theirishtimes--2020-04-27--Call for movement restrictions to apply to day-trippers from North

Border TDs have called for the legislation imposing restrictions on movement to be amended to ensure they apply to everyone including day visitors from outside the State .
The Department of Health has acknowledged that the regulation restricting movement does not apply to day trippers .
But in a statement .
the department said Northern Ireland residents were bound by the same 2km restriction on movement in the North , as those in the Republic , which would mean that only those living less than 2km from the Border should be allowed to cross .
The regulations , due to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being kept under review ” .
Concerns have been raised following the revelation that Co Cavan has the highest incidence of Covid-19 in the Republic , higher than Dublin , while the number of cases in other Border counties is rising fast .
The latest Health Service Executive epidemiological report shows Cavan has a case incidence of 753.5 per 100,000 of population compared to Dublin ’ s 684.6 , while the figure for Monaghan is 570.2 , and neighbouring Co Louth has an incidence of 463.2 .
Gardaí say they do not have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from the North or anyone else outside the State because the legislation passed by the Oireachtas applies to residents in the Republic and only applies to visitors if they stay overnight in a holiday home or other accommodation .
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said on Monday night that gardaí have not seen behaviour to give them cause for “ particular concern ” about people crossing the Border contrary to restrictions on movement .
Speaking on RTE ’ s Crimecall programme he added : “ If they have travelled to us as day trippers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely that they have breached the regulations as they are in Northern Ireland and the PSNI are out there as well.
” Mr Harris said An Garda Siochana was in contact with the PSNI on a daily basis about managing the Border area and he talked to his counterpart very regularly .
He stressed that “ in general people have been very compliant .
We find breaches of the regulations where we have to engage in enforcement are very rare ” .
Independent Louth TD Peter Fitzpatrick said Tánaiste Simon Coveney had told @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discussing the issue of cross-Border movement and restrictions with the Northern Ireland Assembly and would update Deputies .
The Tánaiste ’ s office has been contacted for comment .
Mr Fitzpatrick , Fianna Fáil Cavan-Monaghan TD Brendan Smith and Louth Sinn Féin TD Ruairí Ó Marche have all called for the legislation to be changed to ensure the same rule applies to everyone .
Mr Smith said he had written to the Minister for Health seeking an amendment which he understood could be done by regulatory change rather than requiring legislative change .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1947 Health Act ( Affected Areas ) Order when the Dáil and Seanad passed the 2020 Health Preservation and Protection and Other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act and the Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act Covid-19 Act .
Mr Ó Marche said his Donegal colleagues Pearse Doherty and Pádraig Mac Lochlainn had already raised concerns about the need to amend the legislation and he said the same rules must apply to everyone .
The “ Border effect ” on case numbers is evident from a map from the HSE ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the eight counties with the highest incidence clustered in the northeast of the Republic .
Latest figures from the North ’ s Department of Health showed 10 more people had died in Northern Ireland from the coronavirus , bringing the total number of Covid-19 fatalities in Northern Ireland to 309 The department also reported that 66 more people had tested positive for coronavirus in Northern Ireland .
The total number of people confirmed with coronavirus now stands at 3,374 .
Most of these deaths occurred in Northern Ireland hospitals .
These figures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ died in care homes in the North .
On Friday , the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency reported that up to April 17th an estimated 96 people died in care homes and hospices in the North , which adds about a third to the department ’ s hospital list .
Allowances must be taken into account for discrepancies in the data but , based on these figures , it seems that the coronavirus death rates North and South are roughly similar .
Taking the 309 hospital deaths figure and adding it to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gives a total of 405 Northern Ireland deaths .
This gives a Covid-19 death rate of 21 per 100,000 of population in Northern Ireland which has a population of close to 1.9 million .
In the Republic the coronavirus death toll on Monday evening was 1,102 .
Based on the Republic ’ s population of 4.9 million that gives a death rate of a comparable 22 per 100,000 of population .
In the Republic , those compiling the figures argue that they are relatively up to date and include most care home fatality @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death rates on both sides of the Border , a truer comparison can ’ t be established until all or most of the data is collated .
And as pressure grew in some quarters for easing of the Covid-19 restrictions , First Minister Arlene Foster and Deputy First Minister Michelle O ’ Neill insisted now was not the time “ to gamble with people ’ s lives ” .
“ Now is not the time for impatience to get the better of us , ” she said .
Ms O ’ Neill expressed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who seem to have decided for themselves that it ’ s time to relax the restrictions that are in place to save lives .
“ That kind of attitude is wrong , it is reckless and it is endangering lives .
”

Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill: This is not the time “to gamble with people’s lives”. Photograph: Kelvin Boyes/Press Eye/PA
Border TDs have called for the legislation imposing restrictions on movement to be amended to ensure they apply to everyone including day visitors from outside the State.
The Department of Health has acknowledged that the regulation restricting movement does not apply to day trippers.
But in a statement. the department said Northern Ireland residents were bound by the same 2km restriction on movement in the North, as those in the Republic, which would mean that only those living less than 2km from the Border should be allowed to cross.
The regulations, due to expire on May 5th, are “being kept under review”.
READ MORE
Concerns have been raised following the revelation that Co Cavan has the highest incidence of Covid-19 in the Republic, higher than Dublin, while the number of cases in other Border counties is rising fast.
The latest Health Service Executive epidemiological report shows Cavan has a case incidence of 753.5 per 100,000 of population compared to Dublin’s 684.6, while the figure for Monaghan is 570.2, and neighbouring Co Louth has an incidence of 463.2.
Gardaí say they do not have powers to enforce restrictions on day trippers from the North or anyone else outside the State because the legislation passed by the Oireachtas applies to residents in the Republic and only applies to visitors if they stay overnight in a holiday home or other accommodation.
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris said on Monday night that gardaí have not seen behaviour to give them cause for “particular concern” about people crossing the Border contrary to restrictions on movement.
Speaking on RTE’s Crimecall programme he added: “If they have travelled to us as day trippers out of Northern Ireland it’s likely that they have breached the regulations as they are in Northern Ireland and the PSNI are out there as well.”
Mr Harris said An Garda Siochana was in contact with the PSNI on a daily basis about managing the Border area and he talked to his counterpart very regularly.
He stressed that “in general people have been very compliant. We find breaches of the regulations where we have to engage in enforcement are very rare”.
Cross-Border travel
Independent Louth TD Peter Fitzpatrick said Tánaiste Simon Coveney had told TDs last week that he would be discussing the issue of cross-Border movement and restrictions with the Northern Ireland Assembly and would update Deputies. The Tánaiste’s office has been contacted for comment.
Mr Fitzpatrick, Fianna Fáil Cavan-Monaghan TD Brendan Smith and Louth Sinn Féin TD Ruairí Ó Marche have all called for the legislation to be changed to ensure the same rule applies to everyone.
Mr Smith said he had written to the Minister for Health seeking an amendment which he understood could be done by regulatory change rather than requiring legislative change.
The regulations were brought in under the 1947 Health Act (Affected Areas) Order when the Dáil and Seanad passed the 2020 Health Preservation and Protection and Other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act and the Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act Covid-19 Act.
Mr Ó Marche said his Donegal colleagues Pearse Doherty and Pádraig Mac Lochlainn had already raised concerns about the need to amend the legislation and he said the same rules must apply to everyone.
The “Border effect” on case numbers is evident from a map from the HSE’s Health Protection Surveillance Centre showing seven of the eight counties with the highest incidence clustered in the northeast of the Republic.
Latest figures from the North’s Department of Health showed 10 more people had died in Northern Ireland from the coronavirus, bringing the total number of Covid-19 fatalities in Northern Ireland to 309
The department also reported that 66 more people had tested positive for coronavirus in Northern Ireland. The total number of people confirmed with coronavirus now stands at 3,374.
Data discrepancies
Most of these deaths occurred in Northern Ireland hospitals. These figures do not take into account those who died in care homes in the North.
On Friday, the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency reported that up to April 17th an estimated 96 people died in care homes and hospices in the North, which adds about a third to the department’s hospital list.
Allowances must be taken into account for discrepancies in the data but, based on these figures, it seems that the coronavirus death rates North and South are roughly similar.
Taking the 309 hospital deaths figure and adding it to the 96 care home and hospice deaths gives a total of 405 Northern Ireland deaths.
This gives a Covid-19 death rate of 21 per 100,000 of population in Northern Ireland which has a population of close to 1.9 million.
In the Republic the coronavirus death toll on Monday evening was 1,102. Based on the Republic’s population of 4.9 million that gives a death rate of a comparable 22 per 100,000 of population.
In the Republic, those compiling the figures argue that they are relatively up to date and include most care home fatality figures.
While this indicates broadly parallel death rates on both sides of the Border, a truer comparison can’t be established until all or most of the data is collated.
And as pressure grew in some quarters for easing of the Covid-19 restrictions, First Minister Arlene Foster and Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill insisted now was not the time “to gamble with people’s lives”.
“Now is not the time for impatience to get the better of us,” she said.
Ms O’Neill expressed disappointment to hear reports of “some people who seem to have decided for themselves that it’s time to relax the restrictions that are in place to save lives.
“That kind of attitude is wrong, it is reckless and it is endangering lives.”


theirishtimes--2020-04-28--Application for leave to challenge Covid-19 laws to be heard next week

