theirishtimes--2020-06-12--Next two weeks critical in limiting spread of coronavirus, says health official

The next two weeks are “ critical in limiting transmission ” of Covid-19 , Prof Philip Nolan , chair of the NPHET Irish epidemiological modelling advisory group has said .
The National Public Health Emergency Team ( NPHET ) briefing on Thursday was told the reproduction number , a measure of how many people a confirmed case goes on to infect , now stands at between 0.4 and 0.8 .
An R-number below one indicates the virus is being eliminated .
“ It is how we interact , as we go about our daily lives more freely , that will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nolan said .
All indicators of the disease are stable or declining at present , Prof Nolan said .
The number of new cases per day fell to 14 this week from 50 the previous week .
The number of hospital inpatients with Covid-19 is 116 , down from a mid-April high of 865 , while ICU admissions stand at 34 , compared to a peak of 144 .
The number of deaths each day last week averaged five , down from a peak of 33 .
The average number of tests done @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mid-April to 2,547 now as the incidence of the virus has fallen .
“ We ’ re doing more than enough testing , ” Prof Nolan said , adding that most cases now were isolated instances , or in households or families .
Public health officials also said the wearing of face-covering in indoor settings is to remain optional .
NPHET decided not to vary its advice on face-masks following a discussion at its meeting on Thursday , chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said .
Pressure has been growing for the wider @ @ @ @ @ @ @ against the spread of Covid-19 in certain settings .
However , the group decided to stick with its existing recommendation for the non-mandatory use of face-coverings in circumstances where social distancing is a challenge , such as shopping and public transport .
Officials agreed to begin a communications campaign next week to encourage greater compliance with its advice on face-coverings .
A further eight deaths of people diagnosed with Covid-19 were reported by NPHET .
This bring to 1,703 the total number of deaths in the Republic .
NPHET also reported another eight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ briefing on Thursday .
This brings the total number of cases to 25,238 .
“ NPHET has recommended the development and implementation of a national communications campaign to increase compliance with current recommendations on the use of face-coverings , ” Dr Holohan said .
“ The campaign will outline best practice for use of face coverings in retail outlets , on public transport and in other public locations , where it may be difficult to maintain social distancing.
” Officials recognised they would have to redouble their efforts to get across the message @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was insufficient , he said .
Retailers could play a role in promoting this guidance .
“ Perhaps what we think is consistent advice hasn ’ t been heard as a clear and consistent message , ” he told the briefing , adding there had been a difference of opinion on masks here and in other countries .
Many people commenting on the issue don ’ t have “ the appropriate skills or knowledge base ” , he added .
While much higher usage of masks was needed , it would be inappropriate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ base and the difficulties some people have in wearing them .
There are currently 88 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in hospital .
Of these , 28 are in intensive care .
An analysis of cases up to Tuesday shows 57 per cent are female and 43 per cent male .
The median age of cases is 48 years and 3,307 ( 13 per cent ) have been hospitalised .
A total of 8,114 cases are associated with healthcare workers .
There are currently 6,886 cases of the disease in 465 residential care facilities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 251 nursing homes account for 5,310 of these cases and 940 of the deaths .
Another 64 healthcare workers contracted the virus in the past week , bringing the total of such cases to 8,123 .
The number of healthcare workers who have died stands unchanged at seven .

Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer with the Department of Health has said that compliance by the public in relation to use of face coverings is not where the HSE would like it to be. Video: RTE News Now
The next two weeks are “critical in limiting transmission” of Covid-19, Prof Philip Nolan, chair of the NPHET Irish epidemiological modelling advisory group has said.
The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) briefing on Thursday was told the reproduction number, a measure of how many people a confirmed case goes on to infect, now stands at between 0.4 and 0.8.
An R-number below one indicates the virus is being eliminated.
“It is how we interact, as we go about our daily lives more freely, that will determine whether it increases,” Prof Nolan said.
READ MORE
All indicators of the disease are stable or declining at present, Prof Nolan said.
The number of new cases per day fell to 14 this week from 50 the previous week.
The number of hospital inpatients with Covid-19 is 116, down from a mid-April high of 865, while ICU admissions stand at 34, compared to a peak of 144.
The number of deaths each day last week averaged five, down from a peak of 33.
The average number of tests done per day has fallen from 4,747 in mid-April to 2,547 now as the incidence of the virus has fallen.
“We’re doing more than enough testing,” Prof Nolan said, adding that most cases now were isolated instances, or in households or families.
Public health officials also said the wearing of face-covering in indoor settings is to remain optional. NPHET decided not to vary its advice on face-masks following a discussion at its meeting on Thursday, chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said.
Pressure has been growing for the wider and/or compulsory wearing of face-masks to protect against the spread of Covid-19 in certain settings.
However, the group decided to stick with its existing recommendation for the non-mandatory use of face-coverings in circumstances where social distancing is a challenge, such as shopping and public transport.
Officials agreed to begin a communications campaign next week to encourage greater compliance with its advice on face-coverings.
A further eight deaths of people diagnosed with Covid-19 were reported by NPHET. This bring to 1,703 the total number of deaths in the Republic.
NPHET also reported another eight new cases of the disease at its briefing on Thursday. This brings the total number of cases to 25,238.
“NPHET has recommended the development and implementation of a national communications campaign to increase compliance with current recommendations on the use of face-coverings,” Dr Holohan said.
“The campaign will outline best practice for use of face coverings in retail outlets, on public transport and in other public locations, where it may be difficult to maintain social distancing.”
Officials recognised they would have to redouble their efforts to get across the message on face-coverings as compliance from the public was insufficient, he said. Retailers could play a role in promoting this guidance.
“Perhaps what we think is consistent advice hasn’t been heard as a clear and consistent message,” he told the briefing, adding there had been a difference of opinion on masks here and in other countries.
Many people commenting on the issue don’t have “the appropriate skills or knowledge base”, he added. While much higher usage of masks was needed, it would be inappropriate to make them mandatory given the evidence base and the difficulties some people have in wearing them.
There are currently 88 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in hospital. Of these, 28 are in intensive care.
An analysis of cases up to Tuesday shows 57 per cent are female and 43 per cent male.
The median age of cases is 48 years and 3,307 (13 per cent) have been hospitalised.
A total of 8,114 cases are associated with healthcare workers.
There are currently 6,886 cases of the disease in 465 residential care facilities, where 1,073 deaths have occurred; 251 nursing homes account for 5,310 of these cases and 940 of the deaths.
Another 64 healthcare workers contracted the virus in the past week, bringing the total of such cases to 8,123. The number of healthcare workers who have died stands unchanged at seven.


theirishtimes--2020-06-12--Links to slave trade evident across Ireland

The entrance to Trinity College Dublin through the College Green front gate is one of Dublin ’ s best-known images .
Few know it was built with money in the early 17th century from tobacco duty , a slave crop .
Across the road the magnificent facade of what was once the Irish parliament , now a Bank of Ireland branch , was built with money from sugar duty , another crop raised by slaves in the British-owned West Indies .
One of the founding subscribers to the present-day Bank of Ireland in 1782 was David La Touche .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came to Ireland after fleeing religious persecution in their native France .
They made a fortune in Dublin in the 17th century in cloth manufacturing and later in banking .
David La Touche was the first to develop the St Stephen ’ s Green/Aungier Street area .
The family developed Marlay Park in south Dublin , founded Greystones and built Harristown Demesne in Co Kildare , which went on the market for €25 million four years ago .
They were also slave owners , according to University College London legacies of British slave-ownership @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was abolished across the British empire , the British compensated the slave owners and not the slaves , transferring huge sums of money to already wealthy people .
According to British records , two members of the La Touche family received almost £7,000 ( the equivalent of €1.1 million today ) in compensation for the 385 slaves they owned in Jamaica .
The family ’ s legacy lives on through La Touche House , a distinctive green-glass building that was one of the first buildings of the IFSC .
In 1992 it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Ireland .
Meanwhile , Westmoreland Street is named after John Fane , the 10th earl of Westmorland , who was a fierce defender of slavery and in the House of Lords in 1799 denounced attempts to end it .
According to the University College London database , 107 people living in Ireland were compensated at the time for the losses they incurred after slavery was banned in the British empire .
One hundred and eighty had Irish addresses .
Among them was Howe Peter Browne , an ancestor of the Browne family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ As governor of Jamaica in the 1830s he was fiercely opposed to slavery and incurred the wrath of local slave owners , but it did not stop him claiming £5,526 for 286 slaves , worth about €850,000 today .
Several Irish clergymen claimed compensation for slave ownership .
Among them was Rev Richard Wynne of Drumcliff , Co Sligo , who claimed for the ownership of 30 slaves in the Virgin Islands .
The amount he received is not listed .
He was the grandfather of the Irish feminist , nationalist and socialist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of St Ultan ’ s hospital .
There are physical reminders of slavery elsewhere in Ireland .
John Mitchel was an Irish patriot and writer best known for his Jail Journal .
His hatred of British injustice did not extend to an aversion of slave ownership in the United States , where he lived out his days .
Though not a slave owner , Mitchel was a fierce defender of slavery and a racist who described black people as “ an innately inferior ” .
Two of his sons died fighting for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ war .
A statue of Mitchel exists to this day in the centre of Newry , Co Down , where he was brought up .
Attempts to remove a plaque of Confederate soldier Maj Richard Dowling from Tuam Town Hall failed in 2018 .
Dowling and his men foiled an invasion of Texas by 5,000 Union troops at Sabine Pass on September 8th , 1863 , during the American civil war .
Historian Damian Shiels , an authority on Irish involvement in that war , estimates that about 20,000 Irish fought with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who fought on the Union side were not overtly concerned about the plight of enslaved African-Americans .
“ Fundamentally , no matter where the Irish were , they tended to have a very strongly held belief in their own white racial superiority , something they shared with the great majority of other whites at the time , ” he says .
“ We are particularly poor as a nation at engaging with the history of our diaspora , both good and bad .
Too often we focus only on specific stories that affirm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , or at the diaspora ’ s contribution to the ‘ cause of Ireland .
’ ”

