Donie's Ireland daily news BLOG

Áras Attracta’s services criticised in a draft HSE report

THE CARE HOME WAS THE CONTROVERSIAL SUBJECT OF AN RTÉ PRIME TIME INVESTIGATES PROGRAMME.

   

A DRAFT HEALTH SERVICE EXECUTIVE (HSE) REPORT ON THE ÁRAS ATTRACTA CARE HOME IN CO MAYO IS BELIEVED TO HAVE IDENTIFIED NUMEROUS ISSUES INCLUDING LOW MORALE AND FRAUGHT RELATIONS BETWEEN MANAGEMENT AND STAFF.

The home was the controversial subject of an RTÉ Prime Time Investigatesprogramme in 2014, which examined care practices for adults with intellectual disabilities.

According to the broadcaster, a draft report of a review of services, which has been two years in the making and which is due to be published next month, has found failures throughout its management system.

In particular it found low staff morale, ineffective use of staff resources and weak governance, particularly in respect of “bungalow three” which featured in the documentary.

“Staff in Áras Attracta…describe bungalow three as the ‘forgotten bungalow’ where there was a culture of bad practices,” Prime Time Investigates reporter Barry O’Kelly said.

“Management are criticised under a number of different headings. It notes as well there were fraught relations between management and staff in Áras Attracta.

“However it also states that even today there are many relatives of people who are living in Áras Attracta, people with intellectual disabilities, who are happy with the services provided there. It also notes that the HSE has introduced quite sweeping changes since our programme almost two years ago.”

A spokesman for the HSE declined to comment other than to say the completed report would be published in the first week of September.

Minister Flanagan clarifies consular care policy in relation to Pat Hickey in Brazil

IRISH OFFICIALS IN ONGOING CONTACT WITH BRAZILIAN AUTHORITIES

    

The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Charlie Flanagan has responded to calls from the family of Pat Hickey for the Minister and Government to intervene in issues surrounding his detention in Rio de Janeiro.

In a statement issued this afternoon, the Hickey family called on Minister Flanagan and Minister for Sport, Shane Ross to intervene urgently in addressing “extremely worrying” issues surrounding his arrest and detention and the effect it is having on his health.”

The family said they were “gravely concerned about the effect this degrading and humiliating ordeal has had on their father and grandfather and how it continues to affect his physical and mental health.”

MINISTER FLANAGAN RESPONDED BY SAYING:-

“The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade provides consular care to Irish citizens who have been arrested or detained overseas.

“We are currently assisting two Irish citizens detained in Rio de Janeiro.

“In general it is Department policy not to comment in detail publicly on individual consular cases, of which there have been almost 1,500 already this year.

“Any Irish citizen who requests or avails of consular assistance is entitled to privacy and confidentiality.

“However, I wish to make certain points in response to today’s statement from the Hickey family.

“The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing ongoing consular assistance to Mr. Hickey through the Irish Embassy and Consulate in Brazil.

“My officials are in ongoing contact with the family of this citizen and with legal representative acting on his behalf.

“Senior officials of the Department met with Mr Hickey’s Dublin-based solicitors on Wednesday, 24 August, and discussed the family’s concerns in detail, and explained the Department’s approach to this consular case.

“In general terms, the Department’s focus in cases of arrest or detention of Irish citizens overseas is on a number of specific issues including ensuring that the citizen has access to legal representation, that the citizen is not being discriminated against on the grounds of nationality, and that the host authorities are fulfilling their responsibilities in ensuring the welfare and wellbeing of our detained citizen.

“In this context my officials are in ongoing contact with the Brazilian authorities.

“The Department cannot however provide legal advice or interfere in any way in the judicial processes in another country.

“I have agreed to meet with the Hickey family and arrangements will be made for this meeting to take place in the coming days.

“ In the meantime, my Department is continuing to monitor developments in this consular case closely and is continuing to provide all appropriate consular advice and assistance to Mr. Hickey and his family.”

What are the highest paid jobs in Ireland in 2016?

     

THE AVERAGE ANNUAL SALARY ROSE TO JUST OVER €37,000 IN THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF THIS YEAR, BEFORE DIPPING SLIGHTLY BY THE SUMMER, FIGURES NOW SHOW.

