theirishtimes--2020-12-15--AI project on 14 Irish test sites aims to inform carbon reduction policy

One of the biggest research projects ever undertaken to evaluate the impact of climate disruption in Ireland is to use advanced monitoring technology including satellites and drones .
The €5 million Terrain-AI project is being led by 50 researchers based in Maynooth University and funded by Microsoft Ireland and Science Foundation Ireland .
Its aim is to improve understanding of the impact of human activity on land use , and how it relates to climate change , “ with the ultimate aim of reducing global carbon levels by sharing the insights and models developed with other countries ” .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Ireland , ranging from farmland and bogs to urban areas .
Vast amounts of data generated by sensing technologies , user-friendly internet of things ( IoT ) devices and the Microsoft Azure Cloud will be processed using artificial intelligence ( AI ) models to “ inform more effective and sustainable management practices , leading to significant carbon reduction ” , said Prof Tim McCarthy of the National Centre for Geocomputation in Maynooth – who is leading the research with Dr Rowan Fealy of the Icarus Climate Research Centre .
Government departments and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Met Éireann will be contributing to the research along with scientists at TCD , UCD , DCU and UL , while indigenous data companies will also play their part , said Prof McCarthy .
Data will be captured from satellites , airborne platforms and in-field instruments , notably to test soil .
“ To ensure a broad representation of land usage , and to improve understanding of interactions between the land and human activities that lead to carbon emissions , the sites will include all types of land from grasslands , croplands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ urban areas , Prof McCarthy said .
They will be monitoring with great precision “ proxies for carbon ” in the air , on land surfaces ; notably biomass in the form of trees , grass and hedgerows , and below the surface in soils .
Research to date has focused on individual land use types , or activities relating to a specific sector .
“ However , this project will integrate insights and data from multiple land types and multiple sectors into a modelling framework that will inform more effective policies to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ help to inform future land use practices that will achieve reduced carbon outputs such as precision farming ( growing crops informed by satellite data ) ; carbon sequestration of grassland and new approaches to public transport , or even tree planting in urban areas .
Announcing the funding on Monday , Minister for Science Simon Harris said : “ This ambitious innovative research has the potential to significantly improve our knowledge and through that assist us to reduce our carbon emissions.
” SFI director general Prof Mark Ferguson said the research would create @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meet international obligations for carbon reduction .
Cathriona Hallahan , managing director of Microsoft Ireland , said her company wished to support sustainable development and low-carbon business practices through the use of cloud-enabled technologies .
“ Building on our recent initiative with Teagasc and the delivery of Airband to help the farming community to stay connected , this project will explore how we can leverage technology to reduce carbon emissions across different land types , ” she added .
Prof Ray O ’ Neill , Maynooth University ’ s vice-president of research and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and industry could come together to tackle the big global challenges .
“ Tackling climate change is about changing everyday work patterns , activities and behaviours .
The Terrain-AI project will collect high-quality data , extract verifiable information and generate the facts to enable society make informed decisions about changing how we manage our climate and environment.
” James O ’ Connor , managing director of Microsoft International Operations , predicted it would deliver unique insights to help landowners and planners make better-informed decisions to reduce emissions .
“ By leveraging the latest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by sharing the insights and framework with other countries , we can collectively find new solutions to reduce carbon emissions globally and effectively deliver a net-zero future together .
”

One of the biggest research projects ever undertaken to evaluate the impact of climate disruption in Ireland is to use advanced monitoring technology including satellites and drones .
The €5 million Terrain-AI project is being led by 50 researchers based in Maynooth University and funded by Microsoft Ireland and Science Foundation Ireland. Its aim is to improve understanding of the impact of human activity on land use, and how it relates to climate change, "with the ultimate aim of reducing global carbon levels by sharing the insights and models developed with other countries".
The research will initially focus 14 test sites in Ireland, ranging from farmland and bogs to urban areas.
Vast amounts of data generated by sensing technologies, user-friendly internet of things (IoT) devices and the Microsoft Azure Cloud will be processed using artificial intelligence (AI) models to "inform more effective and sustainable management practices, leading to significant carbon reduction", said Prof Tim McCarthy of the National Centre for Geocomputation in Maynooth – who is leading the research with Dr Rowan Fealy of the Icarus Climate Research Centre.
READ MORE
Government departments and State agencies including Teagasc, the EPA and Met Éireann will be contributing to the research along with scientists at TCD, UCD, DCU and UL, while indigenous data companies will also play their part, said Prof McCarthy.
Data will be captured from satellites, airborne platforms and in-field instruments, notably to test soil. “To ensure a broad representation of land usage, and to improve understanding of interactions between the land and human activities that lead to carbon emissions, the sites will include all types of land from grasslands, croplands, forestry, wetlands, peatlands to urban areas, Prof McCarthy said.
Carbon proxies
They will be monitoring with great precision “proxies for carbon” in the air, on land surfaces; notably biomass in the form of trees, grass and hedgerows, and below the surface in soils.
Research to date has focused on individual land use types, or activities relating to a specific sector. “However, this project will integrate insights and data from multiple land types and multiple sectors into a modelling framework that will inform more effective policies to reduce carbon emissions.”
It will also help to inform future land use practices that will achieve reduced carbon outputs such as precision farming (growing crops informed by satellite data); carbon sequestration of grassland and new approaches to public transport, or even tree planting in urban areas.
Announcing the funding on Monday, Minister for Science Simon Harris said: "This ambitious innovative research has the potential to significantly improve our knowledge and through that assist us to reduce our carbon emissions."
SFI director general Prof Mark Ferguson said the research would create important knowledge that would assist Ireland to meet international obligations for carbon reduction.
Cathriona Hallahan, managing director of Microsoft Ireland, said her company wished to support sustainable development and low-carbon business practices through the use of cloud-enabled technologies.
“Building on our recent initiative with Teagasc and the delivery of Airband to help the farming community to stay connected, this project will explore how we can leverage technology to reduce carbon emissions across different land types,” she added.
Net-zero future
Prof Ray O’Neill, Maynooth University’s vice-president of research and development, said Terrain-AI demonstrated how academia and industry could come together to tackle the big global challenges. “Tackling climate change is about changing everyday work patterns, activities and behaviours. The Terrain-AI project will collect high-quality data, extract verifiable information and generate the facts to enable society make informed decisions about changing how we manage our climate and environment.”
James O’Connor, managing director of Microsoft International Operations, predicted it would deliver unique insights to help landowners and planners make better-informed decisions to reduce emissions. “By leveraging the latest in AI and IoT technologies, and by sharing the insights and framework with other countries, we can collectively find new solutions to reduce carbon emissions globally and effectively deliver a net-zero future together.”


theirishtimes--2020-12-15--Cabinet to sign off on delivery of €100m worth of vaccines

Cabinet will today sign off on a plan to deliver more than €100 million worth of vaccines across the country – including at mass vaccination centres – as the State moves to implement the most important inoculation programme since its foundation .
Under the plan the State will roll out 14 million doses of at least five different vaccines .
There will be five types of locations where the doses will be administered across the country , including mass vaccination centres potentially at Citywest in west Dublin and the National Show Centre in Cloghran , near Dublin airport .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prepared by a high-level taskforce chaired by Prof Brian MacCraith , which details the types of locations which will be used at different stages of the planned roll-out .
The first locations will be hospitals , followed by long-term residential care facilities , which will be served by mobile distribution teams from a nearby hospital .
There will then be centralised mass vaccination centres , and once broader sections of society are vaccinated GPs and pharmacies will play a bigger role .
The programme will draw on the existing pool of vaccinators working @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said there were a number of options being progressed to scale up the workforce for the roll-out .
The HSE is also working on a new IT system which will cover registrations , bookings , second bookings and monitoring .
Sources said a “ ready-made software solution ” was being sourced , and is hoped it will be ready by the end of the year .
Ireland is currently signed up to at least five advanced purchase agreements for different vaccines , and if these are all approved by the European Medicines Agency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be available .
Sources have said the cost of the drugs will be about €112 million .
However , even as the Government prepares to launch its plan , Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the “ optimal period ” for vaccine roll-out would not be until the spring .
He also said that there could be further restrictions in January .
At today ’ s Cabinet meeting Ministers will also consider the complex storage and distribution requirements for the different Covid-19 vaccines .
Key to the Government plan will be a communications strategy designed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and to reassure society about safety and efficacy .
It is expected that “ trusted experts ” will be asked to “ debunk misinformation ” and provide facts on the vaccines .
On Monday Ireland ’ s drug regulator said there would be no “ lowering of the bar ” in the approvals process .
No regulatory body , here or abroad , would make any new vaccines available “ without having full confidence that they are safe and that they work ” , said Dr Lorraine Nolan , chief executive of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine applications will be reviewed just as carefully and as rigorously as any other medicine .
We will be led by the evidence and by the science , ” she told a National Public Health Emergency Team ( Nphet ) briefing on Monday .
Asked about a new variant of the virus identified in the UK , assistant chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn said very little information was available , and it was too early to say if this variant had any effect on the immune response .
The deaths of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Nphet on Monday .
This brings to 2,126 the total number of deaths in the pandemic .
Another 264 confirmed cases of the disease was also reported , bringing the total number of cases to 76,449 in the Republic .

