theirishtimes--2020-05-05--Coronavirus payments unsustainable in long term, warns Doherty

The current level of payments for people who have lost all or part of their income due to the coronavirus restrictions are unsustainable in the long-term , Regina Doherty said on Tuesday .
There now 598,000 people receiving the special Covid-19 unemployment payment - an increase of about 7,000 in the last week .
The department said this was on top of about 205,000 on the live register in receipt of job seeker benefit .
In addition , workers in 52,000 companies or businesses are having their pay funded in full or in part under the Government ’ s temporary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understood that about 427,000 workers who have received at least one subsidised payment .
This means there are about 1.23 million workers relying on State support for all or part of their income .
The Minister for Social Protection said on Tuesday while the department would continue to support people the current payments would not be sustainable in the long term .
She told RTÉ radio ’ s Morning Ireland that she hoped all construction workers will come off the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment and return to work in the coming weeks , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ live register .
Ms Doherty told RTÉ radio ’ s Morning Ireland that she hopes all construction workers will come off the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment and return to work in the coming weeks , which would take 78,000 people off the live register .
“ We will continue to look after people long after this pandemic is over , ” she said .
Responding to the unemployment figures , Ms Doherty said Government officials were “ now planning the necessary further supports and initiatives we will need to put in place to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been displaced can return to work as quickly as possible ” .
“ We are determined that this short term health crisis will not be a long-term economic one for all those workers and families who have been affected.
” She said the Government ’ s €6.5billion package to support business was a recognition of the need for assistance , she said .
Only part of the package will require legislation which would take weeks which was why government formation negotiations were important .
At Tuesday ’ s Government press briefing assistant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Liz Canavan said the roadmap to reopening Irelandwhich was published last Friday was a “ flexible framework based on an assessment of risk ” .
She said it is a gradual and stepwise plan towards reopening .
“ Our ability to open the economy and society will be entirely dependent on our success in slowing down the virus.
” Meanwhile , Tánaiste Simon Coveney has denied that there is any tension between the government and the National Public Health Emergency Team ( Nphet ) .
Responding to media reports of tension between the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ radio ’ s Today with Séan O ’ Rourke “ it ’ s just not true , it doesn ’ t mean that we don ’ t debate the issues .
Nphet has a job to do and that is to offer the best advice ” .
Nphet met this morning to discuss the situation with coronavirus while an update is expected from An Garda Síochána on the number of people arrested for breaching coronavirus travel restrictions .
A further 16 people diagnosed with Covid-19 have died in the Republic , health officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the total number of deaths associated with the disease .
The worldwide death toll stands at more than 250,000 .
The current restrictions on social and economic life will be eased in stages from May 18th .
There is pressure from some Ministers to accelerate the reopening plan , although Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and the Minister for Health Simon Harris are cautious about going beyond the advice by public health officials .
All say that the phased reopening of commercial and social life will only proceed if the suppression of the virus continues @

Chief Medical Officer Tony Holohan has said that he is unable to provide clarification on whether large gatherings, such as weddings, will be able to go ahead during the continued Covid-19 restrictions. Video: RTÉ
A further 23 people have died of Covid-19 in Ireland and 211 new cases have been confirmed, the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) has said.
The number of new cases confirmed was the lowest reported in more than a month and they bring the State total to 21,983 since the coronavirus pandemic began. A total of 1,339 people have so far died after contracting the disease.
Some of the restrictions introduced in response to the pandemic being eased from today, Department of Health chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said “it is crucial that we preserve the progress our country has made in recent weeks”.
“This is a highly infectious disease. It thrives in crowds. It has the potential to rapidly spread to levels that our health service will find difficult to respond to,” he said.
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“While we plan how to safely emerge from recent restrictions, none of us should forget that the virus is still in our community. Those who get infected have the same risk of serious illness as they did at the beginning of this pandemic.”
Officials said 214,761 tests for the virus have to date been carried out, including 61,707 in the past week. Of these, 2,280 were positive, giving a positivity rate of 3.7 per cent.
“The positivity rate reducing is a good sign,” said Dr Cillian De Gascun, chair of the NPHET Expert Advisory Group. “Combined with the high level of testing we are now undertaking, this gives us confidence that we are on a path towards suppression of the disease.”
Laboratory capacity for testing Covid-19 samples now stands at 84,000 a week, Dr de Gascun added. He said the majority of tests being performed in the community were being turned around in two to four days and there had been a “significant improvement” in performance in the last two weeks.
Intensive care
A breakdown of the deaths that have occurred shows 46 per cent were in hospitals, including 5 per cent in intensive care units (ICU). Almost 86 per cent of those who have died had an underlying condition.
Men accounted for 51 per cent of deaths and women for 49 per cent. The median age of death was 84 years and the mean was 82.
The number of confirmed Covid-19 cases associated with healthcare workers now stands at 6,293.
In all, 370 people have been admitted to ICU, with 90 still being treated there. There were fewer than five new admissions to intensive care on Tuesday.
There now have been 394 clusters of the disease in long-term residential facilities, including 229 in nursing homes. Long-term residential facilities account for 5,174 cases, up 89 in a day; with 4,108 of these in nursing homes, up 59.
Earlier, Minister for Social Protection Regina Doherty warned that the current level of payments being made to people who have lost all or part of their income due to the coronavirus restrictions would be unsustainable in the long-term.
There now 598,000 people receiving the special Covid-19 unemployment payment - an increase of about 7,000 in the last week. The department said this was on top of about 205,000 on the live register in receipt of job seeker benefit.
In addition, workers in 52,000 companies or businesses are having their pay funded in full or in part under the Government’s temporary Covid-19 wage subsidy scheme. It is understood that about 427,000 workers who have received at least one subsidised payment. This means there are about 1.23 million workers relying on State support for all or part of their income.
Construction workers
Ms Doherty told RTÉ radio's Morning Ireland that she hoped all construction workers would come off the Covid-19 Pandemic Unemployment Payment and return to work in the coming weeks, which see some 78,000 people taken off the live register.
“We will continue to look after people long after this pandemic is over,” she said.
“We are determined that this short term health crisis will not be a long-term economic one for all those workers and families who have been affected.”
She said the Government’s €6.5billion package to support business was a recognition of the need for assistance, she said. Only part of the package will require legislation which would take weeks which was why government formation negotiations were important.
The latest figures on the State finances, published on Tuesday, forecast that the coronavirus crisis will see the tax take decrease by some ¤14 billion this year.
The loss in revenue will be most keenly felt through the income tax and Vat channels because there are fewer people working and less money being spent on goods and services.
People over the age of 70, who are coming out of cocooning, have been advised not to stop and talk with friends or neighbours when they are exercising under the new 5km rule which came into force today.
At the Government’s Covid-19 briefing, the Department of Taosieach assistant secretary general Liz Canavan said the key message to over 70s was “to avoid all contact with other people, maintain a no touch policy and wash your hands on returning home”.
Avoid shops
“It is still recommended that people cocooning avoid the shops,” she said.
Ms Canavan said the roadmap to reopening Ireland, which was published last Friday, was a “flexible framework based on an assessment of risk”.
She said it is a gradual and step-based plan towards reopening the Irish economy and society following the lockdown but will be “entirely dependent on our success in slowing down the virus”.
Tánaiste Simon Coveney earlier denied that there is tension between the Government and the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet).
Responding to media reports on issues between the two, Mr Coveney told RTÉ radio’s Today with Séan O’Rourke “it’s just not true, it doesn’t mean that we don’t debate the issues. Nphet has a job to do and that is to offer the best advice”.
The NPHET met on Tuesday morning to discuss the situation with coronavirus.
New figures from An Garda Síochána show that the number of people arrested by gardaí, or who had criminal proceedings begun against them, for breaching the 2km Covid-19 restriction increased significantly last week.


theirishtimes--2020-05-05--Covid-19: New Asthma Society survey reveals concerns over testing and ventilators

More than 80 per cent of people with a long-term respiratory illness are concerned they will not be tested quickly enough if they contract coronavirus , a new survey has found .
The survey , conducted by the Asthma Society of Ireland , asked almost 2,500 asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease ( COPD ) patients about their concerns amid the coronavirus pandemic .
Some 92 per cent of people surveyed said they were very concerned about contracting coronavirus , also known as Covid-19 , due to their respiratory illness , while 71 per cent of the patients said they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ if they did contract the virus .
The survey also found that four in 10 people felt there was not enough information readily available about how coronavirus affects people with respiratory ailments .
Three in 10 patients said they have avoided healthcare services due to fears of the health impact of the pandemic .
The Asthma Society said it was concerned by some of the findings , particularly that people are avoiding seeking medical help , as ignoring worsening conditions without medical advice could lead to an unnecessary asthma exacerbation or even death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ COPD patients to reach out to their GP or consultant if they need medical advice or assistance .
Sarah O ’ Connor , chief executive of the charity , said people with asthma and COPD are particularly vulnerable to the virus , and should be given extra support during these times .
“ The results of our survey indicate that people with asthma are extremely anxious about coronavirus , ” Ms O ’ Connor said .
“ Asked for their greatest concern for the weeks ahead patients responded : ‘ I ’ m @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in-demand ventilator due to asthma ’ and ‘ that I would not be considered worth saving ( due to asthma ) ’ , ” said Ms O ’ Connor .
The publication of the survey results comes as the Asthma Society launches a new Sláintecare-funded WhatsApp messaging support service called Beating Breathlessness .
The service allows patients to message a respiratory specialist nurse about all aspects of their asthma management .
However , the charity said the advice line , which is available at 086 0590132 , should not be used if an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emergency .
Minister for Health Simon Harris said the new service “ empowers people affected by asthma or COPD to manage their condition ” .
“ One of the aims of the Sláintecare Integration Fund is for people to become more engaged and empowered in their own healthcare , and this service allows people to do that , with medical support , ” said Mr Harris .

