theirishtimes--2020-08-30--Party host could be liable if visitor gets Covid-19, says barrister

People who host house parties in contravention of Covid-19 guidelines could be liable for damages if an attendee is later found to be carrying the virus , a leading barrister has said .
Current public health guidelines limit gatherings in private homes to no more than six visitors from three other households .
Penalties have been proposed in a bid to ensure greater compliance with the guidelines and to curb the rise in coronavirus cases .
Cabinet on Friday decided to make holding a gathering of more than six people a “ civil offence ” rather than a criminal one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in policing .
Speaking on Sunday , barrister Tony McGillicuddy said section 43 of the Health Act 1947 outlines how householders could be liable for damages should an attendee at their property later be found to be carrying the virus .
“ If there are requirements for a person to take certain precautions to avoid Covid or other infectious diseases , and if they don ’ t do so , and if a person who has been in their house becomes infected with Covid , that person who has attended as an invitee @ @ @ @ @ @ @ damages , ” he said on the This Week programme on RTÉ Radio 1 .
“ It would be presumed in law that they had obtained the infection from attending at the household unless the householder could prove otherwise .
“ You could have a situation where the Government will say we ’ re not going to impose a criminal sanction , but if you invite more than six people into your house of a night , and if one of them subsequently finds they have Covid , they could sue you .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ public knew that that presumption in law could act against them in such a scenario , that might have its own coercive effect on organising house gatherings.
” Antoinette Cunningham , general secretary of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors ( AGSI ) , said it would not be possible for the Garda to police house parties .
“ Any attempt to introduce law for gardaí to enter into private dwellings is fraught with difficulties , ” she said .
“ We don ’ t see how it can be practically implemented @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have the right to go into a person ’ s private dwelling .
“ Unrealistic expectation is placed on members of the Garda by public commentary from people like government or legislators who say these laws can be introduced , but they never think about the final piece of it which is how are they going to be practically enforced.
” In relation to greater enforcement around the restrictions on pubs , Ms Cunningham called on the Government to consider any new laws carefully .
“ If there is a proposal to introduce @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think about the enforcement part of that , ” she said .
“ Winter is coming .
We know in a TV programme the meaning behind that phrase was of constant warnings and vigilance that was needed .
“ We don ’ t live in a climate where it is practical to dine outside in winter time , so that ’ s going to move people indoors .
Is it going to create difficulties in relation to social distancing ?
Is it going to mean bigger crowds inside in pubs ?
“ The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ introduced and see if it ’ s enforceable , that it ’ s practical , and that it ’ s serving society well , and if not , should they consider reviewing it.
” The Government is expected to bring more legislation in relation to the matter before the Dáil next week .

People who hold gatherings in their homes against social distancing guidelines could be liable for damages if someone contracts Covid-19, according to barrister Tony McGillicuddy. Photograph: iStock
People who host house parties in contravention of Covid-19 guidelines could be liable for damages if an attendee is later found to be carrying the virus, a leading barrister has said.
Current public health guidelines limit gatherings in private homes to no more than six visitors from three other households. Penalties have been proposed in a bid to ensure greater compliance with the guidelines and to curb the rise in coronavirus cases.
Cabinet on Friday decided to make holding a gathering of more than six people a “civil offence” rather than a criminal one, which gardaí would have no role in policing.
Speaking on Sunday, barrister Tony McGillicuddy said section 43 of the Health Act 1947 outlines how householders could be liable for damages should an attendee at their property later be found to be carrying the virus.
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“If there are requirements for a person to take certain precautions to avoid Covid or other infectious diseases, and if they don’t do so, and if a person who has been in their house becomes infected with Covid, that person who has attended as an invitee of their house could sue them for damages,” he said on the This Week programme on RTÉ Radio 1.
“It would be presumed in law that they had obtained the infection from attending at the household unless the householder could prove otherwise.
“You could have a situation where the Government will say we’re not going to impose a criminal sanction, but if you invite more than six people into your house of a night, and if one of them subsequently finds they have Covid, they could sue you.
“I think if members of the public knew that that presumption in law could act against them in such a scenario, that might have its own coercive effect on organising house gatherings.”
Antoinette Cunningham, general secretary of the Association of Garda Sergeants and Inspectors (AGSI), said it would not be possible for the Garda to police house parties.
“Any attempt to introduce law for gardaí to enter into private dwellings is fraught with difficulties,” she said. “We don’t see how it can be practically implemented by our members. We do not have the right to go into a person’s private dwelling.
“Unrealistic expectation is placed on members of the Garda by public commentary from people like government or legislators who say these laws can be introduced, but they never think about the final piece of it which is how are they going to be practically enforced.”
In relation to greater enforcement around the restrictions on pubs, Ms Cunningham called on the Government to consider any new laws carefully.
“If there is a proposal to introduce new legislation, can the Government please think about the enforcement part of that,” she said. “Winter is coming. We know in a TV programme the meaning behind that phrase was of constant warnings and vigilance that was needed.
“We don’t live in a climate where it is practical to dine outside in winter time, so that’s going to move people indoors. Is it going to create difficulties in relation to social distancing? Is it going to mean bigger crowds inside in pubs?
“The Government should look at the legislation they introduced and see if it’s enforceable, that it’s practical, and that it’s serving society well, and if not, should they consider reviewing it.”
The Government is expected to bring more legislation in relation to the matter before the Dáil next week.


theirishtimes--2020-08-30--Coronavirus: Northern Ireland reports 49 further cases

An additional 49 cases of coronavirus were identified in Northern Ireland in the 24 hours to Sunday , according to the Department of Health .
The department reported 89 new cases on Saturday .
A total of 452 people have tested positive for the virus in the North in the last seven days , while the number of Covid-19 cases identified since the beginning of the pandemic now stands at 7,187 .
Northern Ireland no longer reports coronavirus-related fatalities at the weekend .
On Friday , the number of deaths recorded by the department stood at 560 .
The latest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and Research Agency ( Nisra ) on Friday revealed that the total number of Covid-19 related deaths in the region to August 21st was 871 .
The department ’ s figures are based on patients having previously tested positive for the virus while Nisra uses information from death certificates .
The latest figures come after 10 patients in a haematology ward at Craigavon Area Hospital in Co Armagh tested positive .
Eleven members of staff on the ward and the emergency department have also tested positive .
Twenty-eight employees are self-isolating , Southern @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It added : “ Trust staff continue to work closely with the Public Health Agency to manage the situation .
“ The PHA contact tracing service has been following up with any confirmed contacts within the wider community .

Craigavon Area Hospital in Co Armagh, where 21 people have tested postive for Covid-19. Photograph: Niall Carson/PA Wire
An additional 49 cases of coronavirus were identified in Northern Ireland in the 24 hours to Sunday, according to the Department of Health.
The department reported 89 new cases on Saturday.
A total of 452 people have tested positive for the virus in the North in the last seven days, while the number of Covid-19 cases identified since the beginning of the pandemic now stands at 7,187.
Northern Ireland no longer reports coronavirus-related fatalities at the weekend. On Friday, the number of deaths recorded by the department stood at 560.
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The latest weekly update from the Northern Ireland Statistical and Research Agency (Nisra) on Friday revealed that the total number of Covid-19 related deaths in the region to August 21st was 871. The department’s figures are based on patients having previously tested positive for the virus while Nisra uses information from death certificates.
The latest figures come after 10 patients in a haematology ward at Craigavon Area Hospital in Co Armagh tested positive.
Eleven members of staff on the ward and the emergency department have also tested positive.
Twenty-eight employees are self-isolating, Southern Health and Social Care Trust said.
It added: “Trust staff continue to work closely with the Public Health Agency to manage the situation.
“The PHA contact tracing service has been following up with any confirmed contacts within the wider community.
“The safety of patients, staff and wider contacts remains a priority.” – Additional reporting: PA


theirishtimes--2020-08-31--Fire brigade called to Cork party after smoke machine mistaken for fire

Residents near University College Cork ( UCC ) who experienced a summer of “ Covid house parties ” have expressed disgust after the fire brigade was called to a rental in the area where instead of a blaze they found a large party complete with a smoke machine .
Firemen reportedly had to force their way in to the rented property on Connacht Avenue near UCC shortly after midnight on Sunday .
Gardaí in the area had spotted smoke coming from a house .
Windows at the house had been blocked out with plastic bags and a large tarpaulin was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A smoke machine was in use which was emitting plumes of smoke which had been mistaken for the first signs of a fire .
A large group of people had gathered for the party .
It is understood the property is being rented out to adults and was not occupied by students .
Catherine Clancy , of the Magazine Road Residents Association , ( MRRA ) said urgent legislation is needed to make landlords accountable for such parties .
“ The fire brigade had to break down the door .
There were plastic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ These houses aren ’ t being managed at all .
These people are gone today and we are hoping that the students who come in are quiet .
“ During the summer months we kept records of the parties in the area.
” From the end of May to the start of June there were 215 incidences of house parties recorded by the association .
Rented houses accounted for 77 of those parties .
There were 17 reports of parties in one house .
Cllr Clancy , who is a former lord mayor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Micheál Martin to address the issue as a matter of urgency .
Meanwhile , residents are pleading with landlords to include “ no house parties ” in the letting agreement for student houses as the new college year draws near .
MRRA is also calling on landlords to ensure that their tenants comply with the current Government guidelines on Covid-19 which state that no more than six people can visit a house .
Ms Clancy , who is chairwoman of the MRRA , said that they are not prepared to put up with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the college .
“ These house parties risk the spread of Covid-19 in our community and we need to ensure residents and students can share this area without feeling anxious .
”

