theirishtimes--2020-04-03--Doctors advised to give emergency drugs to addicts to stop withdrawal in lockdown

The relaxation of rules on dispensing methadone to drug addicts during the pandemic has led to an increase in street-dealing of the substance , gardaí say .
Doctors have been advised to prescribe emergency doses of methadone , an opiate given to drug addicts to ease their cravings , or sedatives to prevent addicts experiencing withdrawal symptoms while they self-isolate .
The emergency HSE guidance also includes the option of conducting assessments of addicts via video-calls , and the delivery of methadone to their homes .
Some clinics have also relaxed rules around the amount of methadone a user can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doctors have dispensed with a requirement that users take methadone on their premises .
There is evidence that the relaxed protocols have led to an increased amount of methadone being on sale on the street .
Gardaí in Dublin have in the last week reported a significant increase in the amount of methadone being sold illegally between drug users .
“ There ’ s been a big increase , ” said one Dublin garda .
“ There would always be a bit of it being sold , but it has shot up since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said there was concern that vulnerable addicts were being forced to hand over methadone to others under threat of violence .
The trend “ does not come as a surprise ” as methadone users are being given longer prescriptions since the crisis started , a spokeswoman for the addiction charity Merchants Quay Ireland said .
The latest HSE guidance also states that those who are addicted to heroin but not yet on a methadone programme should immediately start on one if they have a suspected or confirmed case of Covid-19 .
This is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ going out to seek or buy heroin .
Similarly it says those addicted to illegally-obtained benzodiazepines , such as Valium or Xanax , should be temporarily prescribed the drugs by their doctor to “ facilitate the patient remaining in self-isolation ” .
Benzodiazepines can also be prescribed to chronic alcoholics who may not be able to obtain alcohol while in isolation .
The guidance is contained in a contingency planning document seen by The Irish Times .
Doctors are advised they may not be required to go through the usual lengthy assessment process @ @ @ @ @ @ @ treatment ( OST ) programme , which typically involves replacing heroin with legally-prescribed methadone .
During the crisis doctors can fast track addicts if they meet one of several criteria , including if they have visible “ track marks ” , wounds from injecting drugs , on their arms .
Drug workers are also asked to urgently identify homeless people in need of drug treatment , and to get them into an OST programme without delay .
The HSE states that every person put on such a programme should also be offered Naloxone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the effects of overdoses .
To prevent the need for recovering addicts to leave their home during isolation the HSE advises drug workers to consider having methadone delivered to their homes by a driver or healthcare worker .
It states that the driver should take a picture of who takes possession of the drugs to ensure they go to the intended person .
When dealing with benzodiazepine addicts who must self-isolate , GPs are advised to prescribe them a max of 30mg of benzodiazepine per day .
“ It should , however , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ should be documented that such treatment is for the duration of the isolation only , ” the HSE states .
The fast-track method for starting someone on methadone was a “ common sense approach ” , said Dublin GP Dr Garrett McGovern .
However , he is concerned there are not enough OST programmes outside Dublin to facilitate this .
“ As you move out to the surrounding counties there are plenty of places that don ’ t have adequate OST services , ” he said , adding that Dublin-based doctors should be @ @ @ @ @ @

A discarded methadone bottle in Dublin. Gardaí say the relaxation of rules on dispensing methadone during the pandemic has led to an increase in street-dealing of the substance. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw
The relaxation of rules on dispensing methadone to drug addicts during the pandemic has led to an increase in street-dealing of the substance, gardaí say.
Doctors have been advised to prescribe emergency doses of methadone, an opiate given to drug addicts to ease their cravings, or sedatives to prevent addicts experiencing withdrawal symptoms while they self-isolate.
The emergency HSE guidance also includes the option of conducting assessments of addicts via video-calls, and the delivery of methadone to their homes.
Some clinics have also relaxed rules around the amount of methadone a user can take home, and some pharmacists and doctors have dispensed with a requirement that users take methadone on their premises.
READ MORE
There is evidence that the relaxed protocols have led to an increased amount of methadone being on sale on the street. Gardaí in Dublin have in the last week reported a significant increase in the amount of methadone being sold illegally between drug users.
“There’s been a big increase,” said one Dublin garda. “There would always be a bit of it being sold, but it has shot up since the start of this crisis.”
He said there was concern that vulnerable addicts were being forced to hand over methadone to others under threat of violence.
The trend “does not come as a surprise” as methadone users are being given longer prescriptions since the crisis started, a spokeswoman for the addiction charity Merchants Quay Ireland said.
The latest HSE guidance also states that those who are addicted to heroin but not yet on a methadone programme should immediately start on one if they have a suspected or confirmed case of Covid-19. This is to prevent them spreading the virus while going out to seek or buy heroin.
Similarly it says those addicted to illegally-obtained benzodiazepines, such as Valium or Xanax, should be temporarily prescribed the drugs by their doctor to “facilitate the patient remaining in self-isolation”.
Benzodiazepines can also be prescribed to chronic alcoholics who may not be able to obtain alcohol while in isolation.
Assessment process
The guidance is contained in a contingency planning document seen by The Irish Times. Doctors are advised they may not be required to go through the usual lengthy assessment process before putting someone on a opioid substitution treatment (OST) programme, which typically involves replacing heroin with legally-prescribed methadone.
During the crisis doctors can fast track addicts if they meet one of several criteria, including if they have visible “track marks”, wounds from injecting drugs, on their arms.
Drug workers are also asked to urgently identify homeless people in need of drug treatment, and to get them into an OST programme without delay.
The HSE states that every person put on such a programme should also be offered Naloxone, an emergency drug used to reverse the effects of overdoses.
To prevent the need for recovering addicts to leave their home during isolation the HSE advises drug workers to consider having methadone delivered to their homes by a driver or healthcare worker. It states that the driver should take a picture of who takes possession of the drugs to ensure they go to the intended person.
Treatment
When dealing with benzodiazepine addicts who must self-isolate, GPs are advised to prescribe them a max of 30mg of benzodiazepine per day.
“It should, however, be made clear to the client and should be documented that such treatment is for the duration of the isolation only,” the HSE states.
The fast-track method for starting someone on methadone was a “common sense approach”, said Dublin GP Dr Garrett McGovern. However, he is concerned there are not enough OST programmes outside Dublin to facilitate this.
“As you move out to the surrounding counties there are plenty of places that don’t have adequate OST services,” he said, adding that Dublin-based doctors should be treating users from surrounding areas.


theirishtimes--2020-04-03--Weather: Temperatures set to rise but unsettled conditions lie ahead

Bright and sunny conditions forecast for Dublin and parts of the east coast on Friday afternoon are not expected to last .
According to Met Éireann , showers will move in from the west towards nighttime .
The national outlook for the weekend generally is for cloudy conditions with scattered showers , but also some sunny spells and light breezes .
Temperatures are rising and will be as high as 9 to 11 or 12 degrees during the daytime on Friday , coolest in the northwest .
Lowest temperatures will be between 3 to 5 degrees overnight , with light @ @ @ @ @ @ @ expected to be mostly dry with a mix of cloud and spells of hazy sunshine .
Some patchy light rain or drizzle will occur at times , mainly in coastal counties in the south and east , but amounts will be small .
Conditions will be breezy , with moderate to fresh southerly winds , strong near western coasts .
It will be mild , with highest temperatures of 10 to 13 degrees .
Saturday night will see most parts of the country dry and clear , but cloud will increase from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and southwestern coastal areas by Sunday morning .
From Sunday onwards conditions will become more unsettled .
The outbreaks of rain in the west and southwest on Sunday morning will extend eastwards to most areas as the day goes on , with some heavy bursts possible in south Munster and south Leinster .
Parts of Ulster and north Leinster may hold dry until evening .
The day will be mild and blustery with highs of 12 to 15 degrees and fresh to strong and gusty southeasterly winds .
Sunday night will see outbreaks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
These will be followed by cooler , showery conditions extending from the west .
Some showers will merge to give longer spells of rain in the western half of the country .
Lowest temperatures overnight will be between 6 to 8 degrees , with fresh to strong southerly winds .
Monday will see scattered blustery showers , most frequent in the west , with most parts of the country becoming dry and sunny by evening .
Highest temperatures will be between 10 to 13 degrees , with conditions mildest in the south @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gradually become westerly and mostly moderate .
The outlook for the following days is for patchy rain , breezy winds and occasional sunshine .

