theirishtimes--2020-05-18--High Court directs suspension of doctor

High Court directs suspension of doctor

A doctor who told the Medical Council there had been no problem with his work here when his employment by two hospitals had been terminated within the previous year has been suspended from the medical register pending further order .
Dr Aamir Iqbal Malik told the council in May 2018 there had been no problem with his work over the past year when in fact his employment at Kerry University Hospital had been terminated the previous month , High Court president Mr Justice Peter Kelly noted .
Dr Malik was employed at the Kerry hospital from October 2017 to April @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to two alleged failures by him to answer calls to attend to urgent deliveries of infants in distress , it was stated .
A review group headed by Dr Peter Boylan had also interviewed the doctor in October 2017 concerning an incident involving one of his patients at Cavan General Hospital .
Mr Justice Kelly said he was “ extremely concerned ” , despite the council ’ s knowledge in May 2018 Dr Malik had been struck off the UK medical register over dishonesty in how he conducted his practice , it appeared @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assertion he had no problem in his employment here over the previous 12 months .
The council should provide an explanation to the court as to what , if any , steps it had taken to check out the doctor ’ s assertion , he directed .
Brian Ormond , solicitor for the council , said its decision in May 2018 not to seek to suspend Dr Malik was based on a range of materials and documents , including references , and not the doctor ’ s assertion .
It was reasonable for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ council known of the issues at the Kerry and Cavan hospitals , it would have sought suspension and he would make further inquiries in line with the judge ’ s direction , Mr Ormond said .
Following a council meeting last week arising from learning of Dr Malik ’ s employment having been terminated in the two hospitals , it wanted his suspension pending an inquiry .
Earlier on Monday , the judge ordered the council ’ s application for suspension , brought under section 60 of the Medical Practitioners Act , should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ necessary to ensure maximum protection for members of the public and prospective employers of the doctor , he said .
Dr Malik , a native of Pakistan , with an address at Staincliffe , Dewsbury , West Yorkshire , was not in court and was not represented but the judge was told of efforts to serve him at the English address and by email .
In his ruling , the judge noted Dr Malik , qualified as a doctor in Pakistan in 1989 and came onto the medical register here in 2002 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ register in the UK in 2018 for professional misconduct based on findings of dishonesty in how he conducted his practice as a doctor there .
An inquiry found , while he was working at a hospital as a specialist register in obstetrics/gynaecology , he falsified records concerning his dealings with a woman , who was 41 weeks pregnant and whose baby was delivered stillborn , so as to suggest he had recommended she be reviewed at more regular intervals .
It also found he failed to meet a requirement to show to any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an exclusion letter , setting out those findings .
No finding of misconduct was made concerning allegations about his clinical practice and the strike off was made on the basis his fitness to practice was impaired as result of the dishonesty findings .
In May 2018 , the Medical Council held a hearing , attended by Dr Malik , to consider whether he should be suspended from the register here arising from the UK matters .
The doctor opposed suspension and asserted he had worked for a year here with no problem .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ quite certain ” , had the council known the “ true picture ” at the May 8th meeting , it would have applied for suspension then .
He was quite satisfied , on the evidence before the court , the doctor should have his registration suspended pending further order , he directed .

A doctor who told the Medical Council there had been no problem with his work here when his employment by two hospitals had been terminated within the previous year has been suspended from the medical register pending further order.
Dr Aamir Iqbal Malik told the council in May 2018 there had been no problem with his work over the past year when in fact his employment at Kerry University Hospital had been terminated the previous month, High Court president Mr Justice Peter Kelly noted.
Dr Malik was employed at the Kerry hospital from October 2017 to April 2018 when his employment was terminated due to two alleged failures by him to answer calls to attend to urgent deliveries of infants in distress, it was stated.
Concerned
A review group headed by Dr Peter Boylan had also interviewed the doctor in October 2017 concerning an incident involving one of his patients at Cavan General Hospital.
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Mr Justice Kelly said he was “extremely concerned”, despite the council’s knowledge in May 2018 Dr Malik had been struck off the UK medical register over dishonesty in how he conducted his practice, it appeared not to have made inquiries about his assertion he had no problem in his employment here over the previous 12 months.
The council should provide an explanation to the court as to what, if any, steps it had taken to check out the doctor’s assertion, he directed.
Brian Ormond, solicitor for the council, said its decision in May 2018 not to seek to suspend Dr Malik was based on a range of materials and documents, including references, and not the doctor’s assertion. It was reasonable for the court to say, had the council known of the issues at the Kerry and Cavan hospitals, it would have sought suspension and he would make further inquiries in line with the judge’s direction, Mr Ormond said.
Following a council meeting last week arising from learning of Dr Malik’s employment having been terminated in the two hospitals, it wanted his suspension pending an inquiry.
Earlier on Monday, the judge ordered the council’s application for suspension, brought under section 60 of the Medical Practitioners Act, should be heard in public. That was necessary to ensure maximum protection for members of the public and prospective employers of the doctor, he said.
Dr Malik, a native of Pakistan, with an address at Staincliffe, Dewsbury, West Yorkshire, was not in court and was not represented but the judge was told of efforts to serve him at the English address and by email.
In his ruling, the judge noted Dr Malik, qualified as a doctor in Pakistan in 1989 and came onto the medical register here in 2002. He had been struck off the medical register in the UK in 2018 for professional misconduct based on findings of dishonesty in how he conducted his practice as a doctor there.
Falsified records
An inquiry found, while he was working at a hospital as a specialist register in obstetrics/gynaecology, he falsified records concerning his dealings with a woman, who was 41 weeks pregnant and whose baby was delivered stillborn, so as to suggest he had recommended she be reviewed at more regular intervals.
It also found he failed to meet a requirement to show to any prospective employer a letter, known as an exclusion letter, setting out those findings. No finding of misconduct was made concerning allegations about his clinical practice and the strike off was made on the basis his fitness to practice was impaired as result of the dishonesty findings.
In May 2018, the Medical Council held a hearing, attended by Dr Malik, to consider whether he should be suspended from the register here arising from the UK matters. The doctor opposed suspension and asserted he had worked for a year here with no problem.
Mr Justice Kelly said he was “quite certain”, had the council known the “true picture” at the May 8th meeting, it would have applied for suspension then. He was quite satisfied, on the evidence before the court, the doctor should have his registration suspended pending further order, he directed.


theirishtimes--2020-05-18--Two teenagers charged with rape of girl in Courtown last July

Two teenage boys have been remanded in juvenile detention after they were arrested and charged with the rape of a @ @ @ @ @ last year .
The two accused , who are aged 15 and 17 , were @ @ @ @ @ morning and brought before Wexford District Court where they were charged with rape .
The @ @ @ @ @ accused raped the teenage girl at the Burrow area of Courtown Harbour at a time @ @ @ @ @ July 28th 2019 .
Garda Jacinta Gordon and Garda Gavin Tracey of Gorey Garda Station @ @ @ @ @ charge and caution in respect of the two accused and said they were objecting to @ @ @ @ @ Judge Brian O ’ Shea remanded both accused in juvenile detention to the Oberstown Detention @ @ @ @ @ Wexford District Court on May 25th .

The two accused were arrested by gardaí on Monday morning and brought before Wexford District Court where they were charged with rape. File image: Bryan O’Brien / The Irish Times
Two teenage boys have been remanded in juvenile detention after they were arrested and charged with the rape of a teenage girl in Co Wexford last year.
The two accused, who are aged 15 and 17, were arrested by gardaí on Monday morning and brought before Wexford District Court where they were charged with rape.
The State alleges that the two accused raped the teenage girl at the Burrow area of Courtown Harbour at a time unknown between July 27th and July 28th 2019.
Garda Jacinta Gordon and Garda Gavin Tracey of Gorey Garda Station gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution in respect of the two accused and said they were objecting to bail in the case.
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Judge Brian O’Shea remanded both accused in juvenile detention to the Oberstown Detention Campus to appear again at Wexford District Court on May 25th.


theirishtimes--2020-05-19--Potential links between Bull Island fire and  traffic must be examined - Greens

Any potential links between a devastating grass fire on Dublin ’ s Bull Island and the return of traffic to the nature reserve need to be investigated , the Green Party has said .
Dublin Fire Brigade was called on Monday night to an extensive fire at the north Dublin nature reserve , with two fire engines attending and crews using gorse beaters to tackle the blaze .
The cause of the fire has not been formally established .
On Monday morning , cars were allowed to return to the Causeway Road which runs through the nature reserve , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ St Anne ’ s Golf Club .
Dublin City Council had closed the road to traffic at the beginning of April following Garda concerns over the public ’ s observance of the Covid-19 restrictions .
The island is a wildlife reserve and a key part of the Dublin Bay Biosphere which is a Unesco site protected by National , EU and International legislation .
The fire was a “ potential ecological disaster ” the Green Party said , as ground nesting birds have returned to the Island after any years , including the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ m so upset this morning to think of the destruction of the beautiful habitat .
A world Unesco site , Bull island has the most designations of any site in the country , as a bird sanctuary since 1930 ’ s , a biosphere reserve , and a nature reserve , ” Green Party Councillor for Clontarf , Donna Cooney , said .
“ We don ’ t know what caused it yet , but I want to find out if there is a connection to the fact that they opened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” she said .
Cllr Cooney called on the council to do everything in its power to protect the island .
“ Nature had recovered in the last few weeks when human activities had been restricted , the public had been enjoying nature in its all its wonder by threading gently , listening to the beautiful song of the skylark .
Cllr Cooney had earlier called for cars not to be allowed return to the causeway on Monday because inadequate facilities had been installed for cyclists and walkers , she said .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the nature reserve which would limit public access to parts of the island .

