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‘Loss of momentum’: Target of 41,000 homes built this year looks set to be missed by 6,000
Israeli strikes continue overnight in Gaza, killing 13 people
'Bodies and limbs on the ground' after Israeli strikes kill more than 400 people in Gaza
Library photo posed by models John Birdsall/John Birdsall/Press Association Images
Alcohol
Alcohol blamed for boom in liver disease deaths
Shocking new research has revealed the mortality rate for liver disease in Ireland has surged by almost 200 per cent due to increased alcohol consumption – and younger age groups are the most seriously affected.
DEATH DUE TO alcoholic liver disease has surged by a staggering 188 per cent because of heavier drinking habits, according to the results of a new survey.
While the incidences of alcoholic liver disease (ALD) have been shown to have increased across all age groups between 1995 and 2009, the research shows that younger age groups are most significantly affected by the trend.
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Chairman of the Irish Society Gastroenterology and one of the leaders of the study, Dr Aiden McCormick, said that there was now a higher mortality rate among those with ADL that with heart attacks, reports IrishHealth.ie.
“The death levels among the younger age group are fairly low, but have dramatically increased. We can also expect that mortality rates will increase in the older age groups as the cohort who were drinking heavily when younger get older,” he said.
He called for more funding to be put into harm reduction in relation to alcohol consumption, saying “there should be some sort of levy on alcohol advertisements or off licence sales to fund research for better treatment”.
The research, carried out by McCormick and Dr Deirdre Mongan of the Health Research Board, and will be presented today the Irish Society of Gastroenterology winter conference in Dublin.
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The mechanics in there must go through at least 20 cars a day. Surely that’s a conveyor belt for the virus, and mad risky for the the inspector and then the person driving home after the test!
@brendan fitzsimons: I would if you considered the amount of cars on the road that are grossly under maintained and in turn potentially leading to more accidents and injury.
@Robbie Doyle: They do wear disposable gloves, blue ones. What we don’t see is whether or not they actually change them in between tests. I’m due a test on May 1st, think i’ll cancel.
@Ciaran Daly: you may not share his views or even respect them, but insulting him is puerile. A little tolerance and respectful interaction at this time wouldn’t go amiss. Hope everyone stays safe and well regardless of their beliefs, or lack of.
@John Devaney: current evidence shows god is merciless. The suffering and loss being experienced by people and their families in Italy and Spain where there are usually alot of prayers said especially by the older people who have spent most of their lives in churches at least once a week is all the proof we need of a god with no mercy
Across Ireland there is an issue with the car lifts in NCT Centres. And the upshot of this is you bring your car for its NCT, they test what they can then give you a receipt, not a certification. Then will call you back again at some unknown time in the future to complete the test and give you your certification.
So, it takes 2 visits now to get your vehicle tested.
This is highly irresponsible and until they fix their car lifts then all tests should be postponed. And arguably, during this ongoing emergency, a review into how this is even an essential service really needs to happen.
@Justice Mickey: Worry not about the actions of others. We need to focus on our own actions at this time
“We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop.” Mother Theresa of Calcutta.
@Ronan McKeon: in reality in the good old days, not that many were held together with baling twine…
What the NCT has done for us? Well it has increased the financial burden on motorists for very little in return…
If the same number og people engaged in the NCT checking cars, were instead out checking roads and issuing failure notices and penalties on local authorities and county councils for potholes, bad road surfaces and lack of road maintenance and making them put it right, then the overall improved road network would mean most of the car issues, which are caused by driving on the awful roads would be eliminated….
The wife was in the Little Island centre in Cork a few days back. She asked what precautions they were taking and was told just gloves. No masks, no wipes for steering wheels etc. She knows a tester and when she spoke to her about it she said that when they complained to their manager about the lack of protection he actually told them to “man up”.
Got mine done Tuesday in Kells and lifts still not working and now must return again. This is needless in a time they wish to reduce risk, if lifts are working I’d say fair enough but double trip is a bit daft.
I spray the streering wheel the the door handles the gear stick the keys the seat belt with disinfectant every evening, and stay the fook away from shops and money and people and the nct will break all my hard work to not get infected ps it’s being cancelled in uk
The lift arms are broken in kilkenny nct for past 3 months. Cars pass temporarily and have to return on a later date when the lift arms are back working to finalise the test to get a pass. Shocking !!!