Under the plan the State will roll out 14 million doses of at least five different vaccines. File photograph: Getty Images
Cabinet will today sign off on a plan to deliver more than €100 million worth of vaccines across the country – including at mass vaccination centres – as the State moves to implement the most important inoculation programme since its foundation.
Under the plan the State will roll out 14 million doses of at least five different vaccines.
There will be five types of locations where the doses will be administered across the country, including mass vaccination centres potentially at Citywest in west Dublin and the National Show Centre in Cloghran, near Dublin Airport.
The details are contained in a new report prepared by a high-level taskforce chaired by Prof Brian MacCraith, which details the types of locations which will be used at different stages of the planned roll-out.
READ MORE
The first locations will be hospitals, followed by long-term residential care facilities, which will be served by mobile distribution teams from a nearby hospital.
There will then be centralised mass vaccination centres, and once broader sections of society are vaccinated GPs and pharmacies will play a bigger role.
The programme will draw on the existing pool of vaccinators working within the health system, and sources said there were a number of options being progressed to scale up the workforce for the roll-out.
Registrations
The HSE is also working on a new IT system which will cover registrations, bookings, second bookings and monitoring.
Sources said a “ready-made software solution” was being sourced, and it is hoped it will be ready by the end of the year.
Ireland is currently signed up to at least five advanced purchase agreements for different vaccines, and if these are all approved by the European Medicines Agency at least 14 million vaccine doses will be available.
Sources have said the cost of the drugs will be about €112 million.
However, even as the Government prepares to launch its plan, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said the “optimal period” for vaccine roll-out would not be until the spring.
He also said that there could be further restrictions in January.
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly will bring the plan to Cabinet at today’s meeting, where Ministers will also consider the complex storage and distribution requirements for the different Covid-19 vaccines.
Key to the Government plan will be a communications strategy designed to build trust in the inoculation programme and to reassure society about safety and efficacy. It is expected that “trusted experts” will be asked to “debunk misinformation” and provide facts on the vaccines.
Drug regulator
On Monday Ireland’s drug regulator said there would be no “lowering of the bar” in the approvals process.
No regulatory body, here or abroad, would make any new vaccines available "without having full confidence that they are safe and that they work", said Dr Lorraine Nolan, chief executive of the Health Products Regulatory Authority.
“All vaccine applications will be reviewed just as carefully and as rigorously as any other medicine. We will be led by the evidence and by the science,” she told a National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) briefing on Monday.
Asked about a new variant of the virus identified in the UK, assistant chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn said very little information was available, and it was too early to say if this variant had any effect on the immune response.
The deaths of a further two patients with Covid-19 were reported by Nphet on Monday. This brings to 2,126 the total number of deaths in the pandemic.
Another 264 confirmed cases of the disease was also reported, bringing the total number of cases to 76,449 in the Republic.


theirishtimes--2020-12-15--Four deaths in Covid outbreak at Augustinian retirement home

Four retired members of the Augustinian religious order have died and six others were infected in a Covid-19 outbreak at a Co Wicklow retirement home run on behalf of the order .
Three priests died over a period of just four days at the care facility in Bray , Co Wicklow last month , while a fourth member of the order , an Augustinian brother , died in a Dublin hospital .
All four deaths occurred over an eight-day period .
The Augustinians took possession of Bray Manor , a facility in the Co Wicklow town , in September as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members , and a private company was engaged to manage the facility under the supervision of the order .
The order has been working with the HSE recently in dealing with the threat from Covid-19 and , prior to the outbreak , the facility accommodated 14 retired members .
“ Regrettably , 10 of our members tested positive for the virus and sadly four of our elderly members have died , ” the order said in a statement .
“ The respective families have been informed of these deaths and our thoughts and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ difficult time.
” One member who was hospitalised has returned to the Bray home .
The facility is “ now operationally free of the virus ” , the Augustinians said , but it must await a further week to have this fully certified .
Covid-19 outbreaks are officially closed after 28 days without a new case .
The statement said the public health services had been “ very supportive throughout this very difficult time ” .
“ The families of all those in this facility are being kept updated on an ongoing basis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ situation .
We also continue to deal with the HSE as we care for those who have been ill and all other residents , ” the statement said .
“ We want to thank the staff at the facility for their efforts in a very challenging situation .
We can confirm that all relevant guidelines were followed throughout.
” The Augustinians first arrived in Ireland in the 13th century and established a friary at Abbeyside , Dungarvan in 1282 .
They set up schools in Dungarvan and New Ross in the 1830s and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the archdiocese of Dublin .
The order is not the only religious order affected by the coronavirus pandemic .
During the first wave of the virus , there were a number of deaths related to Covid-19 at the Jesuit retirement home in Milltown , Dublin and among retired members of the Spiritan ( Holy Ghost ) order at a nursing home run by the Sisters of Nazareth on the Malahide Road in Dublin .

The Augustinians took possession of Bray Manor in September as retirement accommodation for a group of retired members.
Four retired members of the Augustinian religious order have died and six others were infected in a Covid-19 outbreak at a Co Wicklow retirement home run on behalf of the order.
Three priests died over a period of just four days at the care facility in Bray, Co Wicklow last month, while a fourth member of the order, an Augustinian brother, died in a Dublin hospital.
All four deaths occurred over an eight-day period.
The Augustinians took possession of Bray Manor, a facility in the Co Wicklow town, in September as retirement accommodation for a group of retired members, and a private company was engaged to manage the facility under the supervision of the order.
READ MORE
The order has been working with the HSE recently in dealing with the threat from Covid-19 and, prior to the outbreak, the facility accommodated 14 retired members.
“Regrettably, 10 of our members tested positive for the virus and sadly four of our elderly members have died,” the order said in a statement.
“The respective families have been informed of these deaths and our thoughts and prayers are with them at this most difficult time.”
Virus-free
One member who was hospitalised has returned to the Bray home. The facility is “now operationally free of the virus”, the Augustinians said, but it must await a further week to have this fully certified. Covid-19 outbreaks are officially closed after 28 days without a new case.
The statement said the public health services had been “very supportive throughout this very difficult time”.
“The families of all those in this facility are being kept updated on an ongoing basis as we now deal with this challenging situation. We also continue to deal with the HSE as we care for those who have been ill and all other residents,” the statement said.
“We want to thank the staff at the facility for their efforts in a very challenging situation. We can confirm that all relevant guidelines were followed throughout.”
The Augustinians first arrived in Ireland in the 13th century and established a friary at Abbeyside, Dungarvan in 1282. They set up schools in Dungarvan and New Ross in the 1830s and have three parishes under their care in the archdiocese of Dublin.
The order is not the only religious order affected by the coronavirus pandemic.
During the first wave of the virus, there were a number of deaths related to Covid-19 at the Jesuit retirement home in Milltown, Dublin and among retired members of the Spiritan (Holy Ghost) order at a nursing home run by the Sisters of Nazareth on the Malahide Road in Dublin.


theirishtimes--2020-12-15--‘Dangerous territory’ of expanding alcohol delivery services

Ireland is moving into “ dangerous territory ” as a swell in delivery services during the pandemic gifts unprecedented access to alcohol for underage drinkers , campaigners have warned .
Alcohol Forum , a charity working against harmful drinking , said “ really risky practices are creeping in ” around drinks sales with greater enforcement needed against illegal delivery services as well as tougher regulation for the licensed off-sales trade .
Paula Leonard , the organisation ’ s head of community action , said 24-hour “ dial a drink ” services are operating “ outside any licensing regime ” , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provincial towns countrywide during the crisis .
“ That is an enforcement issue and it will grow and grow rapidly if nothing is done about , ” she said .
Illegal sellers buy large quantities of alcohol at licensed retailers and then sell it on through delivery at a significant mark up .
Many advertise on social media .
Ms Leonard said there is also a growing problem “ exacerbated by the Covid crisis ” of off-licences delivering to customers without first checking their age .
Pollsters Red C carried out a survey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ almost one in 10 people who drink had used alcohol delivery services over the previous 12 months .
Three per cent paid for the alcohol over the phone , 2 per cent when it arrived at their home , and 1 per cent bought it from the boot of a car or paid a taxi driver for it .
Ms Leonard said the figures , when extrapolated for the population , translates into “ more than 100,000 breaches ” of existing regulations , where off-sales retailers have to be satisfied at the point @ @ @ @ @ @ @ underage .
“ Existing laws are predicated on place-based selling of alcohol and there is no question it is completely outmoded , it needs to be overhauled , ” she said .
“ Currently there is no effective way of doing age verification and the danger right now is this is a growing issue nationally.
” Even before the pandemic , online sales of alcohol were globally predicted to be growing 15 per cent every year , according to Ms Leonard .
Studies in the United States , Wales and Australia show young @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in circumventing age verification processes when it comes to purchasing alcohol online ” .
“ The whole picture is moving very quickly and in Ireland we have a very complicated mix of regulated , unregulated , legal and illegal selling , and it absolutely has been exacerbated by the Covid crisis , ” she said .
“ It is very dangerous territory .
We are not trying to get rid of drink delivery services but we want to see better regulation and a rational approach to doing it , because at the minute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is all over the place.
” Alcohol Forum is seeking a meeting with Minister for Justice Helen McEntee to urge legislation that would legally define drink deliveries , insist on age verification at the point of sale and again at the point of delivery .
Delivery drivers should also have to check for intoxication , said Ms Leonard .
“ We can ’ t have the Department of Health having a strategy and the Department of Justice ignoring the facts that licensing legislation relating to this issue isn ’ t fit for purpose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is easier now than ever for underage people to access alcohol.
” Asked by Independent Donegal TD Thomas Pringle about tightening regulations , Ms McEntee said existing laws for off-sales still apply to deliveries , including it being an offence to sell to anyone under the age of 18 .
Ms McEntee suggested video call technology – such as FaceTime or WhatsApp – meant there were no “ practical impediments ” to retailers verifying the age of customers in advance of delivery .
The Government Alcohol Advisory Group has previously ruled alcohol ordered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for on delivery is “ illegal ” , the Minister pointed out .
“ The group recommended that the gardaí target ‘ dial-a-can ’ and similar delivery services with a view to prosecuting the offending licensees , ” she said .
Ms McEntee said she is open to reviewing the issue “ should compelling objective evidence emerge indicating that a further examination of the legislation regulating these matters is warranted ” .
Mr Pringle accused Ms McEntee of taking a “ hands-off ” approach to the issue .
“ There has been a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that alcohol is more a health issue , rather than a justice issue , but the responsibility on sales still lies with the Department of Justice , in terms of the policing of it , ” he said .

