Latest news with #GarethChaney
Extra.ie
5 days ago
- Politics
- Extra.ie
Policing model ‘an unmitigated disaster and unfit for purpose'
The Operational Policing Model (OPM), in place since 2019, has been an 'unmitigated disaster and is not fit for purpose', the Oireachtas Justice Committee will be told today. The OPM was introduced as part of the Government's reform programme, titled 'A Policing Service for Our Future', which emerged from the Commission on the Future of Policing in Ireland. Both the Garda Representative Association (GRA) and the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI) will today outline their ongoing opposition to the new model. The general secretary of the GRA, Ronan Slevin, will say: 'The aim of this model was to modernise AGS [An Garda Síochána], by decentralising decision-making, enhancing community engagement, and improving frontline visibility. This has proved to be an unmitigated disaster and is not fit for purpose.' Ronan Slevin, General Secretary. Pic Gareth Chaney/Collins Photos Mr Slevin will add: 'This has created super-sized divisions that span across many counties and has starved communities of local stations and policing. In many ways, division is the key word here, as that is exactly what this model has caused between our trusted, dedicated members and the public and communities that they serve. 'Prior to the implementation of the OPM, Ireland possessed the most desired model of community policing in the policing world. As a result of the OPM, the local garda has been stripped from the community. 'Where previously the majority of incidents in country areas were investigated by the local garda, which resulted in increased local knowledge, now, under the OPM, most incidents, while investigated, are done so by gardaí stationed miles away with little or no knowledge of the community, and no real reason to expand that knowledge.' Pic: Collins Photos The AGSI, will say it is the 'resounding view' of its membership that the OPM has had a 'profoundly negative' effect on policing, and warn that it is 'well known' there is significant public dissatisfaction with the service delivery provided by the gardaí following its introduction. They will say it has been adapted from similar models utilised internationally, but will add that a 'fundamental and fatal flaw' is the architects of the Irish version 'failed to take account' of the unique policing and geographical requirements in this jurisdiction. It will say: 'The AGSI are now of the view the current operating model has negatively affected interactive community policing in this country. 'It is no surprise international police forces have recognised the fundamental flaws with the operating model and are withdrawing from this and returning to more traditional policing models.' The AGSI will acknowledge that there have been some 'positive developments' that have arisen out of the operating model, such as business services hubs, which transfer administration tasks to Garda staff. The association will say: 'The creation of Divisional Protective Service Units has been a very positive development for the organisation. However, this is an initiative that was not reliant on the introduction of the operating model and could have been established under the previous traditional policing model.' On retention, the AGSI will warn 'excessive' oversight and social media are some of the 'causes' affecting Garda morale. The GRA, meanwhile, will say there remains a 'massive issue with morale' with little action taken to address it. It will say that the continuous issuing of policies and procedures that members must comply with, and the excessive use of discipline and suspension, have resulted in members being in fear of receiving any form of complaint, as there is little trust in the discipline process.
Extra.ie
5 days ago
- Business
- Extra.ie
'Cheap' shoebox flats: Plans to reverse building regs revealed
The Government is set to give the green light to controversial new proposals to reverse building regulations so as to make apartment developments 'much cheaper to build'. There are concerns of a backlash over a move that critics will say marks a return to the controversial Celtic Tiger-era 'shoebox' apartments. However, changes to building specification requirements are considered a necessary move to deliver the Coalition's pre-election promises to significantly increase the construction of new homes. The Government is set to give the green light to controversial new proposals to reverse building regulations so as to make apartment developments 'much cheaper to build'. Pic: Shutterstock One Cabinet minister told 'We are going to bring in changes very soon on all the requirements for these apartment developments, which we believe will make these developments a lot cheaper to build. 'The requirements – on minimum apartment sizes, on aspects of the buildings, on lift provisions and all that – were understandably introduced after the standard of building fell significantly during the boom. And some apartment developments had unacceptably small apartments. 