theirishtimes--2020-02-18--What the flip? The case for and against flipped classrooms

During the general election , a suggestion by the Green Party caught the attention of many hard-pressed parents : getting rid of homework .
The case against homework is strong , with research consistently showing it is , at best , pointless and , at worst , damages children by eating into their play time .
Could the flipped classroom be a third way ?
Flipped classrooms seem like a relatively straightforward concept : students do the learning at home , usually by watching instructional videos , and then work on problem-solving and discussion in class .
Advocates say it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and frees up time for teachers and lecturers to help those who might otherwise fall behind .
Critics say that it can be hard to get students on board and claim that the flipped classroom model benefits students from families with more resources .
The Irish Times spoke to around a dozen educators at primary , secondary and third level to get their views on whether flipped classrooms should bounce into our schools and colleges – or whether they ought to flip off .
Much of the research on flipped classrooms is focused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the European Universities Association found that fewer than one in seven European universities found the model useful , while a more recent – and contested – study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology threw cold water on the idea that flipped classrooms boost student performance .
And a review of studies carried out in 2018 found that only about 15 per cent reported a positive impact on student engagement , although half of the studies report students get higher grades in the flipped classroom .
Rita Treacy is a qualified speech and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which runs a specific literacy programme for primary school children using a flipped model .
“ Children learn at different paces , or may miss classes if they ’ re sick , playing sports or taken out for learning support , and they don ’ t have sufficient time to practise and consolidate their learning , ” she says .
“ Flipped classrooms can be good for neurodiverse children who can pause , replay and learn at their own pace .
‘ Homework ’ is given in class , which allows the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ learning styles and gently picks up the students who are having difficulty.
” Treacy injects a note of caution , however .
“ The material has to be focused , clear and concise and , ideally interactive : if it ’ s just a video , students are at the mercy of how good or bad the material is .
And there needs to be clear session plans .
We ’ re very aware of attention spans , so Wordsworth has been developed around short instructional videos .
The parent ’ s role @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make sure the child is actively engaging.
” Le Chéile , a secondary school in Tyrellstown , Dublin 15 , uses iPads and some degree of flipped learning .
Áine Moran , founding principal of the school and currently on secondment as leadership and ethos officer of the Le Chéile schools , agrees that schools can ’ t simply bring in flipped learning on a whim .
“ Our teachers make their own videos , ” she explains .
“ These videos contain some key questions and students will be asked what they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In school the next day , the children have already differentiated themselves .
I can give ‘ homework ’ to students who can fly ahead , and then give more focused or one-on-one attention to others .
Nobody is at home upset that they can ’ t do the homework .
While there may be more work for teachers in setting it up , they do enjoy the chance for uninterrupted teaching , and they can hit all the buttons they want in a particular lesson.
” Flipped learning has its limitations , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ video is your homework , but I wouldn ’ t use it all the time .
In my own subject , business studies , it ’ s useful for book-keeping but less so for marketing .
I can see a particular value in science , technology , engineering and maths subjects.
” It ’ s at third level , however , where most of the action is taking place .
Various higher education institutions are experimenting with the concept , including Dublin City University ( DCU ) , Trinity , the National College @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Business School ( DBS ) .
Dr Eimear Long , a law lecturer at DBS , says that she posts documents , screencasts , podcasts and online activities on Moodle ( a virtual learning environment ) as part of a partially flipped approach .
“ Students are expected to cover this material in their own time in advance of class , with the class then focusing on the application of that knowledge .
It ’ s a good model for introducing variety in methods of presenting materials and developing skills , ” she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the school of computing in NCI , has presented on this topic at international conferences .
She says that flipped classrooms work best with another pedagogy .
In one module , she combines it with problem-based learning ; in another , she employs more traditional teaching methods to help students learn “ how to learn ” from online video content .
“ In order for it to work , all stakeholders must be on board .
I tweaked and changed my approach through the semester.
” Dr Ciara O ’ Farrell is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where flipped learning approaches have been trialled in some modules .
“ Flipped learning should not place additional demands on students ’ time and , where used , needs to be factored into the contact and study hours , ” she says .
“ One of the biggest challenges is getting buy-in from the students , so it needs to be underpinned by strong pedagogy and data analytics tools .
And it can be especially useful where a subject doesn ’ t have tutorials.
” Dr Mark Glynn , head of the teaching @ @ @ @ @ @ @ flipped learning needs to be carefully implemented , but says that it frees up more time for deeper understanding .
“ You lead with the teaching , not the technology .
But a ten minute video takes more than ten minutes to make and that ’ s why we want lecturers to work with units like ours before changing to flipped learning .
It needs continuous professional development and proper training for staff.
” Greg Foley , associate professor of biotechnology at DCU , is sceptical about the flipped learning model , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this journalist via Twitter .
“ My students were not buying into flipped learning , ” he says .
“ Being a college student these days involves a lot of continuous assessment and semesterised exams , and flipped learning is enforcing a study pattern on them when they should have more control and freedom over their own destiny .
I would also worry that students who are not well-off , working outside college and commuting long distances are under pressure to more work at home.
” Foley says that there can be a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but he has not seen convincing evidence that the familiar model needs change .
His view is supported by Daisy Christodoulou , director of UK-based No More Marking and author of the forthcoming book Teachers vs Tech .
“ I ’ m in favour of evidence-based education technology , but there can be a view in education that we don ’ t need facts anymore because we have smartphones and Google and that it should be all about how to think , ” she says .
“ This neglects that , even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ working memories and we need facts in our long-term memory to be able to think.
” She feels flipped learning can be effective , and many teachers have seen the pitfalls and worked around them , but there is a danger of students developing misconception and making mistakes and errors .

During the general election, a suggestion by the Green Party caught the attention of many hard-pressed parents: getting rid of homework.
The case against homework is strong, with research consistently showing it is, at best, pointless and, at worst, damages children by eating into their play time. Could the flipped classroom be a third way?
Flipped classrooms seem like a relatively straightforward concept: students do the learning at home, usually by watching instructional videos, and then work on problem-solving and discussion in class.
A review of studies found that only about 15 per cent reported a positive impact on student engagement, although half of the studies report students get higher grades
Advocates say it benefits students who learn at different paces and frees up time for teachers and lecturers to help those who might otherwise fall behind.
READ MORE
Critics say that it can be hard to get students on board and claim that the flipped classroom model benefits students from families with more resources.
The Irish Times spoke to around a dozen educators at primary, secondary and third level to get their views on whether flipped classrooms should bounce into our schools and colleges – or whether they ought to flip off.
Research
Much of the research on flipped classrooms is focused on third level. A 2018 survey by the European Universities Association found that fewer than one in seven European universities found the model useful, while a more recent – and contested – study by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology threw cold water on the idea that flipped classrooms boost student performance.
And a review of studies carried out in 2018 found that only about 15 per cent reported a positive impact on student engagement, although half of the studies report students get higher grades in the flipped classroom.
Rita Treacy is a qualified speech and language therapist and director of Wordsworth Learning, which runs a specific literacy programme for primary school children using a flipped model.
“Children learn at different paces, or may miss classes if they’re sick, playing sports or taken out for learning support, and they don’t have sufficient time to practise and consolidate their learning,” she says.
“Flipped classrooms can be good for neurodiverse children who can pause, replay and learn at their own pace. ‘Homework’ is given in class, which allows the teacher to gain a better understanding of learning styles and gently picks up the students who are having difficulty.”
Treacy injects a note of caution, however. “The material has to be focused, clear and concise and, ideally interactive: if it’s just a video, students are at the mercy of how good or bad the material is. And there needs to be clear session plans. We’re very aware of attention spans, so Wordsworth has been developed around short instructional videos. The parent’s role is as facilitator and monitor, to make sure the child is actively engaging.”
Pupils from Le Chéile Secondary School in Tyrellstown, which has embraced flipped learning. Photograph: Dave Meehan
Whim
Le Chéile, a secondary school in Tyrellstown, Dublin 15, uses iPads and some degree of flipped learning. Áine Moran, founding principal of the school and currently on secondment as leadership and ethos officer of the Le Chéile schools, agrees that schools can’t simply bring in flipped learning on a whim.
“Our teachers make their own videos,” she explains. “These videos contain some key questions and students will be asked what they could and could not follow.
“In school the next day, the children have already differentiated themselves. I can give ‘homework’ to students who can fly ahead, and then give more focused or one-on-one attention to others. Nobody is at home upset that they can’t do the homework. While there may be more work for teachers in setting it up, they do enjoy the chance for uninterrupted teaching, and they can hit all the buttons they want in a particular lesson.”
'Flipped learning should not place additional demands on students' time and, where used, needs to be factored into the contact and study hours'
Flipped learning has its limitations, Moran says. “Sometimes watching a video is your homework, but I wouldn’t use it all the time. In my own subject, business studies, it’s useful for book-keeping but less so for marketing. I can see a particular value in science, technology, engineering and maths subjects.”
Third level
It's at third level, however, where most of the action is taking place. Various higher education institutions are experimenting with the concept, including Dublin City University (DCU), Trinity, the National College of Ireland (NCI) and Dublin Business School (DBS).
Dr Eimear Long, a law lecturer at DBS, says that she posts documents, screencasts, podcasts and online activities on Moodle (a virtual learning environment) as part of a partially flipped approach.
“Students are expected to cover this material in their own time in advance of class, with the class then focusing on the application of that knowledge. It’s a good model for introducing variety in methods of presenting materials and developing skills,” she says.
Frances Sheridan, a lecturer at the school of computing in NCI, has presented on this topic at international conferences. She says that flipped classrooms work best with another pedagogy.
In one module, she combines it with problem-based learning; in another, she employs more traditional teaching methods to help students learn “how to learn” from online video content. “In order for it to work, all stakeholders must be on board. I tweaked and changed my approach through the semester.”
Dr Ciara O’Farrell is head of academic practice in Trinity, where flipped learning approaches have been trialled in some modules.
'I would worry that students who are not well-off, working outside college and commuting long distances are under pressure to more work at home'
“Flipped learning should not place additional demands on students’ time and, where used, needs to be factored into the contact and study hours,” she says.
“One of the biggest challenges is getting buy-in from the students, so it needs to be underpinned by strong pedagogy and data analytics tools. And it can be especially useful where a subject doesn’t have tutorials.”
Dr Mark Glynn, head of the teaching enhancement unit at DCU, agrees that flipped learning needs to be carefully implemented, but says that it frees up more time for deeper understanding.
“You lead with the teaching, not the technology. But a ten minute video takes more than ten minutes to make and that’s why we want lecturers to work with units like ours before changing to flipped learning. It needs continuous professional development and proper training for staff.”
Advocates of flipped classrooms say they benefit students who learn at different paces. Photograph: iStock
Flip off
Greg Foley, associate professor of biotechnology at DCU, is sceptical about the flipped learning model, as are a number of teachers who contacted this journalist via Twitter.
“My students were not buying into flipped learning,” he says. “Being a college student these days involves a lot of continuous assessment and semesterised exams, and flipped learning is enforcing a study pattern on them when they should have more control and freedom over their own destiny. I would also worry that students who are not well-off, working outside college and commuting long distances are under pressure to more work at home.”
Foley says that there can be a “cult of innovation” in education, but he has not seen convincing evidence that the familiar model needs change.
His view is supported by Daisy Christodoulou, director of UK-based No More Marking and author of the forthcoming book Teachers vs Tech.
"I'm in favour of evidence-based education technology, but there can be a view in education that we don't need facts anymore because we have smartphones and Google and that it should be all about how to think," she says.
“This neglects that, even without fake news, we have limited working memories and we need facts in our long-term memory to be able to think.”
She feels flipped learning can be effective, and many teachers have seen the pitfalls and worked around them, but there is a danger of students developing misconception and making mistakes and errors.


