theirishtimes--2020-02-19--Man (52) dies and five others injured in Co Cork car crash

A 52-year-old man has died and five others were injured after a car crash in Co Cork on Wednesday night @ @ @ @ @ witnesses after a two-car collision at the Ballybeg Bends just outside Buttevant .
The driver @ @ @ @ @ , a foreign national living in Carrigaline , was fatally injured while four young men @ @ @ @ @ Limerick suffered a variety of injuries .
It is understood the men were returning home @ @ @ @ @ Cork when the driver collided with a car driven by a student garda based in @ @ @ @ @ that the four occupants of the car with the fatally injured driver , and the @ @ @ @ @ threatening injuries and were removed to hospital by ambulance .
Gardaí closed the N20 road @ @ @ @ @ at Newtwopothouse and Lisballyhea to allow a forensic crash investigator to examine the scene .
@ @ @ @ @ or has any information which can assist gardaí in their investigation is asked to contact @ @ @ @ @ .

It is understood the men were returning home from playing a match in Cork
A 52-year-old man has died and five others were injured after a car crash in Co Cork on Wednesday night.
Gardaí are appealing for witnesses after a two-car collision at the Ballybeg Bends just outside Buttevant.
The driver of one of the cars, a foreign national living in Carrigaline, was fatally injured while four young men who were travelling home to Limerick suffered a variety of injuries. It is understood the men were returning home from playing a match in Cork when the driver collided with a car driven by a student garda based in Templemore.
It is understood that the four occupants of the car with the fatally injured driver, and the student garda, suffered non-life threatening injuries and were removed to hospital by ambulance.
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Gardaí closed the N20 road and put diversions in place at Newtwopothouse and Lisballyhea to allow a forensic crash investigator to examine the scene.
Anyone who witnessed the collision or has any information which can assist gardaí in their investigation is asked to contact Mallow Garda Station on 022-31450.


theirishtimes--2020-02-19--Irish rugby star Eimear Considine lines out for Seachtain na Gaeilge

A TV presenter , an international Irish rugby player and a writer joined forces on Tuesday to promote this year ’ s Seachtain na Gaeilge , Ireland ’ s annual two-week festival celebrating the Irish language .
Just days before her team faces England in the 2020 Six Nations Eimear Considine lined out with well-known media figure and writer James Kavanagh and television presenter Gráinne McElwain for the launch in Dublin of the 17-day Irish language celebration .
Seachtain na Gaeilge runs from March 1st to 17th and features events organised by community groups , schools , local and city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country and beyond .
“ I think my Irish teacher would laugh now if she knew I was a Seachtain na Gaeilge ambassador !
” Ms Considine said .
“ I ’ m not saying that I ’ m fluent or perfect at it , ” she said , “ but I like the idea of speaking it and keeping our language alive and that ’ s my grá for it.
” “ When you play rugby for Ireland you are playing for your country that goes hand-in-hand with speaking Irish.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the festival which features an eclectic range of art forms .
“ When we are away the girls often chat in Irish , ” Ms Considine said , before pledging to record a video with her teammates as Gaeilge .
“ Give it a try and give Irish a chance .
My main message is that if you clear any preconceptions you might have about the language from your mind and start from scratch you will enjoy it , ” she said .
The festival , which aims to bring the Irish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ building , selects ambassadors with different standards of Irish in order to encourage people of various levels to get involved .
Speaking at the event James Kavanagh said his view of the language has changed since he was in school .
“ I look at Irish now in a more romantic sense now that I am out of school .
I think it has to be spoken to survive and I think people in my age group are becoming more and more interested in it.
” “ Many are almost regretful that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part in it so much in school .
Seachtain na Gaeilge allows you to take part in it now in your adult life.
” For his part he has pledged to record a song in Irish every day during the festival .
He called on the public to follow the ambassadors ’ social media accounts and to check the snag.ie website to stay abreast of events during the festival .
Gráinne McElwain said people do not have to be fluent to participate in events .
“ If you happen to have very little @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fluent Irish speaker , there is an avenue there for you – just ‘ bain triail as ’ ( try it ) .
“ There is something for every single person .
It ’ s not sitting in a classroom .
There are so many events there that you can get involved in from discos to céilís .
“ Do explore .
Re-engage with it !
Empower yourself by doing it .
It is a beautiful language , it is one to be used and I would encourage everyone to use it .
@

Eimear Considine, Irish international rugby player, James Kavanagh, writer and presenter and TV presenter Gráinne McElwain were presented as ambassadors for Seachtain na Gaeilge le Energia, which takes place from March 1st to 17th. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill
A TV presenter, an international Irish rugby player and a writer joined forces on Tuesday to promote this year’s Seachtain na Gaeilge, Ireland’s annual two-week festival celebrating the Irish language.
Just days before her team faces England in the 2020 Six Nations Eimear Considine lined out with well-known media figure and writer James Kavanagh and television presenter Gráinne McElwain for the launch in Dublin of the 17-day Irish language celebration.
Seachtain na Gaeilge runs from March 1st to 17th and features events organised by community groups, schools, local and city authorities, cultural and sporting groups around the country and beyond.
"I think my Irish teacher would laugh now if she knew I was a Seachtain na Gaeilge ambassador!" Ms Considine said.
READ MORE
“I’m not saying that I’m fluent or perfect at it,” she said, “but I like the idea of speaking it and keeping our language alive and that’s my grá for it.”
"When you play rugby for Ireland you are playing for your country that goes hand-in-hand with speaking Irish."
Each ambassador pledged to promote the language during the festival which features an eclectic range of art forms.
“When we are away the girls often chat in Irish,” Ms Considine said, before pledging to record a video with her teammates as Gaeilge.
“Give it a try and give Irish a chance. My main message is that if you clear any preconceptions you might have about the language from your mind and start from scratch you will enjoy it,” she said.
The festival, which aims to bring the Irish language to new audiences and foster community building, selects ambassadors with different standards of Irish in order to encourage people of various levels to get involved.
Participation
Speaking at the event James Kavanagh said his view of the language has changed since he was in school.
“I look at Irish now in a more romantic sense now that I am out of school. I think it has to be spoken to survive and I think people in my age group are becoming more and more interested in it.”
“Many are almost regretful that they didn’t take more of a part in it so much in school. Seachtain na Gaeilge allows you to take part in it now in your adult life.”
For his part he has pledged to record a song in Irish every day during the festival.
He called on the public to follow the ambassadors' social media accounts and to check the snag.ie website to stay abreast of events during the festival.
Gráinne McElwain said people do not have to be fluent to participate in events.
“If you happen to have very little Irish, no Irish or be a fluent Irish speaker, there is an avenue there for you – just ‘bain triail as’ (try it).
“There is something for every single person. It’s not sitting in a classroom. There are so many events there that you can get involved in from discos to céilís.
“Do explore. Re-engage with it! Empower yourself by doing it. It is a beautiful language, it is one to be used and I would encourage everyone to use it.”


theirishtimes--2020-02-19--Flood warning for west of Ireland as heavy rain expected across country

Met Éireann has issued a status yellow rainfall warning leading to localised flooding for the west of the country , with heavy rain expected throughout Wednesday and into Thursday .
The warning was on Tuesday issued for all of Connacht , as well as Longford , Donegal , Clare and Kerry .
Heavy rainfall is forecast from 4am on Wednesday morning through to the same time early on Thursday morning .
Some 25 to 40mm of rain is expected , with Met Éireann warning that “ localised flooding is likely as ground is saturated at the moment and river levels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There are also strong winds forecast for the west of the country , with gusts of up to 50 km/h forecast for some counties .
The AA warned drivers that they should only drive through standing water if they are sure it is not too deep for their vehicle .
Drivers are also being told to slow down on wet roads and leave extra space to break , as it takes longer to stop a vehicle in wet weather .
There are two marine warnings in effect ; a status yellow gale warning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reach gale force eight during Wednesday on coasts from Mizen Head to Slyne Head to Malin Head .
A small craft warning is also in effect for coasts from Malin Head to Howth Head to Mizen Head with winds set to reach force six .
Rain is forecast across the country , with best dry spells in the east and southeast .
Temperatures will be milder than in recent days , with highs of nine or 10 degrees in fresh to strong and gusty winds .
A cold night is ahead though , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and some frost and ice possible as clouds clear in the northwest later on .

The warning was on Tuesday issued for all of Connacht, as well as Longford, Donegal, Clare and Kerry. Photograph: Haydn West/PA
Met Éireann has issued a status yellow rainfall warning leading to localised flooding for the west of the country, with heavy rain expected throughout Wednesday and into Thursday.
The warning was on Tuesday issued for all of Connacht, as well as Longford, Donegal, Clare and Kerry. Heavy rainfall is forecast from 4am on Wednesday morning through to the same time early on Thursday morning.
Some 25 to 40mm of rain is expected, with Met Éireann warning that “localised flooding is likely as ground is saturated at the moment and river levels are elevated following recent heavy rainfall.”
There are also strong winds forecast for the west of the country, with gusts of up to 50 km/h forecast for some counties.
READ MORE
The AA warned drivers that they should only drive through standing water if they are sure it is not too deep for their vehicle. Drivers are also being told to slow down on wet roads and leave extra space to break, as it takes longer to stop a vehicle in wet weather.
There are two marine warnings in effect; a status yellow gale warning with south to southwest winds set to reach gale force eight during Wednesday on coasts from Mizen Head to Slyne Head to Malin Head. A small craft warning is also in effect for coasts from Malin Head to Howth Head to Mizen Head with winds set to reach force six.
Rain is forecast across the country, with best dry spells in the east and southeast. Temperatures will be milder than in recent days, with highs of nine or 10 degrees in fresh to strong and gusty winds. A cold night is ahead though, with lows of 1 to 4 degrees and some frost and ice possible as clouds clear in the northwest later on.


theirishtimes--2020-02-19--Community mental health supports ‘almost totally absent’ – report

