theirishtimes--2020-03-04--McAleese threatens to leave Catholic Church if Vanier story not explained

Former president Mary McAleese has written to Pope Francis saying she will leave the Catholic Church “ if it transpires that the Holy See failed to act to protect members of the L ’ Arche Community ” .
She said people should have been alerted to “ the known predatory activities ” of the community ’ s founder Jean Vanier and his mentor , Dominican priest Fr Thomas Philippe .
“ I have to say that this will be my final line of least resistance .
I could not in conscience continue to support an institution capable of such gross @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the letter .
Vanier founded L ’ Arche International in 1964 to assist people with intellectual disabilities .
It caters for 10,000 people in 39 countries and has four communities in Ireland at Dublin , Belfast , Cork and Kilkenny , where up to 60 people are cared for and around 100 others are provided day services .
L ’ Arche International announced on February 22nd that an inquiry it commissioned last June into allegations of sex abuse by Vanier had “ received credible and consistent testimonies from six .
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women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1970 to 2005 ” .
Vanier died last May .
Fr Philippe , who died in 1993 , was found by a Catholic Church investigation in 2015 to have sexually abused 14 women , many of them associated with the L ’ Arche Community , in incidents dating back to the 1970s .
It is understood that no people with disabilities were abused by him .
In 1956 , Fr Philippe ’ s was removed from ministry by the Vatican because of his abuse of women .
Last month ’ s L ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ there was no longer any doubt that Jean Vanier was informed of the reasons for the condemnation ” of Fr Philippe .
It found too that , against the advice of the church , between 1952 and 1964 Fr Philippe and Vanier maintained a deep bond and that Vanier “ shared sexual practices similar to those of Father Thomas Philippe with several women , none of whom seem to have declared themselves as victims ” .
In her letter to Pope Francis , Mrs McAleese said “ it is essential that the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to so publicly commend a man whose predatory proclivities it was aware of ” .
She said “ Vanier was consistently lauded by the Church at the highest level without the remotest suggestion that there was anything worrying in his character ” .
She asked “ what steps if any did the Holy See take to interrupt the growth of the powerful cult of Vanier by warning the many good men and women who trusted him in good faith that he had an alarming past ?
” “ I am one of those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” she said .
“ Hearing last week the awful story of his sexually and spiritually abusive conduct was devastating .
Even worse was learning that the Holy See had been aware since the 1950s of his malevolent proclivities and those of his colleague Pere Thomas Phillippe .
” Mrs McAleese said she was confident that the great work done by L ’ Arche would allow it recover but that she was “ not so sure about whether trust in the Holy See will recover so easily ” .
“ Many times @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to despair at the failures at papal , episcopal and Curial level regarding the protection of vulnerable children and the vindication of victims , ” she said .

Former president Mary McAleese has written to Pope Francis saying she will leave the Catholic Church "if it transpires that the Holy See failed to act to protect members of the L'Arche Community".
She said people should have been alerted to "the known predatory activities" of the community's founder Jean Vanier and his mentor, Dominican priest Fr Thomas Philippe.
“I have to say that this will be my final line of least resistance. I could not in conscience continue to support an institution capable of such gross negligence,” Mrs McAleese said in the letter.
Vanier founded L'Arche International in 1964 to assist people with intellectual disabilities. It caters for 10,000 people in 39 countries and has four communities in Ireland at Dublin, Belfast, Cork and Kilkenny, where up to 60 people are cared for and around 100 others are provided day services.
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L’ Arche International announced on February 22nd that an inquiry it commissioned last June into allegations of sex abuse by Vanier had “received credible and consistent testimonies from six . . . women without disabilities, covering the period from 1970 to 2005”. Vanier died last May.
Investigation
Fr Philippe, who died in 1993, was found by a Catholic Church investigation in 2015 to have sexually abused 14 women, many of them associated with the L’Arche Community, in incidents dating back to the 1970s. It is understood that no people with disabilities were abused by him.
In 1956, Fr Philippe's was removed from ministry by the Vatican because of his abuse of women. Last month's L'Arche also report found that by 1956 "there was no longer any doubt that Jean Vanier was informed of the reasons for the condemnation" of Fr Philippe.
It found too that, against the advice of the church, between 1952 and 1964 Fr Philippe and Vanier maintained a deep bond and that Vanier “shared sexual practices similar to those of Father Thomas Philippe with several women, none of whom seem to have declared themselves as victims”.
In her letter to Pope Francis, Mrs McAleese said “it is essential that the Holy See now explains how it came to so publicly commend a man whose predatory proclivities it was aware of”.
She said “Vanier was consistently lauded by the Church at the highest level without the remotest suggestion that there was anything worrying in his character”.
‘Powerful cult’
She asked “what steps if any did the Holy See take to interrupt the growth of the powerful cult of Vanier by warning the many good men and women who trusted him in good faith that he had an alarming past?”
"I am one of those who regarded Vanier as inspirational for decades," she said. "Hearing last week the awful story of his sexually and spiritually abusive conduct was devastating. Even worse was learning that the Holy See had been aware since the 1950s of his malevolent proclivities and those of his colleague Pere Thomas Phillippe. "
Mrs McAleese said she was confident that the great work done by L’Arche would allow it recover but that she was “not so sure about whether trust in the Holy See will recover so easily”.
“Many times in recent years I have had reason to despair at the failures at papal, episcopal and Curial level regarding the protection of vulnerable children and the vindication of victims,” she said.


theirishtimes--2020-03-04--Just 40% of renters can afford to regularly save money

Unmanageable household debt should not be seen as simple “ individual failing ” but as a reflection of economic and political factors affecting thousands of people , a new report argues .
Exploring Household Debt in Ireland , published on Wednesday by the social change think-tank Tasc , says those who fall into debt often do so through funding basic needs , not extravagant lifestyles .
It points out that private sector renters are almost four times as likely to be unable to pay for heating , while 28 per cent have faced arrears in utility bills .
Just 40 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ afford to regularly save money , it says , while exactly one third of those in debt are over-burdened by repayments .
Those statistics , drawn from the 2017 EU Survey on Income and Living Conditions , are used to support the report ’ s overall argument that more needs to be done to train people in financial management , alongside a healthier overall understanding of why people find themselves in difficulty .
“ A large number of people in Ireland are living without financial security , ” said the report ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lose their job , or if they have to deal with an unforeseen issue , they are unable to cope .
This is a very precarious situation , not just for individuals and families , but for the economy .
“ We have to change the way we regard dangerous over-indebtedness - to shift it from being an issue of blame or solely personal responsibility to a national policy issue.
” Tasc is to begin a pilot programme in Dublin ’ s north inner city , providing individuals with “ intensive and personalised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , designed as a pre-emptive approach to debt .
It says household debt in Ireland was €137.5 billion in 2018 with many struggling with the rate of repayments .
The proportion of those who feel overburdened by debt varies from one section of society to another - 22 per cent generally , rising to 32 per cent in low income households , according to the same EU data .
The report also reemphasises the issue of access to credit - over 350,000 households borrowed from moneylenders in 2017 , with the most common @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ [ Personalised financial risk ] is storing up real difficulties if the economy goes into a recession or if there is an external economic shock , ” Ms Lajoie said .

Private sector renters are almost four times as likely to be unable to pay for heating, while 28 per cent have faced arrears in utility bills, the report says.
Unmanageable household debt should not be seen as simple “individual failing” but as a reflection of economic and political factors affecting thousands of people, a new report argues.
Exploring Household Debt in Ireland, published on Wednesday by the social change think-tank Tasc, says those who fall into debt often do so through funding basic needs, not extravagant lifestyles.
It points out that private sector renters are almost four times as likely to be unable to pay for heating, while 28 per cent have faced arrears in utility bills.
Just 40 per cent of people renting privately can afford to regularly save money, it says, while exactly one third of those in debt are over-burdened by repayments.
READ MORE
Those statistics, drawn from the 2017 EU Survey on Income and Living Conditions, are used to support the report’s overall argument that more needs to be done to train people in financial management, alongside a healthier overall understanding of why people find themselves in difficulty.
“A large number of people in Ireland are living without financial security,” said the report’s author Amie Lajoie.
“If they lose their job, or if they have to deal with an unforeseen issue, they are unable to cope. This is a very precarious situation, not just for individuals and families, but for the economy.
“We have to change the way we regard dangerous over-indebtedness - to shift it from being an issue of blame or solely personal responsibility to a national policy issue.”
Tasc is to begin a pilot programme in Dublin’s north inner city, providing individuals with “intensive and personalised” training on financial resilience and capability, designed as a pre-emptive approach to debt.
It says household debt in Ireland was €137.5 billion in 2018 with many struggling with the rate of repayments.
The proportion of those who feel overburdened by debt varies from one section of society to another - 22 per cent generally, rising to 32 per cent in low income households, according to the same EU data.
The report also reemphasises the issue of access to credit - over 350,000 households borrowed from moneylenders in 2017, with the most common interest rate set at 125 per cent.
"[Personalised financial risk] is storing up real difficulties if the economy goes into a recession or if there is an external economic shock," Ms Lajoie said.


theirishtimes--2020-03-05--Pancake printers and Twitter knitters: bringing ideas to life at Science Hack Day