Residents near University College Cork (UCC) who experienced a summer of “Covid house parties” have expressed disgust after the fire brigade was called to a rental in the area where instead of a blaze they found a large party complete with a smoke machine.
Firemen reportedly had to force their way in to the rented property on Connacht Avenue near UCC shortly after midnight on Sunday.
Gardaí in the area had spotted smoke coming from a house. Windows at the house had been blocked out with plastic bags and a large tarpaulin was covering the back of the property.
A smoke machine was in use which was emitting plumes of smoke which had been mistaken for the first signs of a fire. A large group of people had gathered for the party.
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It is understood the property is being rented out to adults and was not occupied by students.
Catherine Clancy, of the Magazine Road Residents Association, (MRRA) said urgent legislation is needed to make landlords accountable for such parties.
“The fire brigade had to break down the door. There were plastic bags on the windows all summer. These houses aren’t being managed at all. These people are gone today and we are hoping that the students who come in are quiet.
“During the summer months we kept records of the parties in the area.”
From the end of May to the start of June there were 215 incidences of house parties taking place in 77 rented houses, according to the association. There were 17 reports of parties in one house.
Cllr Clancy, who is a former lord mayor of Cork, is urging the Taoiseach Micheál Martin to address the issue as a matter of urgency.
Meanwhile, residents are pleading with landlords to include “no house parties” in the letting agreement for student houses as the new college year draws near.
MRRA is also calling on landlords to ensure that their tenants comply with the current Government guidelines on Covid-19 which state that no more than six people can visit a house.
Ms Clancy, who is chairwoman of the MRRA, said that they are not prepared to put up with a winter of anti social behaviour near the college.
“These house parties risk the spread of Covid-19 in our community and we need to ensure residents and students can share this area without feeling anxious.”


theirishtimes--2020-08-31--0ver 65s at risk when mixing alcohol and medications - study

One in four people over 65 years are vulnerable to potentially serious health issues as a result of the combined use of alcohol and medications .
A new study by researchers at the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland ( RCSI ) has warned about the dangers for older people of mixing alcohol and medicine as it can lead to falls and other accidents , gastrointestinal bleeds and liver damage .
One of the report ’ s main authors , Alice Holton , an RCSI pharmacist and lecturer , said the findings added to the growing body of evidence which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and health issues associated with the central nervous system as a result of taking both alcohol and medication .
The study pointed out that ageing lowers alcohol tolerance and prolongs the time that alcohol circulates in the body .
At the same time , it noted that the use of multiple medications also increases with age which meant older people who also consume alcohol on a regular basis are particularly vulnerable .
In particular , it said the interaction between alcohol and medication can manifest itself in the form of increased sedation , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ well as issues with blood sugar and blood pressure levels .
The study by researchers at the RCSI ’ s School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences is published in the latest edition of the medical journal , BMJ Open .
Almost 1,600 older adults living at home recruited through 120 community pharmacies were interviewed as part of the research .
The study revealed that 67 per cent drank alcohol with 27 per cent identified as heavy drinkers .
Researchers classified heavy drinkers as those who had more than six standard drinks per drinking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ per week for women or 17 standard drinks per week for males .
A standard drink is a half pint of beer or cider , a measure of spirits , a 100ml glass of wine or bottle of alcopops .
Dr Holton said the study found that 28 per cent of all older people were identified as being at risk of potential harm from combining alcohol with medication .
The figure translates as 42 per cent of those who drink being at risk .
“ Our findings also suggest that older adults are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interactions due to their concurrent use of alcohol with cardiovascular agents and with medications which act on the central nervous system , ” said Dr Holton .
The study said 10 per cent of participants were at risk of one potentially serious alcohol-medication interaction with 18 per cent at risk of two or more .

The study revealed that 67 per cent of over 65s drank alcohol with 27 per cent identified as heavy drinkers. File image: The Irish Times
One in four people over 65 years are vulnerable to potentially serious health issues as a result of the combined use of alcohol and medications.
A new study by researchers at the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland (RCSI) has warned about the dangers for older people of mixing alcohol and medicine as it can lead to falls and other accidents, gastrointestinal bleeds and liver damage.
One of the report’s main authors, Alice Holton, an RCSI pharmacist and lecturer, said the findings added to the growing body of evidence which suggested an increased risk of cardiovascular problems and health issues associated with the central nervous system as a result of taking both alcohol and medication.
The study pointed out that ageing lowers alcohol tolerance and prolongs the time that alcohol circulates in the body.
READ MORE
At the same time, it noted that the use of multiple medications also increases with age which meant older people who also consume alcohol on a regular basis are particularly vulnerable.
In particular, it said the interaction between alcohol and medication can manifest itself in the form of increased sedation, leading to falls and other accidents as well as issues with blood sugar and blood pressure levels.
The study by researchers at the RCSI’s School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences is published in the latest edition of the medical journal, BMJ Open.
Almost 1,600 older adults living at home recruited through 120 community pharmacies were interviewed as part of the research.
The study revealed that 67 per cent drank alcohol with 27 per cent identified as heavy drinkers.
Researchers classified heavy drinkers as those who had more than six standard drinks per drinking occasions or more than 11 standard drinks per week for women or 17 standard drinks per week for males. A standard drink is a half pint of beer or cider, a measure of spirits, a 100ml glass of wine or bottle of alcopops.
Dr Holton said the study found that 28 per cent of all older people were identified as being at risk of potential harm from combining alcohol with medication. The figure translates as 42 per cent of those who drink being at risk.
“Our findings also suggest that older adults are at greatest risk of potentially serious alcohol-medication interactions due to their concurrent use of alcohol with cardiovascular agents and with medications which act on the central nervous system,” said Dr Holton.
The study said 10 per cent of participants were at risk of one potentially serious alcohol-medication interaction with 18 per cent at risk of two or more.


theirishtimes--2020-08-31--Dublin man jailed over plan to avenge son’s murder

A Dublin man who was charged over the seizure of a firearm after the murder of his son last year has been jailed for six years by the Special Criminal Court .
Stephen Little ( 47 ) told gardaí after his arrest that : “ had you given me another hour , I would have killed the bastard that killed him ” .
Little of Kilbarron Avenue , Kilmore , Dublin 5 , had pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a Grand Power G9 semi-automatic pistol at Lein Park , Harmonstown , Dublin 5 , on September 14th 2019 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the non-jury court .
Little ’ s son , Sean Little ( 22 ) , was found shot dead beside a burning car near Balbriggan off the M1 in Dublin on May 21st 2019 .
The non-jury court previously heard that , had Little not made these comments , the case against him would have been weaker and he may not have been charged .
Co-accused Edward McDonnell ( 56 ) of Waterside Apartments , New Ross , Co Wexford , was on Monday sentenced to nine years for unlawful possession of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and location .
The two men , who were both remanded in custody before Monday ’ s hearing , exchanged a fist-bump before their sentencing .
Both men had been originally charged with having the weapon with intent to endanger life .
The two were jailed for possession of a firearm in suspicious circumstances , an offence under Section 27A ( 1 ) of the Firearms Act .
The court heard during the sentence hearing that gardaí recovered a loaded handgun under the passenger seat of an Audi car on the day before @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Little had driven McDonnell to the scene .

Sean Little (22), was found shot dead beside a burning car near Balbriggan off the M1 in Dublin on May 21st 2019.
A Dublin man who was charged over the seizure of a firearm after the murder of his son last year has been jailed for six years by the Special Criminal Court.
Stephen Little (47) told gardaí after his arrest that “had you given me another hour, I would have killed the bastard that killed him”.
Little of Kilbarron Avenue, Kilmore, Dublin 5, had pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a Grand Power G9 semi-automatic pistol at Lein Park, Harmonstown, Dublin 5, on September 14th 2019 and was on Monday sentenced to six years by the non-jury court.
Little’s son, Sean Little (22), was found shot dead beside a burning car near Balbriggan off the M1 in Dublin on May 21st 2019.
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The non-jury court previously heard that, had Little not made these comments, the case against him would have been weaker and he may not have been charged.
Co-accused Edward McDonnell (56) of Waterside Apartments, New Ross, Co Wexford, was on Monday sentenced to nine years for unlawful possession of the semi-automatic weapon at the same date and location.
The two men, who were both remanded in custody before Monday’s hearing, exchanged a fist-bump before their sentencing. Both men had been originally charged with having the weapon with intent to endanger life.
The two were jailed for possession of a firearm in suspicious circumstances, an offence under Section 27A (1) of the Firearms Act.
The court heard during the sentence hearing that gardaí recovered a loaded handgun under the passenger seat of an Audi car on the day before McDonnell was forcibly removed from the vehicle. Little had driven McDonnell to the scene.
A number of items, including two baseball caps, two balaclavas and some gloves fell from McDonnell’s lap upon arrest and a red petrol can containing liquid as well as a long-handled lighter were also found in the vehicle.
At Monday’s sentencing, Mr Justice Tony Hunt said that the headline sentence for such an offence was 14 years with five years’ imprisonment a minimum.
He said that he agreed with Michael Bowman SC, for McDonnell, in assessing the offence to be in the middle range and said the headline sentence, before mitigation, was 10 years.
‘Intended lethality’
Mr Justice Hunt said that the case was one of “intended lethality”, which was only avoided by Garda intervention. Regarding Little, Mr Justice Hunt said that the accused’s motivation was the murder of his son and that it had been accepted that Little was not the man who would pull the trigger.
The judge said that Little had no previous convictions, barring the road traffic offence, and there were positive personal testimonials before the court on his behalf. The judge said Little had been through personal and medical difficulties, which lessened his culpability, and the court would reduce the headline sentence to eight years.
Mr Justice Hunt further discounted the sentence by 25 per cent on account of Little’s early guilty plea, which he said was “of significant value in serving the public interest”.
He sentenced Little to six years’ imprisonment and backdated it to December 21st 2019, when he was first taken into custody on the matter.
Regarding McDonnell, Mr Justice Hunt said that his motivation for possessing the weapon “still remains opaque” and noted that it was unclear whether or not McDonnell was to be a gunman or a driver, due to the two sets of clothing of which he was found in possession.
Mr Justice Hunt, taking into account McDonnell’s “significant” previous convictions, discounted his sentence by 10 per cent for his guilty plea, albeit one which was entered on the fifth day of his trial.
He sentenced McDonnell to nine years’ imprisonment and backdated the sentence to begin on September 16th 2019, when McDonnell was first taken into custody on the matter.
The court heard McDonnell has 47 previous convictions which include attempted robbery, sexual assault and assault causing harm.
Surveillance operation
At a previous sentence hearing Detective Inspector Conor Ó Murchú said Little was arrested following a surveillance operation in the Coolock area between September 11th and 13th 2019.
Following his arrest, Little told gardaí: “Had you given me another hour I would have killed the bastard that killed him. I lost my marriage and my son.”
Little also told a garda later at Clontarf Garda Station: “Why didn’t you let it go another hour.”
Under cross-examination, Det Insp Ó Murchú agreed with Sean Guerin SC, defending Little, that the comments made by his client upon arrest referred to his son being killed in May of that year. The detective also agreed that the killing of Little’s son was a motivating factor for his involvement in the case. He further agreed that Little was not the individual who was going to pull the trigger.
In mitigation, Mr Guerin asked the court to consider that this was a case where there were unusual personal circumstances and the motivating factor was the killing of Little’s son. The barrister said his client was not the hallmark of a criminal but rather his thinking had been distorted.
Another factor in mitigation, Mr Guerin said was the distance his client was keeping from the weapon itself and the fact he was not in the same vehicle as the firearm. “Had he not spoken as he did, it would have been a very different case,” he submitted.