The entrance to Trinity College Dublin through the College Green front gate is one of Dublin's best-known images. Few know it was built with money in the early 17th century from tobacco duty, a slave crop.
Across the road the magnificent facade of what was once the Irish parliament, now a Bank of Ireland branch, was built with money from sugar duty, another crop raised by slaves in the British-owned West Indies. One of the founding subscribers to the present-day Bank of Ireland in 1782 was David La Touche. The La Touches were a Huguenot family who came to Ireland after fleeing religious persecution in their native France.
They made a fortune in Dublin in the 17th century in cloth manufacturing and later in banking. David La Touche was the first to develop the St Stephen’s Green/Aungier Street area.
Quite an entrance: Trinity College Dublin, built with money in the early 17th century from tobacco duty, a slave crop. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill
The family developed Marlay Park in south Dublin, founded Greystones and built Harristown Demesne in Co Kildare, which went on the market for €25 million four years ago.
READ MORE
They were also slave owners, according to University College London legacies of British slave-ownership database. In 1833, after slavery was abolished across the British empire, the British compensated the slave owners and not the slaves, transferring huge sums of money to already wealthy people.
According to British records, two members of the La Touche family received almost £7,000 (the equivalent of €1.1 million today) in compensation for the 385 slaves they owned in Jamaica.
The family's legacy lives on through La Touche House, a distinctive green-glass building that was one of the first buildings of the IFSC. In 1992 it was named after David La Touche by Bank of Ireland.
Statue of John Mitchel in Newry
Meanwhile, Westmoreland Street is named after John Fane, the 10th earl of Westmorland, who was a fierce defender of slavery and in the House of Lords in 1799 denounced attempts to end it.
Clergymen involved
According to the University College London database, 107 people living in Ireland were compensated at the time for the losses they incurred after slavery was banned in the British empire. One hundred and eighty had Irish addresses.
Among them was Howe Peter Browne, an ancestor of the Browne family that owned Westport House until 2017. As governor of Jamaica in the 1830s he was fiercely opposed to slavery and incurred the wrath of local slave owners, but it did not stop him claiming £5,526 for 286 slaves, worth about €850,000 today.
Several Irish clergymen claimed compensation for slave ownership. Among them was Rev Richard Wynne of Drumcliff, Co Sligo, who claimed for the ownership of 30 slaves in the Virgin Islands. The amount he received is not listed.
He was the grandfather of the Irish feminist, nationalist and socialist activist Dr Kathleen Lynn, the founder of St Ultan's hospital.
There are physical reminders of slavery elsewhere in Ireland. John Mitchel was an Irish patriot and writer best known for his Jail Journal. His hatred of British injustice did not extend to an aversion of slave ownership in the United States, where he lived out his days.
Though not a slave owner, Mitchel was a fierce defender of slavery and a racist who described black people as “an innately inferior”. Two of his sons died fighting for the pro-slavery Confederacy side during the American civil war.
A statue of Mitchel exists to this day in the centre of Newry, Co Down, where he was brought up.
Tuam plaque
Attempts to remove a plaque of Confederate soldier Maj Richard Dowling from Tuam Town Hall failed in 2018. Dowling and his men foiled an invasion of Texas by 5,000 Union troops at Sabine Pass on September 8th, 1863, during the American civil war.
Confederate soldier Maj Richard Dowling
Historian Damian Shiels, an authority on Irish involvement in that war, estimates that about 20,000 Irish fought with the Confederates.
Mr Shiels says even those who fought on the Union side were not overtly concerned about the plight of enslaved African-Americans.
“Fundamentally, no matter where the Irish were, they tended to have a very strongly held belief in their own white racial superiority, something they shared with the great majority of other whites at the time,” he says.
“We are particularly poor as a nation at engaging with the history of our diaspora, both good and bad. Too often we focus only on specific stories that affirm our sense of selves as a people, or at the diaspora’s contribution to the ‘cause of Ireland.’ ”


theirishtimes--2020-06-12--Government urged to pressure UAE to eject crime boss Daniel Kinahan

The Government made fresh contact on Thursday night with authorities in the United Arab Emirates over the involvement of crime boss Daniel Kinahan in the brokering of a high-profile boxing match .
Kinahan , who now lives in the UAE , has helped broker a bout between heavyweights Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua , a fight which will net hundreds of millions in profits for those involved .
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar told the Dáil on Thursday that the Department of Foreign Affairs had been in contact with “ the authorities in the United Arab Emirates about that matter ” .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ made with the UAE on Thursday night but is not clear what message the Government was relaying – or how the message was conveyed .
The Government came under pressure from figures such as Labour leader Alan Kelly on the issue .
“ There is an individual from our country who , according to the High Court , is a very senior figure in organised crime on a global scale and , according to CAB [ Criminal Assets Bureau ] , has controlled and managed operations of the Kinahan organised crime group for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , adding that intervention was needed and owed to the “ victims of such a cartel ” .
Mr Varadkar said he was rather “ taken aback ” to see heavyweight boxer Tyson Fury in his video just dropping “ that name that you mentioned as if this was somebody who did not have quite a chequered history in this State and elsewhere ” .
And a retired senior garda has called on the Government to pressure the UAE to eject Kinahan from the country .
Brian Sherry , a former detective inspector @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said : “ This Government is inept and that ’ s putting it mildly .
They should be absolutely hammering on the door of the Arabs , telling them throw out and eject him back to Ireland where he can face trial for the crimes he has committed against the people of Ireland .
It ’ s ludicrous .
”

The Government made fresh contact on Thursday night with authorities in the United Arab Emirates over the involvement of crime boss Daniel Kinahan in the brokering of a high-profile boxing match.
Kinahan, who now lives in the UAE, has helped broker a bout between heavyweights Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, a fight which will net hundreds of millions in profits for those involved.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar told the Dáil on Thursday that the Department of Foreign Affairs had been in contact with “the authorities in the United Arab Emirates about that matter”.
It is understood that fresh contact was made with the UAE on Thursday night but is not clear what message the Government was relaying – or how the message was conveyed.
READ MORE
The Government came under pressure from figures such as Labour leader Alan Kelly on the issue.
‘Global scale’
“There is an individual from our country who, according to the High Court, is a very senior figure in organised crime on a global scale and, according to CAB [Criminal Assets Bureau], has controlled and managed operations of the Kinahan organised crime group for some time,” Mr Kelly said, adding that intervention was needed and owed to the “victims of such a cartel”.
They should be absolutely hammering on the door of the Arabs, telling them throw out and eject him
Mr Varadkar said he was rather “taken aback” to see heavyweight boxer Tyson Fury in his video just dropping “that name that you mentioned as if this was somebody who did not have quite a chequered history in this State and elsewhere”.
And a retired senior garda has called on the Government to pressure the UAE to eject Kinahan from the country.
Brian Sherry, a former detective inspector who investigated organised crime in Dublin, said: “This Government is inept and that’s putting it mildly. They should be absolutely hammering on the door of the Arabs, telling them throw out and eject him back to Ireland where he can face trial for the crimes he has committed against the people of Ireland. It’s ludicrous.”


theirishtimes--2020-06-12--Coronavirus is subdued but not gone. This is a strange juncture

In pandemic terms , although it may not feel like it , these are the best of times .
Gone are the horrors of the past few months : the gruesome death toll ; the sense that danger was lurking around every corner ; the unprecedented lockdown and other privations .
Activities we previously took for granted – a visit to a clothes shop , a drive to the hills , the ping of a tennis ball – have about them the freshness of any new experience , after months of isolation and restrictions .
We have been warned of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now , the threat posed by coronavirus is as low as it has been since early March .
All of which places us in a strange position .
We have been given new freedoms but are told to use them sparingly .
More and more we are being told to wear masks , when at this point in time the threat from the virus is very low .
Many are exhausted , yet there seems to be no end in sight .
The consensus on the way forward that existed in March and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beyond the scientific community .
Many experts promote mask-wearing ; others continue to doubt .
Some scientists want to crush the curve , rather than simply flatten it .
Ireland ’ s figures for coronavirus cases and deaths can look good or bad , depending on the prism through which they are viewed .
The noise can be deafening , but some things are clear .
We are doing pretty well just now , with new numbers of confirmed cases in low double figures each day since the start of the month .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ being transmitted has stayed stable despite the lifting of restrictions .
We do appear to be tantalisingly close to wiping out the virus for the moment , but then we are also close to wiping out our economy .
We now have the capacity to test on a substantial scale , though we still do not have the necessary speed .
To achieve that , we need to complete the process of automation and reduce the number of individual steps involved .
The rise in the average number of contacts per case , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lifted , is not unexpected as people start to move around more .
It is also , given the low numbers at present , manageable .
Contact tracing , too , needs to be speeded up .
Many cases are closed out within a day but the handling of more complex health worker cases can take long periods .
Contact tracing speeds may drop dramatically as international travel resumes and contacts need to be tracked down across international boundaries .
Most of all , we need contingency planning for a rise in cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we stop the virus getting back into nursing homes ?
How will we staff our hospitals and nursing homes next autumn and winter ?
How can we react quickly to specific outbreaks ?
The issue of masks has become divisive and confusing , with the arguments for and against being expressed in ever more strident terms .
Compared with handwashing and keeping your distance , mask-wearing seems to make a relatively minor contribution to limiting the spread of the virus ; however , it may prove sufficient to tip the balance in terms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The reproduction number , the measure of how many people a confirmed case goes on to infect , will probably edge upwards as society opens up .
The marginal value of masks may lie in helping to keep this value below one – meaning the outbreak declines – as opposed to rising above one , which would cause the outbreak to take off again .
The biggest challenge will be to open up international travel without setting off another wave of infection .
This is likely to take place gradually through “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ case figures .
Ireland is well placed now to be able to sign up to reciprocal deals with other parts of Europe where the virus has been largely suppressed , leading to a resumption of flights .
Get this wrong , and we risk a fresh surge of cases later in the summer .

Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer with the Department of Health has said that compliance by the public in relation to use of face coverings is not where the HSE would like it to be. Video: RTE News Now
In pandemic terms, although it may not feel like it, these are the best of times.
Gone are the horrors of the past few months: the gruesome death toll; the sense that danger was lurking around every corner; the unprecedented lockdown and other privations.
Activities we previously took for granted – a visit to a clothes shop, a drive to the hills, the ping of a tennis ball – have about them the freshness of any new experience, after months of isolation and restrictions.
We have been warned of possible dark days ahead, but for now, the threat posed by coronavirus is as low as it has been since early March.
READ MORE
All of which places us in a strange position. We have been given new freedoms but are told to use them sparingly. More and more we are being told to wear masks, when at this point in time the threat from the virus is very low.
We do appear to be tantalisingly close to wiping out the virus for the moment, but then we are also close to wiping out our economy
Many are exhausted, yet there seems to be no end in sight. The consensus on the way forward that existed in March and April has broken down, inside and beyond the scientific community. Many experts promote mask-wearing; others continue to doubt. Some scientists want to crush the curve, rather than simply flatten it. Ireland’s figures for coronavirus cases and deaths can look good or bad, depending on the prism through which they are viewed.
The noise can be deafening, but some things are clear. We are doing pretty well just now, with new numbers of confirmed cases in low double figures each day since the start of the month. The rate at which the virus is being transmitted has stayed stable despite the lifting of restrictions.
We do appear to be tantalisingly close to wiping out the virus for the moment, but then we are also close to wiping out our economy.
We now have the capacity to test on a substantial scale, though we still do not have the necessary speed. To achieve that, we need to complete the process of automation and reduce the number of individual steps involved.
Contacts rising
The rise in the average number of contacts per case, from two to 3.5 since restrictions were lifted, is not unexpected as people start to move around more. It is also, given the low numbers at present, manageable.
Contact tracing, too, needs to be speeded up. Many cases are closed out within a day but the handling of more complex health worker cases can take long periods. Contact tracing speeds may drop dramatically as international travel resumes and contacts need to be tracked down across international boundaries.
Most of all, we need contingency planning for a rise in cases as society loosens up. How will we stop the virus getting back into nursing homes? How will we staff our hospitals and nursing homes next autumn and winter? How can we react quickly to specific outbreaks?
The biggest challenge will be to open up international travel without setting off another wave of infection
The issue of masks has become divisive and confusing, with the arguments for and against being expressed in ever more strident terms. Compared with handwashing and keeping your distance, mask-wearing seems to make a relatively minor contribution to limiting the spread of the virus; however, it may prove sufficient to tip the balance in terms of controlling the spread of the outbreak.
The reproduction number, the measure of how many people a confirmed case goes on to infect, will probably edge upwards as society opens up. The marginal value of masks may lie in helping to keep this value below one – meaning the outbreak declines – as opposed to rising above one, which would cause the outbreak to take off again.
The biggest challenge will be to open up international travel without setting off another wave of infection. This is likely to take place gradually through "air bridges" joining countries with low case figures. Ireland is well placed now to be able to sign up to reciprocal deals with other parts of Europe where the virus has been largely suppressed, leading to a resumption of flights. Get this wrong, and we risk a fresh surge of cases later in the summer.


theirishtimes--2020-06-12--Families and staff to protest closure of south Dublin nursing home

Residents ’ families and staff at a south Dublin nursing home will protest outside the home on Friday , calling on the HSE to take it over .
They say there is no need for the 152-year-old St Mary ’ s Centre ( Telford ) nursing home on Merrion Road to close , arguing new management and investment would save it .
They say its founders , the Sisters of Charity – a member of which sits on the board – “ can not just walk away from this ” .
The home is run under the ethos of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accommodating the home and other disability services .
The sisters say , however , they ceased managing St Mary ’ s in 1996 and first heard it was closing on June 3rd .
Telford management announced last week it could not meet statutory and regulatory requirements or fund the costs needed to meet them .
St Mary ’ s was founded by the Sisters of Charity in 1868 as a school and home for visually impaired girls and women .
It has capacity for 58 residents in two units – St Oliver ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 35 residents are women .
Families say they were told by phone last week the home would close by the end of the year .
They were not consulted about the closure , offered opportunities to fundraise to save it , or given any indication about their loved ones ’ futures .
In letters this week management told them “ with enormous regret ” and “ owing to insurmountable funding issues , the board has taken the extraordinarily difficult decision .
.
.
to close.
” It says “ current and projected levels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it can not run at 100 per cent capacity as required by regulations , is at 60 per cent capacity and “ no further admissions are being accepted ” .
Joe Brabazon ’ s wife Kay ( 81 ) has been in St Mary ’ s since last year .
“ She has Alzheimer ’ s .
I find the care excellent .
I couldn ’ t fault it.
” He was “ shocked ” to hear of the closure .
“ I ’ m scared for Kay .
Where will she be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
She sees the staff there as family .
I don ’ t believe it needs to close .
I think it would be very good if the HSE was to step in and take it over.
” Christine Cloak ( 72 ) , who has Alzheimer ’ s , has been here for four years .
Her husband Patrick , describing her as “ very frail , delicate ” , says the care is “ excellent ” .
“ They have given us no reason whatsoever about why it ’ s closing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They are a charity .
Why not set up a GoFundMe campaign ?
“ And the nuns – after over 100 years of founding St Mary ’ s and running it and still being involved , they can ’ t just put their hands up and say , ‘ Nothing to do with us.
’ I ’ d like to hear from them.
” The two most recent Hiqa reports , published in 2017 and 2019 , were critical of governance and management and the lack of space and privacy in St @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report notes : “ Inspectors were told by the person in charge that there were resources ring-fenced for improvements to the centre ’ s premises as required to meet regulatory breaches identified in the centre ’ s previous reports.
” It says : “ The centre ’ s financial resources had not been used to enhance the environment and improve the quality of life of residents.
” Shay Ryan , activities co-ordinator in the home , says it is unclear why upgrading work was not carried out .
“ We did fundraisers for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ set aside to do all that.
” He says staff were told , by letter , last week it would close .
“ We are being drip-fed very little information , ” he said , adding he would be on the protest on Friday .
The Irish Times asked St Mary ’ s ( Telford ) why families were not consulted and why improvement required by Hiqa had not been made .
These questions were not addressed .
In a statement , the board said families had been contacted by phone and letter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with heads of department and letters were sent to all staff .
[ We ] will continue to liaise with them throughout the process.
” The HSE is seeking a meeting with Telford but adds the conditions for it taking over St Mary ’ s “ do not prevail ” at the moment .

Patrick Cloak and Joe Brabazon, whose wives, Christine and Kay, are residents of St Mary’s. ‘They have given us no reason whatsoever about why it’s closing.’ Photograph: Crispin Rodwell
Residents’ families and staff at a south Dublin nursing home will protest outside the home on Friday, calling on the HSE to take it over.
They say there is no need for the 152-year-old St Mary’s Centre (Telford) nursing home on Merrion Road to close, arguing new management and investment would save it.
They say its founders, the Sisters of Charity – a member of which sits on the board – “cannot just walk away from this”. The home is run under the ethos of the order, and it owns the site accommodating the home and other disability services.
The sisters say, however, they ceased managing St Mary’s in 1996 and first heard it was closing on June 3rd.
READ MORE
Telford management announced last week it could not meet statutory and regulatory requirements or fund the costs needed to meet them.
St Mary’s was founded by the Sisters of Charity in 1868 as a school and home for visually impaired girls and women. It has capacity for 58 residents in two units – St Oliver’s and Loyola House. Its remaining 35 residents are women.
Families say they were told by phone last week the home would close by the end of the year. They were not consulted about the closure, offered opportunities to fundraise to save it, or given any indication about their loved ones’ futures.
In letters this week management told them “with enormous regret” and “owing to insurmountable funding issues, the board has taken the extraordinarily difficult decision . . . to close.”
Capacity
It says “current and projected levels of funding from the HSE” mean it cannot run at 100 per cent capacity as required by regulations, is at 60 per cent capacity and “no further admissions are being accepted”.
Joe Brabazon's wife Kay (81) has been in St Mary's since last year. "She has Alzheimer's. I find the care excellent. I couldn't fault it."
He was “shocked” to hear of the closure.
“I’m scared for Kay. Where will she be? Will she get the same treatment? She sees the staff there as family. I don’t believe it needs to close. I think it would be very good if the HSE was to step in and take it over.”
And the nuns, they can't just put their hands up and say, 'Nothing to do with us'
Christine Cloak (72), who has Alzheimer's, has been here for four years. Her husband Patrick, describing her as "very frail, delicate", says the care is "excellent".
“They have given us no reason whatsoever about why it’s closing, just this stuff about needing money. They are a charity. Why not set up a GoFundMe campaign?
“And the nuns – after over 100 years of founding St Mary’s and running it and still being involved, they can’t just put their hands up and say, ‘Nothing to do with us.’ I’d like to hear from them.”
The two most recent Hiqa reports, published in 2017 and 2019, were critical of governance and management and the lack of space and privacy in St Oliver’s unit.
The 2019 report notes: “Inspectors were told by the person in charge that there were resources ring-fenced for improvements to the centre’s premises as required to meet regulatory breaches identified in the centre’s previous reports.”
‘Enhance’
It says: “The centre’s financial resources had not been used to enhance the environment and improve the quality of life of residents.”
Shay Ryan, activities co-ordinator in the home, says it is unclear why upgrading work was not carried out. “We did fundraisers for it. There was supposed to money set aside to do all that.”
He says staff were told, by letter, last week it would close.
“We are being drip-fed very little information,” he said, adding he would be on the protest on Friday.
The Irish Times asked St Mary’s (Telford) why families were not consulted and why improvement required by Hiqa had not been made.
These questions were not addressed. In a statement, the board said families had been contacted by phone and letter. “Management . . . met with heads of department and letters were sent to all staff. [We] will continue to liaise with them throughout the process.”
The HSE is seeking a meeting with Telford but adds the conditions for it taking over St Mary’s “do not prevail” at the moment.