An application by John Waters and Gemma O ’ Doherty for permission to bring a challenge against laws introduced due to the Covid-19 pandemic will be heard before a High Court judge next week .
In judicial review proceedings against the State and the Minister for Health they seek to have various pieces of recently enacted legislation quashed .
The action was mentioned before the High Court on Tuesday , amid tight security around the Four Courts Ccomplex .
Mr Justice Charles Meenan fixed the hearing of the application for permission to bring the challenge for May 5th .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ permission to bring the challenge should be heard on notice to the State respondents .
The State , represented by Patrick McCann SC , said it is opposing the application for leave , and the claims were not arguable .
Counsel said the action has been given “ due priority ” particularly by the Department of Health in what are challenging times caused by the Covid-19 pandemic .
The State hopes to give the applicants its sworn statement opposing leave be by this Friday or Monday at the latest .
Counsel said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the court ’ s attention tocomments made by the applicants in the Four Courts last week .
Francis Kieran BL , for the the Dáil , Seanad and the Ceann Comhairle , which have been added as notice parties because part of the challenge concerns how the laws were enacted , said his clients also opposed leave being granted .
While the case had been fixed for next Tuesday , the judge suggested it might be put back for a few days to allow the applicants consider the notice parties and State ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ submissions on the case if they so choose .
In reply , Mr Waters said their preference was that the case go ahead as planned next Tuesday .
Mr Waters said the case was “ one of the most important in our history ” , and repeated concerns he had previously expressed about any attempt to delay the hearing of the action .
If there was any delay by the other parties , the case could go back to Wednesday of next week , he added .
During the hearing , Ms O @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ claims are arguable , and the court should have already granted the applicants leave .
Inviting the court to grant permission , she said the people of Ireland are under “ mass house arrest , ” and gardaí were “ using guns ” to frighten people .
Mr Justice Meenan declined to grant leave at this stage , stating it was up to the applicants to prove to the court next week the threshold for granting permission has been crossed .
The legislation challenged includes the 2020 Health Preservation and Protection and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Act , the 2020 Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act Covid-19 Act , The 1947 Health Act ( Affected Areas ) Order .
Their proceedings are also aimed at striking down temporary restriction regulations brought due to Covid-19 under the 1947 Health Act .
During the hearings , the applicants repeated claims made at a previous hearing about public access to the courts , and complained only a limited number of people were allowed into court due to Covid-19 restrictions .
This , it was claimed , was in breach of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public .
Mr Waters added that the fact the media were present in the courtroom was not sufficient .
He said the media was “ essentially corrupt ” and that reporting about previous hearings lacked coverage of the real issues and were wrongly disparaging of himself and Ms O ’ Doherty .
Mr Justice Meenan said he was satisfied the matter was being held in public , and in accordance with Article 34 of the Constitution .
While restrictions were in place , members of the media were in court and could report @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The judge said a digital audio recording of the hearing would be made available to Ms O ’ Doherty and Mr Waters .
If they had any issues about the reporting , they could take it up with the media , he said .

Gardaí have taken measures to minimise attendance of supporters at a hearing of the High Court challenge by John Waters and Gemma O’Doherty aimed at striking down laws introduced by the State arising out of Covid-19. Video: Bryan O'Brien
An application by John Waters and Gemma O'Doherty for permission to bring a challenge against laws introduced due to the Covid-19 pandemic will be heard before a High Court judge next week.
In judicial review proceedings against the State and the Minister for Health they seek to have various pieces of recently enacted legislation quashed.
The action was mentioned before the High Court on Tuesday, amid tight security around the Four Courts Complex.
Mr Justice Charles Meenan fixed the hearing of the application for permission to bring the challenge for May 5th. The court had previously directed the application for permission to bring the challenge should be heard on notice to the State respondents.
READ MORE
The State, represented by Patrick McCann SC, said it is opposing the application for leave, and the claims were not arguable.
Counsel said the action has been given "due priority" particularly by the Department of Health in what are challenging times caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The State hopes to give the applicants its sworn statement opposing leave by this Friday or Monday at the latest.
Counsel said the Attorney General also wanted to bring to the court’s attention to comments made by the applicants in the Four Courts last week.
Francis Kieran BL, for the the Dáil, Seanad and the Ceann Comhairle, which have been added as notice parties because part of the challenge concerns how the laws were enacted, said his clients also opposed leave being granted.
While the case had been fixed for next Tuesday, the judge suggested it might be put back for a few days to allow the applicants consider the notice parties and State’s replies to make any additional written submissions on the case if they so choose.
In reply, Mr Waters said their preference was that the case go ahead as planned next Tuesday.
Mr Waters said the case was “one of the most important in our history”, and repeated concerns he had previously expressed about any attempt to delay the hearing of the action. If there was any delay by the other parties, the case could go back to Wednesday of next week, he added.
During the hearing, Ms O’Doherty said she believed the applicants’ claims are arguable, and the court should have already granted the applicants leave.
Inviting the court to grant permission, she said the people of Ireland are under "mass house arrest," and gardaí were "using guns" to frighten people.
Mr Justice Meenan declined to grant leave at this stage, stating it was up to the applicants to prove to the court next week the threshold for granting permission has been crossed.
The legislation challenged includes the 2020 Health Preservation and Protection and Other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act, the 2020 Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act Covid-19 Act, The 1947 Health Act (Affected Areas) Order.
Their proceedings are also aimed at striking down temporary restriction regulations brought due to Covid-19 under the 1947 Health Act.
During the hearings, the applicants repeated claims made at a previous hearing about public access to the courts, and complained only a limited number of people were allowed into court due to Covid-19 restrictions.
This, it was claimed, was in breach of the constitutional requirement that justice be administered in public.
Mr Waters added that the fact the media were present in the courtroom was not sufficient.
He said the media was “essentially corrupt” and that reporting about previous hearings lacked coverage of the real issues and were wrongly disparaging of himself and Ms O’Doherty.
Mr Justice Meenan said he was satisfied the matter was being held in public, and in accordance with Article 34 of the Constitution.
While restrictions were in place, members of the media were in court and could report on the proceedings, he said.
The judge said a digital audio recording of the hearing would be made available to Ms O’Doherty and Mr Waters. If they had any issues about the reporting, they could take it up with the media, he said.


theirishtimes--2020-04-28--Man’s conviction for raping heavily-pregnant partner overturned

A man who was found guilty of raping his heavily-pregnant partner has had his conviction overturned on appeal .
The Central Criminal Court trial had heard that the woman gave birth to the couple ’ s second child three days after the rape .
The Dublin man ( 55 ) , who can not be identified to protect the anonymity of the victim , was found guilty by a Central Criminal Court jury on two counts of rape at his home on December 22nd and December 23rd , 2014 following a three-week trial in April 2017 .
He had already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assault against the same victim .
That 2016 trial heard that the man had videoed these sexual assaults using a torch and his mobile phone .
He had denied all charges throughout two trials .
Jailing him for five years for the sexual assaults , Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy had said : “ Any person who is willing to drug another person for his own sexual needs , is a danger to society.
” Following the rape trial , Mr Justice Paul Butler imposed a concurrent sentence of 10 years imprisonment with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In December last year , the man moved to have his conviction for the rape offences quashed on a number of grounds in the Court of Appeal .
The man ’ s barrister , Michael Bowman SC , had argued that the trial judge erred when he told the jury they could consider the consistency of the complainant ’ s account as being supportive “ or corroborative ” of the prosecution case .
The trial judge should not have said “ or corroborative ” , Mr Bowman submitted , because the jury @ @ @ @ @ @ @ independent evidence .
He conflated consistency of the complainant ’ s account with corroboration , counsel submitted , which was an error in law .
In a written judgement delivered earlier this month , Mr Justice John Edwards said the Court of Appeal would uphold the complaints made by the appellant concerning a misdirection on what was capable of amounting to corroboration and would allow the appeal on that sole ground .
In an order delivered electronically on Tuesday morning , Mr Justice Edwards said the court would quash the rape convictions recorded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ No retrial was directed .

