theirishtimes--2020-06-15--Record surge in prisoners triggers early release move

The increase in the number of people committed to prison has surged to a 10-year high necessitating the earlier release of some prisoners and an audit to find more bed capacity in jails , according to the latest annual report from the Irish Prison Service due for release this week .
The service allowed more prisoners to avail of community release programmes in 2019 by changing the eligibility criteria .
The bed-capacity audit of prisons last year had resulted in the capacity of the Dóchas Centre women ’ s prison being increased by almost 40 per cent , from 105 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continuing in other jails .
The annual report for 2019 also shows that more than one-third of all prisoners in the 12 prisons across the Republic said they lived in Dublin .
The cost of keeping a prisoner in jail for a year increased by about 2 per cent to €75,349 last year , mainly due to pay restoration for many of the 3,400 staff working in prisons .
In 2019 the number of people committed to prison increased by 10.7 per cent , to 8,939 , including 6,276 men and 894 women @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2010 , with more people now being imprisoned for the non-payment of fines as people given the option of paying a fine , under the Fines Act 2014 , were not availing of it .
Immediately it was introduced , the number of people committed for non-payment of fines plummeted but last year it had begun to climb again ; from 455 committals in 2018 to 860 last year .
The report for 2019 says there had been a “ significant increase ” in community release numbers , which are periods of structured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Some 599 prisoners enjoyed periods of release under that scheme in 2019 .
Separately , the average number of prisoners on temporary release on any one day was 264 .
However , the figures for 2019 and 2018 are not compiled in the same way , meaning it is not possible to make a comparison on releases over the two years .
Director general of the Irish Prison Service Caron McCaffrey says in the annual report the number of prisoners on remand in 2017 was 584 , though that had increased to 707 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pressure on the service .
“ As the State ’ s only remand facility at Cloverhill Prison has a bed capacity of 431 , this requires remand prisoners to be spread across the prison estate , ” she said of the dedicated capacity for remand prisoners now being unable to facilitate the sheer numbers being held on remand , because bail has been refused to them .
She added another feature of remand prisoners was “ the increasing seriousness of the criminal charges they face ” which means they are required to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ high levels of security in jails .
The 8,939 committals to prison last year involved 7,170 people , with a number of prisoners committed to jail several times .
Some 76 per cent of prisoners committed to jail in 2019 were serving 12 months or less , with only 46 people committed for more than 10 years , including nine life sentences .
In 2019 , there were 490 committals relating to immigration issues involving 477 detainees , an increase of 18 per cent , or 76 cases , on the previous year @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prisoners in custody in 2019 was 3,971 compared to 3,893 in 2018 , up 2 per cent .
However , that figure would be higher but for the large number of prisoners enjoying structured forms of community , or early , release .
There were , on average , 170 women and 3,801 men in custody daily during the course of 2019 .
One in five prisoners sent to prison last year were aged 18-24 years , with 39 per cent of all prisoners aged 25 to 34 years and 36 per cent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 35 per cent of prisoners committed to jails declared Dublin as their county of residence , with 9 per cent from Cork , 6 per cent from Limerick and 4 per cent from Galway , while 8 per cent of committals said they were of no fixed abode .
The vast majority of prisoners committed last year , 77 per cent , were Irish nationals .
Another 15 per cent were European excluding Irish , with just under 3 per cent African and just under 3 per cent Asian .

In 2019, the number committed to prison increased by 10.7 per cent, to 8,939, including 6,276 men and 894 women. Photograph: Cyril Byrne
The increase in the number of people committed to prison has surged to a 10-year high necessitating the earlier release of some prisoners and an audit to find more bed capacity in jails, according to the latest annual report from the Irish Prison Service due for release this week.
The service allowed more prisoners to avail of community release programmes in 2019 by changing the eligibility criteria.
The bed-capacity audit of prisons last year had resulted in the capacity of the Dóchas Centre women’s prison being increased by almost 40 per cent, from 105 beds to 146, with the process continuing in other jails.
The annual report for 2019 also shows that more than one-third of all prisoners in the 12 prisons across the Republic said they lived in Dublin. The cost of keeping a prisoner in jail for a year increased by about 2 per cent to €75,349 last year, mainly due to pay restoration for many of the 3,400 staff working in prisons.
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In 2019 the number of people committed to prison increased by 10.7 per cent, to 8,939, including 6,276 men and 894 women. It was the biggest increase since 2010, with more people now being imprisoned for the non-payment of fines as people given the option of paying a fine, under the Fines Act 2014, were not availing of it.
Immediately it was introduced, the number of people committed for non-payment of fines plummeted but last year it had begun to climb again; from 455 committals in 2018 to 860 last year.
Structured release
The report for 2019 says there had been a “significant increase” in community release numbers, which are periods of structured release granted to some non-violent prisoners. Some 599 prisoners enjoyed periods of release under that scheme in 2019. Separately, the average number of prisoners on temporary release on any one day was 264.
However, the figures for 2019 and 2018 are not compiled in the same way, meaning it is not possible to make a comparison on releases over the two years.
Director general of the Irish Prison Service Caron McCaffrey says in the annual report the number of prisoners on remand in 2017 was 584, though that had increased to 707 in 2019, which was also putting pressure on the service.
"As the State's only remand facility at Cloverhill Prison has a bed capacity of 431, this requires remand prisoners to be spread across the prison estate," she said of the dedicated capacity for remand prisoners now being unable to facilitate the sheer numbers being held on remand, because bail has been refused to them.
She added another feature of remand prisoners was “the increasing seriousness of the criminal charges they face” which means they are required to be detained for much longer periods and at high levels of security in jails.
Life sentences
The 8,939 committals to prison last year involved 7,170 people, with a number of prisoners committed to jail several times.
Some 76 per cent of prisoners committed to jail in 2019 were serving 12 months or less, with only 46 people committed for more than 10 years, including nine life sentences.
In 2019, there were 490 committals relating to immigration issues involving 477 detainees, an increase of 18 per cent, or 76 cases, on the previous year.
The overall daily average number of prisoners in custody in 2019 was 3,971 compared to 3,893 in 2018, up 2 per cent. However, that figure would be higher but for the large number of prisoners enjoying structured forms of community, or early, release.
There were, on average, 170 women and 3,801 men in custody daily during the course of 2019.
One in five prisoners sent to prison last year were aged 18-24 years, with 39 per cent of all prisoners aged 25 to 34 years and 36 per cent aged 35 to 44 years.
Some 35 per cent of prisoners committed to jails declared Dublin as their county of residence, with 9 per cent from Cork, 6 per cent from Limerick and 4 per cent from Galway, while 8 per cent of committals said they were of no fixed abode.
The vast majority of prisoners committed last year, 77 per cent, were Irish nationals. Another 15 per cent were European excluding Irish, with just under 3 per cent African and just under 3 per cent Asian.


theirishtimes--2020-06-15--Coronavirus lockdown eating habits take dental toll

Dr Caroline Robins says since her dental surgery in Carlow town reopened last month there have been “ a lot of patients coming in with broken fillings ” .
“ You could probably say it ’ s down to the Covid diet , the sweets and crisps and things like that , we ’ ve seen a lot of broken fillings , ” she says .
Ms Robins ’ surgery , Kiwi Dental , remained open during lockdown for emergency treatments and phone consultations , and reopened for routine services on May 18th .
There has also been an increase @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says .
“ A lot of people have said themselves ‘ I think I was clenching ’ or ‘ I think I broke the tooth because I was grinding in my sleep ’ .
“ I know myself I ’ m waking up in the morning and I ’ m absolutely clenching , ” she says .
“ It ’ s been a very worrying time , it ’ s very stressful .
You worry for your staff , patients , the business .
It ’ s not been a healthy time but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we are allowed to be back.
” Ms Robins says her surgery has been very busy since reopening for routine services but due to social distancing guidelines she hasn ’ t been able to see as many patients per day .
“ The number of patients who I would see in a day has decreased .
I would have probably seen about an average of 15 a day , ” she says .
“ When I first went back I was probably managing to see seven or eight .
We ’ re nearly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s fine tuning itself but you don ’ t see as many in a day .
We can ’ t facilitate drop-ins , people can ’ t just drop in to the surgery like they used to .
“ Everything is through front of house , we triage very well on the phone , we have very specific questions that the patients are asked .
They obviously have to pass that before we make an appointment.
” But she notes that while dentists and dental hygienists are used to wearing PPE and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for staff .
“ We ’ re caught , like lots of places , some of my staff have childcare issues and they can ’ t come back to work yet .
I am back full-time and working an extra day , ” she says .
“ I ’ d say that ’ s the reality for a lot of places and we ’ re just trying to work around it as best we can.
” Ms Robins says despite the uncertainty the pandemic has brought , it has resulted in some positives @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s been good in terms of sitting down and looking at your business model and how the place is run and fine tuning things , ” she says .
“ There are some good things I think have come from it .
I never had a moment to sit down and think before , you would race from one patient to the next to the next .
It ’ s very pressurised .
You ’ re constantly against the clock .
“ Looking at other bits of the business during the downtime has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be made .
”