theirishtimes--2020-08-31--July sees increase in international travel but numbers way down on last year

The number of people travelling in and out of Ireland increased substantially in July but overall levels remain almost 90 per cent below 2019 .
New data compiled by the Central Statistics Office ( CSO ) showed the number of people leaving the country rose from 73,900 in June to 275,400 in July , an increase of 273 per cent , in line with an easing of Covid-19 related restrictions .
However , despite the sharp spike in activity , it remains far behind 2019 when 2.2 million people left the country in the same month , 87 per cent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arrivals into the country , compared to 57,100 in June , a boost of 298 per cent .
“ Nevertheless , overseas travel in July 2020 remained dramatically lower than in July 2019 , when there were 2,225,900 arrivals and 2,183,900 departures , falls of 89.8 per cent and 87.4 per cent respectively , ” the CSO said .
Of the 227,300 persons arriving in Ireland in July , 188,100 ( 82.7 per cent ) arrived by air , and 39,200 by sea .
Of the 275,400 persons departing Ireland , 239,000 ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 36,400 by sea .
Most people leaving Ireland were destined for the UK ( 82,800 ) , Spain ( 38,500 ) and Poland ( 23,800 ) .
Of those arriving in Ireland , most were coming in from the UK ( 97,100 ) , Spain ( 23,000 ) and France ( 13,200 ) .
In terms of the total so far this year , about 3.4 million people have come into the country and the same amount have left .
Both levels represent slightly more than a 70 per cent drop on @ @ @

Of the 227,300 persons arriving in Ireland in July, 188,100 arrived by air, and 39,200 by sea.
The number of people travelling in and out of Ireland increased substantially in July but overall levels remain almost 90 per cent below 2019.
New data compiled by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) showed the number of people leaving the country rose from 73,900 in June to 275,400 in July, an increase of 273 per cent, in line with an easing of Covid-19 related restrictions.
However, despite the sharp spike in activity, it remains far behind 2019 when 2.2 million people left the country in the same month, 87 per cent higher.
July also saw 227,300 overseas arrivals into the country, compared to 57,100 in June, a boost of 298 per cent.
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“Nevertheless, overseas travel in July 2020 remained dramatically lower than in July 2019, when there were 2,225,900 arrivals and 2,183,900 departures, falls of 89.8 per cent and 87.4 per cent respectively,” the CSO said.
Of the 227,300 persons arriving in Ireland in July, 188,100 (82.7 per cent) arrived by air, and 39,200 by sea.
Of the 275,400 persons departing Ireland, 239,000 (86.8 per cent) departed by air and 36,400 by sea.
Most people leaving Ireland were destined for the UK (82,800), Spain (38,500) and Poland (23,800).
Of those arriving in Ireland, most were coming in from the UK (97,100), Spain (23,000) and France (13,200).
In terms of the total so far this year, about 3.4 million people have come into the country and the same amount have left. Both levels represent slightly more than a 70 per cent drop on last year.


theirishtimes--2020-08-31--Fire destroys Co Galway house purchased by council for Traveller family

Gardaí in Galway are investigating an overnight fire which destroyed a house which had been recently purchased to accommodate a Traveller family .
The house at Carnmore near Galway Airport was destroyed by the fire , which was discovered shortly before 5am on Monday morning .
There are unconfirmed reports that three large bales of silage blocked the entrance to the house , which had been unoccupied for some time .
Nobody was injured in the incident .
Galway City Council paid €388,000 for the four-bedroom property in March , with refurbishment expected to take the overall cost to around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local residents and also by some councillors who voiced concern about the city authority purchasing a house in a Galway County Council area .
The cause of the fire has not yet been established and gardaí said they are keeping an open mind on it .
They have appealed for witnesses to contact them at Mill Street Garda station on 091-538000 .
Former city mayor , Cllr Niall McNeilis , said there is concern that the fire might have been started deliberately to prevent the Traveller family moving in there .
“ If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ steps backwards for society , ” he said .

The cause of the fire has not yet been established and gardaí said they are keeping an open mind on it. File photograph: Niall Carson/PA Wire
Gardaí in Galway are investigating a fire which extensively damaged a house which had been recently purchased to accommodate a Traveller family.
The fire at the house in Kiltulla was discovered shortly before 5am on Monday.
Galway City Council paid €388,000 for the four-bedroom property in March, with refurbishment expected to take the overall cost to around €430,000.
The move was opposed by local residents and also by some councillors who voiced concern about the city authority purchasing a house in a Galway County Council area.
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The cause of the fire has not yet been established and gardaí at Mill Street said they are keeping an open mind on it.
Former city mayor, Cllr Niall McNeilis, said there is concern that the fire might have been started deliberately to prevent the Traveller family moving in.
“If this is arson then it is 100 steps backwards for society,” he said.
Another former city mayor, Cllr Noel Larkin, said there had been tension in the area since the house was purchased for the Traveller family.
“We need to find a solution to our housing problem, we have 3,700 on our housing list.
“But I don’t think the solution is buying a house in an area without consulting with the locals,” he said.
The Traveller family who were due to move into a house are said to be devastated but Galway City Council has told them the house will be restored and allocated to them.
The family currently live in a rat-infested site at Carrowbrowne off the Headford Road.


theirishtimes--2020-08-31--Investigation into ’unexplained death’ of man in Killarney continues

A criminal investigation is continuing into the “ unexplained death ” of a man in Killarney at the weekend , gardaí have said .
The 26-year-old man was found unconscious outside the Gleneagle Hotel and Conference Centre on the Muckross Road , in the Co Kerry town on Saturday night .
He was discovered at an entrance to the bar and restaurant area after 11.30pm y .
The emergency services were called and gardaí arrived at about 11.40pm .
However , he was pronounced dead a short time later .
The man has been named locally as Darragh Sheehan from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of inquiry being followed by gardaí is the man died after becoming involved in an altercation at the hotel .
A statement by the gardaí said a postmortem has since been completed , “ the results of which will not be released for operational purposes ” .
Gardaí in Killarney are continuing to appeal for anyone with information to come forward .
Gardaí are also appealing for any road users or pedestrians who may have camera footage or who were travelling in the Muckross Road area between 11pm and 11.45pm to contact them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contact Killarney Garda station on 064 6671160 , the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda station .

Gardaí are investigating the death of Darragh Sheehan who was found unconscious outside the Gleneagle Hotel in Killarney. Photograph: Eye Focus
Gardaí believe a 26-year-old man who died in Killarney at the weekend may have been placed in a headlock shortly before his death.
Darragh Sheehan from Doneraile in North Cork died in "unexplained circumstances" after being found unconscious outside the Gleneagle Hotel on the Muckross Road at about 11.30pm on Saturday, gardaí say.
The results of a post-mortem carried out at University Hospital Kerry have not been released for “operational reasons” but it is understood one line of inquiry is Mr Sheehan’s death may be linked to an earlier altercation during which he was put in a headlock.
Gardaí in Killarney are interviewing staff, guests and security personnel at the popular Kerry hotel in an effort to determine Mr Sheehan’s final movements.
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It is understood he had been staying at the hotel with another person and had been socialising there on Saturday night.
He was the second young Corkman to die in unexplained circumstances over the weekend. Colm Casey (28) was found unconscious at a house at Eagle Valley in Wilton, on the southside of Cork city, at around 1.10am on Saturday. He was pronounced dead at Cork University Hospital a short time later.
Sources say they believe Mr Casey may have died after engaging in “horseplay” with others at the house and being put in a headlock.
A criminal investigation is ongoing in relation to both deaths.
On Monday tributes were paid to Mr Sheehan, who was a graduate of IT Tralee where he studied Mechanical Engineering. He was engaged to be married.
In a statement Doneraile GAA said it was with “extreme sadness” that they reported the passing of Darragh Sheehan of Horseclose in the town to members of the club.
“Darragh played at all levels in the club ... he was a great team player and always played the game with great pride and gave 100 per cent.He was a player who always wore the club jersey with pride. He will be greatly missed by all in Doneraile Gaa.”
Fr Aiden Crowley from Doneraile said the family of Mr Sheehan were “heartbroken” at his sudden loss.
“We said prayers for them this morning and there will be prayers this evening. The funeral will be on Wednesday. They are heartbroken.”
Darragh is survived by his parents Tom and Hannah, his siblings Kevin and Fiona and his fiancée Karen.
Gardaí in Killarney are continuing to appeal for anyone with information to come forward.
Gardaí are also appealing for any road users or pedestrians who may have camera footage (including dash-cam) who were travelling in the Muckross Road area between 11pm and 11:45pm to make this footage available to gardaí.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Killarney Garda Station on 064 6671160, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.


