Latest news with #MichaelMoynihan
Irish Independent
17-07-2025
- Business
- Irish Independent
New special school for North Cork
The timeline for making applications to the new special school closed earlier this month and the Cork Education and Training Board is now making offers of places. A principal and deputy principal have been recruited and the recruitment of teaching staff and Special Needs Assistants (SNAs) is in progress. Capacity is also being expanded at two other special schools in Cork. The East Cork Community Special School in Carrigtwohill will have an extra 24 places for the coming school year, using accommodation at Fota Business Park. Rochestown Community Special School will have 18 extra places. The scope of works has been completed there and a contractor has commenced on site. Education Minister Helen McEntee and Minister for Special Education and Youth Michael Moynihan brought a memo to Cabinet this week announcing 407 additional special classes in schools across the country for the coming school year, including 56 across Cork. Special schools support students with more severe and/or complex special educational needs in cases where a full-time mainstream placement would not be in the student's best interest.
Irish Times
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Irish Times
Disabled children suffered higher rates of sexual abuse, Dáil hears during debate on historical abuse
Children with disabilities experienced sexual abuse at a much higher rate than children without a disability, the Dáil heard as it debated historical child sexual abuse in day and boarding schools. Minister of State for Special Education and Inclusion Michael Moynihan said the scoping inquiry leading to the newly established Commission of Investigation revealed the records of religious orders showed 'some 528 allegations of historical child sexual abuse across 17 special schools in respect of 190 alleged abusers'. The initial scoping inquiry was told of some 2,395 allegations of historical sexual abuse in day and boarding schools run by religious orders. It was told it involved 884 alleged abusers in 308 schools countrywide between 1927 to 2013. The Minister of State said 'many families entrusted the care of their children into these communities' and 'this is unlikely to be the full extent of the historical abuse in special schools'. READ MORE It was 'truly appalling that the additional vulnerabilities of children in special schools could be so exploited and there has to be accountability', Mr Moynihan said. He was speaking during a debate on the motion to approve the draft order on the Commission of Investigation on the handling of historical child sexual abuse in day and boarding schools. [ Government will 'pursue all levers' to make religious orders pay redress to victims of school sex abuse Opens in new window ] Sinn Féin TD Pat Buckley said he had lost many friends who had been abused and it took more than 20 years to find out what happened. 'I lost two friends in primary school where the abuse started and I wasn't aware of it.' He said 'people ran away from school, came back, qualified as solicitors and everything, and unfortunately ended their lives'. He said some of the people who are responsible 'are still alive, some of the principals and vice-principals, Christian Brothers and lay teachers'. Labour's Ciarán Ahern said the Government and other institutions of power 'have excelled in the past at covering up the reality of child sexual abuse'. 'We need only look at the Carrigan report in 1931 to see the DNA of denial that blighted child protection in Ireland from the State's foundation'. The Dublin South-West TD said the Carrigan committee was appointed in 1930 and held 17 sessions. One witness, the police commissioner of the time, 'highlighted an alarming amount of sexual crime, increasing yearly, a feature of which was the large number of cases of criminal interference with girls and children from 16 years and downwards, many children under 10 years of age'. He said the police commissioner believed that less than 15 per cent of sexual crime was being prosecuted but government chose not to publish the report. Minister for Education Helen McEntee thanked 'every single survivor for their bravery, whether they were in a position to come forward or not'. She also thanked the late Mark Ryan and his brother David who came forward for the RTÉ documentary Blackrock Boys, after which the Government established a scoping inquiry. In an address to survivors she said: 'I am truly sorry for what was done to you and the devastating impacts it had on your lives, but I want to thank each and every person for their bravery.'
