theirishtimes--2020-11-21--Social tenants in Rathgar complex excluded from certain facilities

Social tenants in a luxury apartment complex in Dublin say they are being “ discriminated ” against as they are not allowed to use the property ’ s gym , meeting rooms or roof terrace , keep pets or attend residents ’ meetings .
The exclusion of households nominated by Dublin City Council from facilities enjoyed by their private neighbours in the Marianella complex in Rathgar is “ just the latest example ” says Independent councillor Mannix Flynn of “ social exclusion operating under the guise of social inclusion ” .
He is calling on the council to “ take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to live in private developments are treated “ with equity , dignity and respect ” .
Finished in 2017 , Marianella ’ s 210 apartments on the site of a former monastery on Orwell Road , were priced in the region of €700,000 and €950,000 .
The developer sold 19 units to Dublin City Council , fulfilling its obligations under part five of the 2000 Housing Act to offer 10 per cent of units in developments of 10 or more homes , for social housing .
Department of Housing guidelines explain that part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to “ advance the aim of achieving a social mix in new developments ” .
Approved housing body ( AHB ) Fold Housing manages Marianella ’ s part five apartments , the Orwell Hall block , on behalf of the council .
One resident , Tenia Karim says soon after he moved into his one-bedroom apartment in January 2019 he left his gym in nearby Dartry to join the gym on his doorstep .
However Mr Karim was told he could not join because he lives in Orwell Hall .
Following protracted contact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in which he asked to pay to use the gym , he received an email dated November 25th , 2019 , saying management had “ decided that no change will be made to the access to the gym and will remain for those it was originally intended ” .
A spokeswoman for Fold Housing , which made unsuccessful representations on his behalf , explained that as it has paid reduced management fees its tenants could not access the gym .
“ But this does not explain why we are not even allowed pay @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Originally from Kurdistan , he says : “ I was brought up with principles and dignity .
This hurts my dignity .
They do not like when I say ‘ discrimination ’ but what other word do they want to use ?
” Jane Doyle-Reilly and her husband Robert Reilly moved in January 2019 , from a council flat in the city centre .
They had applied for a transfer after the death of a son in an accident in 2012 , and the subsequent suicide of their only other child , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We were in a really bad place when we moved here .
We wanted to join the gym but were told very bluntly , ‘ Oh no , Orwell Hall , we don ’ t deal with them ’ .
” They had to give up their younger son ’ s dog before moving .
Fold has a strict no-pets policy while private residents can have pets .
“ He was a Shih Tzu cross , a gorgeous ball of fluff , ” says Ms Doyle-Reilly .
“ I cried giving him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ few days and I saw everyone else here walking their dogs , I was fit to be tied.
” She is “ disappointed ” Orwell Hall residents can not access the decked roof space , while residents in other blocks can use theirs .
Fold says the roof is for maintenance access only .
“ They are lovely apartments but what ’ s going on , we are stigmatised here , ” says Ms Doyle-Reilly .
“ You feel it every day .
If we could go back to Cuffe Street I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ eye.
” Resident Angela O ’ Mahony had to give her Chihuahua , Toby , to family .
“ It ’ s not fair when you see all the other dogs.
” Other tenants who did not want to be named said there had been occasions where the concierge refused to accept their parcels due to their address .
All mentioned not being allowed to use the gym .
The Fold spokeswoman said all tenants were made aware of its “ no pet policy ” prior to moving in .
Fold “ does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tenants were made aware of this , ” she said .
“ Feedback from our tenants in Marianella is that they are very happy .
.
.
Our service agreement does not provide for membership of the gym/resident ’ s club .
We are a charitable organisation of limited resources and they are focused on the provision of housing to our tenants.
” Petra management did not respond to several requests for interview .
Describing the different regimes as “ social apartheid ” , Mr Flynn said responsibility lies with local authorities .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ disempowerment and social exclusion operating under the guise of social inclusion .
Dublin City Council is responsible for ensuring its households are treated with equity , dignity and respect ” .
A council spokesman said the authority had service level agreements with all AHBs managing council units .
“ All tenants sign up to a tenancy agreement with the AHB as the named landlord .
The AHB must register all tenancies with the Residential Tenancies Board .
AHBs provide a thorough explanation of the tenancy agreement and the rights and obligations of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did “ not regard access to a gym as a welfare issue ” .

Tenia Karim, a social housing tenant: “I was brought up with principles and dignity. This hurts my dignity.” Photograph: Nick Bradshaw
Social tenants in a luxury apartment complex in Dublin say they are being “discriminated” against as they are not allowed to use the property’s gym, meeting rooms or roof terrace, keep pets or attend residents’ meetings.
The exclusion of households nominated by Dublin City Council from facilities enjoyed by their private neighbours in the Marianella complex in Rathgar is “just the latest example” says Independent councillor Mannix Flynn of “social exclusion operating under the guise of social inclusion”.
He is calling on the council to “take responsibility” to ensure households it nominates to live in private developments are treated “with equity, dignity and respect”.
Finished in 2017, Marianella’s 210 apartments on the site of a former monastery on Orwell Road, were priced in the region of €700,000 and €950,000.
READ MORE
The developer sold 19 units to Dublin City Council, fulfilling its obligations under part five of the 2000 Housing Act to offer 10 per cent of units in developments of 10 or more homes, for social housing.
Department of Housing guidelines explain that part of part five’s aim is to “advance the aim of achieving a social mix in new developments”. Approved housing body (AHB) Fold Housing manages Marianella’s part five apartments, the Orwell Grove* block, on behalf of the council.
One resident, Tenia Karim says soon after he moved into his one-bedroom apartment in January 2019 he left his gym in nearby Dartry to join the gym on his doorstep. However Mr Karim was told he could not join because he lives in Orwell Grove.
Management fees
Following protracted contact with management company, Petra Property, in which he asked to pay to use the gym, he received an email dated November 25th, 2019, saying management had “decided that no change will be made to the access to the gym and will remain for those it was originally intended”.
A spokeswoman for Fold Housing, which made unsuccessful representations on his behalf, explained that as it has paid reduced management fees its tenants could not access the gym. “But this does not explain why we are not even allowed pay to join,” argues Mr Karim.
Originally from Kurdistan, he says: “I was brought up with principles and dignity. This hurts my dignity. They do not like when I say ‘discrimination’ but what other word do they want to use?”
Jane Doyle-Reilly and her husband Robert Reilly moved in January 2019, from a council flat in the city centre. They had applied for a transfer after the death of a son in an accident in 2012, and the subsequent suicide of their only other child, a younger son, in 2014.
“We were in a really bad place when we moved here. We wanted to join the gym but were told very bluntly, ‘Oh no, Orwell (Grove), we don’t deal with them’.”
They had to give up their younger son’s dog before moving. Fold has a strict no-pets policy while private residents can have pets.
“He was a Shih Tzu cross, a gorgeous ball of fluff,” says Ms Doyle-Reilly. “I cried giving him up. When I was here a few days and I saw everyone else here walking their dogs, I was fit to be tied.”
‘Stigmatised here’
She is “disappointed” Orwell Grove residents cannot access the decked roof space, while residents in other blocks can use theirs. Fold says the roof is for maintenance access only.
“They are lovely apartments but what’s going on, we are stigmatised here,” says Ms Doyle-Reilly. “You feel it every day. If we could go back to Cuffe Street I’d go in the blink of an eye.”
Resident Angela O’Mahony had to give her Chihuahua, Toby, to family. “It’s not fair when you see all the other dogs.”
Other tenants who did not want to be named said there had been occasions where the concierge refused to accept their parcels due to their address. All mentioned not being allowed to use the gym.
The Fold spokeswoman said all tenants were made aware of its “no pet policy” prior to moving in. Fold “does not pay for the concierge service and tenants were made aware of this,” she said.
“Feedback from our tenants in Marianella is that they are very happy . . . Our service agreement does not provide for membership of the gym/resident’s club. We are a charitable organisation of limited resources and they are focused on the provision of housing to our tenants.” Petra management did not respond to several requests for interview.
Describing the different regimes as “social apartheid”, Mr Flynn said responsibility lies with local authorities.
“What’s happening here is disempowerment and social exclusion operating under the guise of social inclusion. Dublin City Council is responsible for ensuring its households are treated with equity, dignity and respect”.
A council spokesman said the authority had service level agreements with all AHBs managing council units. “All tenants sign up to a tenancy agreement with the AHB as the named landlord. The AHB must register all tenancies with the Residential Tenancies Board. AHBs provide a thorough explanation of the tenancy agreement and the rights and obligations of the landlord and the tenant.” The council did “not regard access to a gym as a welfare issue”.
*This article was amended on Saturday November 21st, 2020.


theirishtimes--2020-11-21--Garda pessimistic about bringing charges over ‘revenge porn’ leaks