More than 80 per cent of people with a long-term respiratory illness are concerned they will not be tested quickly enough if they contract coronavirus. Photograph: Getty
More than 80 per cent of people with a long-term respiratory illness are concerned they will not be tested quickly enough if they contract coronavirus, a new survey has found.
The survey, conducted by the Asthma Society of Ireland, asked almost 2,500 asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients about their concerns amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Some 92 per cent of people surveyed said they were very concerned about contracting coronavirus, also known as Covid-19, due to their respiratory illness, while 71 per cent of the patients said they were concerned they would require a ventilator if they did contract the virus.
The survey also found that four in 10 people felt there was not enough information readily available about how coronavirus affects people with respiratory ailments.
READ MORE
Three in 10 patients said they have avoided healthcare services due to fears of the health impact of the pandemic.
The Asthma Society said it was concerned by some of the findings, particularly that people are avoiding seeking medical help, as ignoring worsening conditions without medical advice could lead to an unnecessary asthma exacerbation or even death.
The society is encouraging asthma and COPD patients to reach out to their GP or consultant if they need medical advice or assistance.
Sarah O’Connor, chief executive of the charity, said people with asthma and COPD are particularly vulnerable to the virus, and should be given extra support during these times.
“The results of our survey indicate that people with asthma are extremely anxious about coronavirus,” Ms O’Connor said.
“Asked for their greatest concern for the weeks ahead patients responded: ‘I’m worried about not being considered for an in-demand ventilator due to asthma’ and ‘that I would not be considered worth saving (due to asthma)’,” said Ms O’Connor.
The publication of the survey results comes as the Asthma Society launches a new Sláintecare-funded WhatsApp messaging support service called Beating Breathlessness.
The service allows patients to message a respiratory specialist nurse about all aspects of their asthma management.
However, the charity said the advice line, which is available at 086 0590132, should not be used if an individual is experiencing an asthma attack or emergency.
Minister for Health Simon Harris said the new service "empowers people affected by asthma or COPD to manage their condition".
“One of the aims of the Sláintecare Integration Fund is for people to become more engaged and empowered in their own healthcare, and this service allows people to do that, with medical support,” said Mr Harris.


theirishtimes--2020-05-05--Man due in court over alleged attempted murder

A man is due to appear in court over the alleged attempted murder of a woman in Co Meath .
@ @ @ @ @ Tuesday morning in relation to an incident which occurred at a address in Athboy on @ @ @ @ @ The man was brought to Kells Garda station where he was charged and is due @ @ @ @ @ Court at 10.30 on Tuesday morning .

The man is due to appear before Trim District Court at 10.30 on Tuesday morning.
A man is due to appear in court over the alleged attempted murder of a woman in Co Meath.
Gardaí arrested the 20-year-old on Tuesday morning in relation to an incident which occurred at a address in Athboy on September 19th, 2019.
The man was brought to Kells Garda station where he was charged and is due to appear before Trim District Court at 10.30 on Tuesday morning.
Gardaí said investigations are ongoing.


theirishtimes--2020-05-05--Midwifery during a pandemic: ‘It was a bit like knowing a tsunami was coming’

Nora Vallejo has been a midwife for almost 27 years , but she said working during the coronavirus pandemic can sometimes feel like going “ against all our instincts ” .
Ms Vallejo , who works in the Coombe Women & Infants University Hospital , said that partners are allowed to attend the birth of their child , but then have to leave the hospital again soon after .
“ What ’ s hard is sometimes they ’ re separated from their partners and that ’ s hard for them .
The partners , too , are worried and apprehensive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the door and then waiting for that call to tell them “ Yeah , you can come in now ” , ” she said .
“ It ’ s sort of against all of our instincts as midwives .
You want to mind women and you want to involve their partners as much as possible .
But now it ’ s like : “ Yeah I ’ m sorry , now you ’ ve had your baby , and unfortunately you ’ ve to say your goodbyes.
’ That ’ s really tough.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ they call a “ red zone ” for women who are positive with Covid-19 , or suspected of having the virus , in a bid to prevent the spread of the virus among patients .
Ms Vallejo said prepartion for the arrival of the virus was challenging because it was unclear how it would affect maternity services .
“ It was a little bit like knowing a tsunami was coming and you ’ re like running for your life but thinking ‘ well we have to prepare for that ’ , ” Ms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ screen everybody that comes into the hospital .
‘ Have you been in contact with anyone ?
Are you well yourself ?
Have you symptoms ?
’ All those questions .
From that point , there ’ s a different workload in that there ’ s more things to do but still all the other elements carry on.
” She added that there “ hasn ’ t been a massive amount ” of women who were positive for the virus .
Ms Vallejo was speaking in advance of International Day of The Midwife @ @ @ @ @ @ @ celebration of the work of midwives , on May 5th .
Prof Michael O ’ Connell , Master of the hospital , commended the “ excellent care ” midwives have given to women over the past few weeks , despite the challenge of Covid-19 .
“ The sacrifices they have made , and the dedication to caring for women and babies that they have shown has been particularly inspiring , ” he said .
Meanwhile , the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation ( INMO ) has called on policy makers to recognise the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ babies have been born in Ireland ’ s hospitals since the arrival of Covid-19 in late February , the organisation said .
There are 1,479 staff midwives working in the public health service , which is below the scientifically recommended ratio of one midwife to every 29.5 births , the organisation added .
“ While much has been put on hold during the pandemic , childbirth has continued as normal , ” said INMO general secretary , Phil Ní Sheaghdha .
“ The skill and dedication of midwives not only deserves recognition , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ midwifery under pressure , leaving overworked staff to pick up the slack .
”

Nora Vallejo, a midwife, standing outside the red zone, in which women with Covid-19 are cared for.
Nora Vallejo has been a midwife for almost 27 years, but she said working during the coronavirus pandemic can sometimes feel like going "against all our instincts".
Ms Vallejo, who works in the Coombe Women & Infants University Hospital, said that partners are allowed to attend the birth of their child, but then have to leave the hospital again soon after.
“What’s hard is sometimes they’re separated from their partners and that’s hard for them. The partners, too, are worried and apprehensive. They’re leaving them at the door and then waiting for that call to tell them “Yeah, you can come in now”,” she said.
“It’s sort of against all of our instincts as midwives. You want to mind women and you want to involve their partners as much as possible. But now it’s like: “Yeah I’m sorry, now you’ve had your baby, and unfortunately you’ve to say your goodbyes.’ That’s really tough.”
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There's a different workload in that there's more things to do but still all the other elements carry on
The Coombe hospital has established what they call a “red zone” for women who are positive with Covid-19, or suspected of having the virus, in a bid to prevent the spread of the virus among patients.
Ms Vallejo said prepartion for the arrival of the virus was challenging because it was unclear how it would affect maternity services.
“It was a little bit like knowing a tsunami was coming and you’re like running for your life but thinking ‘well we have to prepare for that’,” Ms Vallejo said.
“You have to screen everybody that comes into the hospital. ‘Have you been in contact with anyone? Are you well yourself? Have you symptoms?’ All those questions. From that point, there’s a different workload in that there’s more things to do but still all the other elements carry on.”
She added that there “hasn’t been a massive amount” of women who were positive for the virus.
Ms Vallejo was speaking in advance of International Day of The Midwife, a global day of recognition and celebration of the work of midwives, on May 5th.
Prof Michael O’Connell, Master of the hospital, commended the “excellent care” midwives have given to women over the past few weeks, despite the challenge of Covid-19.
“The sacrifices they have made, and the dedication to caring for women and babies that they have shown has been particularly inspiring,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) has called on policy makers to recognise the work of midwives.
More than 11,000 babies have been born in Ireland’s hospitals since the arrival of Covid-19 in late February, the organisation said.
There are 1,479 staff midwives working in the public health service, which is below the scientifically recommended ratio of one midwife to every 29.5 births, the organisation added.
“While much has been put on hold during the pandemic, childbirth has continued as normal,” said INMO general secretary, Phil Ní Sheaghdha.
“The skill and dedication of midwives not only deserves recognition, but support. Consistent understaffing has put midwifery under pressure, leaving overworked staff to pick up the slack.”


theirishtimes--2020-05-05--Gardaí investigate cause of fire in historic Dublin building

An Garda Síochána are investigating whether a large fire in a historic north Co Dublin building on Monday night was started deliberately .
Several Dublin Fire Brigade units were called to a blaze at Belcamp College , a former school located off the Malahide road in Balgriffin .
More than 20 firefighters from units in Kilbarrack and North Strand battled the fire for several hours , using water tankers and a turntable ladder .
The units had been called out to the fire shortly before 9pm on Monday .
Strong winds blew large amounts of smoke over the surrounding area @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and there were no injuries .
Investigating gardaí were at the scene on Tuesday morning seeking to establish if the fire was started deliberately .
Firefighters remained at the scene on Tuesday morning .
“ Although the fire is under control , small pockets of fire are still alight , ” Dublin Fire Brigade tweeted .
“ For this reason , we advise for local residents to keep windows and door closed to prevent smoke entering your home .
Please stay away from the area.
” Belcamp was built in the 18th @ @ @ @ @ @ @ James Hoban of Kilkenny who also designed the White House in Washington .
Actor Brendan Gleeson was a teacher at the former school , and its notable past pupils include golfer Philip Walton , and famous Kilkenny hurler Frank Cummins .
The school was run by the Oblate religious order and closed in 2004 .
There have been several fires started in the derelict building over the last decade , most recently in 2016 .

