theirishtimes--2020-09-03--Coronavirus: Early vaccines may help but not halt the pandemic

There ’ s enormous pressure on authorities to solve the Covid-19 pandemic .
A vaccine is one potential solution .
In July , US president Donald Trump toured a vaccine facility in the US and promised to defeat the virus , but this is a huge ask .
Scientists doubt a vaccine will offer complete protection and early vaccines are unlikely to allow a return to normality in 2021 , they believe .
The speed of Covid-19 vaccine trials has been impressive , made possible because scientists and companies retooled strategies they were working on for other diseases .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ developing a vaccine within three to four months , ” says Irish immunologist Dr David Dowling at Boston Children ’ s Hospital and Harvard Medical School , but he and others describe the vaccines making news headlines as “ first wave vaccines ” .
“ People over the age of 70 still might not be able to get this vaccine because it might not work for them , ” warns Dowling .
After a PhD in Dublin City University , Dowling joined vaccine scientist Prof Ofer Levy at Harvard to make universal vaccines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ People often assume that if you can vaccinate in adults you can vaccinate infants or elderly , but our immune system changes with age , ” explains Dowling , who hails from Bray .
Babies and older people are both set up to avoid too much inflammation .
Vaccines have trouble stimulating their immune systems and etching an immune memory .
Yet , once healthcare workers receive a vaccine , the next group most in need are older people .
“ The number one risk factor for Covid-19 is age .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one is age , so over 80 , over 70 and over 60 , ” Dowling adds .
Results from vaccine trials have all been from young healthy adults .
This will change soon .
“ We are vaccinating a lot of older people and we will publish those results , ” says Dubliner Prof Adrian Hill , who heads up the Jenner Institute at Oxford University .
Their vaccine is being tested on thousands of people in the US , Brazil and South Africa and could be one of the first approved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which appears to be leading the world right now , but he – like everyone else – is waiting for more results from volunteers taking the vaccine .
What ’ s interesting about results released so far this summer , he adds , is that both arms of the immune system were well stimulated by the vaccine , known as ChAdOx1 .
“ People are describing it as a two-hit vaccine , and that ’ s certainly what we were aiming to do , ” says Hill .
Volunteers receiving the vaccine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also a robust response from T cells , which can kill cells infected with viruses .
The design of the Oxford vaccine helps .
It involves injecting a weakened chimp virus with genetic instructions for the spike protein of Sars-CoV-2 and its presence inside cells pokes the immune system into action .
The fact that the ( non-replicating ) virus enters cells sets off alarm bells for the immune system and promotes a T-cell response .
Still , there are unknowns .
What that level of response should be to give a person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ The biggest question in the field is how strong an immune response do you need to induce protection , ” Hill says .
“ Most people talk about neutralising antibodies because they don ’ t induce high levels of T cells , but we do.
” “ The elderly will be a big challenge to vaccinate , ” says Prof Kingston Mills , immunologist at Trinity College Dublin .
“ It is too hard to say which approach is likely to be effective in them .
We don ’ t have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Covid-19 candidate vaccines in elderly mice .
His early results suggest that vaccines that work well in young animals often don ’ t work well in aged rodents .
“ Age really matters for this virus , ” he says , and it is really hard to get aged mice to make antibodies against it .
Two years from now we may have vaccines that work well in healthy adults , Dowling points out , but there is a strong possibility that “ grandparents and kids won ’ t be able to hug @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might have efficacy of only 20 per cent in kids and elderly ” .
One option could be to give more shots or to increase the dose in older people .
Dowling says Moderna ’ s results with its RNA vaccine suggest that using a higher dose would increase side effects such as pain and malaise , which could put people off taking the vaccine .
He is investigating “ adjuvants ” for future Covid-19 vaccines .
These are chemicals that can prod frontline immune cells into action , boosting antibody and killer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , however , is a few years away from bearing fruit .
To have any chance of eradicating Sars-CoV-2 , a vaccine would need to achieve “ sterilising immunity ” – a level of immunity that stops the virus replicating .
Therefore , vaccines are not a silver bullet for healthy adults .
“ None of the vaccines look like they have a hope of producing sterilising immunity , ” says Danny Altmann , professor of immunology at Imperial College London .
“ That means we are always going to be looking long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine and behavioural measures.
” So a vaccine may not mean an instant end of social distancing , face masks or cocooning .
Some early results point to a number of Covid-19 vaccines preventing severe disease , but not stopping the virus replicating in the nose and throat .
In this way , a vaccine could save lives but allow for more asymptomatic individuals .
A similar phenomenon happens with pertussis vaccine , which prevents whooping cough , while permitting the bacteria to infect people .
“ You would prefer a vaccine to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very few vaccines that do that , ” says Prof Hildegund Ertl , a vaccine scientist at the Wistar Institute in Philadelphia .
She says additional or higher doses may be needed in the elderly .
“ The way I look at these vaccines is that they are a first round , ” says Ertl .
“ The first vaccine is not going to be the final vaccine .
We can improve on them.
” She says getting the death rate down to 0.1 per cent – similar to the flu – would @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At long as we can keep the elderly away from incubators and the graveyard , I ’ m all for that.
” Altmann sees vaccine success in a similar light .
He hopes that in February 2021 a vaccine will allow us avoid nightly news images of overflowing hospitals .
Instead , there could be “ a grumbling spread of a rather unpleasant lung disease ” ; presenting new challenges .
“ We might shift from the terror of thousands of people dying to a new terror of thousands of people being dependent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it hard to work and function , ” says Altmann .
“ A whole new disease.
” Complete eradication of the virus is improbable .
Four coronaviruses , which cause common cold symptoms , seem to have jumped over from animals to people in past centuries and remain widespread .
Sars-CoV-2 is likely to hang around until it too becomes another “ common cold ” virus , but we don ’ t know how long it could take for this to happen .
“ Nothing is written in stone with a new pathogen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ immunologist at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla , California .
He is optimistic about a Covid-19 vaccine .
It looks more straightforward than developing vaccines for HIV , malaria or tuberculosis , he stresses .
But Burton too cautions against expectations of a cure-all vaccine .
“ It may not prevent all disease , ” he says , but a vaccine that blunts Covid-19 in a large number of people would be very welcome .

A team of experts at the University of Oxford are working to develop a vaccine that could prevent people from getting Covid-19. Photograph: Sean Elias/PA Wire
There's enormous pressure on authorities to solve the Covid-19 pandemic. A vaccine is one potential solution. In July, US president Donald Trump toured a vaccine facility in the US and promised to defeat the virus, but this is a huge ask.
Scientists doubt a vaccine will offer complete protection and early vaccines are unlikely to allow a return to normality in 2021, they believe. The speed of Covid-19 vaccine trials has been impressive, made possible because scientists and companies retooled strategies they were working on for other diseases.
"The guys at Moderna are heroes for developing a vaccine within three to four months," says Irish immunologist Dr David Dowling at Boston Children's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, but he and others describe the vaccines making news headlines as "first wave vaccines".
"People over the age of 70 still might not be able to get this vaccine because it might not work for them," warns Dowling. After a PhD in Dublin City University, Dowling joined vaccine scientist Prof Ofer Levy at Harvard to make universal vaccines for early and late in life.
READ MORE
“People often assume that if you can vaccinate in adults you can vaccinate infants or elderly, but our immune system changes with age,” explains Dowling, who hails from Bray. Babies and older people are both set up to avoid too much inflammation. Vaccines have trouble stimulating their immune systems and etching an immune memory.
Yet, once healthcare workers receive a vaccine, the next group most in need are older people. “The number one risk factor for Covid-19 is age. The second one is age. The third one is age, so over 80, over 70 and over 60,” Dowling adds.
Results from vaccine trials have all been from young healthy adults. This will change soon.
"We are vaccinating a lot of older people and we will publish those results," says Dubliner Prof Adrian Hill, who heads up the Jenner Institute at Oxford University. Their vaccine is being tested on thousands of people in the US, Brazil and South Africa and could be one of the first approved.
Hill is confident about their candidate, which appears to be leading the world right now, but he – like everyone else – is waiting for more results from volunteers taking the vaccine. What’s interesting about results released so far this summer, he adds, is that both arms of the immune system were well stimulated by the vaccine, known as ChAdOx1.
“People are describing it as a two-hit vaccine, and that’s certainly what we were aiming to do,” says Hill. Volunteers receiving the vaccine show a strong antibody response, but also a robust response from T cells, which can kill cells infected with viruses.
Alarm bells
The design of the Oxford vaccine helps. It involves injecting a weakened chimp virus with genetic instructions for the spike protein of Sars-CoV-2 and its presence inside cells pokes the immune system into action. The fact that the (non-replicating) virus enters cells sets off alarm bells for the immune system and promotes a T-cell response.
Still, there are unknowns. What that level of response should be to give a person protection from Covid-19 is as yet unclear.
“The biggest question in the field is how strong an immune response do you need to induce protection,” Hill says. “Most people talk about neutralising antibodies because they don’t induce high levels of T cells, but we do.”
"The elderly will be a big challenge to vaccinate," says Prof Kingston Mills, immunologist at Trinity College Dublin. "It is too hard to say which approach is likely to be effective in them. We don't have any data."
Dowling has tested some Covid-19 candidate vaccines in elderly mice. His early results suggest that vaccines that work well in young animals often don’t work well in aged rodents. “Age really matters for this virus,” he says, and it is really hard to get aged mice to make antibodies against it.
Stopping replication
Two years from now we may have vaccines that work well in healthy adults, Dowling points out, but there is a strong possibility that “grandparents and kids won’t be able to hug two years from now because the vaccine might have efficacy of only 20 per cent in kids and elderly”.
One option could be to give more shots or to increase the dose in older people. Dowling says Moderna’s results with its RNA vaccine suggest that using a higher dose would increase side effects such as pain and malaise, which could put people off taking the vaccine.
He is investigating “adjuvants” for future Covid-19 vaccines. These are chemicals that can prod frontline immune cells into action, boosting antibody and killer T-cell responses. Dowling’s research, however, is a few years away from bearing fruit.
To have any chance of eradicating Sars-CoV-2, a vaccine would need to achieve “sterilising immunity” – a level of immunity that stops the virus replicating. Therefore, vaccines are not a silver bullet for healthy adults.
"None of the vaccines look like they have a hope of producing sterilising immunity," says Danny Altmann, professor of immunology at Imperial College London. "That means we are always going to be looking long haul at knocking this out through a vaccine and behavioural measures." So a vaccine may not mean an instant end of social distancing, face masks or cocooning.
First round
Some early results point to a number of Covid-19 vaccines preventing severe disease, but not stopping the virus replicating in the nose and throat. In this way, a vaccine could save lives but allow for more asymptomatic individuals. A similar phenomenon happens with pertussis vaccine, which prevents whooping cough, while permitting the bacteria to infect people.
"You would prefer a vaccine to completely protect you, but there are very few vaccines that do that," says Prof Hildegund Ertl, a vaccine scientist at the Wistar Institute in Philadelphia. She says additional or higher doses may be needed in the elderly.
“The way I look at these vaccines is that they are a first round,” says Ertl. “The first vaccine is not going to be the final vaccine. We can improve on them.” She says getting the death rate down to 0.1 per cent – similar to the flu – would be a really great start. “At long as we can keep the elderly away from incubators and the graveyard, I’m all for that.”
Altmann sees vaccine success in a similar light. He hopes that in February 2021 a vaccine will allow us avoid nightly news images of overflowing hospitals. Instead, there could be “a grumbling spread of a rather unpleasant lung disease”; presenting new challenges.
“We might shift from the terror of thousands of people dying to a new terror of thousands of people being dependent on the health services, of finding it hard to work and function,” says Altmann. “A whole new disease.”
Complete eradication of the virus is improbable. Four coronaviruses, which cause common cold symptoms, seem to have jumped over from animals to people in past centuries and remain widespread. Sars-CoV-2 is likely to hang around until it too becomes another “common cold” virus, but we don’t know how long it could take for this to happen.
"Nothing is written in stone with a new pathogen," says Prof Dennis Burton, immunologist at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California. He is optimistic about a Covid-19 vaccine. It looks more straightforward than developing vaccines for HIV, malaria or tuberculosis, he stresses.
But Burton too cautions against expectations of a cure-all vaccine. “It may not prevent all disease,” he says, but a vaccine that blunts Covid-19 in a large number of people would be very welcome.