Spring sunshine in the Phoenix Park in Dublin. Temperatures are set to reach 13 degrees in the coming days. File photograph: Colin Keegan/Collins
Bright and sunny conditions forecast for Dublin and parts of the east coast on Friday afternoon are not expected to last.
According to Met Éireann, showers will move in from the west towards nighttime.
The national outlook for the weekend generally is for cloudy conditions with scattered showers, but also some sunny spells and light breezes.
Temperatures are rising and will be as high as 9 to 11 or 12 degrees during the daytime on Friday, coolest in the northwest. Lowest temperatures will be between 3 to 5 degrees overnight, with light to moderate southerly breezes.
READ MORE
Saturday is expected to be mostly dry with a mix of cloud and spells of hazy sunshine. Some patchy light rain or drizzle will occur at times, mainly in coastal counties in the south and east, but amounts will be small.
Conditions will be breezy, with moderate to fresh southerly winds, strong near western coasts. It will be mild, with highest temperatures of 10 to 13 degrees.
Saturday night will see most parts of the country dry and clear, but cloud will increase from the west overnight, with rain reaching western and southwestern coastal areas by Sunday morning.
More unsettled
From Sunday onwards conditions will become more unsettled. The outbreaks of rain in the west and southwest on Sunday morning will extend eastwards to most areas as the day goes on, with some heavy bursts possible in south Munster and south Leinster. Parts of Ulster and north Leinster may hold dry until evening. The day will be mild and blustery with highs of 12 to 15 degrees and fresh to strong and gusty southeasterly winds.
Sunday night will see outbreaks of rain in the south and east. These will be followed by cooler, showery conditions extending from the west. Some showers will merge to give longer spells of rain in the western half of the country. Lowest temperatures overnight will be between 6 to 8 degrees, with fresh to strong southerly winds.
Monday will see scattered blustery showers, most frequent in the west, with most parts of the country becoming dry and sunny by evening. Highest temperatures will be between 10 to 13 degrees, with conditions mildest in the south and east. Fresh southwesterly winds will gradually become westerly and mostly moderate.
The outlook for the following days is for patchy rain, breezy winds and occasional sunshine.


theirishtimes--2020-04-03--Coronavirus Q&A: Should we all be wearing face masks?

Should we all be wearing face masks during the pandemic ?
Current World Health Organisation ( WHO ) recommendations are that face masks are of use in clinical situations and may also prevent the spread of disease if worn when someone has a cough or coronavirus symptoms .
In short , members of the public are advised not to wear one unless they are sick with coronavirus or caring for someone who is .
This is based on there being no specific evidence to suggest the mass wearing of masks has any potential benefit .
There are anxieties about incorrect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them , not to mention the global shortage of masks for those at the healthcare front line .
Is there a shift to advising everybody to wear masks in public ?
Two factors are prompting some re-evaluation by the WHO – new unpublished evidence from Hong Kong on viral spread , and the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention ( CDC ) – arguably the world ’ s second most influential public health agency – flagging a need for change .
US case numbers are doubling every two to three days and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a significant amount of asymptomatic spread ” – people with no obvious symptoms infecting others .
Put simply , one or two days before symptoms develop , a person may be contagious and spreading the virus .
CDC data shows high rates of transmission by people who are infected but do not know it yet .
An infected person may not develop any symptoms at all and masks could reduce transmissions from this cohort .
Is asking billions of people to wear face masks an impossible ask ?
The CDC has been quick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be advising everybody to get their hands on high-grade “ N95 ” medical masks , an essential piece of personal protection equipment ( PPE ) for front-line workers that is already scarce .
For this purpose , ordinary surgical masks and even home-made masks will do as a last resort .
They will help slow transmission in the community , though they don ’ t ensure complete protection for wearers .
There ’ s a side benefit , wearing any kind of mask , even a scarf , makes you less likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infection control measure .
What level of protection can home-made masks offer ?
Understandably , home-made masks are not as effective as medical-grade ones .
Wearing a home-made mask will not guarantee protection against coronavirus , also known as Covid-19 .
Their effectiveness is better when combined with regular hand-washing , physical distancing , self-isolation and cocooning .
Researchers have evaluated a range of household materials that in the event of a pandemic serves as a DIY guide .
They found T-shirts and pillowcases made into a mask can act as a barrier @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by a person with symptoms .
There are many online guides to making masks .
It can be as simple as using a folded piece of cotton and two elastic bands .
But infectivity risk demands that masks are put on and taken off correctly .
What will the WHO be factoring in as it weighs up its advice ?
The WHO is facing into an arduous evaluation of latest evidence , logistics and the risk that altering its stance may shift focus in the wrong way in the Covid-19 battle .
Masks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they become saturated with breath condensation , and they don ’ t protect against coronavirus getting into the eye .
The WHO will also have to factor in cultural differences .
In countries like China and Singapore masks are a norm for those with respiratory disease symptoms and at times of epidemics .
The current emergency has exacerbated discriminatory behaviour towards those who wear masks as a precaution from people who associate masks with infection .
The most telling factor prompting change , however , is likely to be indication that droplets may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than previously thought – 6m ( 20ft ) for a cough and up to 8m ( 26ft ) for a sneeze .

The latest guidelines and restrictions to help prevent the spread of coronavirus, also known as Covid-19
Should we all be wearing face masks during the pandemic?
Current World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations are that face masks are of use in clinical situations and may also prevent the spread of disease if worn when someone has a cough or coronavirus symptoms.
In short, members of the public are advised not to wear one unless they are sick with coronavirus or caring for someone who is. This is based on there being no specific evidence to suggest the mass wearing of masks has any potential benefit. There are anxieties about incorrect fits and false reassurance for individuals wearing them, not to mention the global shortage of masks for those at the healthcare front line.
Is there a shift to advising everybody to wear masks in public?
READ MORE
Two factors are prompting some re-evaluation by the WHO – new unpublished evidence from Hong Kong on viral spread, and the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) – arguably the world's second most influential public health agency – flagging a need for change.
US case numbers are doubling every two to three days and CDC concerns have been heightened by “a significant amount of asymptomatic spread” – people with no obvious symptoms infecting others.
Put simply, one or two days before symptoms develop, a person may be contagious and spreading the virus. CDC data shows high rates of transmission by people who are infected but do not know it yet.
An infected person may not develop any symptoms at all and masks could reduce transmissions from this cohort.
Is asking billions of people to wear face masks an impossible ask?
The CDC has been quick to underline it’s not going to be advising everybody to get their hands on high-grade “N95” medical masks, an essential piece of personal protection equipment (PPE) for front-line workers that is already scarce.
For this purpose, ordinary surgical masks and even home-made masks will do as a last resort. They will help slow transmission in the community, though they don’t ensure complete protection for wearers.
There’s a side benefit, wearing any kind of mask, even a scarf, makes you less likely to touch your face – an important infection control measure.
What level of protection can home-made masks offer?
Understandably, home-made masks are not as effective as medical-grade ones. Wearing a home-made mask will not guarantee protection against coronavirus, also known as Covid-19. Their effectiveness is better when combined with regular hand-washing, physical distancing, self-isolation and cocooning.
Researchers have evaluated a range of household materials that in the event of a pandemic serves as a DIY guide. They found T-shirts and pillowcases made into a mask can act as a barrier against influenza, or help limit spread by a person with symptoms. There are many online guides to making masks. It can be as simple as using a folded piece of cotton and two elastic bands. But infectivity risk demands that masks are put on and taken off correctly.
What will the WHO be factoring in as it weighs up its advice?
The WHO is facing into an arduous evaluation of latest evidence, logistics and the risk that altering its stance may shift focus in the wrong way in the Covid-19 battle.
Masks themselves can become a virus spreader when they become saturated with breath condensation, and they don’t protect against coronavirus getting into the eye.
The WHO will also have to factor in cultural differences. In countries like China and Singapore masks are a norm for those with respiratory disease symptoms and at times of epidemics. The current emergency has exacerbated discriminatory behaviour towards those who wear masks as a precaution from people who associate masks with infection.
The most telling factor prompting change, however, is likely to be indication that droplets may be projected much farther into the air than previously thought – 6m (20ft) for a cough and up to 8m (26ft) for a sneeze.


theirishtimes--2020-04-03--Coronavirus: Organic fruit and veg supplier sees orders rise sharply

An organic fruit and vegetable supplier in Co Galway has temporarily closed its home delivery service to new customers after orders quadrupled because of the Covid-19 crisis .
Ballinasloe company Beechlawn Organic Farm is set to grow its workforce by a fifth , adding that growers will have to increase production to fill gaps created by production falls in Italy and Spain .
“ It has been incredibly hectic , ” said company co-founder Pádraig Fahy , adding that orders grew by half the day after schools were closed , while online sales grew sharply in the days that followed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but the home delivery part of our business has exploded .
It has basically tripled or probably quadrupled in size , ” he said .
Isolation and social distancing rules are being followed as supplies are dropped off at a customer ’ s door : “ We are getting calls from people who are in isolation , asking for us to drop the veg box outside , ” said Mr Fahy .
“ We drop off vegetables like this every week , except usually people are at work .
People order and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they come home from work it is there waiting for them .
It ’ s something we ’ ve always done , so coping with this [ people self-isolating ] is no real challenge for us.
” Hiring staff in the Covid-19 environment brings its own challenges : “ We can ’ t exactly interview for new staff at the moment , so a lot of staff who worked for us before have come back and we ’ ve drafted family into help , ” said Mr Fahy .
Saying that Beechlawn was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said they were feeling the loss of three Bulgarian colleagues who returned home for breaks and now could not return .
“ They were meant to come back last week but that ’ s not going to happen .
This is going to be a big challenge for a lot of veg growers who employ foreign staff in a month ’ s time.
” Two-thirds of Beechlawn ’ s produce is grown in Ireland – on its own Co Galway farm or from eight other Irish growers – but it is already having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We are doing okay at the moment .
We are still going through all the root vegetables – a lot of parsnips , beetroot , leeks , cabbages , potatoes .
We still have about a month ’ s supply on hand , ” said Mr Fahy .
However , he said organic imports were falling away already .
“ We don ’ t know what ’ s going to happen in Italy and Spain .
Southern Europe feeds northern Europe , and there are going to be some issues in those countries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ end of this supply line , so who knows what might happen .
We will never run out of food , but we need to be more self-reliant ourselves .
We need to be better at feeding our own people .
”