'But the minimum size requirement is higher here than most other countries in Europe and there is a feeling it has gone too far in the way it inhibits developers. We are more interested in restricting aspects like excessive services requirements, provision of a certain type of lift etc.' There are concerns of a backlash over a move that critics will say marks a return to the controversial Celtic Tiger-era 'shoebox' apartments. Pic: Shutterstock The U-turn on building rules introduced after the property crash comes as the Coalition is under intense pressure to significantly increase the number of new homes across the country. This week the Coalition announced a series of reforms it hopes will entice more investors, deliver more homes and cause rents to fall over the coming years. However, behind the scenes there are fears the new measures represent only the tip of the iceberg of what is needed to deal with the housing crisis. Embattled Housing Minister James Browne has already admitted the Coalition will struggle to meet its target of delivering 41,000 new homes this year. Housing Minister James Browne. Pic: Gareth Chaney/Collins Photos Industry sources this weekend predicted, based on trends in the first half of the year, that the actual number could be 'significantly lower' than 25,000. One senior source told 'Far from seeing an increase in building, it is actually in reverse this year. There is chaos everywhere. Everyone – the banks, local authorities, credit providers – is pulling back. There's no cash, no commitment, no certainty. We were going at a good pace last year, but everything is frozen over now. 'Builders are closing out schemes they already had. They'd been doing that for two years – that's why the figures were so vibrant. But now they're resiling from the market… Month after month the numbers are falling.' Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael were returned to power after promising to deliver 300,000 new homes over the lifetime of the government. But just days before the new administration took office in January, Central Statistics Office figures revealed claims made by former housing minister Darragh O'Brien that 40,000 new builds would be delivered last year were almost 10,000 short. Former Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien. Pic: Conor Ó Mearáin/Collins Photo Agency The same month, Sherry FitzGerald Residential & Advisory managing director Marian Finnegan told a house-building summit that the figure for 2025 would be 'at a margin of plus or minus 10%' of 25,000. Recent months have seen a rising panic within the Coalition about a significant drop in new-build commencements and also about Mr Browne's performance. The failure to get to grips with the unprecedented accommodation shortage has fractured Coalition relations. Senior Fine Gael sources this weekend told the MoS that Mr Browne has six months to show discernible progress. One minister said: 'He is running out of time. He was given a political hospital pass [in being appointed to replace Darragh O'Brien at short notice]. We understand that, but time moves on. If, in the autumn, the thing is still a mess, we will be at a crossroads. How long has Browne? He has until the second half of the year. If is not working by then he will have to move, or Fine Gael will have to move,' they said. Tánaiste and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris. Pic: Leah Farrell/ Another senior Government source added: '[Tánaiste and Fine Gael leader Simon] Harris will have no choice. 'If he does not move for Browne, then people will start to think 'maybe you should go instead'. The ides of November could be very dangerous: a bad presidential election, stagnant housing figures… it could get turbulent. 'The reality is, the narrative is beginning to set and it is not a good one for this Government. 'It is one of 'here's their third attempt and everything is still getting worse'. The voters are moving towards the view that it is now time for change.' The importance of the November deadline was underlined by another senior Coalition figure, who warned: 'The reality is the shutter comes down on this Government by November on housing. 'It takes four years for real change to kick in. If the tide has not turned by November, after the Budget and the new National Development Plan, then it won't change in time for us.' Another Fine Gael source commented: 'If we hit November and we are still not turning, he [Browne] is out of a job, and we will be out next time.' Mr Browne still has support within Fianna Fáil. Junior Justice Minister Niall Collins. Pic: Gareth Chaney/Collins Photos Defending his party colleague, Junior Justice Minister Niall Collins told the MoS: 'James Browne is an experienced local and national politician. 'He has far more practical knowledge than these academic theoreticians of the Social Democrats like Rory Hearne.' However, some senior Fianna Fáil figures expressed concern at Mr Browne's ability to tell his party leader, Taoiseach Micheál Martin, and Public Expenditure Minister Jack Chambers – who heads a new task force set up to oversee major development projects – to 'butt out of housing policy and let him run the department'. One Fianna Fáil minister said: 'The problem James Browne has is that the Department of Public Expenditure and his own Department of Housing don't want to spend a penny on anything. 'He has to win that war, and that won't be easy.'