theirishtimes--2020-08-31--Covid-19: WHO envoy praises Swedish ‘trust-based’ response

One of the World Health Organisation ’ s six special envoys on Covid-19 has highlighted Sweden ’ s virus response as a model that other countries should be emulating in the long run .
Dr David Nabarro , speaking in a radio interview in New Zealand , said , “ For all countries , the real approach we ’ ve got to aim for is through behaviour that ’ s adopted everywhere.
” Dr Nabarro said the key to a sustainable coronavirus strategy is trust , and pointed to Sweden as a case in point .
The Nordic nation imposed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and instead relied on Swedes to act responsibly and embrace the guidelines laid out by the country ’ s health authorities .
“ In Sweden , the government was able to trust the public and the public was able to trust the government , ” Dr Nabarro told Magic Talk .
Sweden ’ s Covid-19 death rate is considerably higher than in many other countries , at 57 per 100,000 .
But the pace of new infections and deaths has slowed markedly since the end of June .
The development prompted Sweden @ @ @ @ @ @ @ raising the limit on certain public gatherings to 500 people from 50 .
In contrast , other governments around the world are once again imposing stricter measures amid a resurgence in cases .
Dr Nabarro described a lockdown as “ a blunt instrument ” that “ really bites into the livelihoods of everybody , particularly poorer people and small businesses.
” Speaking on RTÉ Radio on Monday , Dr Nabarro reiterated the WHO ’ s advice on masks , saying children aged between six and 11 years should wear a mask if there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus in the community .
“ It ’ s not a one size fits all instruction but it ’ s guidance based on the best available evidence , ” he told Morning Ireland .
Dr Nabarro paid tribute to the people of Ireland their efforts to date with the advice “ don ’ t give up , keep the fight up , keep all the elements that we ’ ve got in place so we can have a comprehensive response to this virus and let ’ s keep ahead of it because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ knock us down ” .
In response to the envoy ’ s remarks on Sweden , the director-general of the Swedish public health agency , Johan Carlson , said in an interview with newspaper Svenska Dagbladet : “ We are one of the few countries with a limited spread of infection , unlike several countries in Europe where the infection is returning sharply.
” “ I call it the champagne cork effect , ” Mr Carlson said .
But Sweden ’ s Covid strategy still has many critics , including from within the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of virology at Umea University , points to the high death toll as evidence the light-touch approach has failed .
“ We have almost 6,000 dead .
We have betrayed our elderly , ” he said in the Svenska Dagbladet report .
“ We should test and trace infection much more .
But the Public Health Agency does not want that.
” Mr Carlson of the public health agency and Sweden ’ s minister for health and social affairs , Lena Hallengren , are due to hold a press conference on the country @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
- Bloomberg

Members of the public pictured in Stockholm earlier this month. Sweden’s Covid-19 death rate is considerably higher than in many other countries but the pace of new infections and deaths has slowed markedly since the end of June. Photograph Martin von Krogh/Getty Images
One of the World Health Organisation’s six special envoys on Covid-19 has highlighted Sweden’s virus response as a model that other countries should be emulating in the long run.
Dr David Nabarro, speaking in a radio interview in New Zealand, said, “For all countries, the real approach we’ve got to aim for is through behaviour that’s adopted everywhere.”
Dr Nabarro said the key to a sustainable coronavirus strategy is trust, and pointed to Sweden as a case in point. The Nordic nation imposed far fewer restrictions on movement than others, and instead relied on Swedes to act responsibly and embrace the guidelines laid out by the country’s health authorities.
“In Sweden, the government was able to trust the public and the public was able to trust the government,” Dr Nabarro told Magic Talk.
READ MORE
Sweden’s Covid-19 death rate is considerably higher than in many other countries, at 57 per 100,000. But the pace of new infections and deaths has slowed markedly since the end of June. The development prompted Sweden’s national health agency to propose raising the limit on certain public gatherings to 500 people from 50.
In contrast, other governments around the world are once again imposing stricter measures amid a resurgence in cases.
Dr Nabarro described a lockdown as “a blunt instrument” that “really bites into the livelihoods of everybody, particularly poorer people and small businesses.”
Speaking on RTÉ Radio on Monday, Dr Nabarro reiterated the WHO’s advice on masks, saying children aged between six and 11 years should wear a mask if there appeared to be a high risk of the virus in the community.
“It’s not a one size fits all instruction but it’s guidance based on the best available evidence,” he told Morning Ireland.
Dr Nabarro paid tribute to the people of Ireland their efforts to date with the advice “don’t give up, keep the fight up, keep all the elements that we’ve got in place so we can have a comprehensive response to this virus and let’s keep ahead of it because otherwise the virus will beat us and knock us down”.
In response to the envoy’s remarks on Sweden, the director-general of the Swedish public health agency, Johan Carlson, said in an interview with newspaper Svenska Dagbladet: “We are one of the few countries with a limited spread of infection, unlike several countries in Europe where the infection is returning sharply.”
“I call it the champagne cork effect,” Mr Carlson said.
But Sweden’s Covid strategy still has many critics, including from within the country. Fredrik Elgh, a professor of virology at Umea University, points to the high death toll as evidence the light-touch approach has failed.
“We have almost 6,000 dead. We have betrayed our elderly,” he said in the Svenska Dagbladet report. “We should test and trace infection much more. But the Public Health Agency does not want that.”
Mr Carlson of the public health agency and Sweden’s minister for health and social affairs, Lena Hallengren, are due to hold a press conference on the country’s Covid strategy later on Monday. - Bloomberg


theirishtimes--2020-08-31--New scheme launched to look after cared-for people

Cared-for vulnerable people will be looked after if their family carer experiences an unexpected illness or accident , under a new scheme being launched on Monday .
When a family carer has an unplanned hospital admission there is a risk that the person who needs their care and support could be left at home alone and uncared for , Family Carers Ireland ( FCI ) has said .
In light of this , Taoiseach Micheál Martin on Monday launched the “ emergency card scheme ” , which intends to give peace of mind to family carers , as well as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remains safe during emergencies .
Under the scheme , the family carer completes an FCI emergency care plan , outlining the care needs , medication requirements , likes and dislikes of the person for whom they care .
The family carer then nominates two people who will step into their caring role in the event of an emergency and provide FCI with these details as part of their emergency care plan The completed emergency care plan is sent to FCI and family carer receives their emergency card which includes a freephone emergency helpline @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at all times .
In the event of an emergency , and where a person ’ s named emergency contacts are unavailable , FCI will determine the person ’ s needs and mobilise either a “ red response ” or a “ green response ” .
During a red response , which is for a person who needs a high level of support , a member of An Garda Síochána will visit the person and decide if the person requires transportation to the emergency department as a place of safety .
In a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from either the national ambulance service community first responder schemes , the Irish Red Cross or the Order of Malta will sit with , and support the person until a home care package can be organised .
The scheme is funded by Irish Life and with the support of the Dormant Account fund administered by Pobal , a not-for-profit which manages programmes on behalf of the Government .
Catherine Cox , a spokeswoman for FCI , said the pandemic has “ really highlighted the need ” for the scheme .
“ Family carers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the person they care for , in the event that they , the family carer , are involved in an accident or emergency , ” Ms Cox said .
“ This has never been more important than in our current times.
” Moira Skelly was the first one to sign up for the scheme .
She cares for her daughter Ciara ( 25 ) , who requires 24-hour care and receives her daily nutrition through a PEG-tube and has a permanent catheter .
“ This card and scheme addresses one of our greatest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worry about what will happen to Ciara if anything happened to me or Paul – this gives us great peace of mind knowing that there is a plan in place particularly for those first crucial hours should such an emergency take place , ” she said .

A family carer can nominate two people who will step into their caring role in the event of an emergency. Photograph: iStock
Cared-for vulnerable people will be looked after if their family carer experiences an unexpected illness or accident, under a new scheme being launched on Monday.
When a family carer has an unplanned hospital admission there is a risk that the person who needs their care and support could be left at home alone and uncared for, Family Carers Ireland (FCI) has said.
In light of this, Taoiseach Micheál Martin on Monday launched the “emergency card scheme”, which intends to give peace of mind to family carers , as well as ensuring that the person they care for remains safe during emergencies.
Under the scheme, the family carer completes an FCI emergency care plan, outlining the care needs, medication requirements, likes and dislikes of the person for whom they care.
READ MORE
The family carer then nominates two people who will step into their caring role in the event of an emergency and provide FCI with these details as part of their emergency care plan
The completed emergency care plan is sent to FCI and family carer receives their emergency card which includes a freephone emergency helpline, and which they are to carry at all times.
In the event of an emergency, and where a person’s named emergency contacts are unavailable, FCI will determine the person’s needs and mobilise either a “red response” or a “green response”.
During a red response, which is for a person who needs a high level of support, a member of An Garda Síochána will visit the person and decide if the person requires transportation to the emergency department as a place of safety.
In a green response, a pair of volunteers from either the national ambulance service community first responder schemes, the Irish Red Cross or the Order of Malta will sit with, and support the person until a home care package can be organised.
The scheme is funded by Irish Life and with the support of the Dormant Account fund administered by Pobal, a not-for-profit which manages programmes on behalf of the Government.
Catherine Cox, a spokeswoman for FCI, said the pandemic has "really highlighted the need" for the scheme.
“Family carers often worry about what will happen to the person they care for, in the event that they, the family carer, are involved in an accident or emergency,” Ms Cox said. “This has never been more important than in our current times.”
Moira Skelly was the first one to sign up for the scheme. She cares for her daughter Ciara (25), who requires 24-hour care and receives her daily nutrition through a PEG-tube and has a permanent catheter.
“This card and scheme addresses one of our greatest fears as a family – we constantly worry about what will happen to Ciara if anything happened to me or Paul – this gives us great peace of mind knowing that there is a plan in place particularly for those first crucial hours should such an emergency take place,” she said.


