theirishtimes--2020-10-23--Father unaware partner and baby dead until gardaí called to raise alarm

The father of a seven-month-old baby boy was unaware his child lay dead in their Co Dublin home and that his partner had left the property and died tragically until gardaí called to the house early on Thursday to raise the alarm .
Gardaí were treating the death of the baby as “ unexplained ” and were awaiting postmortem results to determine if foul play was a factor .
The death of the boy ’ s mother was being treated as a “ tragedy ” by investigators .
Garda sources said even if the postmortem determined the boy had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anyone else in connection with his death .
The Irish Times understands the family are originally from the west of Ireland but had been living in Lucan for some time and that the boy ’ s father works in the education sector .
The first indication that anything untoward had happened was at about 3.45am on Thursday when gardaí were alerted to a woman acting suspiciously on the M50 near the toll plaza after she got out of her car .
When they went to investigate they found the woman ’ s body @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Lucan , Co Dublin .
After checking the registration of her car , gardaí established it was registered to an address in the Lucan area .
When gardaí called to the property the woman ’ s partner was asleep and was unaware anything had happened .
However , when the baby was checked in the house he was found unresponsive and was pronounced dead at the scene .
There were no obvious signs of injury or violence to the baby .
His remains were removed to Crumlin Hospital and his mother ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a postmortem .
“ At this stage investigating gardaí are treating these incidents as a family tragedy and are not currently seeking anyone else in connection with the deaths , ” the Garda said in a statement .
It added that the family of the deceased woman and child had appealed for privacy “ at this sad time ” .
While an investigation was being conducted by Lucan gardaí , they do not believe any other person was involved in the deaths .

The father of a seven-month-old baby boy was unaware his child lay dead in their Co Dublin home and that his partner had left the property and died tragically until gardaí called to the house early on Thursday to raise the alarm.
The results of the postmortem showed the baby died of asphyxiation. However, gardaí have yet to determine if foul play was a factor. The death of the boy’s mother was being treated as a “tragedy” by investigators.
Garda sources said even if the postmortem determined the boy had been unlawfully killed they were not looking for anyone else in connection with his death.
The family - Nicola Keane (34) and her partner Darren Coleman - is originally Ballina, Co Mayo, but had been living in Lucan for some time. Ms Keane worked as a nurse in the children’s hospital in Crumlin while Mr Coleman is a teacher.
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The first indication that anything untoward had happened was at about 3.45am on Thursday when gardaí were alerted to a woman acting suspiciously on the M50 near the toll plaza after she got out of her car.
When they went to investigate they found the woman’s body on Lower Road, Strawberry Beds, Lucan, Co Dublin. After checking the registration of her car, gardaí established it was registered to an address in the Lucan area.
Pronounced dead
When gardaí called to the property the woman’s partner was asleep and was unaware anything had happened. However, when the baby was checked in the house he was found unresponsive and was pronounced dead at the scene.
There were no obvious signs of injury or violence to the baby. His remains were removed to Crumlin Hospital and his mother’s remains were taken to the City Morgue for a postmortem .
“At this stage investigating gardaí are treating these incidents as a family tragedy and are not currently seeking anyone else in connection with the deaths,” the Garda said in a statement. It added that the family of the deceased woman and child had appealed for privacy “at this sad time”.
While an investigation was being conducted by Lucan gardaí, they do not believe any other person was involved in the deaths .


theirishtimes--2020-10-23--HSE says it has stabilised staffing situation in nursing home hit by Covid-19 outbreak