Any potential links between a devastating grass fire on Dublin’s Bull Island and the return of traffic to the nature reserve need to be investigated, the Green Party has said.
Dublin Fire Brigade was called on Monday night to an extensive fire at the north Dublin nature reserve, with two fire engines attending and crews using gorse beaters to tackle the blaze.
The cause of the fire has not been formally established.
2 fire engines are attending a grass fire on Bull Island, firefighters from North Strand fire station on scene. #Dublin #fire pic.twitter.com/Y3vPuQbpsW — Dublin Fire Brigade (@DubFireBrigade) May 18, 2020
On Monday morning, cars were allowed to return to the Causeway Road which runs through the nature reserve, and is used to access Dollymount Strand and St Anne's Golf Club.
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Dublin City Council had closed the road to traffic at the beginning of April following Garda concerns over the public's observance of the Covid-19 restrictions.
The island is a wildlife reserve and a key part of the Dublin Bay Biosphere which is a Unesco site protected by National, EU and International legislation. The fire was a "potential ecological disaster" the Green Party said, as ground nesting birds have returned to the Island after any years, including the skylark and the ringed plover.
"I'm so upset this morning to think of the destruction of the beautiful habitat. A world Unesco site, Bull island has the most designations of any site in the country, as a bird sanctuary since 1930's, a biosphere reserve, and a nature reserve," Green Party Councillor for Clontarf, Donna Cooney, said.
“We don’t know what caused it yet, but I want to find out if there is a connection to the fact that they opened up the island to cars yesterday,” she said.
Cllr Cooney called on the council to do everything in its power to protect the island.
“Nature had recovered in the last few weeks when human activities had been restricted, the public had been enjoying nature in its all its wonder by threading gently, listening to the beautiful song of the skylark.
Cllr Cooney had earlier called for cars not to be allowed return to the causeway on Monday because inadequate facilities had been installed for cyclists and walkers, she said.
The council this week published an action plan for the nature reserve which would limit public access to parts of the island.


theirishtimes--2020-05-19--Sisters of Charity lists St Vincent’s properties it will transfer to new entity for €1

St Vincent ’ s University Hospital and St Vincent ’ s Private Hospital at Elm Park , as well as approximately 3.21 acres at St Michael ’ s Hospital in Dun Laoghaire , will be transferred by the Sisters of Charity to a new “ not for profit ” independent entity , a spokeswoman has confirmed .
The spokeswoman was responding to queries about particular properties to be transferred to the new entity following an announcement last week that Rome had approved the nuns ’ decision to move ownership of their St Vincent ’ s Healthcare Group to the new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It was also clarified that transfer to St Vincent ’ s Holdings CLG by the sisters will include 28.67 acres of land .
The transfer has been seen as removal of an obstacle to building the new National Maternity hospital at Elm Park which some feared would be run on Catholic ethos lines , which wouold prohibiut contraception , sterilisation , IVF treatments , abortion , etc .
Rome has granted “ permission to transfer the entire issued share capital of St Vincent ’ s Healthcare Group to St Vincent ’ s Holding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Under Catholic Church Canon Law , approval for transferring ownership of extensive properties owned by any religious congregation must be secured from Rome before it can proceed .
It has also emerged that the St Vincent ’ s Healthcare Group will pay rent to the sisters for use of the old private hospital/the Herbert Wing at St Vincent ’ s University Hospital .
This amounts to approximately 1.8 acres , not included in the 28.67 acres referred to above as being transferred .
Funds accrued by the sisters from this will go towards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , average age 81 , as well as towards funding their ongoing work in education , homelessness , and with refugees .
The spokeswoman also clarified that the sisters “ will not be involved in any way ” with the new St Vincent ’ s Holdings CLG .
Transfer of the properties will end the sisters ’ 186-year involvement with St Vincent ’ s .
In 1834 Mary Aikenhead , who founded the Sisters of Charity , established the first hospital in Ireland to admit the sick irrespective of race , creed or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ superior general Sr Patricia Lenihan said they were confident the St Vincent ’ s Healthcare Group would “ continue to provide acute healthcare services that foster Mary Aikenhead ’ s mission and core values of dignity , compassion , justice , equality and advocacy for all into the future.
” When it was suggested this could mean continuation of a Catholic ethos at the Group , it was pointed out that when Mary Aikenhead died in 1858 the Catholic church taught that no homicide was involved if abortion took place before 166 days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
It was 1869 before the Church adopted its current position .

St Vincent’s University Hospital and St Vincent’s Private Hospital at Elm Park, will transfer to a new ‘not for profit’ body.
St Vincent's University Hospital and St Vincent's Private Hospital at Elm Park, St Michael's Hospital in Dun Laoghaire including its car parks and other lands, will be transferred by the Sisters of Charity to a new "not for profit" independent entity, a spokeswoman has confirmed.
The spokeswoman was responding to queries about particular properties to be transferred to the new entity following an announcement last week that Rome had approved the nuns' decision to move ownership of their St Vincent's Healthcare Group to the new St Vincent's Holdings CLG.
It was also clarified that transfer to St Vincent’s Holdings CLG by the sisters will include 28.67 acres of land at Elm Park.
The transfer has been seen as removal of an obstacle to building the new National Maternity hospital at Elm Park which some feared would be run on Catholic ethos lines, which wouold prohibiut contraception, sterilisation, IVF treatments, abortion, etc.
READ MORE
Rome has granted “permission to transfer the entire issued share capital of St Vincent’s Healthcare Group to St Vincent’s Holding for the nominal sum of €1.”
Under Catholic Church Canon Law, approval for transferring ownership of extensive properties owned by any religious congregation must be secured from Rome before it can proceed.
It has also emerged that the St Vincent's Healthcare Group will pay rent to the sisters for use of the old private hospital/the Herbert Wing at St Vincent's University Hospital.
This amounts to approximately 1.8 acres, not included in the 28.67 acres referred to above as being transferred.
Funds accrued by the sisters from this will go towards care of their 117 members in Ireland, average age 81, as well as towards funding their ongoing work in education, homelessness, and with refugees.
The spokeswoman also clarified that the sisters “will not be involved in any way” with the new St Vincent’s Holdings CLG.
Transfer of the properties will end the sisters’ 186-year involvement with St Vincent’s.
In 1834 Mary Aikenhead, who founded the Sisters of Charity, established the first hospital in Ireland to admit the sick irrespective of race, creed or ability to pay.
Sisters of Charity superior general Sr Patricia Lenihan said they were confident the St Vincent's Healthcare Group would "continue to provide acute healthcare services that foster Mary Aikenhead's mission and core values of dignity, compassion, justice, equality and advocacy for all into the future."
When it was suggested this could mean continuation of a Catholic ethos at the Group, others pointed out that when Mary Aikenhead died in 1858 the Catholic church taught that no homicide was involved if abortion took place before 166 days of pregnancy, or almost 24 weeks.
It was 1869 before the Church adopted its current position.


theirishtimes--2020-05-19--Northern Ireland unemployment almost doubled last month, figures show

Unemployment in Northern Ireland rose by almost 90 per cent in April , according to official figures .
Data released on Tuesday by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency ( NISRA ) showed that the number of people claiming job related benefits rose to 56,200 , an increase of 89 per cent compared to the previous month and the highest monthly increase on record .
The figures give the first official indication of the impact of coronavirus on employment in Northern Ireland .
NISRA noted that the claimant count rate , which is now at 6.1 per cent , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 2014 , but below the most recent peak of 7.3 per cent in December 2012 .
The highest claimant count rates were in Derry and Strabane and Belfast , while the lowest were in Lisburn and Castlereagh and Mid Ulster .
In the UK as a whole , the number of job-related benefit claimants increased by 69 per cent in April .
The figures also showed an increased in confirmed redundancies .
In the most recent 12 months there were 3,108 confirmed redundancies , 47 per cent higher than in the previous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ took place in April , with a further 783 proposed in the same month .
This was 40 per cent higher than the number proposed the previous month and was the fifth largest figure in the last five years .
A further 124 redundancies were proposed in the current month to May 18th .
The Northern Ireland unemployment rate for the period January to March 2020 was unchanged over the quarter at an estimated 2.4 per cent , and down 0.5 per cent over the year .
However , NISRA noted that because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until the end of March , they did not fully reflect the impact of coronavirus on the labour market .

Unemployment in Northern Ireland rose by almost 90 per cent in April, according to official figures.
Data released on Tuesday by the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) showed that the number of people claiming job related benefits rose to 56,200, an increase of 89 per cent compared to the previous month and the highest monthly increase on record.
The figures give the first official indication of the impact of coronavirus on employment in Northern Ireland.
NISRA noted that the claimant count rate, which is now at 6.1 per cent, is similar to rates seen in 2009/10 and 2014, but below the most recent peak of 7.3 per cent in December 2012.
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The highest claimant count rates were in Derry and Strabane and Belfast, while the lowest were in Lisburn and Castlereagh and Mid Ulster.
In the UK as a whole, the number of job-related benefit claimants increased by 69 per cent in April.
The figures also showed an increased in confirmed redundancies. In the most recent 12 months there were 3,108 confirmed redundancies, 47 per cent higher than in the previous period.
A total of 117 redundancies took place in April, with a further 783 proposed in the same month. This was 40 per cent higher than the number proposed the previous month and was the fifth largest figure in the last five years.
A further 124 redundancies were proposed in the current month to May 18th.
The Northern Ireland unemployment rate for the period January to March 2020 was unchanged over the quarter at an estimated 2.4 per cent, and down 0.5 per cent over the year.
However, NISRA noted that because these figures only covered the period up until the end of March, they did not fully reflect the impact of coronavirus on the labour market.


theirishtimes--2020-05-19--Irish scientist instrumental in Covid-19 vaccine trial