Gardaí investigating the online sharing of so-called “ revenge porn ” of hundreds of Irish women believe criminal charges are highly unlikely .
The matter came to public attention on Thursday when Victims ’ Alliance , a crime victim advocacy group , said it had uncovered thousands of sexual images of Irish people being shared on internet forums .
Some images appeared to have been taken without the women ’ s knowledge , such as photos from changing rooms , while others may be of underage girls , the Victims ’ Alliance said .
A large number of the images @ @ @ @ @ @ @ subscription services such as OnlyFans before being copied on to forums .
Others were images women shared with their partners which were later uploaded online with their permission .
The matter is being investigated by a team from the Garda National Protective Services Bureau which specialises in rape , sexual assault and domestic violence .
The Garda National Cybercrime Bureau is also on standby to assist if asked .
As of Friday afternoon , gardaí had yet to receive an official complaint from a person who had their image uploaded .
Linda Hayden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the uploaders of the images may be prosecuted for harassment or child abuse imagery offences .
She said she is in the process of handing all the images the group had gathered to gardaí .
Many of the forums where the images were shared , including a Discord forum with 500 members , have been taken down , although some remain active .
Ms Hayden said Discord , an online messaging platform , is handing over the IP addresses of 500 forum members to gardaí .
The company did not respond to queries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a separate statement it will “ will cooperate on this matter with Irish authorities subject to applicable law ” .
The first task for gardaí will be filtering the images to determine if any constitute child abuse imagery .
However even if images are found to be illegal , it will remain very difficult to determine who uploaded them , sources said .
In a handful of past cases gardaí have prosecuted “ revenge porn ” as harassment .
But sources warned it would be very hard to put an harassment case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deal with persistent activity rather than one-off uploading of material .
In previous successful prosecutions , the uploading of material was part of a wider pattern of harassing behaviour such as repeated phone calls .
Gardaí also said the uploading of material from OnlyFans is also unlikely to be prosecuted .
“ At most it ’ s a civil matter under copyright law , ” a garda said .
Gardaí stressed they take a victim-centric approach to complaints of so-called revenge porn , despite a lack of clear legislation in the area and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ material .
“ Invariably the company agrees because they have a business to run and don ’ t really care about one or two images , ” a source said .
A Labour Bill outlawing revenge porn has been before the Oireachtas since 2017 .
This week ’ s reports of mass leaking of Irish women ’ s images appear to have given the Bill a boost .
On Friday , Minister for Justice Helen McEntee said she will bring proposals before Cabinet next week to make it illegal to share “ intimate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the motivation of the person who passes them on ” .
Meanwhile , Ms Hayden said her group is continuing to go through hundreds of emails it has received from people concerned their images have been shared .
The group is currently examining options to bring a civil case against the uploaders .
It is also trying to get a dedicated helpline set up to relieve pressure on Women ’ s Aid and the Rape Crisis Centre .
“ We will take these guys down .
Watch us .
We will make them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have dread hanging over them .
Because we ’ re absolutely sick of it , ” she said .

Victims’ Alliance said it had uncovered thousands of sexual images of Irish people being shared on internet forums this week. Photograph: Getty Images
Gardaí investigating the online sharing of so-called “revenge porn” of hundreds of Irish women believe criminal charges are highly unlikely.
The matter came to public attention on Thursday when Victims’ Alliance, a crime victim advocacy group, said it had uncovered thousands of sexual images of Irish people being shared on internet forums.
Some images appeared to have been taken without the women’s knowledge, such as photos from changing rooms, while others may be of underage girls, the Victims’ Alliance said.
A large number of the images were initially shared consensually by women on subscription services such as OnlyFans before being copied on to forums. Others were images women shared with their partners which were later uploaded online without their permission.
READ MORE
The matter is being investigated by a team from the Garda National Protective Services Bureau which specialises in rape, sexual assault and domestic violence. The Garda National Cybercrime Bureau is also on standby to assist if asked.
As of Friday afternoon, gardaí had yet to receive an official complaint from a person who had their image uploaded.
Prosecuted
Linda Hayden of Victims' Alliance said it hopes the uploaders of the images may be prosecuted for harassment or child abuse imagery offences.
She said she is in the process of handing all the images the group had gathered to gardaí. Many of the forums where the images were shared, including a Discord forum with 500 members, have been taken down, although some remain active.
Ms Hayden said Discord, an online messaging platform, is handing over the IP addresses of 500 forum members to gardaí. The company did not respond to queries on this matter on Friday but said in a separate statement it will “will cooperate on this matter with Irish authorities subject to applicable law”.
The first task for gardaí will be filtering the images to determine if any constitute child abuse imagery.
However even if images are found to be illegal, it will remain very difficult to determine who uploaded them, sources said.
In a handful of past cases gardaí have prosecuted image-based abuse as harassment. But sources warned it would be very hard to put an harassment case together as the law is meant to deal with persistent activity rather than one-off uploading of material.
In previous successful prosecutions, the uploading of material was part of a wider pattern of harassing behaviour such as repeated phone calls.
Gardaí also said the uploading of material from OnlyFans is also unlikely to be prosecuted. “At most it’s a civil matter under copyright law,” a garda said.
Gardaí stressed they take a victim-centric approach to complaints of this nature, despite a lack of clear legislation in the area and will ask pornography companies to remove the material.
Motivation
“Invariably the company agrees because they have a business to run and don’t really care about one or two images,” a source said.
A Labour Bill outlawing image-based abuse has been before the Oireachtas since 2017.
This week’s reports of mass leaking of Irish women’s images appear to have given the Bill a boost. On Friday, Minister for Justice Helen McEntee said she will bring proposals before Cabinet next week to make it illegal to share “intimate images” without consent “regardless of the motivation of the person who passes them on”.
Meanwhile, Ms Hayden said her group is continuing to go through hundreds of emails it has received from people concerned their images have been shared.
The group is currently examining options to bring a civil case against the uploaders. It is also trying to get a dedicated helpline set up to relieve pressure on Women’s Aid and the Rape Crisis Centre .
“We will take these guys down. Watch us. We will make them know what it’s like to have dread hanging over them. Because we’re absolutely sick of it,” she said.


theirishtimes--2020-11-21--Dublin hospital cancels outpatient appointments over Covid-19 outbreak

A south Dublin hospital has cancelled outpatient appointments as it tackles a Covid-19 outbreak after 22 patients tested positive for the illness .
A number of staff working at St Columcille ’ s Hospital , Loughlinstown , who were deemed close contacts of confirmed cases are also self-isolating .
On Friday the hospital moved to cancel outpatient appointments as a result of the outbreak and notified affected patients .
A spokeswoman said some virtual appointments would continue , and where consultants were concerned about patients “ the hospital will make every effort to safely accommodate them during this time ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acute hospital with more than 100 beds serving southeast Dublin and east Wicklow .
The facility had not reported a Covid-19 case for several months before the current outbreak .
Initially , a spokeswoman for the hospital said the outbreak had arisen after “ a patient who was asymptomatic on a ward in the hospital developed symptoms and was subsequently tested for Covid-19 ” .
The first case was identified when the patient was tested prior to a pending transfer to another acute hospital in late October .
They had been in St @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I can confirm that an asymptomatic patient was scheduled to be transferred to St Vincent ’ s University Hospital , and as part standard protocols the patient was tested for Covid-19 and subsequently found to be positive , ” said the hospital spokeswoman .
On foot of the first positive case , the hospital implemented a “ surveillance process ” to test all patients and staff deemed close contacts , the spokeswoman added .
It is understood there were some concerns internally that the number of staff who were deemed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been too limited .
In response , the hospital said it had followed Health Service Executive and Health Protection Surveillance Centre guidelines “ that asymptomatic patients are contact traced for 24 hours ” .
If staff had been wearing face masks and following precautions when interacting with patients who later tested positive , “ they are considered casual contacts and no testing is advised , ” the spokeswoman said .
“ All staff who were close contacts of the patients have been tested and are currently self-isolating for the required 14 days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not respond to a query asking how many staff were self-isolating as a result of the outbreak .
The hospital ’ s injury unit and medical assessment unit remain open .
“ The Hospital Covid Outbreak Committee , which is led and informed by our consultant microbiologist , the hospitals infection prevention and control team , hospital consultants , HSE occupational health and HSE public health department have met on a daily basis since the outbreak and progress has been made to stabilise the situation , ” said the spokeswoman .