Have you an idea of something to make , but to do it you would need a free weekend , a group of helpers , a few electrical sockets and a bit of food ?
If so , then Science Hack Day Dublin on March 7th and 8th could answer the call .
An almost annual event since 2012 , the free , two-day “ hackathon ” encourages people to pitch ideas about things to make , or to join teams to make those pitches a reality .
“ At its heart it is a social event , ” says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ McKeown .
“ The making and creativity is what brings everyone together to work on new projects and to have some fun .
There ’ s no pressure to invent something ground-breaking , it is about working with people from different backgrounds in a relaxed environment.
” People have already started to submit ideas for the event this year , which will take place at the TOG Hackerspace in Dublin 8 .
Those ideas include a machine to make different kinds of bubbles , a plastic injection machine to help with plastic up-cycling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ radiation detector .
Previous years saw the creation of a “ pancake printer ” that printed pancakes through the mouth of rubber duck , a “ Twitter knitter ” that produced tweets in woollen form , a laser tent and even a pair of drumming trousers that incorporated noise-making pads so that the wearer could play sounds when the mood took them .
Maker Mike Hibbett was on the trouser-building team , and has been a regular at Science Hack Day since 2014 .
“ Making has been in my blood since childhood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who works for a company that makes connected devices and who has a lab with laser cutters and 3D-printers in his home .
“ When I moved to Ireland , I discovered that Dublin has a tight-knit community of makers , and I am involved in various events , including Science Hack Day Dublin .
What I really like about it is the inclusivity and friendliness , and there are even travel and childcare bursaries to help people get there who might not otherwise be able to.
” Hibbett was on the team @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last year he and a fellow maker baked cupcakes that represented the periodic table of the elements .
This year , he wants to revisit a radiation detector project to make it more sensitive .
“ There is a very low amount of radioactivity in a banana , so the goal is to detect that , ” he explains .
McKeown encourages anyone over the age of 18 with an interest in making to sign up and attend Science Hack Day Dublin , which is supported by several sponsors and Science Foundation Ireland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you can stay overnight if you wish , ” he says .
“ You may even get to take away a prize of a wooden medal made for the occasion.
” For him , the hackathon offers a change of focus from his work as a lecturer and researcher at University College Dublin , where he works on engineering related to rocket launches and building EIRSAT-1 , Ireland ’ s first satellite .
McKeown will also feature in upcoming episodes of Big Life Fix on RTÉ television in coming weeks , applying his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a teenager who has one forearm , and a system to help a person with multiple sclerosis to paint for longer .
To sign up for Science Hack Day Dublin , see sciencehackdaydublin.com

Have you an idea of something to make, but to do it you would need a free weekend, a group of helpers, a few electrical sockets and a bit of food? If so, then Science Hack Day Dublin on March 7th and 8th could answer the call.
An almost annual event since 2012, the free, two-day “hackathon” encourages people to pitch ideas about things to make, or to join teams to make those pitches a reality.
“At its heart it is a social event,” says Science Hack Day Dublin founder Dr David McKeown. “The making and creativity is what brings everyone together to work on new projects and to have some fun. There’s no pressure to invent something ground-breaking, it is about working with people from different backgrounds in a relaxed environment.”
People have already started to submit ideas for the event this year, which will take place at the TOG Hackerspace in Dublin 8. Those ideas include a machine to make different kinds of bubbles, a plastic injection machine to help with plastic up-cycling, a low cost ventilator and a radiation detector.
READ MORE
Previous years saw the creation of a “pancake printer” that printed pancakes through the mouth of rubber duck, a “Twitter knitter” that produced tweets in woollen form, a laser tent and even a pair of drumming trousers that incorporated noise-making pads so that the wearer could play sounds when the mood took them.
Maker Mike Hibbett was on the trouser-building team, and has been a regular at Science Hack Day since 2014. "Making has been in my blood since childhood," says the electronics engineer, who works for a company that makes connected devices and who has a lab with laser cutters and 3D-printers in his home.
Community of makers
"When I moved to Ireland, I discovered that Dublin has a tight-knit community of makers, and I am involved in various events, including Science Hack Day Dublin. What I really like about it is the inclusivity and friendliness, and there are even travel and childcare bursaries to help people get there who might not otherwise be able to."
Hibbett was on the team that built the drumming trousers, and last year he and a fellow maker baked cupcakes that represented the periodic table of the elements. This year, he wants to revisit a radiation detector project to make it more sensitive. “There is a very low amount of radioactivity in a banana, so the goal is to detect that,” he explains.
McKeown encourages anyone over the age of 18 with an interest in making to sign up and attend Science Hack Day Dublin, which is supported by several sponsors and Science Foundation Ireland. "We offer free food and you can stay overnight if you wish," he says. "You may even get to take away a prize of a wooden medal made for the occasion."
For him, the hackathon offers a change of focus from his work as a lecturer and researcher at University College Dublin, where he works on engineering related to rocket launches and building EIRSAT-1, Ireland's first satellite. McKeown will also feature in upcoming episodes of Big Life Fix on RTÉ television in coming weeks, applying his engineering skills to develop a rowing aid for a teenager who has one forearm, and a system to help a person with multiple sclerosis to paint for longer.
To sign up for Science Hack Day Dublin, see sciencehackdaydublin.com


theirishtimes--2020-03-04--Jogger killed after being hit by van in Dublin

Gardaí are appealing for information after a woman was killed after being hit by a van on Wednesday .
The @ @ @ @ @ van shortly after 7pm on the James Larkin Road , Raheny , Dublin 5 .
@ @ @ @ @ in her 30s , was jogging when the van mounted the footpath and travelled a @ @ @ @ @ her .
The woman was fatally injured and pronounced dead a short time afterwards .
@ @ @ @ @ from the scene and taken to the mortuary at Connolly hospital where a postmortem examination @ @ @ @ @ else , including the male driver of the van , was injured in the incident @ @ @ @ @ are currently at the scene .
The cycle pathway on the road remains closed and @ @ @ @ @ of the collision has been preserved for examination by Garda Forensic Collision Investigators .
Gardaí @ @ @ @ @ road users with camera footage , who were travelling on this road between 6.45pm and @ @ @ @ @ station on 01 6664300 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 .

Gardaí are appealing for witnesses and road users with camera footage to come forward.
Gardaí are appealing for information after a woman was killed after being hit by a van on Wednesday.
The pedestrian was struck by the van shortly after 7pm on the James Larkin Road, Raheny, Dublin 5.
The woman, who was in her 30s, was jogging when the van mounted the footpath and travelled a short distance before it struck her.
The woman was fatally injured and pronounced dead a short time afterwards. Her body has been removed from the scene and taken to the mortuary at Connolly hospital where a postmortem examination will take place.
READ MORE
Nobody else, including the male driver of the van, was injured in the incident.
Gardaí and emergency services are currently at the scene. The cycle pathway on the road remains closed and the scene at the site of the collision has been preserved for examination by Garda Forensic Collision Investigators.
Gardaí are appealing for witnesses and road users with camera footage, who were travelling on this road between 6.45pm and 7.30pm to contact Raheny Garda station on 01 6664300 or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111.


theirishtimes--2020-03-04--Prince William: UK and Ireland must ‘work together’ after Brexit

The UK and EU ’ s changing relationship will require people to “ work together ” to ensure relations between Ireland and the UK remain “ just as strong ” , Britain ’ s Duke of Cambridge said .
In a speech at the last public engagement in Dublin before the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge departed for Galway , Prince William addressed the post-Brexit challenges facing relations between the UK , Ireland and the rest of Europe .
Visiting the Museum of Literature Ireland on St Stephen ’ s Green in Dublin city centre , the second-in-line to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bonds between people as well as international treaties that underpin new trading and political relations between countries .
In his only scheduled public remarks of the royal couple ’ s three-day visit to Ireland , Prince William – without mentioning Brexit – put the royal family front and centre in future efforts to maintain good relations between Ireland and the UK following Britain ’ s departure from the EU .
“ Legal treaties are vital in underpinning the relationships between states .
But relationships between people are equally , if not more essential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two countries , whose lives , histories and futures are so deeply intertwined , ” he said .
“ I am confident that friendship , understanding and a shared vision for a peaceful and prosperous future will ensure that the unique and precious bond between our people is not broken.
” He added : “ My family is determined to continue playing our part in protecting , preserving and strengthening that bond.
” ‘ How far we have come ’ The prince ’ s remarks come after more than three years of protracted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and UK over the terms of Brexit that strained relations between Ireland and the UK to a level not seen since before the Northern Ireland peace process .
Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton were greeted at the museum by Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney .
They were introduced to politicians including Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin , Labour leader Brendan Howlin and Sinn Féin ’ s Alex Maskey .
Other Cabinet members in attendance at the event were Fine Gael Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe and Minister for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he viewed at the museum were the first copy of the first edition of James Joyce ’ s Ulysses signed by author .
In a thinly veiled reference to the UK ’ s departure from the EU , the 37-year-old prince said that “ as we look ahead to some changes in our relationship , we must never forget how far we have come together in recent decades in transforming the relationships across our two islands ” .
Prince William said “ growing up ” he remembered “ seeing the Troubles that took @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the UK and Ireland ” .
This was why one of the “ truly profound moments ” for him and his wife on their visit was their attendance at the Garden of Remembrance on Parnell Square in Dublin , the memorial which honours those who fought against British rule .
The memorial was a “ reminder of the complexity of our shared history ” .
Their visit to the garden was “ also a reminder of how far we have come ” , he said .
“ It is right that we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a consequence of our troubled past .
And whilst many wrongs have been done , it is important that we are not bound by these , ” he said .
Prince William said the relationship between Ireland and the UK “ goes far beyond two countries that are simply neighbours ” .
“ The links between our people , businesses and our culture are inextricable , and we should all be proud to see how strong those bonds are , ” he said .
He praised the many people who deserve “ our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ imagination and , above all , courage in bringing about these profound changes.
” Recognising that young people may not remember the progress made in the peace process , the prince said that it was “ vital that people of my generation , and generations to come , never take for granted the progress we have made together ” .
“ We must recommit ourselves to the path of friendship and understanding.
” Prince William concluded his speech with a toast “ to the President of Ireland and to the people of this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of your welcome on what I hope will be the first of many visits for us.
” He thanked an audience of about 100 people who attended the event .
Speaking before Prince William , Mr Coveney said that the duke ’ s decision to walk in the footsteps of his mother on her visit in 2011 - “ not so much to the Guinness Storehouse ” - but to the Garden of Remembrance was “ profoundly important for Irish people.
” “ In honouring the sacrifice of those who fought for Ireland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , from a new generation of the British royal family , to a new generation here in Ireland - that same spirit , those same values , ” said the Tánaiste .
He described the relationship between the UK and Ireland as one “ of rare complexity and sometimes intensity ” but one which was “ powered at its core by the hundreds of thousands of people who live , work and move seamlessly between these islands every single day.
” “ I am both hopeful and confident for the future of our @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Coveney joked that the couple would find Galway “ a little bohemian ” when they visited on Thursday but said that they had not really visited Ireland fully until they have visited his hometown of Cork .
“ Both your father and grandmother will attest to that , ” he said .
In a break from his prepared remarks , the Tanaiste told the duke that his three daughters had written cards to the couple ’ s three children “ inviting your precious children to come to Ireland when they grow up.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smile on your way home because I can assure you they don ’ t comply with normal protocols when someone normally writes to the royal family , ” he said .

