Jane Harte’s traumatic start in life led to a severe Group B streptococcus infection, sepsis, meningitis, and brain damage. As a result, she is now 27 and profoundly disabled, with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy. Her mother, Olivia Harte, felt guilty about her daughter’s misfortune until she launched an investigation into her care. Through Freedom of Information requests and her legal team, the Hartes discovered troubling but contested information about Jane’s condition. They alleged that a delay in treating her infection with antibiotics led to her health deterioration. The case was against retired consultant and gynaecologist Pallany Pillay, the proprietor of City General Hospital, where Jane was born healthy. The hospital has since been shut down. The Hartes’ High Court action was settled for €12m, which will allow Jane to move into her family home with the necessary carers, therapists, and equipment to improve her quality of life. Swimming pool installation is among the many provisions to make Jane’s life more comfortable, as she enjoys the water’s therapeutic effects. Ms Harte encourages others in similar situations to apply for Freedom of Information requests and investigate their cases, as many life-altering therapies and technologies are available with proper care.
Place: Cork
Motorists face a nearly 20km diversion in and around Cork City this weekend due to Dunkettle Interchange works, with a section of the westbound N25/N8 approaches to the Dunkettle roundabout being closed. Meanwhile, the public process for naming a new pedestrian and cycle bridge in Cork is ongoing, with submissions closing Friday.
Motorists in Cork City are set to face a lengthy 20km diversion for Dunkettle Interchange works. Engineers working on the Dunkettle project will close a section of the westbound N25/N8 approaches to the Dunkettle roundabout on Friday evening until at least 9pm on Saturday to upgrade the waterproofing on two new structures. The closure means that city-bound or M8-bound traffic coming from the east faces a lengthy 12km diversion via the Jack Lynch Tunnel, along the N40 to the Kinsale Road roundabout and the South City link road to get to the city centre, with motorists travelling north facing another 8km trip along the Lower Glanmire Road and Tivoli towards Glanmire. This is the second major road closure in Cork following the overnight closure of a section of the South Ring Road when a 650-tonne crane operated by East Cork Crane Hire hoisted the 51-tonne main section of a new pedestrian and cycle bridge into place over the N40. The bridge will be finished by autumn 2022, and the public process for choosing its name continues to generate debate ahead of next week’s deadline for submissions.
The Lord Mayor, Cllr Deirdre Forde, has urged people to get involved in the city council’s naming process and get their submissions in by Friday’s deadline. The main contractor for the bridge construction, Jons Civil Engineering Company Limited, began construction on site in July 2022, and works are continuing on the approach ramps and steps to the bridge and on the 4m-wide cycle pathway from the Donkey Field in Grange through to the southern approach to the bridge. The bridge, funded by the National Transport Authority, will measure 63 metres in length and the adjoining 1km-long pathway will, once opened, link Grange and Frankfield on the southern side of the N40 to Tramore Valley Park on the northern side. Completed application forms with naming suggestions can be submitted on https://consult.corkcity.ie, by post marked “Grange to Tramore Valley Park Bridge Naming” to Barbara Creed, Administrative Officer, Infrastructure Development, City Hall, Cork, T12 T997, or by e-mail to barbara_creed@corkcity.ie.
Ikea’s New Approach to Expanding in Ireland: The Plan and Order Point
As one of Ireland’s biggest cities, Cork has long been a hub of activity and commerce. But until recently, it lacked one major retail giant – an Ikea store. That all changed last year when the Swedish furniture giant opened a “compact” location in the city. While the slimmed-down store has been a hit with many customers in the area, there is still a growing chorus of shoppers who are calling for a larger Ballymun-sized store in Cork. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the current state of Ikea in Cork and explore why some customers are still longing for a bigger location.
Ikea has opened a new Plan and Order Point in Douglas Village Shopping Centre, joining three others already established across Ireland. Although the new store is much smaller than the Ballymun flagship, Ikea Ireland has reported success through its online platform, which accounted for more than half of its turnover in 2021. Despite this, Ikea’s competitors, such as Jysk, have established a strong physical presence across the country. The Plan and Order Point concept represents Ikea’s new approach to accessing customers in Ireland without the multi-million euro cost of a full-size store. While the new store in Douglas is booked up for its first week, customer feedback suggests a desire for a store experience more similar to Ballymun. Market Manager Martyn Allan hinted at the opening of the Douglas unit that this is just the “first step for Cork”, and Deputy Retail Manager Marsha Smith has not ruled out opening a full store “in the near future.”
In conclusion, while the arrival of Ikea in Cork is certainly exciting news for shoppers in the area, it seems that many would prefer a larger store like the one in Ballymun. Despite this, the company is committed to providing high-quality products and service, and the slimmed-down store will undoubtedly still offer a wide range of affordable furniture and home accessories. Whether you’re a loyal Ikea fan or just looking for some new inspiration for your home, be sure to check out the Cork store – you might just be surprised by what you find!
Tánaiste Michael Martin urges safety for all Stryker workers after an industrial accident at their Cork plant. Sinn Féin reveals a 2020 complaint about the company.
Tánaiste Micheál Martin has called for Stryker, a major employer in the Cork region, to ensure the safety of all workers in its complexes, following an industrial accident at one of its plants. A father of three suffered burn and blast injuries in a mini explosion at the Anngrove plant. Speaking in the Dáil, Martin stressed the need for every employee to be safe, regardless of the company’s status as a significant local employer. Sinn Féin TD for East Cork, Pat Buckley, revealed he passed on a “very large” protected disclosure about Stryker to the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) and to Leo Varadkar, the former tánaiste and enterprise minister, last year. He said this included concerns over titanium dust and fires. He called for a full safety review going back to 2019. Minister for State at the Department of Enterprise, Neale Richmond, said Stryker was cooperating with the HSA’s independent investigation.
A man is fighting for his life with extensive burns following an industrial accident at a Stryker plant in Cork. Calls are increasing for a safety review of the medical device company’s operations in East Cork, and Siptu union is seeking a meeting amid growing concerns. Stryker refused to engage with the union at the Anngrove plant, which is now being investigated for a major health and safety probe following the accident.
A worker at a Stryker plant in Cork has been left on life support following an industrial accident which occurred while he and another man were carrying out maintenance or repairs to vents on the roof of the Anngrove plant. The injured man and his family are being supported by their loved ones as they maintain a bedside vigil. The incident has led to calls for a full safety review of Stryker’s operations in East Cork. Siptu, the trade union representing the workers, has requested an urgent meeting with Stryker management to address concerns for workers’ safety at its plants in Carrigtwohill. The issue of union recognition has not been reached with Stryker despite two Labour Court recommendations for recognition in the Tullagreen and Springhill plants in 2019. Additionally, a protected disclosure was made this year regarding major health and safety concerns at the Anngrove plant. Cork East TD Seán Sherlock has called on Tánaiste Micheál Martin to intervene in the matter. Stryker and the HSA continue to communicate and investigations are ongoing.
The restoration of the historic Boole House in Cork city, once home to the father of modern coding, has moved closer with an application to relocate an internal lift shaft. University College Cork hopes to restore and renovate the property, which it has owned since 2017, to become an international landmark building highlighting Ireland’s historic contribution to scientific advancement.
The historic Boole House in Cork city, former home of computing pioneer George Boole, is to undergo a “faithful reinstatement”. The building, owned by University College Cork (UCC) since 2017, was in poor condition when it partially collapsed in 2010. Cork City Council took ownership of the site in 2015 and began a Part 8 planning process with UCC. The university aims to tender for the building’s restoration later this year. The planning application includes a proposal to relocate an internal passenger lift in order to restore the building’s original layout.