Dr Caroline Robins says since her dental surgery in Carlow town reopened last month there have been "a lot of patients coming in with broken fillings".
“You could probably say it’s down to the Covid diet, the sweets and crisps and things like that, we’ve seen a lot of broken fillings,” she says.
Ms Robins’ surgery, Kiwi Dental, remained open during lockdown for emergency treatments and phone consultations, and reopened for routine services on May 18th.
Dentist Caroline Robins of Kiwi Dental, Carlow, in her PPE gear. Photograph: Laura Hutton
Dentist Caroline Robins says there has been an increase in patients mentioning teeth grinding. Photograph: Laura Hutton
There has also been an increase in patients mentioning teeth grinding, she says.
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“A lot of people have said themselves ‘I think I was clenching’ or ‘I think I broke the tooth because I was grinding in my sleep’.
“I know myself I’m waking up in the morning and I’m absolutely clenching,” she says. “It’s been a very worrying time, it’s very stressful. You worry for your staff, patients, the business. It’s not been a healthy time but I just have to be positive that we are allowed to be back.”
Ms Robins says her surgery has been very busy since reopening for routine services but due to social distancing guidelines she hasn’t been able to see as many patients per day.
“The number of patients who I would see in a day has decreased. I would have probably seen about an average of 15 a day,” she says.
“When I first went back I was probably managing to see seven or eight. We’re nearly three weeks into it now, it’s fine tuning itself but you don’t see as many in a day. We can’t facilitate drop-ins, people can’t just drop in to the surgery like they used to.
“Everything is through front of house, we triage very well on the phone, we have very specific questions that the patients are asked. They obviously have to pass that before we make an appointment.”
Childcare problems
But she notes that while dentists and dental hygienists are used to wearing PPE and cross-contamination controls, childcare remains a problem for staff.
“We’re caught, like lots of places, some of my staff have childcare issues and they can’t come back to work yet. I am back full-time and working an extra day,” she says.
“I’d say that’s the reality for a lot of places and we’re just trying to work around it as best we can.”
Ms Robins says despite the uncertainty the pandemic has brought, it has resulted in some positives for her business.
“It’s been good in terms of sitting down and looking at your business model and how the place is run and fine tuning things,” she says.
“There are some good things I think have come from it. I never had a moment to sit down and think before, you would race from one patient to the next to the next. It’s very pressurised. You’re constantly against the clock.
“Looking at other bits of the business during the downtime has been helpful and seeing where changes can be made.”


theirishtimes--2020-06-15--Buses and trains ‘must run around clock’ post-Covid-19

Buses and trains should run on a 24-hour basis to facilitate a round-the-clock society which would see businesses trade through the night in the post-Covid world , transport workers have urged .
The National Bus and Rail Union ( NBRU ) , in a submission to the Oireachtas Covid-19 committee , suggested the establishment of an “ Ireland Night Time Commission ” which would “ look at how we might sustain and grow economic/social activity across the 24-hour cycle ” .
It said that irrespective of whether social distancing restrictions were set at one metre or two metres , there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days of passengers “ squeezed like sardines ” on buses , trains and trams .
The NBRU said capacity restrictions meant that up to 35 million passenger journeys a year which were made previously could not be accommodated in the future .
“ New behavioural patterns must be adopted , no more standing on buses .
Trains and trams will have to find a ‘ new ’ way of accommodating some standees , but not a return to sardine-like scenes that were the peak-time norm pre-Covid.
” The union repeated its calls for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public transport and for Government incentives to be introduced to encourage working from home .
The NBRU also said the country needed “ to look at the prospect of moving towards 24-hour economic/social activity , where businesses can open and trade through the night ” .
It suggested staggered opening times during the day for schools and colleges to extend the peak travelling periods in the morning and evening .
The union said if social distancing guidelines were relaxed , the numbers on buses , trains and trams “ might be increased to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ side by side on buses and trains , however , standing packed in the aisles shoulder to shoulder can not .
.
.
return ” .
It said the abolition of standing on a double-decker bus would lead to a 26 per cent reduction in capacity .
It said if this figure was extended to trains and trams , then about 35 million journeys could not be made in the future .
The NBRU said that extending public transport services to run around the clock “ may have the potential to assist towards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” .
“ At a time when the challenges of how we restore normal economic/social activity are taxing the minds of a wide range of stakeholders , nothing should be ruled out .
The NBRU is advocating the establishment of an Ireland Night Time Commission to look at how we might sustain and grow economic/social activity across the 24-hour cycle.
” It said a similar report in 2019 in London recommended establishment of night-time enterprise zones , and a transport working group to expand 24-hour transport services .

The National Bus and Rail Union says capacity restrictions mean up to 35 million passenger journeys a year cannot be accommodated. Photograph: Eric Luke
Buses and trains should run on a 24-hour basis to facilitate a round-the-clock society which would see businesses trade through the night in the post-Covid world, transport workers have urged.
The National Bus and Rail Union (NBRU), in a submission to the Oireachtas Covid-19 committee, suggested the establishment of an "Ireland Night Time Commission" which would "look at how we might sustain and grow economic/social activity across the 24-hour cycle".
It said that irrespective of whether social distancing restrictions were set at one metre or two metres, there could be no going back to the days of passengers “squeezed like sardines” on buses, trains and trams.
The NBRU said capacity restrictions meant that up to 35 million passenger journeys a year which were made previously could not be accommodated in the future.
READ MORE
‘Sardine-like scenes’
“New behavioural patterns must be adopted, no more standing on buses. Trains and trams will have to find a ‘new’ way of accommodating some standees, but not a return to sardine-like scenes that were the peak-time norm pre-Covid.”
The union repeated its calls for face coverings to be mandatory on all public transport and for Government incentives to be introduced to encourage working from home.
The NBRU also said the country needed “to look at the prospect of moving towards 24-hour economic/social activity, where businesses can open and trade through the night”.
It suggested staggered opening times during the day for schools and colleges to extend the peak travelling periods in the morning and evening.
The union said if social distancing guidelines were relaxed, the numbers on buses, trains and trams “might be increased to a level where customers may conceivably sit side by side on buses and trains, however, standing packed in the aisles shoulder to shoulder cannot . . . return”.
‘Abolition of standing’
It said the abolition of standing on a double-decker bus would lead to a 26 per cent reduction in capacity. It said if this figure was extended to trains and trams, then about 35 million journeys could not be made in the future.
The NBRU said that extending public transport services to run around the clock “may have the potential to assist towards creating the environment for a 24-hour society”.
“At a time when the challenges of how we restore normal economic/social activity are taxing the minds of a wide range of stakeholders, nothing should be ruled out. The NBRU is advocating the establishment of an Ireland Night Time Commission to look at how we might sustain and grow economic/social activity across the 24-hour cycle.”
It said a similar report in 2019 in London recommended establishment of night-time enterprise zones, and a transport working group to expand 24-hour transport services.


theirishtimes--2020-06-14--LGBTI+ youth finding life at home during Covid-19 ‘devastating’

More than half of LGBTI+ ( lesbian , gay , bi-sexual , transgender and intersex ) young people have felt suicidal during the Covid-19 crisis and two-thirds have self-harmed or thought about it , a survey published on Monday finds .
It details the “ devastating ” impact the lockdown has had on these young people ’ s mental health , with almost all ( 93 per cent ) feeling anxious , stressed or depressed during the pandemic .
The survey , by the national advocacy organisation for young LGBTI+ people BelongTo , draws on data gathered from over 500 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ finds almost half ( 42 per cent ) saying they are “ not fully accepted ” in their home communities and more than half ( 53 per cent ) describing home as “ not a good place to be during Covid-19 restrictions ” .
Some 55 per cent are struggling with suicide ideation , 45 per cent are struggling with self-harm and 60 per cent are experiencing loneliness .
The organisation is concerned the damage done to these young adults ’ mental health may last well beyond the pandemic .
Among the pressures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; feeling alone with their thoughts for extended periods ; and the re-emergence of mental health difficulties that had been under control .
One young person reported : “ They know I am gay , but we do not speak about it .
They make comments without thinking and never make any effort to be accepting or ask me about my personal life.
” Another said : “ My sister harasses me and calls me slurs to her friends .
I just want quarantine to be done so I don ’ t have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ loneliness , one told the survey : “ I feel like I have to sit and dwell on my thoughts a lot more and it gets to me a lot sometimes .
My mental health has plummeted during lockdown.
” Others reported struggling with worsening mental health and suicidal thoughts .
“ Right now , my depression is worse than it ’ s ever been , and really that ’ s saying something .
I ’ ve had days where I couldn ’ t even get out of bed , because of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said one .
Another said : “ I have not made any attempts at my life while in isolation , but it has worried me how much these thoughts have reappeared .
It had been over a year since I last had this level of depression and it is hard to feel like things have gone backwards.
” Moninne Griffith , chief executive of BelongTo , said the mental health difficulties faced by many LGBTI+ young people had only been exacerbated by the crisis , particularly the restrictions imposed to suppress the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ digital outreach , online support groups and online training .
“ We need continued funding and support for the LGBTI+ youth sector to combat these serious mental health challenges.
” • BelongTo can be contacted through belongto.org/we-are-here-for-you/Samaritans 24-hour free-phone : 116 123

