Latest news with #American-Irish
Irish Times
05-05-2025
- Automotive
- Irish Times
Drivers push to swap US licences for Irish ones amid test backlog
Proposals that would allow people to swap their US or Canadian driver's licences for Irish licences without sitting a driving test have been hailed as 'pragmatic' by Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy. A group of people who live in Ireland and hold North American licences have put forward a number of alternatives to sitting the driving test, due to extensive waiting lists . Waiting times for driving tests have risen significantly, with some people waiting up to 10 months . The group's alternatives to sitting the test include requiring these drivers to sit the theory test, requiring them to take 12 driving lessons (up from the current six), and ensuring they have maintained a clean driving record for at least three years. READ MORE Gene Kearon, a dual American-Irish citizen, is leading the group's efforts. The 60-year-old was born in the US to Irish parents and spent part of his childhood in Wicklow. He relocated to Gorey last October. The group has contacted a number of TDs with their proposals. In an email reply sent to Mr Kearon on April 14th, Ms Murphy described the suggestions as 'pragmatic' and said they aligned with the need to maintain road safety while 'reducing pressure' on the Road Safety Authority (RSA). People who move to Ireland and hold a driving licence from countries including the US can drive on Irish roads for up to a year. After this 12-month period, people from certain countries (and certain regions in Canada) can exchange their licence for an Irish one. However, the US is not one of the countries so recognised. Mr Kearon said he and others 'don't want to compromise Irish road safety', but that the current model does not make sense. 'You're telling me, I arrive on day one and I can drive unfettered throughout the country - why does that change on [day] 366? Wouldn't it be smarter to say, 'Okay, you can drive, but in order for us to give you that licence on day 366, you have to take the 12 lessons that everybody else takes'?' Mr Kearon has started the process of applying for an Irish driver's licence but has been told it could be September before he can sit his test. [ Learner drivers face having to start again if they have more than four permits without passing a test Opens in new window ] His one-year grace period ends in October. If there is any delay, he could be without a licence, and unable to drive - something which could affect his job. Mr Kearon knows several people in a similar situation and said 'they're all desperate for a solution'. He said he has been driving for four decades, without a road traffic incident, and believes he is 'unnecessarily taking a spot away from somebody else who's never driven before'. There is a commitment in the Programme for Government to examine 'reciprocal driving licence arrangements with the USA, Australia and Canada'. A spokesperson for the Department of Transport said Ireland has a licence exchange agreement with Australia and seven of the 10 Canadian provinces, but that reaching an agreement with the US is more complicated. 'US driver licensing operates at state, not federal, level. This means that there are 50 licensing systems, with widely varying testing standards and road safety performance.' A spokesperson for the RSA added that 'agreement with any one state [in the US] would mean taking into account the licence-exchange arrangements between that state and the other 49″. As such, a blanket agreement 'would not be feasible'.
India Today
30-04-2025
- Health
- India Today
Elon Musk predicts robots will outsmart human surgeons in 5 years: Is it true?
Elon Musk has sparked a debate online saying that robots could become better than even the world's best surgeons in the next five Tesla and SpaceX CEO made this prediction while replying to a post on X by influencer Mario post highlighted the progress of robotic surgery, including the American-Irish medical device company Medtronic's Hugo robot, which recently showed a high success rate in surgeries for prostate, kidney, and bladder The Hugo robot mentioned in Nawfal's post was tested in 137 real-life surgeries and had a 98.5% success rate, well above the expected 85%, according to a pointed to his company, Neuralink, which uses a robot to perform extremely precise brain surgeries, procedures he said are too complex and delicate for human hands alone."Robots will surpass good human surgeons within a few years and the best human surgeons within [approximately] 5 year," Musk wrote. He said Neuralink's robot had to be used because the work was too fast and precise for a human IT REALLY HAPPEN IN FIVE YEARS?advertisementRobotic surgery is a type of surgery where doctors use special machines with robotic arms to help perform operations. The doctor, while sitting behind a console, controls the robot using a helps make very small, careful movements, which can lead to less pain, smaller cuts, and faster healing for the patient. A doctor carrying out a robotic surgery. () Dr Sankar Adusumilli, a US-based senior surgeon who has done over 2,400 robot-assisted surgeries, replied on Musk's post calling his prediction "misleading."He explained that robotic systems are still tools, not independent doctors."The robot doesn't do the surgery on its own. The surgeon is in control, using a console to guide the robot. Every move the robot makes comes from the surgeon. I cannot let Robot to make intricate decisions- since Every patient is different,' he added that since no two patients are the same, it takes a human to make the right decision during complex surgeries."Even the best autopilot needs a skilled human pilot - same applies to surgery," Dr Adusumilli wrote. According to Dr Sudhir Srivastava, founder of India's first indigenous surgical robot, SSI