theirishtimes--2020-09-03--How cooler heads could have avoided the ‘Galileo affair’

The 1633 trial of Galileo Galilei ( 1564-1642 ) before the Roman Inquisition is frequently cited to demonstrate that science and the Catholic Church are fundamentally at loggerheads .
But , science and the church are not opposed .
As I outlined in my last column , the church was largely responsible for the rise of modern science in medieval Europe .
The conventional account of the Galileo affair portrays a brilliant , uncomplicated scientist besieged by bigoted , ignorant Catholic clerics and forced to renounce his belief in the scientific fact that Earth orbits the sun because this contradicts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ignores gaps in Galileo ’ s evidence , the difficult personalities involved and the unsettled religious times .
Today I offer a more nuanced account .
Galileo , rightly called the father of modern science , founded the modern scientific method of formulating theory based on results of careful experiments .
He developed the astronomical telescope , discovered the phases of Venus and the moons of Jupiter and first saw mountains on the moon and spots on the sun .
He discovered that all falling bodies , heavy or light , have the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Of course , Galileo was not infallible , for instance he formulated a wrong theory of tides .
Temperamentally Galileo was vain , argumentative and his caustic tongue made enemies easily .
Galileo supported the heliocentric model , in which the Earth and the other planets in the solar system orbit the sun , proposed by Copernicus in 1453 to supplant the geocentric model where the sun and planets orbit the Earth .
Galileo had telescopic evidence to support Copernicus .
The phases of Venus demonstrate that Venus orbits the sun but do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Jupiter ’ s moons showed that orbiting planets retain their satellites answering the objection that a moving Earth would lose the moon .
Although the church unjustly bullied Galileo , it did have some understandable reasons to oppose him .
Firstly , Galileo ’ s evidence , all corroborated by Jesuit astronomers , fell well short of proving a sun-centred system .
One compelling piece of evidence against an orbiting Earth was the absence of star parallax .
If the Earth was moving , the observed position of stars in the sky @ @ @ @ @ @ @ angle of observation changes – parallax .
But no parallax could be detected and believers in a moving Earth could not explain this .
Secondly , astronomers were divided over the heliocentric model .
Renowned astronomer Tycho Brahe ( 1546-1601 ) proposed an alternative model in 1583 , accepted by many astronomers , in which the sun orbits Earth and the phases of Venus are explained .
Thirdly , the church was under intense pressure from the Reformation and sensitive to Protestant charges that Catholicism didn ’ t sufficiently respect the word of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Galileo declaring that scriptural passages describing a stationary earth were wrong because the Earth orbits the sun .
In 1624 Pope Urban VIII , Galileo ’ s friend , told Galileo he could publicly discuss the heliocentric model as hypothesis only , not as fact .
Galileo agreed .
This censorship was unfair but allowed Galileo to publicise his model while awaiting proof .
However , Galileo went back on his word in a very provocative manner .
His 1632 book Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems is a conversation between two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Simplicio argues for an Earth-centred system , using , in part , some cosmological arguments favoured by Pope Urban VIII , and is answered by the philosophers .
The word Simplicio had double meaning as the Italian for simple-minded is semplice .
Simplicio was a straw man designed for demolition by the philosophers .
Copernicanism wins the argument in the book .
An incensed pope , thinking Galileo was both disobeying and mocking him , referred Galileo to the inquisition in 1632 on suspicion of heresy .
Galileo was convicted and the 69-year-old @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , formally retracted his position in June 1633 .
He was held under house arrest in his Florentine villa until his death in 1642 .
Although Galileo couldn ’ t prove his model , he had strong evidence .
Church fathers such as Thomas Aquinas ( 1225-1274 ) had long taught that when scriptural descriptions of the natural world contradict valid scientific explanations , they should be reinterpreted .
The church was grievously wrong to censure Galileo .
Galileo was vain and impetuous and the pope was a pompous know-it-all , accustomed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vatican garden birds killed because they disturbed him .
Galileo should have been more cautious and the pope should never have activated the inquisition .
Cooler heads would have avoided the “ Galileo affair ” – and its long , bitter legacy .
William Reville is an emeritus professor of biochemistry at UCC

Galileo Galilei’s signature is seen on a document displayed during the exhibition “Lux in Arcana, the Vatican secret Archives reveals itself” at the Capitoline Museums in Rome in 2012. Photograph: Tony Gentile/Reuters
The 1633 trial of Galileo Galilei (1564-1642) before the Roman Inquisition is frequently cited to demonstrate that science and the Catholic Church are fundamentally at loggerheads. But, science and the church are not opposed. As I outlined in my last column, the church was largely responsible for the rise of modern science in medieval Europe.
The conventional account of the Galileo affair portrays a brilliant, uncomplicated scientist besieged by bigoted, ignorant Catholic clerics and forced to renounce his belief in the scientific fact that Earth orbits the sun because this contradicts certain passages in scripture. This story ignores gaps in Galileo’s evidence, the difficult personalities involved and the unsettled religious times. Today I offer a more nuanced account.
Galileo, rightly called the father of modern science, founded the modern scientific method of formulating theory based on results of careful experiments. He developed the astronomical telescope, discovered the phases of Venus and the moons of Jupiter and first saw mountains on the moon and spots on the sun. He discovered that all falling bodies, heavy or light, have the same constant acceleration, and more. Of course, Galileo was not infallible, for instance he formulated a wrong theory of tides. Temperamentally Galileo was vain, argumentative and his caustic tongue made enemies easily.
Galileo supported the heliocentric model, in which the Earth and the other planets in the solar system orbit the sun, proposed by Copernicus in 1453 to supplant the geocentric model where the sun and planets orbit the Earth. Galileo had telescopic evidence to support Copernicus. The phases of Venus demonstrate that Venus orbits the sun but do not prove the heliocentric model. Also, Jupiter’s moons showed that orbiting planets retain their satellites answering the objection that a moving Earth would lose the moon.
READ MORE
Although the church unjustly bullied Galileo, it did have some understandable reasons to oppose him. Firstly, Galileo’s evidence, all corroborated by Jesuit astronomers, fell well short of proving a sun-centred system. One compelling piece of evidence against an orbiting Earth was the absence of star parallax. If the Earth was moving, the observed position of stars in the sky would change with the seasons because the angle of observation changes – parallax. But no parallax could be detected and believers in a moving Earth could not explain this.
Secondly, astronomers were divided over the heliocentric model. Renowned astronomer Tycho Brahe (1546-1601) proposed an alternative model in 1583, accepted by many astronomers, in which the sun orbits Earth and the phases of Venus are explained.
Reformation
Thirdly, the church was under intense pressure from the Reformation and sensitive to Protestant charges that Catholicism didn’t sufficiently respect the word of scripture. But here was world-famous Catholic Galileo declaring that scriptural passages describing a stationary earth were wrong because the Earth orbits the sun.
In 1624 Pope Urban VIII, Galileo’s friend, told Galileo he could publicly discuss the heliocentric model as hypothesis only, not as fact. Galileo agreed. This censorship was unfair but allowed Galileo to publicise his model while awaiting proof.
However, Galileo went back on his word in a very provocative manner. His 1632 book Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems is a conversation between two philosophers and a layman called Simplicio. Simplicio argues for an Earth-centred system, using, in part, some cosmological arguments favoured by Pope Urban VIII, and is answered by the philosophers. The word Simplicio had double meaning as the Italian for simple-minded is semplice. Simplicio was a straw man designed for demolition by the philosophers. Copernicanism wins the argument in the book.
An incensed pope, thinking Galileo was both disobeying and mocking him, referred Galileo to the inquisition in 1632 on suspicion of heresy. Galileo was convicted and the 69-year-old, after viewing the instruments of torture, formally retracted his position in June 1633. He was held under house arrest in his Florentine villa until his death in 1642.
Although Galileo couldn't prove his model, he had strong evidence. Church fathers such as Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) had long taught that when scriptural descriptions of the natural world contradict valid scientific explanations, they should be reinterpreted. The church was grievously wrong to censure Galileo.
Galileo was vain and impetuous and the pope was a pompous know-it-all, accustomed to having his way – he had the Vatican garden birds killed because they disturbed him. Galileo should have been more cautious and the pope should never have activated the inquisition. Cooler heads would have avoided the "Galileo affair" – and its long, bitter legacy.
William Reville is an emeritus professor of biochemistry at UCC