An organic fruit and vegetable supplier in Co Galway has temporarily closed its home delivery service to new customers after orders quadrupled because of the Covid-19 crisis.
Ballinasloe company Beechlawn Organic Farm is set to grow its workforce by a fifth, adding that growers will have to increase production to fill gaps created by production falls in Italy and Spain.
“It has been incredibly hectic,” said company co-founder Pádraig Fahy, adding that orders grew by half the day after schools were closed, while online sales grew sharply in the days that followed.
“We supply supermarkets and restaurants, but the home delivery part of our business has exploded. It has basically tripled or probably quadrupled in size,” he said.
READ MORE
Isolation and social distancing rules are being followed as supplies are dropped off at a customer’s door: “We are getting calls from people who are in isolation, asking for us to drop the veg box outside,” said Mr Fahy.
“We drop off vegetables like this every week, except usually people are at work. People order and pay for it online, and when they come home from work it is there waiting for them. It’s something we’ve always done, so coping with this [people self-isolating] is no real challenge for us.”
Hiring staff in the Covid-19 environment brings its own challenges: “We can’t exactly interview for new staff at the moment, so a lot of staff who worked for us before have come back and we’ve drafted family into help,” said Mr Fahy.
Saying that Beechlawn was running “over-capacity”, Mr Fahy said they were feeling the loss of three Bulgarian colleagues who returned home for breaks and now could not return.
“They were meant to come back last week but that’s not going to happen. This is going to be a big challenge for a lot of veg growers who employ foreign staff in a month’s time.”
Grown in Ireland
Two-thirds of Beechlawn's produce is grown in Ireland – on its own Co Galway farm or from eight other Irish growers – but it is already having difficulties sourcing produce from abroad.
“We are doing okay at the moment. We are still going through all the root vegetables – a lot of parsnips, beetroot, leeks, cabbages, potatoes. We still have about a month’s supply on hand,” said Mr Fahy.
However, he said organic imports were falling away already. "We don't know what's going to happen in Italy and Spain. Southern Europe feeds northern Europe, and there are going to be some issues in those countries.
“Ireland is right at the end of this supply line, so who knows what might happen. We will never run out of food, but we need to be more self-reliant ourselves. We need to be better at feeding our own people.”


theirishtimes--2020-04-03--Coronavirus: Twelve die in Northern Ireland in record increase

Twelve people with coronavirus have died in Northern Ireland in the last 24 hours , according to the North ’ @ @ @ @ @ PHA ) .
The figure represents the largest daily increase in fatalities in the North @ @ @ @ @ , and brings the total number of deaths there to 48 .
The PHA also @ @ @ @ @ cases of coronavirus , bringing the total number of cases to 904 .
More than @ @ @ @ @ in Northern Ireland for the novel coronavirus that is known as Covid-19 .
The PHA @ @ @ @ @ deaths , data was available in 47 of those cases .
In those 47 cases @ @ @ @ @ those who died was 79 years old .
Twenty-five of those who died were women @ @ @ @ @ Belfast currently has the greatest number of confirmed cases of coronavirus , with 272 , @ @ @ @ @ Castlereagh area , where there is 109 cases .

A man passes by a sign in Belfast urging the public to practise social distancing, as the coronavirus outbreak continues. File photograph: Niall Carson/PA Wire
Twelve people with coronavirus have died in Northern Ireland in the last 24 hours, according to the North's Public Health Agency (PHA).
The figure represents the largest daily increase in fatalities in the North since the coronavirus outbreak began, and brings the total number of deaths there to 48.
The PHA also reported an additional 130 confirmed cases of coronavirus, bringing the total number of cases to 904.
More than 7,500 people have been tested in Northern Ireland for the novel coronavirus that is known as Covid-19.
READ MORE
The PHA said that of the 48 deaths, data was available in 47 of those cases.
In those 47 cases, the median age of those who died was 79 years old. Twenty-five of those who died were women and 22 were men.
Belfast currently has the greatest number of confirmed cases of coronavirus, with 272, followed by the Lisburn and Castlereagh area, where there is 109 cases.


theirishtimes--2020-04-04--PSNI investigates report of fatal shooting in north Belfast

The PSNI is responding to reports of a fatal shooting in north Belfast this morning .
A police statement on @ @ @ @ @ to reports of a shooting in the Etna Drive area of the city .
SDLP @ @ @ @ @ said people in Ardoyne were in shock after a man was “ murdered in a @ @ @ @ @ Cllr McCusker appealed for anyone with information to come forward to police .
“ This @ @ @ @ @ shock in Ardoyne today , ” he said .
“ A man was shot in @ @ @ @ @ in broad daylight .
It ’ s hard to describe how traumatic this has been @ @ @ @ @ about their business .
“ My thoughts are with this man ’ s family at @ @ @ @ @ A cordon has been set up around the scene and it is understood a burned @ @ @ @ @ .

Dubliner Robbie Lawlor was heavily involved in organised crime and was suspected of ordering the murder and dismembering of Keane Mulready-Woods.
The man shot dead in Belfast on Saturday was a Dubliner who was heavily involved in organised crime for well over a decade including the ongoing Drogheda gangland feud.
Robbie Lawlor (35) was suspected of ordering the murder and dismembering of Keane Mulready-Woods (17) in Drogheda earlier this year.
A resident of Co Meath but originally from Dublin, the PSNI and Garda believe Lawlor travelled to Belfast, possibly intending to collect debts, in the hours before being shot in the city just before noon on Saturday.
The scene at Etna Drive in the Ardoyne area of Belfast, where a man has died in a shooting on Saturday morning. Photograph: David Young/PA Wire
Lawlor was shot dead outside a house on Etna Drive in the Ardoyne area. The PSNI is following a definite line of inquiry. Three men were arrested on Saturday in connection with the shooting and a fourth on Sunday morning.
READ MORE
The Irish Times understands that at least some of the three men arrested had travelled to Belfast from the Republic with Lawlor.
As well as being a suspect for ordering the murder of Keane Mulready Woods, who was killed in Drogheda before his dismembered remains were found in different locations of north Dublin, Lawlor was a suspect for a number of other gangland killings.
He faced serious criminal charges last year but was not convicted. Lawlor had been warned his life was in danger and concerns he would be fatally attacked had grown since the start of this year.
Lawlor had been threatened on two fronts, including from one of the factions involved in the Drogheda feud.
Police forensic officers at the scene of a Saturday morning shooting at a house on Etna Drive in the Ardoyne area of Belfast. The PSNI confirmed one man died in the shooting. Photograph: Niall Carson/PA Wire
However, he was also at odds with a significant criminal on the Dublin gangland scene who has been linked to several murders including that of former dissident Republican leader in Dublin Alan Ryan.
Saturday’s shooting took place at a house on Etna Drive in the Ardoyne area shortly before and Lawlor was pronounced dead at the scene. A burned-out car was found nearby.
The three men arrested on Saturday on suspicion of murder were being questioned by detectives at Musgrave police station, PSNI said.
Police said the victim had been shot a number of times at close range at a house on Etna Drive.
Det Supt Jason Murphy said a murder inquiry has been launched into the “brutal killing”.
“I am astounded by the recklessness of the killer or killers,” he said. “Not only did they carry out this callous murder, leaving a family experiencing their worst nightmare, but they did not care that children and other members of this north Belfast community were placed at risk.
Police at Etna Drive in the Ardoyne area of Belfast, where a man has died in a shooting on Saturday morning. Photograph: David Young/PA Wire
“Murder is a heinous crime and killing someone during this global coronavirus pandemic is sickening when people are trying to adjust to living a new way and trying to cope with the pressures this brings.
“Those involved in this murder selfishly gave no thought to the impact on frontline emergency services who are already working hard to keep people safe with an already stretched resource.”
Det Supt Murphy said it was too early to speculate on the motive but confirmed the PSNI was following “a number of lines of inquiry”.
“A light-coloured car, registration YLZ 7052, was found burned out in nearby Kingston Court and I am currently seeking to establish what relevance this car has to my investigation,” he said.
“I know the community is in shock at the moment but I would appeal to anyone who has information about this appalling murder to bring that information forward to the police so that we can remove this dangerous gunman and his associates from the streets.
“I am aware the area was busy with pedestrians and people out in their front gardens so I am asking anyone who may have captured any footage of the incident to please make that available to us also.”
Northern Secretary Brandon Lewis said the murder was an abhorrent and brutal crime, for which there is no excuse. “This type of justice is never, and will never, be a substitute for policing and the force of law.
“This cowardly act is particularly thoughtless at a time when our frontline emergency services are already working incredibly hard to keep us all safe while dealing with the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“I strongly encourage anyone who has information about this despicable crime to come forward and speak to the PSNI.”
‘Senseless murder’
The North’s justice minister Naomi Long condemned the “senseless murder” and offered her sympathies to the man’s family.
There was a heavy police presence in the area on Saturday afternoon with lines of Land Rovers sealing off both ends of the street.
Ms Long said the incident had placed additional pressures on the health service already battling with the coronavirus pandemic.
“Those responsible for this appalling crime have left a family grieving and a community in shock,” she said.
“There is no place for the gun in our society and it is time to stop these attacks. “This appalling crime places additional pressures on our first responders, at a time when they are already dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic and all of the challenges that brings with it.
“I would urge anyone with information to pass it to the police on the 101 number or to the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.”
Sinn Féin MLA Gerry Kelly similarly condemned the shooting and called for calm.
“I would appeal for calm at this time in the area and stress that anybody with any information about this horrific incident should bring it immediately to the PSNI,” he said.
“Actions like this have no place in our society and I repeat my condemnation of those involved.
“At a time when all frontline statutory agencies and indeed communities are doing what they can to fight against Covid-19, this just adds to the suffering unfortunately being experienced by local people at this time.”
SDLP north Belfast Councillor Paul McCusker said people in Ardoyne were in shock and he appealed for anyone with information to come forward to police.
“This brutal crime has cause immense shock in Ardoyne today,” he said. “A man was shot in a garden in this community in broad daylight. It’s hard to describe how traumatic this has been for people who were going about their business.
“My thoughts are with this man’s family at an incredibly difficult time.” – Additional reporting: PA


theirishtimes--2020-04-04--Northern Ireland waives plastic bag tax for deliveries of groceries

