TheCity

Tag: news

What would injecting centres in Dublin look like?

Minister for Drugs Aodhán Ó’Riordáin has pledged that the first medically supervised injection centres (MSICs) will be open in Ireland next year.

The centres form part of his radical strategy to change the drug landscape in Ireland, a strategy that has garnered coverage across the globe.

If opened in Ireland, the centres will see somewhere that people can inject illicit drugs under the supervision of trained medical staff who will be on hand to intervene in the case of an overdose.

Once the legal restrictions around operating such centres are unblocked, drug service provider the Ana Liffey drug project hopes to run the service.

The group first proposed that they could staff and run an MSIC in Ireland, once it was legal to do so, in 2012.
Director of the Ana Liffey project Tony Duffin spoke to The City about what comes next and to dispel some concerns around the centres.

Rather than legitimising heroin or other intravenous drug-taking, the centres will ease the pressure on emergency services, save lives and provide a clinical space where those drug users who are the most marginalised can access a range of medical services, he said.

Location
One of the main concerns people have about the MSICs is where exactly they will be located.

It is still too early to decide where the centres will, or could, be located until the legislation is published. The possibility of a mobile injecting unit is also still on the table.

“One of the concerns people have is the idea of nimbyism or ‘not in my back yard’ about this, and some ‘note-sim’ ‘not over there either’ – some people are just fundamentally opposed to the idea,” he said.

“That discussion [about location] is still premature because it’s still illegal, but the simple answer is you put them where you’ve got a problem.

“When you start to pull away at that you see that you have the problem right across the city centre, so you have to put them in the optimum place.”

The key concern with using a mobile unit Mr Duffin said is that space for service users is limited and there could be an issue with people accessing the service consistently.

“While all this is going on don’t forget that public injecting is still a very big problem, people are at still at huge risk injecting,” Mr Duffin said.

“Businesses and communities still have problems with drug paraphernalia discarded across the city. The gardai are still trying to police the situation. At the moment the problem is being passed from pillar to post.”

Dublin’s drug culture is not to be underestimated he pointed out.

“We have a very significant problem in Dublin, people take copious amounts of drugs every day,” the drugs worker said.

Overdose
On top of preventing fatal overdoses – nobody has ever died in any of the eighty or so MSICs around the world – the centres have the ability to intervene in overdoses that may have otherwise been missed.

In an MSIC, an oximeter is placed on the client’s finger and it measures the level of oxygen in their blood. If the level drops below 95 they are technically overdosing and they can be treated with oxygen.

Ireland’s MSIC is likely to be based on the Sydney model where a centre was opened in 2001 in the King’s Cross area of the city – a suburb that was notorious for public drug use.

“The centre reduced ambulance call outs by 80pc because the client base are known as ‘super-utilisers’ of emergency medical services and A&Es,” said Mr Duffin.

“What does Dublin have a huge problem with at the moment? Overcrowding in A&Es, this will take some of that pressure off. You start to save money then in mainstream services.”

While consultation continues and government officials draw up the heads of a new Misuse of Drugs bill, the public conversation will continue.

“People realise that we have a problem, no one is happy about the situation. We need to do something that works if we want to improve Dublin for everybody,” said Mr Duffin.

“This is one way of improving things for people who inject drugs, businesses, families, visitors. It has a positive impact and it’s far reaching.”

Like this:
Like Loading…

November 15, 2015
42,000 attend fifth installment of Web Summit at RDS

Despite some minor technical hitches, the Web Summit proved a success once again and saw 1,000 investors and over 2,000 startup companies taking part in the internationally acclaimed business and technology exhibition.

Paddy Cosgrave, the Web Summit’s founder, was criticised by some for describing a Government payment to the summit of €500,000 as “hush money”.

The Government, on the other hand, have been subject to widespread criticism for not doing enough to prevent the Summit from moving their operations to Lisbon next year.

Attendees were given the chance to see a host of speakers, many of whom are highly renowned in their respective fields, during the three day event.