theirishtimes--2020-09-03--Leaving Cert students will not have access to ‘highly sensitive’ class ranking data

Leaving Cert students will not be able to access “ highly sensitive ” details of their class ranking when their calculated grades are released following lobbying by teachers ’ unions .
Secondary schools were required to provide an estimated mark for each student , along with a rank order of students for each class , and send this information to the Department of Education .
All Leaving Cert students had been due to be able to see this information online from September 14th , a week after receiving their calculated grades , in the interests of transparency over the grading @ @ @ @ @ @ @ confirmed late last night that students will not now get access to their class ranking on this date .
Instead , they will only have access to their estimated percentage marks provided by their schools .
“ The department is seeking legal advice on the matter of providing class rank order to candidates .
This position has been advised to the advisory group of stakeholders and a further update will be provided to them as soon as possible , ” the spokeswoman said .
It follows alarm among teachers ’ unions that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impact on pupils ’ morale .
Some teachers in rural areas , in particular , are worried about how the information would be received by neighbours , relations or friends in their classes .
Speaking during an Oireachtas committee meeting on Wednesday evening , prior to the department ’ s late-night announcement , Minister for Education Norma Foley said there had been an agreed process and students were entitled to their personal data .
However , she confirmed that a query had been raised around the issue .
“ We are currently taking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where it stands at this time , ” she said .
Martin Marjoram , president of the Teachers ’ Union of Ireland , said the information was “ extraordinarily sensitive ” and members had a “ clear understanding ” it would only be revealed under an appeal process or data application request .
“ We were dismayed to hear differently and that it was being made available through a portal .
“ Our members co-operated on something that was almost anathema to them , to put such rankings down on paper and to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children they had supported and kept in school and whose morale they had boosted , ” Mr Marjoram said .
Kieran Christie , general secretary of the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland , said the union has also made strong representations to the department .
In comments made prior to the department ’ s announcement , he said : “ We are jointly beating that drum with the department hope to get resolution sooner than later .
We are working hard on that .
It came as a shock to us when plans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happy and we are going to do something about it.
” It is understood that the two secondary teachers ’ unions held a number of meetings with the department in recent weeks , after The Irish Times reported earlier this month that students would have access to their class ranking data .

Minister for Education Norma Foley said that while students were entitled to their personal data, she confirmed that a query had been raised around the issue. Photograph: Julien Behal Photography
Leaving Cert students will not be able to access “highly sensitive” details of their class ranking when their calculated grades are released following lobbying by teachers’ unions.
Secondary schools were required to provide an estimated mark for each student, along with a rank order of students for each class, and send this information to the Department of Education.
All Leaving Cert students had been due to be able to see this information online from September 14th, a week after receiving their calculated grades, in the interests of transparency over the grading process.
However, a department spokeswoman confirmed late last night that students will not now get access to their class ranking on this date.
READ MORE
Instead, they will only have access to their estimated percentage marks provided by their schools.
“The department is seeking legal advice on the matter of providing class rank order to candidates. This position has been advised to the advisory group of stakeholders and a further update will be provided to them as soon as possible,” the spokeswoman said.
It follows alarm among teachers’ unions that the move could damage relationships with students and impact on pupils’morale.
Some teachers in rural areas, in particular, are worried about how the information would be received by neighbours, relations or friends in their classes.
Calculated grades
Speaking during an Oireachtas committee meeting on Wednesday evening, prior to the department's late-night announcement, Minister for Education Norma Foley said there had been an agreed process and students were entitled to their personal data.
However, she confirmed that a query had been raised around the issue.
“We are currently taking advice on that. That’s where it stands at this time,” she said.
Martin Marjoram, president of the Teachers' Union of Ireland, said the information was "extraordinarily sensitive" and members had a "clear understanding" it would only be revealed under an appeal process or data application request.
“We were dismayed to hear differently and that it was being made available through a portal.
“Our members co-operated on something that was almost anathema to them, to put such rankings down on paper and to put down on paper the position of children they had supported and kept in school and whose morale they had boosted,” Mr Marjoram said.
Kieran Christie, general secretary of the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland, said the union has also made strong representations to the department.
In comments made prior to the department’s announcement, he said: “We are jointly beating that drum with the department hope to get resolution sooner than later. We are working hard on that. It came as a shock to us when plans were brought forward. Members are not happy and we are going to do something about it.”
It is understood that the two secondary teachers’ unions held a number of meetings with the department in recent weeks, after The Irish Times reported earlier this month that students would have access to their class ranking data.


theirishtimes--2020-09-04--Some 2,800 part-time teachers offered extra hours as schools reopen

Some 2,800 part-time teachers are being offered additional hours to support schools as they reopen this week and deal with new Covid-19 guidelines .
While welcoming the scaling up of substitute cover , the primary teachers ’ union , the Irish National Teachers ’ Organisation ( INTO ) , says a review of emergency measures must be carried out to ensure staffing needs are met .
The INTO said it would like to see a review carried out early in the school year to see if substitute cover was adequate .
“ In fact , we believe that review should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in case extra provision is needed in the budget , ” it said .
The union has particularly welcomed the introduction of substitute supply panels which will make it easier for schools to access replacement teachers .
It would also provide more security for these teachers who would be given fixed-term contracts , it said .
These teachers are being assigned to 94 “ base schools ” and will provide cover to more than 2,000 schools in total .
However , the INTO said it would like to see the number of supply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Teaching Council added 1,600 teachers to the register and this was scheduled to rise to 3,200 before the start of September .
Among the cohorts of teachers being targeted by the Department of Education in its bid to provide adequate cover are those who trained abroad .
In late July Minister for Education Norma Foley signed an order which will allow , “ on an exceptional , time-bound and once-off basis ” , teachers who qualified outside Ireland to complete their induction in this country .
Normally teachers who qualify abroad must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where they qualified .
The Teaching Council has contacted some higher education institutions in the UK asking them to make their teaching graduates aware of the change allowing them to register in this country without having completed their induction period .
The council has also contacted up to 6,000 teachers on the register who are “ not fully deployed ” in schools , including those working part-time , on career breaks or recently retired , to see if they would be available .
Some 2,500 newly qualified teachers who graduated this summer from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ weeks .
The department also hopes to increase the hours of the 1,300 secondary teachers and the 2,800 in primary schools who are job-sharing .
There are 107,000 teachers registered with the Teaching Council , including 50,000 primary teachers , 45,000 post-primary and some with dual qualifications .
A Department of Education technical report on supply and demand of teachers published last year illustrates the scale of the difficulty schools in some regions were already facing , when looking for substitute teachers .
The report showed that in 2017 at primary level there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provided cover for only 586,223 days .
The department report also showed that fewer than half of the 3,306 primary teachers who availed of maternity leave in the 2018-2019 school year were covered by just one substitute teacher .
In some cases two or three substitutes were required and in the case of 304 teachers , schools had to find five or more substitute teachers to cover the maternity leave .