An Irish scientist is playing a lead role in one of the largest vaccine trials underway against Covid-19 .
An immunologist originally from Wexford , Prof David Lynn is the director of systems biology at the South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute ( SAHMRI ) in Adelaide .
Prof Lynn ’ s work is focused on the BCG jab and whether it can protect adults against the coronavirus .
Ordinarily BCG is given to infants to prevent tuberculosis .
He works alongside his wife and fellow scientist Dr Miriam Lynn from Dublin , also an immunologist .
The clinical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Australia , the Netherlands and Spain .
The trial is expanding to Europe due to the success Australia has had in controlling the Covid-19 pandemic .
South Australia has had just one case in the last 20 days , said Prof Lynn .
The trial will first test whether BCG vaccination leads to fewer cases of Covid-19 .
Second , even if there is no difference in infection rates , it will test whether those who got the BCG jab suffered less severe disease .
Samples from volunteers will be used to look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the immune system responds after a BCG jab .
It is suspected that the vaccine will prep defensive genes in innate immune cells , which are the first responders to germs .
BCG seems to prime these frontline cells to respond better and faster .
Prof Lynn pointed to studies in Africa showing that BCG in infants reduced death by up to 50 per cent up to the age of five .
This was , he says , was not explainable by a reduction in tuberculosis .
“ There is quite strong evidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beneficial non-specific effects , ” says Prof Lynn .
Studies in developed countries also indicate that BCG cuts down on serious respiratory illness , sepsis and hospital visits in children , says Prof Lynn .
“ We have known about its ability to modulate the immune system for quite some time.
” Health policy experts warn that countries must wait for clinical trials to prove or disprove whether BCG can reduce its symptoms before considering its use .
“ [ BCG ] is viewed as a potential interim solution , while a specific @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prof Lynn .
Most experts believe a vaccine will not be widely available for another 12 to 18 months .
If shown to work , BCG could be worth stockpiling for future emergencies .
“ It could be kept in the toolbox as a non-specific solution to respond rapidly to future pandemics , ” said Prof Lynn .

An immunologist originally from Wexford, Prof David Lynn is the director of systems biology at the South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) in Adelaide.
An Irish scientist is playing a lead role in one of the largest vaccine trials underway against Covid-19.
An immunologist originally from Wexford, Prof David Lynn is the director of systems biology at the South Australian Health & Medical Research Institute (SAHMRI) in Adelaide. Prof Lynn's work is focused on the BCG jab and whether it can protect adults against the coronavirus. Ordinarily BCG is given to infants to prevent tuberculosis.
He works alongside his wife and fellow scientist Dr Miriam Lynn from Dublin, also an immunologist.
The clinical trial will involve 10,000 healthcare workers in Australia, the Netherlands and Spain.
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The trial is expanding to Europe due to the success Australia has had in controlling the Covid-19 pandemic. South Australia has had just one case in the last 20 days, said Prof Lynn.
The trial will first test whether BCG vaccination leads to fewer cases of Covid-19. Second, even if there is no difference in infection rates, it will test whether those who got the BCG jab suffered less severe disease.
Samples
Samples from volunteers will be used to look for antibodies to Covid-19 and investigate how the immune system responds after a BCG jab. It is suspected that the vaccine will prep defensive genes in innate immune cells, which are the first responders to germs. BCG seems to prime these frontline cells to respond better and faster.
Prof Lynn pointed to studies in Africa showing that BCG in infants reduced death by up to 50 per cent up to the age of five. This was, he says, was not explainable by a reduction in tuberculosis. "There is quite strong evidence now that the BCG vaccine can have beneficial non-specific effects," says Prof Lynn.
Studies in developed countries also indicate that BCG cuts down on serious respiratory illness, sepsis and hospital visits in children, says Prof Lynn. “We have known about its ability to modulate the immune system for quite some time.”
Health policy experts warn that countries must wait for clinical trials to prove or disprove whether BCG can reduce its symptoms before considering its use. “[BCG] is viewed as a potential interim solution, while a specific vaccine is in development,” said Prof Lynn. Most experts believe a vaccine will not be widely available for another 12 to 18 months.
If shown to work, BCG could be worth stockpiling for future emergencies. “It could be kept in the toolbox as a non-specific solution to respond rapidly to future pandemics,” said Prof Lynn.


theirishtimes--2020-05-19--Coronavirus: Lockdown leads to 50% drop in car pollution

Pollution from cars has dropped by 50 per cent across Ireland since the start of the lockdown laws , research has shown .
The number of private cars on the roads has dropped by more than 85 per cent since the restrictions began .
Researchers at Marine and Renewable Energy Ireland ( MaREI ) , a research centre in energy , climate and marine at University College Cork ( UCC ) , has revealed the impact of Covid-19 restrictions on Ireland ’ s energy-related pollution levels .
Since Covid-19 restrictions came into force the use of planes , trains and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ analysis examines Ireland ’ s pollution levels prior to lockdown measures and compares it with those levels during lockdown .
Among the findings is that pollution from cars has dropped by 50 per cent , but air pollution from solid fuel burning has not changed .
In Ireland , the average commuter spends 28.2 minutes driving to work , equating to around an hour per day .
That means for every week Ireland is in lockdown , people will reclaim five hours that would have otherwise been spent in their car .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about 40 per cent of Ireland ’ s energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions from private cars are nearly twice the amount of flights .
Travelling to work and school accounts for more than a third of the journeys taken by Irish people each year .
Each week the school run requires Irish parents to drive 7 million km in total , emitting an estimated 1,200 tonnes of CO2 emissions .
Electricity has become our primary source of energy during lockdown , providing power for office work , lighting and entertainment .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has seen a decrease of between 5 per cent and 10 per cent over seasonal expectations since early March as a result of the Covid-19 measures .
Meanwhile , nine out of 10 flights have been cancelled since restrictions commenced , and if flight restrictions continue , it would be the equivalent of switching off the State ’ s largest electricity generating station at Moneypoint , in Co Clare , for six months , the research shows .
In Ireland , flights are responsible for 3.3 million tonnes of CO2 emission every year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ car driving 363,000 laps of the planet .
The World Health Organisation estimates annual deaths of 1,500 per year are attributable to outdoor air pollution in Ireland .
Data from the European Environment Agency ( EEA ) has shown how concentrations of nitrogen dioxide ( NO2 ) — a pollutant mainly emitted by road transport and to a lesser extent electricity generation — have decreased in many European cities .
NO2 has been linked to increased levels of lung conditions ranging from asthma and bronchitis to respiratory-related hospital admissions and emergency room visits @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a decrease in concentrations of up to 50 per cent of nitrogen dioxide at many monitoring stations across the National Air Quality Monitoring Network .
UCC researcher Dr James Glynn said : “ Covid-19 lockdown measures across the globe are creating a natural experiment for climate and energy researchers to observe how extreme demand scenarios can drive large scale fossil fuel demand destruction and collapse oil market prices .
“ By exploring the impact these restrictions are having on Ireland ’ s pollution levels , we are also seeking to understand feasible actions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to make long-term , equitable and sustainable changes to our lifestyles , to our economy and to our energy system .
“ Climate change mitigation is a marathon event requiring rapid and sustained steady changes in how we consume energy.
” – PA

Dublin during a normal rush hour. Each week the school run requires Irish parents to drive 7 million km. Photograph: Getty Images
Lower levels of traffic on roads, as a result of Covid-19 restrictions, have led to a halving of emissions of the pollutant nitrogen dioxide in Ireland, according to a new report on pollution and energy consumption from the MaREI at University College Cork.
The analysis shows that Covid-19 restrictions have led to a dramatic reduction in carbon emissions and air pollution in Ireland, and prompted a major shift in energy consumption. However, the report shows that air pollution from the burning of solid fuels has not reduced.
Ireland is on course to reduce its carbon emissions, including those by the aviation sector, by up to 3 million tonnes this year.
Energy used for transport accounts for about 40 per cent of Ireland’s energy consumption and 20 per cent of emissions.
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For every week of lockdown, Irish people will, on average, “reclaim five hours that would have otherwise been spent stuck in their car”.
Nine out of 10 flights have been cancelled, and if this continues, it will amount for the same amount of CO2 saved as if Moneypoint coal-fired power station in Co Clare was switched off for six months, according to the research. This would save one million tonnes of CO2 annually.
The analysis says that daily electricity demand now mirrors usual weekend demand.
The research focussed on the pandemic’s impact on Ireland’s energy system and associated greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution in transport, heat, and electricity.
Cars
Emissions from private cars are nearly twice the amount for flights, the study notes.
Travelling to work and school accounts for over a third of the journeys taken by Irish people each year. Each week “the school run requires Irish parents to drive a staggering 7 million km – emitting an estimated 1,200 tonnes of CO2 emissions; equivalent to the annual driving of about 400 cars”.
The average commuter spends 28.2 minutes driving to work, “roughly one hour per day there and back. That means for every week we are in lockdown people will reclaim 5 hours that would have otherwise been spent stuck in their car”, notes the study.
Private car activity levels have dropped by more than 85 per cent since lockdown. Based on 12 weeks of restrictions and another 12 weeks with partial measures, there could be a reduction of 1.5 million tonnes of CO2.
New car sales in March were 33 per cent lower than March 2019 and in April car sales were down by 90 per cent compared to April 2019. Sales of new electric vehicles briefly bucked the downward trend in March when they increased by 41 per cent.
Aeroplanes
Flights are responsible for 3.3 million tonnes of emissions annually.
Nearly nine out of 10 flights have been cancelled; the remainder are flying with low occupancy or to carry goods.
Assuming flight restrictions last for 12 weeks, and there will be another 12 weeks with partial recovery, this could result in a reduction of 1 million tonnes of heat-trapping CO2 this year.
Given difficulties airlines are likely to face with continued social distancing impacting upon tourism, the final annual reduction in emissions from aviation “may be considerably higher”.
Trains
Of all rail energy service demand in Ireland, 90 per cent is met by oil; the remaining by electricity.
DART and Intercity services are operating at 45 to 65 per cent of normal levels. Providing a 12-week scenario for a restricted schedule, operating at 55 per cent service, a reduction of 22,000 tonnes of CO2 may be realised.
Heat
Ireland’s housing stock uses a lot of oil and gas for heating, as well as solid fuels such as peat, coal and timber.
Heat demand has dropped in the travel, leisure, office and education sectors. The largest drop in gas demand is the construction sector; a drop equivalent to 25 per cent of all gas central-heated houses. However, he construction sector has picked up heat consumption in producing materials recently in anticipation of restarting works.
Education- and office-sector gas consumption has not dropped to zero as buildings are at low-occupancy levels, while combined heat and power plants consume the majority of gas demand.
Electricity
During this time of significant remote working, electricity has become our primary source of energy “aiding in executing office work, lighting and entertainment”.
Electricity demand decreased by 5 to 10 per cent over seasonal expectations since early March.
Sources for electricity supply include fossil fuels (gas, coal, oil and peat); renewables (wind, solar, biogas and hydro), and electricity imported from Britain. The fuel mix used depends on the weather, how much electricity is available from renewable sources, as well as at what price other producers are willing to generate electricity.
Air pollution
European Environment Agency data confirm concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) – a pollutant emitted by road transport and electricity generation – have decreased in many European cities.
In Ireland, there has been a halving of NO2 concentrations at many monitoring stations.
Experiment
Lockdown measures "are creating a natural experiment for climate and energy researchers to observe how extreme demand scenarios can drive large-scale fossil fuel demand destruction and collapse oil market prices," said MaREI researcher Dr James Glynn.
By exploring the impacts restrictions were having on Ireland’s pollution levels, they were seeking to understand feasible longer-term actions to mitigate climate change, he added.
Ultimately, what will matter is how we go back to business when life returns to normal. To make the big shifts in our energy system that are needed, people need to have money in their pocket and politicians need to go back to putting legally binding equitable carbon budget emissions limits into law as soon as possible, the MaREI analysis concludes.
“A complete lockdown scenario is only viable for short term, whereas climate change mitigation and adaptation is a marathon event requiring rapid and sustained steady changes in how we consume energy and live our lives,” it points out.