Extra.ie
29-05-2025
- Politics
- Extra.ie
Fianna Fáil TD apologises after claiming British 'never bombed or shot' Irish civilians
Fianna Fáil TD Cathal Crowe has been forced to apologise in the Dáil for suggesting that the British Army 'never retaliated by bombing and shooting the civilian population of Ireland' during a debate on Gaza. The Clare TD was criticised by Sinn Féin last night for the comments during a Labour motion on the war in Gaza. Speaking on Wednesday, Cathal Crowe said, 'What is happening is not a war anymore; it is ethnic cleansing, genocide and, more recently, the weaponising of food.' Pic: Gareth Chaney/Collins Photos However, he continued by saying, 'The British army was a bad actor on this island for many centuries but even in the worst of days, when its cities were being bombed by the terror organisations of the IRA, it never retaliated by bombing and shooting the civilian population of Ireland.' In a statement on Wednesday evening, Sinn Féin's Aengus Ó Snodaigh called on Mr Crowe to apologise. On Thursday morning, the Ceann Comhairle gave Mr Crowe an opportunity to make a statement to the house. Sinn Féin TD Aengus Ó Snodaigh. Pic: Gareth Chaney/Collins Photos Mr Crowe began by saying he had been speaking without a script, and instead, using a series of bullet points. 'I began by stating that the Israeli eye-for-an-eye approach has been reprehensible, and that the bombing of hospitals, schools and tents, alongside the killing of babies, including many newborn babies in hospitals, amounts to genocide and ethnic cleansing'. 'I then wanted to make the point that brutal, bad and all as the British armed forces have been on this island for a very long time, they never resorted to sending over the Royal Air Force tanks and missiles to pummel Irish cities'. Fianna Fáil TD Cathal Crowe. Pic: Gareth Chaney/Collins Photos 'Regrettably, speaking largely off the cuff, I clumsily and wrongly stated, 'They never retaliated by bombing or shooting the civilian population of Ireland'. 'Let me be very clear, it was not my intention to say this, and I didn't realise how woeful all of that sounded until late last night when I received the transcript of what I had actually said. 'It was a genuine slip up on my part, but it was wrong, and I wish to unequivocally and profusely apologise.'
Irish Examiner
24-05-2025
- Health
- Irish Examiner
Hardest workouts I've attempted but saying yes to 'the cult of Hyrox' changed my life
When I was offered a Hyrox ticket late last year, I didn't expect saying yes would change my life. I enjoy a challenge, and I vaguely knew what Hyrox was from social media, a kind of fitness race with some running and different exercise stations. From what I could see, you paired up and it was a bit of fun. What I should have asked was what kind of ticket it was — an individual entry. So no partner for me, I'd have to do all the work alone. I quickly got to grips with what was actually involved in Hyrox during the first training session — 8km of running broken into 1km runs alternating with eight different workout stations; ski, sled push, sled pull, row, burpee broad jumps, walking weighted lunges, farmer's carry and finally 100 wall balls. The last (and only) time I'd run 8km was back in 2021 during the women's mini marathon and there were no high-intensity exercise stations around every corner that day. I wondered if I'd bitten off more than I could chew, especially when coming back into the gym winded after running 'only' 400m outside, then going straight into burpees. The workouts were the hardest I'd ever attempted. I'd committed, though and had every intention of completing both the training and the event, regardless of how long it took on the day. There's no cut-off time, but the Hyrox website says the average athlete takes 90 minutes to finish the course. I'd be lying if I said that word, 'athlete' didn't entice me. This could be my one and only chance to be an athlete for a day. I'm not a naturally sporty kind of person. Growing up you were far more likely to find me playing with Barbies, or in a shopping centre when I got older, than playing outside. I 'forgot' my PE kit in secondary school more often than not, or had some mysterious pains that prevented me from taking part. Like a lot of people, though, I spent more time outdoors during lockdown. I took up hiking and started online PT sessions once a week. When things re-opened, I joined small group training sessions in the gym and worked towards that aforementioned 10km mini marathon. Then I never ran again. That was until Hyrox became part of my life. I'd never trained for something like this before. In fact when people called going to the gym 'training', I thought they had notions. I was simply going through the motions and exercising because isn't that what you were supposed to do to look after your mind and body whether you enjoyed it or not? Now, I was actually training with a purpose, there was an end goal. It was exhilarating. Come event day in Dublin in the RDS last November, I noticed a lot of people wearing merch from a gym that happens