An Garda Síochána are investigating whether a large fire in a historic north Co Dublin building on Monday night was started deliberately.
Several Dublin Fire Brigade units were called to a blaze at Belcamp College, a former school located off the Malahide road in Balgriffin.
More than 20 firefighters from units in Kilbarrack and North Strand battled the fire for several hours, using water tankers and a turntable ladder. The units had been called out to the fire shortly before 9pm on Monday.
Strong winds blew large amounts of smoke over the surrounding area as the blaze was brought under control, and there were no injuries.
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Investigating gardaí were at the scene on Tuesday morning seeking to establish if the fire was started deliberately.
Firefighters remained at the scene on Tuesday morning. “Although the fire is under control, small pockets of fire are still alight,” Dublin Fire Brigade tweeted. “For this reason, we advise for local residents to keep windows and door closed to prevent smoke entering your home. Please stay away from the area.”
Belcamp was built in the 18th century and was designed by the architect James Hoban of Kilkenny who also designed the White House in Washington.
Actor Brendan Gleeson was a teacher at the former school, and its notable past pupils include golfer Philip Walton, and famous Kilkenny hurler Frank Cummins.
The school was run by the Oblate religious order and closed in 2004.
There have been several fires started in the derelict building over the last decade, most recently in 2016.


theirishtimes--2020-05-05--Coronavirus: Judge hopes more High Court cases can be heard remotely

The High Court is hoping that remote hearings will become more widely available over the coming weeks , the president of the Association of Judges of Ireland has said .
Mr Justice David Barniville , of the High Court , who presided over a number of commercial court hearings held remotely last week , said they had “ worked fine ” and that he had reported this back to his colleagues in the court .
Each of the cases involved just two parties , and the papers were filed with the judge prior to the remote hearing .
The barristers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as were the solicitors .
There were no witnesses .
The judge was in court , as was the registrar .
Last week the High Court and the Circuit Court held a number of remote hearings , joining the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal which had already held remote sittings .
Remote hearings were “ a way of tiding us over until we get back to physical hearings , ” Mr Justice Barniville told The Irish Times .
“ We hope that if there is an easing of restrictions , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ physical hearings as well .
Because the message the courts would want , and that the judges would want to give , is that there is a real desire to facilitate court business and to facilitate litigants and practitioners.
” The idea that “ the whole thing is shut down and closed for business is not good – not good for the judges , not good for the courts , not good for the system ” .
Most judges were very keen to work whatever system will allow for more hearings to take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said , even with cases that did not involve witness evidence , remote hearings were not ideal .
“ You can ’ t get a good picture of the other person , the opponent , while the other side is speaking , or of the clients , or the solicitors , because they are relegated to a little box at the bottom of the screen .
“ Quite often you want to see how a submission is going down , what the reaction of the other side is to it .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Justice Barniville said remote sittings involving witness evidence were even more problematic .
“ In a courtroom you can just look down and see the reactions that everyone is having , and sometimes the reactions are quite important to the evidence being given by somebody on the other side , and you might want to ask them about that when they get into the witness box .
You won ’ t have seen any of that if it is on video.
” Mr Justice Barniville said he believed the very fact of someone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that were lost in remote hearings .
“ There is the stature of the court and all that goes with the court .
It is not quite the same as a judge being in a room , or in their own kitchen .
You just wonder if people treat it with the same degree of seriousness as they would if they had to physically come in to the courtroom and see the trappings of the court and the harp over the bench.
” It was still early days , however , he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may get better at working remotely and become bigger fans of the process .
He noted that in a recent ruling in the English courts , the president of the family law division of the High Court , Sir Andrew McFarlane , said that just because a hearing can be held remotely , does not mean it should be .
The English judge was commenting about a contested case that was scheduled to go ahead and which involved a final care plan for a child who was living with her mother ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Arguing that the case should not go ahead , McFarlane said it was important that the judge could see all the parties involved , particularly the mother , and that a “ postage stamp image ” on a screen was a very poor substitute to seeing that person fully present in a courtroom .
Following the intervention , the hearing was relisted for a date after the lockdown is expected to end .

Mr Justice David Barniville said that although some commercial hearings held remotely have ‘worked fine’, they were not ideal
The High Court is hoping that remote hearings will become more widely available over the coming weeks, the president of the Association of Judges of Ireland has said.
Mr Justice David Barniville, of the High Court, who presided over a number of commercial court hearings held remotely last week, said they had "worked fine" and that he had reported this back to his colleagues in the court.
Each of the cases involved just two parties, and the papers were filed with the judge prior to the remote hearing. The barristers involved were each in different locations, as were the solicitors. There were no witnesses. The judge was in court, as was the registrar.
Last week the High Court and the Circuit Court held a number of remote hearings, joining the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal which had already held remote sittings.
READ MORE
Remote hearings were “a way of tiding us over until we get back to physical hearings,” Mr Justice Barniville told The Irish Times.
“We hope that if there is an easing of restrictions, that we will be able to have more physical hearings as well. Because the message the courts would want, and that the judges would want to give, is that there is a real desire to facilitate court business and to facilitate litigants and practitioners.”
You can't get a good picture of the other person, the opponent... or of the clients, or the solicitors
The idea that “the whole thing is shut down and closed for business is not good – not good for the judges, not good for the courts, not good for the system”.
Most judges were very keen to work whatever system will allow for more hearings to take place, he said.
Witness evidence
However, he said, even with cases that did not involve witness evidence, remote hearings were not ideal.
“You can’t get a good picture of the other person, the opponent, while the other side is speaking, or of the clients, or the solicitors, because they are relegated to a little box at the bottom of the screen.
“Quite often you want to see how a submission is going down, what the reaction of the other side is to it. So you miss all of those.”
Mr Justice Barniville said remote sittings involving witness evidence were even more problematic.
“In a courtroom you can just look down and see the reactions that everyone is having, and sometimes the reactions are quite important to the evidence being given by somebody on the other side, and you might want to ask them about that when they get into the witness box. You won’t have seen any of that if it is on video.”
You just wonder if people treat it with the same degree of seriousness
Mr Justice Barniville said he believed the very fact of someone having to come to court created advantages that were lost in remote hearings.
“There is the stature of the court and all that goes with the court. It is not quite the same as a judge being in a room, or in their own kitchen. You just wonder if people treat it with the same degree of seriousness as they would if they had to physically come in to the courtroom and see the trappings of the court and the harp over the bench.”
Early days
It was still early days, however, he said, and as time passes those involved may get better at working remotely and become bigger fans of the process.
He noted that in a recent ruling in the English courts, the president of the family law division of the High Court, Sir Andrew McFarlane, said that just because a hearing can be held remotely, does not mean it should be.
The English judge was commenting about a contested case that was scheduled to go ahead and which involved a final care plan for a child who was living with her mother’s friend following an interim care order.
Arguing that the case should not go ahead, McFarlane said it was important that the judge could see all the parties involved, particularly the mother, and that a “postage stamp image” on a screen was a very poor substitute to seeing that person fully present in a courtroom.
Following the intervention, the hearing was relisted for a date after the lockdown is expected to end.


theirishtimes--2020-05-05--'People think no one is watching': Fears of environmental damage amid travel restrictions

Ravens in the Wicklow Mountains feed off carcasses of dead sheep , but a richer variety of bird life could thrive if the area could be free from the annual scourge of illegal wildfires , say conservations .
Last month fires laid waste to 16sq km of Wicklow scrubland , blazing through habitats in the middle of nesting and breeding season .
“ Wicklow is an absolute disgrace , ” says Pádraic Fogarty , author of Whittled Away – Ireland ’ s Vanishing Nature , who has tracked the fires over several years .
The area would be an ideal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but the amount of destruction has been extensive – species such as curlews haven ’ t been seen there in years , says Fogarty .
“ The birds are long gone.
” Conservationists fear Covid-19 travel restrictions could lead to more environmental damage this year .
“ We ’ ve got reports of all kinds of stuff going on because people think no one is watching , ” says Fogarty , who is also spokesman for the Irish Wildlife Trust .
The organisation has so far received tip-offs about someone building a road @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unauthorised dredging works and smaller scale habitat removal .
“ The big problem is that rangers are not really out and about , ” says Fogarty .
“ They can only go out if a crime has been reported.
” Landowners who burn scrub usually do it about now .
The vegetation will dry out after a spell of fine weather , making it combustible .
Later in the summer foliage has appeared and it is less flammable .
Nonetheless , it is illegal to burn vegetation from March 1st until August 31st @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bird and other wildlife habitats during nesting and breeding season .
“ The repeated burning has greatly reduced the diversity of vegetation with knock-on impacts on invertebrates , ” says Fogarty .
Sheep grazing , land drainage and industrial forestry also contribute to the problem .
Back in the 1950s and 1960s , a broad diversity of bird life existed in the area .
This is now pretty much gone , with only a few species remaining .
“ You see a lot of ravens because they eat the dead sheep , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
There needs to be some carrot to go along with the stick to encourage landowners to restore habitats , he says .
On the plus side , he notes , there are fewer reports of fires in other counties compared to the period 2015-2017 .
The Irish Wildlife Trust wrote to three farming organisations in April , after the Wicklow fires , with suggestions on how to preserve special areas of conservation .
The ideas included payments for farmers to restore natural habitats ( peatlands or woodlands ) with no farm animals @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scheme for the uplands for farmers who would prefer to have animals and funding to the National Parks and Wildlife Service so they can provide science and ecological advice to farmers as well as producing management plans for protected ecological areas .
Fogarty says a rewilding plan over the next 20 years would transform the landscape : positive results would be evident in the short term and eventually the area would return to native woodland and bog .
Meanwhile , Dublin City Council has asked people to take care while walking around beaches @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ringed plover , which are now nesting .
“ Great news , ” tweeted the council last Thursday .
“ We have birds nesting on our beaches at the moment.
” It urged visitors to “ please watch where you ’ re walking or cycling and keep dogs on leads at all times ” .
BirdWatch Ireland also has information online at https : //birdwatchireland.ie/ for what to do if you find a lone baby bird outdoors during nesting season , with the advice in most cases being to do nothing .