An “ almost total absence ” of community mental health supports across the State has been criticised in a new discussion paper from the Mental Health Commission ( MHC ) .
In addition , there is a major deficiency in the number of acute beds for older patients , the paper suggests .
While acknowledging current provision of public acute adult mental health beds is broadly in line with recommendations in A Vision for Change – a strategic policy document published in 2006 – it suggests access to these beds is both “ insufficient ” and “ inadequate ” due @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ When A Vision for Change was conceived , it highlighted significant gaps in the provision of specialist rehabilitation teams and recovery-oriented services , ” according to MHC director of standards and quality assurance Rosemary Smyth .
“ In order to address these concerns , specific recommendations were made for the provision of community supports along a continuum of care , including crisis houses , intensive high-support hostels , rehabilitation high-support hostels , specialist rehabilitative units , and psychiatric intensive care units .
Ms Smyth says a comparison of current provision with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reveals “ an almost total absence of these types of supports in each mental health area ” .
As a consequence , the review suggests prolonged stays of people experiencing mental illness in acute mental health units is having a significant impact on access to beds .
for this reason , regardless of the total number of registered mental health beds for adults , there are “ serious concerns ” about access and availability .
“ It is clear that access to public acute mental health beds for working-age and older-age adults in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Ms Smyth .
The paper finds that despite a recommendation to provide 15 intensive care beds as part of the development of four national combined intensive care rehabilitation facilities , not one unit has been developed .
Inadequate provision of psychiatric intensive care units continues to result in the most severely unwell people with challenging behaviour not having access to intensive care in an appropriate facility , it says .
“ This upsets the milieu of what should be calm and therapeutic acute units.
” The availability of 56 older-age adult beds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 127 beds envisioned in 2006 .
Not one of the nine Community Healthcare Organisations ( CHO ) was meeting the recommended number of dedicated older-age adult acute mental health beds , the paper finds .
Of greatest concern , it says , is that three purpose-built acute units for older adults are being used for other purposes .
“ The care and support required for the recovery of , for instance , an 80-year-old is substantially different to that of an 18-year-old , ” said John Farrelly , chief executive of the MHC @ @ @ @ @ @ @ placements has the potential to create unsafe environments.
” MHC chief executive John Farrelly told RTÉ Radio ’ s Morning Ireland that accident and emergency departments should be “ the last door , not the first door ” during a crisis .
“ It is not good enough in modern Ireland.
” He pointed out that 12 per cent of patients in acute units were staying there for more than six months , some for up to two years and one patient had stayed for five years .
“ Most have enduring mental @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis service then patients would not be in acute beds , he said .
Vulnerable people were being pushed to the margins .
“ It ’ s a really good policy [ Vision for Change ] , ” he said .
But there needed to be accountability and a greater drive to implement its proposals , he added .
“ There ’ s no point in having a policy if it ’ s not being applied.
” If you were affected by the contents of this article , you can contact Samaritans on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ phone , or email jo @ samaritans.ie ; and call Pieta House on its free helpline , 1800-247247 , or text HELP to 51444

Prolonged stays of people experiencing mental illness in acute mental health units is having a significant impact on access to beds. Photograph: Getty Images
An "almost total absence" of community mental health supports across the State has been criticised in a new discussion paper from the Mental Health Commission (MHC).
In addition, there is a major deficiency in the number of acute beds for older patients, the paper suggests.
While acknowledging current provision of public acute adult mental health beds is broadly in line with recommendations in A Vision for Change – a strategic policy document published in 2006 – it suggests access to these beds is both “insufficient” and “inadequate” due to a lack of specialist resources.
"When A Vision for Change was conceived, it highlighted significant gaps in the provision of specialist rehabilitation teams and recovery-oriented services," according to MHC director of standards and quality assurance Rosemary Smyth.
READ MORE
“In order to address these concerns, specific recommendations were made for the provision of community supports along a continuum of care, including crisis houses, intensive high-support hostels, rehabilitation high-support hostels, specialist rehabilitative units, and psychiatric intensive care units.
Ms Smyth says a comparison of current provision with the resources recommended by A Vision for Change reveals “an almost total absence of these types of supports in each mental health area”.
Prolonged stays
As a consequence, the review suggests prolonged stays of people experiencing mental illness in acute mental health units is having a significant impact on access to beds. for this reason, regardless of the total number of registered mental health beds for adults, there are “serious concerns” about access and availability.
"It is clear that access to public acute mental health beds for working-age and older-age adults in Ireland is insufficient and inadequate," said Ms Smyth.
The paper finds that despite a recommendation to provide 15 intensive care beds as part of the development of four national combined intensive care rehabilitation facilities, not one unit has been developed.
Inadequate provision of psychiatric intensive care units continues to result in the most severely unwell people with challenging behaviour not having access to intensive care in an appropriate facility, it says. “This upsets the milieu of what should be calm and therapeutic acute units.”
The availability of 56 older-age adult beds was identified, less than half the 127 beds envisioned in 2006.
Not one of the nine Community Healthcare Organisations (CHO) was meeting the recommended number of dedicated older-age adult acute mental health beds, the paper finds. Of greatest concern, it says, is that three purpose-built acute units for older adults are being used for other purposes.
"The care and support required for the recovery of, for instance, an 80-year-old is substantially different to that of an 18-year-old," said John Farrelly, chief executive of the MHC. "The use of non-age appropriate placements has the potential to create unsafe environments."
MHC chief executive John Farrelly told RTÉ Radio’s Morning Ireland that accident and emergency departments should be “the last door, not the first door” during a crisis.
“It is not good enough in modern Ireland.”
He pointed out that 12 per cent of patients in acute units were staying there for more than six months, some for up to two years and one patient had stayed for five years. “Most have enduring mental illness.”
If there was an adequate crisis service then patients would not be in acute beds, he said. Vulnerable people were being pushed to the margins. “It’s a really good policy [Vision for Change],” he said. But there needed to be accountability and a greater drive to implement its proposals, he added.
“There’s no point in having a policy if it’s not being applied.”
If you were affected by the contents of this article, you can contact Samaritans on 116123, which is free from any phone, or email jo@samaritans.ie; and call Pieta House on its free helpline, 1800-247247, or text HELP to 51444


theirishtimes--2020-02-19--Passengers leave ship amid ‘chaotic’ coronavirus controls

Hundreds of quarantined passengers aboard a cruise ship docked in Yokohama walked on dry land on Wednesday for the first time in two weeks , amid growing controversy about Japan ’ s efforts to contain the coronavirus .
Two Irish citizens who were on board the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship have tested positive for the coronavirus .
The couple are being cared for at a military hospital in Tokyo having been transferred from the ship to the hospital on February 16th .
They were among six Irish citizens on board the ship .
About 500 passengers are expected to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Wednesday after an ordeal in which over 540 of the 3,711 people on board were infected the potentially fatal disease – the largest cluster outside China .
Japan ’ s government says those released today have fulfilled local quarantine requirements after testing negative for the virus .
The passengers walked through a scrum of reporters in Yokohama before boarding taxis and busses and retuning to their lives .
The liner was isolated earlier this month after a former passenger tested positive for Covid-19 in Hong Kong .
Critics have described it as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quarantine strategy has intensified since the release on Wednesday of a video by an infectious disease specialist who got on board .
Kentaro Iwata of Kobe University described the quarantine protocol on the liner as “ completely chaotic , ” with not a single virus specialist on board .
Mr Iwata said he had 20 years of experience dealing with Ebola , Sars and other diseases but never feared infection until now .
“ Inside the Diamond Princess I was so scared of getting Covid-19 because there was no way to tell where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , no red zone .
There was no single professional control person inside the ship , ” he said .
The Department of Health has stressed there have been no confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Ireland .
Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney confirmed on Tuesday that two Irish citizens who were passengers on Diamond Princess had tested positive for the virus and are receiving treatment in hospital in Japan .
“ These citizens share dual citizenship with another EU member state and are not normally resident in Ireland , ” Mr Coveney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ To date , with the assistance of the UK and other EU partners , six Irish citizens have been repatriated from Wuhan City in China , where the virus originated .
Three were evacuated on January 31st , and three were evacuated on February 9th .
Irish citizens who had been on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship , which is currently docked off Yokahama , included a married couple from Co Meath and a couple with dual Irish-German nationality .
“ We are also in close contact with those who remain in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ working with our EU partners and other like-minded countries regarding options for their return , ” Mr Coveney said .
In Dublin , the National Public Health Emergency Team ( NPHET ) met on Tuesday to discuss plans for how health authorities would respond to any confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Ireland .
There have been 78 suspected cases of Covid-19 tested in Ireland to date , but no positive cases , health officials confirmed on Tuesday .
In a statement after the NPHET meeting , Dr Tony Holohan , Department of Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are continuing to monitor the situation globally ” .
“ While the overwhelming majority of cases to date have been reported in China , we continue to advance preparedness plans here in Ireland , ” he said .
“ Hospitals have designated leads for Covid-19 preparedness , and isolation response requirements have been identified and are in place in order to deal appropriately with any suspected cases , ” Dr Holohan said .
Two Irish citizens who were passengers on the Westerdam , a cruise ship which has had one confirmed case of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , have returned to Ireland and entered self-imposed isolation for potential coronavirus .
Passengers were allowed to disembark from the ship , but an American citizen later tested positive for the virus , sparking concerns about potential exposure to the virus spreading in other countries from passengers returning home .
The death toll from the virus in mainland China rose by just under 100 on Tuesday to 1,868 people .
There have been nine confirmed cases of the virus in the UK from nearly 5,000 people tested .