theirishtimes--2020-05-19--Car found in Lough Erne in search for man missing for 18 years

Gardaí have described the discovery of a car in Lough Erne , Co Fermanagh this week as a “ significant development ” in the search for a man who went missing 18 years ago .
Michael ‘ Tony ’ Lynch , who was originally from Co Fermanagh but had been living in Clones , was reported missing on January 9th , 2002 .
When last seen on January 6th , the 55-year-old was driving a white Mitsubishi Gallant , which had become the focus of the search .
On Monday , a vehicle believed to be the same Mitsubishi was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the public who contacted Clones Garda station .
Shortly after 2pm , police divers carried out an underwater search of the lake and discovered a submerged car which has been recovered for examination .
Gardaí say they believe it is the vehicle that belonged to Mr Lynch .
A cross-border search for Mr Lynch took place in January of this year with police on both sides of the border joining 18 members of the civil defence from counties Meath , Monaghan and Cavan to coordinate the search as part of a renewed appeal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Gardaí conducted searches across 10 lakes in Co Monaghan but the inquiry was suspended in March 2020 following the outbreak of Covid-19 .
Inspector Graham Tolan of Monaghan Garda station said he was grateful to the members of the public who go in touch about the vehicle in the lake , underlining that any small piece of information “ can prove vital ” in a case .
He said gardaí would continue to investigate missing person cases “ for as long as it takes ” Gardaí are working with police in Lisnaskea in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surrounding the discovery of the car and a family liaison officer is in contact with Mr Lynch ’ s family .

A car found submerged Lough Erne, Co Fermanagh on Monday is believed to belong to a man who went missing from Co Monaghan 18 years ago.
Michael ‘Tony’ Lynch, who was originally from Co Fermanagh but had been living in Clones, was reported missing on January 9th, 2002.
Gardaí have described the discovery of the car as a “significant development” in the investigation.
When last seen on January 6th, the 55-year-old was driving a white Mitsubishi Gallant, which had become the focus of the search.
READ MORE
The discovery came after members of the public uncovered what gardai described as an anomaly in the water on Monday. These men were aware of the gardai renewed an appeal for information regarding the location of Mr Lynch’s car earlier this year.The men contacted Clones Garda station.
Shortly after 2pm on Monday police divers carried out an underwater search of the lake and discovered that a car was submerged. The vehicle has been recovered for examination .
A cross-border search for Mr Lynch took place in January of this year with police on both sides of the Border joining 18 members of the civil defence from counties Meath, Monaghan and Cavan to coordinate the search as part of a renewed appeal into Mr Lynch’s disappearance.
Gardaí conducted searches across ten lakes in Co Monaghan but the inquiry was suspended in March 2020 following the outbreak of Covid-19.
Inspector Graham Tolan of Monaghan Garda station said he was grateful to the members of the public who got in touch about the vehicle in the lake, underlining that any small piece of information “can prove vital” in a case.
He said gardaí would continue to investigate missing person cases “for as long as it takes”
Gardaí are working with police in Lisnaskea in Co Fermanagh who are investigating and a Garda family liaison officer is in contact with Mr Lynch's family.


theirishtimes--2020-05-19--Children and ‘at risk’ groups to receive flu vaccine free of charge

Children aged two to 12 years are to receive the flu vaccine free of charge , Minister for Health Simon Harris has said .
Any person aged between six months and 69 years who is recognised as part of an “ at risk ” group will also receive the vaccine without charge , Mr Harris said on Monday .
People over 70 already receive the flu vaccine for free .
While the details of when the vaccine will become free for children are not yet available , the minister said plans for the expansion were under way and that further @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finalised .
Mr Harris warned that a resurgence of Covid-19 during the coming flu season could present a “ significant challenge ” to the delivery of healthcare services next winter .
“ Flu is a potentially fatal illness and I want to ensure that the most vulnerable in our communities are protected , ” he said .
“ When the time comes , I will be strongly encouraging those from at-risk groups to get vaccinated to protect themselves and , in the case of health care workers , those they care for , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The flu vaccine is the only defence against the flu and is the best option for vulnerable people against the life-threatening complications of flu ” .
Between 200 and 500 mostly older people die from flu in Ireland every winter , according to the HSE .
Worldwide , around 646,000 people die from the flu virus each winter .
As of last week , 103 people had died from flu in Ireland during the 2019/2020 season , according to figures from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre .
The HSE strongly recommends people over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ long-term health conditions such as chronic heart disease ; liver disease ; renal failure and cancer receive the winter flu vaccine .
People with chronic respiratory disease , chronic neurological disease , diabetes , Down syndrome , haemoglobinopathies or who have immunosuppresion due to disease or treatment or are morbidly obese are also advised to get the vaccine .
It is also recommended for nursing home residents , healthcare workers , carers and people in regular contact with pigs , poultry or waterfowl .

Between 200 and 500 mostly older people die from flu in Ireland every winter. Photograph: iStock
Children aged two to 12 years are to receive the flu vaccine free of charge, Minister for Health Simon Harris has said.
Any person aged between six months and 69 years who is recognised as part of an “at risk” group will also receive the vaccine without charge, Mr Harris said on Monday.
People over 70 already receive the flu vaccine for free.
While the details of when the vaccine will become free for children are not yet available, the minister said plans for the expansion were under way and that further information would be released once arrangements are finalised.
READ MORE
Mr Harris warned that a resurgence of Covid-19 during the coming flu season could present a “significant challenge” to the delivery of healthcare services next winter.
“Flu is a potentially fatal illness and I want to ensure that the most vulnerable in our communities are protected,” he said. “When the time comes, I will be strongly encouraging those from at-risk groups to get vaccinated to protect themselves and, in the case of health care workers, those they care for, from exposure to the flu.
“The flu vaccine is the only defence against the flu and is the best option for vulnerable people against the life-threatening complications of flu”.
Between 200 and 500 mostly older people die from flu in Ireland every winter, according to the HSE. Worldwide, around 646,000 people die from the flu virus each winter.
As of last week, 103 people had died from flu in Ireland during the 2019/2020 season, according to figures from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre.
The HSE strongly recommends people over 65, pregnant women and people with long-term health conditions such as chronic heart disease; liver disease; renal failure and cancer receive the winter flu vaccine.
People with chronic respiratory disease, chronic neurological disease, diabetes, Down syndrome, haemoglobinopathies or who have immunosuppresion due to disease or treatment or are morbidly obese are also advised to get the vaccine.
It is also recommended for nursing home residents, healthcare workers, carers and people in regular contact with pigs, poultry or waterfowl.


theirishtimes--2020-05-19--Warm, sunny weather ahead but Friday will bring much needed rain

Warm and pleasant weather over the coming days will be replaced by much-needed rain on Friday , when the recent dry spell comes to an end .
Temperatures will range between 18 and 21 degrees on Tuesday and Wednesday though it will feel cooler along southern and eastern coasts .
Thursday will be dry , with sunny spells for much of the day and highs of 20 degrees , although it will be overcast in the west .
Friday will be windy with rain in the morning giving way to scattered showers .
Rain will be widespread across the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ relief to farmers in the east and southeast .
Met Éireann forecaster Andrew Doran-Sherlock said the rain will come as a “ bit of a culture shock ” given the absence of it over the last six weeks .
“ At the moment it is looking like there will be rain in most places .
It ’ s going to feel like heavy rain because there has not been a huge amount recently , ” he said .
However , the wet weather will be short-lived .
There will be more showers on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a return to dry and warm weather next week .
“ It will be a bit cooler on Friday and Saturday .
Sunday is looking mostly dry .
It is looking like it will be more settled going into next week .
The temperatures will pick up again.
” Rainfall levels in April in the east and midlands were just a quarter of the monthly average and most places have only received a fraction of the rain they would expect in May .
Just 4.2mm of rain have fallen at Dublin Airport @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the month is 59.6mm .
As a consequence , soil moisture deficits are currently between 50mm and 60mm in the eastern half of the country .
Mr Doran-Sherlock said the soil moisture deficits at present are what would be expected during a dry summer .
The lack of rain is causing restricted grass growth across the country so any rain will be welcomed by farmers .
Last week , Irish Water asked the public to conserve water as households were using 20 per cent more water than they would normally because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Irish Water pointed out that domestic usage accounts for two-thirds of all usage and so the fall-off in use in commercial usage is not as great as the extra consumption by people staying at home .
The company said it had been an “ extremely dry spell so we are continually monitoring our water sources for any signs of drought ” .