Official data shows that the average weekly wage at the start of the year rose 1.5% on the same period in 2015, to €713.41.

But it dipped fractionally in the three months to the end of June to €703.83, according to the Central Statistics Office.

There were wide variations across sectors.

The best paid sector to be in is Information and Communications, which includes IT companies, publishing houses and telecommunications.

It recorded an average weekly wage of €1,063.39, which means, in theory, these type of firms had an annual average salary of around €55,296.

In close second was the financial, insurance and real estate sector, which had average weekly pay of €1,014.66.

At the bottom of the pack were the accommodation and food services sector, and the arts, entertainment and recreation and other services sector, with average weekly earnings of €331.81 and €467.77 respectively.

Average weekly earnings in the private sector showed an increase of 1.5pc from €635.52 to €644.98 in the year to the end of June.

Average earnings are falling in the public sector, but at €905.97, they’re still healthier than the private sector.

Average weekly earnings increased in nine of the 13 sectors in the economy up to the end of June.

The largest percentage increase was 5% in the professional, scientific and technical activities sector, which includes legal and accounting businesses, management consultants, architectural and engineering firms, and advertising – where average weekly earnings rose from €800.41 to €840.39.

The construction sector saw a near 4% hike in average wages to €734.49, while there was an increase of 2.5% in the financial, insurance and real estate sector.

The public administration and defence sector experienced the largest percentage sectoral decrease, falling from €933.00 to €900.88, a drop of 3.4%. The CSO said this was due to the recruitment of temporary Census field staff, who were on lower-than-average weekly earnings and weekly paid hours.

If you strip those workers out, the sector had average weekly earnings of €928.90, a fall of 0.4%.

In the five years up to June, average weekly earnings rose by 2.1pc, from €689.32 in June 2011 to €708.83 five years later.

Across the public sector, average weekly earnings fell 1.2pc to €905.97, but if you exclude the temporary census staff, the fall is just 0.3%.

Three of the seven public sector sub-sectors had annual increases in average weekly earnings, with Gardaí recording the largest rise of 4.7% from €1,245.30 to €1,304.11 in the year to June. That means, according to the CSO, the average annual Garda pay in June was €67,813.

The CSO said the education sector recorded the highest average hourly earnings in the year of €37.89, while also showing the lowest hours worked of 23.9 hours.

The Gardaí had the next highest earnings, with average hourly earnings of €30.52. But they worked the longest, at 42.7 hours.

First official estimates put overall 2016 Irish cereal harvest down by 15%

   

HARVEST IS APPROXIMATELY 30-50% COMPLETE, DEPENDING ON THE AREA OF THE COUNTRY, ACCORDING TO TEAGASC’S LATEST CROP REPORT.

It says significant areas are still to be harvested in the midlands, north east and north of the country.

According to Teagasc, larger growers are now being forced into harvesting at higher moistures to reduce the amount to be harvested.

It says yields of winter barley and oilseed rape have been largely disappointing, whereas winter wheat and spring barley harvested so far are reporting good yields and quality.

Overall the tonnes harvested this year is predicted to be 15% lower than last year in its first provisional estimate of harvest 2016.

The decrease is a combination of reduced areas (-7%) and lower yields. The main trends are that yields are mixed with winter barley and winter oilseed rape generally disappointing whereas winter wheat and earlier sown spring barley yields are holding well.

Grain quality has been mixed with low hectolitre weights in many winter barleys and skinning (loss of some of the grain hull) reported in malting barleys.

Prices remain depressed due to supply exceeding demand and high worldwide stocks of small grains and maize.

Teagasc says the poor yield combined with lower prices is resulting in negative margins for many crops this year with poor prospects for an increase in grain price due to an expected very large world harvest.

Faces of murderers could be recreated from DNA left at crime scenes after science breakthrough

  

SCIENTISTS HAVE IDENTIFIED THE GENES THAT SHAPE FACIAL FEATURES INCLUDING NOSE SIZE AND FACE WIDTH, ACCORDING TO A NEW REPORT

New findings may also help researchers to learn how facial birth defects arise

The faces of murderers or rapists could be ‘recreated’ from DNA left at the scene of the crime, according to new research.

Scientists have identified the genes that shape the extraordinary variation in the human face.

Many features, such as nose size and face width, stem from specific mutations, say researchers.