Business Wire
15-07-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
iBlend™ is Highly Rated in Clinical Trial and Significantly Reduced Cravings for Usual Brand Cigarettes
BUSINESS WIRE)--Cabbacis (OTCQB: CABI), a U.S. federally-licensed tobacco-product manufacturer focused on harm-reduction products being developed under the iBlend™ brand name, released its clinical trial results demonstrating that the Company's patented iBlend™ cigarettes were highly rated for satisfaction on the standardized mCEQ questionnaire and significantly reduced cravings for usual brand cigarettes. All four Cabbacis cigarette types were rated higher for satisfaction on the standardized mCEQ questionnaire than has been previously reported in the literature with other 95 percent reduced-nicotine cigarettes. Share Cabbacis contracted the Rose Research Center to carry out a pilot clinical trial on 16 smokers exclusively using four types of reduced-nicotine tobacco cigarettes made by Cabbacis during 3-hour ad libitum use sessions, which followed overnight abstinence from their usual brand cigarette. The nicotine content of all types was reduced by approximately 95 percent, as compared to the average of mainstream American brands. Three iBlend™ cigarette types contained reduced-nicotine tobacco and each type had a different level of hemp (5%, 10% and 20%), and the fourth cigarette type contained reduced-nicotine tobacco without any hemp. All cigarettes exclusively contained patent-pending tobacco licensed by Cabbacis and grown by its contracted farmers. The study measured the effects of the four cigarette types on smokers' perceptions and smoking behavior. Although other measures in the study were evaluated, the most relevant measures were craving relief and those related to product acceptability. For, Did it immediately reduce your craving for cigarettes, participants across all four cigarette types reported a significant reduction in craving for their usual brand of cigarettes which was sustained over the 3-hours of ad libitum use of the study cigarettes. All four Cabbacis cigarette types were rated higher for satisfaction on the standardized mCEQ questionnaire than has been previously reported in the literature with other 95 percent reduced-nicotine cigarettes. An unexpected positive result of the study was that the use of the three iBlend™ hemp-containing cigarettes (5%, 10% and 20%) resulted in lower exhaled carbon monoxide (CO) levels, as compared to CO levels measured after use of the 0-percent hemp cigarettes, with the reduction in the 20-percent hemp iBlend™ cigarette being statistically significant at the 95 percent confidence level. Dr. Michael Moynihan, Cabbacis's VP of R&D, stated, 'The Company is quite pleased with the results of our initial study which confirmed that reduced-nicotine cigarettes containing hemp are acceptable to tobacco smokers and they significantly reduced cravings for their usual cigarette brand. In order for reduced-nicotine cigarettes to work in terms of reducing smoking and nicotine exposure, smokers must be willing to use them. The data from this study will be useful in designing and carrying out larger iBlend studies of longer duration in the coming months to support our submissions to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).' In January 2025, the FDA issued a proposed rule that, if finalized, would make all cigarettes sold in the United States minimally or nonaddictive by limiting the level of nicotine in cigarettes (reduction of ~95%). Upon Cabbacis filing, and FDA issuing a PMTA, commercialization of the reduced-nicotine iBlend™ products would give smokers beneficial product choices with differentiated taste and sensory characteristics to expand the market for reduced-nicotine cigarettes. The FDA has already issued a PMTA and authorized modified-risk product claims on a reduced-nicotine cigarette brand, VLN® (unrelated to Cabbacis), including 'Helps you smoke less®.' In parallel to the FDA process for the U.S. market, the Company is planning to market its products internationally. About Cabbacis Cabbacis is committed to commercializing reduced-nicotine cigarettes and vaporizer pods. Both types of products in development are predominately tobacco and include hemp. The Company also plans to move forward with reduced-nicotine tobacco cigarettes and little cigars without hemp. Reduced-nicotine cigarettes without hemp that contain about 95 percent less nicotine than conventional cigarettes have been evaluated in dozens of independent studies. Results demonstrate, as reviewed in Donny and White 2022 (Int J Drug Policy 99:103436), that subjects smoked fewer cigarettes per day, reduced their nicotine dependence and exposure, doubled their quit attempts, and/or increased their number of smoke-free days. The Company believes including hemp flower in reduced-nicotine cigarettes improves product acceptability for most smokers and may improve effectiveness due to the presence of non-THC cannabinoids. The worldwide patent portfolio of Cabbacis LLC includes 35 issued patents and various pending patent applications across the United States, Europe, China, India, Japan, Indonesia, Russia, South Korea, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Brazil and other countries – where approximately two-thirds of the world's smokers reside. Cabbacis holds 7 U.S. patents. Cabbacis LLC is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cabbacis Inc. To learn more about Cabbacis, please visit Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities law. All statements other than statements of historical or current facts made in this document are forward-looking. We identify forward-looking statements in this document by using words or phrases such as "anticipate," "believe," 'consider,' "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," 'foresee,' "intend," 'likely,' "may," "objective," "potential," "plan," "predict," "project," "seek," 'should,' "will" and similar words or phrases and their negatives. Forward-looking statements reflect our current expectations and are inherently uncertain. Actual outcomes or results could differ materially for a variety of reasons. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially are described in 'Risk Factors' in our Regulation A Offering Circular filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and in our Annual Report on Form 1-K for the period ended December 31, 2024 filed with the SEC. We undertake no responsibility to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement except as required by applicable law. This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy the Company's securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to qualification or registration under the securities laws of that state or jurisdiction.