theirishtimes--2020-02-17--Jeff Bezos pledges $10bn to fund fight against climate change

Amazon chief executive officer ( CEO ) Jeff Bezos will commit $ 10 billion ( €9.2 billion ) to fund scientists , activists , nonprofits and other groups fighting to protect the environment and counter the effects of climate change , he said on Monday .
Cutting emissions will be challenging for Amazon .
The e-commerce company delivers 10 billion items a year , has a massive transportation and data center footprint , and has faced criticism from within its own workforce .
Mr Bezos , the world ’ s richest man , is among a growing list of billionaires @ @ @ @ @ @ @ impact of global warming .
“ Climate change is the biggest threat to our planet , ” Mr Bezos said in an Instagram post .
“ I want to work alongside others both to amplify known ways and to explore new ways of fighting the devastating impact of climate change on this planet we all share.
” The Bezos Earth Fund will begin issuing grants this summer as part of the initiative .
“ It ’ s going to take collective action from big companies , small companies , nation states , global @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
Counteracting climate change has become a popular cause for US billionaires in recent years , with Microsoft ’ s Bill Gates , Michael Bloomberg and hedge fund manager Tom Steyer counted among the world ’ s wealthiest environmental philanthropists .
Last year , Mr Bezos pledged to make online retailer Amazon net carbon neutral by 2040 – the first major corporation to announce such a goal – and to buy 100,000 electric delivery vehicles from US vehicle design and manufacturing startup Rivian Automotive LLC .
Mr Bezos also said at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Paris climate accord 10 years ahead of the accord ’ s schedule and invest $ 100 million ( €92 million ) to restore forests and wetlands .
Amazon has faced protests by environmental activists and pressure from its employees to take action on climate change .
Amazon workers were among hundreds of employees of big technology companies to join climate-change marches in San Francisco and Seattle late last year , saying their employers had been too slow to tackle global warming and needed to take more drastic action .
Amazon Employees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group , welcomed the Bezos Earth Fund announcement , but said it did not make up for the company ’ s consumption of fossil fuels and other activities that contribute to climate change .
“ We applaud Jeff Bezos ’ philanthropy , but one hand can not give what the other is taking away , ” the group said on Twitter .
– Reuters

Jeff Bezos is among a growing list of billionaires to dedicate substantial funds to battling the impact of global warming. File photograph: Ted S Warren/AP
Amazon chief executive officer (CEO) Jeff Bezos will commit $10 billion (€9.2 billion) to fund scientists, activists, nonprofits and other groups fighting to protect the environment and counter the effects of climate change, he said on Monday.
Cutting emissions will be challenging for Amazon. The e-commerce company delivers 10 billion items a year, has a massive transportation and data center footprint, and has faced criticism from within its own workforce.
Mr Bezos, the world’s richest man, is among a growing list of billionaires to dedicate substantial funds to battling the impact of global warming.
As employees, here is our statement to Jeff Bezos' Earth Fund announcement (as an image): pic.twitter.com/opgcCpa67D — Amazon Employees For Climate Justice (@AMZNforClimate) February 17, 2020
“Climate change is the biggest threat to our planet,” Mr Bezos said in an Instagram post. “I want to work alongside others both to amplify known ways and to explore new ways of fighting the devastating impact of climate change on this planet we all share.”
READ MORE
The Bezos Earth Fund will begin issuing grants this summer as part of the initiative.
“It’s going to take collective action from big companies, small companies, nation states, global organizations, and individuals,” Bezos said.
Counteracting climate change has become a popular cause for US billionaires in recent years, with Microsoft’s Bill Gates, Michael Bloomberg and hedge fund manager Tom Steyer counted among the world’s wealthiest environmental philanthropists.
Forest restoration
Last year, Mr Bezos pledged to make online retailer Amazon net carbon neutral by 2040 – the first major corporation to announce such a goal – and to buy 100,000 electric delivery vehicles from US vehicle design and manufacturing startup Rivian Automotive LLC.
Mr Bezos also said at the time that Amazon would meet the goals of the Paris climate accord 10 years ahead of the accord’s schedule and invest $100 million (€92 million) to restore forests and wetlands.
Amazon has faced protests by environmental activists and pressure from its employees to take action on climate change.
Amazon workers were among hundreds of employees of big technology companies to join climate-change marches in San Francisco and Seattle late last year, saying their employers had been too slow to tackle global warming and needed to take more drastic action.
Amazon Employees for Climate Justice, an activist workers group, welcomed the Bezos Earth Fund announcement, but said it did not make up for the company’s consumption of fossil fuels and other activities that contribute to climate change.
“We applaud Jeff Bezos’ philanthropy, but one hand cannot give what the other is taking away,” the group said on Twitter. – Reuters


theirishtimes--2020-02-17--Auction of Anglo Irish Bank art exceeds expectations

An auction of artworks from the New York office of the defunct Anglo Irish Bank sold for twice the estimated pre-sale value on Monday evening .
The sale was the second of three lots of artworks the now infamous bust bank ’ s liquidators put up for auction by Whyte ’ s auctioneers on Molesworth Street , Dublin city centre .
The sale of the 26 artworks was expected to fetch between €10,000 and €15,000 , but sold for €29,000 , according to managing director Ian Whyte .
The artworks were put up for sale by the liquidators of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the remnants of Anglo and Irish Nationwide Building Society and was set up in the aftermath of the financial collapse .
Whyte ’ s have a further seven pieces from Anglo offices which will be auctioned in a sale on March 9th , with a pre-sale estimate of about €3,000 .
The Monday sale was an online auction and the majority of bidders were Irish collectors , although there was a small amount of American interest , said Mr Whyte .
“ It did very well .
.
.
They ’ re big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re colourful , ” he said of the pieces , which previously adorned the walls and halls of the American office of the most controversial bank in Ireland .
“ They were bought for the New York office , so a New York interior designer probably picked them out , ” said Mr Whyte .
The pieces were described on the auction website as “ an interesting collection of contemporary American art ” .
The pieces were “ attractive ” and would likely have been “ reasonably priced ” when purchased for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said Mr Whyte .
One of the pieces , painted by American-Iranian artist Ali Golkar , had an estimated sale price of €300-€500 , but sold for €5,000 on Monday .
Another work from English artist Kerry Hallam had a guide price of €300-€500 and sold for €3,200 .
“ There was low estimates because it is a liquidation sale , ” said Mr Whyte , adding that there had been “ a lot of competition ” during the Monday auction .
Given the notoriety that now surrounds the defunct lender , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ liquidated bank would likely be a dinner party “ conversation piece ” for buyers , said Mr Whyte .