The HSE says it has stabilised staffing at a Co Galway nursing home where 26 out of 28 residents and all but four staff have tested positive for Covid-19 .
Despite claims by the director of nursing at the Nightingale nursing home that it had been abandoned during its virus outbreak , HSE officials insisted rosters at the facility are covered for the next three days and specialist support is being provided .
One resident of the nursing home in Ahascragh has died and two have been hospitalised in the latest mass outbreak of Covid-19 in a long-term care facility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from local and Opposition TDs but Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly told the Dáil some comments made were “ factually incorrect ” and “ spread fear and anxiety very wrongly in the community ” .
Fully protecting older people in nursing homes will be impossible unless community transmission is brought under control , chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan warned last night .
The HSE has supplied one nurse and one care attendant to the nursing home to support staff drafted in from Roscommon University Hospital , along with volunteers .
The extra @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saw one nurse and one care worker doing 13-hour shifts to care for patients before the crisis became public , now has cover for the coming days .
Director of nursing at the home , Patricia MacGabhann , who herself has tested positive for Covid-19 , told The Irish Times she had begged for help from the HSE as staff were withdrawn from duty .
The HSE had promised to send two carers yesterday , but “ nobody showed up ” .
The residents are “ citizens of this country and the State @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They [ the HSE ] are not giving us the help .
They kept batting it back to us saying : ‘ Go and find agency staff.
’ But we can not get any , ” she said .
According to HSE chief operations officer Anne O ’ Connor , public health officials declared an outbreak on Sunday , the day a resident tested positive when hospitalised , and testing was carried out on Monday .
That day , infection control staff intervened and a dedicated manager was put in place to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It has been a challenge to secure staff , especially agency staff , ” Ms O ’ Connor said , adding that agency staff were sometime unwilling to go into a home due to outbreaks .
Just four out of almost 600 nursing homes are currently regarded by the HSE as being of significant concern due to outbreaks .
“ We ’ re nowhere near where we were in the spring , ” Ms O ’ Connor said .
A further three coronavirus-related deaths and 1,066 new Covid-19 cases were reported yesterday as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a six-week lockdown .
For the first time in months , the five-day average of cases has stopped increasing , but National Public Health Emergency Team official Prof Philip Nolan said it was “ far too early ” to say this was a trend .
He said every reduction by 100 of daily Covid-19 cases will result in 120 fewer hospitalisations , 15 fewer intensive care admissions and 20 fewer deaths over the next month .
Earlier , HSE chief executive Paul Reid apologised to the 2,000 people who tested positive for Covid-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ close contacts .
“ It ’ s an unfortunate situation , I regret it , ” Mr Reid said .
However , the decision was the right one , given the pressure on the service , though the relaying of information to the Taoiseach had not been well handled , he said .

One resident of the Nightingale nursing home in Ahascragh, Co Galway, has died and two have been hospitalised in the latest mass outbreak of Covid-19 in a long-term care facility. Photograph: Joe O’Shaughnessy
The HSE says it has stabilised staffing at a Co Galway nursing home where 26 out of 28 residents and all but four staff have tested positive for Covid-19.
Despite claims by the director of nursing at the Nightingale nursing home that it had been abandoned during its virus outbreak, HSE officials insisted rosters at the facility are covered for the next three days and specialist support is being provided.
One resident of the nursing home in Ahascragh has died and two have been hospitalised in the latest mass outbreak of Covid-19 in a long-term care facility.
Hospital Report
News of the outbreak prompted criticism from local and Opposition TDs but Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly told the Dáil some comments made were “factually incorrect” and “spread fear and anxiety very wrongly in the community”.
READ MORE
Fully protecting older people in nursing homes will be impossible unless community transmission is brought under control, chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan warned last night.
The HSE has supplied one nurse and one care attendant to the nursing home to support staff drafted in from Roscommon University Hospital, along with volunteers. The extra staff means the nursing home, which saw one nurse and one care worker doing 13-hour shifts to care for patients before the crisis became public, now has cover for the coming days.
Tested positive
Director of nursing at the home, Patricia MacGabhann, who herself has tested positive for Covid-19, told The Irish Times she had begged for help from the HSE as staff were withdrawn from duty. The HSE had promised to send two carers yesterday , but “nobody showed up”.
The residents are “citizens of this country and the State has an obligation to look after them. They [the HSE] are not giving us the help. They kept batting it back to us saying: ‘Go and find agency staff.’ But we cannot get any,” she said.
According to HSE chief operations officer Anne O’Connor, public health officials declared an outbreak on Sunday, the day a resident tested positive when hospitalised, and testing was carried out on Monday.
That day, infection control staff intervened and a dedicated manager was put in place to provide support, she said.
“It has been a challenge to secure staff, especially agency staff,” Ms O’Connor said, adding that agency staff were sometime unwilling to go into a home due to outbreaks.
Significant concern
Just four out of almost 600 nursing homes are currently regarded by the HSE as being of significant concern due to outbreaks.
“We’re nowhere near where we were in the spring,” Ms O’Connor said.
A further three coronavirus-related deaths and 1,066 new Covid-19 cases were reported yesterday as the country entered its first day of a six-week lockdown.
For the first time in months, the five-day average of cases has stopped increasing, but National Public Health Emergency Team official Prof Philip Nolan said it was “far too early” to say this was a trend.
He said every reduction by 100 of daily Covid-19 cases will result in 120 fewer hospitalisations, 15 fewer intensive care admissions and 20 fewer deaths over the next month.
Earlier, HSE chief executive Paul Reid apologised to the 2,000 people who tested positive for Covid-19 and were asked to tell their own close contacts. “It’s an unfortunate situation, I regret it,” Mr Reid said.
However, the decision was the right one, given the pressure on the service, though the relaying of information to the Taoiseach had not been well handled, he said.


