Donie's Ireland daily news BLOG update

Tuesday 24th March 2015.

June 30th this year is deadline to get ‘Water Conservation Grant’

 

Minister says households must be registered by this date to receive €100 grant. 

Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly has said if a household has not registered by June 30th, it will not be able to receive the €100 grant from the Department of Social Protection

The deadline for registering with Irish Water to be eligible for the receipt of the water conservation grant is June 30th.

Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly has said if a household has not registered by this date, it will not be able to receive the €100 grant from the Department of Social Protection from September 2015.

He said that the €100 grant, which will be paid to households that have registered with Irish Water, can be used towards buying some of the many devices available to conserve water such as water butts to recycle water, water displacement devices to reduce water flow in toilets, or aerators to reduce water flow from taps.

He also said the grant can also be used towards repairing a household plumbing system, to reduce water leakage.

Mr Kelly said the final date of June 30th for payments was chosen to take account of the fact that there will be some changes in residency up to that point.

Irish Water will be able to deduct water bills directly from wages and welfare payments under strengthened compliance measures being considered by the Government.

The introduction of attachment orders in order to increase compliance with water charges marks a step change in the Coalition’s approach to those who do not pay their water bills.

Motorists in Ireland can save on motor insurance if they shop around

    

CONSUMERS CAN SAVE AS MUCH A €1,200 ON MOTOR INSURANCE BY SHOPPING AROUND.

According to a survey on motor insurance by the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission, the savings that can be made vary depending on the level of cover required and the individual’s circumstances.

For comprehensive cover, the difference in quotes received was found to be €156 to €1,249, while for third- party fire and theft the difference in quotes ranged from €137 to €975.

The study compared motor insurance quotes from eight insurance companies based on nine driver profiles which vary in age, location, driver experience and other lifestyle factors.

It found potential savings across all of the profiles. For example for a 67-year-old, driving a Ford Fiesta in Dublin there was over €170 in the difference between the lowest and highest quote.

For one of the profiles, an increase in penalty points from two to six points resulted in a rise of 37% for comprehensive cover and 49% for third-party fire and theft. Just two of the eight insurers surveyed provided a quote for a driver with six penalty points.

The survey also revealed a wide variation in benefits offered and the range of excesses included in policies.

Excesses (the amount which a consumer will have to pay in the event of a claim) for comprehensive policies ranged from €200 to €550 and for third-party fire and theft the policy excesses varied between zero and €500.

In terms of no-claims bonuses, the survey found there were differences across each of the companies in the application of the bonus. For example, there were variations in the number of years over which the bonus can be earned and the maximum bonus discount that could be earned varied between 50% and 75%.

Seven of the eight insurers who participated in the survey allow consumers to pay for their motor insurance by installments.

The charge for paying using this method ranged from 9.5% to 20.1% of the policy premium.

Director of communications and consumer help at the commission Fergal O’Leary said the study showed how worthwhile it is to research your options and get quotes from more than one company when buying a new policy or renewing existing motor insurance policy.

“Our research shows potential savings of up to €1,249, so not taking time to consider your options could mean you are paying more than you need to.

A new address or, in some cases, a new profession, can have implications in terms of the cost of your motor insurance policy — if the change increases the risk of accident or theft. So remember to contact your insurer and tell them about any significant changes, not doing so could mean your policy is invalid,” he said.

Mr O’Leary advised consumers that, when comparing policies, it is very important to not just compare costs but also the benefits and conditions, to make sure people know exactly what they are paying.

Irish Government cabinet backs the over-70s Bill

  

The Government has today approved a new Bill to provide a Universal GP service for everyone over the age of 70. The Cabinet has approved the Health (General Practitioner Service) Bill 2015. There has been agreement that the Bill should be published and introduced to the Oireachtas.

“This phase in the introduction of a universal GP service for the whole population will see free GP services extended to all persons over the age of 70, regardless of income or means. In tandem with separate plans for the under-sixes, this will ensure that the youngest and the oldest have access to GP care without fees.

“This is a significant step on the way towards universal health care,” the Minister for Health, Dr Leo Varadkar, said.