Ireland is moving into “dangerous territory” as a swell in delivery services during the pandemic gifts unprecedented access to alcohol for underage drinkers, campaigners have warned. Photograph: Sasko Lazarov/Photocall Ireland
Ireland is moving into “dangerous territory” as a swell in delivery services during the pandemic gifts unprecedented access to alcohol for underage drinkers, campaigners have warned.
Alcohol Forum, a charity working against harmful drinking, said “really risky practices are creeping in” around drinks sales with greater enforcement needed against illegal delivery services as well as tougher regulation for the licensed off-sales trade.
Paula Leonard, the organisation's head of community action, said 24-hour "dial a drink" services are operating "outside any licensing regime", mainly in Dublin but springing up in provincial towns countrywide during the crisis.
“That is an enforcement issue and it will grow and grow rapidly if nothing is done about,” she said.
READ MORE
Breaches
Illegal sellers buy large quantities of alcohol at licensed retailers and then sell it on through delivery at a significant mark up. Many advertise on social media.
Ms Leonard said there is also a growing problem “exacerbated by the Covid crisis” of off-licences delivering to customers without first checking their age.
Pollsters Red C carried out a survey for the charity in May which found almost one in 10 people who drink had used alcohol delivery services over the previous 12 months. Three per cent paid for the alcohol over the phone, 2 per cent when it arrived at their home, and 1 per cent bought it from the boot of a car or paid a taxi driver for it.
Ms Leonard said the figures, when extrapolated for the population, translates into “more than 100,000 breaches” of existing regulations, where off-sales retailers have to be satisfied at the point of purchase that a customer is not underage.
“Existing laws are predicated on place-based selling of alcohol and there is no question it is completely outmoded, it needs to be overhauled,” she said. “Currently there is no effective way of doing age verification and the danger right now is this is a growing issue nationally.”
Even before the pandemic, online sales of alcohol were globally predicted to be growing 15 per cent every year, according to Ms Leonard.
Studies in the United States, Wales and Australia show young people have "huge ease of access in circumventing age verification processes when it comes to purchasing alcohol online".
“The whole picture is moving very quickly and in Ireland we have a very complicated mix of regulated, unregulated, legal and illegal selling, and it absolutely has been exacerbated by the Covid crisis,” she said.
“It is very dangerous territory. We are not trying to get rid of drink delivery services but we want to see better regulation and a rational approach to doing it, because at the minute it is a higgledy-piggledy approach – it is all over the place.”
Alcohol Forum is seeking a meeting with Minister for Justice Helen McEntee to urge legislation that would legally define drink deliveries, insist on age verification at the point of sale and again at the point of delivery.
Legislation
Delivery drivers should also have to check for intoxication, said Ms Leonard.
"We can't have the Department of Health having a strategy and the Department of Justice ignoring the facts that licensing legislation relating to this issue isn't fit for purpose," she said. "It is easier now than ever for underage people to access alcohol."
Asked by Independent Donegal TD Thomas Pringle about tightening regulations, Ms McEntee said existing laws for off-sales still apply to deliveries, including it being an offence to sell to anyone under the age of 18.
Ms McEntee suggested video call technology – such as FaceTime or WhatsApp – meant there were no “practical impediments” to retailers verifying the age of customers in advance of delivery.
The Government Alcohol Advisory Group has previously ruled alcohol ordered by telephone or text messaging and paid for on delivery is "illegal", the Minister pointed out. "The group recommended that the gardaí target 'dial-a-can' and similar delivery services with a view to prosecuting the offending licensees," she said.
Ms McEntee said she is open to reviewing the issue “should compelling objective evidence emerge indicating that a further examination of the legislation regulating these matters is warranted”.
Mr Pringle accused Ms McEntee of taking a “hands-off” approach to the issue.
“There has been a move in the last number of years that alcohol is more a health issue, rather than a justice issue, but the responsibility on sales still lies with the Department of Justice, in terms of the policing of it,” he said.


theirishtimes--2020-12-15--Hospital patients far less likely to die from stroke, heart attack than decade ago - report

Patients are far less likely to die in hospital from heart attack , stroke or pneumonia than a decade ago , a new report shows .
In contrast , the death rate for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( COPD ) , the most common disease responsible for emergency hospital admissions , has increased , according to the National Audit of Hospital Mortality for 2019 .
The rate of heart failure deaths is down 23 per cent , from 88 deaths per 1,000 admissions in 2010 to 68 last year .
The reduction for acute myocardial infarction is even greater , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 72 deaths per 1,000 admission to 47 .
In-hospital mortality for pneumonia dropped 27 per cent , from 142 deaths to 103 per 100,000 admissions , according to the report from the National Office of Clinical Audit ( Noca ) .
The rate of COPD deaths increased by 12 per cent over the period , from 33 to 37 deaths per 100,000 admissions , but was static between 2018 and last year .
An estimated 500,000 people in Ireland are living with COPD , yet it is estimated that only 200,000 of them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Beaumont hospitals in Dublin also recorded high COPD mortality rates but were not considered outliers because this was a first occurrence .
For stroke , a 38 per cent fall in ischaemic stroke was recorded , though the rate increased slightly in 2019 .
Noca said “ statistical outliers ” occurred in four individual diagnoses during 2019 , and the relevant hospitals - Cork University Hospital and the Mater Hospital in Dublin - have conducted reviews of their data .
There were no issues of concern raised in the reviews , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ improvements in outcomes for some of the most significant illnesses in our hospitals , ” commented Dr Bridget Egan , clinical lead for the audit .
I encourage all hospital to expand on their use of the National Audit of Hospital Mortality tool as it provides a great insight into these illnesses at individual hospital level.
” Noca says the report , which uses data from 44 hospitals , can not be used to compare hospitals to one another .
“ No two hospitals are expected to be the same , as hospitals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ profiles.
” The Covid-19 pandemic impacted on the audit process by causing the implementation of recommendations in previous reports to be delayed .

The rate of heart failure deaths is down 23 per cent, from 88 deaths per 1,000 admissions in 2010 to 68 last year. Photograph: iStock
Patients are far less likely to die in hospital from heart attack, stroke or pneumonia than a decade ago, a new report shows.
In contrast, the death rate for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), the most common disease responsible for emergency hospital admissions, has increased, according to the National Audit of Hospital Mortality for 2019.
The rate of heart failure deaths is down 23 per cent, from 88 deaths per 1,000 admissions in 2010 to 68 last year.
The reduction for acute myocardial infarction is even greater, at 35 per cent, down from 72 deaths per 1,000 admission to 47.
READ MORE
In-hospital mortality for pneumonia dropped 27 per cent, from 142 deaths to 103 per 100,000 admissions, according to the report from the National Office of Clinical Audit (Noca).
The rate of COPD deaths increased by 12 per cent over the period, from 33 to 37 deaths per 100,000 admissions, but was static between 2018 and last year.
An estimated 500,000 people in Ireland are living with COPD, yet it is estimated that only 200,000 of them have had a formal diagnosis.
Tallaght and Beaumont hospitals in Dublin also recorded high COPD mortality rates but were not considered outliers because this was a first occurrence.
For stroke, a 38 per cent fall in ischaemic stroke was recorded, though the rate increased slightly in 2019.
Haemorrhagic stroke death rates decreased by 9 per cent.
Noca said "statistical outliers" occurred in four individual diagnoses during 2019, and the relevant hospitals - Cork University Hospital and the Mater Hospital in Dublin - have conducted reviews of their data. There were no issues of concern raised in the reviews, it stated.
"The results demonstrate the improvements in outcomes for some of the most significant illnesses in our hospitals," commented Dr Bridget Egan, clinical lead for the audit. I encourage all hospital to expand on their use of the National Audit of Hospital Mortality tool as it provides a great insight into these illnesses at individual hospital level."
Noca says the report, which uses data from 44 hospitals, cannot be used to compare hospitals to one another. “No two hospitals are expected to be the same, as hospitals have very different case mix or patient profiles.”
The Covid-19 pandemic impacted on the audit process by causing the implementation of recommendations in previous reports to be delayed.


