theirishtimes--2020-01-21--Son who kicked father to death was ‘provoked’ by a ‘controlling’ father – court

A 48-year-old man who kicked his father to death was “ provoked ” by his “ domineering and controlling ” father and should be found guilty of manslaughter and not murder , a barrister has told a jury at the Central Criminal Court .
Vincent Heneghan SC delivered his closing speech on Tuesday morning to the seven women and five men in the trial of Mark Tims who has pleaded to manslaughter but not guilty to murdering his father Anthony “ Tony ” Tims at the home they shared at Rowlagh Green , Clondalkin , Dublin 22 on July 13th @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the State .
Mr Heneghan said Mr Tims Snr ’ s actions for many years were those of a “ controlling domineering person , a dominant person ” and that this type of behaviour “ continued for Mark Tims ’ s whole life.
” He reminded the jury that Mr Tims ’ s then girlfriend Elizabeth McDonagh described the build-up to the assault saying the older man came home after celebrating his 74th birthday in the pub and told his son to get out of the house or he would call the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also told his son he wished he ’ d never been born and called him a “ disappointment ” .
Counsel said this type of situation happened not just once but , “ possibly over a lifetime ” and there was , he said , a “ build-up , an animosity ” .
He said it was sad that his client reacted how he did , but urged the jury to find that he was provoked and return a manslaughter verdict .
The trial is continuing on Tuesday afternoon in front of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @

A 48-year-old man who kicked his father to death was “provoked” by his “domineering and controlling” father and should be found guilty of manslaughter and not murder, a barrister has told a jury at the Central Criminal Court.
Vincent Heneghan SC delivered his closing speech on Tuesday morning to the seven women and five men in the trial of Mark Tims who has pleaded to manslaughter but not guilty to murdering his father Anthony “Tony” Tims at the home they shared at Rowlagh Green, Clondalkin, Dublin 22 on July 13th, 2018. His plea was rejected by the State.
Mr Heneghan said Mr Tims Snr’s actions for many years were those of a “controlling domineering person, a dominant person” and that this type of behaviour “continued for Mark Tims’s whole life.” He reminded the jury that Mr Tims’s then girlfriend Elizabeth McDonagh described the build-up to the assault saying the older man came home after celebrating his 74th birthday in the pub and told his son to get out of the house or he would call the guards. Ms McDonagh said Anthony Tims also told his son he wished he’d never been born and called him a “disappointment”. Counsel said this type of situation happened not just once but, “possibly over a lifetime” and there was, he said, a “build-up, an animosity”. He said it was sad that his client reacted how he did, but urged the jury to find that he was provoked and return a manslaughter verdict.
The trial is continuing on Tuesday afternoon in front of the jury and Mr Justice Tony Hunt.


theirishtimes--2020-01-21--Taoiseach claims Sinn Féin not ‘a normal political party’

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has again insisted that Fine Gael will not go into coalition with Sinn Féin after the general election .
He was speaking on Tuesday after the latest Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI poll showed support for Sinn Féin was just two percentage points behind that of Fine Gael .
Mr Varadkar said Sinn Féin ’ s suitability to govern should not be determined by its performance in opinion polls .
He said he did not believe it was “ a normal political party ” .
“ We are not ruling out Sinn Féin as a potential government partner because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That is not what it is about at all .
It is a principled position that we are taking , ” he told reporters in Fermoy , Co Cork .
“ It is our view Sinn Féin is not a normal party .
Their decision making process involves consulting with an ard chomhairle and we have seen that in Northern Ireland where key decisions are not necessarily made by elected politicians.
” He added : “ Secondly , and at a time of serious concerns about crime , Sinn Féin is a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Criminal Court , a court that we use to lock up some really bad guys , dissident Republicans and people who are involved in organised crime.
” Sinn Féin recently said it would support a review of the non-jury court if it was in government as opposed to it being abolished outright , but Mr Varadkar said this was “ not a U-turn ” .
Mr Varadkar said the Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI poll showed there was volatility among the electorate .
He said a weekend opinion poll showed “ a big swing “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ poll was favourable for Sinn Féin .
“ We will have another poll in another couple of days ’ time and we don ’ t know what that is going to say .
But the situation as far as I can see it is that this election is close .
Fine Gael is coming from behind , ” he said , adding that “ it is close and it is all to play for ” .
The Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI poll showed Mr Varadkar ’ s approval rating has fallen to 35 per @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The Taoiseach rejected suggestions that he was unpopular and possibly damaging the Fine Gael brand .
“ Not at all .
What the polls show is that all the three main party leaders are neck and neck .
I am slightly ahead of the other two , ” said Mr Varadkar , noting that the poll put the rating of Fianna Fáil ’ s Micheál Martin at 33 per cent and Sinn Féin ’ s Mary Lou McDonald at 34 per cent .
“ It is all to play for .
Fine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after the election.
” Asked if he believed Ms McDonald should be allowed to participate in televised leaders ’ debates given her party ’ s strong showing in the polls , Mr Varadkar said it was a matter for the broadcasters .
“ I don ’ t have a difficulty debating Micheál Martin head to head .
I think it is right that we do that because we are the two people vying for the taoiseach ’ s office .
But equally I have no difficulty doing a debate involving the leaders of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Fine Gael , unlike Fianna Fáil , had a good history of forming coalition governments that worked .
It was in coalition with Labour from 2011-2016 and the last Fine Gael-Independent minority administration was propped up by Fianna Fáil through the confidence and supply deal .
“ If we are in the situation , and I believe it will be the situation after the election , that we are the largest party , then we will want to talk to other parties except Sinn Féin about forming a government , ” he @ @

Tánaiste Simon Coveney and Taoiseach Leo Varadkar are pictured in Cork where Fine Gael set out its agriculture policy on Tuesday. Photograph: Áine McMahon/PA Wire.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar has again insisted that Fine Gael will not go into coalition with Sinn Féin after the general election.
He was speaking on Tuesday after the latest Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI poll showed support for Sinn Féin was just two percentage points behind that of Fine Gael.
Mr Varadkar said Sinn Féin’s suitability to govern should not be determined by its performance in opinion polls. He said he did not believe it was “a normal political party”.
"We are not ruling out Sinn Féin as a potential government partner because of where they stand in the polls. That is not what it is about at all. It is a principled position that we are taking," he told reporters in Fermoy, Co Cork.
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"It is our view Sinn Féin is not a normal party. Their decision making process involves consulting with an ard chomhairle and we have seen that in Northern Ireland where key decisions are not necessarily made by elected politicians."
He added: "Secondly, and at a time of serious concerns about crime, Sinn Féin is a party that has consistently opposed the Special Criminal Court, a court that we use to lock up some really bad guys, dissident Republicans and people who are involved in organised crime."
Sinn Féin recently said it would support a review of the non-jury court if it was in government as opposed to it being abolished outright, but Mr Varadkar said this was “not a U-turn”.
‘Big swing’
Mr Varadkar said the Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI poll showed there was volatility among the electorate. He said a weekend opinion poll showed "a big swing " towards Fianna Fáil and that the latest poll was favourable for Sinn Féin.
“We will have another poll in another couple of days’ time and we don’t know what that is going to say. But the situation as far as I can see it is that this election is close. Fine Gael is coming from behind,” he said, adding that “it is close and it is all to play for”.
The Irish Times/Ipsos MRBI poll showed Mr Varadkar’s approval rating has fallen to 35 per cent from 51 per cent in October. The Taoiseach rejected suggestions that he was unpopular and possibly damaging the Fine Gael brand.
“Not at all. What the polls show is that all the three main party leaders are neck and neck. I am slightly ahead of the other two,” said Mr Varadkar, noting that the poll put the rating of Fianna Fáil’s Micheál Martin at 33 per cent and Sinn Féin’s Mary Lou McDonald at 34 per cent. “It is all to play for. Fine Gael can emerge as the largest party after the election.”
TV debates
Asked if he believed Ms McDonald should be allowed to participate in televised leaders’ debates given her party’s strong showing in the polls, Mr Varadkar said it was a matter for the broadcasters.
“I don’t have a difficulty debating Micheál Martin head to head. I think it is right that we do that because we are the two people vying for the taoiseach’s office. But equally I have no difficulty doing a debate involving the leaders of the three major parties.”
Mr Varadkar said Fine Gael, unlike Fianna Fáil, had a good history of forming coalition governments that worked. It was in coalition with Labour from 2011-2016 and the last Fine Gael-Independent minority administration was propped up by Fianna Fáil through the confidence and supply deal.
“If we are in the situation, and I believe it will be the situation after the election, that we are the largest party, then we will want to talk to other parties except Sinn Féin about forming a government,” he said.


theirishtimes--2020-01-21--Free dose of vaccine offered in response to mumps outbreak

Thousands of young people are being offered a free dose of the MMR vaccine in an attempt to contain the biggest outbreak of mumps in a decade .
The Health Service Executive ( HSE ) is urging anyone aged between 11 and 30 who has not had two doses of the vaccine , or who is unsure of their vaccine status , to avail of the offer due to a “ significant ” rise in cases of the virus .
This age-group has been particularly hard hit in the current outbreak so it is “ vital ” parents and young @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the only way to stop its spread , Dr Suzanne Cotter , public health specialist at the HSE ’ s Health Protection Surveillance Centre , said .
Dozens of second-level schools , and all the main third-level institutions , have been affected by the outbreak .
There were 2,762 cases of mumps in the State last year , compared to 573 in 2018 .
The HSE has been notified of 253 cases so far this year .
The MMR vaccine protects against measles , mumps and rubella .
The first dose is given @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second at four to five years .
Although most cases have involved unvaccinated people , waning immunity has also played a role .
“ Parents must make sure that their children and teenagers are protected against mumps by ensuring they have been immunised with two doses of MMR , ” Dr Cotter said .
“ A third dose of MMR won ’ t cause any harm so anyone unsure of whether they have had two doses or not can safely receive the vaccine again .
“ Mumps is a highly infectious and dangerous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in homes , crèches , playgroups , camps , schools and universities .
It can be a serious illness and can have life-changing repercussions in some instances.
” The current uptake of the vaccine is 91 per cent by 24 months , which is good by international standards but below the target of 95 per cent needed to prevent measles outbreaks .
Parents and young adults should speak to their GP or student health service and get the vaccine free if needed , Dr Cotter advises .

