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What are the odds of a white Christmas this year? ... Well, this man ought to know

Will we be rolling snowmen as we roast our turkeys? Met Éireann’s head of forecasting dropped by the newsroom to tell us.

DREAMING OF A white Christmas?

In the words of Aerosmith — dream on.

That was the message from Gerald Fleming today, as he dropped by TheJournal.ie’s newsroom for a quick chat.

He didn’t mention Aerosmith, of course.

“Very, very, very long odds,” is what he actually said.

There’s a possibility of some sleet or snow showers on higher ground in “Mayo, Donegal, maybe even Wicklow” in the next week.

However, the weather system won’t give us “any widespread snow”.

“We need easterly winds or north-easterly winds to get us the really, really cold weather,” the Met Éireann chief explained.

Here comes the science…

Video TheJournal.ie / YouTube

Video: Michelle Hennessy

Read: Grand mild out, isn’t it? … Well, here’s what Dublin looked like — four years ago

Read: Here are the top 10 toys Irish kids are asking Santa for this Christmas

Readers like you are keeping these stories free for everyone...
A mix of advertising and supporting contributions helps keep paywalls away from valuable information like this article. Over 5,000 readers like you have already stepped up and support us with a monthly payment or a once-off donation.

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21 Comments
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    Mute Bazalini
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    Nov 29th 2014, 10:10 AM

    Good luck to her. Hopefully some of the other finalists get a chance to launch their ideas as well

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    Mute Patrick
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    Nov 29th 2014, 7:14 PM

    It must be awkward carrying that big phone.

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    Mute Ignoreland
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    Nov 29th 2014, 10:22 AM

    People tend to use the same GP because patient history is one of the most important diagnostic elements. Will this be a problem for her model?
    It maybe I’ve just been watching too much House…

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    Mute Derek Cregan
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    Nov 29th 2014, 10:39 AM

    Ignoreland…..perhaps the patients history could be put into a database and be accessed by the patient using a P.I.N?

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    Mute Tracey Nally
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    Nov 29th 2014, 12:39 PM

    For a country the size of Ireland, it should be possible to network the whole system. If I have an injury in donegal then it should be possible for them to access my records even though I’m based in the Midlands.
    Email should be a given instead of slow mail when gp’s are writing a referral. Plus text message reminders for out patient appointments.

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    Mute David Burke
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    Nov 29th 2014, 4:49 PM

    It’s more complicated than you would imagine to have digital health records.

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    Mute Lastpost
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    Nov 29th 2014, 10:13 AM

    Way to go girl, good on you great idea

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    Mute Sarah Butler
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    Nov 29th 2014, 10:29 AM

    Well done to her. I hope she focuses on Ireland though, not just Dublin.

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    Mute Kerry Mink
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    Nov 29th 2014, 11:15 AM

    Best idea I’ve heard of since Google! Go girl!

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    Mute Alan Moore
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    Nov 29th 2014, 1:10 PM

    Who gives out these awards? No website, no App, only an idea. This idea will die in the crib. Taxi drivers in UK are trying to make Uber and Halo illegal. Trying to do the same thing in the medical industry (a hugely regulated industry with powerful unions) is stupid. This lady will be eaten for breakfast. Might work in medical areas that are not regulated, like Chinese medicine. Saying “you go girl” without thinking critically about the idea is really patronising to her.

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    Mute Alan Moore
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    Nov 29th 2014, 1:57 PM

    Don’t get me wrong, I wish we lived in a world where this app would be successful. I am no lover of unions and government regulations, but a business has to work in the real world

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    Mute Paudi Onail
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    Nov 29th 2014, 3:22 PM

    i think the idea of the compeition is to win funds to develop,test, launch so those end user products will come. never put the cart before the horse. having an app and a website before having a solid idea with promise never really works, your app and website just sits there doing nothing. i’m sure she has a rough visual prototype, presentation etc of how it works to pitch with.

    having said that, i do see problems with the idea itself. GPs as we all know are expensive, “more business for GPs” – cry me a river, canceled appointments is of no loss to GPs, patients reschedule and in many cases theres a cancel fee. Would it mean triple travel expenses for call out fees? A travel expense in GPs terms could be a taxi fare x 3. There are approx 2million medical and GP-visit cards in use here as well. How does it cater for them, and with regarding travel fees. I don’t think the HSE will pay for it no more than old age free travel covers taxi fares. So, back to private customers. If they can afford it then great then thats her target market. I think the fees involved, how many ‘private users’ will sign up for it and of course access to medical records, data security and release of said data would ideas for the app to overcome.

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    Mute Patrick
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    Nov 29th 2014, 7:15 PM

    @Alan From an acorn can grow a mighty oak. Ideas are everything.

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    Mute Alan Moore
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    Nov 29th 2014, 8:14 PM

    @patrick, ideas and nothing, implementation is everything. Google didn’t come up with the idea of a search engine, Microsoft didn’t come up with the idea of a computer operating system. Implementation is everything

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    Mute Peter McGlynn
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    Nov 29th 2014, 11:18 AM

    We need the same for Doctors. I couldn’t even find a reliable site by googling. Doctor app please together with consultancy fee. Thank you.

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    Mute Karl Neff
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    Nov 29th 2014, 7:29 PM

    Good luck to her. I hope that this proposed alternative delivery of healthcare is not a platform for inexperienced professionals (who can’t work in the health system due to recruitment embargo of past few years) to get work. My issue with this is that for some patients who are vulnerable – they may be paying for a service that isn’t top quality. Finally, I look forward to the other 23 applicants proposals to be reported by the journal.

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    Mute Rory J Leonard
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    Nov 29th 2014, 11:58 AM

    This young lady and her ingenious click clinic app has possibly doubled or trebled the market for the medical professionals offering those services.

    Disruptive technology at its most effective!

    Well done to her!

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    Mute Steve Tracey
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    Nov 29th 2014, 12:43 PM

    Good on ye lass hope it gets taken on.

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    Mute Sam McAllister
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    Nov 29th 2014, 1:01 PM

    Is disruptive the new “in-word”?

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    Mute Robert Caraher
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    Nov 29th 2014, 11:49 PM

    Have seen this of Twitter and as a fellow physio I see flaws in the business model!! Already websites like what clinic and generally find its more cost effective to invest in google Seo on our own website! But u know what folks fair play to her she is pushing an idea she has into reality!! How many of us have had ideas and never done anything about them!!! My wee bit of advice if the young lady does read this is under promise and over deliver!!

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    Mute Mary Moore
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    Nov 30th 2014, 1:42 AM

    I always worry when I see words like ‘entrepreneur’ and ‘health’ used in the same sentence. That immediately puts me off. But good luck to her and the others too with their inventions.

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    Mute Telbar Comuta
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    Nov 30th 2014, 3:53 PM

    Unfortunately it’s a zero sum game. There will always be people waiting as long as the health service is understaffed. In fact, it seems unfair that the young tech-savvy people with the app are going to get treatment faster than, and possibly at the expense of, the older people

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    Mute Brighid Sheridan
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    Nov 30th 2014, 2:20 PM

    Well done and best of luck with the idea!

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