Primary Care Minister Kathleen Lynch welcomed the Government decision saying: “The first two phases covering the over-70s and the under-sixes will ensure that our oldest citizens and the parents of our youngest can go to their GP, focusing on their health and not how much the visit will cost.”

Subject to the legislation being passed by both Houses of the Oireachtas, the objective is to have a universal GP service for over 70s in the second quarter of this year. This is proposed to coincide with the introduction of the under sixes service

German tourists receive the most help due to crime in Ireland,  says (ITAS) group last year

IRISH TOURIST ASSISTANCE SERVICE SAYS VICTIMS OF CRIME TEND TO BE YOUNG WOMEN

    

The Irish Tourist Assistance Service said that German tourists received the most assistance as a result of crime last year.

German tourists and women made up the majority of victims of crime to have received assistance from the Irish Tourist Assistance Service (ITAS) last year.

Crimes mostly occurred as the tourists were sightseeing, shopping and socialising.

German nationals made up the largest category assisted by ITAS, followed by French, American, Italian, British and Spanish tourists.

The victims tended to be female and aged between 17-25.

The majority of crimes referred to the service occurred between the hours of 2-6 pm in Dublin city centre.

The most common crimes perpetrated against tourists were theft from the person and theft from cars, while more than 50% of assistance was provided at the weekends.

ITAS assisted tourists involved in eight cases of violent crime, including aggravated thefts, assaults and robberies.

Overall, 408 incidents of tourist crime and traumatic incidents were referred to ITAS last year.

Pearse Street and Store Street Garda stations in Dublin referred the majority of the cases to ITAS, followed by Garda stations in Co Wicklow and Co Kerry.

‘A TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE’

Lord Mayor of Dublin Christy Burke said: “Being a tourist victim of crime can be an extremely traumatic experience. It is reassuring to know that ITAS are on hand to respond to their needs 7-days a week throughout the year.

“Over 90% of tourists opted to continue with their holiday plans last year, which is testament to the expertise and compassion of the staff and volunteers and the professionalism of the service.”

Martin Holohan, chairman of ITAS, said Ireland is leading the way in the support it provides to tourists who are victims of crime.

“ITAS is the only dedicated service in Europe offering specialist assistance to tourists in these situations. While we very much appreciate the funding we receive from the industry, further support is required in order to secure its future viability.

“All sectors of the industry benefit from the support provided by ITAS, it is in everyone’s interest to help.”

The total solar eclipse was ‘awe-inspiring’ for a Mayo man

A shot of the Eclipse over Westport at 09.10am last Wednesday morning.

  

An Achill Co Mayo man who was in the Faroe Islands to witness the total eclipse of the sun has described the experience as one of the most awe-inspiring things he has ever witnessed.

The Faroe Islands, along with the Svalbard islands (a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean), were the only two populated places in Europe where the totality of last Friday’s solar eclipse could be seen. The next total solar eclipse visible in Europe will be on August 12, 2026.

Achill man Finbar Cafferkey was one of 8,000 visitors who travelled north to the Faroe Islands to witness the total eclipse. The native of Cashel, who is now living and working in Copenhagen, witnessed the phenomenon on a hill south of the capital Tórshavn, in a place called Argir – a name with its origins in the old Irish word for summer pasture, ‘airge’.

Speaking to The Mayo News, Finbar said the experience was ‘almost apocalyptic’.  An experienced traveller, Finbar explained that when he heard there was going to be an eclipse in Europe, he felt compelled to make the effort to see it. The sight was well worth the 38-hour ferry crossing from Denmark, he said.

“The eclipse was one of the most awe-inspiring things I’ve ever seen, I could not recommend it more,” he said. “There was maybe 100 others on the hill and thousands more visible around the town, along the roads and on another hill to the north. At first the darkening was noticeable but gradual from 8.40am, but at 9.40am, when the totality began, things got fast. It got dark very quickly, as if the daylight was being sucked out to sea. As my sister Maeve would say, it felt apocalyptic.

“All the streetlights came on in the town below. There was a little blue in the sky to the north and west but all else was dark. There was a lot of cloud about so we had only intermittent views of the eclipse before this but luckily the cloud broke as the totality came to an end. It was an awesome sight and I felt very privileged to witness it,” he said.