Previous studies have suggested they are controlled by genes , but this is the first to shed light on how variants contribute to the range of different forms we see.

The findings published in PLOS Genetics may also help researchers to learn how facial birth defects arise.

And they could even have applications in forensics, helping police construct more accurate faces of dangerous criminals being hunted for murders, rapes and robberies.

The discovery of the genes that determine human facial shape could provide valuable information about a person’s appearance using just DNA left behind at the scene of a crime.

They are based on a DNA analysis of 20 facial characteristics measured from 3D images of 3,118 healthy volunteers of European ancestry and almost a million mutations, or SNPs (single base pair) variations.

Dr John Shaffer, of the University of Pittsburgh , said: “There is a great deal of evidence genes influence facial appearance.

“This is perhaps most apparent when we look at our own families, since we are more likely to share facial features in common with our close relatives than with unrelated individuals.

“Nevertheless, little is known about how variation in specific regions of the genome relates to the kinds of distinguishing facial characteristics that give us our unique identities, e.g., the size and shape of our nose or how far apart our eyes are spaced.

“In this paper, we investigate this question by examining the association between genetic variants across the whole genome and a set of measurements designed to capture key aspects of facial form.

“We found evidence of genetic associations involving measures of eye, nose, and facial breadth.

“In several cases, implicated regions contained genes known to play roles in embryonic face formation or in syndromes in which the face is affected.

“Our ability to connect specific genetic variants to ubiquitous facial traits can inform our understanding of normal and abnormal craniofacial development, provide potential predictive models of evolutionary changes in human facial features, and improve our ability to create forensic facial reconstructions from DNA.”

Facial width, the distance between the eyes, the size of the nose and the distance between the lips and eyes all had statistically significant associations with certain SNPs.

The researchers also considered results from two similar studies and confirmed certain previous findings.

Until recently, virtually nothing was known about the genes responsible for facial shape in humans.

Added co author Dr Seth Weinberg: “Our analysis identified several genetic associations with facial features not previously described in earlier genome wide studies.

“What is exciting is many of these associations involve chromosomal regions harbouring genes with known craniofacial function.

“Such findings can provide insights into the role genes play in the formation of the face and improve our understanding of the causal factors leading to certain craniofacial birth defects.”

Several of the genetic regions contributing to face shape detected contain genes known to play a role in facial development and abnormalities.

In the future, the scientists hope to identify genetic risk factors that lead to anomalies such as cleft lip and palate.

But they warned it is important to keep in mind these findings likely represent only a small fraction of the genes influencing the size and shape of the human face.

Many of the genes influencing facial features are likely to have small effects, so successfully mapping a large number of these genes will require much greater sample sizes and a more comprehensive approach to quantifying those of interest.    

Donie's Ireland daily news BLOG

A quarter (25%) of Irish homes are now valued under €100,000

    

A QUARTER OF HOMES HAVE BEEN VALUED FOR TAX BY THEIR OWNERS AT LESS THAN 100,000 EURO

A quarter of homes have been valued for tax by their owners at less than 100,000 euros, official figures have revealed.

The Revenue Commissioners said the self-assessment valuations for the property tax showed that 86% of the country’s homes are worth less than 250,000 euros.

The figures also showed that the most compliant region for paying the levy is Dun Laoghaire/Rathdown, where 92% of households have paid up.

The least compliant regions were Donegal and Louth, where the payment rate was as low as 84%.

Other figures from the updated local property tax database showed that only 0.2% of the country’s 1.95 million homes are worth more than one millionn euros.

Elsewhere, 28.6% of homes are valued at between 100,001-150,000 euros; 21.9% between 150,001-200,000 euros; and 10.4% between 200,001-250,000 euros.

Some 200 million euros has been collected by the Revenue by the end ofSeptember.

In a further breakdown of the property tax regime, the Revenue also gave details on exemptions.

Some 4.7% of homes have been classed as pyrite damaged; 4.3% are owned by a person who is severely incapacitated; 16.1% are classed as being in ghost estates; and another 17.1% are lying empty after a developer failed to get a buyer.

Another 15% are classed as long-term illness and 0.1% are diplomatic buildings.

Most people who have paid the tax have used a credit or debit card while almost one third paid by a cheque, or the equivalent.