Irish Examiner
26-06-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
The Mick Clifford Podcast: Michael Moynihan, the GAA and championship summers
This is the time of year when the pulse quickens, the blood rises as county teams up and down the country do battle in the hurling and football championships. Meanwhile, RTÉ is currently broadcasting a five-part series on the history of Gaelic football. Irish Examiner senior journalist Michael Moynihan knows all about championship summers and was a consultant on the documentary. He is this week's guest on the podcast. Read More Who goes to jail in Cork? Our podcast series exposes links between crime, poverty, and homelessness
Irish Examiner
18-06-2025
- Health
- Irish Examiner
Speech and language, occupational therapies to start in 45 special schools in September
The roll-out of a new education therapy service in special schools will begin with the introduction of up to 90 therapists to 45 schools this September, the minister for education has pledged. The detail is included in a new Education Plan for 2025, published by Helen McEntee and minister of state for special education Michael Moynihan, which outlines the Department of Education's intentions to progress several crucial policies across the education system. Access to most in-school therapies, such as speech and language therapy, and occupational therapy, was severely curtailed during 2020 when therapists were removed from schools. As highlighted previously by the Irish Examiner, parents and teaching staff at special schools warned children were missing out on their education without these essential supports. Overlapping with the closure of schools during the pandemic, the HSE's Progressing Disabilities Services model for children and young people saw services reconfigured and clinicians relocated from their special schools and onto Children's Disability Network Teams. These teams, which are managed by the HSE and voluntary disability organisations, face their own set of challenges, including significant staff vacancies and increasing referrals. Responsibility in this area is also split, with some overlap between departments, different agencies, and Government ministers, mainly the HSE, the Department of Disability and the Department of Education. With Government approval to establish a new Education Therapy Service secured, the National Council for Special Education (NCSE) is expected now to commence work on its rollout, with an aim to provide 90 therapists to work in 45 special schools in the next school year. The new posts will be initially for occupational therapists and speech and language therapists, and a further roll-out to other special schools is expected to be announced for the 2026/27 school year. While the new therapy service will commence initially in special schools, it is intended that it will roll out down the line in special classes and mainstream schools. The NCSE is expected to now commence recruitment, and the same terms and conditions will be applied for staff as HSE therapists. Other policies listed in the Education Plan 2025 include undertaking an initial review of the costs of insurance in schools and circumstances around them, as well as developing a teacher workforce plan and publishing a new Deis plan for disadvantaged schools. A new Deis model was rolled out in 2022 following an expansion of the scheme. The Education Plan 2025 also pledges to launch a national survey of all primary school parents, and pre-school parents, to determine preferences for school type. This includes questions on teaching through Irish and multi-denominational patronage, and is intended to inform school planning in the coming years. Ms McEntee said she was "eager" to advance the development of the Education Therapy Service. "This will be transformative for not just children receiving therapies in school, but for how it will support the wider school community too. "Ultimately, I believe, this will also ease the strain and stress that parents can feel in accessing therapy support." Read More Over 250 children may have no school place, but minister refuses to confirm numbers
