Latest news with #ColinKeegan
Extra.ie
a day ago
- Business
- Extra.ie
Beloved restaurant chain teases major comeback just months after leaving Ireland
A beloved UK-based restaurant chain is set to return to Ireland this summer after the shock closure of their three locations in Dublin last year. The restaurant chain had locations in Dundrum, South King Street and Blanchardstown before closing its doors with immediate effect in September. Now, Wagamamas have teased they are returning to the Irish market, with their official website teasing that they will be reopening in Dublin before the end of the month. Now, Wagamamas have teased they are returning to the Irish market, with their official website teasing that they will be reopening in Dublin before the end of the month. Pic:'Coming Soon. Opening 23 June. Liffey Valley,' the restaurant giant shared on their website. The website doesn't reveal anything about other potential openings, thought The Sun report that it is expected their Blanchardstown and Dundrum outlets will open later in the summer. The publication stated that a loyal customer had spotted new cardboard signs outside the former Dundrum outlet teasing 'opening summer 2025' along with a barcode for potential employees looking to work at the eatery. 'Coming Soon. Opening 23 June. Liffey Valley,' the restaurant giant shared on their website. Pic: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin Press Up Hospitality closed all three of the Irish Wagamama restaurants with immediate effect last September. All three locations in Dundrum, South King Street and Blanchardstown in Dublin closed after receivers appointed failed to agree with the UK-based chain on restructuring their franchise arrangement. 106 employees lost their jobs following the closures. Press Up did secure agreements with landlords of its South King Street and Blanchardstown locations, allowing the sites to continue operating as part of the group. The brand said it hoped to reopen the premises under a new brand within a month or two, but nothing materialised.
Extra.ie
6 days ago
- Extra.ie
Man held after web threat to kill children sparks school lockdown
A National school was put in lockdown yesterday morning after it emerged a 'disturbed' man who threatened to kill children was in the area. The man, arrested yesterday afternoon, had made graphic threats to Irish children, saying he was going to target them because Irish people had 'p*ssed me off'. Pic: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin The video, which was circulated online earlier this week, showed a man lying on a bed addressing the camera. He said: 'Irish, I'm coming on top of you now. I'm gonna be slicing your babies, kids and you, good for everybody. Get ready, because you p*ssed me off.' Pic: Karl M Photography/Shutterstock The video had been flagged multiple times on several social media websites but had not been removed. A search conducted yesterday evening revealed that the video was still easily accessible online. Scoil Mhuire, on the Ballyroan Road in Abbeyleix, Co. Laois, closed its doors as a precaution yesterday morning when it emerged that the man may be in the area. An official Garda spokesman said officers investigating 'alleged threats shared online have arrested one male in Abbeyleix', adding that the man was 'detained at a Garda station in the Eastern Region'.
Extra.ie
26-05-2025
- Climate
- Extra.ie
Summer on pause as nasty conditions forecast for coming week
If you're hoping for a continuation of the beautiful weather and sunny spells, sorry to break it to you — the forecast for the week sees 'a lot of wind and a lot of rain.' Ireland enjoyed a spell of Mediterranean-esque conditions over the last fortnight, but the good weather is on pause for the coming week according to Met Éireann's latest forecast. Monday has started off fairly wet, with it set to be much the same for the coming days. If you're hoping for a continuation of the beautiful weather and sunny spells, sorry to break it to you — the forecast for the week sees 'a lot of wind and a lot of rain.' Pic: Colin Keegan/Collins Dublin The forecaster said rain on Monday will turn 'heavy at times', particularly in the afternoon and evening time in the west and north. Monday night will be clearer with some scattered showers throughout, leading to a wet Tuesday morning as rain extends across the country from the southwest. Tuesday afternoon will be generally cloudy with some showers while Tuesday night will see scattered showers along with a mix of cloud and clear spells. Unsettled week ahead with spells of wind and rain here in Ireland while Spain and Portugal heat up and stay dry. — Carlow Weather (@CarlowWeather) May 25, 2025 Wednesday will be more sunny and scattered, though the rain is set to get heavier on Wednesday night where it is expected to be blustery also. The breezy and blustery spells will continue into Tuesday, though temperatures are forecast to be up to 17 degrees. Met Éireann said Thursday will 'become mostly dry with clear spells as showers become isolated.' Friday will start off dry with rain moving in across southern areas. Unfortunately, it looks to be much the same for the bank holiday weekend with Met Éireann stating that 'current indications suggest that unsettled weather will continue for the weekend with spells of rain and showers.' Carlow Weather's Alan O'Reilly echoed the forecaster's sentiments, sharing: 'We're going to see some low pressure systems coming across the Atlantic bringing spells of rain on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, probably Wednesday evening moreso than during the day. 'Quite windy conditions especially on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and later on Wednesday. A lot of wind and a lot of rain.'