Irish College of physician’s urge 20% tax on sugary drinks

  

Health experts have said increasing tax on sugary drinks could help curb child obesity

Doctors have demanded a 20% tax hike on sugar sweetened drinks in the upcoming budget to tackle the obesity epidemic.

The Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (RCPI) also called for a review of how sugary drinks are promoted and the effect their consumption has, particularly by children.

   Professor Donal O’Shea warned they provide no nutritional benefits but are linked with weight gain.

“With one in four Irish schoolchildren classified as overweight or obese, we have an epidemic and the Government must take action,” said the hospital consultant.

“There is widespread agreement among health professionals, now backed by a convincing body of evidence, that sugar sweetened drinks, including sports drinks, and their pattern of consumption are significant factors in weight gain and obesity, especially among children.

“Despite this, sugar sweetened drinks remain popular in Ireland, and are heavily promoted.

“Sports personalities and organisations are often used by industry to market their sports drinks.

“This is certainly something that I believe should be discouraged in the future.”

The RCPI policy group on obesity said research indicates that the obese children of today will become the obese adults of tomorrow, costing the state more than a billion euro in healthcare costs and loss of productivity due to illness.

It said public health must be prioritised over commercial gains and backed the Irish Heart Foundation which also called on Finance Minister Michael Noonan to consider a tax hike on October 15.

Associate Professor Dr Catherine Hayes said studies show a price increase will encourage adults and parents to buy healthier drinks.

“There is now a consensus across a broad spectrum of health professionals that a tax on sugar sweetened drinks is needed as an important step in addressing the challenge of obesity in Ireland,” she added.

“A Health Impact Assessment commissioned by the Department of Health in 2012 estimated that a 10% tax on sugar sweetened drinks would reduce the number of obese adults in Ireland by 10,000.

“The introduction of the tax would go some way towards reducing direct and indirect costs of obesity, and would generate additional much-needed revenue for prevention.

First case of native ash dieback tree disease confirmed

  

The Department of Agriculture has confirmed that the first case of the killer ash dieback disease in a native Irish tree has been found.

96 outbreaks of the fungus, which can destroy ash trees, have been found in imported trees across the country since the first case was identified in October of last year.

The department has worked with the IFA, nursery owners, landowners and forestry contractors since then to clear the effected plantation sites.

However, inspectors have recently identified the 97th case in a hedgerow tree in Co Leitrim, close to but outside of the area where the first cluster of cases was found in imported trees last year.

Department of Agriculture officials have said this is the first time that the disease has been found in native Irish ash.

As a result, eradication measures are being put in place in the area where the case was found.

All ash trees in hedgerows within 250m of the plantation are to be taken out and burned or buried.

Sources say the number of trees is likely to run into the hundreds, although some of the trees will be small saplings.

The Leitrim site where the first case was found in imported trees was planted with imported ash plants in 2009 and these were confirmed positive for Chalara fraxinea last year.

The area remains by far the largest known outbreak of the disease in Ireland.

Last November, legislative measures were put in place to regulate the importation of ash seed, plants and wood. Similar legislation was introduced in Northern Ireland.

The department has appealed to the public to be on the look-out for the disease.

Guidance on the symptoms can be found on the Department of Agriculture and Teagasc’s website.

Ireland has the highest fertility rate in the European Union

 

New figures from Eurostat also show that Ireland has a higher than average rate of people who are at risk of poverty and social exclusion and has experienced one of the highest falls in employment.

IRELAND has the highest fertility rate in the European Union according to new statistics published today.

Figures from the Regional Yearbook published by Eurostat show that Ireland recorded a fertility rate of 2.05 live births per woman in 2011 which was well above the EU average and the highest of the 27 member states.

The total average fertility rate in the EU stood at 1.57 in 2011. Overall there has been a slowdown in natural population growth across the EU due to women having fewer children in the last decade.

In the developed world a fertility rate of 2.10 live births per woman is considered the rate at which the size of the population would remain static if there is no inward or outward migration.

Ireland’s rate was slightly above that France where it was 2.01 live births per woman. This was followed by the UK with a rate of 1.96, and Sweden with a rate of 1.90.

The lowest live births per woman was recorded in Hungary where it was an average of 1.23 per woman.