theirishtimes--2020-06-11--Coronavirus: Ireland now recording ‘almost zero’ new cases with no hidden clusters

Ireland has “ almost zero ” new cases of Covid-19 and all indicators of the disease are either stable or declining , three weeks into the easing of restrictions , public-health officials have said .
Vowing to “ go as low as we possibly can ” towards eliminating the disease , chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said he did not believe there were hidden clusters “ out there ” , separate from the small number of daily cases now being reported .
The National Public Health Emergency Team ( NPHET ) at its meeting on Thursday considered a call @ @ @ @ @ @ @ controls and other tough measures to be introduced short-term with the aim of “ crushing the curve ” .
The group was satisfied additional measures were not needed , according to Dr Holohan .
“ The absolutist notion of elimination [ of the disease ] from the island with no possibility of recurrence or re-emergence is an attractive-sounding strategy but is not practical or implementable , ” Prof Philip Nolan , chair of the NPHET Irish epidemiological modelling advisory group , said .
“ We have almost zero cases occurring day by day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ integrates well with other countries in Europe with whom we want to increase our level of exchange and not decrease it.
” All indicators of the disease are stable or declining at present , Prof Nolan said .
The reproduction number , a measure of how many people a confirmed case goes on to infect , stands at between 0.4 and 0.8 .
“ The next two weeks are now critical in limiting transmission , keeping the R-number low and suppressing the virus , ” he said .
Meanwhile , the number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 14 , from 50 the previous week .
With the situation stable in residential care facilities and other at-risk settings , private houses are the new front line of the battle against Covid-19 , officials indicated .
They decided against changing existing recommendations on face coverings , though a communications campaign is to start next week encouraging the public to following the advice to use face coverings in indoor settings where social distancing is not possible .
“ Perhaps what we think is consistent advice hasn ’ t been heard as a clear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ admitted , while restating NPHET ’ s opposition to the mandatory wearing of face masks .
The group will meet next Thursday to finalise advice to Government on the “ rephasing ” of the easing of restrictions .
Its recommendations are expected to provide further clarity on a variety of issues , including a possible easing of the two-metre social-distancing rule , the reopening of hairdressers , rules around weddings and the reopening of the offshore islands .
Asked what would be done in the event of a resurgence of cases , Dr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures ” would not be used .
“ We don ’ t need to do exactly the same things in the same way .
”

Dr Tony Holohan, Chief Medical Officer with the Department of Health has said that compliance by the public in relation to use of face coverings is not where the HSE would like it to be. Video: RTE News Now
Ireland has “almost zero” new cases of Covid-19 and all indicators of the disease are either stable or declining, three weeks into the easing of restrictions, public-health officials have said.
Vowing to “go as low as we possibly can” towards eliminating the disease, chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said he did not believe there were hidden clusters “out there”, separate from the small number of daily cases now being reported.
The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) at its meeting on Thursday considered a call by a group of scientists for travel controls and other tough measures to be introduced short-term with the aim of “crushing the curve”.
The group was satisfied additional measures were not needed, according to Dr Holohan.
READ MORE
“The absolutist notion of elimination [of the disease] from the island with no possibility of recurrence or re-emergence is an attractive-sounding strategy but is not practical or implementable,” Prof Philip Nolan, chair of the NPHET Irish epidemiological modelling advisory group, said.
“We have almost zero cases occurring day by day. This is an effective strategy and integrates well with other countries in Europe with whom we want to increase our level of exchange and not decrease it.”
Indicators
All indicators of the disease are stable or declining at present, Prof Nolan said.
The reproduction number, a measure of how many people a confirmed case goes on to infect, stands at between 0.4 and 0.8.
“The next two weeks are now critical in limiting transmission, keeping the R-number low and suppressing the virus,” he said.
Meanwhile, the number of new cases per day has fallen to 14, from 50 the previous week.
With the situation stable in residential care facilities and other at-risk settings, private houses are the new front line of the battle against Covid-19, officials indicated.
They decided against changing existing recommendations on face coverings, though a communications campaign is to start next week encouraging the public to following the advice to use face coverings in indoor settings where social distancing is not possible.
“Perhaps what we think is consistent advice hasn’t been heard as a clear and consistent message,” Dr Holohan admitted, while restating NPHET’s opposition to the mandatory wearing of face masks.
The group will meet next Thursday to finalise advice to Government on the “rephasing” of the easing of restrictions. Its recommendations are expected to provide further clarity on a variety of issues, including a possible easing of the two-metre social-distancing rule, the reopening of hairdressers, rules around weddings and the reopening of the offshore islands.
Asked what would be done in the event of a resurgence of cases, Dr Holohan said the same “blend of measures” would not be used. “We don’t need to do exactly the same things in the same way.”


theirishtimes--2020-06-11--Pensioners feel forced out of Cork neighbourhood by 'Covid parties'

Pensioners living near University College Cork have complained their lives are being put at risk by hundreds of students who have descended on the area for “ Covid parties ” .
Rose O ’ Sullivan , who has lived on Magazine Road for more than 60 years , said students started arriving in the area after they realised their traditional summer trips to the United States or Canada were no longer an option due to the coronavirus .
“ They arrived in their hundreds in the middle of a pandemic , ” said O ’ Sullivan .
“ Covid sends @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are saying the words ‘ Covid ’ and ‘ party ’ together .
There is no respect for us.
” As the Garda reported an increase in house parties across the country in recent weeks , public health experts have warned that they are a “ disaster ” in the fight against the spread of the coronavirus .
O ’ Sullivan said people in the area , at least five of whom are over 90 , started to emerge from the homes where they were cocooning as restrictions eased .
“ Then all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the roaring and the thumping music .
The [ pensioners ] had to go back in to their houses again .
“ One person living alone said to me that the music went into their very heart , ” she said .
“ The vibrations are strong as we are terraced houses .
You are talking parties 24 hours a day .
Thirty to 50 in different gardens competing with each other shouting at the top of their lungs oblivious to everyone.
” Ms O ’ Sullivan claimed many of the students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all over Ireland to move in to the houses in large groups .
She said they had money saved for going abroad or were in receipt of Covid-19 payments so had plenty of money for drink and drugs .
“ There is no social distancing .
They are from all over Ireland as far as Donegal sharing houses , ” she said .
“ One of the students said that he is here because it ’ s safer than possibly bringing Covid back to his family .
What about us ?
We are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students around.
” Resident Jo O ’ Halloran said it feels like a “ swarm of locusts ” has descended on Glasheen .
“ They have taken our peace .
They have taken our joy .
They have taken our neighbourhood .
These young people do not give a damn .
They abuse us if we approach them .
“ If you see them at 2pm they are drunk .
If you see them at 2am they are drunk .
They are going around like wild animals .
It is as if this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Our community has been sacrificed for landlord profit.
” Locals claim the students are behaving as if they they above the law , with one resident saying the areas has become like “ Magaluf without regulations ” .
Former lord mayor of Cork Catherine Clancy , who has lived locally for 35 years , said some landlords who closed up their houses on March 12th have now reopened them for easy money .
“ They opened them up to people who want to party , ” she said .
“ If there isn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this it shows the weakness around legislation .
There is little or no regulations on how landlords run their property.
” She commended community gardaí who liaise with the young people .
“ They go to the students and talk to them and they promise to behave.
” Pensioner Aidan Cahill said the residents ’ association website was tipped off about the arrival of students in mid-April by concerned parents .
“ Within two weeks it was pandemonium .
The stress of this is consuming all our waking hours , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the right thing through Covid .
It feels like our efforts were worthless.
” He noted that the State ’ s chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan has warned about the dangers of clusters of Covid-19 developing from house parties .
“ Look what is happening here , ” said Cahill .
Fellow resident Aisling Sisk called on Cork City Council to take some responsibility for what is going on in the area .
“ This is a perfect storm that has been brewing for years .
Cork City Council completely neglected the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There is a vast amount of rubbish .
They are kids so they couldn ’ t be bothered sorting it .
It blows all over the place .
They lob it over the wall when they are drunk.
” Residents say they are also concerned about the welfare of young people in the houses , particularly in the wake of the murder of 20-year-old Cameron Blair , a student at Cork Institute of Technology ( CIT ) , at a house party at nearby Bandon Road earlier this year .
Ultimately , residents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Residents have met gardaí and officials from UCC , Cork City Council and the Health Service Executive about antisocial behaviour .
Gardaí have confirmed they have attended various incidents in the area .
Gardaí currently do not have the powers to issue on-the-spot fines for breach of Covid-19 regulations and can bring a prosecution only following the submission of a file to the Director of Public Prosecutions .
In a statement , the council said landlords have a legal obligation to ensure their rented properties comply with certain minimum physical standards .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ responsibility of the local authority who carries out inspections to ensure that properties comply with these minimum standards .
These inspections don ’ t include behaviour of tenants in private properties.
” The council said it has increased the litter warden presence in Magazine Road and surrounding areas .
It is also identifying properties which have breached the waste presentation bylaws and will be following up on a number of houses .
A bulky goods collection scheme is also being organised for the area , it said .
Meanwhile , both UCC and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national health guidelines and to act responsibly .
They say that both colleges are working with the local authority on this issue .

