theirishtimes--2020-10-18--Big rise in employment and housing queries to community legal service

Queries about employment rights to a leading community law service have doubled , while concerns about housing rights have gone up by 40 per cent and calls for advice on family law by almost 20 per cent since the start of the Covid pandemic .
Community Law & Mediation , which publishes its 45th annual report on Monday , is the oldest such service in the State .
It operates in areas of disadvantage , including Coolock in Dublin and regeneration areas such as Moyross and Salthill in Limerick , and it aims to empower people through education , representation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supported more than 3,100 people last year , with housing the top issue in Limerick and employment rights and family law leading queries in Dublin .
“ In 2019 , in Limerick , many of the issues we dealt with related to housing and homelessness and family law , ” the report states .
“ The long length of stay for families in emergency accommodation and the conditions of emergency accommodation were also recurrent themes , and we worked with families to try and improve their situation on a more sustainable basis .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ law issues dominated the demand for our services.
” In Coolock , where 1,491 clients were supported , 24 per cent of requests for support related to family law ; 16 per cent to employment rights ; 11 per cent to debt ; 10 per cent to housing ; and 7 per cent to wills and probate .
In Limerick , where 561 people were helped , 26 per cent of queries were about housing ; 22 per cent about family law ; 13 per cent about employment rights ; 8 per cent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about wills and probate .
“ Since the onset of Covid-19 , requests for legal advice in relation to employment concerns have doubled as people face the prospect of losing their jobs and their homes , ” said a CLM spokeswoman .
“ We have also seen a 40 per cent increase in queries related to housing rights , and an 18 per cent increase in family law queries.
” The CLM is seeking “ urgent changes ” to the 40-year-old civil legal aid scheme , specifically “ to make the financial means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; and to make legal aid available for employment , equality and social welfare cases ” .

Queries about employment rights to a leading community law service have doubled, while concerns about housing rights have gone up by 40 per cent and calls for advice on family law by almost 20 per cent since the start of the Covid pandemic.
Community Law & Mediation, which publishes its 45th annual report on Monday, is the oldest such service in the State. It operates in areas of disadvantage, including Coolock in Dublin and regeneration areas such as Moyross and Salthill in Limerick, and it aims to empower people through education, representation, mediation and advocacy.
The services supported more than 3,100 people last year, with housing the top issue in Limerick and employment rights and family law leading queries in Dublin.
“In 2019, in Limerick, many of the issues we dealt with related to housing and homelessness and family law,” the report states. “The long length of stay for families in emergency accommodation and the conditions of emergency accommodation were also recurrent themes, and we worked with families to try and improve their situation on a more sustainable basis.
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“In Dublin, family and employment law issues dominated the demand for our services.”
In Coolock, where 1,491 clients were supported, 24 per cent of requests for support related to family law; 16 per cent to employment rights; 11 per cent to debt; 10 per cent to housing; and 7 per cent to wills and probate.
In Limerick, where 561 people were helped, 26 per cent of queries were about housing; 22 per cent about family law; 13 per cent about employment rights; 8 per cent about homelessness; and 7 per cent about wills and probate.
“Since the onset of Covid-19, requests for legal advice in relation to employment concerns have doubled as people face the prospect of losing their jobs and their homes,” said a CLM spokeswoman. “We have also seen a 40 per cent increase in queries related to housing rights, and an 18 per cent increase in family law queries.”
The CLM is seeking “urgent changes” to the 40-year-old civil legal aid scheme, specifically “to make the financial means test to access legal aid more inclusive; and to make legal aid available for employment, equality and social welfare cases”.


theirishtimes--2020-10-18--Elderly man left distressed by Three’s poor communication

The largest volume of complaints we get on an ongoing basis by some measure are connected with communications companies .
Every time we get a mail or a letter or a call from a disgruntled , and sometimes deeply distressed , reader we marvel at the companies uselessness when it comes to actually communicating with their paying customers in any meaningful way .
And so it is this week .
“ It ’ s a long story , ” started the mail from a reader who asked us not to use his name .
“ In November 2019 Three Mobile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by AIB Visa , ” he writes .
He points out that the direct debit in question had been in use since his first mobile phone way back in the early 1990s and there had never been a problem before .
“ When contacted Visa said that no direct debit had been presented and the bank confirmed this by letter , ” he says .
“ The same thing happened in December 2019 so on my daughter ’ s advice I changed to GoMo and notified Three accordingly .
It seemed that Three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” As a result of the move our correspondent was delighted to note that his regular monthly bill went down from an average of €90 to about €10 .
Sadly the story did not end there .
“ Three kept sending my bill notifications each month for the account and I received a stream of phone calls .
I kept telling them that I was no longer a customer but the harassment continued .
I felt pressurised and harassed and eventually under duress I paid Three €154.87 on January 31st , 2020 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ €139.92 on August 10th , 2020 , just to get them off my back as had they sent me a letter dated July 22nd threatening to involve a debt collection agency.
” Our reader then wrote to the man who had signed that threatening letter pointing out that he “ had not been a customer of Three since January 2020 and received an email reply from [ a different named person ] stating that the outstanding bills referred to a Broadband account.
” The mail says that this was the first time he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I was taken aback as I NEVER had broadband from Three .
My broadband supplier was originally UPC ( from 2005 I believe when I moved here ) which morphed into Virgin my current supplier.
” When he wrote to us he said he was at his “ wits end and even though I no longer answer the constant phone calls ( two last weekend on Saturday and Sunday ) and another bill this time by email on September 22nd .
He then pointed out that he was a man in his 80s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
While the story would have been pretty shocking if it happened to anyone , it seemed to us doubly shocking as it was happening to an older person who had enough on his plate without having to deal with letters threatening debt collectors from a mobile phone operator he believed he had severed ties with .
So we got in touch with the operator .
In response we were told that from its records “ we can see that the customer signed up for mobile broadband in 2012 and this would have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in addition to their voice plan .
As requested by the customer in January 2020 , their voice account was cancelled .
The mobile broadband account remained active and billing continued as no cancellation request was made at this time .
We understand that this experience has caused confusion and upset , so we will be refunding the customer retrospectively to align with the voice cancellation request made in January 2020.
” There are a couple of things that strike us about this .
First , it was clear that this reader was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his mobile phone for the guts of seven years as a result of having a broadband add that he clearly did no know anything about .
Even if that was costing him an addition €600 a year , it means he paid more than €4,000 to the company for a service he was almost certainly not using .
The second thing is that when he contacted the company to cancel his phone service , it decided not to cancel his broadband service .
Would it have been too much to ask of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it may have cause the alarm bells to ring internally and someone could have checked to see if he also wanted to cancel the broadband add-on ?
Surely that would have been a common sense question that someone might have thought to ask ?
And then finally , when it became clear there was an issue with the account , could someone in Three Mobile not have taken one look at our reader ’ s issue , realised instantly what the problem was and then resolved it with a simple phone call @ @ @ @ @ @ @ That would have save him considerable heartache and stress and meant that he did not receive threatening letters that prompted him to write to us ?
All it takes is more and better communication and surely that is not too much to expect from a , you know , communications company .

The largest volume of complaints we get on an ongoing basis by some measure are connected with communications companies. Every time we get a mail or a letter or a call from a disgruntled, and sometimes deeply distressed, reader we marvel at the companies uselessness when it comes to actually communicating with their paying customers in any meaningful way.
And so it is this week. "It's a long story," started the mail from a reader who asked us not to use his name. "In November 2019 Three Mobile claimed that my direct debit was declined by AIB Visa," he writes. He points out that the direct debit in question had been in use since his first mobile phone way back in the early 1990s and there had never been a problem before.
“When contacted Visa said that no direct debit had been presented and the bank confirmed this by letter,” he says. “The same thing happened in December 2019 so on my daughter’s advice I changed to GoMo and notified Three accordingly. It seemed that Three system/operations were at fault, not Visa.”
As a result of the move our correspondent was delighted to note that his regular monthly bill went down from an average of €90 to about €10.
READ MORE
Sadly the story did not end there.
“Three kept sending my bill notifications each month for the account and I received a stream of phone calls. I kept telling them that I was no longer a customer but the harassment continued. I felt pressurised and harassed and eventually under duress I paid Three €154.87 on January 31st, 2020 and once again under extreme pressure I paid €139.92 on August 10th, 2020, just to get them off my back as had they sent me a letter dated July 22nd threatening to involve a debt collection agency.”
While the story would have been pretty shocking if it happened to anyone, it seemed to us doubly shocking as it was happening to an older person
Our reader then wrote to the man who had signed that threatening letter pointing out that he “had not been a customer of Three since January 2020 and received an email reply from [a different named person] stating that the outstanding bills referred to a Broadband account.”
The mail says that this was the first time he learned of this broadband account "and I was taken aback as I NEVER had broadband from Three. My broadband supplier was originally UPC (from 2005 I believe when I moved here) which morphed into Virgin my current supplier."
When he wrote to us he said he was at his “wits end and even though I no longer answer the constant phone calls (two last weekend on Saturday and Sunday) and another bill this time by email on September 22nd. He then pointed out that he was a man in his 80s and caring for a person with dementia.
While the story would have been pretty shocking if it happened to anyone, it seemed to us doubly shocking as it was happening to an older person who had enough on his plate without having to deal with letters threatening debt collectors from a mobile phone operator he believed he had severed ties with.
So we got in touch with the operator. In response we were told that from its records “we can see that the customer signed up for mobile broadband in 2012 and this would have been reflected in their monthly bill thereafter in addition to their voice plan. As requested by the customer in January 2020, their voice account was cancelled. The mobile broadband account remained active and billing continued as no cancellation request was made at this time. We understand that this experience has caused confusion and upset, so we will be refunding the customer retrospectively to align with the voice cancellation request made in January 2020.”
All it takes is more and better communication and surely that is not too much to expect from a, you know, communications company
There are a couple of things that strike us about this. First, it was clear that this reader was paying far too much each month for his mobile phone for the guts of seven years as a result of having a broadband add that he clearly did no know anything about. Even if that was costing him an addition €600 a year, it means he paid more than €4,000 to the company for a service he was almost certainly not using.
The second thing is that when he contacted the company to cancel his phone service, it decided not to cancel his broadband service. Would it have been too much to ask of the company that when it received that request that it may have cause the alarm bells to ring internally and someone could have checked to see if he also wanted to cancel the broadband add-on? Surely that would have been a common sense question that someone might have thought to ask?
And then finally, when it became clear there was an issue with the account, could someone in Three Mobile not have taken one look at our reader’s issue, realised instantly what the problem was and then resolved it with a simple phone call or an email to our reader? That would have save him considerable heartache and stress and meant that he did not receive threatening letters that prompted him to write to us?
All it takes is more and better communication and surely that is not too much to expect from a, you know, communications company.