theirishtimes--2020-08-31--Killarney scenes: Harris says there will always be people ‘who do stupid things’

Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris has said there will always be people “ who do stupid things ” in reference to drunken scenes on the streets of Killarney at the weekend .
Video footage on social media showed a group of people chanting and drinking on the street without observing social distancing or wearing masks .
Two men also climbed on top of a old phone box and started a singing , the video shows .
Society shouldn ’ t lose sight that the majority of people are doing everything that has been asked of them , Mr Harris @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Claire Byrne show .
Hesaid it was not one generation , young people , who were the issue .
“ There were no students in Clifden.
” Most students are responsible and were concerned about the health of their parents and grandparents , he said .
“ College life is going to be difficult .
We have to recognise that the virus is going to be with us for some time.
” There will be strict rules when students return to college , but it will vary from institution to institution .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said Mr Harris .
Mr Harris said last week had been a terrible week .
He had made his feelings known on social media with comments about “ stupid acts that make people angry.
” What had happened in Clifden was a breach in public trust .
“ We had worked so hard to bring people with us , that everyone had put their shoulder to the wheel.
” What had happened in Clifden had created an “ us versus them ” attitude “ that we just can ’ t have.
” Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ complex to communicate .
Independent Kerry TD Michael Healy-Rae said scenes of people drinking on the street in Killarney last Saturday night would not have happened if all pubs were open .
What had happened on Saturday night was not representative of what happens in Kerry , Mr Healy-Rae told RTÉ radio ’ s Morning Ireland .
“ Killarney is an extremely well policed and managed town , we do not have instances like this on any type of occurrence , that is not a regular type of occurrence , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saturday night did not occur inside a pub .
“ This was not inside any public premises , because our publicans that are opened they run exceptionally efficient businesses , very well controlled , they are adhering to all the guidelines and they ’ re doing everything correctly.
” Under coronavirus restrictions , pubs which do not serve food must remain closed to help suppress the spread of the virus .
Several proposed reopening dates have been pushed back by the Government following advice from public health experts .
Mr Healy-Rae said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not have happened if all pubs were open .
“ That is why I would use that scene in Killarney on Saturday night as an argument in persuading Government to allow all public houses to open .
Because if our public houses are open , people will get alcohol in a measured and principled way , by responsible people who go before our courts every 12 months and who run what I call respectable public houses.
” He said he was “ advocating that all pubs should be open , not just ones @ @ @ @ @ @ @ acknowledged that his brother Danny runs a pub , but said that everyone in this country was entitled to their opinion .
“ I don ’ t agree with the public health advice , no one can go into detail about what is the difference between a wet house and one serving food .
There are a lot of anomalies .
Of course I will adhere to and go along with the advice , but that doesn ’ t mean to say that I have to blindly agree and say they ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ say .
That is not life.
” HSE chief executive Paul Reid said while the scenes on the street in Killarney at the weekend were unfortunate , he did not want to see young people being blamed and targeted .
There needed to be a redoubling of efforts to win their hearts and minds , he told Newstalk Breakfast .
“ As we head into the winter we need to be communicating to people with hope and confidence , ” Mr Reid said .
There was no doubt that there had been an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they will now have to be delivered in a new way , protecting the vulnerable and relieving pressure on the hospital system , he said .
Agreements have been reached with private hospitals he said in the event that their facilities and services will be required in the event of a second surge .
This will be done in a targeted way , it could be based on geography and will be a “ more agile ” way , he explained .

Video footage published extensively on social media shows a large crowd of people dancing and drinking on a Killarney, Co. Kerry street without observing social distancing or wearing masks.
Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris has said there will always be people "who do stupid things" in reference to drunken scenes on the streets of Killarney at the weekend.
Video footage on social media showed a group of people chanting and drinking on the street without observing social distancing or wearing masks. Two men also climbed on top of a old phone box and started a singing, the video shows.
Society shouldn't lose sight that the majority of people are doing everything that has been asked of them, Mr Harris told RTÉ radio's Today with Claire Byrne show.
Michael Healy-Rae said the weekend’s scenes were not typical of Killarney. File photograph: Cyril Byrne/The Irish Times
Hesaid it was not one generation, young people, who were the issue. “There were no students in Clifden.”
READ MORE
Most students are responsible and were concerned about the health of their parents and grandparents, he said.
“College life is going to be difficult. We have to recognise that the virus is going to be with us for some time.”
Minister for Further Education Simon Harris.Photograph: Niall Carson/PA Wire
There will be strict rules when students return to college, but it will vary from institution to institution. The priority will be first year students, said Mr Harris.
Mr Harris said last week had been a terrible week. He had made his feelings known on social media with comments about “stupid acts that make people angry.”
What had happened in Clifden was a breach in public trust. “We had worked so hard to bring people with us, that everyone had put their shoulder to the wheel.”
What had happened in Clifden had created an “us versus them” attitude “that we just can’t have.” Mr Harris acknowledged the message had gotten more complex to communicate.
‘All pubs should open’
Independent Kerry TD Michael Healy-Rae said scenes of people drinking on the street in Killarney last Saturday night would not have happened if all pubs were open.
What had happened on Saturday night was not representative of what happens in Kerry, Mr Healy-Rae told RTÉ radio's Morning Ireland.
“Killarney is an extremely well policed and managed town, we do not have instances like this on any type of occurrence, that is not a regular type of occurrence,” he said.
Michael Healy-Rae said the weekend’s scenes were not typical of Killarney. File photograph: Cyril Byrne/The Irish Times
Mr Healy-Rae said the incident on Saturday night did not occur inside a pub. “This was not inside any public premises, because our publicans that are opened they run exceptionally efficient businesses, very well controlled, they are adhering to all the guidelines and they’re doing everything correctly.”
Under coronavirus restrictions, pubs which do not serve food must remain closed to help suppress the spread of the virus. Several proposed reopening dates have been pushed back by the Government following advice from public health experts.
Mr Healy-Rae said the scenes in Kerry over the weekend would not have happened if all pubs were open.
“That is why I would use that scene in Killarney on Saturday night as an argument in persuading Government to allow all public houses to open. Because if our public houses are open, people will get alcohol in a measured and principled way, by responsible people who go before our courts every 12 months and who run what I call respectable public houses.”
He said he was “advocating that all pubs should be open, not just ones who serve food”.
Mr Healy-Rae acknowledged that his brother Danny runs a pub, but said that everyone in this country was entitled to their opinion.
“I don’t agree with the public health advice, no one can go into detail about what is the difference between a wet house and one serving food. There are a lot of anomalies. Of course I will adhere to and go along with the advice, but that doesn’t mean to say that I have to blindly agree and say they’re 100 per cent right in everything they say. That is not life.”
Don’t blame young people
HSE chief executive Paul Reid said while the scenes on the street in Killarney at the weekend were unfortunate, he did not want to see young people being blamed and targeted.
There needed to be a redoubling of efforts to win their hearts and minds, he told Newstalk Breakfast.
“As we head into the winter we need to be communicating to people with hope and confidence,” Mr Reid said.
There was no doubt that there had been an impact on services to date, but they will now have to be delivered in a new way, protecting the vulnerable and relieving pressure on the hospital system, he said.
Agreements have been reached with private hospitals he said in the event that their facilities and services will be required in the event of a second surge. This will be done in a targeted way, it could be based on geography and will be a “more agile” way, he explained.


theirishtimes--2020-08-31--Fishing industry concerned about new penalty points system

The chief executive of Killybegs Fishermen ’ s Organisation , Séan O ’ Donoghue has said that fishermen are not being afforded the same rights as other citizens under the new penalty points system introduced at the weekend .
Mr O ’ Donoghue said that the fishing industry was not opposed to the system of penalty points to target breaches of fisheries rules but they were concerned that there was no right to challenge the points .
Speaking on RTÉ radio ’ s Morning Ireland , he said that in other countries where the system of penalty points was already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to challenge the imposition of points “ using lesser forms of proof.
” Mr O ’ Donoghue said there had been several previous attempts to introduce a statutory instrument with regard to penalty points for fishermen for serious infringements of the Common Fisheries Policy .
The Taoiseach , who is the acting Minister for Fisheries , had “ conveniently ignored ” that the Supreme Court had struck down previous efforts to introduce such a system , he said .
The reaction from the fishing industry all around the country had been huge , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t understand how the Taoiseach signed this statutory instrument.
” In 2018 Fianna Fáil had been instrumental in having a similar statutory instrument annulled in the Dáil , he said .
When the fisheries sector had seen penalty points included in the Programme for Government , they understood it would mean “ a fair and reasonable penalty points system.
” But what the Taoiseach had signed meant that there would be no right to appeal except through a court of law , which was “ completely unfair , ” he said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ funding for the Irish fishing sector was suspended by the European Commission because of the failure to establish a penalty points system for the sector .

