Politics « Thurles Information

40 Doses Of Covid-19 Vaccine Only, For 300 Front-Line Workers At Nenagh Hospital.

As was previously expected a small amount of Covid-19 vaccine arrived at Nenagh Hospital today. This was fast-tracked after front-line staff voiced their sheer frustration and anger yesterday, regarding delays with the current rollout to some 300 of their frontline contact workforce.

Some 40 doses will now be administered to chosen workers within the hospital, leaving some 240 front-line workers, without being vaccinated. (Note: We understand some 20 staff who share work with Limerick University hospital had received the vaccine earlier.)
This compares unfairly with some one thousand staff at the private Beacon Hospital, who were vaccinated last week, according to HSE chief executive Mr Paul Reid.

Meanwhile, Nenagh hospital has not been given any clarification as to when these other 240 front-line staff will receive their badly needed vaccine doses.

What has been even more disrespectful of Nenagh Hospital staff, was a claim made yesterday on social media, by Tipperary TD Jackie Cahill, who stated, quote, “The Taoiseach has informed me that an initial delivery of vaccinations will be sent to Nenagh hospital tomorrow morning, for front facing staff, following representations I made to him on this matter.
I have been back in contact with the Taoiseach’s Chief of Staff, late this evening, to state that a full delivery is needed as a matter of priority and I have requested certainty on a date for this.
I am very please (I think he means ‘pleased’) to welcome this news and I thank all of those who contacted me in relation to this.”

It would appear that the Taoiseach, Mr Micheál Martin was misleading Mr Jackie Cahill, during their contact, (which hopefully was 2 metres apart). However, having heard the Taoiseach Mr Martin on Virgin Media News, it appears more likely that it was Mr Cahill who was attempting, not for the first time, to mislead his now dwindling Tipperary electorate.

Driving Licence Exemption For Over 70’s During Covid-19.

The Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Ms Hildegarde Naughton, (FG Teachta Dála for the Galway West constituency since 2016), has announced an extension in the exemption that allows for those aged over 70 years old, to apply for a driving licence, without the need to provide a medical report.

Her decision comes following the current surge of Covid-19 cases and in order to ease the burden on Irish medical services.

This decision means that persons of 70 years of age, or over, can apply for to renew their current driving licence without the need to submit a medical report. Same is based on the condition that they do not have an identified or specified illness and are not applying for a licence to drive a truck or a passenger carrier, e.g. a bus or similar category.

This measure will now eliminate the need for drivers over the age of 70 years from having to make an unnecessary journey to their local GP or congregate at their National Driver Licence Service centre.

Those over 70 years old, can view the 4b category on their current driving licence, to check the licence expiry date.

Helpful Resources For Return to Remote Learning.

RTÉ’s Home School Hub: A Resource that requires no Broadband.

One of the biggest challenges to remote schooling, faced by teachers and pupils alike, is poor access to broadband or lack of affordability.

Schools have received funding for IT equipment and digital platforms, but without adequate broadband, pupils and teachers can do nothing online and very little with their digital devices.

Minister for Education (Irish: An tAire Oideachais) Ms Norma Foley has repeatedly praised her department’s guidance and funding for IT and remote learning, but many teachers would argue that she is ignoring the blatantly obvious, namely, that remote teaching amounts to little, if you cannot access fast and reliable broadband.

Remote teaching has indeed highlighted how much remains to be done to improve broadband infrastructure in this country. It is, to say the least, regrettable that since lockdown and school closure became the new norm, that little has been done to improve the provision of broadband and internet access for our children, young people and their teachers.

If you are a family or teacher with limited access to the internet, then RTÉ’s Home School Hub is the resource you need. Home School Hub aims to help keep everyone busy and engaged with learning over this current lockdown.

It will air every weekday, for two hours from 10:00am on RTÉ2, starting tomorrow morning, Monday January 11th.

For those with adequate broadband; to help teachers, parents and pupils plan ahead, visit HERE to view resources and outline topics being covered this week.

Please note also that the Irish Sign Language Version airs at 1:00pm with a daily show on RTÉjr. Also, in the afternoon there will be more from After School Hub on RTÉ2 from 3.20pm.

Keep an eye on RTÉ.ie/learn, for more over the coming weeks.

Helpful Resources For A Return To Remote Learning.

Free Access to Textbooks Online

As part of efforts to suppress this wave of Covid-19, the government has confirmed that all schools are returning to remote learning from Monday 11th January for a period of least three weeks.

Unfortunately, because this closure was not fully anticipated, many pupils are at home without their textbooks. Thankfully, many Irish education publishers are giving free online access to primary school and secondary school textbooks.

For more information, simply follow the links below:

For books by CJ Fallon click HERE.
For books by EDCO click HERE.
For books by Folens click HERE.
For Primary Books by Gill Education click HERE.
For Secondary Books by Gill Education click HERE.

TD Martin Brown Defends Tweets Posted By Brian Stanley

An Tanaiste Mr Leo Varadkar has demanded a statement from Sinn Féin party leader Ms Mary Lou McDonald, after one of her colleagues, Tipperary TD Mr Martin Browne, defended inappropriate and insensitive tweets posted by Laois–Offaly TD Mr Brian Stanley.

**Tipperary TD Mr Martin Browne**. *Photo: Oireachtas.ie*

Mr Stanley had tweeted on the centenary of the Kilmichael ambush, [latter which took place on November 28th 1920] that the Narrow Water Castle killings on August 27th 1979, by the IRA’s South Armagh Brigade, outside Warrenpoint in Co. Down, were two attacks where IRA operations taught the elite of the British army and the establishment, the cost of occupying Ireland. Mr Stanley (Current Chairperson of the Dáil’s Public Accounts Committee) added: “Pity for everyone they were such slow learners”.

Mr Stanley later said that he had deleted what he admitted was an “inappropriate and insensitive” tweet.

However Tipperary’s Mr Martin Browne defended Mr Stanley’s tweet, insisting that his party should not have to apologise for statements that reflect the ‘core beliefs’ of Sinn Féin members.

The Tipperary TD went on to state that apologies for core beliefs in his personal view, should stop. ‘It is my core belief that we have been occupied for 800 years in this country and at all stages down through our history there has been conflict.’

Mr Varadkar stated, “I don’t doubt he (Mr Martin Browne) believes this. But every time a Sinn Féin TD glorifies violence, it makes a united Ireland harder to achieve. Killing kids, bombing pubs & shops was never justified. Not in our name. We need a statement from Mary Lou McDonald on whether she agrees. We fought too hard to secure peace on our island to risk falling backwards. We must stand up to those who would glorify violence again”.

Mr Browne, [who during the visit of Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II to Co. Tipperary in 2011, led a very small Sinn Fein nuisance protest in Cashel, objecting to her visit], admitted he had also called to the homes of Sinn Féin party supporters, whom he felt had published negative comments about the internal workings of the Sinn Féin party, online.

The Tipperary TD Mr Browne, who is Chairperson of the Oireachtas Committee on Public Petitions, and which met for the first time yesterday to discuss its work programme, was asked by Fine Gael members Mr Brendan Griffin TD and Mr Eoghan Murphy TD to clarify his recent comments made earlier on radio to which Mr Browne refused. The meeting was later posponed.