St Columcille’s Hospital is an acute hospital with more than 100 beds serving southeast Dublin and east Wicklow.
A south Dublin hospital has cancelled outpatient appointments as it tackles a Covid-19 outbreak after 22 patients tested positive for the illness.
A number of staff working at St Columcille's Hospital, Loughlinstown, who were deemed close contacts of confirmed cases are also self-isolating.
On Friday the hospital moved to cancel outpatient appointments as a result of the outbreak and notified affected patients.
Hospital Report
A spokeswoman said some virtual appointments would continue, and where consultants were concerned about patients “the hospital will make every effort to safely accommodate them during this time”.
READ MORE
St Columcille’s is an acute hospital with more than 100 beds serving southeast Dublin and east Wicklow. The facility had not reported a Covid-19 case for several months before the current outbreak.
Initially, a spokeswoman for the hospital said the outbreak had arisen after “a patient who was asymptomatic on a ward in the hospital developed symptoms and was subsequently tested for Covid-19”.
The first case was identified when the patient was tested prior to a pending transfer to another acute hospital in late October. They had been in St Columcille’s for several weeks beforehand.
"I can confirm that an asymptomatic patient was scheduled to be transferred to St Vincent's University Hospital, and as part standard protocols the patient was tested for Covid-19 and subsequently found to be positive," said the hospital spokeswoman.
On foot of the first positive case, the hospital implemented a “surveillance process” to test all patients and staff deemed close contacts, the spokeswoman added.
It is understood there were some concerns internally that the number of staff who were deemed to be close contacts of the initial case had been too limited.
In response, the hospital said it had followed Health Service Executive and Health Protection Surveillance Centre guidelines “that asymptomatic patients are contact traced for 24 hours”.
‘Casual contacts’
If staff had been wearing face masks and following precautions when interacting with patients who later tested positive, “they are considered casual contacts and no testing is advised,” the spokeswoman said.
“All staff who were close contacts of the patients have been tested and are currently self-isolating for the required 14 days,” she said.
The hospital did not respond to a query asking how many staff were self-isolating as a result of the outbreak. The hospital’s injury unit and medical assessment unit remain open.
“The Hospital Covid Outbreak Committee, which is led and informed by our consultant microbiologist, the hospitals infection prevention and control team, hospital consultants, HSE occupational health and HSE public health department have met on a daily basis since the outbreak and progress has been made to stabilise the situation,” said the spokeswoman.


theirishtimes--2020-11-21--Thinking Anew – God is always on the side of those being bullied

It is anti-bullying week and I have been taking some school assemblies – something I always find challenging !
But there can be no-one reading this who has not experienced bullying ; be that as a recipient , a perpetrator , or a bystander .
Bullying seems to be an intrinsic part of our collective human nature so I suppose we will never be able to eradicate it .
There is more awareness of its toxic impact than there used to be .
Every school is now obliged to have an anti-bullying policy .
If behaviour is to be considered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in place : it must be hurtful , intentional , repetitive , and it needs to involve an imbalance of power .
I find this a helpful little checklist .
Or , as younger children can learn : “ Bullying is hurting someone who can ’ t defend themselves , on purpose , again and again.
” Children can be fruitfully taught that bullying harms us all , deeply ; be that the person who is doing the bullying , the person who is being bullied , or the rest of us who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is empowering for a child who is seeing someone else being bullied to know how they can play their part in challenging the harm .
After speaking to a trusted adult , the child can be coached to reach out in friendship to the person being bullied , to say something to them , to include them in their group , to stand with them – literally – maybe waiting with them at a bus-stop .
Being bullied isolates a person .
Being their ally communicates that they are not , after all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their fault .
They are worth connecting with .
God is always on the side of those being bullied .
The Hebrew prophets proclaimed this , over and over , and Jesus demonstrated this intentionally throughout his ministry on earth .
Untiringly he showed the oppressed , ignored and abused that they were the most important ones to him , and to his heavenly father .
On occasion he spoke truth to power , but usually he was standing on the margins with those who had no sense of entitlement at all .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ sides with the powerless , I find it so strange that the church ( and indeed our world ) seem to focus far more enthusiastically upon the perpetrator , the guilty one , than upon the victim , the shamed one .
Our liturgy reflects this : we confess our sins to God and receive forgiveness in Christ before we can truly enter into God ’ s presence .
Where is the entry-point in our liturgy for the sinned-against one ?
I don ’ t mean to suggest here that people who are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forgiveness in other ways .
Rather I worry about the order in which these things are presented .
Our criminal justice system further reflects this : there is a sense that if a guilty person is suitably punished , then justice has been done .
Yet again the victim – the person most affected – is sidelined .
I am not suggesting here that a person who bullies is not themselves precious to God .
Bullying is sometimes in itself a scream of loneliness .
In all this , as followers of Jesus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ path for us to take .
We must side with the bullied ones , whether this be on a private or a corporate or a global scale .
They are God ’ s first priority so they must be ours .
At some times and in some places the church has trodden this path most wonderfully , truly bringing light to dark places .
At other times , dreadfully , the church itself has become the bully .
When this happens , this has nothing to do with God .
Bullying seeps into @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , other than in Christ himself .
Advent is on the horizon once more .
Scattered as we are these days , we are well placed to be scanning that horizon for signs of hope , for reasons to lift our heads ; if not for ourselves , for others .
Our own hope is in Christ alone , and our task , together , is to stand in solidarity with “ the very least of these ” , whatever that may cost us .

As followers of Jesus, there is a clear, narrow path for us to take. We must side with the bullied ones, whether this be on a private or a corporate or a global scale. Photograph: Getty Images
It is anti-bullying week and I have been taking some school assemblies – something I always find challenging! But there can be no-one reading this who has not experienced bullying; be that as a recipient, a perpetrator, or a bystander.
Bullying seems to be an intrinsic part of our collective human nature so I suppose we will never be able to eradicate it. There is more awareness of its toxic impact than there used to be. Every school is now obliged to have an anti-bullying policy.
If behaviour is to be considered bullying, four factors need to be in place: it must be hurtful, intentional, repetitive, and it needs to involve an imbalance of power. I find this a helpful little checklist. Or, as younger children can learn: “Bullying is hurting someone who can’t defend themselves, on purpose, again and again.”
Children can be fruitfully taught that bullying harms us all, deeply; be that the person who is doing the bullying, the person who is being bullied, or the rest of us who witness what is going on. It is empowering for a child who is seeing someone else being bullied to know how they can play their part in challenging the harm. After speaking to a trusted adult, the child can be coached to reach out in friendship to the person being bullied, to say something to them, to include them in their group, to stand with them – literally – maybe waiting with them at a bus-stop. Being bullied isolates a person. Being their ally communicates that they are not, after all, alone. It’s not their fault. They are worth connecting with.
READ MORE
God is always on the side of those being bullied. The Hebrew prophets proclaimed this, over and over, and Jesus demonstrated this intentionally throughout his ministry on earth. Untiringly he showed the oppressed, ignored and abused that they were the most important ones to him, and to his heavenly father. On occasion he spoke truth to power, but usually he was standing on the margins with those who had no sense of entitlement at all.
I am puzzled. Since God always sides with the powerless, I find it so strange that the church (and indeed our world) seem to focus far more enthusiastically upon the perpetrator, the guilty one, than upon the victim, the shamed one. Our liturgy reflects this: we confess our sins to God and receive forgiveness in Christ before we can truly enter into God’s presence. Where is the entry-point in our liturgy for the sinned-against one? I don’t mean to suggest here that people who are sinned against don’t themselves need forgiveness in other ways. Rather I worry about the order in which these things are presented.
Our criminal justice system further reflects this: there is a sense that if a guilty person is suitably punished, then justice has been done. Yet again the victim – the person most affected – is sidelined. I am not suggesting here that a person who bullies is not themselves precious to God. Bullying is sometimes in itself a scream of loneliness.
In all this, as followers of Jesus, there is a clear, narrow path for us to take. We must side with the bullied ones, whether this be on a private or a corporate or a global scale. They are God’s first priority so they must be ours. At some times and in some places the church has trodden this path most wonderfully, truly bringing light to dark places. At other times, dreadfully, the church itself has become the bully. When this happens, this has nothing to do with God. Bullying seeps into everywhere. There is no innocent place, other than in Christ himself.
Advent is on the horizon once more. Scattered as we are these days, we are well placed to be scanning that horizon for signs of hope, for reasons to lift our heads; if not for ourselves, for others. Our own hope is in Christ alone, and our task, together, is to stand in solidarity with “the very least of these”, whatever that may cost us.


theirishtimes--2020-11-20--Alleged collision was ‘deliberate event’ says judge throwing out damages claim

