Other News In Brief

State Commemoration Planned To Mark Easter Rising Anniversary

A ceremony to mark the Anniversary of the 1916 Easter Rising is scheduled to take place outside the GPO, O'Connell Street, Dublin on Easter Sunday 21 April 2019.

Commencing at 12 noon, it will be led by the President Michael D. Higgins, An Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar, T.D. and the Minister with Responsibility for Defence, Paul Kehoe T.D.

Defence Forces Personnel, including a brass band, a pipe band and representatives of the Army, the Air Corps and the Naval Service will take part, before an Air Corps fly past concludes the proceedings.

At noon the National Flag on top of the GPO will be lowered and the 1916 Proclamation will be read by an Officer from the Defence Forces.

The President will then lay a wreath to commemorate those who died in 1916. A minute's silence will also be observed.

Members of the public are invited to attend the ceremony and should be in position in the public viewing areas outside the GPO by 11.30 a.m. These are located at the Clery's side of O'Connell Street and at the north and south ends of the G.P.O. An area has been reserved for wheelchair users. Large video screens will also be erected on either side of the GPO to relay the Ceremony to the public and a Commemorative Programme will be distributed on the day. 

Labour Criticise Mother And Baby Home Report

Labour Spokesperson on Justice and Children & Youth Affairs Seán Sherlock TD has said that the fifth interim report and the response of Minister Zappone on Bessborough Mother and Baby Home in Cork raises more questions than answers.  

According to Minister Zappone's press release, the Commission found no physical or documentary evidence of systematic burials within the grounds but considers that it is highly likely that burials took place there. The Commission did not consider it feasible to excavate the full 60 acres involved, let alone the rest of the 200-acre estate on which there has been extensive building work since the institution closed.

Deputy Sherlock said: "The Minister states it  is  highly  likely  that burials took place there. Is the door now being closed on geo-thermal and geo-physical testing on the site? The Minister should provide further clarity on what is proposed for Bessborough given that burials did take place there.

"We need to hear how the Government proposes to respond to the recently discovered map showing a burial plot at the fringes of the site towards the N40?

"On the 13th February this year, in response to questions on this matter, the Minister seemed to suggest that the same principles that applied to Tuam would apply to Bessborough. It would be helpful for the Minister to provide further clarity  in respect of whether geo-physical testing and possible excavations would take place at Bessborough."

Children's Hospital Fiasco Sparks Fears For Maternity Hospital Move

Fianna Fáil Spokesperson on Health, Stephen Donnelly, has claimed the chronic mismanagement of the new National Children's Hospital has led to fears that the Coombe Maternity Hospital move won't go ahead.

Deputy Donnelly was speaking in Dáil Éireann as TD's made statements on the NCH, following the publication of the PwC report into its two billion Euro price-tag.

He explained: "The public's faith has been shaken by what it has seen here. We've already witnessed reckless spending and complete incompetence when it comes to children's welfare. And now we're watching women's health take a backseat, as plans to relocate the Coombe Maternity Hospital onto the grounds of the new NCH have stalled.

"Back in 2015 then Minister for Health Leo Varadkar told us that the planning and design, for both hospitals, would happen at the same time. Just a few weeks ago, I received an official reply from Minister Harris stating that no work on relocating the Coombe had commenced so far. Then last week, the Minister further confirmed that there is no funding allocated in 2019 to even begin the move.

"The proximity of a maternity hospital was a major selling point in the choice of the site at St James' in Dublin City Centre for the new National Children's Hospital. It seriously undermines the hospital when we're forced to question if that move will go ahead; but worse than that it also forces us to question the Government's attitude towards maternity care. The whole country has spent that past week listening to pregnant women's hospital horror stories on RTE's Liveline. We owe it to them to prove that they, and their healthcare, are a priority and not an afterthought," concluded Deputy Donnelly.



(JG)