Britain's Duke and Duchess of Cambridge continued their official visit to Ireland which included a walk along the Howth cliffs in Dublin and a visit to Jigsaw, a organisation providing youth mental health services in the capital's city centre.
The UK and EU's changing relationship will require people to "work together" to ensure relations between Ireland and the UK remain "just as strong", Britain's Duke of Cambridge said.
In a speech at the last public engagement in Dublin before the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge departed for Galway, Prince William addressed the post-Brexit challenges facing relations between the UK, Ireland and the rest of Europe.
Visiting the Museum of Literature Ireland on St Stephen’s Green in Dublin city centre, the second-in-line to the British throne spoke of the importance of bonds between people as well as international treaties that underpin new trading and political relations between countries.
In his only scheduled public remarks of the royal couple’s three-day visit to Ireland, Prince William – without mentioning Brexit – put the royal family front and centre in future efforts to maintain good relations between Ireland and the UK following Britain’s departure from the EU.
READ MORE
“Legal treaties are vital in underpinning the relationships between states. But relationships between people are equally, if not more essential, especially between the people of our two countries, whose lives, histories and futures are so deeply intertwined,” he said.
“I am confident that friendship, understanding and a shared vision for a peaceful and prosperous future will ensure that the unique and precious bond between our people is not broken.”
He added: “My family is determined to continue playing our part in protecting, preserving and strengthening that bond.”
‘How far we have come’
The prince's remarks come after more than three years of protracted and difficult political negotiations between the EU and UK over the terms of Brexit that strained relations between Ireland and the UK to a level not seen since before the Northern Ireland peace process.
Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton were greeted at the museum by Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney. They were introduced to politicians including Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin, Labour leader Brendan Howlin and Sinn Féin's Alex Maskey.
Other Cabinet members in attendance at the event were Fine Gael Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe and Minister for Education Joe McHugh.
Among the exhibits he viewed at the museum were the first copy of the first edition of James Joyce’s Ulysses signed by author.
In a thinly veiled reference to the UK’s departure from the EU, the 37-year-old prince said that “as we look ahead to some changes in our relationship, we must never forget how far we have come together in recent decades in transforming the relationships across our two islands”.
Prince William said “growing up” he remembered “seeing the Troubles that took place, which affected so many people across the UK and Ireland”.
This was why one of the “truly profound moments” for him and his wife on their visit was their attendance at the Garden of Remembrance on Parnell Square in Dublin, the memorial which honours those who fought against British rule.
‘Shared history’
The memorial was a “reminder of the complexity of our shared history”. Their visit to the garden was “also a reminder of how far we have come”, he said.
“It is right that we continue to remember those who suffered as a consequence of our troubled past. And whilst many wrongs have been done, it is important that we are not bound by these,” he said.
Prince William said the relationship between Ireland and the UK “goes far beyond two countries that are simply neighbours”.
“The links between our people, businesses and our culture are inextricable, and we should all be proud to see how strong those bonds are,” he said.
He praised the many people who deserve “our deepest gratitude for their hard work, imagination and, above all, courage in bringing about these profound changes.”
Recognising that young people may not remember the progress made in the peace process, the prince said that it was “vital that people of my generation, and generations to come, never take for granted the progress we have made together”.
“We must recommit ourselves to the path of friendship and understanding.”
‘Wonderful country’
Prince William concluded his speech with a toast “to the President of Ireland and to the people of this wonderful country in thanks for the warmth of your welcome on what I hope will be the first of many visits for us.”
He thanked an audience of about 100 people who attended the event.
Speaking before Prince William, Mr Coveney said that the duke’s decision to walk in the footsteps of his mother on her visit in 2011 - “not so much to the Guinness Storehouse” - but to the Garden of Remembrance was “profoundly important for Irish people.”
“In honouring the sacrifice of those who fought for Ireland’s independence, you are signaling, from a new generation of the British royal family, to a new generation here in Ireland - that same spirit, those same values,” said the Tánaiste.
He described the relationship between the UK and Ireland as one “of rare complexity and sometimes intensity” but one which was “powered at its core by the hundreds of thousands of people who live, work and move seamlessly between these islands every single day.”
“I am both hopeful and confident for the future of our relationship,” he said.
Mr Coveney joked that the couple would find Galway “a little bohemian” when they visited on Thursday but said that they had not really visited Ireland fully until they have visited his hometown of Cork.
“Both your father and grandmother will attest to that,” he said.
In a break from his prepared remarks, the Tanaiste told the duke that his three daughters had written cards to the couple’s three children “inviting your precious children to come to Ireland when they grow up.”
“Hopefully that you will crack a smile on your way home because I can assure you they don’t comply with normal protocols when someone normally writes to the royal family,” he said.


theirishtimes--2020-03-04--Woman lost sight in eye after ‘stiletto’ kick in nightclub

An Ennis woman lost the sight of her left eye after receiving the kick of a stiletto heel during a fight with another woman at a nightclub in the Co Clare town two years ago .
In the incident shown on CCTV at Ennis Circuit Court on Wednesday , Jennifer Ziemann ’ s stiletto heel made contact with Katie Kenneally ’ s left eye and perforated her eye-ball when she kicked out at Ms Kenneally in the early hours of May 6th 2018 .
The footage shows how the two had got into an altercation in the outdoor area of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ended up on the ground .
A bouncer employed by the nightclub grabbed Ms Ziemann ( 26 ) of Parnell Street , Ennis while others took hold of Ms Kenneally ( 21 ) and the two were separated .
However , when Ms Kenneally made a lunge for Ms Ziemann , Ms Ziemann kicked out with her stiletto resulting in the “ catastrophic ” injury for Ms Kenneally .
The altercation described by Judge Gerald Keys as “ relatively minor ” between the two , only lasted a number of seconds .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under four weeks before she lost her younger brother , Jack ( 15 ) , in a tragic double drowning in a disused quarry outside Ennis .
Mother-of-one Ms Ziemann has pleaded guilty to assault causing harm of Ms Kenneally .
In court counsel for Ms Ziemann , Michael Collins SC said the incident has had “ the most profound and appalling consequences for Katie Kenneally ” .
In her victim impact statement read out in court , Ms Kenneally said she constantly worries about losing sight in her other eye .
Ms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members .
She stated the vision in her left eye “ will never come back and I find that very hard to deal with ” .
Ms Kenneally said : “ I struggle to look at myself in the mirror as it ’ s a constant reminder of what happened that night and I will never be able to forget it.
” Ms Kenneally stated she that now suffers from anxiety and panic attacks as a result of what happened and had to leave her brother , Jack ’ s funeral “ as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” .
Ms Kenneally required surgery on her eye after the attack and she was left in severe pain .
She said for months after she had to wear sunglasses even indoors as the light irritated her eyes .
Mr Collins said Ms Ziemann apologises for what occurred .
He stated that in the immediate aftermath when the extent of Ms Kenneally ’ s injury became known , Ms Ziemann “ was appalled and never intended such a consequence to occur ” .
Mr Collins said it was never Ms Ziemann ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or to maim ” .
Mr Collins argued that Ms Ziemann ’ s culpability was at the lower end of the scale due to the way the night unfolded.Mr Collins asked Judge Keys to give Ms Ziemann a chance as she “ is not a bad person ” .
Judge Keys reserved judgment and remanded Ms Ziemann on continuing bail to April 28th for sentence .

Katie Kenneally at Ennis Court: required surgery on her eye after the attack and was left in severe pain.
An Ennis woman lost the sight of her left eye after receiving the kick of a stiletto heel during a fight with another woman at a nightclub in the Co Clare town two years ago.
In the incident shown on CCTV at Ennis Circuit Court on Wednesday, Jennifer Ziemann’s stiletto heel made contact with Katie Kenneally’s left eye and perforated her eye-ball when she kicked out at Ms Kenneally in the early hours of May 6th 2018.
The footage shows how the two had got into an altercation in the outdoor area of the Queen’s nightclub and both ended up on the ground.
A bouncer employed by the nightclub grabbed Ms Ziemann (26) of Parnell Street, Ennis while others took hold of Ms Kenneally (21) and the two were separated.
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However, when Ms Kenneally made a lunge for Ms Ziemann, Ms Ziemann kicked out with her stiletto resulting in the “catastrophic” injury for Ms Kenneally.
The altercation described by Judge Gerald Keys as “relatively minor” between the two, only lasted a number of seconds.
Loss of brother
The injury sustained by Ms Kenneally came just under four weeks before she lost her younger brother, Jack (15), in a tragic double drowning in a disused quarry outside Ennis.
Mother-of-one Ms Ziemann has pleaded guilty to assault causing harm of Ms Kenneally. In court counsel for Ms Ziemann, Michael Collins SC said the incident has had “the most profound and appalling consequences for Katie Kenneally”.
In her victim impact statement read out in court, Ms Kenneally said she constantly worries about losing sight in her other eye. Ms Kenneally was in court supported by family members.
She stated the vision in her left eye “will never come back and I find that very hard to deal with”. Ms Kenneally said: “I struggle to look at myself in the mirror as it’s a constant reminder of what happened that night and I will never be able to forget it.”
Anxiety and panic
Ms Kenneally stated she that now suffers from anxiety and panic attacks as a result of what happened and had to leave her brother, Jack’s funeral “as the crowds were too much for me”.
Ms Kenneally required surgery on her eye after the attack and she was left in severe pain. She said for months after she had to wear sunglasses even indoors as the light irritated her eyes.
Mr Collins said Ms Ziemann apologises for what occurred. He stated that in the immediate aftermath when the extent of Ms Kenneally’s injury became known , Ms Ziemann “was appalled and never intended such a consequence to occur”.
Mr Collins said it was never Ms Ziemann’s intention “to hurt, inflict injury or to maim”.
Mr Collins argued that Ms Ziemann’s culpability was at the lower end of the scale due to the way the night unfolded.Mr Collins asked Judge Keys to give Ms Ziemann a chance as she “is not a bad person”.
Judge Keys reserved judgment and remanded Ms Ziemann on continuing bail to April 28th for sentence.


