Every nation cherishes an image of itself. In Australia, we are often told that ours was formed on the beaches of Gallipoli, but it’s older and more complex than that. Long before the Australian union, the people of each of the Australian colonies developed self-images of their own, in great variety. Few directly referred to […]
Rural Independent TDs say that “all sense of proportion and perspective is being lost due to government and NPHET’s contributions to deep uncertainty in already uncertain times.” Speaking ahead of an expected announcement of a Level 4 lockdown later today, the Rural Independent Group strongly criticised the Government’s ongoing contradictory and disorganised media messaging, which […]
An interesting bit of polling courtesy of Ireland Thinks and the Mail on Sunday: 🚨Poll🚨Ireland Thinks/Mail on Sunday Question: Should the country move to Level 5 restrictions? Yes: 51%No: 41%Undecided: 9% (Yes I know that it adds up to 101%, but that is what is reported. 🙃) 17th October 2020 — Ireland Votes | #Vote2024 […]
On Friday, Jack Lambert, who is professor of medicine and infectious diseases at the Mater and UCD School of Medicine, was sharply critical of the actions of the government who are now being guided to a Level 5 lockdown by the National Public Health Advisory Team (NPHET). Prof Lambert was the latest in a growing number […]
Doctors said they wouldn’t survive but BOTH twins born healthy after Belfast Mum beats Covid A Belfast mother has given birth to twins girls after being put into a coma and ventilated for 10 days back in April when she battled COVID-19. Her fiance Bryan Green was previously told by doctors that the babies wouldn’t survive the ordeal. […]
Some necessary background, before we get into the story: Yesterday, an advert appeared in the Irish Times, setting out some facts and figures in relation to Covid 19 in Ireland. The advert did not provide all the facts, nor did it seek to put them in context. As an advert, it was very clearly trying […]
The 2020/ 2021 Budget is not behind us. It’s what we’re facing into, in its impact on our society, our politics – now irrevocably changed – and our world. The world seems very close, pressing in on us, spooked by uncertainties and fear. Economic fears, certainly. But also deeper fears that, somehow, what is happening […]
“Government ban household visits”, blared the Irish Examiner, last night, as the latest round of futile covid restrictions were announced: Government ban household visits – except for compassionate or essential reasons https://t.co/WSRGeVB06R — Irish Examiner (@irishexaminer) October 14, 2020 Futile is a good word, here. The “restrictions” announced last night are not really restrictions at […]
Schools in Northern Ireland will close for two weeks from Friday under a new “circuit breaker” lockdown to be announced by First Minister Arlene Foster today. The closure of schools is part of a range of new restrictions that the Northern Irish Government is introducing: Here it is: I've obtained a copy of the new […]
An interesting aspect of the Budget was that it once again illustrated the minimal differences that exist across the entire range of political parties in Leinster House. Apart from the outlier of the People Before Profit demand for a wealth tax which they claim would deliver €3.5 billion, all of the arguing was over different […]
The British Prime Minister has warned that the speedy development of a covid-19 vaccine cannot be taken for granted. Boris Johnson told the British parliament on Monday that while there were “hopeful signs” that a vaccine would be developed, he warned that it could not be taken for granted. “There are some very hopeful signs not least […]
A person is defined to be living in extreme poverty if they are living on less than $1.90 a day. A new report from the World Bank, which provides funding and training to developing countries, has said that they estimate that the economic contractions caused by COVID-19 will cause the number of people living in […]