A man who had sued for damages claiming he would be chronically injured for the rest of his life after a collision at a roundabout had his action thrown out by a High Court judge on Friday .
Mr Justice Bernard Barton said Victor Olaru ’ s claim was “ grossly exaggerated ” and he found the collision was “ a deliberate event ” most likely the result of an arrangement between Mr Olaru and another individual .
The 41 year old father of four had sued the alleged driver of the other vehicle involved and the Motor Insurers Bureau @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alleged driver of the other car was untraced and the case proceeded against the MIBI only .
Dismissing the case Mr Justice Barton said Mr Olaru gave evidence which he knew to be false or misleading in a material respect and that in the particular circumstances of the case the prosecution of the claim amounted to an abuse of the judicial process .
The court found as a matter of probability Mr Olaru ’ s jeep was stationery at the time of the collision and the damage to his jeep was inconsistent with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 20 to 30 kmh when the crash occurred .
The judge found Mr Olaru to be “ an entirely unreliable witness who gave contradictory , inconsistent , unbelievable and untruthful evidence , notwithstanding his numerous assertions to the contrary.
” Who will now pay the costs of the action which lasted several days will be decided in January .
Mr Justice Barton was told that Mr Olaru - a native of Moldova and with an address in Clonsilla , Dublin 15 - was presently in Moldova but would return in January for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Olaru who had represented himself had claimed he suffered damage to his body , including back injuries in the collision between his jeep and another jeep on April 9th 2009 in Clonee , Co Meath .
Mr Justice Barton said on the face of it this was a straightforward road traffic collision at a roundabout where the other driver fled the scene .
But the judge said the circumstances were anything but straightforward .
Mr Olaru he said alleged the accident was “ an attempted murder.
” And the MIBI said it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were circumstances in the case the judge said which “ border on the bizarre.
” Mr Olaru initially maintained he did not know the identity of the other driver but it subsequently transpired he had business dealings with the other alleged driver a year before .
He also had details of the other drivers motor insurance .
A few days after the accident the judge said Mr Olaru reported the accident to the other man ’ s insurer and named him as the other driver .
Mr Olaru said he was knocked unconscious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could give the name of the other alleged driver and give the insurance company details a few days later .
Mr Justice Barton said he accepted the garda evidence in the case and also the medical notes which referred to a slight head injury but there was no mention of loss of consciousness .
The most likely explanation of Mr Olaru ’ s possession of and reporting of the other man ’ s insurance details and naming him as the driver of the other jeep was that the details had been given to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrangement the purpose of which was to make a claim for compensation , ” the judge said .

A man who had sued for damages claiming he would be chronically injured for the rest of his life after a collision at a roundabout had his action thrown out by a High Court judge on Friday.
Mr Justice Bernard Barton said Victor Olaru's claim was "grossly exaggerated" and he found the collision was "a deliberate event" most likely the result of an arrangement between Mr Olaru and another individual.
The 41 year old father of four had sued the alleged driver of the other vehicle involved and the Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland (MIBI).
The alleged driver of the other car was untraced and the case proceeded against the MIBI only.
READ MORE
Dismissing the case Mr Justice Barton said Mr Olaru gave evidence which he knew to be false or misleading in a material respect and that in the particular circumstances of the case the prosecution of the claim amounted to an abuse of the judicial process.
The court found as a matter of probability Mr Olaru’s jeep was stationery at the time of the collision and the damage to his jeep was inconsistent with his evidence that he was travelling at 20 to 30 kmh when the crash occurred.
The judge found Mr Olaru to be “an entirely unreliable witness who gave contradictory, inconsistent, unbelievable and untruthful evidence, notwithstanding his numerous assertions to the contrary.”
Who will now pay the costs of the action which lasted several days will be decided in January.
Mr Justice Barton was told that Mr Olaru - a native of Moldova and with an address in Clonsilla, Dublin 15 - was presently in Moldova but would return in January for the costs application by the MIBI.
Mr Olaru who had represented himself had claimed he suffered damage to his body, including back injuries in the collision between his jeep and another jeep on April 9th 2009 in Clonee, Co Meath.
Mr Justice Barton said on the face of it this was a straightforward road traffic collision at a roundabout where the other driver fled the scene.
But the judge said the circumstances were anything but straightforward. Mr Olaru he said alleged the accident was “an attempted murder.” And the MIBI said it was “a set up”.
There were circumstances in the case the judge said which “border on the bizarre.”
Mr Olaru initially maintained he did not know the identity of the other driver but it subsequently transpired he had business dealings with the other alleged driver a year before. He also had details of the other drivers motor insurance. A few days after the accident the judge said Mr Olaru reported the accident to the other man’s insurer and named him as the other driver.
Mr Olaru said he was knocked unconscious in the crash, but yet he could give the name of the other alleged driver and give the insurance company details a few days later.
Mr Justice Barton said he accepted the garda evidence in the case and also the medical notes which referred to a slight head injury but there was no mention of loss of consciousness.
The most likely explanation of Mr Olaru’s possession of and reporting of the other man’s insurance details and naming him as the driver of the other jeep was that the details had been given to Mr Olaru “as part of an arrangement the purpose of which was to make a claim for compensation,” the judge said.


theirishtimes--2020-11-20--University governing bodies to be slimmed down under new reforms

University governing bodies will be smaller and feature more external members under new legislation to be published next year , Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris has said .
He said current legislation on higher education governance is “ not fit for purpose and does not reflect the world in which we live ” .
Governing bodies can have as many as 40 members under the Universities Act .
Mr Harris said he plans to publish legislation early next year to replace the Higher Education Authority Act ( 1971 ) and amend the Universities Act to include stronger governance and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ respect the autonomy of the higher education institutions ” , but will also give the restructured Higher Education Authority the power to “ support and assist institutions if there are governance issues , ” he said .
Gaps in legislation for the sector have limited the power of authority to investigate examples of misconduct in the past in a sector where more than €2 billion of public money is spent .
He said the aim of the changes was “ not to impose sanctions on higher education institutions ” but to enable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Mr Harris was speaking at a seminar on governance in higher education hosted by the National University of Ireland ( NUI ) and the Irish Universities Association ( IUA ) on Friday .
Prof Pat Clancy , emeritus professor of sociology at University College Dublin , told the seminar that the autonomy of the Higher Education Authority had been eroded over time with “ more directional intervention and expanded State control ” .
The boundaries of the relationship between the authority and its governing department were problematic and there was a need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Speaking in her role as chair of the University College Cork ’ s governing authority , Dr Catherine Day said university governing authorities occupied an increasingly complex environment and “ were required to serve many masters ” ?
.
Noting that university governing authorities had more members than the EU Commission , she said it was sometimes unclear who the governors were representing .
Dr Day expressed support for the proposed reduction in the size of governing bodies and advocated greater focus on skills .
Governing authorities , she said , needed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and performance .
Cameron Keighron , a former member of Údarás na hOllscoile , the governing authority of NUI Galway , spoke of the difficulties facing student members of governing authorities .
They are initially completely unfamiliar with processes , terminology and documentation used in meetings , he said .
There was an unequal power dynamic at play and far more training and induction were required if student representatives were to be empowered to play their full role .

Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris TD said current legislation on higher education governance is ‘not fit for purpose and does not reflect the world in which we live’. Photograph: Dara Mac Donaill/The Irish Times
University governing bodies will be smaller and feature more external members under new legislation to be published next year, Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris has said.
He said current legislation on higher education governance is “not fit for purpose and does not reflect the world in which we live”.
Governing bodies can have as many as 40 members under the Universities Act.
Mr Harris said he plans to publish legislation early next year to replace the Higher Education Authority Act (1971) and amend the Universities Act to include stronger governance and accountability measures.
READ MORE
The new legislation will “respect the autonomy of the higher education institutions”, but will also give the restructured Higher Education Authority the power to “support and assist institutions if there are governance issues,” he said.
Gaps in legislation for the sector have limited the power of authority to investigate examples of misconduct in the past in a sector where more than €2 billion of public money is spent.
He said the aim of the changes was “not to impose sanctions on higher education institutions” but to enable intervention should issues of poor governance emerge.
Mr Harris was speaking at a seminar on governance in higher education hosted by the National University of Ireland (NUI) and the Irish Universities Association (IUA) on Friday.
Prof Pat Clancy, emeritus professor of sociology at University College Dublin, told the seminar that the autonomy of the Higher Education Authority had been eroded over time with "more directional intervention and expanded State control".
The boundaries of the relationship between the authority and its governing department were problematic and there was a need to redefine these, he said.
Speaking in her role as chair of the University College Cork's governing authority, Dr Catherine Day said university governing authorities occupied an increasingly complex environment and "were required to serve many masters"?.
Noting that university governing authorities had more members than the EU Commission, she said it was sometimes unclear who the governors were representing.
Dr Day expressed support for the proposed reduction in the size of governing bodies and advocated greater focus on skills.
Governing authorities, she said, needed to avoid micro-managing and focus on strategic issues and performance.
Cameron Keighron, a former member of Údarás na hOllscoile, the governing authority of NUI Galway, spoke of the difficulties facing student members of governing authorities.
They are initially completely unfamiliar with processes, terminology and documentation used in meetings, they said.
There was an unequal power dynamic at play and far more training and induction were required if student representatives were to be empowered to play their full role.


theirishtimes--2020-11-20--Garda and military representative groups frustrated at exclusion from pay talks