The INTO has welcomed the introduction of substitute supply panels which will make it easier for schools to access replacement teachers. Photograph: iStock
Some 2,800 part-time teachers are being offered additional hours to support schools as they reopen this week and deal with new Covid-19 guidelines.
While welcoming the scaling up of substitute cover, the primary teachers’ union, the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation (INTO), says a review of emergency measures must be carried out to ensure staffing needs are met.
The INTO said it would like to see a review carried out early in the school year to see if substitute cover was adequate. “In fact, we believe that review should be done before the end of September in case extra provision is needed in the budget,” it said.
The union has particularly welcomed the introduction of substitute supply panels which will make it easier for schools to access replacement teachers. It would also provide more security for these teachers who would be given fixed-term contracts, it said.
READ MORE
These teachers are being assigned to 94 “base schools” and will provide cover to more than 2,000 schools in total. However, the INTO said it would like to see the number of supply panels increase.
Over the summer, the Teaching Council added 1,600 teachers to the register and this was scheduled to rise to 3,200 before the start of September.
Training abroad
Among the cohorts of teachers being targeted by the Department of Education in its bid to provide adequate cover are those who trained abroad.
In late July Minister for Education Norma Foley signed an order which will allow, "on an exceptional, time-bound and once-off basis", teachers who qualified outside Ireland to complete their induction in this country. Normally teachers who qualify abroad must complete their probation period in the country where they qualified.
The Teaching Council has contacted some higher education institutions in the UK asking them to make their teaching graduates aware of the change allowing them to register in this country without having completed their induction period.
The council has also contacted up to 6,000 teachers on the register who are “not fully deployed” in schools, including those working part-time, on career breaks or recently retired, to see if they would be available .
Some 2,500 newly qualified teachers who graduated this summer from Irish colleges have been registered in recent weeks. The department also hopes to increase the hours of the 1,300 secondary teachers and the 2,800 in primary schools who are job-sharing.
There are 107,000 teachers registered with the Teaching Council, including 50,000 primary teachers, 45,000 post-primary and some with dual qualifications.
A Department of Education technical report on supply and demand of teachers published last year illustrates the scale of the difficulty schools in some regions were already facing, when looking for substitute teachers.
The report showed that in 2017 at primary level there were 704,335 teacher absence days but substitutes provided cover for only 586,223 days.
The department report also showed that fewer than half of the 3,306 primary teachers who availed of maternity leave in the 2018-2019 school year were covered by just one substitute teacher. In some cases two or three substitutes were required and in the case of 304 teachers, schools had to find five or more substitute teachers to cover the maternity leave.


theirishtimes--2020-09-04--Powers to be restored to Garda under new Coalition plans

The Garda commissioner would regain the power to make appointments and promotions in the force , under plans agreed by the Coalition for the future of the Garda Síochána and its oversight agencies .
Those powers to appoint and promote officers would be taken away from the Policing Authority and returned to the Garda under the Garda commissioner , the Irish Times has learned .
Informed sources say the Policing Authority is very strongly opposed to the move having seen the initial legislative changes .
It would represent a major shift for the Garda .
In reply to queries , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ considering the proposed legislation in detail , giving it the appropriate time and attention that such significant changes warrant ” .
It would provide a response on the proposals to Minister for Justice Helen McEntee “ in due course ” and preferred not to comment further at this time .
Moving the promotions and appointments system out of the Garda and under the remit of an independent oversight agency was seen as crucial to reforming the force after a series of scandals .
In 2013 the Smithwick Tribunal , into allegations of Garda @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senior RUC officers in 1989 , concluded the Garda was an organisation where “ loyalty is prized over honesty ” .
Other tribunals and commissions into the various Garda scandals over the past two decades have pointed to an organisation where speaking up about wrongdoing or poor performance was very difficult as promotions were controlled by more senior officers .
Some of the key findings of a cultural audit of the Garda , compiled before the Policing Authority began making appointments in 2017 , noted that Garda members did not believe promotions were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who you know ” .
The plan to move the promotions and appointments system away from the Policing Authority and back under the remit of Garda Headquarters was recommended by the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland but was seen as contentious .
However , it was one of a series of changes now being planned for by the three coalition parties , with plans for the Garda compiled in a policing document while the Government was being formed during the summer .
That document confirms that the commission ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Government ’ s official policy .
While most of the plans were suggested by the commission in 2018 , under chairperson Kathleen O ’ Toole , the document drawn up between the new Government partners is the first to reveal the specific plans .
They include : the Garda commissioner becoming the “ true chief executive ” of the force , accountable to a new board ; and responsibility for overseeing Garda policing plans , budgets and appointments passing from the Policing Authority to the Garda board .
Two of the three current @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Garda Inspectorate – would be merged into one : a Policing and Community Safety Authority .
That authority would get the power to carry out unannounced , on-the-spot inspections of any Garda premises or facilities .
While responsibility for recruitment would pass back to the Garda , it is understood the new board would be required to sign off on senior officer appointments , but only after the successful candidates had been selected by a Garda-run process .
The Government would still have final approval when appointments were being made to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
However , under the new plans , appointments to every other rank would be controlled by the Garda .
In reply to questions Garda Headquarters said : “ An Garda Síochána accepted all recommendations of the Commission on the Future of Policing .
An Garda Síochána does not comment on proposed legislation.
” The Department of Justice said the Government was committed to the “ rapid implementation ” of the commission ’ s report .
“ Work is well advanced on the general scheme of the Bill which will provide a new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Minister expects to seek Government approval of her proposals in the near future , ” it said .

The Garda commissioner would regain the power to make appointments and promotions in the force, under plans agreed by the Coalition for the future of the Garda Síochána and its oversight agencies.
Those powers to appoint and promote officers would be taken away from the Policing Authority and returned to the Garda under the Garda commissioner, the Irish Times has learned. Informed sources say the Policing Authority is very strongly opposed to the move having seen the initial legislative changes. It would represent a major shift for the Garda.
In reply to queries, the Policing Authority said it was “considering the proposed legislation in detail, giving it the appropriate time and attention that such significant changes warrant”.
It would provide a response on the proposals to Minister for Justice Helen McEntee “in due course” and preferred not to comment further at this time.
READ MORE
Moving the promotions and appointments system out of the Garda and under the remit of an independent oversight agency was seen as crucial to reforming the force after a series of scandals.
In 2013 the Smithwick Tribunal, into allegations of Garda collusion in the IRA murders of two senior RUC officers in 1989, concluded the Garda was an organisation where “loyalty is prized over honesty”.
Other tribunals and commissions into the various Garda scandals over the past two decades have pointed to an organisation where speaking up about wrongdoing or poor performance was very difficult as promotions were controlled by more senior officers.
Some of the key findings of a cultural audit of the Garda, compiled before the Policing Authority began making appointments in 2017, noted that Garda members did not believe promotions were based on meritocracy but rather on “who you know”.
Contentious
The plan to move the promotions and appointments system away from the Policing Authority and back under the remit of Garda Headquarters was recommended by the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland but was seen as contentious.
However, it was one of a series of changes now being planned for by the three coalition parties, with plans for the Garda compiled in a policing document while the Government was being formed during the summer. That document confirms that the commission’s proposal of two years ago is the Government’s official policy.
While most of the plans were suggested by the commission in 2018, under chairperson Kathleen O’Toole, the document drawn up between the new Government partners is the first to reveal the specific plans. They include: the Garda commissioner becoming the “true chief executive ” of the force , accountable to a new board; and responsibility for overseeing Garda policing plans, budgets and appointments passing from the Policing Authority to the Garda board.
Two of the three current Garda oversight bodies – the Policing Authority and Garda Inspectorate – would be merged into one: a Policing and Community Safety Authority.
That authority would get the power to carry out unannounced, on-the-spot inspections of any Garda premises or facilities.
Recruitment
While responsibility for recruitment would pass back to the Garda, it is understood the new board would be required to sign off on senior officer appointments, but only after the successful candidates had been selected by a Garda-run process.
The Government would still have final approval when appointments were being made to the rank of deputy commissioner and Garda commissioner. However, under the new plans, appointments to every other rank would be controlled by the Garda.
In reply to questions Garda Headquarters said: “An Garda Síochána accepted all recommendations of the Commission on the Future of Policing. An Garda Síochána does not comment on proposed legislation.”
The Department of Justice said the Government was committed to the “rapid implementation” of the commission’s report. “Work is well advanced on the general scheme of the Bill which will provide a new governance and oversight framework for policing. The Minister expects to seek Government approval of her proposals in the near future,” it said.


theirishtimes--2020-09-04--Changes to Garda and oversight agencies to reverse reforms