American animation studio Pixar’s President, Ed Catmull, spoke to listeners about what made him tick and made him the success he is today, while multi-award winning Swedish DJ Steve Angello, formerly of electronic production trio Swedish House Mafia, spoke of the effects of online streaming on the music industry on the second day of the event.

Speakers on the Summit’s Sports Stage included former Manchester United players Edwin Van Der Sar and Louis Saha. Van Der Sar was speaking as the Chief Managing Officer of Dutch club AFC Ajax where he once played, while his former teammate Saha was representing his Axisstars sports management company.

Elsewhere, Sean Rad, a co-founder of the massively successful dating app Tinder, spoke to Steven Bertoni, a Senior Editor for Forbes magazine. Rad said of the app’s success, “We are connecting people and making the world a better place with more than 1.5 million dates per week and 30 million matches per day.”

The loss of wireless internet on the premises during the first day proved to be one of the greatest problems the Summit faced. However, this was soon resolved.

The Web Summit’s five year presence in Ireland, since it was founded, now comes to an end and next year’s Summit will take place at Lisbon’s MEO Arena.

Like this:
Like Loading…

November 11, 2015
Dublin Fire Brigade to fight fire with drones

Dublin Fire Brigade (DFB) are set to use drones to fight fires by the end of the year.

The project, announced last August, has since seen six personnel at DFB trained to operate the flying devices.

Operation guidelines are currently being formulated surrounding the flying device. The drones will be used to calculate the best way to fight a fire, measure the extent of the fire and to locate missing people.

Drones can climb higher than traditional fire ladders and film expansive areas, allowing officers to gather crucial information in a short time frame.

Last April presented DFB with their first opportunity to test the drone as a severe blaze broke out at Ballymount Industrial Estate.

According to Assistant Chief Fire Officer, Dennis Keely, the project is still quite new. “It’s very early days. We don’t want people to be scared of this.”

He continued: “When you pull up you often have a lot of smoke, and it’s not always immediately clear where the concentration of the fire is.

“From an operational perspective, to have an overview, an ability to step back from the situation and a quick visual of an incident from an aerial shot can be quite advantageous.”

Drones have already been implemented by fire services in the UK where infrared and night-vision cameras are used to locate trapped people and penetrate smoke.

Follow Niamh Haskins on Twitter at @niamhhaskins.

Photo: William Murphy/ Wiki Commons

Like this:
Like Loading…

November 11, 2015
DIT graduate proposes rainbow-coloured pedestrian crossings to Dublin City Council

A former Young Fine Gael President has called on Dublin City Council to install rainbow coloured pedestrian crossings around Dublin’s city centre.

DIT graduate Dale McDermott has outlined three specific locations where the Rainbow Walks could be installed, in the hope of increasing tourism, culture and to further boost the LGBT credentials the city has built in recent years.

The city centre locations include George’s Street, outside City Hall and Panti Bar on Capel Street.

“Following the successful passing of the Marriage Equality referendum, Ireland and especially Dublin is now seen as a beacon of hope around the world for many LGBT people who come from places less than welcoming to their gay citizens.

“The LGBT community has been welcomed with open arms by the people of Ireland and I feel that this would further bolster the support for LGBT people across Dublin City and the world,” said Mr McDermott.

Having seen these rainbow coloured pedestrian crossings during a recent visit to the Castro District in San Francisco, Dale emphasised how much of a tourist attraction they are.

“I really feel that Dublin could seriously benefit from such a simple yet important and colourful touch to our beautiful city. Cities all over the world, from Tel Aviv to Sydney, have installed Rainbow Walks and given the fact that Dublin is now viewed as a prime location for gay people, this will send a further signal that Dublin is welcoming to LGBT people all over the world,” he explained.

Since the proposal was first submitted to the Council in September, Dale said that public support has been ‘absolutely fantastic’.

“There has been a lot of support from people across all parties and Panti Bliss is also very much behind the proposal,” he revealed.

Having only launched the social media campaign this week, Dale admits that he purposely waited to create an online presence in the hope to drum up public support.

“Well, when I first submitted the proposal I wanted to get a discussion going. There’s always the danger that when you prolong a campaign it will drag on, but in this instance I feel it has worked well and it seems the public are definitely getting behind it.

