theirishtimes--2020-11-06--Abuse allegations against ex-principal of Gonzaga ‘deeply disturbing’

Gonzaga College in Dublin has described sex abuse allegations against a former headmaster as “ deeply disturbing ” and asked any victims to make contact with An Garda Síochána .
Patrick Potts , who was headmaster at the Ranelagh school for 15 years , was found dead just days before his trial was due to begin last month .
He was charged with three counts of indecent assault and two counts of gross indecency when he was vice-principal of Greendale Community School in Kilbarrack , Dublin .
He was expected to face a second trial relating to a separate complaint @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a message to the school community this week , current Gonzaga headmaster Damon McCaul wrote that some past pupils had been in touch with the college to express their concern over media reports regarding abuse allegations against Mr Potts .
“ We share their concern .
The stories were deeply disturbing and our hearts go out to all those affected , ” Mr McCaul wrote .
“ I can confirm that the college has never received a complaint directly relating to his tenure at Gonzaga .
However , we are aware of one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ came to school as part of their investigation .
We assisted them in every way we could.
” Mr McCaul said the college had adopted and implemented Children First child protection procedures in full at the school .
He said anyone with concerns should report them to the Garda or Tusla .
Mr Potts had been charged with assault and gross indecency against Francis Nesbitt , now aged 49 .
Following Potts ’ s death , Mr Nesbitt voiced his frustration on social media .
“ I should be on my way to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did a lot of things he shouldn ’ t have when I was in school , ” he said .
“ To get to this point took years of work .
In denying what he did for so long , he continued to hurt me .
His death brings me no satisfaction .
His death robbed me of my chance to face him , to tell my story , to be believed.
” Earlier this week , Terenure College apologised “ unreservedly ” to victims and survivors of abuse after its former rugby @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Casimir Avenue , Harold ’ s Cross , pleaded guilty to 27 charges of indecent assault at the school on dates between 1973 and 1990 .

Former principal of Gonzaga College Patrick Potts was due to go on trial charged with three counts of indecent assault and two counts of gross indecency when vice-principal of Greendale Community School in Kilbarrack, Dublin. Photograph: Matt Kavanagh
Gonzaga College in Dublin has described sex abuse allegations against a former headmaster as "deeply disturbing" and asked any victims to make contact with An Garda Síochána.
Patrick Potts, who was headmaster at the Ranelagh school for 15 years, was found dead just days before his trial was due to begin last month.
He was charged with three counts of indecent assault and two counts of gross indecency when he was vice-principal of Greendale Community School in Kilbarrack, Dublin. He was expected to face a second trial relating to a separate complaint made by another former student.
In a message to the school community this week, current Gonzaga headmaster Damon McCaul wrote that some past pupils had been in touch with the college to express their concern over media reports regarding abuse allegations against Mr Potts.
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“We share their concern. The stories were deeply disturbing and our hearts go out to all those affected,” Mr McCaul wrote.
“I can confirm that the college has never received a complaint directly relating to his tenure at Gonzaga. However, we are aware of one complaint received by the gardaí because they came to school as part of their investigation. We assisted them in every way we could.”
‘No satisfaction’
Mr McCaul said the college had adopted and implemented Children First child protection procedures in full at the school. He said anyone with concerns should report them to the Garda or Tusla.
Mr Potts had been charged with assault and gross indecency against Francis Nesbitt, now aged 49. Following Potts's death, Mr Nesbitt voiced his frustration on social media.
“I should be on my way to court now to face a man who did a lot of things he shouldn’t have when I was in school,” he said. “To get to this point took years of work. In denying what he did for so long, he continued to hurt me. His death brings me no satisfaction. His death robbed me of my chance to face him, to tell my story, to be believed.”
Earlier this week, Terenure College apologised "unreservedly" to victims and survivors of abuse after its former rugby coach John McClean (75), of Casimir Avenue, Harold's Cross, pleaded guilty to 27 charges of indecent assault at the school on dates between 1973 and 1990.


theirishtimes--2020-11-06--Jim Mansfield jnr arranged meetings with New IRA and INLA, court told

Jim Mansfield jnr arranged meetings with the New IRA and the INLA , who were to “ assist ” in getting back parts of his family ’ s former property portfolio , a key witness has told the Special Criminal Court .
Martin Byrne , who is now in the Witness Protection Programme , also told the non-jury court that after a separate meeting with former INLA man Dessie O ’ Hare and former Republican paramilitary Declan “ Whacker ” Duffy , he asked Mr Mansfield if he realised how dangerous these people were .
However , the witness testified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ did not care ” and “ was going to get back what was his.
” The three-judge court also heard that Mr Mansfield jnr was “ a couple of feet away ” when his long-term employee Mr Byrne was taken prisoner by a gang of seven men , which included O ’ Hare and Duffy .
Mr Byrne testified that he believed Mr Mansfield jnr had set him up and tried to confront him but was grabbed from behind and pushed into a waiting car .
Amid heightened security arrangements at the Special @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Martin Byrne gave evidence in the trial of Mr Mansfield ( 53 ) , of Tasaggart House , Garters Lane , Saggart , Co Dublin , who is charged with conspiracy to commit false imprisonment and with attempting to pervert the course of justice five years ago .
The accused man is charged with conspiring with one or more persons to falsely imprison Martin Byrne on a date unknown between January 1st , 2015 and June 30th , 2015 , both dates inclusive .
He is also charged with attempting to pervert the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to destroy recorded CCTV footage , with the alleged intention of perverting the course of public justice in relation to the false imprisonment of Martin Byrne at Finnstown House Hotel , Newcastle Road , Lucan , Co Dublin between June 9th , 2015 and June 12th , 2015 .
Mr Mansfield has pleaded not guilty to both counts on the indictment .
It is the prosecution ’ s case that Mr Mansfield “ effectively delivered ” Martin Byrne into the arms of a group of men who falsely imprisoned him and his family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Friday from the jury box where two security men were present , key witness Martin Byrne described the events leading up to June 9th , 2015 .
Mr Byrne told prosecuting counsel , Shane Costelloe SC , that he was the in-house security director of Citywest Hotel in Saggart in 2004 and was hired by Jim Mansfield Senior but knew the accused man very well .
Mr Byrne testified that a receiver , Martin Ferris , took over Citywest Hotel around 2011 and the Delata Hotel Group came in to manage the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Scotland .
The witness said this did not end his employment with the Mansfields and he was asked by the Delata Group to stay on as head of security during the transition , which he agreed to .
In his evidence , Mr Byrne said Saggart Lodge Court , a piece of land known as “ Paddy Reilly ’ s Field ” which was at the back of the Citywest Hotel and Finnstown House Hotel , later went into receivership .
A third party , who was an old friend of Jim Mansfield @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on behalf of the family as Mr Ferris did not want to deal with Mr Mansfield snr directly , he said .
It was always the understanding that Mr Mansfield jnr would get the properties back , originally on the basis that the receivership was illegal and they should not have come in when they did , he said .
A financial backer then helped the third party buy “ Paddy Reilly ’ s Field ” from the receiver .
Mr Byrne explained how the Mansfields had retained control of three pieces of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ House , which were dubbed “ ransom strips ” as they had key access routes to the Citywest Hotel and other properties which could not be sold without them .
The Mansfields believed that by having these “ ransom strips on the table ” they could negotiate getting their other properties within the portfolio back , he continued .
The witness said it was described to him by the accused as “ like buying a house and not owning your front door ” .
Mr Byrne said it was understood that money was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the third party to buy back “ Paddy Reilly ’ s Field ” but this was never paid over , which led to a fall out between Mr Mansfield and the third party .
Mr Byrne said a series of meetings were set up so that Mr Mansfield jnr could get control back of the properties which the third party had .
The witness said he was asked to meet with members of the New IRA “ to assist the accused ” in getting back “ Paddy Reilly ’ s Field ” .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ responsible for bringing these people who styled themselves as the New IRA to the meetings .
The accused said he also attended meetings with people from INLA and Mr Mansfield jnr had asked them to step in .
In May 2015 , Mr Byrne said he went to a meeting in Keatings Park in Rathcoole with the accused to get Tasaggart House and The Towers signed back over to Mr Mansfield jnr .
When he got to the meeting at Keatings Park , Dessie O ’ Hare and Declan Duffy were in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ explained that their involvement was going to be in relation to getting back Mr Mansfield ’ s properties , he said .
Mr Byrne said he told the two men that the accused was dealing with the INLA and the Real IRA and he did not think they should continue with the meeting .
Mr Byrne said Duffy asked him which IRA he was talking about and he told him the one under the leadership of another named man .
O ’ Hare and Duffy then left the room , he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ he asked Mr Mansfield jnr if he realised how dangerous these people were and what the consequences would be if they were involved .
“ He said at that point that he did not care and he was going to get back what was his , ” the witness added .
Mr Byrne said he felt the accused was going down his own route and having meetings behind his back .
In June 2015 , the witness said Mr Mansfield jnr organised another meeting with O ’ Hare at Keating ’ s Park @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and when they went inside to a reception area to a set of offices they met O ’ Hare who shook hands with Mr Mansfield jnr and both of them walked upstairs .
Mr Byrne followed them into an upstairs office and then Declan Duffy arrived .
Mr Byrne said : “ I was surprised because I didn ’ t see any reason for him to be there.
” The witness remembered O ’ Hare telling Mr Mansfield : “ You ’ re done here now , you can leave.
” When Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he continued .
He said O ’ Hare told him his services were no longer required .
Mr Byrne explained : “ I said at that point that I had dealt with a lot of issues and problems over the years and I was surprised to be treated the way I was being treated in relation to my dealings with the Mansfields.
” Then Duffy shouted and five other men arrived in the office , he said .
Mr Byrne said they told him they were going to take him home to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vacate the premises there and then .
He said he was escorted downstairs with three men in front and four behind .
He said he felt he was not able to leave and when he asked for time to make his own way home they refused .
Once downstairs he said he could see Mr Mansfield jnr standing out the front .
He said : “ At that point I believed he had set me up and knew what was happening .
I said to him , ‘ you set me up , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and grabbed me.
” He said Mr Mansfield jnr was “ a couple of feet away ” as one of the seven men emptied his pockets , taking cash , a bank card , his watch and telephone .
He said he was put into the back of a navy Honda with one man on either side , one in the passenger seat and the driver .
“ I could not leave , ” he said .
O ’ Hare came to the car and handed the driver a piece of paper with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , said Mr Byrne .
When Mr Byrne asked to be let go so he could get his wife and son out of his house he said the man in the front passenger seat punched him on the left side of the face with a closed fist and told him to shut up .
The group of seven men and Mr Byrne travelled in convoy in a Ford Mondeo , the Honda and a white Transit van to the Towers where Mr Byrne was struck a second time by the same man , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , having broken through a security gate , Mr Byrne ’ s wife was there with their son .
All seven men went into Mr Byrne ’ s home .
When a security man knocked on the door the gang grabbed him and pulled him inside .
O ’ Hare , Duffy and another man got the security guard on the ground and beat him up , the witness said .
They then picked him up and brought him to another house , before O ’ Hare told the witness : “ Let @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your turn.
” Inside the house he saw the security guard , “ in a bad way , going in and out of consciousness as far as I could see.
” Mr Byrne was struck and suffered a burst eardrum and would later require stitches .
On a CCTV monitor he saw a red unmarked garda car that he knew from the area , pulling up outside .
He said he saw a chance to escape and told O ’ Hare he would get rid of the gardaí .
When Mr Byrne went @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Garda helicopter and Garda cars were at the scene .
The trial continues on Monday before Mr Justice Alexander Owens presiding , sitting with Judge Sinead Ni Chulachain and Judge James Faughnan .