Hundreds of passengers have disembarked the coronavirus-hit Diamond Princess cruise ship in Yokohama, Japan after completing a two-week quarantine period and testing negative for the virus. Video: Reuters
Hundreds of quarantined passengers aboard a cruise ship docked in Yokohama walked on dry land on Wednesday for the first time in two weeks, amid growing controversy about Japan’s efforts to contain the coronavirus.
Two Irish citizens who were on board the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship have tested positive for the coronavirus.
The couple are being cared for at a military hospital in Tokyo having been transferred from the ship to the hospital on February 16th.
They were among six Irish citizens on board the ship.
READ MORE
About 500 passengers are expected to leave the Diamond Princess by the end of Wednesday after an ordeal in which over 540 of the 3,711 people on board were infected the potentially fatal disease – the largest cluster outside China.
Japan’s government says those released today have fulfilled local quarantine requirements after testing negative for the virus. The passengers walked through a scrum of reporters in Yokohama before boarding taxis and busses and retuning to their lives.
The liner was isolated earlier this month after a former passenger tested positive for Covid-19 in Hong Kong. Critics have described it as a floating incubator. Debate about the quarantine strategy has intensified since the release on Wednesday of a video by an infectious disease specialist who got on board.
Kentaro Iwata of Kobe University described the quarantine protocol on the liner as “completely chaotic,” with not a single virus specialist on board. Mr Iwata said he had 20 years of experience dealing with Ebola, Sars and other diseases but never feared infection until now.
“Inside the Diamond Princess I was so scared of getting Covid-19 because there was no way to tell where the virus is – no green zone, no red zone. There was no single professional control person inside the ship,” he said.
Passengers look out from the balconies of the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Yokohama on Wednesday. Photograph: Charly Triballeau/AFP via Getty Images
‘Dual citizenship’
The Department of Health has stressed there have been no confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Ireland.
Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney confirmed on Tuesday that two Irish citizens who were passengers on Diamond Princess had tested positive for the virus and are receiving treatment in hospital in Japan.
“These citizens share dual citizenship with another EU member state and are not normally resident in Ireland,” Mr Coveney said in a statement on Tuesday.
To date, with the assistance of the UK and other EU partners, six Irish citizens have been repatriated from Wuhan City in China, where the virus originated. Three were evacuated on January 31st, and three were evacuated on February 9th.
Irish citizens who had been on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship, which is currently docked off Yokahama, included a married couple from Co Meath and a couple with dual Irish-German nationality.
“We are also in close contact with those who remain in quarantine on the ship. We are working with our EU partners and other like-minded countries regarding options for their return,” Mr Coveney said.
In Dublin, the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) met on Tuesday to discuss plans for how health authorities would respond to any confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Ireland.
Suspected cases
There have been 78 suspected cases of Covid-19 tested in Ireland to date, but no positive cases, health officials confirmed on Tuesday.
In a statement after the NPHET meeting, Dr Tony Holohan, Department of Health chief medical officer, said officials "are continuing to monitor the situation globally".
“While the overwhelming majority of cases to date have been reported in China, we continue to advance preparedness plans here in Ireland,” he said.
“Hospitals have designated leads for Covid-19 preparedness, and isolation response requirements have been identified and are in place in order to deal appropriately with any suspected cases,” Dr Holohan said.
Two Irish citizens who were passengers on the Westerdam, a cruise ship which has had one confirmed case of Covid-19, which had docked off Cambodia, have returned to Ireland and entered self-imposed isolation for potential coronavirus.
Passengers were allowed to disembark from the ship, but an American citizen later tested positive for the virus, sparking concerns about potential exposure to the virus spreading in other countries from passengers returning home.
The death toll from the virus in mainland China rose by just under 100 on Tuesday to 1,868 people. There have been nine confirmed cases of the virus in the UK from nearly 5,000 people tested.


theirishtimes--2020-02-19--Jump in young Irish adults living with parents among highest in EU

The number of Irish people aged 25-29 living with their parents grew at one of the highest rates in Europe between 2007 and 2017 , a new report has shown .
The report , by EU agency Eurofound , shows the rate of people in this age bracket increased 11.2 percentage points to 47.2 per cent .
This compares with a 2 per cent increase across the EU over the same period .
It comes as builders here warn that State efforts to bolster social housing , along with activity by investment funds , threaten to squeeze out first-time buyers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which is charged with monitoring working and living conditions , found that “ for those aged 25-29 , the largest increases were in Luxembourg , Ireland and Romania ” .
The agency said that across Europe , many young adults had been forced to move home after the recession , comprising a so-called “ boomerang generation ” .
“ This happened because young people just entering the labour market were often the first ones to lose their jobs as redundancies were introduced , ” the report states .
Eurofound examined trends in young @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a wider study into household composition and wellbeing .
It found that in general , subjective wellbeing was worse among young adults living with their parents than those living independently , especially among the over-25s .
The agency compared the 2007-2017 period as it was the fullest data set available to researchers .
Provisional data from Ireland for 2018 suggests the overall figure may be declining .
However , as not all countries have reported 2018 data and the Irish figure is provisional , Eurofound said the 2007-2017 period offered more complete data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if that reduction is borne out , the statistics show that Ireland is firmly among a group of southern and eastern European countries that show high levels of younger people still living with their parents .
The Irish figures are more comparable to the likes of Lithuania , the Czech Republic , Romania and Latvia .
Near neighbours show lower levels of young people living with parents , such as France ( 22.3 per cent ) and the UK ( 24.9 per cent ) .
Wealthy Nordic countries exhibit the lowest levels : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at 6.9 per cent and Denmark at 4.3 per cent .
Meanwhile , the Construction Industry Federation said that only around 8,000 of 21,000 homes completed last year were brought to the market .
Of the remaining 13,000 homes built , 5,068 were one-off dwellings , which are generally built by their owners and not offered for sale , while a further 4,392 were acquired or leased by the State for use as social housing .
Investment funds bought 95 per cent of the 3,644 apartments completed here last year .
The federation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home in Dublin is now beyond most would be first-time buyers .
It argued that a young couple with a combined income of €94,000 would still be unable to get a mortgage that would allow them to buy a home at that price .
Meanwhile , institutional buyers mopped up most of the apartment blocks built in the State in 2019 .
German investor Realis bought 90 apartments in listed builder Glenveagh Properties ’ Herbert Hill development in Dundrum , Dublin , last November for €55 million .
The same fund agreed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Group in the capital ’ s docklands .
Elsewhere , local landlord Urbeo agreed to buy 150 properties in Maynooth , Co Kildare , from Cairn Homes .

The number of Irish people aged 25-29 living with their parents grew at one of the highest rates in Europe between 2007 and 2017, a new report has shown.
The report, by EU agency Eurofound, shows the rate of people in this age bracket increased 11.2 percentage points to 47.2 per cent. This compares with a 2 per cent increase across the EU over the same period.
It comes as builders here warn that State efforts to bolster social housing, along with activity by investment funds, threaten to squeeze out first-time buyers.
Photograph: iStock
Researchers at the EU agency, which is charged with monitoring working and living conditions, found that "for those aged 25-29, the largest increases were in Luxembourg, Ireland and Romania". The agency said that across Europe, many young adults had been forced to move home after the recession, comprising a so-called "boomerang generation".
READ MORE
“This happened because young people just entering the labour market were often the first ones to lose their jobs as redundancies were introduced,” the report states.
Eurofound examined trends in young adults living at home as part of a wider study into household composition and wellbeing. It found that in general, subjective wellbeing was worse among young adults living with their parents than those living independently, especially among the over-25s.
The agency compared the 2007-2017 period as it was the fullest data set available to researchers. Provisional data from Ireland for 2018 suggests the overall figure may be declining. However, as not all countries have reported 2018 data and the Irish figure is provisional, Eurofound said the 2007-2017 period offered more complete data and a more valid analysis.
Biggest increases
Even if that reduction is borne out, the statistics show that Ireland is firmly among a group of southern and eastern European countries that show high levels of younger people still living with their parents.
The Irish figures are more comparable to the likes of Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Romania and Latvia.
Near neighbours show lower levels of young people living with parents, such as France (22.3 per cent) and the UK (24.9 per cent). Wealthy Nordic countries exhibit the lowest levels: Norway at 8.4 per cent, Finland at 6.9 per cent and Denmark at 4.3 per cent.
Meanwhile, the Construction Industry Federation said that only around 8,000 of 21,000 homes completed last year were brought to the market.
Of the remaining 13,000 homes built, 5,068 were one-off dwellings, which are generally built by their owners and not offered for sale, while a further 4,392 were acquired or leased by the State for use as social housing.
Investment funds bought 95 per cent of the 3,644 apartments completed here last year.
The federation said the €386,000 average cost of a home in Dublin is now beyond most would be first-time buyers. It argued that a young couple with a combined income of €94,000 would still be unable to get a mortgage that would allow them to buy a home at that price.
Meanwhile, institutional buyers mopped up most of the apartment blocks built in the State in 2019. German investor Realis bought 90 apartments in listed builder Glenveagh Properties' Herbert Hill development in Dundrum, Dublin, last November for €55 million.
The same fund agreed to buy 56 apartments from developer Marlet Property Group in the capital's docklands. Elsewhere, local landlord Urbeo agreed to buy 150 properties in Maynooth, Co Kildare, from Cairn Homes.


theirishtimes--2020-02-19--A  Russian cruiser with ‘cannibal rats’: What other ‘ghost ships’ could be out there?