theirishtimes--2020-03-04--Adrian Donohoe was due to escort same credit union during previous robbery, court told

Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe , who was shot dead during a credit union robbery , was due to give an escort to an employee of the same credit union when it was robbed 17 months previously , the Central Criminal Court has heard .
John Kenwright on Wednesday revealed how two armed men drove into Lordship Credit Union car park in Co Louth as he waited in his car with the day ’ s takings for a Garda escort to take him to an AIB bank in Dundalk .
One of the men pointed a shotgun at Mr Kenwright and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before a second man smashed the passenger side window of Mr Kenwright ’ s car with the butt of a firearm and grabbed the bags containing €22,500 in cash and €35,000 in cheques .
The men then made off in their car , leaving 23 seconds after they entered the car park .
Aaron Brady ( 29 ) from New Road , Crossmaglen , Co Armagh has pleaded not guilty to the capital murder of Det Gda Donohoe ( 41 ) who was then a member of An Garda Síochána on active duty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2013 at Lordship Credit Union , Bellurgan , Co Louth .
Mr Brady has also pleaded not guilty to a charge of robbing approximately €7,000 in cash and assorted cheques on the same date and at the same location .
Mr Kenwright told prosecuting counsel Brendan Grehan SC that he was a volunteer with the credit union and in 2011 was chairman .
The Friday night routine was that once all the day ’ s takings were counted they would be placed in a bag and either Mr Kenwright or one of his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a Garda escort to take them to an AIB branch on Clanbrassil Street in Dundalk .
On August 5th , 2011 Mr Kenwright said he left the credit union at 21.37 and his colleagues drove off , leaving him in his car with the bag containing the cash and cheques .
After about two minutes he heard a “ high-powered ” engine “ revving up ” coming from the direction of the Ballymascanlon roundabout .
He then saw the car enter the main gate of the car park and drive up behind @ @ @ @ @ @ @ brakes screeched ” and it stopped behind him .
Looking at his side view mirror Mr Kenwright saw a man get out of the car with a sawn-off shotgun and walk straight to the witness ’ s door .
He said : “ He was pointing it at me through the window .
I could just see the black barrel.
” The witness remembered the man was wearing a brown jacket with a hood but he couldn ’ t see his face .
He added : “ It was all a blur at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was shouting : “ Give me the money , give me the money , ” and then another man emerged from the car and went to the passenger side door , shouting the same thing .
The second man also had a gun but the witness couldn ’ t remember what kind .
He used the butt of the gun to smash the passenger side window .
“ The glass came in on top of me , ” the witness said .
He described the men as five feet and nine or ten @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said they had “ local enough ” accents .
He added : “ The way they moved and that , I thought they were youngish men.
” Having smashed the window one of the men grabbed the money bags from the front passenger seat and they “ jumped immediately back into their car.
” They reversed towards the gate of the car park and drove off in the direction of the Ballymascanlon roundabout .
Mr Grehan showed CCTV footage of the incident which was timed at 23 seconds .
Mr Kenwright said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Irish registration plates , the first three letters of which were KIM .
He also told gardaí that the raiders were “ professional and weren ’ t a bit nervous ” .
Det Gda Stacey Linnane told Mr Grehan that she was working at Dundalk Garda Station in 2011 and attended the scene following an emergency call from Mr Kenwright .
He was , she said , “ very shaken ” .
She confirmed that the car used in the robbery was found burnt out in Northern Ireland close to the border and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She spoke to the owner of the car who said it had been stolen in a “ creeper ” style burglary .
Gda Linnane also confirmed that gardaí were due to escort Mr Kenwright to Dundalk and that Det Garda Adrian Donohoe was to provide that escort .
He was , at the time , in Cooley where he was picking up other credit union employees who were also part of the escort .
Mr Justice Michael White told the jury of seven men and seven women that legal issues are to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are not required until next Monday .

Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, who was shot dead during a credit union robbery, was due to give an escort to an employee of the same credit union when it was robbed 17 months previously, the Central Criminal Court has heard.
John Kenwright on Wednesday revealed how two armed men drove into Lordship Credit Union car park in Co Louth as he waited in his car with the day’s takings for a Garda escort to take him to an AIB bank in Dundalk.
One of the men pointed a shotgun at Mr Kenwright and shouted “give me the money” before a second man smashed the passenger side window of Mr Kenwright’s car with the butt of a firearm and grabbed the bags containing €22,500 in cash and €35,000 in cheques. The men then made off in their car, leaving 23 seconds after they entered the car park.
Aaron Brady (29) from New Road, Crossmaglen, Co Armagh has pleaded not guilty to the capital murder of Det Gda Donohoe (41) who was then a member of An Garda Síochána on active duty shortly before 9.30pm on January 25th, 2013 at Lordship Credit Union, Bellurgan, Co Louth. Mr Brady has also pleaded not guilty to a charge of robbing approximately €7,000 in cash and assorted cheques on the same date and at the same location.
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Mr Kenwright told prosecuting counsel Brendan Grehan SC that he was a volunteer with the credit union and in 2011 was chairman. The Friday night routine was that once all the day’s takings were counted they would be placed in a bag and either Mr Kenwright or one of his colleagues would wait in the car park for a Garda escort to take them to an AIB branch on Clanbrassil Street in Dundalk.
On August 5th, 2011 Mr Kenwright said he left the credit union at 21.37 and his colleagues drove off, leaving him in his car with the bag containing the cash and cheques. After about two minutes he heard a “high-powered” engine “revving up” coming from the direction of the Ballymascanlon roundabout. He then saw the car enter the main gate of the car park and drive up behind his car “very fast before the brakes screeched” and it stopped behind him.
Looking at his side view mirror Mr Kenwright saw a man get out of the car with a sawn-off shotgun and walk straight to the witness’s door. He said: “He was pointing it at me through the window. I could just see the black barrel.”
The witness remembered the man was wearing a brown jacket with a hood but he couldn’t see his face. He added: “It was all a blur at the time.” He said the man was shouting: “Give me the money, give me the money,” and then another man emerged from the car and went to the passenger side door, shouting the same thing. The second man also had a gun but the witness couldn’t remember what kind.
He used the butt of the gun to smash the passenger side window. “The glass came in on top of me,” the witness said. He described the men as five feet and nine or ten inches tall, of stocky build and he said they had “local enough” accents. He added: “The way they moved and that, I thought they were youngish men.”
Having smashed the window one of the men grabbed the money bags from the front passenger seat and they “jumped immediately back into their car.” They reversed towards the gate of the car park and drove off in the direction of the Ballymascanlon roundabout. Mr Grehan showed CCTV footage of the incident which was timed at 23 seconds.
Mr Kenwright said the raiders’ car had yellow Northern Irish registration plates, the first three letters of which were KIM. He also told gardaí that the raiders were “professional and weren’t a bit nervous”.
Det Gda Stacey Linnane told Mr Grehan that she was working at Dundalk Garda Station in 2011 and attended the scene following an emergency call from Mr Kenwright. He was, she said, “very shaken”. She confirmed that the car used in the robbery was found burnt out in Northern Ireland close to the border and despite forensic examination no evidence was found. She spoke to the owner of the car who said it had been stolen in a “creeper” style burglary.
Gda Linnane also confirmed that gardaí were due to escort Mr Kenwright to Dundalk and that Det Garda Adrian Donohoe was to provide that escort. He was, at the time, in Cooley where he was picking up other credit union employees who were also part of the escort.
Mr Justice Michael White told the jury of seven men and seven women that legal issues are to be dealt with in their absence and they are not required until next Monday.


theirishtimes--2020-03-04--Government, NI Executive under pressure over alcohol pricing