theirishtimes--2020-12-15--Rising nitrate levels in Irish rivers and lakes concerns EPA

More than a third of Irish rivers and a quarter of lakes are failing to meet environmental quality standards due to high levels of polluting nitrates and phosphates , according to a new assessment .
The Environmental Protection Agency ’ s report for 2019 finds that more than a fifth of groundwater , which is a critical source of drinking water , has high nitrate concentrations , as does a fifth of estuarine and coastal water bodies .
Just over half of rivers and lakes have high or good biological quality .
The main threat to water quality is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ form of phosphates and nitrates arising from agriculture and waste-water discharges .
“ Nutrient concentrations in waters are too high and the trends are going in the wrong direction , ” the EPA ’ s Water Quality Indicators report finds .
The main threat to water quality is the presence of too much nutrients in the form of phosphates and nitrates , which come primarily from agriculture and waste water .
Nitrate concentrations are increasing in nearly half of river and groundwater sites , while phosphate levels are increasing in a quarter of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year , however , “ have shown more improvements than declines overall , which is welcome ” , the report adds .
“ However , further action is needed to return waters to a satisfactory condition.
” EPA director Dr Micheál Lehane said clean , healthy water was essential for our economy , our aquatic wildlife and for our health and wellbeing .
“ However , this assessment shows that our water environment remains under considerable pressure from human activities.
” Of most concern , he said , was the continued upward trend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ particularly evident in the south and southeast of the country , where the main source of such pollutants is agriculture .
The rise in nitrates coincides with the growth of the dairy sector in recent years , noted Dr Lehane .
“ We need urgent and effective action to ensure that the decline in water quality is halted and to restore those water bodies that have declined in quality , ” he added .
EPA programme manager Mary Gurrie said elevated nutrient concentrations were contributing to pollution in freshwaters and estuaries , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some areas .
Urgent action is now needed to reduce nutrient inputs from agriculture , she said .
Measures needed to be targeted at the critical source areas where nitrogen and phosphate problems occurred , she added .
There was a lot of good work happening at a local level to improve water quality and this needed to be scaled up to deliver the improvements needed .
Delivering on key objectives set out in the river basin plan “ and targeted action at local water catchment level is key to improving water quality @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a form of nitrogen , is essential for plant growth .
Too much of it in a water body can lead to the overgrowth of plants and algae that outcompete and displace other flora and fauna .
This excessive growth can also cause oxygen depletion and damage the ecology of our water bodies .
Estuaries and coastal waters are particularly sensitive to high nitrate concentrations .
Nitrate concentrations above the drinking water standard can pose a risk to human health , particularly for young children .
The EPA report is available at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ water quality assessments are available at on catchments.ie .

‘We need urgent and effective action to ensure that the decline in water quality is halted.’ Photograph: iStock
More than a third of Irish rivers and a quarter of lakes are failing to meet environmental quality standards due to high levels of polluting nitrates and phosphates, according to a new assessment.
The Environmental Protection Agency’s report for 2019 finds that more than a fifth of groundwater, which is a critical source of drinking water, has high nitrate concentrations, as does a fifth of estuarine and coastal water bodies. Just over half of rivers and lakes have high or good biological quality.
The main threat to water quality is the presence of too many nutrients in the form of phosphates and nitrates arising from agriculture and waste-water discharges. “Nutrient concentrations in waters are too high and the trends are going in the wrong direction,” the EPA’s Water Quality Indicators report finds.
The main threat to water quality is the presence of too much nutrients in the form of phosphates and nitrates, which come primarily from agriculture and waste water.
READ MORE
Nitrate concentrations are increasing in nearly half of river and groundwater sites, while phosphate levels are increasing in a quarter of river sites.
The rivers surveyed last year, however, “have shown more improvements than declines overall, which is welcome”, the report adds. “However, further action is needed to return waters to a satisfactory condition.”
EPA director Dr Micheál Lehane said clean, healthy water was essential for our economy, our aquatic wildlife and for our health and wellbeing. “However, this assessment shows that our water environment remains under considerable pressure from human activities.”
Of most concern, he said, was the continued upward trend of nitrate concentrations. The problem is particularly evident in the south and southeast of the country, where the main source of such pollutants is agriculture. The rise in nitrates coincides with the growth of the dairy sector in recent years, noted Dr Lehane.
“We need urgent and effective action to ensure that the decline in water quality is halted and to restore those water bodies that have declined in quality,” he added.
Drinking water
EPA programme manager Mary Gurrie said elevated nutrient concentrations were contributing to pollution in freshwaters and estuaries, and causing difficulties with drinking water standards in some areas.
Urgent action is now needed to reduce nutrient inputs from agriculture, she said.
Measures needed to be targeted at the critical source areas where nitrogen and phosphate problems occurred, she added. There was a lot of good work happening at a local level to improve water quality and this needed to be scaled up to deliver the improvements needed.
Delivering on key objectives set out in the river basin plan “and targeted action at local water catchment level is key to improving water quality”, the report underlines.
Nitrate, a form of nitrogen, is essential for plant growth. Too much of it in a water body can lead to the overgrowth of plants and algae that outcompete and displace other flora and fauna. This excessive growth can also cause oxygen depletion and damage the ecology of our water bodies. Estuaries and coastal waters are particularly sensitive to high nitrate concentrations.
Nitrate concentrations above the drinking water standard can pose a risk to human health, particularly for young children.
The EPA report is available at epa.ie, while data used in the water quality assessments are available at on catchments.ie.


theirishtimes--2020-12-15--I’m thinking of becoming a secondary teacher. What qualifications do I need?

I ’ m in the final year of my undergraduate degree and I ’ m thinking of secondary teaching as a career choice .
What are the job prospects like ?
And how do I go about seeking a place ?
You ’ ll need to complete a two-year professional master of education course , more commonly known in teaching circles as a PME .
Applicants are required to have a level-eight degree which satisfies the curricular subject criteria set and regulated by the Department of Education in association with the Teaching Council of Ireland .
As part of your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to complete a declaration form for the subjects you are seeking to teach .
This requires a minimum of a 2:2 in a primary level-eight degree which meets the Teaching Council requirements for at least one post-primary curricular subject ( check teachingcouncil.ie for more details ) .
The PME is offered on a subject basis ( the subjects you are qualified to teach during the programme ) through an application/selection system .
Applicants will rank PME programmes by university preference .
If successful , applicants will register to their university with both subjects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ offers the PME centrally for Dublin City University ( DCU ) and the National University of Ireland ( NUI ) constituent colleges : University College Cork , University College Dublin , NUI Galway and Maynooth University .
Trinity College Dublin and the University of Limerick deal directly with applicants to their respective PME programmes .
Hibernia College , an accredited online third-level institution , also offers the PME .
Applicants for admission to PME programmes beginning in autumn 2021 at any one or more of the four NUI universities must complete a single @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expressed if applying to more than one programme .
The deadlines for applications will begin to expire soon so be sure to get your documentation together now .
For example , the online PME application form must be completed by January 31st , 2021 .
All supporting documentation for NUI must be uploaded by February 12th .
The application fee is €100 .
In the case of DCU , the closing date for applications is February 12th and supporting documentation must be uploaded by February 26th .
The application fee is €80 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of information supplied in the form together with accompanying documentation .
This supporting documentation includes an original copy or a certified photocopy of the full transcript/statement of results obtained on the completion of each year of study to date .
Undergraduate applicants are assessed on the last full set of results ( excluding Erasmus ) .
Graduate applicants are assessed based on their overall degree results achieved .
Job prospects are generally good given that enrolment numbers for second level are growing , though it depends on your subjects .
There are acute @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – especially science , languages and home economics .