Authorities in the Republic have said they will not be following the example of the North ’ s Department of Environment in waiving the plastic bag tax during the coronavirus outbreak .
Earlier this week the North ’ s Environment and Rural Affairs Minister Edwin Poots announced a temporary waiver of the plastic bag tax , to help stem the spread of coronavirus , also known as Covid-19 .
Mr Poots said the move was important as it would mean that delivery drivers would not have to go into homes and unpack the crates in which groceries are delivered .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ charge , the necessity for drivers to enter people ’ s homes and unpack crates will stop .
“ Instead , bags of groceries will be left outside and so the need to have direct contact with customers will become redundant ” he said .
Mr Poots added the decision to amend the North ’ s carrier bag legislation had been taken in line with public health guidance , aimed at the reduction of face-to-face contact between delivery drivers and members of the public who have ordered groceries online .
The “ plastic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ known in the South was introduced in 2002 and is currently 22 cent per bag .
Since its inception it has raised tens of millions of euro for the State ’ s Environment Fund which finances waste management , litter and other schemes aimed at protecting the environment .
However authorities in the South have dismissed the move .
The Department of Communications , Climate Action and Environment said : “ This matter is not currently being considered in Ireland ’ s response to Covid19 .
The Department will continue to follow any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Emergency Team .
”

Authorities in the Republic have said they will not be following the example of the North’s Department of Environment in waiving the plastic bag tax during the Covid-19 outbreak. File Photograph: Simon Dawson/Bloomberg
Authorities in the Republic have said they will not be following the example of the North’s Department of Environment in waiving the plastic bag tax during the coronavirus outbreak.
Earlier this week the North’s Environment and Rural Affairs Minister Edwin Poots announced a temporary waiver of the plastic bag tax, to help stem the spread of coronavirus, also known as Covid-19.
Mr Poots said the move was important as it would mean that delivery drivers would not have to go into homes and unpack the crates in which groceries are delivered. He said by providing bags free of charge, the necessity for drivers to enter people’s homes and unpack crates will stop. “Instead, bags of groceries will be left outside and so the need to have direct contact with customers will become redundant” he said.
Decision
Mr Poots added the decision to amend the North’s carrier bag legislation had been taken in line with public health guidance, aimed at the reduction of face-to-face contact between delivery drivers and members of the public who have ordered groceries online.
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The “plastic bag tax” as the levy is known in the South was introduced in 2002 and is currently 22 cent per bag. Since its inception it has raised tens of millions of euro for the State’s Environment Fund which finances waste management, litter and other schemes aimed at protecting the environment.
However authorities in the South have dismissed the move. The Department of Communications, Climate Action and Environment said: “This matter is not currently being considered in Ireland’s response to Covid19. The Department will continue to follow any advice issued from the National Public Health Emergency Team.”


theirishtimes--2020-04-04--Dublin deserted: Coronavirus turns city into ghost town

Shortly before 9pm on any given Friday night and Dublin ’ s city centre is normally teeming with life as happy people spill out of shops and into pubs to meet merrier ones who had gone straight from work for a quick one that turned into several slow ones .
The heady cocktail of locals in locals is normally infused with a healthy splash of tourists and people who have gone home to get ready before coming back into the city centre raring to go out-out .
But on the first Friday of April 2020 , the first Friday since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an attempt to slow the spread of coronavirus , the city was a ghost town .
Over the course of an hour starting at 8.30pm , The Irish Times travelled the city to gauge how it has changed in recent weeks .
It has changed utterly .
And there is no beauty in it .
It is simply terrible .
The route went from Camden St south of the river to the heart of the northside on Parnell Square .
It went up and down the quays and through some of the tourist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the journey grew increasingly surreal .
On any given Friday , the taxis on Camden St are bumper to bumper as are the pubs .
They are absolutely jammers .
But on this Friday night the street was stripped of all that makes it special .
There were hardly any cabs to be seen .
And there was even fewer people seeking to flag them down .
The only life on the street centred around a handful of takeaway restaurants where delivery people on bikes with hotboxes on their backs geared themselves up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to some of the city ’ s hungry .
It was bleaker still on Harcourt St , home to Copper Face Jacks and Dicey Reily ’ s and all the other booze-filled party spots that would normally draw people by their thousands on a weekend night like this .
Not tonight .
Tonight the street was empty .
Or almost everywhere .
A gang of six or seven teenagers , ignoring or ignorant of the strict social distancing rules in place across the country looked equal parts bored and menacing as they loitered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sized group of teenage boys on pushbikes circled a small street off Camden St and looked equally intimidating .
If anything they looked more so .
Save for a couple of buses ferrying no one from A to B there was nothing to see on College Green either and just one person was out and about on the part of the journey which stretched the whole length of Grafton St , that famous street where old ghosts meet .
The old ghosts had it to themselves save for that one soul walking disconsolately @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with a grey hoodie pulled closed against the cold .
Another of the city ’ s party hubs on South William St was dead save for some guards on bikes , crossing the city to make sure no one was up to mischief .
They were not the only ones on duty .
Gardaí were a significant presence throughout the city and over the course of a two or three kilometre journey - from south to north and then back again The Irish Times met three checkpoints .
There was one at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the river on Bachelor ’ s Walk .
There was a third checkpoint on O ’ Connell Bridge .
Temple Bar is Dublin ’ s big draw after dark - at least for the thousands of tourists that would normally be visiting the city in April .
But on this Friday night , it was dark and silent , save for the ubiquitous cycle couriers waiting outside a small handful of restaurants for takeaway food .
Pubs were boarded up as if readying themselves for a ferocious storm .
In a way that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Back on the quays and on O ’ Connell St , public transport was still running , largely without anyone on it .
A Luas trundled down the country ’ s main thoroughfare carrying just a driver and one single passenger .
On any other Friday the tram would have been full of people heading home and going out .
But there ’ s none of that now .
There is nowhere to go but home and there won ’ t be for a while yet .

Dublin city centre on a Friday night, normally teeming with life as crowds of people spill out of shops and workplaces into pubs and restaurants has effectively become a ghost town. Video: Bryan O'Brien
Shortly before 9pm on any given Friday night and Dublin’s city centre is normally teeming with life as happy people spill out of shops and into pubs to meet merrier ones who had gone straight from work for a quick one that turned into several slow ones.
The heady cocktail of locals in locals is normally infused with a healthy splash of tourists and people who have gone home to get ready before coming back into the city centre raring to go out-out.
But on the first Friday of April 2020, the first Friday since Ireland went into almost complete lockdown in an attempt to slow the spread of coronavirus, the city was a ghost town.
It has changed utterly. And there is no beauty in it. It is simply terrible.
Over the course of an hour starting at 8.30pm, The Irish Times travelled the city to gauge how it has changed in recent weeks.
READ MORE
It has changed utterly. And there is no beauty in it. It is simply terrible.
The route went from Camden St south of the river to the heart of the northside on Parnell Square. It went up and down the quays and through some of the tourist hot spots. With each corner turned the journey grew increasingly surreal.
On any given Friday, the taxis on Camden St are bumper to bumper as are the pubs. They are absolutely jammers. But on this Friday night the street was stripped of all that makes it special. There were hardly any cabs to be seen. And there was even fewer people seeking to flag them down.
The only life on the street centred around a handful of takeaway restaurants where delivery people on bikes with hotboxes on their backs geared themselves up to provide an “essential service” to some of the city’s hungry.
It was bleaker still on Harcourt St, home to Copper Face Jacks and Dicey Reily's and all the other booze-filled party spots that would normally draw people by their thousands on a weekend night like this.
A gang of six or seven teenagers, ignoring or ignorant of the strict social distancing rules in place across the country looked equal parts bored and menacing as they loitered on O'Connell St.
Not tonight. Tonight the street was empty.
Everywhere was empty.
Or almost everywhere. A gang of six or seven teenagers, ignoring or ignorant of the strict social distancing rules in place across the country looked equal parts bored and menacing as they loitered on O’Connell St. A similarly sized group of teenage boys on pushbikes circled a small street off Camden St and looked equally intimidating. If anything they looked more so.
Save for a couple of buses ferrying no one from A to B there was nothing to see on College Green either and just one person was out and about on the part of the journey which stretched the whole length of Grafton St, that famous street where old ghosts meet.
The old ghosts had it to themselves save for that one soul walking disconsolately past all the high end designer shops with a grey hoodie pulled closed against the cold.
Another of the city's party hubs on South William St was dead save for some guards on bikes, crossing the city to make sure no one was up to mischief.
They were not the only ones on duty. Gardaí were a significant presence throughout the city and over the course of a two or three kilometre journey - from south to north and then back again The Irish Times met three checkpoints. There was one at the Ha’penny Bridge and another across the river on Bachelor’s Walk. There was a third checkpoint on O’Connell Bridge.
Henry Street in Dublin’s city centre on the first Friday night of lockdown. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien/The Irish Times.
Temple Bar is Dublin's big draw after dark - at least for the thousands of tourists that would normally be visiting the city in April. But on this Friday night, it was dark and silent, save for the ubiquitous cycle couriers waiting outside a small handful of restaurants for takeaway food. Pubs were boarded up as if readying themselves for a ferocious storm.
In a way that is exactly what they were doing.
Back on the quays and on O’Connell St, public transport was still running, largely without anyone on it.
A Luas trundled down the country’s main thoroughfare carrying just a driver and one single passenger. On any other Friday the tram would have been full of people heading home and going out.
But there’s none of that now. There is nowhere to go but home and there won’t be for a while yet.