Jim Mansfield jnr has pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit false imprisonment and attempting to pervert the course of justice five years ago. Photograph: Collins Courts
Jim Mansfield jnr arranged meetings with the New IRA and the INLA, who were to “assist” in getting back parts of his family’s former property portfolio, a key witness has told the Special Criminal Court.
Martin Byrne, who is now in the Witness Protection Programme, also told the non-jury court that after a separate meeting with former INLA man Dessie O’Hare and former Republican paramilitary Declan “Whacker” Duffy, he asked Mr Mansfield if he realised how dangerous these people were. However, the witness testified that the accused replied that he “did not care” and “was going to get back what was his.”
The three-judge court also heard that Mr Mansfield jnr was “a couple of feet away” when his long-term employee Mr Byrne was taken prisoner by a gang of seven men, which included O’Hare and Duffy. Mr Byrne testified that he believed Mr Mansfield jnr had set him up and tried to confront him but was grabbed from behind and pushed into a waiting car.
Amid heightened security arrangements at the Special Criminal Court on Friday in Dublin, Martin Byrne gave evidence in the trial of Mr Mansfield (53), of Tasaggart House, Garters Lane, Saggart, Co Dublin, who is charged with conspiracy to commit false imprisonment and with attempting to pervert the course of justice five years ago.
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The accused man is charged with conspiring with one or more persons to falsely imprison Martin Byrne on a date unknown between January 1st, 2015 and June 30th, 2015, both dates inclusive.
Pleaded not guilty
He is also charged with attempting to pervert the course of justice by directing Patrick Byrne to destroy recorded CCTV footage, with the alleged intention of perverting the course of public justice in relation to the false imprisonment of Martin Byrne at Finnstown House Hotel, Newcastle Road, Lucan, Co Dublin between June 9th, 2015 and June 12th, 2015.
Mr Mansfield has pleaded not guilty to both counts on the indictment.
It is the prosecution’s case that Mr Mansfield “effectively delivered” Martin Byrne into the arms of a group of men who falsely imprisoned him and his family.
Giving evidence to the non-jury court on Friday from the jury box where two security men were present, key witness Martin Byrne described the events leading up to June 9th, 2015.
Mr Byrne told prosecuting counsel, Shane Costelloe SC, that he was the in-house security director of Citywest Hotel in Saggart in 2004 and was hired by Jim Mansfield Senior but knew the accused man very well.
Mr Byrne testified that a receiver, Martin Ferris, took over Citywest Hotel around 2011 and the Delata Hotel Group came in to manage the Citywest Hotel on behalf of Bank of Scotland. The witness said this did not end his employment with the Mansfields and he was asked by the Delata Group to stay on as head of security during the transition, which he agreed to.
'Paddy Reilly’s Field'
In his evidence, Mr Byrne said Saggart Lodge Court, a piece of land known as “Paddy Reilly’s Field” which was at the back of the Citywest Hotel and Finnstown House Hotel, later went into receivership. A third party, who was an old friend of Jim Mansfield snr, was brought in to act on behalf of the family as Mr Ferris did not want to deal with Mr Mansfield snr directly, he said. It was always the understanding that Mr Mansfield jnr would get the properties back, originally on the basis that the receivership was illegal and they should not have come in when they did, he said. A financial backer then helped the third party buy “Paddy Reilly’s Field” from the receiver.
Mr Byrne explained how the Mansfields had retained control of three pieces of land around the family home, Tasaggart House, which were dubbed “ransom strips” as they had key access routes to the Citywest Hotel and other properties which could not be sold without them. The Mansfields believed that by having these “ransom strips on the table” they could negotiate getting their other properties within the portfolio back, he continued. The witness said it was described to him by the accused as “like buying a house and not owning your front door”.
Mr Byrne said it was understood that money was to be paid by the accused to the third party to buy back “Paddy Reilly’s Field” but this was never paid over, which led to a fall out between Mr Mansfield and the third party.
Mr Byrne said a series of meetings were set up so that Mr Mansfield jnr could get control back of the properties which the third party had. The witness said he was asked to meet with members of the New IRA “to assist the accused” in getting back “Paddy Reilly’s Field”. The witness said the accused man was responsible for bringing these people who styled themselves as the New IRA to the meetings. The accused said he also attended meetings with people from INLA and Mr Mansfield jnr had asked them to step in.
In May 2015, Mr Byrne said he went to a meeting in Keatings Park in Rathcoole with the accused to get Tasaggart House and The Towers signed back over to Mr Mansfield jnr. When he got to the meeting at Keatings Park, Dessie O’Hare and Declan Duffy were in the reception area, he said. Duffy explained that their involvement was going to be in relation to getting back Mr Mansfield’s properties, he said. Mr Byrne said he told the two men that the accused was dealing with the INLA and the Real IRA and he did not think they should continue with the meeting. Mr Byrne said Duffy asked him which IRA he was talking about and he told him the one under the leadership of another named man. O’Hare and Duffy then left the room, he said.
Following that meeting, Mr Byrne said he asked Mr Mansfield jnr if he realised how dangerous these people were and what the consequences would be if they were involved. “He said at that point that he did not care and he was going to get back what was his,” the witness added. Mr Byrne said he felt the accused was going down his own route and having meetings behind his back.
Shook hands
In June 2015, the witness said Mr Mansfield jnr organised another meeting with O’Hare at Keating’s Park. Mr Byrne arrived with the accused and when they went inside to a reception area to a set of offices they met O’Hare who shook hands with Mr Mansfield jnr and both of them walked upstairs. Mr Byrne followed them into an upstairs office and then Declan Duffy arrived. Mr Byrne said: “I was surprised because I didn’t see any reason for him to be there.”
The witness remembered O’Hare telling Mr Mansfield: “You’re done here now, you can leave.”
When Mr Mansfield left the witness became concerned, he continued. He said O’Hare told him his services were no longer required. Mr Byrne explained: “I said at that point that I had dealt with a lot of issues and problems over the years and I was surprised to be treated the way I was being treated in relation to my dealings with the Mansfields.”
Then Duffy shouted and five other men arrived in the office, he said.
Mr Byrne said they told him they were going to take him home to the Towers, and that he was to vacate the premises there and then. He said he was escorted downstairs with three men in front and four behind. He said he felt he was not able to leave and when he asked for time to make his own way home they refused.
Once downstairs he said he could see Mr Mansfield jnr standing out the front. He said: “At that point I believed he had set me up and knew what was happening. I said to him, ‘you set me up,‘ and the guys came from behind and grabbed me.”
He said Mr Mansfield jnr was “a couple of feet away” as one of the seven men emptied his pockets, taking cash, a bank card, his watch and telephone.
He said he was put into the back of a navy Honda with one man on either side, one in the passenger seat and the driver. “I could not leave,” he said.
O’Hare came to the car and handed the driver a piece of paper with Mr Byrne’s address on it, said Mr Byrne. When Mr Byrne asked to be let go so he could get his wife and son out of his house he said the man in the front passenger seat punched him on the left side of the face with a closed fist and told him to shut up.
Ford Mondeo
The group of seven men and Mr Byrne travelled in convoy in a Ford Mondeo, the Honda and a white Transit van to the Towers where Mr Byrne was struck a second time by the same man, he said.
When they went inside, having broken through a security gate, Mr Byrne’s wife was there with their son. All seven men went into Mr Byrne’s home.
When a security man knocked on the door the gang grabbed him and pulled him inside. O’Hare, Duffy and another man got the security guard on the ground and beat him up, the witness said. They then picked him up and brought him to another house, before O’Hare told the witness: “Let’s go, it’s your turn.”
Inside the house he saw the security guard, “in a bad way, going in and out of consciousness as far as I could see.”
Mr Byrne was struck and suffered a burst eardrum and would later require stitches. On a CCTV monitor he saw a red unmarked garda car that he knew from the area, pulling up outside. He said he saw a chance to escape and told O’Hare he would get rid of the gardaí. When Mr Byrne went outside he alerted gardaí and within minutes a Garda helicopter and Garda cars were at the scene.
The trial continues on Monday before Mr Justice Alexander Owens presiding, sitting with Judge Sinead Ni Chulachain and Judge James Faughnan.