American-Iranian artist Ali Golkar’s The Musician and her Apprentice had an estimated sale price of €300-€500, but sold for €5,000.
An auction of artworks from the New York office of the defunct Anglo Irish Bank sold for twice the estimated pre-sale value on Monday evening.
The sale was the second of three lots of artworks the now infamous bust bank's liquidators put up for auction by Whyte's auctioneers on Molesworth Street, Dublin city centre.
The sale of the 26 artworks was expected to fetch between €10,000 and €15,000, but sold for €29,000, according to managing director Ian Whyte.
The artworks were put up for sale by the liquidators of the Irish Bank Resolution Corporation, which houses the remnants of Anglo and Irish Nationwide Building Society and was set up in the aftermath of the financial collapse.
READ MORE
Whyte’s have a further seven pieces from Anglo offices which will be auctioned in a sale on March 9th, with a pre-sale estimate of about €3,000.
The Monday sale was an online auction and the majority of bidders were Irish collectors, although there was a small amount of American interest, said Mr Whyte.
“It did very well . . . They’re big and they’re bright and they’re colourful,” he said of the pieces, which previously adorned the walls and halls of the American office of the most controversial bank in Ireland.
“They were bought for the New York office, so a New York interior designer probably picked them out,” said Mr Whyte. The pieces were described on the auction website as “an interesting collection of contemporary American art”.
The pieces were “attractive” and would likely have been “reasonably priced” when purchased for the bank’s New York office, said Mr Whyte.
One of the pieces, painted by American-Iranian artist Ali Golkar, had an estimated sale price of €300-€500, but sold for €5,000 on Monday.
Another work from English artist Kerry Hallam had a guide price of €300-€500 and sold for €3,200.
“There was low estimates because it is a liquidation sale,” said Mr Whyte, adding that there had been “a lot of competition” during the Monday auction.
Given the notoriety that now surrounds the defunct lender, acquiring a piece previously owned by the liquidated bank would likely be a dinner party “conversation piece” for buyers, said Mr Whyte.


theirishtimes--2020-02-17--New Church of Ireland bishop of Connor is elected

The newly elected Church of Ireland bishop of Connor is Archdeacon of Belfast George Davison ( 55 ) .
He succeeds Bishop Alan Abernethy , who retired at the end of December last .
The diocese includes most of Co Antrim .
Rector of St Nicholas ’ s Church , Carrickfergus , Co Antrim , and an honorary secretary of the Church of Ireland ’ s General Synod , the newly elected bishop was previously archdeacon of Kilmore and rector of Kinawley , in the Kilmore , Elphin and Ardagh diocese .
Ordained in 1992 , he began his ministry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of St Mark ’ s , Portadown , where he remained until 1995 , when he became rector of Kinawley .
Married to Nadine , he has two adult children , Erin and James .
He was elected following a meeting of the Electoral College for the Diocese of Connor , which took place in the Alexander Synod Hall , in Armagh , on Monday .
President of the electoral college and Bishop of Tuam , Killala and Achonry Patrick Rooke said he was confident the newly elected bishop “ will be a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leader in a diocese he knows well .
“ I look forward to working alongside him in the wider church and wish him well as he prepares for this new phase of ministry.
” For his part , the archdeacon said he was “ very conscious of the great responsibility that is being entrusted to me .
“ I am immensely thankful for the gifted colleagues who serve the church in Connor diocese and look forward to serving with them as we seek to share the good news of Jesus Christ in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Church of Ireland House of Bishops , the archdeacon will be consecrated as bishop of Connor on a date yet to be determined .
Meanwhile , it has been announced that the House of Bishops will meet to elect a new archbishop of Armagh and primate of All Ireland on February 27th and 28th .
It follows the retirement of Archbishop of Armagh Richard Clarke on February 2nd .

Archdeacon of Belfast George Davison (55) has been elected as bishop of Connor
The newly elected Church of Ireland bishop of Connor is Archdeacon of Belfast George Davison (55). He succeeds Bishop Alan Abernethy, who retired at the end of December last. The diocese includes most of Co Antrim.
Rector of St Nicholas's Church, Carrickfergus, Co Antrim, and an honorary secretary of the Church of Ireland's General Synod, the newly elected bishop was previously archdeacon of Kilmore and rector of Kinawley, in the Kilmore, Elphin and Ardagh diocese.
Ordained in 1992, he began his ministry in the diocese of Armagh as curate of St Mark's, Portadown, where he remained until 1995, when he became rector of Kinawley. Married to Nadine, he has two adult children, Erin and James.
He was elected following a meeting of the Electoral College for the Diocese of Connor, which took place in the Alexander Synod Hall, in Armagh, on Monday.
READ MORE
President of the electoral college and Bishop of Tuam, Killala and Achonry Patrick Rooke said he was confident the newly elected bishop "will be a popular choice and a wise and caring leader in a diocese he knows well.
“I look forward to working alongside him in the wider church and wish him well as he prepares for this new phase of ministry.”
‘Great responsibility’
For his part, the archdeacon said he was “very conscious of the great responsibility that is being entrusted to me.
"I am immensely thankful for the gifted colleagues who serve the church in Connor diocese and look forward to serving with them as we seek to share the good news of Jesus Christ in the years ahead."
Following approval by the Church of Ireland House of Bishops, the archdeacon will be consecrated as bishop of Connor on a date yet to be determined.
Meanwhile, it has been announced that the House of Bishops will meet to elect a new archbishop of Armagh and primate of All Ireland on February 27th and 28th.
It follows the retirement of Archbishop of Armagh Richard Clarke on February 2nd.


theirishtimes--2020-02-17--Pensioner cheated of more than €10,000 by serial offender

A father-of-five who who went to the house of a 74-year-old woman and cheated her out of more than €10,000 has been jailed for three years .
Judge Sean O ’ Donnabhain called the crime a “ despicable and mean offence.
” Cork Circuit Criminal Court heard that the pensioner who suffered at the hands of Denis O ’ Brien ( 29 ) from Hazelwood Drive in Ballyspillane , Killarney , Co Kerry , had set the money aside for her funeral before she was preyed on by the bogus tradesman .
O ’ Brien has 59 previous convictions .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ elderly people ranging in age from 67 to a vulnerable 86-year-old man .
Det Garda John Gleeson told the court that on September 26th of last year O ’ Brien went to the house of a woman in her seventies in Brian Dillon Park , Cork .
He told the woman that he was her neighbour ’ s nephew and that she had work carried out on her home and could not afford to pay .
The householder made out a cheque to the value of €4,900 and O ’ Brien also stole @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A day later an accomplice went to the bank and cashed the cheque .
O ’ Brien then returned to the pensioner and said he needed more money for the alleged works .
She went to the credit union and withdrew €4,500 .
The accomplice also went to AIB with this cheque to cash it .
The second man was paid just €600 for his involvement in the deception .
At an earlier hearing of the case O ’ Brien told Cork District Court that he was the main carer for his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disease and emphysema .
His five children range in age from six years to six months .
Det Garda Gleeson said that O ’ Brien was arrested after CCTV footage tied him to the crime .
He said O ’ Brien , who lives in a caravan , was without visible means of support .
The court heard from barrister Paula McCarthy who said genuine efforts were being made by her client to raise compensation funds .
But the judge expressed concern about the provenance of said compensation .
“ This lady deserves @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there was a lawful source it would keep everyone happy.
” The judge decided to finalise sentencing when Det Garda Gleeson told him that he would be concerned about the origin of any compensation furnished by O ’ Brien .
The judge described the crime as despicable , adding that he had preyed on the “ innocence and vulnerability ” of the woman .
He jailed O ’ Brien for five years , suspending the last three .
Meanwhile , Paddy O ’ Brien who campaigns for the elderly in Cork city , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Many years ago the problem was that elderly people didn ’ t have enough to live on .
That has changed , thankfully .
The greatest single problem they have now is living in fear ; they are afraid to go to bed at night .
It is frightening what people are experiencing .
“ Neighbours need to more vigilant .
Seeing a strange car or a strange person knocking at a neighbour ’ s door .
Take their [ car ] number .
This has to be a collective effort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

The judge finalised sentencing when told of Garda concern about the origin of any compensation furnished by Denis O’Brien.
A father-of-five who who went to the house of a 74-year-old woman and cheated her out of more than €10,000 has been jailed for three years.
Judge Sean O’Donnabhain called the crime a “despicable and mean offence.”
Cork Circuit Criminal Court heard that the pensioner who suffered at the hands of Denis O’Brien (29) from Hazelwood Drive in Ballyspillane, Killarney, Co Kerry, had set the money aside for her funeral before she was preyed on by the bogus tradesman.
O’Brien has 59 previous convictions. These include theft by deception involving four elderly people ranging in age from 67 to a vulnerable 86-year-old man.
READ MORE
Det Garda John Gleeson told the court that on September 26th of last year O’Brien went to the house of a woman in her seventies in Brian Dillon Park, Cork. He told the woman that he was her neighbour’s nephew and that she had work carried out on her home and could not afford to pay.
The householder made out a cheque to the value of €4,900 and O’Brien also stole a blank cheque and €600 in cash.
A day later an accomplice went to the bank and cashed the cheque. O’Brien then returned to the pensioner and said he needed more money for the alleged works. She went to the credit union and withdrew €4,500.
The accomplice also went to AIB with this cheque to cash it. The second man was paid just €600 for his involvement in the deception.
At an earlier hearing of the case O’Brien told Cork District Court that he was the main carer for his mother, who suffers from chronic lung disease and emphysema. His five children range in age from six years to six months.
Det Garda Gleeson said that O’Brien was arrested after CCTV footage tied him to the crime. He said O’Brien, who lives in a caravan, was without visible means of support.
The court heard from barrister Paula McCarthy who said genuine efforts were being made by her client to raise compensation funds. But the judge expressed concern about the provenance of said compensation.
“This lady deserves to get her money back and if there was a lawful source it would keep everyone happy.”
The judge decided to finalise sentencing when Det Garda Gleeson told him that he would be concerned about the origin of any compensation furnished by O’Brien.
The judge described the crime as despicable, adding that he had preyed on the “innocence and vulnerability” of the woman. He jailed O’Brien for five years, suspending the last three.
Elderly and vigilance
Meanwhile, Paddy O’Brien who campaigns for the elderly in Cork city, has issued a warning about bogus tradesman.
“Many years ago the problem was that elderly people didn’t have enough to live on. That has changed, thankfully. The greatest single problem they have now is living in fear; they are afraid to go to bed at night. It is frightening what people are experiencing.
“Neighbours need to more vigilant. Seeing a strange car or a strange person knocking at a neighbour’s door. Take their [car] number. This has to be a collective effort, not just by the gardaí only.


