutes a day.
The study said one of the “most striking findings” was the highly gendered nature of teenagers’ likely involvement with cultural activities.
It said young women were much more likely to read for pleasure than young men, and also more likely to sing, play an instrument, or be involved in music or drama classes. Young men were more likely to be engaged in other activities such as playing computer or console games.
“Gender differences were so marked that young women from disadvantaged backgrounds had almost the same level of involvement in more highbrow cultural activities as young men from more advantaged backgrounds,” the report said.
Private schools
Fee-paying schools were the most likely to provide extracurricular activities such as choir, drama classes and musical instrument lessons, the research said.
It noted that Deis schools in areas of designated disadvantage were more likely than non-Deis schools to provide extracurricular cultural activities.
The research found 87 per cent of young people said they listened to music to relax or for fun several times a week, while 86 per cent said the same about spending time online. Some 23 per cent said they sang or played a musical instrument several times a week.
The number of 17 year olds who watched two or more hours of television doubled at the weekends to 37 per cent of the group. Less than a fifth of teenagers spent two or more hours playing computer or console games at the weekends.
Dr Emer Smyth, author of the report, said the research related to young people's lives before Covid-19, and expressed concern the pandemic could widen the gap between some teenagers' take-up of cultural pastimes.
“Young people were already becoming less involved in the arts as they grew older. There is a real risk that school closures earlier in the year will have accelerated this decline, especially for more disadvantaged groups,” she said.


theirishtimes--2020-11-24--We need to update transition year. Here are 10 simple ways to do it

Recent letters published to this newspaper have shone a welcome spotlight on the transition tear ( TY ) programme .
Some questioned where it was a “ waste of time ” , while others argued that it was a valuable experience and good for society .
A great strength of TY is the freedom individual schools enjoy in shaping their own programmes .
However , this can also be a weakness .
Research suggests that young people mature through the TY experience , that their confidence is boosted , that career and life aspirations are clarified , that voices are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , that engagement with the world beyond the school is increased and that personal agency and capacity for action as citizens increases .
But these outcomes are not universal .
Much depends on what happens at individual school level .
Keeping transition year “ fresh ” , ensuring a balance between the promotion of high academic standards alongside personal and social development places heavy demands on schools and , understandably in the present pandemic crisis , TY can slip down the educational agenda .
Based on experience and reflection , ten relatively simple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more young people benefiting from quality TY programmes .
There should be an annual report on TY nationwide from the Department of Education ’ s inspectorate .
In other programmes at second-level , State examinations bring a sense of closure , offer checks and balances , give teachers feedback through chief examiners ’ reports and help everyone stay on track .
TY is under-inspected and very little information about the programme currently emanates for the department .
An annual report would highlight what is working well and what needs improvement , help schools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ towards quality improvement .
Schools need to engage in more frank , adult conversations with parents about the programme .
The official Transition Year Programme : Guidelines for Schools ( 1993 ) explicitly states that “ the views of parents ” should be considered when schools are selecting curriculum content .
Increasingly , parents have experience of being TY students themselves and have much to contribute .
Other parents , including those new to the country , may know almost nothing about TY and have important questions .
Schools need to listen more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ TY in 1979 , “ continuity subjects ” such as Irish and mathematics – in the core subject layer mentioned by Donall Fleming – have emerged as weak links in the overall TY experience .
Continuity subjects continue to present big challenges to schools .
More focused support is needed .
The department ’ s 1993 programme recognised the need for this when it stated that a key aim of TY was “ to create that unified perspective which is lacking in the traditional compartmentalised teaching of individual subjects ” .
We need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media studies , global citizenship , local community studies , the classical world , independent living are just some possibilities .
The costs associated with TY should not deter any student from taking part .
According to the Society of St Vincent de Paul : “ Transition Year costs can be significant , particularly if a family has more than one child in secondary school .
TY has lots of social and educational benefits for students , but as it becomes mandatory in more and more schools , the Department of Education has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on low income families and put in place measures to promote participation.
” This remains an urgent issue .
Employer groups and trade unions need to become part of the TY conversation , particularly in relation to work experience placements .
Informal arrangements often work well but can sometimes reinforce existing gender and social class inequalities .
Proactive initiatives to ensure quality placements for all students would help .
Schools and local community groups need to build stronger practical links with each other through TY .
Minister Dick Burke ’ s original vision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ view that schools were too exclusively academic and too isolated .
He believed that young people need time to “ stand and stare ” , to consider themselves and their roles in society .
In particular , he favoured community service .
The African saying “ it takes a village to raise a child ” has a particular resonance in TY ; more schools need to discover the richness of local community connections .
In-school organisation and co-ordination needs more teamwork .
Reflecting the cultural tradition of individual autonomy/isolation in schools , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ co-ordinator .
Greater teamwork and more professional conversations among colleagues on the TY programme – including school leaders – are required .
This should include longitudinal studies to gauge the long-term impact of TY .
Researchers from other countries , often fascinated by Ireland ’ s unique educational innovation , express amazement at the limited research evidence related to the programme .
The excellent Transition Year Programme : Guidelines for Schools should be updated .
Written over a quarter of a century ago , these guidelines continue to inspire but , given the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have taken place since , would benefit from a 2020 perspective .