theirishtimes--2020-11-06--Man arrested after €296,000 worth of cigarettes found at port

A man has been arrested and charged before the courts after 423,000 cigarettes valued at €296,000 were found as they @ @ @ @ @ Republic from the Netherlands .
The cigarettes were discovered by Revenue ’ s Customs officers @ @ @ @ @ was checked by an X-ray scanner and by sniffer dog Kelly .
“ The smuggled @ @ @ @ @ large industrial boiler , on a trailer that had arrived on a vessel from Rotterdam @ @ @ @ @ the find made on Thursday .
The cigarettes were branded NZ and Minsk and Revenue @ @ @ @ @ smuggled into the country and been sold , the potential loss to the exchequer would @ @ @ @ @ foregone .
A Mercedes Benz Actros Tractor unit and trailer were also seized as part @ @ @ @ @ man in his 40s was appeared before Cloverhill District Court , Dublin , in relation @ @ @ @ @ suspect , who is from Lithuania , has been remanded in custody to appear before @ @ @ @ @ , November 10th .

The cigarettes were discovered by Revenue’s Customs officers at Dublin Port after freight was checked by an X-ray scanner and by sniffer dog Kelly.
A man has been arrested and charged before the courts after 423,000 cigarettes valued at €296,000 were found as they were being smuggled into the Republic from the Netherlands.
The cigarettes were discovered by Revenue’s Customs officers at Dublin Port after freight was checked by an X-ray scanner and by sniffer dog Kelly.
“The smuggled cigarettes were concealed in a large industrial boiler, on a trailer that had arrived on a vessel from Rotterdam,” Revenue said of the find made on Thursday.
The cigarettes were branded NZ and Minsk and Revenue said if they had been smuggled into the country and been sold, the potential loss to the exchequer would have been €231,859 in taxes foregone.
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A Mercedes Benz Actros Tractor unit and trailer were also seized as part of the investigation. A man in his 40s was appeared before Cloverhill District Court, Dublin, in relation to the find. The suspect, who is from Lithuania, has been remanded in custody to appear before the court again next Tuesday, November 10th.


theirishtimes--2020-11-06--Prisoner tests positive for Covid-19 in Limerick Prison

An inmate in Limerick Prison has tested positive for Covid-19 .
The prisoner has been isolated and all 200 of the jail ’ s inmates are to be tested as a precaution , along with staff .
There have now been Covid-19 cases in prisoners in four facilities around the country .
In Limerick , the male prisoner , who was housed in the facility ’ s D Division , has been in the general prison population for several weeks , suggesting he contracted the virus within the facility .
It is understood the prison ’ s infection control team @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but that they are confident they contained the inmate in time to prevent further spread .
The Irish Prison Service ( IPS ) said it is working closely with the HSE and contact tracing is ongoing .
Arrangements for the testing of all prisoners in D Division have already been made .
“ An Outbreak Control Team ( OCT ) meeting has taken place to review the cases and agree the appropriate actions to be taken to mitigate against further possible spread of the disease within the prison , ” the IPS said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was announced five prisoners had tested positive for the virus in the country ’ s largest prison , the Midlands Prison , which holds more than 800 inmates .
It is understood a further prisoner there tested positive on Friday .
Eleven staff have also been infected , with some 30 others self-isolating .
The Midlands outbreak was the first time the virus had been transmitted within the prison population .
There had been five other confirmed prisoner cases but prison authorities are confident those inmates contracted the disease before entering prison .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( POA ) criticised what it said was a rush towards easing Covid-19 restrictions within the country ’ s 13 facilities .
POA Assistant General Secretary Gabriel Keaveny said on Tuesday there was little social distancing among the prison population .
He also criticised the decision to reopen gyms in prisons “ when gyms in the community remain closed ” .
The IPS responded that infection control remains a priority but that it is also “ mindful of the need to find a balanced prison regime that provides safe controls against the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ important regimes and services to prisoners ” .
It is understood the Inspector of Prisons has also called for inmates to be given more out of cell time amid concerns about their mental health .
The Irish Penal Reform Trust ( IPRT ) said it is similarly worried about prisoner ’ s mental health “ and supports all efforts by prison management to safely relax the harsh restrictions and tough living conditions for prisoners due to the pandemic ” .
Covid-19 outbreaks in the prison system are seen as particularly dangerous due to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prevalence of immunosuppressive medical conditions among inmates .

There have now been Covid-19 cases in prisoners in four facilities around the country. File photograph: Collins Dublin
An inmate in Limerick Prison has tested positive for Covid-19.
The prisoner has been isolated and all 200 of the jail’s inmates are to be tested as a precaution, along with staff.
There have now been Covid-19 cases in prisoners in four facilities around the country.
In Limerick, the male prisoner, who was housed in the facility’s D Division, has been in the general prison population for several weeks, suggesting he contracted the virus within the facility.
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It is understood the prison’s infection control team has advised management an outbreak is possible but that they are confident they contained the inmate in time to prevent further spread.
The Irish Prison Service (IPS) said it is working closely with the HSE and contact tracing is ongoing. Arrangements for the testing of all prisoners in D Division have already been made.
“An Outbreak Control Team (OCT) meeting has taken place to review the cases and agree the appropriate actions to be taken to mitigate against further possible spread of the disease within the prison,” the IPS said in a statement.
Last Friday it was announced five prisoners had tested positive for the virus in the country’s largest prison, the Midlands Prison, which holds more than 800 inmates.
It is understood a further prisoner there tested positive on Friday. Eleven staff have also been infected, with some 30 others self-isolating.
The Midlands outbreak was the first time the virus had been transmitted within the prison population. There had been five other confirmed prisoner cases but prison authorities are confident those inmates contracted the disease before entering prison.
Earlier this week the Prison Officers Association (POA) criticised what it said was a rush towards easing Covid-19 restrictions within the country's 13 facilities.
POA Assistant General Secretary Gabriel Keaveny said on Tuesday there was little social distancing among the prison population.
He also criticised the decision to reopen gyms in prisons “when gyms in the community remain closed”.
The IPS responded that infection control remains a priority but that it is also “mindful of the need to find a balanced prison regime that provides safe controls against the virus but also allows for the provision of important regimes and services to prisoners”.
It is understood the Inspector of Prisons has also called for inmates to be given more out of cell time amid concerns about their mental health.
The Irish Penal Reform Trust (IPRT) said it is similarly worried about prisoner's mental health "and supports all efforts by prison management to safely relax the harsh restrictions and tough living conditions for prisoners due to the pandemic".
Covid-19 outbreaks in the prison system are seen as particularly dangerous due to inmates’ close living conditions and the prevalence of immunosuppressive medical conditions among inmates.


theirishtimes--2020-11-06--Court rules loyalist killer Michael Stone can apply for early prison release

Northern Ireland ’ s highest court has ruled that loyalist killer Michael Stone can apply for early release from prison .
It said keeping the notorious paramilitary behind bars until at least 2024 would “ constitute an interference with the physical liberty of the prisoner and could only arise under clear authority of the law ” , and in its view this could not be implied .
In 1988 , Stone killed three people in a gun and grenade attack at Milltown Cemetery in Belfast .
Stone was freed early from prison in 2000 under the terms of the Belfast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years later after attempting to attack Sinn Féin politicians at Stormont .
Stone is serving a 30-year jail term .
The issue under consideration was whether he would stay in jail until at least 2024 , or whether his minimum tariff expired in 2018 , including the six years he was freed under licence .
Stone launched an appeal against efforts to keep him in prison .
One of his victims was 20-year-old Thomas McErlean .
His sister , Deborah McGuinness , had taken legal action in a bid to attempt to prevent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for early release .
A statement on behalf of the Court of Appeal said : “ The court considered that the decision of the High Court effectively rewrote the statute .
“ It recognised that the arrangements in relation to Troubles-related prisoners have been a source of considerable concern to many within this community but said those arrangements are unique and extraordinary .
“ They were the outcome of a political process supported by a referendum .
They undoubtedly produced a windfall for the prisoners affected .
“ The merits of the provision @ @ @ @ @ @ @ court to determine.
” The court was satisfied that interpreting the words of the statute in their context led to the conclusion that the period the prisoner spent lawfully on licence ought to be included in the relevant part of his sentence .
The court said there was no reason to suppose that parliament failed to take into account that there were periods of lawful release when making the Northern Ireland Act 1998 which laid out sentencing policy .
It found that if they were not excluded they would contribute to the prisoner @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The court said it was “ plainly open ” to parliament to have provided for the exclusion of the licence period as a relevant period in fulfilment of the tariff .
– PA