Finbar explained that when it suddenly got dark, he saw seagulls heading for shelter, and then  taking off again when it brightened.

“I met a few Faroese people who work abroad and who came home especially to see it. The celebrations afterward were mighty; they like singing and dancing here as much as ourselves,” he observed.

For those not fortunate to travel to the Faroe or Svalbard Islands, the west of Ireland was one of the best places in Europe to see a partial eclipse, with over 90 percent of the sun covered by the moon as seen from many parts in Mayo.   

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John Perry TD: Stepped down as minister of State for small business in July of last year in a Government reshuffle.

Fine Gael TD John Perry is one of dozens of TDs who have appointed relations to positions during the lifetime of this Dáil.

Mr Perry appointed his wife Marie Mulvey last year as his parliamentary assistant on January 2nd this year.

The TD for Sligo-North Leitrim stepped down as minister of State for small business in July of last year in a Government reshuffle.

His wife Marie began working for him as parliamentary assistant in January this year on a salary of between €38,760 and €49,035, according to RTÉ.

The practice of TDs hiring relations is not encouraged and Taoiseach Enda Kenny has said it should to be done if at all possible. Mr Perry has had financial difficulties in recent years arising from his businesses and property interests in Ballymote, Co Sligo.

Many other TDs have hired family members, usually one of two full-time positions for which they get State funding: parliamentary assistant and secretarial assistance.

Labour Minister of State Seán Sherlock employed his sister Úna Willis as a secretarial assistant based in East Cork. Ms Willis has worked with Mr Sherlock and their late father, Joe, who was a TD for Cork East until 2007.

His colleague Willie Penrose, representing Longford-Westmeath, has employed his brother Johnnie Penrose as his parliamentary assistant, taking him on in 2007.

Family connection’s, 

Ceann Comhairle Sean Barrett has employed his daughter Jaci, as his parliamentary assistant in the last Dáil term and also in this Dáil. term.

The Fine Gael TD for Kerry South Brendan Griffin hired his wife Róisín as his secretarial assistant and his cousin Tommy as his parliamentary assistant. Mr Griffin decided in 2011 that he would accept only half his TDs salary.

His Fine Gael colleague Andrew Doyle (Wicklow) took on his sister Eithne who job-shared the parliamentary assistant role since summer 2007.

Bernard Durkan, also from Fine Gael, hired his son Tim as an assistant in his Dáil office.

Jack Wall, the Labour Party TD for Kildare South, hired his son Mark, who is also a county councillor, as his parliamentary secretary, a role he filled since 2006.

Kildare North Independent TD Catherine Murphy employed her daughter Yvonne on a temporary basis as a parliamentary assistant. When the TD was made the whip for the technical group, Yvonne worked in that office but members of the technical group made contributions to her salary.

Fianna Fáil TD Colm Keaveney, while still in the Labour Party, hired his wife Deirdre on a temporary basis. At the time, he said at least 27 Oireachtas members had members of their family working for them.

Similarly, South Tipperary Independent TD Mattie McGrath employed his daughter Tríona in the parliamentary assistant role. His niece Kathy was employed as his secretarial assistant.

Kerry Labour Party TD Arthur Spring took on his brother Graham as his parliamentary secretary.

“It was nothing to do with following or not following recommendations. It was about getting the best person to do the job and I’d hire him 10 times over if I could,” he said.

Independent TD Joan Collins’s partner Dermot Connollywas one of two people job-sharing the parliamentary assistant’s role in her office. Mr Connolly is also very involved in Dublin South Central as a political organiser.

Renua Ireland account now forced to change it’s name

  

Having failed to register their name on Facebook, it looks like Renua Ireland will have the last laugh as the “Renua Ireland” parody account says they have been forced to change their name.

Online pranksters snapped up the ‘Renua Ireland’ community page moments after the party was officially launched last Friday by Luncinda Creighton and Eddie Hobbs and immediately began poking fun at the party and its policies.

But now the viral hit, which has 9,000 or so more Facebook likes than its more serious counterpart, has posted that it is to “reboot and change [its] name”.

In a post, it suggests that a complaint may have been filed with Facebook administrators as it hints that “lawyerbots” were involved with the decision.

