Latest news with #Boylan
Irish Independent
14-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
‘Enough is enough' – households being forced to subsidise the costs of data centres, says Sinn Féin MEP
It comes after the Commission for the Regulation of Utilities (CRU) decided to increase the electricity network charges for households, but reduce the charges for large users such as data centres. Dublin MEP Lynn Boylan accused the CRU of making households subsidise the costs of data centres. The Sinn Féin politician said this was 'incredible at a time when bills are crippling so many'. In a draft decision, the regulator is proposing an €18bn investment in the country's electricity system. This will mean network tariffs – part of the charges that make up customer bills – will rise to fund the revamp. Earlier this month, the CRU issued a press release saying the five-year investment plan should add between €6 and €16 to the average annual household bill. However, a deeper dive into the regulatory documents revealed that the investment plan could add €80 to an average annual domestic bill. This is a rise of 21pc in the network charges for households, taking annual network charges for consumers to €454 a year. Extra large energy users could see their network charges fall by between 3pc and 18pc up to 2030, under different scenarios the regulator has modelled. The €18bn investment is needed to pay for strengthening networks to cope with extreme events such as Storm Éowyn and allow for the connection of tens of thousands of new homes and businesses. ADVERTISEMENT Ms Boylan said that under the CRU's draft decision, households and SMEs will see their electricity network charges rise. At the same time, large energy users such as data centres will get reductions of up to 18pc. 'Regulatory documents reveal that grid upgrades are being driven in part by the growing electricity demands of data centres, whose usage has increased 400pc since 2015,' Ms Boylan said. 'In effect, the entities driving the increased need for grid investment are being asked to contribute less, while the general public pays more.' Now data centres are driving up the cost of electricity in a cost-of-living crisis She said this amounts to households being forced to subsidise the costs of data centres. 'The CRU will dress this up as a complicated technical decision, but at the end of the day this is a political choice to side with Big Tech's data centres over households,' she said. She said data centres were making it harder to build houses in a housing crisis, but were also making it harder to keep the lights on in an energy crisis. 'Now data centres are driving up the cost of electricity in a cost-of-living crisis. Enough is enough.' The CRU insisted large energy users will end up paying multiples more than residential electricity users in network charges. Data centres are just one part of the growing electricity demand and the CRU said it continues to introduce measures to manage their impact and ensure a balanced, secure energy supply for all users. It said the decrease in network charges for extra-large energy users is mostly attributed to the decline in costs from recent years associated with temporary increases in the transmission tariffs. These contributed to larger increases in the bills of large energy users over the last five years when compared to smaller customer groups. It said that between 2020 and this year, typical large energy users experienced a 167pc increase in network charges, compared with a 35pc increase for domestic customers.
Irish Daily Mirror
13-07-2025
- Irish Daily Mirror
Fugitive Irish mobster feeling the heat in Thailand after cannabis crackdown
Drogheda mob boss Josh Boylan might soon have to flee from his bolthole in Thailand following a crackdown on cannabis in the country. Boylan, the alleged second-in-command leader of a Drogheda crime gang, has been using the south-east Asian country as his base to flood his hometown with the drug. However, Thai officials have recently re-criminalised cannabis for recreational use, having only legalised it three years ago. The move is being made to curb the growing problem of smuggling from the country. Sources say Boylan will now find it more difficult to source cannabis in Thailand, where he has been holed up for the past three years. Boylan, 26, from Moneymore in the Co Louth town was named in court by a garda witness two weeks ago as 'second in command' of the Boylan Organised Crime Group 'involved in the large scale sale and supply and importation of drugs'. Garda John Walsh named Boylan at Dundalk Circuit Court during a money laundering sentencing case for three women. Josh's brother Keith, 30, was 'identified as the head of the Boylan Organised Crime Group,' that has been at war with paralysed mob boss Owen Maguire and his associates since 2018 when the deadly Drogheda feud erupted and saw four murders including that of 17-year-old Keane Mulready-Woods. The teen was murdered and dismembered by slain serial killer Robbie Lawlor and his body parts were scattered around parts of Dublin in a killing that shocked the nation in January 2020. Gardai suspect Josh has been exporting cannabis from his Thai base – where he is now based since fleeing Drogheda in 2022 due to threats on his life following the murder of Keane by his ally Lawlor. It's suspected he has been using 'drug mules' to transport the drugs in suitcases back to Ireland and destined for Drogheda. Last week, Thailand announced cannabis buds have been reclassified as a controlled herb with plans to reclassify the drug as a narcotic. This reverses an earlier legislation to decriminalise its recreational use and effectively restrict consumption of the plant to medical and health purposes only. A source told the Irish Sunday Mirror: 'Josh is suspected of organising cannabis from his Thai base to be exported via drug mules to Drogheda and this new legislation may well affect his alleged importation of cannabis. 