theirishtimes--2020-02-17--ISPCA calls on dog owners to keep their pets under control following attacks

There has been “ a number of reports ” of dogs killing or causing injuries to sheep and lambs in recent weeks , the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ( ISPCA ) has said .
The ISPCA has reminded dog owners to act responsibly and keep their pets under control when in the countryside or around livestock , as it is peak lambing season .
“ Dog owners must keep their dogs under control at all times and can be held responsible for attacks on sheep which can have serious financial and legal consequences , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ISPCA .
“ This can be a hugely stressful time for sheep farmers trying to protect their flock and they can often experience horrific dog attacks , causing damage to their sheep , pregnant ewes and lambs during lambing season , from January through to Spring .
“ Even the most docile , well-behaved dogs ’ natural instinct is to chase , which can result in them taking part in pack behaviour.
” Mr Kelly said pregnant ewes can be seriously injured in a panic to escape from chasing dogs , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ devastating for farmers ” .
“ Allowing a dog to roam is not only irresponsible but it is also an offence not to have your dog under effective control and local authorities are enforcing the Control of Dog ’ s Act , ” he added .
The ISPCA has also reminded dog owners that it is a legal requirement to have all dogs microchipped .
Puppies must be microchipped by the time they are 12 weeks old or before they leave the breeding premises .
Owners must also be in possession of s @ @ @

The ISPCA said pregnant ewes can be seriously injured in a panic to escape from chasing dogs. Photograph: iStock
There has been “a number of reports” of dogs killing or causing injuries to sheep and lambs in recent weeks, the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA) has said.
The ISPCA has reminded dog owners to act responsibly and keep their pets under control when in the countryside or around livestock, as it is peak lambing season.
"Dog owners must keep their dogs under control at all times and can be held responsible for attacks on sheep which can have serious financial and legal consequences," said Andrew Kelly, chief executive of the ISPCA.
“This can be a hugely stressful time for sheep farmers trying to protect their flock and they can often experience horrific dog attacks, causing damage to their sheep, pregnant ewes and lambs during lambing season, from January through to Spring.
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“Even the most docile, well-behaved dogs’ natural instinct is to chase, which can result in them taking part in pack behaviour.”
Mr Kelly said pregnant ewes can be seriously injured in a panic to escape from chasing dogs, “often miscarrying their lambs, which is devastating for farmers”.
“Allowing a dog to roam is not only irresponsible but it is also an offence not to have your dog under effective control and local authorities are enforcing the Control of Dog’s Act,” he added.
The ISPCA has also reminded dog owners that it is a legal requirement to have all dogs microchipped. Puppies must be microchipped by the time they are 12 weeks old or before they leave the breeding premises. Owners must also be in possession of s microchip certificate.


theirishtimes--2020-02-17--Cocaine found concealed in Dublin parcel post in Nike trainers

Cocaine and herbal cannabis have been discovered in parcel post in Dublin hidden inside a pair of Nike Max Air @ @ @ @ @ as a woman ’ s coat and child ’ s toy .
The combined value @ @ @ @ @ four parcels , which had been sent from Britain and the United States , has @ @ @ @ @ Revenue ’ s Customs Service said the discovery had been made as a result of @ @ @ @ @ the assistance of drug detection dog Bailey .
Some 1.2kg of cannabis herb was found @ @ @ @ @ a Vintage Tommy clothing , a Hot Wheels toy car and a Forever21 Woman ’ @ @ @ @ @ remaining parcel 20g of cocaine was concealed in the Nike Air Max trainers .
All @ @ @ @ @ the same address in Dublin and a criminal investigation into the origins of the drugs @ @ @ @ @ continuing .
Seizures of drugs in the postal service have become more common in the @ @ @ @ @ of people on the darknet offering drugs for sale online has increased exponentially .

Revenue’s Customs Service discovered 20g of cocaine concealed in the Nike Air Max trainers as well as 1.2kg of cannabis herb inside three other parcels. Photograph: iStock
Cocaine and herbal cannabis have been discovered in parcel post in Dublin hidden inside a pair of Nike Max Air trainers and in parcels declared as a woman's coat and child's toy.
The combined value of drugs found inside the four parcels, which had been sent from Britain and the United States, has been estimated at €25,400.
Revenue’s Customs Service said the discovery had been made as a result of routine screening operations and with the assistance of drug detection dog Bailey.
Intended recipient
Some 1.2kg of cannabis herb was found inside three parcels marked as a Vintage Tommy clothing, a Hot Wheels toy car and a Forever21 Woman’s coat. In the remaining parcel 20g of cocaine was concealed in the Nike Air Max trainers.
READ MORE
All four parcels were destined for the same address in Dublin and a criminal investigation into the origins of the drugs and their intended recipient was continuing.
Seizures of drugs in the postal service have become more common in the past decade as the number of people on the darknet offering drugs for sale online has increased exponentially.


theirishtimes--2020-02-17--Gardaí investigate theft of jet fuel at Dublin Airport

Gardaí are investigating the suspected theft of aviation fuel at Dublin Airport last year .
It is understood the fuel @ @ @ @ @ Two airline employees are suspected of stealing up to €10,000 worth of the fuel from @ @ @ @ @ of time .
It is suspected the fuel was being sold as home heating oil @ @ @ @ @ themselves to heat their own homes .
The Irish Daily Star reported on Monday that @ @ @ @ @ suspended on full pay pending the completion of the investigation .
“ Gardaí can confirm @ @ @ @ @ of aviation fuel that occurred at Dublin Airport in December 2019 .
Investigations are ongoing @ @ @ @ @ said .
Aer Lingus said they will not be commenting on the matter .
Most @ @ @ @ @ kerosene and can be used in heating systems with no modifications .

Gardaí are investigating the suspected theft of Aer Lingus jet fuel at Dublin Airport. File photograph: Artur Widak/PA Wire
Gardaí are investigating the suspected theft of aviation fuel at Dublin Airport last year.
It is understood the fuel belonged to Aer Lingus.
Two airline employees are suspected of stealing up to €10,000 worth of the fuel from the airport over a period of time.
It is suspected the fuel was being sold as home heating oil or used by the suspects themselves to heat their own homes. The Irish Daily Star reported on Monday that the two suspects have been suspended on full pay pending the completion of the investigation.
READ MORE
“Gardaí can confirm we are investigating the theft of aviation fuel that occurred at Dublin Airport in December 2019. Investigations are ongoing,” a Garda spokesman said. Aer Lingus said they will not be commenting on the matter.
Most jet fuel is derived from kerosene and can be used in heating systems with no modifications.


theirishtimes--2020-02-17--Funeral held of pioneering Irish Romanian Orthodox priest Fr Godfrey O’Donnell

The funeral Mass of Fr Godfrey O ’ Donnell ( 80 ) the only Irishman to be ordained a priest of the Romanian Orthodox Church in Ireland , took place on Monday at St Columba ’ s Church , Blakestown Way , in West Dublin .
A total of 28 Romanian Orthodox priests from Europe and Ireland took part in the Mass .
From Derry , Fr O ’ Donnell died peacefully at his home in Swords last Friday .
A Jesuit priest for 28 years , Fr Godfrey left the Catholic priesthood to marry Ruth in 1985 , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Church .
He was ordained a Romanian Orthodox priest in February 2004 by His Eminence the Metropolitan Iosif in a six-hour service at the chapel in Dublin ’ s Belvedere College .
The ceremony was attended by representatives of the other Orthodox churches , in Ireland , the Catholic Church , the Church of Ireland , the Lutheran Church , the Presbyterian Church , and from the Romanian Embassy in Ireland .
As he explained at the 2004 ordination , “ I had to make a choice to let go of my Catholic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been a great gift this last four years .
I have met so many extraordinary people , very gifted people , great Christians who have also had to give up a lot to come to a strange country like Ireland.
” In 2000 , he was instrumental in establishing the first Romanian Orthodox parish in Dublin , based at Leeson Park .
It followed contact in 1999 with Paris-based Metropolitan Iosif of the Romanian Orthodox Metropolitanate of Western and Southern Europe .
Fr O ’ Donnell had been Orthodox representative to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Inter Church Meeting , and was chairman of the Dublin Council of Churches for a period .
In 2008 he was elected President of the Irish Council of Churches .
In November 2013 he was awarded the accolade of ‘ Stavrophore ’ by the Romanian Orthodox Church .
‘ Stavrophore ’ is derived from the Greek stavrophoros , meaning ‘ cross–bearer ’ .
It is the highest award bestowed upon married priests in the Romanian Orthodox tradition .
It conferred on Fr O ’ Donnell the the right to wear a cross in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Romanian Orthodox Church in Ireland and of his long service to the Romanian Orthodox community .
Survived by Ruth , burial took place on Monday afternoon at Dardistown cemetery in north Co Dublin .
Currently it is estimated there are 80,000 Romanians in Ireland .