theirishtimes--2020-04-04--Coronavirus: Pilots describe ‘privilege’ of flying to China to get PPE

For Captain Pat O ’ Driscoll , one of the Aer Lingus pilots who flew to Beijing to procure personal protection equipment ( PPE ) for frontline healthcare workers in the past week , the motivation came from having two sisters who work as nurses , a daughter who works in child protection and a mother-in-law who is in a nursing home .
Speaking on the Late Late Show on Friday night , he said : “ These were all things that were important to me.
” Mr O ’ Driscoll was on annual leave when he was asked to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I ’ d just come back from Seattle about three weeks previously – Ireland had changed .
It was different .
We were all mindful of colleagues and friends in other airlines working in precarious contracts who ’ d lost their jobs , and there was this opportunity available to us to go and do something , ” he said .
“ But the most significant thing that happened was after I came back from Seattle ; I was out for a walk and I met a friend of mine who ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I asked him how things were going .
He said it was tough and he ’ d spent the past 30 hours trying to procure PPE .
We did 28 hours .
That man did 30 hours .
That was important for me in getting this job done.
” Mr O ’ Driscoll has been flying with Aer Lingus since 1979 and said he ’ d “ been through a few of the crises ” including 9/11 .
“ But this is the biggest step up the Aer Lingus team has ever had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr O ’ Driscoll added that he was “ honoured to be asked ” .
Captain Brian O ’ Sullivan , the Aer Lingus pilot who captained the first flight to Beijing last week , has been with Aer Lingus for over 31 years .
“ This is the first time anything like this has ever happened .
We ’ ve never , over such a short period , been able to start a new route and operation like this , ” he told Ms O ’ Callaghan .
He said he has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ support the flights are receiving .
John Kelly , Director of Operations at Aer Lingus said the planning for the flights drew “ complexities ” as the airline had only ten days to liaise with the Department of Foreign Affairs , the Department of Tourism , Transport and Sport , and with the Embassy of China for the processing of visas .
In normal circumstances , he explained , when a new route is launched , the Aer Lingus commercial team provides pilots with six months notice to put together route analysis and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sure that no staff have to quarantine upon their return .
“ Part and parcel of the approval we got for this particular mission was that everybody would stay on board .
We have a requirement for a couple of people to do an inspection on the plane but once we stay within the footprint of the aircraft , that ’ s fine , ” Mr Kelly explained .
“ The buy-in was really easy for everybody .
Everyone understood the importance to join together , the importance to put in the long @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It was a very willing group of people , ” Mr Kelly told the Late Late Show host .
Captain Tina Murray has been flying with Aer Lingus for 30 years .
She described the Wednesday flight to Beijing as “ a privilege ” and “ different to anything we ’ ve ever experienced.
” “ We all felt powerless and helpless and suddenly to be able to do something to support the country was amazing .
I felt humbled to do it and very aware that this is something special , to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fabulous healthcare staff , ” she said on the show .
Captain Murray will be flying out again on Sunday and next Friday .
On Saturday , the 14th flight will arrive back from the 18,000km Dublin to Beijing roundtrip , carrying up to 18 tonnes of cargo .

For Captain Pat O'Driscoll, one of the Aer Lingus pilots who flew to Beijing to procure personal protection equipment (PPE) for frontline healthcare workers in the past week, the motivation came from having two sisters who work as nurses, a daughter who works in child protection and a mother-in-law who is in a nursing home.
“These were all things that were important to me,” he said.
Mr O'Driscoll was on annual leave when he was asked to fly to Beijing for PPE. "I'd just come back from Seattle about three weeks previously – Ireland had changed. It was different. We were all mindful of colleagues and friends in other airlines working in precarious contracts who'd lost their jobs, and there was this opportunity available to us to go and do something," he said.
“But the most significant thing that happened was after I came back from Seattle; I was out for a walk and I met a friend of mine who’s very senior in Dublin Fire Brigade. I asked him how things were going. He said it was tough and he’d spent the past 30 hours trying to procure PPE. We did 28 hours. That man did 30 hours. That was important for me in getting this job done,” he told the Late Late Show on Friday night.
READ MORE
Mr O’Driscoll has been flying with Aer Lingus since 1979 and said he’d “been through a few of the crises” including 9/11. “But this is the biggest step up the Aer Lingus team has ever had to do,” he said. Mr O’Driscoll added that he was “honoured to be asked”.
Army personnel pack the cargo from China. Photograph: Tom Honan/Irish Times.
Captain Brian O’Sullivan, the Aer Lingus pilot who captained the first flight to Beijing last week, has been with Aer Lingus for over 31 years. “This is the first time anything like this has ever happened. We’ve never, over such a short period, been able to start a new route and operation like this,” he told Ms O’Callaghan. He said he has been “taken aback” by the support the flights are receiving.
John Kelly, Director of Operations at Aer Lingus said the planning for the flights drew “complexities” as the airline had only ten days to liaise with the Department of Foreign Affairs, the Department of Tourism, Transport and Sport, and with the Embassy of China for the processing of visas.
In normal circumstances, he explained, when a new route is launched, the Aer Lingus commercial team provides pilots with six months notice to put together route analysis and route structures.
Another complexity is making sure that no staff have to quarantine upon their return. “Part and parcel of the approval we got for this particular mission was that everybody would stay on board. We have a requirement for a couple of people to do an inspection on the plane but once we stay within the footprint of the aircraft, that’s fine,” Mr Kelly explained.
“The buy-in was really easy for everybody. Everyone understood the importance to join together, the importance to put in the long hours and to get it right. It was a very willing group of people,” Mr Kelly told the Late Late Show host.
Captain Tina Murray has been flying with Aer Lingus for 30 years. She described the Wednesday flight to Beijing as "a privilege" and "different to anything we've ever experienced."
Arrival of Aer Lingus EI 9019 from China. Photograph: Tom Honan/Irish
“We all felt powerless and helpless and suddenly to be able to do something to support the country was amazing. I felt humbled to do it and very aware that this is something special, to be given this opportunity to support the fabulous healthcare staff,” she said on the show. Captain Murray will be flying out again on Sunday and next Friday.
On Saturday, the 14th flight was due to arrive back from the 18,000km Dublin to Beijing roundtrip, carrying up to 18 tonnes of cargo.
Separately the HSE has admitted some of the new supply of PPE it secured last weekend in China is not suitable for use. Prof Martin Cormican, HSE national infection control clinical lead, said on Friday “some of it is suitable for use, some of it has limited use and some of it is not suitable for use”.
At least one type of respiratory mask and one type of face goggles was considered not to be usable by the HSE after it inspected the first consignment. Sources said the HSE hoped to eliminate these problems in future shipments.


theirishtimes--2020-04-04--Coronavirus: Harris to announce measures to halt spread in nursing homes

Minister for Health Simon Harris is set to announce further measures to tackle scores of coronavirus outbreaks in nursing homes , along with a multimillion euro package of economic supports for the sector , at 2pm on Saturday .
The measures , which aim to “ double down ” on clusters of the disease now reported in 38 nursing homes , include twice-a-day temperature checks and the appointment of Covid-19 managers in affected homes .
The daily toll from the outbreak rose to its highest level on Friday , with the reporting of another 22 deaths – 11 men and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus .
There have now been 120 deaths from Covid-19 in the Republic , with a median age of 82 years .
The number of new confirmed cases also rose to a record daily high , at 424 , the National Public Health Emergency Team also reported on Friday .
There are now 4,273 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Ireland .
Reporting the figures , chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan expressed concern at the number of clusters in nursing homes .
“ We need to see continuous actions being taken to reduce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and long-term residential facilities , ” he warned .
Meanwhile , the number of people tested has increased significantly on the 30,000 figure cited at the start of the week , according to Dr Holohan though he declined to give specific figures until next week .
Dr Holohan said the next seven to 10 days will be crucial in terms of understanding trends governing the growth in new cases .
The National Public Health Emergency Team should be able to make “ more certain estimates ” of these trends towards the end of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restrictive measures ordered by the Government become apparent .
“ It really will be the better we do , the lower the peak will be [ and ] the further into the future it will be .
”

