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Hypocrisy Flourishes In 33rd Dáil.

Why do people vote for politicians they know to be liars?

Sadly, some of those involved in politics, for some unknown reason, develop a certain agility as liars and hypocrites.

The word hypocrite comes from the Greek word ‘hypokrites’, which means “a stage actor”, “a pretender”, “an interpreter from underneath”.

Stage actors in ancient Greek theatre houses always wore large masks to identify which character they were playing and so they “interpreted their play from underneath” their masks.

A hypocrite is easily recognised by their preaching one thing, and doing the exact opposite.

Using the video hereunder, watch possibly the two biggest hypocrites currently in our 33rd Dáil, taking up office space in Leinster House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2.
I refer to of course Irish Fianna Fáil politician Mr Darragh O’Brien and Irish Green Party politician Mr Malcolm Noonan. Both men can be viewed reading from what is known in the trade as an “idiot sheet”, while acting without masks in the video recording.

Here in Co. Tipperary, we have become very good at identifying hypocrites. Same daily preach similar phony sanctimony as contained in this video, while dabbling in self-serving politics, and who operate both inside and outside of Dáil Éireann.

In the video shown above, we watched as both named individuals claim to follow expressed moral rules and principles, while displaying sanctimonious affected superiority and false virtue posturing.

First, let’s question Mr Darragh O’Brien’s statement: “Heritage Ireland 2030 celebrates the diversity of Ireland’s heritage and the value placed on it by so many. It recognises the fundamental importance of heritage to our society, to our wellbeing and to our economy.
The Strategy is built around a vision for Ireland’s heritage, in all of its forms, built, natural, cultural, linguistic tangible and intangible, being at the very centre of local and national discourse, valued by all and cared for and protected for future generations”
.

So Mr O’Brien, explain to the people of Thurles, why was the 176 year old, Great Famine Double Ditch, removed from Mill Road, Thurles, Co. Tipperary earlier this year?
We had made contact with your party colleague Mr Jackie Cahill T.D and current government supporter Mr Michael Lowry T.D.
Surely, they must have discussed the importance of this rare piece of heritage with you; they being elected Co. Tipperary representatives anxious to benefit the slow and ever dwindling economy of their own home town of Thurles.

Moving on and trying not to ‘snigger’; let’s question the videoed statement of possibly the biggest hypocrite of all, Irish Green Party politician Minister Malcolm Noonan.

“The three themes of Heritage Ireland 2030 are “Communities”, “Leadership” and “Partnership”. – Published in statement by Minister Malcolm Noonan.

So why did it take two years Minister Noonan, for your office to reply to our emails?

“To protect and restore our species and habitats including peatlands to conserve and enhance our built heritage and monuments all of us must work together – Government, communities, stakeholder groups and citizens”. – Published in statement by Minister Malcolm Noonan.

So why did it take two years Minister Noonan, for your office to reply to our emails?

“We all have an active role to play as custodians of our heritage, not only for ourselves but for future generations too, and that is a core element of Heritage Ireland 2030.” – Published in statement by Minister Malcolm Noonan.

So why did it take two years Minister Noonan, for your office to reply to our emails?
Why did you allow the removal of the Great Famine, 176 year old, Double Ditch, YOU having been warned by us of its proposed destruction 2 years previously?

“Likewise, the right of everyone to engage in heritage is recognised in the strategy putting citizens and communities at the heart of how we manage it.
Our heritage is coming under all sorts of pressures largely brought about by our own actions and often inaction.
Climate change and biodiversity loss [E.G. Lady’s Well Walkway, Thurles] will be a key focus of Heritage Ireland over its lifetime, as we increase our ambition to restore nature and make our built heritage and monuments climate resilient.
Thanks are owed to the many people who gave so generously of their time and ideas in shaping Heritage Ireland and its vision.
Our shared hope is that we see real benefits for all as we work together to achieve this vision”. Published in statement by Minister Malcolm Noonan.

Finally, Minister when are you going to arrange ‘to restore’ this aforementioned piece of Thurles heritage?

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Release Of CSO Crime Statistics On Victims & Suspected Offenders.

The Minister for Justice Helen McEntee TD has noted today’s publication of the latest statistics on victims and suspected offenders of serious crimes recorded by An Garda Síochána.

The latest release from the Central Statistics Office (CSO) covers Recorded Crime Victims 2021 and Suspected Offenders 2020, and includes statistics showing a rise since 2018 in the proportion of victims who are women in crimes including attempts/threats to murder, assaults, and harassment offences.

Minister McEntee said, “The new national strategy on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence – which I will bring to Government in the coming weeks – will have a particular focus on prevention, and on ensuring victims are better supported.
It will set an overall goal of zero tolerance for domestic, sexual and gender-based violence and will ensure that people, particularly women and vulnerable people, feel safe and are safe in our communities.
I am also focused on strengthening legislation in this area. Last week I secured Government approval to draft legislation to make stalking and non-fatal strangulation standalone offences, and I will publish a new Hate Crime Bill which will introduce new, specific aggravated offences with enhanced penalties for crimes motivated by prejudice against certain characteristics, including gender”.