The MMR vaccine protects against measles, mumps and rubella. The first dose is given at 12 months of age and the second at four to five years. File photograph: Brian Snyder/Reuters.
Thousands of young people are being offered a free dose of the MMR vaccine in an attempt to contain the biggest outbreak of mumps in a decade.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) is urging anyone aged between 11 and 30 who has not had two doses of the vaccine, or who is unsure of their vaccine status, to avail of the offer due to a "significant" rise in cases of the virus.
This age-group has been particularly hard hit in the current outbreak so it is "vital" parents and young adults are aware the MMR vaccine is the only way to stop its spread, Dr Suzanne Cotter, public health specialist at the HSE's Health Protection Surveillance Centre, said.
Dozens of second-level schools, and all the main third-level institutions, have been affected by the outbreak.
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There were 2,762 cases of mumps in the State last year, compared to 573 in 2018. The HSE has been notified of 253 cases so far this year.
The MMR vaccine protects against measles, mumps and rubella. The first dose is given at 12 months of age and the second at four to five years.
Waning immunity
Although most cases have involved unvaccinated people, waning immunity has also played a role.
“Parents must make sure that their children and teenagers are protected against mumps by ensuring they have been immunised with two doses of MMR,” Dr Cotter said.
“A third dose of MMR won’t cause any harm so anyone unsure of whether they have had two doses or not can safely receive the vaccine again.
“Mumps is a highly infectious and dangerous illness which spreads very easily, particularly in homes, crèches, playgroups, camps, schools and universities. It can be a serious illness and can have life-changing repercussions in some instances.”
The current uptake of the vaccine is 91 per cent by 24 months, which is good by international standards but below the target of 95 per cent needed to prevent measles outbreaks.
Parents and young adults should speak to their GP or student health service and get the vaccine free if needed, Dr Cotter advises.


theirishtimes--2020-01-22--Maria Bailey announces she will not stand for re-election

Former Fine Gael TD Maria Bailey has said she will not be standing for re-election in the Dún Laoghaire constituency as an Independent .
Ms Bailey was deselected by Fine Gael last year after taking a personal injuries claim against the Dean Hotel where she fell from a swing .
In a statement on Wednesday , Ms Bailey said she was ending her time as a public representative “ with great sadness ” .
She spent 12 years as a local councillor and four as a TD .
She said the “ past number of months have been extremely difficult @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there are a number of people I would like to thank for their kindness and support.
” She said her office team had “ never wavered ” and also praised the “ staff of the Oireachtas , Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council and many elected colleagues of all parties for their unfailing courtesy throughout.
” She concluded : “ My constituents who gave me the honour of representing them and becoming the 100th woman elected to Dáil Éireann in 2016 .
“ Finally I acknowledge and thank my own family and friends for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ career.
” Ms Bailey was widely criticised for contributing to Ireland ’ s compensation culture following her personal injuries claim .
It later emerged that Ms Bailey took the case claiming that the swing was unsupervised , but the hotel maintained that she had two drinks in her hand at the time .
She ran a 10km just three weeks after the incident despite claiming in her court affidavit that she could not run “ at all ” for three months after the fall .
Dún Laoghaire Fine Gael members voted at a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asking the party hierarchy to urgently review the constituency ’ s general election ticket .
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar removed her from the Dún Laoghaire ticket a month later .
He had previously removed her from the position of chair of the Oireachtas housing committee .
Cllr Jennifer Carroll MacNeill was added to the Fine Gael ticket after Ms Bailey was deselected .
She is standing in the constituency with outgoing Fine Gael TD and minister Mary Mitchell O ’ Connor and the party ’ s councillor Barry Ward .

Former Fine Gael TD Maria Bailey has said she will not be standing for re-election in the Dún Laoghaire constituency as an Independent.
Ms Bailey was deselected by Fine Gael last year after major controversy over her decision to take a personal injuries claim against the Dean Hotel, where she fell from a swing.
In a statement on Wednesday, Ms Bailey said she was ending her time as a public representative “with great sadness”. She spent 12 years as a local councillor and four as a TD.
She said the “past number of months have been extremely difficult for me both privately and politically and there are a number of people I would like to thank for their kindness and support.”
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She said her office team had "never wavered" and also praised the "staff of the Oireachtas, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council and many elected colleagues of all parties for their unfailing courtesy throughout."
She concluded: “My constituents who gave me the honour of representing them and becoming the 100th woman elected to Dáil Éireann in 2016.
“Finally I acknowledge and thank my own family and friends for their loyalty and support throughout my political career.”
Ms Bailey was widely criticised for contributing to Ireland’s compensation culture following her personal injuries claim. It later emerged that Ms Bailey took the case claiming that the swing was unsupervised, but the hotel maintained that she had two drinks in her hand at the time.
She ran a 10k just three weeks after the incident despite claiming in her court affidavit that she could not run “at all” for three months after the fall.
Dún Laoghaire Fine Gael members voted at a meeting on Halloween night for a motion asking the party hierarchy to urgently review the constituency’s general election ticket.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar removed her from the Dún Laoghaire ticket a month later.
He had previously removed her from the position of chair of the Oireachtas housing committee.
Cllr Jennifer Carroll MacNeill was added to the Fine Gael ticket after Ms Bailey was deselected.
She is standing in the constituency with outgoing Fine Gael TD and minister Mary Mitchell O’Connor and the party’s councillor Barry Ward.
Speaking in Tipperary on Wednesday, Tánaiste Simon Coveney said he wished Ms Bailey well.
“I think that’s the right decision,” he said, “the last number of months have taken an extraordinary toll on Maria and her family.”


theirishtimes--2020-01-22--Which jobs do teenage girls and boys aspire to have by age 30?

The occupation teenage girls most aspire to work in by the time they are 30 is medicine , while the top career choice for teenage boys is engineering , a report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development ( OECD ) finds .
The study ‘ Dream Jobs ?
Teenagers ’ Career Aspirations and the Future of Work ’ , features analysis from the Programme for International Student Assessment ( PISA ) on the kinds of careers boys and girls expect for themselves and the extent to which their aspirations align with a fast changing job market .
More @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and economic areas were assessed on topics such as about the occupation they expect to be in by the age of 30 .
Becoming a doctor was the most aspired-to career among girls who took part in the study .
This was followed by teaching and business management .
Training to be a lawyer , nurse or midwife , psychologist , designer , veterinarian , police officer and architect were also among the popular careers mentioned by girls .
Some 60 per cent of female Irish respondents to the study said they expected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 10 most commonly cited jobs by the time they turn 30 .
Forty-nine per cent of Irish boys said they expected to work in one of the 10 most commonly cited jobs by age 30 , which included engineering , business managerment , medicine and ICT .
Other career aspirations mentioned by boys included being a sportsperson , teaching , joining a police force , being a motor vehicle mechanic , a lawyer or an architect .
The report says that children of more advantaged families are more likely to want to go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people .
The study found that high-performing young people from the most disadvantaged backgrounds were nearly four times less likely to hold high aspirations than similarly performing young people from the most privileged backgrounds .
Career thinking is often also driven by gender and immigrant background , according to the research .
Among high performers in mathematics or science , for example , boys were much more likely than girls to express an interest in becoming a scientist or engineer .
The reverse was true for health-related careers , which girls favoured .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In Ireland and the United Kingdom , around 35 per cent of the jobs cited by students are at risk of automation , on average , whereas in Germany , Greece and Japan , more than 45 per cent of jobs cited are at risk .
Careers mentioned by disadvantaged students in Ireland had more of a risk of being automated than those desired by more affluent students and the career aspirations cited by boys in Ireland face a higher risk of job automation than those cited by girls .
Teenage students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were far more likely to experience a range of positive benefits including higher wages , greater chances of pursuing apprenticeships and contentment in their career progression , the study says .

More than 500,000 15-year-old students in 79 countries and economic areas were assessed on topics such as about the occupation they expect to be in by the age of 30 as part of the OECD study. Image: iStock.
The occupation teenage girls most aspire to work in by the time they are 30 is medicine, while the top career choice for teenage boys is engineering, a report from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) finds.
The study ‘Dream Jobs? Teenagers’ Career Aspirations and the Future of Work’, features analysis from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) on the kinds of careers boys and girls expect for themselves and the extent to which their aspirations align with a fast changing job market.
More than 500,000 15-year-old students in 79 countries and economic areas were assessed on topics such as about the occupation they expect to be in by the age of 30.
Becoming a doctor was the most aspired-to career among girls who took part in the study. This was followed by teaching and business management. Training to be a lawyer, nurse or midwife, psychologist, designer, veterinarian, police officer and architect were also among the popular careers mentioned by girls.
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Some 60 per cent of female Irish respondents to the study said they expected to work in one of the top 10 most commonly cited jobs by the time they turn 30.
Forty-nine per cent of Irish boys said they expected to work in one of the 10 most commonly cited jobs by age 30, which included engineering, business managerment, medicine and ICT. Other career aspirations mentioned by boys included being a sportsperson, teaching, joining a police force, being a motor vehicle mechanic, a lawyer or an architect.
Backgrounds
The report says that children of more advantaged families are more likely to want to go on to university than young working class people. The study found that high-performing young people from the most disadvantaged backgrounds were nearly four times less likely to hold high aspirations than similarly performing young people from the most privileged backgrounds.
Career thinking is often also driven by gender and immigrant background, according to the research.
Among high performers in mathematics or science, for example, boys were much more likely than girls to express an interest in becoming a scientist or engineer. The reverse was true for health-related careers, which girls favoured.
The risk of automation varies between countries. In Ireland and the United Kingdom, around 35 per cent of the jobs cited by students are at risk of automation, on average, whereas in Germany, Greece and Japan, more than 45 per cent of jobs cited are at risk.
Careers mentioned by disadvantaged students in Ireland had more of a risk of being automated than those desired by more affluent students and the career aspirations cited by boys in Ireland face a higher risk of job automation than those cited by girls.
Teenage students who worked part-time alongside their full-time education were far more likely to experience a range of positive benefits including higher wages, greater chances of pursuing apprenticeships and contentment in their career progression, the study says.


theirishtimes--2020-01-22--Are patient waiting lists shrinking for the right reasons?