theirishtimes--2020-10-23--Republic has lowest budget for judicial system, EU Commission report finds

The Republic had the lowest judicial system budget as a percentage of gross domestic product ( GDP ) of the 48 states covered by a new report from the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice ( CEPEJ ) .
In 2018 the Republic spent 0.10 per cent of GDP on its courts , prosecution service and free legal aid system , the report found .
The average was 0.33 per cent .
The figure for Northern Ireland was 0.45 per cent of GDP , one of the highest ratios contained in the report from the Council of Europe body @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hugely boosted by the size of its foreign direct investment sector .
The report from the commission ( usually referred to by its French acronym CEPEJ ) covers 45 of the Council of Europe member states ( Liechtenstein and San Marino are not included ) , as well as Israel , Kazakhstan and Morocco .
The three UK legal jurisdictions of England and Wales , Scotland , and Northern Ireland , are treated separately in the data .
The report found that the Republic was an outlier in terms of judicial system budget @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken into account .
It fell significantly below the trend line that indicates similar ratios .
The Republic was also close to the bottom in terms of numbers of professional judges per 100,000 of population ( 3.3 ) .
England and Wales had 3.1 and Northern Ireland 3.6 .
The ratio of women in the judiciary was below 40 per cent in the Republic , the three UK jurisdictions , as well as Armenia , Azerbaijan and Iceland .
The report found that the Republic ’ s “ clearance rate ” was the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the court systems examined in the report in civil and commercial litigation in courts of first instance ( ie not appeals ) , and the lowest of all EU states .
The clearance rate is defined as the ratio obtained by dividing the number of resolved cases by the number of incoming cases in a given period , expressed as a percentage .
It is designed to assess to what extent a judicial system is able to process the volume of cases it is receiving , with a ratio of more than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is able to reduce a backlog .
The average reported clearance rate in the report was 99 per cent .
In continental Europe , the progress of a case is more in the control of the courts than it is in the Republic , where the pace of progress is more in the hands of the parties before the court .
The report found that countries with higher per capita GDPs tended to spend a proportionately larger amount of money on legal aid .
An analysis of spend per capita , with GDP @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spend in the Republic was slightly higher than its GDP would forecast , using average spend as a guide for those countries that had GDPs in excess of €20,000 per capita .
The Chief Justice , Frank Clarke , who has made access to justice one of the themes of his tenure as the State ’ s top judge , has spoken frequently about the important but frequently unnoticed difference between common law legal systems , such as what exists here and in the UK , and the civil law regimes that are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of public expenditure .
For instance , at the opening of the new legal term in October 2017 , he said there was a significant shifting of the burden of carrying litigation in common law countries on to the parties and away from the State .
“ In civil law systems the courts themselves , that is judges and judicial staff , carry a much greater burden of ascertaining the facts and researching the law.
” But that came at a cost in terms of the much greater numbers of personnel required to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .

Chief Justice Frank Clarke has made access to justice one of the themes of his tenure as the State’s top judges. Photograph: Brenda Fitzsimons
The Republic had the lowest judicial system budget as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) of the 48 states covered by a new report from the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ).
In 2018 the Republic spent 0.10 per cent of GDP on its courts, prosecution service and free legal aid system, the report found. The average was 0.33 per cent.
The figure for Northern Ireland was 0.45 per cent of GDP, one of the highest ratios contained in the report from the Council of Europe body.
Ireland’s GDP figure is hugely boosted by the size of its foreign direct investment sector.
READ MORE
The report from the commission (usually referred to by its French acronym CEPEJ) covers 45 of the Council of Europe member states (Liechtenstein and San Marino are not included), as well as Israel, Kazakhstan and Morocco.
The three UK legal jurisdictions of England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland, are treated separately in the data.
Similar ratios
The report found that the Republic was an outlier in terms of judicial system budget expenditure per capita, when GDP is taken into account. It fell significantly below the trend line that indicates similar ratios.
The Republic was also close to the bottom in terms of numbers of professional judges per 100,000 of population (3.3). England and Wales had 3.1 and Northern Ireland 3.6.
The ratio of women in the judiciary was below 40 per cent in the Republic, the three UK jurisdictions, as well as Armenia, Azerbaijan and Iceland.
The report found that the Republic’s “clearance rate” was the second lowest (63 per cent) of the court systems examined in the report in civil and commercial litigation in courts of first instance (ie not appeals), and the lowest of all EU states.
The clearance rate is defined as the ratio obtained by dividing the number of resolved cases by the number of incoming cases in a given period, expressed as a percentage.
It is designed to assess to what extent a judicial system is able to process the volume of cases it is receiving, with a ratio of more than 100 per cent indicating that the system is able to reduce a backlog. The average reported clearance rate in the report was 99 per cent.
In continental Europe, the progress of a case is more in the control of the courts than it is in the Republic, where the pace of progress is more in the hands of the parties before the court.
The report found that countries with higher per capita GDPs tended to spend a proportionately larger amount of money on legal aid.
Unnoticed difference
An analysis of spend per capita, with GDP taken into account, showed that the spend in the Republic was slightly higher than its GDP would forecast, using average spend as a guide for those countries that had GDPs in excess of €20,000 per capita.
The Chief Justice, Frank Clarke, who has made access to justice one of the themes of his tenure as the State's top judge, has spoken frequently about the important but frequently unnoticed difference between common law legal systems, such as what exists here and in the UK, and the civil law regimes that are usual on continental Europe, in terms of public expenditure.
For instance, at the opening of the new legal term in October 2017, he said there was a significant shifting of the burden of carrying litigation in common law countries on to the parties and away from the State.
“In civil law systems the courts themselves, that is judges and judicial staff, carry a much greater burden of ascertaining the facts and researching the law.”
But that came at a cost in terms of the much greater numbers of personnel required to staff the courts in those jurisdictions, he said.


theirishtimes--2020-10-23--Dublin residents seek removal of ‘distasteful’ cycle bollards

Residents of Fitzwilliam Street in Dublin 2 have urged Dublin City Council to remove “ distasteful ” cycle lane bollards currently being installed as part of Covid-19 mobility measures .
South Georgian Core Residents Association said the wands used to protect cyclists are unnecessary “ visual pollutants ” and are inappropriate in the city ’ s premier Georgian conservation area .
A “ parking protected ” cycle path was first proposed for Fitzwilliam Street four years ago .
The 1km path from Leeson Street to Merrion Square would use parked cars to protect cyclists by swapping the position of car @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cyclists would travel beside the footpath and be separated from traffic by the parked cars .
Public consultation last year found 97 per cent support for the Fitzwilliam Cycle Route , with Dublin Chamber of Commerce , the Dublin Cycling Campaign and An Taisce among its supporters .
Work was due to start on the scheme this year , but was deferred .
However , the council has decided to implement an interim version of the scheme as part of its Covid-19 measures to improve cycle safety .
The South Georgian Core Residents @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which they contended was unsafe for pedestrians and residents trying to access their cars , but said interim measures represent the worst of all worlds as bollards as well as cars were used to create barriers from traffic .
“ We were always of the view that this cycleway wasn ’ t needed and would make it more difficult for people to access their cars , and would make it unsafe for people trying to cross the road , ” the association ’ s chairman , Philip O ’ Callaghan , said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ even worse , with unnecessary bollards and signage that are visually unappealing and intrusive and really rather distasteful.
” The council ’ s own policies for the area opposed visual clutter in the historic streetscape , he said .
“ The council is not living up to its own standards .
These plastic bollards are visual pollutants and are creating a racetrack for cyclists and should be removed.
” Kenny Burns , who lives on Fitzwilliam Street Upper , said he was upset by the lack of consultation by the council .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the council without any real consultation .
Telling us what they are going to do , and then coming along and putting in this cycle path overnight is not consultation.
” Mr Burns said he felt having to access his car “ in the middle of the road instead of from the footpath ” was inherently unsafe .
Fianna Fáil councillor and architectural historian Deirdre Conroy said she supported the principle of the cycle path , but plastic bollards were inappropriate for use in any conservation area .
“ Using bushes or trees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , particularly [ in ] the south Georgian core.
” The council has not responded to queries on whether it plans to remove the bollards .
The Fitzwilliam Cycle Route was originally proposed by then Fine Gael councillor Paddy Smyth , and was designed to eventually link the Grand Canal cycle route to all the south Georgian squares , creating a network of segregated cycle routes across the southeast of the city .