The CSO report shows that four out of five victims in sexual violence cases in 2021 were women, and the Minister also noted the drop in the proportion of sexual violence incidents that were reported within a year of them occurring – and urged people to report these heinous crimes as quickly as possible to assist An Garda Síochana in bringing the perpetrators to justice.

Minister McEntee added, “We know that these statistics do not paint the full picture of sexual violence in this country, as it only relates to people who have come forward to report what has happened to them. We know that it a sad reality that there are many more victims of sexual violence out there.
We need to know the true extent of this problem and that is why we agreed to the development and delivery of a significant new national survey on the prevalence of sexual violence in Ireland by the CSO. The survey will look in detail at the experience of sexual violence and abuse for both women and men in Ireland.
The No Excuses campaign that my Department ran from 2019 until the end of 2021 underpins the message that sexual harassment and sexual violence will not be tolerated. It highlights that, as a society, we all have a role to play in preventing sexual harassment and sexual violence.
We are currently in the process of developing a further campaign to raise awareness of the meaning and importance of consent.
Also, through the Justice Plan and Supporting a Victim’s Journey, I am working to reform the criminal justice system at every point in which a victim comes into contact with it, and to help victims and vulnerable witnesses in sexual violence cases”.

To date, a number of key actions have been delivered as part of implementing Supporting a Victim’s Journey including:

  • The introduction of preliminary trial hearings;
  • The nationwide rollout of Divisional Protective Services Units (DPSU);
  • The first cohort of staff at a new sexual offences unit in the Director of Public Prosecutions office formally took up their roles last year;
  • Work to advance the training for all personnel who come into contact with vulnerable victims is underway

The Department has also agreed to the development and delivery of a significant new national survey on the prevalence of sexual violence in Ireland by the CSO. It will look in detail at the experience of sexual violence and abuse for both women and men in Ireland.

The full statistics can be accessed at: www.cso.ie

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Covid-19 Confirmed Cases Total 2,307 In Irish Republic Today.

Sadly, with a further 26 deaths reported here in the Irish Republic today (April 27th); according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), despite our welcome current downward trend in virus infections, it is expected that the Irish mainland will see yet another surge in Covid-19 infections, within the coming four to six week period.

Dr. David Nabarro the World Health Organisations special envoy on Covid-19, warns that hospitals in Ireland are likely to face quite a lot of illness yet again, as case numbers begin to trend upwards once more.
He further warned that we can expect new surges possibly every three months.

The Department of Health, here in the Republic Of Ireland, today has confirmed 2,307 new cases of coronavirus; same figure comprising 982 PCR-confirmed cases, with 1,325 positive tests logged on through the HSE portal.

This morning, there were 436 people in our Republic’s hospitals, with the virus, a welcome decrease of 43 patients since yesterday, with 38 positive cases currently in our intensive care units (ICU), latter an increase of 5 since yesterday.

Northern Ireland today reported a further 365 new Covid cases and sadly 1 more death.

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Eight Men Appear In Thurles District Court Accused Of Serious Assault.

Eight men, including two brothers, have appeared in Thurles District Court today, with each of the accused men charged with violent disorder, while one of the eight is further charged with assault causing serious harm.

The assault followed an incident in Upperchurch, Thurles, Co. Tipperary on the night of June 27th, 2021, which led to a 19-year-old man, named as Mr Ross Whelan, receiving serious injuries, which resulted in the victim being rushed to Cork University Hospital.

The accused youths, several of whom were accompanied to court, by family members, were all remanded on bail after being charged.

The accused are named as apprentice Mr Aaron Breen, aged 20, of Freaghduff, Cashel; student Mr Brian O’Dwyer, aged 19, of Price’s-Lot, Cashel; apprentice carpenter Mr Sean Ryan, aged 19, of Beech View in the Commons; Mr Joseph Burke, aged 18 and his brother Mr Patrick Burke, aged 19, of Roskeen, Drombane; apprentice electrician Mr Joseph O’Donoghue, aged 20, of Drombane Cross, Mr Aidan Slattery, aged 20 of Ballycahill, Thurles, Co. Tipperary, and Mr AJ Shanahan, aged 20, latter with an address in Seskin, Thurles, Co. Tipperary.

Above named Mr Patrick Burke also stands accused of the additional offence of assault causing serious harm to a named individual at the same location and on the same date.

Additional bail conditions were added for each of the accused including that those with addresses in Cashel will have no contact directly with their co-accused living outside the Cashel area, as well as remaining away from the Upperchurch area.

Judge Ms Elizabeth McGrath, informed each of the men of their bail conditions, before they entered their own bond of €500.

Each of the defendants have been ordered to appear before Thurles District Court again on September 17th next, for service of the books of evidence, which Gardaí confirm contains some five volumes of material in the case.

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Covid-19 Confirmed Cases Total 2,246 In Irish Republic.

In the past 24 hours, the Department of Health, here in the Republic Of Ireland has confirmed 1,058 PCR cases of Covid-19, while 1,188 people have registered a positive antigen test through the HSE portal.
Same brings the total number Covid-19 cases to 2,246.

The number of patients currently in hospital with Covid-19 has risen to 535 today; an increase of 15 on yesterday, with 43 of these patients in intensive care units.

There were 705 PCR-confirmed cases notified on Sunday, and 1,547 on Saturday.
1,016 people registered a positive antigen test on Sunday, and 1,327 on Saturday.

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