Groups representing gardaí and military officers have voiced “ deep concern ” at their apparent exclusion from exploratory talks on a new public service pay agreement .
The current agreement , the Public Service Stability Agreement ( PSSA ) , is due to expire at the end of 2020 .
On Thursday the annual congress of Fórsa , the country ’ s largest public service union , heard that talks with Government concerning a successor agreement have intensified significantly in recent days .
Unlike other public sectors , gardaí and Defence Forces members are not permitted by law to join @ @ @ @ @ @ @ organisations which in the past have had input on pay talks .
Both the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors ( Agsi ) and the Representative Association of Commissioned Officers ( Raco ) expressed frustration on Friday at not been included in the latest talks .
“ It appears that pay talks are happening but without the involvement of all stakeholders , ” Agsi said in a statement .
It said its General Secretary Antoinette Cunningham had made inquiries with Garda Headquarters about a successor to the PSSA but was told “ there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” It said it is “ disappointed and deeply concerned ” that talks are ongoing without the Association despite guarantees it would be included .
“ Our National Executive will meet next week to consider if the parameters of a successor to the PSSA talks might already be pre-determined , and if this is the case , what role if any , do we actually have in national pay talks ?
” Raco ’ s General Secretary Conor King expressed similar views : “ It appears that uniformed services will once more have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ action in their armour have concluded pre talk negotiations with [ the Department of Public Expenditure ] before being informed of any agreed parameters.
” He said despite not being included in the initial talks , gardaí and military personnel “ will presumably have the gun put to our heads in a ‘ take it or leave it ’ scenario when pay talks commence and conclude.
” “ Our members are disappointed and deeply concerned that having been guaranteed that Defence Forces representative associations would have a strong voice at the negotiating table @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our involvement , ” Mr King said .

Agsi said its General Secretary Antoinette Cunningham had made inquiries with Garda Headquarters about a successor to the Public Service Stability Agreement but was told “there is no meeting for staff associations imminent.” File photograph: Cyril Byrne/The Irish Times
Groups representing gardaí and military officers have voiced “deep concern” at their apparent exclusion from exploratory talks on a new public service pay agreement.
The current agreement, the Public Service Stability Agreement (PSSA), is due to expire at the end of 2020. On Thursday the annual congress of Fórsa, the country’s largest public service union, heard that talks with Government concerning a successor agreement have intensified significantly in recent days.
Unlike other public sectors, gardaí and Defence Forces members are not permitted by law to join trade unions. Instead they have representative organisations which in the past have had input on pay talks.
Both the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (Agsi) and the Representative Association of Commissioned Officers (Raco) expressed frustration on Friday at not been included in the latest talks.
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“It appears that pay talks are happening but without the involvement of all stakeholders,” Agsi said in a statement.
It said its General Secretary Antoinette Cunningham had made inquiries with Garda Headquarters about a successor to the PSSA but was told "there is no meeting for staff associations imminent."
It said it is “disappointed and deeply concerned” that talks are ongoing without the Association despite guarantees it would be included.
“Our National Executive will meet next week to consider if the parameters of a successor to the PSSA talks might already be pre-determined, and if this is the case, what role if any, do we actually have in national pay talks?”
Raco's General Secretary Conor King expressed similar views: "It appears that uniformed services will once more have to wait until those unions with industrial action in their armour have concluded pre talk negotiations with [the Department of Public Expenditure] before being informed of any agreed parameters."
He said despite not being included in the initial talks, gardaí and military personnel “will presumably have the gun put to our heads in a ‘take it or leave it’ scenario when pay talks commence and conclude.”
“Our members are disappointed and deeply concerned that having been guaranteed that Defence Forces representative associations would have a strong voice at the negotiating table, exploratory talks are now happening without our involvement,” Mr King said.


theirishtimes--2020-11-20--All but one of 24 residents at Kerry nursing home test positive for Covid

All but one of the 24 residents still at a nursing home in Co Kerry that was taken over by the HSE following a court order have tested positive for coronavirus , it has emerged .
A spokesman for the Health Information and Quality Authority ( Hiqa ) said six former residents have died of unspecified causes over recent weeks , and a number of others have been hospitalised .
HSE chief operations officer Anne O ’ Connor said she was aware “ there have been six deaths of people who have tested positive for Covid within that facility ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Home , Derry , Listowel , on November 4th , found that residents who had tested positive for the virus were mingling with others who did not have the disease , Listowel District Court heard on Thursday before granting an order putting the HSE in charge .
There was no objection to the order from the company that operated the nursing home , Bolden ( Nursing ) Ltd .
The company is owned by Michael O ’ Donoghue , with an address in Listowel , and Michael Joseph O ’ Donoghue and Mary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ address in Listowel , according to the latest annual report filed to the Companies Registration Office .
It does not operate any other nursing homes .
The nursing home , which can house up to 51 residents , was inspected by Hiqa in June of this year , again in September , and twice earlier this month .
The HSE said it provided a high level of support to the nursing home in recent weeks as it faced “ a significant outbreak ” of the virus .
The concern for residents was such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ step in to provide the clinical governance for a period ” , HSE Cork Kerry Community Healthcare said in a statement .
Earlier this week , the HSE handed the clinical governance for Oaklands back to its owners as it had stabilised the situation relating to coronavirus , it said .
“ We understand that Hiqa was still not satisfied with a range of issues , including the owners ’ governance arrangements.
” The latest accounts filed for Bolden show it lost €133,543 in 2018 , having made a profit of €444,777 the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the end of 2018 were €2.4 million .
The Hiqa report on the June inspection of the nursing home was published earlier this month .
According to the report , inspectors received positive feedback from the 38 residents then living in the home , but observed insufficient staff supervision , especially in relation to infection control .
The registered provider confirmed to the inspectors that there had been no person in charge of the centre since May 8th , though the report acknowledged that the provider was actively attempting to recruit a qualified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was overly reliant on one person and that it appeared that communication had broken down between the two members of the company ’ s board .
On the day after the inspection , one of the company ’ s directors resigned , according to the report , and in July two new directors were appointed .
A new general manager had also been appointed , according to the report .
The report also said the centre acted as “ pension agents for a number of residents ” and was not complying with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whereby their full pension had to be paid to a resident before any deductions were made .
It said the provider had since told the inspectors it no longer acted as a pension agent for residents .
At the time , Michael O ’ Donoghue told Radio Kerry he had been running the business since his parents had retired and that he and the staff had been working to address the issues raised by Hiqa .

Oaklands Nursing Home in Listowel, where six residents who tested positive for the virus have died. Photograph: The Kerry’s Eye
All but one of the 24 residents still at a nursing home in Co Kerry that was taken over by the HSE following a court order have tested positive for coronavirus, it has emerged.
A spokesman for the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) said six former residents have died of unspecified causes over recent weeks, and a number of others have been hospitalised.
HSE chief operations officer Anne O’Connor said she was aware “there have been six deaths of people who have tested positive for Covid within that facility”.
A Hiqa inspection of Oaklands Nursing Home, Derry, Listowel, on November 4th, found that residents who had tested positive for the virus were mingling with others who did not have the disease, Listowel District Court heard on Thursday before granting an order putting the HSE in charge.
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There was no objection to the order from the company that operated the nursing home, Bolden (Nursing) Ltd. The company is owned by Michael O'Donoghue, with an address in Listowel, and Michael Joseph O'Donoghue and Mary O'Donoghue, of a separate address in Listowel, according to the latest annual report filed to the Companies Registration Office. It does not operate any other nursing homes.
‘Significant outbreak’
The nursing home, which can house up to 51 residents, was inspected by Hiqa in June of this year, again in September, and twice earlier this month. The HSE said it provided a high level of support to the nursing home in recent weeks as it faced “a significant outbreak” of the virus.
The concern for residents was such that the HSE “was required to step in to provide the clinical governance for a period”, HSE Cork Kerry Community Healthcare said in a statement.
Earlier this week, the HSE handed the clinical governance for Oaklands back to its owners as it had stabilised the situation relating to coronavirus, it said.
“We understand that Hiqa was still not satisfied with a range of issues, including the owners’ governance arrangements.”
The latest accounts filed for Bolden show it lost €133,543 in 2018, having made a profit of €444,777 the previous year. The accumulated profits at the end of 2018 were €2.4 million.
The Hiqa report on the June inspection of the nursing home was published earlier this month. According to the report, inspectors received positive feedback from the 38 residents then living in the home, but observed insufficient staff supervision, especially in relation to infection control.
Inspectors
The registered provider confirmed to the inspectors that there had been no person in charge of the centre since May 8th, though the report acknowledged that the provider was actively attempting to recruit a qualified person.
The inspectors said that Bolden was overly reliant on one person and that it appeared that communication had broken down between the two members of the company’s board.
On the day after the inspection, one of the company’s directors resigned, according to the report, and in July two new directors were appointed. A new general manager had also been appointed, according to the report.
The report also said the centre acted as "pension agents for a number of residents" and was not complying with the rules of the Department of Social Protection whereby their full pension had to be paid to a resident before any deductions were made.
It said the provider had since told the inspectors it no longer acted as a pension agent for residents.
At the time, Michael O’Donoghue told Radio Kerry he had been running the business since his parents had retired and that he and the staff had been working to address the issues raised by Hiqa.


theirishtimes--2020-11-20--What we know so far about Covid-19 vaccines and availability

The northern hemisphere faces a bleak winter of rising Covid-19 cases , but signals that two rapidly engineered vaccines by @ @ @ @ @ 95 per cent of candidates on whom they have been tested has prompted joy .
@ @ @ @ @ but they are , nevertheless , figures from large-scale Phase 3 clinical trials .
The @ @ @ @ @ be administered in the United States by the year end .