The late Fr Godfrey O’Donnell (80) was ordained a Romanian Orthodox priest in February 2004 by His Eminence the Metropolitan Iosif.
The funeral Mass of Fr Godfrey O'Donnell (80) the only Irishman to be ordained a priest of the Romanian Orthodox Church in Ireland, took place on Monday at St Columba's Church, Blakestown Way, in West Dublin. A total of 28 Romanian Orthodox priests from Europe and Ireland took part in the Mass.
From Derry, Fr O’Donnell died peacefully at his home in Swords last Friday. A Jesuit priest for 28 years, Fr Godfrey left the Catholic priesthood to marry Ruth in 1985, but had grown increasingly drawn to the Orthodox Church.
He was ordained a Romanian Orthodox priest in February 2004 by His Eminence the Metropolitan Iosif in a six-hour service at the chapel in Dublin's Belvedere College.
The ceremony was attended by representatives of the other Orthodox churches, in Ireland, the Catholic Church, the Church of Ireland, the Lutheran Church, the Presbyterian Church, and from the Romanian Embassy in Ireland.
READ MORE
As he explained at the 2004 ordination, “I had to make a choice to let go of my Catholic heritage and to embrace Orthodoxy. It has been a great gift this last four years. I have met so many extraordinary people, very gifted people, great Christians who have also had to give up a lot to come to a strange country like Ireland.”
In 2000, he was instrumental in establishing the first Romanian Orthodox parish in Dublin, based at Leeson Park. It followed contact in 1999 with Paris-based Metropolitan Iosif of the Romanian Orthodox Metropolitanate of Western and Southern Europe.
Fr O’Donnell had been Orthodox representative to the Irish Council of Churches and the Irish Inter Church Meeting, and was chairman of the Dublin Council of Churches for a period. In 2008 he was elected President of the Irish Council of Churches.
In November 2013 he was awarded the accolade of ‘Stavrophore’ by the Romanian Orthodox Church. ‘Stavrophore’ is derived from the Greek stavrophoros, meaning ‘cross–bearer’. It is the highest award bestowed upon married priests in the Romanian Orthodox tradition.
It conferred on Fr O’Donnell the the right to wear a cross in recognition of his work to firmly establish the Romanian Orthodox Church in Ireland and of his long service to the Romanian Orthodox community.
Survived by Ruth, burial took place on Monday afternoon at Dardistown cemetery in north Co Dublin.
Currently it is estimated there are 80,000 Romanians in Ireland.


theirishtimes--2020-02-17--Dublin council official calls for ban on parents driving children to school

Parents should be legally prohibited from driving their children to school , a senior Dublin City Council official has told a clean air conference .
The Climate Brave event drew a panel of experts to discuss how the capital might reach ambitious air quality targets by 2030 , often by way of “ difficult and potentially unpopular decisions ” .
Brendan O ’ Brien , head of technical services for traffic , said that if given the power “ what I would do in the morning is actually make it illegal for anybody to drive their kids to school ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ critical thing we could do because it would then force us , I suppose , to provide public transport and walking and cycling [ facilities ] , ” he said in response to a hypothetical policy question .
“ It would also eliminate the reason a lot of people say they need to drive : they ’ re dropping their kids off .
It ’ s not that we don ’ t understand that people have to do this , it ’ s just that in order of us sometimes to provide all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have this massive pressure.
” Addressing various areas of traffic management , Mr O ’ Brien also said that 30km/h residential speed zones would be complete by next month and officials “ will then go back and look at the arterial routes which still have 50kms or 60kms and see what can be done about those ” .
He suggested a tax break for environmentally friendly delivery vehicles within the city centre , similar to the “ Bike to Work ” scheme .
And he said something could be done to give local @ @ @ @ @ @ @ zones .
Monday ’ s exchange on public behaviour and policy revolved around a pledge by the city ’ s four local authorities to reach World Health Organisation ( WHO ) targets on clean air , levels far in advance of EU legal requirements .
Dublin now joins 76 cities , regions , and countries in the commitment to bring air quality to safe levels by 2030 with the allocation of extra road space to walking , cycling and public transport at the heart of its approach .
Anne Graham , chief executive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , said transport had the fastest rising level of green house gas emissions , with the private car the biggest offender .
The NTA is due to order three trial hydrogen buses and is also investing in hybrid technology .
As regards the notion of banning school runs , Ms Graham told The Irish Times that the NTA already funds programmes to encourage children to walk or use bikes but that they often travel significant distances .
“ Maybe parents should think about trying to ensure that their children go to school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s more accessible by walking and cycling , ” she said .
Air pollution is currently linked to 7 per cent of lung cancer deaths , 18 per cent of fatal pulmonary disease cases and 34 per cent of heart disease deaths .
Dr Maria Neira , director of the WHO department of environment , climate change and health , told the conference 7 million people die every year .
She said 90 per cent of the world ’ s population are breathing sub-quality air .
In places like Beijing , she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sky is grey , they don ’ t realise that it can be blue ” .

‘What I would do in the morning is actually make it illegal for anybody to drive their kids to school’ a Dublin City Council official has said. Photograph: iStock
Parents should be legally prohibited from driving their children to school, a senior Dublin City Council official has told a clean air conference.
The Climate Brave event drew a panel of experts to discuss how the capital might reach ambitious air quality targets by 2030, often by way of “difficult and potentially unpopular decisions”.
Brendan O’Brien, head of technical services for traffic, said that if given the power “what I would do in the morning is actually make it illegal for anybody to drive their kids to school”.
“That’s the most critical thing we could do because it would then force us, I suppose, to provide public transport and walking and cycling [facilities],” he said in response to a hypothetical policy question.
READ MORE
“It would also eliminate the reason a lot of people say they need to drive: they’re dropping their kids off. It’s not that we don’t understand that people have to do this, it’s just that in order of us sometimes to provide all the alternatives quickly enough we have to have this massive pressure.”
Tax break
Addressing various areas of traffic management, Mr O’Brien also said that 30km/h residential speed zones would be complete by next month and officials “will then go back and look at the arterial routes which still have 50kms or 60kms and see what can be done about those”.
He suggested a tax break for environmentally friendly delivery vehicles within the city centre, similar to the “Bike to Work” scheme.
And he said something could be done to give local authorities the power to introduce low-emission traffic zones.
Monday's exchange on public behaviour and policy revolved around a pledge by the city's four local authorities to reach World Health Organisation (WHO) targets on clean air, levels far in advance of EU legal requirements.
Dublin now joins 76 cities, regions, and countries in the commitment to bring air quality to safe levels by 2030 with the allocation of extra road space to walking, cycling and public transport at the heart of its approach.
Biggest offender
Anne Graham, chief executive of the National Transport Authority (NTA), said transport had the fastest rising level of green house gas emissions, with the private car the biggest offender.
The NTA is due to order three trial hydrogen buses and is also investing in hybrid technology.
As regards the notion of banning school runs, Ms Graham told The Irish Times that the NTA already funds programmes to encourage children to walk or use bikes but that they often travel significant distances.
“Maybe parents should think about trying to ensure that their children go to school locally . . . and then it’s more accessible by walking and cycling,” she said.
Air pollution is currently linked to 7 per cent of lung cancer deaths, 18 per cent of fatal pulmonary disease cases and 34 per cent of heart disease deaths.
Dr Maria Neira, director of the WHO department of environment, climate change and health, told the conference 7 million people die every year.
She said 90 per cent of the world's population are breathing sub-quality air. In places like Beijing, she said, "they are convinced that the sky is grey, they don't realise that it can be blue".


theirishtimes--2020-02-17--Consistent poverty rates highest in southeast and Border areas

Consistent poverty rates are highest in the southeast and Border regions while Dublin has the most housing insecurity , a landmark report published on Monday by the Central Statistics Office ( CSO ) has found .
The report , which highlights sharp regional variations in social progress , is the first in a series of 17 monitoring reports on progress meeting international development targets and pulls a range of data together on poverty , housing , environment and financial supports .
The targets under examination will be the 17 Sustainable Development Goals ( SDG ) agreed by the 193 member @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Among the SDGs are that by 2030 there should be a planet with zero hunger , no poverty , clean water , gender equality , decent work and economic growth , clean energy and reduced inequality .
The goals are not legally binding but member states commit to take action and work towards them .
This CSO report , titled Ireland ’ s UN SDGs 2019 : Report on Indicators for Goal 1 No Poverty , finds consistent poverty to be higher for females ( 6.2 per cent ) than for males @ @ @ @ @ @ @ higher in rural ( 5.8 per cent ) than in urban areas ( 5.5 per cent ) .
Young people under 18 were four times more likely to be in consistent poverty ( 7.7 per cent ) than older people over 65 years ( 1.7 per cent ) .
The areas with the most consistent poverty are the southeast where the rate was 9.1 per cent in 2018 , and the Border regions where it was 8.6 per cent .
It is lowest in Dublin ( 3.4 per cent ) and the midwest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ national figure is 5.6 per cent .
“ The consistent poverty rate is heavily influenced by the number of people at work in a household .
In 2018 , the consistent poverty rate in a household with no people at work was 17.8 per cent – over three times the rate of 5.4 per cent where one person is at work , ” says the report .
Varying levels of old-age dependency are captured .
While in Co Sligo 9.3 per cent of the adult population are in receipt of the State pension @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cent in Co Laois .
The national rate is 9.1 per cent Tenure security is highest among owner occupiers , says the CSO .
Nationally , 69 per cent of the adult population are in owner-occupied housing compared with 61 per cent of adults in Dublin .
Some 74 per cent in the Border and mideast regions are owner occupiers , 72 per cent in the midwest , southeast and west of the country , 71 per cent in the midlands and 70 per cent in the southwest .
There were 6,309 homeless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of whom 70 per cent were in Dublin .
In its SDG implementation plan for 2018-2020 the outgoing Government set out seven targets under the goal to end poverty everywhere .
These include to , by 2030 , “ ensure that all men and women , in particular the poor and the vulnerable , have equal rights to economic resources , as well as access to basic services , ownership and control over land and other forms of property , inheritance , natural resources , appropriate new technology and financial services ” .

