“I am saying that we need to trust parents. Parents know what’s right for themselves and how to protect their health. There’s a sense that we can’t trust parents. And I think that’s very unfair.”

“I’m looking at some everyday gatherings in bars, restaurants around the country, Croke Park at the weekend, concerts; I heard discussed last night 70,000 people attending Electric Picnic. Weddings, anniversaries birthday parties. That a parent cannot take their child along to receive the Sacrament of Confirmation, that is simply not credible.”

“Its okay to have a bash in the Merrion Hotel with 50 people present. But it’s not possible for parents to take their child in to receive the sacrament. That is difficult for me and for priests and for parents.”

Archbishop of Dublin Dr Dermot Farrell on RTÉ News at One this afternoon

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This afternoon.

“While I am honoured to have been appointed by the Government to be the Special Envoy on Freedom of Opinion and Expression, it is clear that criticism of the appointment process has impacted the legitimacy of the role itself.

“It is my conviction that a Special Envoy role can only be of real value to Ireland and to the global community if the appointment is acceptable to all parties.

“For this reason, I have decided not to accept this appointment, and I have communicated my decision to the Minister for Foreign Affairs.”

Katherine Zappone this afternoon.

Earlier: Well Now

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WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

This afternoon.

Via Reuters:

The World Health Organization is calling for a moratorium on COVID-19 vaccine boosters until at least the end of September, its head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday.

The move was to enable that at least 10% of the population of every country was vaccinated, WHO Director-General Tedros said.

The call to stop COVID-19 vaccine boosters is the strongest yet from the UN agency as the gap between inoculation rates in wealthy and poor countries widens.

“I understand the concern of all governments to protect their people from the Delta variant. But we cannot accept countries that have already used most of the global supply of vaccines using even more of it,” Tedros added.

FIGHT!

WHO calls for moratorium on COVID-19 vaccine booster doses (Reuters)

Pic: Reuters

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Behold: a flashing object that streaked across the sky against the backdrop of the Milky Way nearly three years ago, leaving a bright green trail that took 30 minutes to dissipate. To wit:

Given the day, August 12, and the direction, away from Perseus, it was likely a small bit from the nucleus of Comet Swift-Tuttle plowing through the Earth’s atmosphere — and therefore part of the annual Perseids meteor shower. The astrophotographer captured the fireball as it shot across the sky in 2018 above a valley in Yichang, Hubei, China. The meteor’s streak, also caught on video, ended near the direction of Mars on the lower left. Next week, the 2021 Perseids meteor shower will peak again. This year the Moon will set shortly after the Sun, leaving a night sky ideal for seeing lots of Perseids from dark and clear locations across planet Earth.

(Image: Dandan Huang)

apod

This morning.

On RTÉ Radio One.

Adrian Cummins, CEO of the Restaurants Association of Ireland, was asked by presenter Philip Boucher Hayes if Katherine Zappone’s party at the Merrion Hotel, attended by Tanaiste Leo Varadkar, violated covid guidelines.

Philip Boucher Hayes: “Would you, on the 21st of July, have said ‘yes’ to an event that was being sought for 50 people outdoors that wasn’t non-social meeting, training or educational programme essential to the operation of a business. Would you have said yes to that?”

Adrian Cummins: “Well a critical question here is was there food and beverage at the event. And I don’t know because I wasn’t at it. So I suppose, a cup of tea or sparkling water or a sandwich or whatever was offered at that event, then to my opinion, it doesn’t matter where it is on the island of Republic of Ireland, that is an outdoor hospitality event. And I think that’s where we have to…get all the facts on the table. What was the event? There must be a function sheet. And exactly how many people attended and was there food and beverage offered at the event?”

Anyone?

Meanwhile…

Sinn Féin TD Matt Carthy, a member of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), at Leinster House this afternoon

This afternoon.

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This afternoon.

Earlier…

Katherine Zappone hosted 50 people at a function in the Merrion Hotel, including Tánaiste Leo Varadkar, six days before Ms Zappone was appointed as a UN special envoy. The function contravened Fáilte Ireland guidelines for reopening hotels

This morning.

Via Independent.ie

Ms Zappone’s party in the luxury, five-star Dublin hotel was attended by friends, civil servants and politicians.

Around 50 guests were seated separately at tables of six in the Merrion Hotel’s Garden Terrace.

The Tánaiste attended the event prior to a meeting he held with Fine Gael senators on the same evening.

He told the meeting he had just come from an event hosted by their former government colleague Ms Zappone.

Good times.

Katherine Zappone hosted 50 friends including Tánaiste in five-star hotel before controversial appointment (Independent.ie)

Previously: The Land Of Nod And Wink

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Update:

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