The northern hemisphere faces a bleak winter of rising Covid-19 cases, but signals that two rapidly engineered vaccines by Pfizer and Moderna work on 95 per cent of candidates on whom they have been tested have prompted joy.
The results are interim ones but they are, nevertheless, figures from large-scale Phase 3 clinical trials. The first 40 million doses could be administered in the United States by the year end.
The other leading contender, Oxford University-AstraZeneca boosted the public mood also when it released less definitive, but still encouraging, Phase 2 findings on its vaccine. Causing few side effects, particularly among older people, it prompts strong responses in innate immunity – the immunity with which a body is born and adaptive immunity, that acquired after exposure to disease – even with low doses.
Even the makers of the Sputnik V vaccine, much promoted by Moscow earlier this year, has now sought certification from the World Health Organisation, suggesting they are confident it can stand up to international challenge.
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It is hard not to feel a sense of optimism. Moderna’s vaccine has a confirmed 94.5 per cent efficacy; Pfizer-BioNTech hits 95 per cent on that scale, while it also works safely on the over-65s.
The success rates are significant. Remember, it is a good year for a flu vaccine when it works on 55 per cent of those who go for jabs but even that outcome is enough to prevent a blight becoming a plague.
Whether a vaccine works is one thing, whether it lasts is another. Soon, we may know the answer to that also. Early indications from the US La Jolla Institute of Immunology suggest it may be years, even decades.
Final results may not be as good as first thought but the bottom line for those eager for a vaccine, and those doubtful, is that we will soon know either way. Clear results from at least four lead candidates will be known by Christmas.
Vaccine tracker
Twelve vaccines are in Phase 3 trials, each conducted on up to 60,000 people. Six from China and Russia are approved for early/limited use but without final Phase 3 results.
Fifty-four more are in smaller, earlier Phase 1 and Phase 2 trials. Eighty-seven others are in so-called preclinical trials, being tested on animals but not yet on humans.
Vaccines can be authorised during emergencies ahead of formal approval. To speed things up leading contenders are already being made, but safety research continues afterwards.
Contenders: On what we know, the leading candidates are:
Moderna (US): Limited quantities in the US by end of 2020, globally from next April;
Pfizer-BioNTech (US-Germany): Probably available in limited quantities by end of the year; requested emergency authorisation from the US Food and Drug Administration on Friday;
Oxford University-AstraZeneca (UK): Working alongside the Jenner Institute – headed by Irish scientist Prof Adrian Hill. Phase 3 results due within weeks. All going well, four million doses could be ready by the end of the year;
Novavax (US): Phase 3 trials are progressing. Supplies predicted from the middle of next year;
Janssen-Johnson & Johnson (US): Its second phase 3 trial began this week - it could be available by the second half of 2021;
Valneva (France): It is hoping for regulatory approval by the second half of 2021;
Sinovac (China): Mid-stage trials have been successful. On the back of Phase 3 trials under way, news is due shortly on when it could be ready;
Sanofi-GSK (France): Phase 3 trials start next month with 30,000 volunteers in different countries. Approval expected by June 2021.
The technology
Among leading vaccine candidates, four different types emerge:
mRNA: This uses genetic material known as mRNA; the genetic code inside the coronavirus responsible for its spike protein is identified.
The vaccine injects copies of the spike code into human cells which then produce spike protein. It covers the surface of the virus, training the body to produce antibodies and other defences – deployed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.
Adenovirus: The genetic code that produces the spike protein of the coronavirus is identified and added to a different benign common-cold virus, which prompts cells to make antibodies – deployed by Oxford-AstraZeneca and Janssen.
Viral protein: A virus is used to insert the genetic code for the spike protein into the cells of an insect, which produces the spike protein. This is harvested, an "adjuvant" is added and the combination stimulates the immune system – deployed by Novavax and GSK-Sanofi.
Inactive virus: Coronavirus particles are inactivated using a chemical that keeps spike protein intact. The "dead" virus is injected into the body, prompting an immune response – deployed by Valneva
This is not a one-horse race and none are fully approved, says Dr Siobhán McClean of UCD School of Biochemistry, who notes that mRNA vaccines are unstable and must be chilled but are easier and quicker to make.
Unlike Pfizer-BioNTech’s offering, Moderna’s does not have to be stored at -70 degrees. It tolerates -20 degrees; the standard for hospital and pharmacy freezers. So it should be easier to distribute and store.
The -70 degree vaccines, nonetheless, are suitable for hospital workers for example. By contrast, the Oxford vaccine may be more stable: “Being more robust, it has a lot to offer,” she says.
Vaccine specialist Dr Anne Moore of UCC, who previously worked with the Oxford team, says there are no huge problems with adenovirus-based vaccines but some concern about their efficacy if distributed globally.
The key question is how little, or how much is needed to provoke immunity. That will show how long vaccines will last and whether they are safe for the elderly. “We should have some good vaccines,” she predicts.
Timelines
The Health Service Executive faces a huge logistical task when the vaccines are ready since double doses will be needed in most cases. Fourteen billion doses are needed globally.
If vaccines stop 90 per cent of infection, herd immunity is realisable. For Sars-CoV-2 the herd immunity threshold is estimated to be about 70 per cent. So an 80 per cent vaccination rate could be enough.
In an age of anti-vaxxers, however, public trust will have to be won. Some may run into difficulties with a few or more patients when they are given to millions, not just tens of thousands in tests.
Either way, they will not be a silver bullet, according to the British Academy and the Royal Society which says safety fears must be addressed and disinformation challenged. "Life will not immediately get back to normal," it says.
With enough supplies, healthcare workers and the vulnerable in Ireland could be covered by the summer and everyone by next September. But that will require "massive immunisation clinics", cautions Dr McClean.
By the time supplies are ready “there will be a lot more data available to allow people make the most informed decision that they can. So don’t make up your mind yet,” Moore advises doubters.
All too rushed?
For the uneasy, the developer of the Oxford vaccine, Prof Sara Gilbert says progress has been fast because "so much work on the technology" required was done before work on the virus began.
“So people shouldn’t be worried we’re going too quickly. We’re being very careful to assess safety at each stage . . . This is always our top priority and we’ll continue to do that,” she says.
Available doses
Ireland is part of the European Commission’s vaccines order, which spreads the risk faced by individual EU states by linking countries to multiple vaccines, not just one and by offering purchasing clout.
Deals are signed with Oxford-AstraZeneca, Sanofi-GSK and Janssen, while “finalised contract negotiations” are under way with Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna to provide 460 million doses next year. Ireland will get 4.6 million doses.
"The virus will not be disrupting us for years," says Dr Moncef Slaoui, chief scientific adviser for the US public-private partnership Operation Warp Speed which is tasked with developing and distributing Covid vaccines.
“If enough of us get vaccinated, there is a good chance that we keep this virus at very, very low levels, which means we can go back to normal life, fully normal life,” he says.
The big question remains about which of the vaccines will work best. So the more we have and know, the better.


theirishtimes--2020-11-20--Migrant deaths case: Eamonn Harrison says he was ‘naive and gullible’