The running aground of “ ghost ship ” MV Alta , on rocks near Ballycotton in east Cork on Sunday , was not the first time such a derelict vessel has haunted our shores .
In 2014 there were reports that the abandoned former Soviet cruise liner Lyubov Orlova was off the Irish coast bringing with it ominous headlines warning of “ cannibal rats ” aboard a “ ghost ship ” heading our way .
The Irish Coast Guard on Tuesday said it suspects the liner has probably sunk but is “ still vigilant ” in relation to it .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ choice of Soviet holidaymakers and later wealthy Russians touring the Artic and Antarctic .
It is one of a number of ‘ ghost ships ’ , unmanned but still afloat at last sighting , the whereabouts of which are now unknown .
The 100m long Lyubov Orlova was seen adrift off the coast of Newfoundland in February 2013 .
The ship had been sold for scrap and taken under tow from St John ’ s , heading for the Dominican Republic .
But less than a day into the journey the tow line @ @ @ @ @ @ @ waters .
As National Geographic put it in March 2014 , “ somewhere in the vast expanses of the North Atlantic an empty Russian cruise ship has been lost and if it ’ s still afloat , its next port of call may be the coast of Ireland ” .
Finding such a ship in the ocean is not easy .
The International Maritime Organisation ’ s International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea requires international ships , with 300 or more gross tonnage and all passenger ships , to carry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( AIS ) .
Historical AIS data is also used for analysing the vessels movements on a global scale .
In the case of the Lyubov Orlova , it would probably have its transponders off because power ran out .
In addition , satellite recorders are not able to easily find a ship in the vast Atlantic unless they know a precise area in which to look .
In its efforts to find the cruise ship the Irish Coast Guard combined AIS tracking with radar allowing it to “ see ” the ghosts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ areas of the sea surface , where vessels showed up as blips as on a radar screen .
These were then cross-referenced with AIS satellite maps , which showed the positions of all the active ships .
In theory , the ghost ship would be the only radar blip not broadcasting a signal .
During efforts to find the Russian cruiser an illegal fishing vessel near Scotland which had its transponder turned off was discovered .
But all attempts to locate the MV Lyubov Orlova by the Irish Coast Guard proved unsuccessful .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Irish shores .
In November of that year a makeshift solar-powered houseboat landed on a beach in Co Mayo after drifting across the Atlantic from Canada .
Authorities said the owner of the 20ft timber and polystyrene boat was intending to sail on the “ floating caravan ” , but was talked out of it before it broke loose from its mooring in Newfoundland .
It turned out to have been built by Rick Small , a Canadian environmentalist who had given the boat away and had no idea how it ended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ December 2000 a Spanish boat , Zorro Zaurre , drifted 140 miles to the southwest Irish coast before foundering on rocks yards from where its sister ship , Nuestra Senora de Gardotza , sank 10 years earlier at Roancarrig lighthouse in Bantry Bay , Co Cork .
The 13 crew members had been airlifted a month earlier after the vessel sprang a leak .

A ghost ship was washed up onto the rocks off east Cork by Storm Dennis on Sunday, after drifting across the Atlantic over the last year. Video: Irish Coast Guard
The running aground of “ghost ship” MV Alta, on rocks near Ballycotton in east Cork on Sunday, was not the first time such a derelict vessel has haunted our shores.
In 2014 there were reports that the abandoned former Soviet cruise liner Lyubov Orlova was off the Irish coast bringing with it ominous headlines warning of “cannibal rats” aboard a “ghost ship” heading our way.
The Irish Coast Guard on Tuesday said it suspects the liner has probably sunk but is “still vigilant” in relation to it. The 4,200-tonne ship was once the glittering choice of Soviet holidaymakers and later wealthy Russians touring the Artic and Antarctic.
It is one of a number of ‘ghost ships’, unmanned but still afloat at last sighting, the whereabouts of which are now unknown.
READ MORE
The 100m long Lyubov Orlova was seen adrift off the coast of Newfoundland in February 2013. The ship had been sold for scrap and taken under tow from St John’s, heading for the Dominican Republic. But less than a day into the journey the tow line broke and the ship drifted into international waters.
As National Geographic put it in March 2014, “somewhere in the vast expanses of the North Atlantic an empty Russian cruise ship has been lost and if it’s still afloat, its next port of call may be the coast of Ireland”.
Finding such a ship in the ocean is not easy. The International Maritime Organisation’s International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea requires international ships, with 300 or more gross tonnage and all passenger ships, to carry beacons which function as automatic identification systems (AIS).
Historical AIS data is also used for analysing the vessels movements on a global scale. In the case of the Lyubov Orlova, it would probably have its transponders off because power ran out. In addition, satellite recorders are not able to easily find a ship in the vast Atlantic unless they know a precise area in which to look.
In its efforts to find the cruise ship the Irish Coast Guard combined AIS tracking with radar allowing it to “see” the ghosts . First, radar satellites scanned vast areas of the sea surface, where vessels showed up as blips as on a radar screen. These were then cross-referenced with AIS satellite maps, which showed the positions of all the active ships. In theory, the ghost ship would be the only radar blip not broadcasting a signal. During efforts to find the Russian cruiser an illegal fishing vessel near Scotland which had its transponder turned off was discovered.
But all attempts to locate the MV Lyubov Orlova by the Irish Coast Guard proved unsuccessful.
In 2016 another unmanned vessel washed up on Irish shores. In November of that year a makeshift solar-powered houseboat landed on a beach in Co Mayo after drifting across the Atlantic from Canada. Authorities said the owner of the 20ft timber and polystyrene boat was intending to sail on the “floating caravan”, but was talked out of it before it broke loose from its mooring in Newfoundland. It turned out to have been built by Rick Small, a Canadian environmentalist who had given the boat away and had no idea how it ended up crossing the ocean unmanned.
In December 2000 a Spanish boat, Zorro Zaurre, drifted 140 miles to the southwest Irish coast before foundering on rocks yards from where its sister ship, Nuestra Senora de Gardotza, sank 10 years earlier at Roancarrig lighthouse in Bantry Bay, Co Cork. The 13 crew members had been airlifted a month earlier after the vessel sprang a leak.


theirishtimes--2020-02-19--Cash-strapped National Concert Hall told to reflect on ‘music tastes’

The National Concert Hall ( NCH ) must consider the “ changing nature of music tastes ” in future programming to reduce financial losses , the venue ’ s board has recommended .
The NCH , which is the principal national venue for classical music concerts , recorded a financial loss of €41,272 last year , though this was less than anticipated .
At a board meeting on November 28th last head of finance John Nolan said reduced ticket sales , higher expenditure , and a decrease in donations and fundraising were the main reasons behind the financial losses .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ under the Freedom of Information Act , say it was then “ recommended that in light of this , consideration must in future be given by NCH programming to the changing nature of music tastes and solid deliberation be accorded to the effects of competition for audiences in certain music genres promoted by NCH with competing commercial promoters ” .
In response to questions from The Irish Times , the NCH , which receives approximately €2.8 million in State funding per year , said it is the “ home of music in Ireland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ core element of our music offering ” .
However , the venue said it has “ diversified and expanded its programme of concerts to cover many forms of music ” .
American pop artist Laurie Anderson , German singer Ute Lemper and novelist Roddy Doyle are among some of the artists featuring on the upcoming programme , it said .
The Irish Chamber Orchestra said a move away from the concert hall ’ s traditional programming would be “ very disappointing news ” and a “ significant loss ” to the sector .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to find a permanent performance space in Dublin that works acoustically and have also found it difficult to secure dates in the concert hall over the past number of years , ” a spokeswoman said .
Allin Gray , director of the Irish Association of Youth Orchestras and a board member of the European Orchestra Federation , said it is important the NCH continues in its remit of cultural institution .
“ As part of a movement that is growing participation in classical and orchestral music , we feel spaces should be preserved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we have a full variety of musical expression in Ireland , ” Mr Gray said .
“ The NCH was so called as a cultural institution rather than a commercial enterprise and we strongly feel it should continue to pursue its remit as such.
” He added : “ That doesn ’ t just mean classical music or art music or whatever other labels we might use , but it does mean that it ’ s not just a space available to the highest bidder.
” Evonne Ferguson , director of the Contemporary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adding that music by composers from Ireland is “ diverse , vibrant and internationally recognised ” .
NCH ’ s financial losses for 2019 were considerably lower than estimated in the months leading up to year-end .
In November , the financial deficit was expected to be €91,045 by year-end , down from an almost €200,000 deficit that was forecasted in May , board meeting minutes state .
A spokeswoman for the NCH said the losses were minimised further due to strong sales in the last quarter of the year , including the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ December alone .
Attendances for 2019 totalled 324,671 , the highest since 2014 .
“ Coupled with this , significant efforts were made by [ the ] board , management and staff to mitigate against higher losses previously forecast , including a number of cost-saving measures and tight budgetary control , ” the spokeswoman said .

The National Concert Hall (NCH) must consider the "changing nature of music tastes" in future programming to reduce financial losses, the venue's board has recommended.
The NCH, which is the principal national venue for classical music concerts, recorded a financial loss of €41,272 last year, though this was less than anticipated.
At a board meeting on November 28th last head of finance John Nolan said reduced ticket sales, higher expenditure, and a decrease in donations and fundraising were the main reasons behind the financial losses.
The minutes of the meeting, obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, say it was then “recommended that in light of this, consideration must in future be given by NCH programming to the changing nature of music tastes and solid deliberation be accorded to the effects of competition for audiences in certain music genres promoted by NCH with competing commercial promoters”.
READ MORE
In response to questions from The Irish Times, the NCH, which receives approximately €2.8 million in State funding per year, said it is the "home of music in Ireland and classical repertoire will always be a core element of our music offering".
Many forms of music
However, the venue said it has "diversified and expanded its programme of concerts to cover many forms of music". American pop artist Laurie Anderson, German singer Ute Lemper and novelist Roddy Doyle are among some of the artists featuring on the upcoming programme, it said.
The Irish Chamber Orchestra said a move away from the concert hall's traditional programming would be "very disappointing news" and a "significant loss" to the sector . "The Irish Chamber Orchestra has struggled to find a permanent performance space in Dublin that works acoustically and have also found it difficult to secure dates in the concert hall over the past number of years," a spokeswoman said.
Allin Gray, director of the Irish Association of Youth Orchestras and a board member of the European Orchestra Federation, said it is important the NCH continues in its remit of cultural institution. "As part of a movement that is growing participation in classical and orchestral music, we feel spaces should be preserved for all types of music so that we have a full variety of musical expression in Ireland," Mr Gray said.
‘Classical music’
“The NCH was so called as a cultural institution rather than a commercial enterprise and we strongly feel it should continue to pursue its remit as such.”
He added: “That doesn’t just mean classical music or art music or whatever other labels we might use, but it does mean that it’s not just a space available to the highest bidder.”
Evonne Ferguson, director of the Contemporary Music Centre, said that given music by composers from Ireland is diverse, vibrant and internationally recognised, she would welcome "a substantial increase in the National Concert Hall's programming of works and commissioning of new works by composers from Ireland."
CMC would also like to see an increase in the number and variety of funded collaborative projects between the composers it represents and the NCH, she added.
NCH’s financial losses for 2019 were considerably lower than estimated in the months leading up to year-end. In November, the financial deficit was expected to be €91,045 by year-end, down from an almost €200,000 deficit that was forecasted in May, board meeting minutes state.
A spokeswoman for the NCH said the losses were minimised further due to strong sales in the last quarter of the year, including the hosting of 45 main auditorium concerts in December alone. Attendances for 2019 totalled 324,671, the highest since 2014.
“Coupled with this, significant efforts were made by [THE]board, management and staff to mitigate against higher losses previously forecast, including a number of cost-saving measures and tight budgetary control,” the spokeswoman said.