In 1988, Stone killed three people in a gun and grenade attack at Milltown Cemetery in Belfast. Photograph: Alan Lewis/ Photopress
Northern Ireland’s highest court has ruled that loyalist killer Michael Stone can apply for early release from prison.
It said keeping the notorious paramilitary behind bars until at least 2024 would “constitute an interference with the physical liberty of the prisoner and could only arise under clear authority of the law”, and in its view this could not be implied.
In 1988, Stone killed three people in a gun and grenade attack at Milltown Cemetery in Belfast.
Stone was freed early from prison in 2000 under the terms of the Belfast Agreement.
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He was sent back six years later after attempting to attack Sinn Féin politicians at Stormont.
Stone is serving a 30-year jail term. The issue under consideration was whether he would stay in jail until at least 2024, or whether his minimum tariff expired in 2018, including the six years he was freed under licence.
Stone launched an appeal against efforts to keep him in prison.
One of his victims was 20-year-old Thomas McErlean. His sister, Deborah McGuinness, had taken legal action in a bid to attempt to prevent her brother’s killer from applying for early release.
A statement on behalf of the Court of Appeal said: “The court considered that the decision of the High Court effectively rewrote the statute.
“It recognised that the arrangements in relation to Troubles-related prisoners have been a source of considerable concern to many within this community but said those arrangements are unique and extraordinary.
“They were the outcome of a political process supported by a referendum. They undoubtedly produced a windfall for the prisoners affected.
“The merits of the provision of that windfall are not for this court to determine.”
The court was satisfied that interpreting the words of the statute in their context led to the conclusion that the period the prisoner spent lawfully on licence ought to be included in the relevant part of his sentence.
It allowed the appeals.
The court said there was no reason to suppose that parliament failed to take into account that there were periods of lawful release when making the Northern Ireland Act 1998 which laid out sentencing policy.
It found that if they were not excluded they would contribute to the prisoner serving the relevant part of his sentence.
The court said it was “plainly open” to parliament to have provided for the exclusion of the licence period as a relevant period in fulfilment of the tariff. – PA


theirishtimes--2020-11-06--Jack Charlton and WHO’s Michael Ryan win presidential awards

Former Ireland football manager Jack Charlton , who died earlier this year , and World Health Organisation official Dr Michael Ryan are among 14 recipients of the Presidential Distinguished Service Award for the Irish Abroad in 2020 .
The award was established following the 2011 Global Irish Economic Forum as a means to recognise the contribution of members of the diaspora .
Mr Charlton was described as having “ turned a sceptical Irish public into adoring fans ” of the international team .
Dr Ryan , the WHO ’ s executive director for health emergencies programmes has come to some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Dr Ryan , a native of Co Sligo , has been a “ central figure in designing , managing and advancing WHO efforts to ensure a globally co-ordinated response to an unprecedented crisis ” , the department said .
Other recipients of this year ’ s award include UK-based actor Fiona Shaw ; UK-based entertainer Dermot O ’ Leary ; Prof James Flannery of the WB Yeats Foundation at Emory University in Atlanta ; Prof Mitsuko Ohno , an advocate for Irish literature at Aichi Shukutoku University in Japan ; and Michael @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the largest healthcare provider in New York state .
Sr Louise Horgan in Thailand was also among this year ’ s recipients , as was Sr Patricia Murray in Italy , a co-founder of Solidarity with South Sudan , as well as the late Alice Kennedy , who was chairwoman of the Irish Elderly Advice Network in the UK .
Other members of the diaspora honoured are Loretta Cosgrove , a champion of the Irish LGBT+ community in Sydney ; Prof William Duncan of the Hague Conference on Private International Law in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hara of Abakaliki diocese in Nigeria ; and Prof Dennis Slamon , an American oncologist whose research led to the development of the breast cancer drug Herceptin .

Former Ireland football manager Jack Charlton, who died earlier this year, and World Health Organisation official Dr Michael Ryan are among 14 recipients of the Presidential Distinguished Service Award for the Irish Abroad in 2020.
The award was established following the 2011 Global Irish Economic Forum as a means to recognise the contribution of members of the diaspora.
Mr Charlton was described as having “turned a sceptical Irish public into adoring fans” of the international team.
Dr Ryan, the WHO's executive director for health emergencies programmes has come to some prominence during the global battle against Covid-19.
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Dr Ryan, a native of Co Sligo, has been a “central figure in designing, managing and advancing WHO efforts to ensure a globally co-ordinated response to an unprecedented crisis”, the department said.
Other recipients of this year's award include UK-based actor Fiona Shaw; UK-based entertainer Dermot O'Leary; Prof James Flannery of the WB Yeats Foundation at Emory University in Atlanta; Prof Mitsuko Ohno, an advocate for Irish literature at Aichi Shukutoku University in Japan; and Michael Dowling, chief executive of Northwell Health, the largest healthcare provider in New York state.
Sr Louise Horgan in Thailand was also among this year's recipients, as was Sr Patricia Murray in Italy, a co-founder of Solidarity with South Sudan, as well as the late Alice Kennedy, who was chairwoman of the Irish Elderly Advice Network in the UK .
Other members of the diaspora honoured are Loretta Cosgrove, a champion of the Irish LGBT+ community in Sydney; Prof William Duncan of the Hague Conference on Private International Law in the Netherlands; Fr Kevin O'Hara of Abakaliki diocese in Nigeria; and Prof Dennis Slamon, an American oncologist whose research led to the development of the breast cancer drug Herceptin.


theirishtimes--2020-11-06--Twenty-five south Dublin schools ordered to open classes for special needs pupils

Twenty-five primary schools in the south Dublin area have been ordered to open classes for children with special needs due to an acute shortage of school places in the area .
The move is aimed at sourcing places for dozens of school-age children with conditions such as autism and other learning difficulties and who have been unable to secure school places .
As a result , many are availing of home tuition or forced to travel long distances across the city in rush-hour traffic to access school places outside their community .
The schools were requested during the summer to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ However , many of the schools argued that they did not have trained teaching staff or that they did not have room for more pupils .
Following inspections by the Department of Education , the schools have been told this week that their existing accommodation is suitable and can be adapted for the immediate establishment of special classes .
The schools have been directed to begin to make provision for special classes without delay and that classes should come on stream during the current 2020/2021 school year .
In a statement , Minister @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said every child has a right to an education and this was a core value for everyone working in the education sector .
“ Recent months have been very difficult for staff and students , and we want to work with our schools to ensure that the necessary special class places are available for those who need them , ” she said .
“ Our schools are welcoming and inclusive environments and the NCSE will continue to liaise with schools to identify additional capacity for special classes where this exists.
” Many parents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been told that they are over-subscribed or not equipped to enrol children with additional needs .
The Involve Autism campaign group has said parents who are unable to access appropriate school places for their children have been under “ phenomenal stress ” .
In some cases , individual parents have applied to more than 30 schools across Dublin without finding a place for their child .
The department states that a package of supports available to assist schools in making the additional places available .
The supports cover the provision of additional teachers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ advice and funding .
One teacher and two special needs assistant posts are sanctioned for each special class .
Thousands of euro in grants are also available to schools for establishing special classes , classroom furniture and ICT equipment .
The schools which are being ordered to open classes are as follows :

Minister of State for Special Education Josepha Madigan said, “Recent months have been very difficult for staff and students, and we want to work with our schools to ensure that the necessary special class places are available for those who need them.” Photograph by Crispin Rodwell for the Irish Times
CARL O’BRIEN, Education Editor
Twenty-five primary schools in the south Dublin area have been ordered to open classes for children with special needs due to an acute shortage of school places in the area.
The move is aimed at sourcing places for dozens of school-age children with conditions such as autism and other learning difficulties and who have been unable to secure school places.
As a result, many are availing of home tuition or forced to travel long distances across the city in rush-hour traffic to access school places outside their community.
READ MORE
The schools were requested during the summer to provide special classes on their premises.
However, many of the schools argued that they did not have trained teaching staff or that they did not have room for more pupils.
Following inspections by the Department of Education, the schools have been told this week that their existing accommodation is suitable and can be adapted for the immediate establishment of special classes.
The schools have been directed to begin to make provision for special classes without delay and that classes should come on stream during the current 2020/2021 school year.
In a statement, Minister of State for Special Education Josepha Madigan said every child has a right to an education and this was a core value for everyone working in the education sector.
“Recent months have been very difficult for staff and students, and we want to work with our schools to ensure that the necessary special class places are available for those who need them,” she said.
“Our schools are welcoming and inclusive environments and the NCSE will continue to liaise with schools to identify additional capacity for special classes where this exists.”
Many parents say their children with special needs have been told that they are over-subscribed or not equipped to enrol children with additional needs.
The Involve Autism campaign group has said parents who are unable to access appropriate school places for their children have been under “phenomenal stress”.
In some cases, individual parents have applied to more than 30 schools across Dublin without finding a place for their child.
The department states that a package of supports available to assist schools in making the additional places available.
The supports cover the provision of additional teachers, special needs assistants, training, advice and funding.
One teacher and two special needs assistant posts are sanctioned for each special class.
Thousands of euro in grants are also available to schools for establishing special classes, classroom furniture and ICT equipment. The schools which are being ordered to open classes are as follows:
Dublin 2:
City Quay National School, Gloucester Street South.
Dublin 6/6W
Bishop Shanahan NS, Templeogue;
Gaelscoil Mologa, Harold’s Cross.
Dublin 8:
Gaelscoil Inse Chór;
Sancta Maria CBS.
Dublin 12:
Scoil Mhuire, Crumlin Road;
Scoil Mhuire Óg II;
St Damien's NS, Perrystown;
Scoil Úna Naofa, Crumlin.
Dublin 16:
Scoil Mhuire, Ballyboden;
Queen of Angels Primary School, Sandyford.
Dublin 18:
Scoil Mhuire, Rathsallagh;
Holy Trinity National School.
Dublin 20:
Scoil Bhríde, Palmerstown.
Dublin 22:
Scoil Naomh Seosamh, Clondalkin;
St Mary’s Senior National School, Clondalkin.
Dublin 24:
St Anne's Primary School, Tallaght;
St Dominic’s National School, Tallaght.
Co Dublin:
St Raphaela's, Stillorgan;
Scoil Náisiúnta Padraig Naofa, Kilternan;
Our Lady of Mercy Convent School, Booterstown;
Scoil Lorcáin, Seapoint, Blackrock;
Scoil Náisiúnta San Treasa, Mount Merrion;
Scoil Cholmcille Senior, Ballybrack;
Star of the Sea, Sandymount.