Minister for Health Simon Harris has written to his northern counterpart Robin Swann about implementing minimum unit pricing on alcohol on both sides of the Border .
Pressure is increasing to introduce a base price in Ireland below which alcohol can not be sold after Wales commenced minimum unit pricing this week .
Scotland implemented the measure in 2018 to cut the levels of abuse of alcohol and while the Oireachtas passed legislation the same year , the Government wants the measure to be introduced on both sides of the Border simultaneously .
Mr Harris said “ research on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it works to reduce alcohol consumption and that it particularly targets those who buy the most alcohol ” .
The Government postponed the implementation of the measure in 2018 because the Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive were in abeyance at the time .
In December , Taoiseach Leo Varadkar told the Dáil that if the measure was introduced in the Republic but not in the North people would cross the border to buy cheap alcohol and “ this measure will not work economically or in public health terms ” .
The Northern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Mr Harris had written to him about the measure and said that “ given the potential for this to impact on cross-border trade element I am keen that we discuss this issue further with colleagues in the Republic of Ireland ” .
Mr Swann said legislation on minimum unit pricing could be a key health measure and he will “ be giving this active consideration as part of the development of a new substance misuse strategy for Northern Ireland ” .
He acknowledged that “ the harms caused by the misuse of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Northern Ireland ” .
Under the legislation , the minimum price per gram of alcohol would be 10 cent .
A pint of beer containing 20 grams of alcohol would have a minimum price of €1.98 .
The change would not affect craft beers , premium brands or the average bottle of wine .
Head of communications and advocacy at Alcohol Action Ireland Eunan McKinney said the introduction of the measure in Wales was very significant in the effort to reduce alcohol-related harm and to support the wider population to consume less @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than 3,000 alcohol-related deaths on the island of Ireland every year .
“ With Scotland , and now Wales , introducing MUP , we will have strong regional evidence of the efficacy of the measure .
This must encourage our government , and the Executive of Northern Ireland , to expedite matters on implementing the measure on an All-Island basis.
” Alcohol Health Alliance UK said that one in 20 deaths in Wales is linked to alcohol and the minimum unit pricing “ will go a long way in saving lives ” @

Minister for Health Simon Harris has written to his northern counterpart Robin Swann about implementing minimum unit pricing on alcohol on both sides of the Border.
Pressure is increasing to introduce a base price in Ireland below which alcohol cannot be sold after Wales commenced minimum unit pricing this week.
Scotland implemented the measure in 2018 to cut the levels of abuse of alcohol and while the Oireachtas passed legislation the same year, the Government wants the measure to be introduced on both sides of the Border simultaneously.
Mr Harris said “research on the introduction of the policy in Scotland shows that it works to reduce alcohol consumption and that it particularly targets those who buy the most alcohol”.
READ MORE
The Government postponed the implementation of the measure in 2018 because the Northern Ireland Assembly and Executive were in abeyance at the time.
In December, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar told the Dáil that if the measure was introduced in the Republic but not in the North people would cross the border to buy cheap alcohol and “this measure will not work economically or in public health terms”.
The Northern Ireland Minister for Health confirmed on Wednesday that Mr Harris had written to him about the measure and said that “given the potential for this to impact on cross-border trade element I am keen that we discuss this issue further with colleagues in the Republic of Ireland”.
Mr Swann said legislation on minimum unit pricing could be a key health measure and he will “be giving this active consideration as part of the development of a new substance misuse strategy for Northern Ireland”.
He acknowledged that “the harms caused by the misuse of alcohol are a major public health issue in Northern Ireland”.
Under the legislation, the minimum price per gram of alcohol would be 10 cent. A pint of beer containing 20 grams of alcohol would have a minimum price of €1.98.
The change would not affect craft beers, premium brands or the average bottle of wine.
Head of communications and advocacy at Alcohol Action Ireland Eunan McKinney said the introduction of the measure in Wales was very significant in the effort to reduce alcohol-related harm and to support the wider population to consume less alcohol.
Mr McKinney said there are more than 3,000 alcohol-related deaths on the island of Ireland every year.
“With Scotland, and now Wales, introducing MUP, we will have strong regional evidence of the efficacy of the measure. This must encourage our government, and the Executive of Northern Ireland, to expedite matters on implementing the measure on an All-Island basis.”
Alcohol Health Alliance UK said that one in 20 deaths in Wales is linked to alcohol and the minimum unit pricing “will go a long way in saving lives”.


theirishtimes--2020-03-04--Former home of William Butler Yeats flooded due to recent storms

Extensive damage has been done to the former home of William Butler Yeats , which has been submerged under six feet of water for more than a week .
Thoor Ballylee at Gort in County Galway was purchased by the Nobel Prize winning poet in 1916 and was used during his many visits to Lady Gregory at nearby Coole Park in the 1920s and 30s .
The 15th century castle , known locally as Yeats ’ Tower , and an attached cottage and studio have flooded on a number of occasions in recent years — most recently in 2015 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ operates the property as a cultural centre and tourist attraction , last year spent €70,000 renovating the studio at Thoor Ballylee .
Colm Farrell , a board member of the Yeats Thoor Ballylee Society , says that the group were assured that drainage works carried out in the wake of the 2015 flood would prevent future flooding .
The flooding began on February 24th when the Cloone River , which runs alongside Thoor Ballylee , rose by more than 10 feet in a matter of hours .
“ We were promised after 2015 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been carried out , that it would never be flooded again , ” said Mr Farrell .
“ We thought the problem was fixed , so last year we went ahead with a €70,000 renovation of the studio attached to the cottage and tower .
We understood from the politicians that the problem had been fixed after 2015 .
We got as far as February this year without anything happening , we thought we were out of the woods , and then this flood hits overnight .
“ It was incredibly sudden .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
The water came like a shot , pretty much overnight.
” The tower , which is not insured for flooding , is expected to be inaccessible for a number of weeks until the flood waters recede .
The Yeats Thoor Ballylee Society has already received offers of financial support from patrons in America to undertake fresh renovations .
“ We have no idea how much it will cost to get this off the ground again .
It ’ s impossible to say , it could be €25,000 or €30,000 to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” said Mr Farrell .
“ We have no insurance .
The insurance for this site ran out 15 years ago and there is no way that we would ever get cover for flooding again .
“ We have had offers of help [ to fund repairs ] .
We have some great friends in America and around the world .
A number of people have already been in touch with offers of support to get the clean up done and get the place opened again.
” Owned by Fáilte Ireland , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ term lease on the property in 2010 .
It has attracted thousands of tourists to the area each year since 2010 , including a large number of American visitors .
In 2014 , Gort was identified by the Commission for the Economic Development for Rural Areas ( CEDRA ) as the Irish town worst affected by the economic recession .
“ We have been quite successful with the place since we took over in 2010 , except that it flooded again in 2015 , ” said Mr Farrell .
“ Since we have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 3,000 to 4,000 visitors every summer .
We only open from April to September so this is a significant number of tourists for a town like Gort .
“ It ’ s been an unbelievable success for Gort with the history of Yeats , Coole Park and connection to the whole area .
I don ’ t think a lot of people here realise how well he is known all over the world .
It ’ s been a great success.
” Thoor Ballylee Castle was built in 1485 and was owned by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1939 .
The attached cottage and studio was built in the early 1800s .

Thoor Ballylee near Gort, Co.Galway, the home of poet W.B. Yeats between 1921 and 1929, has suffered extensive damage following recent flooding. Video: John Mangan
Extensive damage has been done to the former home of William Butler Yeats, which has been submerged under six feet of water for more than a week.
Thoor Ballylee at Gort in County Galway was purchased by the Nobel Prize winning poet in 1916 and was used during his many visits to Lady Gregory at nearby Coole Park in the 1920s and 30s.
The 15th century castle, known locally as Yeats’ Tower, and an attached cottage and studio have flooded on a number of occasions in recent years — most recently in 2015.
The Yeats Thoor Ballylee Society, which operates the property as a cultural centre and tourist attraction, last year spent €70,000 renovating the studio at Thoor Ballylee.
READ MORE
Colm Farrell, a board member of the Yeats Thoor Ballylee Society, says that the group were assured that drainage works carried out in the wake of the 2015 flood would prevent future flooding.
The flooding began on February 24th when the Cloone River, which runs alongside Thoor Ballylee, rose by more than 10 feet in a matter of hours.
James and Jimmy Curley from Gort passing Thoor Ballylee in Gort. Photograph John Mangan
The Yeats tower, Thoor Ballylee, near Gort, Co Galway, pictured in 2012. Photograph: Joe O’Shaughnessy
The Yeats Tower - Thoor Ballylee, near Gort, Co Galway. Photograph: Joe O’Shaughnessy
“We were promised after 2015 that because of drainage works that had been carried out, that it would never be flooded again,” said Mr Farrell.
“We thought the problem was fixed, so last year we went ahead with a €70,000 renovation of the studio attached to the cottage and tower. We understood from the politicians that the problem had been fixed after 2015. We got as far as February this year without anything happening, we thought we were out of the woods, and then this flood hits overnight.
“It was incredibly sudden. I’ve never seen anything like it. The water came like a shot, pretty much overnight.”
The tower, which is not insured for flooding, is expected to be inaccessible for a number of weeks until the flood waters recede. The Yeats Thoor Ballylee Society has already received offers of financial support from patrons in America to undertake fresh renovations.
“We have no idea how much it will cost to get this off the ground again. It’s impossible to say, it could be €25,000 or €30,000 to get it back to what it was,” said Mr Farrell.
“We have no insurance. The insurance for this site ran out 15 years ago and there is no way that we would ever get cover for flooding again.
“We have had offers of help [to fund repairs]. We have some great friends in America and around the world. A number of people have already been in touch with offers of support to get the clean up done and get the place opened again.”
Owned by Fáilte Ireland, the Yeats Thoor Ballylee Society secured a long term lease on the property in 2010. It has attracted thousands of tourists to the area each year since 2010, including a large number of American visitors.
In 2014, Gort was identified by the Commission for the Economic Development for Rural Areas (CEDRA) as the Irish town worst affected by the economic recession.
“We have been quite successful with the place since we took over in 2010, except that it flooded again in 2015,” said Mr Farrell.
“Since we have reopened it, we’ve had 3,000 to 4,000 visitors every summer. We only open from April to September so this is a significant number of tourists for a town like Gort.
“It’s been an unbelievable success for Gort with the history of Yeats, Coole Park and connection to the whole area. I don’t think a lot of people here realise how well he is known all over the world. It’s been a great success.”
Thoor Ballylee Castle was built in 1485 and was owned by Yeats from 1916 until his death in 1939. The attached cottage and studio was built in the early 1800s.


theirishtimes--2020-03-04--Amorous cattle delight media as Kate and Will  inspect the beef