Transition year guidelines were last written over a quarter of a century ago and would benefit from a 2020 perspective. Photograph: iStock
Recent letters published to this newspaper have shone a welcome spotlight on the transition tear (TY) programme. Some questioned where it was a "waste of time", while others argued that it was a valuable experience and good for society.
A great strength of TY is the freedom individual schools enjoy in shaping their own programmes. However, this can also be a weakness.
Research suggests that young people mature through the TY experience, that their confidence is boosted, that career and life aspirations are clarified, that voices are discovered, that personal identity is enriched, that engagement with the world beyond the school is increased and that personal agency and capacity for action as citizens increases.
But these outcomes are not universal. Much depends on what happens at individual school level.
READ MORE
Keeping transition year “fresh”, ensuring a balance between the promotion of high academic standards alongside personal and social development places heavy demands on schools and, understandably in the present pandemic crisis, TY can slip down the educational agenda. Based on experience and reflection, ten relatively simple actions could greatly increase the chances of more young people benefiting from quality TY programmes.
1. Report
There should be an annual report on TY nationwide from the Department of Education’s inspectorate. In other programmes at second-level, State examinations bring a sense of closure, offer checks and balances, give teachers feedback through chief examiners’ reports and help everyone stay on track.
TY is under-inspected and very little information about the programme currently emanates for the department. An annual report would highlight what is working well and what needs improvement, help schools adjust and re-energise their programmes and work towards quality improvement.
2. Involve parents
Schools need to engage in more frank, adult conversations with parents about the programme. The official Transition Year Programme: Guidelines for Schools (1993) explicitly states that “the views of parents” should be considered when schools are selecting curriculum content.
Increasingly, parents have experience of being TY students themselves and have much to contribute. Other parents, including those new to the country, may know almost nothing about TY and have important questions. Schools need to listen more!
3. Focused support
Since the very first evaluation of TY in 1979, “continuity subjects” such as Irish and mathematics – in the core subject layer mentioned by Donall Fleming – have emerged as weak links in the overall TY experience. Continuity subjects continue to present big challenges to schools. More focused support is needed.
4. Interdisciplinary work
The department’s 1993 programme recognised the need for this when it stated that a key aim of TY was “to create that unified perspective which is lacking in the traditional compartmentalised teaching of individual subjects”.
We need more courageous exploration. European studies, media studies, global citizenship, local community studies, the classical world, independent living are just some possibilities.
5. Extra cost
The costs associated with TY should not deter any student from taking part. According to the Society of St Vincent de Paul: “Transition Year costs can be significant, particularly if a family has more than one child in secondary school.
TY has lots of social and educational benefits for students, but as it becomes mandatory in more and more schools, the Department of Education has to seriously examine how the costs impact on low income families and put in place measures to promote participation.” This remains an urgent issue.
6. Work experience
Employer groups and trade unions need to become part of the TY conversation, particularly in relation to work experience placements. Informal arrangements often work well but can sometimes reinforce existing gender and social class inequalities. Proactive initiatives to ensure quality placements for all students would help.
7. Community connections
Schools and local community groups need to build stronger practical links with each other through TY. Minister Dick Burke’s original vision back in 1974 was based on a view that schools were too exclusively academic and too isolated. He believed that young people need time to “stand and stare”, to consider themselves and their roles in society. In particular, he favoured community service.
The African saying “it takes a village to raise a child” has a particular resonance in TY; more schools need to discover the richness of local community connections.
8. Teamwork
In-school organisation and co-ordination needs more teamwork. Reflecting the cultural tradition of individual autonomy/isolation in schools, there is often an over-reliance on a single co-ordinator. Greater teamwork and more professional conversations among colleagues on the TY programme – including school leaders – are required.
9. More research
This should include longitudinal studies to gauge the long-term impact of TY. Researchers from other countries, often fascinated by Ireland’s unique educational innovation, express amazement at the limited research evidence related to the programme.
10. Update
The excellent Transition Year Programme: Guidelines for Schools should be updated. Written over a quarter of a century ago, these guidelines continue to inspire but, given the social, technological and educational changes that have taken place since, would benefit from a 2020 perspective.


theirishtimes--2020-11-24--My daughter is stressed about her CAO choices. Is time against her?