theirishtimes--2020-11-06--Murdered children and their mother laid to rest in single plot

The father of murder victims Asfira Riza Syed ( 11 ) and Faizan Syed ( 6 ) , and husband of their mother Seema Banu Syed ( 37 ) crouched on the ground by their open coffins , stroked their faces and wept at their funeral in Dublin on Friday .
Sameer Syed led mourners as the three were laid to rest in a single plot , in the Muslim section of Newcastle cemetery in Dublin .
His wife Seema ’ s oak coffin was lowered in first , followed by the white coffins of their son and daughter .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ three deaths after their bodies were found at their home at Llewellyn Court in Ballinteer on October 28th .
The children died by strangulation while the precise circumstances of Ms Syed ’ s death remains unclear .
Though her family , in the Mysuru city area in Karnataka , India , had sought to have the bodies repatriated for burial it was Mr Syed ’ s wish that they be buried in Ireland .
Funeral prayers at the Islamic Cultural Centre in Clonskeagh , and burial , were live-streamed to the family .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ according to the Muslim tradition at the Islamic centre on Friday , before being placed in coffins and brought into the mosque , for the Salat-al-Janazah , or funeral prayers .
The brief service , led by Imam Hussein Halawa , took place shortly after 1pm .
During it , the sound of children at the centre ’ s Muslim national school playing outside , could be heard .
Two hearses brought the coffins on the 30km journey to the west Dublin cemetery , where Mr Syed with others lifted the coffins out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second Salat al-Janazah , led by Imam Jameel Mutoola of the Irish Suffi mosque .
Mourners removed their shoes for the prayers in Arabic .
Several members of An Garda Síochána , in plain clothes , remained near the cemetery entrance for the duration of the burial service .
The coffins were carried from the small car-park area to the site of the grave and laid side-by-side , parallel to it .
Here they were opened and mourners , who included members of the Muslim community , neighbours from Ballinteer and the Indian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ step back as Mr Syed crouched down beside them .
He unwrapped the white shroud from around his wife Seema ’ s face , leant in to touch her , kissing his fingers first , and prayed .
He repeated this process , first with Asfira Riza and then with Faizan , becoming increasingly upset .
As the coffins were re-closed a number of mourners stepped forward to help him stand up .
After the coffins were lowered one by one into the grave mourners each threw three handfuls of soil in over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in keeping with Muslim tradition .
The filled grave was then covered with roses , daisies and carnations .
Further prayers , in Arabic and English , were led by Iman Mutoola and Umar Al Qadri , chair of the Irish Muslim peace and integration council .
As mourners dispersed , Mr Syed remained kneeling at the head of the grave , his eyes closed and his hands outstretched in prayer , for several minutes .

Mourners carry the coffin of Seema Banu before her burial in Newcastle, Co Dublin. Photograph: Alan Betson / The Irish Times
The father of murder victims Asfira Riza Syed (11) and Faizan Syed (6), and husband of their mother Seema Banu Syed (37) crouched on the ground by their open coffins, stroked their faces and wept at their funeral in Dublin on Friday.
Sameer Syed led mourners as the three were laid to rest in a single plot, in the Muslim section of Newcastle cemetery in Dublin. His wife Seema's oak coffin was lowered in first, followed by the white coffins of their son and daughter.
Gardaí are continuing their inquiry into the three deaths after their bodies were found at their home at Llewellyn Court in Ballinteer on October 28th. The children died by strangulation while the precise circumstances of Ms Syed's death remains unclear.
Though her family, in the Mysuru city area in Karnataka, India, had sought to have the bodies repatriated for burial it was Mr Syed's wish that they be buried in Ireland. Funeral prayers at the Islamic Cultural Centre in Clonskeagh, and burial, were live-streamed to the family.
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The bodies had been washed and shrouded according to the Muslim tradition at the Islamic centre on Friday, before being placed in coffins and brought into the mosque, for the Salat-al-Janazah, or funeral prayers.
The brief service, led by Imam Hussein Halawa, took place shortly after 1pm. During it, the sound of children at the centre's Muslim national school playing outside, could be heard.
Two hearses brought the coffins on the 30km journey to the west Dublin cemetery, where Mr Syed with others lifted the coffins out and to the ground, for a second Salat al-Janazah, led by Imam Jameel Mutoola of the Irish Suffi mosque. Mourners removed their shoes for the prayers in Arabic.
Several members of An Garda Síochána, in plain clothes, remained near the cemetery entrance for the duration of the burial service.
The coffins were carried from the small car-park area to the site of the grave and laid side-by-side, parallel to it. Here they were opened and mourners, who included members of the Muslim community, neighbours from Ballinteer and the Indian ambassador Sandeep Kumar, were asked to step back as Mr Syed crouched down beside them.
He unwrapped the white shroud from around his wife Seema’s face, leant in to touch her, kissing his fingers first, and prayed. He repeated this process, first with Asfira Riza and then with Faizan, becoming increasingly upset. As the coffins were re-closed a number of mourners stepped forward to help him stand up.
After the coffins were lowered one by one into the grave mourners each threw three handfuls of soil in over the last coffin, of Asfira Riza, in keeping with Muslim tradition. The filled grave was then covered with roses, daisies and carnations.
Further prayers, in Arabic and English, were led by Iman Mutoola and Umar Al Qadri, chair of the Irish Muslim peace and integration council.
As mourners dispersed, Mr Syed remained kneeling at the head of the grave, his eyes closed and his hands outstretched in prayer, for several minutes.


theirishtimes--2020-11-06--More evidence that coronavirus spread reducing needed - Paschal Donohoe

The Minister for Finance has said “ more signs and more evidence ” that the spread of Covid-19 is under control are needed before Government can outline how the country will come out of lockdown next month .
Paschal Donohoe told journalists on Friday that while there “ are some positive signs , we need more signs , and more evidence of the spread of the disease reducing ” .
He said that getting the level of virus circulating in the country down was key as “ the lower the level of the disease , as we approach this part @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prospects are regarding how we can reopen our economy and our society.
” Mr Donohoe was speaking at the official launch of the Government ’ s Covid Restrictions Support Scheme , which pays firms impacted by public health measures up to €5,000 a week .
With Level 5 of the State ’ s Living with Covid plan implemented around the State , it is currently costing the exchequer around €80 million a week .
He said the Government is “ of course ” considering the options available to it for moving to a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ when and if we see the spread of disease being reduced ” .
Mr Donohoe said that once the data shows that the disease is moving at a “ steady and reliable pace ” , the Government will “ do all they can to give businesses time to organise themselves and be ready for opening ” .
Elsewhere , Taoiseach Micheál Martin told Sky News that the Government intends to “ keep the pressure on the virus ” to facilitate an opening up of the country in December “ and beyond , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and March ” .
Hopefully a vaccine will arrive towards the end of the year , “ that will give some hope to people for 2021 ” , he said .
Meanwhile , health experts have said restrictions may have to be eased slower in Dublin and other counties with high rates of Covid-19 , when the country comes out of the national lockdown .
Professor Sam McConkey , infectious diseases consultant , said it was “ too early to call ” how far restrictions could be relaxed in December .
He said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parts of the country , such as moving counties with higher virus rates to Level 3 , rather than Level 2 , of the Government ’ s phased plan .
Under Level 3 , household visits are restricted to people from one other household , and people must avoid travelling outside their county , unless for work , education , or other essential reasons .
Under Level 2 , six people from three different households can visit homes , with no restrictions on travel .
“ The idea of different opening ups , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the past , ” Prof McConkey said , adding that would be “ a reasonable way for Nphet [ National Public Health Emergency Team ] to go.
” The R-number , which is the reproductive rate of the virus , was still high in counties such as Dublin , Donegal , Louth , and Cork , he said .
The public had accepted and welcomed the move to a Level 5 lockdown , “ because we care for our vulnerable , we care for our grannies , ” he said .
By @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by county relaxation will be accepted by people , ” Prof McConkey said .
Dr Jack Lambert , professor of medicine and infectious diseases at the Mater Hospital , also said different counties would need “ a tailored plan ” as the country emerged from lockdown .
“ The high risk areas we may need to keep enhanced measures in place until the numbers are right , ” he said .
Professor Kingston Mills , virologist at Trinity College Dublin , said the “ full impact ” of the move to the national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The impact on the number of cases per day is seen quicker than hospitalisations or deaths , and that ’ s not going to be seen until several weeks into the restrictions , ” he said .