A penalty points system for breaches of fisheries rules was included in the Programme for Government. File photograph: Annie Sakkab/Bloomberg
The chief executive of Killybegs Fishermen’s Organisation, Séan O’Donoghue has said that fishermen are not being afforded the same rights as other citizens under the new penalty points system introduced at the weekend.
Mr O’Donoghue said that the fishing industry was not opposed to the system of penalty points to target breaches of fisheries rules but they were concerned that there was no right to challenge the points.
Speaking on RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland, he said that in other countries where the system of penalty points was already in operation, there was the option to challenge the imposition of points “using lesser forms of proof.”
Mr O’Donoghue said there had been several previous attempts to introduce a statutory instrument with regard to penalty points for fishermen for serious infringements of the Common Fisheries Policy.
READ MORE
The Taoiseach, who is the acting Minister for Fisheries, had “conveniently ignored” that the Supreme Court had struck down previous efforts to introduce such a system, he said.
The reaction from the fishing industry all around the country had been huge, said Mr Donoghue. “We can’t understand how the Taoiseach signed this statutory instrument.”
In 2018 Fianna Fáil had been instrumental in having a similar statutory instrument annulled in the Dáil, he said.
When the fisheries sector had seen penalty points included in the Programme for Government, they understood it would mean “a fair and reasonable penalty points system.” But what the Taoiseach had signed meant that there would be no right to appeal except through a court of law, which was “completely unfair,” he said.
Last year, €6 million in EU funding for the Irish fishing sector was suspended by the European Commission because of the failure to establish a penalty points system for the sector.


theirishtimes--2020-08-31--College students report in high numbers to Cork Sexual Violence Centre

The Cork Sexual Violence Centre received 3,469 calls and texts to its helpline in 2019 with 37 per cent of all new clients indicating that they were third level students .
The annual report for the centre reveals that more than 60 per cent of new clients last year were under the age of 29 .
75 per cent of new clients were 23 or younger at the time of the sexual assault .
The centre accompanied 20 people to court whilst 1,714 counselling appointments were arranged .
197 people were supported through the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit process .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ three allegations of sexual assault or rape during freshers ’ week , typically a week of events and parties for new students , in Cork city would be the norm .
“ Freshers ’ Week is the worst week because you have people coming in who are so vulnerable and wide eyed and excited .
They go in to student accommodation .
“ A typical scenario would be meeting somebody as they say ‘ from the parish ’ who is familiar and they are trusting .
Then this guy will rape them .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ go home and tell anybody .
Their parents may have struggled to get them into college .
This guy is strutting around because he is a predator .
“ Most guys won ’ t do this but the ones who will will do it continuously .
For the good guys out there who know that their pals are doing this they have to call it out .
This behaviour has to be called out and stopped.
” She said often times students do not report rape because they blame themselves for what occurred @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lot which I find heartbreaking when I meet a young woman who has been raped and she is in a bad way and is shocked by the whole thing and she will look at you in the eye and say ‘ I don ’ t want to get him in trouble ’ .
That he has a career ahead of him .
“ They still have the belief that if a girl went with a guy or was really friendly with him and he raped her , well , she blames herself @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the street they blame themselves and feel they shouldn ’ t have been on the street .
“ There has to be zero tolerance .
Universities need to come out with their policies and act on it .
The guys need to be called out and told this is not on.
” Earlier this summer Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris said he was “ stunned ” to learn of high levels of sexual assault and rape at third level education .
He vowed to tackle the “ epidemic ” of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recent study conducted by the Union of Students in Ireland ( USI ) found that one-third of female students had been raped , while two-thirds had experienced sexual assault .
UCC has launched a Bystander Intervention Programme to help students around such sensitive issues .
UCC criminal law and criminology lecturer Dr Catherine O ’ Sullivan , says that the voluntary programme helps students to understand the key issue of consent and the boundaries surrounding sexual assault , rape and abusive relationships .
Dr O ’ Sullivan , who taught the programme whilst @ @ @ @ @ @ @ course helps students to be proactive in calling out sexual violence .
“ It also recognises the extent to which we witness smaller forms of sexual violence .
There can be a false consensus .
Because everyone is laughing at the inappropriate jokes the person who feels uncomfortable thinks that they are unusual or in the minority for feeling that something isn ’ t comfortable or right .
It is about letting students know that their discomfort is the majority feeling .
”

More than 60 per cent of new clients of the Cork Sexual Violence Centre last year were under the age of 29.
The Cork Sexual Violence Centre received 3,469 calls and texts to its helpline in 2019 with 37 per cent of all new clients indicating that they were third level students.
The annual report for the centre reveals that more than 60 per cent of new clients last year were under the age of 29. 75 per cent of new clients were 23 or younger at the time of the sexual assault.
The centre accompanied 20 people to court whilst 1,714 counselling appointments were arranged. 197 people were supported through the Sexual Assault Treatment Unit process.
Founder of the centre Mary Crilly said three allegations of sexual assault or rape during freshers’ week, typically a week of events and parties for new students, in Cork city would be the norm.
READ MORE
“Freshers’ Week is the worst week because you have people coming in who are so vulnerable and wide eyed and excited. They go in to student accommodation.
“A typical scenario would be meeting somebody as they say ‘from the parish’ who is familiar and they are trusting. Then this guy will rape them.
“They feel they can’t go home and tell anybody. Their parents may have struggled to get them into college. This guy is strutting around because he is a predator.
“Most guys won’t do this but the ones who will will do it continuously. For the good guys out there who know that their pals are doing this they have to call it out. This behaviour has to be called out and stopped.”
She said often times students do not report rape because they blame themselves for what occurred.
“The big thing I hear a lot which I find heartbreaking when I meet a young woman who has been raped and she is in a bad way and is shocked by the whole thing and she will look at you in the eye and say ‘ I don’t want to get him in trouble’. That he has a career ahead of him.
“They still have the belief that if a girl went with a guy or was really friendly with him and he raped her, well, she blames herself. Or if they are raped on the street they blame themselves and feel they shouldn’t have been on the street.
“There has to be zero tolerance. Universities need to come out with their policies and act on it. The guys need to be called out and told this is not on.”
Earlier this summer Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris said he was “stunned” to learn of high levels of sexual assault and rape at third level education. He vowed to tackle the “epidemic” of sex crime at third level.
A recent study conducted by the Union of Students in Ireland (USI) found that one-third of female students had been raped, while two-thirds had experienced sexual assault.
UCC has launched a Bystander Intervention Programme to help students around such sensitive issues.
UCC criminal law and criminology lecturer Dr Catherine O’Sullivan, says that the voluntary programme helps students to understand the key issue of consent and the boundaries surrounding sexual assault, rape and abusive relationships.
Dr O’Sullivan, who taught the programme whilst it was being trailed, says the course helps students to be proactive in calling out sexual violence.
“It also recognises the extent to which we witness smaller forms of sexual violence. There can be a false consensus.
Because everyone is laughing at the inappropriate jokes the person who feels uncomfortable thinks that they are unusual or in the minority for feeling that something isn’t comfortable or right. It is about letting students know that their discomfort is the majority feeling.”


theirishtimes--2020-08-31--Pricewatch: Readers’ queries answered

Pricewatch: Readers’ queries answered

Every single day Pricewatch hears stories of incompetence and intransigence and what sometimes seems like a wilful disregard for customer care on the part of companies , big and small .
The tales of woe can be wearying and baffling and we frequently find ourselves thinking how much easier it would be for companies to do the right thing rather than do the wrong one .
They could so easily save themselves time , effort and even money while not alienating their customers and potential customers by being sound .
We have a story that neatly illustrates that today and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , who mailed us to highlight a “ really appalling experience my elderly parents have had with a Hisense fridge-freezer that they bought online from Currys ” .
The fridge-freezer was bought in September 2018 and it broke down last spring ( in late March or early April ) while still under its two-year warranty .
It was as the lockdown was starting so the timing could scarcely have been much worse .
“ After many , many phone calls to both Currys and Hisense , [ the manufacturer ] finally sent out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that it was beyond repair , that they were entitled to a full replacement and that Hisense would be in touch within two weeks to confirm this , ” our reader writes .
“ Given that it was in the middle of a pandemic , my parents weren ’ t too alarmed when this didn ’ t happen .
But after many more weeks of waiting , I got in touch with Hisense on their behalf .
After many phone calls , emails and yet more delays , the company finally confirmed that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or alternatively , given the inconvenience they ’ d suffered , to a model costing as much as an additional 15 per cent of what they ’ d spent on the original fridge-freezer.
” So far so good .
The company told her to contact Currys directly as regards arranging delivery of the replacement fridge-freezer .
“ After many , many , many phone calls to Currys where I was either cut off mid-conversation or sent to the wrong department , some weeks ago I finally got in touch with a very helpful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we wanted to replace was out of stock and that he couldn ’ t find out if it would be restocked .
He carefully logged all the details of the case and told me to keep an eye on the website over the coming weeks .
After requesting a stock update via their website , I subsequently got an automated email last week confirming that this particular model would not come back into stock.
” This lead on to the big problem .
Her parents chose this particular model for its particular dimensions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recessed space in their kitchen .
“ So we scoured Currys ’ website for an alternative and finally found another model with very similar dimensions .
Priced at €1,199 , it meant that my parents would have to pay an additional sum of €107.65 , which they were content to do ( €949 + 15 % = €1091.35 ) as at this point they are just desperate to have a functioning fridge-freezer again , especially given what ’ s going on as regards the pandemic/cocooning.
” This is where it gets ridiculous .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ morning yesterday trying to access Currys customer care service to arrange delivery of this replacement fridge freezer , during which time I was yet again cut off repeatedly , sent to the wrong departments and left listening to recorded messages while I waited and waited , ” Fionnuala writes .
“ When I finally got to speak to someone , I was told – unbelievably – that my parents would not be allowed to choose this replacement model as it cost more than the cost of the original fridge-freezer + 15 % .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to pay the additional sum of €107.65 as they just wanted to get a model that would fit the space but I was again told that this was not possible .
The only other alternative I was offered was a partial refund equivalent to the ‘ depreciated value ’ of the original fridge-freezer now that it was a year and a half old , which I told them was completely unacceptable.
” When she asked to speak to a manager she was told one would phone by 6pm .
When the call didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fruitless couple of hours trying to speak to someone at Currys who will sort this problem out .
After more than an hour of trying to get through to the correct department followed by yet another hour listening to various recorded messages , I was yet again cut off.
” She did finally get a call from a manager who confirmed that Currys “ wouldn ’ t facilitate my parents paying the additional sum of €107.65 to get the model that they want .
He said that they either had to buy a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the original price of the fridge plus 15 % ) or accept a depreciated refund of €420 based on the fact that the fridge was a year and a half old .
“ When I asked him if he thought that it was a fair way to treat an elderly couple in the middle of a pandemic , he told me ( I had to laugh ) that I was being emotive in using that word and it was simply company policy .
I was astonished by how offhand and unhelpful he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attitude to their customers.
” We got in touch with Curry ’ s and received the following statement : “ We are truly sorry that [ our reader ] and her parents didn ’ t receive the standard of customer service that we normally expect of ourselves .
We have apologised to our customer and have agreed to exchange the faulty fridge/freezer for a superior product at no extra cost .
Our customer is happy with this resolution .
”