“The proposal is going in front of the Council in early January/ February, and in my opinion there’s always the worry that Councillors may not necessarily vote for something if it does not have the public support. However, people feel that this is a very modern idea,” he added.

For further information about Dale’s proposal, you can visit the Dublin Rainbow Walk Facebook and Twitter page.

Like this:
Like Loading…

November 10, 2015
A snapshot of prison life

The Irish Prison Service (IPS) accommodates more than 3,500 prisoners across seven prisons. The IPS compiles data on a daily basis, which when looked at altogether paints a comprehensive picture of life in Ireland’s prisons.

Access to a private toilet at all times is considered a basic right under best practice standards, but in Ireland not everyone has access to one due to upgrades needed in prisons and because of over-crowding.

The following chart shows the number of people who don’t have access to a private toilet at all times. The problem is worst in Cloverhill, a remand prison in Clondalkin where more than 50% of inmates must use a toilet in front of others.

In addition, some 312 prisoners were still ‘slopping out’ their cells in Portlaoise, Limerick and Cork prisons. Compensation claims are expected to be lodged by former prisoners who were subject to this practice, after similar cases in Scotland were brought to a successful conclusion for the claimants.

Access to a private toilet 24 hours a day

Work is underway to eliminate, where possible, the need for prisoners to share cells. Due to increasing capacity numbers just under a third of prisoners are now in shared cells.

In a recent parliamentary question on the subject of shared cells Minister for Justice Frances Fitzgerald pointed out that not everyone in the system wishes to be housed in a single cell.

“It should be borne in mind that in certain cases prisoners are housed together for reasons other than lack of capacity. Family members and friends often elect or are assigned a shared cell,” she said in response to a question tabled by Labour TD Ciarán Lynch.

“Shared cell accommodation can be very beneficial from a management point of view particularly for those who are vulnerable and at risk of self-harm. There will always be a need for certain prisoners to be accommodated together.”

Type of cell accommodation

Under new rules introduced by former Minister for Justice Alan Shatter in 2012, prisoners have the ability to lodge complaints against prison authorities. The most serious of these are investigated by an independent body. In Dublin prisons last year 631 complaints were lodged by prisoners.

Staff in Cloverhill Prison in Dublin had the highest number of complaints made against them by prisoners, with 257 grievances filed.

Some 44 ‘category A’ complaints, which deal with the most serious allegations, were lodged by Cloverhill prisoners last year.

However the IPS said that 24 of these complaints related to one incident and were not upheld after investigation.

Prisoner complaints are divided into six categories, the most serious of which deals with alleged “assault or use of excessive force” as well as “ill treatment, racial abuse and discrimination”.

This category also covers “intimidation and threats” and complaints of this nature are dealt with outside of the prison services due to the gravity of the allegations.

Mountjoy and Wheatfield prisons in the capital were the second and third most likely place for serious complaints to be lodged. Mountjoy prisoners submitted 19 complaints of this type, while in Wheatfield there was 18.

Meanwhile another 109 complaints were lodged in Irish prisons for other serious issues including “verbal abuse of prisoners by staff” or “inappropriate searches”.

Again, Cloverhill was subject to the most complaints under this heading, with 41 lodged.

The Clondalkin prison has a higher turnover than most other Irish prisons which could account for its high level of complaints, a spokesman for the IPS said.

The most common complaints among the Irish prisoner population however, were for basic service level issues.

They lodged 490 complaints in Dublin prisons under this category in 2014, with the Midlands topping the list at 254 complaints.

These cover issues such as “complaints about visits, phone calls, reception issues, missing clothes, not getting post on time, not getting appropriate exercise” according to official guidelines.

Number of complaints per prison

“The fact that prisoners are submitting complaints through the system is evidence that prisoners have a confidence in the system and that any issues they raise will be listened to and addressed by prison management,” a spokesman for the IPS said.

By Laura Larkin and Niamh Geoghegan

Like this:
Like Loading…

November 4, 2015
Passengers stalled as train strike takes hold

There are delays expected on DART and Iarnród Éireann services as this morning’s train strike came into effect earlier.