Among the pressures are slagging and harassment by family members; feeling alone with their thoughts for extended periods; and the re-emergence of mental health difficulties that had been under control.
More than half of LGBTI+ (lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transgender and intersex) young people have felt suicidal during the Covid-19 crisis and two-thirds have self-harmed or thought about it, a survey published on Monday finds.
It details the “devastating” impact the lockdown has had on these young people’s mental health, with almost all (93 per cent) feeling anxious, stressed or depressed during the pandemic.
The survey, by the national advocacy organisation for young LGBTI+ people BelongTo, draws on data gathered from over 500 LGBTI+ young people across 26 counties and finds almost half (42 per cent) saying they are “not fully accepted” in their home communities and more than half (53 per cent) describing home as “not a good place to be during Covid-19 restrictions”.
Some 55 per cent are struggling with suicide ideation, 45 per cent are struggling with self-harm and 60 per cent are experiencing loneliness.
READ MORE
The organisation is concerned the damage done to these young adults’ mental health may last well beyond the pandemic.
Family harassment
Among the pressures are slagging and harassment by family members; feeling alone with their thoughts for extended periods; and the re-emergence of mental health difficulties that had been under control.
One young person reported: “They know I am gay, but we do not speak about it. They make comments without thinking and never make any effort to be accepting or ask me about my personal life.”
Another said: “My sister harasses me and calls me slurs to her friends. I just want quarantine to be done so I don’t have to hear her justify homophobia.”
On loneliness, one told the survey: “I feel like I have to sit and dwell on my thoughts a lot more and it gets to me a lot sometimes. My mental health has plummeted during lockdown.” Others reported struggling with worsening mental health and suicidal thoughts.
“Right now, my depression is worse than it’s ever been, and really that’s saying something. I’ve had days where I couldn’t even get out of bed, because of a numbness and lack of motivation,” said one.
Exacerbated by restrictions
Another said: “I have not made any attempts at my life while in isolation, but it has worried me how much these thoughts have reappeared. It had been over a year since I last had this level of depression and it is hard to feel like things have gone backwards.”
Moninne Griffith, chief executive of BelongTo, said the mental health difficulties faced by many LGBTI+ young people had only been exacerbated by the crisis, particularly the restrictions imposed to suppress the pandemic. She said BelongTo had responded with digital outreach, online support groups and online training.
“We need continued funding and support for the LGBTI+ youth sector to combat these serious mental health challenges.”


theirishtimes--2020-06-14--Holidays at home: Embrace our weather, eat chipper chips and buy wetsuits

In the weeks ahead , Irish people will be holidaying at home in greater numbers than at any point since the 1970s when shorts were short and hair was permed .
As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and the shutting of borders and the grounding of virtually all flights in and out of Ireland , people with plans to travel overseas have had to look closer to home .
With that in mind we thought it might be useful to try and conjure up some useful tips for holidaying at home for those people who might not have done @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does it always rain on me ?
: Irish people tend to be just a little obsessed by the weather .
We talk about it with enthusiasm and flair and worry about it endlessly .
Who amongst us hasn ’ t spent hours on a grey summer ’ s day staring at impenetrable clouds wondering if that is a break in the gloom we can see and a sliver of blue sky far , far away .
Bad weather and the fear of it is one of the main reasons we started leaving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1980s and 1990s when overseas travel became the norm rather than the exception .
But we need to recalibrate our national psyche and change our mindset this year if we are to get the best out of whatever the gods throw at us .
We need to be more like the Germans and the French and the Americans who come here and love the weather .
So , don ’ t waste your holiday and the run-up praying for good weather .
Don ’ t even think about it and just accept that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t be horrendous , there are not that that many days in the summer when it rains non-stop , but nor will it be amazing .
Whatever it is you will still be able to make the best of it .
2 .
Appy talk : Staying with the weather , the days of staring at the sky wondering if the end is nigh for the rain have long since been confined to the dustbin of history .
The weather app on your phone will be your friend this summer .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information on the weather wherever you are in the country .
Treat it like your bible .
If it tells you that between 2pm and 4pm , the sun will shine or at least the clouds will part briefly , plan your time at the beach or in the great outdoors around that .
If your phone tells you it will be nicer in the morning than in the evening , get up earlier and if it is due to be nicer in the evening than in the morning allowing yourself a lie @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appreciate that this makes it sound very much like we are obsessing about the weather .
Old habits and all that .
3 .
Wet , wet wet : When Pricewatch were a lad , beach days were all about weirdly tight and uncomfortable nylon action mad speedos and luridly coloured windbreakers to shield our sandwiches from the savage bite of the swirling sands .
It doesn ’ t have to be like that and you can have a day of fun at the beach and in the water without wishing you were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lovely and warm ?
Probably not .
Will you spend hours playing in the sea ?
Not without getting hypothermia .
Is a bracing dip in the wild Atlantic waves a wonderfully invigorating way to spend a bitesize portions of your summer ?
It absolutely is .
And Ireland has come a long way since the 70s .
Today we have wet suits .
You can pick up cheap ones in supermarkets – we understand that Aldi will be selling them in the weeks ahead – and in dedicated outdoorsy shops .
While @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sized family may seem like a lot , if they allow you to defy the weather gods and frolic in the waves for hours over the course of a fortnight ’ s holiday it will be money well spent .
4 .
Indoor amusements : Before you leave do all the research you need into the indoor fun you can have wherever you are going .
While the indoor options are somewhat limited this year for obvious reasons , there are things you will be able to do if you have to deal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be museums , libraries and heritage centres to visit .
There might even be the odd play centre open too .
The trick is to work out your options before you leave home so you can have a few things to hand when you wake up to sheets of rain hammering the roof of your caravan or hotel room .
By being a bit organised in the days before you leave you will help you to avoid the “ Jaysus , what on earth are we going to do now , ” moment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t just pack the car with clothes and beachy stuff .
Bring board games , jig saws and playing cards .
If you were on holidays overseas you would most likely not be watching the telly of an evening so there is absolutely no reason to do so while on holidays at home .
If you have children over eight and have yet to teach them the joys of poker , Blackjack or 25 , then now is the time .
They will thank you for it when they are older and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ night poker schools or taking the bank to the cleaners in Vegas .
6 .
Streams of gold : Okay , so , we know we said that a summer holiday was no time to be watching the television , but that does not mean you have to spend your staycation living like an Amish .
Decide on maybe 10 movies that you would be happy to watch over the course of your holiday .
Bring a laptop or tablet , hook it up to the TV wherever you are staying and then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ might want to download them if you are concerned that the quality of the broadband wherever you end up is not up to scratch .
Carefully chosen movies are better than mindlessly watching repeats of Reeling in the Years .
And we love Reeling in the years .
7 .
Make rules : There is absolutely no point in banning children from using their devices while they are on their holiday , particularly if you are not prepared to live under the same rules .
But do set limits on how and when @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stick to them .
This is good for both adults and for children .
Just because you are on holiday at home does not mean that you have to be checking your phone every five minutes or answering work emails .
There will be times while you are on leave that you might not feel like you are on leave given the familiarity of the surroundings but your are , so take the time off .
8 .
Drive : There was nothing that would fill the child Pricewatch ’ s heart with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ phrase “ Let ’ s go for a drive ” .
In this scenario , the adults would sit in the front of the car – usually chain smoking with the window ’ s rolled up against the rain – while the children would rattle around the back with not so much as a single seat belt between them .
It was as foul smelling as it was boring .
However , we have it on very good account from a colleague who routinely goes on summer holidays in Ireland that drives are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Just never describe it to them as a ‘ drive ’ , ” this colleague warned us .
“ It ’ s a trip to some alluring destination , a mysterious beach , the best ice cream parlour in the west.
” That sounds like a fine idea to us .
9 .
Eat : Take advantage of where you are by exploring all the best food the region has to offer .
It might be something simple like new potatoes or strawberries bought off the side of the road in Wexford @ @ @ @ @ @ @ waters off the coast of Sligo .
The key thing is to treat yourself this year and , if you can , spend more than you might while at home .
You are on holiday at home but that does not mean you have to shop in Aldi or Lidl .
By eating the nicest of food you can find from local suppliers you will not only be rewarding yourself , you will be making life a little bit easier for local retailers and food producers who have been absolutely hammered by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the topic of food , make picnics and include crisps in every sandwich .
It is cheap and it is fun .
10 .
Wear sunblock : The routine for a sun holiday tends to involve lathering everyone in sun cream before the day gets going .
But we tend to be a bit more relaxed about it when holidaying at home for obvious reasons .
But the sun that burns us when we are on a beach on the Costa Brave is the same sun that can burn us while we are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we have said this before and we will say it again , there is no need to get hung up on fancy brands of sun cream either .
Most supermarkets stock their own creams and oils for a fraction of the price you ’ ll pay elsewhere and according to consumer magazine Which ?
– they ’ re just as good as all the rest .
11 .
Crosstown traffic : When the sun shines in Ireland many of us will decide to take a spontaneous trip to the beach .
That is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yourself watching the day pass you by while you are stuck in traffic .
So , no matter what part of the country you find yourself in the weeks ahead , before you race off to the beach , take a moment to look at Google Maps .
You won ’ t be looking for directions – you will probably be able to make your way to the local beaches unaided – but what you are looking for is traffic congestion .
The software uses some class of sorcery to establish how bad @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fancy in real time .
A 90 second look may save you spending two hours of a rare sunny day stuck in traffic jams swearing at fellow drivers and shouting at your children .
12 .
The tide is high , or is it ?
: Oh , and in case you forget – like Pricewatch has done far too often – unlike the Mediterranean , the waters around Ireland are tidal and can be dramatically so .
So before you race off to the beach for a bracing dip , check where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be .
The Irish Tides and Tidal Ireland apps will be able to help you out .
13 .
Keep it fun : “ Are we there yet ?
” “ I ’ m thirsty.
” “ I need to go to the toilet.
” “ Juliette scratched me.
” “ I can ’ t find my Elsa doll.
” Kids are brilliant but cross-country journeys can be long and trying .
If you ’ re taking a road trip with smallies plan some games in advance so you ’ re not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Here are three that might work .
There is I Spy ( obvs ) - top tip : ban things that were outside the car for half a second as you sped along a motorway .
Road Trip Bingo is always a winner but it takes prep .
Print out bespoke bingo cards and give each player a pencil .
When they see something on their card , they scratch it out .
The more items you have on the card the less time they have to fight .
With I ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first player says , “ I ’ m going on a picnic and I ’ m bringing .
.
.
an apple ” or something else that begins with A .
The second player repeats what the first person said , but adds something that begins with B .
And on it goes .
Make the prizes substantial to keep interest levels high .
14 .
Book smarts : If you can ’ t think of any games to play or if the level of interest is low , download some audio books @ @ @ @ @ @ @ David Walliams book read by the author himself or a Harry Potter read by Stephen Fry will see many journeys fly by .
If you have older people in a car and want something hilarious to listen to , we couldn ’ t recommend the books of David Sedaris highly enough .
15 .
Chipper chips : Do a bit of research and find the best chipper wherever you are going .
Chipper chips , bread , butter and a cup of tea is a summer meal sorted .
If you are really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ peas some battered cod and maybe even a pint of stout .
You won ’ t get the like of it anywhere but home .