Currys’ fridge-freezer was bought in September 2018 and it broke down last spring while still under its two-year warranty. Photograph: Chris Jackson/Getty Images
Every single day Pricewatch hears stories of incompetence and intransigence and what sometimes seems like a wilful disregard for customer care on the part of companies, big and small. The tales of woe can be wearying and baffling and we frequently find ourselves thinking how much easier it would be for companies to do the right thing rather than do the wrong one. They could so easily save themselves time, effort and even money while not alienating their customers and potential customers by being sound.
We have a story that neatly illustrates that today and it comes from a reader, Fionnuala, who mailed us to highlight a “really appalling experience my elderly parents have had with a Hisense fridge-freezer that they bought online from Currys”.
Broke down
The fridge-freezer was bought in September 2018 and it broke down last spring (in late March or early April) while still under its two-year warranty. It was as the lockdown was starting so the timing could scarcely have been much worse.
“After many, many phone calls to both Currys and Hisense, [the manufacturer] finally sent out an engineer to examine it who said that it was beyond repair, that they were entitled to a full replacement and that Hisense would be in touch within two weeks to confirm this,” our reader writes.
READ MORE
“Given that it was in the middle of a pandemic, my parents weren’t too alarmed when this didn’t happen. But after many more weeks of waiting, I got in touch with Hisense on their behalf. After many phone calls, emails and yet more delays, the company finally confirmed that they were entitled to a replacement model or alternatively, given the inconvenience they’d suffered, to a model costing as much as an additional 15 per cent of what they’d spent on the original fridge-freezer.”
It had cost €949.
So far so good.
The company told her to contact Currys directly as regards arranging delivery of the replacement fridge-freezer.
“After many, many, many phone calls to Currys where I was either cut off mid-conversation or sent to the wrong department, some weeks ago I finally got in touch with a very helpful guy who confirmed that the particular model we wanted to replace was out of stock and that he couldn’t find out if it would be restocked. He carefully logged all the details of the case and told me to keep an eye on the website over the coming weeks. After requesting a stock update via their website, I subsequently got an automated email last week confirming that this particular model would not come back into stock.”
This lead on to the big problem. Her parents chose this particular model for its particular dimensions as it needs to fit into a recessed space in their kitchen. “So we scoured Currys’ website for an alternative and finally found another model with very similar dimensions. Priced at €1,199, it meant that my parents would have to pay an additional sum of €107.65, which they were content to do (€949 + 15% = €1091.35) as at this point they are just desperate to have a functioning fridge-freezer again, especially given what’s going on as regards the pandemic/cocooning.”
Ridiculous
This is where it gets ridiculous.
“I spent yet another hugely frustrating morning yesterday trying to access Currys customer care service to arrange delivery of this replacement fridge freezer, during which time I was yet again cut off repeatedly, sent to the wrong departments and left listening to recorded messages while I waited and waited,” Fionnuala writes.
“When I finally got to speak to someone, I was told – unbelievably – that my parents would not be allowed to choose this replacement model as it cost more than the cost of the original fridge-freezer + 15%. I explained that my parents were happy to pay the additional sum of €107.65 as they just wanted to get a model that would fit the space but I was again told that this was not possible. The only other alternative I was offered was a partial refund equivalent to the ‘depreciated value’ of the original fridge-freezer now that it was a year and a half old, which I told them was completely unacceptable.”
When she asked to speak to a manager she was told one would phone by 6pm. When the call didn’t happen she spent “another fruitless couple of hours trying to speak to someone at Currys who will sort this problem out. After more than an hour of trying to get through to the correct department followed by yet another hour listening to various recorded messages, I was yet again cut off.”
She did finally get a call from a manager who confirmed that Currys “wouldn’t facilitate my parents paying the additional sum of €107.65 to get the model that they want. He said that they either had to buy a model within the defined price bracket (the original price of the fridge plus 15%) or accept a depreciated refund of €420 based on the fact that the fridge was a year and a half old.
‘Emotive’
“When I asked him if he thought that it was a fair way to treat an elderly couple in the middle of a pandemic, he told me (I had to laugh) that I was being emotive in using that word and it was simply company policy. I was astonished by how offhand and unhelpful he was. Such an utterly lousy, contemptuous attitude to their customers.”
We got in touch with Curry’s and received the following statement:
“ We are truly sorry that [our reader] and her parents didn’t receive the standard of customer service that we normally expect of ourselves. We have apologised to our customer and have agreed to exchange the faulty fridge/freezer for a superior product at no extra cost. Our customer is happy with this resolution.”


theirishtimes--2020-08-31--Man (26) who died in unexplained circumstances in Killarney is named

The man who died in unexplained circumstances in Killarney on Saturday night been named locally as Darragh Sheehan ( 26 ) from Doneraile in north Cork .
An investigation has begun in Killarney into the unexplained death of the man , who was found unconscious outside a hotel in the Co Kerry town on Saturday night .
The young man was found at an entrance to the bar and restaurant area after 11.30pm on Saturday .
The emergency services were called and gardaí arrived at about 11.40pm .
However , he was pronounced dead a short time later .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Conference Centre on the Muckross Road was cordoned off pending a technical examination .
His body was taken to University Hospital Kerry in Tralee where a postmortem examination was due to be carried out .
A postmortem will be required to determine the course of the investigation , a Garda spokesman said .
One line of inquiry being followed by gardaí is the man died after becoming involved in an altercation at the hotel .
However , the cause of death remains unclear .
The deceased has not been named officially .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ footage from any road users travelling in the area between 11pm and 11.45pm .
Anyone with information is asked to contact Killarney Garda station on 064-667-1160 , the Garda confidential line on 1800-666-111 or any Garda station

Gardaí are investigating the unexplained death of a man found on Saturday night outside the Gleneagle Hotel in Killarney. Photograph: Eye Focus
The man who died in unexplained circumstances in Killarney on Saturday night been named locally as Darragh Sheehan (26) from Doneraile in north Cork.
An investigation has begun in Killarney into the unexplained death of the man, who was found unconscious outside a hotel in the Co Kerry town on Saturday night.
The young man was found at an entrance to the bar and restaurant area after 11.30pm on Saturday. The emergency services were called and gardaí arrived at about 11.40pm. However, he was pronounced dead a short time later.
The scene at the well-known Gleneagle Hotel and Conference Centre on the Muckross Road was cordoned off pending a technical examination.
READ MORE
His body was taken to University Hospital Kerry in Tralee where a postmortem examination was due to be carried out . A postmortem will be required to determine the course of the investigation, a Garda spokesman said.
One line of inquiry being followed by gardaí is the man died after becoming involved in an altercation at the hotel. However, the cause of death remains unclear. The deceased has not been named officially.
The Garda have appealed for witnesses and dashcam footage from any road users travelling in the area between 11pm and 11.45pm. Anyone with information is asked to contact Killarney Garda station on 064-667-1160, the Garda confidential line on 1800-666-111 or any Garda station


theirishtimes--2020-09-01--Could Ireland become the 'wayward child' of Europe on Covid response?

While the country was convulsed over the Clifden golf dinner controversy , the battle against Covid-19 has not been going as well as it should be .
The latest figures from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control ( ECDC ) show just how poorly Ireland is doing compared to most of our EU neighbours .
The UK was once Europe ’ s “ bad boy ” for tackling the virus , thanks to a faltering start , multiple U-turns and occasional injections of superfluous ideology .
Sweden , meanwhile , was the continent ’ s “ wayward child @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way by resisting lockdown and the closure of most schools and businesses .
Both countries suffered unnecessarily high numbers of deaths and were the subject of trenchant criticism over the months of peak pandemic .
Now , in their own separate ways , they have managed to up their game , and trends in terms of deaths and cases are generally positive .
Ireland , meanwhile , having achieved one of the lowest incidences in Europe in mid-summer , is now struggling to contain fresh outbreaks .
So much so that the latest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than both the UK ’ s and Sweden ’ s .
( The death rate in Sweden is 60 per cent higher than in Ireland . )
The incidence of the virus in Ireland is also higher than in Italy , Germany , Poland , Denmark , Norway , Greece , Finland , Hungary , Slovakia , Lithuania , Slovenia , Estonia , Iceland , Cyprus and Latvia .
These trends can change quickly over time , but Ireland ’ s decision in July to put in place a very short green list @ @ @ @ @ @ @ possible without a need to quarantine , now looks like an act of hubris .
The policy of throttling overseas travel , which has had a devastating impact on the sector , meant imported cases fell to very low levels .
Consequently , and in contrast to many EU states where returning holidaymakers have driven surges , travel could not be blamed for our second wave .
But if travel was not responsible , what was ?
Initially , it was the outbreaks in meat processing plants , as we know .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ same spot twice , given these environments had suffered outbreaks in the spring .
There was nothing terribly wrong with the odd case occurring in factories .
But by the time anyone noticed what was going on , hundreds of staff had become infected , and the wider seeding of the virus in the community was well advanced .
This needn ’ t have happened .
Testing capacity was being under-utilised throughout the summer , so wider testing of workers in the meat processing sector could have been arranged .
And , once @ @ @ @ @ @ @ system was found wanting .
Other countries that are experiencing surges at present are handling them better because , in general , they are carrying out more testing and/or doing it faster .
The new wave of infections was getting under way as one government left and a new one arrived .
Possibly , continuity was broken as new Ministers struggled to learn their briefs .
The outbreaks in meat plants are being brought under control , but the problem has moved on to other areas of life where people congregate .
Worryingly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attributed to community transmission , meaning the source of infection is unknown .
We still don ’ t have rapid testing alternatives , or the promised revamp of the testing system , or even the Government ’ s new framework for dealing with Covid-19 realities over the coming year .
Yesterday , a private nursing home claimed it could deliver rapid test results in 15 minutes , and the gold-standard PCR test results in six hours , yet parents are being warned they will have to wait up to 72 hours for PCR @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forced to self-isolate for this period .