to be close to where I live and since I'd well and truly caught the Hyrox bug I booked into a trial session to see what all the fuss was about. Nadia El Ferdaoussi during wall balls while training for HYROX at Back2Basics gym in Tallaght, Dublin. Pictures: Gareth Chaney Sean Harding, founder and coach of Back 2 Basics in Tallaght, explains why the sport is growing so fast: 'It thrives because it's accessible to the everyday athlete. More than just a competition, it's a catalyst for a powerful shift in mindset — one that prioritises performance over aesthetics.' Isn't that what I'd been subconsciously striving for all along? Hyrox has been jokingly likened to a cult, much like CrossFit that came before it, but I think people might be confusing community with cult. 'It's not for everyone,' Harding says, 'but for those who enjoy structured challenges and a performance-based approach, it makes sense why they've gravitated towards it. There's always the risk of any fitness trend becoming over-hyped, but Hyrox has encouraged people to focus on what their bodies can do rather than just how they look — which is undeniably a positive shift. Whether consciously or not, this transformation is deeply empowering. From my own experience, I'd be inclined to agree. 'When people discover the true potential of their bodies, it ignites a sense of motivation and accomplishment that keeps them coming back for more,' explains Harding. Back to race day and some clever marketing from Hyrox, 'athlete only' areas, merchandise stands with limited edition Dublin hoodies, photographers taking pictures of your every move and bumping up the contrast to make the digital photos you can purchase look even more gruelling. Participants start in waves, small groups in each category, so when you're out on the course you aren't necessarily competing with the person running beside you — they may have started earlier or later. Nadia El Ferdaoussi: Hyrox has been jokingly likened to a cult, much like CrossFit that came before it At odds with the others in my training camp, I didn't feel nerves at the start line. I had nothing to prove and didn't put any pressure on myself to finish in a certain time (although I did have that one and a half hour average stat in the back of my mind). I was actually excited and determined to enjoy it, which bar the eight minutes of burpees and the nine minutes it took me to hit the 9ft high target with a 4kg medicine ball 100 times, I did. I wanted to avoid any time penalties incurred from anything like completing exercises in the wrong order to dropping the 10kg sandbag during the walking lunges, which I also managed and finished in a fairly respectable time of 1hr 39m. Crossing the finish line and receiving the coveted finisher patch (Hyrox athletes proudly display each of the cities completed on their backpacks, walls and mantlepieces), I felt a sense of achievement and immediately knew this wouldn't be my last race. So who enters Hyrox? I was surprised to find out more than 65% of the participants at Hyrox Dublin were over the age of 30, with about 20% in my age group of 35-39. During those few days, people asked online 'is the whole of Dublin in the RDS this weekend or what?', because the rise in popularity happened so fast. If you compare numbers to the previous year, the participants rose from 4,200 in Dublin in 2024 to 10,000 in 2025 and similarly spectators (who also have to purchase a ticket, this is a booming business after all) climbed from 2,500 to 10,000. So I suppose it really did seem like everyone was there, especially since social media has played a huge part in the sport's success. It's hard to miss the TikToks and Instagram Reels of topless men (a much memed phenomenon in the sport — the men can't seem to keep their top half covered), pairs of friends racing together and people posing in front of the timing screen with their finisher badge. And I was one of them, documenting the entire process of training, experimenting with what to wear and the race itself. Nadia El Ferdaoussi: Social media has played a huge part in the success of Hyrox So many people, myself included, have happily fallen for 'the cult of Hyrox' for many reasons; the format is standardised and almost gamified — the course format doesn't change and so progress is measurable, the rankings are all available online and you can track and compare either your own results for the 'everyday athlete' like myself, or against other actual athletes who are performing in the elite levels of the sport and competing for world championships. The social and travel factor plays a big part too – I completed Hyrox Berlin last weekend and recently over 100 people from my gym travelled to Málaga to race individually and in doubles and make a whole weekend of it. For me, I've got something to work towards now. I'm not exercising to punish myself for eating a pizza or trying to lose weight, I'm fuelling my body to perform better and see what it can do. Harding says there's been a noticeable shift in the way people train in his gym — one that moves away from burning off calories or sweating as a form of guilt. 