The Dublin man (55), who cannot be identified to protect the anonymity of the victim, was found guilty by a Central Criminal Court jury in 2017 on two counts of rape. File Photograph: Collins Courts.
A man described as a “danger to society” who was found guilty of raping his heavily-pregnant partner has had his conviction overturned on appeal.
The Central Criminal Court trial had heard that the woman gave birth to the couple's second child three days after the rape.
The Dublin man (55), who cannot be identified to protect the anonymity of the victim, was found guilty by a Central Criminal Court jury on two counts of rape at his home on December 22nd and December 23rd, 2014 following a three-week trial in April 2017.
He had already been convicted of three counts of sexual assault against the same victim. This 2016 trial heard that the man had videoed these sexual assaults using a torch and his mobile phone. He had denied all charges throughout the two trials.
READ MORE
Jailing him for five years for the sexual assaults, Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy had said: "Any person who is willing to drug another person for his own sexual needs, is a danger to society."
Following the rape trial, Mr Justice Paul Butler imposed a concurrent sentence of 10 years imprisonment with the final two years and six months suspended.
In December last year, the man moved to have his conviction for the rape offences quashed on a number of grounds before the Court of Appeal.
The man’s barrister, Michael Bowman SC, had argued that the trial judge erred when he told the jury they could consider the consistency of the complainant’s account as being supportive “or corroborative” of the prosecution case.
The trial judge should not have said “or corroborative”, Mr Bowman submitted, because the jury had just been told that corroboration was independent evidence. He conflated consistency of the complainant’s account with corroboration, counsel submitted, which was an error in law.
In a written judgement delivered earlier this month, Mr Justice John Edwards said the question for the court to consider was whether "the consistency of the complainant" could possibly be "supportive or corroborative of the prosecution case", as was suggested by the trial judge.
Mr Justice Edwards said evidence pointing to consistency does not represent evidence additional to that of the complainant and so does not support the prosecution case. He said the court did not believe such evidence is sufficiently independent of the complainant for it to represent possible corroboration in the legal sense.
He said the appeal court was satisfied that the judge’s charge did contain a misdirection in terms of what evidence was capable of supporting or corroborating the prosecution case and that it was reasonably possible the jury could have been misled by this.
Mr Justice Edwards said the court would uphold the complaints made by the appellant concerning a misdirection on what was capable of amounting to corroboration and would allow the appeal on this sole ground.
All further grounds of appeal advanced by the man were rejected, including a point of appeal in relation to adverse publicity ahead of his second trial.
Mr Bowman had told the court the man was convicted of sexual assault in September 2016 and sentenced on February 6th, 2017. A jury disagreement on the two rape counts was retried in March 15th, 2017, six weeks after the man was sentenced for sexual assault, and it was argued there was a failure to postpone the trial over alleged adverse publicity.
On March 20th, an article in the Irish Sun, which had been published three weeks earlier, was submitted to the Central Criminal Court and the judge was asked to discharge the jury on grounds of adverse publicity.
Neither the man, the complainant nor the rape charges were named in the article. It referenced their ages, her pregnancy, and the fact he had filmed himself sexually assaulting her.
Mr Justice Edwards said the court was satisfied that the trial judge dealt appropriately with the issue of adverse pretrial publicity and it was not necessary for him to discharge the jury.
In an order delivered electronically on Tuesday , Mr Justice Edwards said the court would quash the rape convictions recorded on the April 6th, 2017. No retrial was directed.


theirishtimes--2020-04-28--Bail granted for two men accused of assault of QIH director Kevin Lunney

The High Court has granted bail to two men charged with the alleged assault and false imprisonment of Quinn Industrial Holdings ( QIH ) Director Kevin Lunney , despite Garda objections .
Luke O ’ Reilly ( 66 ) , from Mullahoran Lower , Kilcogy , Co Cavan and Darren Redmond ( 25 ) , from Caledon Road , East Wall , Dublin 3 are charged with false imprisonment and assault causing serious harm to Mr Lunney at Drumbrade , Ballinagh , Co Cavan on September 17th , 2019 .
The two men were served with books of evidence at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last and it is expected that their trial could potentially begin in January 2021 .
Mr Lunney ( 50 ) , a father of six , was abducted close to his home in Co Fermanagh on the evening of September 17th as part of the ongoing campaign of violence and threats against executives at QIH .
The businessman ’ s leg was broken , he was doused in bleach and the letters QIH were carved into his chest during a two-and-a-half hour ordeal before he was dumped on a roadside in Co Cavan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Redmond appeared on Tuesday morning via video-link from Portlaoise Prison for the hearing and could each be seen wearing a face mask .
Ruling on the application , Mr Justice Paul Burns said the abduction and assault of Mr Lunney constituted vicious , cruel and abhorrent criminal behaviour .
“ There is no doubt that the charges arising out of same must be viewed as extremely serious , ” he said .
The judge said that taking all the evidence and submissions together , the prosecution had fallen just short of meeting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ granted bail for both men but stressed that it was subject to stringent conditions .
He explained that this was a second application by the men for bail in the High Court based on a change in their circumstances .
A charge of assault causing harm had been substituted by assault causing serious harm , he said , and they had both been recently returned for trial to the Special Criminal Court .
Mr O ’ Reilly and Mr Redmond were refused bail at Virginia District Court last year and sought to have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the High Court in Cloverhill on December 19th .
However , Mr Justice Robert Eagar refused to grant bail .
The State had objected to bail on two grounds , arguing that if granted bail the accused men would interfere with the administration of justice and that they were also “ flight risks ” .
Aoife O ’ Leary BL , for the Director of Public Prosecutions ( DPP ) , said there was a strong circumstantial case to be made against both men and there were no conditions upon which bail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ These offences were intimidatory in nature and there is very strong evidence connecting these individuals to these offences , ” she added .
In reply , Michael Bowman SC for Mr Redmond and Mark Mulholland QC for Mr O ’ Reilly said that there was no evidential basis to justify their clients being refused bail .
Mr Justice Burns went on to read the bail conditions to the court , which heard that Mr O ’ Reilly must enter his own bond of €75,000 with a cash deposit of €10,000 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ value of his interest in real property owned by him .
The judge said he also required two independent sureties in the sum of €10,000 each .
He also confirmed that Mr O ’ Reilly must surrender his passport and not apply for any duplicate passport or travel documents .
He must also reside at an alternative address in Co Westmeath , sign on at Athlone Garda station twice daily , obey a daily curfew of 8am to 8pm , provide a mobile phone number to gardaí and keep it charged at all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ radius of Mr Lunney ’ s home or place of business .
Furthermore , he must not have any contact with Mr Lunney or any prosecution witnesses in the case and not leave the jurisdiction or travel to Northern Ireland .
The judge also granted bail to Mr Redmond on his own bond of €3,000 and two independent sureties of €10,000 each .
The conditions of his release are the same as Mr O ’ Reilly ’ s except that he must reside at his address in East Wall in Dublin 3 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ twice daily .
The condition regarding the dissipation of assets does not apply to Mr Redmond .
In addition , Mr Justice Burns emphasised that there was to be no contact between any of the accused men and if for some reason that it was necessary for them to be in contact with each other then they must contact gardaí .
Two other men are facing trial alongside Mr O ’ Reilly and Mr Redmond .
Alan O ’ Brien ( 39 ) , of Shelmalier Road , East Wall , Dublin 3 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be named for legal reasons are both also charged with false imprisonment and assault causing serious harm to Mr Lunney on the same occasion .
Mr O ’ Reilly and Mr Redmond were granted bail until their trial , which is expected to last between eight and 12 weeks .

Luke O’Reilly (66), from Mullahoran Lower, Kilcogy, Co Cavan and Darren Redmond (25), from Caledon Road, East Wall, Dublin 3 are charged with false imprisonment and assault causing serious harm to Kevin Lunney (above) at Drumbrade, Ballinagh, Co Cavan on September 17th, 2019. Photograph: BBC Spotlight
The High Court has granted bail to two men charged with the alleged assault and false imprisonment of Quinn Industrial Holdings (QIH) Director Kevin Lunney, despite Garda objections.
Luke O’Reilly (66), from Mullahoran Lower, Kilcogy, Co Cavan and Darren Redmond (25), from Caledon Road, East Wall, Dublin 3 are charged with false imprisonment and assault causing serious harm to Mr Lunney at Drumbrade, Ballinagh, Co Cavan on September 17th, 2019.
The two men were served with books of evidence at the Special Criminal Court on March 26 last and it is expected that their trial could potentially begin in January 2021.
Mr Lunney (50), a father of six, was abducted close to his home in Co Fermanagh on the evening of September 17th as part of the ongoing campaign of violence and threats against executives at QIH.
READ MORE
The businessman’s leg was broken, he was doused in bleach and the letters QIH were carved into his chest during a two-and-a-half hour ordeal before he was dumped on a roadside in Co Cavan.
Mr O’Reilly and Mr Redmond appeared on Tuesday morning via video-link from Portlaoise Prison for the hearing and could each be seen wearing a face mask.
Ruling on the application, Mr Justice Paul Burns said the abduction and assault of Mr Lunney constituted vicious, cruel and abhorrent criminal behaviour. “There is no doubt that the charges arising out of same must be viewed as extremely serious,” he said.
The judge said that taking all the evidence and submissions together, the prosecution had fallen just short of meeting the standard of proof required.
The judge granted bail for both men but stressed that it was subject to stringent conditions.
He explained that this was a second application by the men for bail in the High Court based on a change in their circumstances. A charge of assault causing harm had been substituted by assault causing serious harm, he said, and they had both been recently returned for trial to the Special Criminal Court.
‘Flight risks’
Mr O’Reilly and Mr Redmond were refused bail at Virginia District Court last year and sought to have that decision overturned by bringing an application to the High Court in Cloverhill on December 19th. However, Mr Justice Robert Eagar refused to grant bail.
The State had objected to bail on two grounds, arguing that if granted bail the accused men would interfere with the administration of justice and that they were also “flight risks”.
Aoife O’Leary BL, for the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), said there was a strong circumstantial case to be made against both men and there were no conditions upon which bail could be granted that would allay concerns. “These offences were intimidatory in nature and there is very strong evidence connecting these individuals to these offences,” she added.
In reply, Michael Bowman SC for Mr Redmond and Mark Mulholland QC for Mr O’Reilly said that there was no evidential basis to justify their clients being refused bail.
Mr Justice Burns went on to read the bail conditions to the court, which heard that Mr O’Reilly must enter his own bond of €75,000 with a cash deposit of €10,000 and not attempt to dissipate or lessen the value of his interest in real property owned by him. The judge said he also required two independent sureties in the sum of €10,000 each.
He also confirmed that Mr O’Reilly must surrender his passport and not apply for any duplicate passport or travel documents. He must also reside at an alternative address in Co Westmeath, sign on at Athlone Garda station twice daily, obey a daily curfew of 8am to 8pm, provide a mobile phone number to gardaí and keep it charged at all times and not come within a 10km radius of Mr Lunney’s home or place of business. Furthermore, he must not have any contact with Mr Lunney or any prosecution witnesses in the case and not leave the jurisdiction or travel to Northern Ireland.
The judge also granted bail to Mr Redmond on his own bond of €3,000 and two independent sureties of €10,000 each. The conditions of his release are the same as Mr O’Reilly’s except that he must reside at his address in East Wall in Dublin 3 and sign on at Store Street Garda station twice daily. The condition regarding the dissipation of assets does not apply to Mr Redmond.
In addition, Mr Justice Burns emphasised that there was to be no contact between any of the accused men and if for some reason that it was necessary for them to be in contact with each other then they must contact gardaí.
Two other men are facing trial alongside Mr O’Reilly and Mr Redmond. Alan O’Brien (39), of Shelmalier Road, East Wall, Dublin 3 and a fourth man who cannot be named for legal reasons are both also charged with false imprisonment and assault causing serious harm to Mr Lunney on the same occasion.
Mr O’Reilly and Mr Redmond were granted bail until their trial, which is expected to last between eight and 12 weeks.