theirishtimes--2020-10-18--Yellow rainfall warning issued for all of Ireland

A status yellow rainfall warning has been issued for the whole country .
Met Éireann warns heavy bands of rain @ @ @ @ @ Sunday night through to Tuesday evening .
The forecaster says there is a chance of @ @ @ @ @ with a heightened risk of flash flooding in mountainous regions .
The warning is valid @ @ @ @ @ 7pm on Tuesday .
In an advisory on its website Met Éireann also cautions that @ @ @ @ @ a greater risk of coastal flooding .
The UK Met Office has also issued a @ @ @ @ @ counties Armagh , Down , Fermanagh , Tyrone and Derry which will be in place @ @ @ @ @ Temperatures are expected to reach highs of between 12 and 14 degrees on Monday .

Met Éireann is anticipating heavy bands of rain on Monday and Tuesday. Photograph: Nic Bothma/EPA
A status yellow rainfall warning has been issued for the whole country.
Met Éireann warns heavy bands of rain will cross the country from Sunday night through to Tuesday evening.
The forecaster says there is a chance of spot flooding in some areas with a heightened risk of flash flooding in mountainous regions.
Status Yellow - Rainfall warning issued for Ireland.
Valid from 00:01 Mon, 19-Oct-2020 until 19:00 Tue, 20-Oct-2020https://t.co/KLL68Nn8FQ pic.twitter.com/ZTBwW6L9Cl — Met Éireann (@MetEireann) October 18, 2020
The warning is valid from midnight on Sunday until 7pm on Tuesday.
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In an advisory on its website Met Éireann also cautions that strong winds will lead to a greater risk of coastal flooding.
The UK Met Office has also issued a status yellow rain warning for counties Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Tyrone and Derry which will be in place until 3am on Tuesday.
Temperatures are expected to reach highs of between 12 and 14 degrees on Monday.


theirishtimes--2020-10-18--Greenhouse effect gets thumbs up from Dublin diners

A popular Mexican restaurant in Dublin has created its own greenhouse effect to help customers eat al fresco through the cold and gloomy days of an Irish autumn .
The Acapulco restaurant on Dublin ’ s South Great George ’ s Street has positioned five collapsible greenhouses on the footpath outside the premises with each one able to accommodate two diners in a warm , cosy and impeccably socially distant fashion .
Acapulco ’ s manager , Shuey Bhuiuan , came up with the novel notion last week after spending days trying to figure out how he could keep his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Covid-19 restrictions which allow restaurants to serve food only to outside tables .
“ We had been closed in the early part of the week and I was sitting there just trying to work out how I might cope with the restrictions when I came up with the idea of greenhouses , ” he said .
Space is at an absolute premium with room for only five or six tables on the footpath at the front of his restaurant so , with that in mind , he went in search of something very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He measured the space needed for a table and two chairs and found little greenhouses in B & Q that he thought might work .
He bought two and trialled them before going in search of more .
There were none to be found in Dublin .
“ I had to go up to a B & Q in Newry where there were four for sale .
I bought them all , ” he said .
“ They cost €60 each and had paid for themselves after the first day , ” he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amazing and it is has been really nice to see smiles on people ’ s faces again , ” he said .
“ They can see that we are open and trying to trade as normally as possible , ” he said .
He expressed gratitude to Dublin City Council for allowing restaurants such as his to use public footpaths for tables at least for the next six months .
Diners certainly seemed delighted by the development , none more so than Sorcha O ’ Rourke from Donaghmede who was having Sunday lunch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is brilliant , ” she said .
“ It is really cosy and really cute and I absolutely love the fairy lights on the inside of our greenhouse.
” She said they had tried a few other restaurants in the city centre before happening upon Acapulco .
“ There aren ’ t many restaurants with an outdoor space and you can ’ t make a booking so we were struggling to find somewhere to eat but we thought we would check here as it is my sister ’ s favourite restaurant.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said sitting in the cute and cosy cocoon had made her “ feel like I am on holiday .
It is just lovely and everyone is stopping to take our pictures .
We are going to be famous , ” she added .
“ We ’ ll be leaving a big tip for sure .
”

From left, Niamh and Sorcha O’Rourke from Dublin dining in one of the greenhouses at Acapulco, on South Great George’s Street, Dublin. Photograph: Tom Honan
A popular Mexican restaurant in Dublin has created its own greenhouse effect to help customers eat al fresco through the cold and gloomy days of an Irish autumn.
The Acapulco restaurant on Dublin’s South Great George’s Street has positioned five collapsible greenhouses on the footpath outside the premises with each one able to accommodate two diners in a warm, cosy and impeccably socially distant fashion.
Acapulco's manager, Shuey Bhuiuan, came up with the novel notion last week after spending days trying to figure out how he could keep his doors open in the face of fresh Covid-19 restrictions which allow restaurants to serve food only to outside tables.
Shuey Bhuiuan, manager of Acapulco, outside the Dublin restaurant. Photograph: Tom Honan
“We had been closed in the early part of the week and I was sitting there just trying to work out how I might cope with the restrictions when I came up with the idea of greenhouses,” he said.
READ MORE
Space is at an absolute premium with room for only five or six tables on the footpath at the front of his restaurant so, with that in mind, he went in search of something very compact that might serve his needs.
He measured the space needed for a table and two chairs and found little greenhouses in B&Q that he thought might work. He bought two and trialled them before going in search of more.
There were none to be found in Dublin. "I had to go up to a B&Q in Newry where there were four for sale. I bought them all," he said.
“They cost €60 each and had paid for themselves after the first day,” he said.
“The feedback has been amazing and it is has been really nice to see smiles on people’s faces again,” he said. “They can see that we are open and trying to trade as normally as possible,” he said.
Use of pavement
He expressed gratitude to Dublin City Council for allowing restaurants such as his to use public footpaths for tables at least for the next six months.
Diners certainly seemed delighted by the development, none more so than Sorcha O’Rourke from Donaghmede who was having Sunday lunch with her sister. “I think it is brilliant,” she said. “It is really cosy and really cute and I absolutely love the fairy lights on the inside of our greenhouse.”
She said they had tried a few other restaurants in the city centre before happening upon Acapulco. “There aren’t many restaurants with an outdoor space and you can’t make a booking so we were struggling to find somewhere to eat but we thought we would check here as it is my sister’s favourite restaurant.”
She was thrilled with the decision and said sitting in the cute and cosy cocoon had made her “feel like I am on holiday. It is just lovely and everyone is stopping to take our pictures. We are going to be famous,” she added. “We’ll be leaving a big tip for sure.”


theirishtimes--2020-10-18--Aontu councillor steps down over Covid-19 differences with party

One of Aontú ’ s two councillors in Northern Ireland has announced she is stepping down from Derry and Strabane District Council due to differences of opinion over dealing with Covid-19 .
Retired doctor Anne McCloskey , who has demonstrated against some of the coronavirus regulations , including mask-wearing , has been at odds with her party over the handling of Covid .
She was one of the founding members of Aontú .
“ I will be stepping down as a councillor to facilitate a new Aontú councillor to take the reins .
My views on Covid-19 are different from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stepping down from this role .
I am however committed to Aontú ’ s development in the future and will remain an active member , ” she said .
Dr McCloskey added , “ It has been a privilege to serve the people of Derry at council for the last 17 months especially so as a member of the new all Ireland movement Aontú .
In that time I have done my best to make sure that our values of life , Irish unity and economic justice have had a strong voice on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at part of her political work she also focused on the “ massive economic difficulties that exist here in the north west due to years of underfunding by unionist parties and SF and the SDLP ” .
Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín said Dr McCloskey was “ held in enormous respect , as a brave and courageous friend and comrade throughout Aontú ” .
“ Anne is a woman of conviction and has never held back in terms of effort as a doctor , as an elected rep and as a party activist .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the past and look forward to working with her in the future , ” he said .
Mr Tóibín said Aontú will hold a selection convention in Derry in the coming weeks to co-opt a new member on the council .