theirishtimes--2020-02-19--We’re in the middle of a war, says Irish ‘general’ on coronavirus

There ’ s a giant onscreen map of the world in Dr Mike Ryan ’ s office that keeps him abreast of the world ’ s emergencies .
An alarming number of countries are coloured red or yellow , or marked with labels to indicate unfolding disasters such as war , hunger or the spread of infectious disease .
A massive ebola outbreak across central Africa refuses to go away , measles is ravaging the western Pacific , and there is a resurgence of lassa fever in Nigeria .
And then there ’ s Covid-19 , the new coronavirus that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spread to 25 countries , all lit up on the map .
The World Health Organisation ’ s Irish-born head of emergencies tells me that the WHO is currently tackling over 30 “ events ” , as disease outbreaks and natural disasters are termed , of which eight , including Covid-19 , are graded the most serious .
Yet just now the world only wants to talk about the virus that poses the biggest global health threat in 20 years .
If Hubei province in China , where the virus originated late last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ war against Covid-19 , the WHO ’ s offices here in Switzerland are the strategic headquarters for the fight to stop it going global .
As we walk through the building it seems as though everyone , everywhere , is looking to Ryan and his team for leadership .
In a corridor a staffer tells him the International Air Travel Association is seeking guidelines .
Oh , and the International Olympic Committee want to talk about preparations for this year ’ s summer games in Tokyo .
Meanwhile , maritime groups have said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the crisis on the cruise ship business .
Like a cross between a TV producer and an army general , Ryan juggles his multiple responsibilities on the day I visit .
Staff run up and down the corridors with clipboards trying to tear him away from his latest conversation or videoconference .
Military metaphors , and a few sporting ones too , are offered readily as he jumps good-humouredly from dealing with one crisis to another .
“ We ’ re in the middle of a war [ with this virus ] .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the front line , tooth and nail , going toe-to-toe with the virus for the past 10 weeks , ” he tells me , before switching battle terrains to describe where things stands currently as WHO experts travel to China to gather data .
“ It ’ s like half-time in an international , where you need calm heads , and the smart people in the room say ‘ we ’ ve been battering away at this for the last 40 minutes but have we really got the right tactics ’ ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is home to its strategic health operations centre , where global public health events are monitored around the clock .
On one floor a conference call on the situation in North Kivu in Congo , where ebola is still a lethal threat to the local population , is dragging on longer than expected .
Downstairs local and international media wait patiently for an update on Covid-19 , delivered at a now daily press conference by Ryan and his colleagues .
Today WHO director general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is also in attendance ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bestowed with an honorary fellowship by a visiting group from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland .
A former health minister in Ethiopia , he opens with a prepared statement warning the “ window of opportunity ” now open for defeating the virus must not be “ squandered ” .
There ’ s also a pitch for much-needed funding for the crisis , which has been slow to come in .
( Ireland has stumped up €500,000 of the €100 million so far provided ) .
The coronavirus crisis has put the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say it has not done enough ; others that its response is excessive .
The stakes are huge ; decisions taken on public health grounds can have massive economic ramifications .
Meanwhile , the spectre of a pandemic , out of control and global , is never far away .
“ How do you deal with 194 countries , all of whose needs are different ?
” Ryan asks .
“ There ’ s China , with its thousands of cases .
Then other countries who have just imported a case .
And @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have it but are worried.
” A common criticism is that the WHO has been too beholden to China .
Dr Tedros repeatedly praised Chinese efforts to tackle Covid-19 before reports emerged of the authorities ’ slowness in dealing with the outbreak in its early days .
The issue is explored on Monday in a question from a CNN journalist , who asks Dr Tedros whether he will raise with the Chinese authorities their harsh treatment of online bloggers who , it now appears , blew the whistle on the emergence of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ question addressed to his boss with a general answer that stresses the need to balance competing rights .
While WHO prizes openness and “ good information ” , he says , “ it ’ s very important that all governments are able to balance the good of society and the community against the rights of individuals to openly communicate ” .
Back in his office again after the press conference , with the world ’ s problem glowing on the screen behind me , Ryan admits that this crisis could go either way @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tiny , tiny number ” of cases outside China , “ we ’ re in that kind of phony war now where the disease has stabilised , but we ’ re not really sure it ’ s going to disappear , or whether it ’ s going to just spread and accelerate again ” .
There are encouraging signs , notably the slowdown in new cases reported from China .
But the big worries are the continuing lack of information – “ we can tell whether you have the disease , but not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” – and the danger of it overrunning a fragile state or a conflict zone with poor health facilities .
He frets about the ability of health systems around the world “ which have been pared back so there ’ s minimum infrastructure to deliver maximum output ” to respond to a large-scale outbreak .
If Ireland does get a case of Covid-19 it will probably have been imported from the UK , he says , because “ travel is the driver of this outbreak except in China , where things have been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the few countries on Ryan ’ s map marked clear of any disease outbreak or other disaster .
Nonetheless , he says , people have to understand “ there ’ s no such thing as a zero-risk , that it is impossible to reduce risk of anything to zero ” .

There’s a giant onscreen map of the world in Dr Mike Ryan’s office that keeps him abreast of the world’s emergencies. An alarming number of countries are coloured red or yellow, or marked with labels to indicate unfolding disasters such as war, hunger or the spread of infectious disease.
A massive ebola outbreak across central Africa refuses to go away, measles is ravaging the western Pacific, and there is a resurgence of lassa fever in Nigeria.
And then there's Covid-19, the new coronavirus that has killed thousands in China and has spread to 25 countries, all lit up on the map.
The World Health Organisation’s Irish-born head of emergencies tells me that the WHO is currently tackling over 30 “events”, as disease outbreaks and natural disasters are termed, of which eight, including Covid-19, are graded the most serious. Yet just now the world only wants to talk about the virus that poses the biggest global health threat in 20 years.
READ MORE
If Hubei province in China, where the virus originated late last year, is the frontline of the war against Covid-19, the WHO's offices here in Switzerland are the strategic headquarters for the fight to stop it going global.
As we walk through the building it seems as though everyone, everywhere, is looking to Ryan and his team for leadership.
In a corridor a staffer tells him the International Air Travel Association is seeking guidelines. Oh, and the International Olympic Committee want to talk about preparations for this year's summer games in Tokyo.
Meanwhile, maritime groups have said they are worried about the impact of the crisis on the cruise ship business.
Responsibilities
Like a cross between a TV producer and an army general, Ryan juggles his multiple responsibilities on the day I visit. Staff run up and down the corridors with clipboards trying to tear him away from his latest conversation or videoconference.
Military metaphors, and a few sporting ones too, are offered readily as he jumps good-humouredly from dealing with one crisis to another.
“We’re in the middle of a war [with this virus]. The Chinese have been just fighting this on the front line, tooth and nail, going toe-to-toe with the virus for the past 10 weeks,” he tells me, before switching battle terrains to describe where things stands currently as WHO experts travel to China to gather data.
“It’s like half-time in an international, where you need calm heads, and the smart people in the room say ‘we’ve been battering away at this for the last 40 minutes but have we really got the right tactics’?”
The basement of the WHO offices is home to its strategic health operations centre, where global public health events are monitored around the clock. On one floor a conference call on the situation in North Kivu in Congo, where ebola is still a lethal threat to the local population, is dragging on longer than expected.
Downstairs local and international media wait patiently for an update on Covid-19, delivered at a now daily press conference by Ryan and his colleagues.
Today WHO director general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is also in attendance; earlier in the afternoon he had been bestowed with an honorary fellowship by a visiting group from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.
A former health minister in Ethiopia, he opens with a prepared statement warning the "window of opportunity" now open for defeating the virus must not be "squandered". There's also a pitch for much-needed funding for the crisis, which has been slow to come in. (Ireland has stumped up €500,000 of the €100 million so far provided).
The coronavirus crisis has put the WHO under an intense spotlight. Some say it has not done enough; others that its response is excessive. The stakes are huge; decisions taken on public health grounds can have massive economic ramifications. Meanwhile, the spectre of a pandemic, out of control and global, is never far away.
Imported a case
“How do you deal with 194 countries, all of whose needs are different?” Ryan asks. “There’s China, with its thousands of cases. Then other countries who have just imported a case. And then others again who don’t have it but are worried.”
A common criticism is that the WHO has been too beholden to China. Dr Tedros repeatedly praised Chinese efforts to tackle Covid-19 before reports emerged of the authorities’ slowness in dealing with the outbreak in its early days.
The issue is explored on Monday in a question from a CNN journalist, who asks Dr Tedros whether he will raise with the Chinese authorities their harsh treatment of online bloggers who, it now appears, blew the whistle on the emergence of the virus last year.
Ryan takes the question addressed to his boss with a general answer that stresses the need to balance competing rights. While WHO prizes openness and “good information”, he says, “it’s very important that all governments are able to balance the good of society and the community against the rights of individuals to openly communicate”.
Back in his office again after the press conference, with the world’s problem glowing on the screen behind me, Ryan admits that this crisis could go either way.
While there were only “a tiny, tiny number” of cases outside China, “we’re in that kind of phony war now where the disease has stabilised, but we’re not really sure it’s going to disappear, or whether it’s going to just spread and accelerate again”.
There are encouraging signs, notably the slowdown in new cases reported from China. But the big worries are the continuing lack of information – “we can tell whether you have the disease, but not whether you had it in the past” – and the danger of it overrunning a fragile state or a conflict zone with poor health facilities.
Health systems
He frets about the ability of health systems around the world “which have been pared back so there’s minimum infrastructure to deliver maximum output” to respond to a large-scale outbreak.
If Ireland does get a case of Covid-19 it will probably have been imported from the UK, he says, because “travel is the driver of this outbreak except in China, where things have been locked down”.
Ireland is one of the few countries on Ryan’s map marked clear of any disease outbreak or other disaster. Nonetheless, he says, people have to understand “there’s no such thing as a zero-risk, that it is impossible to reduce risk of anything to zero”.