This CSO report finds consistent poverty to be higher for females than for males, and higher in rural than in urban areas. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien
Consistent poverty rates are highest in the southeast and Border regions while Dublin has the most housing insecurity, a landmark report published on Monday by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) has found.
The report, which highlights sharp regional variations in social progress, is the first in a series of 17 monitoring reports on progress meeting international development targets and pulls a range of data together on poverty, housing, environment and financial supports.
The targets under examination will be the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) agreed by the 193 member states of the United Nations in 2015.
Among the SDGs are that by 2030 there should be a planet with zero hunger, no poverty, clean water, gender equality, decent work and economic growth, clean energy and reduced inequality. The goals are not legally binding but member states commit to take action and work towards them.
READ MORE
This CSO report, titled Ireland's UN SDGs 2019: Report on Indicators for Goal 1 No Poverty, finds consistent poverty to be higher for females (6.2 per cent) than for males (5.1 per cent), and higher in rural (5.8 per cent) than in urban areas (5.5 per cent).
Young people under 18 were four times more likely to be in consistent poverty (7.7 per cent) than older people over 65 years (1.7 per cent).
The areas with the most consistent poverty are the southeast where the rate was 9.1 per cent in 2018, and the Border regions where it was 8.6 per cent.
It is lowest in Dublin (3.4 per cent) and the midwest (4.8 per cent). The national figure is 5.6 per cent.
“The consistent poverty rate is heavily influenced by the number of people at work in a household. In 2018, the consistent poverty rate in a household with no people at work was 17.8 per cent – over three times the rate of 5.4 per cent where one person is at work,” says the report.
Old-age dependency
Varying levels of old-age dependency are captured. While in Co Sligo 9.3 per cent of the adult population are in receipt of the State pension, the figure is just 6.1 per cent in Co Laois. The national rate is 9.1 per cent
Tenure security is highest among owner occupiers, says the CSO.
Nationally, 69 per cent of the adult population are in owner-occupied housing compared with 61 per cent of adults in Dublin.
Some 74 per cent in the Border and mideast regions are owner occupiers, 72 per cent in the midwest, southeast and west of the country, 71 per cent in the midlands and 70 per cent in the southwest.
There were 6,309 homeless adults and 3,422 children in December 2019 of whom 70 per cent were in Dublin.
In its SDG implementation plan for 2018-2020 the outgoing Government set out seven targets under the goal to end poverty everywhere. These include to, by 2030, “ensure that all men and women, in particular the poor and the vulnerable, have equal rights to economic resources, as well as access to basic services, ownership and control over land and other forms of property, inheritance, natural resources, appropriate new technology and financial services”.


theirishtimes--2020-02-17--Marine surveyors for Cork council to board MV Alta

A physical inspection of the MV Alto “ ghost ship ” , which ran aground near Ballycotton in east Cork on Sunday , is expected to be carried out by contractors for Cork County Council on Tuesday .
Marine surveyors are expected to board the vessel subject to an initial health and safety assessment at low tide .
The move follows an external examination of the wreck of the 77-metre cargo ship on Monday which found no visible pollution within the Ballycotton Bay Special Protection Area or near the proposed natural heritage areas .
However , the environmental group Coastwatch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to deal with the wreck , given the “ immense biodiversity value ” of large areas which are designated as Natura 2000 sites , “ many of international importance for seabirds ” .
Karin Dubsky , director of Coastwatch , said volunteers were not comforted by a statement from Cork County Council to the effect that the wreck does not currently pose a risk to the special area of conservation within the Ballymacoda/Ballycotton area .
“ Comfort would have been confirmation that expert oil removal support was on its way , ” she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ journey appears to have begun in the mid-Atlantic in 2018 , when the crew of 10 requested assistance , explaining the ship had been disabled since September 19th .
It had been en route from Greece to Haiti .
The crew of the Tanzanian-registered cargo ship said they had been unable to make repairs and reported they had just two days of food and 15 days of water left .
The ship was then 1,500 nautical miles west of the African coast and 1,000 nautical miles east of the Caribbean .
The US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City , North Carolina , which dropped a week ’ s supply of food aboard the stricken vessel .
The coast guard followed this up by sending the US Coastguard Cutter Confidence , then on patrol near Puerto Rico , some 1,300 nautical miles distant .
The Confidence arrived on October 7th and found the MV Alta about 1,380 nautical miles southeast of Bermuda .
At the time of the rescue the maritime publication Captain reported the US Coast Guard ’ s Fifth District Command Centre was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to arrange a commercial tow for the MV Alta .
The next time the MV Alta was sighted was almost a year later when the Royal Navy ice patrol ship HMS Protector announced : “ We closed the vessel to make contact and offer our assistance but no one replied .
Whilst investigations continue we ’ re unable to give you more detail on this strange event.
” The exact position of the sighting was not released .
According to the writer Mikhail Voytenko , of Maritime Bulletin , the MV Alta may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hijacked and abandoned a second time .
Mr Voytenko said in July 2019 he had been contacted by people claiming to be the owners of the MV Alta who alleged the ship was towed to Guyana , before being hijacked from there , and later abandoned a second time .
The writer and blogger said , “ I don ’ t know what to make of this story.
” The US Coast Guard ’ s Fifth District was asked for a comment on what , if anything , it knew of the fate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the crew , and a response is anticipated .
The wreck is now the property of the Minister for the Marine under the Salvage and Wreck Act 1993 .

The MV Alta washed up on the Cork coast during Storm Dennis over the weekend. Photograph: Irish Coast Guard/PA Wire
A physical inspection of the MV Alto “ghost ship”, which ran aground near Ballycotton in east Cork on Sunday, is expected to be carried out by contractors for Cork County Council on Tuesday.
Marine surveyors are expected to board the vessel subject to an initial health and safety assessment at low tide.
The move follows an external examination of the wreck of the 77-metre cargo ship on Monday which found no visible pollution within the Ballycotton Bay Special Protection Area or near the proposed natural heritage areas.
Two days ago @hmsprotector discovered this apparently abandoned Merchant Vessel whilst mid-Atlantic. We closed the vessel to make contact and offer our assistance, but no one replied! Whilst investigations continue we’re unable to give you more detail on this strange event. pic.twitter.com/x29sB5IF06 — HMS Protector (@hmsprotector) September 2, 2019
However, the environmental group Coastwatch has called for “international help” to deal with the wreck, given the “immense biodiversity value” of large areas which are designated as Natura 2000 sites, “many of international importance for seabirds”.
READ MORE
Karin Dubsky, director of Coastwatch, said volunteers were not comforted by a statement from Cork County Council to the effect that the wreck does not currently pose a risk to the special area of conservation within the Ballymacoda/Ballycotton area.
“Comfort would have been confirmation that expert oil removal support was on its way,” she said.
Journey
The MV Alta’s journey appears to have begun in the mid-Atlantic in 2018, when the crew of 10 requested assistance, explaining the ship had been disabled since September 19th. It had been en route from Greece to Haiti.
The crew of the Tanzanian-registered cargo ship said they had been unable to make repairs and reported they had just two days of food and 15 days of water left.
The ship was then 1,500 nautical miles west of the African coast and 1,000 nautical miles east of the Caribbean.
The US authorities first sent a HC-130 Hercules airplane from Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, North Carolina, which dropped a week’s supply of food aboard the stricken vessel. The coast guard followed this up by sending the US Coastguard Cutter Confidence, then on patrol near Puerto Rico, some 1,300 nautical miles distant.
The Confidence arrived on October 7th and found the MV Alta about 1,380 nautical miles southeast of Bermuda. At the time of the rescue the maritime publication Captain reported the US Coast Guard’s Fifth District Command Centre was working with the ship’s owner to arrange a commercial tow for the MV Alta.
The next time the MV Alta was sighted was almost a year later when the Royal Navy ice patrol ship HMS Protector announced: “We closed the vessel to make contact and offer our assistance but no one replied. Whilst investigations continue we’re unable to give you more detail on this strange event.” The exact position of the sighting was not released.
According to the writer Mikhail Voytenko, of Maritime Bulletin, the MV Alta may have been towed to Guyana before being hijacked and abandoned a second time.
Mr Voytenko said in July 2019 he had been contacted by people claiming to be the owners of the MV Alta who alleged the ship was towed to Guyana, before being hijacked from there, and later abandoned a second time. The writer and blogger said, “I don’t know what to make of this story.”
The US Coast Guard’s Fifth District was asked for a comment on what, if anything, it knew of the fate of the ship after the rescue of the crew, and a response is anticipated.
The wreck is now the property of the Minister for the Marine under the Salvage and Wreck Act 1993.


theirishtimes--2020-02-17--UCD students to protest against campus rent increases

Students in University College Dublin ( UCD ) are to demonstrate over a decision by the university to increase on-campus accommodation rents by 12 per cent over the next three years .
The UCD students ’ union is to hold a rally on the south Dublin campus at 9:15am on Tuesday morning in the student centre over the rent increase .
Students ’ union president Joanna Siewierska said the protest would coincide with a meeting of the university management team , which would be discussing the campus rent increases .
Ms Siewierska said the students ’ union is “ outraged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by 4 per cent a year for the next three years .
The protest will call for the proposed increases to be scrapped .
And it will also call on the university to introduce a financial assistance scheme for students struggling to afford their rent in the private market .
“ We are showing the university management team that they will not use campus residences as a fundraiser anymore , ” said Ms Siewierska .
The increase would mean the cost of student accommodation on the Belfield campus rises to between €8,000 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years .
In a previous statement , UCD has said the rent hikes were required to pay for the maintenance of current accommodation , as well as help fund plans to build 3,000 extra student beds on campus .
Under legislation aimed at tackling rising rents , increases are capped at 4 per cent per year in rent pressure zones , such as Dublin and other cities .
These rent caps were extended to cover purpose-built student housing last year .
Separately on Monday , Sinn Féin housing spokesman Éoin Ó Broin wrote @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decision by UCD and several other colleges to increase rents by four per cent .
“ Sinn Féin and other Opposition parties worked hard to force a change in the legislation to ensure that on-campus student accommodation was included in the rent pressure-zone legislation , ” he said .
Recent decisions by colleges to increase rents by the maximum level permitted was “ not recognising the spirit of the law , ” and placing “ a huge financial burden on lower and middle income students and their families ” , said Mr Ó @ @