Barry McKnight, proprietor of the J-One Cafe in Athy, which can reopen after a local lockdown in Co Kildare is lifted. Photograph: Niall Carson/PA Wire
While the country was convulsed over the Clifden golf dinner controversy, the battle against Covid-19 has not been going as well as it should be.
The latest figures from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) show just how poorly Ireland is doing compared to most of our EU neighbours.
The UK was once Europe’s “bad boy” for tackling the virus, thanks to a faltering start, multiple U-turns and occasional injections of superfluous ideology. Sweden, meanwhile, was the continent’s “wayward child”, determined to go its own way by resisting lockdown and the closure of most schools and businesses.
Both countries suffered unnecessarily high numbers of deaths and were the subject of trenchant criticism over the months of peak pandemic. Now, in their own separate ways, they have managed to up their game, and trends in terms of deaths and cases are generally positive.
READ MORE
Ireland, meanwhile, having achieved one of the lowest incidences in Europe in mid-summer, is now struggling to contain fresh outbreaks. So much so that the latest ECDC figures show our figures are higher than both the UK’s and Sweden’s. (The death rate in Sweden is 60 per cent higher than in Ireland.)
The incidence of the virus in Ireland is also higher than in Italy, Germany, Poland, Denmark, Norway, Greece, Finland, Hungary, Slovakia, Lithuania, Slovenia, Estonia, Iceland, Cyprus and Latvia.
Green list
These trends can change quickly over time, but Ireland’s decision in July to put in place a very short green list of countries, from which travel is possible without a need to quarantine, now looks like an act of hubris.
The policy of throttling overseas travel, which has had a devastating impact on the sector, meant imported cases fell to very low levels. Consequently, and in contrast to many EU states where returning holidaymakers have driven surges, travel could not be blamed for our second wave.
But if travel was not responsible, what was?
Initially, it was the outbreaks in meat processing plants, as we know. This was the equivalent of lightning hitting the same spot twice, given these environments had suffered outbreaks in the spring.
There was nothing terribly wrong with the odd case occurring in factories. But by the time anyone noticed what was going on, hundreds of staff had become infected, and the wider seeding of the virus in the community was well advanced.
We still don't have rapid testing alternatives, or the promised revamp of the testing system
This needn’t have happened. Testing capacity was being under-utilised throughout the summer, so wider testing of workers in the meat processing sector could have been arranged.
And, once again, our testing and contract tracing system was found wanting. Other countries that are experiencing surges at present are handling them better because, in general, they are carrying out more testing and/or doing it faster.
Continuity
The new wave of infections was getting under way as one government left and a new one arrived. Possibly, continuity was broken as new Ministers struggled to learn their briefs.
The outbreaks in meat plants are being brought under control, but the problem has moved on to other areas of life where people congregate. Worryingly, 30 per cent of cases are attributed to community transmission, meaning the source of infection is unknown.
We still don’t have rapid testing alternatives, or the promised revamp of the testing system, or even the Government’s new framework for dealing with Covid-19 realities over the coming year.
Yesterday, a private nursing home claimed it could deliver rapid test results in 15 minutes, and the gold-standard PCR test results in six hours, yet parents are being warned they will have to wait up to 72 hours for PCR results on schoolchildren, with entire families forced to self-isolate for this period.


theirishtimes--2020-09-01--Covid-19: Sports linked to at least 55 cases in August

At least 55 cases of Covid-19 in August have been linked to some form of sporting activity , the Department of Health has said .
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre , which monitors outbreaks of the virus , says those who have been infected have had 365 close contacts , with each case generating an average of 6.6 close contacts .
Public health officials last night ruled out any immediate lifting of the ban on spectators at sporting events , which was imposed in mid-August .
Acting chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn said the focus for now was on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the next few weeks , after which other measures would be examined .
The GAA , which believes the measure will force spectators indoors to more risky environments , has asked officials to present the underlying evidence .
Although no meeting has taken place between the GAA and the National Public Health Emergency Team , Dr Glynn said he was happy to meet all sporting bodies .
Meanwhile , Cabinet is expected today to sign off on a plan to supply free flu vaccines to more than two million people .
However , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is being delayed due to problems relating to Covid-19 .
Doses for 1.4 million adults will be made available from mid-September .
For the first time , a mass vaccination of 600,000 children is planned , but this will not start until mid- to late October , it is understood .
This is close to the recommended timeline of within two weeks of the annual flu season .
With new figures showing Ireland ’ s incidence of Covid-19 higher than in Sweden , the UK , Germany and 14 other European countries , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s response in recent months .
With 30.6 cases per 100,000 population over the last fortnight , the incidence of the disease in Ireland is up to 12 times higher than it was two months ago , according to figures from the European Centre for Disease Control .
However , Dr Glynn denied that public health officials had “ taken their eye off the ball ” and put the surge down to an “ explosive ” and “ unusual ” growth in clusters with “ significant knock-on effects ” .
He admitted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ testing large clusters in Co Kildare but said these issue were being addressed and “ lessons have been learned ” .
Ireland was “ there with the best countries in Europe with testing ” , he insisted .
Businesses in Co Kildare yesterday welcomed the Government ’ s decision to lift restrictions imposed on the county last month following a steep rise in cases , initially linked to outbreaks in local meat processing plants .
The decision was made despite Kildare still having the highest incidence of any county in the Republic , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ further 53 confirmed cases of Covid-19 were reported by public health emergency team on Monday evening , and no new deaths .
Dublin accounted for 25 of the new cases and Limerick for 11 .
Dr Glynn said it was too early to read anything into the improvement seen in recent days but added that he was heartened by the “ apparent stabilisation ” in numbers .
Any review of the green list of countries from which travellers do not have to quarantine on arriving in Ireland , is a matter for Government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ emergency team has undertaken an internal review of its operations , according to Dr Glynn , and its role would be reviewed externally as part of the Government ’ s planned framework for tackling the disease .
The US yesterday surpassed six million cases of Covid-19 , including one million new infections in the past month .

The Health Protection Surveillance Centre says those who have been infected have had 365 close contacts, with each case generating an average of 6.6 close contacts. File photograph: The Irish Times
At least 55 cases of Covid-19 in August have been linked to some form of sporting activity, the Department of Health has said.
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre, which monitors outbreaks of the virus, says those who have been infected have had 365 close contacts, with each case generating an average of 6.6 close contacts.
Public health officials last night ruled out any immediate lifting of the ban on spectators at sporting events, which was imposed in mid-August. Acting chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn said the focus for now was on making the reopening of schools work over the next few weeks, after which other measures would be examined.
The GAA, which believes the measure will force spectators indoors to more risky environments, has asked officials to present the underlying evidence.
READ MORE
Although no meeting has taken place between the GAA and the National Public Health Emergency Team, Dr Glynn said he was happy to meet all sporting bodies.
Meanwhile, Cabinet is expected today to sign off on a plan to supply free flu vaccines to more than two million people.
However, the delivery to Ireland of flu jabs is being delayed due to problems relating to Covid-19.
Doses for 1.4 million adults will be made available from mid-September. For the first time, a mass vaccination of 600,000 children is planned, but this will not start until mid- to late October, it is understood. This is close to the recommended timeline of within two weeks of the annual flu season.
With new figures showing Ireland’s incidence of Covid-19 higher than in Sweden, the UK, Germany and 14 other European countries, Dr Glynn defended public health emergency team’s response in recent months.
Businesses in Co Kildare yesterday welcomed the Government's decision to lift restrictions imposed on the county last month
With 30.6 cases per 100,000 population over the last fortnight, the incidence of the disease in Ireland is up to 12 times higher than it was two months ago, according to figures from the European Centre for Disease Control.
However, Dr Glynn denied that public health officials had “taken their eye off the ball” and put the surge down to an “explosive” and “unusual” growth in clusters with “significant knock-on effects”.
He admitted there were “some delays” in testing large clusters in Co Kildare but said these issue were being addressed and “lessons have been learned”. Ireland was “there with the best countries in Europe with testing”, he insisted.
Businesses in Co Kildare yesterday welcomed the Government’s decision to lift restrictions imposed on the county last month following a steep rise in cases, initially linked to outbreaks in local meat processing plants.
‘Apparent stabilisation’
The decision was made despite Kildare still having the highest incidence of any county in the Republic, although the trend is downwards.
A further 53 confirmed cases of Covid-19 were reported by public health emergency team on Monday evening, and no new deaths. Dublin accounted for 25 of the new cases and Limerick for 11.
Dr Glynn said it was too early to read anything into the improvement seen in recent days but added that he was heartened by the “apparent stabilisation” in numbers.
Any review of the green list of countries from which travellers do not have to quarantine on arriving in Ireland, is a matter for Government, he said.
The public health emergency team has undertaken an internal review of its operations, according to Dr Glynn, and its role would be reviewed externally as part of the Government’s planned framework for tackling the disease.
The US yesterday surpassed six million cases of Covid-19, including one million new infections in the past month.