The Minister for Finance has said “more signs and more evidence” that the spread of Covid-19 is under control are needed before Government can outline how the country will come out of lockdown next month.
Paschal Donohoe told journalists on Friday that while there "are some positive signs, we need more signs, and more evidence of the spread of the disease reducing".
He said that getting the level of virus circulating in the country down was key as “the lower the level of the disease, as we approach this part of Level 5, the better the prospects are regarding how we can reopen our economy and our society.”
Hospital Report
Mr Donohoe was speaking at the official launch of the Government’s Covid Restrictions Support Scheme, which pays firms impacted by public health measures up to €5,000 a week. With Level 5 of the State’s Living with Covid plan implemented around the State, it is currently costing the exchequer around €80 million a week.
READ MORE
He said the Government is “of course” considering the options available to it for moving to a lower level of public health guidance, “when and if we see the spread of disease being reduced”. Mr Donohoe said that once the data shows that the disease is moving at a “steady and reliable pace”, the Government will “do all they can to give businesses time to organise themselves and be ready for opening”.
Elsewhere,Taoiseach Micheál Martin told Sky News that the Government intends to “keep the pressure on the virus” to facilitate an opening up of the country in December “and beyond, into the month of January, February and March”.
Hopefully a vaccine will arrive towards the end of the year, “that will give some hope to people for 2021”, he said.
Meanwhile, health experts have said restrictions may have to be eased slower in Dublin and other counties with high rates of Covid-19, when the country comes out of the national lockdown.
Professor Sam McConkey, infectious diseases consultant, said it was “too early to call” how far restrictions could be relaxed in December.
He said different approaches could be taken in different parts of the country, such as moving counties with higher virus rates to Level 3, rather than Level 2, of the Government’s phased plan.
Under Level 3, household visits are restricted to people from one other household, and people must avoid travelling outside their county, unless for work, education, or other essential reasons. Under Level 2, six people from three different households can visit homes, with no restrictions on travel.
“The idea of different opening ups, different restrictions per county has worked okay in the past,” Prof McConkey said, adding that would be “a reasonable way for Nphet [National Public Health Emergency Team] to go.”
The R-number, which is the reproductive rate of the virus, was still high in counties such as Dublin, Donegal, Louth, and Cork, he said.
The public had accepted and welcomed the move to a Level 5 lockdown, “because we care for our vulnerable, we care for our grannies,” he said. By the same token “a differential county by county relaxation will be accepted by people,” Prof McConkey said.
Dr Jack Lambert, professor of medicine and infectious diseases at the Mater Hospital, also said different counties would need "a tailored plan" as the country emerged from lockdown.
“The high risk areas we may need to keep enhanced measures in place until the numbers are right,” he said.
Professor Kingston Mills, virologist at Trinity College Dublin, said the "full impact" of the move to the national lockdown was not yet known.
“The impact on the number of cases per day is seen quicker than hospitalisations or deaths, and that’s not going to be seen until several weeks into the restrictions,” he said.


theirishtimes--2020-11-06--Revenue acted unlawfully in failing to give details on car-selling price calculation

The Court of Appeal has found Revenue acted unlawfully in failing to provide a used car importer with details of how the open market selling price for used vehicles was determined for the purpose of calculating Vehicle Registration Tax ( VRT ) .
Mr Justice Brian Murray said that failure meant Used Car Importers of Ireland ( UCII ) could not find out whether the Revenue ’ s system of valuing imported vehicles would , as a general rule , be very close to their actual value , thereby affecting the VRT calculation .
However , the judge said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that this failure was unlawful , it was not entitled to succeed in relation to its other claims including for return of taxes paid , damages and loss which UCII had put at €130 million .
He was giving judgment on behalf of the three-judge Court of Appeal on Friday on an appeal by UCII against a 2013 High Court decision rejecting UCII ’ s claim against the Minister for Finance , Revenue and the State .
It was the latest decision in a 25-year legal battle by UCII Ltd , Centre Park @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discriminated in favour of the domestic car trade and against importers by imposing artificially high values on imported used cars .
The court will hear submissions later from the parties as to what order the Court of Appeal should make having regard to the fact the High Court did not address the question of whether Revenue had established the methodology used by it to determine the market selling price resulted generally in values that were close to their actual value .
Having regard to the elapse of time since the institution of these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relate , those submissions can also address the breadth and nature of UCII ’ s claim on this single issue on which it succeeded , the judge said .
They should further address the utility and fairness of a remittal of this issue back to the High Court .
UCII , whose only directors were Niall O ’ Dowling and Fintan Riordan , began trading in 1989 to source good quality used cars from abroad , including Japan and the EU , and sell them to other dealers and direct to the public @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a month .
All changed when in January 1993 , in order to ensure no loss of revenue as a result of the opening of the EU single market , the government changed the system of vehicle registration and introduced VRT .
UCII brought its legal action in 1995 , but it was not until 2012 , because of issues over discovery of documents , the case was heard in the High Court where it ran for 33 days .
In his Court of Appeal judgment , Mr Justice Murray said there was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policy of the kind at issue in this case publicly known .
In this regard he attached some significance to the failure of Revenue to respond to the queries raised in UCII ’ s correspondence of 1994 and the adherence by Revenue to an apparently deliberate policy of non-disclosure of the depreciation schedules which was unlawful .
However , he said UCII is wrong in contending Revenue was obliged to have regard to the price obtained on the sale of a vehicle in determining the open market price of that vehicle .
UCII @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was a fundamental conflict in the evidence between its expert and those of Revenue as to the role of depreciation of vehicle tables in the methodology used .
The High Court ’ s conclusion , that the challenge to the rationality of that methodology failed , was based on valuations provided in the industry ’ s Car Sales Guide , that the guide was a reasonable reference point for this purpose and that UCII had failed to establish that its application systematically overvalued the vehicles .
UCII has not established that the High @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and it followed its challenge on grounds of irrationality had to fail , he said .

The Court of Appeal has found Revenue acted unlawfully in failing to provide a used car importer with details of how the open market selling price for used vehicles was determined for the purpose of calculating Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT).
Mr Justice Brian Murray said that failure meant Used Car Importers of Ireland (UCII) could not find out whether the Revenue’s system of valuing imported vehicles would, as a general rule, be very close to their actual value, thereby affecting the VRT calculation.
However, the judge said, while UCII was entitled to a declaration that this failure was unlawful, it was not entitled to succeed in relation to its other claims including for return of taxes paid, damages and loss which UCII had put at €130 million.
He was giving judgment on behalf of the three-judge Court of Appeal on Friday on an appeal by UCII against a 2013 High Court decision rejecting UCII’s claim against the Minister for Finance, Revenue and the State.
READ MORE
It was the latest decision in a 25-year legal battle by UCII Ltd, Centre Park Road, Cork, which claimed VRT discriminated in favour of the domestic car trade and against importers by imposing artificially high values on imported used cars.
The court will hear submissions later from the parties as to what order the Court of Appeal should make having regard to the fact the High Court did not address the question of whether Revenue had established the methodology used by it to determine the market selling price resulted generally in values that were close to their actual value.
Having regard to the elapse of time since the institution of these proceedings and the events to which they relate, those submissions can also address the breadth and nature of UCII’s claim on this single issue on which it succeeded, the judge said.
They should further address the utility and fairness of a remittal of this issue back to the High Court.
UCII, whose only directors were Niall O’Dowling and Fintan Riordan, began trading in 1989 to source good quality used cars from abroad, including Japan and the EU, and sell them to other dealers and direct to the public.
UCII was selling around 670 vehicles a month. All changed when in January 1993, in order to ensure no loss of revenue as a result of the opening of the EU single market, the government changed the system of vehicle registration and introduced VRT.
UCII brought its legal action in 1995 ,but it was not until 2012, because of issues over discovery of documents, the case was heard in the High Court where it ran for 33 days.
In his Court of Appeal judgment, Mr Justice Murray said there was an obligation on Revenue to make a policy of the kind at issue in this case publicly known.
In this regard he attached some significance to the failure of Revenue to respond to the queries raised in UCII’s correspondence of 1994 and the adherence by Revenue to an apparently deliberate policy of non-disclosure of the depreciation schedules which was unlawful.
However, he said UCII is wrong in contending Revenue was obliged to have regard to the price obtained on the sale of a vehicle in determining the open market price of that vehicle.
UCII was also mistaken in its contention there was a fundamental conflict in the evidence between its expert and those of Revenue as to the role of depreciation of vehicle tables in the methodology used.
The High Court’s conclusion, that the challenge to the rationality of that methodology failed, was based on valuations provided in the industry’s Car Sales Guide, that the guide was a reasonable reference point for this purpose and that UCII had failed to establish that its application systematically overvalued the vehicles.
UCII has not established that the High Court erred in any of these conclusions and it followed its challenge on grounds of irrationality had to fail, he said.