theirishtimes--2020-04-28--Gangland figure held over assumed murder of couple five years ago

Gardaí investigating the involvement of a large organised crime gang in the disappearance and assumed murder of a couple five years ago have arrested a man .
The suspect , an Englishman in his 50s , was arrested in Co Meath under Section 50 Criminal Justice Act and was being held at Ashbourne Garda station .
The legislation he was arrested under is used for the detention of suspected gang members and allows for their detention for up to seven days without charge .
The investigation is being carried out by gardaí attached to the Detective Unit at Ashbourne station @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Serious Crime Review Team , or cold case squad , within the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation , the Garda ’ s serious crimes squad .
One of the crimes the man is being questioned about is the abduction and assumed murder of a couple last seen in Co Meath just over five years ago .
Willie Maughan ( 35 ) and Latvian national Anastasija ( Anna ) Varslavane ( 21 ) were last seen in Gormanstown , Co Meath , on April 14th , 2015 .
Gardaí believe they were abducted by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Louth and whose leader has since become a central player in the worsening Drogheda gangland feud that has so far claimed at least three lives .
The gang leader believed to be behind the abduction and assumed murders of Mr Maughan and Ms Varslavane was also suspected of the gun murder of Benny Whitehouse ( 35 ) in Balbriggan in 2014 .
Whitehouse was a drug dealer who was shot dead as he returned to his car after bringing his daughter into national school .
Gardaí believe Mr Maughan and Ms Varslavane were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feared the couple was intent on supplying information to the Garda Síochána about the Whitehouse murder .
As well as the disappearance , assumed murders , of the missing couple , the Garda team that arrested the suspect on Tuesday morning in Co Meath is also investigating the discover of a cache of firearms and ammunition in Gormanstown in April , 2019 , and again in January of this year .
On January 15th last gardaí working under Operation Stratus , which is targeting the gangs involved in the Drogheda feud , found @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a ditch in Gormanston .
That operation was carried out by gardaí in Laytown and the Eastern Region Armed Support Unit .
In April , 2019 , gardaí searched farmland in Gormanston and seized about 300 rounds of ammunition .
No arrests were made at the time of the seizure in January or the seizure last April .
However , both incidents remain under investigation and the man arrested in Meath on Tuesday was being questioned about both .

Willie Maughan (35) and his girlfriend Anastasija (Anna) Varslavane (21) have been missing since April 2015.
Gardaí investigating the involvement of a large organised crime gang in the disappearance and assumed murder of a couple five years ago have arrested a man.
The suspect, an Englishman in his 50s, was arrested in Co Meath under Section 50 Criminal Justice Act and was being held at Ashbourne Garda station. The legislation he was arrested under is used for the detention of suspected gang members and allows for their detention for up to seven days without charge.
The investigation is being carried out by gardaí attached to the Detective Unit at Ashbourne station as well as the Garda’s Serious Crime Review Team, or cold case squad, within the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, the Garda’s serious crimes squad.
One of the crimes the man is being questioned about is the abduction and assumed murder of a couple last seen in Co Meath just over five years ago.
READ MORE
Willie Maughan (35) and Latvian national Anastasija (Anna) Varslavane (21) were last seen in Gormanstown, Co Meath, on April 14th, 2015.
Gardaí believe they were abducted by a criminal gang operating in Meath and Louth and whose leader has since become a central player in the worsening Drogheda gangland feud that has so far claimed at least three lives.
The gang leader believed to be behind the abduction and assumed murders of Mr Maughan and Ms Varslavane was also suspected of the gun murder of Benny Whitehouse (35) in Balbriggan in 2014.
Whitehouse was a drug dealer who was shot dead as he returned to his car after bringing his daughter into national school.
Gardaí believe Mr Maughan and Ms Varslavane were killed because the men who killed Whitehouse feared the couple was intent on supplying information to the Garda Síochána about the Whitehouse murder.
As well as the disappearance, assumed murders, of the missing couple, the Garda team that arrested the suspect on Tuesday morning in Co Meath is also investigating the discover of a cache of firearms and ammunition in Gormanstown in April, 2019, and again in January of this year.
On January 15th last gardaí working under Operation Stratus, which is targeting the gangs involved in the Drogheda feud, found a suspected firearm and ammunition hidden in a ditch in Gormanston. That operation was carried out by gardaí in Laytown and the Eastern Region Armed Support Unit.
In April, 2019, gardaí searched farmland in Gormanston and seized about 300 rounds of ammunition. No arrests were made at the time of the seizure in January or the seizure last April.
However, both incidents remain under investigation and the man arrested in Meath on Tuesday was being questioned about both.
More to follow.


theirishtimes--2020-04-28--Supporters of O’Doherty and Waters prevented from attending court hearing

Gardaí and the Courts Service took measures to minimise attendance at a case management hearing of the High Court challenge by John Waters and Gemma O ’ Doherty aimed at striking down laws introduced by the State arising out of the Covid-19 pandemic .
When the case was mentioned last week , more than 100 supporters of the plaintiffs gathered either in court number one of the Four Courts or in the Round Hall outside the courtroom , creating concerns about possible breach of social distancing guidelines introduced by the Chief Justice and the Presidents of the courts arising out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one was cleared of members of the public for the mention of the case before Ms Justice Deirdre Murphy last Tuesday .
The judge adjourned the case for two weeks but listed it for mention on Tuesday for an update on how the case is being progressed to hearing .
That hearing was relocated to court number 25 , the entrance to which is accessible only from Chancery Place , outside the Four Courts complex itself .
Barriers staffed by gardaí were placed at both ends of Chancery Place .
Supporters of Ms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outside the main entrance to the Four Courts from 10am and were addressed there by the two laintiffs .
The group then sought to enter the Four Courts complex but , after being told by gardaí they had to access courtroom number 25 from Chancery Place , they moved towards Chancery Place .
About 40 supporters , some carrying the national flag , were present .
Right to be present At one point there were 25 gardaí , comprising members from the Bridewell Garda Station and the Public Order Unit .
After a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moved back out of sight .
The scene was also attended by Assistant Garda Commissioner Pat Leahy .
The group waited in front of the Four Courts where some argued with gardaí and others conversed in a friendly manner .
On several occasions , gardaí advised some of the group to return to their homes under Section 4 of the Health Act 1947 .
One woman refused and told gardaí she had a right to be present because she has business before the court .
She claimed she and the others in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Mr Waters and Ms O ’ Doherty and were waiting outside in case they were called in for advice .
The same woman told protesters not to break the law or “ give the guards an excuse to arrest us.
” Gardaí prevented most of the supports entering onto Chancery Place and only Ms O ’ Doherty , Mr Waters and another woman accompanying them were let through .
In normal circumstances , Courtroom 25 can hold up to 50 people but , arising from the Covid-19 restrictions , it is believed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being permitted into the court hearing , including the plaintiffs , their friend , lawyers , court staff and one or two members of the media .
In their proceedings against the Minister for Health , Ireland and the Attorney General , the plaintiffs want the court to declare certain recently enacted legislation null and void .
The legislation at issue includes the 2020 Health Preservation and Protection and Other Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act , the 2020 Emergency Measures in the Public Interest Act Covid-19 Act and the 1947 Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Their proceedings are also aimed at striking down temporary restriction regulations brought in under the 1947 Health Act .
Ms O ’ Doherty told the court last week that what was happening regarding the lockdown was “ outrageous ” .
People should be allowed go about their business and normal life must be allowed resume , she said .
The vast majority of people are unaffected by Covid-19 which was “ no threat to life ” and people should be allowed to go outside and “ build up a herd immunity ” , @ @ @