“It has absolutely nothing to do with poor PR skills, complaining to Facebook about a vastly more popular page that was set up first with a similar name. Oh, no…,” says the post.

“We expect our page name and URL will change in the not too distant future. Thank you for your continued support and please help spread the word.”

Already boasting more Facebook likes than other political party including Fine Gael, which only has 9,357 despite being the country’s largest political party, the page has been a big hit with Facebook users.

The ‘real’ Renua Ireland could not be reached for comment and it is not known if they are responsible for the parody page’s removal.

Ireland’s €40m drug problem?

ALMOST HALF A MILLION OF ALL PATIENTS ON ANXIETY & DEPRESSION DRUGS

  

ALMOST 2.3 MILLION PRESCRIPTIONS WERE WRITTEN FOR ANXIETY EPRESSION DRUGS IN 2012, ENOUGH TO COVER MORE THAN HALF THE POPULATION.

An Irish Examiner investigation has found 330,000 public patients were prescribed those drugs that year at a cost of €40m to the State.

The figure is likely to be closer to 500,000 when private patients are taken into account.

It also found substantial variations in prescribing rates and in the cost of drugs around the country.

In some counties, one in five public patients are prescribed anxiety and depression drugs compared to one in 10 in other regions.

The figures are based on an analysis of the top five most frequently prescribed anti-depressants and anti-anxiety drugs under the General Medical Services (GMS) scheme in 2012.

The number of prescriptions written for all five drugs increased between 2011 and 2012, by up to 25% in the case of anti-depressant Sertraline.

In Limerick, 10% of the total population was prescribed anti-anxiety pills or anti-depressants, the highest percentage in the country. This figure jumps to 21% for those with medical cards

In South Tipperary, 9.9% of population are on anti-depressants, rising to 21.7% of those with medical cards.

In the Cork North Lee area, just under one-in-10 people are using these drugs, rising to one-in-five for those with medical cards.

The percentage was lowest in Dublin South, at 4.3%.

One possible explanation is that medical card coverage in Limerick is 47%, compared to 20% in Dublin South, therefore more prescriptions were issued under the GMS scheme.

However, this argument is challenged by the figures for Donegal, where 56% of the population has a medical card (the highest percentage in the country) but where the percentage of the total population prescribed these drugs is lower than Limerick, at 7.3%.

The populations of both areas are similar.

Digging deeper, the percentage of GMS patients prescribed these drugs in Donegal is the lowest in the country.

In fact, the figure is just over one in 10 (13%) compared to one in five in many other areas of the country. The percentage is highest in Cork South Lee, at 23.5%.

The State spent almost €40m on 2.3m prescriptions for the top five in 2012, covering 330,000 patients.

However, if we were to include private prescriptions, it would push the figure closer to 500,000.

This is at a time when less than a quarter of the 251 mental health posts approved for last year have been filled.

Martin Kenneally, director at the Centre for Policy Studies at University College Cork, who has published a working paper Why Do Drug Prescribing Rates Differ Across Irish Regions said it is hard to understand the variations “in the absence of any in-depth research linking them with the prevalence of illness”.

Mr Kenneally’s paper found the GMS prescribing rate in the north west was “around 25% below the national GMS norm”, which echoes our findings here.

He also found substantial variations, as did we, in the cost of public medicines in the different regions.

To date however, Mr Kenneally said, “these regional differences have attracted little research attention”.

For example, Diazepam, brand name Valium, the most popular benzodiazepine under the GMS scheme, costs €24.49 per patient in Donegal and €59.27 in Dublin North Central.

The most prescriptions for Diazepam are written in Cork North Lee, where the cost per patient is €40.99, more than €15 dearer than Donegal.

Consultant psychiatrist Dr Siobhán Barry, writing into today’s Irish Examiner, said the variations in prescribing described here provided grounds for “a more in-depth analysis by health economists”.

In relation to therapies available to public patients diagnosed with an anxiety disorder or depression, we asked the HSE if they were offered therapy or counselling as a first treatment step.

The HSE said those with mild to moderate anxiety and/or depression would “usually be offered therapy at primary care level” under its Counselling in Primary Care (CIPC)”.

However, when asked how many patients are on the waiting list to access to CIPC, the HSE said there were 478 waiting longer than three months; 39 waiting longer than six months; and six waiting more than nine months.