Extra.ie
23-05-2025
- Business
- Extra.ie
€2.2bn National Children's Hospital could be ready sooner but not enough workers are on site, PAC hears
The number of workers on the site of the National Children's Hospital has fallen by one-third since the beginning of the year, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has been told. The National Children's Hospital has been repeatedly beset by delays and cost overruns. It was originally set to cost €987million but is now expected to cost €2.2billion. The relationship between construction firm BAM and the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board (NPHDB), which oversees the project, has grown increasingly fractious. The number of workers on the site of the National Children's Hospital has fallen by one-third since the beginning of the year, the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has been told. Pic: Colin Keegan/Collins Dublin Answering questions from Social Democrats TD Aidan Farrelly, the project director at the NPHDB, Phelim Devine, said there were roughly 750 workers on the site of the hospital last autumn, when BAM 'gave a commitment' that the project would be complete by June 2025. Mr Devine said that 'there was a bump' in staffing levels in the months that followed, with 900 'productive resources' working on the project at the end of 2024. 'But since January of this year it has been slowly dropping off every month and we are down to less than 600 productive resources,' Mr Devine told the PAC, adding: '[BAM] are not meeting their commitments.' David Gunning, chief executive of the NPHDB. Pic: Sam Boal/Collins Photos David Gunning, chief executive of the NPHDB, said it was possible to 'get this hospital done by September 30', but only 'if the appropriate resourcing is provided to get it done'. Those resources are not there 'at the moment', he said. 'But that doesn't mean it can't be provided.' The comments came as executives from the NPHDB insisted that the project was not being 'properly resourced' by the contractor. The PAC heard yesterday that, in the past seven months, developer BAM had achieved only around 60% of its planned progress. The National Children's Hospital has been repeatedly beset by delays and cost overruns. Pic: Colin Keegan/Collins Dublin This has moved the completion deadline from June to September 30 – the 15th time the completion date has been delayed, according to the NPHDB. Sinn Féin finance spokesman Pearse Doherty told the Dáil the hospital had become 'an epic saga'. 'The deadline for opening this hospital has been missed 15 times – 15 times. Like, that's crazy. Crazy,' he told Tánaiste Simon Harris during Leaders' Questions. 'Responding to the committee hearing, a spokesman for BAM said: 'Following a meeting with then-minister for health Stephen Donnelly in early October 2024, BAM indicated that substantial completion of the NCH could be achieved by June 2025 if no further design changes were made. In the seven months since that meeting, in the region of 70 significant change orders, each of which can include multiple design changes, have been issued to BAM.'
Irish Examiner
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- Irish Examiner
Over 500,000 Irish drivers have penalty points, RSA report reveals
There are currently more than half a million drivers with penalty points on their licence of whom 866 have 12 points, meaning they are each subject to an automatic six-month ban. There are a total of 512,791 drivers with penalty points currently on their licence across the State as of the end of April 2025, according to the most recent monthly report from the Road Safety Authority. The CSO said in 2023 there were 3.4m driver licences across the country. Over 30% of all drivers with penalty points are in Cork (51,360) and Dublin (112,393). Under current laws, penalty points remain on an individual's licence for three years after they are applied. If a driver receives 12 penalty points, they receive an automatic six month driving suspension. After Cork and Dublin, the third highest number of drivers with penalty points are foreign licence holders who have an Irish address, with 49,082 receiving penalty points. The county with the lowest number of drivers with any amount of penalty points was in Leitrim, with 3,090 drivers receiving points on their licences. The vast majority (405,522) of drivers with penalty points on their licence have between one and three points. Of the 866 drivers who have amassed 12 penalty points and are subject to the six-month ban, 83 are in Cork and 247 in Dublin. A garda checkpoint in Carlow. There are a total of 512,791 drivers with penalty points currently on their licence across the State Picture: Colin Keegan/Collins Fianna Fáil TD for Cork North Central Padraig O'Sullivan raised concern about the large numbers of drivers being caught breaking the law and being issued with penalty points. 'I'm concerned at the high level of drivers with penalty points across the board, but what is particularly worrisome is the over 100,000 drivers who have between five and 12 points on their licence,' Mr O'Sullivan said. "This means that people are taking more risks while driving and being caught by gardaí for multiple offences. 'We've seen in responses to my own parliamentary questions that the number of people being caught driving while using their phones is steadily increasing.' The Cork North Central TD said people are 'very casually' breaking the rules of the road. 'While gardaí cannot be everywhere at once, it is imperative that we see more effective education of drivers who do receive penalty points to ensure they don't break the law again.' Recent figures from the department of justice showed a total of 59,603 people were caught by gardaí driving while using their phones between 2022 and 2024. The data also suggests the problem is worsening, with 21,888 people caught last year compared to 19,106 in 2023, and 18,609 in 2022. For the first three months of 2025, there were 6,073 people caught driving while using their phones. If this trend continues throughout the remaining nine months of the year, 2025 will have the highest level of drivers caught using their phones. Read More Garda station flags fly at half mast ahead of prayer service in honour of officer killed at checkpoint