One of Aontú’s two councillors in Northern Ireland has announced she is stepping down from Derry and Strabane District Council due to differences of opinion over dealing with Covid-19.
Retired doctor Anne McCloskey, who has demonstrated against some of the coronavirus regulations, including mask-wearing, has been at odds with her party over the handling of Covid. She was one of the founding members of Aontú.
“I will be stepping down as a councillor to facilitate a new Aontú councillor to take the reins. My views on Covid-19 are different from Aontú and as a result I am stepping down from this role. I am however committed to Aontú’s development in the future and will remain an active member,” she said.
Dr McCloskey added, “It has been a privilege to serve the people of Derry at council for the last 17 months especially so as a member of the new all Ireland movement Aontú. In that time I have done my best to make sure that our values of life, Irish unity and economic justice have had a strong voice on Derry City Council”.
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She said at part of her political work she also focused on the “massive economic difficulties that exist here in the north west due to years of underfunding by unionist parties and SF and the SDLP”.
Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín said Dr McCloskey was “held in enormous respect, as a brave and courageous friend and comrade throughout Aontú”.
“Anne is a woman of conviction and has never held back in terms of effort as a doctor, as an elected rep and as a party activist. We thank her for all her help in the past and look forward to working with her in the future,” he said.
Mr Tóibín said Aontú will hold a selection convention in Derry in the coming weeks to co-opt a new member on the council.


theirishtimes--2020-10-18--Cork Airport to continue to facilitate Aer Lingus

Cork Airport plans to continue to facilitate Aer Lingus to operate its reduced winter schedule from Cork as the airline continues its review of operations during the Covid-19 pandemic .
According to Cork Airport head of communications , Kevin Cullinane , the airport is proceeding on the basis that Aer Lingus will continue its scheduled services to London Heathrow and Amsterdam through the winter months .
“ Our intention is to facilitate all of the flights from Aer Lingus , Ryanair and KLM that have been earmarked to operate from Cork Airport this winter , ” Mr Cullinane told The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aer Lingus announced it was reviewing the future of the bases over the winter months , after its parent group IAG reported huge worldwide losses amid the Covid-19 crisis .
But according to The Sunday Business Post , an Aer Lingus source expressed frustration within the company of the Irish Government ’ s handling of air travel compared with the approach taken by many other European countries .
The outcome of the Aer Lingus review will be determined by several factors including the Government ’ s policy around the European traffic light system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ travel by Irish passengers , he said .
Aer Lingus currently employs around 350 people at its operations in Cork and Shannon with over half at the Cork airport where last year it accounted for 44 per cent of all traffic from the airport .
Aer Lingus Mainline share of the market at Cork for the year to date is 33 per cent with Aer Lingus Regional operated by Stobart Air at 11 per cent compared to Ryanair which now accounts for 54 per cent of the market .
But with Covid-19 continuing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accounted for 71 per cent of all passenger numbers in September when it continued to operate a full roster of flights compared to just 19 per cent for Aer Lingus which cut services .
Earlier this month , Ryanair announced it was to close its Cork operations for the winter months but the company will continue flying from Cork to London Stansted , Katowice and Gdansk but will not base the aircraft in Cork .

An Aer Lingus source reportedly expressed frustration within the company of the Irish Government’s handling of air travel compared to other European countries.
Cork Airport plans to continue to facilitate Aer Lingus to operate its reduced winter schedule from Cork as the airline continues its review of operations during the Covid-19 pandemic.
According to Cork Airport head of communications, Kevin Cullinane, the airport is proceeding on the basis that Aer Lingus will continue its scheduled services to London Heathrow and Amsterdam through the winter months.
"Our intention is to facilitate all of the flights from Aer Lingus, Ryanair and KLM that have been earmarked to operate from Cork Airport this winter," Mr Cullinane told The Irish Times today.
In July, Aer Lingus announced it was reviewing the future of the bases over the winter months, after its parent group IAG reported huge worldwide losses amid the Covid-19 crisis.
READ MORE
But according to The Sunday Business Post, an Aer Lingus source expressed frustration within the company of the Irish Government’s handling of air travel compared with the approach taken by many other European countries.
The outcome of the Aer Lingus review will be determined by several factors including the Government’s policy around the European traffic light system for Covid-19 countries and the demand for travel by Irish passengers, he said.
Aer Lingus currently employs around 350 people at its operations in Cork and Shannon with over half at the Cork airport where last year it accounted for 44 per cent of all traffic from the airport.
Aer Lingus Mainline share of the market at Cork for the year to date is 33 per cent with Aer Lingus Regional operated by Stobart Air at 11 per cent compared to Ryanair which now accounts for 54 per cent of the market.
But with Covid-19 continuing to have a huge impact, Ryanair accounted for 71 per cent of all passenger numbers in September when it continued to operate a full roster of flights compared to just 19 per cent for Aer Lingus which cut services.
Earlier this month, Ryanair announced it was to close its Cork operations for the winter months but the company will continue flying from Cork to London Stansted, Katowice and Gdansk but will not base the aircraft in Cork.


theirishtimes--2020-10-18--Covid-19: Ireland faces ICU bed crisis, warns Mary Favier

A leading GP has warned that Ireland is going to face a crisis in providing intensive care beds over the coming weeks if moves are not taken to urgently tackle the growing numbers of Covid 19 cases .
Former President of the Irish College of General Practitioners and member of the National Public Health Emergency Team , Dr Mary Favier said that the growing number of cases of Covid 19 was particularly worrying .
Dr Favier said the fact that the numbers of Covid 19 cases were currently doubling every fortnight or so was a huge worry given the capacity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intensive treatment for the disease .
According to a 2019 HSE report there were 255 Critical Care beds in the system but a HSE daily report on October 16th said there were currently just 36 ICU beds available as the numbers hospitalised with Covid 19 continues to rise .
Dr Favier said there were a number of elements to bear in mind in relation to people with Covid 19 being admitted to hospital including a rough rule of thumb that for every 1,000 people who get the disease , five will end up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thing that should be noted is that the average stay in ICU for most patients is two to three days but the average stay for somebody with Covid-19 is ten to 14 days so it ’ s much longer , ” she said .
“ And that ’ s the average stay but we have had cases of people with Covid-19 spending four weeks or six weeks or even three months in ICU so you don ’ t have the same turnover of ICU beds with those who have Covid.
” Dr Favier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Covid-19 in ICU this weekend , 30 is around the same as last weekend , it ’ s misleading to think there has been no change as there is a time lag with people developing the disease .
“ The people in ICU today got Covid two weeks ago but we know the overall numbers of people with the disease has doubled over the last fortnight so at that rate , the numbers needing ICU in a fortnight will probably double.
” Dr Favier said that the growing numbers of people requiring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other people with serious conditions such as those with lung or bowel cancer or heart conditions that require major surgery and ICU care .
“ People facing into major surgery for lung or bowel cancer or a cardiac condition have to undergo a lot of preparation – blood tests , cardiac and anaesthetic work up , a Covid test so it takes several days , ” she said .
“ Normally a consultant would be looking a few days ahead and would see there will be 15 ICU beds available , say four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ normal course is that most of those would still be available .
“ But now , if you are a consultant and you have only three beds available due to Covid and there ’ s a chance they may not be available in four days time , you won ’ t take the chance and defer the surgery so there ’ s this knock-on effect.
” Dr Favier said this deferring of procedures – even though the patient may only require ICU care for 24 or 48 hours – is hugely stressful for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no guarantee it will proceed even on the deferred date .
According to Dr Favier , who is based in Cork , the problem is particularly acute in the city with one consultant having to ring around other hospitals at the weekend to secure a bed for a patient as all ICU beds in Cork were occupied .
Last week , the HSE said that Cork University Hospital had 20 ICU beds with the capacity to add a further 16 ICU beds if necessary while the Mercy University Hospital had six ICU beds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ beds .
However , Dr Favier said that the problem with using surge capacity as the HSE was proposing in relation to CUH and MUH was that it requires both additional places to put the beds and trained nurses to staff the new temporary ICUs .
“ You have to have somewhere to put the extra ICU beds and very often they end up in operating theatres where the hospital closes down an operating theatre to accommodate the temporary ICU so procedures are cancelled .
“ It takes six ICU staff to staff @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them from somewhere else such as coronary care or theatre nurses as there is a limit to the number of people with the necessary skills so you are taking staff from other areas .
“ As well as that there is some evidence from the UK where they have done that to set up additional ICUs to deal with Covid that the survival rates aren ’ t as high when you use staff from other areas compared to regular ICU staff .
”