theirishtimes--2020-02-19--Ireland is fifth-best country for children, but one of worst on climate

Ireland is among the top five countries in the world to be a child , but one of the worst when it comes to tackling climate change , which threatens children the world over , a landmark report published on Tuesday finds .
The report , A Future for the World ’ s Children ?
, is published by Unicef , the World Health Organisation ( WHO ) and the Lancet .
It ranks 180 countries on the welfare of children and finds Ireland to be fifth when it comes to “ child flourishing ” indicators such as health , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ahead of Ireland are France , the Netherlands , the Republic of Korea and Norway in first place .
However , the wealthiest countries , including Ireland , “ threaten every child ’ s future through insufficient action to tackle climate change ” .
Ireland is ranked 154th on delivering on CO2 emissions targets , says the report , which warns Ireland is emitting 208 per cent more CO2 than its 2030 target .
We currently emit 8.35 tonnes of CO2 per capita , per year .
This compares with the 5.8 tonnes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , 6 tonnes per capita in Denmark and 6.07 in Spain .
Higher emissions are evident in Germany ( 9.73 tonnes per capita ) , the United States ( 16.24 tonnes ) and Bahrain ( 23 tonnes ) .
The lowest emissions are found in the poorest countries including Burundi ( 0.05 tonnes ) , the Central African Republic ( 0.07 tonnes ) , and Sudan ( 0.45 tonnes per capita per year ) .
The threat to children from harmful marketing is also highlighted .
Children in some countries , says the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 30,000 advertisements on television alone in a single year ” .
Industry self-regulation had failed , according to one of the reports ’ authors , Prof Anthony Costello .
“ Self-regulation has not hampered commercial ability to advertise to children .
For example , despite industry signing up to self-regulation in Australia , children and adolescent viewers were still exposed to 51 million alcohol ads during just one year of televised football , cricket and rugby , ” he said .
“ And the reality could be much worse still .
We have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expansion of social media advertising and algorithms aimed at our children.
” Among the measures countries must implement to protect children are to stop CO2 emissions “ with the utmost urgency ” , place children and adolescents at the centre of efforts to achieve sustainable development , and “ tighten regulation of harmful commercial marketing ” .

Students take part in a climate protest in Dublin last summer. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw for The Irish Times
Ireland is among the top five countries in the world to be a child, but one of the worst when it comes to tackling climate change, which threatens children the world over, a landmark report published on Tuesday finds.
The report, A Future for the World’s Children?, is published by Unicef, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Lancet. It ranks 180 countries on the welfare of children and finds Ireland to be fifth when it comes to “child flourishing” indicators such as health, education and nutrition.
The four countries ahead of Ireland are France, the Netherlands, the Republic of Korea and Norway in first place.
However, the wealthiest countries, including Ireland, “threaten every child’s future through insufficient action to tackle climate change”.
READ MORE
Ireland is ranked 154th on delivering on CO2 emissions targets, says the report, which warns Ireland is emitting 208 per cent more CO2 than its 2030 target. We currently emit 8.35 tonnes of CO2 per capita, per year.
Children were exposed to 51 million alcohol ads during just one year of televised football, cricket and rugby
This compares with the 5.8 tonnes per capita being emitted in the UK, 6 tonnes per capita in Denmark and 6.07 in Spain. Higher emissions are evident in Germany (9.73 tonnes per capita), the United States(16.24 tonnes) and Bahrain (23 tonnes).
The lowest emissions are found in the poorest countries including Burundi (0.05 tonnes), the Central African Republic (0.07 tonnes), and Sudan (0.45 tonnes per capita per year).
Harmful marketing
The threat to children from harmful marketing is also highlighted. Children in some countries, says the report, “see as many as 30,000 advertisements on television alone in a single year”.
Industry self-regulation had failed,according to one of the reports’ authors, Prof Anthony Costello.
“Self-regulation has not hampered commercial ability to advertise to children. For example, despite industry signing up to self-regulation in Australia, children and adolescent viewers were still exposed to 51 million alcohol ads during just one year of televised football, cricket and rugby,” he said.
“And the reality could be much worse still. We have few facts and figures about the huge expansion of social media advertising and algorithms aimed at our children.”
Among the measures countries must implement to protect children are to stop CO2 emissions “with the utmost urgency”, place children and adolescents at the centre of efforts to achieve sustainable development, and “tighten regulation of harmful commercial marketing”.


theirishtimes--2020-02-20--Legionnaires’ Disease case: Spas should ‘be alert to dangers in water’, says woman

An apology was read out in the High Court on Thursday to a woman who contracted Legionnaires ’ Disease after using the spa facilities of a five star hotel in Co Kerry .
The apology was given in court by the Muckross Park Hotel , Killarney , and NCH Ireland Limited ( Chem Aqua ) to Mary Kelleher who got Legionnaires Disease after staying in the Muckross Park Hotel in August 2015 as a special treat to celebrate her silver wedding anniversary .
Mr Justice Kevin Cross was told today the case had been settled and the apology was then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the hotel and NCH Ireland Ltd. Muckross Park Hotel and NCH Ireland stated they sincerely apologised to Mrs Kelleher and her family “ for the very serious injuries she suffered following her contraction of Legionnaires Disease at the Muckross Park Hotel in August 2015.
” “ We wish to assure Ms Kelleher as the owners of the hotel , we have made significant investment in the facilities and a best practice legionella prevention programme since we purchased the hotel in 2015 .
“ ” The hotel has implemented substantial changes to ensure that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We do not underestimate the profound distress and impact that this has had and continues to have on her life.
” The details of the settlement are confidential .
Mr Justice Cross said he was very pleased the case had settled and hoped Mrs Kelleher can get back to as much health as she can .
Mrs Kelleher was in an induced coma for three weeks in hospital intensive care and was discharged from hospital after 54 days in a wheelchair and with crutches .
Outside court Mrs Kelleher said she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she will have to “ live with the consequences of contracting Legionnaires ’ Disease for the rest of my life.
” In a statement read by her solicitor Amy Connolly she added : “ On the 6th of August 2015 my husband and I travelled to the five star Muckross Park Hotel Killarney County Kerry for an overnight spa break to celebrate our 25th of waiting anniversary little did I know that it it would almost claim my life.
” She said she contracted Legionnaires ’ Disease in the hotel and spent three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intensive care “ critically ill and fighting for my life.
” “ I am lucky to be alive today but I will have to live with the consequences of contracting Legionnaires ’ Disease for the rest of my life ” , the statement said .
It added : “ What upsets me most is that my illness could have been prevented .
“ I hope that by highlighting this issue the hospitality industry will sit up and take note that Legionnaires Disease is a very real risk to all customers.
” Spa operators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alert to the dangers lurking in their water systems.
” “ I also hope that my story will raise people ’ s awareness of Legionnaires Disease .
People who go to a spa in Ireland should expect to leave it as healthy as when they entered , “ the statement concluded .
Mrs Kelleher and her husband Jer of Waterfall , Co Cork had decided to “ splash out ” on a stay in the five star luxury hotel in Killarney , Co Kerry to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary in advance of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home .
She told the High Court she went to the spa after check in and “ tried everything ” including the pool , the sauna , steam room and the hot and cold spa pool .
After they checked out , she said the couple were “ on top of the world and very happy.
” But within days she was feeling unwell , her muscles were aching and she was very tired .
“ I was aching stiff and tired .
I put it down to the late night at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ food and I had no appetite , she said .
She went to the doctor and a viral infection was suspected but she was feeling tired and she said it was “ like my muscles were losing power ” .
When she went back to a doctor she was told she had pneumonia and was transferred to the Bon Secours Hospital in Cork .
“ I can remember being admitted and put in a ward but I don ’ t remember anything else.
” When she woke up from her induced coma three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the next day but a nurse said “ welcome back it is September 9 and you are in hospital.
” She added : “ I didn ’ t realise for weeks how sick I was and how close I came to dying .
I couldn ’ t talk.
” Mary Kelleher ( 55 ) of Ballyshoneen , Waterfall , Co Cork had sued INUA Hospitality Series 2 Ltd with offices at Little Island , Cork and trading as Muckross Park Hotel Killarney and specialist water treatment business , NCH Ireland Ltd trading as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House , Wilton , Place Dublin after she was exposed to and contracted Legionnaires Disease after using the hotel spa facilities when she was a guest there on August 6th/7th , 2015 .
Opening the case on Wednesday Mrs Kelleher ’ s counsel Pearse Sreenan SC instructed by Amy Connolly of Cantillon Solicitors told Mr Justice Kevin Cross liability was admitted in the case earlier this week and it was before the court for assessment of damages only .
Counsel said Mrs Kelleher suffered life changing injuries and at one stage in hospital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be done for her .
“ Her quality of life has deteriorated and is never going to recover , ” Counsel said as he told how she now suffers from considerable chronic fatigue .
He said Mrs Kelleher had flu like symptoms which continued and she went to a doctor on August 12 and then again two days later but was admitted to hospital on August 16 , 2015 .
Counsel said she was transferred to intensive care because of the severity of her symptoms .
Mrs Kelleher , counsel said had to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disease , which is a pneumonia caused by a type of Legionella bacteria was confirmed .
When she woke from the induced come Counsel said she was in very poor condition and did not know where she was .
She had to use a walking stick and needed intensive physiotherapy .
She was discharged from hospital after 54 days on October 9 , 2015 .
Counsel said a HSE incident control team was convened on August 18th to look in to the matter .
Mr Sreenan said bacteria was traced back to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was thought to be the most likely source of infection and decommissioned .
Counsel said Mrs Kelleher through a Freedom of Information request gained access to the report on the incident relating to herself and other suspected cases since 2010 .
He said she became very frustrated indeed and this fed in to her upset and distress about the incident .