Changes planned by the Government for An Garda Síochána and the force ’ s watchdog bodies will undo a number of reforms to policing made following a litany of Garda scandals across 20 years .
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris and his senior officers will still have to account for their actions before two oversight bodies instead of three at present .
But , crucially , some of the main powers that one of the oversight agencies has will revert to the Garda .
It is likely the process will still take about two years , perhaps a little longer .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the changes will be bedding in around the same time Harris leaves his post at the expiry of his five-year contract .
The ability to control promotions and appointments , at ranks above sergeant and inspector , was lost by the Garda to the Policing Authority in 2017 .
Until that change , many Garda members felt the promotions system was unfair .
It was said that it favoured members taken under the wing of senior officers in a form of patronage , with loyalty to colleagues and more senior officers seen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the commissions and tribunals into Garda scandals found a culture in which it was difficult for members of the force to speak up for fear of derailing their careers by showing what would be interpreted as disloyalty .
The fact that changes are now being planned by the Government for the Garda and its oversight agencies is not new .
Two years ago , just as Harris was appointed , the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland was publishing its report .
It was tasked , under chairwoman and former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , to review the force in the context of many recent scandals and to plan a path to a better system of policing and oversight .
A document drawn up between Fianna Fáil , Fine Gael and the Green Party , which has been seen by The Irish Times , puts flesh on the bones of proposals made by the commission .
That document turns commission proposals into official Government policy .
The commission concluded it was unfair that the Garda commissioner did not have power to appoint senior officers yet once appointed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hence the recommendation that recruitment and promotion be put back in the hands of the force .
Another of the commission ’ s key conclusions was that the system of oversight is too complex , to the extent it wasn ’ t clear who was accountable to whom .
So a number of basic changes were planned .
At present there are three oversight agencies : the Policing Authority ; Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission ; and the Garda Inspectorate .
Of the three , the authority is the most powerful .
In conjunction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plans and longer-term strategies .
The authority has full control over the process for appointing assistant commissioners , chief superintendents and superintendents .
It also designs the job specification and recruitment process for appointments to the ranks of commissioner and deputy commission .
However , the Government still has the power to accept or reject names submitted to it by the authority for appointment to the rank of commissioner and deputy commissioner .
The Garda ombudsman commission is a separate oversight body and its main function is to investigate complaints – up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individual officers by members of the public .
The inspectorate , the third oversight agency , conducts appraisals and investigations into a variety of Garda structures , procedures and practices .
It has , for example , examined how public order policing is conducted , problems with Garda data and crime counting , the supervision of frontline gardaí and how sexual crimes were being investigated .
Under the plans drawn up by the Government , the Garda ombudsman commission would be retained , but reformed .
While details are not yet clear , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ investigating complaints made against members of the force .
The authority and inspectorate will be merged into one oversight agency : the policing and community safety authority .
And while that authority will still examine the Garda and its practices and hold the force to account , the key responsibilities of setting policing plans , strategies and controlling recruitment will revert to the Garda which would report to a new board – a new layer of oversight .
The new board is set to work in the same way as company boards , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the commissioner is ultimately answerable to the minister for justice .

The ability to control promotions and appointments, at ranks above sergeant and inspector, was lost by the Garda to the Policing Authority in 2017. File photograph: Brian Lawless/PA
Changes planned by the Government for An Garda Síochána and the force’s watchdog bodies will undo a number of reforms to policing made following a litany of Garda scandals across 20 years.
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris and his senior officers will still have to account for their actions before two oversight bodies instead of three at present. But, crucially, some of the main powers that one of the oversight agencies has will revert to the Garda.
It is likely the process will still take about two years, perhaps a little longer. And if that timetable comes to pass, the changes will be bedding in around the same time Harris leaves his post at the expiry of his five-year contract.
The ability to control promotions and appointments, at ranks above sergeant and inspector, was lost by the Garda to the Policing Authority in 2017. Until that change, many Garda members felt the promotions system was unfair. It was said that it favoured members taken under the wing of senior officers in a form of patronage, with loyalty to colleagues and more senior officers seen as the way to advance.
READ MORE
Many of the commissions and tribunals into Garda scandals found a culture in which it was difficult for members of the force to speak up for fear of derailing their careers by showing what would be interpreted as disloyalty.
The fact that changes are now being planned by the Government for the Garda and its oversight agencies is not new. Two years ago, just as Harris was appointed, the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland was publishing its report. It was tasked, under chairwoman and former US police chief Kathleen O’Toole, to review the force in the context of many recent scandals and to plan a path to a better system of policing and oversight.
A document drawn up between Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Green Party, which has been seen by The Irish Times, puts flesh on the bones of proposals made by the commission. That document turns commission proposals into official Government policy.
The commission concluded it was unfair that the Garda commissioner did not have power to appoint senior officers yet once appointed he was accountable for their performance. Hence the recommendation that recruitment and promotion be put back in the hands of the force.
Another of the commission’s key conclusions was that the system of oversight is too complex, to the extent it wasn’t clear who was accountable to whom. So a number of basic changes were planned.
At present there are three oversight agencies: the Policing Authority; Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission; and the Garda Inspectorate. Of the three, the authority is the most powerful. In conjunction with the force it sets annual policing plans and longer-term strategies.
The authority has full control over the process for appointing assistant commissioners, chief superintendents and superintendents. It also designs the job specification and recruitment process for appointments to the ranks of commissioner and deputy commission. However, the Government still has the power to accept or reject names submitted to it by the authority for appointment to the rank of commissioner and deputy commissioner.
The Garda ombudsman commission is a separate oversight body and its main function is to investigate complaints – up to an including criminal allegations – made against individual officers by members of the public. The inspectorate, the third oversight agency, conducts appraisals and investigations into a variety of Garda structures, procedures and practices.
It has, for example, examined how public order policing is conducted, problems with Garda data and crime counting, the supervision of frontline gardaí and how sexual crimes were being investigated.
Under the plans drawn up by the Government, the Garda ombudsman commission would be retained, but reformed. While details are not yet clear, it was expected to retain responsibility for investigating complaints made against members of the force.
The authority and inspectorate will be merged into one oversight agency: the policing and community safety authority. And while that authority will still examine the Garda and its practices and hold the force to account, the key responsibilities of setting policing plans, strategies and controlling recruitment will revert to the Garda which would report to a new board – a new layer of oversight .
The new board is set to work in the same way as company boards, with senior Garda officers answerable , but the commissioner is ultimately answerable to the minister for justice.


theirishtimes--2020-09-04--Séamus Woulfe is believed to be ‘preparing for a fight’ amid golf dinner inquiry

Supreme Court judge Séamus Woulfe ’ s recruitment of a senior lawyer is seen in legal circles as the former attorney general “ digging in to fight his corner ” in the inquiry over his attendance at the Oireachtas golf dinner .
Legal sources interpreted Mr Justice Woulfe ’ s decision to retain Michael Collins SC as the judge preparing to defend himself in the review undertaken by former chief justice Susan Denham .
She is looking into his attendance at the Oireachtas Golf Society dinner on August 19th .
The dinner , attended by more than 80 people , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that limit indoor gatherings .
Mr Justice Woulfe has also sought advice from another former attorney general , John Rogers SC , as Ms Justice Denham is examining whether the judge should have attended the golf dinner at the Station House Hotel in Clifden , Co Galway .
“ He is preparing for a fight .
You don ’ t engage Michael Collins or John Rogers if you are about to throw the white towel into the ring , ” said one legal source .
Mr Collins declined to comment .
Mr Rogers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to requests for comment .
Ms Justice Denham has been asked by the Supreme Court to carry out a non-statutory review of the judge ’ s attendance at the event because the Judicial Council Act that establishes a judicial complaints mechanism and guidelines on the conduct of judges has not yet been commenced .
The former chief justice or the wider judiciary do not have the power to sanction or remove Mr Justice Woulfe from his position on the Supreme Court .
Only the Houses of the Oireachtas can , under the Constitution @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for “ stated misbehaviour.
” Given the unprecedented and informal nature of the judicially ordered inquiry , the appointment of legal representation is seen by legal sources as an attempt to apply procedural safeguards to the review to ensure fair procedures are followed should Ms Justice Denham ’ s findings be later used to attempt to remove the judge .
Mr Collins , an experienced lawyer , would be well placed to examine issues of this nature .
He reported on procedures employed by the Department of Justice in response to requests for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Supreme Court Justice Peter Charleton .
Mr Rogers represented former Circuit Court Judge Brian Curtin in 2005 in his challenge against procedures adopted by the Oireachtas to inquire into his alleged misbehaviour after the Government sought his removal .
The judge resigned during the impeachment process .
Mr Justice Woulfe has said he attended the dinner on the understanding that it would be adhering to public health guidelines and has apologised for any unintentional breach of them .
The legal world is divided over Mr Justice Woulfe ’ s attendance at the dinner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has undermined the judiciary and should resign , while others say his apology should suffice and resignation would be disproportionate to the scale of his error of judgment .

Séamus Woulfe. ‘You don’t engage Michael Collins or John Rogers if you are about to throw the white towel into the ring,’ said one legal source. Photograph: Alan Betson
Supreme Court judge Séamus Woulfe's recruitment of a senior lawyer is seen in legal circles as the former attorney general "digging in to fight his corner" in the inquiry over his attendance at the Oireachtas golf dinner.
Legal sources interpreted Mr Justice Woulfe's decision to retain Michael Collins SC as the judge preparing to defend himself in the review undertaken by former chief justice Susan Denham. She is looking into his attendance at the Oireachtas Golf Society dinner on August 19th. The dinner, attended by more than 80 people, went ahead despite Covid-19 public health guidelines that limit indoor gatherings.
Mr Justice Woulfe has also sought advice from another former attorney general, John Rogers SC, as Ms Justice Denham is examining whether the judge should have attended the golf dinner at the Station House Hotel in Clifden, Co Galway.
“He is preparing for a fight. You don’t engage Michael Collins or John Rogers if you are about to throw the white towel into the ring,” said one legal source.
READ MORE
Mr Collins declined to comment. Mr Rogers and Mr Justice Woulfe did not respond to requests for comment.
Ms Justice Denham has been asked by the Supreme Court to carry out a non-statutory review of the judge's attendance at the event because the Judicial Council Act that establishes a judicial complaints mechanism and guidelines on the conduct of judges has not yet been commenced.
Sanction
The former chief justice or the wider judiciary do not have the power to sanction or remove Mr Justice Woulfe from his position on the Supreme Court. Only the Houses of the Oireachtas can, under the Constitution, remove a judge from their position for “stated misbehaviour.”
Given the unprecedented and informal nature of the judicially ordered inquiry, the appointment of legal representation is seen by legal sources as an attempt to apply procedural safeguards to the review to ensure fair procedures are followed should Ms Justice Denham’s findings be later used to attempt to remove the judge.
Mr Collins, an experienced lawyer, would be well placed to examine issues of this nature. He reported on procedures employed by the Department of Justice in response to requests for documents from the Disclosures Tribunal chaired by Supreme Court Justice Peter Charleton.
Mr Rogers represented former Circuit Court Judge Brian Curtin in 2005 in his challenge against procedures adopted by the Oireachtas to inquire into his alleged misbehaviour after the Government sought his removal. The judge resigned during the impeachment process.
Mr Justice Woulfe has said he attended the dinner on the understanding that it would be adhering to public health guidelines and has apologised for any unintentional breach of them.
The legal world is divided over Mr Justice Woulfe’s attendance at the dinner, with some arguing privately that he has undermined the judiciary and should resign, while others say his apology should suffice and resignation would be disproportionate to the scale of his error of judgment.