There are acute shortages of teachers in some key subjects – especially science, languages and home economics. Photograph: iStock
I'm in the final year of my undergraduate degree and I'm thinking of secondary teaching as a career choice. What are the job prospects like? And how do I go about seeking a place?
You’ll need to complete a two-year professional master of education course, more commonly known in teaching circles as a PME.
Applicants are required to have a level-eight degree which satisfies the curricular subject criteria set and regulated by the Department of Education in association with the Teaching Council of Ireland.
As part of your application, you’ll be required to complete a declaration form for the subjects you are seeking to teach.
READ MORE
This requires a minimum of a 2:2 in a primary level-eight degree which meets the Teaching Council requirements for at least one post-primary curricular subject (check teachingcouncil.ie for more details).
The PME is offered on a subject basis (the subjects you are qualified to teach during the programme) through an application/selection system. Applicants will rank PME programmes by university preference. If successful, applicants will register to their university with both subjects.
The Postgraduate Applications Centre in Galway offers the PME centrally for Dublin City University (DCU) and the National University of Ireland (NUI) constituent colleges: University College Cork, University College Dublin, NUI Galway and Maynooth University.
Trinity College Dublin and the University of Limerick deal directly with applicants to their respective PME programmes. Hibernia College, an accredited online third-level institution, also offers the PME.
Applicants for admission to PME programmes beginning in autumn 2021 at any one or more of the four NUI universities must complete a single common application form. Preferences must be expressed if applying to more than one programme.
The deadlines for applications will begin to expire soon so be sure to get your documentation together now.
For example, the online PME application form must be completed by January 31st, 2021. All supporting documentation for NUI must be uploaded by February 12th. The application fee is €100.
In the case of DCU, the closing date for applications is February 12th and supporting documentation must be uploaded by February 26th. The application fee is €80.
Applicants will be assessed on the basis of information supplied in the form together with accompanying documentation.
This supporting documentation includes an original copy or a certified photocopy of the full transcript/statement of results obtained on the completion of each year of study to date.
Undergraduate applicants are assessed on the last full set of results (excluding Erasmus). Graduate applicants are assessed based on their overall degree results achieved.
Job prospects are generally good given that enrolment numbers for second level are growing, though it depends on your subjects. There are acute shortages of teachers in some key subjects – especially science, languages and home economics.


theirishtimes--2020-12-15--The Secret Teacher: We hold all the power when it comes to school reports

“ A bit giddy in class.
” That ’ s what my second-year religion teacher wrote on my Christmas report card 30 years ago .
Admittedly , I was giddy ; we all were , in fact , and we usually became so in the 10 extra minutes it invariably took her to get to class .
As well as being giddy , I was also an able and willing participant ( once she had finally got the class under way ) .
I maintained a healthy level of enthusiastic participation after receiving that report card but I have never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ represented in that comment .
I ’ m probably not the only one with a grandmother who frequently reminded me never to put anything in writing that I couldn ’ t stand over forever , and perhaps that plays a role in why I appear to bear such a grudge against my former teacher .
At this time of year Christmas greeting cards come second to report cards for teachers , as many school assessment schedules still maintain a Christmas exam period .
This is always a frantic time of year and it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feedback while juggling many other priorities ( both school and non-school ) .
A poorly-judged comment can lead to serious and lasting disappointment on the student ’ s part .
Teachers may hold all the power when it comes to completing the school reports , but we must never forget that the student has been fully present in all of the interactions and exchanges of work , so ( s ) he is uniquely qualified to assess our assessment .
In the same way as I know that the comment all those years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that had gone well in my religion class , so too does every student who gets similarly selective feedback .
Occasionally I look at what others have said on a pupil ’ s report card to see if what I ’ ve recorded is reflected elsewhere .
This can be a dangerous thing to do , as I have no data by which to evaluate my colleagues ’ feedback .
Since I have not been in their classes with the student I have no real-world data to measure their comments against .
There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the background of a student ’ s performance in any individual subject .
The more obvious examples include timetabling ; ever tried teaching teenagers four times per week , always first period in the morning or last period in the afternoon ?
Too many lessons right before lunch and the rumbling tummies are more active than the brain cells .
The old chestnuts of “ I don ’ t like her ” or “ she doesn ’ t like me ” can really mean “ I don ’ t even try ” , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t notice if I do ” .
These big things get said and left as though they are universally recognised truths and often remain entirely unsubstantiated while valuable learning opportunities go to waste .
Snooping into my colleagues ’ input on report cards often inspires me to serving my own students and their parents even better when completing reports .
We all know that , by and large , parents and students are eager to see what we have said , even if there is a proportion of dread in the mix .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ deliver value .
An emphasis on showing a student how to improve must not be so exclusive that we risk communicating that we have not noticed all that the student has done and achieved .
Similarly , a reference to personality or behaviour – “ a very pleasant student ” – lacks the pedagogical detail that the professional context surely demands .
This comment is in the context of evaluation of an academic performance and its general thrust must surely be in keeping with that .
Subjects mainly lend themselves to different subsets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Many practical subjects require students to carry out the task or experiment and then complete a write-up , or perhaps even an evaluation or reflection on the exercise .
Distinguishing between the practical and theoretical could be an option , especially if there is an appropriate tip which would help to strengthen performance in one or other area .
Such a comment aims a call to future action right at the student .
Studying English requires a grasp of the varying mediums of prose , drama and poetry , not to mention a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Foreign languages require listening and oral skills as well as reading and writing skills .
Praising the areas of strength while highlighting those which need attention strikes a balance between rewarding what has been achieved and urging the student to improve in an area of lower performance .
For maximum benefit , the comment could include a specific strategy or resource , or simply an area of work meriting further attention or revision .
When it comes to the school report there is an onus on teachers to produce something students can grapple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in subsequent assessments .
Nobody grows and learns under criticism , that is the ultimate message here .
If the blind eye is turned at all , it can not be to the positives .
Young people can often feel that they are serving extended sentences in our schoolrooms .
As teachers we must ensure that their time with us feels well spent and worthwhile and one key feature of that is quality feedback to inform the next period of learning .
Unfortunately , teachers generally complete these written records at the close @ @ @ @ @ @ @ levels are lower and everyone is eager for the midterm break or holiday to start .
We can therefore fall short in our feedback simply because we have completed school reports in haste .
Our conscientiousness may be better reflected in comments if we formulate them well before the pressures of a completion deadline .
And we are then also less likely to let our own holiday giddiness spill over into a student ’ s report .

“As teachers we must ensure that students’ time with us feels well-spent and worthwhile. One key feature of that is quality feedback to inform the next period of learning.” Photograph: iStock
“A bit giddy in class.” That’s what my second-year religion teacher wrote on my Christmas report card 30 years ago. Admittedly, I was giddy; we all were, in fact, and we usually became so in the 10 extra minutes it invariably took her to get to class.
As well as being giddy, I was also an able and willing participant (once she had finally got the class under way). I maintained a healthy level of enthusiastic participation after receiving that report card but I have never forgotten how unfairly I thought I was represented in that comment. I’m probably not the only one with a grandmother who frequently reminded me never to put anything in writing that I couldn’t stand over forever, and perhaps that plays a role in why I appear to bear such a grudge against my former teacher.
At this time of year Christmas greeting cards come second to report cards for teachers, as many school assessment schedules still maintain a Christmas exam period. This is always a frantic time of year and it is a challenge to provide quality assessment feedback while juggling many other priorities (both school and non-school).
A poorly-judged comment can lead to serious and lasting disappointment on the student’s part. Teachers may hold all the power when it comes to completing the school reports, but we must never forget that the student has been fully present in all of the interactions and exchanges of work, so (s)he is uniquely qualified to assess our assessment. In the same way as I know that the comment all those years ago didn’t adequately reflect all that had gone well in my religion class, so too does every student who gets similarly selective feedback.
READ MORE
Occasionally I look at what others have said on a pupil’s report card to see if what I’ve recorded is reflected elsewhere. This can be a dangerous thing to do, as I have no data by which to evaluate my colleagues’ feedback. Since I have not been in their classes with the student I have no real-world data to measure their comments against.
There are also umpteen variables which feature in the background of a student’s performance in any individual subject. The more obvious examples include timetabling; ever tried teaching teenagers four times per week, always first period in the morning or last period in the afternoon? Too many lessons right before lunch and the rumbling tummies are more active than the brain cells. The old chestnuts of “I don’t like her” or “she doesn’t like me” can really mean “I don’t even try”, swiftly justified by “she won’t notice if I do”. These big things get said and left as though they are universally recognised truths and often remain entirely unsubstantiated while valuable learning opportunities go to waste.
Snooping into my colleagues’ input on report cards often inspires me to serving my own students and their parents even better when completing reports. We all know that, by and large, parents and students are eager to see what we have said, even if there is a proportion of dread in the mix.
Delivering value
So the onus is on us to deliver value. An emphasis on showing a student how to improve must not be so exclusive that we risk communicating that we have not noticed all that the student has done and achieved. Similarly, a reference to personality or behaviour – “a very pleasant student” – lacks the pedagogical detail that the professional context surely demands. This comment is in the context of evaluation of an academic performance and its general thrust must surely be in keeping with that.
Subjects mainly lend themselves to different subsets, whether in skills or content. Many practical subjects require students to carry out the task or experiment and then complete a write-up, or perhaps even an evaluation or reflection on the exercise. Distinguishing between the practical and theoretical could be an option, especially if there is an appropriate tip which would help to strengthen performance in one or other area. Such a comment aims a call to future action right at the student.
Studying English requires a grasp of the varying mediums of prose, drama and poetry, not to mention a need to adopt different writing styles. Foreign languages require listening and oral skills as well as reading and writing skills. Praising the areas of strength while highlighting those which need attention strikes a balance between rewarding what has been achieved and urging the student to improve in an area of lower performance.
For maximum benefit, the comment could include a specific strategy or resource, or simply an area of work meriting further attention or revision. When it comes to the school report there is an onus on teachers to produce something students can grapple with in order to better their performance in subsequent assessments.
Nobody grows and learns under criticism, that is the ultimate message here. If the blind eye is turned at all, it cannot be to the positives. Young people can often feel that they are serving extended sentences in our schoolrooms. As teachers we must ensure that their time with us feels well spent and worthwhile and one key feature of that is quality feedback to inform the next period of learning.
Unfortunately, teachers generally complete these written records at the close of a term. This means energy levels are lower and everyone is eager for the midterm break or holiday to start. We can therefore fall short in our feedback simply because we have completed school reports in haste. Our conscientiousness may be better reflected in comments if we formulate them well before the pressures of a completion deadline.
And we are then also less likely to let our own holiday giddiness spill over into a student’s report.


theirishtimes--2020-12-15--Covid-19 has accelerated demands for a greater skilled workforce. Are you ready?