Ravens in the Wicklow Mountains feed off carcasses of dead sheep, but a richer variety of bird life could thrive if the area could be free from the annual scourge of illegal wildfires, say conservations.
Last month fires laid waste to 16sq km of Wicklow scrubland, blazing through habitats in the middle of nesting and breeding season.
“Wicklow is an absolute disgrace,” says Pádraic Fogarty, author of Whittled Away – Ireland’s Vanishing Nature, who has tracked the fires over several years. The area would be an ideal location to restore habitats and develop woodland but the amount of destruction has been extensive – species such as curlews haven’t been seen there in years, says Fogarty. “The birds are long gone.”
Conservationists fear Covid-19 travel restrictions could lead to more environmental damage this year. “We’ve got reports of all kinds of stuff going on because people think no one is watching,” says Fogarty, who is also spokesman for the Irish Wildlife Trust.
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The organisation has so far received tip-offs about someone building a road through a sand dune special-conservation area, unauthorised dredging works and smaller scale habitat removal.
“The big problem is that rangers are not really out and about,” says Fogarty. “They can only go out if a crime has been reported.”
Landowners who burn scrub usually do it about now. The vegetation will dry out after a spell of fine weather, making it combustible. Later in the summer foliage has appeared and it is less flammable. Nonetheless, it is illegal to burn vegetation from March 1st until August 31st; the prohibition is designed to protect bird and other wildlife habitats during nesting and breeding season.
“The repeated burning has greatly reduced the diversity of vegetation with knock-on impacts on invertebrates,” says Fogarty. Sheep grazing, land drainage and industrial forestry also contribute to the problem.
A photograph taken in October 2017 showing areas of habitat destroyed by fire. Photograph: Irish Wildlife Trust
North Bull Island Nature Reserve and Bird Sanctuary where Dublin City Council has asked people to take care while walking around beaches to avoid disturbing birds, such as the ringed plover.Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish Times
Back in the 1950s and 1960s, a broad diversity of bird life existed in the area. This is now pretty much gone, with only a few species remaining. “You see a lot of ravens because they eat the dead sheep,” says Fogarty.
What can be done?
There needs to be some carrot to go along with the stick to encourage landowners to restore habitats, he says. On the plus side, he notes, there are fewer reports of fires in other counties compared to the period 2015-2017.
The Irish Wildlife Trust wrote to three farming organisations in April, after the Wicklow fires, with suggestions on how to preserve special areas of conservation.
The ideas included payments for farmers to restore natural habitats (peatlands or woodlands) with no farm animals; a “high nature value” scheme for the uplands for farmers who would prefer to have animals and funding to the National Parks and Wildlife Service so they can provide science and ecological advice to farmers as well as producing management plans for protected ecological areas.
Fogarty says a rewilding plan over the next 20 years would transform the landscape: positive results would be evident in the short term and eventually the area would return to native woodland and bog.
Meanwhile, Dublin City Council has asked people to take care while walking around beaches to avoid disturbing birds, such as the ringed plover, which are now nesting. “Great news,” tweeted the council last Thursday. “We have birds nesting on our beaches at the moment.” It urged visitors to “please watch where you’re walking or cycling and keep dogs on leads at all times”.
BirdWatch Ireland also has information online at https://birdwatchireland.ie/ for what to do if you find a lone baby bird outdoors during nesting season, with the advice in most cases being to do nothing.


theirishtimes--2020-05-05--Pubs may be allowed to reopen before August 10th if they can enforce social distancing

Pubs could be allowed to open earlier than the August 10th deadline in the Government ’ s Covid-19 plan if they demonstrate that they can enforce rigid social distancing measures , industry representatives are likely to be told this week .
As business groups begin to work out what the proposals to ease Covid-19 restrictions over the summer will mean for them , senior Government figures have indicated that they are prepared to amend the Reopening Ireland plan if the decline in the spread of the virus continues , and businesses show how they can enforce social distancing .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be eased in stages from May 18th but from Tuesday two changes take effect .
The limit for exercising from people ’ s homes is being extended from 2km to 5km , and the recommendation that over-70s “ cocoon ” at all times is being adjusted to allow for outings with appropriate social distancing .
Under the existing plan , published last Friday , pubs are not due to reopen until August 10th , though cafes and restaurants will be allowed to reopen from the end of June .
Sources familiar with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ differently from cafes and restaurants may not be feasible if they can demonstrate how they will enforce social distancing .
“ Packed pubs can ’ t come back – but table service with social distancing could , ” said one person involved in the discussions .
Publicans ’ representatives are due to meet with Government this week to discuss the issue , and on Monday the publicans published proposals which would allow them to open earlier than August .
In a sign of creeping frustration with the lockdown , figures obtained by The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than a third over the weekend compared to the Easter bank holiday .
There is pressure from some Ministers to accelerate the reopening plan , although Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and the Minister for Health Simon Harris are cautious about going beyond the advice by public health officials .
All say that the phased reopening of commercial and social life will only proceed if the suppression of the virus continues .
The Irish Times also understands that Ministers have been discussing new travel restrictions for people coming into Ireland once the reopening begins here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the departments of health , transport and justice , as well as from the Attorney General ’ s office , are understood to be consulting on options .
Officials monitor the numbers of travellers coming into the country every day and their reasons for making the journey to Ireland .
The numbers are currently extremely low .
However , once countries begin to reopen , the numbers are expected to grow quickly and there is concern that incoming travellers could carry the virus into the community .
The feasibility of enforcing a 14-day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At present , travellers are asked to confine themselves for 14 days but the only supervision is a follow-up phone call .
One proposal likely to be discussed in the coming weeks is that travellers coming into Ireland should be required to stay in a facility – such as an airport hotel – for 14 days , or pending a negative test for the virus , though this is thought to be difficult to manage .
However , senior sources said that there would be no restrictions on the Border with Northern Ireland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Covid-19 have died in the Republic , health officials disclosed on Monday , bringing to 1,319 the total number of deaths associated with the disease .
Six more coronavirus-related deaths were recorded in Northern Ireland , bringing the total number of hospital fatalities in the North to 387 .

Under the existing plan, published last Friday, pubs are not due to reopen until August 10th. Photograph: Eric Luke
Pubs could be allowed to open earlier than the August 10th deadline in the Government’s Covid-19 plan if they demonstrate that they can enforce rigid social distancing measures, industry representatives are likely to be told this week.
As business groups begin to work out what the proposals to ease Covid-19 restrictions over the summer will mean for them, senior Government figures have indicated that they are prepared to amend the Reopening Ireland plan if the decline in the spread of the virus continues, and businesses show how they can enforce social distancing.
The current restrictions on social and economic life will be eased in stages from May 18th but from Tuesday two changes take effect. The limit for exercising from people's homes is being extended from 2km to 5km, and the recommendation that over-70s "cocoon" at all times is being adjusted to allow for outings with appropriate social distancing.
Under the existing plan, published last Friday, pubs are not due to reopen until August 10th, though cafes and restaurants will be allowed to reopen from the end of June.
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Sources familiar with discussions in Government say that treating pubs differently from cafes and restaurants may not be feasible if they can demonstrate how they will enforce social distancing.
“Packed pubs can’t come back – but table service with social distancing could,” said one person involved in the discussions.
Publicans’ representatives are due to meet with Government this week to discuss the issue, and on Monday the publicans published proposals which would allow them to open earlier than August.
Increased traffic
In a sign of creeping frustration with the lockdown, figures obtained by The Irish Times show road traffic increased more than a third over the weekend compared to the Easter bank holiday.
There is pressure from some Ministers to accelerate the reopening plan, although Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and the Minister for Health Simon Harris are cautious about going beyond the advice by public health officials. All say that the phased reopening of commercial and social life will only proceed if the suppression of the virus continues.
The Irish Times also understands that Ministers have been discussing new travel restrictions for people coming into Ireland once the reopening begins here and in other countries. Officials from the departments of health, transport and justice, as well as from the Attorney General’s office, are understood to be consulting on options.
Officials monitor the numbers of travellers coming into the country every day and their reasons for making the journey to Ireland. The numbers are currently extremely low. However, once countries begin to reopen, the numbers are expected to grow quickly and there is concern that incoming travellers could carry the virus into the community.
Quarantine
The feasibility of enforcing a 14-day quarantine is likely to be discussed. At present, travellers are asked to confine themselves for 14 days but the only supervision is a follow-up phone call. One proposal likely to be discussed in the coming weeks is that travellers coming into Ireland should be required to stay in a facility – such as an airport hotel – for 14 days, or pending a negative test for the virus, though this is thought to be difficult to manage. However, senior sources said that there would be no restrictions on the Border with Northern Ireland.
A further 16 people diagnosed with Covid-19 have died in the Republic, health officials disclosed on Monday, bringing to 1,319 the total number of deaths associated with the disease.
Six more coronavirus-related deaths were recorded in Northern Ireland, bringing the total number of hospital fatalities in the North to 387.