theirishtimes--2020-09-04--The returning teachers struggling to find work: ‘You can’t live off six, seven hours a week’

After a summer searching for work as a teacher in Ireland , Paul McAleer ( 32 ) has for the second time emigrated to the Middle East due to the lack of full-time teaching jobs .
As part of the Government ’ s plan to reopen schools during the coronavirus pandemic , it announced funding for schools to hire an additional 1,000 secondary school teachers .
The Teaching Council has started a campaign to encourage teachers working abroad to come home to work in Ireland .
“ They do have a shortarge of teachers , but not for what I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a shortage of teachers for temporary subbing , which could be a day or two , or a matter of weeks , ” Mr McAleer said .
Mr McAleer , a history and geography secondary school teacher from Co Cavan , qualified in 2012 .
“ I would say probably as bad a time in the history of the State you could qualify , the middle of a recession.
” He spent a year doing substitute work in 2013 , then moved to Britain where he taught for a year .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to teach in a school 20 minutes outside of Dubai .
“ I spent two good years there .
That ’ s the most long-term , significant and stable employment I ’ ve had in teaching.
” In 2017 he decided to return to Ireland , now with more experience , to try to secure a full-time job in a school .
He got a job covering maternity leave in a south Dublin school , and after that was employed in Dundalk to cover a teacher on a career break .
“ Which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ didn ’ t mature or flower into anything else , like a full time position , which I was pretty disappointed about , ” he said .
“ Last year again I went looking for jobs , and I said if I can ’ t get a job at this stage , [ I ’ m ] over 30 , I ’ m going to have to look into something else.
” In many cases Mr McAleer said schools filling vacancies were only offering a handful of hours work a week .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or 70 positions .
I had a good number of interviews ... so many of them ended up being part-time hours .
You just can ’ t live off six , seven , eight hours a week.
” With the prospect of another recession looming in the fallout of Covid-19 , he decided for the second time to leave Ireland for the Middle East , and took a full-time teaching job in Abu Dhabi , moving there last week .
“ When I was flying on Wednesday , my Dad , I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but he was sobbing , more in frustration for me , ” said Mr McAleer .
He said other factors stopping teachers abroad coming home were the two-tier pay scales , and the lack of recognition of teaching experience abroad .
“ I know from living here [ Dubai ] before there are probably thousands of [ Irish ] teachers in the Emirates alone , and a multiple of that across the Middle East .
”

Paul McAleer: “There are probably thousands of [Irish] teachers in the Emirates alone, and a multiple of that across the Middle East”
After a summer searching for work as a teacher in Ireland, Paul McAleer (32) has for the second time emigrated to the Middle East due to the lack of full-time teaching jobs.
As part of the Government's plan to reopen schools during the coronavirus pandemic, it announced funding for schools to hire an additional 1,000 secondary school teachers. The Teaching Council has started a campaign to encourage teachers working abroad to come home to work in Ireland.
“They do have a shortarge of teachers, but not for what I would call actual proper jobs. They have a shortage of teachers for temporary subbing, which could be a day or two, or a matter of weeks,” Mr McAleer said.
Mr McAleer, a history and geography secondary school teacher from Co Cavan, qualified in 2012. "I would say probably as bad a time in the history of the State you could qualify, the middle of a recession."
READ MORE
He spent a year doing substitute work in 2013, then moved to Britain where he taught for a year. In 2015 he moved to the Middle East to teach in a school 20 minutes outside of Dubai. "I spent two good years there. That's the most long-term, significant and stable employment I've had in teaching."
In 2017 he decided to return to Ireland, now with more experience, to try to secure a full-time job in a school.
He got a job covering maternity leave in a south Dublin school, and after that was employed in Dundalk to cover a teacher on a career break.
“Which was fine for the year but it didn’t mature or flower into anything else, like a full time position, which I was pretty disappointed about,” he said.
“Last year again I went looking for jobs, and I said if I can’t get a job at this stage, [I’m] over 30, I’m going to have to look into something else.”
In many cases Mr McAleer said schools filling vacancies were only offering a handful of hours work a week.
“I probably applied this summer for 65 or 70 positions. I had a good number of interviews ... so many of them ended up being part-time hours. You just can’t live off six, seven, eight hours a week.”
Frustration
With the prospect of another recession looming in the fallout of Covid-19, he decided for the second time to leave Ireland for the Middle East, and took a full-time teaching job in Abu Dhabi, moving there last week.
“When I was flying on Wednesday, my Dad, I’ve never seen him cry before, but he was sobbing, more in frustration for me,” said Mr McAleer.
He said other factors stopping teachers abroad coming home were the two-tier pay scales, and the lack of recognition of teaching experience abroad.
“I know from living here [Dubai] before there are probably thousands of [Irish] teachers in the Emirates alone, and a multiple of that across the Middle East.”


theirishtimes--2020-09-04--Prison governor’s gathering near height of pandemic to be investigated by agency

The Irish Prison Service ( IPS ) has appointed an outside agency to investigate a prison governor ’ s retirement gathering which took place near the height of the Covid-19 pandemic .
The lunchtime event – which was attended by about 30 people including senior staff from several prisons – was held to mark the retirement of Midlands Governor Ethel Gavin who was then the second most senior officer in the IPS .
It was held in the canteen of the Midlands Prison in Portlaoise on March 27th , the same day a complete ban on prison visits was announced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the Prison Officers Association ( POA ) expressed concerns about how the event might impact efforts to keep the prison system free of Covid-19 .
There were also concerns an outbreak could lead to a large proportion of the IPS management structure being out sick or in isolation at the same time .
The IPS has since received a protected disclosure about several issues related to the management of the Midlands Prison , including the event .
This complaint has been assessed as admissible and passed onto the professional consultancy firm Mazars @ @ @ @ @ @ @ declined to comment on the protected disclosure .
It said the “ Director General gave clear instruction ” to Ms Gavin that “ any large gathering , or large assembly of staff , to mark her retirement .
.
.
was not permissible.
” It is understood the original plan was for 85 people to attend the event but that this was reduced due to the worsening public health situation .
In attendance were representatives from IPS headquarters in Longford , as well as some staff from the Midlands , Portlaoise and Castlerea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ band also travelled to “ pipe out ” Ms Gavin from the prison grounds as part of the traditional retirement ceremony .
Ms Gavin denied the event was “ a party ” or a “ large gathering ” and said everyone had permission to be there .
She said the only non-IPS staff there was her son .
She said she broke no rules and social distancing was complied with during the event .
Ms Gavin suggested she was being unfairly targeted in circumstances where the senior male IPS staff have also held @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Irish Times has learned that then minister for justice Charlie Flanagan was made aware of the planned event by a concerned ex-prison officer three days before it was due to take place .
He assured the ex-officer “ there will be no party ” .
Mr Flanagan later came back and said he had been told no “ party ” took place and that Governor Gavin was merely “ clapped out ” by her colleagues as he left the prison .
Mr Flanagan did not return requests for comment .