The most significant news from this morning’s strike is that there will be no services for the Docklands with a bus service operating from M3 Parkway and Clonsilla.

The strike took place between 6 and 9 am this morning after a dispute between Irish Rail and the two major unions for train drivers, SIPTU and the National Bus and Railworkers’ Union (NBRU), over bonuses for previous years went unresolved.

The parties were still in discussions late last night to avert strike action. This is not the first expected strike as one is also being scheduled for two weeks time on November 6th.

Like this:
Like Loading…

October 23, 2015
New transport strategy for greater Dublin area announced

Plans have been revealed for an overhaul of Dublin’s transport infrastructure, including extensions of the Luas to Lucan and to Finglas.

The National Transport Authority (NTA) this week released details of its new draft Transport Strategy for the Greater Dublin Area 2016-2035.

The strategy aims to set out a “cohesive and integrated transport framework to support and sustain the region’s development”.

The strategy outlines a new Core Bus Network which will have 16 radial bus corridors, 3 orbital bus corridors and 6 regional bus corridors. It also contains plans for a Luas to run to Poolbeg, Finglas, and Lucan.

There are also plans for Metro North and South, running from St Stephen’s Green to Brides Glen and from St Stephen’s Green to Swords. They also hope to construct the Greater Dublin Cycling Network, which will be over 1,485 kilometres in length.

“The purpose of our draft transport strategy is to contribute to the economic, social and cultural progress of the Greater Dublin Area by providing for the efficient, effective and sustainable movement of people and goods,” CEO of the National Transport Authority, Anne Graham said.

“The long-term success of the country’s capital region depends on sound and considered long-term strategic planning. We are therefore encouraging as many people as possible to read our proposals, and the background documentation, and to let us know their views by taking part in our consultation before November 13th,” she said.

Other works outlined include reopening the Phoenix Park Tunnel for passenger services, which will link the Kildare/Cork line to the city centre, expanding the DART to reach as far as Drogheda, and also the widening of the M50 to three lanes in each direction between Sandyford and the M11.

Full details of the NTA’s proposed plans and where changes may be made near you are available at their website.

Like this:
Like Loading…

October 17, 2015
Budget 2016: A student’s view

With this week’s Budget still fresh in the minds of many across the country, how are the measures announced going to affect the third level students of Ireland?

Cian Gaffney is a final year Religion, History and Teaching student in Mater Dei who had this to say about the Budget as a whole: “I do think the budget was technically fair, in that its pros slightly outweighed its cons. I think this is a carefully crafted budget that finely walks the balance between being safe for the parties involved, while giving the illusion of being more progressive than it probably is. Put simply, it’s just politics.”

Students like Cian Gaffney could breathe a sigh of relief when they discovered the Student Maintenance Grant would remain at the same amount as the previous year. However, with rent prices in Dublin continuing to increase the Wexford native felt it was “unfair” not to increase the monthly grant, given the current cost of living.

“Given the ever-increasing exorbitant rent in cities around the country, [particularly] Dublin from personal experience, I think the grant remaining the same is absolutely unfair. The grant should be relative to the average cost conditions of the student body, and this is simply not the case. A balance needed to be struck, and it wasn’t,” he said.

“Whether by incorporating more into the existing student grant, or creating another measure entirely, something should have been done to tackle this directly. The exclusion of such is all the more obvious in this budget given the progressive strides in other areas.”

Those who like Mr Gaffney will be entering the workforce in less than a year also had to pay attention to tax measures being addressed in the Budget. With the hugely unpopular Universal Social Charge (USC) remaining in place but being decreased it was clear the Government was out to win some votes before the general election next year.

“In terms of the USC, taking into account the field my studies would naturally enter me into, I shouldn’t realistically be affected too much either way. However, any adjustment to an unpopular levy in the general populace’s favour will naturally be seen as a positive one,” Mr Gaffney said.

By Matthew Colfer (@_Gogery)

Like this:
Like Loading…

October 15, 2015
Leading homeless charity slams Budget

A leading homeless charity has hit out at the Government’s budget which they say fails to address the escalating homelessness crisis.