A lorry driver accused of transporting 39 migrants to their deaths has told jurors he was “ naive and gullible ” .
Eamonn Harrison ( 23 ) ) is alleged to have successfully dropped off two loads of people at Zeebrugge in Belgium before the Vietnamese nationals died in his trailer en route to Purfleet in Essex on October 22nd last year .
Giving evidence at the Old Bailey , Mr Harrison denied people smuggling , saying he only agreed to load stolen lorry parts for his boss Ronan Hughes because he owed him after drunkenly writing off one of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Romanian he knew as Alex , aka Petrisor Zgarcea , was Mr Hughes ’ “ man on the continent ” and he went for a walk when people were loaded on his trailer without his knowledge on two occasions .
Mr Harrison , of Co Down , Northern Ireland , has denied the manslaughter of 39 migrants and being involved in a wider people-smuggling operation .
On October 18th , a delivery of macaroons and bakewell tarts , which were transported in the same trailer as people , were rejected due to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ told Harrison : “ You have dreamt up stolen lorry parts because on this night a load of illegal immigrants were smuggled in your trailer.
” Mr Harrison replied that it was “ without my knowledge ” .
The prosecutor said : “ That load when it got to the UK was rejected because of human contamination.
” He asked what Mr Harrison had talked about in a seven minute and 36 second call with Mr Hughes on October 18th .
Mr Harrison said : “ I can not remember exactly .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been rejected and the trailer was coming back to me.
” Mr Emlyn Jones went on : “ You can imagine what was on his mind at that time .
“ What you have got to talk about is the fact the load he has spent all morning sorting out ... was all trodden down and all the biscuits were broken and crushed .
“ He does not know the load has been rejected because the load hasn ’ t got to Sittingbourne .
“ I suggest here are two people engaged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smuggling.
” The defendant denied it , telling jurors : “ I was naive and gullible .
“ I was to work off the debt with reduction in wage .
It would have taken me a year .
I did not know I was involved in people smuggling.
” Turning to the fatal trip on October 22nd , Mr Emlyn Jones asserted : “ It was a double load of 39 migrants and you have loaded them in two stages.
” Jurors were shown video footage of Mr Harrison walking around the pick-up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ morning .
Mr Emlyn Jones suggested that Mr Harrison had concocted a lie , about being told to go for a walk while migrants were being loaded , from viewing the video .
The prosecutor said : “ You have built a lie .
“ Your excuse for not knowing what ’ s happening on the 10th and 17th was you were told to take a walk — a master stroke of subterfuge .
“ Hughes tells you to take a walk , you can turn a blind eye to what ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s based on this clip .
You fake a defence around that evidence.
” Mr Harrison has told jurors he was in his cab watching Power on Netflix with his curtains drawn when migrants jumped aboard his trailer on October 22nd .
Mr Emlyn Jones suggested that his walking defence did not work on that occasion because of the evidence of an eyewitness .
The defendant has told the court he initially lied about what happened out of “ fear ” but decided to tell the truth later .
On Mr Harrison @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Mr Emlyn Jones said : “ You knew perfectly well what you were doing there .
“ You ’ ve already got some of the migrants on board and now you are waiting for the rest to assemble .
That ’ s the delay .
“ You have to come back .
You have to turn around you have to wait and all because there are more migrants to come on board .
Harrison said : “ That ’ s not the case.
” The prosecutor suggested that amid the “ palava @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a ladder gets forgotten .
Referring to the evidence of a migrant from an earlier run , Mr Emlyn Jones asked : “ Did you open the doors give them a gulp of air , a bag to urinate in ?
Did you bang on the side and give them the signal to huddle in the middle .
How did the lorry get back up ?
” He denied it , saying he did not know how the ladder moved back .
Concluding his cross-examination , the prosecutor said : “ Mr Harrison @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trailer when you dropped them off at Zeebrugge .
I am going to suggest you knew full well all along and it ’ s little wonder if you feel devastated for their families .
“ Your priority throughout these proceedings.. is not to tell the truth for them and their families .
Your primary concern is yourself.
” The defendant denied it , saying : “ I did not know they were there but then at the end of the day they were still in that trailer .
Jurors have heard that Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Northern Ireland , has admitted his involvement in the tragedy.–PA

Screengrab taken from CCTV dated 08/10/19 issued by Essex Police of Eamonn Harrison (in blue shirt) with Petrisor Zgarcea. This video has been shown at the Old Bailey, London. Photograph: Essex Police/PA Wire
A lorry driver accused of transporting 39 migrants to their deaths has told jurors he was “naive and gullible”.
Eamonn Harrison (23) ) is alleged to have successfully dropped off two loads of people at Zeebrugge in Belgium before the Vietnamese nationals died in his trailer en route to Purfleet in Essex on October 22nd last year.
Giving evidence at the Old Bailey, Mr Harrison denied people smuggling, saying he only agreed to load stolen lorry parts for his boss Ronan Hughes because he owed him after drunkenly writing off one of his trucks.
He has claimed that a Romanian he knew as Alex, aka Petrisor Zgarcea, was Mr Hughes’ “man on the continent” and he went for a walk when people were loaded on his trailer without his knowledge on two occasions.
READ MORE
Mr Harrison, of Co Down, Northern Ireland, has denied the manslaughter of 39 migrants and being involved in a wider people-smuggling operation.
On October 18th, a delivery of macaroons and bakewell tarts, which were transported in the same trailer as people, were rejected due to human contamination.
Prosecutor Bill Emlyn Jones told Harrison: “You have dreamt up stolen lorry parts because on this night a load of illegal immigrants were smuggled in your trailer.”
Mr Harrison replied that it was “without my knowledge”.
The prosecutor said: “That load when it got to the UK was rejected because of human contamination.”
He asked what Mr Harrison had talked about in a seven minute and 36 second call with Mr Hughes on October 18th.
Mr Harrison said: “I cannot remember exactly. I know he did tell me the load had been rejected and the trailer was coming back to me.”
Mr Emlyn Jones went on: “You can imagine what was on his mind at that time.
“What you have got to talk about is the fact the load he has spent all morning sorting out... was all trodden down and all the biscuits were broken and crushed.
“He does not know the load has been rejected because the load hasn’t got to Sittingbourne.
“I suggest here are two people engaged in people smuggling talking about their people smuggling.”
The defendant denied it, telling jurors: “I was naive and gullible.
“I was to work off the debt with reduction in wage. It would have taken me a year. I did not know I was involved in people smuggling.”
Turning to the fatal trip on October 22nd , Mr Emlyn Jones asserted: “It was a double load of 39 migrants and you have loaded them in two stages.”
The defendant denied it.
Jurors were shown video footage of Mr Harrison walking around the pick-up point near Bierne in northern France that morning.
Mr Emlyn Jones suggested that Mr Harrison had concocted a lie, about being told to go for a walk while migrants were being loaded, from viewing the video.
The prosecutor said: “You have built a lie.
“Your excuse for not knowing what’s happening on the 10th and 17th was you were told to take a walk — a master stroke of subterfuge.
“Hughes tells you to take a walk, you can turn a blind eye to what’s going on in your trailer. It’s based on this clip. You fake a defence around that evidence.”
Mr Harrison has told jurors he was in his cab watching Power on Netflix with his curtains drawn when migrants jumped aboard his trailer on October 22nd.
Mr Emlyn Jones suggested that his walking defence did not work on that occasion because of the evidence of an eyewitness.
The defendant has told the court he initially lied about what happened out of “fear” but decided to tell the truth later.
On Mr Harrison’s movements at the pick-up point, Mr Emlyn Jones said: “You knew perfectly well what you were doing there.
“You’ve already got some of the migrants on board and now you are waiting for the rest to assemble. That’s the delay.
“You have to come back. You have to turn around you have to wait and all because there are more migrants to come on board.
Harrison said: “That’s not the case.”
The prosecutor suggested that amid the “palava” of loading all 39 migrants, a ladder gets forgotten.
Referring to the evidence of a migrant from an earlier run, Mr Emlyn Jones asked: “Did you open the doors give them a gulp of air, a bag to urinate in? Did you bang on the side and give them the signal to huddle in the middle. How did the lorry get back up?”
He denied it, saying he did not know how the ladder moved back.
Concluding his cross-examination, the prosecutor said: “Mr Harrison, those 39 migrants were in your trailer when you dropped them off at Zeebrugge. I am going to suggest you knew full well all along and it’s little wonder if you feel devastated for their families.
“Your priority throughout these proceedings.. is not to tell the truth for them and their families. Your primary concern is yourself.”
The defendant denied it, saying: “I did not know they were there but then at the end of the day they were still in that trailer.
“I was scared. I still am.”
Jurors have heard that Mr Hughes, 41, of Co Armagh, Northern Ireland, has admitted his involvement in the tragedy.–PA


theirishtimes--2020-11-20--Coronavirus: Funeral video shows large crowd in breach of Level 5 rules