'Instead, training is becoming a celebration of progress, with a stronger emphasis on building strength, endurance, and overall athletic performance. While there's still a long way to go in educating people on these principles, it's inspiring to see the focus shifting toward performance, resilience, and long-term growth.' For a woman whose formative years were spent consuming the idea of 'nothing tastes as good as skinny feels', it's almost incomprehensible that I now have the freedom in my mind of not searching for quick fixes and fad diets. Instead, I'm focused on what my body can achieve if I treat it right and I'm planning to host a Hyrox camp in Spain later this year, neither of which are things I expected when I said yes to that Hyrox ticket five months ago. The premium experience Ryan Baronet, co-founder SAINT Studios I am screaming, 'I am a survivor', rowing weights in and out of my body at lightning speed, my legs spinning beneath me. Sweat is dripping from every morsel, my heart thumping against my chest. 'This is about feeling, this is about connection,' RIDE instructor Alana Murrin says. 'Everything I say is an invitation, not a command. I am your mirror.' It's 8am, and I am at SAINT studios, Ireland's latest premium fitness offering. Situated on Dublin's South William Street, the 10,000 sq ft space offers spin, circuit and reformer studios, alongside a rooftop recovery suite with custom-built saunas and plunge pools. Murrin, a co-founder with her husband Ryan Baronet, is delivering my morning spin class. The experience feels almost spiritual; her coaching a motivational speech for the stage. After class, I shower in a rainfall shower with luxury Voya toiletries, freshly laundered towels and GHD straighteners at my disposal. A 'refuel hub' offers smoothies, €7.50 a pop, with protein, spirulina, and creatine. Welcome to luxury fitness. At €28 for a single class, just one 45-minute session might come close to some people's monthly gym membership. But is it a sign of where Ireland's ever-expanding health and wellness offering is heading? Reformer by SAINT Studios As SAINT opened its doors last week, hot on its heels is Barry's Bootcamp, the LA-founded boutique fitness brand with over 90 studios worldwide. It opens on Dawson Street this month, joining other premium players like Perpetua Fitness, POWER and Eden One. 'We have been watching Dublin closely over the last decade, and seen how the city has changed dramatically,' Baronet says. 'It's more international, more energetic, people are coming here from all over the world, bringing global standards and expectations. 'With that, has come a rise in demand for high-quality experiences... we saw a gap in the market.' The higher price point is necessary for a truly premium experience, Baronet says (and points out those who plan to attend frequently can avail of packs that will bring the price per class down to €21), and he believes post-Covid more consumers are willing to spend more having re-evaluated 'where they spend their money'. 'People see fitness and wellness as a necessity, not just a luxury,' he says. 'More and more people are realising that investing in their health has far greater returns than just the physical. 'People are no longer looking at fitness as just a workout or a means to look a certain way, they see it as an investment in their overall health and performance, in work, in their relationships, in their social life, and in how they show up every day. 'It's not just about aesthetics anymore. It's about feeling strong, capable and grounded, and that shift has fuelled a growing demand for spaces that reflect that holistic view of fitness, wellness and health.' — Nicole Glennon
Extra.ie
22-05-2025
- Health
- Extra.ie
Government accused of ‘betrayal' of women as IVF scheme expansion delayed
The Government has been accused of another 'betrayal' of women as the expansion of the free IVF scheme has been delayed indefinitely. In last October's budget, plans were announced to expand the free IVF measure to couples who already have children as part of a 'women's health scheme'. Seven months on, the scheme is no closer to taking effect, and couples have been taking part in a 'gruelling' application process that can take six months, only to be told they are not yet eligible. Pic: Getty Images The Department of Health told it could not provide a date for when the scheme would be up and running. However, has learned that the department is still in discussions with the HSE and other stakeholders to 'iron out any kinks' that may arise from its implementation. The 'women's health scheme' also included promises of free hormone replacement therapy (HRT), used to treat menopause, but this was also shrouded in controversy, with women having to foot the cost of the medication until June 1. Opposition TDs have now criticised the Department of Health for once again 'making promises first and working out the details later'. Senior Government sources have also criticised the delays, saying the legislation to expand the scheme should have been 'a quick fix'. Labour's health spokeswoman Marie Sherlock. Pic: Gareth Chaney/Collins Photos Labour's health spokeswoman Marie Sherlock said the failure to follow through on budget promises to reform women's health care 'smacks of tokenism'. She said including couples with children and those requiring donor assistance 'should be straightforward' from a legal perspective. The TD described the expansion of the scheme as 'another commitment in Budget 2025 that has fallen off the wagon', referencing the botched 'free' HRT rollout. 