Church must not be found wanting
It was right and appropriate that the Taoiseach also apologise to survivors on behalf of all society. In this regard, the church must not be found wanting either. As is clear from the report, the church is grossly culpable. The fact that blame can also be apportioned to society does not lessen the grievous wrong perpetrated by the church. If anything, it enhances it, such was its wrongly exerted responsibility and influence over society at the time.
Source:Irish Independent
January 17, 2021 02:36 UTC
Hey Teacher, Zoom those kids
His son's Leaving Cert class had been cancelled because the school couldn't put a proper Zoom class together. There are valid reasons why a Zoom class may not pass off as planned, but this isn't one of them. This week, we've seen the year's first big move with Vodafone launching its own discount sub-brand operator, Clear Mobile. The problem is that those customers, if they realise the coverage difference, may already be paying for a Vodafone service. But it's also logical that Vodafone couldn't offer the same kind of speed as its rivals without a serious risk to its core business.
Source:Irish Independent
January 17, 2021 02:36 UTC
Zoom begins to hire workers in Ireland
'Zoom posted quarterly revenues of $777.2m (€640m) in its most recent earnings report and the company has a market capitalisation of just under $100bn.' (AP)Video-conferencing giant Zoom, one of the pandemic's biggest success stories, has begun hiring employees in Ireland with the help of a Dublin-based recruiter. Phil Perry, Zoom's head of UK and Ireland, said the firm has adapted its recruitment strategies to different markets depending on demand. The company would not comment on how many it would be hiring in Ireland. Zoom posted quarterly revenues of $777.2m (€640m) in its most recent earnings report and the company has a market capitalisation of just under $100bn.
Source:Irish Independent
January 17, 2021 02:36 UTC
Logistics firm says 30pc of clients have ceased Irish sales
Attwell said many had cited the increased cost of exporting their products to Ireland and customs delays. Attwell said exports from Ireland to the UK had been landing well, but most issues were in the other direction. He said these issues were leading to some suppliers stopping sending products to Ireland. And the retailers may say 'if you want to keep that you need to service Ireland'." He added that Oakland hopes to hire about 50 new employees here, bringing its total Irish staff to about 100.
Source:Irish Independent
January 17, 2021 02:36 UTC
EMPower-linked firm plans €54.9m wind farm
An Irish wind energy developer linked to EMPower has plans to develop a €54.9m wind farm in Shronowen, Co Kerry, a project which could create more than 100 new jobs. Shronowen Wind Farm Limited posted its intention to apply for 10-year planning permission to An Bord Pleanála last week. Shronowen Wind Farm Limited shares directors with EMPower and has a website hosted by the company. According to the website, Shronowen wind farm will involve a €54.9m investment in Irish renewable energy. The proposed development area of Shronowen Wind Farm is located 5.5km north of Listowel.
Source:Irish Independent
January 17, 2021 02:36 UTC
Sponsorship to see 7pc growth in 2021 after difficult year
The annual Onside Irish Sponsorship Industry Survey forecasts that the Irish sponsorship market will return to growth of 7pc in 2021 to reach €182m. Seven in 10 sponsors in Ireland decreased their sponsorship investment during 2020, with 91pc of these blaming the pandemic for the cuts. According to the report, 63pc of sponsors in Ireland expect sponsorship fees to decrease in 2021. But 41pc of sponsors are planning to increase their investments in sponsorship in 2021, compared with 38pc a year earlier. Sectors which may increase their presence in the sponsorship market in 2021 include ecommerce/online retail, supermarkets, food delivery, pharmaceutical and banking, with a surge in activity among IT/tech firms also possible.
Source:Irish Independent
January 17, 2021 02:36 UTC
Not even bar-stool experts would claim that Simeone ranks as best coach of the decade
Does Simeone's one La Liga and two Europa League titles really trump Pep Guardiola's one Champions League, one La Liga, two Premier Leagues and three Bundesligas, Jurgen Klopp's one Champions League, two Bundesligas and one Premier League or Zinedine Zidane's three Champions Leagues and two La Ligas in the same period? Guess who they ranked fifth best team in the world in 2019? Those willing to take their anointment of Simeone seriously should consider that their last manager of the decade was Arsene Wenger, whose colossal achievement of two Premier League titles was judged sufficient to see off such puny pretenders as Alex Ferguson (five Premier Leagues and a Champions League) and Jose Mourinho (two Champions Leagues, two Premier Leagues and two Serie As). They did name Ferguson best coach of the 21st century in 2012, presumably out of embarrassment. Though if the pub pundit suggested Celtic were the fifth best team in the world, chances are the landlord might feel he'd had enough to drink.
Source:Irish Independent
January 17, 2021 02:36 UTC
Outspoken O'Donovan won't just control the controllables
When karate was accepted as an Olympic sport in 2016, she tried her hand at it - "I thought 'sure look I'll look around and see what it's like'." For O'Donovan, being herself as an athlete means speaking out against the system when required. "When I started, I was so young I just got moulded into the way things were done in the sport. And then, six months into her karate journey, there had been a dispute, a conflict, something O'Donovan couldn't turn away from. "Things change, but is it meaningful change?