theirishtimes--2020-05-05--Closure of courts sees income stream 'turned off' for many barristers

The closure of the courts has “ turned off ” the income stream of many of the State ’ s barristers , while for solicitors the stalling of the property market and the prospect of another economic downturn means Covid-19 has upended their businesses .
“ Colleagues are telling me that they ’ re closing some sales , but I ’ m finding that we ’ re not finishing anything at the moment , ” says Patricia Drumgoole , principal of a small solicitors ’ practice in Drumcondra , Dublin .
Conveyancing is an important part of the firm where @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Asked for examples of how the lockdown has affected her , she cites a client in an executor ’ s sale who felt she could not make the 10-mile journey to clear out the house .
“ She felt she couldn ’ t because it was a non-essential journey in her view .
Also , people are having trouble getting removal people .
That ’ s a real problem with sales.
” Colleagues have told her of sales being stopped at the last moment as banks check whether a person is still @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Her practice was set up in 2004 , and survived the last recession .
“ Things improved the , after the downturn , but now income is significantly reduced , and I suspect it will be at least for the rest of the year .
Goodness knows what will happen after that.
” The cessation of so many family law hearings is the most difficult issue from the point of view of clients .
“ If you have an access [ to a child ] or a maintenance payment problem and you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are given for a hearing is for November .
That is very difficult for people .
“ The one thing we are finishing is wills .
We are not run off our feet making wills , but we definitely have done a lot more over the past six weeks than we would normally do.
” John Moylan , of Richard Moylan & Co , Mallow , Co Cork , began working in his father ’ s practice when just 16 .
He qualified as a solicitor in 1978 , and works in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four staff .
Since the Covid lockdown began he has been interviewing clients in the office car park for social distancing reasons .
“ I never thought that the car park would have a beneficial impact in terms of interviewing people .
It ’ s really handy.
” Asked how much new business is coming into the firm , he answered : “ Practically none at all .
Everybody ’ s gone into a cocoon.
” One area that has remained active is the making of wills .
“ I made a will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ] went out to a lady , drove in her entrance , in two separate cars .
She opened the window , and my colleague went up and dealt with her at the window She read the will and was happy with it .
She was a very elderly lady .
She signed it .
I stood back about 10 feet , and then I signed it .
That ’ s how it worked there .
Out the window .
People are very adaptable.
” The impact of Covid-19 is being felt across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ken Murphy , director general of the Law Society .
“ I would say it is very deep for all , and will be devastating for some .
But we don ’ t know as yet the depth and duration of the crisis , so it is impossible to predict what the ultimate effect will be.
” A senior partner with one of Ireland ’ s largest law firms , speaking off the record , said the initial stages of the crisis has produced a lot of new work .
“ It is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This time it is a very sudden shock and that gives rise to a lot of legal business.
” Legal advice to do with crisis management , and businesses not being able to fulfil contract obligations are among the issues creating work , she said .
“ There is a lot of remote arbitrations going on , a lot of mediation of matters that are not going to hearing in court .
Some very interesting stuff .
“ The issue is going to be , come June or July , what is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crisis still be going on in three months , or six , or nine ?
” There will be lots of work in the coming period in certain areas , she believes , but the jobs market for solicitors has now altered completely .
“ Six months ago holding on to good staff was really challenging .
I think that has changed , and the level of jobs available is going to drop off .
Young people are really going to have to stand out and show that they are top-end if they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now.
” In her view solicitors are doing better than barristers , who have been “ hit very hard ” by the near-closure of the courts .
“ The reality is that all non-urgent court business has ceased , and the capacity of barristers to earn a living has , for the moment , in large measure ceased , ” according to Mícheál P O ’ Higgins SC , chairman of the Bar Council .
There are no personal injuries cases taking place , no family law cases apart from some urgent categories @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , no judicial reviews , he said .
“ Even custody cases are not continuing , criminal trials where a person is in custody are not even listed to be heard .
For many barristers their income stream has just been turned off.
” The vast majority of barristers are members of the Bar of Ireland , which provides a range of services to its approximately 2,200 members in return for annual fees that range from €1,500 for someone starting out to €8,515 for a senior counsel .
“ When the crisis kicked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we began to be inundated with members saying they wanted to cease their membership , ” said Ciara Murphy , chief executive of the Bar .
“ I suppose the analogy would be like a run on the banks .
So we had to get ahead of it because people were panicking at the beginning , understandably , and we said , hold back , and give us a bit of time , to see if we could help people financially.
” Members have now been given a 25 per cent credit on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fact that the courts are essentially closed .
The Bar owns substantial properties on Church Street and Bow Street in Dublin , close to the Four Courts , where it rents office space to its members .
A two-month rent freeze has been agreed , again to help members deal with the financial implications of Covid-19 .
Plans to temporarily lay off approximately half of its 76 staff , and put a lot of the remaining staff on significantly reduced hours , were shelved after the Bar received help from the Government ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those options are still on the table , depending on what happens , ” said Murphy .
“ More than 90 per cent of my work is based in the Criminal Courts of Justice , ” said Diana Stuart BL .
“ Instead of making daily appearances , I have only been in court on a handful of occasions since March 13th.
” Her income , in common with that of so many of her colleagues , is greatly reduced.
“ All barristers are concerned about what the future holds in terms of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ involved in a number of virtual court hearings , taking part remotely from the box room of her home , a room which , she said , she now regrets having painted bright orange .
“ It ’ s not a work scenario I ’ d ever imagined happening.
” Even before the Covid-19 crisis there was a long wait for criminal trials to get ahead .
“ It could take up to two years to get back on track .
During that time defendants will be left on bail , and prisoners @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continue to wait to give evidence , all being denied their access to justice.
” Tony McGillicuddy BL would usually have at least one jury trial in his diary every week during the law term .
“ God knows when jury trials will be back .
I suspect they won ’ t be until October at the earliest .
That will be very tough on people .
Jury trials could be one of the last things to resume , like shopping centres and pubs.
” He would like to see the Courts Service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to reopen the courts for business as the Covid restrictions ease .
One of suggestion he makes is that recently retired senior judges be allowed come back to help clear the backlog in the High Court .
Cases could be held in hotels in regional towns and cities , where the necessary social distancing could be accommodated in large function rooms .
Grainne Larkin BL , who works mainly on personal injury litigation in the Circuit Court , has seen most of her cases put back to at least November .
At the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , mostly processing cases that were already in the system .
“ Footfall in the solicitor ’ s office has fallen dramatically .
It ’ s hard to tell what the impact will be on income as a lot of work may be condensed into the second half of the year.
” Some barristers earned enormous amounts of money and because there is usually a substantial time lag before they get paid for their work the reduction in their income will not manifest itself until later this year and into next year .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , especially the younger ones , earning a living can be a struggle .
The fact that the crisis is hitting both barristers and solicitors means that solicitors are less likely to engage barristers to do work that they can do themselves , said one barrister , speaking off the record .
He cites as an example the arrangement where barristers can be asked by a busy solicitor to represent an accused in a District Court remand hearing , in return for splitting the €50.39 fee with the solicitor .
“ Now that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under pressure as well , so they are doing the work themselves .
”