Gardaí are “ carrying out inquiries ” after footage emerged of hundreds of people attending a funeral in Co Roscommon in breach of Level 5 lockdown measures restricting the number of mourners to 25 .
A video of a funeral at St Coman ’ s Cemetery in Roscommon town on Friday , November 6th , shows hundreds of people in attendance , with little adherence to public health advice .
Very few people were social distancing or wearing masks .
Many mourners were tightly packed around the coffin and took turns to carry it towards the graveside , resulting in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contact with each other .
Video of the event , which was attended mainly by members of the Traveller community , emerged after public health experts warned of outbreaks of Covid-19 arising from funerals and after a priest in Co Cavan was given a “ last warning ” by gardaí , who told him he was in breach of regulations by leaving his church doors open while saying Mass .
Garda Headquarters said they were aware of the crowd gathering on the day and are examining what happened .
“ An Garda Síochána @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advance of the funeral to explain guidelines surrounding funerals , ” a statement said .
“ An Garda Síochána continues to carry out inquiries into this event.
” Martin Collins of Pavee Point , the Traveller and Roma centre , said while funerals were a very important part of Traveller culture , “ some parts of our culture have to take a back seat ” during the pandemic .
He said Pavee Point had repeatedly encouraged people to adhere to the public health guidelines , including not gathering in large numbers , even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ reinforcing that message now ” .
Mr Collins said many people from the Traveller community were living in poor conditions , some with no running water or electricity , and were unable to adhere to public health measures .
He was aware of numerous clusters of Covid-19 in his community , including one recent outbreak in north Dublin involving about 40 cases .
“ People in our community have died from Covid-19 and I think Traveller people need to know that , need to hear that , ” he said .
However @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in society who had breached the guidelines , he said .
“ We ’ ve seen settled people and those in the higher echelons of society , Supreme Court judges , EU commissioners and Government Ministers breaking the guidelines.
” Mr Collins said people in the Traveller community may feel under pressure to go to funerals and once there many go out of their way to make sure they were seen by the bereaved family .
Garda Headquarters added that since the start of the pandemic , the force had “ engaged extensively @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the public health guidelines ” .
The Garda had also produced an educational joint video with a Traveller representative group – Traveller Mediation Service – and this has been distributed via its network and also on Garda digital and social media channels , it said .
One local source said because people in Roscommon were mostly adhering to the lockdown conditions , it was difficult to determine what local reaction had been to the large attendance at the funeral .
“ I know one person who happened to be visiting a family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pretty shocked .
They said to me there was more people there than you ’ d see on ‘ cemetery Sunday ’ , ” the source said of the annual blessing of the graves at the cemetery .
She added most of the people did not appear to be from the local area and had instead travelled from various parts of the country .

A video of a funeral in Roscommon town shows hundreds of people in attendance, with little adherence to public health advice. Photograph: iStock
Gardaí are “carrying out inquiries” after footage emerged of hundreds of people attending a funeral in Co Roscommon in breach of Level 5 lockdown measures restricting the number of mourners to 25.
A video of a funeral at St Coman’s Cemetery in Roscommon town on Friday, November 6th, shows hundreds of people in attendance, with little adherence to public health advice. Very few people were social distancing or wearing masks.
Many mourners were tightly packed around the coffin and took turns to carry it towards the graveside, resulting in large numbers of people being in close contact with each other.
Video of the event, which was attended mainly by members of the Traveller community, emerged after public health experts warned of outbreaks of Covid-19 arising from funerals and after a priest in Co Cavan was given a “last warning” by gardaí, who told him he was in breach of regulations by leaving his church doors open while saying Mass.
READ MORE
Guidelines
Garda Headquarters said they were aware of the crowd gathering on the day and are examining what happened.
"An Garda Síochána attempted to engage with the family in advance of the funeral to explain guidelines surrounding funerals," a statement said. "An Garda Síochána continues to carry out inquiries into this event."
Martin Collins of Pavee Point, the Traveller and Roma centre, said while funerals were a very important part of Traveller culture, "some parts of our culture have to take a back seat" during the pandemic.
He said Pavee Point had repeatedly encouraged people to adhere to the public health guidelines, including not gathering in large numbers, even for funerals. He said he was “reinforcing that message now”.
Mr Collins said many people from the Traveller community were living in poor conditions, some with no running water or electricity, and were unable to adhere to public health measures. He was aware of numerous clusters of Covid-19 in his community, including one recent outbreak in north Dublin involving about 40 cases.
“People in our community have died from Covid-19 and I think Traveller people need to know that, need to hear that,” he said.
However, Travellers were not the only group in society who had breached the guidelines, he said.
"We've seen settled people and those in the higher echelons of society, Supreme Court judges, EU commissioners and Government Ministers breaking the guidelines."
Mr Collins said people in the Traveller community may feel under pressure to go to funerals and once there many go out of their way to make sure they were seen by the bereaved family.
Family grave
Garda Headquarters added that since the start of the pandemic, the force had “engaged extensively with Traveller community representative groups in relation to the public health guidelines”.
The Garda had also produced an educational joint video with a Traveller representative group – Traveller Mediation Service – and this has been distributed via its network and also on Garda digital and social media channels, it said.
One local source said because people in Roscommon were mostly adhering to the lockdown conditions, it was difficult to determine what local reaction had been to the large attendance at the funeral.
“I know one person who happened to be visiting a family grave at the time and they were pretty shocked. They said to me there was more people there than you’d see on ‘cemetery Sunday’,” the source said of the annual blessing of the graves at the cemetery.
She added most of the people did not appear to be from the local area and had instead travelled from various parts of the country.


theirishtimes--2020-11-20--eir and Vodadone commit to address customer service at Government meetings

Both eir and Vodafone have made commitments to address serious issues with their customer service operations as a matter of urgency at separate meetings hosted by the Tánaiste Leo Varadkar and the Minister for Communications Eamon Ryan .
The remote meetings between the two ministers and senior executives at the companies took place on Friday morning and both providers are understood to have accepted that the level of care they have offered in recent months has fallen far short of what is required .
Mr Varadkar and Mr Ryan both expressed their dissatisfaction with how they have been conducting themselves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from their customers .
They pointed out that in a year which has seen a massive increase in remote working people need to be able to rely on their broadband provider more than ever before .
At the meeting the companies highlighted challenges posed by customer care staff working remotely as a result of the pandemic although many of the problems that have been identified by customers trying to resolve issues or even attempting to make contact with the companies predate the current crisis .
Speaking after the meeting the Tánaiste said poor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ causing a huge amount of frustration for people.
” He said it had been “ good to hear first-hand from the companies ” and he welcomed moves put forward at the meetings which “ set out their plans to resolve the issues causing problems , so I really hope we see things improving for customers soon.
” Mr Ryan said it had been important “ to relay the level of dissatisfaction being experienced by people who are doing their best to work from home ” .
Like Mr Varadkar he welcomed the solutions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he expressed optimism that there would be “ improvements in the near future ” .
He said that while the ongoing roll out of the National Broadband Plan was important consumers needed “ existing services to offer a high standard of service ” .
Last week eir came under fire in the the Dáil with Mr Ryan describing its customer service as “ totally unsatisfactory and something the company is going to have to address ” .
The Ceann Comhairle Sean Ó Fearghaíl went further and said its service was “ appalling ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ company raised “ profound questions as to whether ComReg is doing its job ” .
For its part , ComReg condemned as “ completely unacceptable ” ongoing problems which Eir customers have experienced when trying to make contact with the provider and defended its role in ensuring communications companies deal with customers complaints in an efficient and effective manner .
Vodafone said it didn ’ t wish to comment on the substance of the meeting .
eir said it had no comment .

Last week eir came under fire in the the Dáil with Eamon Ryan describing its customer service as “totally unsatisfactory and something the company is going to have to address”. File photograph: Alan Betson
Both eir and Vodafone have made commitments to address serious issues with their customer service operations as a matter of urgency at separate meetings hosted by the Tánaiste Leo Varadkar and the Minister for Communications Eamon Ryan.
The remote meetings between the two ministers and senior executives at the companies took place on Friday morning and both providers are understood to have accepted that the level of care they have offered in recent months has fallen far short of what is required.
Mr Varadkar and Mr Ryan both expressed their dissatisfaction with how they have been conducting themselves and highlighted the escalating level of complaints from their customers.
They pointed out that in a year which has seen a massive increase in remote working people need to be able to rely on their broadband provider more than ever before.
READ MORE
At the meeting the companies highlighted challenges posed by customer care staff working remotely as a result of the pandemic although many of the problems that have been identified by customers trying to resolve issues or even attempting to make contact with the companies predate the current crisis.
Speaking after the meeting the Tánaiste said poor customer service was “something which is causing a huge amount of frustration for people.”
He said it had been “good to hear first-hand from the companies” and he welcomed moves put forward at the meetings which “set out their plans to resolve the issues causing problems, so I really hope we see things improving for customers soon.”
Mr Ryan said it had been important “to relay the level of dissatisfaction being experienced by people who are doing their best to work from home”.
Like Mr Varadkar he welcomed the solutions being worked on by both companies and he expressed optimism that there would be “improvements in the near future”.
He said that while the ongoing roll out of the National Broadband Plan was important consumers needed “existing services to offer a high standard of service”.
Last week eir came under fire in the the Dáil with Mr Ryan describing its customer service as “totally unsatisfactory and something the company is going to have to address”.
The Ceann Comhairle Sean Ó Fearghaíl went further and said its service was “appalling” adding that growing consumer concern about the company raised “profound questions as to whether ComReg is doing its job”.
For its part, ComReg condemned as “completely unacceptable” ongoing problems which Eir customers have experienced when trying to make contact with the provider and defended its role in ensuring communications companies deal with customers complaints in an efficient and effective manner.
Vodafone said it didn’t wish to comment on the substance of the meeting.
eir said it had no comment.