David Balogun

Ireland's hospitals are facing severe overcrowding, with 522 patients waiting for beds as of Wednesday, according to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO). The INMO's Trolley Watch figures reveal a concerning situation where 384 patients are languishing in emergency departments, while another 138 are waiting in wards elsewhere in the hospitals. University Hospital Limerick is the worst affected, with a staggering 91 patients without beds. Cork University Hospital follows with 48 patients on trolleys, and University Hospital Galway has 31 patients waiting for beds. This overcrowding crisis puts immense pressure on hospital staff and compromises patient care. The INMO has repeatedly raised concerns about the impact of overcrowding on patient safety, staff well-being, and the overall quality of healthcare. The organization is calling for urgent action to address the root causes of this persistent problem, including increased investment in […]

The Standards Commission (Sipo) in Ireland has strongly opposed government plans to give it more power in enforcing lobbying rules, arguing that the proposed changes are "completely unworkable" and pose a "high litigation risk." Sipo expressed these concerns in correspondence with the Department of Public Expenditure regarding legislation that would make Sipo responsible for handling cases where former government ministers, advisors, or public servants violate "cooling-off" periods before becoming paid lobbyists. Currently, such violations are dealt with through the court system. Sipo argued that it lacks the resources to handle this additional workload and that the proposed changes would likely lead to increased appeals, further straining its capacity. They warned that this could result in errors and damage Sipo's reputation. The Department of Public Expenditure, however, rejected Sipo's concerns, stating that treating these violations as criminal matters could discourage people […]

A serious collision between a car and a Bus Éireann Expressway bus has occurred in County Donegal, Ireland, leaving several people injured. The incident took place shortly after 9:30 am on a road between Manorcunningham and Newtowncunningham, near Magherabeg National School. Emergency services, including Gardaí (Irish police), ambulances, and the fire service, rushed to the scene. Eyewitnesses reported that the bus veered off the road and crashed through a hedge into a field following the impact with the car. The bus was carrying 13 passengers at the time of the crash. While the exact number and severity of injuries remain unknown, it has been confirmed that several people were hurt in the collision. Authorities have closed the road and put diversions in place as they investigate the cause of the crash and clear the scene. This incident has caused significant […]

In a disturbing case that highlights the inadequacy of legal protections for vulnerable workers, a Sydney cleaning company owner has been sentenced to a mere two years and nine months in prison for raping an 18-year-old employee on her very first day on the job. The perpetrator, whose identity remains protected due to legal reasons, lured the young woman into an "office party" where he plied her with alcohol before sexually assaulting her in his office. The court heard how the man repeatedly encouraged the teenager to drink, despite her stating that she had only eaten an apple that day and rarely consumed alcohol. After witnessing the victim vomit from excessive alcohol consumption, the man led her into his office, removed her clothes, and raped her. During the assault, the victim's older sister called multiple times, but the perpetrator ignored […]

Luigi Mangione, the 26-year-old suspect charged in the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, hails from a prominent and affluent family in Maryland. His grandfather, Nicholas Mangione, was a self-made multi-millionaire real estate developer who owned a vast portfolio of properties, including the luxurious Turf Valley Resort and Hayfields Country Club. The younger Mangione, a tech whiz and Ivy League graduate, is accused of gunning down Thompson in a brazen attack outside a Hilton hotel in New York City on December 4th. Chilling surveillance footage shows Mangione approaching Thompson on the sidewalk, pulling out a handgun equipped with a silencer, and firing multiple shots at the CEO's back before fleeing on an e-bike. Thompson was rushed to the hospital but tragically succumbed to his wounds. After a week-long manhunt, Mangione was apprehended in Altoona, Pennsylvania, thanks to a McDonald's […]