“God knows when jury trials will be back. I suspect they won’t be until October at the earliest. That will be very tough on people.” Photograph: Getty Images
The closure of the courts has “turned off” the income stream of many of the State’s barristers, while for solicitors the stalling of the property market and the prospect of another economic downturn means Covid-19 has upended their businesses.
"Colleagues are telling me that they're closing some sales, but I'm finding that we're not finishing anything at the moment," says Patricia Drumgoole, principal of a small solicitors' practice in Drumcondra, Dublin.
Conveyancing is an important part of the firm where she works alongside one other part-time solicitor.
Asked for examples of how the lockdown has affected her, she cites a client in an executor’s sale who felt she could not make the 10-mile journey to clear out the house. “She felt she couldn’t because it was a non-essential journey in her view. Also, people are having trouble getting removal people. That’s a real problem with sales.”
READ MORE
Colleagues have told her of sales being stopped at the last moment as banks check whether a person is still working, before releasing the agreed loan.
Her practice was set up in 2004, and survived the last recession. “Things improved the, after the downturn, but now income is significantly reduced, and I suspect it will be at least for the rest of the year. Goodness knows what will happen after that.”
The cessation of so many family law hearings is the most difficult issue from the point of view of clients.
“If you have an access [to a child] or a maintenance payment problem and you go to court, the date you are given for a hearing is for November. That is very difficult for people.
“The one thing we are finishing is wills. We are not run off our feet making wills, but we definitely have done a lot more over the past six weeks than we would normally do.”
Father’s practice
John Moylan, of Richard Moylan & Co, Mallow, Co Cork, began working in his father's practice when just 16. He qualified as a solicitor in 1978, and works in the practice along with two other solicitors and four staff.
Since the Covid lockdown began he has been interviewing clients in the office car park for social distancing reasons. “I never thought that the car park would have a beneficial impact in terms of interviewing people. It’s really handy.”
Asked how much new business is coming into the firm, he answered: “Practically none at all. Everybody’s gone into a cocoon.”
One area that has remained active is the making of wills. “I made a will yesterday. [He and a colleague] went out to a lady, drove in her entrance, in two separate cars. She opened the window, and my colleague went up and dealt with her at the window She read the will and was happy with it. She was a very elderly lady. She signed it. I stood back about 10 feet, and then I signed it. That’s how it worked there. Out the window. People are very adaptable.”
The impact of Covid-19 is being felt across the solicitors 'profession, according to Ken Murphy, director general of the Law Society.
“I would say it is very deep for all, and will be devastating for some. But we don’t know as yet the depth and duration of the crisis, so it is impossible to predict what the ultimate effect will be.”
A senior partner with one of Ireland’s largest law firms, speaking off the record, said the initial stages of the crisis has produced a lot of new work.
“It is very different from the financial crisis. This time it is a very sudden shock and that gives rise to a lot of legal business.”
Legal advice to do with crisis management, and businesses not being able to fulfil contract obligations are among the issues creating work, she said.
“There is a lot of remote arbitrations going on, a lot of mediation of matters that are not going to hearing in court. Some very interesting stuff.
“The issue is going to be, come June or July, what is the level of work then. Will the crisis still be going on in three months, or six, or nine?”
Good staff
There will be lots of work in the coming period in certain areas, she believes, but the jobs market for solicitors has now altered completely.
“Six months ago holding on to good staff was really challenging. I think that has changed, and the level of jobs available is going to drop off. Young people are really going to have to stand out and show that they are top-end if they want to get into the top firms now.”
In her view solicitors are doing better than barristers, who have been “hit very hard” by the near-closure of the courts.
"The reality is that all non-urgent court business has ceased, and the capacity of barristers to earn a living has, for the moment, in large measure ceased," according to Mícheál P O'Higgins SC, chairman of the Bar Council.
There are no personal injuries cases taking place, no family law cases apart from some urgent categories, no neighbour disputes, contract disputes, no judicial reviews, he said.
“Even custody cases are not continuing, criminal trials where a person is in custody are not even listed to be heard. For many barristers their income stream has just been turned off.”
The vast majority of barristers are members of the Bar of Ireland, which provides a range of services to its approximately 2,200 members in return for annual fees that range from €1,500 for someone starting out to €8,515 for a senior counsel.
"When the crisis kicked in and the courts shut down, we began to be inundated with members saying they wanted to cease their membership," said Ciara Murphy, chief executive of the Bar.
“I suppose the analogy would be like a run on the banks. So we had to get ahead of it because people were panicking at the beginning, understandably, and we said, hold back, and give us a bit of time, to see if we could help people financially.”
Rent freeze
Members have now been given a 25 per cent credit on their fees, in recognition of the fact that the courts are essentially closed.
The Bar owns substantial properties on Church Street and Bow Street in Dublin, close to the Four Courts, where it rents office space to its members. A two-month rent freeze has been agreed, again to help members deal with the financial implications of Covid-19.
Plans to temporarily lay off approximately half of its 76 staff, and put a lot of the remaining staff on significantly reduced hours, were shelved after the Bar received help from the Government’s wage support scheme. “But those options are still on the table, depending on what happens,” said Murphy.
“More than 90 per cent of my work is based in the Criminal Courts of Justice,” said Diana Stuart BL. “Instead of making daily appearances, I have only been in court on a handful of occasions since March 13th.”
Her income, in common with that of so many of her colleagues, is greatly reduced.“All barristers are concerned about what the future holds in terms of career and income.”
Stuart has been involved in a number of virtual court hearings, taking part remotely from the box room of her home, a room which, she said, she now regrets having painted bright orange. “It’s not a work scenario I’d ever imagined happening.”
Even before the Covid-19 crisis there was a long wait for criminal trials to get ahead.
“It could take up to two years to get back on track. During that time defendants will be left on bail, and prisoners in custody, victims and witnesses will continue to wait to give evidence, all being denied their access to justice.”
Tony McGillicuddy BL would usually have at least one jury trial in his diary every week during the law term.
“God knows when jury trials will be back. I suspect they won’t be until October at the earliest. That will be very tough on people. Jury trials could be one of the last things to resume, like shopping centres and pubs.”
Retired senior judges
He would like to see the Courts Service outline its plans for how it intends to reopen the courts for business as the Covid restrictions ease.
One of suggestion he makes is that recently retired senior judges be allowed come back to help clear the backlog in the High Court.
Cases could be held in hotels in regional towns and cities, where the necessary social distancing could be accommodated in large function rooms.
Grainne Larkin BL, who works mainly on personal injury litigation in the Circuit Court, has seen most of her cases put back to at least November. At the moment she is doing work at home, mostly processing cases that were already in the system.
“Footfall in the solicitor’s office has fallen dramatically. It’s hard to tell what the impact will be on income as a lot of work may be condensed into the second half of the year.”
Some barristers earned enormous amounts of money and because there is usually a substantial time lag before they get paid for their work the reduction in their income will not manifest itself until later this year and into next year.
Yet for many members of the profession, especially the younger ones, earning a living can be a struggle.
The fact that the crisis is hitting both barristers and solicitors means that solicitors are less likely to engage barristers to do work that they can do themselves, said one barrister, speaking off the record.
He cites as an example the arrangement where barristers can be asked by a busy solicitor to represent an accused in a District Court remand hearing, in return for splitting the €50.39 fee with the solicitor.
“Now that’s drying up. Solicitors are under pressure as well, so they are doing the work themselves.”


theirishtimes--2020-05-06--Boarding schools highlight social-distancing challenges for Leaving Cert

Boarding schools have voiced concern over whether they can implement social distancing measures if they reopen for the Leaving Cert exams later this summer .
Many say they face steep challenges in ensuring students are safe during the two-week period they are due to reopen in July , as well as during the exams themselves .
In addition , some schools have overseas students who are worried they may not be able to return in time to sit the exam due to travel restrictions or quarantine rules .
Fr Martin Browne , headmaster of Glenstal Abbey School , Co Limerick @ @ @ @ @ @ @ type of safety measures may be required if the school ’ s 41 boarders returned in July .
Of these , five are based overseas in Germany , Japan , Saudi Arabia , Switzerland and the US .
He said there were many unanswered questions surrounding how the school would manage .
“ Will we need to bring the overseas students back ahead of the Irish students , and isolate them around the building ?
” said Fr Browne .
“ We could do that easily enough with five students .
But then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the Irish cohort of students arriving .
Are they expected to isolate when they come here ?
Do they have to come two weeks before the exams ?
“ That could be a bit crazy : to have 40 students come back here only to be told , basically , to hide in their rooms and not interact with one another.
” While boarding students account for a small proportion of the 50,000 or so students due to sit the exams , Fr Browne said it was important that their needs were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ example , he said rumours that exams could be spread out over a longer period so students did not share an exam hall for longer than necessary were a “ nonsense ” for boarding schools .
While it was one thing having “ military-precision social distancing for the two or three hours of the exam paper ” , there also needed to be a recognition that boarding students would end up in the school for the remaining 21 hours of the day .
Fr Browne said he was not calling for the cancellation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to ensure that any decisions by policymakers took into account what was “ reasonable and possible ” in schools .
The Joint Managerial Body , which represents voluntary secondary schools and most boarding schools , says it has been raising these concerns with the Department of Education .
The department , meanwhile , says it is meeting twice weekly with education partners to take on board issues relating to all the exams across all schools .
St Columba ’ s College , a boarding school in south Dublin , also said it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were kept to the fore .
Mark Boobeyer , warden of St Columba ’ s , said up to half of the 60-70 students due to sit the Leaving Cert were based abroad .
He said the school was examining contingency plans such as requiring international students to self-isolate for two weeks or for boarders to stay with local families during the exam period .
“ It ’ s problematic and I hope their needs will be taken into consideration .
It ’ s only right that overseas students – a proportion of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ equally .
Would I like the Leaving Cert go ahead ?
On balance , I would say no.
” Many Irish boarding school have students based abroad who are worried they will not be able to return for the Leaving Cert exams .
Uncertainty over travel restrictions and whether boarding schools will be able open safely are just some of their concerns .
Many left boarding schools shortly after they were shut down in mid-March , but are keeping up with their studies online .
Henri Cramer , a student in Glenstal Abbey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said it is disconcerting studying for exams so far from Ireland and misses contact with his schoolfriends .
“ I miss seeing everyone on a daily basis and being able to consult subject teachers and career guidance teachers regarding any queries or questions as I normally would .
We can consult them of course on Zoom which is the next best thing , ” he says .
James Fitzgerald , another Glenstal student , is based in the US .
He is also unsure what awaits in the summer .
“ Being faced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and staff have been incredibly supportive , no matter where we might be in the world and have adapted and helped us to adapt to online learning , ” he said .
Younes Lefgoum , based in Algeria , is also trying to look on the bright side and say he feels connected to students and teachers .
“ We have regular Zoom classes and chats and there seems to be the same good environment between students and teachers/tutors as we would normally have at school , ” he says .
“ Having @ @ @ @ @ @ @ YouTube also help us all to feel connected .
”