An apology was read out in the High Court on Thursday to a woman who contracted Legionnaires' Disease after using the spa facilities of a five star hotel in Co Kerry.
The apology was given in court by the Muckross Park Hotel, Killarney, and NCH Ireland Limited (Chem Aqua) to Mary Kelleher who got Legionnaires Disease after staying in the Muckross Park Hotel in August 2015 as a special treat to celebrate her silver wedding anniversary.
Mr Justice Kevin Cross was told on Thursday the case had been settled and the apology was then read by Eoin Clifford SC, for the hotel and NCH Ireland Ltd.
Muckross Park Hotel and NCH Ireland stated they sincerely apologised to Ms Kelleher and her family “for the very serious injuries she suffered following her contraction of Legionnaires Disease at the Muckross Park Hotel in August 2015.
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“We wish to assure Ms Kelleher as the owners of the hotel, we have made significant investment in the facilities and a best practice legionella prevention programme since we purchased the hotel in 2015.
“The hotel has implemented substantial changes to ensure that there is no reoccurrence of this event.
“We do not underestimate the profound distress and impact that this has had and continues to have on her life.”
The details of the settlement are confidential.
Mr Justice Cross said he was very pleased the case had settled and hoped Ms Kelleher can get back to as much health as she can.
Induced coma
Ms Kelleher was in an induced coma for three weeks and was discharged from hospital after 54 days in a wheelchair and with crutches.
Outside court Ms Kelleher said she is lucky to be alive today but she will have to live with the consequences of contracting Legionnaires’ Disease for the rest of her life.
In a statement read by her solicitor Amy Connolly she added: “ On the 6th of August 2015 my husband and I travelled to the five star Muckross Park Hotel, Killarney, Co Kerry for an overnight spa break to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary. Little did I know that it would almost claim my life.”
She said spent three weeks in an induced coma “critically ill and fighting for my life.”
She added: “I hope that by highlighting this issue the hospitality industry will sit up and take note that Legionnaires Disease is a very real risk to all customers.”
Spa operators, she said need “to be alert to the dangers lurking in their water systems.”
Ms Kelleher, and her husband Jer of Ballyshoneen, Waterfall, Co Cork had decided to “splash out” on a stay in the five star luxury hotel in Killarney to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary.
She told the High Court she went to the spa after check in and “tried everything” including the pool, the sauna, steam room and the hot and cold spa pool. After they checked out, she said the couple were “on top of the world and very happy.” But within days she was feeling unwell, her muscles were aching and she was very tired.
She went to the doctor and a viral infection was suspected but she was feeling tired and she said it was "like my muscles were losing power". When she went back to a doctor she was told she had pneumonia and was transferred to the Bon Secours Hospital in Cork.
“I can remember being admitted and put in a ward but I don’t remember anything else.”
Ms Kelleher had sued INUA Hospitality Series 2 Ltd with offices at Little Island, Cork and trading as Muckross Park Hotel Killarney and specialist water treatment business, NCH Ireland Ltd trading as Chem Aqua with offices at Wilton Park House, Wilton Place, Dublin after she was exposed to and contracted Legionnaires Disease after using the hotel spa facilities when she was a guest there on August 6th/7th, 2015.


theirishtimes--2020-02-20--Home help strike planned for Friday called off

A planned strike by home helps in Dublin scheduled to take place on Friday has been called off .
However , stoppages in a number of other State-funded organisations providing health and social services -- known technically as Section 39 bodies – are to go ahead in a dispute over pay restoration .
Agreement was reached on Thursday between the HSE and the trade union Siptu regarding the restoration of pay which was reduced during the economic downturn for staff at three organisations in Dublin which provide home help services .
As a result the planned stoppage by the union @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Care Services , Terenure Home Care Services and Crumlin Home Care Services has been indefinitely suspended , according to Siptu .
The union also said a planned strike at St Mary ’ s Telford centre in Dublin will not now go ahead .
However 24-hour strikes by members of Siptu and the trade union Fórsa at Delta Care ; National Council of the Blind In Ireland ; Western Alzheimer ’ s ; Co-Action Bantry ; South West Doctors ; ; Camphill ( Wexford ) , Galway Rape Crisis ; St Joseph ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are all set to go ahead on Friday as part of the dispute over pay restoration .
Siptu has warned there could be similar stoppages in other Section 39 organisations in the weeks ahead .
The unions contend that while Section 39 organisations were urged to cut staff pay in line with reductions in remuneration to public servants during the austerity years , the personnel involved have not seen pay restoration unlike direct State employees .
Siptu health division organiser Paul Bell , said : “ The treatment of these vital community health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as home care , dementia and Alzheimer ’ s services , is totally unacceptable .
“ Strike action is the only option left open to our members to policy makers and those who fund the services to sit up and take notice .
Siptu representatives have fought long and hard to win a pay restoration formula that could be applied across Section 39 organisations and the continued refusal of these organisations , aided and abetted by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform , to vindicate their rights will not be tolerated by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ these organisations , all low paid workers , are falling further behind , having endured cuts in pay of approximately six per cent and a reduction in their hours which has had a knock on effect on service users and their families .
They now have been left with no option other than to take action on Friday.
” “ The number of members involved in this dispute nationally is roughly 6,000 and strikes will be rolled out on a phased basis , in every part of the country , over the coming @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department requires to fairly resolve this dispute is no more than €7 million which is small change for the incoming Government but it would give our members a big break.
” Siptu sector organiser , Eddie Mullins said : “ During this entire dispute our members demonstrated great compassion and responsibility by doing everything in their power to achieve a legitimate objective without affecting services to vulnerable clients and will continue to do so .
“ Unfortunately , within the sector there is often a blatant disregard by employers who take advantage of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accepted industrial relations procedures .
Many workers in the sector were subject to pay cuts during the austerity years similar to those imposed on their colleagues in the public sector .
”

A planned strike by home helps in Dublin scheduled to take place on Friday has been called off.
However, stoppages in a number of other State-funded organisations providing health and social services -- known technically as Section 39 bodies – are to go ahead in a dispute over pay restoration.
Agreement was reached on Thursday between the HSE and the trade union Siptu regarding the restoration of pay which was reduced during the economic downturn for staff at three organisations in Dublin which provide home help services.
As a result the planned stoppage by the union's members at Dublin West Home Care Services, Terenure Home Care Services and Crumlin Home Care Services has been indefinitely suspended, according to Siptu.
READ MORE
The union also said a planned strike at St Mary's Telford centre in Dublin will not now go ahead.
However 24-hour strikes by members of Siptu and the trade union Fórsa at Delta Care; National Council of the Blind In Ireland; Western Alzheimer's; Co-Action Bantry; South West Doctors; Galway Rape Crisis; St Joseph's Killorglin, Co Kerry and Valentia Hospital are all set to go ahead on Friday as part of the dispute over pay restoration.
Siptu has warned there could be similar stoppages in other Section 39 organisations in the weeks ahead.
The unions contend that while Section 39 organisations were urged to cut staff pay in line with reductions in remuneration to public servants during the austerity years, the personnel involved have not seen pay restoration unlike direct State employees.
Siptu health division organiser Paul Bell, said: "The treatment of these vital community health workers, who work in areas such as home care, dementia and Alzheimer's services, is totally unacceptable.
"Strike action is the only option left open to our members to policy makers and those who fund the services to sit up and take notice. Siptu representatives have fought long and hard to win a pay restoration formula that could be applied across Section 39 organisations and the continued refusal of these organisations, aided and abetted by the Department of Public Expenditure and Reform, to vindicate their rights will not be tolerated by our members."
“Our members in these organisations, all low paid workers, are falling further behind, having endured cuts in pay of approximately six per cent and a reduction in their hours which has had a knock on effect on service users and their families. They now have been left with no option other than to take action on Friday.”
“The number of members involved in this dispute nationally is roughly 6,000 and strikes will be rolled out on a phased basis, in every part of the country, over the coming weeks. The amount of money the Department requires to fairly resolve this dispute is no more than €7 million which is small change for the incoming Government but it would give our members a big break.”
Siptu sector organiser, Eddie Mullins said: "During this entire dispute our members demonstrated great compassion and responsibility by doing everything in their power to achieve a legitimate objective without affecting services to vulnerable clients and will continue to do so.
“Unfortunately, within the sector there is often a blatant disregard by employers who take advantage of the good nature of staff and ignore accepted industrial relations procedures. Many workers in the sector were subject to pay cuts during the austerity years similar to those imposed on their colleagues in the public sector.”


theirishtimes--2020-02-20--UCD students protest governing meeting over rent increase

University College Dublin ( UCD ) students held a sit-down protest outside a meeting of the university ’ s governing authority , in protest over proposals to increase on-campus accommodation rents by 12 per cent over the next three years .
Students protested at the entrance to the meeting on Thursday morning holding placards with the slogans “ Stop the 12 % ” and “ # NotaBusiness ” .
UCD President Prof Andrew Deeks stopped briefly to speak to UCD students ’ union officials , before making his way through the protesting students into the meeting .
The decision to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cent each year for the next three years , the maximum permitted under rent cap laws , was made in recent weeks by the university management team .
The decision will be discussed at the Thursday governing authority meeting , which is the effective board of the university .
The governing authority of more than 30 people meets several times a year and includes senior university management , academic staff , several students ’ union officers , as well as local authority councillors .
Earlier this week the students ’ union held a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the rent increases , and union president Joanna Siewierska delivered a petition to Prof Deeks opposing the decision .
The increase would mean the cost of student accommodation on the Belfield campus rises to between €8,000 and €9,900 per year over the next three years .
In a previous statement , UCD has said the rent hikes were required to pay for the maintenance of current accommodation , as well as help fund plans to build 3,000 extra student beds on campus .
Under legislation aimed at tackling rising rents , annual increases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year in rent pressure zones , such as Dublin and other cities .
These rent caps were extended to cover purpose-built student housing last year .
Since then several universities , such as UCD , NUI Galway and Dublin City University , have signalled they intend to increase campus rents by the maximum four per cent rate for the next academic year .
University College Cork also recently announced it would raise student rents by three per cent .
Ahead of the meeting on Thursday , Prof Deeks briefly stopped to speak to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students ’ union graduate officer , who was among the crowd of protesting students .
“ He said ‘ we may disagree on the best course forward , but we ’ re happy to have that discussion inside ’ , and I said , yes sounds good , ” Mr Anderson said .
“ They think that the students are not serious , they believe that myself and my colleagues as sabbatical officers are only here for a year and they can wait us out … it really just illustrates , the word @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” he said .