The HSE blamed most of the delays on “specific requirements” of patients, “for example, they can only attend on a Monday morning, or after 4pm, or are waiting to be seen in a particular area”.

Galway registered the highest number of prescriptions per person, with a prescription rate of 8.4 compared to an average of six to seven per person across most local health offices.

THE TOP PILLS?

- Escitalopram (Lexapro), up 9.3%, from 542,317 in 2011 to 592,704 in 2012.

- Diazepam (Valium/Anticalm), up 1.6%, from 506,508 to 514,350.

- Alprazolam (Xanax), up 2%, from 456,466 to 465,698.

- Venlafaxine (Efexor/Venlofex), up 11.2%, from 353,005 to 392,615.

- Mirtazapine (Mirap/Mirtazapin), up 18%, from 256,431 to 302,586.

- Citalopram (Cipramil), up just under 1%, from 295,998 to 298,648.

- Sertraline (Lustral), up 25%, from 185,312 to 231,500.

 – Number of prescriptions written for each drug under the GMS between 2011 and 2012

1.23 Million Irish households have now registered with Irish Water

 

IRISH WATER HAS ANNOUNCED THAT A FURTHER 130,000 HOUSEHOLDS HAVE REGISTERED WITH THE UTILITY IN THE PAST MONTH.

This now brings the total number of validated households 1.23 million.

Around 990,000 of those registered are Irish Water customers with the rest having their own private means of obtaining water.

The company estimate that the 1.23 million households registered make up 66% of their potential total customer base.

A grant?: The company say that they expect registrations to continue in the coming weeks ahead of bills being issued in April. Registration is required for households to be eligible for the water conservation grant.

All households across the country are entitled to this water conservation grant.

This grant is for €100 and is also available to those already paying for their own water supply through a group scheme or a private well.

The company say that 150,000 households are yet to register their details with the company and are being advised to do so to ensure they receive the correct bill and that they receive the conservation grant.

Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly has yet to announce the deadline for applying for the conservation grant.

The billing? : Customers can expect to receive their first bills from April onwards with them being sent out over an eight week cycle.

This means that some customers will not receive their first bills until June. This will be repeated in each billing cycle, meaning that customers can expect a bill about every 12 weeks.

Speaking about the forthcoming bills, Head of Communications and Corporate Affairs at Irish Water, Elizabeth Arnett, said, “for those who are not customers and still wish to avail of the government’s water conservation grant, they should contact us as soon as possible to register their details and secure the Irish Water account number they will need.”

Irish state facing fines of up to €100m after European finding’s on doctors’ hours

 

A COURT OF JUSTICE SAYS IRELAND HAS FAILED TO MEET OBLIGATIONS UNDER WORKING TIME DIRECTIVE FOR TRAINING DOCTORS.

In opinion published on Thursday Luxembourg Court states workers are entitled to a minimum rest periods, and Ireland’s decision to exclude training time from the calculation of doctors’ working time “encroaches on that minimum rest period”.

Ireland could face fines of up to €100 million if the European Court of Justice finds the State is in breach of a directive governing the maximum hours of work for non-consultant doctors, the Irish Medical Organisation has said.

The advocate general at the European Court of Justice, in an opinion published on Thursday, said Ireland had failed to fulfil its commitment under the EU’s working time directive in relation to doctors’ working hours.

The opinion said that by excluding the training hours of non-consultant hospital doctors from the concept of “working time,” the State was in breach of European law.

While the opinion by the Advocate General is not the final judgment, in the vast majority of cases the Court upholds the opinion.

The Irish Medical Organisation said if the advocate general’s opinion was upheld, the State could face fines of up to €100 million as well as an additional €1 million for every day the breach of the directive continued.

Under current arrangements the work of non-consultant doctors in public hospitals is divided between time spent treating patients and protected time for training.

In the opinion published on Thursday, the Luxembourg Court states workers are entitled to a minimum rest period, and Ireland’s decision to exclude training time from the calculation of doctors’ working time “encroaches on that minimum rest period”.

The Advocate General also points out that participation in a training programme is obligatory for trainee doctors.