Dr Favier said that the growing numbers of people requiring ICU due to Covid-19 will impact on other people with serious conditions. Photograph: Getty Images
A leading GP has warned that Ireland is going to face a crisis in providing intensive care beds over the coming weeks if moves are not taken to urgently tackle the growing numbers of Covid 19 cases.
Former President of the Irish College of General Practitioners and member of the National Public Health Emergency Team, Dr Mary Favier said that the growing number of cases of Covid 19 was particularly worrying.
Dr Favier said the fact that the numbers of Covid 19 cases were currently doubling every fortnight or so was a huge worry given the capacity to provide ICU beds for people needing intensive treatment for the disease.
Hospital Report
According to a 2019 HSE report there were 255 Critical Care beds in the system but a HSE daily report on October 16th said there were currently just 36 ICU beds available as the numbers hospitalised with Covid 19 continues to rise.
READ MORE
Dr Favier said there were a number of elements to bear in mind in relation to people with Covid 19 being admitted to hospital including a rough rule of thumb that for every 1,000 people who get the disease, five will end up in ICU.
“The other important thing that should be noted is that the average stay in ICU for most patients is two to three days but the average stay for somebody with Covid-19 is ten to 14 days so it’s much longer,” she said.
“And that’s the average stay but we have had cases of people with Covid-19 spending four weeks or six weeks or even three months in ICU so you don’t have the same turnover of ICU beds with those who have Covid.”
Dr Favier said that although the number of patients with Covid-19 in ICU this weekend, 30 is around the same as last weekend, it’s misleading to think there has been no change as there is a time lag with people developing the disease.
“The people in ICU today got Covid two weeks ago but we know the overall numbers of people with the disease has doubled over the last fortnight so at that rate, the numbers needing ICU in a fortnight will probably double.”
Dr Favier said that the growing numbers of people requiring ICU due to Covid-19 will impact on other people with serious conditions such as those with lung or bowel cancer or heart conditions that require major surgery and ICU care.
“People facing into major surgery for lung or bowel cancer or a cardiac condition have to undergo a lot of preparation – blood tests, cardiac and anaesthetic work up, a Covid test so it takes several days,” she said.
“Normally a consultant would be looking a few days ahead and would see there will be 15 ICU beds available, say four days ahead and the likelihood in the normal course is that most of those would still be available.
“But now, if you are a consultant and you have only three beds available due to Covid and there’s a chance they may not be available in four days time, you won’t take the chance and defer the surgery so there’s this knock-on effect.”
Dr Favier said this deferring of procedures – even though the patient may only require ICU care for 24 or 48 hours – is hugely stressful for patients with serious conditions and there is no guarantee it will proceed even on the deferred date.
According to Dr Favier, who is based in Cork, the problem is particularly acute in the city with one consultant having to ring around other hospitals at the weekend to secure a bed for a patient as all ICU beds in Cork were occupied.
Last week, the HSE said that Cork University Hospital had 20 ICU beds with the capacity to add a further 16 ICU beds if necessary while the Mercy University Hospital had six ICU beds with the capacity to add another 12 beds.
However, Dr Favier said that the problem with using surge capacity as the HSE was proposing in relation to CUH and MUH was that it requires both additional places to put the beds and trained nurses to staff the new temporary ICUs.
“You have to have somewhere to put the extra ICU beds and very often they end up in operating theatres where the hospital closes down an operating theatre to accommodate the temporary ICU so procedures are cancelled.
“It takes six ICU staff to staff one bed so you have to get them from somewhere else such as coronary care or theatre nurses as there is a limit to the number of people with the necessary skills so you are taking staff from other areas.
“As well as that there is some evidence from the UK where they have done that to set up additional ICUs to deal with Covid that the survival rates aren’t as high when you use staff from other areas compared to regular ICU staff.”


theirishtimes--2020-10-18--Three deaths and 1,283 more Covid-19 cases reported in the Republic

Three deaths and 1,283 more Covid-19 cases were reported in the Republic this evening , while the North had five deaths and 1,012 more cases .
The figure of 1,283 represents a new daily high for the Republic .
The number of deaths related to coronavirus now stands at 1,852 , including probable and possible deaths , and the total known cases in the State is now 49,962 .
The latest figures show that there were 33 people seriously ill with Covid-19 in hospital intensive care units on Sunday morning , an increase of three on the previous day .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the disease in critical care units since infections started rising again in the summer , but below the peak number of 160 in ICUs in April .
By Sunday evening , the number had fallen to 31 .
There were five admissions to ICU in the 24-hour period and three people were discharged .
There were 277 people with confirmed cases of the disease in hospital at 2pm on Sunday , with 17 people admitted in the previous 24 hours .
Of the 1,283 cases notified to the State ’ s Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more than two thirds were under the age of 45 and the median age was 31 .
Some 408 , or just under a third of the new confirmed cases , were in Dublin .
There were 156 new cases in Cork , 88 in Kildare , 80 in Meath , 55 in Limerick and the remaining 496 cases spread across 21 counties .
The figure show that the number of coronavirus infections has continued to increase sharply .
There have been 11,950 new cases of the disease reported over the two weeks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 5,114 confirmed during the previous two weeks .
The incidence rate of the disease over the past fortnight is 251 cases for every 100,000 people , an increase from 159.2 cases per 100,000 a week ago and 107.4 cases per 100,000 two weeks ago .
The seven-day average stands at 1,070 , an increase of 66 per cent in a week .
Based on a county-by-county breakdown , Cavan remains the most infected county with 807 cases for every 100,000 people , followed by Meath with 488 per 100,000 , Monaghan with 374 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 100,000 and Clare with 322 per 100,000 .
Dublin has the 15th highest incidence rate of a county with 224.6 cases for every 100,000 people .
Waterford , Wicklow and Tipperary have the lowest rates of infection , with 131.7 , 119.4 and 109.2 cases per 100,000 respectively over the past 14 days .
Meanwhile , a leading advisor in public health policy has warned that Ireland needs “ strong suppression ” of Covid-19 for eight to 10 weeks to bring it under control , save lives and stop the health service from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Anthony Staines , professor of community health at DCU , said he believed the public would accept restrictions nearly as severe as the March lockdown over a 10-week period if they were given “ strong leadership ” , a clear explanation of why they were necessary and a clear exit strategy .
He told The Irish Times the restrictions would have to be part of a new three- pronged approach to tackling the virus .
This would include severe restrictions on movement of people , but also a major increase in testing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and significantly increased emphasis on mask-wearing .
He said a lockdown on its own was not going to achieve elimination of the virus , because “ when people come out again the numbers would go up ” .
If the virus was allowed to spread , “ a lot of people would get sick and a lot of people would die and many people would get serious long-term affects ” .
He said even the Conservative party in England , “ not exactly the core of intellectual power in the world ” , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were not going to deal with the problem .
“ They are looking for a way out of what we are doing at the moment.
” He praised the situation in Australia , where very severe restrictions on public movement , airport testing and mandatory face masks were introduced .
He said people in the Australian state of Victoria , in particular , had been “ very brave in terms of biting the bullet to nail this virus ” .
Speaking earlier on Sunday on RTÉ Radio One , Prof Staines said : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has just tweeted a few hours ago : ‘ Numbers in Victoria , one case today , two from yesterday , down from 500 to 800 a couple of months ago .
A small few countries leading while most of the world dithers clinging to a recurring lockdown strategy ’ .
” Prof Staines said he believed such a strategy would be accepted here even in the run-up to Christmas .
He said evidence from opinion polls which he said the Department of Health had been doing for a number of months showed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support for more restrictions .
“ I think the population get it.
” “ Whatever happens , the strategy is going to be bringing the numbers of cases down because I can assure you the Irish health service is unable to cope with what is happening now and will be happening.
” He said restrictions aimed at bringing the numbers of cases of the virus to near zero or even single figures “ would take a minimum of eight to 10 weeks , I am just being honest ” .
“ If there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ” , and the country could “ begin to restore the economy ” , he said .
Prof Staines said what politicians needed to do was to “ say we are doing it to save lives , stop the health service falling flat on its face , and to begin to restore the economy ” .

