Early Edition Podcast: Dublin hospital allegations and no smoking gun in Fianna Fáil review

Plus: no smoking gun in Fianna Fáil's Jim Gavin report, and top chefs reveal their Christmas dinner shortcuts

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A whistleblower alleged patient mistreatment at Bloomfield Hospital in south Dublin. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien
A whistleblower alleged patient mistreatment at Bloomfield Hospital in south Dublin. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien

The Irish Times has learned of a report on a number of allegations of patients being mistreated at Bloomfield Hospital in south Dublin. Health correspondent Shauna Bowers says they include patients being slapped, left in soiled clothing and threatened with an injection for not co-operating with staff.

The highly anticipated review into Fianna Fáil’s calamitous presidential election campaign has been revealed. There is no smoking gun in relation to what the Taoiseach and other senior party figures knew about Jim Gavin’s rent dispute with a former tenant, but political editor Pat Leahy says it does clarify how the campaign unravelled.

A London company has been hired to provide counter-terrorism simulations for gardaí ahead of Ireland’s holding of the EU presidency next year. Crime and security correspondent Conor Gallagher says gardaí will “war game” a number of scenarios, including a large-scale terrorist attack.

With just over a week until panic sets in over Christmas dinner preparations, you might be relieved to hear that even professional chefs take shortcuts in the kitchen on December 25th. Here are the shop-bought suggestions that will work for everybody.

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