Long waiting lists for hospital appointments and procedures represent one of the biggest failings of the current Government .
Over one million people are on one or other kind of public waiting list at present , and for much of Minister for Health Simon Harris ’ period in office , this number has been increasing .
However , over the past year , the number of inpatients waiting for a procedure has begun falling , on foot of investment by the Government in outsourcing initiatives co-ordinated by the National Treatment Purchase Fund ( NTPF ) .
This support for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ €100 million this year .
The outpatient list , for people waiting to see a consultant , was rising by 7,000 a month earlier in 2019 and it peaked in the autumn .
But it started to drop towards the end of the year .
Last December , in the biggest drop seen in years , the outpatient list fell by 10,000 .
So while the numbers remain large – 553,000 on the outpatient list and 67,000 on the inpatient list – these trends allowed Government Ministers to state – with apparent accuracy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ election campaign that things were “ getting better ” in health .
As Bill Clinton once said , one of the main questions that matters in public service is : “ Are things coming apart or coming together ?
” Falling waiting lists allow Ministers to show that things are “ coming together ” , albeit late in the Government ’ s day .
But are the lists shrinking because more patients are being seen , or because more patients are being removed from lists without ever seeing a consultant or an operating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the process of checking whether a patient still needs to be on a waiting list , is a necessary process .
Patients may no longer need to see the doctor .
They may have received treatment privately .
They may be dead .
However , the manner in which this process is carried out has been the subject of criticism .
In 2018 , GPs complained that many of their patients were being taken off lists without their consent and accused hospital groups of “ cynical manipulation ” .
As a result , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ work and put in place a standardised process .
It set a target of sending out 250,000 validation letters and actually sent 266,000 .
GPs say the new system is working better .
Patients on a list for more than six months receive a letter asking whether they wish to remain on the list or not .
If they reply “ no ” , they are removed from the list and if they say “ yes ” they stay on it .
If they don ’ t reply , they are written to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ response is received , they are removed from the list .
Their GP is then informed of this .
NTPF figures obtained by The Irish Times show there was a massive increase in validations in the second half of last year .
About 75,000 outpatients were validated in the last three months of 2019 , for example , compared to none in the first nine months of 2018 .
Perhaps it is just coincidental that this period coincides with the run-up to the general election .
Curiously , too , the number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lists is exceeded by the number removed due to a non-response .
Last year , 45,270 people were taken off the outpatient list , of which 21,287 specifically asked to be removed .
Another 7,651 were removed from the inpatient list , of which 3,296 asked to be removed .
It is unclear what checks were used to ensure no one was taken off a waiting list inappropriately .
What we can say is that the biggest contributor to falling waiting lists has been this massive validation exercise carried out over the past @ @ @

Over one million people are on one or other kind of public waiting list at present, and for much of Minister for Health Simon Harris’ period in office, this number has been increasing. Photograph: Alan Betson
Long waiting lists for hospital appointments and procedures represent one of the biggest failings of the current Government.
Over one million people are on one or other kind of public waiting list at present, and for much of Minister for Health Simon Harris’ period in office, this number has been increasing.
However, over the past year, the number of inpatients waiting for a procedure has begun falling, on foot of investment by the Government in outsourcing initiatives co-ordinated by the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF). This support for the NTPF cost €75 million last year and €100 million this year.
The outpatient list, for people waiting to see a consultant, was rising by 7,000 a month earlier in 2019 and it peaked in the autumn. But it started to drop towards the end of the year. Last December, in the biggest drop seen in years, the outpatient list fell by 10,000.
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Necessary process
So while the numbers remain large – 553,000 on the outpatient list and 67,000 on the inpatient list – these trends allowed Government Ministers to state – with apparent accuracy – in the first days of the election campaign that things were “getting better” in health.
Patients may no longer need to see the doctor. They may have received treatment privately. They may be dead
As Bill Clinton once said, one of the main questions that matters in public service is: "Are things coming apart or coming together?" Falling waiting lists allow Ministers to show that things are "coming together", albeit late in the Government's day.
But are the lists shrinking because more patients are being seen, or because more patients are being removed from lists without ever seeing a consultant or an operating theatre?
So-called “validation”, the process of checking whether a patient still needs to be on a waiting list, is a necessary process. Patients may no longer need to see the doctor. They may have received treatment privately. They may be dead.
However, the manner in which this process is carried out has been the subject of criticism. In 2018, GPs complained that many of their patients were being taken off lists without their consent and accused hospital groups of “cynical manipulation”.
As a result, the NTPF took over co-ordination of the work and put in place a standardised process. It set a target of sending out 250,000 validation letters and actually sent 266,000.
GPs say the new system is working better. Patients on a list for more than six months receive a letter asking whether they wish to remain on the list or not. If they reply “no”, they are removed from the list and if they say “yes” they stay on it.
Coincidental
If they don’t reply, they are written to a second time, and if no response is received, they are removed from the list. Their GP is then informed of this.
It is unclear what checks were used to ensure no one was taken off a waiting list inappropriately
NTPF figures obtained by The Irish Times show there was a massive increase in validations in the second half of last year. About 75,000 outpatients were validated in the last three months of 2019, for example, compared to none in the first nine months of 2018. Perhaps it is just coincidental that this period coincides with the run-up to the general election.
Curiously, too, the number of patients who asked to be taken off lists is exceeded by the number removed due to a non-response. Last year, 45,270 people were taken off the outpatient list, of which 21,287 specifically asked to be removed. Another 7,651 were removed from the inpatient list, of which 3,296 asked to be removed.
It is unclear what checks were used to ensure no one was taken off a waiting list inappropriately. What we can say is that the biggest contributor to falling waiting lists has been this massive validation exercise carried out over the past six months.


theirishtimes--2020-01-22--Some 45,000 taken off waiting lists last year without seeing medical specialist

More than 45,000 people were removed from outpatient waiting lists without ever seeing a medical specialist last year .
Just under half of these requested to be taken off the hospital outpatient waiting list as part of an official exercise to check whether they still required a medical specialist consultation – suggesting that about 24,000 names were removed after failing to respond to letters sent out as part of this process .
New figures show that there was a major intensification of the waiting list validation process in the second half of last year carried out by the National Treatment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ January last year just over 420 people were removed from outpatient waiting lists .
In May the number had increased to more than 4,000 , and in June there were over 5,700 people removed from the outpatient waiting list .
The Government has said better validation will mean other patients get seen quicker , and will reduce the number of no-shows for appointments .
Overall more than 236,000 people on outpatient waiting lists were contacted as part of the validation process last year .
Stephen McMahon of the Irish Patients Association said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from waiting lists on their own request , but he had “ concerns ” over cases where they were taken off the list for failing to respond to validation letters .
“ We have to be sure every hospital is adhering to NTPF guidelines , ” he said , adding that some patients were waiting so long to be seen that they ended up having to go to hospital emergency departments for treatment .
Tramore GP Austin Byrne said the “ main problem ” was with patients getting removed from waiting lists for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the NTPF had streamlined the process to “ good effect ” since it took over validation from hospitals in 2018 , and the “ big push ” to remove patients from lists appeared to be over , he added .
Dublin GP Ray Walley said some patients struggled to engage with the validation process , and “ there could be a bit more humanity in it ” .
The NTPF said it worked to deliver shorter waiting times for consultant appointments and surgery .
It said as part of the process patients @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they still required hospital care , and if they did not respond a second letter was then sent .
“ If the patient fails to respond to the second letter or requests removal the patient ’ s hospital is informed .
Following review by the hospital , where appropriate a decision is then taken whether to remove the patient from the waiting list in compliance with national protocols.
” GPs are also informed , and patients can be placed back on the list for the original date .
Details of the scale of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for outpatient appointments come as the outgoing Government has maintained – accurately – that the numbers queueing to see a medical specialist are falling for the first time in a number of years .
The number of patients waiting for an outpatient appointment fell in December by 10,000 , the biggest single-month drop seen in several years .
The NTPF figures show the validation process was a major contributor to this reduction .
There were 553,434 outpatients on the waiting list at the end of the month , according to figures released by @ @ @ @ @ @

The NTPF said as part of its validation process patients were written to in order to confirm they still required hospital care, and if they did not respond a second letter was sent
More than 45,000 people were removed from outpatient waiting lists without ever seeing a medical specialist last year.
Just under half of these requested to be taken off the hospital outpatient waiting list as part of an official exercise to check whether they still required a medical specialist consultation – suggesting that about 24,000 names were removed after failing to respond to letters sent out as part of this process.
New figures show that there was a major intensification of the waiting list validation process in the second half of last year carried out by the National Treatment Purchase Fund (NTPF).
In January last year just over 420 people were removed from outpatient waiting lists.
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In May the number had increased to more than 4,000, and in June there were over 5,700 people removed from the outpatient waiting list.
The Government has said better validation will mean other patients get seen quicker, and will reduce the number of no-shows for appointments.
Overall more than 236,000 people on outpatient waiting lists were contacted as part of the validation process last year.
Stephen McMahon of the Irish Patients Association said he had no issue with patients being removed from waiting lists on their own request, but he had “concerns” over cases where they were taken off the list for failing to respond to validation letters.
“We have to be sure every hospital is adhering to NTPF guidelines,” he said, adding that some patients were waiting so long to be seen that they ended up having to go to hospital emergency departments for treatment.
Validation
Tramore GP Austin Byrne said the “main problem” was with patients getting removed from waiting lists for failing to respond to letters. However, the NTPF had streamlined the process to “good effect” since it took over validation from hospitals in 2018, and the “big push” to remove patients from lists appeared to be over, he added.
The INMO said 100,457 patients had gone without beds in Irish hospitals in 2019 so far this year. File image: Alan Betson
Dublin GP Ray Walley said some patients struggled to engage with the validation process, and “there could be a bit more humanity in it”.
The NTPF said it worked to deliver shorter waiting times for consultant appointments and surgery.
It said as part of the process patients were written to in order to confirm they still required hospital care, and if they did not respond a second letter was then sent.
“If the patient fails to respond to the second letter or requests removal the patient’s hospital is informed. Following review by the hospital, where appropriate a decision is then taken whether to remove the patient from the waiting list in compliance with national protocols.”
GPs are also informed, and patients can be placed back on the list for the original date.
Medical specialist
Details of the scale of the numbers removed from the waiting lists for outpatient appointments come as the outgoing Government has maintained – accurately – that the numbers queueing to see a medical specialist are falling for the first time in a number of years.
The number of patients waiting for an outpatient appointment fell in December by 10,000, the biggest single-month drop seen in several years. The NTPF figures show the validation process was a major contributor to this reduction.
There were 553,434 outpatients on the waiting list at the end of the month, according to figures released by the NTPF earlier this month.