Public will accept up to 10 weeks of restrictions if there is “strong leadership”, a clear explanation of why they were necessary and a clear exit strategy, says DCU’s Prof Anthony Staines. File photograph: Alan Betson
Three deaths and 1,283 more Covid-19 cases were reported in the Republic this evening, while the North had five deaths and 1,012 more cases.
The figure of 1,283 represents a new daily high for the Republic.
The number of deaths related to coronavirus now stands at 1,852, including probable and possible deaths, and the total known cases in the State is now 49,962.
Hospital Report
The latest figures show that there were 33 people seriously ill with Covid-19 in hospital intensive care units on Sunday morning, an increase of three on the previous day.
READ MORE
This is the highest number of people with the disease in critical care units since infections started rising again in the summer, but below the peak number of 160 in ICUs in April. By Sunday evening, the number had fallen to 31.
There were five admissions to ICU in the 24-hour period and three people were discharged.
There were 277 people with confirmed cases of the disease in hospital at 2pm on Sunday, with 17 people admitted in the previous 24 hours.
Of the 1,283 cases notified to the State’s Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC), more than two thirds were under the age of 45 and the median age was 31.
Some 408, or just under a third of the new confirmed cases, were in Dublin.
There were 156 new cases in Cork, 88 in Kildare, 80 in Meath, 55 in Limerick and the remaining 496 cases spread across 21 counties.
The figure show that the number of coronavirus infections has continued to increase sharply.
There have been 11,950 new cases of the disease reported over the two weeks to Saturday, more than double the 5,114 confirmed during the previous two weeks.
The incidence rate of the disease over the past fortnight is 251 cases for every 100,000 people, an increase from 159.2 cases per 100,000 a week ago and 107.4 cases per 100,000 two weeks ago.
The seven-day average stands at 1,070, an increase of 66 per cent in a week.
Based on a county-by-county breakdown, Cavan remains the most infected county with 807 cases for every 100,000 people, followed by Meath with 488 per 100,000, Monaghan with 374 per 100,000, Donegal with 345 per 100,000 and Clare with 322 per 100,000.
Dublin has the 15th highest incidence rate of a county with 224.6 cases for every 100,000 people.
Waterford, Wicklow and Tipperary have the lowest rates of infection, with 131.7, 119.4 and 109.2 cases per 100,000 respectively over the past 14 days.
Meanwhile, a leading advisor in public health policy has warned that Ireland needs “strong suppression” of Covid-19 for eight to 10 weeks to bring it under control, save lives and stop the health service from “falling on its face”.
Anthony Staines, professor of community health at DCU, said he believed the public would accept restrictions nearly as severe as the March lockdown over a 10-week period if they were given “strong leadership”, a clear explanation of why they were necessary and a clear exit strategy.
He told The Irish Times the restrictions would have to be part of a new three- pronged approach to tackling the virus. This would include severe restrictions on movement of people, but also a major increase in testing to about 200,000 rapid tests a week, and significantly increased emphasis on mask-wearing.
He said a lockdown on its own was not going to achieve elimination of the virus, because “when people come out again the numbers would go up”.
If the virus was allowed to spread, “a lot of people would get sick and a lot of people would die and many people would get serious long-term affects”.
He said even the Conservative party in England, “not exactly the core of intellectual power in the world”, had accepted that serial, limited lockdowns were not going to deal with the problem. “They are looking for a way out of what we are doing at the moment.”
He praised the situation in Australia, where very severe restrictions on public movement, airport testing and mandatory face masks were introduced. He said people in the Australian state of Victoria, in particular, had been “very brave in terms of biting the bullet to nail this virus”.
Speaking earlier on Sunday on RTÉ Radio One, Prof Staines said: “One of my colleagues from Australia has just tweeted a few hours ago: ‘Numbers in Victoria, one case today, two from yesterday, down from 500 to 800 a couple of months ago. A small few countries leading while most of the world dithers clinging to a recurring lockdown strategy’.”
Prof Staines said he believed such a strategy would be accepted here even in the run-up to Christmas.
He said evidence from opinion polls which he said the Department of Health had been doing for a number of months showed there was at least quite significant public support for more restrictions. “I think the population get it.”
“Whatever happens, the strategy is going to be bringing the numbers of cases down because I can assure you the Irish health service is unable to cope with what is happening now and will be happening.”
He said restrictions aimed at bringing the numbers of cases of the virus to near zero or even single figures “would take a minimum of eight to 10 weeks, I am just being honest”.
“If there is clear political leadership people will do it”, and the country could “begin to restore the economy”, he said.
Prof Staines said what politicians needed to do was to“say we are doing it to save lives, stop the health service falling flat on its face, and to begin to restore the economy”.


theirishtimes--2020-10-18--No gender parity in Dáil ‘until 2063’ at current rate of progress

It will take until 2063 at the current rate of progress to achieve parity between male and female representation in the Dáil , the Citizens ’ Assembly has heard .
Dr Yvonne Galligan of the Technical University Dublin said quotas for national elections were introduced in 2012 , but the number of female candidates had remained static at 31 per cent in the past two general elections .
Women make up just 22.5 per cent of TDs and 23.9 per cent of local councillors .
In her submission to the assembly on Saturday , Dr Galligan argued that quotas for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ per cent to 50 per cent for both local and general elections .
The assembly also heard calls for the introduction of gender quotas in the media , academia and at board levels in commercial and State organisations , as well as for the extension of political quotas from general elections to local and Seanad elections .
Submissions to the assembly stated that women in leadership positions were held to different standards than men and cited a lack of provision for childcare in the houses of the Oireachtas , which made the demands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The under-representation of women in the media is leading to a lack of gender balance in media programming , a lack of coverage of women ’ s sport and the stereotyped representations of women and girls , members of the assembly were told in a summary of the submissions , collated by Dr Pauline Cullen of Maynooth University .
The submission recommended gender quotas in media and gender-sensitive policies and programmes in media organisations .
Another suggestion was that there be legislation to prohibit abuse of women on social media .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ higher education should be tackled by introducing quotas and improving transparency in recruitment processes .
There were 109 submissions to the assembly from organisations and individuals .
Those making submissions included the National Women ’ s Council of Ireland , the National Traveller Women ’ s Forum , the Rape Crisis Network Ireland , Sinn Féin , the Society of St Vincent de Paul , the Irish Federation of University Women , Irish Council of Trade Unions and the Iona Institute .
Men ’ s Voices , which argued that there should be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Women ’ s Council , and the Stop Segregation of Men also made submissions .
Speaking in advance of the second session of the assembly , which was held online because of Covid-19 , Taoiseach Micheál Martin said previous citizens ’ assemblies has brought forward “ progressive societal changes ” .
“ You now have an opportunity to shape the Ireland of the future , ” he told the 99 citizens , who were meeting for the second time and the first time virtually as a result of Covid-19 .
The Citizens @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the Oireachtas last year and is chaired by Dr Catherine Day , a former secretary-general of the European Commission .
Its recommendations will come before the Dáil and Seanad once it is finished in early 2021 .
“ We will be responding to each of your recommendations , ” Mr Martin said .
“ They will be taken very seriously and considered carefully.
” The members of the assembly also heard from the Australian group Male Champions of Change , which campaigns for equality between men and women .
Its founder said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be missing from the picture ” in relation to the issue of gender equality .
“ If we want to work with power , we have to work with those who have power – and that is men – to take the message of gender equality to other men .
”

It will take until 2063 at the current rate of progress to achieve parity between male and female representation in the Dáil, the Citizens’ Assembly has heard.
Dr Yvonne Galligan of the Technical University Dublin said quotas for national elections were introduced in 2012, but the number of female candidates had remained static at 31 per cent in the past two general elections.
Women make up just 22.5 per cent of TDs and 23.9 per cent of local councillors.
In her submission to the assembly on Saturday, Dr Galligan argued that quotas for general elections should be increased from 30 per cent to 50 per cent for both local and general elections.
READ MORE
The assembly also heard calls for the introduction of gender quotas in the media, academia and at board levels in commercial and State organisations, as well as for the extension of political quotas from general elections to local and Seanad elections.
Submissions to the assembly stated that women in leadership positions were held to different standards than men and cited a lack of provision for childcare in the houses of the Oireachtas, which made the demands of political office incompatible with family life.
Media imbalance
The under-representation of women in the media is leading to a lack of gender balance in media programming, a lack of coverage of women's sport and the stereotyped representations of women and girls, members of the assembly were told in a summary of the submissions, collated by Dr Pauline Cullen of Maynooth University.
The submission recommended gender quotas in media and gender-sensitive policies and programmes in media organisations. Another suggestion was that there be legislation to prohibit abuse of women on social media.
The under-representation of women in leadership positions in higher education should be tackled by introducing quotas and improving transparency in recruitment processes.
There were 109 submissions to the assembly from organisations and individuals.
Those making submissions included the National Women's Council of Ireland, the National Traveller Women's Forum, the Rape Crisis Network Ireland, Sinn Féin, the Society of St Vincent de Paul, the Irish Federation of University Women, Irish Council of Trade Unions and the Iona Institute.
Men’s Voices, which argued that there should be a men’s equivalent of the National Women’s Council, and the Stop Segregation of Men also made submissions.
‘Progressive changes’
Speaking in advance of the second session of the assembly, which was held online because of Covid-19, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said previous citizens’ assemblies has brought forward “progressive societal changes”.
“You now have an opportunity to shape the Ireland of the future,” he told the 99 citizens, who were meeting for the second time and the first time virtually as a result of Covid-19.
The Citizens' Assembly on gender equality was established by the Oireachtas last year and is chaired by Dr Catherine Day, a former secretary-general of the European Commission.
Its recommendations will come before the Dáil and Seanad once it is finished in early 2021.
“We will be responding to each of your recommendations,” Mr Martin said. “They will be taken very seriously and considered carefully.”
The members of the assembly also heard from the Australian group Male Champions of Change, which campaigns for equality between men and women.
Its founder said it was established because “men seem to be missing from the picture” in relation to the issue of gender equality.
“If we want to work with power, we have to work with those who have power – and that is men – to take the message of gender equality to other men.”


theirishtimes--2020-10-18--North Covid row after DUP Minister claims virus rates higher in nationalist than unionist areas