In the weeks ahead, Irish people will be holidaying at home in greater numbers than at any point since the 1970s when shorts were short and hair was permed. As a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and the shutting of borders and the grounding of virtually all flights in and out of Ireland, people with plans to travel overseas have had to look closer to home. With that in mind we thought it might be useful to try and conjure up some useful tips for holidaying at home for those people who might not have done it in decades.
1. Why does it always rain on me?: Irish people tend to be just a little obsessed by the weather. We talk about it with enthusiasm and flair and worry about it endlessly. Who amongst us hasn't spent hours on a grey summer's day staring at impenetrable clouds wondering if that is a break in the gloom we can see and a sliver of blue sky far, far away. Bad weather and the fear of it is one of the main reasons we started leaving this country in our droves in the 1980s and 1990s when overseas travel became the norm rather than the exception. But we need to recalibrate our national psyche and change our mindset this year if we are to get the best out of whatever the gods throw at us. We need to be more like the Germans and the French and the Americans who come here and love the weather.
So, don’t waste your holiday and the run-up praying for good weather. Don’t even think about it and just accept that it will be mixed. It won’t be horrendous, there are not that that many days in the summer when it rains non-stop, but nor will it be amazing. Whatever it is you will still be able to make the best of it.
Don’t waste your holiday and the run-up praying for good weather. Don’t even think about it and just accept that it will be mixed. Photograph: Frank Miller/The Irish Times
2. Appy talk: Staying with the weather, the days of staring at the sky wondering if the end is nigh for the rain have long since been confined to the dustbin of history. The weather app on your phone will be your friend this summer. It will give you real-time hour by hour information on the weather wherever you are in the country. Treat it like your bible. If it tells you that between 2pm and 4pm, the sun will shine or at least the clouds will part briefly, plan your time at the beach or in the great outdoors around that. If your phone tells you it will be nicer in the morning than in the evening, get up earlier and if it is due to be nicer in the evening than in the morning allowing yourself a lie in. And yes, we do appreciate that this makes it sound very much like we are obsessing about the weather. Old habits and all that.
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3. Wet, wet wet: When Pricewatch were a lad, beach days were all about weirdly tight and uncomfortable nylon action mad speedos and luridly coloured windbreakers to shield our sandwiches from the savage bite of the swirling sands. It doesn't have to be like that and you can have a day of fun at the beach and in the water without wishing you were far away. Will the water be lovely and warm? Probably not. Will you spend hours playing in the sea? Not without getting hypothermia. Is a bracing dip in the wild Atlantic waves a wonderfully invigorating way to spend a bitesize portions of your summer? It absolutely is. And Ireland has come a long way since the 70s. Today we have wet suits. You can pick up cheap ones in supermarkets – we understand that Aldi will be selling them in the weeks ahead – and in dedicated outdoorsy shops. While spending €300 on four for an average sized family may seem like a lot, if they allow you to defy the weather gods and frolic in the waves for hours over the course of a fortnight's holiday it will be money well spent.
4. Indoor amusements: Before you leave do all the research you need into the indoor fun you can have wherever you are going. While the indoor options are somewhat limited this year for obvious reasons, there are things you will be able to do if you have to deal with a miserable day. There will be museums, libraries and heritage centres to visit. There might even be the odd play centre open too. The trick is to work out your options before you leave home so you can have a few things to hand when you wake up to sheets of rain hammering the roof of your caravan or hotel room. By being a bit organised in the days before you leave you will help you to avoid the "Jaysus, what on earth are we going to do now," moment.
Don’t waste your holiday and the run-up praying for good weather. Don’t even think about it and just accept that it will be mixed. Photograph: Frank Miller/The Irish Times
5. Play schools: Don't just pack the car with clothes and beachy stuff. Bring board games, jig saws and playing cards. If you were on holidays overseas you would most likely not be watching the telly of an evening so there is absolutely no reason to do so while on holidays at home. If you have children over eight and have yet to teach them the joys of poker, Blackjack or 25, then now is the time. They will thank you for it when they are older and winning money off their friends at late night poker schools or taking the bank to the cleaners in Vegas.
6. Streams of gold: Okay, so, we know we said that a summer holiday was no time to be watching the television, but that does not mean you have to spend your staycation living like an Amish. Decide on maybe 10 movies that you would be happy to watch over the course of your holiday. Bring a laptop or tablet, hook it up to the TV wherever you are staying and then watch them at your leisure. You might want to download them if you are concerned that the quality of the broadband wherever you end up is not up to scratch. Carefully chosen movies are better than mindlessly watching repeats of Reeling in the Years. And we love Reeling in the years.
7. Make rules: There is absolutely no point in banning children from using their devices while they are on their holiday, particularly if you are not prepared to live under the same rules. But do set limits on how and when devices can be used. And then stick to them. This is good for both adults and for children. Just because you are on holiday at home does not mean that you have to be checking your phone every five minutes or answering work emails. There will be times while you are on leave that you might not feel like you are on leave given the familiarity of the surroundings but your are, so take the time off.
Use the weather app on your phone and plan your day accordingly
8. Drive: There was nothing that would fill the child Pricewatch's heart with dread more than an adult uttering the phrase "Let's go for a drive". In this scenario, the adults would sit in the front of the car – usually chain smoking with the window's rolled up against the rain – while the children would rattle around the back with not so much as a single seat belt between them. It was as foul smelling as it was boring. However, we have it on very good account from a colleague who routinely goes on summer holidays in Ireland that drives are fun things to do with children. "Just never describe it to them as a 'drive'," this colleague warned us. "It's a trip to some alluring destination, a mysterious beach, the best ice cream parlour in the west." That sounds like a fine idea to us.
9. Eat: Take advantage of where you are by exploring all the best food the region has to offer. It might be something simple like new potatoes or strawberries bought off the side of the road in Wexford or lobster pushed straight from the coastal waters off the coast of Sligo. The key thing is to treat yourself this year and, if you can, spend more than you might while at home. You are on holiday at home but that does not mean you have to shop in Aldi or Lidl. By eating the nicest of food you can find from local suppliers you will not only be rewarding yourself, you will be making life a little bit easier for local retailers and food producers who have been absolutely hammered by the pandemic. And while we are on the topic of food, make picnics and include crisps in every sandwich. It is cheap and it is fun.
Treat yourself this year and, if you can, spend more than you might while at home and be sure taste the local produce like Wexford Strawberries sold at the side of the road
10. Wear sunblock: The routine for a sun holiday tends to involve lathering everyone in sun cream before the day gets going. But we tend to be a bit more relaxed about it when holidaying at home for obvious reasons. But the sun that burns us when we are on a beach on the Costa Brave is the same sun that can burn us while we are on a beach in Connemara. And we have said this before and we will say it again, there is no need to get hung up on fancy brands of sun cream either. Most supermarkets stock their own creams and oils for a fraction of the price you'll pay elsewhere and according to consumer magazine Which? – they're just as good as all the rest.
11. Crosstown traffic: When the sun shines in Ireland many of us will decide to take a spontaneous trip to the beach. That is all fine and dandy until you find yourself watching the day pass you by while you are stuck in traffic. So, no matter what part of the country you find yourself in the weeks ahead, before you race off to the beach, take a moment to look at Google Maps. You won't be looking for directions – you will probably be able to make your way to the local beaches unaided – but what you are looking for is traffic congestion. The software uses some class of sorcery to establish how bad the traffic is on whatever route you fancy in real time. A 90 second look may save you spending two hours of a rare sunny day stuck in traffic jams swearing at fellow drivers and shouting at your children.
12. The tide is high, or is it?: Oh, and in case you forget – like Pricewatch has done far too often – unlike the Mediterranean, the waters around Ireland are tidal and can be dramatically so. So before you race off to the beach for a bracing dip, check where the water's edge is likely to be. The Irish Tides and Tidal Ireland apps will be able to help you out.
Don’t forget the board games
13. Keep it fun: "Are we there yet?" "I'm thirsty." "I need to go to the toilet." "Juliette scratched me." "I can't find my Elsa doll." Kids are brilliant but cross-country journeys can be long and trying. If you're taking a road trip with smallies plan some games in advance so you're not left thinking up things on the fly. Here are three that might work. There is I Spy (obvs) - top tip: ban things that were outside the car for half a second as you sped along a motorway. Road Trip Bingo is always a winner but it takes prep. Print out bespoke bingo cards and give each player a pencil. When they see something on their card, they scratch it out. The more items you have on the card the less time they have to fight. With I'm Going on a Picnic, the first player says, "I'm going on a picnic and I'm bringing . . . an apple" or something else that begins with A. The second player repeats what the first person said, but adds something that begins with B. And on it goes. Make the prizes substantial to keep interest levels high.
14. Book smarts: If you can't think of any games to play or if the level of interest is low, download some audio books and everything will be golden. A David Walliams book read by the author himself or a Harry Potter read by Stephen Fry will see many journeys fly by. If you have older people in a car and want something hilarious to listen to, we couldn't recommend the books of David Sedaris highly enough.
15. Chipper chips: Do a bit of research and find the best chipper wherever you are going. Chipper chips, bread, butter and a cup of tea is a summer meal sorted. If you are really fancy you can throw in some mushy peas some battered cod and maybe even a pint of stout. You won't get the like of it anywhere but home.