theirishtimes--2020-11-06--Man jailed for dangerous driving causing father of three’s death

A man who spent the day drinking in pubs before crashing into and killing a father of three in Co Donegal has been jailed for 3½ years .
A 15-year driving ban was also imposed on Aaron McColgan at Letterkenny Circuit Court , where he pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of John ‘ Rustard ’ McLaughlin .
Mr McLaughlin ( 38 ) , an accountant and GAA coach , was returning from work at around 6pm on February 20th , 2017 to go to an under-16 training session at Malin GAA Club .
The court heard McColgan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Malin , had visited at least three pubs that day and crossed a continuous white line on the road in his Audi A4 before the collision at Strandhead , Malin .
The accused , who was 25 at the time , fled the scene but was arrested soon after and found to be driving under the influence of alcohol .
In a victim impact statement , Mr McLaughlin ’ s wife Mags Mulhall said she was pregnant at time of the crash and had to give birth to their third child without @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no answers for her children when they ask her if their father is working in heaven and if they can go to visit him .
“ Helping to make father ’ s day cards to place on his grave was not supposed to be part of our adventure , ” she said .
Ms Mulhall asked what might have been “ if only Aaron McColgan had behaved differently ” .
She said the three years it took for the case to come before the court had been draining and that the family had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ losing her husband .
Garda Gerard McCauley said there was an 80km/h speed limit on the road and while they could not establish how fast the cars were going before the crash , McColgan ’ s Audi was traveling much faster than Mr McLaughlin ’ s Kia .
Damien Colgan , barrister for McColgan , said his client has expressed his remorse and had not come to Garda attention since the incident .
The court heard that McColgan had previous convictions for offences including being drunk while in charge of a vehicle .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ s death had been harrowing for his family .
He said the offence initially merited a sentence of 6½ years .
He said that because of McColgan ’ s early guilty plea and remorse he reduced the sentence by two years and he suspened the last year on condition that McColgan be of good behaviour .

A man who spent the day drinking in pubs before crashing into and killing a father of three in Co Donegal has been jailed for 3.5½years.
A man who spent the day drinking in pubs before crashing into and killing a father of three in Co Donegal has been jailed for 3½ years.
A 15-year driving ban was also imposed on Aaron McColgan at Letterkenny Circuit Court, where he pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing the death of John ‘Rustard’ McLaughlin.
Mr McLaughlin (38), an accountant and GAA coach, was returning from work at around 6pm on February 20th, 2017 to go to an under-16 training session at Malin GAA Club.
The court heard McColgan, a father of three from Culkeeny, Malin, had visited at least three pubs that day and crossed a continuous white line on the road in his Audi A4 before the collision at Strandhead, Malin.
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The accused, who was 25 at the time, fled the scene but was arrested soon after and found to be driving under the influence of alcohol.
No answers
In a victim impact statement, Mr McLaughlin’s wife Mags Mulhall said she was pregnant at time of the crash and had to give birth to their third child without her husband. She said she has no answers for her children when they ask her if their father is working in heaven and if they can go to visit him.
“Helping to make father’s day cards to place on his grave was not supposed to be part of our adventure,” she said.
Ms Mulhall asked what might have been “if only Aaron McColgan had behaved differently”. She said the three years it took for the case to come before the court had been draining and that the family had received “a lifelong sentence” in losing her husband.
Garda Gerard McCauley said there was an 80km/h speed limit on the road and while they could not establish how fast the cars were going before the crash, McColgan’s Audi was traveling much faster than Mr McLaughlin’s Kia.
Damien Colgan, barrister for McColgan, said his client has expressed his remorse and had not come to Garda attention since the incident. The court heard that McColgan had previous convictions for offences including being drunk while in charge of a vehicle.
Judge John Aylmer said Mr McLaughlin’s death had been harrowing for his family. He said the offence initially merited a sentence of 6½ years. He said that because of McColgan’s early guilty plea and remorse he reduced the sentence by two years and he suspened the last year on condition that McColgan be of good behaviour.


theirishtimes--2020-11-06--Man who posed as street beggar conned two pensioners out of their life savings

A man who posed as a street beggar and conned two pensioners in to parting with their life savings of hundreds of thousand of euro amid claims that he needed cancer treatment abroad has been jailed for six years .
Brudut Iosca ( 38 ) of Relic Road , Kilbeggan , Co Westmeath squandered over €300,000 on gambling after he secured the funds from two separate pensioners who took pity on him after he repeatedly told them tales of woe .
His lies included being evicted from his house , having a sick parent overseas and having life-threatening cancer himself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who has lived in Ireland for 20 years and is a father and grandfather , had conned a 69-year-old man out of his life savings of €207,750 on dates from October 2017 to August 2018 .
The man approached Bandon Garda Station in September 2018 seeking advice about what he thought was the friendship he had built up with the Romanian man .
Sgt Ailish Murphy told the court the pensioner informed gardaí that he had given a man loans of over €200,000 that year .
The 69-year-old raised the alarm when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ name , sought a further sum of over €100,000 to redeem a house in Serbia .
He had told the man he would pay him back sums owed through the overall sale of the house .
He tricked the victim with various “ sob stories ” including that he was in dire straits and facing eviction .
The Garda investigation involved analysis of Iosca ’ s bank documents .
During the course of the probe gardaí discovered a second victim .
A woman in her 70s had been approached by Iosca when he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Laoghaire .
He claimed he was from Iran and gave a false name .
He repeatedly contacted her alleging he was in financial difficulties .
The lady started paying him monthly instalments .
He preyed on the pensioner from 2012 to 2019 , at one point telling her he needed money to go overseas to the funeral of his mother .
Garda inquiries later determined his mother was alive and well and living in Ireland .
In 2017 the payments escalated when he contacted the woman claiming he had cancer and needed treatment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life savings at that point and took out a loan of €15,000 which she is still paying back in instalments of over €300 a month .
The man managed to con the woman out of €123,000 over the seven-year period .
A Garda inquiry established the man was in receipt of €3,000 a month in benefits from the State including disability and free travel .
Sgt Murphy said that Iosca was never destitute and had on no occasion fallen behind on his rent .
Gardaí searched Iosca ’ s home in Westmeath in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to his scam .
He was subsequently arrested in Blanchardstown in July 2019 .
He admitted he had never had cancer or needed medical treatment abroad .
Sgt Murphy told the court that Iosca “ squandered the cash as fast as it was received ” on gambling .
She said he had targeted people while begging on the streets and that he had callously “ perfected his craft over a seven-year period.
” Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin said the victims were “ devastated ” by the defendant ’ s behaviour .
He said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , degraded and impoverished.
” He added the “ bunch of sob stories ” Iosca had concocted had led to two innocent and kindly people extending charity to him .
He jailed Iosca for six years .
Iosca had pleaded guilty to six sample counts of deception .

A man who posed as a street beggar and conned two pensioners in to parting with their life savings of hundreds of thousand of euro amid claims that he needed cancer treatment abroad has been jailed for six years.
Brudut Iosca (38) of Relic Road, Kilbeggan, Co Westmeath squandered over €300,000 on gambling after he secured the funds from two separate pensioners who took pity on him after he repeatedly told them tales of woe.
His lies included being evicted from his house, having a sick parent overseas and having life-threatening cancer himself.
Cork Circuit Criminal Court heard Iosca, who has lived in Ireland for 20 years and is a father and grandfather, had conned a 69-year-old man out of his life savings of €207,750 on dates from October 2017 to August 2018.
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The man approached Bandon Garda Station in September 2018 seeking advice about what he thought was the friendship he had built up with the Romanian man.
Sgt Ailish Murphy told the court the pensioner informed gardaí that he had given a man loans of over €200,000 that year.
The 69-year-old raised the alarm when Iosca, who had used a false name, sought a further sum of over €100,000 to redeem a house in Serbia. He had told the man he would pay him back sums owed through the overall sale of the house.
He tricked the victim with various “sob stories” including that he was in dire straits and facing eviction.
The Garda investigation involved analysis of Iosca’s bank documents. During the course of the probe gardaí discovered a second victim.
A woman in her 70s had been approached by Iosca when he was begging on the streets of Dún Laoghaire. He claimed he was from Iran and gave a false name.
He repeatedly contacted her alleging he was in financial difficulties. The lady started paying him monthly instalments.
He preyed on the pensioner from 2012 to 2019, at one point telling her he needed money to go overseas to the funeral of his mother. Garda inquiries later determined his mother was alive and well and living in Ireland.
In 2017 the payments escalated when he contacted the woman claiming he had cancer and needed treatment abroad. She had given him her life savings at that point and took out a loan of €15,000 which she is still paying back in instalments of over €300 a month. The man managed to con the woman out of €123,000 over the seven-year period.
A Garda inquiry established the man was in receipt of €3,000 a month in benefits from the State including disability and free travel.
Sgt Murphy said that Iosca was never destitute and had on no occasion fallen behind on his rent.
Gardaí searched Iosca’s home in Westmeath in March 2019 where they found documentation linked to his scam.
He was subsequently arrested in Blanchardstown in July 2019. He admitted he had never had cancer or needed medical treatment abroad.
Sgt Murphy told the court that Iosca “squandered the cash as fast as it was received” on gambling. She said he had targeted people while begging on the streets and that he had callously “perfected his craft over a seven-year period.”
Judge Seán Ó Donnabháin said the victims were “devastated” by the defendant’s behaviour. He said Iosca had left the pensioners “humiliated, degraded and impoverished.”
He added the “bunch of sob stories” Iosca had concocted had led to two innocent and kindly people extending charity to him. He jailed Iosca for six years.
Iosca had pleaded guilty to six sample counts of deception.