'The Government seems to have a habit of making promises first and working out the details later, and it is just not fair,' she said. 'This is the second instance where this has happened in policies for women's healthcare. The failure to follow through on these promises smacks of tokenism.' Ms Sherlock acknowledged that there is an onus on the Coalition to 'get it right' when it comes to legislation. Sinn Féin health spokesman David Cullinane. Pic: Gareth Chaney/Collins Photos 'But we cannot keep having instances where things are dragging on indeterminately,' she said. Sinn Féin health spokesman David Cullinane said that the 'failure to follow through on budget announcements' is 'a betrayal of promises and [is] happening too often'. Mr Cullinane highlighted thousands of children born through surrogacy who are awaiting formal retrospective recognition of their parentage in Ireland, but who have not yet received it due to complexities in the Assisted Human Reproduction Act 2024. 'We have seen numerous examples where policy commitments are being made without the i's crossed and the t's dotted. Here we go again with IVF,' he said. Government TDs have also called for Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill to review what is causing delays in the expansion of the scheme. Fianna Fáil backbencher Catherine Ardagh. Pic: Gareth Chaney/Collins Photos Fianna Fáil backbencher Catherine Ardagh has previously disclosed the 'emotional struggle' of going through five rounds of IVF before giving birth to twin boys. Ms Ardagh said that she is frequently contacted by couples who are hoping to qualify for the State scheme, adding that IVF should be viewed as 'general healthcare'. She told 'When this was first introduced, there were stringent obstacles to qualify – but it was very much described as a starting point with further expansion promised. 'I would like to see this measure reviewed so we can understand what is causing the delay and how to fix it.' In-vitro fertilisation (IVF) is a fertility treatment used for couples struggling to conceive naturally. One round of IVF can cost up to €10,000, with couples often requiring multiple rounds before conception is achieved. Pic: Getty Images Former health minister Stephen Donnelly announced the State's first publicly funded IVF scheme in 2023, which included rigid eligibility criteria and allowed for one single state-subsidised round of the treatment. Among these was the requirement for women to be below the age of 40, to have a specific BMI (body mass index) and to have been with their partner for more than one year. Medical practitioners took particular issue with the 'existing child' limit, whereby couples who already had a child together could not qualify for the scheme. Following criticism, Mr Donnelly confirmed in last October's budget that he would expand the IVF scheme to include couples with children, in addition to couples requiring egg or sperm donations. While no deadline was set for this measure, an additional € 35 million was allocated for the expansion of the IVF scheme and free HRT medication. Health Minister Stephen Donnelly. Pic: Sasko Lazarov/ Mr Donnelly previously told the Dáil that an estimated € 20 million would be allocated towards the HRT provision. Ms Carroll MacNeill told the Dáil in February that the publicly funded IVF scheme has been 'very successful overall', with 1,900 couples being referred for fertility treatments as of February 21. But she said that the access to the scheme is 'being kept under ongoing review' and requires 'further extensive consultation'. Like the HRT scheme, which will now be rolled out on June 1, the expansion of the free IVF scheme was championed by Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael during the election campaign. When asked what is causing the delay to the expansion of the IVF scheme, a spokesman for the Department of Health said that 'access criteria and the scheme are being kept under ongoing review', adding: 'Decisions in respect of any proposed changes to the access criteria or the scheme more broadly, require further extensive consultation between department officials, colleagues in the HSE and with relevant specialists in the field of reproductive medicine. 'Couples with at least one existing child in their current relationship are currently not eligible to avail of publicly funded AHR [assisted human reproduction] treatment,' he said. A well-placed source said discussions between the department and stakeholders remain 'active' but could not disclose when the scheme may be implemented.