theirishtimes--2020-06-14--Man (70s) dies in Co Mayo road collision

Gardaí in Co Mayo are appealing for witnesses to a road collision in which a man in his 70s died @ @ @ @ @ the car he was driving was in collision with a truck at about 9.45am on @ @ @ @ @ at Belleek , Castlebar .
He was taken by ambulance to Mayo University Hospital in @ @ @ @ @ on Sunday .
No-one else was injured in the incident .
Gardaí at Castlebar are @ @ @ @ @ road users in the area at the time who may have camera footage , including @ @ @ @ @ footage available .
Anyone with information can contact Castlebar Garda Station on 094 903 8200 @ @ @ @ @ on 1800 666 111 , or any Garda Station .

The man was taken by ambulance to Mayo University Hospital in a critical condition and died on Sunday. Photograph: Niall Carson/PA Wire
Gardaí in Co Mayo are appealing for witnesses to a road collision in which a man in his 70s died.
The man died after the car he was driving was in collision with a truck at about 9.45am on Saturday, on the N5 at Belleek, Castlebar.
He was taken by ambulance to Mayo University Hospital in a critical condition and died on Sunday. No-one else was injured in the incident.
Gardaí at Castlebar are appealing for appealing for any road users in the area at the time who may have camera footage, including dash-cam, to make this footage available. Anyone with information can contact Castlebar Garda Station on 094 903 8200, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station.


theirishtimes--2020-06-14--Draft programme for government: The main points

Ireland ’ s carbon emissions targets will be accelerated to an average annual reduction of 7 per cent to 2030 .
It is understood that agriculture emissions are set to be treated differently , particularly methane arising from livestock .
The deal references the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change and the “ special economic role of agriculture ” .
The construction of fossil fuel infrastructure , including the planned liquefied natural gas plant planned for the Shannon estuary , will be halted .
There will be a ban on the further exploration of gas in the waters off Ireland .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of offshore wind energy across the west coast .
There will be an emphasis too on the microgeneration of electricity through greater use of solar panels and greater emphasis on waste and circular energy .
Carbon tax will rise to €100 per tonne by 2030 , up from the current target of €80 .
There will be a package for farmers to encourage the sustainable use of land .
Cycling and walking infrastructure will be allocated 10 per cent each from the transport capital investment budget , or at least €360 million , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , future capital investment in transport will be allocated on a 2:1 basis in favour of public transport over road infrastructure .
This will include the rollout of BusConnects in Cork , Limerick , Galway and Waterford and increased investment in intercity and suburban rail .
An economic assessment of high-speed intercity rail is also mentioned and there will be a tripling of local-link bus services .
The Land Development Agency will develop cost rental housing , as well as affordable purchase homes , affordable rental homes and social housing on State-owned land @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provided over the next five years , with an emphasis on new builds .
The Part V provision , under which developers must set aside 10 per cent of their projects for social housing , will be expanded to include affordable homes , although the exact level has not yet been set .
The current cap on the amount of money local authorities can spend on social housing developments will increase from €2 million to €6 million .
A referendum on the right to housing is mooted .
A new scheme will seek @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a “ aggregated ” model – which means certain towns or areas will be retrofitted at the same time to achieve economies of scale .
Those who opt for the retrofitting scheme will be able to pay over time through their utility bills .
The deal says : “ We are committed to ending the Direct Provision system and will replace it with a new international protection accommodation policy centred on a not-for-profit approach.
” A new economic stimulus programme for the retail and tourism sectors is expected in July , with a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The current national development plan will also be reviewed to take account of the increased climate change targets .
A new cabinet subcommittee on insurance reform will also be established , income tax and USC will not increase and , if Fine Gael gets its way , could potentially be cut if economic circumstances allow .
There is also a commitment to 10,000 apprenticeships .
A new commission on the future of the Defence Forces will be established , with a permanent pay review body for the Defence Forces also expected .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ 0.7 per cent of GDP and a floor will be put in place to ensure that the aid budget does not fall below the level of recent years in cash terms .
A new media division will also be established within government with responsibility for broadcast , print and online media .
There will also be a review and reform of the defamation laws .
Increased funding for the third-level sector will be announced within a month of a new government taking office .
A united Ireland division will be established within the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also wants a “ new care deal for Ireland from cradle to grave ” that improves care from childcare to old age .
There will be a citizens ’ assembly on drug use .