The increase would mean the cost of student accommodation on the Belfield campus rises to between €8,000 and €9,900 per year over the next three years. File photograph: The Irish Times
Students in University College Dublin (UCD) are to demonstrate over a decision by the university to increase on-campus accommodation rents by 12 per cent over the next three years.
The UCD students’ union is to hold a rally on the south Dublin campus at 9:15am on Tuesday morning in the student centre over the rent increase.
Students' union president Joanna Siewierska said the protest would coincide with a meeting of the university management team, which would be discussing the campus rent increases.
Ms Siewierska said the students’ union is “outraged” by the decision to increase rents by 4 per cent a year for the next three years.
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The protest will call for the proposed increases to be scrapped. And it will also call on the university to introduce a financial assistance scheme for students struggling to afford their rent in the private market.
“We are showing the university management team that they will not use campus residences as a fundraiser anymore,” said Ms Siewierska.
The increase would mean the cost of student accommodation on the Belfield campus rises to between €8,000 and €9,900 per year over the next three years.
In a previous statement, UCD has said the rent hikes were required to pay for the maintenance of current accommodation, as well as help fund plans to build 3,000 extra student beds on campus.
Under legislation aimed at tackling rising rents, increases are capped at 4 per cent per year in rent pressure zones, such as Dublin and other cities. These rent caps were extended to cover purpose-built student housing last year.
Sinn Féin critical
Separately on Monday, Sinn Féin housing spokesman Éoin Ó Broin wrote to the seven university presidents over the decision by UCD and several other colleges to increase rents by four per cent.
“Sinn Féin and other Opposition parties worked hard to force a change in the legislation to ensure that on-campus student accommodation was included in the rent pressure-zone legislation,” he said.
Recent decisions by colleges to increase rents by the maximum level permitted was “not recognising the spirit of the law,” and placing “a huge financial burden on lower and middle income students and their families”, said Mr Ó Broin.


theirishtimes--2020-02-17--Patricia O’Connor murder trial: Prosecution’s closing speech begins

A father-of-three carried out a sustained attack on a retired grandmother , whose dismembered remains were found scattered in the Dublin and Wicklow mountains , and a claim of self-defence “ did not hold any water ” , a prosecution barrister has told his trial today .
The State also told the jury there was no evidence of a single defensive wound on the deceased ’ s body and that murder accused Kieran Greene bore an “ ill-will ” and “ a particular animus or bad feeling ” against former hospital worker Patricia O ’ Connor .
The prosecution barrister @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what happened to Mrs O ’ Connor six months later as he was “ jealous ” and believed there was “ a growing relationship ” between Louise O ’ Connor and her former partner Keith Johnston .
Roisin Lacey SC , prosecuting , on Monday began her closing speech in the trial of Mr Greene ( 35 ) , who has pleaded not guilty to murdering Mrs O ’ Connor ( 61 ) at her home in Mountainview Park , Rathfarnham , Dublin 14 on May 29th , 2017 .
The deceased ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 41 ) and granddaughter Stephanie O ’ Connor ( 22 ) , both of Millmount Court , Dundrum Road , Dublin 14 , and Louise O ’ Connor ’ s ex-partner Keith Johnston ( 43 ) , of Avonbeg Gardens , Tallaght , Dublin 24 , are all charged with impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Kieran Greene , knowing or believing him to have committed an arrestable offence : the murder of Mrs O ’ Connor on May 29th , 2017 .
The six-week trial has heard that the body of Mrs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ separate parts that were found at nine different locations over a 30km range in the Dublin and Wicklow mountains between June 10th and 14th , 2017 .
Former Deputy State Pathologist , Dr Michael Curtis , has given evidence that Mrs O ’ Connor ’ s head was struck a minimum of three blows with a solid implement and the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head .
Closing the prosecution case , Ms Lacey said it was important that Dr Curtis had pointed out that a single blow had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ temporal area of the deceased ’ s head and these injuries went to the bone of the skull .
She also pointed out that despite Dr Curtis ’ s very thorough post mortem examination of the 15 body parts belonging to Mrs O ’ Connor , there was no evidence of a single defensive wound on her body .
Ms Lacey said the prosecution ’ s case was that Mrs O ’ Connor lost her life in the bathroom of Mountainview and Mr Greene had struck her in a manner which caused lacerations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forensic scientist John Hoade found no remnants of blood in the house , in a Toyota Corolla car or on any clothes belonging to Mr Greene .
Mr Greene explained to gardaí that he had used hot water and bleach to clean away the blood on some tiles nearest the shower step in the bathroom , she said .
He also told gardaí he had gotten rid of the boot liner of the car which he said he used to transport Mrs O ’ Connor ’ s intact body to Wexford , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , she remarked .
Ms Lacey also said that although no “ gore ” had been found at the shallow grave site in Wexford , a ground sheet purchased in a DIY store has never been found and the jury could draw an inference from this .
The barrister submitted that two vital pieces of evidence were found in the shallow grave .
The first was a piece of fabric which bore a “ remarkable coincidence ” in terms of design to the pattern on the frock Mrs O ’ Connor had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The second piece of evidence was two pieces of hair found in the grave which provided moderate support of belonging to Mrs O ’ Connor .
The piece of fabric and hair were supportive of the fact that Mr Greene had placed the deceased in the shallow grave , she said .
She drew the jury ’ s attention to the receipts from various DIY shops found in a bin at Mountainview and in the car .
She emphasised that these purchases formed a very important part in the chain of evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Greene and Mr Johnston were acting in concert in the purchase of those items .
Ms Lacey submitted that a “ coherent narrative ” was at play in the case which was made up of “ different actors ” , who performed different functions and they were essentially acting in concert together for a purpose .
The lawyer said each accused was so closely connected in time that it was akin to a jigsaw where one piece fitted into another .
Regarding Mr Greene , she said two different versions of events were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In his December interview with gardaí , Mr Greene said he was not responsible for Mrs O ’ Connor ’ s death but that her husband Augustine ‘ Gus ’ O ’ Connor had killed her , she said .
Evidence has been given that Augustine ‘ Gus ’ O ’ Connor was originally part of the trial but shortly before it began , he pleaded guilty to reporting his wife Mrs O ’ Connor as a missing person to gardaí at Rathfarnham Garda Station , Dublin 14 on June 1st , 2017 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already dead .
Ms Lacey drew the jury ’ s attention to Mr Greene ’ s seven interviews from June 2017 , where he repeatedly said he was alone and Mrs O ’ Connor had attacked him with a hurley .
Mr Greene maintained that he had disarmed her and acted in self-defence by hitting her and as a result of that she may have died , she said .
Ms Lacey said there was not one single defensive injury to Mrs O ’ Connor and the basis of self-defence “ did not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had adopted a highly aggressive stance in a sustained attack , which lasted up to 20 minutes , she indicated .
Furthermore , Ms Lacey said that Mr Greene bore an “ ill-will ” and “ a particular animus or bad feeling ” against Mrs O ’ Connor .
He told gardaí he could not let Mrs O ’ Connor pick on the children anymore , it had been a long 10 years and he was finally free , she said .
She also reminded the jury that Mr Greene had told gardaí @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he hit Mrs O ’ Connor that night and they were entitled to infer that he had the requisite intention to kill or cause serious injury to her .
Ms Lacey told the jurors that nothing in his June interviews were “ vague or scant in detail ” and they were rather “ elaborate ” as well as “ effusive in detail and colour ” .
“ It was chronological , sequential and it flowed as a story , ” she noted .
She said Mr Greene was in a position to give @ @ @ @ @ @ @ June interviews because it reflected the reality of what had occurred .
“ It dovetails completely with Dr Cutis ’ s evidence in that he was alone in the altercation with Mrs O ’ Connor and he alone struck the fatal blow , ” she said .
Ms Lacey said a “ sea-change ” in Mr Greene ’ s interviews with gardaí occurred on December 9th , when he told gardaí he was persuaded to take the blame and was concerned for the children if his partner Louise O ’ Connor had got @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interview was not given in September , when the guardianship agreement was “ done and dusted ” .
The barrister said this was because Mr Greene was jealous and he believed there was “ a growing relationship ” between Louise O ’ Connor and Mr Johnston .
The trial has heard that Mr Greene told gardaí in December that he had taken “ the rap ” and felt he was being set-up , as his girlfriend Louise O ’ Connor subsequently started going back out with her ex-boyfriend Keith Johnston .
Ms Lacey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interview was not reliable and not something the jury could safely act upon .
In summary , she submitted that Mr Greene ’ s June interviews more accurately represented what had occurred on the night and there was sufficient evidence to find him guilty of murdering Mrs O ’ Connor .
Evidence has been given that Mr Greene walked into Rathfarnham Garda Station on June 12th , 2017 and told a detective that he had done “ something terrible ” .
The trial has heard that six months after he was charged with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ account of killing and dismembering his partner ’ s mother .
In the December interview , Mr Greene told interviewing detectives that Mrs O ’ Connor attacked him with a hurley .
He said Mrs O ’ Connor ’ s husband , ‘ Gus ’ O ’ Connor , came into the bathroom after he fell to the ground and gave out to his wife saying : “ What the f**k are you doing ?
” Mr Greene told detectives that Mr O ’ Connor had killed his wife using the crowbar and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the blame .
Mother-of-five Louise O ’ Connor has pleaded not guilty to agreeing to or acquiescing in her daughter Stephanie O ’ Connor disguising herself as Patricia O ’ Connor at Mountainview Park , Rathfarnham , Dublin 14 on May 29th , 2017 in order to conceal the fact that Patricia O ’ Connor was dead .
Stephanie O ’ Connor has pleaded not guilty to disguising herself as Mrs O ’ Connor at Mountainview Park , Rathfarnham , Dublin 14 at a point in time after her murder on May 29th @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fact that she was already dead .
Mr Johnston has pleaded not guilty to assisting Mr Greene in the purchase of various implements at Woodie ’ s , Mr Price , B & Q and Shoe Zone , Tallaght , Dublin 24 on June 9 , 2017 , which were to be used in the concealment of the remains of Mrs O ’ Connor .
Ms Lacey will continue her closing speech to the jury tomorrow .