'It's quite possible he may now head to Spain or Mexico where he is alleged to have made contacts over the years and operate from there. But so far it's believed he is still in Thailand while his brother Keith is in Dubai.' In 2018 Thailand became the first country in Asia to legalise medical cannabis, with South Korea following suit a year later. In 2022, cannabis was removed from Thailand's narcotics list, allowing for its recreational use. This caused the cannabis industry to boom in the country, with almost 11,000 dispensaries selling products from local farms. According to news reports in Thailand, cannabis smuggling has soared since legalisation. But the issue got so bad that Thai authorities imposed stricter screening measures at its borders to halt the increase in drugs being smuggled out of Thailand by tourists and by mail. Several high-profile cases of cannabis smuggling involving young British and Irish women have made headlines this year, all originating in Thailand. One of those was Drogheda woman Jamie Mahon, 32, from Moneymore, who we exclusively revealed was jailed for three years last month in Norway after she pleaded guilty to importing 29kg of cannabis worth nearly €600,000 from Thailand to Oslo. That haul was destined for Drogheda. And earlier last week, 63-year-old grandfather Patrick Kelly, also from Moneymore, was jailed for three years at Dublin Circuit Court after he was caught smuggling just under 20kg of cannabis, worth nearly €400,000, into Dublin Airport from Thailand. However, cannabis advocates say the new regulations won't stop smuggling or unlicensed growers, and risk driving up corruption. Kitty Chopaka, a longtime cannabis activist with the Writing Thailand's Cannabis Future Network advocacy group, which pushes for fair access, told CNN: 'This is a knee-jerk reaction to supposedly addressing the smuggling issue.'
The Advertiser
06-07-2025
- Health
- The Advertiser
Telehealth explained: Your guide to finding the right doctor online
This is sponsored content for Qoctor. Telehealth, while it's always been available, really gained traction during the pandemic and has remained an important part of healthcare today. Not only does it remove barriers to health care like physical distance and time constraints, it's also affordable and often more readily available. Australian telehealth platform founded by GPs, Qoctor, is aiming to support the health of regional Australians by offering GP appointments, medical certificates, prescription renewals, pathology referrals and mental health support (including bulk-billed mental health plan referrals). However, the platform is not looking to replace local GPs but rather work alongside and support them. "We want people to think of online telehealth as an option if they are stuck for seeing a doctor," Qoctor CEO and GP Aifric Boylan said. "In a lot of areas GP clinics are overbooked and we want to be able to meet people in the moment when they are seeking help. If you miss that opportunity because of wait times, sometimes people stop seeking help." This is especially the case with mental health with appointments for mental health plans proving to be one of the more popular appointments. The use of telehealth to access a mental health plan can help break down one barrier to health only for patients to face another when finding a local mental health professional. This is where telehealth can also play a role but with a mental health platform like MeHelp offering bulk-billed psychology online. "Using telehealth for a mental health plan is a frictionless process and you can be up and running with a psychology provider very quickly," Dr Boylan said. When selecting a telehealth provider there are some important factors to consider including the platform, who you will be seeing, their qualifications and the appointment process. There are rules and regulations around telehealth delivery but not all telehealth providers offer the same level of service. "Choose your service wisely," Dr Boylan said. "The gold standard is video call, but phone calls can be OK in some cases- and you should be speaking directly to the doctor or nurse, not through SMS or a third party. "Some of this seems basic, but there are some services out there where the doctor doesn't even speak directly with the patient. "It should also be made very clear what type of health professional you will be seeing, either a doctor or a nurse and you should be given enough time to talk about your issue and not be overly rushed." An appointment with Qoctor has patients speak directly with their doctor on video call with plenty of time allocated for the type of appointment booked. To learn more about Qoctor or to make an appointment, visit the website here. This is sponsored content for Qoctor. Telehealth, while it's always been available, really