Source:Irish Independent
January 17, 2021 02:36 UTC
Neil Francis: 'The church, the colours rivalry, and why Trinity's rugby team mirrors the college's path to enlightenment'
The annual colours match between Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin was due to take place yesterday. Now, outside of those intimately involved, the colours match has no real rugby relevance. Examine if you will the team sheet in the programme for the 1969 colours game which was held in Lansdowne Road on December 3. Ben Underwood, a pupil from Blackrock College, is the only player from the Republic of Ireland to represent Trinity College. Spring described the colours match as "a vicious rivalry" again which may have prepared him for what was to come in some of the peace process negotiations.
Source:Irish Independent
January 17, 2021 02:34 UTC
Ireland facing longest lockdown yet as hospitality sector expected to remain closed until April
The country is facing into its longest lockdown yet, with more months of restrictions as the health service struggles to cope with thousands of Covid-19 cases at the same time as it races to vaccinate millions of people. Data supports anecdotal evidence that the health service is increasingly relying on such derogations in order to staff hospitals during the third wave of the virus. His spokesperson said there is "no distinction" between public or private hospital staff in the roll-out of vaccines to frontline healthcare workers. "The hospital groups have teams who decide on the allocation of vaccines to hospitals in their areas, based on the risk facing different staff. Last night, in another sign of how stretched the health service has become, the Department of Health announced that placements for over 2.000 student nurses and midwives were being temporarily suspended.
Source:Irish Independent
January 17, 2021 02:34 UTC
Klopp's mind needs to be fully focused on forward thinking
Only Manchester City have conceded fewer goals - six - than Liverpool have done since losing their key central defender. That resilience has kept Klopp's team in the hunt and given Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mané, Roberto Firmino and Jota the platform for a combined 29 Premier League goals this season. Liverpool have failed to score in back-to-back Premier League games for the first time since May 2018. Having been at their clinical best in the rout of Palace, scoring seven times from eight shots on target, Klopp's team have managed seven attempts on target in their last three matches. There was only one at Southampton, from Mané in the 75th minute, their latest for a first shot on target in a league game for more than five years.
Source:Irish Independent
January 17, 2021 02:26 UTC
Brexit supply chain woes are new normal not teething problems
The first question posed to Donaldson was "How will Brexit be of benefit to the Northern Ireland economy?" Donohoe published the latest roadmap on the future of the corporate tax regime during the week and the warnings continued. He also warned that Joe Biden's new American administration is likely to be more "energised" about pursuing corporate tax reform. He is correct to suggest that the dependency on corporate tax receipts has not matched the exchequer structural problems of the early noughties. Former Central Bank Governor Patrick Honohan told me last year he believed our corporate tax receipts could fall off a cliff one day.
Source:Irish Independent
January 17, 2021 02:26 UTC
Tensions rise over sharing of cross-border passenger details
A woman wearing a face mask walks past a public information sign in Belfast as Northern Ireland remains in an extended lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus and lower infection rates. It all centred around claims the Irish Government had "refused" to share details on passengers arriving on the island, despite multiple requests by Northern Ireland Health Minister Robin Swann. "The conversation caused the most anxiety and friction between the two sides and was the biggest issue of the week," the source added. Last week, hospitals across Northern Ireland were under significant pressure with "really serious numbers of admissions expected in the coming week", according to an Executive source. Northern Ireland is halfway through its six-week lockdown, with ministers scheduled to review measures this week.
Source:Irish Independent
January 17, 2021 02:26 UTC
Carrie and Co woke up so many women
A taboo-smashing television series that celebrated female sexual freedom and galvanised a whole generation of independent women into living free lives, set in the sexiest city in the world - and it's still not enough? Sex And The City was radical and progressive and somewhat anarchic: tearing down conventional notions about relationships, showing women that they didn't need men, monogamy or marriage. It normalised female promiscuity and the idea of women as sexual power players. Drama-loving Carrie acted like a tragic heroine over Mr Big, but really her greatest love affair was with New York City. The instinct to shame is still there - it's just changed shape - but during that particular incarnation it broke stigmas and glamourised gay culture and female sexual liberty in such a brazen and bold way.
Source:Irish Independent
January 17, 2021 02:26 UTC
Letters from unmarried mothers put spotlight on an attitude from dark ages
In response, the paper published letters some weeks later from two unmarried mothers, one Catholic, one Protestant. "Practically every mother (married or unmarried) experiences great joy in the hours and days after the birth of her baby," wrote 'Catholic Unmarried Mother'. Why don't you call the institutions for unmarried mothers baby factories or baby markets? Dismiss the unmarried mothers as promiscuous, factory workers, waitresses, kitchen maids or potential whores. Girls become unmarried mothers through weakness, some lack in their upbringing, immaturity, ignorance or sheer misfortune.
Source:Irish Independent
January 17, 2021 02:26 UTC