Warm and pleasant weather over the coming days will be replaced by much-needed rain on Friday, when the recent dry spell comes to an end.
Temperatures will range between 18 and 22 degrees on Wednesday though it will feel cooler along southern and eastern coasts.
Thursday will be dry, with sunny spells for much of the day and highs of 20 degrees, although it will be overcast in the west.
See below the forecast UV levels across Ireland for today Wednesday May 20th
Cloudy Skies:
"High" for most of the country with "Moderate" levels along western and northern coasts.
Clear Skies:
"High" for most of the country with "Moderate" levels along the far north. pic.twitter.com/oMaSx6aP6w — Met Éireann (@MetEireann) May 20, 2020
Friday will be windy with rain in the morning giving way to scattered showers. Rain will be widespread across the country from Friday afternoon, bringing some temporary relief to farmers in the east and southeast.
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Met Éireann forecaster Andrew Doran-Sherlock said the rain will come as a "bit of a culture shock" given the absence of it over the last six weeks.
“At the moment it is looking like there will be rain in most places. It’s going to feel like heavy rain because there has not been a huge amount recently,” he said.
However, the wet weather will be short-lived. There will be more showers on Saturday, but the long-term forecast is for a return to dry and warm weather next week.
“It will be a bit cooler on Friday and Saturday. Sunday is looking mostly dry. It is looking like it will be more settled going into next week. The temperatures will pick up again.”
Rainfall levels in April in the east and midlands were just a quarter of the monthly average and most places have only received a fraction of the rain they would expect in May. Just 4.2mm of rain have fallen at Dublin Airport’s weather station. The average for the month is 59.6mm.
As a consequence, soil moisture deficits are currently between 50mm and 60mm in the eastern half of the country. Mr Doran-Sherlock said the soil moisture deficits at present are what would be expected during a dry summer.
The lack of rain is causing restricted grass growth across the country so any rain will be welcomed by farmers.
Last week, Irish Water asked the public to conserve water as households were using 20 per cent more water than they would normally because of people being at home during the lockdown.
Irish Water pointed out that domestic usage accounts for two-thirds of all usage and so the fall-off in use in commercial usage is not as great as the extra consumption by people staying at home.
The company said it had been an “extremely dry spell so we are continually monitoring our water sources for any signs of drought”.


theirishtimes--2020-05-19--Ireland will be living with coronavirus for ‘foreseeable future’

The public will be living with the Covid-19 health crisis for the “ foreseeable future ” , Ireland ’ s deputy chief medical officer has warned .
Dr Ronan Glynn said it is difficult to say whether it will last months or years .
He added that , while there is no vaccine for Covid-19 , there is cause for optimism following an “ unprecedented level ” of research and activity in the development of a vaccine .
“ Notwithstanding the very good success we ’ ve had in the past number of weeks and months and notwithstanding the actions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have saved a very significant amount of lives , ” he told RTÉ ’ s Morning Ireland .
“ Unfortunately we still don ’ t have the treatment , we don ’ t have a vaccine , we don ’ t have a rapid test and , until those things are developed and brought out in a mass way that can be used across the population , we will be living with this for the foreseeable future .
Whether that ’ s months or years is difficult to say at this point .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the new normal and , as we now set out to ease restrictions , it is very important that people continue to practise what I hope become normal habits for them over the past number of months , including hand-washing , respiratory etiquette and social distancing.
” The first phase of trials for vaccines started in March , with more than 23,000 scientific papers published on Covid-19 so far .
“ Given that we didn ’ t know about this virus in December , it really is unprecedented that the speed of this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across the entire continuum of Covid , ” Dr Glynn added .
“ The typical length of time for a vaccine to be developed is between 10 and 15 years .
The fastest vaccine that ’ s ever been developed was one for Ebola and that took between four and five years .
“ I ’ m not saying that it ’ s going to take that long , but I think we do need to exercise caution when we hear some reports that we could potentially have a vaccine that will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the summer .
“ Even if we do have a vaccine that ’ s safe and effective and produces immunity for a sustained period of time , it still needs to be produced on a massive scale because every country in the world will want this vaccine at the same time.
” On Monday , the coronavirus death toll in Ireland rose to 1,547 after a further four deaths were announced by the National Public Health Emergency Team .
There were another 88 confirmed cases of Covid-19 , taking the total in Ireland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Later on Tuesday , chief medical officer Tony Holohan , HSE boss Paul Reid and Department of Health secretary-general Jim Breslin will appear before the special Covid-19 committee to give evidence on the State ’ s response to the outbreak .

Ronan Glynn: “The fastest vaccine that’s ever been developed was one for Ebola and that took between four and five years.” Photograph: Collins Dublin
The public will be living with the Covid-19 health crisis for the “foreseeable future”, Ireland’s deputy chief medical officer has warned.
Dr Ronan Glynn said it is difficult to say whether it will last months or years.
He added that, while there is no vaccine for Covid-19, there is cause for optimism following an “unprecedented level” of research and activity in the development of a vaccine.
"Notwithstanding the very good success we've had in the past number of weeks and months and notwithstanding the actions of people across Ireland and across society have saved a very significant amount of lives," he told RTÉ's Morning Ireland.
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“Unfortunately we still don’t have the treatment, we don’t have a vaccine, we don’t have a rapid test and, until those things are developed and brought out in a mass way that can be used across the population, we will be living with this for the foreseeable future. Whether that’s months or years is difficult to say at this point.
“I think we are living in the new normal and, as we now set out to ease restrictions, it is very important that people continue to practise what I hope become normal habits for them over the past number of months, including hand-washing, respiratory etiquette and social distancing.”
The first phase of trials for vaccines started in March, with more than 23,000 scientific papers published on Covid-19 so far.
“Given that we didn’t know about this virus in December, it really is unprecedented that the speed of this is happening, and that reflects research across the entire continuum of Covid,” Dr Glynn added.
“The typical length of time for a vaccine to be developed is between 10 and 15 years. The fastest vaccine that’s ever been developed was one for Ebola and that took between four and five years.
“I’m not saying that it’s going to take that long, but I think we do need to exercise caution when we hear some reports that we could potentially have a vaccine that will be available as soon as the end of the summer.
“Even if we do have a vaccine that’s safe and effective and produces immunity for a sustained period of time, it still needs to be produced on a massive scale because every country in the world will want this vaccine at the same time.”
On Monday, the coronavirus death toll in Ireland rose to 1,547 after a further four deaths were announced by the National Public Health Emergency Team.
There were another 88 confirmed cases of Covid-19, taking the total in Ireland since the outbreak began to 24,200.
Later on Tuesday, chief medical officer Tony Holohan, HSE boss Paul Reid and Department of Health secretary-general Jim Breslin will appear before the special Covid-19 committee to give evidence on the State's response to the outbreak.


theirishtimes--2020-05-19--Covid-19 testing system being redesigned ‘end to end’, Oireachtas commitee hears

Ireland ’ s testing system for Covid-19 was one that was “ patched together ” but is now being redesigned “ end to end ” by the HSE , secretary general of the Department of Health Jim Breslin has said .
He told the special Oireachtas committee on the coronavirus committee , meeting in Leinster House , that the target for testing is three days for 70 per cent of all tests .
“ There will be further improvement and texting back negative results will speed things up.
” The requirement for the use of private hospital facilities would continue @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We ’ re not a health system endowed with capacity , ” he said in response to questions from Fianna Fáil health spokesman Stephen Donnelly .
He said the Government would have to review the use of private facilities .
He said a majority of consultants had signed up for the public system and that private patients would be offered the choice of whether they wished to stay with their private consultant or transfer over to the public system .
Meanwhile , the department ’ s chief medical officer Dr Tony @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people tested were getting their negative results back by text .
He said there was a fixation on 100,000 tests a week but it may need to be more fluid .
In a reply to questions from Sinn Féin health spokeswoman Louise O ’ Reilly , Dr Holohan said that 30.15 per cent of health care workers had tested positive for Covid-19 but there had been a substantive fall in the rate of infection in recent weeks .
Dr Holohan also referred to comparisons with Sweden , which has opted for a different @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faced a greater challenge than Ireland because it had almost 400 people in intensive care .
If population figures were adjusted for Ireland , that would mean 200 people in intensive care when there are currently 50 .
He also rejected comparisons with New Zealand and said it was on the other side of the world and “ direct comparisons are not entirely valid ” .
He said Ireland is “ closer to the epicentre of the virus in a way that New Zealand was not ” because the epicentre is in western @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which is 2,000km from another country .
Director general of the Construction Industry Federation Tom Parlon is also expected to tell the committee that there was no “ big bang return to work yesterday ” and that it will take months to return to previous levels of production .
“ Larger contractors allowed a reduced work force on site yesterday to assess sites , test new measures and embed new protocols in safety culture .
It will take months for the industry to reach previous output levels.
” He will also say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ drop in productivity.
” “ It ’ s understandable that the public is afraid .
The pandemic has shut down our society but it has also paralysed us .
We now know that we must restart our economy in a manner that prevents the spread of the virus or we face horrific long-term economic , social , and psychological consequences.
” Also on Tuesday , the country ’ s largest trade union is to call on the Government to put in place a compensation package to support the 7,600 healthcare workers who have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staff who suffered infections to be compensated for loss of earnings – including premium payments such as for weekend or unsocial hours work – due to illness , as well as the costs of future medical care .
The State should also cover the cost of counselling services , according to Siptu health division organiser Paul Bell , who said he feared many health workers would develop post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of the pandemic .
Separately , the Senior Civil Service Association has warned senior civil servants must be protected from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to fair procedure and natural justice ” when they give evidence to the special committee .
In a letter sent on Monday to the head of every department in the Civil Service , the group warns that its members must have their “ rights to constitutional and natural justice fully represented ” in the hearings held by the committee .