gained traction during the pandemic and has remained an important part of healthcare today. Not only does it remove barriers to health care like physical distance and time constraints, it's also affordable and often more readily available. Australian telehealth platform founded by GPs, Qoctor, is aiming to support the health of regional Australians by offering GP appointments, medical certificates, prescription renewals, pathology referrals and mental health support (including bulk-billed mental health plan referrals). However, the platform is not looking to replace local GPs but rather work alongside and support them. "We want people to think of online telehealth as an option if they are stuck for seeing a doctor," Qoctor CEO and GP Aifric Boylan said. "In a lot of areas GP clinics are overbooked and we want to be able to meet people in the moment when they are seeking help. If you miss that opportunity because of wait times, sometimes people stop seeking help." This is especially the case with mental health with appointments for mental health plans proving to be one of the more popular appointments. The use of telehealth to access a mental health plan can help break down one barrier to health only for patients to face another when finding a local mental health professional. This is where telehealth can also play a role but with a mental health platform like MeHelp offering bulk-billed psychology online. "Using telehealth for a mental health plan is a frictionless process and you can be up and running with a psychology provider very quickly," Dr Boylan said. When selecting a telehealth provider there are some important factors to consider including the platform, who you will be seeing, their qualifications and the appointment process. There are rules and regulations around telehealth delivery but not all telehealth providers offer the same level of service. "Choose your service wisely," Dr Boylan said. "The gold standard is video call, but phone calls can be OK in some cases- and you should be speaking directly to the doctor or nurse, not through SMS or a third party. "Some of this seems basic, but there are some services out there where the doctor doesn't even speak directly with the patient. "It should also be made very clear what type of health professional you will be seeing, either a doctor or a nurse and you should be given enough time to talk about your issue and not be overly rushed." An appointment with Qoctor has patients speak directly with their doctor on video call with plenty of time allocated for the type of appointment booked. To learn more about Qoctor or to make an appointment, visit the website here. This is sponsored content for Qoctor. Telehealth, while it's always been available, really gained traction during the pandemic and has remained an important part of healthcare today. Not only does it remove barriers to health care like physical distance and time constraints, it's also affordable and often more readily available. Australian telehealth platform founded by GPs, Qoctor, is aiming to support the health of regional Australians by offering GP appointments, medical certificates, prescription renewals, pathology referrals and mental health support (including bulk-billed mental health plan referrals). However, the platform is not looking to replace local GPs but rather work alongside and support them. "We want people to think of online telehealth as an option if they are stuck for seeing a doctor," Qoctor CEO and GP Aifric Boylan said. "In a lot of areas GP clinics are overbooked and we want to be able to meet people in the moment when they are seeking help. If you miss that opportunity because of wait times, sometimes people stop seeking help." This is especially the case with mental health with appointments for mental health plans proving to be one of the more popular appointments. The use of telehealth to access a mental health plan can help break down one barrier to health only for patients to face another when finding a local mental health professional. This is where telehealth can also play a role but with a mental health platform like MeHelp offering bulk-billed psychology online. "Using telehealth for a mental health plan is a frictionless process and you can be up and running with a psychology provider very quickly," Dr Boylan said. When selecting a telehealth provider there are some important factors to consider including the platform, who you will be seeing, their qualifications and the appointment process. There are rules and regulations around telehealth delivery but not all telehealth providers offer the same level of service. "Choose your service wisely," Dr Boylan said. "The gold standard is video call, but phone calls can be OK in some cases- and you should be speaking directly to the doctor or nurse, not through SMS or a third party. "Some of this seems basic, but there are some services out there where the doctor doesn't even speak directly with the patient. "It should also be made very clear what type of health professional you will be seeing, either a doctor or a nurse and you should be given enough time to talk about your issue and not be overly rushed." An appointment with Qoctor has patients speak directly with their doctor on video call with plenty of time allocated for the type of appointment booked. To learn more about Qoctor or to make an appointment, visit the website here.