The Ulster Unionist Party ( UUP ) leader Steve Aiken has described Covid-19 as an “ equal opportunities killer ” after DUP agriculture Minister Edwin Poots claimed the incidence of the virus was far higher in nationalist areas than it was in unionist ones .
Five deaths from Covid-19 were recorded in Northern Ireland on Sunday , along with a further 1,012 new cases .
With the incidence of coronavirus now regularly running at more than 1,000 cases a day in the North , Mr Aiken said Mr Poots should consider his position as Minister for “ undermining ” the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the pandemic .
On Friday , Mr Poots gave interviews to the BBC and UTV in which he expressed “ grave reservations ” about the new Covid-19 restrictions imposed by the Northern Executive of which he is a member .
This was on the same day that the North ’ s five Executive party leaders , including DUP First Minister Arlene Foster , issued a statement “ appealing to everyone to please get behind this effort to fight back against Covid-19 and save lives ” .
Mr Poots , in addition to voicing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ closures , also said that “ a lot of the problems started ” after the funeral of leading republican Bobby Storey in west Belfast in June .
This led to allegations that Sinn Féin had breached the rules on crowds and social distancing , which the party continues to deny .
“ People in that community saw the breaking of the rules .
That is why there is a difference between nationalist and unionist areas , and the difference is around six to one , ” said Mr Poots .
He also was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he referred to certain sporting activities and post match celebrations .
Asked was he referring to the GAA , he said that he was “ not labelling one particular group of people , but if people feel the cap fits , that ’ s up to them ” .
The Department of Health figures do show that in the mainly nationalist area of Derry and Strabane the incidence rate is far higher than in the 10 other council areas in Northern Ireland .
Over the past seven days , Derry and Strabane experienced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ compared to the next highest area of Belfast where the rate is 523 cases per 100,000 .
But generally whether such a conclusion can be drawn across the North is open to question .
For instance in Newry , Mourne and Down , which is predominantly nationalist , the virus rate is 331 cases per 100,000 which compares with the mainly unionist Lisburn and Castlereagh area where the rate is 333 cases per 100,000 .
The lowest rate of infection is in the mainly unionist area of Mid and East Antrim – 157 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ low is the mainly nationalist Fermanagh and Omagh council area where the rate is 223 cases per 100,000 .
The SDLP , UUP , Alliance and Sinn Féin parties accused Mr Poots of undermining the collective message from the Executive with Sinn Féin MLA Emma Sheerin saying the Minister was “ trying to politicise and sectarianise the issue ” .
UUP leader Steve Aiken said Mr Poots should consider his position , a view he repeated on BBC ’ s Inside Politics programme on Sunday .
Asked about Mr Poots ’ comment about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Aiken said : “ I don ’ t think the virus recognises post codes , it doesn ’ t recognise gender , it doesn ’ t recognise religions , it doesn ’ t recognise political affiliation .
Coronavirus is an equal opportunities killer.
” The DUP education Minister Peter Weir on the same programme said people had “ a right to express their opinions ” , claiming there was no doubt that the Bobby Storey funeral “ led to a drop in compliance ” with the Covid-19 regulations .
Sunday ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 615 .
On Saturday there were 1,031 positive cases and two deaths in Northern Ireland .
Northern Ireland has now recorded 27,220 confirmed cases of Covid , with 7,090 of them in the past seven days , an average of more than 1,000 daily cases in the past week .
There are 228 patients in Northern Ireland hospitals receiving Covid treatment with 30 of them in intensive care units and 23 on ventilators .
Meanwhile , PSNI made a number of arrests and issued fines at an anti-lockdown protest that was held @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crowd were demonstrating against the Covid regulations including mask-wearing .
PSNI assistant chief constable Alan Todd said more than 300 people took part in the protest .
“ The numbers in attendance and the lack of social distancing in the crowd were in stark contrast with assurances given to police by the organisers in the days leading up to the event , ” he said .
“ Police engaged with the organisers before and during the protest in an attempt to encourage them to disperse and comply with the health protection regulations , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the organisers and participants did not cooperate with these requests and continued in breach of the regulations.
” Mr Todd said officers therefore moved to enforce the regulations resulting in the issue of fixed penalty notices and a number of arrests .
“ As I have said previously , in other times , we would work with organisers and protestors to facilitate lawful and peaceful protests .
However , these are not ordinary times , ” he said .
Mr Todd said everyone has a responsibility to adhere to the rules “ to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sunday , the Northern Ireland Prison Service confirmed that four of its staff at the Hydebank Wood facility for women and young offenders had tested positive for Covid-19 .
A further 14 staff who tested negative are self-isolating and two prisoners have also been put into isolation as a precaution .

The Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) leader Steve Aiken has described Covid-19 as an “equal opportunities killer” after DUP agriculture Minister Edwin Poots claimed the incidence of the virus was far higher in nationalist areas than it was in unionist ones.
Five deaths from Covid-19 were recorded in Northern Ireland on Sunday, along with a further 1,012 new cases.
With the incidence of coronavirus now regularly running at more than 1,000 cases a day in the North, Mr Aiken said Mr Poots should consider his position as Minister for “undermining” the Northern Executive’s collective response to the pandemic.
On Friday, Mr Poots gave interviews to the BBC and UTV in which he expressed “grave reservations” about the new Covid-19 restrictions imposed by the Northern Executive of which he is a member.
READ MORE
This was on the same day that the North’s five Executive party leaders, including DUP First Minister Arlene Foster, issued a statement “appealing to everyone to please get behind this effort to fight back against Covid-19 and save lives”.
Mr Poots, in addition to voicing reservations about decision-making over business and school closures, also said that “a lot of the problems started” after the funeral of leading republican Bobby Storey in west Belfast in June. This led to allegations that Sinn Féin had breached the rules on crowds and social distancing, which the party continues to deny.
“People in that community saw the breaking of the rules. That is why there is a difference between nationalist and unionist areas, and the difference is around six to one,” said Mr Poots.
He also was accused of targeting the GAA community when he referred to certain sporting activities and post match celebrations. Asked was he referring to the GAA, he said that he was “not labelling one particular group of people, but if people feel the cap fits, that’s up to them”.
The Department of Health figures do show that in the mainly nationalist area of Derry and Strabane the incidence rate is far higher than in the 10 other council areas in Northern Ireland.
Over the past seven days, Derry and Strabane experienced 845 cases per 100,000 of the population compared to the next highest area of Belfast where the rate is 523 cases per 100,000.
But generally whether such a conclusion can be drawn across the North is open to question. For instance in Newry, Mourne and Down, which is predominantly nationalist, the virus rate is 331 cases per 100,000 which compares with the mainly unionist Lisburn and Castlereagh area where the rate is 333 cases per 100,000.
The lowest rate of infection is in the mainly unionist area of Mid and East Antrim – 157 cases per 100,000. But also relatively low is the mainly nationalist Fermanagh and Omagh council area where the rate is 223 cases per 100,000.
The SDLP, UUP, Alliance and Sinn Féin parties accused Mr Poots of undermining the collective message from the Executive with Sinn Féin MLA Emma Sheerin saying the Minister was “trying to politicise and sectarianise the issue”.
UUP leader Steve Aiken said Mr Poots should consider his position, a view he repeated on BBC’s Inside Politics programme on Sunday.
Asked about Mr Poots' comment about the virus being higher in nationalist areas Mr Aiken said: "I don't think the virus recognises post codes, it doesn't recognise gender, it doesn't recognise religions, it doesn't recognise political affiliation. Coronavirus is an equal opportunities killer."
The DUP education Minister Peter Weir on the same programme said people had “a right to express their opinions” , claiming there was no doubt that the Bobby Storey funeral “led to a drop in compliance” with the Covid-19 regulations.
Sunday’s figures brought the Northern Ireland death toll to 615. On Saturday there were 1,031 positive cases and two deaths in Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland has now recorded 27,220 confirmed cases of Covid, with 7,090 of them in the past seven days, an average of more than 1,000 daily cases in the past week.
There are 228 patients in Northern Ireland hospitals receiving Covid treatment with 30 of them in intensive care units and 23 on ventilators.
Meanwhile, PSNI made a number of arrests and issued fines at an anti-lockdown protest that was held at Stormont on Sunday afternoon. The crowd were demonstrating against the Covid regulations including mask-wearing.
PSNI assistant chief constable Alan Todd said more than 300 people took part in the protest. “The numbers in attendance and the lack of social distancing in the crowd were in stark contrast with assurances given to police by the organisers in the days leading up to the event,” he said.
“Police engaged with the organisers before and during the protest in an attempt to encourage them to disperse and comply with the health protection regulations,” he added. “Unfortunately both the organisers and participants did not cooperate with these requests and continued in breach of the regulations.”
Mr Todd said officers therefore moved to enforce the regulations resulting in the issue of fixed penalty notices and a number of arrests.
“As I have said previously, in other times, we would work with organisers and protestors to facilitate lawful and peaceful protests. However, these are not ordinary times,” he said.
Mr Todd said everyone has a responsibility to adhere to the rules “to protect our society”.
Also on Sunday, the Northern Ireland Prison Service confirmed that four of its staff at the Hydebank Wood facility for women and young offenders had tested positive for Covid-19.
A further 14 staff who tested negative are self-isolating and two prisoners have also been put into isolation as a precaution.


theirishtimes--2020-10-19--Young child among Covid-19 patients admitted to ICU in past fortnight

A young child is among the 24 Covid-19 patients admitted to ICU over the past fortnight .
Thirteen of those transferred to intensive care over the period were aged over 65 years , but one child aged 5-14 years was also admitted , along with one patient aged 15-24 years .
Thirteen children aged 14 years and under were hospitalised over the period , out of a total of 301 patients .
There were 34 Covid-19 patients in ICU on Monday morning , up from 31 the previous day , according to the Government ’ s data hub on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rose to 298 , up from 274 the previous day and 75 a month earlier .
Cavan General Hospital had the highest number of virus patients on Sunday evening , at 33 , followed by Tallaght University Hospital , with 24 .
The National Public Health Emergency Team has called for the State to move to the highest point on the alert plan , Level 5 , for six weeks in order to curb what it describes as an alarming upward trajectory of infection .
A senior source on Sunday night said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” restrictions for the entire country for a period of three to four weeks at a specially convened Cabinet meeting on Monday afternoon .
An announcement is due on Monday evening .
A record number of new cases was recorded on two successive days over the weekend .
Three deaths and 1,283 more Covid-19 cases were reported in the Republic on Sunday evening , while the North had five deaths and 1,012 more cases .
The figure of 1,283 represents a new daily high for the Republic .
The number of deaths related @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including probable and possible deaths , and the total known cases in the State is now 49,962 .
There have been 11,950 new cases of the disease reported over the two weeks to Saturday , more than double the 5,114 confirmed during the previous two weeks .
The incidence rate of the disease over the past fortnight is 251 cases for every 100,000 people , an increase from 159.2 cases per 100,000 a week ago and 107.4 cases per 100,000 two weeks ago .
The incidence of the disease is highest in Cavan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the past 14 days .
Meath has the next highest figures , with an incidence of 488.6 .
Tipperary has the lowest county figures , with an incidence of 109.1 , while Dublin ’ s figures are now below the national average of 251 .