Boarding schools such as Glenstal Abbey are looking at what safety measures may be required if boarders return in July for exams. Photograph: Arthur Ellis/Press22
Boarding schools have voiced concern over whether they can implement social distancing measures if they reopen for the Leaving Cert exams later this summer.
Many say they face steep challenges in ensuring students are safe during the two-week period they are due to reopen in July, as well as during the exams themselves.
In addition, some schools have overseas students who are worried they may not be able to return in time to sit the exam due to travel restrictions or quarantine rules.
Fr Martin Browne, headmaster of Glenstal Abbey School, Co Limerick, said the school was examining what type of safety measures may be required if the school's 41 boarders returned in July.
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Of these, five are based overseas in Germany, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland and the US.
He said there were many unanswered questions surrounding how the school would manage.
“Will we need to bring the overseas students back ahead of the Irish students, and isolate them around the building?” said Fr Browne.
Student isolation
“We could do that easily enough with five students. But then there are similar questions when it comes to the Irish cohort of students arriving. Are they expected to isolate when they come here? Do they have to come two weeks before the exams?
“That could be a bit crazy: to have 40 students come back here only to be told, basically, to hide in their rooms and not interact with one another.”
While boarding students account for a small proportion of the 50,000 or so students due to sit the exams, Fr Browne said it was important that their needs were also considered in any decision-making.
For example, he said rumours that exams could be spread out over a longer period so students did not share an exam hall for longer than necessary were a “nonsense” for boarding schools.
While it was one thing having “military-precision social distancing for the two or three hours of the exam paper”, there also needed to be a recognition that boarding students would end up in the school for the remaining 21 hours of the day.
‘Reasonable and possible’
Fr Browne said he was not calling for the cancellation of the Leaving Cert, but wanted to ensure that any decisions by policymakers took into account what was “reasonable and possible” in schools.
The Joint Managerial Body, which represents voluntary secondary schools and most boarding schools, says it has been raising these concerns with the Department of Education.
Fr Martin Browne, OSB, headmaster of Glenstal Abbey School: While it was one thing having “military-precision social distancing for the two or three hours of the exam paper”, boarding students would end up in the school for the remaining 21 hours of the day. Photograph: Liam Burke/Press 22
The department, meanwhile, says it is meeting twice weekly with education partners to take on board issues relating to all the exams across all schools.
St Columba’s College, a boarding school in south Dublin, also said it was important that the needs of boarding students were kept to the fore.
Mark Boobeyer, warden of St Columba's, said up to half of the 60-70 students due to sit the Leaving Cert were based abroad.
He said the school was examining contingency plans such as requiring international students to self-isolate for two weeks or for boarders to stay with local families during the exam period.
“It’s problematic and I hope their needs will be taken into consideration. It’s only right that overseas students – a proportion of which are Irish – should be treated equally. Would I like the Leaving Cert go ahead? On balance, I would say no.”
Leaving Cert insecurity: Overseas students express concerns
Many Irish boarding school have students based abroad who are worried they will not be able to return for the Leaving Cert exams.
Uncertainty over travel restrictions and whether boarding schools will be able open safely are just some of their concerns.
Many left boarding schools shortly after they were shut down in mid-March, but are keeping up with their studies online.
Henri Cramer, a student in Glenstal Abbey whose family home is in Berlin, said it is disconcerting studying for exams so far from Ireland and misses contact with his schoolfriends.
“I miss seeing everyone on a daily basis and being able to consult subject teachers and career guidance teachers regarding any queries or questions as I normally would. We can consult them of course on Zoom which is the next best thing,” he says.
James Fitzgerald, another Glenstal student, is based in the US. He is also unsure what awaits in the summer.
“Being faced with a bad situation, the teachers and staff have been incredibly supportive, no matter where we might be in the world and have adapted and helped us to adapt to online learning,” he said.
Younes Lefgoum, based in Algeria, is also trying to look on the bright side and say he feels connected to students and teachers.
“We have regular Zoom classes and chats and there seems to be the same good environment between students and teachers/tutors as we would normally have at school,” he says. “Having our regular morning assemblies via zoom and YouTube also help us all to feel connected.”


theirishtimes--2020-05-06--Healthcare workers could be asked for fee towards new childcare scheme

Frontline healthcare workers could be asked for payments towards a proposed new childcare scheme expected from Government this week .
Under the proposals currently being examined by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs , the department would pay childcare settings such as creches a fixed amount for the service , which would see workers provide care in the homes of health professionals .
Parents will be asked to make a contribution to this sum , although it is expected to be significantly less than most would have been paying for childcare before the Covid-19 crisis or the fees many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home since creches were closed on March 12th .
It is expected that the fee will be charged on a household basis , meaning multiple children will be covered by the same fee , although this element is yet to be finally signed off .
Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Katherine Zappone is set to announce details of the scheme on Thursday .
The scheme is not yet finalised , and is subject to change .
Officials from her department briefed stakeholders , including trade organisations and sectoral representatives , on Tuesday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will see childcare workers taken off the Government ’ s Covid-19-specific wage subsidy scheme in favour of the payment funded partially by the department and partially by parents .
The plan is for the same childcare worker to provide the service , and that it be available seven days a week .
It comes as the department begins to examine strategies for the gradual resumption of childcare services outside the home .
Under the Government ’ s phased plan for reopening , creches , childminders and pre-schools will reopen from June 29th .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of essential workers , but then for all other workers “ on a gradually increasing basis ” from July 20th .
Suggestions that children will initially return to childcare for one day a week have been played down , with concerns that children may not benefit from such an arrangement .
Different scenarios are under examination , based on the assumption that fewer children will return to childcare , at least initially .
The department ’ s two main objectives will be to increase wages in the sector while also reducing the level @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Irish system , which are among the highest in the OECD .
However , it is unlikely that could be achieved under the current budgetary allocation , with a figure needed closer to that currently being spent by the exchequer to support the sector through extraordinary schemes and wage subsidies .
Officials briefed sectoral representatives on take-up of its enhanced wage subsidy scheme , which sees top-ups made to the general Government scheme up to 100 per cent of a wage equivalent to €38,000 per year .
About 83 per cent of childcare @ @ @ @ @ @ @ programme , the meeting was told .
The officials also said that concerns around parents still being asked for fees , as well as the immediate decision of some creches to lay off significant numbers of workers , were the driving reasons for the establishment of the special wage subsidy scheme , and the suspension of other subsidy payments to the sector for the duration of the crisis .

Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Katherine Zappone. She is set to announce details of the scheme on Thursday
Frontline healthcare workers could be asked for payments towards a proposed new childcare scheme expected from Government this week.
Under the proposals currently being examined by the Department of Children and Youth Affairs, the department would pay childcare settings such as creches a fixed amount for the service, which would see workers provide care in the homes of health professionals.
Parents will be asked to make a contribution to this sum, although it is expected to be significantly less than most would have been paying for childcare before the Covid-19 crisis or the fees many had been paying for childcare in the home since creches were closed on March 12th.
It is expected that the fee will be charged on a household basis, meaning multiple children will be covered by the same fee, although this element is yet to be finally signed off.
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Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Katherine Zappone is set to announce details of the scheme on Thursday. The scheme is not yet finalised, and is subject to change.
Officials from her department briefed stakeholders, including trade organisations and sectoral representatives, on Tuesday evening.
It is understood the scheme will see childcare workers taken off the Government’s Covid-19-specific wage subsidy scheme in favour of the payment funded partially by the department and partially by parents.
The plan is for the same childcare worker to provide the service, and that it be available seven days a week.
It comes as the department begins to examine strategies for the gradual resumption of childcare services outside the home. Under the Government’s phased plan for reopening, creches, childminders and pre-schools will reopen from June 29th. Initially this will be for the children of essential workers, but then for all other workers “on a gradually increasing basis” from July 20th.
Suggestions that children will initially return to childcare for one day a week have been played down, with concerns that children may not benefit from such an arrangement.
Different scenarios are under examination, based on the assumption that fewer children will return to childcare, at least initially.
Main objectives
The department’s two main objectives will be to increase wages in the sector while also reducing the level of fees paid by parents using the Irish system, which are among the highest in the OECD.
However, it is unlikely that could be achieved under the current budgetary allocation, with a figure needed closer to that currently being spent by the exchequer to support the sector through extraordinary schemes and wage subsidies.
Officials briefed sectoral representatives on take-up of its enhanced wage subsidy scheme, which sees top-ups made to the general Government scheme up to 100 per cent of a wage equivalent to €38,000 per year. About 83 per cent of childcare providers have now signed up for the programme, the meeting was told.
The officials also said that concerns around parents still being asked for fees, as well as the immediate decision of some creches to lay off significant numbers of workers, were the driving reasons for the establishment of the special wage subsidy scheme, and the suspension of other subsidy payments to the sector for the duration of the crisis.