Residents of Fitzwilliam Street in Dublin 2 have urged Dublin City Council to remove "distasteful" cycle lane bollards currently being installed as part of Covid-19 mobility measures.
South Georgian Core Residents Association said the wands used to protect cyclists are unnecessary "visual pollutants" and are inappropriate in the city's premier Georgian conservation area.
A “parking protected” cycle path was first proposed for Fitzwilliam Street four years ago. The 1km path from Leeson Street to Merrion Square would use parked cars to protect cyclists by swapping the position of car parking and cycle lanes, so that cyclists would travel beside the footpath and be separated from traffic by the parked cars.
Public consultation last year found 97 per cent support for the Fitzwilliam Cycle Route, with Dublin Chamber of Commerce, the Dublin Cycling Campaign and An Taisce among its supporters. Work was due to start on the scheme this year, but was deferred. However, the council has decided to implement an interim version of the scheme as part of its Covid-19 measures to improve cycle safety.
READ MORE
The South Georgian Core Residents Association had opposed the original scheme, which they contended was unsafe for pedestrians and residents trying to access their cars, but said interim measures represent the worst of all worlds as bollards as well as cars were used to create barriers from traffic.
“We were always of the view that this cycleway wasn’t needed and would make it more difficult for people to access their cars, and would make it unsafe for people trying to cross the road,” the association’s chairman, Philip O’Callaghan, said.
“However, this interim solution is even worse, with unnecessary bollards and signage that are visually unappealing and intrusive and really rather distasteful.”
Visual clutter
The council’s own policies for the area opposed visual clutter in the historic streetscape, he said. “The council is not living up to its own standards. These plastic bollards are visual pollutants and are creating a racetrack for cyclists and should be removed.”
Kenny Burns, who lives on Fitzwilliam Street Upper, said he was upset by the lack of consultation by the council. "This has been foisted on us by the council without any real consultation. Telling us what they are going to do, and then coming along and putting in this cycle path overnight is not consultation."
Mr Burns said he felt having to access his car “in the middle of the road instead of from the footpath” was inherently unsafe.
Fianna Fáil councillor and architectural historian Deirdre Conroy said she supported the principle of the cycle path, but plastic bollards were inappropriate for use in any conservation area.
“Using bushes or trees instead of bollards would be more appropriate, particularly [in] the south Georgian core.”
The council has not responded to queries on whether it plans to remove the bollards.
The Fitzwilliam Cycle Route was originally proposed by then Fine Gael councillor Paddy Smyth, and was designed to eventually link the Grand Canal cycle route to all the south Georgian squares, creating a network of segregated cycle routes across the southeast of the city.


theirishtimes--2020-10-22--Schools instructed to stop using Virapro branded hand sanitiser

Schools affected by a hand sanitiser recall relating to public health concerns have been told they can close on Friday if they believe it necessary .
The Department of Agriculture , which issued the recall for the Virapro product , said its prolonged use can cause dermatitis , eye irritation , upper respiratory system irritation and headaches .
Some of the product contains methanol rather than ethanol , it said .
“ Tests by the Department show that some of the sanitiser on sale does not comply with regulations governing the content and efficacy of such products , ” it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are advised to stop using this sanitiser with immediate effect .
A Department investigation into this matter is ongoing.
” Suppliers of the product are on a list of 11 authorised to provide protective equipment to schools .
In response to the alert , the Department of Education told schools they could close on Friday , or finish early , if such action was deemed appropriate .
“ The Department of Education is informing all schools of the need to check whether they have used this supplier and have stocks of this product @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Department of Agriculture to cease using it , ” it said .
“ On Friday 23 October schools that are impacted by this can make local arrangements to purchase stocks of hand sanitiser and can maximise the use of hand washing to support necessary hand hygiene .
“ If a school that is impacted judges it necessary to do so , they can choose to close for the day or close early on Friday 23 October.
” It said any school having difficulty in sourcing an alternative sanitiser should contact the Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ Additional funding will be provided to schools to enable them to purchase the necessary supplies from an alternative supplier , ” it said .
Sinn Féin education spokesman Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire raised the matter late on Thursday night as the House adjourned .
He called in the Minister for Education to make a brief statement and give an explanation about what had happened .
But he was ruled out of order by Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl .

Prolonged use of product can cause dermatitis, eye irritation, upper respiratory system irritation and headaches, says Department. File photograph: iStock
Schools affected by a hand sanitiser recall relating to public health concerns have been told they can close on Friday if they believe it necessary.
The Department of Agriculture, which issued the recall for the Virapro product, said its prolonged use can cause dermatitis, eye irritation, upper respiratory system irritation and headaches.
Some of the product contains methanol rather than ethanol, it said.
Hospital Report
“Tests by the Department show that some of the sanitiser on sale does not comply with regulations governing the content and efficacy of such products,” it said.
READ MORE
“Members of the public are advised to stop using this sanitiser with immediate effect. A Department investigation into this matter is ongoing.”
Suppliers of the product are on a list of 11 authorised to provide protective equipment to schools.
In response to the alert, the Department of Education told schools they could close on Friday, or finish early, if such action was deemed appropriate.
“The Department of Education is informing all schools of the need to check whether they have used this supplier and have stocks of this product. Schools should follow the advice of the Department of Agriculture to cease using it,” it said.
“On Friday 23 October schools that are impacted by this can make local arrangements to purchase stocks of hand sanitiser and can maximise the use of hand washing to support necessary hand hygiene.
“If a school that is impacted judges it necessary to do so, they can choose to close for the day or close early on Friday 23 October.”
It said any school having difficulty in sourcing an alternative sanitiser should contact the Department’s Covid-19 helpline or email.
“Additional funding will be provided to schools to enable them to purchase the necessary supplies from an alternative supplier,” it said.
Sinn Féin education spokesman Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire raised the matter late on Thursday night as the House adjourned.
He called in the Minister for Education to make a brief statement and give an explanation about what had happened.
But he was ruled out of order by Ceann Comhairle Seán Ó Fearghaíl.


theirishtimes--2020-10-22--New citizens to sign affidavit of loyalty instead of attending ceremonies, minister says

New Irish citizens will sign an affidavit of loyalty to the State while ceremonies are cancelled during the pandemic , the Government has announced .
Alternative methods of celebrating new citizens – rather than the usual large swearing-in gatherings - have been under consideration since the outbreak of Covid-19 in Ireland early this year .
Minister for Justice Helen McEntee said a virtual citizenship ceremony held in July was a success but further such events are “ not feasible ” because of the demand .
Citizenship ceremonies restarted in December 2019 after they were put on hold for five months @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that any person applying for Irish citizenship could not spend a day outside Ireland in the year before applying .
A discretionary practice of allowing applicants six weeks out of the country , for holiday or other reasons , and more time in exceptional circumstances , was not permitted by law , Mr Justice Barrett ruled .
While applications continued to be processed , ceremonies were put on hold , leaving thousands of applicants in limbo and leading to a backlog of more than 20,000 people waiting to be sworn in as Irish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said the temporary measure of affidavits of loyalty would help ensure that eligible applicants receive their certificates of naturalisation as soon as possible .
“ Since their establishment in 2011 , citizenship ceremonies have been joyous occasions at which we mark the granting of Irish citizenships in a dignified manner , ” she said .
“ Unfortunately , the pandemic means that we are currently unable to hold the in-person ceremonies with hundreds of people which have become a welcome addition to our public and civic life .
“ Yet thousands of applications @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with many applicants ready to become citizens .
Our new , temporary approach means we can process these applications during the pandemic.
” More than 21,000 citizenship applications have yet to be processed including around 3,000 that are “ ceremony ready ” , according to the Department for Justice .