Mantra, while Musk's statement sparks an important conversation, the prediction requires said that even though robotic systems are becoming indispensable tools in surgery, the statement, however, overlooks a fundamental truth that surgery is not solely about precision."It is equally about real-time decision-making, adaptability, and patient-specific judgment," Dr. Srivastava told India Today Digital."At present, and for the foreseeable future, robots remain tools that enhance the capabilities of skilled surgeons. They do not make clinical decisions or adapt to the wide anatomical and physiological variations present in every patient. Having personally performed and overseen thousands of robotic surgeries, I can attest that a surgeon's intuition, expertise, and adaptability are irreplaceable," he said. First Indian surgical robot. (Photo: SSI Mantra) advertisementAnother US-based doctor, who goes by the name 'mckalip' according to their bio, stated that robots cannot perform surgeries alone without human help."This is false. As a neurosurgeon, I promise you that no 'robot' surgeon can ever autonomously perform brain and spine surgery or likely any surgeries effectively, appropriately or safely. Too many variables require critical thinking," the user said. An orthopaedic surgeon Dr Steven Denyer, in the comments section, said that while robots are the future, older technology will still exist. "Robots are here to stay. But we still use fax machines and whiteboards, and we can't see X-rays done at another hospital in the same city in real time," Denyer wrote. Dr Francisco Cardoso from Brazil added that the Tesla CEO's prediction holds true but only in part, stating that unexpected things happen during surgery and robots won't be able to make spontaneous surgeon needs to use creativity to solve problems, and that is what separates the best from the average. A robot is still far from having this mastery of something that it was not programmed to do," Cardoso wrote. A Musk supporter chimed in and said, "Think of the lives that could be saved with mass-produced, high-quality robotic surgeons. It could reduce healthcare costs and help in places where doctors are few."Adding to this, Dr Srivastava agreed that while surgeons do bring sound judgement, robot-assisted surgeries can transform rural healthcare, especially telesurgery, where doctors cannot reach remote technology keeps advancing, robotic surgery is becoming more common in hospitals. But experts say we're still far from a future where robots work on their own - without the help of skilled human hands.
Express Tribune
13-03-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Trump Accuses Ireland of Stealing US Pharma Companies' Tax Revenue
Listen to article US President Donald Trump has accused Ireland of "stealing" US pharmaceutical companies and the tax revenue associated with them, in a pointed criticism during his meeting with Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin at the White House. The remarks, made at a press conference marking St. Patrick's Day, have raised tensions over Ireland's low-tax policies, which have attracted major US multinationals like Pfizer, Boston Scientific, and Eli Lilly. Trump highlighted Ireland's success in attracting US companies, stating that the country now controls the US pharmaceutical industry. "You took our pharmaceutical companies and other companies… This beautiful island of 5 million people has got the entire US pharmaceutical industry in its grasp," Trump said. The pharmaceutical sector, along with other industries, plays a key role in Ireland's €72 billion annual exports to the US, with taxes on drugs consumed in the US paid to Ireland. Despite his criticism, Trump acknowledged Ireland's diplomatic position, expressing that he did not wish to harm relations with the country, particularly given the strong support he enjoys from the American-Irish community. "I think the Irish love Trump," he remarked. "We won the Irish with a tremendous amount of [their] vote." Trump also renewed his attack on the European Union, accusing it of using its tax policies to take advantage of the US. Referring to the EU's lawsuit against Apple, which forced the company to pay €13 billion in back taxes to Ireland, Trump argued that US companies have been treated unfairly by European authorities. In contrast, Martin defended Ireland's stance, noting that the country had fought the EU's case against Apple in the European Court of Justice to protect US tech giants such as Intel, Microsoft, and Google, which have their European headquarters in Ireland. Martin also pointed out that Irish companies like Ryanair and AerCap, the world's largest aircraft-leasing firm, purchase more US-made Boeing planes than any other companies. Trump emphasized that his criticisms were aimed at the European Union rather than Ireland itself, accusing the EU of unfair trade practices. He also reiterated his dissatisfaction with the EU's refusal to accept US farm products and their treatment of US car imports. "We take millions of cars from BMWs, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagens, and everything. But how many Chevrolets do we have in Munich?" he questioned. The meeting, which was primarily for the benefit of the press, lasted around an hour. However, the private bilateral meeting that followed between Trump and Martin lasted only 10 minutes, underscoring the importance the president places on media attention during diplomatic discussions. Trump's comments come amid escalating trade tensions, with the EU preparing countermeasures against up to €26 billion in US imports in response to Washington's tariffs on steel and aluminum. EU officials have expressed frustration over the ongoing trade negotiations, suggesting that discussions with the US would be more productive if focused on creating value in the transatlantic trade relationship.
