Ireland's Eye: What's going on in the old sod this week

A look at news from around Ireland

He didn’t realize he was spitting at the garda as he cleared his mouth of blood and Keena, who is a talented soccer player who has tried out for Bohemians, said he would never spit at anyone.

But Inspector Dermot Drea said the spitting was very intentional and in line with Keena’s other behavior on the night.

He said being spat at is very traumatic, and Hughes expressed concern that spitting at Gardai means they have to immediately cease work and undergo medical tests because so many illnesses are carried in blood and saliva.

“Young people are perfectly entitled to enjoy themselves, but once Gardai come on the scene, people must immediately desist,” he said.

He said Gardai who leave their wives and young children every night put their lives at risk and expose themselves to injury for what he called “a very modest wage.”

As a judge, he wants to ensure that risk is not increased by the behavior of people on the streets, and to keep Keena out of jail would send out the wrong message.

Kiernan reiterated that his client is young and has no previous convictions, and the judge offered the alternative of €2,000 “as miserable compensation for the shock and horror” suffered by Casey.

He is to let the court know on April 26 how long it will take him to pay the money.

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House My Babies
AN unemployed father of eight is demanding a bigger house from his local authority so he can have more children.

Jason Casey, who has been on a housing waiting list for 10 years, has staged a silent protest outside Limerick City Hall in Limerick for six weeks.

The 42-year-old, who lives in a three-bedroom home, said, "We have five girls in one room and two boys in the other room and we take the baby in with us.

"We manage, but we shouldn’t have to manage ... not when they (the council) has so many houses out there -- not when we have the regeneration, not when there’s Nama out there."

Casey said he doesn’t mind some people saying he shouldn’t have had eight children if he couldn’t afford to house them. "The truth is, I love having babies and my wife loves having babies. I’ll keep having babies,” he said.

Casey said he was looking for a larger house in Garryowen, where five of his children go to school, but that Limerick City Council said it doesn’t have a larger house to give him.

"Ten years on a housing list is long enough. The council is saying they don’t have a house for me.

I’ve given up ringing them up.  They ask me my name and my address and how many kids I have and then I come out and I make another appointment,” he said.

Casey said he was promised a larger house by the council five years ago.

"I spoke to politicians about my case but nothing has happened. Enough is enough. Limerick City Council discriminates against large families.

"Our Constitution says that we, the people, are entitled to adequate housing, and that’s all I want,” Casey said.

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Nster.com