Pensioners living near University College Cork have complained their lives are being put at risk by hundreds of students who have descended on the area for "Covid parties".
Rose O’Sullivan, who has lived on Magazine Road for more than 60 years, said students started arriving in the area after they realised their traditional summer trips to the United States or Canada were no longer an option due to the coronavirus.
“They arrived in their hundreds in the middle of a pandemic,” said O’Sullivan. “Covid sends a chill up my spine and they are saying the words ‘Covid’ and ‘party’ together. There is no respect for us.”
As the Garda reported an increase in house parties across the country in recent weeks, public health experts have warned that they are a “disaster” in the fight against the spread of the coronavirus.
READ MORE
O’Sullivan said people in the area, at least five of whom are over 90, started to emerge from the homes where they were cocooning as restrictions eased.
“Then all these people came in with the screaming, the roaring and the thumping music. The [pensioners] had to go back in to their houses again.
“One person living alone said to me that the music went into their very heart,” she said. “The vibrations are strong as we are terraced houses. You are talking parties 24 hours a day. Thirty to 50 in different gardens competing with each other shouting at the top of their lungs oblivious to everyone.”
Travel restrictions
Ms O’Sullivan claimed many of the students broke travel restriction rules by coming from all over Ireland to move in to the houses in large groups. She said they had money saved for going abroad or were in receipt of Covid-19 payments so had plenty of money for drink and drugs.
“There is no social distancing. They are from all over Ireland as far as Donegal sharing houses,” she said.
“One of the students said that he is here because it’s safer than possibly bringing Covid back to his family. What about us? We are like sitting ducks for Covid with these students around.”
Resident Jo O'Halloran said it feels like a "swarm of locusts" has descended on Glasheen.
“They have taken our peace. They have taken our joy. They have taken our neighbourhood. These young people do not give a damn. They abuse us if we approach them.
“If you see them at 2pm they are drunk. If you see them at 2am they are drunk. They are going around like wild animals. It is as if this place has no law and order. Our community has been sacrificed for landlord profit.”
Locals claim the students are behaving as if they they above the law, with one resident saying the areas has become like “Magaluf without regulations”.
Former lord mayor of Cork Catherine Clancy, who has lived locally for 35 years, said some landlords who closed up their houses on March 12th have now reopened them for easy money.
“They opened them up to people who want to party,” she said. “If there isn’t legislation strong enough to prevent this it shows the weakness around legislation. There is little or no regulations on how landlords run their property.”
She commended community gardaí who liaise with the young people. “They go to the students and talk to them and they promise to behave.”
Pensioner Aidan Cahill said the residents’ association website was tipped off about the arrival of students in mid-April by concerned parents.
“Within two weeks it was pandemonium. The stress of this is consuming all our waking hours,” he said. “Everyone stayed in and did the right thing through Covid. It feels like our efforts were worthless.”
He noted that the State's chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan has warned about the dangers of clusters of Covid-19 developing from house parties. "Look what is happening here," said Cahill.
‘Perfect storm’
Fellow resident Aisling Sisk called on Cork City Council to take some responsibility for what is going on in the area.
“This is a perfect storm that has been brewing for years. Cork City Council completely neglected the area,” she said. “There is a vast amount of rubbish. They are kids so they couldn’t be bothered sorting it. It blows all over the place. They lob it over the wall when they are drunk.”
Residents say they are also concerned about the welfare of young people in the houses, particularly in the wake of the murder of 20-year-old Cameron Blair, a student at Cork Institute of Technology (CIT), at a house party at nearby Bandon Road earlier this year.
Ultimately, residents long for some return to normality.
Residents have met gardaí and officials from UCC, Cork City Council and the Health Service Executive about antisocial behaviour. Gardaí have confirmed they have attended various incidents in the area.
Gardaí currently do not have the powers to issue on-the-spot fines for breach of Covid-19 regulations and can bring a prosecution only following the submission of a file to the Director of Public Prosecutions.
In a statement, the council said landlords have a legal obligation to ensure their rented properties comply with certain minimum physical standards.
“Enforcement of these minimum standards is the responsibility of the local authority who carries out inspections to ensure that properties comply with these minimum standards. These inspections don’t include behaviour of tenants in private properties.”
The council said it has increased the litter warden presence in Magazine Road and surrounding areas.
It is also identifying properties which have breached the waste presentation bylaws and will be following up on a number of houses. A bulky goods collection scheme is also being organised for the area, it said.
Meanwhile, both UCC and CIT have urged students to adhere to national health guidelines and to act responsibly. They say that both colleges are working with the local authority on this issue.


theirishtimes--2020-06-13--Irish Water issues no fines for breaches of last hosepipe ban

Irish Water did not issue a single fine to households for breaching the previous hosepipe ban introduced during the summer of 2018 .
The water utility introduced a nationwide hosepipe ban for a six-week period last Tuesday , due to pressure on the network following an exceptionally dry spring .
The ban prohibits people from using garden hosepipes for non-essential purposes such as watering plants , filling paddling pools , garden water fountains , or washing cars and other vehicles .
Households can be fined €125 for failing to adhere to the ban , officially called a water conservation order @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it did not issue any fines during the last hosepipe ban , which lasted from July to September 2018 .
A spokeswoman said “ during the last water conservation order in 2018 , the public responded positively and worked with us to safeguard our water supplies and no fines were issued ” .
Several hundred households were reported to Irish Water by neighbours over suspected breaches during the 2018 ban , and staff from the utility had visited those homes to remind the occupants of the impact wasting water had on the wider @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in place until July 21st , unless it is extended further .
A spokeswoman for Irish Water said “ unfortunately short periods of rainfall , such as those we have experienced this week , are not sufficient to return raw water sources to normal levels ” .
Despite the rainfall this week , the number of water schemes at drought levels has actually increased from 27 to 30 .
Schemes at risk of drought have increased from 50 to 51 , since the hosepipe ban was introduced , the spokeswoman said .
Irish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accumulation of 100mm of rainfall over a number of weeks , and a return to normal rainfall levels thereafter , to ease the threat to the country ’ s water supply .
Rain showers are forecast for the coming weekend , with the potential for heavy downpours on Sunday .
Met Éireann meteorologist Jean Byrne said over the next seven days Ulster and Connaught could see up to 35mm of rain .
Parts of Leinster and Munster will see heavier rain over the same period , with forecasts predicting between 35-50mm of rainfall @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the coronavirus pandemic , and people spending more time at home during the lockdown , has led to an upsurge in domestic water demand .
The water network also continues to face problems with leaks , with around 40 per cent of treated water lost through leaky pipes , which in parts of Dublin date back to the Victorian-era .

Households found to be in breach of the ban can be fined €125. Photograph: iStock
Irish Water did not issue a single fine to households for breaching the previous hosepipe ban introduced during the summer of 2018.
The water utility introduced a nationwide hosepipe ban for a six-week period last Tuesday, due to pressure on the network following an exceptionally dry spring.
The ban prohibits people from using garden hosepipes for non-essential purposes such as watering plants, filling paddling pools, garden water fountains, or washing cars and other vehicles.
Households can be fined €125 for failing to adhere to the ban, officially called a water conservation order.
READ MORE
However, Irish Water has confirmed it did not issue any fines during the last hosepipe ban, which lasted from July to September 2018.
A spokeswoman said “during the last water conservation order in 2018, the public responded positively and worked with us to safeguard our water supplies and no fines were issued”.
Several hundred households were reported to Irish Water by neighbours over suspected breaches during the 2018 ban, and staff from the utility had visited those homes to remind the occupants of the impact wasting water had on the wider network.
The current hosepipe ban is in place until July 21st, unless it is extended further.
A spokeswoman for Irish Water said “unfortunately short periods of rainfall, such as those we have experienced this week, are not sufficient to return raw water sources to normal levels”.
Despite the rainfall this week, the number of water schemes at drought levels has actually increased from 27 to 30. Schemes at risk of drought have increased from 50 to 51, since the hosepipe ban was introduced, the spokeswoman said.
Irish Water said it would need a minimum accumulation of 100mm of rainfall over a number of weeks, and a return to normal rainfall levels thereafter, to ease the threat to the country’s water supply.
Rain showers are forecast for the coming weekend, with the potential for heavy downpours on Sunday.
Met Éireann meteorologist Jean Byrne said over the next seven days Ulster and Connaught could see up to 35mm of rain. Parts of Leinster and Munster will see heavier rain over the same period, with forecasts predicting between 35-50mm of rainfall, she said.
Increased handwashing associated with the coronavirus pandemic, and people spending more time at home during the lockdown, has led to an upsurge in domestic water demand.
The water network also continues to face problems with leaks, with around 40 per cent of treated water lost through leaky pipes, which in parts of Dublin date back to the Victorian-era.


