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Fergal Bowers

@fergalbowers.bsky.social

Health Correspondent RTÉ News. Journalist for 45 years. NUJ member. Author. Views my own.

3,028 Followers  |  442 Following  |  498 Posts  |  Joined: 16.11.2024
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Posts by Fergal Bowers (@fergalbowers.bsky.social)

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NCPE told to remove rare drug assessment from website An assessment of a drug for a rare muscular condition was removed from the website of the National Centre for Pharmacoeconomics, at the request of the Department of Health.

www.rte.ie/news/health/...

04.03.2026 09:05 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Family settles legal case over woman's Covid-19 death The family of a 61-year-old woman who died from Covid-19 after repeated transfers between a hospital and a step-down facility has settled a High Court action over her death.

www.rte.ie/news/courts/...

03.03.2026 19:33 — 👍 2    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 1
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Call for statutory inquiry into Covid nursing home deaths Families of some of those affected by Covid-19 have gathered to mark the sixth anniversary of the pandemic.

www.rte.ie/news/2026/03...

03.03.2026 13:48 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Novo Nordisk to invest €430m in Athlone for Wegovy pill Pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk has announced a €430m expansion of its manufacturing operation in Athlone which will see it produce the tablet form of its weight loss drug Wegovy.

www.rte.ie/news/busines...

02.03.2026 12:04 — 👍 3    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
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Govt appoints facilitators for spinal care, Shine probes The Government has appointed facilitators to begin work aimed at establishing two public statutory inquiries, into scoliosis and spina bifida care at Children's Health Ireland, and into the sexual abu...

www.rte.ie/news/2026/02...

28.02.2026 14:45 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Patients, staff need clarity on Rotunda Hospital's future Amid confusion over whether the Rotunda Hospital might move to the Connolly Hospital campus in Blanchardstown or carry out development work at the current site, clarity is needed for expectant mothers...

www.rte.ie/news/analysi...

28.02.2026 07:18 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Rían, Lily most popular baby names in Ireland last year Rían was the most popular name for boys, while Lily was the most popular girls' name last year, according to statistics from the CSO.

www.rte.ie/news/2026/02...

27.02.2026 14:37 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Irish Life Health and Level Health announce price hikes Two health insurance companies, Irish Life Health and Level Health, have announced price increases for their customers from April.

www.rte.ie/news/busines...

27.02.2026 14:12 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Concerns over autonomy of Confidential Recipient Office The Confidential Recipient Office - which examines concerns about HSE-run services - should remain independent, according to Safeguarding Ireland.

www.rte.ie/news/politic...

26.02.2026 19:29 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Murphy, McGuinness get go-ahead for Kerry cinema A major redevelopment of an old cinema purchased by artist Yvonne McGuinness and her husband, Oscar-winning actor Cillian Murphy, has been granted planning permission by Kerry County Council.

www.rte.ie/news/2026/02...

26.02.2026 18:09 — 👍 3    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
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Govt orders HSE reports from RTÉ Investigates series The Government has ordered reports from the HSE on each of the individual case studies featured in the recent RTÉ Investigates' series on psychiatric care.

www.rte.ie/news/2026/02...

26.02.2026 18:08 — 👍 0    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
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RTÉ gets €3m from sale of 50% stake in GAAGO RTÉ said today it has received payment from the GAA for its 50% share of streaming service GAAGO.

www.rte.ie/news/busines...

26.02.2026 15:28 — 👍 0    🔁 2    💬 1    📌 0
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No timeframe for moving Rotunda to Connolly, dept says The Department of Health has said there is no timeframe for the Government policy of 2015 to move the Rotunda Hospital to Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown.

www.rte.ie/news/health/...

25.02.2026 11:03 — 👍 2    🔁 2    💬 0    📌 1
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Further €97m to complete children's hospital in HSE plan The Health Service Executives capital plan for 2026 has been published setting out how around €1.3 billion in funding for health infrastructure, equipment and furnishing will be spent this year.

www.rte.ie/news/health/...

24.02.2026 22:45 — 👍 0    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 1
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Jobs of 80 paramedics uncertain after HSE changes The Irish Society of Paramedicine has said that 80 newly qualified paramedics face an uncertain future, having been told by the HSE that they must reapply to retain their jobs.

www.rte.ie/news/2026/02...