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar holds his first press conference following the announcement that Fianna Fáil, Fine Gael and the Greens have agreed a draft for government with Martin set to become the next taoiseach. Video: RTE News Now
The draft programme for government “Our Shared Future” runs to nearly 50,000 words. It contains commitments under a variety of policy headings for the next five years.
Economy
The first section of the draft programme for government says that a new system of measuring national progress is needed to supplement, but not replace, the existing economic measures.
It promises “a set of well-being indices to create a well-rounded, holistic view of how our society is faring” and “a balanced scorecard for each area of public policy focused on outcomes and the impact that those policies have on individuals and communities. Initially this will be focused on housing, education and health”.
The new measurements will be drawn up in the Department of the Taoiseach in consultation with "a group of experts from the public service, academia, NGOs and the private sector to guide this work".
The new government also promises to “prioritise town centres”, providing funding for bringing derelict buildings back into use.
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It will publish the first “clean air strategy”, and also extend the ban on smoky coal to new towns and “move towards a full nationwide ban”.
Major changes are on the way in transport, and there will be a 2:1 split in capital spending on public transport and roads.
Some 10 per cent of the total transport capital budget will be spent on cycling and a further 10 per cent on walking infrastructure, amounting to €360 million per year. Every local authority will be required to introduce a plan to promote cycling. All children will be offered cycling training in school.
Public transport fares will be reviewed and a rural public transport service which connects localities to the public transport system will be developed.
The registration of new petrol and diesel cars will be banned after 2030 and they will be “phased out” in cities. All new buses are to be electric or hybrid and after 2025, public sector bodies will only be allowed to buy low or no-emission cars. Financial assistance will be offered to taxi drivers switching to electric cars.
On the economy, the document pledges to create 200,000 new jobs by 2025.
There will be a “July stimulus”, financed by a Recovery Fund, followed by a national economic plan published in the autumn in conjunction with the Budget. There will be continued support for SMEs, and special support for the hospitality, retail, entertainment and arts sectors.
The National Economic Plan will focus heavily on retraining and upskilling, and will include a plan to retrofit half a million homes by 2030.
The document promises to reduce the deficit once the impact of Covid-19 has passed, through tax and expenditure measures if necessary.
The government will retain the 12.5 corporation tax rate.
The document says the government will seek to negotiate a new public sector pay deal, but does not make any mention of pay rises due to public servants in the autumn.
Any “windfall” gains for the State from Nama or the sale of bank stakes will be used to reduce debt. A commission on welfare and taxation will be established. Most homeowners will face no increases in the local property tax, it promises, but new homes which are current exempt will be brought into the net.
The document also promises to tackle insurance costs and develop a new national digital strategy.
Green new deal
The draft programme contains a lengthy mission statement in favour of a "Green New Deal." The parties commit Ireland to an average 7 per cent per annum reduction in overall greenhouse gas emissions from 2021 to 2030, which is a 51 per cent reduction over the decade, with the aim of achieving net zero emissions by 2050.
The 2050 target will be set in law by the Climate Action Bill which will be introduced in the Dáil within the first 100 days of government alongside a newly established Climate Action Council.
“The Bill will define how five-year carbon budgets will be set,” the document says.
The deal promises the delivery of a “National Aggregated Model of Retrofitting” reaching over 500,000 homes by 2030 and pledges an accelerated electrification of the transport system including electric bikes, electric vehicles and electric public transport alongside a ban on new registrations of petrol and diesel cars from 2030.
It promises a strategy for remote working and remote service delivery as well as an unprecedented modal shift in all areas by a re-orientation of investment to walking, cycling and public transport.
There will also be a “major drive to realise the immense potential of Ireland’s offshore renewables.”
The parties have agreed on a new strategy to expand afforestation and plan to “transform organic farming with delivery of a fair price for farmers at its heart.”
Every minister will be asked to make climate action a “core pillar” of their new departmental strategies, which must be produced within six months of the Government taking office.
The Government will propose that the Oireachtas establishes a standing Joint Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action, with powers similar to the Public Accounts Committee.
On energy, there will be a new National Energy Efficiency Action Plan to reduce energy use while there are also plans to complete the Celtic Interconnector to connect Ireland’s electricity grid to France.
The parties will end the issuing of new licenses for exploration and extraction of gas “on the same basis as the recent decision in relation to oil exploration and extraction.”
The three parties say that they do not believe it makes sense to develop the LNG gas import terminals importing fracked gas and accordingly they will withdraw the Shannon LNG terminal from the EU Projects of Common Interest list in 2021.
There will be a policy statement to back up the Government position that it does not support the importation of fracked gas.
The Government will also phase out the use of singe use plastics and introduce a deposit and return scheme for plastic bottles and aluminium cans.
At least 500,000 homes will be retrofitted to a B2 energy rating by 2030 starting in the midlands and people will be given the option to repay retrofitting costs through their utility bills.
The parties plan to commence a targeted programme to install heat pumps in homes as part of an overall plan to install 600,000 heat pumps by 2030.
There will also be a public sector decarbonisation target of at least 50 per cent.
The new Government will also establish the “Just Transition Commissioner” as a statutory office with appropriate staffing and resources.
It promises to progress the establishment of a Citizens’ Assembly on Biodiversity and retain Irish Water in public ownership as a national, standalone, regulated utility. It will continue to provide a generous free allowance of water to every citizen and conduct a feasibility study examining how further assistance can be given to low income households for the installation of water efficient appliances.
New social contract
The new Government has undertaken to provide a “safety net” to those most severely impacted by Covid-19 as the special unemployment payments and income protection payments come to an end.
There is a commitment to protect social welfare rates in addition to other benefits which vulnerable groups are currently entitled to.
There is also a promise to progress to a living wage over the lifetime of the government, although there are no details on what figure that might be.
In terms of pensions - one of the big sticking points of negotiations - those who each the retirement age of 65 will no longer have to sign on and be actively seeking work.
In tandem with that there will be a Total Contributions Approach aligning the contributory pension closer to the contribution that has been made.
Free travel will remain for those aged 66 and over.
In addition, a new auto-enrolment scheme will be introduced for pensions, to encourage more people to have a separate pension scheme to the State pension.
This will be an opt-out scheme and will be phased in over a decade.
A Low Pay Commission is also being retained to determine the appropriate level for the minimum wage. he Commission will also look at another Green ask, that of introducing Universal Basis Income.
In the area of equality, there is a commitment to give long-term undocumented immigrants a pathway to regularise the status. This will happen within 18 months of the formation of the Government.
On direct provision the document commits to ensure a move away from the current centres to “accommodation for asylum seekers that has the protection and promotion of human rights at its core”.
The new system will be not-for-profit and an expert group will produce recommendations for how it will work by the end of this year. In the meantime, the Government will work to improve conditions for those currently in the system.
LGBT1+ policy will include legislation to allow adoptive leave and benefit for same-sex male couples, a ban on conversion therapy, and the expunging of criminal records for gay men convicted of historical offences.
Those aged 16 and 17 will not longer have to acquire two specialist reports to apply for gender recognition.
On disability, there is a promise to prioritise early diagnosis interventions, an awareness-campaign, with a special emphasis in the short term on helping those who were most impacted by Covid-19.
The programme recognises that cost of, and access to, childcare remains a problem. The three parties promise to reduce the cost of childcare for parents. In terms of Covid-19, there will be cost reductions for parents through the National Childcare Scheme.
Parental leave will be extended to allow parents have more time with the child in the first year. There is also a pledge to increase remote working, more flexible hours and hub working arrangements to support families.
Health
The capacity of the public health service will be built up to protect against further surges of Covid-19.
Extra beds will be provided, children’s services will be extended and a range of patient charges will be cut, the document promises.
While promising to ensure there is capacity for future surges of Covid-19, the document says we need to learn from and build on some responses during the pandemic, particularly in electronic health and prescribing.
It promises to accelerate the implementation of Sláintecare, the 10-year programmes for the future of the health services agreed on an all-party basis in 2017.
Other specific promises include an increase in home-care hours and the introduction of a statutory home-care scheme; the extension of free GP care to “more” children and to carers; and the abolition of inpatient hospital charges for children.
Free dental care for children is to be extended and prescription charges and the drug payment scheme threshold will be reduced.
Carparking charges at hospitals will be capped “where possible” and the income threshold for medical cards for over-70s will be increased.
Talks will also begin with pharmacists on a new contract and an extension of their role in providing services.
The document promises the new national children’s hospital will be opened and building of the new maternity hospital at St Vincent’s Hospital will start once governance arrangements have been “concluded”.
The programme for government says the way claims for medical negligence are handled will be “re-assessed” so the Irish regime is brought into line with other OECD countries. There are plans to increase excise duty on tobacco, use taxation to discourage vaping and introduce planning restrictions on outlets selling junk food and drinks adjacent to schools.
The document also promises to “work to end” the admission of children to adult psychiatric units through an increase in inpatient beds and new ways of assigning these beds.
Housing
More than 50,000 additional social homes within the next five years, rental reform and home ownership “within reach of all” is included in the programme for government.
While social housing provision has previously relied heavily on the private sector, the new government will “ensure local authorities are central to delivering housing”.
However, the document remains vague on just how much will be provided by State or voluntary organisations, or how much will be "built" as opposed to bought or leased, with the document stating "the majority" of the 50,000 social homes would be built by local authorities, Approved Housing Bodies and State agencies.
An affordable house purchase scheme, promised several times in the life of the last Government but which never got out of starting blocks, will be “a matter of priority”.
The numbers to be provided aren't stated but the proposed methods of provision are more explicit, with affordable homes requirements for developers, a State-backed affordable purchase scheme, and the use of the Land Development Agency (LDA) all in the mix .
In 2000, under part V of a new planning Act, developers were required to provide 20 per cent of their estates for social and affordable housing. Just over a decade later, the affordable housing element was abolished with developers having to provide 10 per cent social housing only.
Details of the percentage of affordable housing a developer will have to set aside are not in the document and it is listed as a measure the Government will “explore” rather than definitely implement. Other housing measures a requirement for local authorities to complete a housing demand assessment to avoid an “over-concentration of particular housing types” a measure likely aimed at the growth of the build-to-rent, co-living and student sectors.
Funding for homeless services will be increased, including funding for drug-free hostels. A commission on housing will be established and an unspecified referendum on housing will be held.
Other housing measures a requirement for local authorities to complete a housing demand assessment to avoid an “over-concentration of particular housing types” a measure likely aimed at the growth of the build-to-rent, co-living and student sectors.
Funding for homeless services will be increased, including funding for drug-free hostels. A commission on housing will be established and an unspecified referendum on housing will be held.
Establishing the LDA on a statutory basis will be done as a “matter of urgency”, the programme states. The point of the organisation remains the same – to work with government departments, local authorities, State agencies and other stakeholders to assemble strategic sites. However, there appears to be a marked change in its principles, with all mention of it having a role in the provision of private housing eliminated.
The document states it will provide homes “for affordable purchase, cost rental and social housing”, though no proportions are indicated. The agency will also have compulsory purchase powers.
The new programme for government also states it will develop a cost rental model.
It will also “examine” the creation of a system of holding rental deposits; reform the Fair Deal scheme to incentivise renting out vacant properties; legislate for tenancies of indefinite duration; strengthen the regulatory and enforcement mechanisms for short-term lettings; and ensure “equity and fairness for landlords and tenants”.
‘Building stronger and safer communities’
In terms of the Garda Síochána the programme commits to continue recruitment, to encourage more community policing, relieve gardaí from non-core duties an to encourage more diversity within the force.
There is a pledge to extend powers for use of CCTV and and automated number plate recognition to help prevent crime.
The Dublin North-East Inner City model to tackle crime and address disadvantage will be extended to other areas.
There is a promise also to bolster powers against white-collar crime including amending legislation to ensure prosecutions happen more quickly. Legislation will be published on family courts designed to have a less adversarial court to family law cases. That will include a new family law court building. There is also a commitment to establish a new planning and environmental law court.
A gambling regulator is also being established within the lifetime of the government, a body that has been promised for many successive governments.
Hate crime will also be legislated for with specific offences to ensure those who target victims over identity will be prosecuted for hate crime. The Incitement to Hatred Act 1989 will also be updated.
The programme notes there is an epidemic of domestic, sexual and gender-based violence in Ireland and commits to an audit within nine months to see how Government Departments individually, and as a whole, deal with these crimes.
Education and research
The programme for government commits to establishing a Citizens’ Assembly on the future of education at primary and secondary level and also promises a new digital education strategy.
The primary curriculum will be reviewed and reformed as will the post primary curriculum prioritising critical thinking, problem solving and continuous assessment.
In primary schools there will also be a new healthy eating education programme, a new modern languages programme and a strategy to support gifted and talented students at both primary and post primacy.
The parties will also seek to increase the capitation grant with a view to reducing the reliance on voluntary contributions made to schools. They also plan to to further reduce teacher ratios in primary schools although a specific number is not mentioned in the document. A free schoolbooks scheme would also pilot in September 2020 and if successful this would be expanded nationwide "if resources allow."
There are plans for additional supports for students who are homeless, resident in family hubs, or in direct provision. The parties also want to achieve the target of at least 400 multi-denominational primary schools by 2030 to improve parental choice.
In terms of higher education, the draft document also pledges to develop a long-term sustainable funding model for Higher Level education in collaboration with the sector. Student contributions will be maintained at the current level. The new Government will conduct a review of the SUSI scheme in 2020 following the impact of Covid-19.
There is a commitment to provide a range of free, adequate, safe and suitable period products in all educational publicly-funded settings.
On research, the parties will examine solutions for extensions for researchers who cannot access facilities to complete projects as a result of the Covid-19 crisis.
Childcare
The new government will examine setting a cap on childcare fees parents pay regardless of their income, with a report analysing the legal and economic ramifications of such a move to be published later this year.
Under the programme a new agency called Childcare Ireland will be set up to lead reforms in the sector. The agency will be responsible for the development of a high quality childcare sector, and will be tasked with mapping out long-term career paths for childcare staff.
A potential cap on creche fees will be considered based on similar caps in other European countries, with an analysis to be completed into the proposal this year.
Other policies include examining subsidies for childminders, with a report on that proposal to be published by the end of the year.
The three parties agreed to determine a minimum rate of pay and employment terms and conditions for childcare workers through a Joint Labour Committee and employment regulation order. A new apprenticeship model for childcare and other early-years careers will also be drawn up.
Tax changes for the sector include a new home carer tax credit to support couples who opt for one parent to remain at home rather than working and availing of childcare subsidies.
The programme for government also promises to ensure the system of inspecting and reporting on standards in childcare facilities is transparent.
A shared island
A new unit will be established in the Department of Taoiseach "to work towards a consensus on a shared island". "This unit will examine the political, social, economic and cultural considerations underpinning a future in which all traditions are mutually respected."
The parties also plan to work with the Executive and the UK Government to “deepen multi-agency cross-border co-operation on crime, including information sharing between the Police Service of Northern Ireland and An Garda Síochána.”
They will also seek to develop an all-island strategy to tackle climate breakdown and the biodiversity crisis.
The document also says the new Government will work with the Northern Ireland Executive to deliver key cross-border infrastructure initiatives, including the A5, the Ulster Canal connection from Clones to Upper Lough Erne, the Narrow Water Bridge, and cross-border greenways, in particular the Sligo-Enniskillen greenway
They will also “ensure the Decade of Centenaries is marked in an inclusive, appropriate and sensitive manner.”
The parties will engage with the British Government with a view to ensuring access by “an independent, international judicial figure” to all original documents relating to the Dublin and Monaghan Bombings, as well as the Dublin bombings of 1972 and 1971, the bombing of Kay’s Tavern and the murder of Seamus Ludlow – in accordance with the all-party Dáil motions on these matters.
Defence and international issues
The proposed new government will establish an independent Commission on the Defence Forces looking at arrangements for the effective defence of the country at land and sea.
The commission will consider a number of areas including allowances and composition of the force as well as recruitment and retention. It will also look at the role of the Reserve Defence Forces. It will be established by the end of the year and report within 12 months.
A pledge is also made to develop a new Institute for Peace Support and Leadership Training in the Curragh.
The new government commits to holding a referendum on extending the franchise at presidential elections to Irish citizens living outside the State.
It will also publish a new diaspora policy in 2020. The document also aims to develop a new strategy to increase the presence of Irish people in the senior ranks of the EU institutions.
The draft document references the Occupied Territories Bill but the only specific pledge is to honour commitment to recognise the State of Palestine as part of a lasting settlement of the conflict “or in advance of that, when we believe doing so will progress efforts to reach a two-state solution or protect Palestinian territories.
A new government would continue to oppose any annexation or plans to oppose any annexation or plans to apply Israeli sovereignty over territory in the West Bank, which is part of the occupied territories but re-asserts policy commitment to a two-state solution.
Ireland will reach its 50th anniversary during the lifetime of the proposed government. On EU issues the document expresses “clear support for free trade while insisting on high environmental and labour standards and fair trading practices”.
Government policy will remain pro-enlargement and support the Western Balkan countries in particular to progress along the accession path.
The Government will develop the ‘Ireland House’ model, bringing all State agencies and government departments based abroad together under one roof to encourage joined-up thinking.
It aims to reach UN overseas aid donation target of 0.7 per cent of Gross National Income by 2030.
It will work to restore the Single Market’s integrity, learning lessons from the response to Covid-19 and ensure Ireland’s position on trade deals is “strongly informed by the need to ensure that all international trade deals support the aims of the Paris Climate Agreement”.
Plebiscites
A number of plebiscites are planned with a pledge to pass legislation to allow the first directly elected mayor in Limerick to be elected in 2021.It will allow for plebiscites to be held in 2024 in any local authority that wishes to have a directly elected mayor.
Where directly elected mayors are being established, “we will transfer powers from the city and county managers to mayors directly elected by the people for a five-year term”.
Next year it will establish a Citizens’ Assembly to consider the type of directly elected mayor and local government structures best suited for Dublin.
On media it will “bring together all policy functions relating to broadcast media, print media and online media into a single media division within a government department”.
It will also “review and reform defamation laws to ensure a balanced approach to the right to freedom of expression, the right to protection of good name and reputation, and the right of access to justice”
It will establish a future of media commission to consider the future of print, broadcast and online media and to report within nine months.
Agriculture
There will be a national review of how land such as forests, farms, and peat bogs are being used under the programme for government, which will consider rewetting bogs and planting forests to reduce flooding risks in certain areas.
The next government would commit to ensuring greater transparency in the beef industry supply chain.
The parties agreed to carry out an “economic and sustainability assessment” of the Mercosur trade deal between the EU and four South American countries which was opposed by some Irish farmers.
Agriculture policy proposals in the programme include exploring the potential market for crops such as hemp, and to review the potential domestic and international markets for wool-based products such as insulation.
The next government would establish a National Food Ombudsman to act as a watchdog against unfair trading practices in the food supply chain.
There would be a national “land use review” to look at peatlands, forests and farmland across the country. The review would feed into future government decisions on “optimal land use,” and consider carbon sequestration, rewetting bogs, and planting forests in areas near rivers prone to flooding.
The would also be a national State-sponsored tree planting day where communities would be provided with trees to plant.
An Energy Efficient Farming scheme would be established to offer subsidies to farmers who invest in renewable energy and other energy efficient technologies.
A baseline biodiversity survey would be conducted on every farm in the country, as well as a national hedgerow survey.
The next government would set out an “ambitious new target” for organic farming, and provide incentives to farmers to plant woodland on their farms to act as carbon stores.
Pensions
Fianna Fáil and Fine Gael agreed to defer the increase in the State pension age to 67 years for a year at least.
Fine Gael had expressed reservations about this reverse, given the sharply rising cost of the State pension to the exchequer in the coming years because of an ageing population, who will also live longer in the future.
The issue will be examined by the newly-established commission on pensions which will report back on the issue by June 2021, with any action it recommends occurring within six months of the completion of the report.
The programme provides that those who reach the age of 65will not to have to apply for jobseeker's benefit or sign on, or have to show they are seeking work.
Instead, they will receive an “Early Retirement Allowance or Pension” which will be paid at the same rate as jobseeker’s allowance.
The pension provisions also attempt to address the so-called pension time bomb, where a significant proportion of the working population have no non-State pension plan.
The new government will introduce a new auto-enrolment model. It will allow matching contributions to be made by both workers and employers and offer workers a range of retirement savings products.
The scheme will not be mandatory but will require the worker to opt out if they choose not to participate in it. It envisages a phased roll-out over a decade.
There is also a new departure planned for the State pension regime. Named the Total Contributions approach, it proposes to align a person’s contributory pension more closely with the contributions they make.
It will also allow people to increase their pension provision by making PRSI payments beyond pensionable age.