Now , more than ever , learning new skills is an essential part of the workplace – but do you really want to commit to a full- or part-time course ?
Simon Harris , Minister of the newly-formed Department of Further and Higher Education , recently announced major changes to how courses are delivered .
Short , focused modular courses will be delivered in a flexible manner , with participants able to opt in to a single module rather than a whole course – while still gaining academic credit .
The Irish Times spoke to some key players in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guide to everything you need to know about the area and where you can find these courses .
So , what is modular learning ?
“ Modular courses are short , focused and flexible , designed to help people who can not commit to full-time higher education courses , ” says Dr Ian O ’ Connor of the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology ’ s graduate and professional development office .
“ They are designed to allow participants build towards a degree of their choice without having to commit to a long-term programme of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who wish to upskill in their current role or build their skills to change their career direction .
Students can use these offerings as building blocks towards a full award , should they wish.
” How many courses are on offer and who is eligible ?
A total of 538 modular courses are on offer across 32 higher education institutes .
Some are aimed primarily at postgraduates with a level eight but modular skills provision will provide shorter courses allowing people to gain skills and qualifications without having to take a lot of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The courses are open to people returning to the workforce , those in employment and recent graduates .
There are about 13,000 places available .
What sort of courses do they include ?
The courses address a broad range of skills shortages across many disciplines but are primarily focused on areas such as computing and IT , business , digital technologies , health and welfare , tourism and hospitality , data analytics and science .
The Higher Education Authority ’ s website ( hea.ie/skills-engagement ) has more details .
One course , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ media marketing , delivered online by IT Sligo from January , will help develop a cohort of people with an in-demand skill set .
In the Government ’ s July stimulus , additional funding of €47.5 million was provided for higher-education skills-related programmes .
“ These courses will enable people across the country to refresh or reskill in their employment , ” says Harris .
The move is seen partially as a response to changes in the workplace and job market caused by the Covid-19 pandemic , including the growth of working from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tourism and hospitality sectors .
It ’ s also partially a response to inevitable retraining and upskilling needs caused by a fast-changing economy where robotics and automation are replacing jobs previously carried out by humans , digital and analytics skills are in demand , and learners increasingly demand flexible options that fit around their lifestyles .
Jean Gilligan , head of Springboard at IT Sligo , says they have seen the number of online applications double in the past year .
“ Few have been unaffected by the changes the global pandemic has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Across many sectors , future sustainability of jobs is higher up on the agenda.
” Could these replace the traditional degree model ?
The short answer : no .
“ There hasn ’ t been a shift away from the traditional degree model for school-leavers , ” says Dr Vivienne Patterson , head of skills , engagement and statistics with the Higher Education Authority .
“ But it will mean that people could decide , for instance , to do a five-credit module on artificial intelligence and , perhaps two years later , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Over time , the modules should be built in such a way that someone could gain a full qualification if they wish.
” At the same time , moves are afoot to allow for recognition of prior workplace learning so , for instance , someone who has worked in manufacturing for a number of years would be able to access a third-level course based on their existing skills .
How does Ireland compare internationally on lifelong learning ?
The highest rates of participation are in Sweden ( 58.8 per cent ) and Netherlands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Greece lagging behind at 5.8 and 16 per cent , respectively .
Ireland has a 46 per cent adult learning participation rate , with a target of 50 per cent by 2025 .
A new report from the Jacques Delors Institute and the Foundation for European Progressive Studies ( FEPS ) is pushing for a European-wide individual right to adult learning for all Europeans , which would see training entitlements credited to each person for every hour they work and embed lifelong learning into the labour market and education systems .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ implemented the change .
How much will these courses cost ?
With the exception of those returning to the workforce , while all other participants contribute 10 per cent of the course cost .
Where can I find more information ?
Information is available from the admissions office of individual universities and institutes of technology .
You ’ ll find a central source of information at hea.ie/skills-engagement , where you can follow a link to download a list of courses .
‘ You can attend live classes online or watch the recordings when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several years working in engineering , maintenance and technician roles .
Now , he is taking on a new online master ’ s in data science , a sector where there is an acute shortage of skilled professionals .
His is a mechatronics technician , so the qualification is a good fit , he says .
“ Because mechatronics involves mechanics , electronics and computing , we are generating a lot of data , ” says McMorrow .
“ I wanted to be able to understand it better .
The course is opening @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , particularly with the industry 4.0 movement , which is being described as the ‘ fourth wave ’ of the industrial revolution and is all about applying ICT skills to industry in such areas as cloud computing , machine learning and the internet of things.
” One part of the course has allowed McMorrow to master skills in Python programming , giving him the ability to extract and manipulate machine data .
“ I see the practical application of the skills already .
Extracting data from multiple sources and using machine-learning algorithms to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these skills will help minimise machine downtime and can result in real commercial benefits.
” Committing to education while also balancing work and family commitments was a challenge for McMorrow .
But , like a lot of newer courses aimed at upskilling professionals , IT Sligo ’ s offering works around his timetable , rather than the other way around .
“ It is set up so that you can attend live classes online or watch the recordings when you can , ” he says .
“ This way of learning opens up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ improve their skills.
” It has been a busy year at IT Sligo .
During 2020 , applications for online courses have more than doubled .
The institute says the growth reflects the few that have been unaffected by the changes of the Covid-19 pandemic to employment and many are seeking to navigate and position themselves better in the rapidly changing workplace .

Now, more than ever, learning new skills is an essential part of the workplace – but do you really want to commit to a full- or part-time course?
Simon Harris, Minister of the newly-formed Department of Further and Higher Education, recently announced major changes to how courses are delivered. Short, focused modular courses will be delivered in a flexible manner, with participants able to opt in to a single module rather than a whole course – while still gaining academic credit.
The Irish Times spoke to some key players in the development of modular learning and compiled a guide to everything you need to know about the area and where you can find these courses.
A lecturer in IT Sligo delivering a remote class, which can be streamed live or played back.
Ross McMorrow, a mechatronics technician, is taking on a new online master’s in data science, a sector where there is an acute shortage of skilled professionals.
So, what is modular learning?
READ MORE
“Modular courses are short, focused and flexible, designed to help people who cannot commit to full-time higher education courses,” says Dr Ian O’Connor of the Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology’s graduate and professional development office.
“They are designed to allow participants build towards a degree of their choice without having to commit to a long-term programme of study. They are suitable for those who wish to upskill in their current role or build their skills to change their career direction. Students can use these offerings as building blocks towards a full award, should they wish.”
How many courses are on offer and who is eligible?
A total of 538 modular courses are on offer across 32 higher education institutes. Some are aimed primarily at postgraduates with a level eight but modular skills provision will provide shorter courses allowing people to gain skills and qualifications without having to take a lot of time out from the labour market. The courses are open to people returning to the workforce, those in employment and recent graduates. There are about 13,000 places available.
What sort of courses do they include?
The courses address a broad range of skills shortages across many disciplines but are primarily focused on areas such as computing and IT, business, digital technologies, health and welfare, tourism and hospitality, data analytics and science. The Higher Education Authority's website (hea.ie/skills-engagement) has more details. One course, the new 13-week level six certificate in social media marketing, delivered online by IT Sligo from January, will help develop a cohort of people with an in-demand skill set.
Why now?
In the Government’s July stimulus, additional funding of €47.5 million was provided for higher-education skills-related programmes. “These courses will enable people across the country to refresh or reskill in their employment,” says Harris.
The move is seen partially as a response to changes in the workplace and job market caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, including the growth of working from home and the brand-new landscape facing the tourism and hospitality sectors.
A lecturer in IT Sligo delivering a remote class, which can be streamed live or played back.
It’s also partially a response to inevitable retraining and upskilling needs caused by a fast-changing economy where robotics and automation are replacing jobs previously carried out by humans, digital and analytics skills are in demand, and learners increasingly demand flexible options that fit around their lifestyles.
Jean Gilligan, head of Springboard at IT Sligo, says they have seen the number of online applications double in the past year. "Few have been unaffected by the changes the global pandemic has brought to the world of work. Across many sectors, future sustainability of jobs is higher up on the agenda."
Could these replace the traditional degree model?
The short answer: no. "There hasn't been a shift away from the traditional degree model for school-leavers," says Dr Vivienne Patterson, head of skills, engagement and statistics with the Higher Education Authority.
“But it will mean that people could decide, for instance, to do a five-credit module on artificial intelligence and, perhaps two years later, a 10-credit module on another topic. Over time, the modules should be built in such a way that someone could gain a full qualification if they wish.”
At the same time, moves are afoot to allow for recognition of prior workplace learning so, for instance, someone who has worked in manufacturing for a number of years would be able to access a third-level course based on their existing skills.
How does Ireland compare internationally on lifelong learning?
The highest rates of participation are in Sweden (58.8 per cent) and Netherlands (57.1 per cent) with Romania and Greece lagging behind at 5.8 and 16 per cent, respectively. Ireland has a 46 per cent adult learning participation rate, with a target of 50 per cent by 2025.
A new report from the Jacques Delors Institute and the Foundation for European Progressive Studies (FEPS) is pushing for a European-wide individual right to adult learning for all Europeans, which would see training entitlements credited to each person for every hour they work and embed lifelong learning into the labour market and education systems. But, to date, only France has implemented the change.
How much will these courses cost?
With the exception of those returning to the workforce , while all other participants contribute 10 per cent of the course cost.
Where can I find more information?
Information is available from the admissions office of individual universities and institutes of technology. You'll find a central source of information at hea.ie/skills-engagement, where you can follow a link to download a list of courses.
'You can attend live classes online or watch the recordings when you can'
Ross McMorrow has spent several years working in engineering, maintenance and technician roles. Now, he is taking on a new online master’s in data science, a sector where there is an acute shortage of skilled professionals. His is a mechatronics technician, so the qualification is a good fit, he says.
Ross McMorrow, a mechatronics technician, is taking on a new online master’s in data science, a sector where there is an acute shortage of skilled professionals.
“Because mechatronics involves mechanics, electronics and computing, we are generating a lot of data,” says McMorrow.
“I wanted to be able to understand it better. The course is opening up a world of opportunity for me, particularly with the industry 4.0 movement, which is being described as the ‘fourth wave’ of the industrial revolution and is all about applying ICT skills to industry in such areas as cloud computing, machine learning and the internet of things.”
One part of the course has allowed McMorrow to master skills in Python programming, giving him the ability to extract and manipulate machine data.
“I see the practical application of the skills already. Extracting data from multiple sources and using machine-learning algorithms to predict optimum machine maintenance schedules. Ultimately these skills will help minimise machine downtime and can result in real commercial benefits.”
Committing to education while also balancing work and family commitments was a challenge for McMorrow. But, like a lot of newer courses aimed at upskilling professionals, IT Sligo’s offering works around his timetable, rather than the other way around.
“It is set up so that you can attend live classes online or watch the recordings when you can,” he says. “This way of learning opens up new possibilities for people who want to improve their skills.”
It has been a busy year at IT Sligo. During 2020, applications for online courses have more than doubled. The institute says the growth reflects the few that have been unaffected by the changes of the Covid-19 pandemic to employment and many are seeking to navigate and position themselves better in the rapidly changing workplace.