Minister for Health Simon Harris will announce new measures to tackle Covid-19 in nursing homes on Saturday. Photograph: Gareth Chaney/EPA.
Another 17 patients diagnosed with coronavirus in the State have died.
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre said on Saturday it had also been informed of 331 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the Republic, as of 1pm on Saturday.
There have now been 137 coronavirus related deaths and 4,604 confirmed cases in the Republic.
In relation to the latest deaths, 15 deaths were in the east, one in the south and one in the west of the country. They included four females and 13 males.
READ MORE
In total 13 of them were reported as having underlying health conditions and the median age of the reported deaths on Saturday was 77 years.
Earlier a € 72 million package of measures to help nursing homes tackle coronavirus outbreaks, was announced by Minister for Health Simon Harris.
The announcement came amid suggestions on Saturday that some of the restrictions on work, travel and education, could remain in place until a vaccine is found, which could take six to 12 months.
It also emerged on Saturday that there are 40 clusters of Covid-19 cases in nursing homes in the State.
Main points:
Keep up to date with our liveblog.
What are the new nursing home measures?When and how will we get back to normal?
Earth has a deathly virus – us, writes Fintan O'Toole.
The measures to assist nursing homes include twice-a-day staff temperature checks, priority coronavirus testing for staff and the appointment of Covid-19 managers in affected homes.
Speaking at a press conference in the Department of Health, Mr Harris said progress had been made in controlling the spread of the disease. He said the average Irish person with Covid-19 had infected 4.3 other people on March 16th, but that this figure had dropped to 2.5 people at the end of March, following the introduction of containment measures.
“We need to get that number below one which means the virus does not sustain itself in the community,” he said.
Next seven days
He said the next seven days will be “absolutely critical” in dealing with the virus. “We have seen the rate of growth slow, but to be blunt about it, it is still too high if we are to get to where we need to be.”
The measures announced by Mr Harris will also see access provided to personal protective equipment (PPE) for nursing home staff along with expert advice and training on protecting against the spread of the virus.
Staff movement across residential facilities will be minimised and the HSE will support staff with alternative accommodation and transport if required to limit social contacts.
Mr Harris said agency staff, who move from nursing home to nursing home, presented a risk of spreading the virus.
As part of a temporary Covid-19 financial support scheme there will be a per head payment of up to €800 a patient a month for each person in a nursing home.
This will apply to the first 40 residents. The figure for the next 40 residents will be €400 per month and it will be €200 per resident per month thereafter.
In addition to this, any nursing home that has an outbreak of Covid-19 will be able to apply for financial assistance of up to €75,000 a month for the months of April, May and June.
This money will be provided when a nursing home has incurred significant costs arising directly from a Covid-19 outbreak as certified by the HSE.
The costs involved will have to be independently certified by an auditor.
Mr Harris said there was an “urgent need for a focused and targeted response” to the number of Covid-19 cases in nursing homes.
“The nursing home sector cares for one of the most precious and vulnerable groups in our society,” he said. “We must do everything we can to support them to help break the transmission of the virus.”
“We must also support staff working in nursing homes and ensure their safety and health as we continue to deal with this pandemic. “It is vital we leave nobody behind as we navigate our way out of this pandemic.”
Extended
Meanwhile it has emerged some of the broader restrictions already in placce on movement, work and study could be extended beyond Easter Sunday.
Dr Cillian De Gascun, the chair of the Health Service Executive’s expert advisory group on the pandemic and a consultant virologist, said it was “certainly possible” that some restrictions would be retained until a vaccine is developed.
He said developing a vaccine could take at least six to 12 months and “people probably need to be cognisant of that”, he told RTÉ Radio One’s Cormac Ó hEadhra on Saturday.
A time delay from restrictions being implemented and taking effect - if they are effective - means Ireland will only find out in the coming seven to ten days whether the tightened restrictions ordered by the government last week have been successful.
“These next two weeks are really crucial for us,” he said.
Global cases of coronavirus have shot past one million with more than 58,000 fatalities, and with death tolls soaring in the United States and western Europe.
At least 58,773 people across the world have now died as a result of the pandemic, according to researchers at Johns Hopkins University. The number of confirmed cases passed a million on Thursday with at least 1,094,068 people now infected.


theirishtimes--2020-04-04--Gardaí arrest three as drugs found in tent on Dublin canal

Gardaí who searched a tent hidden in dense undergrowth along the Grand Canal found a drugs packaging and distribution service @ @ @ @ @ and dimorphine , a heroin substitute , with an estimated street value of €37,440 , @ @ @ @ @ occurred along a stretch of the canal near Loughview Road , Clondalkin in Co Dublin @ @ @ @ @ , members of the divisional drug unit based in Ballyfermot Garda station searched the tent @ @ @ @ @ men inside .
A search of the tent revealed it was used for drug packaging @ @ @ @ @ at €15,080 , crack cocaine to the value of €6,400 and Dimorphine worth €15,960 were @ @ @ @ @ ) .
The men are being questioned under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice ( @ @ @ @ @ at Clondalkin and Ballyfermot Garda stations .
A further follow-up search in the surrounding area @ @ @ @ @ 108 packets of cigarettes and other tobacco products valued at approximately €1,400 .
Gardaí say @ @ @ @ @ significant disruption in drug dealing activity along the canal in Clondalkin ” .

Some of the items seized during a search of the tent. Photograph: An Garda
Gardaí who searched a tent hidden in dense undergrowth along the Grand Canal found a drugs packaging and distribution service.
Cannabis, crack cocaine and dimorphine, a heroin substitute, with an estimated street value of €37,440, were seized in search which occurred along a stretch of the canal near Loughview Road, Clondalkin in Co Dublin.
Acting on a tip-off, members of the divisional drug unit based in Ballyfermot Garda station searched the tent on Friday and arrested three men inside.
The tent that was searched in Clondalkin on Friday. Photograph: An Garda
The inside of the tent that gardaí say was used for packaging and the distribution of drugs. Photograph: An Garda
A search of the tent revealed it was used for drug packaging and distribution. Cannabis valued at €15,080, crack cocaine to the value of €6,400 and Dimorphine worth €15,960 were seized (subject to analysis).
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The men are being questioned under Section 2 of the Criminal Justice (Drug Trafficking) Act 1996 at Clondalkin and Ballyfermot Garda stations.
A further follow-up search in the surrounding area resulted in the discovery of 108 packets of cigarettes and other tobacco products valued at approximately €1,400.
Gardaí say the operation represents a “significant disruption in drug dealing activity along the canal in Clondalkin”.


theirishtimes--2020-04-04--Three arrested after two ATMs stolen from Dundalk main street

Three men have been arrested by the PSNI after two ATMs were stolen from banks on the main street of @ @ @ @ @ Two vehicles were also set on fire outside Dundalk Garda Station in an effort to @ @ @ @ @ the thefts .
Members of the Garda Armed Support Unit intercepted the suspects and pursued @ @ @ @ @ Border .
Gardaí contacted the PSNI at 3.30am and officers made their way to Jonesborough @ @ @ @ @ they found a trailer and two ATMs .
Officers from the PSNI then established the @ @ @ @ @ property in Crossmaglen .
Here they arrested three men , aged 24 , 29 and @ @

Two ATMs were stolen from Clanbrassil Street in Dundalk overnight. Forensic Gardaí are pictured examining the scene. Photograph: Ciara Wilkinson.
A criminal gang based in South Armagh, including a suspect for very serious crimes in the Republic, was behind a daring effort to steal two ATMs from banks in Dundalk, Co Louth, early on Saturday, gardaí believe.
The gang moved south into the Republic in a convoy that included a heavy goods vehicle with a trailer carrying a mechanical digger as well as an SUV and at least two other cars.
As the men in the convoy moved in on the ATMs on Clanbrassil St in the town their accomplices blocked the vehicle entrance to Dundalk Garda station, a short distance from the ATMs, with two vehicles and set them on fire.
A digger was used in the robbery. Photograph: Ciara Wilkinson
NEWS: Three men have been arrested by @PSNINMDown in south Armagh following this morning's raid on @UlsterBank & @AIBIreland on Clanbrassil St. in Dundalk. Both ATMs that were stolen have been recovered but at this stage it's not known if they are intact. pic.twitter.com/wZY0eFzc1f — LMFM RADIO (@LMFMRADIO) April 4, 2020
This meant no patrol cars could leave Dundalk Garda station to respond to the robbery while it was underway, The gang succeeded in using the stolen mechanical digger to rip the two ATMs from the wall of a branch of Ulster Bank and a branch of AIB at about 3.15am.
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However, the large convoy had been spotted by gardaí moving through the town and a major operation swung into action involving gardaí from Dundalk station, the Armed Support Unit based in the north east and a Dublin-based helicopter from the Garda Air Support Unit.
Forensic gardaí are seen examining the scene. Photograph: Ciara Wilkinson
Loaded
The raiders loaded the ATMs, with cash inside, onto a trailer which was then towed away by a car while the rest of the gang escaped in another vehicle.
The gang then sped towards the Border - in a VW Amorak SUV and a Mercedes red saloon in the knowledge they could not be followed into the North by Garda personnel.
During their drive to the border they were pursued by unarmed gardaí in patrol cars and members of the Armed Support Unit. Two Garda vehicles were damaged in efforts to stop the gang’s cars.
Although the gang managed to flee across the Border into South Armagh, gardaí had liaised with the PSNI who responded.
The PSNI discovered the trailer with two ATMs abandoned at Mullabawn close to Forkhill in Co Armagh.
They also established that three suspects had fled to a property in Crossmaglen, Co Armagh, which was raided by a team of PSNI members, including an armed response unit.
Three suspects were arrested at that property; all males and aged 57, 29 and 24 years of age. They are being questioned in the North about the robbery.
Two ATMs stolen from Clanbrassil Street in Dundalk overnight. Photograph: Ciara Wilkinson
Gangs
Gardaí said while gangs targeting ATMs had been especially active in cross-Border raids in recent years, they believe the gang involved in Saturday’s robbery was likely seeking to take advantage of the pressure the Covid-19 crisis had put in policing.
A large crime scene in Dundalk remained sealed off on Saturday while the PSNI was carrying out searches in south Armagh.
The fire brigade brought under control the two fires set at the vehicle access routes into Dundalk Garda station and those scenes had been cleared on Saturday.
Garda sources said a large degree of planning had gone into the robbery and while three suspects had been arrested, the group involved was much larger.
Gardaí believe the gang are mainly from south Armagh, with links to the Republican movement, and that they have specialised in ATM robberies just across the Border in the Republic in recent years as well as other crimes.
One of the men arrested is a suspect for a serious gang crime under investigation by the Garda, the details of which cannot be revealed for legal reasons.
Minister for Justice Charlie Flanagan praised the Garda and PSNI for the way both had responded to the raid.
“I am glad to see both police services working so closely together across the border to investigate this robbery and want to commend them for their swift response and close cooperation,” he said.
“Both services are working flat out in difficult circumstances to help protect and support the public at this challenging time and, as always, they deserve our support and cooperation.”
Mr Flanagan and Garda Headquarters, Phoenix Park, Dublin, urged anyone with information to contact the Garda.


