Yesterday evening.
Henry Street, Dublin 1.
Yesterday: Great Outdoors
This morning.
Via Irish Times Letters:
Just a few weeks ago, the Court of Session in Scotland ruled that government closure of houses of worship was unconstitutional and a breach of the European Convention on Human Rights.
In essence, the court held that, while coronavirus restrictions are necessary, they must be proportionate.
This may not be the product of a court gone rogue.
Indeed, courts around the globe have reached similar conclusions. In the US, the Supreme Court has tossed out restrictions on religious worship in several recent cases (see, for example, Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn v Cuomo).
Closer to home, last November the French Conseil d’État overturned limits on religious worship, calling them disproportionate and a “manifestly illegal attack” on freedom of religion.
It is important to add that judicial scrutiny of Covid-related laws has been more frequent internationally and not simply limited to religious rights.
Indeed, the Conseil d’État in France has been particularly hawk-eyed when it comes to restrictions. For instance, it ruled just over a month ago that a total ban on senior citizens leaving their nursing homes was “disproportionate” because it would, among other reasons, “alter their physical and psychological state”.
The global cases cited above should be food for thought for courts here, and especially for Irish citizens, whose physical and psychological states may be similarly “altered”.
If we are to live under changeable restrictions for the foreseeable future, more exacting scrutiny by the judicial branch could be brought to them, ensuring they are above all proportionate.
Yesterday: Get Off Your Knees
Just ‘dropped’.
Episode 6 of Poxy Bleedin Shop.
Creator Thomas Quain writes:
As the long hangover sets in the characters are forced to attend an AA meeting where various secrets, stories and old grudges come out and Emily realizes the off license and its new “magic” vodka is to blame for all the chaos of the last few weeks. Meanwhile, in the shop, Gary begins to suspect somebody is watching him…
Starring Aidan J Collins, Bernard Casey, Colman Hayes, Emma Doran, Karl Spain, Owen Colgan, Tadhg Hickey and Valerie Ni Loinsigh
Ah Here
at
This morning.
A police officer helping with Japan’s Olympic Torch relay has become the first participant in the event to be diagnosed with COVID-19…
…Organisers said an unnamed man in his 30s who had taken part in the relay in the western island of Shikoku had tested positive for the virus, without specifying his exact role.
They pledged to work with medical authorities to “take the precautions needed to put on a safe and secure torch relay”.
It was the first reported case related to the relay, which has been forced off public roads in some areas over fears it will spread the virus.
Hmm.
Tokyo Olympic torch staffer becomes event’s 1st COVID-19 infection (WHBL)
Pic: Tokyo 2021
From top: A Curlew chick is rescued from Lough Neagh last September. More birds like the curlew than ever before are now Red-listed on the island of Ireland, indicating the highest status of concern for their populations; Dan Boyle
Last week a report was published. Yet another report. A report on compromised biodiversity. A report on species loss to the point of extinction.
The report was jointly published by BirdWatch Ireland and the Royal Society for the Preservation of Birds (Northern Ireland).
It showed an almost 50% increase in the number of bird species now threatened in the eight years since the last survey. Almost two thirds of all bird species on the island of Ireland are now thought to be at risk.
Among these are birds such as the Kestral, the Puffin and the poster bird for threatened extinction, the Curlew.
Over a fifty year period the Curlew has reduced from eight thousand breeding pairs to a current level of one hundred and thirty five pairs.
A belated protection programme has been put in place but at best this will restore numbers from impossibly small to small.
There can be no doubt that the main contributor to this decline has been agricultural and fishing practices. Both areas have been guilty of a relentlessness to eke out maximum yield.
To achieve these close on diabolical goals has seen the widespread removal of habitats, a literal killing field of wild life.
These biodiversity indicators should invoke panic as to what type of World we are encouraging. At the very least they should invoke an important and prioritised debate.
Our national broadcaster seems to have decided otherwise. Its news division has stuck to its tried and tested practice of largely ignoring reports of this nature (deliberate pun).
RTÉ after all is a broadcaster who seems to think that Michael Healy Rae is a valid counterpoint on matters environmental.
The equivalent broadcaster in Northern Ireland, the BBC, chose to highlight the report, an obvious different set of priorities.
What RTÉ, and other august Irish media organisations don’t seem to accept is that climate/environmental issues are as much life and death as any perceived bread and butter issue.
The quality of habitats, the standard of biodiversity, are the very variants of life. If they are not healthy life itself cannot healthy.
These are issues that deserve more than specialist programmes. They must be core elements in news and current affairs.
Because they are issues that result from long term decline, and there is a collective responsibility, editors deem that these issues are not sufficiently ‘sexy’.
What is found with our national broadcaster is also lacking with major newspapers. These are issues that should figure more predominantly on the front pages rather than be hidden inside most publications.
These are deliberate editorial decisions. There are many journalists, particularly younger journalists, who want to ask these questions and write these stories.
There is an audience for such stories but more importantly there is a public that needs to know.
Habitat destruction, loss of biodiversity, threatened species extinction, air and water quality are significant parts of an extensive agenda. Not a fringe agenda, a quality of life agenda.
It isn’t just for the birds you know.
Dan Boyle is a former Green Party TD and Senator and serves as a Green Party councillor on Cork City Council. His column appears here every Thursday. Follow Dan on Twitter: @sendboyle
Pic via Country Living
Hugh Beauty
at
‘sup?
Carlosfandango writes:
Happy Wednesday BS from Mr Hugh. Nice day for pounding the sand on Sandymount beach.
Restrictions on hairdressing, sport, retail and religious services are set to be eased next month
If you feel that it’s unfair
That professionals can’t trim your hair
That you can’t attend mass
Or have a tennis class
It seems that you soon can go there