theirishtimes--2020-06-13--Athlone schools facing online accusations of racism

“ It was like there was a death in the family , ” said Noel Casey , principal of Our Lady ’ s Bower secondary school , Athlone , speaking after a staff meeting held this week to discuss online accusations of racism in the all-girls school .
“ Everyone is absolutely devastated , ” Casey , who has been a member of the school staff since 1983 , told The Irish Times : “ It ’ s been my life .
I ’ m seriously shocked.
” The school closed its Facebook , Twitter and Instagram accounts because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including comment directed at three identified students from the school .
The wave of criticism began early last week and has been directed at both Our Lady ’ s Bower and Athlone Community College , a co-educational school just across the road from the all-girls school .
Both schools apologised after a nine-month-old video appeared online showing three white students using racist language .
A fourth girl , who recorded the video , also attends one of the schools .
The eight-second video was recorded in September 2019 , when the girls were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ girl jumps from a stairs into a hallway and says : “ When I say slave , you say n****r. ” Another girl then jumps into view and says “ slave ” after which a third girl lands in the hallway and says , “ n****r ” .
Then the girls collapse into giggles and the video ends .
The video was shared among friends on Snapchat .
According to Casey , when the girls were next in school , black students confronted them about it .
“ I believe it was discussed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a resolution , and they apologised.
” However , the video resurfaced in recent weeks when the Black Lives Matter protests started , seemingly in response to the girls expressing support on social media for the Black Lives Matters movement .
“ Someone said , how can you , when you did this ?
” The girls ’ Snapchat addresses were also published .
One of those who saw the video was Valerie Oyiki ( 22 ) , who graduated from Our Lady ’ s Bower in 2014 and has since completed a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not want to be interviewed for this article .
She posted the video on her Instagram account , and noted that in 2013 the school had used students in blackface for a production of the musical , Hairspray .
Oyiki did not make any complaint about her own treatment while at Our Lady ’ s Bower .
However a series of responses to her posting were received from current and former students of the Athlone schools , alleging racist attitudes .
These allegations can now be read online .
People were invited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Community College principal , Eileen Donohoe , about the video .
An email response in which she said she had visited the home of the school ’ s student concerned , was published online .
“ I want to assure you that the girl and her parents are truly upset for the hurt caused .
I can assure you that no malice or racist slur was intended .
The comments uttered were without meaning or thought .
Please accept my sincerity in dealing with this matter and I trust you will accept the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her parents.
” Oyiki set up a petition on Change.org with the headline , “ Expel racists in Athlone Community College and Our Lady ’ s Bower Athlone ” .
As of Friday afternoon the petition calling for the students involved to be expelled had more than 5,200 signatures .
The board of management of Our Lady ’ s Bower issued a statement on Monday saying it had learned that three students “ were involved in the creation of a highly offensive video , outside of school hours in 2019 , in which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was extremely shocked by this “ and expresses its regret at the upset that this video has caused to the school community and to the wider community ” .
The 2013 school musical “ had very regrettably used blackface to enable the performance .
This was wholly unacceptable ” .
An independent review is being established to ensure the school is “ a safe and inclusive environment for all ” .
In a statement also issued on Monday , Athlone Community College expressed “ sincere regret ” for the genuine hurt and upset @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lady ’ s Bower student Minahil Sarfraz ( 18 ) , who came to Ireland from Pakistan as a refugee , told The Irish Times she had nothing but praise for the school .
“ When I first saw the coverage , I was taken aback .
Our Lady ’ s Bower always felt like home to me .
Mr Casey has always supported us , and always made me feel safe and encouraged my activism.
” Sarfraz and another former student , Natasha Maimba , who came to Ireland as a refugee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while attending the school .
They came to public prominence through the media while still students , and were appointed by Unicef as ambassadors for child refugees .
They are both now attending third-level .
“ In my own case , ” Sarfraz said , “ all I can say is that the Bower always felt safe .
It didn ’ t matter what religion or family background or skin colour you were.
” Casey described the mood during Tuesday ’ s Zoom staff meeting as “ sad , subdued , sombre ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every student matters ” and it was fully behind , and understood , the Black Lives Matter movement , he said .
The staff response to what has happened was full agreement to “ up our game ” , he said.The plan is to have an appropriate body give the staff workshops on being more racially and culturally aware .
“ We understand that we have girls that feel aggrieved .
It is obvious these are their real feelings .
Maybe this was the kick in the pants that we needed.
” The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said , are “ distraught ” , hugely remorseful , and very aware of the trouble they have caused .
“ They have learned a huge lesson.
” “ I can understand people being outraged and wanting to go public , ” Casey said .
“ But when you are putting children in harm , then there is possibly a loss of perspective .
I am saying that with the greatest of respect .
We are dealing with children .
And that doesn ’ t justify making offensive , racist comments.
” Dr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ education in Birmingham University , has studied racism in Irish schools .
He said people of colour are not recognised as being “ fully Irish ” by the wider community .
Schools need to take responsibility for dealing with racism , he said , “ but on the other hand they are not sufficiently supported ” .

"It was like there was a death in the family," said Noel Casey, principal of Our Lady's Bower secondary school, Athlone, speaking after a staff meeting held this week to discuss online accusations of racism in the all-girls school. "Everyone is absolutely devastated," Casey, who has been a member of the school staff since 1983, told The Irish Times: "It's been my life. I'm seriously shocked."
The school closed its Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts because of negative material that was being posted, including comment directed at three identified students from the school.
The wave of criticism began early last week and has been directed at both Our Lady's Bower and Athlone Community College, a co-educational school just across the road from the all-girls school.
Both schools apologised after a nine-month-old video appeared online showing three white students using racist language. A fourth girl, who recorded the video, also attends one of the schools.
READ MORE
The eight-second video was recorded in September 2019, when the girls were beginning second year. In it a girl jumps from a stairs into a hallway and says: “When I say slave, you say n****r.”
Another girl then jumps into view and says “slave” after which a third girl lands in the hallway and says, “n****r”. Then the girls collapse into giggles and the video ends.
The video was shared among friends on Snapchat. According to Casey, when the girls were next in school, black students confronted them about it. “I believe it was discussed at the time, and there was a resolution, and they apologised.”
However, the video resurfaced in recent weeks when the Black Lives Matter protests started, seemingly in response to the girls expressing support on social media for the Black Lives Matters movement.
“Someone said, how can you, when you did this?” The girls’ Snapchat addresses were also published.
One of those who saw the video was Valerie Oyiki (22), who graduated from Our Lady's Bower in 2014 and has since completed a degree in University College Dublin. Oyiki did not want to be interviewed for this article.
She posted the video on her Instagram account, and noted that in 2013 the school had used students in blackface for a production of the musical, Hairspray.
Oyiki did not make any complaint about her own treatment while at Our Lady’s Bower. However a series of responses to her posting were received from current and former students of the Athlone schools, alleging racist attitudes. These allegations can now be read online.
People were invited to send an email to the Athlone Community College principal, Eileen Donohoe, about the video. An email response in which she said she had visited the home of the school's student concerned, was published online.
“I want to assure you that the girl and her parents are truly upset for the hurt caused. I can assure you that no malice or racist slur was intended. The comments uttered were without meaning or thought. Please accept my sincerity in dealing with this matter and I trust you will accept the apology from the student in question and her parents.”
Expelled
Oyiki set up a petition on Change.org with the headline, “Expel racists in Athlone Community College and Our Lady’s Bower Athlone”. As of Friday afternoon the petition calling for the students involved to be expelled had more than 5,200 signatures.
The board of management of Our Lady’s Bower issued a statement on Monday saying it had learned that three students “were involved in the creation of a highly offensive video, outside of school hours in 2019, in which students used racist terms”.
It was extremely shocked by this “and expresses its regret at the upset that this video has caused to the school community and to the wider community”.
The 2013 school musical “had very regrettably used blackface to enable the performance. This was wholly unacceptable”.
An independent review is being established to ensure the school is “a safe and inclusive environment for all”.
In a statement also issued on Monday, Athlone Community College expressed “sincere regret” for the genuine hurt and upset that had been caused.
Former Our Lady's Bower student Minahil Sarfraz (18), who came to Ireland from Pakistan as a refugee, told The Irish Times she had nothing but praise for the school.
“When I first saw the coverage, I was taken aback. Our Lady’s Bower always felt like home to me. Mr Casey has always supported us, and always made me feel safe and encouraged my activism.”
Sarfraz and another former student, Natasha Maimba, who came to Ireland as a refugee from Zimbabwe, lived in direct provision while attending the school. They came to public prominence through the media while still students, and were appointed by Unicef as ambassadors for child refugees. They are both now attending third-level.
“In my own case,” Sarfraz said, “all I can say is that the Bower always felt safe. It didn’t matter what religion or family background or skin colour you were.”
Casey described the mood during Tuesday’s Zoom staff meeting as “sad, subdued, sombre”. The school policy was that “every student matters” and it was fully behind, and understood, the Black Lives Matter movement, he said.
The staff response to what has happened was full agreement to “up our game”, he said.The plan is to have an appropriate body give the staff workshops on being more racially and culturally aware.
“We understand that we have girls that feel aggrieved. It is obvious these are their real feelings. Maybe this was the kick in the pants that we needed.”
The girls who made the video, he said, are “distraught”, hugely remorseful, and very aware of the trouble they have caused. “They have learned a huge lesson.”
“I can understand people being outraged and wanting to go public,” Casey said. “But when you are putting children in harm, then there is possibly a loss of perspective. I am saying that with the greatest of respect. We are dealing with children. And that doesn’t justify making offensive, racist comments.”
Dr Karl Kitching, of the school of education in Birmingham University, has studied racism in Irish schools. He said people of colour are not recognised as being "fully Irish" by the wider community.
Schools need to take responsibility for dealing with racism, he said, “but on the other hand they are not sufficiently supported”.