theirishtimes--2020-04-04--Covid-19: Inside the operation to evacuate Irish stranded abroad

Ten hours into a gruelling bus journey from Tarapoto , a city on the edge of the Amazon in northern Peru , the bus carrying Irish citizens to Lima for a flight home was stopped by two local police officers .
The minibus was one of five organised by Irish diplomats to help more than 130 Irish citizens and family members , following Peru ’ s decision on March 16th to lock down the country to halt the spread of coronavirus .
More than 4,000km away in Santiago , Irish Ambassador to Chile and Peru Paul Gleeson received a phone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the stopped bus .
“ I was on the phone to two police officers , pleading with them not to turn [ it ] back , ” said Mr Gleeson .
Following the Ambassador ’ s intervention the police eventually allowed the bus to continue .
Commercial flights out of Peru had been stopped and travel between regions prohibited , leaving Irish diplomats scrambling to arrange permission for the buses to clear roadblocks and checkpoints .
“ The local and regional authorities were very wary of having Europeans drive through the areas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for “ bringing the virus to Peru , ” Mr Gleeson told The Irish Times .
“ We were getting messages to say the police were not letting them off the bus to use the bathroom , ” he said .
After 30 hours by road the small bus from Tarapoto arrived in time to board a 14-hour flight to London , with Aer Lingus then flying the weary passengers to Dublin last Monday .
The Department of Foreign Affairs had worked closely with the British Foreign Office .
Besides the Irish , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one Estonian and one Finn , as the British had also negotiated a Sunday night evacuation flight .
In all , five buses ferried people to Lima .
Irish diplomats handled three of the buses : Tarapoto , a 22-hour journey from Cusco , and a 24-hour bus from Puno , in southeastern Peru .
Fiona Feeney ( 29 ) and Colleen Kehoe ( 30 ) , from Co Galway , had been backpacking across South America since January and would likely still be stuck in Peru if not for the flight home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at 8pm and we walked into the Irish pub and the president was just announcing a lockdown .
We tried that night to get home , the airport was just carnage , ” said Ms Feeney .
They rushed to book flights with prices “ going up by the minute ” , only to find each one fully booked , unaffordable , or cancelled , said Ms Kehoe .
The Peruvian military enforced a strict lockdown regime from March 16th , with people allowed outdoors only for essential shopping and an 8pm curfew @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to get Irish citizens out on final commercial flights , but by the weekend of March 21st officials decided that an evacuation flight was needed , said Mr Gleeson .
That Sunday Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney announced arrangements were being made for a repatriation flight , but this “ was only the end of the beginning ” , said Mr Gleeson .
Officials faced two main obstacles : first , to secure approval for the flight from Peruvian authorities ; and then to get Irish citizens scattered across the country to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that week diplomats , local embassy staff , and an honorary consul in Peru planned the routes , while drawing up a list of citizens that needed to be aboard , he continued .
From his dining room table in Santiago Mr Gleeson kept in touch with many of the travellers via email and WhatsApp , though diplomats still had not received confirmation that they could charter a flight .
The Chilean-based Ms Gleeson , from Drumcondra , north Dublin , previously worked as a policy director in the Tánaiste ’ s office @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Atlanta .
The Embassy was only opened last year , so it could not rely on extensive relationships with state officials built up over decades that more established embassies would have had .
The “ breakthrough ” came in a call set up between Mr Coveney and Peru ’ s foreign affairs minister Gustavo Meza-Cuadra the Thursday before the flight , according to several sources .
While the Embassy did not have an inside line to the Peruvian foreign affairs minister , a senior Irish diplomat in New York did ; since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s representative to the United Nations .
There , he had enjoyed a good relationship with his Irish counterpart , Geraldine Byrne Nason , who helped set up the call with Mr Coveney .
In the call , he confirmed that a repatriation flight could leave last Sunday .
The first of the five buses left for Lima from Tarapoto last Friday night week , with a passenger list sent hurriedly to local and regional police to ensure safe passage .
One of the buses coming from Puno was badly delayed , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the later of two flights leaving that night : “ We were starting to book hotel rooms in the city for that night , ” said Mr Gleeson .
However , the group , including Neil Cooney ( 34 ) and his partner Kath ( 32 ) , who had been stuck in Arequipa , made it on to the runway of the military airport , with just minutes to spare before the British Airways flight left .
“ We ’ ve been on our honeymoon since Christmas in South America , we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
.
We had just over six months planned , so we cut short three months , ” said Mr Cooney , when he arrived back in Dublin .
Today , there are still up to 20 Irish tourists in Peru .
About half of them want to come home but are in regions inaccessible by road , or they are held in quarantined hostels , said Mr Gleeson .
Having brought back 11 citizens from other EU countries , Irish officials now hope to find places for those Irish on other European @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are organised .
Across the other side of the Pacific Ocean , more than a thousand Irish citizens were similarly facing difficulties getting home from Australia , including Irish doctors who had volunteered to come home to help Irish hospitals .
After an email to the Irish Embassy in Canberra , Dr Zoey Lynch ( 27 ) was told to put together a list of the names and passport details of doctors who wanted to return .
“ I had about 60 to 65 names within 20 minutes , all Irish doctors living @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grew to over 90 , ” she said after she landed in Dublin .
“ We ’ re all incredibly keen to get involved.
” Irish Ambassador to Australia Breandán Ó Caollaí and staff had created a full list of travellers , drawing on names known by the Irish Australian Chamber of Commerce , welfare groups , GAA clubs and the Embassy ’ s own register .
Behind the scene efforts had been under way with Australian airline Qantas , whose chief executive Alan Joyce hails from Tallaght , to charter a flight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March 24th , the Australian authorities gave approval for the flight , with diplomats receiving confirmation on Wednesday morning it would leave at 10pm that night .
“ At 8:30am we started contacting people , particularly anybody with a medical background , using all our connections and the list of contacts .
.
.
this was Team Ireland working , ” said Mr Ó Caollaí .
Previously the consul general in Boston , the Ambassador was well used to working with big emigrant communities but the time available was “ incredibly tight ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Perth , and a “ significant number ” of stranded Irish were in Melbourne , four hours flight away from Perth , he said .
Those included four men in their mid-20s , Eoghan Lally , John Mulhearn , Conor Leavy , and Philip Denmead , who had been travelling up the east coast to surf when the global health crisis began to develop .
Told that morning that four seats were available if they could get to Perth , the group hurried .
“ We flew from Melbourne to Perth that day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” said Mr Leavy .
They had planned to stay in Australia but changed their minds as the crisis worsened .
“ It all kicked off very fast , one day we came back off a beach and everything was starting to shut down , ” said Mr Lally .
Five flights taking about 850 Irish citizens were also organised with Qatar Airways last weekend , flying to Dublin through Doha from Melbourne , Sydney and Brisbane .
More than 1,000 stranded Irish had contacted the Irish-Australian chamber of commerce , whose chief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to insist the demand was there .
A Navan-based travel agency run by Eimer Hannon managed this operation , diverting all 23 staff to handle calls and payments from the Irish .
All five flights were block-booked .
Many who had already lost thousands on cancelled flights were “ terrified ” that they would pay for their seats only then to find that this flight would be cancelled , too , said Ms Hannon .
The “ Bring Them Home ” repatriation effort has been co-ordinated by the Department of Foreign Affairs ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it has 38 staff .
Currently , 90 extra officials have been drafted in .
More than 400 Irish have been flown home on repatriation flights chartered by other EU countries and Britain , according to Elizabeth McCullough , the department ’ s consular director Foreign Affairs had helped more than 1,800 citizens to get home , by every means possible .
Seven were brought home on an American flight out of Africa , getting off in Shannon when the aircraft landed to refuel .
However , senior diplomats are concerned that “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in India , Thailand , and Pakistan , where commercial flights have been halted or scaled back and internal travel restricted .
Diplomatic operations to repatriate these citizens , who are spread across vast countries under effective travel lockdown , will be incredibly complex , according to sources .