At the time, prison staff and the Prison Officers Association expressed concerns about how the event might impact efforts to keep the prison system free of Covid-19. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien
The Irish Prison Service (IPS) has appointed an outside agency to investigate a prison governor’s retirement gathering which took place near the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The lunchtime event – which was attended by about 30 people including senior staff from several prisons – was held to mark the retirement of Midlands Governor Ethel Gavin who was then the second most senior officer in the IPS.
It was held in the canteen of the Midlands Prison in Portlaoise on March 27th, the same day a complete ban on prison visits was announced.
At the time, prison staff and the Prison Officers Association (POA) expressed concerns about how the event might impact efforts to keep the prison system free of Covid-19.
READ MORE
There were also concerns an outbreak could lead to a large proportion of the IPS management structure being out sick or in isolation at the same time.
The IPS has since received a protected disclosure about several issues related to the management of the Midlands Prison, including the event.
This complaint has been assessed as admissible and passed onto the professional consultancy firm Mazars for an independent investigation.
The IPS declined to comment on the protected disclosure. It said the “Director General gave clear instruction” to Ms Gavin that “any large gathering, or large assembly of staff, to mark her retirement . . . was not permissible.”
It is understood the original plan was for 85 people to attend the event but that this was reduced due to the worsening public health situation.
Permission
In attendance were representatives from IPS headquarters in Longford, as well as some staff from the Midlands, Portlaoise and Castlerea prisons. Two bagpipers from the IPS band also travelled to "pipe out" Ms Gavin from the prison grounds as part of the traditional retirement ceremony.
Ms Gavin denied the event was “a party” or a “large gathering” and said everyone had permission to be there. She said the only non-IPS staff there was her son. She said she broke no rules and social distancing was complied with during the event.
Ms Gavin suggested she was being unfairly targeted in circumstances where the senior male IPS staff have also held retirement events recently without controversy.
The Irish Times has learned that then minister for justice Charlie Flanagan was made aware of the planned event by a concerned ex-prison officer three days before it was due to take place. He assured the ex-officer "there will be no party".
Mr Flanagan later came back and said he had been told no “party” took place and that Governor Gavin was merely “clapped out” by her colleagues as he left the prison.
Mr Flanagan did not return requests for comment.


theirishtimes--2020-09-03--Cork city to hire 20 firefighters in new recruitment drive

Cork City Council is to hire 20 firefighters in its first recruitment drive in eight years .
Chief fire officer John Ryan said Cork ’ s fire service was evolving with its city .
“ We are hoping to draw the very best from across the community , who are willing to be the difference .
The brigade has a long and proud history , but the common thread is that the city ’ s firefighters are always ready to protect , prevent and respond.
” Candidates will be assessed across a broad range of skills , and not on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no stereotypical firefighter – but there are good team players , ” Mr Ryan said .
The recruitment campaign features station officer Irene Wallace , who has said being a fire fighter is like being part of a family .
“ I can not imagine doing any other job .
Every time we climb into the engine on the way to a call we know that we are only as good as the sum of our parts .
If you want to serve your community and want to do a job that is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is for you.
” Applications for the position of firefighter can be submitted until September 25th .
The campaign comes as Cork City fire brigade marks the 100th anniversary of the burning of Cork , when firefighters tried to prevent the spread of devastating blazes set by British forces .
Their heroic efforts will be marked through a series of events in the year .

Station officer Irene Wallace : “I cannot imagine doing any other job. Every time we climb into the engine on the way to a call we know that we are only as good as the sum of our parts.” Photograph: Clare Keogh
Cork City Council is to hire 20 firefighters in its first recruitment drive in eight years.
Chief fire officer John Ryan said Cork’s fire service was evolving with its city. “We are hoping to draw the very best from across the community, who are willing to be the difference. The brigade has a long and proud history, but the common thread is that the city’s firefighters are always ready to protect, prevent and respond.”
Candidates will be assessed across a broad range of skills, and not on just physical strength. “There is no stereotypical firefighter – but there are good team players,” Mr Ryan said.
The recruitment campaign features station officer Irene Wallace, who has said being a fire fighter is like being part of a family.
READ MORE
“I cannot imagine doing any other job. Every time we climb into the engine on the way to a call we know that we are only as good as the sum of our parts. If you want to serve your community and want to do a job that is exhilarating and rewarding, then this job is for you.”
Applications for the position of firefighter can be submitted until September 25th.
The campaign comes as Cork City fire brigade marks the 100th anniversary of the burning of Cork, when firefighters tried to prevent the spread of devastating blazes set by British forces. Their heroic efforts will be marked through a series of events in the year.


theirishtimes--2020-09-03--Leaving Cert 2020: The end of a remarkable journey

For the Leaving Cert class of 2020 , the release of the calculated grades marks the end of a most remarkable journey .
In previous years , collecting results was an opportunity for 6th year students to meet their former classmates outside school around 9am , before trooping in together to receive that crucial envelope from the principal , revealing how they had performed in the June exams .
Social media and newspaper websites were filled with images of celebratory leaps of joy and hugs and kisses among students as they mark the end of six years of secondary school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very different .
The calculated grades are the culmination of a process based initially on the subject teacher ’ s assessment of how each student would have performed had the Leaving Cert exam taken place .
Normal results In 17 per cent of cases the results that students receive on Monday morning will not be the same as those their subject teacher submitted to the special unit established in the Department of Education and Skills to carry out the task of making sure grades conform to the normal bell curve of results achieved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vast majority of grades , or 79 per cent , will remain unchanged while about 4 per cent are expected to be increased .
The 2020 results should now be ahead of previous years , but the additional places which the HEA has requested the colleges to create should counterbalance the somewhat higher grades , leaving CAO points in or around last year ’ s levels .
Looking forward to 2021 , the examination authorities have to ensure that next year ’ s Leaving Cert class - who have already missed a substantial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not at a disadvantage in securing college places in competition with those students who receive their calculated grades on Monday .
Therefore , when you receive your grades on Monday do not attribute any disappointment or anger towards your subject teachers or school principal .
They are not permitted to discuss with you in any way the grades you received and can not indicate if they have been changed since they made their initial assessment .
If you are unhappy with the grade you received in any subject , you can appeal this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opens on September 14th , will not examine the accuracy of the four-stage process which led to the grade you received , starting with the percentage mark determined by your subject teacher .
Rather it will simply check the accuracy of the data transfer from your school through the various stages of the internal DES processes .
The Department of Education has indicated that work is ongoing with the higher education colleges to align the timing of the first stage of the appeals process with the start date for college entry .
Students @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stage one of the appeals process may be able to take up their place in the 2020/2021 academic year .
If a student were to appeal the appeal and be successful at the Independent Appeal Scrutineer stage , and consequently receive an improved CAO offer at that stage , they will receive a deferred offer to start their course in the 2021/22 academic year .
Any student can of course choose to register to sit the Leaving Cert when it takes place later this academic year .
Students who opt to sit the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so and who receive an upgrade in one or more subjects and consequentially an improved CAO offer on foot of these results , will also receive a deferred college offer to start their course in the 2021/22 academic year .
If a candidate who has started the first year of a course becomes entitled to a higher CAO offer and chooses to accept the same in the following academic year , attendance for the first year on the new course would remain eligible for free fees and Susi funding as appropriate .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Cert exam in any subject and the result is lower than the predicted grade , they will still be entitled to use their calculated grade , for CAO entry purposes in 2021-2022 , or in the future .
All of the results issued on foot of the examinations this year ( calculated grades , appeals and the later examination sitting ) will be considered as results of the 2020 Leaving Certificate and can be used in 2021 or in any subsequent year to apply for courses through the CAO application process .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ regarding CAO entry , where applicants can only be considered for entry to any course on the basis of the results secured in one sitting of the Leaving Cert .
CAO Points For all students and particularly those seeking CAO college places , the first task is to turn the calculated grades into CAO Points .
You are only likely to do this exercise once in a lifetime and it is easy to get it wrong and cause yourself and your parents ’ unnecessary anxiety .
So , take a few minutes and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You should have a points chart to hand and sites such as careersportal.ie have features to enable you to enter your assessed grades and receive a CAO points calculation .
No matter what the outcome , it is worth remembering that success comes in many forms .
For one student , a score of 560 points may be devastating in terms of studying veterinary medicine at UCD ; for another , 250 points may represent a huge achievement .
Remember , you count the best six scores you ’ ve achieved across all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and your score for the module is better than your lowest of the six scores , you can include the LCVP instead .
If you got at least a H6 in higher-level maths , you add 25 to the normal points score attached to the grade you achieved .
There are some slight variations in how points are calculated by some third-level colleges , and all such variations are clearly outlined in the CAO handbook .
If you can not find your copy , it is online at cao.ie .