theirishtimes--2020-12-14--Tallaght buildings to be heated using excess energy from Amazon data centre

Tallaght in Co Dublin is to become the first major urban centre in Ireland where many buildings will soon be availing of a very cheap source of energy known as district heating .
In this instance , the excess heat that will be used to warm the buildings will come from a large data centre in the area being run by Amazon Web Services ( AWS ) .
District heating is common in many large cities in Europe , where waste heat from local industry , power stations or incinerators is used to heat other premises .
The option is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ireland , although the programme for Government commits to scaling up its deployment .
South Dublin County Council ( SDCC ) has established Ireland ’ s first publicly owned not-for-profit energy company – Heatworks – with the support of AWS and the Finnish-owned energy company Fortum eNext to provide low-carbon heat to local buildings .
It will operate the Tallaght District Heating Network , which when completed is predicted to reduce carbon emissions in the local authority ’ s area by nearly 1,500 tonnes per year .
The network will use excess heat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provide low-carbon heat to a mix of public sector , residential and commercial customers .
AWS is providing recycled heat free of charge under its broader sustainability commitments .
Fortum , an energy supply company with extensive district-heating experience throughout Scandinavia and eastern Europe , was contracted to carry out the design , installation and operation of the network .
According to Heatworks , the network ’ s supply of low-cost , low-carbon heat is expected to attract more innovative businesses and development to Tallaght town centre , and facilitate educational programmes and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as well as helping to mitigate fuel poverty .
The project is partly funded by the EU ’ s Heatnet programme promoting carbon reduction through district-heating in Europe ’ s northwest .
It is also receiving €4.5 million from the Government ’ s climate action fund and direct funding from SDCC .
It will begin supplying heat before the end of 2021 , with initial customers being SDCC and the Tallaght campus of the Technological University Dublin .
Council buildings heated by this project will include SDCC ’ s County Hall and County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arts hub and the Civic Theatre .
By 2024 , the heat will also be supplied to nearby developments recently given planning permission , including affordable housing units and student accommodation .
SDCC chief executive Daniel McLoughlin said : “ The Tallaght District Heating Network shows how public-private collaboration using well-established district-heating technology can construct a system to recycle heat from an Amazon Web Services data centre to meaningfully contribute to helping Ireland achieve its 2030 sustainability targets.
” He believed this scheme could become a template for other districts across Ireland .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ as south Dublin county moves towards a low-carbon future , ” he added .
“ We ’ re thrilled to be supporting .
.
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[ this ] district-heating scheme , which will see the excess heat from our data centre being used to reduce carbon emissions in Tallaght over time , ” said AWS Ireland country manager Mike Beary .
Eddie Conroy , county architect for SDCC , confirmed plans to provide the heat source to 3,000 to 5,000 residential units – mainly apartments – in the medium term .

Amazon Web Services Ireland (AWS) country manager Mike Beary pictured with South Dublin County Council county architect Eddie Conroy and council chief executive Daniel McLoughlin at a briefing outside the new AWS data centre on district heating in Tallaght, Co Dublin. Photograph: Keith Arkins
Tallaght in Co Dublin is to become the first major urban centre in Ireland where many buildings will soon be availing of a very cheap source of energy known as district heating.
In this instance, the excess heat that will be used to warm the buildings will come from a large data centre in the area being run by Amazon Web Services (AWS).
District heating is common in many large cities in Europe, where waste heat from local industry, power stations or incinerators is used to heat other premises. The option is availed of in very few instances in Ireland, although the programme for Government commits to scaling up its deployment.
South Dublin County Council (SDCC) has established Ireland's first publicly owned not-for-profit energy company – Heatworks – with the support of AWS and the Finnish-owned energy company Fortum eNext to provide low-carbon heat to local buildings.
READ MORE
It will operate the Tallaght District Heating Network, which when completed is predicted to reduce carbon emissions in the local authority’s area by nearly 1,500 tonnes per year.
The network will use excess heat from the recently completed data centre to provide low-carbon heat to a mix of public sector, residential and commercial customers. AWS is providing recycled heat free of charge under its broader sustainability commitments.
Fortum, an energy supply company with extensive district-heating experience throughout Scandinavia and eastern Europe, was contracted to carry out the design, installation and operation of the network.
According to Heatworks, the network’s supply of low-cost, low-carbon heat is expected to attract more innovative businesses and development to Tallaght town centre, and facilitate educational programmes and start-up opportunities in renewable energy solutions, as well as helping to mitigate fuel poverty.
EU funding
The project is partly funded by the EU’s Heatnet programme promoting carbon reduction through district-heating in Europe’s northwest. It is also receiving €4.5 million from the Government’s climate action fund and direct funding from SDCC.
It will begin supplying heat before the end of 2021, with initial customers being SDCC and the Tallaght campus of the Technological University Dublin. Council buildings heated by this project will include SDCC's County Hall and County Library, followed by the Rua Red arts hub and the Civic Theatre.
By 2024, the heat will also be supplied to nearby developments recently given planning permission, including affordable housing units and student accommodation.
SDCC chief executive Daniel McLoughlin said: “The Tallaght District Heating Network shows how public-private collaboration using well-established district-heating technology can construct a system to recycle heat from an Amazon Web Services data centre to meaningfully contribute to helping Ireland achieve its 2030 sustainability targets.”
He believed this scheme could become a template for other districts across Ireland. “We look forward to future collaborations as south Dublin county moves towards a low-carbon future,” he added.
"We're thrilled to be supporting . . . [this] district-heating scheme, which will see the excess heat from our data centre being used to reduce carbon emissions in Tallaght over time," said AWS Ireland country manager Mike Beary.
Eddie Conroy, county architect for SDCC, confirmed plans to provide the heat source to 3,000 to 5,000 residential units – mainly apartments – in the medium term.


theirishtimes--2020-12-14--More than 80 attend rave in Leinster area in breach of rules