“Contrary…to the impression that Ireland wishes to convey, the two aspects of the activity performed by non-consultant hospital doctors – their provision of medical care and their training – are intrinsically linked,” the opinion states.

It adds that the aim of the EU working time directive is “to guarantee better protection of the safety and health of workers by ensuring that they are entitled to minimum rest periods – particularly daily and weekly – and adequate breaks and by setting the maximum average duration of the working week at 48 hours, which is expressly stated to encompass overtime.”

A full judgment will be delivered within the next three to six months.

The Irish Medical Organisation welcomed the decision of the advocate general.

Eric Young, assistant director of industrial relations at the Irish Medical Organisation said it represented a significant vindication for non-consultant hospital doctors and a significant rebuke for the health services in Ireland.

“This verdict must be a wake-up call for the Irish Government. For years they have forced non-consultant hospital doctors to work excessive hours and that has caused immense hardship and helped create the morale crisis which is forcing young doctors to emigrate from Ireland.”

“We should not have to rely on intervention from Europeon matters like this. Ireland’s health service managers must take responsibility and fulfil their legal obligations to employees and to ensure that patients are dealt with in a safe environment. While progress was made in the 2013 agreement that brought an end to the NCHDs stoppages of that year, there remains enormous work to be done. The target agreed at that time (2013) was that all hospitals would be fully compliant with the European Working Time Directive by the end of December last but that is still not the case. “

He said the Irish Medical Organisation estimated that there were still 230 non-consultant hospital doctors in over 21 hospitals working more than 24 hours. He said some were forced d to work 32 hour shifts.

Mr Young said 33% of non-consultant hospital doctors were routinely required to work in excess of the legal 48-hour limit and he said this situation had to be addressed.

“Removal of the protected training time will make this situation worse.”

The Department of Health and the HSE have not yet made any comment on the decision published on Thursday by the advocate general.

Friday’s solar eclipse is like nothing we’ll see for another 19 years

   

THIS IS NOT QUITE A TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE, BUT IT’S PRETTY CLOSE.

This Friday, a rare total solar eclipse will be visible across parts of Greenland, Europe, and North Africa. Not only is this the only total solar eclipse in 2015, but it’s the last of its kind for another 19 years.

THERE ARE A FEW THINGS THAT MAKES THIS ECLIPSE SO RARE:

(Sadly for the US, the eclipse won’t be visible from North America but here’s how to watch live online.)

It’s the only total solar eclipse of 2015. Total solar eclipses are pretty rare just by themselves. On average, there are usually only one to two total solar eclipses a year. After Friday’s event, there are four more total solar eclipses taking place between now and the year 2020.

It’s the first total solar eclipse of the 21st century that occurs on the same day as the first day of spring. To have the moon block out the sun on the same day as the vernal equinox, the first day of Spring, is even more rare.

IT WON’T HAPPEN AGAIN UNTIL THE YEAR 2034.

And after that, the only other two such events will be in 2053 and 2072 before the next turn of the century.

Certain solar eclipses occur in periodic cycles and this one is part of the Saros cycle 120 — a highly studied set of eclipses.

The Saros cycle 120 refers to a very specific set of solar eclipses that take place every 18 years and is visible from the same regions on Earth because of where in space the moon and Earth are relative to the sun. The first documented Saros cycle solar eclipse took place in 933 AD. The next one in the cycle will take place on March 30 in 2033. There are other Saros cycles that refer either to other solar eclipses with different alignments between the earth, moon, and sun or certain lunar eclipses.

And to top it off, the moon will look larger than usual during Friday’s event. The moon isn’t always the same distance from Earth in its orbit. When it’s either a full moon or a new moon and is closest to Earth, like the new moon on Thrusday, March 19, we call it a supermoon. Full moons that are also supermoons can appear as much as 14% larger in the sky.

There are, on average, four to six supermoons every year.

Don’t expect a spectacular view of the supermoon this time around, though. It’s really only impressive when it is full, but sadly, a solar eclipse can only take place when the moon is between Earth and the sun, which is also when the moon is in it’s new moon phase, which is invisible in our night sky.

The next supermoon that coincides with a brilliantly bright full moon will be this year on September 27, and, unlike tomorrow’s event, everyone with clear skies will get a chance to see the show.