Of the cases reported on Monday, 235 are in Dublin and 232 in Cork. There were also 60 cases in Galway, 47 in Limerick, 47 in Kerry, with the remaining 410 cases spread across 21 counties. File photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish Times
The number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 has passed the 50,000 mark as the incidence of the disease continues to rise.
A further 1,031 confirmed cases of Covid-19 reported by the National Public Health Emergency Team on Monday evening brought the total number of cases to 50,993, less than eight months after the first case of the virus was recordeded in Ireland.
No new deaths were reported on Monday, leaving the total number of deaths at 1,852.
Hospital Report
Of the cases reported on Monday, 235 are in Dublin and 232 in Cork. There were also 60 cases in Galway, 47 in Limerick, 47 in Kerry, with the remaining 410 cases spread across 21 counties.
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Seventy per cent of the cases are under 45 years of age, and the median age of cases is 30.
Women outnumber men slightly – 518 to 511.
As of 2pm today, 298 Covid-19 patients were in hospital, including 34 in ICU. There were 20 hospitalisations in the past 24 hours.
Chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan warned people with symptoms of Covid-19, those waiting for a test result or those who are a confirmed case that they must self-isolate for 10 days from when they first developed symptoms. “Self-isolation means staying in your room, away from other members of your household,” he said.
“If you live in a house with a confirmed case do not go to work or school. You must stay at home and restrict your movements for 14 days.”
The national incidence now stands at 261.7 cases per 100,000 people in the past 14 days.
Cavan has the highest county incidence, at 824.4, followed by Meath at 490.1.
Dublin’s incidence is 232.3, lower than in 16 other counties. Tipperary has the lowest incidence, at 112.8.
New test kit
A young child is among the 24 Covid-19 patients admitted to ICU over the past fortnight, according to data from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre.
Thirteen of those transferred to intensive care over the period were aged over 65 years, but one child aged 5-14 years was also admitted, along with one patient aged 15-24 years.
Thirteen children aged 14 years and under were hospitalised over the period, out of a total of 301 patients.
The 34 Covid-19 patients in ICU yesterday represented a rise of three on the previous day.
The number of patients hospitalised rose to 298, up from 274 the previous day.
Cavan General Hospital had the highest number of virus patients on Sunday evening, at 33, followed by Tallaght University Hospital, with 24.
Meanwhile, the HSE has introduced a new swab testing kit for Covid-19 it says will improve safety and may improve turnaround times.
The new lysis buffer inactivate virus samples at the point of sampling rather than later in the process, in the laboratory.
The HSE says this means the swab is safer to use and to transport, while its use also streamlines the first step of the laboratory testing process.
So far, over 1 million swabs for the virus have been taken in the community and 1.3 million tests have been completed.


theirishtimes--2020-10-19--High Court quashes decision to investigate historic abuse allegations

The High Court has quashed a Child and Family Agency ( CFA ) decision to investigate historic child sex abuse allegations against a man .
Mr Justice Garrett Simons said , while the CFA retains a discretion to investigate the complaint further , it is not under an obligation to do so .
The power to investigate historical abuse and to make findings which can be published to an applicant ’ s family and employer “ must be exercised in a reasonable and proportionate manner ” , he said .
The case arose out of alleged incidents in the summer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nine- or 10-year-old boy and was doing odd jobs in a hotel .
The applicant was a young man or teenager and also working in the hotel .
The complainant claimed he was lured into bed in the hotel on three separate occasions that summer .
He said they were “ playing with each other ” , no force was used and thought it was harmless at the time .
The older boy told him not to say anything to anyone .
The complainant believes it may have played a part in his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ having ongoing mental health issues .
Both men are now aged in their 60s .
The CFA was first notified of the complaint in 2013 .
The complainant was interviewed by a social worker and he then made a complaint to the gardaí .
Efforts by the CFA to follow up the complaint with him met with no response .
By 2015 , the DPP decided not to institute proceedings and about a year later the CFA closed its file on the case .
It reopened it again in November 2017 after it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ specialist inquiry team .
The first time the applicant was notified of the complaint was May 2018 and he denied the allegations or that any bodily contact took place .
It was suggested the allegations were malicious and there had been “ aggro ” between the parties in relation to certain matters , Mr Justice Simons said .
The applicant then brought High Court proceedings challenging the CFA ’ s decision in July 2018 to reach a “ provisional conclusion ” that some sexual contact had occurred .
The applicant argued the court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conceded the 2018 decision was invalid and should be set aside but said it was entitled to to continue its inquiries .
On Monday , Mr Justice Simons said the CFA decision to close its file in September 2016 was lawful as was the subsequent decision to commence a fresh investigation .
However , the manner in which it carried out that subsequent investigation was unlawful , he said .
The incorrect standard of proof was applied , one of the two CFA decision-makers had never met the complainant and there was also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the applicant its 2016 decision to close the file .
The July 2018 decision on a fresh investigation was therefore quashed , the judge said .
It would not be appropriate to direct the CFA to reconsider the matter and it was a matter for the CFA to consider whether to commence a further investigation .
In the event it does so , it must be conducted in accordance with the requirements of natural and constitutional justice , he said .

The High Court has quashed a Child and Family Agency (CFA) decision to investigate historic child sex abuse allegations against a man.
Mr Justice Garrett Simons said, while the CFA retains a discretion to investigate the complaint further, it is not under an obligation to do so.
The power to investigate historical abuse and to make findings which can be published to an applicant’s family and employer “must be exercised in a reasonable and proportionate manner”, he said.
The case arose out of alleged incidents in the summer of 1969 when the complainant was a nine- or 10-year-old boy and was doing odd jobs in a hotel. The applicant was a young man or teenager and also working in the hotel.
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The complainant claimed he was lured into bed in the hotel on three separate occasions that summer. He said they were “playing with each other”, no force was used and thought it was harmless at the time.
The older boy told him not to say anything to anyone. The complainant believes it may have played a part in his mental breakdown at age 23 and to having ongoing mental health issues.
Both men are now aged in their 60s.
The CFA was first notified of the complaint in 2013. The complainant was interviewed by a social worker and he then made a complaint to the gardaí. Efforts by the CFA to follow up the complaint with him met with no response.
By 2015, the DPP decided not to institute proceedings and about a year later the CFA closed its file on the case. It reopened it again in November 2017 after it was referred to the CFA’s specialist inquiry team.
The first time the applicant was notified of the complaint was May 2018 and he denied the allegations or that any bodily contact took place. It was suggested the allegations were malicious and there had been “aggro” between the parties in relation to certain matters, Mr Justice Simons said.
The applicant then brought High Court proceedings challenging the CFA’s decision in July 2018 to reach a “provisional conclusion” that some sexual contact had occurred.
The applicant argued the court should restrain further inquiry. The CFA conceded the 2018 decision was invalid and should be set aside but said it was entitled to to continue its inquiries.
On Monday, Mr Justice Simons said the CFA decision to close its file in September 2016 was lawful as was the subsequent decision to commence a fresh investigation.
However, the manner in which it carried out that subsequent investigation was unlawful, he said. The incorrect standard of proof was applied, one of the two CFA decision-makers had never met the complainant and there was also a failure by the CFA to disclose to the applicant its 2016 decision to close the file.
The July 2018 decision on a fresh investigation was therefore quashed, the judge said.
It would not be appropriate to direct the CFA to reconsider the matter and it was a matter for the CFA to consider whether to commence a further investigation.
In the event it does so, it must be conducted in accordance with the requirements of natural and constitutional justice, he said.


theirishtimes--2020-10-19--Family secures €165,000 settlement from hospital over treatment of 92-year-old