My daughter , who is sitting the Leaving Cert in June , has been getting progressively more anxious as she still has no idea what she wants to do in college .
This anxiety is affecting her schoolwork .
She tells us she only has a few weeks to submit her CAO application .
Is this right ?
Firstly , there is no need to panic .
The normal closing date for CAO applications is February 1st .
Many are under the impression that students need to have selected their courses by this date .
That ’ s not the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In most cases , applicants can still adjust their choices right up until July 1st .
Having said that , I would encourage all those considering applying for a college place in Ireland this year not to dawdle .
If you submit your application by January 20th , this will reduce the cost from €45 to €30 .
Once an applicant completes their application , they immediately receive their CAO number by email and on their mobile phone .
This enables the applicant to log into their CAO account and complete the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will then be requested to identify the second-level school they attend ; whether they wish to apply for Dare ( Disability Access Route to Education ) if they have a designated disability that has negatively affected their education ; or whether they wish to apply for Hear ( Higher Education Access Route ) if they are from a socially disadvantaged background .
Applicants can also state if they will be be applying for a maintenance fee grant and are happy for the CAO to share their data with Sushi , the grant awarding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ February 1st , any Hear or Dare applicant has until March 1st to complete the online elements of the application and March 15ah to post any appropriate paperwork to the CAO offices in Galway .
As stated above , all applicants have until February 1st to submit their initial course choices .
Is your daughter interested in seeking a place on a course listed on her CAO handbook as “ restricted ” , meaning there is an assessment process separate and operating alongside the Leaving Cert points score ?
Typical courses under this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ art , design , music , dance and theatre .
If so , she will need to place any such course on her list of course choices by February 1st .
( If she misses this deadline , she can add such a course by March 1st by paying an additional €10 . )
If none of the above apply to your daughter , the only other date she needs to be concerned with is the deadline for final course choices on July 1st .
She must list a course or courses by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to submit a completely different final list later .
In short , there is no need to be stressed with over seven months to go before having to finalise course choices .

No need to panic: the normal closing date for CAO applications is February 1st, but the deadline for course choices in most cases is July 1st. Photograph: iStock
My daughter, who is sitting the Leaving Cert in June, has been getting progressively more anxious as she still has no idea what she wants to do in college. This anxiety is affecting her schoolwork. She tells us she only has a few weeks to submit her CAO application. Is this right?
Firstly, there is no need to panic. The normal closing date for CAO applications is February 1st. Many are under the impression that students need to have selected their courses by this date. That’s not the case for the vast majority of programmes. In most cases, applicants can still adjust their choices right up until July 1st.
Having said that, I would encourage all those considering applying for a college place in Ireland this year not to dawdle. If you submit your application by January 20th, this will reduce the cost from €45 to €30.
Once an applicant completes their application, they immediately receive their CAO number by email and on their mobile phone. This enables the applicant to log into their CAO account and complete the remainder of the application process.
READ MORE
They will then be requested to identify the second-level school they attend; whether they wish to apply for Dare (Disability Access Route to Education) if they have a designated disability that has negatively affected their education; or whether they wish to apply for Hear (Higher Education Access Route) if they are from a socially disadvantaged background.
All applicants have until February 1st to submit their initial course choices
Applicants can also state if they will be be applying for a maintenance fee grant and are happy for the CAO to share their data with Sushi, the grant awarding authority.
Having completed the application by February 1st, any Hear or Dare applicant has until March 1st to complete the online elements of the application and March 15ah to post any appropriate paperwork to the CAO offices in Galway.
As stated above, all applicants have until February 1st to submit their initial course choices.
Is your daughter interested in seeking a place on a course listed on her CAO handbook as “restricted”, meaning there is an assessment process separate and operating alongside the Leaving Cert points score? Typical courses under this heading are in the areas such as art, design, music, dance and theatre. If so, she will need to place any such course on her list of course choices by February 1st. (If she misses this deadline, she can add such a course by March 1st by paying an additional €10. )
If none of the above apply to your daughter, the only other date she needs to be concerned with is the deadline for final course choices on July 1st. She must list a course or courses by February 1st, but has is free to submit a completely different final list later.
In short, there is no need to be stressed with over seven months to go before having to finalise course choices.