In an attempt to address the housing crisis, €414 million will be made available for social housing along with an additional €17 million being earmarked for emergency accommodation.

Finance Minister Michael Noonan also announced that NAMA, in conjunction with developers, has set a target of delivering up to 20,000 residential units before the end of 2020, the majority of which will be in the Dublin area.

However, Focus Ireland has strongly criticised the measures enacted in the budget saying that the budget “failed to deliver a meaningful package to stem the deepening homeless crisis”.

Ahead of the budget, the charity had called on the Government to provide €500 million in funding to address the problem.

“Focus Ireland said it had been hoping for measures which would help the charity to tackle the ever rising tide of new families and individuals becoming homeless,” Focus Ireland Director of Advocacy Mike Allen said.

“We had worried that decisions would be ‘too little too late’, but we never expected that the Government would fail to take any significant measures to tackle homelessness.”

Other measures included in the 2016 budget are a reduction in the rates of the Universal Social Charge (USC), as well as a 50 cent increase in the minimum wage and a €5 increase in child benefit.

The 50 cent increase was forecast earlier in the year following the recommendations of the Low Pay Commission and will come into effect at the start of next year, bringing the minimum wage up to €9.15 per hour.

Meanwhile the 9% VAT rate on tourism implemented in previous budgets will remain in place with Minister Noonan calling it a major benefit to the tourism sector.

The USC will also be cut from 1.5% to 1% on the first €12,012, 3.5% to 3% on the medium threshold of up to €18,668 and the rate for the top tier threshold of between €18,668 to €70,044 has been cut from 7% to 5.5%.

The only tax increase put forward in the last budget before the general election will be an additional 50 cent applied to the excise duty on a pack of 20 cigarettes raising the price to €10.50 while excise duty on alcohol remains unchanged.

Adrian Cummins of the Restaurant’s Association of Ireland has welcomed the measures introduced in the budget calling it “pro-job, pro-tourism and pro-hospitality”.

“The retention of the VAT [rate of] … 9% into 2016 is crucial to not only the sustainability of restaurants and businesses in the tourism sector but also to job creation,” he said.

The Government also announced a number of spending increases on social benefits including a €3 per week increase in all pensions, a €5 increase in the child benefit as well as a 75 per cent increase in the Christmas bonus for those on social welfare.

Recruitment in the public sector also received a boost with provisions being put aside for the recruitment of 600 gardaí and 2,260 teaching posts including 600 resource teachers. A further 610 special needs assistants will also be recruited.

Like this:
Like Loading…

October 15, 2015
Locals march for mental health as budget brings hope

World Mental Health Day took place last Saturday, and the afternoon saw a determined group of young people marching the streets of Dublin in the hopes of speaking up for mental health awareness.

With the help of ‘Action For Suicide Prevention Dublin’, approximately 100 people came together at Dame Street’s Central Bank, armed with only their voices and cardboard signs. From there, they marched down by College Green, across the Liffey and up towards the Garden of Remembrance.

With the budget taking place this week, the aim for the march was to attempt to generate as much noise as possible in order to remind people of the importance of mental health services.

During the budget announcement, the Minister for Primary Care, Mental Health and Disability, Kathleen Lynch announced that the Government will continue to allocate an annual sum of €35 million towards mental health services.

The march was organised by ‘Action For Suicide Prevention Dublin’ along with Jamie Harrington (16), a teen who gained recognition after saving the life of a man who was attempting to take his own life at the Ha’penny Bridge in 2014.

“Jamie is a legend,” exclaimed marcher, Ryan McDermott, “he does so much work and really cares about people. He’s going to march for the homeless tonight as well.

“We all know someone who’s been hurt because of their own problems. We’re marching in their memory and to give a chance to anyone who might suffer in the future,” he added.

An estimated one in five people are directly affected by a form of mental health issue in their lifetime. There are many helplines and useful websites that you can access if you, or someone you know, is experiencing mental health concerns.

Pieta House (Pieta.ie) – 01 601 0000
Samaritans (Samaritans.org) – 18 506 09090

Like this:
Like Loading…

October 15, 2015