The Guardian
12-03-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Trump accuses Ireland of stealing US companies in meeting with taoiseach
Donald Trump has accused Ireland of stealing the US pharmaceutical industry and the tax revenue that should have been paid to the US treasury, in a blow to the Irish premier, Micheál Martin, who had hoped to emerge unscathed from a visit to the White House marking St Patrick's Day. The US president showed grudging respect for Martin, alternately ribbing and complimenting him, while also launching several broadsides against the EU. He repeatedly took aim at Ireland's historical low-tax policies, which helped lure US multinationals including Pfizer, Boston Scientific and Eli Lilly to its shores. Big pharma now drives Ireland's €72bn (£60bn) worth of annual exports to the US, with taxes paid in Ireland on drugs consumed in the US. 'The Irish are smart, yes, smart people,' Trump said. 'You took our pharmaceutical companies and other companies … This beautiful island of 5 million people has got the entire US pharmaceutical industry in its grasps.' The US president told reporters in the Oval Office he did not want to punish the Irish too much, as it might risk support among the American-Irish vote, but said he was determined 'to take back' his country's 'wealth', predicting an easy battle with the EU. 'I think the Irish love Trump,' he said. 'We won the Irish with a tremendous amount of [their] vote. I got it locked up pretty good unless I did something very stupid, like drained your company, your wonderful place of all of its companies. Maybe [then] I'd lose the Irish vote.' Trump also said that previous presidents had 'lost big segments' of the US economy to Europe and repeated his claim that 'the EU was set up in order to take advantage of the United States'. Referring to the EU's successful lawsuit against Apple, forcing it to pay €13bn (£11bn) in back taxes to Ireland, he said: 'Apple has been treated very badly … That is unfair.' In one of several fawning moments, Martin pointed out that Ireland had fought against the EU case in the European court of justice – a move born out of the country's desire to hold on to US tech firms such as Intel, Microsoft and Google, which site their EU headquarters in and around Dublin. He also said the Irish companies Ryanair and AerCap, which is the world's biggest aircraft-leasing company, buy more US-made Boeing planes than anyone else. Nodding, Trump said: 'I'm not blaming you. I'm blaming the European Union. The European Union's gone after our companies. 'We have a problem with the European Union. They don't take our farm products. They don't take our cars. We take millions of cars, BMWs and Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagens and everything. We take millions of cars.' Referring to the former German chancellor, Trump added: 'I said to Angela Merkel at the time, I said: 'Angela, how many Chevrolets do we have in the middle of Munich?' [She replied:] 'Why, none.' … No, I'm not happy with the European Union.' Sign up to Headlines Europe A digest of the morning's main headlines from the Europe edition emailed direct to you every week day after newsletter promotion He said he did not want to 'hurt Ireland' but just wanted what was fair. 'I'd like to see the United States not have been so stupid for so many years, not just with Ireland, with everybody,' he said. After an hour-long discussion for the benefit of the press, Trump and Martin's subsequent private bilateral lasted just 10 minutes, underlining the emphasis the president puts on meetings in front of the media. Trump's comments came as the EU unveiled plans to impose €26bn in tariffs on US imports to counter the US's new levy on global imports of steel and aluminium. One EU official said there was no point negotiating with the US at this stage, saying it would be like arguing over rotten fish. 'It is not very productive to now start negotiating about removing the tariffs,' the official said. 'You put a stinking fish on the table, and then you start negotiating to remove that stinking fish, and then you say: 'Wow, we have a great result: there's no stinking fish on the table.' That is not a very productive conversation. 'What we are looking for in negotiations is a productive discussion about creating value to what is the largest trade and investment relationship in the world, which is the transatlantic relationship.'