The HSE is working on redesigning Ireland's "patched together" Covid-19 testing system "end-to-end", the secretary general of the Department of Health Jim Breslin has told the special Oireachtas committee on coronavirus. Video: Oireachtas TV
Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan said he could not give a commitment on when the 14-day quarantining requirement would be lifted on passengers arriving at Irish ports and airports.
He told the Dáil committee on Covid-19 that the public health advice was to “try and ensure that we limit travel from overseas”.
Dr Holohan was responding to Fine Gael TD Colm Brophy who said that as long as the quarantine advice remained in place “Ireland is in effective lockdown, which has huge implications for the commercial life of the leisure industry”.
He said it seemed contradictory to a lot of people that there was an open border with Northern Ireland “but you have people landing in Dublin airport with an effective 14-day lockdown, which will literally kill out tourism industry”.
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Incubation period
Dr Holohan said, however, the reason the quarantine advice did not exist for travel on the island “is because in our assessment the island in broad terms is behaving as one”.
The public health advice “relates to our assessment of the potential incubation period of this virus. Fourteen days is pretty much an international consensus. Very few countries are at variance with that particular measure”.
Asked when it would be lifted, Dr Holohan replied “I couldn’t give a commitment in relation to that.
“No measures that we have recommended of this kind will be in place for any longer than we believe is necessary.
“It is simply too early to give an assessment, given . . . the state of infection on the island, Great Britain in the US and the rest of the world.”
Earlier the Dáil committee hear that a nurse who began work in a Dublin hospital a fortnight ago was not tested for coronavirus before starting the job and now has the virus.
People Before Profit TD Richard Boyd Barrett raised the case of an agency nurse and expressed concern at Ireland’s “much higher” rate of infection among health workers than other countries.
Dr Holohan had told committee that health workers accounted for 31.5 per cent of coronavirus cases but the rate of cases had reduced and staff were being prioritised for testing. Infection rates among staff was a “challenge”.
Mr Boyd Barrett asked “how on earth” that situation could arise
Dr Holohan agreed with him to publish the advice of Nphet (National Public Health Emergency Team) on staffing. He said new guidance on the matter had been issued on Tuesday by the European Centre of Disease Prevention and Control.
Dr Holohan could not provide an answer on the specifics of an individual nurse but said there has been a “significant programme” of testing of staff in all healthcare settings. He said Nphet was to consider the categories of people to be prioritised as testing capacity expands.
Social Democrats TD Róisín Shortall raised concern about the “disconnect” between the 3,000 tests being carried out per day and the 15,000 capacity that is now in place.
Dr Holohan said results of the tests being conducted were coming back with a 3 per cent infection rate.
He added that the confirmed contacts of individuals who have fallen ill are now automatically being tested.
Testing system
Earlier on Tuesday, secretary general of the Department of Health Jim Breslin said Ireland's testing system for Covid-19 was one that was "patched together" but was now being redesigned "end to end" by the HSE.
He told the committee, which was calling its first witnesses on Tuesday, that the target for testing was three days for 70 per cent of all tests. “There will be further improvement and texting back negative results will speed things up.”
The requirement for the use of private hospital facilities would continue because there could be a further surge. “We’re not a health system endowed with capacity,” he said in response to questions from Fianna Fáil health spokesman Stephen Donnelly.
He said the Government would have to review the use of private facilities. Mr Breslin said a majority of consultants had signed up for the public system and that private patients would be offered the choice of whether they wished to stay with their private consultant or transfer over to the public system.
Comparisons
Dr Holohan said 97 per cent of people tested were getting their negative results back by text. He said there was a fixation on 100,000 tests a week but it may need to be more fluid.
In a reply to questions from Sinn Féin health spokeswoman Louise O’Reilly, Dr Holohan said that 30.15 per cent of health care workers had tested positive for Covid-19 but there had been a substantive fall in the rate of infection in recent weeks.
Dr Holohan also referred to comparisons with Sweden, which has opted for a different herd immunity system. He said Sweden faced a greater challenge than Ireland because it had almost 400 people in intensive care.
If population figures were adjusted for Ireland, that would mean 200 people in intensive care when there are currently 50.
He also rejected comparisons with New Zealand and said it was on the other side of the world and “direct comparisons are not entirely valid”.
He said Ireland was “closer to the epicentre of the virus in a way that New Zealand was not” because the epicentre is in western Europe and not in New Zealand, which is 2,000km from another country.


theirishtimes--2020-05-19--Man arrested after €117,000 worth of cocaine seized in Clondalkin

A man in his 30s has been arrested following the seizure of €117,000 worth of cocaine from a van in @ @ @ @ @ 1.7kg of cocaine after stopping a vehicle on the outer ring road in Clondalkin , @ @ @ @ @ 6pm on Monday .
They searched the van under Section 23 of the misuse of @ @ @ @ @ the haul of drugs .
The man was arrested at the scene and taken to @ @ @ @ @ is detained under section 2 of the criminal justice ( drug trafficking ) act 1996 @

The man was arrested at the scene and detained under drug trafficking laws.
A man in his 30s has been arrested following the seizure of €117,000 worth of cocaine from a van in Clondalkin.
Gardaí discovered around 1.7kg of cocaine after stopping a vehicle on the outer ring road in Clondalkin, Dublin 22, at about 6pm on Monday.
They searched the van under Section 23 of the misuse of drugs act 1977/84 and discovered the haul of drugs.
The man was arrested at the scene and taken to Ronanstown Garda station where he is detained under section 2 of the criminal justice (drug trafficking) act 1996.


theirishtimes--2020-05-19--Global co-operation needed for universal access to Covid-19 vaccine – UN director

Multilateral co-operation is needed among world leaders to ensure all countries , regardless of economic wealth , are able to access the vaccine for Covid-19 once it ’ s discovered , the director general of the International Organisation for Migration ( IOM ) has said .
The UN migration agency director Antonio Vitorino noted that countries initially responded to the coronavirus pandemic by closing borders and looking inwards – “ a strictly national approach ” .
“ International scientists and medical doctors are cooperating to find a vaccine in a way that has never happened before , ” said Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not just about cooperating in discovering the vaccine ; it ’ s also making sure everyone is entitled to the vaccine.
” Worldwide vaccination can only be achieved through international cooperation and can not be done solely on a national basis , he said .
“ Otherwise we will create one healthy world and another unhealthy world divided by economic power.
” Smaller countries , like Ireland , should be at the forefront in advocating for equal health treatment for all , he said .
“ We are all entitled to access a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Countries small in size can be very big if they use authoritative moral attitude.
” Speaking at an online event on the global response to Covid-19 organised by the Irish Institute of International and European Affairs , Mr Vitorino said it was “ just a question of time ” before the coronavirus becomes widespread in refugee camps across the globe .
He also expressed concern regarding the spread of the virus among displaced people travelling in large groups , including thousands of Venezuelans who have returned from Colombia because of the job @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coverage is the only way to protect migrants ’ welfare while also stemming the flow of virus , he said .
Citing the example of Singapore , which initially had a low number of Covid-19 cases but recently recorded thousands more among migrant workers , Mr Vitorino underlined the importance of health care for all .
“ Universal access to health is the first key lesson to be taken from this major pandemic .
If we do not allow access to migrants to testing and treatment , irrespective of their legal status , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Mr Vitorino also highlighted the drop in remittance payments from migrants to their families since the outbreak of the virus , noting that the World Bank has forecast a 20 per cent reduction in global remittances because of Covid-19 .
Mr Vitorino praised his home country of Portugal for fast-tracking the asylum process of thousands of asylum seekers during the crisis and noted that the Italian government had agreed to regularize 600,000 migrants needed to work in the agriculture industry .
Other countries are taking steps to recognise the frontline work in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carried out by migrants during this crisis , he said .
Meanwhile , other countries continue to scapegoat migrants as “ virus carriers ” , said Mr Vitorino , adding that measures were needed to ensure wealthier countries did not block entry to people from poorer countries in a post-pandemic world .
“ After 9/11 there were changes in security for travelling… Now the point is no longer what you carry ; you have become the problem because you might be carrying the virus .
“ Some countries are more capable of setting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conditions of travellers but others won ’ t have that possibility .
We might create a system where access to mobility will be limited by economic conditions .
“ We are at a crossroads – things can still evolve in a negative way for future mobility or things can evolve in a positive way if we have a fair , honest , reasonable conversation about how much we need mobility .
”