As the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrived in a shed full of beef cattle and chatted amicably with Teagasc staff about food production , one of the beasts who had been lined up to meet the royal pair got bored and started , well , humping his neighbour .
There was much delight among the assembled press pack with some of the photographers from the British newspapers vocally willing the unseemly scene to continue at least until the royals came into the yard .
But they missed their money shot by moments thanks to fast-acting staff at the farm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a bag of feed and stern words to dampen the unruly yearling ’ s ardour .
Maybe he was as bored as the journalists waiting for Prince William and Kate Middleton .
The royal couple were running late for their visit to the Teagasc Animal and Grassland Research Innovation Centre so , to pass the time , one of the British press pack had started reading a press release on the previous day ’ s activities .
What does “ a do-hane UA sail ” mean , he asked a couple of local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by Prince William at the Guinness Storehouse on Tuesday night .
“ Is it Gaelic ?
” “ A dhaoine uaisle , ” came the response after some confusion before a translation of sorts was provided .
“ I think it means ladies and gentlemen , ” the Irish reporter said .
A cow wandered across a nearby field with her two calves following close behind to see what the commotion was about .
The cow family got bored quickly and wandered off again .
“ Can you bring the cows back please @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Teagasc staff member who was waiting for the royals .
He responded with a withering , “ No , they ’ ve gone up the field now.
” One of the duke and duchess ’ s advance team approached the journalists and said the pair ’ s arrival was imminent .
She asked , in a pleading voice , for restraint to be shown when they arrived .
“ We ’ re not the animals , ” a photographer said .
There was a moment ’ s silence after that .
Then the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the convoy .
The couple hopped out of the car and walked through the farm in the company of director Eddie O ’ Riordan and beef scientist Paul Crossan .
“ Can you see what she ’ s wearing ?
” a harsh voice shouted .
“ She ’ s got an old Barbour on , ” came a response from the crowd .
As it happens Kate was giving her first nod on the three-day trip to Irish fashion and her jacket was from Dubarry .
Her blouse was from Barbour @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an impatient photographer asked what they were doing .
“ They ’ re looking at cows , ” he was told .
They were actually talking about the importance of farming , sustainability and the environment with O ’ Riordan and Crossan .
“ They were very knowledgeable and particularly interested in the farm-to-fork concept and the distance between consumers and food production , ” Crossan said after the tour ended .
“ They were also both very interested in countryside stewardship and the important role farmers have to play in that.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and “ whether or not farmers are being adequately rewarded for what they do .
They were talking about how in an increasingly urbanised world , consumers do not realise exactly how food is produced.
” As well as meeting Teagasc staff , the Royal pair also met 4th class children from the nearby Kilteal National School .
Among the children was Ava O ’ Connor .
“ It was really exciting , ” she said .
“ I talked to them about how our school promotes healthy eating and how important it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the pupils who got to meet the Duke and the Duchess .
“ They were lovely and seemed really interested in healthy eating and how important it was not to eat too many sweets .
I do like chocolate but I don ’ t eat too much of it , ” he said .
Their principal , Eileen O ’ Reilly , said the couple had told her they loved their trip to Ireland and wanted to return with their three children .
“ They said they would like to come back @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cycling tour and see the Irish countryside , ” she said .

As the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge arrived in a shed full of beef cattle and chatted amicably with Teagasc staff about food production, one of the beasts who had been lined up to meet the royal pair got bored and started, well, humping his neighbour.
There was much delight among the assembled press pack with some of the photographers from the British newspapers vocally willing the unseemly scene to continue at least until the royals came into the yard.
But they missed their money shot by moments thanks to fast-acting staff at the farm in Grange, Co Meath who used a bag of feed and stern words to dampen the unruly yearling's ardour.
Maybe he was as bored as the journalists waiting for Prince William and Kate Middleton. The royal couple were running late for their visit to the Teagasc Animal and Grassland Research Innovation Centre so, to pass the time, one of the British press pack had started reading a press release on the previous day's activities.
READ MORE
What does “a do-hane UA sail” mean, he asked a couple of local journalists as he read the comments made by Prince William at the Guinness Storehouse on Tuesday night. “Is it Gaelic?”
“A dhaoine uaisle,” came the response after some confusion before a translation of sorts was provided.
Kate Middleton and Prince William on the Howth cliff walk during day two of their visit to Ireland. Photograph: Chris Jackson, Pool/Getty Images
“I think it means ladies and gentlemen,” the Irish reporter said.
A cow wandered across a nearby field with her two calves following close behind to see what the commotion was about. The cow family got bored quickly and wandered off again.
“Can you bring the cows back please?” a photographer shouted at a Teagasc staff member who was waiting for the royals. He responded with a withering, “No, they’ve gone up the field now.”
Plea for restraint
One of the duke and duchess’s advance team approached the journalists and said the pair’s arrival was imminent. She asked, in a pleading voice, for restraint to be shown when they arrived.
“Don’t be climbing over everything.”
“We’re not the animals,” a photographer said.
There was a moment’s silence after that.
Then the Garda helicopter burred overhead signalling the arrival of the convoy. The couple hopped out of the car and walked through the farm in the company of director Eddie O’Riordan and beef scientist Paul Crossan.
“Can you see what she’s wearing?” a harsh voice shouted.
“She’s got an old Barbour on,” came a response from the crowd.
“Has she got heels on?”
“No, boots.”
As it happens Kate was giving her first nod on the three-day trip to Irish fashion and her jacket was from Dubarry. Her blouse was from Barbour.
When the pair disappeared briefly, an impatient photographer asked what they were doing.
“They’re looking at cows,” he was told.
They were actually talking about the importance of farming, sustainability and the environment with O’Riordan and Crossan.
“They were very knowledgeable and particularly interested in the farm-to-fork concept and the distance between consumers and food production,” Crossan said after the tour ended. “They were also both very interested in countryside stewardship and the important role farmers have to play in that.”
Crossan said they had discussed farm sustainability and “whether or not farmers are being adequately rewarded for what they do. They were talking about how in an increasingly urbanised world, consumers do not realise exactly how food is produced.”
National school pupils
As well as meeting Teagasc staff, the Royal pair also met 4th class children from the nearby Kilteal National School.
Among the children was Ava O’Connor. “It was really exciting,” she said. “I talked to them about how our school promotes healthy eating and how important it is.”
Michael Kane was another one of the pupils who got to meet the Duke and the Duchess. "They were lovely and seemed really interested in healthy eating and how important it was not to eat too many sweets. I do like chocolate but I don't eat too much of it," he said.
Their principal, Eileen O'Reilly, said the couple had told her they loved their trip to Ireland and wanted to return with their three children.
“They said they would like to come back here with the kids and do a cycling tour and see the Irish countryside,” she said.


theirishtimes--2020-03-04--Coronavirus: How are other countries coping?

