Latest news with #NiamhO'Connor
Irish Examiner
4 days ago
- Business
- Irish Examiner
'It is not acceptable': Cork City Council criticised for leaving derelict buildings empty for years
Reports on the future of four high-profile derelict buildings which have come to highlight the blight of dereliction in Cork City are still being prepared four years after they were acquired by the State. The city council was also criticised for acquiring some buildings several years ago and doing nothing with them, while officials confirmed they were engaging with the owners of several prominent and vacant retail sites with a view to securing redevelopment. The issues were debated after Cllr Niamh O'Connor asked for an update on the buildings at 62 to 65 North Main Street, which were declared derelict in 2015, and suffered a partial collapse in 2019, forcing the city to step in and stabilise them, before it acquired them by compulsory purchase order (CPO) in 2022. Legal complications linked to maps and title arose later, delaying the post-CPO process. Ms O'Connor was told the council was now progressing 'viability assessments' of several options to redevelop the properties. 'On conclusion of the viability assessment process, it is envisaged a formal development proposal will be advanced for planning permission and ultimately commencement of redevelopment,' she was told. She welcomed the update but asked for a timeline. Niall O'Donnabháin, the council's director of services for planning and integrated development, said: 'It needs to move forward quickly.' Fine Gael councillor Des Cahill criticised the council for acquiring certain buildings and doing nothing with them. He said he knew of one house in his ward which was bought by the council 12 months ago, and remained unused. 'Another one, seven years, bought and paid for, but unused,' he said. 'On one hand, we have a council being praised, and fair enough, praise when praise is due, but on another hand we have a ream of properties we do nothing to for years. It is not acceptable to have properties bought by the council and left empty. It's appalling. Council chief executive Valerie O'Sullivan said she shared Mr Cahill's frustration about properties acquired in the past and not returned to use, and she said her new management team had been tasked with getting to grips with this issue, to identify a use for them, and many could come before council soon for statutory disposal. Separately, Labour councillor John Maher asked for an update on several vacant retail sites, including the former Roches Stores, Debenhams building, the Savoy shopping centre, the old Argos building and North Main Street shopping centre. Officials said they were inspected periodically, continuously monitored and subject to active engagement with the property owners to encourage and support the return to use of properties. Mr Maher was also told the old Grand Parade Hotel is owned by the council and forms part of the block which incorporates the city library. 'Plans are being developed to consider development options for this important city centre block in the context of the council's wider ambitions for the regeneration of the area,' officials said. Mr Maher was also told the site at 4-5 Father Matthew Quay was subject of ongoing engagement between the council and the property owner, which could see it returned to use as a commercial premises in the short term, while the council was also engaging with the owners of the former Maher's Sport premises at 7-8 Parnell Place to help realise its redevelopment as quickly as possible. Read More Councillors erupt into war of words after former Cork lord mayor votes against social housing scheme
Sunday World
06-05-2025
- Health
- Sunday World
Influencer who says she had botched bum lift at Bowie Aesthetics ‘sick and tired' of discussing it
'If I have to say one more time, what happened from start to finish, I think I'll lose my marbles.' An influencer who claims she had a botched bum lift at Bowie Aesthetics has said she is 'sick and tired' of discussing the incident. Niamh O'Connor spent weeks in hospital after she contracted a serious case of cellulitis following bum filler injections at the beauty clinic, which has sparked speculation that this was the real reason for owner Stephanie Simons shutting down one of her two Dublin branches. In the past, Niamh posted numerous videos to social media outlining her claim. Last week, Simons said she was forced to close her Dorset Street clinic due to 'increasing violence' on the street outside her premises, and in interview with Sunday World, she denied that the real reason she had to close her clinic was because of the alleged botched bum lift. Statement by Stephanie Simons on Bowie Aesthetics' social media accounts Taking to Instagram, social media star Niamh O'Connor said she is burned out from retelling the story. 'I just felt really burned out from the whole thing, honestly, and I really hope now that she just leaves me alone. 