# the morning lead
Ireland has just three adult eating disorder beds. The plan was for 20 more. €0 was provided.
A HSE plan to open 20 new beds by 2023 went completely unfunded.
No funding provided over the last six years to open adult eating disorder treatment beds
HSE says it is focusing on treatment hubs, rather than individual beds
Eating disorder experts say the number of extra beds needed has now likely increased since last plan was made - and not funded
This week
21st April 2024 - 24th April 2024
Psychosis team in Cork sees significant decrease in number of people using drugs and alcohol
It’s hoped that the RISE model can be replicated by other psychosis teams around the country.
Tenants 'feel like pawns on a chessboard' as 15 families face eviction from Donegal estate
‘There is no peace day by day, like it was before,’ one tenant said.
Last week
14th April 2024 - 20th April 2024
Irish GPs have come under pressure to prescribe hormones, gender service consultant claims
A landmark report in the UK raised concerns over private gender care, which Paul Moran said is also an issue here.
People in need of gender care are turning to private providers due to long waiting lists.
The National Gender Service has advised GPs not to enter shared care arrangements with private clinics.
Dr Paul Moran called on pharmacists to stop dispensing foreign gender healthcare hormone prescriptions.
The tangled web of the Butterlys' business dealings over the years
The Butterly family presided over a wide network of businesses in its heyday – but many shut or went into receivership during the financial crisis.
Campaign across EU as Irish diplomats and defence figures canvass for top military role
Defence Forces Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Sean Clancy is in the running to take over the EU’s top military job.
Long Covid: 'The public, the government and the HSE do not understand the scale of this issue'
Long Covid Advocacy Ireland will call for the Government to review how people with the condition are cared for at the Oireachtas Health Committee today.
'I'm going through a lot of scary stuff': 11-year-old boy with psychosis and his parents plead for help
The young boy has struggled to access certain services despite the efforts of his parents and healthcare workers.
Children and adolescents with complex needs often struggle to get access to services due to confusion over which health team is best placed to intervene
During a recent episode, a young boy in Dublin attempted to take his own life
The boy's parents believe if their son had received early intervention years ago, his condition would not have deteriorated to this point
'Extreme risks' posed to National Ambulance Service due to management structures
A report obtained by The Journal reveals significant concerns for NAS management structures, staffing levels and funding.
'The doom sits on your shoulders': Farmers share how weeks of wet weather have hit them hard
The Journal asked farmers to share their experiences of how they’ve been impacted by the weather conditions.
This month
April 2024
TikTok to cut over 250 jobs today, with some staff criticising ‘insensitive’ handling of layoffs
TikTok says the move is part of a ‘restructuring’ of the company.
Simon Harris's leadership makes 15% of voters less likely to vote for Fine Gael - poll
The results do not bode well for Taoiseach Simon Harris in his first week in office.
The biggest loss of support was visible among the 18-34-year-old age group.
Today's The Journal/Ireland Thinks poll also took a look at the popularity of the parties and asked voters which election is more important to them - the EU elections or the local elections.
This latest poll also shows a slide in support for Sinn Féin, with the party down to 23% from 26% in February.
Teens in private residential care dropped off at Tusla HQ over safety concerns
Private operators of residential care homes for migrant teens had fears over grooming and drug use.
Evidence had been found which suggested teens were being groomed and at risk of sexual exploitation.
Requests to move the at-risk children weren't granted - so the private firm staff decided they needed to discharge the teens from their care.
Protocols brought in since the invasion of Ukraine mean the staff-to-children ratio in these facilities is not as strong as it is in Tusla care homes.
Senior army officer slams government defence plan as 'catastrophic' and 'act of self-harm'
Lt Col Conor King has written a scathing assessment of the government’s major 2023 defence strategy.
'Sinking feeling' among lecturers as they vote to express alarm over state of TU sector
During a union conference in Killarney, staff spoke in stark terms about the future of the nascent sector.
After 13 surgeries Sinead Murphy has given up on endometriosis care in Ireland. She's not alone.
“When I was seventeen a gynaecologist recommended that I get pregnant, because it would help.”
Some women with endometriosis have lost trust in the Irish health system
This investigation by The Journal and Noteworthy shows how these women often feel they have no choice but to travel abroad for treatment
Your stories: The stress, strain and heartbreak of trying to find childcare in Ireland
“Our unborn child is on a waiting list for two creches and four childminders – yes, a waiting list. No place is confirmed.”
'Demons were following me': Call to make HHC illegal after users experience psychotic episodes
HHC, a semisynthetic cannabinoid derived from CBD, is widely available in Ireland.
There are growing concerns that HHC is triggering psychotic episodes in certain people
HHC vapes are widely available online, and in vape and CBD shops
"I was seeing and hearing things that weren't there. I was being followed around by demons," one man told us
Norma Foley in the firing line: Teachers question why they earn less after teaching abroad
It was an issue that drove much discussion at the ASTI’s opening day of its annual congress in Wexford.