Irish Independent
16-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
Energy regulator ‘ignored' High Court ruling that could boost powers to restrict data centres
Sinn Féin MEP Lynn Boylan has now called on the regulator to publish its legal advice, as concerns mount over the expansion of the data centre sector. Ms Boylan sought documents under Freedom of Information (FOI) after the regulator, the Commission for Regulation of Utilities (CRU), issued a proposal last February on the regulations that should apply to new data centres. Data centres currently use 22pc of all the country's electricity and multiple agencies and experts have warned that the electricity system cannot cope with their growing demand. The CRU proposed that new data centres could be permitted if they generated all the power they needed themselves. In theory, that could mean developing windfarms or solar parks, but because the proposal stated the generation plants must be on site, in reality they would be installing gas-fired generators. Such a move would drive up gas use and emissions, contrary to the Climate Action Plan and legally-binding emission-reduction targets. The CRU in its proposal said it had taken legal advice on potential measures such as requiring data centres to meet 'net zero' emissions standards. 'Following legal review, the CRU considers that the current provisions under the Climate Action Act do not provide a mandate to CRU to deliver a connections policy which requires explicit emissions reduction,' it said. However, just days before this was published, the High Court delivered a landmark ruling on the climate action responsibilities of state agencies and public bodies. It was made in relation to Coolglass Windfarm proposed for Co Laois, which An Bord Pleanála refused to grant planning permission for on the basis that it would contravene the Laois County Development Plan by being a visual intrusion on the landscape. ADVERTISEMENT Mr Justice Richard Humphreys said the grounds on which An Bord Pleanála based its decision were outweighed by the requirements of the Climate Act, specifically section 15 which deals with the responsibilities of public bodies to behave in accordance with the act. It was the first time the strength of section 15 was tested and has potentially massive implications for all public bodies. Yet the FOI documents show that a draft of the CRU proposal, drawn up before the highly publicised judgment, was the same as the decision made public after it. "The Coolglass ruling gave the CRU a clear legal footing to act decisively on data centres, yet the CRU's policy reads like business as usual, as if ruling never happened,' Ms Boylan said. "The claim that they lack the legal authority to act decisively on data centre emissions now rings hollow. The CRU must publish their legal advice.'
Sunday World
06-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sunday World
DJ and ex-election candidate reveals ‘valuable life lesson' he learned after month in hospital
'I spent 60 years of my life feeling well, so to suddenly face multiple problems at once feels completely alien to me' DJ and former election candidate Niall Boylan has revealed how he 'learned a valuable life lesson' having spent nearly a month in hospital. The 'shock jock' who had left his Classic Hits radio show, Nighttime Talks to run in the European Elections last year, told fans he was 'recovering slowly'. Without referring to the reason why he ended up in hospital, he did say that over the last five months he had 'been unwell'. 'At one point, I was very ill and spent nearly a month in hospital,' he posted on X. 'My wife has been by my side and my support through it all. Why am I telling you this? Because I've learned a valuable life lesson.' He said the lesson he had learned was that 'many of those you thought cared about you couldn't give a s**t, and many people you least expected turned out to care the most.'. 'The other lesson is, don't always trust the medical profession. In my case, they had no idea what was wrong with me, even after literally hundreds of blood tests, CT scans, and ultrasounds, until I demanded certain specific blood tests (long story), and I was right.' He added: 'Thankfully, I'm recovering, but it's a slow process and hard to deal with. I spent 60 years of my life feeling well, so to suddenly face multiple problems at once feels completely alien to me. 'You do wonder if you'll ever normal again.' Last year, Boylan described his run for Europe as 'an experience of a lifetime' although he ultimately fell short, earning 50,416 votes. He also ruled out a general election run despite having 'no doubt' he would be elected after just narrowly missing out on an MEP seat. He laughed off the suggestion of launching a presidential run as he is 'very opinionated' and also ruled out running for European election again in five years' time. 'It was an amazing experience – and I kept the Green Party out. I was happy that I kind of upset the political establishment because I made it more difficult. There was about 50,000 votes that I took away from Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil. If I hadn't been there, they may have got the quota quicker.' Boylan, who feels there should be stronger curbs on immigration into Ireland and believes people are sick of 'woke culture', said he knows some people view him as an extremist but denies that is the case. 'People think I'm some sort of radical right-winger, I'm not. I voted yes to marriage equality.' He said he did feel that the EU was too left-wing. 'I think for far too long it's been far too left. I think that's going to change and you're going to see a shift slightly to the centre. I don't want to see a radical extreme right-wing Europe either.' Boylan added that got a lot of abuse online during the campaign because of his outspoken views. 'I've been a pretty loud outspoken voice for 30 years on radio and I tend not to care what other people think of what I say. I'm not politically correct and I want to be a loud voice for people in Dublin and Ireland in Europe 'There was some really nasty stuff put up about me online, most of it, 99.99 percent, completely untrue. Some of it was derogatory and defamatory. 'I didn't react to it. You just can't have that kind of stuff knocking you off your target. I only realised [during the campaign] how toxic Twitter was, I knew it was toxic, but I didn't realise how toxic it was.'