Multilateral co-operation is needed to ensure all countries are able to access the vaccine for Covid-19 , Antonio Vitorino the director general of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has said. Photograph: John Thys / AFP via Getty Images
Multilateral co-operation is needed among world leaders to ensure all countries, regardless of economic wealth, are able to access the vaccine for Covid-19 once it’s discovered, the director general of the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) has said.
The UN migration agency director Antonio Vitorino noted that countries initially responded to the coronavirus pandemic by closing borders and looking inwards – “a strictly national approach”.
“International scientists and medical doctors are cooperating to find a vaccine in a way that has never happened before,” said Mr Vitorino. “But it’s not just about cooperating in discovering the vaccine; it’s also making sure everyone is entitled to the vaccine.”
Worldwide vaccination can only be achieved through international cooperation and cannot be done solely on a national basis, he said. “Otherwise we will create one healthy world and another unhealthy world divided by economic power.”
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Smaller countries, like Ireland, should be at the forefront in advocating for equal health treatment for all, he said. "We are all entitled to access a vaccine in the name of human dignity. Countries small in size can be very big if they use authoritative moral attitude."
Speaking at an online event on the global response to Covid-19 organised by the Irish Institute of International and European Affairs, Mr Vitorino said it was “just a question of time” before the coronavirus becomes widespread in refugee camps across the globe.
He also expressed concern regarding the spread of the virus among displaced people travelling in large groups, including thousands of Venezuelans who have returned from Colombia because of the job losses during the pandemic.
Universal health coverage is the only way to protect migrants' welfare while also stemming the flow of virus, he said. Citing the example of Singapore, which initially had a low number of Covid-19 cases but recently recorded thousands more among migrant workers, Mr Vitorino underlined the importance of health care for all.
“Universal access to health is the first key lesson to be taken from this major pandemic. If we do not allow access to migrants to testing and treatment, irrespective of their legal status, our entire community will be under threat.”
Mr Vitorino also highlighted the drop in remittance payments from migrants to their families since the outbreak of the virus, noting that the World Bank has forecast a 20 per cent reduction in global remittances because of Covid-19.
Mr Vitorino praised his home country of Portugal for fast-tracking the asylum process of thousands of asylum seekers during the crisis and noted that the Italian government had agreed to regularize 600,000 migrants needed to work in the agriculture industry. Other countries are taking steps to recognise the frontline work in healthcare, retail, transport and agriculture carried out by migrants during this crisis, he said.
Meanwhile, other countries continue to scapegoat migrants as “virus carriers”, said Mr Vitorino, adding that measures were needed to ensure wealthier countries did not block entry to people from poorer countries in a post-pandemic world.
“After 9/11 there were changes in security for travelling… Now the point is no longer what you carry; you have become the problem because you might be carrying the virus.
“Some countries are more capable of setting up border systems to assess the health conditions of travellers but others won’t have that possibility. We might create a system where access to mobility will be limited by economic conditions.
“We are at a crossroads – things can still evolve in a negative way for future mobility or things can evolve in a positive way if we have a fair, honest, reasonable conversation about how much we need mobility.”


theirishtimes--2020-05-19--Nine-year-old raises €3,600 for homeless by cycling 256km - indoors

A nine-year-old Dublin schoolboy has raised more than €3,600 for homeless people after cycling nearly 260 km over 12 hours .
James Cunningham from Clontarf undertook the challenge of cycling the equivalent of six marathons earlier this month to raise funds for families without a home during the pandemic .
“ I was worried about people who suffered from homelessness that they would be forgotten about during the coronavirus , ” said James , who raised the money for the Peter McVerry Trust .
His father Keith says his son developed an interest in work supporting homeless people following a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We visited a township outside Cape Town and the kids witnessed such poverty ; it was a real jerk to their system .
They had been talking about it since we got home and it sparked a conversation about homelessness in Ireland .
” James had recently asked his dad who would look after people without a home during the Covid-19 emergency .
“ When I scratched below the surface it was along the lines of what happens if they get the virus ?
” says Keith .
“ Questions like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t know anything about it ?
’ ” A fan of cycling his whole life and an active member of Orwell Wheelers , James decided he would cycle 200km over two days using his dad ’ s turbo trainer in the kitchen and set up a Justgiving page with a goal of raising €500 for the McVerry trust .
The 9-year-old cycled six hours his first day – broken into a four hour and then two hour stint – and another six hours the following day .
He linked the bike up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ track his progress and received hundreds of messages of support from friends , family and neighbours .
One small €20 donation to the Justgiving page , which was accompanied by a short message , was particularly memorable .
“ I got a message from a person who lived in a Peter McVerry shelter for 3½ years but they have a home now .
They got in touch to say how proud they were of me.
” The young cyclist was treated to homemade protein bars by his older sister and a constant supply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get him through the long cycle .
In fact , James got into such a routine that his mother had to convince him to stop cycling when he reached 256km , said his father .
“ He wanted to get to 300km , his mum had to say it ’ s time to get off the bike .
We ’ re every so proud of him .
He ’ s shy but he ’ s a very thoughtful and kind kid .
It ’ s been an amazing rollercoaster journey for him and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Peter McVerry to thank him for the support.
” James also feels proud of completing the cycle and the €3,607 he has raised to date and is already planning his next challenge .
“ It can really change their lives and that made me feel so proud .
”

A nine-year-old Dublin schoolboy has raised more than €3,600 for homeless people after cycling nearly 260 km over 12 hours.
James Cunningham from Clontarf undertook the challenge of cycling the equivalent of six marathons earlier this month to raise funds for families without a home during the pandemic.
“I was worried about people who suffered from homelessness that they would be forgotten about during the coronavirus,” said James, who raised the money for the Peter McVerry Trust.
His father Keith says his son developed an interest in work supporting homeless people following a family trip to South Africa last year. "We visited a township outside Cape Town and the kids witnessed such poverty; it was a real jerk to their system. They had been talking about it since we got home and it sparked a conversation about homelessness in Ireland. "
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James had recently asked his dad who would look after people without a home during the Covid-19 emergency. “When I scratched below the surface it was along the lines of what happens if they get the virus?” says Keith. “Questions like ‘could they die and people wouldn’t know anything about it?’”
A fan of cycling his whole life and an active member of Orwell Wheelers, James decided he would cycle 200km over two days using his dad's turbo trainer in the kitchen and set up a Justgiving page with a goal of raising €500 for the McVerry trust.
The 9-year-old cycled six hours his first day – broken into a four hour and then two hour stint – and another six hours the following day. He linked the bike up through the Strava app so people could track his progress and received hundreds of messages of support from friends, family and neighbours.
One small €20 donation to the Justgiving page, which was accompanied by a short message, was particularly memorable. “I got a message from a person who lived in a Peter McVerry shelter for 3½ years but they have a home now. They got in touch to say how proud they were of me.”
The young cyclist was treated to homemade protein bars by his older sister and a constant supply of drinks from his younger brother to get him through the long cycle. In fact, James got into such a routine that his mother had to convince him to stop cycling when he reached 256km, said his father.
“He wanted to get to 300km, his mum had to say it’s time to get off the bike. We’re every so proud of him. He’s shy but he’s a very thoughtful and kind kid. It’s been an amazing rollercoaster journey for him and even today we received a message from Peter McVerry to thank him for the support.”
James also feels proud of completing the cycle and the €3,607 he has raised to date and is already planning his next challenge. “It can really change their lives and that made me feel so proud.”


theirishtimes--2020-05-19--EU should re-establish diplomatic presence in North, report says

The EU should re-establish a diplomatic “ presence ” in Northern Ireland post-Brexit , according to a report by the research initiative The UK in a Changing Europe .
It is one of 80 recommendations contained in its report , published on Tuesday , on the governance of Northern Ireland after Brexit which is co-authored by Dr Katy Hayward , Professor David Phinnemore and Dr Milena Komarova from Queen ’ s University , Belfast .
This “ presence ” need not necessarily be a public-facing office , the report states , but it should “ contribute , as appropriate , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ireland ] Protocol but also to fill the liaison/communication gap left by the loss of the Commission Office in Belfast .
“ This will aid understanding and appropriate sensitivity at EU level , ” the report ’ s authors wrote .
The European Commission ’ s office in Belfast closed at the end of January when the UK left the EU .
Requests from the North ’ s four pro-Remain parties – Sinn Féin , the SDLP , Alliance and the Greens – and the EU were rejected earlier this month by British @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he did not accept any permanent EU presence was required in Northern Ireland .
The UK in a Changing Europe carries out research into the relationship between the UK and the EU .
It is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council ( ESRC ) – which is part of UK Research and Innovation – and is based at King ’ s College , London .
The report is the final publication of a research project , Anticipating and Meeting New Multilevel Governance Challenges in Northern Ireland , an 18-month long study @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ireland Protocol , which is part of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement .
The report ’ s authors found that Northern Ireland faces a “ serious democratic deficit ” as a consequence of Brexit .
Under the Protocol , they found , the North will continue to be a “ rule-taker ” from the EU with no formal representation at that level , and its elected representatives will have no capacity to directly shape EU decisions and limited scope to scrutinise them in advance .
Its recommendations include that the Northern Executive should be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issues affecting Northern Ireland , and that the Executive should act on establishing a consultative forum of representatives of civil society to address issues around the Protocol .
It also suggested that the North South Ministerial Council should be given a formal role to monitor the implementation and the impact of the Protocol and , under the terms of the Belfast Agreement , its views should be “ taken into account and represented appropriately at relevant EU meetings.
” Priority should also be given to “ equipping and preparing the Office of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and , if anything , more important role under the Protocol ” .
“ The recommendations are for generally modest initiatives and developments , ” said lead researcher Dr Katy Hayward , “ but each one is a small step towards improving the means by which Northern Ireland can be better governed , even though its capacity to determine the policies that affect it has been undeniably diminished .
“ Upholding democratic legitimacy in principle and in practice is particularly important for a region with a still-fragile peace process , ” she said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Changing Europe , Professor Anand Menon , said there was a “ growing awareness that the Northern Ireland Protocol is more important than its 15 pages would suggest .
“ Concerns about the capacity to shape UK post-Brexit policy are , as we know , not confined to Northern Ireland .
“ There are many lessons that can be drawn from this report for all the devolved regions and nations of the UK , ” he said .