theirishtimes--2020-01-22--Eating out in Dublin – the homeless way

Eating out in Dublin – the homeless way

Emmanuel Neascu ( 2 ) is one of a growing number of Dublin children regularly getting their evening meal from free-food stalls in the city centre .
Sunday night finds him at College Green with his parents Cristina and Constantin , where Feed Our Homeless is serving chicken curry and rice , sausages and mash potato , as well as soup , tea , coffee , biscuits and bottled water to anyone who needs it .
Originally from Romania and in Ireland for two years , the family shares a house with 10 other people , paying €900 a month @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a kitchen porter , earning about €1,800 a month .
“ For eat we come here sometimes to save some money .
We like Ireland .
It is good for having a job , but it is expensive to live , ” says Cristina .
“ It is not so good if you don ’ t have much money.
” Another family , including five children aged between two months and 17 years , are here with their mother .
Living in homeless accommodation on nearby Gardiner Street , they don ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no cooking facilities , says the 17-year-old girl , adding that the food here is “ the best ” .
They eat quickly as they need to get back to the hotel “ to get ready for school in the morning ” .
Also here are several older people , including one very frail looking woman aged 80 .
Dressed in a beige coat , woollen trousers and boots , she is crouched over as she stands waiting for the volunteers to begin serving .
She does not want to talk to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from “ the south side ” .
Angela ( 74 ) does not want to give her surname .
She is from Co Meath , and stresses she is “ not homeless ” and does not come regularly for food .
Asked if money is tight , she says : “ Well this is it .
It ’ s hard managing , and the staff here are lovely.
” John Nugent ( 75 ) , originally from Doonbeg , Co Clare , is renting a “ small flat ” in Rathmines .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m living beyond my means ...
I get out every day .
I have a roof over my head .
I go to Mass every morning and I ’ m alive.
” Feed Our Homeless , founded in 2016 by addiction counsellor Tony Walsh , is part of a proliferation of voluntary projects providing food to some of the poorest people in the city centre and throughout suburbs like Ballyfermot , Coolock , Clondalkin and Tallaght .
It runs a street stall three nights a week between 7.30pm and 10pm , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week .
On a recent Sunday night the stall for the first time ran out of food some 90 minutes after opening .
The organisation is one of at least a dozen entirely voluntary groups that have emerged in Dublin in recent years in response to the homelessness crisis , providing free food in the city centre and suburbs .
The Dublin Region Homeless Executive has voiced concern the groups could be diverting homeless people away from statutory services .
But Mr Walsh says the need is clear .
“ The numbers are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It ’ s phenomenal .
Things are not getting better .
They are getting worse.
” Most of those using the free-food stall on the Sunday evening appear to be aged between 30 and 55 .
Some are in good form , chatting with volunteers .
Some eat quietly and leave , including one Asian woman in her 40s who walks some way from the stall to eat away from the melee .
A woman in her 30s from Finglas says he has been homeless since just after Christmas following rows with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ went belly-up , ” she says .
She is staying with a friend “ for now ” .
Several are sleeping rough , explaining they prefer to be than to go to a hostel due to drug-taking and thefts in the hostels .
A number say they would use the hostels if they had their own room , but most rooms are multiple occupancy .
Declan ( 55 ) , who does not want to give his surname , shows a picture of his “ campsite up the mountains ” – a tent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He gets a bus into the city daily .
“ The hostels are totally dysfunctional , ” he says .
Some are clearly distressed .
Early in the evening an argument breaks out when a man takes a chocolate bar without queueing .
He gets agitated , yelling , “ it ’ s just one bar ” .
Mr Walsh takes him aside , explaining he is welcome but has to queue .
He breaks down crying .
He has been sleeping in the Phoenix Park since January last year and has “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and from Co Offaly , he was evicted from his flat two years ago because it was “ full of damp ” and the landlady was not allowed let it anymore .
“ I ’ m homeless since .
I had everything .
I was working on the buildings .
I have tried to get work .
It doesn ’ t come through as soon as they see you ’ re homeless .
“ A way out of this ?
A place .
Give me a place .
A place to stay and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ll pay my rent .
I ’ ll do anything .
People don ’ t realise .
”

Cristina Moczek, her husband Constantin Neacsu and their son Emmanuel (2) with food from Feed Our Homeless at College Green, Dublin. Photograph: Damien Eagers
Emmanuel Neascu (2) is one of a growing number of Dublin children regularly getting their evening meal from free-food stalls in the city centre.
Sunday night finds him at College Green with his parents Cristina and Constantin, where Feed Our Homeless is serving chicken curry and rice, sausages and mash potato, as well as soup, tea, coffee, biscuits and bottled water to anyone who needs it.
Originally from Romania and in Ireland for two years, the family shares a house with 10 other people, paying €900 a month for one room. Constantin works as a kitchen porter, earning about €1,800 a month.
“For eat we come here sometimes to save some money. We like Ireland. It is good for having a job, but it is expensive to live,” says Cristina. “It is not so good if you don’t have much money.”
READ MORE
Another family, including five children aged between two months and 17 years, are here with their mother. Living in homeless accommodation on nearby Gardiner Street, they don’t want to be named.
They have no cooking facilities, says the 17-year-old girl, adding that the food here is “the best”. They eat quickly as they need to get back to the hotel “to get ready for school in the morning”.
I have a roof over my head. I go to Mass every morning and I'm alive
Also here are several older people, including one very frail looking woman aged 80. Dressed in a beige coat, woollen trousers and boots, she is crouched over as she stands waiting for the volunteers to begin serving. She does not want to talk to a journalist, saying only that she is from “the south side”.
Dan Octivian (32), originally from Romania, with a sleeping bag over his shoulders, after receiving food provided by the Feed Our Homeless charity at College Green in Dublin. Photograph: Damien Eagers
Angela (74) does not want to give her surname. She is from Co Meath, and stresses she is “not homeless” and does not come regularly for food. Asked if money is tight, she says: “Well this is it. It’s hard managing, and the staff here are lovely.”
John Nugent (75), originally from Doonbeg, Co Clare, is renting a "small flat" in Rathmines. "I suppose I'm here because I'm living beyond my means...I get out every day. I have a roof over my head. I go to Mass every morning and I'm alive."
Voluntary projects
Feed Our Homeless, founded in 2016 by Dublin man Tony Walsh, is part of a proliferation of voluntary projects providing food to some of the poorest people in the city centre and throughout suburbs like Ballyfermot, Coolock, Clondalkin and Tallaght.
An elderly woman watches as the Feed Our Homeless charity provides help at College Green in Dublin. Photograph: Damien Eagers
It runs a street stall three nights a week between 7.30pm and 10pm, and a rough-sleeper outreach seven nights a week.
The numbers are going up and up all the time. It's phenomenal. Things are not getting better. They are getting worse
On a recent Sunday night the stall for the first time ran out of food some 90 minutes after opening.
The organisation is one of at least a dozen entirely voluntary groups that have emerged in Dublin in recent years in response to the homelessness crisis, providing free food in the city centre and suburbs.
The Dublin Region Homeless Executive has voiced concern the groups could be diverting homeless people away from statutory services. But Mr Walsh says the need is clear.
“The numbers are going up and up all the time. It’s phenomenal. Things are not getting better. They are getting worse.”
Most of those using the free-food stall on the Sunday evening appear to be aged between 30 and 55. Some are in good form, chatting with volunteers.
The homeless queue for food from Feed Our Homeless at College Green in Dublin. Photograph: Damien Eagers
Some eat quietly and leave, including one Asian woman in her 40s who walks some way from the stall to eat away from the melee.
A woman in her 30s from Finglas says he has been homeless since just after Christmas following rows with her parents. "It all just went belly-up," she says. She is staying with a friend "for now".
I had everything. I was working on the buildings. I have tried to get work. It doesn't come through as soon as they see you're homeless
Several are sleeping rough, explaining they prefer to be than to go to a hostel due to drug-taking and thefts in the hostels. A number say they would use the hostels if they had their own room, but most rooms are multiple occupancy.
Declan (55), who does not want to give his surname, shows a picture of his “campsite up the mountains” – a tent and cooking stove in a field. He gets a bus into the city daily. “The hostels are totally dysfunctional,” he says.
Distressed
Some are clearly distressed. Early in the evening an argument breaks out when a man takes a chocolate bar without queueing. He gets agitated, yelling, “it’s just one bar”.
Mr Walsh takes him aside, explaining he is welcome but has to queue. He breaks down crying. He has been sleeping in the Phoenix Park since January last year and has "just had enough".
Aged 50 and from Co Offaly, he was evicted from his flat two years ago because it was “full of damp” and the landlady was not allowed let it anymore.
“I’m homeless since. I had everything. I was working on the buildings. I have tried to get work. It doesn’t come through as soon as they see you’re homeless.
“A way out of this? A place. Give me a place. A place to stay and I’ll work. I’ll pay my rent. I’ll do anything. People don’t realise.”


theirishtimes--2020-01-22--RIC row: ‘Shameful’ if spirit and tolerance of 2016 events lost