The Republic ’ s second confirmed case of coronavirus , announced on Tuesday night , has focused minds on the measures that might have to be taken to limit the spread of the disease here .
The refusal of public health officials to identify the school affected by the first case has also sparked debate over the levels of transparency that should apply during an epidemic .
While Ireland is wrestling with the challenges of dealing with its few cases , many other countries are dealing with large-scale outbreaks and person-to-person transmission in their communities , as opposed to imported @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coping with this challenge ?
What can Ireland learn from their experience ?
A selection of Irish Times correspondents around the world report : The French public are kept abreast of developments in the coronavirus epidemic by a government website and a toll-free telephone number .
An hourly radio announcement from the ministry of health tells inhabitants to wash their hands often , avoid shaking hands or kissing cheeks and cough or sneeze into their elbow or a disposable tissue .
If they believe they have been contaminated , the French are advised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surgical mask when in the presence of other people .
If people need medical care , they are told not to go their doctor ’ s office , or hospital but to call the ambulance .
The director general of health Jérôme Salomon holds a daily briefing .
There are no restrictions on press coverage .
Figures and locations of coronavirus cases are updated daily on the government website .
As of Tuesday afternoon , 212 cases of Covid-19 had been confirmed .
There are three principal clusters .
In these areas , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ schools have closed , open air markets , public meetings , including church services , rallies for the March 15th-22nd municipal elections , cinemas , swimming pools , sports clubs , employment agencies have been shut down for at least 14 days .
Pensioners are not allowed to leave nursing homes .
People who have been in direct contact with a contaminated person are asked to stay at home .
Each infected person is asked to supply a list of people they have been in contact with in recent days .
There was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ football match was allowed to go ahead in Lyon , with the presence of 3,000 Italian supporters , despite the fact that northern Italy was a contaminated zone .
Passengers are allowed to board trains leaving contaminated zones without restriction .
On Wednesday the Louvre in Paris opened again , having been closed since Sunday , after employees worried about catching Covid-19 agreed to return to work .
In Belgium , where coronavirus cases have risen to 23 , health authorities have a website for advice and live updates .
When new cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ region and often the hospital where the patient is being treated .
( Local press sometimes report additional details like age and specific location . )
Doctors trace what contacts the patient had and test them “ if necessary ” .
People who fear they might be infected are advised to phone their doctor , and to wash their hands frequently .
If someone is experiencing symptoms after travelling to an affected region , they are told to isolate themselves , contact their doctor , and not to visit the emergency room .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ installing temporary buildings to keep coronavirus cases separate from other patients .
There have been two cases connected to European Union institutions .
As with infections in company workplaces , spokespeople for the organisations have confirmed details to media .
In cases connected to schools , the name of the school has been released to media by school management or local government .
The schools remained open , close contacts were tested , and classmates were told to monitor their temperatures .
Authorities have told staff and students were told they must continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have symptoms , and that any healthy students kept at home would be “ unlawfully absent ” .
“ If you close down a school , you cause a chain reaction .
Parents can not go to work , there is an economic impact , ” public health spokesman Jan Eyckmans told local press .
Since the weekend Belgium has been in “ phase 2 ” of its emergency plan , which means a focus on containing the spread of the virus ( phase 1 is keeping it out of the country ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would only be closed down if the situation moved to “ phase 3 ” , in which it is no longer possible to keep track of the spread of the virus and focus shifts to saving lives .
Chinese officials seriously downplayed the extent of the outbreak for several weeks but around January 20th the official policy suddenly shifted to declaring “ all-out war ” .
Within a week at least 760 million people were put under some form of quarantine , schools and businesses were shuttered , transport systems halted and public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been daily briefings , information is posted online detailing the number of new infections , suspected cases , fatalities and recoveries .
The online data gives regional breakdowns and lists the addresses of housing compounds , hotels etc where cases have been found .
There are designated hospitals and temporary centres set up for the infected .
If people think they might have contracted the virus they are advised to call a hotline and medics in hazmat suits come to their homes .
In the worst-affected areas , these centres have been overwhelmed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Given that some people with symptoms are afraid to go to the designated hospitals , local officials go door to door each day in some cities checking everyone ’ s temperature .
Chemists are closed in some areas to stop people with symptoms self-medicating instead of reporting .
Schools and colleges are still closed indefinitely across the country .
With the recent slowdown in infections in China , businesses in many regions are being encouraged to reopen , but most need to obtain written permission .
Moreover , many workers are still stuck @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during lunar new year .
An estimated 70 per cent of businesses remain closed .
Most cities are still insisting on a 14-day self-isolation period for anyone arriving from out of town .
Hubei and other seriously affected areas are still sealed off .
With regard to media coverage and online discussions , the domestic press , the internet and social media platforms are rigidly controlled by censors and content critical of the government or that strays far from the official narrative is quickly scrubbed .
Europe ’ s worst-hit country , Italy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other emergency measures on Wednesday to try to slow the spread .
Twenty-eight people have died in recent days bringing the total number of dead to 107 and the number of cases at 3,089 .
Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said the government was preparing a decree to try to slow infections .
A draft of the decree orders “ the suspension of events of any nature ... that entail the concentration of people and do not allow for a safety distance of at least one metre [ yard ] to be respected ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cinemas and theatres , and tells Italians not to shake hands or hug each other and to avoid “ direct physical contact with all people ” .
It also orders all major sporting events to be played in empty stadiums .
In the UK the government published an action plan on Tuesday hoping to contain the spread , as cases jumped to 87 .
The plan includes increased publicity about good hygiene and ill workers staying at home .
It includes population distancing strategies such as school closures , encouraging homeworking , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ New powers were introduced in England to allow people to be quarantined Brazil ’ s federal health ministry and state governments are issuing updates with officials giving regular briefings to media and posting bulletins and advice online .
The focus is on the number of confirmed and suspected cases in the country and their location .
Authorities are also providing information on prevention and advice on travel .
It has also set up a service to combat fake news .
People who suspect they might have contracted Covid-19 are obliged to inform authorities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has only two cases confirmed , both imported by travellers returning from Italy .
The names of the two people have not been divulged but authorities have identified the São Paulo hospital handling treatment .
Brazil ’ s congress last month passed a new law allowing the health ministry to submit people with suspected cases to compulsory testing , order compulsory quarantine and administer vaccines and other medical treatments .
It also allows for restrictions on people entering and leaving the country .
Hungary on Wednesday confirmed its first two cases of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country .
Last week , 11 secondary school students , two teachers and two drivers who had returned from a trip to northern Italy were placed in quarantine for a fortnight in a hospital in Budapest .
Several other Hungarians who have returned from affected areas and cruise ships are also in quarantine .
Hungarian officials say anyone with coronavirus symptoms or who has returned from badly affected areas should call rather than visit their doctor .
If possible infection is suspected , they will be transferred by ambulance to a clinic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ urged to keep calm after reports last week of panic buying , and hundreds of thousands of facemasks are being made available .
Gyorgy Bakondi , chief security adviser to Hungary ’ s anti-immigration prime minister Viktor Orban , announced on Sunday that for an indefinite period asylum seekers would not be admitted to the controversial “ transit zone ” on the Hungary-Serbia border .
He claimed there was “ a link ” between migration and the coronavirus , and said many of the migrants arriving at Hungary ’ s southern frontier were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Covid-19 hotspot .
Twenty-eight people have tested positive in India to the coronavirus , with a sharp rise in cases on Wednesday after 15 Italian tourists and their driver tested positive , while at least six other locals contracted the virus from a person returning from Italy .
The tourists are in quarantine in Delhi .
Another Italian national is presently under observation in the tourist city of Jaipur in western Rajasthan state .
According to the government ’ s Press Information Bureau ( PIB ) more than 500,000 passengers had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s airports .

Visitors queue outside the Louvre museum in Paris after staff ended coronavirus walkout following two days of closure. Photograph: Philippe Lopez/ AFP
The Republic’s second confirmed case of coronavirus, announced on Tuesday night, has focused minds on the measures that might have to be taken to limit the spread of the disease here. The refusal of public health officials to identify the school affected by the first case has also sparked debate over the levels of transparency that should apply during an epidemic.
While Ireland is wrestling with the challenges of dealing with its few cases, many other countries are dealing with large-scale outbreaks and person-to-person transmission in their communities, as opposed to imported cases.
So how are other countries coping with this challenge? What can Ireland learn from their experience? A selection of Irish Times correspondents around the world report:
France:
The French public are kept abreast of developments in the coronavirus epidemic by a government website and a toll-free telephone number.
READ MORE
An hourly radio announcement from the ministry of health tells inhabitants to wash their hands often, avoid shaking hands or kissing cheeks and cough or sneeze into their elbow or a disposable tissue.
If they believe they have been contaminated, the French are advised to stay at home and wear a surgical mask when in the presence of other people.
If people need medical care, they are told not to go their doctor’s office, or hospital but to call the ambulance.
The director general of health Jérôme Salomon holds a daily briefing. There are no restrictions on press coverage. Figures and locations of coronavirus cases are updated daily on the government website.
As of Tuesday afternoon, 212 cases of Covid-19 had been confirmed. There are three principal clusters. In these areas, classified as epidemic level 2, all schools have closed, open air markets, public meetings, including church services, rallies for the March 15th-22nd municipal elections, cinemas, swimming pools, sports clubs, employment agencies have been shut down for at least 14 days. Pensioners are not allowed to leave nursing homes.
People who have been in direct contact with a contaminated person are asked to stay at home.
Each infected person is asked to supply a list of people they have been in contact with in recent days.
There was widespread criticism when the February 26th Lyon-Turin football match was allowed to go ahead in Lyon, with the presence of 3,000 Italian supporters, despite the fact that northern Italy was a contaminated zone.
Passengers are allowed to board trains leaving contaminated zones without restriction. On Wednesday the Louvre in Paris opened again, having been closed since Sunday, after employees worried about catching Covid-19 agreed to return to work.
Belgium
In Belgium, where coronavirus cases have risen to 23, health authorities have a website for advice and live updates.
When new cases are announced, the authorities state the region and often the hospital where the patient is being treated. (Local press sometimes report additional details like age and specific location.) Doctors trace what contacts the patient had and test them “if necessary”.
People who fear they might be infected are advised to phone their doctor, and to wash their hands frequently. If someone is experiencing symptoms after travelling to an affected region, they are told to isolate themselves, contact their doctor, and not to visit the emergency room. Hospitals in the city of Liège are installing temporary buildings to keep coronavirus cases separate from other patients.
There have been two cases connected to European Union institutions. As with infections in company workplaces, spokespeople for the organisations have confirmed details to media.
In cases connected to schools, the name of the school has been released to media by school management or local government. The schools remained open, close contacts were tested, and classmates were told to monitor their temperatures.
Authorities have told staff and students were told they must continue to attend school if they do not have symptoms, and that any healthy students kept at home would be “unlawfully absent”.
“If you close down a school, you cause a chain reaction. Parents cannot go to work, there is an economic impact,” public health spokesman Jan Eyckmans told local press.
Since the weekend Belgium has been in “phase 2” of its emergency plan, which means a focus on containing the spread of the virus (phase 1 is keeping it out of the country). Schools, cinemas and public events would only be closed down if the situation moved to “phase 3”, in which it is no longer possible to keep track of the spread of the virus and focus shifts to saving lives.
China
Chinese officials seriously downplayed the extent of the outbreak for several weeks but around January 20th the official policy suddenly shifted to declaring “all-out war”. Within a week at least 760 million people were put under some form of quarantine, schools and businesses were shuttered, transport systems halted and public gatherings banned.
Since then there have been daily briefings, information is posted online detailing the number of new infections, suspected cases, fatalities and recoveries. The online data gives regional breakdowns and lists the addresses of housing compounds, hotels etc where cases have been found.
There are designated hospitals and temporary centres set up for the infected. If people think they might have contracted the virus they are advised to call a hotline and medics in hazmat suits come to their homes. In the worst-affected areas, these centres have been overwhelmed and are often unable to cope .
Given that some people with symptoms are afraid to go to the designated hospitals, local officials go door to door each day in some cities checking everyone’s temperature. Chemists are closed in some areas to stop people with symptoms self-medicating instead of reporting.
Schools and colleges are still closed indefinitely across the country. With the recent slowdown in infections in China, businesses in many regions are being encouraged to reopen, but most need to obtain written permission. Moreover, many workers are still stuck in their hometowns as the lockdowns came during lunar new year. An estimated 70 per cent of businesses remain closed.
Most cities are still insisting on a 14-day self-isolation period for anyone arriving from out of town. Hubei and other seriously affected areas are still sealed off.
With regard to media coverage and online discussions , the domestic press, the internet and social media platforms are rigidly controlled by censors and content critical of the government or that strays far from the official narrative is quickly scrubbed.
Italy
Europe’s worst-hit country, Italy closed all schools and universities and prepared other emergency measures on Wednesday to try to slow the spread. Twenty-eight people have died in recent days bringing the total number of dead to 107 and the number of cases at 3,089.
Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said the government was preparing a decree to try to slow infections. A draft of the decree orders “the suspension of events of any nature ... that entail the concentration of people and do not allow for a safety distance of at least one metre [yard] to be respected”. It calls for the closure of cinemas and theatres, and tells Italians not to shake hands or hug each other and to avoid “direct physical contact with all people”. It also orders all major sporting events to be played in empty stadiums.
UK
In the UK the government published an action plan on Tuesday hoping to contain the spread, as cases jumped to 87. The plan includes increased publicity about good hygiene and ill workers staying at home. It includes population distancing strategies such as school closures, encouraging homeworking, and reducing the number of large-scale gatherings. New powers were introduced in England to allow people to be quarantined
Brazil
Brazil’s federal health ministry and state governments are issuing updates with officials giving regular briefings to media and posting bulletins and advice online. The focus is on the number of confirmed and suspected cases in the country and their location. Authorities are also providing information on prevention and advice on travel. It has also set up a service to combat fake news .
People who suspect they might have contracted Covid-19 are obliged to inform authorities within 24 hours. Brazil so far has only two cases confirmed, both imported by travellers returning from Italy. The names of the two people have not been divulged but authorities have identified the São Paulo hospital handling treatment.
Brazil’s congress last month passed a new law allowing the health ministry to submit people with suspected cases to compulsory testing, order compulsory quarantine and administer vaccines and other medical treatments. It also allows for restrictions on people entering and leaving the country.
Hungary
Hungary on Wednesday confirmed its first two cases of the new coronavirus, both Iranian students in the country.
Last week, 11 secondary school students, two teachers and two drivers who had returned from a trip to northern Italy were placed in quarantine for a fortnight in a hospital in Budapest.
Several other Hungarians who have returned from affected areas and cruise ships are also in quarantine.
Hungarian officials say anyone with coronavirus symptoms or who has returned from badly affected areas should call rather than visit their doctor. If possible infection is suspected, they will be transferred by ambulance to a clinic for testing.
The public has been urged to keep calm after reports last week of panic buying, and hundreds of thousands of facemasks are being made available.
Gyorgy Bakondi, chief security adviser to Hungary's anti-immigration prime minister Viktor Orban, announced on Sunday that for an indefinite period asylum seekers would not be admitted to the controversial "transit zone" on the Hungary-Serbia border.
He claimed there was "a link" between migration and the coronavirus, and said many of the migrants arriving at Hungary's southern frontier were from or had travelled through Iran, a Covid-19 hotspot.
India
Twenty-eight people have tested positive in India to the coronavirus, with a sharp rise in cases on Wednesday after 15 Italian tourists and their driver tested positive, while at least six other locals contracted the virus from a person returning from Italy. The tourists are in quarantine in Delhi. Another Italian national is presently under observation in the tourist city of Jaipur in western Rajasthan state.
According to the government's Press Information Bureau (PIB) more than 500,000 passengers had been screened at several of the country's airports.