theirishtimes--2020-11-06--Covid-19: Northern Ireland records 8 more deaths and 595 new cases

Eight more people have died with coronavirus in Northern Ireland , the North ’ s Department of Health reported on Friday .
It brings the total number of fatalities recorded by the department to 760 .
A further 595 people tested positive for the virus in the last 24 hours and there were 4,160 confirmed cases in the last seven days .
In the North , 41,969 people have tested positive for Covid-19 since the beginning of the pandemic .
A total of 407 people with Covid-19 are currently being treated in the North ’ s hospitals , with 49 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreaks in 126 care homes .
Meanwhile , according to separate data released on Friday by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency ( Nisra ) , more than 1,000 coronavirus-related deaths have now been recorded in the North .
The figures published by Nisra also showed the week ending October 30th had the highest number of coronavirus-related hospital deaths - 53 - since mid-April .
In the same week there were 10 deaths related Covid-19 in care homes , which Nisra said compared to totals last seen at the end of May @ @ @ @ @ @ @ includes all deaths where coronavirus is mentioned on the death certificate by a medical professional , but the individual may or may not have tested positive for the virus .
Their figures are higher than those recorded in the Covid-19 bulletin released daily by the department , which includes only those who have tested positive for Covid-19 .
The number of coronavirus-related fatalities reported by the department in the same period was 706 .
Of the 1,053 deaths reported by Nisra until October 30th , 605 of these - 57.5 per cent - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 35.6 per cent - in care homes .
There were 384 deaths in care homes and hospices , involving 90 separate establishments .
Nisra recorded a total of 469 deaths involving Covid-19 among care home residents until October 30th , of which 80 per cent ( 375 ) took place in care homes and 94 in hospital .
On this basis , Nisra said , the deaths of care home residents account for 44.5 per cent of all Covid-19 related deaths .
So far this year 1,219 “ excess deaths ” , defined @ @ @ @ @ @ @ corresponding period in previous years , have been recorded in Northern Ireland , Nisra said .
People aged 75 and over accounted for two-thirds or 64.8 per cent of all deaths and 78 per cent of Covid-19 related deaths registered in the year until October 30th .
Of the 1,023 coronavirus-related deaths registered in the year until October 30th , 27.1 per cent ( 277 ) were in the Belfast area .

A further 595 people tested positive for the virus in the last 24 hours. File photograph: Alan Betson
Eight more people have died with coronavirus in Northern Ireland, the North's Department of Health reported on Friday.
It brings the total number of fatalities recorded by the department to 760.
A further 595 people tested positive for the virus in the last 24 hours and there were 4,160 confirmed cases in the last seven days. In the North, 41,969 people have tested positive for Covid-19 since the beginning of the pandemic.
A total of 407 people with Covid-19 are currently being treated in the North’s hospitals, with 49 in intensive care, and there are outbreaks in 126 care homes.
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Meanwhile, according to separate data released on Friday by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (Nisra), more than 1,000 coronavirus-related deaths have now been recorded in the North.
The figures published by Nisra also showed the week ending October 30th had the highest number of coronavirus-related hospital deaths - 53 - since mid-April.
In the same week there were 10 deaths related Covid-19 in care homes, which Nisra said compared to totals last seen at the end of May.
The data published weekly by Nisra includes all deaths where coronavirus is mentioned on the death certificate by a medical professional, but the individual may or may not have tested positive for the virus.
Their figures are higher than those recorded in the Covid-19 bulletin released daily by the department, which includes only those who have tested positive for Covid-19.
The number of coronavirus-related fatalities reported by the department in the same period was 706.
Of the 1,053 deaths reported by Nisra until October 30th, 605 of these - 57.5 per cent - took place in hospital and 375 - 35.6 per cent - in care homes.
There were 384 deaths in care homes and hospices, involving 90 separate establishments.
Nisra recorded a total of 469 deaths involving Covid-19 among care home residents until October 30th, of which 80 per cent (375) took place in care homes and 94 in hospital.
On this basis, Nisra said, the deaths of care home residents account for 44.5 per cent of all Covid-19 related deaths.
So far this year 1,219 “excess deaths” , defined as deaths above the average for the corresponding period in previous years , have been recorded in Northern Ireland, Nisra said.
People aged 75 and over accounted for two-thirds or 64.8 per cent of all deaths and 78 per cent of Covid-19 related deaths registered in the year until October 30th.
Of the 1,023 coronavirus-related deaths registered in the year until October 30th, 27.1 per cent (277) were in the Belfast area.


theirishtimes--2020-11-07--What are Joe Biden’s Irish roots?

What are Joe Biden’s Irish roots?

Democratic US presidential candidate Joe Biden has spoken about his Irish heritage on numerous occasions , coming here on an official visit as vice president in 2016 and even referencing poet Seamus Heaney in his speeches .
Mr Biden can trace his Irish roots back to both the Blewitts from Co Mayo and the Finnegans from Co Louth .
His great-great grandfather Patrick Blewitt was born in Ballina , Co Mayo , in 1832 .
Patrick left Ireland in the autumn of 1850 to settle in America .
He did return to Ireland the following year though , to bring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ siblings to America .
The Blewitts settled in Scranton , Pennsylvania and Patrick became a mining inspector , often working in South America .
Patrick had a son , Edward F Blewitt , who was born in New Orleans in 1859 .
He was named after Patrick ’ s father who died in a drowning accident in 1872 .
Edward F Blewitt graduated as a civil engineer and went on to be employed as a city engineer before his election to the Senate in 1907 .
Blewitt married Mary Ellen Stanton and they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Patrick , Arthur and Geraldine .
Geraldine married Ambrose Finnegan and they had a daughter Jean , born in 1917 , who was Joe Biden ’ s mother .
Biden ’ s other great-great grandfather was Owen Finnegan , from the Cooley Peninsula , Co Louth .
He married Jean Boyle in 1839 .
The first four children were born there , including James Finnegan in 1840 , Biden ’ s great grandfather .
The family moved to America in the late 1840s and settled in Seneca , New York .
The family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and other cousins .
Owen and Jean both died in 1874 and James moved close to Scranton with his wife Catherine Roche and they had six children , including Ambrose J. Finnegan ( who as we know , married Geraldine Blewitt ) .

FROM 2020: US presidential hopeful Joe Biden's Irish cousin Laurita Blewitt talks about his Irish connections and plans for returning to Ireland as president.
US president-elect Joe Biden has spoken about his Irish heritage on numerous occasions, coming here on an official visit as vice president in 2016 and even referencing poet Séamus Heaney in his speeches.
The successful Democratic candidate can trace his Irish roots back to both the Blewitts from Co Mayo and the Finnegans from Co Louth.
His great-great grandfather Patrick Blewitt was born in Ballina, Co Mayo, in 1832. Patrick left Ireland in the autumn of 1850 to settle in America. He did return to Ireland the following year though, to bring his parents Edward and Mary and his siblings to America.
Congrats to you Mr President https://t.co/01pVm0dosu — Rob Kearney (@KearneyRob) November 6, 2020
The Blewitts settled in Scranton, Pennsylvania and Patrick became a mining inspector, often working in South America.
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Patrick had a son, Edward F Blewitt, who was born in New Orleans in 1859. He was named after Patrick's father who died in a drowning accident in 1872.
Edward F Blewitt graduated as a civil engineer and went on to be employed as a city engineer before his election to the Senate in 1907.
Blewitt married Mary Ellen Stanton and they had four children together – Gertrude, Patrick, Arthur and Geraldine. Geraldine married Ambrose Finnegan and they had a daughter Jean, born in 1917, who was Joe Biden's mother.
Biden's other great-great grandfather was Owen Finnegan, from the Cooley Peninsula, Co Louth. He married Jean Boyle in 1839. The first four children were born there, including James Finnegan in 1840, Biden's great grandfather.
The family moved to America in the late 1840s and settled in Seneca, New York. The family emigrated with Owen's brother John and other cousins. Owen and Jean both died in 1874 and James moved close to Scranton with his wife Catherine Roche and they had six children, including Ambrose J. Finnegan (who as we know, married Geraldine Blewitt).
Mr Biden's Irish relations through the Finnegan line include Ireland rugby internationals Rob and Dave Kearney. Their father David Joseph Donald Kearney is a fifth cousin of the president-elect, according to research carried out by Epic The Irish Emigration Museum.
Four years ago, Mr Biden congratulated “cousin” Rob Kearney and the Irish team “on behalf of the Bidens” for beating New Zealand for the first time - which happened to be on US soil. Kearney tweeted back this weekend: “Congrats to you Mr President”.
Mr Biden’s Irish roots have drawn international attention since the election. A clip of an exchange between BBC New York correspondent Nick Bryant and Mr Biden from the campaign trail went viral on Saturday.
Asked for a quick word, Mr Biden tells the reporter: “The BBC? I’m Irish.”