The plan is described as involving “high-powered people, at the very highest level in the world”.
Mr Brolly, a personal friend of US President Joe Biden, is acting as a conduit for a number of individuals with interests in the pharmaceutical industry in Ireland.
The Derry barrister met with Taoiseach Micheál Martin about his proposal. Senior executives in the IDA were also called in to follow up.
The plan would involve a specific pharmaceutical plant in the south of the country manufacturing vaccines next year for a multinational which has developed a jab.
However, the plan has hit a wall due to a lack of interest from vaccine developers in sub-contracting to other producers.
Most of them have been along the lines of ‘your friend Joe won’t be happy’.
I beg to differ. Of course, Joe was probably annoyed at being cut-off in mid-sentence. But when he woke up the next day and discovered everybody was talking about him, I imagine he wasn’t displeased.
A programme about the reunification of Ireland turned into a story about Joe Brolly.
All told, it wasn’t either RTE’s or Claire Byrne’s finest hour. Granted, I know how draconian the Irish defamatory laws are, but RTE ought to have known what to expect from Brolly.
Frank Mitchell
5. An electronic pop duo from Northern Ireland have muscled their way to two BRIT Award nominations. What do the two Belfast DJs call themselves?
6. An audience of 3,500 will be allowed to attend the Euro-vision Song Contest in May but which country is hosting this year’s extravaganza?
7. Which US pop star admitted that she “cried for weeks through embarrassment” after watching a documentary about her career?
8. It hasn’t been a great year for cinema, but The Oscars will go ahead. Which film received the most nominations (10) across the categories for the 2021 awards?
9. The school featured in Lisa McGee’s hit TV comedy Derry Girls is based on which real life school in her native Derry?
Inter-county competition could commence on the weekend of May 15/16 after the Government sanctioned a return to training and games from April 19 as part of its updated loosening of current Covid restrictions this evening.
Taoiseach Micheal Martin announced the return of inter-county training on that date, specifying that it would facilitate the playing of the Allianz League in May.
No firm decision on the competition structure for the season has been taken yet by the GAA though, with a new, much-shortened timeframe involved.
But with challenge games allowed from April 19 and a four-week pre-season expected, a five-round league still has a chance of being played between the middle of May and the middle of June.
INTERVIEW: Brolly language insults working class Protestants: Keith Buchanan MLA
The Mid Ulster MLA said attacking sections of the community reflects well on nobody.
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Liam Tunney speaks to Mid Ulster MLA Keith Buchanan about the Dungiven man s recent decent Northern Protestant comments, the culture shock of entering full time politics and the importance of transport infrastructure West of the Bann.
Below is an excerpt from the full interview, available in podcast form here.
Liam Tunney: Why did you get into politics in the first place?
Keith Buchanan: I always did community work around the Pomeroy and Cookstown area and I ve been at it maybe 17 years now, working with community groups, support groups and youth groups.