Politicians have been told it “ will be a shame , and shameful ” if the tolerance that has marked the Decade of Commemorations is lost following the controversy surrounding the Royal Irish Constabulary ( RIC ) .
In a pointed speech on Tuesday night , the chair of the Expert Advisory Group , Dr Maurice Manning , urged “ all political parties and their leaders ” to realise that “ these are fragile times ” .
“ Genuine leadership requires a proactive approach from them – all of them – in ensuring that the generous , curious and collaborative @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not shattered .
“ It will be a shame , and shameful , if the spirit of openness and tolerance which has made all of this possible is fractured and damaged .
We all have a responsibility to ensure this is not allowed happen .
We need to make our voices heard.
” The Government and the experts ’ group had been “ reflecting ” since the row broke out early in the new year on the way forward “ and we do need to up our game , and will do so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the opening of The Irish Wars Gallery 1919-1923 exhibition at the National Museum of Ireland in Collins Barracks , Dublin .
The backlash over the now postponed RIC/Dublin Metropolitan Police commemoration at Dublin Castle was “ a warning shot which must be heeded ” , he said .
“ Sadly , recent events have not been helpful .
In fact they have been worrying given some of the extreme language and political posturing we have seen.
” Dr Manning said he hoped the War of Independence and Civil War commemorations were marked by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Easter Rising .
“ There is as yet no sense of commemoration fatigue .
The opening of archives and the busy burrowing of historians – professional and amateur – is giving new insights , new knowledge and a new sense of the complexities of that period .
“ As a people we were rightly proud of how we as a country commemorated 1916 with style , generosity and pride .
For once we looked like a people at ease with our own history .
”

Dr Maurice Manning, chair of the Expert Advisory Group, and Catherine Heaney, chair of National Museum of Ireland, at the opening of the Irish Wars Gallery 1919-1923 exhibition at the museum in Collins Barracks, Dublin. Photograph: Julien Behal Photography
Politicians have been told it "will be a shame, and shameful" if the tolerance that has marked the Decade of Commemorations is lost following the controversy surrounding the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC).
In a pointed speech on Tuesday night, the chair of the Expert Advisory Group, Dr Maurice Manning, urged "all political parties and their leaders" to realise that "these are fragile times".
“Genuine leadership requires a proactive approach from them – all of them – in ensuring that the generous, curious and collaborative spirit of the past few years is not shattered.
RIC men on platform at an unidentified station. The idea of an uncontentious commemoration of the RIC was always an impossibility
“It will be a shame, and shameful, if the spirit of openness and tolerance which has made all of this possible is fractured and damaged. We all have a responsibility to ensure this is not allowed happen. We need to make our voices heard.”
READ MORE
The Government and the experts’ group had been “reflecting” since the row broke out early in the new year on the way forward “and we do need to up our game, and will do so”.
Dr Manning was speaking at the opening of The Irish Wars Gallery 1919-1923 exhibition at the National Museum of Ireland in Collins Barracks, Dublin.
The backlash over the now postponed RIC/Dublin Metropolitan Police commemoration at Dublin Castle was "a warning shot which must be heeded", he said.
The opening of archives and the busy burrowing of historians – professional and amateur – is giving new insights, new knowledge
“Sadly, recent events have not been helpful. In fact they have been worrying given some of the extreme language and political posturing we have seen.”
Dr Manning said he hoped the War of Independence and Civil War commemorations were marked by the same spirit as that shown for the Easter Rising.
Sir Hamer Greenwood, chief secretary for Ireland, inspecting the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC)
“There is as yet no sense of commemoration fatigue. The opening of archives and the busy burrowing of historians – professional and amateur – is giving new insights, new knowledge and a new sense of the complexities of that period.
“As a people we were rightly proud of how we as a country commemorated 1916 with style, generosity and pride. For once we looked like a people at ease with our own history.”


theirishtimes--2020-01-22--School closures over strike set to be greater than anticipated

The scale of school closures on February 4th next is set to be greater than anticipated after the Association of Secondary Teachers of Ireland ( ASTI ) issued instruction to members including principals and deputies not to provide cover for their striking colleagues .
About 19,000 Teachers ’ Union of Ireland ( TUI ) members in secondary schools , institutes of technology and centres for further education are due to stage a one-day stoppage next month , just days before the general election , in protest at the existing two-tier pay system for teachers .
The ASTI is not involved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guidance to members on what to do during the stoppage .
The letter to members states that they should turn up for work as normal on February 4th on the basis that if they refused to work on the day , they would be deemed to be engaging in unofficial industrial action .
The union says ASTI members would be paid even if their school was closed as a result of the TUI strike .
Crucially , the union guidance states that “ no member of ASTI , including principal teachers , deputy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ undertake any duties that are normally done by colleagues who are members of TUI ” .
It adds : “ No ASTI member can undertake the supervision/substitution duties of an absent TUI colleague on 4th February who will be engaged in industrial action .
Redesign of the roster with a view to having ASTI members cover supervision slots normally undertaken by TUI colleagues is not acceptable.
” The move means that most secondary schools will shut on health and safety grounds , even if only a small number of teachers are TUI members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 260 under the wing of Education and Training Boards will almost certainly close should the strike proceed , while the vast majority of the almost 100 community and comprehensive schools are also set to shut .
In addition , large numbers of the 380 voluntary secondary schools look set to close on foot of the latest guidance .
While these schools have traditionally been exclusively staffed by ASTI members , many now also have staff represented by the TUI as well .
The school management organisation for the voluntary sector , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expects significant disruption on foot of the union guidance .
“ The ASTI position will make it difficult for voluntary secondary schools , with even limited numbers of TUI members , to remain operational , ” said John Curtin , general secretary of the joint managerial body .
The planned strike is in protest at continuation of the controversial two-tier pay system in place for teachers recruited since 2011 .
The dispute is aimed at making what the union described as “ pay discrimination ” a key political issue in the general election @ @

The ASTI is not involved in the strike but has issued new guidance to members on what to do during the stoppage. File photograph: Getty
The scale of school closures on February 4th next is set to be greater than anticipated after the Association of Secondary Teachers of Ireland (ASTI) issued instruction to members including principals and deputies not to provide cover for their striking colleagues.
About 19,000 Teachers’ Union of Ireland (TUI) members in secondary schools, institutes of technology and centres for further education are due to stage a one-day stoppage next month, just days before the general election, in protest at the existing two-tier pay system for teachers.
The ASTI is not involved in the strike but has issued new guidance to members on what to do during the stoppage.
The letter to members states that they should turn up for work as normal on February 4th on the basis that if they refused to work on the day, they would be deemed to be engaging in unofficial industrial action. The union says ASTI members would be paid even if their school was closed as a result of the TUI strike.
READ MORE
Crucially, the union guidance states that “no member of ASTI, including principal teachers, deputy principal teachers and/or other post holders may undertake any duties that are normally done by colleagues who are members of TUI”.
It adds: “No ASTI member can undertake the supervision/substitution duties of an absent TUI colleague on 4th February who will be engaged in industrial action. Redesign of the roster with a view to having ASTI members cover supervision slots normally undertaken by TUI colleagues is not acceptable.”
The move means that most secondary schools will shut on health and safety grounds, even if only a small number of teachers are TUI members.
Of the 700-plus secondary schools, about 260 under the wing of Education and Training Boards will almost certainly close should the strike proceed, while the vast majority of the almost 100 community and comprehensive schools are also set to shut.
ASTI members
In addition, large numbers of the 380 voluntary secondary schools look set to close on foot of the latest guidance.
While these schools have traditionally been exclusively staffed by ASTI members, many now also have staff represented by the TUI as well.
The school management organisation for the voluntary sector, the joint managerial body, said it now expects significant disruption on foot of the union guidance.
"The ASTI position will make it difficult for voluntary secondary schools, with even limited numbers of TUI members, to remain operational," said John Curtin, general secretary of the joint managerial body.
The planned strike is in protest at continuation of the controversial two-tier pay system in place for teachers recruited since 2011.
The dispute is aimed at making what the union described as “pay discrimination” a key political issue in the general election campaign.


theirishtimes--2020-01-21--Drew Harris says Garda has necessary firearms capacity

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has rejected claims made by the Garda Representative Association ( GRA ) that the force ’ s armed response capability was at times not fit to deal with a serious firearms or terrorist incident .
In a memo to all Garda members on Tuesday , Mr Harris said : “ I want to assure you all , but especially our operational members , that An Garda Síochána has a specialist firearms response capability sufficient to meet any critical incidents that may occur in the State.
” The issue is very contentious as feuding between armed gangs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and parts of Dublin and Europe remains on alert of Islamist extremist terror attacks .
Furthermore , because uniformed gardaí patrolling across the country are unarmed , the availability of rapid armed back-up should they require it has always been a significant safety concern .
A 2,000-word letter was sent by GRA representative Ciarán O ’ Neill on Monday to Supt Alan McGovern of the Garda Special Tactics and Operations Command ( STOC ) who heads the elite armed unit .
The contents of the letter emerged on Tuesday morning , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the main points made in it .
The commissioner said that , far from the Garda ’ s armed response capability being weakened and under-resourced , it had been expanded in recent years and that further expansion was planned .
There was now an armed support unit ( ASU ) in every Garda region , with two more planned that would be based in Cavan and Enniscorthy , Co Wexford .
While courses would soon commence to select more Garda members for ASUs , there were already 180 personnel in the units .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ as the separate emergency response unit ( ERU ) based in Dublin .
The GRA ’ s criticisms focused on what it said was inadequate resourcing of the ERU , where it said there were 21 vacancies and where overtime had been cut .
However , Mr Harris pointed out that changes made to how the Garda responded to serious incidents meant the ASUs were now the first layer of armed response to serious incidents , and not the ERU .
Furthermore , while the GRA stated ballistic vests used by Garda members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ date and past warranty , Mr Harris said all ballistic protection kit used by the units was taken for testing each year .
He added new ballistic equipment was also being ordered .
The fact the letter was sent and emerged publicly during a general election campaign and after a series of violent attacks , including shootings , in Dublin , Louth and Cork has angered some in senior Garda management .
Mr O ’ Neill said on last Friday , “ a day that the Taoiseach and the Minister for Justice openly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on resources to deal with organised crime ” , there was no ERU to deal with “ any call ” .
He also said gardaí in Drogheda – where a gangland feud claimed the life of Keane Mulready Woods last Friday week – were last week left waiting for a number of hours for required assistance from the ERU .
The senior officer in charge of policing in the region , Chief Supt Christy Mangan , said he had never experienced issues in being supplied armed back-up when requested .
Association of Garda @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the force needed the resources for all units to be at full capacity at all times .
Society was changing and becoming more violent and the Garda needed to be able to respond to that challenge , she said .