The body of Patricia O’Connor was dismembered into 15 separate parts that were found at nine different locations over a 30km range in the Dublin and Wicklow mountains between June 10th and 14th, 2017.
A father-of-three carried out a sustained attack on a retired grandmother, whose dismembered remains were found scattered in the Dublin and Wicklow mountains, and a claim of self-defence “did not hold any water”, a prosecution barrister has told his trial today.
The State also told the jury there was no evidence of a single defensive wound on the deceased’s body and that murder accused Kieran Greene bore an “ill-will” and “a particular animus or bad feeling” against former hospital worker Patricia O’Connor.
The prosecution barrister said Mr Greene changed his account of what happened to Mrs O’Connor six months later as he was “jealous” and believed there was “a growing relationship” between Louise O’Connor and her former partner Keith Johnston.
Roisin Lacey SC, prosecuting, on Monday began her closing speech in the trial of Mr Greene (35), who has pleaded not guilty to murdering Mrs O’Connor (61) at her home in Mountainview Park, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14 on May 29th, 2017.
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The deceased’s daughter Louise O’Connor (41) and granddaughter Stephanie O’Connor (22), both of Millmount Court, Dundrum Road, Dublin 14, and Louise O’Connor’s ex-partner Keith Johnston (43), of Avonbeg Gardens, Tallaght, Dublin 24, are all charged with impeding the apprehension or prosecution of Kieran Greene, knowing or believing him to have committed an arrestable offence: the murder of Mrs O’Connor on May 29th, 2017.
The six-week trial has heard that the body of Mrs O’Connor was dismembered into 15 separate parts that were found at nine different locations over a 30km range in the Dublin and Wicklow mountains between June 10th and 14th, 2017.
Former Deputy State Pathologist, Dr Michael Curtis, has given evidence that Mrs O’Connor’s head was struck a minimum of three blows with a solid implement and the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head.
Closing the prosecution case, Ms Lacey said it was important that Dr Curtis had pointed out that a single blow had caused three lacerations to the right frontal temporal area of the deceased’s head and these injuries went to the bone of the skull. She also pointed out that despite Dr Curtis’s very thorough post mortem examination of the 15 body parts belonging to Mrs O’Connor, there was no evidence of a single defensive wound on her body.
Ms Lacey said the prosecution’s case was that Mrs O’Connor lost her life in the bathroom of Mountainview and Mr Greene had struck her in a manner which caused lacerations and injuries.
Ms Lacey submitted that forensic scientist John Hoade found no remnants of blood in the house, in a Toyota Corolla car or on any clothes belonging to Mr Greene. Mr Greene explained to gardaí that he had used hot water and bleach to clean away the blood on some tiles nearest the shower step in the bathroom, she said. He also told gardaí he had gotten rid of the boot liner of the car which he said he used to transport Mrs O’Connor’s intact body to Wexford, and had thrown his clothes on a roadside, she remarked.
Ms Lacey also said that although no “gore” had been found at the shallow grave site in Wexford, a ground sheet purchased in a DIY store has never been found and the jury could draw an inference from this.
The barrister submitted that two vital pieces of evidence were found in the shallow grave. The first was a piece of fabric which bore a “remarkable coincidence” in terms of design to the pattern on the frock Mrs O’Connor had been wearing on May 29th, counsel said. The second piece of evidence was two pieces of hair found in the grave which provided moderate support of belonging to Mrs O’Connor. The piece of fabric and hair were supportive of the fact that Mr Greene had placed the deceased in the shallow grave, she said.
She drew the jury’s attention to the receipts from various DIY shops found in a bin at Mountainview and in the car. She emphasised that these purchases formed a very important part in the chain of evidence and the prosecution say that both Mr Greene and Mr Johnston were acting in concert in the purchase of those items.
Ms Lacey submitted that a “coherent narrative” was at play in the case which was made up of “different actors”, who performed different functions and they were essentially acting in concert together for a purpose. The lawyer said each accused was so closely connected in time that it was akin to a jigsaw where one piece fitted into another.
Regarding Mr Greene, she said two different versions of events were being put forward in his defence. In his December interview with gardaí, Mr Greene said he was not responsible for Mrs O’Connor’s death but that her husband Augustine ‘Gus’ O’Connor had killed her, she said.
Evidence has been given that Augustine ‘Gus’ O’Connor was originally part of the trial but shortly before it began, he pleaded guilty to reporting his wife Mrs O’Connor as a missing person to gardaí at Rathfarnham Garda Station, Dublin 14 on June 1st, 2017, when he knew that she was already dead.
Ms Lacey drew the jury’s attention to Mr Greene’s seven interviews from June 2017, where he repeatedly said he was alone and Mrs O’Connor had attacked him with a hurley. Mr Greene maintained that he had disarmed her and acted in self-defence by hitting her and as a result of that she may have died, she said.
Ms Lacey said there was not one single defensive injury to Mrs O’Connor and the basis of self-defence “did not hold any water”. Mr Greene had adopted a highly aggressive stance in a sustained attack, which lasted up to 20 minutes, she indicated.
Furthermore, Ms Lacey said that Mr Greene bore an “ill-will” and “a particular animus or bad feeling” against Mrs O’Connor. He told gardaí he could not let Mrs O’Connor pick on the children anymore, it had been a long 10 years and he was finally free, she said. She also reminded the jury that Mr Greene had told gardaí he had felt “angry” as he hit Mrs O’Connor that night and they were entitled to infer that he had the requisite intention to kill or cause serious injury to her.
Ms Lacey told the jurors that nothing in his June interviews were “vague or scant in detail” and they were rather “elaborate” as well as “effusive in detail and colour”. “It was chronological, sequential and it flowed as a story,” she noted.
She said Mr Greene was in a position to give a detailed and through account in his June interviews because it reflected the reality of what had occurred. “It dovetails completely with Dr Cutis’s evidence in that he was alone in the altercation with Mrs O’Connor and he alone struck the fatal blow,” she said.
Ms Lacey said a “sea-change” in Mr Greene’s interviews with gardaí occurred on December 9th, when he told gardaí he was persuaded to take the blame and was concerned for the children if his partner Louise O’Connor had got arrested. Ms Lacey questioned why this interview was not given in September, when the guardianship agreement was “done and dusted”. The barrister said this was because Mr Greene was jealous and he believed there was “a growing relationship” between Louise O’Connor and Mr Johnston.
The trial has heard that Mr Greene told gardaí in December that he had taken “the rap” and felt he was being set-up, as his girlfriend Louise O’Connor subsequently started going back out with her ex-boyfriend Keith Johnston.
Ms Lacey suggested that Mr Greene’s December interview was not reliable and not something the jury could safely act upon. In summary, she submitted that Mr Greene’s June interviews more accurately represented what had occurred on the night and there was sufficient evidence to find him guilty of murdering Mrs O’Connor.
Evidence has been given that Mr Greene walked into Rathfarnham Garda Station on June 12th, 2017 and told a detective that he had done “something terrible”.
The trial has heard that six months after he was charged with her murder, Mr Greene changed his account of killing and dismembering his partner’s mother. In the December interview, Mr Greene told interviewing detectives that Mrs O’Connor attacked him with a hurley. He said Mrs O’Connor’s husband, ‘Gus’ O’Connor, came into the bathroom after he fell to the ground and gave out to his wife saying: “What the f**k are you doing?” Mr Greene told detectives that Mr O’Connor had killed his wife using the crowbar and he [Mr Greene] had taken the blame.
Mother-of-five Louise O’Connor has pleaded not guilty to agreeing to or acquiescing in her daughter Stephanie O’Connor disguising herself as Patricia O’Connor at Mountainview Park, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14 on May 29th, 2017 in order to conceal the fact that Patricia O’Connor was dead.
Stephanie O’Connor has pleaded not guilty to disguising herself as Mrs O’Connor at Mountainview Park, Rathfarnham, Dublin 14 at a point in time after her murder on May 29th, 2017 in order to conceal the fact that she was already dead.
Mr Johnston has pleaded not guilty to assisting Mr Greene in the purchase of various implements at Woodie’s, Mr Price, B&Q and Shoe Zone, Tallaght, Dublin 24 on June 9, 2017, which were to be used in the concealment of the remains of Mrs O’Connor.
Ms Lacey will continue her closing speech to the jury tomorrow.