theirishtimes--2020-06-14--More than 30,000 teachers, civil servants avail of Greens’ cycle to work scheme

More than 30,000 teachers and civil servants have availed of the cycle to work scheme initiated when the Green Party was in government and which aims to encourage workers to leave their cars at home .
Figures across 14 of the 15 Government departments show that 6,715 civil servants and 24,317 teachers and staff in a variety of schools bought bicycles and used the tax relief scheme since its introduction in 2009 .
The Department of Transport was the only Government department for which figures were not available from the Revenue-assisted scheme .
Minister for Transport Shane Ross said his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ National Shared Services Office ( NSSO ) which provides human resources services across the Civil Service .
Demand for the initiative spiked during recession years from 2011 to 2013 and the latest statistics show a rising interest in 2019 and during the first quarter of this year .
The figures were released as it emerged from coalition formation talks that the Green Party secured provision for €360 million to be spent annually on walking and cycling infrastructure .
Under the scheme there is an exemption from benefit-in-kind tax where an employer buys a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for an employee to use to travel to work .
The equipment includes helmets , lights , bells , mirrors and locks but not child seats or trailers .
The employee pays the cost back over a year through salary reductions .
Social Democrats TD Catherine Murphy who sought the information in parliamentary questions praised the public service for showing a lead “ because you want all sectors of society in trying to assist in changing our ways ” .
The statistics show the largest demand in the Department of Agriculture where 1,343 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demand of 219 in 2012 .
So far this year 25 employees have applied for the scheme .
The Department or Rural and Community Development , established in 2017 , had least interest with just 13 applicants including six last year and two to date this year .
Department of Education figures show 665 directly employed staff availed of the scheme while 24,317 teachers and staff in primary , voluntary , community and comprehensive schools also participated .
A number of departments included the cost of the scheme among them the Department of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the scheme with an average spend of €809 each on a bicycle and equipment .
In the Department of Justice 902 employees bought bicycles under the scheme while in Foreign Affairs there were 442 participants with highest demand in 2011 during the recession when 53 people applied for the scheme and 20 to date this year .
A total of 516 employees availed of the scheme in the Departments of Finance ( 187 ) Public Expenditure and Reform ( 138 ) and two linked State agencies - the Office of General Procurement ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) .
In Defence 280 staff availed of the scheme while 108 Department of Health employees participated with an average spend of €894 in 2013 when five employees participated and €752 in 2015 when 21 availed of the initiative .
Ms Murphy stressed the need to “ build a cycling network rather than bits and pieces , to match the desire people have to safely cycle .
It ’ s the unsafe locations or spots or pinch points that put people off.
” “ We ’ ve a quality bus corridor for example @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a cycle lane included in it .
There isn ’ t anything more inappropriate than a double decker bus and a bike being mixed and you ’ ll see in other countries where they actually segregate the cycle lane.
” The Kildare North TD said more people come into the city every day on bikes than come in on the Luas and it demonstrated that “ for a relatively small investment you can get a very big return ” .