The European Commission’s office in Belfast closed at the end of January when the UK left the EU. Photograph: Getty Images
The EU should re-establish a diplomatic "presence" in Northern Ireland post-Brexit, according to a report by the research initiative The UK in a Changing Europe.
It is one of 80 recommendations contained in its report, published on Tuesday, on the governance of Northern Ireland after Brexit which is co-authored by Dr Katy Hayward, Professor David Phinnemore and Dr Milena Komarova from Queen's University, Belfast.
This "presence" need not necessarily be a public-facing office, the report states, but it should "contribute, as appropriate, to the implementation of the [Northern Ireland] Protocol but also to fill the liaison/communication gap left by the loss of the Commission Office in Belfast.
“This will aid understanding and appropriate sensitivity at EU level,” the report’s authors wrote.
READ MORE
The European Commission’s office in Belfast closed at the end of January when the UK left the EU.
Requests from the North's four pro-Remain parties – Sinn Féin, the SDLP, Alliance and the Greens – and the EU were rejected earlier this month by British cabinet office minister Michael Gove who said he did not accept any permanent EU presence was required in Northern Ireland.
Research
The UK in a Changing Europe carries out research into the relationship between the UK and the EU. It is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) – which is part of UK Research and Innovation – and is based at King’s College, London.
The report is the final publication of a research project, Anticipating and Meeting New Multilevel Governance Challenges in Northern Ireland, an 18-month long study of the democratic implications of the Northern Ireland Protocol, which is part of the Brexit Withdrawal Agreement.
The report’s authors found that Northern Ireland faces a “serious democratic deficit” as a consequence of Brexit. Under the Protocol, they found, the North will continue to be a “rule-taker” from the EU with no formal representation at that level, and its elected representatives will have no capacity to directly shape EU decisions and limited scope to scrutinise them in advance.
Its recommendations include that the Northern Executive should be consulted by the UK government on Brexit-related issues affecting Northern Ireland, and that the Executive should act on establishing a consultative forum of representatives of civil society to address issues around the Protocol.
It also suggested that the North South Ministerial Council should be given a formal role to monitor the implementation and the impact of the Protocol and, under the terms of the Belfast Agreement, its views should be "taken into account and represented appropriately at relevant EU meetings."
More important role
Priority should also be given to "equipping and preparing the Office of the NI Executive in Brussels for a new and, if anything, more important role under the Protocol".
“The recommendations are for generally modest initiatives and developments,” said lead researcher Dr Katy Hayward, “but each one is a small step towards improving the means by which Northern Ireland can be better governed, even though its capacity to determine the policies that affect it has been undeniably diminished.
“Upholding democratic legitimacy in principle and in practice is particularly important for a region with a still-fragile peace process,” she said.
The director of The UK in a Changing Europe, Professor Anand Menon, said there was a "growing awareness that the Northern Ireland Protocol is more important than its 15 pages would suggest.
“Concerns about the capacity to shape UK post-Brexit policy are, as we know, not confined to Northern Ireland.
“There are many lessons that can be drawn from this report for all the devolved regions and nations of the UK,” he said.


theirishtimes--2020-05-19--Coronavirus: Irish performance midtable at best in international terms

With the lifting of some Covid-19 restrictions this week , Ireland has moved on to a new phase of its battle against the virus .
The liberties we have reclaimed since Monday are for now meagre and tentative , with the fear of a second wave of the epidemic not far from our thoughts .
Yet how we fare from here on is to a large extent in our hands , individually and collectively .
A flexible , nimble and directed approach to keeping Covid-19 in check can yield impressive results in terms of winning us new liberties and easing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Government ’ s plan and , perhaps , even faster .
So far , our performance is midtable at best , in international terms .
There is the sense of a half-defeat being wrestled from the jaws of victory .
We had extra time to prepare before the virus came here compared with other EU countries , and to put in place a coherent strategy informed by the best scientific advice .
This helped us win the battle in our hospitals , where ICUs were comfortably able to cope with the surge of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the experience gained , there can be confidence that hospitals can cope even better should the virus stage a substantial return .
Yet even as this was happening , coronavirus was making its way into nursing homes and other care settings with devastating effect .
Apart maybe from Canada , Ireland has the highest proportion of Covid-19 deaths occurring in care homes .
For reasons that have yet to be fully explained and will require formal investigation , the disease ripped through these settings before effective action was taken .
That situation has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ challenge has arisen in meat factories .
As with care homes , the problems here have as much to do with staff practices outside the workplace – arising from the sharing of accommodation , for example – as behaviours on the job .
Governments effectively have three means of controlling the epidemic now , during the post-lockdown phase ; testing and contract tracing , travel restrictions , and social distancing .
The greater movement allowed to us as we move through the phases of the Government ’ s plan is likely to lead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clamp down on spread by ensuring rapid testing and contact tracing is in place .
And , if we choose , we can double down on border controls to protect against the importation of fresh cases .
The HSE ’ s promise to test and trace contacts of the vast majority of cases within three days is welcome , although an even shorter turnaround time would be better .
Border controls will matter more as international travel resumes and the airports fill up again , which is why the filling-in of a passenger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As society loosens up , we will see more cases in private homes and workplaces .
We need to reduce the proportion of cases caused by community transmission , which currently account for 60 per cent of the total .
To some extent , we can lessen the risk by redesigning our shared spaces – for example , by getting rid of cramped accommodation units .
Our default advice is still to stay at home , but for the limited social interaction that is now allowed , the outdoors is the best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Japan , which has one of the lowest Covid-19 death rates , epidemiologists advise people to avoid “ the three Cs – Conversation in poorly ventilated , Close , Crowded spaces ” .
Despite the focus recently on masks and asymptomatic transmission , it is important to remember that the way this virus is passed on is mainly through close and prolonged contact , and mostly by people who have just started to show symptoms .
This happens most in enclosed environments such as households , long-term care settings and high-density public transport @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are low risk , provided you keep your distance .
And , it is worth repeating , children do not pose any greater infection risk than other people .
By acting smartly , we can stamp out new outbreaks quickly , rebuild the economy and even buy ourselves room to experiment a bit – for example , by getting some children back to school on a trial basis .

With the lifting of some Covid-19 restrictions this week, Ireland has moved on to a new phase of its battle against the virus.
The liberties we have reclaimed since Monday are for now meagre and tentative, with the fear of a second wave of the epidemic not far from our thoughts.
Yet how we fare from here on is to a large extent in our hands, individually and collectively. A flexible, nimble and directed approach to keeping Covid-19 in check can yield impressive results in terms of winning us new liberties and easing restrictions according to the timetable in the Government’s plan and, perhaps, even faster.
So far, our performance is midtable at best, in international terms. There is the sense of a half-defeat being wrestled from the jaws of victory. We had extra time to prepare before the virus came here compared with other EU countries, and to put in place a coherent strategy informed by the best scientific advice.
READ MORE
This helped us win the battle in our hospitals, where ICUs were comfortably able to cope with the surge of cases that came their way. With the experience gained, there can be confidence that hospitals can cope even better should the virus stage a substantial return.
Yet even as this was happening, coronavirus was making its way into nursing homes and other care settings with devastating effect. Apart maybe from Canada, Ireland has the highest proportion of Covid-19 deaths occurring in care homes. For reasons that have yet to be fully explained and will require formal investigation, the disease ripped through these settings before effective action was taken.
That situation has now been stabilised, but a new challenge has arisen in meat factories. As with care homes, the problems here have as much to do with staff practices outside the workplace – arising from the sharing of accommodation, for example – as behaviours on the job.
Three controls
Governments effectively have three means of controlling the epidemic now, during the post-lockdown phase; testing and contract tracing, travel restrictions, and social distancing.
The greater movement allowed to us as we move through the phases of the Government’s plan is likely to lead to more cases, but we can clamp down on spread by ensuring rapid testing and contact tracing is in place. And, if we choose, we can double down on border controls to protect against the importation of fresh cases.
The HSE’s promise to test and trace contacts of the vast majority of cases within three days is welcome, although an even shorter turnaround time would be better. Border controls will matter more as international travel resumes and the airports fill up again, which is why the filling-in of a passenger locator form becomes obligatory from this week.
As society loosens up, we will see more cases in private homes and workplaces. We need to reduce the proportion of cases caused by community transmission, which currently account for 60 per cent of the total.
To some extent, we can lessen the risk by redesigning our shared spaces – for example, by getting rid of cramped accommodation units.
Great outdoors?
Our default advice is still to stay at home, but for the limited social interaction that is now allowed, the outdoors is the best option for the coming months. In Japan, which has one of the lowest Covid-19 death rates, epidemiologists advise people to avoid "the three Cs – Conversation in poorly ventilated, Close, Crowded spaces".
Despite the focus recently on masks and asymptomatic transmission, it is important to remember that the way this virus is passed on is mainly through close and prolonged contact, and mostly by people who have just started to show symptoms. This happens most in enclosed environments such as households, long-term care settings and high-density public transport.
Conversely, short, casual interactions are low risk, provided you keep your distance. And, it is worth repeating, children do not pose any greater infection risk than other people.
By acting smartly, we can stamp out new outbreaks quickly, rebuild the economy and even buy ourselves room to experiment a bit – for example, by getting some children back to school on a trial basis.