Gardaí have taken measures to minimise attendance of supporters at a hearing of the High Court challenge by John Waters and Gemma O’Doherty aimed at striking down laws introduced by the State arising out of Covid-19. Video: Bryan O'Brien
Dozens of gardaí, including members of the Public Order Unit, were deployed to the Four Courts on Tuesday morning to ensure opponents of the Covid-19 movement restrictions did not gain access to the building.
About 40 people, some waving tricolours or holding copies of the Constitution gathered outside the courts building in support of activists Gemma O’Doherty and John Waters, who are taking a case against the State arguing the restrictions are illegal.
The group were gathered closely together and few wore face masks. Gardaí advised some to return to their homes but no arrests were made. The Operation was overseen by Assistant Commissioner for the Dublin region Pat Leahy and Superintendent Ann Markey of Store Street Garda station.
Gardaí speak to Gemma O’Doherty, John Waters and their supporters outside the Four Courts in Dublin. Photograph Nick Bradshaw
The Garda and the Court Service were eager to avoid a repeat of last week when 100 people gathered for three hours in the Round Hall of the Four Courts for about three hours while Mr Waters and Ms O’Doherty were in court.
READ MORE
The hearing was moved to Court 24, which is only accessible via the street entrance on Chancery Lane.
Early this morning uniformed gardaí blocked off both ends of Chancery Lane and only let those with legitimate court business pass. Around the corner on Church Street were vans carrying a number of members of the Garda’s Public Order Unit. Two large vans used for prisoner transport were also parked nearby.
The protesters gathered outside the Four Courts at about 10am where a woman told them “not to break the law or “give the guards an excuse to arrest us.”
They then followed the plaintiffs to the Garda cordon where members of the group argued with gardaí for about 10 minutes about their right to attend court.
The group then remained outside while Ms O’Doherty, Mr Waters and another woman were permitted to enter.
At one stage Garda Public Order Unit, stood near the cordon before pulling back around the corner out of sight of the protesters.
The protesters waited in front of the Four Courts for nearly a hour where some argued with gardaí and others conversed with them in a friendly manner. On several occasions, gardaí advised some of the group to return to their homes under the Health Act 1947.
When gardaí told a group of protesters they were engaged in non-essential travel, one woman argued she has business before the court. She claimed she and the others were present in an advisory capacity to Mr Waters and Ms O’Doherty and were waiting outside in case they were called in for advice. Two members of the group distributed literature to passersby.
The two plaintiffs were met with cheers and applause when they left the court.
Ms O’Doherty addressed the group where she made certain claims about Covid-19 and threatened gardaí they will be brought before a “Nuremberg ” tribunal for their role in enforcing the regulations.
Mr Waters then began criticising the media, leading to shouts of “fake news” and “traitors” towards the small group of journalists present. The protesters then dispersed without incident.
The case was adjourned until next Tuesday.
The Garda Commissioner has appointed a senior officer to inquire into the large gatherings of people outside the Four Courts both this week and last.
“We made it clear at the time that they were in breach of the regulations and they were given warnings,” Commissioner Drew Harris said of the first court appearance.
“That is not just to investigate today’s events but he events of last week as well. And obviously that is for the purpose of identifying individuals, interviewing them and then presenting a file of evidence to the Director of Public Prosecutions. So that’s ongoing.
“I would say to individuals who do intend in the future to go to the Four Courts that they are in jeopardy of committing offences and being reported in terms of breaching the regulations.”


theirishtimes--2020-04-28--Irish paediatricians warned about illness linked to Covid-19 as some UK children die

Irish paediatricians have been warned about a syndrome that developed in some UK children who contracted Covid-19 , a consultant paediatrician at Our Lady ’ s Children ’ s Hospital in Dublin has said .
The warning comes as some British children with no underlying health conditions have died from the rare inflammatory syndrome which researchers believe to be linked to Covid-19 , British health secretary Matt Hancock said on Tuesday .
Italian and British medical experts are investigating a possible link between the coronavirus pandemic and clusters of severe inflammatory disease among infants who are arriving in hospital with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in northern Italy , one of the world ’ s hardest-hit areas during the pandemic , have reported extraordinarily large numbers of children under age 9 with severe cases of what appears to be Kawasaki disease , more common in parts of Asia .
“ There are some children who have died who didn ’ t have underlying health conditions , ” Mr Hancock told LBC Radio .
“ It ’ s a new disease that we think may be caused by coronavirus and the Covid-19 virus , we ’ re not 100 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who got it hadn ’ t tested positive , so we ’ re doing a lot of research now but it is something that we ’ re worried about .
“ It is rare , although it is very significant for those children who do get it , the number of cases is small , ” Mr Hancock said .
Prof Karina Butler , consultant paediatrician and infectious diseases specialist Our Lady ’ s Children ’ s Hospital said that “ by and large ” there have been very few cases of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The vast majority of the cases we ’ ve seen have been very mild , almost to the point of being incidental pickups , but we do know that that is not always the case and there are children who can become critically ill with this virus , ” she told RTE ’ s Morning Ireland .
“ We became aware of , at the weekend , of an alert issued from the UK , from London where they are noticing presentations of a very inflammatory state in rare children , where they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ predominant gastrointestinal type symptoms , abdominal pain .
“ That is very like another syndrome we ’ re familiar with in paediatrics called Kawasaki syndrome or like what we call toxic shock syndrome and we have alerted all paediatricians to be on the lookout for that .
“ Some of those have developed in children who happen to have Covid .
Whether Covid is the cause or not we don ’ t know yet , but the syndrome has been recognised in children who have that virus , ” she said .
Kawasaki @ @ @ @ @ @ @ often afflicts children aged under 5 and is associated with fever , skin rashes , swelling of glands , and in severe cases , inflammation of arteries of the heart .
There is some evidence that individuals can inherit a predisposition to the disease , but the pattern is not clear .
Parents should be vigilant , junior British interior minister Victoria Atkins said .
“ It demonstrates just how fast moving this virus is and how unprecedented it is in its effect , ” Ms Atkins told Sky News .
President of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nursing Prof Anne Marie Rafferty said she had heard reports about the similarity between cases in infants and Kawasaki syndrome .
“ Actually there ’ s far too little known about it and the numbers actually at the moment are really too small , ” told Sky News .
“ But it is an alert , and it ’ s something that ’ s actually being explored and examined by a number of different researchers.
” –Additional reporting Reuters

Doctors in northern Italy have reported extraordinarily large numbers of children under age 9 with severe cases of what appears to be Kawasaki disease
Irish paediatricians have been warned about a syndrome that developed in some UK children who contracted Covid-19, a consultant paediatrician at Our Lady’s Children’s Hospital in Dublin has said.
The warning comes as some British children with no underlying health conditions have died from the rare inflammatory syndrome which researchers believe to be linked to Covid-19, British health secretary Matt Hancock said on Tuesday.
Italian and British medical experts are investigating a possible link between the coronavirus pandemic and clusters of severe inflammatory disease among infants who are arriving in hospital with high fevers and swollen arteries.
Doctors in northern Italy, one of the world's hardest-hit areas during the pandemic, have reported extraordinarily large numbers of children under age 9 with severe cases of what appears to be Kawasaki disease, more common in parts of Asia.
READ MORE
“There are some children who have died who didn’t have underlying health conditions,” Mr Hancock told LBC Radio.
“It’s a new disease that we think may be caused by coronavirus and the Covid-19 virus, we’re not 100 per cent sure because some of the people who got it hadn’t tested positive, so we’re doing a lot of research now but it is something that we’re worried about.
“It is rare, although it is very significant for those children who do get it, the number of cases is small,” Mr Hancock said.
Prof Karina Butler, consultant paediatrician and infectious diseases specialist Our Lady's Children's Hospital said that "by and large" there have been very few cases of Covid-19 in children in Ireland.
“The vast majority of the cases we’ve seen have been very mild, almost to the point of being incidental pickups, but we do know that that is not always the case and there are children who can become critically ill with this virus,” she told RTE’s Morning Ireland.
“We became aware of, at the weekend, of an alert issued from the UK, from London where they are noticing presentations of a very inflammatory state in rare children, where they have high fever, red eyes, predominant gastrointestinal type symptoms, abdominal pain.
“That is very like another syndrome we’re familiar with in paediatrics called Kawasaki syndrome or like what we call toxic shock syndrome and we have alerted all paediatricians to be on the lookout for that.
“ Some of those have developed in children who happen to have Covid. Whether Covid is the cause or not we don’t know yet, but the syndrome has been recognised in children who have that virus,” she said.
Kawasaki disease, whose cause is unknown, often afflicts children aged under 5 and is associated with fever, skin rashes, swelling of glands, and in severe cases, inflammation of arteries of the heart.
There is some evidence that individuals can inherit a predisposition to the disease, but the pattern is not clear.
Dr Patrick Gavin, consultant in paediatric infectious disease at Our Lady’s Hosptial said Kawasaki disease is a very rare condition and they see only 20 cases per year in Ireland.
Speaking on the News at One, he said there had been 20 confirmed paediatric Covid-19 cases that had to be hospitalised in Ireland, two of them required an intensive care unit, and that there had been no paediatric deaths from Covid.
He called on parents to bring their child to a GP or emergency department if their child has any unusual symptoms and said that there are robust infection procedures in place in hospitals. He encouraged parents to seek medical attention if they need it and said some patients were not attending because of fear of Covid.
President of the UK’s Royal College of Nursing Prof Anne Marie Rafferty said she had heard reports about the similarity between cases in infants and Kawasaki syndrome.
“Actually there’s far too little known about it and the numbers actually at the moment are really too small,” told Sky News. “But it is an alert, and it’s something that’s actually being explored and examined by a number of different researchers.”–Additional reporting Reuters


theirishtimes--2020-04-28--Coronavirus: Major Garda enforcement operation under way across State