University College Dublin (UCD) students held a sit-down protest outside a meeting of the university's governing authority, in protest over proposals to increase on-campus accommodation rents by 12 per cent over the next three years.
Students protested at the entrance to the meeting on Thursday morning holding placards with the slogans “Stop the 12%” and “#NotaBusiness”.
UCD President Prof Andrew Deeks stopped briefly to speak to UCD students' union officials, before making his way through the protesting students into the meeting.
The decision to increase campus accommodation rent by four per cent each year for the next three years, the maximum permitted under rent cap laws, was made in recent weeks by the university management team.
READ MORE
The decision will be discussed at the Thursday governing authority meeting, which is the effective board of the university.
The governing authority of more than 30 people meets several times a year and includes senior university management, academic staff, several students’ union officers, as well as local authority councillors.
Earlier this week the students' union held a rally on the south Dublin campus over the rent increases, and union president Joanna Siewierska delivered a petition to Prof Deeks opposing the decision.
T-shirt from the sit down protest in UCD. Photograph Nick Bradshaw
The increase would mean the cost of student accommodation on the Belfield campus rises to between €8,000 and €9,900 per year over the next three years.
In a previous statement, UCD has said the rent hikes were required to pay for the maintenance of current accommodation, as well as help fund plans to build 3,000 extra student beds on campus.
Under legislation aimed at tackling rising rents, annual increases are capped at four per cent per year in rent pressure zones, such as Dublin and other cities. These rent caps were extended to cover purpose-built student housing last year.
Since then several universities, such as UCD, NUI Galway and Dublin City University, have signalled they intend to increase campus rents by the maximum four per cent rate for the next academic year. University College Cork also recently announced it would raise student rents by three per cent.
Ahead of the meeting on Thursday, Prof Deeks briefly stopped to speak to Conor Anderson (31), the students’ union graduate officer, who was among the crowd of protesting students.
"He said 'we may disagree on the best course forward, but we're happy to have that discussion inside', and I said, yes sounds good," Mr Anderson said.
“They think that the students are not serious, they believe that myself and my colleagues as sabbatical officers are only here for a year and they can wait us out … it really just illustrates, the word condescending just keeps coming to mind,” he said.


theirishtimes--2020-02-20--White rhino calf weighing 50kg born at Dublin Zoo

A southern white rhinoceros calf has been born at Dublin Zoo .
The male calf , estimated to weigh about 50kg , was born at 4.30am on February 10th .
Visitors to the zoo will be able to catch a glimpse of the calf and his mother Ashanti in the Rhinoceros House at the African plains section .
This is Ashanti ’ s seventh calf .
Dublin Zoo currently takes part in a European breeding programme for southern white rhinos .
It is estimated that 18,000 of these animals exist in the wild and the majority are found in South @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Poaching for rhino horn , incorrectly believed to have medicinal qualities , is the most significant threat to the wild population .
Helen Clarke-Bennet , team leader of the zoo ’ s African plains section said : “ We are absolutely thrilled to welcome another rhinoceros calf to Dublin Zoo .
These animals were on the verge of extinction in the 20th century .
“ Ashanti is an excellent mother .
She and the calf share a strong bond , and it has been wonderful to watch them play together .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ integrate with the rest of the herd .
”

A southern white rhinoceros calf has been born at Dublin Zoo. The male calf, estimated to weigh about 50kg, was born at 4.30am on February 10th.
Visitors to the zoo will be able to catch a glimpse of the calf and his mother Ashanti in the Rhinoceros House at the African plains section. This is Ashanti's seventh calf.
Dublin Zoo currently takes part in a European breeding programme for southern white rhinos. It is estimated that 18,000 of these animals exist in the wild and the majority are found in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Namibia and Kenya.
Poaching for rhino horn, incorrectly believed to have medicinal qualities, is the most significant threat to the wild population.
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The male rhino calf born at Dublin Zoo. Photograph: Patrick Bolger/Dublin Zoo
Helen Clarke-Bennet, team leader of the zoo’s African plains section said: “We are absolutely thrilled to welcome another rhinoceros calf to Dublin Zoo. These animals were on the verge of extinction in the 20th century.
“Ashanti is an excellent mother. She and the calf share a strong bond, and it has been wonderful to watch them play together. We’re looking forward to watching him integrate with the rest of the herd.”


theirishtimes--2020-02-20--Explosive device found outside Martin Finucane’s home

A crude explosive device has been found outside the west Belfast home of the brother of murdered solicitor Pat Finucane .
The police said the remnants of the device , which did not ignite , were found in the front garden of the property on Thursday .
The Sinn Féin MP , Paul Maskey , said it had been left outside the home of human rights campaigner Martin Finucane .
The Police Service of Northern Ireland ( PSNI ) said it received a report shortly after 6.30am that an object had been thrown at the front window of a house @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an outer pane of glass .
A vehicle was heard making off from the scene , and on further examination a suspicious object was discovered in the front garden , the PSNI said .
British Army bomb experts attended the scene and “ declared the object to be the remnants of a crude explosive device that did not ignite.
” Two adults who were in the house at the time were not injured as a result of the incident .
Detective Sergeant Keith Wilson said a motive for this attack has not yet @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extremely fortunate no one was injured in what was a reckless act in a built up area.
” Mr Finucane is the brother of Pat Finucane , who was shot dead by loyalist paramilitaries in 1989 .
He is also the uncle of the Sinn Féin politician and MP for North Belfast , John Finucane .
Mr Maskey said the attack was “ reckless and shows a callous disregard for the Finucane family and the local community .
“ Those behind this device have nothing to offer society .
I would call on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for this attack on a home to bring it forward to the police , ” he said .
The campaign group Relatives for Justice said it was “ absolutely sickened ” that a bomb had been thrown at the home of one of its founding members .
“ Martin has travelled the world to shine a light on state collusion in his brother ’ s case and hundreds of others .
Our solidarity is with him this morning , ” the group said .
The human rights organisation the Pat Finucane Centre , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ member , said it was “ shocked at the news that a crude explosive device [ was ] thrown at the home of Martin Finucane this morning.
” Paul Doherty of the SDLP said the attack was “ wrong and shows a reckless disregard for both the Finucane family and the wider community.
” “ Those responsible have nothing to offer this community .
We are trying to build a better West Belfast and acts like this only make that harder .
They have to be faced down , ” he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the area of Glenties Drive around the time of the incident , or anynone who witnessed any unusual activity or vehicles to contact detectives in Musgrave Police Station in Belfast on 101 quoting reference 212 20/02/20 .

PSNI said it was currently at the scene of a security alert in the Glenties Drive area
A crude explosive device has been found outside the west Belfast home of the brother of murdered solicitor Pat Finucane.
The police said the remnants of the device, which did not ignite, were found in the front garden of the property on Thursday.
The Sinn Féin MP, Paul Maskey, said it had been left outside the home of human rights campaigner Martin Finucane.
The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) said it received a report shortly after 6.30am that an object had been thrown at the front window of a house in the Glenties Drive area, smashing an outer pane of glass.
READ MORE
A vehicle was heard making off from the scene, and on further examination a suspicious object was discovered in the front garden,the PSNI said.
British Army bomb experts attended the scene and “declared the object to be the remnants of a crude explosive device that did not ignite.”
Two adults who were in the house at the time were not injured as a result of the incident.
Detective Sergeant Keith Wilson said a motive for this attack has not yet been established, but it was “extremely fortunate no one was injured in what was a reckless act in a built up area.”
Mr Finucane is the brother of Pat Finucane, who was shot dead by loyalist paramilitaries in 1989. He is also the uncle of the Sinn Féin politician and MP for North Belfast, John Finucane.
Mr Maskey said the attack was “ reckless and shows a callous disregard for the Finucane family and the local community.
“Those behind this device have nothing to offer society. I would call on anyone with any information on those responsible for this attack on a home to bring it forward to the police,” he said.
The campaign group Relatives for Justice said it was “absolutely sickened” that a bomb had been thrown at the home of one of its founding members.
“Martin has travelled the world to shine a light on state collusion in his brother’s case and hundreds of others. Our solidarity is with him this morning,” the group said.
The human rights organisation the Pat Finucane Centre, of which Mr Finucane is a board member, said it was “shocked at the news that a crude explosive device [was] thrown at the home of Martin Finucane this morning.”
Paul Doherty of the SDLP said the attack was "wrong and shows a reckless disregard for both the Finucane family and the wider community."
“Those responsible have nothing to offer this community. We are trying to build a better West Belfast and acts like this only make that harder. They have to be faced down,” he said.
The PSNI appealed for anyone who was in the area of Glenties Drive around the time of the incident, or anynone who witnessed any unusual activity or vehicles to contact detectives in Musgrave Police Station in Belfast on 101 quoting reference 212 20/02/20.