theirishtimes--2020-06-13--Board of maternity hospital rejects call for resignation of deputy chair

The board of the National Maternity Hospital ( NMH ) has rejected a call from a former master for the resignation of its deputy chairman , Nicky Kearns , over the proposed move to St Vincent ’ s Hospital .
In a 10-page letter , Dr Peter Boylan says Mr Kearns should “ take the honourable course of action and resign ” over the “ shambles ” of the plans to move to St Vincent ’ s .
He alleges Mr Kearns has “ seriously mishandled the project to date , in particular by your failure to advocate successfully for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Kearns ’ s actions will result in the destruction of the maternity hospital ’ s independence should the relocation project go ahead as currently planned , Dr Boylan , a governor of the NMH , claims .
The NMH board met on Friday in response to Dr Boylan ’ s letter and declared unanimous backing for Mr Kearns , a former president of the High Court .
“ The board regards your ongoing efforts to obstruct or derail this vital project for women and their babies as exceptionally disappointing , ” according @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the board to Dr Boylan after the meeting .
“ Your personal attack on the deputy chair is totally unwarranted .
.
.
and unworthy of a governor.
” Rejecting the criticisms from Dr Boylan , the board says its deputy chair has discharged his duties at all times “ with the full authority and backing of the board ” and has acted “ with full integrity , wisdom and dedication ” in guiding it .
Though backed by both the NMH and St Vincent ’ s , the planned move of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in particular relating to concerns over ethos .
The Sisters of Charity are withdrawing from all involvement with St Vincent ’ s but the project is well behind schedule .
By law , the Archbishop of Dublin is the chairman of the maternity hospital , but the incumbent , Diarmuid Martin , plays no role in the running of the NMH , so the deputy chairman is effectively the chair .
In his letter , Dr Boylan , who has investigated many individual maternal and baby deaths , says corporate independence for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ theoretical issue , but can quite literally be a matter of life and death ” .
He alleges Mr Kearns “ failed utterly ” to act as a successful advocate for the hospital by expressing a willingness in a 2016 letter to concede ownership of the new building to be constructed on the St Vincent ’ s campus .
“ I consider it to have been a disgraceful action for which you had no authority or support .
“ In my view , your letter was an egregious dereliction of your duty as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interests of the NMH and was not within your powers.
” According to Dr Boylan , the relocated NMH will be a “ subsidiary hospital ” of St Vincent ’ s and its master will be “ relegated to being one clinical director of four ” .
Dr Boylan also points out that the issue of Catholic ethos at the new hospital has been a major source of public controversy .
“ In my view you have failed to deal adequately with the issue , specifically the concerns in relation to the potential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the care of women in the new NMH as a consequence of it being owned by the Sisters of Charity on land also owned by them.
” The relocation project “ appears rudderless , with a complete failure to maintain true independence in the interests of the women who will attend the hospital in the future , ” he says .
“ The hospital needs a deputy chair who will advocate successfully on its behalf , not someone who concedes independence with every challenge .
“ As a former master and governor it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into which the co-location project has descended under your watch .
”

Peter Boylan alleges Nicky Kearns has ‘seriously mishandled the project to date, in particular by your failure to advocate successfully for the hospital’s independence’. Photograph: Brenda Fitzsimons/The Irish Times
The board of the National Maternity Hospital (NMH) has rejected a call from a former master for the resignation of its deputy chairman, Nicky Kearns, over the proposed move to St Vincent's Hospital.
In a 10-page letter, Dr Peter Boylan says Mr Kearns should "take the honourable course of action and resign" over the "shambles" of the plans to move to St Vincent's.
He alleges Mr Kearns has “seriously mishandled the project to date, in particular by your failure to advocate successfully for the hospital’s independence”.
Mr Kearns’s actions will result in the destruction of the maternity hospital’s independence should the relocation project go ahead as currently planned, Dr Boylan, a governor of the NMH, claims.
READ MORE
The NMH board met on Friday in response to Dr Boylan's letter and declared unanimous backing for Mr Kearns, a former president of the High Court.
“The board regards your ongoing efforts to obstruct or derail this vital project for women and their babies as exceptionally disappointing,” according to a letter sent on behalf of the board to Dr Boylan after the meeting.
“Your personal attack on the deputy chair is totally unwarranted . . . and unworthy of a governor.”
‘Integrity, wisdom and dedication’
Rejecting the criticisms from Dr Boylan, the board says its deputy chair has discharged his duties at all times “with the full authority and backing of the board” and has acted “with full integrity, wisdom and dedication” in guiding it.
Though backed by both the NMH and St Vincent’s, the planned move of the maternity hospital has been beset by controversy, in particular relating to concerns over ethos. The Sisters of Charity are withdrawing from all involvement with St Vincent’s but the project is well behind schedule.
By law, the Archbishop of Dublin is the chairman of the maternity hospital, but the incumbent, Diarmuid Martin, plays no role in the running of the NMH, so the deputy chairman is effectively the chair.
In his letter, Dr Boylan, who has investigated many individual maternal and baby deaths, says corporate independence for a maternity hospital “is not a theoretical issue, but can quite literally be a matter of life and death”.
He alleges Mr Kearns “failed utterly” to act as a successful advocate for the hospital by expressing a willingness in a 2016 letter to concede ownership of the new building to be constructed on the St Vincent’s campus.
“I consider it to have been a disgraceful action for which you had no authority or support.
“In my view, your letter was an egregious dereliction of your duty as deputy chair to act in the best interests of the NMH and was not within your powers.”
According to Dr Boylan, the relocated NMH will be a “subsidiary hospital” of St Vincent’s and its master will be “relegated to being one clinical director of four”.
Catholic ethos
Dr Boylan also points out that the issue of Catholic ethos at the new hospital has been a major source of public controversy.
“In my view you have failed to deal adequately with the issue, specifically the concerns in relation to the potential for Catholic ethos to adversely impact on the care of women in the new NMH as a consequence of it being owned by the Sisters of Charity on land also owned by them.”
The relocation project “appears rudderless, with a complete failure to maintain true independence in the interests of the women who will attend the hospital in the future,” he says.
“The hospital needs a deputy chair who will advocate successfully on its behalf, not someone who concedes independence with every challenge.
“As a former master and governor it is deeply disturbing to observe the shambles into which the co-location project has descended under your watch.”


theirishtimes--2020-06-13--Drugs agency chief warns of continuing threat from Kinahans

The Kinahan organised crime group continues to be one of the biggest threats to law and order in Ireland , according to the head of the European anti-drugs smuggling agency .
Michael O ’ Sullivan , who until 2017 was a Garda assistant commissioner , heads up the Lisbon-based Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre ( Maoc ) .
In recent years Maoc has led operations seizing cocaine worth several billion euro coming in on ships from South America .
It is believed much of this was destined for the Kinahan gang .
Mr O ’ Sullivan was speaking following the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Daniel Kinahan , has helped broker a much-anticipated boxing match between heavyweights Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua .
News of the bout has angered several Government Ministers and has shone an international spotlight on Kinahan ’ s deep links to organised crime and the Dublin gang feud which has resulted in 18 deaths .
On Friday Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said sports and media organisations should have nothing to do with a boxing match involving Kinahan .
He said the Government has been in touch with officials in the United Arab Emirates , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his criminal connections .
Mr O ’ Sullivan said the Kinahan gang “ is one of the most prominent , if not the most prominent , organised group affecting Ireland ” .
“ You can see that from their track record .
They are a very serious organised crime group at both a national level and an international level , ” he told The Irish Times .
“ That absolutely continues to this day .
.
.
This is a multi-million euro organisation .
They ’ re not going to stop business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ just another facet to it.
” “ These people don ’ t go away , they get put away , ” he added .
Mr O ’ Sullivan was echoing the view of several senior gardaí who have given evidence recently about the Kinahan gang ’ s involvement in murder , drugs and arms smuggling on a global scale .
In 2018 a High Court judge stated Daniel , who has no previous convictions , and his brother Christy Kinahan jnr control the day to day operations of the gang .
In the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ figures in the boxing world defended Kinahan on Friday .
Current WBO super-middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders accused Ireland of being “ jealous ” of the Dublin man ’ s success .
Kinahan acts as an adviser to Fury and Saunders .
“ I would hate to live in that country , it ’ s so corrupt – it ’ s a joke , anything happens and it ’ s Daniel Kinahan , leave the man alone , he ’ s getting on with business , ” Saunders said in an interview , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he ’ s too big for Ireland , Ireland should appreciate him for that small country they ’ ve got.
” Promoter Bob Arum , who has worked with figures such as Muhammad Ali and who is heavily involved in the Tyson-Joshua bout , said he judges Kinahan only on his interactions in boxing and that he knows nothing about Kinahan ’ s past .
“ If anybody asks me , I would say without any question , that I find him to be an honourable man , ” he told Newstalk Breakfast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fight , Sky and BT , both said they are not involved in the negotiations and that any fight deal would be carefully scrutinised .