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has rejected claims made by the Garda Representative Association (GRA) that the force's armed response capability was at times not fit to deal with a serious firearms or terrorist incident.
In a memo to all Garda members on Tuesday, Mr Harris said:"I want to assure you all, but especially our operational members, that An Garda Síochána has a specialist firearms response capability sufficient to meet any critical incidents that may occur in the State."
The issue is very contentious as feuding between armed gangs has erupted in Drogheda, Co Louth, and parts of Dublin and Europe remains on alert of Islamist extremist terror attacks.
Furthermore, because uniformed gardaí patrolling across the country are unarmed, the availability of rapid armed back-up should they require it has always been a significant safety concern.
READ MORE
A 2,000-word letter was sent by GRA representative Ciarán O’ Neill on Monday to Supt Alan McGovern of the Garda Special Tactics and Operations Command (STOC) who heads the elite armed unit.
The contents of the letter emerged on Tuesday morning, with Mr Harris later sending a memo countering the main points made in it. The commissioner said that, far from the Garda’s armed response capability being weakened and under-resourced, it had been expanded in recent years and that further expansion was planned.
There was now an armed support unit (ASU) in every Garda region, with two more planned that would be based in Cavan and Enniscorthy, Co Wexford. While courses would soon commence to select more Garda members for ASUs, there were already 180 personnel in the units.
These ASUs were in place as well as the separate emergency response unit (ERU) based in Dublin. The GRA’s criticisms focused on what it said was inadequate resourcing of the ERU, where it said there were 21 vacancies and where overtime had been cut.
Serious incidents
However, Mr Harris pointed out that changes made to how the Garda responded to serious incidents meant the ASUs were now the first layer of armed response to serious incidents, and not the ERU.
Furthermore, while the GRA stated ballistic vests used by Garda members in armed units were now out of date and past warranty, Mr Harris said all ballistic protection kit used by the units was taken for testing each year. He added new ballistic equipment was also being ordered.
The fact the letter was sent and emerged publicly during a general election campaign and after a series of violent attacks, including shootings, in Dublin, Louth and Cork has angered some in senior Garda management.
Mr O’Neill said on last Friday, “a day that the Taoiseach and the Minister for Justice openly stated that there would be no restriction on resources to deal with organised crime”, there was no ERU to deal with “any call”.
He also said gardaí in Drogheda – where a gangland feud claimed the life of Keane Mulready Woods last Friday week – were last week left waiting for a number of hours for required assistance from the ERU.
The senior officer in charge of policing in the region, Chief Supt Christy Mangan, said he had never experienced issues in being supplied armed back-up when requested.
Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors president Antoinette Cunningham said the force needed the resources for all units to be at full capacity at all times. Society was changing and becoming more violent and the Garda needed to be able to respond to that challenge, she said.


theirishtimes--2020-01-23--Murder accused told gardaí he ‘took rap’ for killing partner’s mother

A murder accused told gardaí he “ took the rap ” for killing and dismembering his partner ’ s mother , Patricia O ’ Connor , but felt he was being set-up , as his girlfriend Louise O ’ Connor subsequently started going back out with her ex , the Central Criminal Court has heard .
Father-of-three Kieran Greene also told interviewing detectives that Patricia O ’ Connor ’ s husband , Gus , had hit her twice with a black bar or crowbar , telling him : “ I ’ m defending you so you can take the rap @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) has pleaded not guilty to murdering Patricia O ’ Connor ( 61 ) at her home in Mountainview Park , Rathfarnham , Dublin 14 on May 29th , 2017 .
The Central Criminal Court has heard that the body of Mrs O ’ Connor was dismembered into 15 parts that were found at nine locations in the Dublin and Wicklow mountains between June 10th and 14th , 2017 .
The accused man also told gardaí that Louise O ’ Connor ’ s ex-partner Keith Johnston “ made a plan ” and had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s body parts beside a shallow grave in Wexford .
Mr Greene said Louise O ’ Connor had told him “ to get rid ” of her mother ’ s body and cleaned the bathroom floor .
Mr Greene also claimed that his step-daughter Stephanie O ’ Connor pretended to dress up as her retired grandmother to make it look like Mrs O ’ Connor had gone missing .
The jury was on Thursday listening to a garda interview conducted with Mr Greene on December 9th , 2017 .
The deceased ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) and granddaughter Stephanie O ’ Connor ( 22 ) , both of Millmount Court , Dundrum Road , Dublin 14 , and Louise O ’ Connor ’ s ex-partner Keith Johnston ( 43 ) , of Avonbeg Gardens , Tallaght , Dublin 24 are all charged with impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Mr Greene , knowing or believing him to have committed an arrestable offence , to wit the murder of Mrs O ’ Connor on May 29th , 2017 .
Evidence has been given that the body of Mrs O @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parts that were found at nine different locations over 30 kms in the Dublin and Wicklow mountains between June 10th and 14th , 2017 .
The jury has heard that Mr Greene walked into Rathfarnham Garda Station on June 12th , 2017 and told a detective that he had done “ something terrible ” and had scattered the body parts of the grandmother in the Dublin mountains .
Following this , Mr Greene gave four voluntary statements to gardaí on June 12th and 13th , 2017 in which he described chopping up the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beside a shallow grave “ to make her lighter ” , before he packed the parts into black bags and threw them “ all over the place up there ” .
In his interviews with gardaí , Mr Greene maintained he had carried out these activities completely on his own .
Mr Greene was arrested for the murder of Mrs O ’ Connor on the evening of June 13th , after he brought gardaí to the shallow grave in Wexford , where he said he had buried the deceased before returning some days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Detective Sergeant Brian Hanley , attached to the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation , told prosecution counsel Róisín Lacey SC on Thursday that a request was made by Mr Greene to speak to members of the senior investigating team .
Mr Greene had been charged with the murder of Mrs O ’ Connor and was on remand in Cloverhill Prison , he said .
Det Sgt Hanley said he met with Mr Greene in a visiting room in Cloverhill Prison on December 9th , 2017 at 5pm .
The witness said Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the case and explained that he had been attacked by Mrs O ’ Connor with a hurley in the bathroom of Mountainview .
Mrs O ’ Connor told Mr Greene that it was her house and she could do what she wanted , said Mr Greene .
They were struggling with the hurley , Mrs O ’ Connor got hold of it and winded him in the stomach before he went on the ground , continued the accused man .
Mr Greene said he heard someone coming down the stairs at this point @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Connor , Augustine ‘ Gus ’ O ’ Connor , came into the bathroom and gave out to his wife saying : “ What the fuck are you doing ?
” , he continued .
Following this , Mrs O ’ Connor tried to hit Gus O ’ Connor with the hurl but missed , said Mr Greene .
Gus O ’ Connor then hit his wife twice in the head with a black bar or crowbar before she fell on the bathroom floor , said Mr Greene .
The accused said Gus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m defending you so you can take the rap for this.
” Mr Greene said they panicked , didn ’ t know what to do and so he took Mrs O ’ Connor to her bedroom .
His partner Louise O ’ Connor came downstairs after hearing the voices and told them to “ get rid ” of mother ’ s body so he put her in the boot of the car .
Mr Greene said he drove to Wexford , took Mrs O ’ Connor out of the car , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ farmland .
After Mrs O ’ Connor was buried that night , Mr Greene said he drove back to Mountainview and Louise was cleaning the bathroom .
“ I told her she was buried , ” he said .
A day or two later , Mr Greene said he asked Keith Johnston for help as he had already been informed about the incident .
Mr Johnston told Mr Greene to leave it with him and a day or two later he came to Mountainview and said he had “ made a plan ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he and Mr Johnston had bought a petrol can , two stanley blades , tape and a tow rope .
They also got black bags and Mr Johnston got a hacksaw in B & Q , he added .
Later that night , Mr Greene said he brought Mr Johnston to where the body of Mrs O ’ Connor was buried in Wexford .
They dug the body of Mrs O ’ Connor up from the shallow grave and Mr Johnston started cutting her up with a saw , he said .
Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time .
The accused said Mr Johnston put her body parts into black bags before bringing him up the Wicklow mountains .
They were there for three to four hours , he said .
“ He [ Mr Johnston ] took bags from the back of the car and emptied it , he continued doing this until all the bags were gone , ” said Mr Greene , adding that they had changed their clothes on the way back .
Mr Greene said Mr Johnston told him : “ I know this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ve a background in drugs and can ’ t get into anymore trouble.
” Mr Greene said he agreed to take the blame and Mr Johnston told him : “ They will probably go easy on you.
” Mr Johnston dumped the tools in Dodder Valley Park and they burnt the clothes they had been wearing , said Mr Greene , adding that Mr Johnston came to the house the next day and painted the bathroom .
Mr Greene said he was persuaded “ into taking the blame for all this ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Stephanie O ’ Connor , Mr Greene said she had pretended to dress up as her grandmother to make it look like Mrs O ’ Connor had gone missing and left the house that night carrying a suitcase .
“ We all agreed I ’ d take the blame ; why I don ’ t know .
I feel I shouldn ’ t be taking the blame .
I feel I was set up because my Mrs and Keith are going back out , ” he said .
“ I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out there and I ’ m taking the rap for it .
The only reason I didn ’ t say anything sooner was because I was afraid for the kids , ” he continued .
“ I was persuaded to do all of this , ” he said , adding that he was concerned for his children if he and Louise had been arrested .
“ Now , I know they will go up to my ma , ” he said .
Evidence has been given that Gus O ’ Connor and Richard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ son of Mrs O ’ Connor , made a missing person report to gardaí at Rathfarnham Garda Station concerning Patricia O ’ Connor on June 1st , 2017 .
Former Deputy State Pathologist , Dr Michael Curtis , has given evidence that the grandmother ’ s body was most likely dismembered using a power tool and it was probable that her hands had been removed by a non-powered hand-held saw .
The expert witness noted that her head was struck a minimum of three blows with a solid implement and the cause of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ head .
Louise O ’ Connor has pleaded not guilty to agreeing to or acquiescing in her daughter Stephanie O ’ Connor disguising herself as Patricia O ’ Connor at Mountainview Park , Rathfarnham , Dublin 14 on May 29th , 2017 in order to conceal the fact that Patricia O ’ Connor was dead .
Mr Johnston has pleaded not guilty to assisting Mr Greene in the purchase of various implements at Woodie ’ s , Mr Price , B & Q and Shoe Zone , Tallaght , Dublin 24 on June @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be used in the concealment of the remains of Mrs O ’ Connor .
Mr Johnston also denies engaging in the refurbishment of a bathroom at Mountainview Park , Rathfarnham , Dublin 14 between May 31st , 2017 and June 9th , 2017 , in order to destroy or conceal any evidence relating to the murder of Mrs O ’ Connor .
Stephanie O ’ Connor has pleaded not guilty to disguising herself as Mrs O ’ Connor at Mountainview Park , Rathfarnham , Dublin 14 at a point in time after her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ order to conceal the fact that she was already dead .
The trial continues on Thursday afternoon before Mr Justice Paul McDermott and a jury of six men and six women .