More than 80 people attended a rave at an undisclosed location in the Leinster area on Saturday , with video footage from the event showing large numbers of people dancing together in breach of public health restrictions .
The event was organised on social media via a private Instagram account , which advertised 200 tickets for a rave in a “ mansion ” on Saturday near Dublin .
The group behind the event claim to have organised a number of similar raves held during the coronavirus pandemic in the UK .
Videos posted by the group ’ s Instagram account @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Times , show large numbers of people in a building dancing , with no social distancing .
Tickets for the event cost €30 , with people permitted to buy several tickets each .
The event was advertised via two private Instagram and Snapchat social media accounts .
People could only view the posts , or message the accounts , after requesting to follow the account and being approved .
People who asked to buy tickets were sent an online link by the social media accounts , and after providing proof of purchase were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The organisers informed people an initial pick-up location would be provided , and from there attendees would be transported via coach to the location of the event , which would not be disclosed beforehand .
Last Thursday the organisers began a process of vetting those in the WhatsApp group .
People who were approved following the vetting were added into a second group chat , where the pick-up location for the event was disclosed .
The rave was advertised as starting at 9pm and finishing at 6am the next morning .
Videos from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dancing in a number of rooms in a building , with a DJ playing techno and dance music .
There was no social distancing between those present , or any evidence of attendees wearing face masks .
While the organisers stated they were selling 200 tickets , it is unclear how many people attended the event .
Eighty people were added into one WhatsApp group after purchasing tickets , but people were permitted to buy several tickets each .
Under Level 3 Covid-19 restrictions no organised indoor gatherings are permitted .
It is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of public health guidelines , with fines ranging from €500 up to €2,500 , or six months in prison .
While the rave in the Leinster area was advertised as the group ’ s first in Ireland , the organisers claimed they plan to hold further events in different counties “ each week ” .
In a post to those approved to follow their social media account last week , the group said “ like any other event we will have security searching people on entry for knives and so on ” .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ indoor parties to 200 attendees “ so they don ’ t get out of hand ” .
A UK phone number used to set up the WhatsApp group chat organising the event could not be contacted on Monday .
When questioned over whether the Garda were aware of the event , a spokesman for An Garda Síochána said it had a policy of not commenting on content published online on third-party sites .

Videos of an illegal rave held in the Dublin area have been shared online showing large numbers of people dancing together in breach of public health restrictions.
More than 80 people attended a rave at an undisclosed location in the Leinster area on Saturday, with video footage from the event showing large numbers of people dancing together in breach of public health restrictions.
The event was organised on social media via a private Instagram account, which advertised 200 tickets for a rave in a “mansion” on Saturday near Dublin.
The group behind the event claim to have organised a number of similar raves held during the coronavirus pandemic in the UK.
Videos posted by the group’s Instagram account on Saturday, seen by The Irish Times, show large numbers of people in a building dancing, with no social distancing.
READ MORE
Tickets for the event cost €30, with people permitted to buy several tickets each. The event was advertised via two private Instagram and Snapchat social media accounts. People could only view the posts, or message the accounts, after requesting to follow the account and being approved.
People who asked to buy tickets were sent an online link by the social media accounts, and after providing proof of purchase were added into a WhatsApp group chat.
The organisers informed people an initial pick-up location would be provided, and from there attendees would be transported via coach to the location of the event, which would not be disclosed beforehand.
Last Thursday the organisers began a process of vetting those in the WhatsApp group. People who were approved following the vetting were added into a second group chat, where the pick-up location for the event was disclosed.
The rave was advertised as starting at 9pm and finishing at 6am the next morning. Videos from the event show large numbers gathered and dancing in a number of rooms in a building, with a DJ playing techno and dance music.
There was no social distancing between those present, or any evidence of attendees wearing face masks.
While the organisers stated they were selling 200 tickets, it is unclear how many people attended the event. Eighty people were added into one WhatsApp group after purchasing tickets, but people were permitted to buy several tickets each.
Under Level 3 Covid-19 restrictions no organised indoor gatherings are permitted. It is an offence to organise gatherings in contravention of public health guidelines, with fines ranging from €500 up to €2,500, or six months in prison.
While the rave in the Leinster area was advertised as the group’s first in Ireland, the organisers claimed they plan to hold further events in different counties “each week”.
In a post to those approved to follow their social media account last week, the group said “like any other event we will have security searching people on entry for knives and so on”.
The group said it was limiting its indoor parties to 200 attendees “so they don’t get out of hand”.
A UK phone number used to set up the WhatsApp group chat organising the event could not be contacted on Monday.
When questioned over whether the Garda were aware of the event, a spokesman for An Garda Síochána said it had a policy of not commenting on content published online on third-party sites.


theirishtimes--2020-12-14--Nurses will not face any rise in retention fees under new deal

Nurses will not face any increase in the cost of their annual retention fee to their regulatory body under an agreement reached as part of the new public service pay accord .
The current Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland ( NMBI ) annual retention fee for nurses is €100 .
It is understood that health and social care professionals will also not face any increases in annual fees they have to pay to their regulatory body , Coru .
Asked on Monday about whether any side deals had been sanctioned for particular unions or groups as part of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform said : “ Some clarifications will have to issue after a negotiation of this scale and complexity but nothing that will add to the pay cost of €906 million.
” The department declined to comment on the nature of any such “ clarifications ” or whether they would lead to any non-pay cost increases .
Side deals – or “ chairman ’ s notes ” as they were known technically – to address issues or grievances for particular groups or unions were common features of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , military officers claim they have been “ effectively ostracised ” from process that led to the negotiation of the proposed pay deal despite what they said were “ assurances to the contrary ” which they had been given .
A number of representative bodies which are not affiliated to the trade union movement believe they were effectively left on the sidelines because the accord was negotiated mainly between the Public Service Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform .
Following a meeting of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Association for Commissioned Officers ( Raco ) said it was to seek an urgent meeting with the Minister for Defence Simon Coveney “ to discuss the conduct ” of the pay talks .
“ The Raco national executive expressed its considerable disappointment at the way our members were effectively misled as to their ability to engage in pay talks as equal partners , ” it said in a statement .
“ There has been no recognition of our restricted industrial relations status , and no premium placed on the prohibition on industrial action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who are willing to take industrial action to achieve positive outcomes from talks .
“ The national executive feels that it will have little choice but to recommend a sectoral pay round for all members , and hopes that the well-documented organisational retention issues can be solved by the Commission on Defence.
” Under the proposed new agreement , the Government has earmarked €237 million – the equivalent of a 1 per cent pay rise in the public service – to a new structure to deal with awards or claims in particular parts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the money earmarked for a particular sector could be used for a general pay rise for all in that specific area of the public service .
Separately , the executive of the primary teachers ’ union , the INTO , is to announce on Tuesday what recommendation it will be making , if any , to members to back the proposed new agreement in a forthcoming ballot .
The executive of the Garda Representative Association , whose members are rank-and-file members of the force , also met on Monday .
A spokesman said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proposed new accord .
The executive of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors is expected to consider the proposed new pay deal at a meeting on Tuesday .
The Public Service Committee of Ictu is to meet on Tuesday and is likely to discuss plans for its affiliate organisations to ballot members on the proposed deal .

Nurses will not face any increase in the cost of their annual retention fee to their regulatory body under an agreement reached as part of the new public service pay accord.
The current Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland (NMBI) annual retention fee for nurses is €100.
It is understood that health and social care professionals will also not face any increases in annual fees they have to pay to their regulatory body, Coru.
Asked on Monday about whether any side deals had been sanctioned for particular unions or groups as part of the talks on a new public service deal, the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform said: "Some clarifications will have to issue after a negotiation of this scale and complexity but nothing that will add to the pay cost of €906 million."
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The department declined to comment on the nature of any such “clarifications” or whether they would lead to any non-pay cost increases.
Side deals – or “chairman’s notes” as they were known technically – to address issues or grievances for particular groups or unions were common features of previous public service agreement processes.
Military
Meanwhile, military officers claim they have been “effectively ostracised” from process that led to the negotiation of the proposed pay deal despite what they said were “assurances to the contrary” which they had been given.
A number of representative bodies which are not affiliated to the trade union movement believe they were effectively left on the sidelines because the accord was negotiated mainly between the Public Service Committee of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions and the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform.
Following a meeting of its executive on Monday, the Representative Association for Commissioned Officers (Raco) said it was to seek an urgent meeting with the Minister for Defence Simon Coveney "to discuss the conduct" of the pay talks.
“The Raco national executive expressed its considerable disappointment at the way our members were effectively misled as to their ability to engage in pay talks as equal partners,” it said in a statement.
“There has been no recognition of our restricted industrial relations status, and no premium placed on the prohibition on industrial action. Members note the ability of those who are willing to take industrial action to achieve positive outcomes from talks.
“The national executive feels that it will have little choice but to recommend a sectoral pay round for all members, and hopes that the well-documented organisational retention issues can be solved by the Commission on Defence.”
Under the proposed new agreement, the Government has earmarked €237 million – the equivalent of a 1 per cent pay rise in the public service – to a new structure to deal with awards or claims in particular parts of the public service. Alternatively, the money earmarked for a particular sector could be used for a general pay rise for all in that specific area of the public service.
Separately, the executive of the primary teachers' union, the INTO, is to announce on Tuesday what recommendation it will be making, if any, to members to back the proposed new agreement in a forthcoming ballot.
Gardaí
The executive of the Garda Representative Association, whose members are rank-and-file members of the force, also met on Monday. A spokesman said afterwards that it was still considering the proposed new accord.
The executive of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors is expected to consider the proposed new pay deal at a meeting on Tuesday.
The Public Service Committee of Ictu is to meet on Tuesday and is likely to discuss plans for its affiliate organisations to ballot members on the proposed deal.