The Data Protection Commission (DPC) is investigating two breaches of data from the Health Service Executive (HSE) following the release of videos online that showed individuals accessing confidential medical files which should have been securely stored in hospitals. The probe instigated by the DPC was triggered when the HSE informed them about the said incidents that occurred in the previous year at a hospital in Dublin and a facility in the retired St. Conal’s mental hospital in Letterkenny, County Donegal.
In other news –
This weekend sees new legislation demanding roadside drug tests for drivers involved in major on-road accidents coming into effect, in time for the June bank holiday.
An initiative to produce biomethane on Irish farms, using grass and organic waste, is anticipated to reduce costs for consumers and provide a greener alternative to imported fossil gas over the next decade.
Irish home-energy consumers will begin to benefit from a new sequence of price reductions this summer, as SSE Airtricity announces a reduction of 10% on its domestic electricity and gas prices from July.
An Ohio-based real estate tycoon is plotting a deep-sea visit to the Titanic wreckage site in a freshly crafted two-person submersible. This plan comes after a previous attempt resulted in the submersible imploding during its descent, which led to the unfortunate demise of all five travellers aboard.
Weather update –
Today, the morning might be a bit overcast with some occasional isolated showers which are expected to fade out swiftly as the day progresses, with bright spells forecasted for the afternoon. The evening might see a return of a few spread-out showers. The maximum temperatures should range from 14 to 17 degrees in a north-westerly wind. Later tonight, sporadic showers might move across the country, possibly becoming heavy at times in the northwest region. Conditions are predicted to turn cloudy overnight with minimum temperatures of 7 to 10 degrees, accompanied by a northern gust.
In regard to the air strike in Rafah carried out by Israel, although tragic, US officials asserted that it did not surpass the boundary set by President Joe Biden for withholding arms supplies to Israel. This strike, which took place on Sunday in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, resulted in multiple Palestinian deaths.
Additionally, a record high number of female contenders are participating in local elections. Catherine Walsh of the Labour Party, who is campaigning in Wexford town, conveyed that constituents prefer more representation from women.
Unfortunately, Ireland is swiftly approaching a state where hate-speech has become commonplace, according to Kathy Sheridan. In contrast, Vincent Durac articulated his uncertainty surrounding the outcomes in Gaza post-war.
In the business sector, Northern Ireland and the Republic experienced a three-fold surge in cross-border tourism in the last 10 years, as unveiled by a recent study.
Queries regarding remote work outside of Dublin were addressed by experts who provided advice to a reader wanting a unique arrangement to visit their office less frequently than the agreed-upon minimum of twice a week.
Regarding sports, Gordon D’Arcy revealed his preparation ritual of viewing the film “Any Given Sunday” on significant match days, which helped him get in the right mindset for the game.
Lastly, in the Life & Style section, a reader queried Trish Murphy about their brother, who despite dating wonderful women, faces difficulties as he doesn’t want to have more children.