'Like, just leave me alone. Stop talking about me, stop mentioning me, stop everything… because I'm sick and tired of going over it. 'If I have to say one more f*cking time, what happened from start to finish, I think I'll actually just lose my marbles like I really f*cking do.' Niamh thanked her followers for their support and said she hopes her story will make people rethink their decision to get cosmetic injections. 'I really do hope that there is people that have watched the videos and maybe rethought their decision, whether that be to get bum filler or whatever.' Niamh O'Connor. Photo: Instagram She also slammed Simon, alleging she has no regard for her health after being trusted with it. 'I know a lot of you guys are messaging me with the story that she put put up this morning of a bridge saying 'get over it' or, I don't know what she was saying 'get over it' or 'build a bridge and get over it', something like that. "She can post whatever she wants but I think that really shows the disregard that she has for, at the end of the day, no matter what happened with me, I'm a past client who was hurt in her… I don't know what you call it… we'll call it a building,' she continued. "And she should never have that level of disregard for anybody's health… especially not when youre trusted with it.' Niamh O'Connor in hospital. Photo: Instagram Bowie Aesthetics owner Stephanie told the Sunday World she is aware of Niamh's video and complaint adding that it is 'actually as a result of a procedure in our Pearse Street branch, not our Dorset Street one,' When asked about what happened to Niamh, Stephanie said: 'Unfortunately things like that, they happen all the time. It's like getting your ears pierced, you can get it infected. It's just one of those things.' Beauty boss Stephanie said that Niamh 'got dermafiller injections into her bum'. 'Unfortunately that girl has multiple cosmetic procedures before, she had surgeries, and it's just a complication. It got infected in the days that followed, unfortunately. 'That's a risk any time you puncture the skin with a needle and the skin is open. Bacteria can then get in and cause infection, and that's what happened – she had to get antibiotics.' Stephanie Simons at her Bowie Aesthetics clinic The News in 90 Seconds - Tuesday, 6th of May However, Niamh, who has a huge following on social media, told Sunday World that she spent weeks in hospital with a 'life-threatening' infection. 'The only comment I have is that people should be very careful who they go to for aesthetic procedures,' she added. 'There is little or no regulation in Ireland, which means that people who are not medically trained are allowed to inject you and then when something goes wrong they are no equipped to deal with the aftermath. 'I was told the warning signs of sepsis were normal and expected after having filler, which delayed me seeking medical advice and could have ended in tragedy.' Stephanie Simons, owner of Bowie Aesthetics Niamh said that more regulation is needed in relation to aesthetics in Ireland. 'These things do not just happen, cellulitis to the degree I had it is extremely dangerous and life-threatening. 'I spent weeks in hospital and then when I was discharged, weeks on antibiotics, having to go back for check-ups. I'm permanently scarred, and I think the clinic belittling it to 'these things happen' speaks volumes on the level of disregard they have.' Stephanie denied that she was not qualified to carry out such a procedure in her clinic. 'I'm fully qualified, I'm fully insured. Like I didn't break the law at all. I have all the right qualifications to carry out that treatment,' she said. 'If anything, when she [Niamh] posted that it actually got a lot busier. Beforehand they knew about Bowie Aesthetics, but the name became a lot more popular and we actually gained a lot more business from the name being circulated, so that's untrue.' The mother-of-two recently posed with MMA fighter Conor McGregor at his gastro pub in Crumlin. Simons said he invited her for dinner and shared his support following her social media video announcing the closure of her Dorset St. clinic. 'He was the only person that reached out and said 'I'm supporting you, if you need anything, let me know if I can help you with anything' and he invited me to the Black Forge for dinner, and I went. I brought a friend and we had dinner. 'It was just really nice that somebody was acknowledging it, because nobody has been,' she said. Stephanie Simons with McGregor at the Black Forge Inn Simons added that she had no problem taking up McGregor's invitation, despite the fact he was found civilly liable for the rape of Nikita Hand at the Beacon hotel in Dublin in 2018. 'Not at all. I don't know much about the situation or anything like that. I don't want to really comment on it I was just glad that somebody with a voice was acknowledging the situation. 'He was very nice to me, and the food was lovely, I have to say. It was Michelin-star style. He was just with his own friends. He came over and had a chat and a picture.'