'I spent 1,300 days there and I get nothing': Mother and Baby Home survivors consider legal action
Thousands of people are excluded from the Government’s redress scheme.
"It's a kick in the gut. It's like being victimised all over again," one woman said
A number of survivors are considering legal action over their exclusion from the scheme
St Joseph's baby home in Stamullen is not covered by the scheme, despite a recommendation to include it
Last month
March 2024
The climate crisis is looming. Is Simon Harris prepared to face it?
“I’m absolutely committed to addressing the climate emergency,” the new Fine Gael leader has said.
What’s driving the surge in road deaths?
Answers are beginning to emerge on what’s behind the deadly trend on Irish roads.
Drivers' behaviour and attitudes to road safety worsened during the pandemic - and stayed worse.
New research shows young people are tempted to check their phones while driving.
Confused about the Hate Crime bill? Here's a rundown of what it's all about
The bill has attracted considerable controversy in recent weeks.
Female junior doctors repeatedly penalised by medical training system
Women make up more than half the trainee doctor workforce but criticise lack of support for pregnancy and family life.
Investigation by Noteworthy finds women delaying or leaving specialist training
Some doctors are not entitled to maternity pay when doing training-related research
Irish Medical Organisation: “Without support, women will drop out of medicine”
The Irish economy is set to grow this year and next as rate of inflation decreases
That’s according to the ESRI quarterly economic commentary report published today.
Nightlife campaign points to 'new opportunities' as backbench TDs push Harris to scrap late hours
The licensing legislation is one of the many bills that Simon Harris is inheriting as he takes over the Fine Gael leadership.
Children 'suffering' as life-changing surgery delayed at Temple Street after spinal controversy
Parents and a consultant have raised concerns about the impact of long waiting lists on children’s quality of life.
Several hundred children are currently waiting for spinal and orthoepaedic surgery at Temple Street
Many children who require time-sensitive surgery have been waiting for months
The hospital has been embroiled in controversy since it emerged that one child died and others suffered serious post-surgery complications
Palestinian man who slept on Mount Street came to Ireland to escape 'death at any moment'
Mohamed has been deeply affected by the situation in Gaza, describing it as a “massacre”.
'A slap in the face': Mother and baby home survivors told they need photo ID to apply for redress
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said applicants who don’t have photo ID will be “treated empathetically and on a case-by-case basis”.
The Government's long-awaited redress scheme finally opens for applications today
Many elderly survivors do not have a passport, driving licence or Public Service Card
One man was told his mother cannot apply without photo ID, but he could apply on her behalf if she died
'Everyone knows drugs are sold and people are intimidated in areas affected by poverty'
The North Inner City Drugs and Alcohol Task Force has been reestablished amid a national conversation about our approach to drug use.
The task force has been set up at a time when service providers in Dublin are bracing themselves for an increase in opioid use
Areas in the north inner city have long been "traumatised" by poverty and addiction, Dr Austin O'Carroll told us
He said the availability of naloxone was vital in preventing deaths during a recent spike in overdoses in Dublin and Cork
Bill Kenneally spoke at an inquiry into why his crimes weren't stopped. Here's what happened
This week’s hearings saw several threads come together.
'I tried discharging myself twice': Patients describe treatment at University Hospital Limerick
Readers reported a lack of privacy as they waited for hours on trolleys, while others said they now avoid the hospital completely.
European elections: Dead-heat on whether immigration is a big issue for voters
A third of people say they would vote for a candidate with ‘strong anti-immigration views’.
TheJournal/Ireland Thinks poll finds voters evenly split on the relevance of immigration to June elections.
The second survey in the major series also asked questions about EU immigration policy and sea rescue missions.
'It's like The Purge': Irish aid agency worker on being trapped in Haiti amid worsening gun battles
Matt Knight of GOAL leads a team of more than 70 aid workers in Haiti.
'I know people that, if they had a farm, had to sell animals at home to pay for the funeral'
The State spent over €9 million contributing to funeral expenses for people who couldn’t afford it last year.
HSE stops increasing breastfeeding targets, as they continue to be missed
The targets were set out in the national breastfeeding strategy, which has expired.
The HSE had a target to increase breastfeeding rates by 2 percentage points per year.
Breastfeeding rates are rising - but not fast enough to reach the HSE's targets over several years.
Arrested, disgraced, injured: Cryptocurrency scams promote hoax stories about Irish celebrities
Have you seen spam ads appear on your social feeds?
One scam recently came about after a hacking of an Indian politician's Meta account.
The Journal understands the account was compromised by hackers who launched more than 50 ad campaigns.
Celebrity scam ads appear on Facebook and X.com after less than a minute of scrolling through main feeds.
