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LAST UPDATE | 29 May 2023
GOOD MORNING.
Here’s all the news that you need to know as you start your day.
1. In our main story this morning, Stephen McDermott looks at how international right-wing figures online have weighed in on Ireland’s proposed hate speech laws.
The Criminal Justice (Incitement to Violence or Hatred and Hate Offences) Bill 2022 passed final stage in the Dáil last month, but critics have aimed to use it as the latest front in an ongoing culture war.
2. A fire at a Blanchardstown high-rise apartment complex was brought under control yesterday, with no injuries reported.
Dublin Fire Brigade deployed a turntable ladder to reach the top floors of the complex to extinguish the blaze, as video footage and photos from the scene showed smoke billowing from a number of floors.
Concerns locally are now turning to the number of people who have lost their home and need to be housed.
3. Turkey president Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared victory in a historic runoff vote that posed the biggest challenge to his 20 years of transformative but divisive rule.
The 69-year-old leader overcame Turkey’s biggest economic crisis in generations and the most powerful opposition alliance to ever face his Islamic-rooted party to take an unassailable lead.
Near complete results showed him leading secular opposition rival Kemal Kilicdaroglu by four percentage points.
4. Seven men will appear in court today charged with the attempted murder of PSNI Detective Chief Inspector John Caldwell.
5. A motorcyclist has died following a crash involving a car in Co Meath.
Gardaí in Ashbourne are investigating the fatal collision which occurred at Old Ross Cross Road, Dunshaughlin yesterday evening at approximately 6.15p.m.
The male motorcyclist, believe to be aged in his 50s, was seriously injured and removed from the scene to Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown where he later passed away.
6. Private motorists will not be allowed to drive through College Green from today following an expansion of the College Green bus gate.
The current College Green bus corridor will be in place for 24 hours, seven days per week as part of the College Green Pathfinder Project.
7. Ireland was alone among European nations in its decision to completely stop sending election observers at the height of the Covid pandemic, a new investigation from Noteworthy finds.
According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, the decision was primarily informed by the government’s Covid-19 legislation and advice on essential travel.
8. Earlier this month, National Transport Authority CEO Anne Graham told a meeting of Dublin city councillors that it would be “years” before a contactless payment service is implemented on Dublin Bus and other transport services around the country.
Jane Moore looks at the transport systems in the UK and across Europe that now have the ability to tap on using your bank card or smartphone, but it turns out Ireland is far from alone in not having this option just yet.
9. It was an intensely busy weekend on the sporting front, with big days playing across the GAA, soccer and rugby, not to mention other pursuits.
Munster and All-Ireland hurling champions Limerick survived a key test to eliminate Cork, while elsewhere Wexford managed to avoid relegation with a dramatic comback against rivals Kilkenny.
In the Premier League, Leeds and Leicester City failed to survive the drop and will ply their trade in the second tier next season. Everton survived in their place.
On Saturday, Munster won the URC to end 12-year trophy drought by downing the Stormers in Cape Town.
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I think these operators have a fair argument for better wages. Their level of responsibility and potential stress deserves fair pay.
Another fine example of privatisation.
It wasn’t the just the private sector that made all our lives a misery of strikes unending back in the 70s!
It’s not private or pubic, it’s unionised organisations
They’re asking to be allowed to go to the toilet without being penalised. What is objectionable about that.
I worked previously in another Conduit center – they are a miserable, grinding bunch to work for. all power to the workers here.
I have a big problem with companies like this refusing to recognise unions while treating the minimum wage as a target to be aimed at instead of what it was intended as. When their employees eventually object to their wages and conditions they just shrug their shoulders as if to say ‘who me?’ And while this is happening we have politicians who claim credit for it as if all this were a great thing. Jobs, what jobs?
Compare this workers in a high stress and very important role looking for a rise to an average wage to the Luas workers looking for excessive wage demands for a low stress and unskilled role pushing a button. This is reality Luas workers are living in a fantasy world.
What’s skilled about answering a phone? You don’t think it’s stressful wondering if cars or people are going to cross in front of you as you’re pushing a button. I support both sets of workers in Conduit and Transdev. Enough of this pitting worker against worker bullshit. It’s contributing to the race to the bottom.
Have you compared what each set of works are asking for?
Have you seen the pay increases luas drivers want?
Regardless of anything related to job responsibilities, 999 workers have reasonable asks, luas drivers must think they are operating a space shuttle for the wage increases they are demanding.
Well said Daisy, a good friend of mine who is a driver, has to get up every morning at 4.30 am to start work, I like to think that he and other workers feel it’s worth getting up that early and drive 90000 people a day safely to their destinations, they have a remarkable record compared with general road safety and private motorists.
Didn’t say answering a phone was skilled if you read my comment but their requests are reasonably fitting for the job they do. I think its more stressful dealing with 999 calls for a few hours, I drive a car everyday I don’t find that stressful at all, I would imagine if my car was on tracks I would find it even less so, if you think different your a fool. Its not about pitting workers against workers its about greed and salaries befitting the job role. And Conor cry me a river, that’s the contract they signed up for, some people work 24hrs ie don’t get up at 4.30am but are up the whole night and don’t get the pay they are looking for. Again why wouldn’t you have a remarkable record when its on tracks, all they do is stop and go, there is no comparison to road users.
answering a phone and typing the information into a computer jax .
Answering a phone and having to relaying the correct information clearly and concisely to someone who may be seriously distressed because someone is breaking into their house, their husband is having a heart attack and dying, their house is on fire and their child is trapped or another equally dramatic event. Relaying the incorrect info could be a matter of life and death. Hang up and do it all over and again for close to minimum wage. Not going to save the world but definitely worth a living wage at a minimum.
the wage was set at a level which showed the level of skill required jax.
I thought these were the guys who asked you what service you need and put you through?
by your definition jax that’s the contract these workers signed up to also.
They push a lever , Conor they don’t drive ..
For as long as eircom ran this service, this never happened. Just saying.
Agree totally. They were very well trained, properly staffed & well paid back then. But, since we sold off the country’s best assets, it’s all about quantity not quality.
have your say