theirishtimes--2020-05-06--One in every 13 private vehicles is uninsured

The number of uninsured vehicles on Irish roads increased by almost 14,000 last year , according new figures from the Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland , something which it says “ should worry every single Irish road-user ” .
There were just under 165,000 uninsured private vehicles in the State at the end of 2019 , an increase of 13,683 on the same time in 2018 .
This accounts for 7.58 per cent of the 2.2 million-strong private vehicle fleet in the State , MIBI found .
The increase , from 7.16 per cent to 7.58 per cent , means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Irish roads is now uninsured .
David Fitzgerald , the chief executive of the MIBI , said the figures “ show the problem of uninsured driving has grown significantly over the last few years ” .
“ A jump of almost 14,000 uninsured vehicles in a single year is a statistic that should worry every single Irish road-user .
Uninsured drivers are a threat to road safety for the law-abiding majority of private vehicle drivers , making Irish roads less safe and a lot more hazardous.
” The bureau does not believe @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The number of uninsured drivers is taken by combining aggregate official figures provided by the Department of Transport and cross-referencing them with insurance and motor taxation data .
The MIBI also flagged concerns around weaknesses in the economy associated with Covid-19 .
“ We are certainly concerned that with the economy facing a difficult period there may be an even further increase in the level of uninsured driving.
” MIBI was established in 1955 , and its primary function is to manage payouts to the victims of traffic incidents caused by uninsured @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Ireland are required to be members of the organisation , and the organisation ’ s funding comes from these companies .
The bureau has called for the urgent implementation of a motor third-party liability insurance database , which in turn would support a system to allow the Garda identify uninsured vehicles by scanning their licence plates .
The system , known as automatic number plate recognition ( ANPR ) , is already running on a trial basis , and “ has had a tremendous impact based on feedback provided by An Garda @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fitzgerald said , “ will be a strong weapon in the fight to apprehend any individuals who recklessly think they can treat motor insurance as optional ” .
“ Motor insurance is a legal obligation for a reason .
With ANPR those who do not respect that principle will be rolling the dice in a game where the odds will be truly stacked against them .
”

“We are certainly concerned that with the economy facing a difficult period there may be an even further increase in the level of uninsured driving.” Photograph; Getty Images
The number of uninsured vehicles on Irish roads increased by almost 14,000 last year, according new figures from the Motor Insurers Bureau of Ireland, something which it says "should worry every single Irish road-user".
There were just under 165,000 uninsured private vehicles in the State at the end of 2019, an increase of 13,683 on the same time in 2018.
This accounts for 7.58 per cent of the 2.2 million-strong private vehicle fleet in the State, MIBI found.
The increase, from 7.16 per cent to 7.58 per cent, means that one in every 13 private vehicles on Irish roads is now uninsured.
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David Fitzgerald, the chief executive of the MIBI, said the figures "show the problem of uninsured driving has grown significantly over the last few years".
“A jump of almost 14,000 uninsured vehicles in a single year is a statistic that should worry every single Irish road-user. Uninsured drivers are a threat to road safety for the law-abiding majority of private vehicle drivers, making Irish roads less safe and a lot more hazardous.”
The bureau does not believe any one factor has driven the increase.
The number of uninsured drivers is taken by combining aggregate official figures provided by the Department of Transport and cross-referencing them with insurance and motor taxation data.
The MIBI also flagged concerns around weaknesses in the economy associated with Covid-19. “We are certainly concerned that with the economy facing a difficult period there may be an even further increase in the level of uninsured driving.”
MIBI was established in 1955, and its primary function is to manage payouts to the victims of traffic incidents caused by uninsured or unidentified vehicles. Companies underwriting insurance in Ireland are required to be members of the organisation, and the organisation’s funding comes from these companies.
Licence plates
The bureau has called for the urgent implementation of a motor third-party liability insurance database, which in turn would support a system to allow the Garda identify uninsured vehicles by scanning their licence plates.
The system, known as automatic number plate recognition (ANPR), is already running on a trial basis, and “has had a tremendous impact based on feedback provided by An Garda Síochána”.
Such technologies, Mr Fitzgerald said, “will be a strong weapon in the fight to apprehend any individuals who recklessly think they can treat motor insurance as optional”.
“Motor insurance is a legal obligation for a reason. With ANPR those who do not respect that principle will be rolling the dice in a game where the odds will be truly stacked against them.”


theirishtimes--2020-05-06--Uncertainty faces 2,000 Leaving Cert students seeking college places abroad

More than 2,000 students in Ireland who are seeking college places in the UK and Europe do not know if they will be able to take up their places this year due to the decision to delay the Leaving Cert .
Many students have reported receiving correspondence from UK universities stating that they require their Leaving Cert results by August 31st .
However , these results are unlikely to be available until late September or early October in light of the Government ’ s decision to postpone the exams until July 29th at the earliest .
Ucas , the UK @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , has confirmed that about 1,700 students with addresses in the Republic have conditional offers based on their exam results .
Most are seeking places in universities in Scotland , followed Northern Ireland and England/Wales .
These numbers include students have deferred taking up their places , so they should be able to take up their places based on last year ’ s results .
In addition , it is estimated that a further 600 to 650 students in Ireland have applied for college places elsewhere in Europe .
The bulk of these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Netherlands , followed by Poland , Hungary and other EU member states .
The Department of Education said Minister for Education Joe McHugh is “ very conscious ” of the thousands of students taking the Leaving Cert who have applied to study in Northern Ireland , Britain , Europe and elsewhere .
“ Before the Minister made the announcement on State examinations on 10 April he called the UK secretary of state for education Gavin Williamson to alert him to the change and to ask for as much flexibility as possible from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the department “ He also wrote to the Ministers in Northern Ireland on this issue .
Departmental officials are engaging directly with Ucas to work through the key issues.
” It said Mr McHugh has also written to each of his counterparts across the EU to ask for as much flexibility as possible for students coming from Ireland to study in other member states .
“ The department will continue to work on these issues with stakeholders over the coming weeks , ” it added .
The Irish Second Level Students ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of these students in its regular contacts with the department through its seat on an advisory group for the State exams , which set up recently .
Some education observers say the fact that the international student market has dried up this year means that institutions are likely to be more flexible in seeking to meet the needs of students .
However , there is no formal confirmation yet on whether UK or European institutions will be in a position to accept Irish students .
Sinn Féin , meanwhile , has called on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it has in mind in the event that exams are cancelled .
“ It is clear that the Leaving Cert can not proceed unless it is safe for students .
Similarly proceeding to plan for exams in July and August is pointless ; if this is based only on a slim possibility of exams being held , ” said the party ’ s education spokesman Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire TD .
If it is more likely than not that exams can not be held , he said we need a “ plan B ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ If the Government are going to cancel exams , they can not announce this without telling students how the Leaving Cert is going to be awarded and how college admissions will be managed .
This would – if anything – create more confusion , uncertainty and add to the stress that students are experiencing .

More than 2,000 students in Ireland who are seeking college places in the UK and Europe do not know if they will be able to take up their places this year due to the decision to delay the Leaving Cert. Photograph: David Davies/PA Wire
More than 2,000 students in Ireland who are seeking college places in the UK and Europe do not know if they will be able to take up their places this year due to the decision to delay the Leaving Cert.
Many students have reported receiving correspondence from UK universities stating that they require their Leaving Cert results by August 31st.
However, these results are unlikely to be available until late September or early October in light of the Government’s decision to postpone the exams until July 29th at the earliest.
Ucas , the UK’s equivalent of the CAO system, has confirmed that about 1,700 students with addresses in the Republic have conditional offers based on their exam results.
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Most are seeking places in universities in Scotland, followed Northern Ireland and England/Wales.
These numbers include students have deferred taking up their places, so they should be able to take up their places based on last year’s results.
In addition, it is estimated that a further 600 to 650 students in Ireland have applied for college places elsewhere in Europe.
The bulk of these students are seeking places on courses in the Netherlands, followed by Poland, Hungary and other EU member states.
‘Very conscious’
The Department of Education said Minister for Education Joe McHugh is “very conscious” of the thousands of students taking the Leaving Cert who have applied to study in Northern Ireland, Britain, Europe and elsewhere.
“Before the Minister made the announcement on State examinations on 10 April he called the UK secretary of state for education Gavin Williamson to alert him to the change and to ask for as much flexibility as possible from Ucas on these issues,” according to the department
“He also wrote to the Ministers in Northern Ireland on this issue. Departmental officials are engaging directly with Ucas to work through the key issues.”
It said Mr McHugh has also written to each of his counterparts across the EU to ask for as much flexibility as possible for students coming from Ireland to study in other member states.
“The department will continue to work on these issues with stakeholders over the coming weeks,” it added.
The Irish Second Level Students’ Union said it is raising the plight of these students in its regular contacts with the department through its seat on an advisory group for the State exams, which set up recently.
Some education observers say the fact that the international student market has dried up this year means that institutions are likely to be more flexible in seeking to meet the needs of students.
However, there is no formal confirmation yet on whether UK or European institutions will be in a position to accept Irish students.
Alternative
Sinn Féin, meanwhile, has called on the Government to spell out what alternative it has in mind in the event that exams are cancelled.
“It is clear that the Leaving Cert cannot proceed unless it is safe for students. Similarly proceeding to plan for exams in July and August is pointless; if this is based only on a slim possibility of exams being held,”said the party’s education spokesman Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire TD.
If it is more likely than not that exams cannot be held, he said we need a “plan B” and to plan definitively for that contingency.
“If the Government are going to cancel exams, they cannot announce this without telling students how the Leaving Cert is going to be awarded and how college admissions will be managed. This would – if anything – create more confusion, uncertainty and add to the stress that students are experiencing.