Large numbers of Garda checkpoints on main routes and back roads across the country are to be deployed from today until after the May bank holiday .
The operation will also see Garda conduct patrols at major tourist locations , parks and natural beauty spots to ensure compliance with restrictions .
The Garda said it was renewing Operation Fanacht – the crackdown on travel – to ensure compliance with Covid - 19 restrictions .
The operation , which was deployed successfully to discourage people from going to holiday homes over Easter , will again see an extensive network of checkpoints @ @ @ @ @ @ @ run from 7am on Tuesday until Monday , May 4th .
The Garda said “ thousands ” of mobile checkpoints are to be deployed on secondary routes and in towns and villages .
At any one time , there is to be more than 2,500 gardaí involved in checkpoints or in high visibility patrolling .
Deputy Commissioner responsible for Policing and Security John Twomey said , it was “ vital that high levels of compliance with the restrictions which were noted over Easter were repeated ” .
“ We need this compliance to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the country .
If we all work together , we can help save the lives of our family , friends , neighbours and colleagues , ” he said .
Mr Twomey thanked the public for the co-operation “ so far ” .
Ministers will be briefed at this week ’ s Cabinet meeting on Tuesday morning not to expect any substantial relaxation of the lockdown measures when they lapse after the forthcoming bank holiday weekend , according to senior Government figures .
Instead , new orders mandating a continuation of the lockdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Government likely to make the announcements after a special Cabinet meeting next Friday .
However , Ministers and public health officials are likely to set out a roadmap for the eventual easing of the restrictions , with separate phases – each involving a greater opening-up of economic and social life – taking place throughout the summer , assuming targets for the suppression of the virus are met .
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has said the majority of people are “ very compliant ” with the restrictions relating to the public health emergency @ @ @ @ @ @ @ programme , Mr Harris said that breaches of regulations where gardaí have to engage in enforcement are “ very rare ” .
Mr Harris said gardaí were well resourced and in a good position to enforce the travel restrictions in relation to Covid-19 .
The policy in tackling breaches of the Government ’ s stay-at-home regulations is to to engage with those found out walking or driving , to explain the policy and the need for restrictions , to encourage people to go home , and to enforce the emergency legislation only if @ @

A Garda checkpoint at the entrance to Phoenix Park in Dublin on April 27th. Photograph: Collins
Large numbers of Garda checkpoints on main routes and back roads across the country are to be deployed from today until after the May bank holiday.
The operation will also see Garda conduct patrols at major tourist locations, parks and natural beauty spots to ensure compliance with restrictions.
The Garda said it was renewing Operation Fanacht – the crackdown on travel – to ensure compliance with Covid - 19 restrictions.
The operation, which was deployed successfully to discourage people from going to holiday homes over Easter, will again see an extensive network of checkpoints established across the State. It will run from 7am on Tuesday until Monday, May 4th.
READ MORE
The Garda said “thousands” of mobile checkpoints are to be deployed on secondary routes and in towns and villages.
At any one time, there is to be more than 2,500 gardaí involved in checkpoints or in high visibility patrolling.
Deputy Commissioner responsible for Policing and Security John Twomey said, it was “vital that high levels of compliance with the restrictions which were noted over Easter were repeated”.
“We need this compliance to continue. This is a critical week for the country. If we all work together, we can help save the lives of our family, friends, neighbours and colleagues,” he said.
Mr Twomey thanked the public for the co-operation “so far”.
Ministers will be briefed at this week’s Cabinet meeting on Tuesday morning not to expect any substantial relaxation of the lockdown measures when they lapse after the forthcoming bank holiday weekend, according to senior Government figures.
Instead, new orders mandating a continuation of the lockdown will be signed this weekend, with the Government likely to make the announcements after a special Cabinet meeting next Friday.
However, Ministers and public health officials are likely to set out a roadmap for the eventual easing of the restrictions, with separate phases – each involving a greater opening-up of economic and social life – taking place throughout the summer, assuming targets for the suppression of the virus are met.
Garda Commissioner Drew Harris has said the majority of people are “very compliant” with the restrictions relating to the public health emergency.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Crimecall programme, Mr Harris said that breaches of regulations where gardaí have to engage in enforcement are “very rare”.
Mr Harris said gardaí were well resourced and in a good position to enforce the travel restrictions in relation to Covid-19.
The policy in tackling breaches of the Government’s stay-at-home regulations is to to engage with those found out walking or driving, to explain the policy and the need for restrictions, to encourage people to go home, and to enforce the emergency legislation only if necessary.


theirishtimes--2020-04-28--Covid-19: WHO special envoy says Ireland must extend testing across country

The State must extend coronavirus testing to “ wider population-based surveys to find out where the virus is ” as part of a “ control strategy ” to be able to emerge from lockdown , the World Health Organisation ’ s special envoy on Covid-19 said .
Speaking to a Dublin foreign policy think tank , WHO envoy Dr David Nabarro said the Government ’ s challenge was to move from a “ full lockdown ” to being “ Covid ready ” to be able to deal with new outbreaks of the deadly disease as they emerge .
“ Don @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of lockdown to business as usual when you pass the peak of your epidemic curve , ” Dr Nabarro told the Institute of International and European Affairs in a seminar hosted online .
Testing a larger sample of the population to understand the asymptomatic transmission of the disease was an important part of the “ control strategy ” to lift lockdowns , he said .
He hoped that people who are asked to participate in larger sample surveys would do so because of the importance of the location of the virus and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quite likely that we will find that there are people who have the disease who don ’ t have any symptoms of the disease.
” The doctor declined to say whether the State ’ s weekly target of 100,000 tests was sufficient , but the level of testing needed had be “ appropriate to find out how the the virus is moving ” .
“ It has to be done using the combination of studies of people who have got symptoms and then wider population-based surveys to find out where the virus is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to get enough of a sample to tell you what is going on , and that is not usually a very large number provided the sample is carefully selected and you are rigorous about the sampling.
” Everything he had read “ about the intention of the Irish authorities ” around the pandemic planning was “ absolutely in line with what I personally believe to be necessary ” .
He said it was “ right ” for there to be “ dense ethnical questions ” as the State assesses how people are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ health services will cope as restrictions are relaxed .
“ Inevitably there are going to be people who say ‘ are the overall sacrifices that all of society has to make so great that they are perhaps out of context with the actual suffering that occurs ? '
” he said .
“ It is right that these ethical debates that are occurring because they are so important .
”

Testing a larger sample of the population to understand the asymptomatic transmission of coronavirus is an important part of the “control strategy” to lift lockdowns. Photograph: Getty Images
The State must extend coronavirus testing to “wider population-based surveys to find out where the virus is” as part of a “control strategy” to be able to emerge from lockdown, the World Health Organisation’s special envoy on Covid-19 said.
Speaking to a Dublin foreign policy think tank, WHO envoy Dr David Nabarro said the Government's challenge was to move from a "full lockdown" to being "Covid ready" to be able to deal with new outbreaks of the deadly disease as they emerge.
“Don’t imagine that you just come out of lockdown to business as usual when you pass the peak of your epidemic curve,” Dr Nabarro told the Institute of International and European Affairs in a seminar hosted online.
Testing a larger sample of the population to understand the asymptomatic transmission of the disease was an important part of the “control strategy” to lift lockdowns, he said.
READ MORE
He hoped that people who are asked to participate in larger sample surveys would do so because of the importance of the location of the virus and what it was doing.“It is quite likely that we will find that there are people who have the disease who don’t have any symptoms of the disease.”
The doctor declined to say whether the State’s weekly target of 100,000 tests was sufficient, but the level of testing needed had be “appropriate to find out how the the virus is moving”.
“It has to be done using the combination of studies of people who have got symptoms and then wider population-based surveys to find out where the virus is,” he said.
“You want to get enough of a sample to tell you what is going on, and that is not usually a very large number provided the sample is carefully selected and you are rigorous about the sampling.”
Necessary
Everything he had read “about the intention of the Irish authorities” around the pandemic planning was “absolutely in line with what I personally believe to be necessary”.
He said it was “right” for there to be “dense ethnical questions” as the State assesses how people are getting sick and dying to assess how health services will cope as restrictions are relaxed.
“Inevitably there are going to be people who say ‘are the overall sacrifices that all of society has to make so great that they are perhaps out of context with the actual suffering that occurs?'” he said.
“It is right that these ethical debates that are occurring because they are so important.”


theirishtimes--2020-04-28--Family of missing father-of-two appeals for public’s help

The family of a father-of-two who has not been seen since early February has appealed to the public for information .
Terry Byrne ( 45 ) – a lone parent from Dunboyne , Co Meath – was last seen on February 7th when he left his home between 1am and 7am .
It is thought he left through the back door , which was found unlocked .
He left his car outside the house and did not take his bank cards or house keys with him .
His mobile phone last pinged at 6.02 am in the locality .
There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Byrne since his disappearance .
Mr Byrne lives with his two young sons who he has been bringing up alone since his wife died tragically in 2012 , and the boys are described as heartbroken .
Mr Byrne is described as 5ft 6in in height , of medium build with short fair hair .
He was last seen wearing a blue hooded top , navy tracksuit bottoms and grey trainers .
In an interview on RTÉ ’ s Crimecall his family appealed for anyone with any information to come forward to the family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s brother Mark asked for people to provide any information they could no matter how small .
Mr Byrne said of his missing brother “ I really miss him .
The family misses him .
We still have hope .
.
.
and that ’ s all we ’ re getting by on at the moment.
” ‘ Mr Byrne ’ s brother Paul thanked the people of Dunboyne for their efforts since his disappearance .
He described the community as “ fantastic people ” .
He said that they organised the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ GAA club .
“ The community came together , and up to 100-plus people went out and searched the local areas here.
” Since then searches of Dunboyne and surrounding areas out as far as Howth have also been done with the Civil Defence , Swift Water Rescue , search dogs , Garda Air Support , the Coast Guard and An Garda Sub Aqua Unit .
Anyone with information is asked to contact Gardaí on 01 80100600 .