This year’s Leaving Cert sees the use of assessed grades for the first time. Photograph: Getty
For the Leaving Cert class of 2020, this morning's release of the calculated grades will mark the end of a most remarkable journey.
In previous years, collecting results was an opportunity for 6th year students to meet their former classmates outside school around 9am, before trooping in together to receive that crucial envelope from the principal, revealing how they had performed in the June exams.
Social media and newspaper websites were filled with images of celebratory leaps of joy and hugs and kisses among students as they mark the end of six years of secondary school.
This year the experience will be very different. The calculated grades are the culmination of a process based initially on the subject teacher's assessment of how each student would have performed had the Leaving Cert exam taken place.
Normal results
In 17 per cent of cases the results that students receive today will not be the same as those their subject teacher submitted to the special unit established in the Department of Education and Skills to carry out the task of making sure grades conform to the normal bell curve of results achieved by students in previous years.
READ MORE
The vast majority of grades, or 79 per cent, will remain unchanged while about 4 per cent are expected to be increased.
The 2020 results should now be ahead of previous years, but the additional places which the HEA has requested the colleges to create should counterbalance the somewhat higher grades, leaving CAO points in or around last year’s levels.
Looking forward to 2021, the examination authorities have to ensure that next year’s Leaving Cert class - who have already missed a substantial portion of 5th year tuition - are not at a disadvantage in securing college places in competition with those students who receive their calculated grades on September 7th.
Therefore, when you receive your grades do not attribute any disappointment or anger towards your subject teachers or school principal.
They are not permitted to discuss with you in any way the grades you received and cannot indicate if they have been changed since they made their initial assessment.
If you are unhappy with the grade you received in any subject, you can appeal this assessment.
The appeal process, which opens on September 14th, will not examine the accuracy of the four-stage process which led to the grade you received, starting with the percentage mark determined by your subject teacher.
Rather it will simply check the accuracy of the data transfer from your school through the various stages of the internal DES processes.
The Department of Education has indicated that work is ongoing with the higher education colleges to align the timing of the first stage of the appeals process with the start date for college entry.
Students who receive an upgraded CAO place following stage one of the appeals process may be able to take up their place in the 2020/2021 academic year.
If a student were to appeal the appeal and be successful at the Independent Appeal Scrutineer stage, and consequently receive an improved CAO offer at that stage, they will receive a deferred offer to start their course in the 2021/22 academic year.
Any student can of course choose to register to sit the Leaving Cert when it takes place later this academic year. Students who opt to sit the examinations when it is safe to do so and who receive an upgrade in one or more subjects and consequentially an improved CAO offer on foot of these results, will also receive a deferred college offer to start their course in the 2021/22 academic year.
If a candidate who has started the first year of a course becomes entitled to a higher CAO offer and chooses to accept the same in the following academic year, attendance for the first year on the new course would remain eligible for free fees and Susi funding as appropriate.
If a student chooses to sit the Leaving Cert exam in any subject and the result is lower than the predicted grade, they will still be entitled to use their calculated grade, for CAO entry purposes in 2021-2022, or in the future.
All of the results issued on foot of the examinations this year (calculated grades, appeals and the later examination sitting) will be considered as results of the 2020 Leaving Certificate and can be used in 2021 or in any subsequent year to apply for courses through the CAO application process.
This is very different to the normal rules regarding CAO entry, where applicants can only be considered for entry to any course on the basis of the results secured in one sitting of the Leaving Cert.
CAO Points
For all students and particularly those seeking CAO college places, the first task will be to turn the calculated grades into CAO Points.
You are only likely to do this exercise once in a lifetime and it is easy to get it wrong and cause yourself and your parents’ unnecessary anxiety.
So, take a few minutes and carefully determine your CAO points score. You should have a points chart to hand and sites such as careersportal.ie have features to enable you to enter your assessed grades and receive a CAO points calculation.
No matter what the outcome, it is worth remembering that success comes in many forms. For one student, a score of 560 points may be devastating in terms of studying veterinary medicine at UCD; for another, 250 points may represent a huge achievement.
Remember, you count the best six scores you’ve achieved across all subjects. If you did the LCVP and your score for the module is better than your lowest of the six scores, you can include the LCVP instead. If you got at least a H6 in higher-level maths, you add 25 to the normal points score attached to the grade you achieved.
There are some slight variations in how points are calculated by some third-level colleges, and all such variations are clearly outlined in the CAO handbook. If you cannot find your copy, it is online at cao.ie.


theirishtimes--2020-09-03--Call for church bells to ring across Ireland on Saturday to honour frontline workers

An invitation has been issued by Dublin ’ s two Archbishops for parishes to ring their church bells tomorrow ( Sat ) , National Services Day , in honour of all in the state ’ s frontline services , including those dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic .
Catholic Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin and Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin and Glendalough have encouraged parishes to ring the bells at 3pm on Saturday afternoon .
It follows an appeal from the Frontline Emergency Security Services Éire Forum ( FESSEF ) , which organises the annual National Services Day , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ services .
FESSEF has asked that church bells around Ireland ring out to mark the day show appreciation for frontline emergency and security services .
The theme of this year ’ s celebration is ‘ Remembering with Dignity ’ and will commemorate all who have died from Covid-19 and their grieving families , as well as all who became ill with the virus and those frontline workers who have fought it .
A small ceremony will take place at Collins Barracks in Dublin on Saturday to mark the Day but due to Covid-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Nationwide , however , local services at such as Garda Stations and Fire Stations , will also mark the Day at 3pm .
Chair of FESSEF Seamus O Neill said restrictions on gatherings meant they had to limit numbers at Collins Barracks but it was hoped the Day would have a nationwide impact .
“ By ringing the church bells the Church will show solidarity with frontline workers , ” he said .
“ The churches will unite with the Air Corps , who are expected to do a fly over ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ honk their car horns at 3pm ; and with emergency and security services locally up and down the country who will remember appropriately , ” he said .

Catholic Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin and Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin and Glendalough have encouraged parishes to ring the bells at 3pm on Saturday. File photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill/The Irish Times
An invitation has been issued by Dublin’s two Archbishops for parishes to ring their church bells tomorrow (Sat), National Services Day, in honour of all in the state’s frontline services, including those dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic.
Catholic Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin and Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin and Glendalough have encouraged parishes to ring the bells at 3pm on Saturday afternoon.
It follows an appeal from the Frontline Emergency Security Services Éire Forum (FESSEF), which organises the annual National Services Day, to show solidarity with people in the frontline services.
FESSEF has asked that church bells around Ireland ring out to mark the day show appreciation for frontline emergency and security services.
READ MORE
The theme of this year’s celebration is ‘Remembering with Dignity’ and will commemorate all who have died from Covid-19 and their grieving families, as well as all who became ill with the virus and those frontline workers who have fought it.
A small ceremony will take place at Collins Barracks in Dublin on Saturday to mark the Day but due to Covid-19 restrictions it will only involve 15 people. Nationwide, however, local services at such as Garda Stations and Fire Stations, will also mark the Day at 3pm.
Chair of FESSEF Seamus O Neill said restrictions on gatherings meant they had to limit numbers at Collins Barracks but it was hoped the Day would have a nationwide impact.
"By ringing the church bells the Church will show solidarity with frontline workers," he said. "The churches will unite with the Air Corps, who are expected to do a fly over; with motorists who are being asked to honk their car horns at 3pm; and with emergency and security services locally up and down the country who will remember appropriately," he said.


theirishtimes--2020-09-03--Gardaí renew appeal to find killer of Dublin teenager Raonaid Murray

Gardaí have renewed their appeal to find the killer of teenager Raonaid Murray , murdered 21 years ago .
The body of Ms Murray ( 17 ) was found at Silchester Crescent , Glenageary less than 500 metres from her home on Friday , September 3rd , 1999 .
She was returning at approximately 11.20pm from a night out at Scotts pub in Dun Laoghaire town centre .
She was stabbed to death near her home with a one-and-a-half inch knife .
Gardaí appealed to potential witnesses who have doubts about an alibi already provided in relation to the murder @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information which could assist in identifying a motive for the murder of Raonaid we would appeal for your immediate assistance .
You may unknowingly be shielding a killer , ” gardaí said in a statement .
Since 1999 , gardaí have interviewed 4,500 potential witnesses and have issued annual appeals , but , to date , no one has been arrested for the murder .
The investigation has been hampered by the absence of an obvious motivation for her death .
An incident room at Dun Laoghaire Garda station remains open and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In a statement marking the 21st anniversary of her death , gardaí said many potential witnesses who are Raonaid ’ s age are now parents themselves with children .
“ We would ask them to reflect now with the benefit of maturity and hindsight on any information which may be of assistance to the investigation , ” the statement added .
“ The solving of this murder is of the utmost priority for An Garda Síochána and any information received will be treated with absolute confidentiality.
” Last year on the 20th @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Jim Murray described the “ horrific shadow ” hanging over the family since her murder .
“ It ’ s 20 years since Raonaid was murdered but to us her awful death is still vivid in our minds and we feel the pain of her loss every day .
We feel that the memory of that time will still be vivid for others as well .
The gardaí have assured us of their continuing commitment to bring Raonaid ’ s killer to justice but they need your help .
”

Gardaí said the solving of the murder of Raonaid Murray is ‘of the utmost priority for An Garda Síochána and any information received will be treated with absolute confidentiality’.
Gardaí have renewed their appeal to find the killer of teenager Raonaid Murray, murdered 21 years ago.
The body of Ms Murray (17) was found at Silchester Crescent, Glenageary less than 500 metres from her home on Friday, September 3rd, 1999.
She was returning at approximately 11.20pm from a night out at Scotts pub in Dun Laoghaire town centre.
She was stabbed to death near her home with a one-and-a-half inch knife.
READ MORE
Gardaí appealed to potential witnesses who have doubts about an alibi already provided in relation to the murder.
“If any person has any information which could assist in identifying a motive for the murder of Raonaid we would appeal for your immediate assistance. You may unknowingly be shielding a killer,” gardaí said in a statement.
Since 1999, gardaí have interviewed 4,500 potential witnesses and have issued annual appeals, but, to date, no one has been arrested for the murder.
The investigation has been hampered by the absence of an obvious motivation for her death.
An incident room at Dun Laoghaire Garda station remains open and the family is still hopeful of a breakthrough.
In a statement marking the 21st anniversary of her death, gardaí said many potential witnesses who are Raonaid’s age are now parents themselves with children.
“We would ask them to reflect now with the benefit of maturity and hindsight on any information which may be of assistance to the investigation,” the statement added.
"The solving of this murder is of the utmost priority for An Garda Síochána and any information received will be treated with absolute confidentiality."
Last year on the 20th anniversary of her death, her father Jim Murray described the "horrific shadow" hanging over the family since her murder.
“It’s 20 years since Raonaid was murdered but to us her awful death is still vivid in our minds and we feel the pain of her loss every day. We feel that the memory of that time will still be vivid for others as well. The gardaí have assured us of their continuing commitment to bring Raonaid’s killer to justice but they need your help.”