Evidence has been given that the body of Mrs O’Connor was dismembered into 15 separate parts that were found at nine different locations over 30 kms in the Dublin and Wicklow mountains.
A murder accused told gardaí he “took the rap” for killing and dismembering his partner’s mother, Patricia O’Connor, but felt he was being set-up, as his girlfriend Louise O’Connor subsequently started going out with her ex again, the Central Criminal Court has heard.
Father-of-three Kieran Greene also told interviewing detectives that, after he was attacked by Patricia O’Connor with a hurley, her husband Augustine ‘Gus’ O’Connor hit her twice with a crowbar and then told him: “I’m defending you so you can take the rap for this.”
Mr Greene (34) has pleaded not guilty to murdering Patricia O’Connor (61) at her home in Mountainview Park, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14 on May 29th, 2017.
The Central Criminal Court has heard that the body of Mrs O’Connor was dismembered into 15 parts that were found at nine locations in the Dublin and Wicklow mountains between June 10th and 14th, 2017.
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On Thursday the court heard the accused man say that Louise O’Connor’s ex-partner Keith Johnston “made a plan” and cut up Mrs O’Connor’s body parts beside a shallow grave in Wexford before directing him up the Wicklow mountains.
Mr Greene claimed Louise O’Connor had told him “to get rid” of her mother’s body and had cleaned the floor of the bathroom where the attack took place.
Mr Greene also maintained that his step-daughter Stephanie O’Connor pretended to dress up as her retired grandmother to make it look like Mrs O’Connor had gone missing.
The jury was on Thursday listening to a garda interview conducted with Mr Greene on December 9th, 2017, six months after he told detectives that he had dismembered the body of Patricia O’Connor on his own.
The deceased’s daughter Louise O’Connor (41) and granddaughter Stephanie O’Connor (22), both of Millmount Court, Dundrum Road, Dublin 14, and Louise O’Connor’s ex-partner Mr Johnston (43), of Avonbeg Gardens, Tallaght, Dublin 24, are all charged with impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Mr Greene, knowing or believing him to have committed an arrestable offence, to wit the murder of Mrs O’Connor on May 29th, 2017.
The jury has heard that Mr Greene walked into Rathfarnham Garda Station on June 12th, 2017 and told a detective that he had done “something terrible” and had scattered the body parts of the grandmother in the Dublin mountains.
Following this, Mr Greene gave four voluntary statements to gardaí on June 12th and 13th, 2017 in which he described chopping up the body of his partner’s mother beside a shallow grave “to make her lighter”, before he packed the parts into black bags and threw them “all over the place up there”.
Mr Greene was arrested for the murder of Patricia O’Connor on the evening of June 13th, after he brought gardaí to the shallow grave in Wexford, where he said he had buried the deceased before returning some days later and cutting up her body.
Detective Sergeant Brian Hanley, attached to the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, told prosecution counsel Róisín Lacey SC on Thursday that a request was made by Mr Greene to speak to members of the senior investigating team.
At this stage, Mr Greene had been charged with the murder of Patricia O’Connor and was on remand in Cloverhill Prison, said the witness. Det Sgt Hanley said he met with Mr Greene and his solicitor in a visiting room in Cloverhill Prison on December 9th, 2017 at 5pm.
Det Sgt Hanley said Mr Greene told him he wanted to discuss the case and explained that he had been attacked by Patricia O’Connor with a hurley in the bathroom of Mountainview.
Mr Greene said he was trying to get the hurley off his partner’s mother and asked her why she had done this. Patricia O’Connor told him that it was her house and she could do what she wanted, said Mr Greene. They were struggling with the hurley and Mr Greene said he hit her twice before she grabbed it again and winded him in the stomach. He said he went on the ground before he heard someone coming down the stairs.
The accused said the husband of Patricia O’Connor, Gus O’Connor, came into the bathroom and gave out to his wife saying: “What the f**k are you doing?” Patricia O’Connor tried to hit Mr O’Connor with the hurl but missed and he then hit his wife twice in the head with a black bar or crowbar before she fell on the bathroom floor, said Mr Greene.
The accused said at this point Mr O’Connor told him: “I’m defending you so you can take the rap for this.” Mr Greene said they both panicked, did not know what to do and he took Patricia O’Connor’s body to her bedroom. His partner Louise O’Connor came downstairs after hearing the voices and told them to “get rid” of her mother’s body, so he put her remains in the boot of a car.
Mr Greene said he drove to a place in Wexford, took Patricia O’Connor’s remains out of the car, dug a hole and buried her on farmland.
Afterwards, Mr Greene said he drove back to Mountainview and Louise O’Connor was cleaning the floor of the bathroom, where the blood was. “I told her she was buried,” he said.
A day or two later, Mr Greene said he asked Mr Johnston for help as he had been informed about the incident. Mr Johnston told Mr Greene to leave it with him and a day or two later he came to Mountainview and said he had “made a plan”, he continued.
Mr Greene said he and Mr Johnston went to a Mr Price shop, where Mr Johnston bought a petrol can and they got two Stanley blades. After that, they went to B&Q and got black bags, tarpaulin and a hacksaw. Then they went to Woodies and got spare Stanley blades and a hatchet, he said.
Around 9pm that night, Mr Greene said he brought Mr Johnston to where the body of Patricia O’Connor was buried in Wexford. They dug the body of Patricia O’Connor up from the shallow grave and Mr Johnston started cutting her up with a saw, he said. Mr Greene said Mr Johnston put the body parts into black bags before he brought him up the Wicklow mountains.
“He [Mr Johnston] took bags from the back of the car and emptied it, he continued doing this until all the bags were gone,” said Mr Greene, adding that Mr Johnston would say “stop” as they drove. They changed their clothes on the way back, he said.
Mr Greene said Mr Johnston told him: “I know this is on you brother. I’ve a background in drugs and can’t get into anymore trouble.” Mr Greene said he agreed to take the blame and Mr Johnston told him: “They will probably go easy on you.”
Mr Johnston dumped the tools in Dodder Valley Park and burnt the clothes they had been wearing, said Mr Greene. He said Mr Johnston came to Mountainview the next day and scraped the tiles and painted the walls of the bathroom.
Mr Greene said he was persuaded “into taking the blame for all this” and said he would.
In relation to Stephanie O’Connor, Mr Greene said she pretended to dress up as her grandmother to make it look like Mrs O’Connor had gone missing and had left the house that night carrying a suitcase.
“We all agreed I’d take the blame; why I don’t know. I feel I shouldn’t be taking the blame. I feel I was set up because my Mrs and Keith are going back out,” he said.
“I’m facing a murder charge and they are out there and I’m taking the rap for it. The only reason I didn’t say anything sooner was because I was afraid for the kids.”
He again insisted to gardaí that Mr O’Connor had hit his wife over the head twice and demonstrated the action. Mr Greene said he did not know what happened to the crowbar, which he described as being around a foot-and-a-half in length. “I don’t know if it was a crowbar with a curl at the end, I just saw the bar part of it,” he continued.
Mr Greene said Louise O’Connor had rang Mr Johnston on the phone to tell him what happened.
The accused man said he was getting sick as Mr Johnston cut Patricia O’Connor’s body up. “I helped him with the parts he put into the bags into the car,” he said, adding that they had been in the field for between three and four hours.
Mr Greene said he did not understand why Stephanie O’Connor had dressed up as her grandmother and he thought Patricia O’Connor’s remains were in the boot at the time.
“I was persuaded to do all of this,” he said, adding that he was concerned for his children if he and Louise O’Connor had been arrested. “Now, I know they will go up to my ma,” he said.
The accused said Mr O’Connor had killed Patricia O’Connor between midnight and 1am, when everyone was in bed. “I honestly didn’t do it. I swear on anyone’s life I didn’t do it, you have to believe me,” he concluded.
At this point, Mr Justice Paul McDermott warned the jury that anything said by Mr Greene in the trial is only evidence against him. “It is not to be used and cannot be used as evidence against any of the co-accused as a matter of law,” he emphasised, adding that it was very important they understood this.
Sergeant Nuala Burke told Ms Lacey that she took a voluntary statement from Stephanie O’Connor on June 13th, 2017. Stephanie O’Connor said she always held Mr Greene in high regard for being a great dad to his three kids. She said Patricia O’Connor and Mr O’Connor had never lived as husband and wife.
Her grandmother had retired the year before and did not leave the house, she said, adding that she rarely went outside. “When she had good days she was great, when bad times she was terrible,” she said. Patricia O’Connor “sucked the life out” of her mother Louise O’Connor and made life very difficult, she said, adding that her grandmother hung over them the fact she could throw them out of the house at anytime. She said she liked to make people unhappy.
Stephanie O’Connor said that on the night her grandmother went missing, she heard her say: “I will be back when he kicks his clogs.” Stephanie O’Connor said she did not wake during the night and did not recall any disturbance.
She said she started to suspect Mr Greene had done something to her grandmother. She said Mr Greene told them “nana” had hit him with a hurley and before he knew it she was dead on the floor. He said he brought the body to Wexford and Stephanie O’Connor said she did not want to know any other details.
Garda David Sheahan gave evidence of taking a child’s hurley from Mountainview on June 13th, which was up against a fireguard. The witness took a voluntary statement from Mr Johnston on June 14th, 2017. Mr Johnston said he started going out with Louise O’Connor in 1995 and she got pregnant with Stephanie O’Connor in 1997. He said he moved into the house at Mountainview for over a year in 2006. He said Patricia O’Connor would pick on Mr O’Connor more than anyone else and described him as a placid man.
Mr Johnston said he did not get on with Mr Greene initially when he started going out with Louise O’Connor but they later became friendly. He said he was aware of a “big blow up” in Mountainview on May 29th and had fixed a step and tiles in the bathroom of the house but did not get Mr Greene to help as he was “useless”.
“I kind of thought when doing that, that I could be potentially cleaning up a crime scene. There was a nagging thought in the back of my head but I thought nothing of it,” Mr Johnston commented.
He said Mr Greene had been “extra quiet” and there was tension in the house. “It became fairly apparent he killed Trish”, he said, and when Louise O’Connor found out she was almost sick in front of him. “I’ve never seen Patricia hit anyone, it was always her mouth,” he concluded.
Louise O’Connor has pleaded not guilty to agreeing to or acquiescing in her daughter Stephanie O’Connor disguising herself as Patricia O’Connor at Mountainview Park, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14 on May 29th, 2017 in order to conceal the fact that Patricia O’Connor was dead.
Mr Johnston has pleaded not guilty to assisting Mr Greene in the purchase of various implements at Woodie’s, Mr Price, B&Q and Shoe Zone, Tallaght, Dublin 24 on June 9th, 2017, which were to be used in the concealment of the remains of Patricia O’Connor.
Mr Johnston also denies engaging in the refurbishment of a bathroom at Mountainview Park, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14 between May 31st, 2017 and June 9th, 2017, in order to destroy or conceal any evidence relating to the murder of Patricia O’Connor.
Stephanie O’Connor has pleaded not guilty to disguising herself as Patricia O’Connor at Mountainview Park, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14 at a point in time after her murder on May 29th, 2017 in order to conceal the fact that she was already dead.
The trial continues before Mr Justice McDermott and a jury of six men and six women.