theirishtimes--2020-03-04--Coronavirus: No restrictions on public events, officials say

No public events are facing restrictions arising from the coronavirus outbreak , public health officials have said .
Guidelines on the holding of mass gatherings are currently being finalised with a view to restricting the spread of the virus .
The outbreak has already forced the postponement of the Ireland-Italy rugby match due to take place this weekend .
However , the Department of Health ’ s chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said “ at the moment , there are no implications for any event , large or small , in this country .
“ As things stand , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we see no implication for the St Patrick ’ s Day parade , and we don ’ t see that changing , ” Dr Holohan told journalists at the daily briefing from the National Public Health Emergency Team ( NPHET ) on Wednesday .
Dr Holohan warned against “ unilateral actions ” by “ well-intentioned ” people in communities which run the risk of creating confusion or reinforcing sterotypes .
While not referring to specific incidents - a Co Meath school closed on Wednesday due to fears over the virus - Dr Holohan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in local communities “ is informed by clear advice ” .
He said he understood why people might be concerned but there was information and guidance available on what to do from the HSE , which could assuage concerns .
Again defending the official stance on not naming the school where the first confirmed case is a student , he said the confidentiality of people had to be protected and there was no public interest in “ going further ” .
The process of tracing the contacts of the second confirmed case in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tuesday , is still ongoing , Dr John Cuddihy , director of the Health Protection Surveillance Centre , said .
No new cases had been confirmed on Wednesday at the time of the press briefing .

Dr Tony Holohan, the Department of Health’s chief medical officer, addresses a media briefing on Covid-19 (coronavirus) at the Department of Health in Dublin. Photograph: Gareth Chaney/Collins
No public events are facing restrictions arising from the coronavirus outbreak, public health officials have said.
Guidelines on the holding of mass gatherings are currently being finalised with a view to restricting the spread of the virus. The outbreak has already forced the postponement of the Ireland-Italy rugby match due to take place this weekend.
However, the Department of Health's chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said "at the moment, there are no implications for any event, large or small, in this country.
"As things stand, on the basis of our assessment, we see no implication for the St Patrick's Day parade, and we don't see that changing," Dr Holohan told journalists at the daily briefing from the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) on Wednesday.
READ MORE
Dr Holohan warned against “unilateral actions” by “well-intentioned” people in communities which run the risk of creating confusion or reinforcing sterotypes.
While not referring to specific incidents - a Co Meath school closed on Wednesday due to fears over the virus - Dr Holohan said it was important that whatever happened in local communities “is informed by clear advice”.
He said he understood why people might be concerned but there was information and guidance available on what to do from the HSE, which could assuage concerns.
Again defending the official stance on not naming the school where the first confirmed case is a student, he said the confidentiality of people had to be protected and there was no public interest in “going further”.
The process of tracing the contacts of the second confirmed case in the Republic, who tested positive on Tuesday, is still ongoing, Dr John Cuddihy, director of the Health Protection Surveillance Centre, said.
No new cases had been confirmed on Wednesday at the time of the press briefing.


theirishtimes--2020-03-04--Half of applicants for Irish Water’s ‘first fix free’ offer withdraw before leak fixed

More than half of those who applied for the “ first fix free ” scheme from Irish Water dropped out of the programme without having leaks fixed by the utility , recently released figures show .
Under the “ first fix free ” scheme , Irish Water offers to repair leaking water pipes on a householder ’ s property without charge .
Such repairs would have normally been the responsibility of the householder .
The Government set aside €51 million for the scheme , which received approval from the Commission for Regulation of Utilities in August 2015 .
However , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Water , in the following four years , some 43,330 left the scheme without having had leaks fixed .
Under the scheme , Irish Water fixed leaks without charge in 15,997 properties by the end of last year , or about 4,000 homes a year .
The figures were released by Irish Water under legislation on access to information on the environment .
Irish Water noted there was a range of reasons for people leaving the scheme , the most prevalent , covering more than 28,000 applications , being that the water leak @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which is not covered by the scheme .
Other reasons include the property not having an “ inside stop valve ” which Irish Water said was a key requirement of the scheme .
Further reasons for homeowners disengaging were that the property had shared water services with another property which made them ineligible ; the customer failed to engage further ; or the utility discovered no leak .
Irish Water said the length of time required to carry out an assessment was up to 10 business days , with an average of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In its most recent quarterly report to the Commission for Energy Regulation published online and covering the last four months of 2018 , Irish Water said it relied on a “ constant flow alarm ” when the meter records a flow of at least six litres an hour over a 48-hour period .
It then issues a letter to the customer indicating a potential leak .
The authority also said “ customers with a visible leak on their property can also contact Irish Water to avail of a free leak investigation ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Following the findings of the Joint Oireachtas Committee in 2017 , Irish Water is engaging with the Commission for Regulation of Utilities to assess how the benefits of the first fix policy can be further applied to leaks on the customer side of unmetered properties .
”

Under the ‘first fix free’ scheme, Irish Water offers to repair leaking water pipes on a householder’s property without charge.
More than half of those who applied for the “first fix free” scheme from Irish Water dropped out of the programme without having leaks fixed by the utility, recently released figures show.
Under the “first fix free” scheme, Irish Water offers to repair leaking water pipes on a householder’s property without charge. Such repairs would have normally been the responsibility of the householder.
The Government set aside €51 million for the scheme, which received approval from the Commission for Regulation of Utilities in August 2015.
However, while 81,476 householders initially engaged with Irish Water, in the following four years, some 43,330 left the scheme without having had leaks fixed.
READ MORE
Under the scheme, Irish Water fixed leaks without charge in 15,997 properties by the end of last year, or about 4,000 homes a year.
The figures were released by Irish Water under legislation on access to information on the environment.
Reasons
Irish Water noted there was a range of reasons for people leaving the scheme, the most prevalent, covering more than 28,000 applications, being that the water leak was inside the householder’s building, which is not covered by the scheme. Other reasons include the property not having an “inside stop valve” which Irish Water said was a key requirement of the scheme.
Further reasons for homeowners disengaging were that the property had shared water services with another property which made them ineligible; the customer failed to engage further; or the utility discovered no leak.
Irish Water said the length of time required to carry out an assessment was up to 10 business days, with an average of two months to effect a free fix.
In its most recent quarterly report to the Commission for Energy Regulation published online and covering the last four months of 2018, Irish Water said it relied on a “constant flow alarm” when the meter records a flow of at least six litres an hour over a 48-hour period. It then issues a letter to the customer indicating a potential leak.
The authority also said “customers with a visible leak on their property can also contact Irish Water to avail of a free leak investigation”.
The quarterly report added: “Following the findings of the Joint Oireachtas Committee in 2017, Irish Water is engaging with the Commission for Regulation of Utilities to assess how the benefits of the first fix policy can be further applied to leaks on the customer side of unmetered properties.”