24.02.2026 18:09 — 👍 0    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
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Greenland doesn't need US hospital ship - Danish minister Greenland does not need medical assistance from other countries, Denmark's defence minister said, after US President Donald Trump claimed he was sending a hospital ship to the autonomous Danish territ...

www.rte.ie/news/world/2...

22.02.2026 12:29 — 👍 4    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
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Laya ups price of 65 of its policies by average of 4.7% Laya Healthcare is increasing the prices of 65 of its health insurance policies by an average of 4.7%, which it said is the equivalent of around €80 per adult annually.

www.rte.ie/news/busines...

20.02.2026 15:48 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Call to widen disabled parking scheme to autistic people Groups representing autistic people are calling to be included in the disabled parking scheme, and for it to be extended to people with "invisible disabilities".

www.rte.ie/news/ireland...

20.02.2026 12:47 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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HSE chief 'unequivocally' apologises after CAMHS review The Chief Executive of the HSE, Bernard Gloster, has "unequivocally" apologised after reviews into Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) in north and south Kerry identified risks of pote...

www.rte.ie/news/health/...

19.02.2026 15:54 — 👍 3    🔁 1    💬 0    📌 0
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No consultant child psychiatrist full-time in Kerry - HSE A senior HSE representative has said that despite the recommendation to have a minimum of four full-time child psychiatrists working in Co Kerry, there are currently none.

www.rte.ie/news/health/...

19.02.2026 10:03 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Vulnerable children let down by North Kerry CAMHS One singular fact emerges from the 85-page report on the Child & Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) in North Kerry, and it is that vulnerable children have been let down by this most sensitive p...

www.rte.ie/news/2026/02...

18.02.2026 15:19 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Potential risk in 209 cases in North Kerry CAMHS review An independent report into North Kerry Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services has found a risk for potential harm in 209 cases.

www.rte.ie/news/ireland...

18.02.2026 12:38 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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'Very strong reason' needed for Rotunda to move from site The Minister for Health has said that she would need "a very strong reason to deviate" from the Rotunda Hospital remaining at its current site on Parnell Square in Dublin.

www.rte.ie/news/health/...

17.02.2026 10:59 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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525 scoliosis surgeries cancelled by CHI in last 4 years New figures reveal that 525 scoliosis surgeries on children have been cancelled by Children's Health Ireland hospitals over the last four years.

www.rte.ie/news/2026/02...

17.02.2026 06:59 — 👍 0    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Rain recorded every day this year at Valentia Observatory It has rained every day so far in 2026 at the Valentia Observatory in Co Kerry, a continuous run of 46 days.

www.rte.ie/news/ireland...

16.02.2026 19:45 — 👍 5    🔁 4    💬 0    📌 0
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Planning permission for new €100m Rotunda unit overturned A decision to approve the proposed development of a new €100 million four-storey critical care wing at the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin, has been overturned by An Coimisiún Pleanála.

www.rte.ie/news/health/...

13.02.2026 12:02 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0
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Norovirus cases up over 50% in a week, says HSE The HSE has urged the public to be aware of the signs and symptoms of norovirus as figures showed a sharp rise in cases.

www.rte.ie/news/ireland...

12.02.2026 19:31 — 👍 0    🔁 1    💬 1    📌 0
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RTÉ Radio 1 hits four 400k shows as new line-up lands RTÉ has reported fresh growth for RTÉ Radio 1, an all-time-high share for RTÉ lyric fm, and dips for RTÉ 2FM in the latest Joint National Listenership Research figures.

www.rte.ie/entertainmen...

12.02.2026 12:22 — 👍 0    🔁 2    💬 0    📌 0
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GP felt 'corralled' into challenging guidelines on X A GP accused of professional misconduct over his criticism of Covid-19 vaccines and other pandemic measures has told a medical inquiry that he believed he could adhere to public health guidelines in h...

www.rte.ie/news/ireland...

11.02.2026 22:24 — 👍 1    🔁 0    💬 1    📌 1
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Review of paediatric consultant's surgeries widened The HSE is to carry out a wider look-back at the practice of an individual consultant at the centre of a review into paediatric orthopaedic procedures carried out by them at CHI Temple Street in Dubli...

www.rte.ie/news/health/...

11.02.2026 12:45 — 👍 2    🔁 0    💬 0    📌 0