While there were differing views on the necessity and proportionality of the NPHET recommendation to move the country to Level 5, there was very little debate around the manner in which that decision made its way into the public domain. Sent out on a fairly miserable Sunday evening, weather wise at least, it landed […]
For the first time in 30 years the number of people in extreme poverty globally, is rising. Extreme poverty, as defined by the World Bank, entails surviving on less than $1.90 a day. The consequences of the global shutdown on global poverty are causing problems that will result in many deaths. We should be […]
Thankfully, the Government remembered who elected them and rejected the NPHET call for Level 5 restrictions. It was clear that the leaking of the proposed lockdown last night had elicited a pretty wide ranging rejection. Unlike the announcement of the first lockdown in March when people were naturally in a state of shock and in […]
This might help out those in Government who don’t want to move to stage five. It will also, paradoxically, strengthen NPHET by showing that Holohan still has considerable influence, even without a stage five lockdown: Breaking – the GAA is set to announce the immediate suspension of club games at all levels across the island […]
Last April, when we were under strict lockdown and confined to a radius of two, later four, kilometres from our homes, cases of covid19 were running at figures similar to what they are now. And that is without factoring in the lack of widespread testing back then. Back then too schools were shut and hospitals […]
The Irish commentariat is united this morning, in its view that Dr. Tony Holohan has finally gone too far. Level five? He must be joking, is the general tone in the newspapers, on the radio, and on social media. That’s understandable, and it might even be correct. Be in no doubt: Level five would represent […]
Last night we heard that NPHET is recommending that a full Level 5 lockdown be implemented, which caused the head of the HSE, Paul Reid, to say that while there were concerns ‘about trends on Covid19’, there were also “impacts of severe and regular restrictions in society on the public health, wellbeing, mental health and […]
Yes, he’s at it again. On Friday, our greatest public intellectual, (with apologies to Fintan of the Times and the existential Jedward brothers) Ryan Tubridy, decided to speak directly to the public about President Trump’s failure to condemn white supremacy. Except, of course, Trump has done so. After Charlottesville, he unequivocally condemned white supremacists, and […]
Today I thought that I’d draw your attention to a particularly repulsive ad that graces a bus stop in Vancouver. The ad features a picture of a cute baby, smiling, looking with joy out at commuters. Underneath it, the ad says: “The most loving gift you can give your first child is not to have another.” […]
If the life of Donald J Trump were a movie we would now be in the tumultuous third act. The news that Trump has tested positive for the Coronavirus has shaken up the presidential race in another unexpected direction. If this were a movie it would be the perfect third act plot twist. “The Hero’s […]
It’s harder and harder not to be far-right these days, isn’t it? At this point, it might be easier for our friends in the rest of the media to provide a list of positions that are not “far right” than it is to itemise every single one that allegedly is. The latest announcement comes today […]
The Government has temporarily kicked the issue of “assisted suicide” to a yet-to-be configured consultation process through a Dáil committee. It will then come back to be considered and approved some time over the next year. Predictably enough the far left sponsors of the Bill and their Sinn Féin tail were not happy about this. […]