Terry Byrne is described as 5ft 6in in height, of medium build with short fair hair. Screengrab: Youtube
The family of a father-of-two who has not been seen since early February has appealed to the public for information.
Terry Byrne (45) – a lone parent from Dunboyne, Co Meath – was last seen on February 7th when he left his home between 1am and 7am. It is thought he left through the back door, which was found unlocked.
He left his car outside the house and did not take his bank cards or house keys with him. His mobile phone last pinged at 6.02 am in the locality.
There have been no confirmed sightings of Mr Byrne since his disappearance.
READ MORE
Mr Byrne lives with his two young sons who he has been bringing up alone since his wife died tragically in 2012, and the boys are described as heartbroken.
Mr Byrne is described as 5ft 6in in height, of medium build with short fair hair. He was last seen wearing a blue hooded top, navy tracksuit bottoms and grey trainers.
In an interview on RTÉ’s Crimecall his family appealed for anyone with any information to come forward to the family or An Garda Síochána.
Mr Byrne’s brother Mark asked for people to provide any information they could no matter how small.
Mr Byrne said of his missing brother “I really miss him. The family misses him. We still have hope . . . and that’s all we’re getting by on at the moment.”
‘Mr Byrne’s brother Paul thanked the people of Dunboyne for their efforts since his disappearance. He described the community as “fantastic people”.
He said that they organised the first search from St Peter’s GAA club. “The community came together, and up to 100-plus people went out and searched the local areas here.”
Since then searches of Dunboyne and surrounding areas out as far as Howth have also been done with the Civil Defence, Swift Water Rescue, search dogs, Garda Air Support, the Coast Guard and An Garda Sub Aqua Unit.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Gardaí on 01 80100600.


theirishtimes--2020-04-28--Coronavirus: 51 student radiographers working on frontline without pay, Siptu says

More than 50 student radiographers are working on the frontline in hospitals during the current Covid-19 pandemic without any pay , the trade union Siptu has said .
The union said groups of students in other disciplines were receiving payments equivalent to €30,000 per year for working in public hospitals at present .
Siptu sector organiser Kevin Figgis said on Monday : “ Our union been raising the need for equal treatment for fourth year student radiographers with both the Department of Health and HSE for some weeks now.
” He said 51 student radiographers were currently working on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and there was no basis for them to be treated less favourably than other health profession students .
“ These students are now in their fifth week of placement within the health service and while other similar student groups are getting financial payments in excess of €30,000 , it appears health employers believe it is okay to give fourth year student radiographers nothing.
” Siptu said that 30 of the 51 student radiographers were allocated to two radiology departments , both in major Dublin acute hospitals .
It said this was due was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ radiographers within these departments arising from the need for self-isolation and Covid-19 risks of infection .
It said the remaining 21 student radiographers were distributed within radiology departments across the country .
Siptu said on Monday : “ On the 26th March last , the Minister for Health Simon Harris publicly announced a decision had been made to pay student nurses and midwives , working on placement within the health service , on the health care assistant pay scale .
This would be a salary of approximately €28,131 plus premium payments .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ approve pay for fourth year student medical scientists who were yet to complete their training .
They would receive 90 per cent of the medical scientist scale ( €33,264 ) plus premiums .
These student groups would also receive incremental credit for the period once appointed full-time to the health service .
At the time of this announcement , the Minister said the decision to pay certain student groups was made because “ We need all hands on deck through this challenging period .
“ Prior to the Minister ’ s announcement Siptu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ radiographers were allocated within the health service and there was a need to ensure they were treated equally for the purpose of pay when compared to the other health professional students.
” Siptu health division organiser Paul Bell said the decision to pay other student groups in the health service “ was populist ” .
“ It is unacceptable other frontline student health professionals within the health service should not receive equal treatment for their work during the fight against Covid-19 , while others do.
” Mr Figgis said it was “ not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on breaking point a couple of weeks ago due to the number of existing staff on Covid-19 leave due to the need for self-isolation ” .
The HSE did not reply to a request for comment on the student radiographer issue .

Siptu said that 30 of the 51 student radiographers were allocated to two radiology departments, both in major Dublin acute hospitals. Photograph: iStock
More than 50 student radiographers are working on the frontline in hospitals during the current Covid-19 pandemic without any pay, the trade union Siptu has said.
The union said groups of students in other disciplines were receiving payments equivalent to €30,000 per year for working in public hospitals at present.
Siptu sector organiser Kevin Figgis said on Monday: "Our union been raising the need for equal treatment for fourth year student radiographers with both the Department of Health and HSE for some weeks now."
He said 51 student radiographers were currently working on the front line of the health service everyday and there was no basis for them to be treated less favourably than other health profession students.
READ MORE
“These students are now in their fifth week of placement within the health service and while other similar student groups are getting financial payments in excess of €30,000 , it appears health employers believe it is okay to give fourth year student radiographers nothing.”
Siptu said that 30 of the 51 student radiographers were allocated to two radiology departments, both in major Dublin acute hospitals.
It said this was due was due to the severe depletion of existing radiographers within these departments arising from the need for self-isolation and Covid-19 risks of infection.
It said the remaining 21 student radiographers were distributed within radiology departments across the country.
Siptu said on Monday: "On the 26th March last, the Minister for Health Simon Harris publicly announced a decision had been made to pay student nurses and midwives, working on placement within the health service, on the health care assistant pay scale. This would be a salary of approximately €28,131 plus premium payments. In addition, the HSE also decided to approve pay for fourth year student medical scientists who were yet to complete their training. They would receive 90 per cent of the medical scientist scale (€33,264) plus premiums. These student groups would also receive incremental credit for the period once appointed full-time to the health service. At the time of this announcement, the Minister said the decision to pay certain student groups was made because "We need all hands on deck through this challenging period.
“Prior to the Minister’s announcement Siptu had already highlighted 51 fourth year student radiographers were allocated within the health service and there was a need to ensure they were treated equally for the purpose of pay when compared to the other health professional students.”
Siptu health division organiser Paul Bell said the decision to pay other student groups in the health service "was populist".
“It is unacceptable other frontline student health professionals within the health service should not receive equal treatment for their work during the fight against Covid-19, while others do.”
Mr Figgis said it was “ not an exaggeration to suggest some departments were on breaking point a couple of weeks ago due to the number of existing staff on Covid-19 leave due to the need for self-isolation”.
The HSE did not reply to a request for comment on the student radiographer issue.


theirishtimes--2020-04-28--Grafton Street in pandemic lockdown, where patience is wearing thin

One month on from the imposition of the first severe Covid-19 restrictions , there were distinct signs on Dublin ’ s Grafton Street on Monday that people are becoming increasingly frustrated .
Just a handful of shops were open , but more people were about .
Small groups carrying bags from Boots and Dunnes Stores trickled out of the St Stephen ’ s Green Centre .
However , Monday was quieter than the weekend .
“ It is busier than it was at the start of April for sure , but today is nowhere near as bad as it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” one security guard said .
Nearby in Government Buildings on Merrion Street , official Liz Canavan was issuing her weekly morning bulletin , urging people to stay at home , extolling the progress made , but warning that there is more to do .
Walking towards St Stephen ’ s Green , Patricia O ’ Rourke , however , was not a happy shopper .
“ It is all a mess , ” she said simply .
“ The green is closed one minute and then open the next .
“ Then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the North and in through the airport and I can ’ t even visit my brother on the other side of the city even though he is sick.
” Patience is wearing thin .
“ You can do this for a certain amount of time , but then it gets too much .
All I want to do is see my family .
I am not interested in going to pubs or restaurants or parties .
“ If restrictions were relaxed even a little bit then I could go and see my family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do now , ” said O ’ Rourke , who lives on Kevin Street .
The idea that older people could remain living with restrictions for months horrifies her .
“ It is too much .
I was sitting in a park a few days ago and a guard told me I had to go home as I couldn ’ t be out for more than an hour .
I wanted to challenge him but I didn ’ t know if what he was saying was true so I didn ’ t .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ my own on a bench in a park .
I don ’ t know what harm I was doing , ” she said , as some people passed by wearing face masks , or scarves , some worn tightly , others dangled loose .
Gesturing towards some of them , O ’ Rourke said : “ To be honest I think the people who were stupid before are stupider now .
I think Leo [ Varadkar ] will be strangled if there isn ’ t some sort of lift .
Apart from anything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ara Lopez from Mexico and her flatmate Joaquin Figueroa spoke during a break from buying groceries .
“ It is a little sad to see Dublin like this , ” said Lopez , pointing to boarded-up shops .
“ We live in a small apartment and have no outside space but we are staying positive and we walk a lot every day around the city and then we go shopping .
That is just so weird and full of drama , ” she added .
John Gannon from Dublin 7 should be travelling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
For him , the key to salvation has been a morning walk and nightly online viewings of New York ’ s Metropolitan Opera : “ It has been just beautiful , ” he said .