@Louis Jacob: I was the same until I heard that you may not be covered by insurance without a valid nct. The guards might make allowances in the circumstances but insurance companies will use it as an excuse not to pay out.
@Pascal Coleman: no they won’t: that is complete fiction. Quit spouting nonsense.
Under the Road Traffic Act, where a Certificate of Insurance has been issued, the insurer MUST legally honour it. No if’s, but’s or maybe’s.
However, what can happen is that if you do have a crash – and then ONLY if the vehicle is found to be defective – the insurance company can then sue you to recoup monies paid out on your behalf (to 3rd parties). The NCT does not form part of your contract with the insurer.
I’m bringing my car in this weekend as it’s expiring next week, however if it needs any work done my mechanics has been closed for the last week or two and won’t be opening soon. Surely this is a silly thing to keep going at the moment.
Test due tomorrow, trying to contact NCT hq since Monday cos I’m in bed with a bug (was on the CV waiting list) and unable to either prepare or drive the car to the centre. Trying to reschedule online attracts a fine, so emailed a query – no response. Tried calling them – phone line just rings out. Is it any wonder that people are not turning up? Wouldn’t it show a little consideration if they put some advice on what to do if you’re indisposed, on their website, and/or waived the fine until things return to normal
My wife had her NCT last week.
Mechanics wearing disposable gloves but not changing from vehicle to vehicle. All using same pen to sign in. Most People on top of each other in que to sign
Very very irresponsible. Sent email to NCT but no reply..
Advice-stay away from it.
I am waiting to get the test finalised by having to return to the test centre:
There are people in the same position all over the country.
I posted the following into the “Comments section” of the Journal:
Regarding the postponed underbody test: I need to go back again, how can I?
They won’t answer the phone, they won’t respond to Emails.
They are typically in efficient money grabbers with no manners or decency.
Got mine tested last week and person behind counter insisted in handling my drivers licence even though he had the same gloves on all day. Absolute joke
Anyone in vulnerable categories would be well advised to stay clear of NCT centres.
The risks are extremely high. Not worth it.
The fact is that someone would be in my car that have a high exposure to possible contamination (even if they take perceptions). Even nurses and doctors are not immune , why would NCT staff be any different.
I didn’t turn up for my nct. I am 74 with a number of underlying conditions and I was not going to break isolation in order to get my car tested. It took me most of a day to get through to the nct since I was determined that they would not charge me an exttra 22 euro. Keeping these centres open at this time is ridiculous and there should be a directive about it to remove worry about late tests.
The crowd that run the NCT, APPPLUS, are a terrible organization to deal with in my opinion. The do not care about vehicle safety or customers, all they care about is the money. Some of the testers do a great job and are dedicated to their role. Looking at the website there is little info, and any info is always hard to find. It does not say, for example, that if you cannot attend a test for Covid-19 reasons whether you still have to pay the “FINE”. If it did it may save people calling and emailing their already under pressure cust service. Also it says that you can pay with cash on the day, in effect you cannot. To pay with cash you must call cust service, they will then offer you a small fraction of the test times that are available to card/online bookers an in effect discriminating a cash user. Some centers have not fixed the lift issue and you would have to return a second time to complete the test – when some users have to take time off and/or travel large costly distances to the center you would think they would mention this in their announcements. They said it takes 2 days to replace a faulty lift, now would be a prime time to get all of this addressed with the country in semi-lockdown.
Money paid, car passed limited test but lifts not working so a second visit required when lifts fixed. How much should I charge them for a re-test ?
No way will any tester sit in or touch my car in the current climate. Put the whole ” service ” on hold until it is safe to resume.
More people who don’t care. Profit before peoples health.
It proves that NCT is merely about money.
Ignore them.
Too risky, especially for the vulnerable.
Your health is much more important than your cars.
Got mine retested yesterday after failing the initial. 28 euro, do you think I was able to tap? Nope. Do you think I was told to leave the windows down or the door ajar for the tester? Nope. (I did anyway) . Like most gov institutions in this country. FOS
Got my car past the nct bar the visual inspection underneath it. They can wait till this passes over before I’ll bring it back. Not risking my health or my family or the welfare of the inspector and his/hers family either.
‘Loss of momentum’: Target of 41,000 homes built this year looks set to be missed by 6,000
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