In the face of growing outrage, several prominent figures in the boxing world defended Daniel Kinahan on Friday.
The Kinahan organised crime group continues to be one of the biggest threats to law and order in Ireland, according to the head of the European anti-drugs smuggling agency.
Michael O'Sullivan, who until 2017 was a Garda assistant commissioner, heads up the Lisbon-based Maritime Analysis and Operations Centre (Maoc). In recent years Maoc has led operations seizing cocaine worth several billion euro coming in on ships from South America. It is believed much of this was destined for the Kinahan gang.
Mr O'Sullivan was speaking following the news that the gang's leader, Daniel Kinahan, has helped broker a much-anticipated boxing match between heavyweights Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.
News of the bout has angered several Government Ministers and has shone an international spotlight on Kinahan’s deep links to organised crime and the Dublin gang feud which has resulted in 18 deaths.
READ MORE
Criminal connections
On Friday Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said sports and media organisations should have nothing to do with a boxing match involving Kinahan. He said the Government has been in touch with officials in the United Arab Emirates, where Kinahan lives, to inform them of his criminal connections.
Mr O’Sullivan said the Kinahan gang “is one of the most prominent, if not the most prominent, organised group affecting Ireland”.
“You can see that from their track record. They are a very serious organised crime group at both a national level and an international level,” he told The Irish Times.
“That absolutely continues to this day . . . This is a multi-million euro organisation. They’re not going to stop business and just give up. This is just another facet to it.”
“These people don’t go away, they get put away,” he added.
Mr O'Sullivan was echoing the view of several senior gardaí who have given evidence recently about the Kinahan gang's involvement in murder, drugs and arms smuggling on a global scale. In 2018 a High Court judge stated Daniel, who has no previous convictions, and his brother Christy Kinahan jnr control the day to day operations of the gang.
In the face of growing outrage, several prominent figures in the boxing world defended Kinahan on Friday.
Current WBO super-middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders accused Ireland of being "jealous" of the Dublin man's success. Kinahan acts as an adviser to Fury and Saunders.
Corrupt
“I would hate to live in that country, it’s so corrupt – it’s a joke, anything happens and it’s Daniel Kinahan, leave the man alone, he’s getting on with business,” Saunders said in an interview, referring to Ireland.
“I think he’s too big for Ireland, Ireland should appreciate him for that small country they’ve got.”
Promoter Bob Arum, who has worked with figures such as Muhammad Ali and who is heavily involved in the Tyson-Joshua bout, said he judges Kinahan only on his interactions in boxing and that he knows nothing about Kinahan's past.
“If anybody asks me, I would say without any question, that I find him to be an honourable man,” he told Newstalk Breakfast.
The most likely broadcasters to show the fight, Sky and BT, both said they are not involved in the negotiations and that any fight deal would be carefully scrutinised.


theirishtimes--2020-06-13--Irish Freedom Party chair asked to resign from EU committee over Covid-19 claims

A University College Dublin ( UCD ) professor , who chairs the Eurosceptic Irish Freedom Party , has been asked to resign from a leading European Union scientific committee over online claims she made about the Covid-19 pandemic .
In an hour-long interview with a popular alt-right activist on May 10th , which has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times , Prof Dolores Cahill promised to “ debunk the narrative ” of the pandemic .
Lockdown and social distancing is not needed to stop the spread of the virus , she said .
People who recover are then “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and deaths and illnesses could have been prevented by extra vitamins , she claimed .
People with underlying health conditions , such as cystic fibrosis , could freely engage in society during the pandemic after spending a few weeks building up their immunity in this manner , she went on .
Opposing vaccinations , Ms Cahill said “ politicians and the media ” are using Covid-19 “ as a fear-mongering propaganda tool to try and take away rights from people and to make them more sick and to force vaccinations on us.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claims made by Ms Cahill , a professor of translational medicine in UCD , could cause “ significant harm ” , if taken literally .
Following this , Ms Cahill was asked to resign as vice chair of the Scientific Committee of the Innovative Medicines Initiative ( IMI ) , a partnership between the European Commission and the drugs industry to promote new drugs .
“ Professor Cahill has been requested by the Chair of the Scientific Council of IMI and the Executive Director of IMI to step down from her function , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ While as a private person , Professor Cahill is entitled to express her points of view , these are not compatible with the scientific foundations of the Innovative Medicines Initiative , ” said a Commission spokesperson .
Ms Cahill ’ s claims have also caused Berlin ’ s Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics ( MPIMG ) , where she worked for eight years , to distance itself , saying it did not want to be associated in any way with the claims made .
The IMI echoed these sentiments , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to see her statements and that her views do not reflect those hold on Covid-19 by of IMI .
A former Max Planck colleague , Prof Hans Lehrach said he was “ really surprised ” by Ms Cahill ’ s comments : “ I have no idea why she says things like that , ” he said .
“ There is absolutely no proof that people recovering from the disease are immune for life , ” he said , reflecting the World Health Organisation ’ s understanding on the subject .
Vitamins and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but Mr Lehrach said he would “ very much doubt ” that they would defend against the virus .
The vulnerable would be “ pretty insane ” to engage widely during the pandemic .
Ms Cahill also supported the use of hydroxychloroquine to treat Covid-19 , one that has been supported , too , by US president Donald Trump .
The drug , she said , is “ safe and effective ” in treating the disease .
However , Prof Lehrach said that he would be “ very careful ” with hydroxychloroquine as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as a treatment and has been known to cause death due to heart complications .
The original interview has since been removed by YouTube , but versions can still be found easily online and have clocked up hundreds of thousands of views .
Ms Cahill has given a number of similar interviews since .
Ms Cahill is a member of the faculty at UCD school of medicine , where she is the module co-ordinator on a number of subjects , including one taught to first-year medicine students called Science Medicine and Society .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ that she is part of the university ’ s faculty , but refused to comment further on her claims , saying only that they are “ her own views ” .
Ms Cahill unsuccessfully contested the general election for the Irish Freedom Party in February , eliminated on the second count in Tipperary with a total of 527 votes .
She has not replied to requests for comment .

Prof Dolores Cahill claimed people who recover from Covid-19 are ‘immune for life’ after 10 days. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw/The Irish Times
A University College Dublin (UCD) professor, who chairs the Eurosceptic Irish Freedom Party, has been asked to resign from a leading European Union scientific committee over online claims she made about the Covid-19 pandemic.
In an hour-long interview with a popular alt-right activist on May 10th, which has been viewed hundreds of thousands of times, Prof Dolores Cahill promised to "debunk the narrative" of the pandemic.
Lockdown and social distancing is not needed to stop the spread of the virus, she said. People who recover are then “immune for life” after 10 days and deaths and illnesses could have been prevented by extra vitamins, she claimed.
People with underlying health conditions, such as cystic fibrosis, could freely engage in society during the pandemic after spending a few weeks building up their immunity in this manner, she went on.
READ MORE
Opposing vaccinations, Ms Cahill said “politicians and the media” are using Covid-19 “as a fear-mongering propaganda tool to try and take away rights from people and to make them more sick and to force vaccinations on us.”
However, the European Commission said the claims made by Ms Cahill, a professor of translational medicine in UCD, could cause "significant harm", if taken literally.
‘Not compatible’
Following this, Ms Cahill was asked to resign as vice chair of the Scientific Committee of the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI), a partnership between the European Commission and the drugs industry to promote new drugs.
“Professor Cahill has been requested by the Chair of the Scientific Council of IMI and the Executive Director of IMI to step down from her function,” the commission told The Irish Times.
“While as a private person, Professor Cahill is entitled to express her points of view, these are not compatible with the scientific foundations of the Innovative Medicines Initiative,” said a Commission spokesperson.
Ms Cahill's claims have also caused Berlin's Max Planck Institute for Molecular Genetics (MPIMG), where she worked for eight years, to distance itself, saying it did not want to be associated in any way with the claims made.
The IMI echoed these sentiments, saying that they were “shocked” to see her statements and that her views do not reflect those hold on Covid-19 by of IMI.
A former Max Planck colleague, Prof Hans Lehrach said he was "really surprised" by Ms Cahill's comments: "I have no idea why she says things like that," he said.
“There is absolutely no proof that people recovering from the disease are immune for life,” he said, reflecting the World Health Organisation’s understanding on the subject.
Vitamins and minerals do help the immune system, but Mr Lehrach said he would “very much doubt” that they would defend against the virus. The vulnerable would be “pretty insane” to engage widely during the pandemic.
Hydroxychloroquine treatment
Ms Cahill also supported the use of hydroxychloroquine to treat Covid-19, one that has been supported, too, by US president Donald Trump. The drug, she said, is "safe and effective" in treating the disease.
However, Prof Lehrach said that he would be “very careful” with hydroxychloroquine as testing had proven that it is ineffective as a treatment and has been known to cause death due to heart complications.
The original interview has since been removed by YouTube, but versions can still be found easily online and have clocked up hundreds of thousands of views. Ms Cahill has given a number of similar interviews since.
Ms Cahill is a member of the faculty at UCD school of medicine, where she is the module co-ordinator on a number of subjects, including one taught to first-year medicine students called Science Medicine and Society.
When approached for comment, UCD confirmed that she is part of the university’s faculty, but refused to comment further on her claims, saying only that they are “her own views”.
Ms Cahill unsuccessfully contested the general election for the Irish Freedom Party in February, eliminated on the second count in Tipperary with a total of 527 votes. She has not replied to requests for comment.