Conor Pope reports from Grafton Street, Dublin a month after he did so when coronavirus restrictions began and sees an increase of footfall in the area despite those restrictions still being in place. Video: Bryan O'Brien
One month on from the imposition of the first severe Covid-19 restrictions, there were distinct signs on Dublin's Grafton Street on Monday that people are becoming increasingly frustrated.
Just a handful of shops were open, but more people were about. Small groups carrying bags from Boots and Dunnes Stores trickled out of the St Stephen's Green Centre.
However, Monday was quieter than the weekend. “It is busier than it was at the start of April for sure, but today is nowhere near as bad as it was on Saturday. That was mental,” one security guard said.
Feeding the dog on Grafton Street. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill
Nearby in Government Buildings on Merrion Street, official Liz Canavan was issuing her weekly morning bulletin, urging people to stay at home, extolling the progress made, but warning that there is more to do.
READ MORE
Brenda Ryan, on Grafton Street, Dublin. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill
Walking towards St Stephen’s Green, Patricia O’Rourke, however, was not a happy shopper. “It is all a mess,” she said simply. “The green is closed one minute and then open the next.
“Then we have people coming down here from the North and in through the airport and I can’t even visit my brother on the other side of the city even though he is sick.”
Patience is wearing thin. “You can do this for a certain amount of time, but then it gets too much. All I want to do is see my family. I am not interested in going to pubs or restaurants or parties.
“If restrictions were relaxed even a little bit then I could go and see my family, that is all I want to do now,” said O’Rourke, who lives on Kevin Street.
Grass growing along Grafton Street, Dublin. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill
The idea that older people could remain living with restrictions for months horrifies her.
“It is too much. I was sitting in a park a few days ago and a guard told me I had to go home as I couldn’t be out for more than an hour. I wanted to challenge him but I didn’t know if what he was saying was true so I didn’t.
“But I was just sitting on my own on a bench in a park. I don’t know what harm I was doing,” she said, as some people passed by wearing face masks, or scarves, some worn tightly, others dangled loose.
Patricia O’Rourke on Grafton Street. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill
Gesturing towards some of them, O’Rourke said: “To be honest I think the people who were stupid before are stupider now. I think Leo [Varadkar] will be strangled if there isn’t some sort of lift. Apart from anything else I need the hairdressers badly.”
Ara Lopez from Mexico and her flatmate Joaquin Figueroa spoke during a break from buying groceries. "It is a little sad to see Dublin like this," said Lopez, pointing to boarded-up shops.
“We live in a small apartment and have no outside space but we are staying positive and we walk a lot every day around the city and then we go shopping. That is just so weird and full of drama,” she added.
John Gannon from Dublin 7 should be travelling soon, but everything is on hold. For him, the key to salvation has been a morning walk and nightly online viewings of New York's Metropolitan Opera: "It has been just beautiful," he said.


theirishtimes--2020-04-28--Coronavirus: Border county case spike unlikely to be ‘spillover’ from North, says Holohan

A sharp rise in the incidence of Covid-19 in counties near the Border is unlikely to be due to a “ spillover ” of infection from Northern Ireland , chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan has said .
However , Northern Ireland public health doctor Dr Gabriel Scally on Monday called for an urgent investigation of virus “ hot spots ” in Border counties and said a spillover of cases was “ the most likely explanation ” for the trend .
The incidence of Covid-19 has soared by up to 820 per cent in northeastern counties bordering the North in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has passed out Dublin as the county with the most cases relative to population .
Dr Scally that while no conclusions should be drawn from the raw trend , it needed to be investigated “ as a matter of urgency ” , preferably within the framework of the Covid-19 memorandum of understanding between departments of health north and south .
“ These increases are unlikely to have arisen by chance and the most reasonable explanation has to be the fact they are Border counties , ” Dr Scally told The Irish Times .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ case numbers and deaths in the Republic and Northern Ireland , Dr Scally said he believed the incidence of the disease in the North was higher .
It was “ almost impossible find out what is going on ” in the North as data was “ very limited ” , he added .
But Dr Holohan insisted the experience of the disease across the island was similar “ in broad terms ” and he did not believe there had been any spillover from the North into the Republic .
He said he did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different counties were significant .
“ This is a disease and you get regional concentrations , ” he commented .
There was “ no case ” for a regional approach to restrictions , he added .
Asked if he was comfortable that , due to a legal loophole , no travel restrictions could be applied to northerners travelling to holiday homes in the Republic this coming weekend , Dr Holohan said he wanted measures to restrict the virus operating consistently across the island .
Border TDs have called for the legislation imposing restrictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they apply to everyone , including day visitors from outside the State .
The deaths of another 18 patients diagnosed with Covid-19 were reported by the National Public Health Emergency Team ( NPHET ) at its briefing on Monday , the lowest daily death toll in more than two weeks .
There have now been 1,102 Covid-19-related deaths in the Republic .
NPHET also reported 386 new confirmed cases .
The total number of confirmed cases now stands at 19,648 .
Dr Holohan said it was “ down to the wire ” as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they are due to run out on May 5th or would be rolled over .
He told the NPHET briefing he was “ more firmly of the view ” against recommending an easing of restriction than he had been last week due to factors such as the continued , though small , increase in admission of patients to ICU , the number of cases overall and the continued challenge posed by outbreaks in care settings .
There was “ still a way to go ” and further progress was needed , he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they ’ re still big numbers , ” he said , pointing out that half of the standing ICU capacity was being used .
The number of people seeking testing for coronavirus is expected to rise again when the case definition applied for GPs referring patients is changed on Tuesday .
Under the change , healthcare workers and other at-risk groups with one of the major symptoms – fever , cough or shortness of breath – will be tested , rather than requiring two symptoms as at present .
NPHET is due @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to finalise its recommendations to Government on whether the recommendations should be changed after May 5th .

Chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan: insists the experience of coronavirus disease across the island is similar and does not believe there has been any spillover from the North. Photograph: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin
A sharp rise in the incidence of Covid-19 in counties near the Border is unlikely to be due to a "spillover" of infection from Northern Ireland, chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan has said.
However, Northern Ireland public health doctor Dr Gabriel Scally on Monday called for an urgent investigation of virus "hot spots" in Border counties and said a spillover of cases was "the most likely explanation" for the trend.
The incidence of Covid-19 has soared by up to 820 per cent in northeastern counties bordering the North in the past three weeks, and Cavan has passed out Dublin as the county with the most cases relative to population.
Dr Scally that while no conclusions should be drawn from the raw trend, it needed to be investigated “as a matter of urgency”, preferably within the framework of the Covid-19 memorandum of understanding between departments of health north and south.
READ MORE
“These increases are unlikely to have arisen by chance and the most reasonable explanation has to be the fact they are Border counties,” Dr Scally told The Irish Times.
Although official figures point to broadly similar case numbers and deaths in the Republic and Northern Ireland, Dr Scally said he believed the incidence of the disease in the North was higher. It was “almost impossible find out what is going on” in the North as data was “very limited”, he added.
But Dr Holohan insisted the experience of the disease across the island was similar “in broad terms” and he did not believe there had been any spillover from the North into the Republic.
‘Regional concentrations’
He said he did not believe the variations in incidence across different counties were significant. “This is a disease and you get regional concentrations,” he commented.
There was “no case” for a regional approach to restrictions, he added.
Asked if he was comfortable that, due to a legal loophole, no travel restrictions could be applied to northerners travelling to holiday homes in the Republic this coming weekend, Dr Holohan said he wanted measures to restrict the virus operating consistently across the island.
Border TDs have called for the legislation imposing restrictions on movement to be amended to ensure they apply to everyone, including day visitors from outside the State.
The deaths of another 18 patients diagnosed with Covid-19 were reported by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) at its briefing on Monday, the lowest daily death toll in more than two weeks. There have now been 1,102 Covid-19-related deaths in the Republic.
NPHET also reported 386 new confirmed cases. The total number of confirmed cases now stands at 19,648.
Outbreaks challenge
Dr Holohan said it was “down to the wire” as to whether restrictions would be eased after they are due to run out on May 5th or would be rolled over.
He told the NPHET briefing he was “more firmly of the view” against recommending an easing of restriction than he had been last week due to factors such as the continued, though small, increase in admission of patients to ICU, the number of cases overall and the continued challenge posed by outbreaks in care settings.
There was “still a way to go” and further progress was needed, he said.
“While the numbers have improved, they’re still big numbers,” he said, pointing out that half of the standing ICU capacity was being used.
The number of people seeking testing for coronavirus is expected to rise again when the case definition applied for GPs referring patients is changed on Tuesday. Under the change, healthcare workers and other at-risk groups with one of the major symptoms – fever, cough or shortness of breath – will be tested, rather than requiring two symptoms as at present.
NPHET is due to meet on Tuesday and on Friday to finalise its recommendations to Government on whether the recommendations should be changed after May 5th.