The family of a 92-year-old man who died at Dublin ’ s Beaumont Hospital where he had gone for treatment after suffering a fall at home have secured a €165,000 settlement of their High Court action over his death .
Patrick Dillon was a fit and active man and is a huge loss to his family and community in Swords , Co Dublin , the family ’ s counsel Doireann O ’ Mahony BL told the court .
When brought to Beaumont Hospital A & E department on July 13th , 2015 after a fall at home , he had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raised CRP count , all of which were “ indicators of infection overload ” , counsel said Mr Dillon was later discharged home but was in severe pain and was brought back to the hospital three days later where “ a substandard examination ” took place , counsel said .
He was in renal failure but was transferred to a rehabilitation step down facility where it was discovered he had pressure sores which “ have no place in modern medicine ” , Ms O ’ Mahony said .
He was transferred back to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He was severely septic and showing multi-organ failure and he died on July 31st , 2015 .
Mr Dillon was a very active man and also cared for his son who has special needs , counsel said .
Mr Dillon ’ s daughter Ann Walsh told Mr Justice Garrett Simons ; “ The way Daddy was treated , no old age pensioner should be treated like that.
” Her father had been “ put to the side ” .
Mr Justice Simons said Ms Walsh had given elegant testimony about her late @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comment , “ she had spoken and it is on the record of the court ” .
Beaumont Hospital had admitted a breach of duty in relation to the delay in formulating an accurate diagnosis of Mr Dillon ’ s condition at the hospital and his transfer to the rehabilitation hospital .
The court heard other matters were at issue .
Ms Walsh , Seatown Villas , Swords , and her brother Gerard Dillon , Seatown Terrace , Swords , had sued Beaumont Hospital over the care given to their father .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the standard of care , competence judgment , diligence and skill which it was reasonable to expect .
It was further claimed Mr Dillon was in a chair in the hospital A & E for a lengthy period of time which , it was claimed , contributed to his general deterioration .
It was also alleged a diagnosis of a spine fracture was made which was not confirmed on subsequent X-ray .
Outside court , the family solicitor Niall Tansey said the settlement marked the end of a long and challenging legal battle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a huge figure in the Swords community and in his family who wanted to reiterate , regardless of age , every patient deserves the very best of care , Mr Tansey said .
The family endorsed a number of system changes since Mr Dillon ’ s death , he added .
Ms Walsh said she had given a “ strong message ” in court ; the family were relieved this ordeal had come to an end and “ that , hopefully , no elderly individual will have to suffer like our dad and @ @ @ @

The family of a 92-year-old man who died at Dublin’s Beaumont Hospital where he had gone for treatment after suffering a fall at home have secured a €165,000 settlement of their High Court action over his death.
Patrick Dillon was a fit and active man and is a huge loss to his family and community in Swords, Co Dublin, the family’s counsel Doireann O’Mahony BL told the court.
When brought to Beaumont Hospital A&E department on July 13th, 2015 after a fall at home, he had a raised white cell count and a raised CRP count, all of which were “indicators of infection overload”, counsel said
Mr Dillon was later discharged home but was in severe pain and was brought back to the hospital three days later where “a substandard examination” took place, counsel said.
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He was in renal failure but was transferred to a rehabilitation step down facility where it was discovered he had pressure sores which “have no place in modern medicine”, Ms O’Mahony said.
He was transferred back to Beaumont Hospital on July 27th, 2015. He was severely septic and showing multi-organ failure and he died on July 31st, 2015.
Mr Dillon was a very active man and also cared for his son who has special needs, counsel said.
Mr Dillon’s daughter Ann Walsh told Mr Justice Garrett Simons; “The way Daddy was treated, no old age pensioner should be treated like that.” Her father had been “put to the side”.
Mr Justice Simons said Ms Walsh had given elegant testimony about her late father and, while he would not comment, “she had spoken and it is on the record of the court” .
Beaumont Hospital had admitted a breach of duty in relation to the delay in formulating an accurate diagnosis of Mr Dillon’s condition at the hospital and his transfer to the rehabilitation hospital. The court heard other matters were at issue.
Ms Walsh, Seatown Villas, Swords, and her brother Gerard Dillon, Seatown Terrace, Swords, had sued Beaumont Hospital over the care given to their father.
It was claimed there was failure to exercise the standard of care, competence judgment, diligence and skill which it was reasonable to expect.
It was further claimed Mr Dillon was in a chair in the hospital A&E for a lengthy period of time which, it was claimed, contributed to his general deterioration.
It was also alleged a diagnosis of a spine fracture was made which was not confirmed on subsequent X-ray.
Outside court, the family solicitor Niall Tansey said the settlement marked the end of a long and challenging legal battle for the family.
Mr Dillon was a huge figure in the Swords community and in his family who wanted to reiterate, regardless of age, every patient deserves the very best of care, Mr Tansey said. The family endorsed a number of system changes since Mr Dillon’s death, he added.
Ms Walsh said she had given a “strong message” in court; the family were relieved this ordeal had come to an end and “that, hopefully, no elderly individual will have to suffer like our dad and papa did”.


theirishtimes--2020-10-19--Teenager arrested following stabbing incident in Carlow

A teenager is in a serious condition after being stabbed during a row at a house in Co Carlow .
@ @ @ @ @ Fairways estate in Carlow town at 4.30am on Monday morning .
The 16-year-old male was @ @ @ @ @ s Hospital in Kilkenny for treatment .
He left the house after the stabbing and @ @ @ @ @ .
Another teenager was arrested at the scene and conveyed to Carlow Garda station where @ @ @ @ @ Section 4 of The Criminal Justice Act , 1984 .
Gardaí are appealing for witnesses @ @ @ @ @ of The Fairways estate , or the Dublin Road area of Carlow between 3am and @ @ @ @ @ They are also appealing for any motorists who were in the area and who may @ @ @ @ @ contact call Carlow Garda station at 059 913 6620 or the Garda confidential line at @ @ @ @

Gardaí in Carlow have asked anyone with information to contact them. Photograph: Frank Miller/File
A teenager is in a serious condition after being stabbed during a row at a house in Co Carlow.
The incident occurred in The Fairways estate in Carlow town at 4.30am on Monday morning.
The 16-year-old male was rushed to St Luke’s Hospital in Kilkenny for treatment.
He left the house after the stabbing and managed to raise the alarm.
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Another teenager was arrested at the scene and conveyed to Carlow Garda station where he is currently detained under Section 4 of The Criminal Justice Act, 1984.
Gardaí are appealing for witnesses who were in the vicinity of The Fairways estate, or the Dublin Road area of Carlow between 3am and 5am on Monday morning. They are also appealing for any motorists who were in the area and who may have dash cam footage to contact call Carlow Garda station at 059 913 6620 or the Garda confidential line at 1800 666 111.


theirishtimes--2020-10-19--PSNI to trial new ‘fit for purpose’ uniform

Police in Northern Ireland are to trial a proposed a new “ fit for purpose ” uniform , the PSNI chief constable Simon Byrne has announced .
Mr Byrne said that from Monday 150 officers from a range of operational positions and locations will be wearing the new uniform .
“ The current uniform has been in existence since the formation of the Police Service of Northern Ireland , and , as a consequence , it is right that we should look at how effective it is almost 20 years on , ” said Mr Byrne .
He added , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our frontline officers with professional , modern workwear , which is fit for purpose .
That ’ s why we are reviewing how our uniform remains practical and comfortable , in support of our officers as they perform their duties .
“ In developing the new uniform options we have listened to feedback from frontline officers and the Police Federation.
” Mr Byrne said the PSNI would also listen to what the public thought about the uniform .
“ As part of the pilot , we will also be working with policing and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of engagement events across Northern Ireland and engaging with a number of key internal and external stakeholders , ” he explained .

Police in Northern Ireland are to trial a proposed a new "fit for purpose" uniform, the PSNI chief constable Simon Byrne has announced.
Mr Byrne said that from Monday 150 officers from a range of operational positions and locations will be wearing the new uniform.
"The current uniform has been in existence since the formation of the Police Service of Northern Ireland, and, as a consequence, it is right that we should look at how effective it is almost 20 years on," said Mr Byrne.
He added, “It is important that we equip our frontline officers with professional, modern workwear, which is fit for purpose. That’s why we are reviewing how our uniform remains practical and comfortable, in support of our officers as they perform their duties.
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“In developing the new uniform options we have listened to feedback from frontline officers and the Police Federation.”
Mr Byrne said the PSNI would also listen to what the public thought about the uniform.
“As part of the pilot, we will also be working with policing and community safety partnerships to host a number of engagement events across Northern Ireland and engaging with a number of key internal and external stakeholders,” he explained.


theirishtimes--2020-10-19--Level 5 would halt new juries being sworn in for Central Criminal Court – judge

No new juries will be sworn to hear trials at the Central Criminal Court if the Government opts to move @ @ @ @ @ , it has emerged on Monday .
Mr Justice Michael White said trials can continue @ @ @ @ @ juries to be selected from smaller panels to allow for social distancing .
Under Level @ @ @ @ @ be sworn but trials that are already underway will continue .
It remains to be @ @ @ @ @ the Government opts for a hybrid of Levels 4 and 5 .
The system outlined @ @ @ @ @ morning mirrors that undertaken during the first lockdown when ongoing trials , including that of @ @ @ @ @ were allowed to conclude .
There are currently a number of trials ongoing before the @ @ @ @ @ and around the country .
A further statement from the Courts Service is expected later @ @ @

No new juries will be sworn to hear trials at the Central Criminal Court if the Government opts to move Covid-19 restrictions to Level 5, it has emerged on Monday.
Mr Justice Michael White said trials can continue during Level 4 restrictions with juries to be selected from smaller panels to allow for social distancing.
Under Level 5 no new juries will be sworn but trials that are already underway will continue.
It remains to be seen what will happen if the Government opts for a hybrid of Levels 4 and 5. The system outlined by the judge on Monday morning mirrors that undertaken during the first lockdown when ongoing trials, including that of garda murderer Aaron Brady, were allowed to conclude.
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There are currently a number of trials ongoing before the Central Criminal Court in Dublin and around the country.
A further statement from the Courts Service is expected later on Monday.