Neil Cooney (34) and his partner Kath (32) after their arrival at Dublin Airport from Peru. Photograph: Tom Honan/The Irish Times
Ten hours into a gruelling bus journey from Tarapoto, a city on the edge of the Amazon in northern Peru, the bus carrying Irish citizens to Lima for a flight home was stopped by two local police officers.
The minibus was one of five organised by Irish diplomats to help more than 130 Irish citizens and family members, following Peru’s decision on March 16th to lock down the country to halt the spread of coronavirus.
More than 4,000km away in Santiago, Irish Ambassador to Chile and Peru Paul Gleeson received a phone call from one of the alarmed passengers on the stopped bus.
“I was on the phone to two police officers, pleading with them not to turn [it] back,” said Mr Gleeson. Following the Ambassador’s intervention the police eventually allowed the bus to continue.
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Commercial flights out of Peru had been stopped and travel between regions prohibited, leaving Irish diplomats scrambling to arrange permission for the buses to clear roadblocks and checkpoints.
“The local and regional authorities were very wary of having Europeans drive through the areas” as public sentiment blamed European backpackers for “bringing the virus to Peru,” Mr Gleeson told The Irish Times.
“We were getting messages to say the police were not letting them off the bus to use the bathroom,” he said.
After 30 hours by road the small bus from Tarapoto arrived in time to board a 14-hour flight to London, with Aer Lingus then flying the weary passengers to Dublin last Monday.
The Department of Foreign Affairs had worked closely with the British Foreign Office. Besides the Irish, the Tarapoto bus carried four British, one Estonian and one Finn, as the British had also negotiated a Sunday night evacuation flight.
In all, five buses ferried people to Lima. Irish diplomats handled three of the buses: Tarapoto, a 22-hour journey from Cusco, and a 24-hour bus from Puno, in southeastern Peru.
Fiona Feeney (29) and Colleen Kehoe (30), from Co Galway, had been backpacking across South America since January and would likely still be stuck in Peru if not for the flight home.
“We got to Lima maybe at 8pm and we walked into the Irish pub and the president was just announcing a lockdown. We tried that night to get home, the airport was just carnage,” said Ms Feeney.
They rushed to book flights with prices “going up by the minute”, only to find each one fully booked, unaffordable, or cancelled, said Ms Kehoe.
The Peruvian military enforced a strict lockdown regime from March 16th, with people allowed outdoors only for essential shopping and an 8pm curfew in place.
The Irish Embassy attempted to get Irish citizens out on final commercial flights, but by the weekend of March 21st officials decided that an evacuation flight was needed, said Mr Gleeson.
That Sunday Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney announced arrangements were being made for a repatriation flight, but this "was only the end of the beginning", said Mr Gleeson.
Officials faced two main obstacles: first, to secure approval for the flight from Peruvian authorities; and then to get Irish citizens scattered across the country to Lima.
In the first half of that week diplomats, local embassy staff, and an honorary consul in Peru planned the routes, while drawing up a list of citizens that needed to be aboard, he continued.
From his dining room table in Santiago Mr Gleeson kept in touch with many of the travellers via email and WhatsApp, though diplomats still had not received confirmation that they could charter a flight.
The Chilean-based Ms Gleeson, from Drumcondra, north Dublin, previously worked as a policy director in the Tánaiste's office, and before that as consul general in Atlanta.
The Embassy was only opened last year, so it could not rely on extensive relationships with state officials built up over decades that more established embassies would have had.
The "breakthrough" came in a call set up between Mr Coveney and Peru's foreign affairs minister Gustavo Meza-Cuadra the Thursday before the flight, according to several sources.
While the Embassy did not have an inside line to the Peruvian foreign affairs minister, a senior Irish diplomat in New York did; since Mr Meza-Cuadra had previously served as Peru's representative to the United Nations.
There, he had enjoyed a good relationship with his Irish counterpart, Geraldine Byrne Nason, who helped set up the call with Mr Coveney. In the call, he confirmed that a repatriation flight could leave last Sunday.
The first of the five buses left for Lima from Tarapoto last Friday night week, with a passenger list sent hurriedly to local and regional police to ensure safe passage.
One of the buses coming from Puno was badly delayed, leading to fears it would not make the later of two flights leaving that night: “We were starting to book hotel rooms in the city for that night,” said Mr Gleeson.
However, the group, including Neil Cooney (34) and his partner Kath (32), who had been stuck in Arequipa, made it on to the runway of the military airport, with just minutes to spare before the British Airways flight left.
“We’ve been on our honeymoon since Christmas in South America, we were in Peru for three weeks . . . We had just over six months planned, so we cut short three months,” said Mr Cooney, when he arrived back in Dublin.
Philippa Henderson from west Cork and her mother Anita Henderson after she arrived back from Peru. Photograph: Tom Honan/The Irish Times.
(Left to right): Ciara O’Leary, Fiona O’Brien and Michelle Daly – all from Dublin – after they arrived back from Peru. Photograph: Tom Honan/The Irish Times
Sarah McKernan from Dublin is hugged by her father, Robert McKernan, after coming back from Peru. Photograph: Tom Honan/The Irish Times.
Today, there are still up to 20 Irish tourists in Peru. About half of them want to come home but are in regions inaccessible by road, or they are held in quarantined hostels, said Mr Gleeson.
Having brought back 11 citizens from other EU countries, Irish officials now hope to find places for those Irish on other European governments’ repatriation flights, when they are organised.
Departure from Australia
Across the other side of the Pacific Ocean, more than a thousand Irish citizens were similarly facing difficulties getting home from Australia, including Irish doctors who had volunteered to come home to help Irish hospitals.
After an email to the Irish Embassy in Canberra, Dr Zoey Lynch (27) was told to put together a list of the names and passport details of doctors who wanted to return.
"I had about 60 to 65 names within 20 minutes, all Irish doctors living in Perth who were keen, which grew to over 90," she said after she landed in Dublin. "We're all incredibly keen to get involved."
Irish Ambassador to Australia Breandán Ó Caollaí and staff had created a full list of travellers, drawing on names known by the Irish Australian Chamber of Commerce, welfare groups, GAA clubs and the Embassy's own register.
Behind the scene efforts had been under way with Australian airline Qantas, whose chief executive Alan Joyce hails from Tallaght, to charter a flight for the Irish.
Late on Tuesday March 24th, the Australian authorities gave approval for the flight, with diplomats receiving confirmation on Wednesday morning it would leave at 10pm that night.
“At 8:30am we started contacting people, particularly anybody with a medical background, using all our connections and the list of contacts . . . this was Team Ireland working,” said Mr Ó Caollaí.
Previously the consul general in Boston, the Ambassador was well used to working with big emigrant communities but the time available was "incredibly tight" .
Canberra is three hours ahead of Perth, and a "significant number" of stranded Irish were in Melbourne, four hours flight away from Perth, he said.
Those included four men in their mid-20s, Eoghan Lally, John Mulhearn, Conor Leavy, and Philip Denmead, who had been travelling up the east coast to surf when the global health crisis began to develop.
Told that morning that four seats were available if they could get to Perth, the group hurried. “We flew from Melbourne to Perth that day just to make it in time,” said Mr Leavy.
They had planned to stay in Australia but changed their minds as the crisis worsened. “It all kicked off very fast, one day we came back off a beach and everything was starting to shut down,” said Mr Lally.
Five flights taking about 850 Irish citizens were also organised with Qatar Airways last weekend, flying to Dublin through Doha from Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.
Nearly 300 Irish have been flown home on repatriation flights chartered by other EU countries and Britain, according to Department of Foreign Affairs consular director Elizabeth McCullough. Photograph: Alan Betson
More than 1,000 stranded Irish had contacted the Irish-Australian chamber of commerce, whose chief executive Barry Corr then lobbied Qatar Airways to insist the demand was there.
A Navan-based travel agency run by Eimer Hannon managed this operation, diverting all 23 staff to handle calls and payments from the Irish. All five flights were block-booked.
Many who had already lost thousands on cancelled flights were “terrified” that they would pay for their seats only then to find that this flight would be cancelled, too, said Ms Hannon.
The “Bring Them Home” repatriation effort has been co-ordinated by the Department of Foreign Affairs’ consular division in Dublin. Usually, it has 38 staff. Currently, 90 extra officials have been drafted in.
More than 400 Irish have been flown home on repatriation flights chartered by other EU countries and Britain, according to Elizabeth McCullough, the department’s consular director
Foreign Affairs had helped more than 1,800 citizens to get home, by every means possible. Seven were brought home on an American flight out of Africa, getting off in Shannon when the aircraft landed to refuel.
However, senior diplomats are concerned that "significant numbers" of Irish are stuck in India, Thailand, and Pakistan, where commercial flights have been halted or scaled back and internal travel restricted.
Diplomatic operations to repatriate these citizens, who are spread across vast countries under effective travel lockdown, will be incredibly complex, according to sources.