Demand for the initiative also spiked during recession years from 2011 to 2013. Photograph: Brenda Fitzsimons
More than 30,000 teachers and civil servants have availed of the cycle to work scheme initiated when the Green Party was in government and which aims to encourage workers to leave their cars at home.
Figures across 14 of the 15 Government departments show that 6,715 civil servants and 24,317 teachers and staff in a variety of schools bought bicycles and used the tax relief scheme since its introduction in 2009.
The Department of Transport was the only Government department for which figures were not available from the Revenue-assisted scheme. Minister for Transport Shane Ross said his department had sought a report from the National Shared Services Office (NSSO) which provides human resources services across the Civil Service.
Demand for the initiative spiked during recession years from 2011 to 2013 and the latest statistics show a rising interest in 2019 and during the first quarter of this year.
READ MORE
The figures were released as it emerged from coalition formation talks that the Green Party secured provision for €360 million to be spent annually on walking and cycling infrastructure.
Tax exemption
Under the scheme there is an exemption from benefit-in-kind tax where an employer buys a bicycle and safety equipment up to €1,000 for an employee to use to travel to work.
The equipment includes helmets, lights, bells, mirrors and locks but not child seats or trailers. The employee pays the cost back over a year through salary reductions.
Social Democrats TD Catherine Murphy who sought the information in parliamentary questions praised the public service for showing a lead "because you want all sectors of society in trying to assist in changing our ways".
The statistics show the largest demand in the Department of Agriculture where 1,343 staff applied for the scheme with peak demand of 219 in 2012. So far this year 25 employees have applied for the scheme.
The Department or Rural and Community Development, established in 2017, had least interest with just 13 applicants including six last year and two to date this year.
Department of Education figures show 665 directly employed staff availed of the scheme while 24,317 teachers and staff in primary, voluntary, community and comprehensive schools also participated.
A number of departments included the cost of the scheme among them the Department of Social Protection where 1,153 employees availed of the scheme with an average spend of €809 each on a bicycle and equipment.
‘Match the desire’
In the Department of Justice 902 employees bought bicycles under the scheme while in Foreign Affairs there were 442 participants with highest demand in 2011 during the recession when 53 people applied for the scheme and 20 to date this year.
A total of 516 employees availed of the scheme in the Departments of Finance (187) Public Expenditure and Reform (138) and two linked State agencies - the Office of General Procurement (40) and the NSSO (151).
In Defence 280 staff availed of the scheme while 108 Department of Health employees participated with an average spend of €894 in 2013 when five employees participated and €752 in 2015 when 21 availed of the initiative.
Ms Murphy stressed the need to “build a cycling network rather than bits and pieces, to match the desire people have to safely cycle. It’s the unsafe locations or spots or pinch points that put people off.”
“We’ve a quality bus corridor for example on the N4 and there’s a cycle lane included in it. There isn’t anything more inappropriate than a double decker bus and a bike being mixed and you’ll see in other countries where they actually segregate the cycle lane.”
The Kildare North TD said more people come into the city every day on bikes than come in on the Luas and it demonstrated that “for a relatively small investment you can get a very big return”.


theirishtimes--2020-06-14--Shopping centres and nursing homes begin to reopen

Shopping centres are to reopen on Monday , and people can resume visiting loved ones in nursing homes and residential care facilities as the restrictions aimed at suppressing the coronavirus continue to ease .
“ We ’ re expecting queues outside some retailers and we ’ ll be monitoring footfall in the centre overall , ” a spokeswoman for Dundrum Shopping Centre in south Dublin said .
If it is felt there are too many people in the centre , then people will be asked to queue outside .
“ But we ’ re hoping it won ’ t come @ @ @ @ @ @ @ centre will be asked to walk in using a “ one-way system ” and will be encouraged to wear face masks .
Like many other shopping centres , some of Dundrum ’ s outlets , such as supermarkets , opticians and pharmacies , were already open , but now fashion outlets and other shops will be reopening .
Restaurants will not be providing “ dining in ” services and cinemas in the centre will remain closed .
The National Standards Authority of Ireland ( NSAI ) has published a Shopping Centre Recovery and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put in place measures that would limit the number of shoppers at any one time , and consider adjusting their opening hours so as to guard against over-crowding .
It says signs should be put up to encourage the wearing of face masks , that non-essential facilities , such as playgrounds , should either be closed or controlled , and public wifi should be switched off to discourage people coming into the centres .
The Government had originally not envisaged reopening shopping centres until August 10th .
A phased introduction of visits to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also starting from Monday .
Non-essential visits have been banned since early March .
“ Families and friends across the country are counting down the minutes until they can visit and see , in person , their loved ones in nursing homes and residential care facilities , ” said a spokesman for Sage Advocacy , which campaigns for vulnerable people and patients .
People are being advised to contact the facilities they want to visit , prior to doing so .
Visits to facilities where there is a Covid-19 outbreak are not being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Covid-19 infection or are feeling unwell , and people who have been told they are a close contact of someone confirmed as having Covid-19 , should not visit residential facilities .
The advice is that each resident should have only two named visitors , with only one of those people visiting at any one time , each visit being for a maximum of 30 minutes , one visit per person per week being allowed , and children under 16 years not being allowed visit .
It is also advised that the residential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ limit on the number of visitors that can be in the facility at any one time .
“ Visitors are required to wear a surgical mask if they are not able to maintain social distancing during the visit .
“ This surgical mask will be provided by the facility and its disposal will be monitored.
” The bringing of food and drinks to the facilities is being prohibited and the use of the bathroom facilities in the centres is being discouraged .
The EU ’ s home affairs commissioner , Ylva Johansson , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ begin to reopen their borders from as early as this week .
But the advice for people in the State continues to be that they should avoid unnecessary travel .
“ We are still advising you should stay within your county , or 20km of home , ” a spokesman for the Department of Health said .
People , including Irish citizens , who enter the State from outside Ireland , are still expected to self-isolate for 14 days .

Dundrum Shopping Centre: Some outlets, such as supermarkets, opticians and pharmacies, are already open, but now fashion and other shops can reopen. Photograph: Eric Luke
Shopping centres are to reopen on Monday, and people can resume visiting loved ones in nursing homes and residential care facilities as the restrictions aimed at suppressing the coronavirus continue to ease.
“We’re expecting queues outside some retailers and we’ll be monitoring footfall in the centre overall,” a spokeswoman for Dundrum Shopping Centre in south Dublin said.
If it is felt there are too many people in the centre, then people will be asked to queue outside. “But we’re hoping it won’t come to that.”
People entering the shopping centre will be asked to walk in using a “one-way system” and will be encouraged to wear face masks.
READ MORE
Like many other shopping centres, some of Dundrum’s outlets, such as supermarkets, opticians and pharmacies, were already open, but now fashion outlets and other shops will be reopening.
Restaurants will not be providing “dining in” services and cinemas in the centre will remain closed.
The National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) has published a Shopping Centre Recovery and Protection Guide which says that centres should put in place measures that would limit the number of shoppers at any one time, and consider adjusting their opening hours so as to guard against over-crowding.
Face masks
It says signs should be put up to encourage the wearing of face masks, that non-essential facilities, such as playgrounds, should either be closed or controlled, and public wifi should be switched off to discourage people coming into the centres.
The Government had originally not envisaged reopening shopping centres until August 10th.
A phased introduction of visits to nursing homes and residential care facilities is also starting from Monday. Non-essential visits have been banned since early March.
“Families and friends across the country are counting down the minutes until they can visit and see, in person, their loved ones in nursing homes and residential care facilities,” said a spokesman for Sage Advocacy, which campaigns for vulnerable people and patients.
People are being advised to contact the facilities they want to visit, prior to doing so. Visits to facilities where there is a Covid-19 outbreak are not being allowed.
People who have any symptoms of Covid-19 infection or are feeling unwell, and people who have been told they are a close contact of someone confirmed as having Covid-19, should not visit residential facilities.
Visit conditions
The advice is that each resident should have only two named visitors, with only one of those people visiting at any one time, each visit being for a maximum of 30 minutes, one visit per person per week being allowed, and children under 16 years not being allowed visit.
It is also advised that the residential facilities ensure that each facility sets a limit on the number of visitors that can be in the facility at any one time.
“Visitors are required to wear a surgical mask if they are not able to maintain social distancing during the visit.
“This surgical mask will be provided by the facility and its disposal will be monitored.”
The bringing of food and drinks to the facilities is being prohibited and the use of the bathroom facilities in the centres is being discouraged.
The EU's home affairs commissioner, Ylva Johansson, last week suggested that member states might begin to reopen their borders from as early as this week. But the advice for people in the State continues to be that they should avoid unnecessary travel.
“We are still advising you should stay within your county, or 20km of home,” a spokesman for the Department of Health said.
People, including Irish citizens, who enter the State from outside Ireland, are still expected to self-isolate for 14 days.