theirishtimes--2020-01-23--Teen guilty of dangerous driving in graveyard spared jail

A Dublin youth found guilty of dangerous driving in a graveyard and leading gardaí on a high-speed pursuit has been spared a jail sentence .
The then 17-year-old boy had denied the allegations and claimed he was travelling as a passenger in the car but he was found guilty following a hearing before Judge Brendan Toale at the Dublin Children ’ s Court in December .
Sentencing was adjourned until Thursday for a probation report to be prepared .
An order prohibiting identification of the accused , Dean Cullen , aged 18 and therefore now an adult , from Kilcarrig @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was discontinued by Judge Toale on Thursday following an application by media outlets .
The youth , who wants to be a mechanic , was placed on supervised probation for nine months and banned from driving for four years .
The pursuit started at Bohernabreena Cemetery in south County Dublin at just before 4pm on November 15th , 2018 , less than a month after he had been already disqualified from driving .
The car was driven alongside graves before it broke red lights , was driven on wrong sides of the road @ @ @ @ @ @ @ areas before it was abandoned while it was still moving .
Pleading for leniency , defence solicitor Brian Keenan asked Judge Toale to note the pre-sentence report was positive and it said the teen was suitable for probation supervision .
He was engaging with educational service and wanted to complete the Leaving Certificate .
The youth now had insight into how cannabis use had impacted negatively on his behaviour and he was apologetic , the solicitor said .
He had not continued to come to Garda attention .
Addressing education and training was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Garda David Connolly told the court he responded to a report of a car driving dangerously at the cemetery .
His attention was drawn to a small silver car in the graveyard car park .
It began speeding hard on graves and accelerating hard , and drove toward the patrol car but there was not enough room for two cars to pass on the narrow roadway , he told the court .
Detective Garda Connolly reversed and the silver vehicle approached at speed passing close by the unmarked car on his right hand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ car would have been against the graves along the roadway , he said .
He recalled having a good look at the young man driving , and that he noticed there was a female front seat passenger in the car .
The silver car headed to the exit which had high walls on either side while the garda activated his lights and sirens .
The car drove out of the cemetery at speed and turned right giving no chance for traffic coming from either direction , he said .
Detective Garda Connolly told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ number of bends sometimes on the wrong side of the road .
At a T-junction it turned right and cut onto the wrong side of the road as it travelled in the direction of the Old Bawn area in Tallaght .
It broke a red light while there was heavy traffic and headed in the direction of the Tallaght by-pass “ down the centre of the road ” .
Other vehicles had to take “ avoidance action ” .
It overtook a stationary line of traffic and headed toward Jobstown , the court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ front of a motorcycle , and forced other vehicles to take avoidance action on the N81 outbound .
He could see the car was “ skidding right and left , accelerating hard and braking hard ” .
It broke another red light and drove on the wrong side of the road passing stationary traffic before it mounted a kerb at Cloonmore Park .
It started to rain as the car drove across a green where there was a man walking a dog and someone else using a quad bike .
The car drove @ @ @ @ @ @ @ green and made its way to the Jobstown Road and back into an estate where it mounted another green .
It then drove toward Cloonmore Park and turned 90 degrees .
At that stage , the detective said , he momentarily lost sight of the car but he rounded a bend and saw in the centre of the road “ still moving and there did not appear to be anyone in it ” .
He said he saw the driver climb a garden wall and he went to ground .
Garda Mark Cullen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the accused .
He claimed he immediately recognised him as the same person driving the car .
He did not know where the female passenger went .
In evidence the teen claimed he had been a passenger , another male was the driver and they had gone to the cemetery to visit a grave .
He was found guilty of dangerous driving and not having motor insurance or a licence .
He had five convictions for motoring offences including dangerous driving .
Following the hearing last month , the judge had acceded to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reporting restrictions preventing the naming of the youth who had reached adulthood by the time of his trial .
The order had been made under Section 45 of the Courts ( Supplemental Provisions ) Act 1961 .
However , following an application from the media on Thursday it was discontinued .
The media had cited a recent Court of Appeal judgement which found the piece of law cited by the defence could not be applied .

The youth, who wants to be a mechanic, was placed on supervised probation for nine months and banned from driving for four years.
A Dublin youth found guilty of dangerous driving in a graveyard and leading gardaí on a high-speed pursuit has been spared a jail sentence.
The then 17-year-old boy had denied the allegations and claimed he was travelling as a passenger in the car but he was found guilty following a hearing before Judge Brendan Toale at the Dublin Children’s Court in December.
Sentencing was adjourned until Thursday for a probation report to be prepared.
An order prohibiting identification of the accused, Dean Cullen, aged 18 and therefore now an adult, from Kilcarrig Crescent, Tallaght, in Dublin, was discontinued by Judge Toale on Thursday following an application by media outlets.
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The youth, who wants to be a mechanic, was placed on supervised probation for nine months and banned from driving for four years.
The pursuit started at Bohernabreena Cemetery in south County Dublin at just before 4pm on November 15th, 2018, less than a month after he had been already disqualified from driving.
The car was driven alongside graves before it broke red lights, was driven on wrong sides of the road, mounted a kerb and two green areas before it was abandoned while it was still moving.
Pleading for leniency, defence solicitor Brian Keenan asked Judge Toale to note the pre-sentence report was positive and it said the teen was suitable for probation supervision.
He was engaging with educational service and wanted to complete the Leaving Certificate. The youth now had insight into how cannabis use had impacted negatively on his behaviour and he was apologetic, the solicitor said.
He had not continued to come to Garda attention. Addressing education and training was condition of the probation bond.
Detective Garda David Connolly told the court he responded to a report of a car driving dangerously at the cemetery.
His attention was drawn to a small silver car in the graveyard car park.
It began speeding hard on graves and accelerating hard, and drove toward the patrol car but there was not enough room for two cars to pass on the narrow roadway, he told the court.
Detective Garda Connolly reversed and the silver vehicle approached at speed passing close by the unmarked car on his right hand side.
The wheels of the silver car would have been against the graves along the roadway, he said.
He recalled having a good look at the young man driving, and that he noticed there was a female front seat passenger in the car.
The silver car headed to the exit which had high walls on either side while the garda activated his lights and sirens. The car drove out of the cemetery at speed and turned right giving no chance for traffic coming from either direction, he said.
Detective Garda Connolly told the court the car drove around a number of bends sometimes on the wrong side of the road. At a T-junction it turned right and cut onto the wrong side of the road as it travelled in the direction of the Old Bawn area in Tallaght.
It broke a red light while there was heavy traffic and headed in the direction of the Tallaght by-pass “down the centre of the road”.
Other vehicles had to take “avoidance action”.
It overtook a stationary line of traffic and headed toward Jobstown, the court heard. It also drove out in front of a motorcycle, and forced other vehicles to take avoidance action on the N81 outbound. He could see the car was “skidding right and left, accelerating hard and braking hard”.
It broke another red light and drove on the wrong side of the road passing stationary traffic before it mounted a kerb at Cloonmore Park.
It started to rain as the car drove across a green where there was a man walking a dog and someone else using a quad bike.
The car drove between trees on the edge of the green and made its way to the Jobstown Road and back into an estate where it mounted another green.
It then drove toward Cloonmore Park and turned 90 degrees.
At that stage, the detective said, he momentarily lost sight of the car but he rounded a bend and saw in the centre of the road “still moving and there did not appear to be anyone in it”.
He said he saw the driver climb a garden wall and he went to ground. Garda Mark Cullen searched one of the gardens and arrested the accused. He claimed he immediately recognised him as the same person driving the car.
He did not know where the female passenger went.
In evidence the teen claimed he had been a passenger, another male was the driver and they had gone to the cemetery to visit a grave.
He was found guilty of dangerous driving and not having motor insurance or a licence.
He had five convictions for motoring offences including dangerous driving.
Following the hearing last month, the judge had acceded to request from the defence to allow temporary reporting restrictions preventing the naming of the youth who had reached adulthood by the time of his trial.
The order had been made under Section 45 of the Courts (Supplemental Provisions) Act 1961.
However, following an application from the media on Thursday it was discontinued. The media had cited a recent Court of Appeal judgement which found the piece of law cited by the defence could not be applied.