POVERTY AND EMPLOYMENT  

The figures published today also show that nearly 30 per cent of the Irish population are at risk of poverty and social exclusion. The 29.4 per cent figure for Ireland is above the EU average of 24.3 per cent.

Being at risk of poverty and social exclusion means that the person satisfies one of the following criteria: they are at risk-of-poverty, severely materially deprived or living in households with very low work intensity.

Statistics from Eurostat today also show that Ireland has experienced one of the highest falls in employment rates in recent years in the whole of the EU.

Between 2008 and 2011 employment rates fell by 8.2 per cent in the southern and eastern regions while in the borders, midlands and western regions it fell by 9.2 per cent.

‘Mind yourself’ mental health is a precious thing so make sure you mind it

 

More and more people now accept that the issue of physical well-being is about striking a balance in day-to-day life. Increasingly, we see physical health as something to be worked for each day in terms of diet, exercise and general lifestyle.

Health is no longer seen just in terms of consulting a doctor when we are ill.

We at Independent News & Media also believe it is time we extended this positive and practical approach to our mental well-being. That is why we yesterday launched our ‘Mind Yourself’ series and continue today and all this week.

A great deal of progress has been made in smashing the taboos and secretiveness which surrounded mental health issues for too long. Such vital work must continue but it must also be expanded to promote positive mental health by examining how we can take practical steps to protect and promote our mental well-being.

Our series is about getting well-known people talking practically and frankly about how they deal with the stresses and strains of life which risk impacting on their mental well-being.

Today, the former Munster and Leinster rugby star, Trevor Hogan, talks frankly about the anxieties and reverses he experienced in his playing career and how he dealt with them.

His candour is welcome as it contrasts with the macho stereotype of top-level competitive sport. We believe that contributions such as this will help people realise that they are not alone in their fears and anxieties and there are many practical remedies and strategies to deal with them.

The ‘Mind Yourself’ series aims to help readers learn some important skills to promote their own mental well-being. We all need to learn how to mind our minds.

Brown Thomas shoppers Dublin store goes online

  

Irish shoppers yearning for a spot of retail therapy at Brown Thomas will no longer have to wait to go to one of its stores – the shop is going online.

From tomorrow Brown Thomas will start selling online with 10 of its leading beauty products available to customers on the island of Ireland.

And customers can have products delivered to the door for €3.50 a time or can arrange to have their goods collected at stores in Dublin, Cork, Galway and Limerick.

Exclusive brands customers will be able to buy include MAC, Jo Malone, Armani and Tom Ford with accessories, fashion and footwear to follow next year.

“We are delighted to be able to offer our customers the convenience of shopping beauty from their own homes for the first time,” said Sam Bain, Multi-Channel Director at Brown Thomas.

“We have worked hard to ensure that the experience still offers the luxury and premier service our customers have come to expect. The new website also offers inspirational features, fashion tips & brand content. We will be adding additional brands and categories to shop over the coming months. “

It is expected that by next summer around half of in-store products will be available to buy online.

The company is spending €500,000 upfront on the launch in an investment of €1.25m this year and in 2014

Dogs experience emotion at the same level as a human child

  

EVER THOUGHT ABOUT IT? DOES YOUR DOG REALLY REALLY LOVE YOU?

Dog owners have for a long time been lauding their pets ability to love and offer loyal companionship, so they probably will not be surprised by new research which indicates that they feelemotions at the level of a human child.

Gregory Berns and his team at Emory University have spent two years examining the brain activity of dogs using M.R.I. scanner and what they discovered has been published in a new book, How Dogs Love Us: A Neuroscientist and His Adopted Dog Decode the Canine Brain.

Writing in the New York Times, Berns indicated that dogs respond to humans they know using the caudate nucleus in the brain, the same part of the brain humans use in anticipation of things they enjoy.

Do these findings prove that dogs love us? Not quite. But many of the same things that activate the human caudate, which are associated with positive emotions, also activate the dog caudate.

Berns suggested that the level of emotion and perception indicated in his research suggests that the idea of dogs as property needs to be reconsidered.

The ability to experience positive emotions, like love and attachment, would mean that dogs have a level of sentience comparable to that of a human child. And this ability suggests a rethinking of how we treat dogs.

So, next time you’re defending your love of dogs, you can say that Science indicates that they probably love you too!