Minister for Justice & Equality Helen McEntee said a virtual citizenship ceremony held in July was a success but further such events are ‘not feasible’ because of the demand. File photograph: Gareth Chaney/Collins
New Irish citizens will sign an affidavit of loyalty to the State while ceremonies are cancelled during the pandemic, the Government has announced.
Alternative methods of celebrating new citizens – rather than the usual large swearing-in gatherings - have been under consideration since the outbreak of Covid-19 in Ireland early this year.
Minister for Justice Helen McEntee said a virtual citizenship ceremony held in July was a success but further such events are “not feasible” because of the demand.
Citizenship ceremonies restarted in December 2019 after they were put on hold for five months over a High Court ruling last year that any person applying for Irish citizenship could not spend a day outside Ireland in the year before applying.
READ MORE
A discretionary practice of allowing applicants six weeks out of the country, for holiday or other reasons, and more time in exceptional circumstances, was not permitted by law, Mr Justice Barrett ruled.
While applications continued to be processed, ceremonies were put on hold, leaving thousands of applicants in limbo and leading to a backlog of more than 20,000 people waiting to be sworn in as Irish citizens by a judge.
Ms McEntee said the temporary measure of affidavits of loyalty would help ensure that eligible applicants receive their certificates of naturalisation as soon as possible.
“Since their establishment in 2011, citizenship ceremonies have been joyous occasions at which we mark the granting of Irish citizenships in a dignified manner,” she said.
“Unfortunately, the pandemic means that we are currently unable to hold the in-person ceremonies with hundreds of people which have become a welcome addition to our public and civic life.
“Yet thousands of applications for naturalisation are still on hand, with many applicants ready to become citizens. Our new, temporary approach means we can process these applications during the pandemic.”
More than 21,000 citizenship applications have yet to be processed including around 3,000 that are “ceremony ready”, according to the Department for Justice.


theirishtimes--2020-10-22--Six further outbreaks of Covid-19 in nursing homes and community hospitals, Nphet says

Nursing homes can not be protected from Covid-19 outbreaks unless the public comes together to bring down rising levels of community transmissions , Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan has warned .
A briefing by the National Public Health Emergency Team ( Nphet ) on Thursday disclosed six further outbreaks in nursing home and community hospital settings to October 17th .
There are now 33 outbreaks with 451 linked cases but the team stressed that only a national response to the resurgence of the virus would help bring the numbers down .
“ The extent that this virus is transmitting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the community , this represents a risk to all of those settings , ” Dr Holohan said .
“ We have seen an increase in the number of nursing homes that have picked up this infection .
We have seen an increase in the number of people within the nursing homes who have picked up this infection , and we have seen some mortality numbers associated with that .
“ So long as we retain high transmission in the community as we have at the moment it will be impossible for us to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” even where protective measures have been put in place .
Dr Colm Henry , chief clinical officer of the HSE said 132 nursing homes were currently receiving some sort of support , including 35 receiving “ extensive support ” , such as that from Covid response teams .
On Thursday , a further 1,066 cases of the virus were confirmed , bringing the total in the State to 54,476 .
Three additional deaths brought the mortality total to 1,871 .
As Ireland entered into Level 5 Covid restrictions , Dr Holohan said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the increased demands on limited movement and behaviour .
“ It is not surprising that people would find another ask to do all of this all over again a hugely difficult challenge , ” he said .
“ I ’ m not going to get into predicting failure ; I am going to be expressing optimism that we can do this.
” However , while the Nphet target is to reduce daily case rates to 100 by December , from the current level of about 1,000 to 1,200 , the data presented on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ virus .
Dr Heather Burns , a deputy chief medical officer , noted that the 14-day incidence rate of infection had surpassed 300 for the first time - now at 302 as compared to just three at the end of June .
“ The risk to you being exposed to Covid-19 is now 100 times greater than it was four months ago , ” she said .
The “ R number ” , indicating the reproductive level of the virus , is currently between 1.3 and 1.4 , with ambitions to see it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of social restrictions .
For every 1,000 positive cases in the 45 and under age group , 12 are hospitalised and one is admitted to intensive care .
However , for those aged 65 and over , those figures jump dramatically to 180 and 30 respectively .
While deaths in the former age group are deemed “ rare ” by Nphet , there are about 30 in the latter group .
Setting out the data , Professor Philip Nolan , chair of the Nphet Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group , showed an exponential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and 8 per cent per day .
Hospitalisation rates are similarly growing , by about 5 per cent per day , and intensive care admissions by 3 per cent .
Although the disease remains largely focused in the 19 to 24 age group , cases are now rising in the over 65s and in nursing homes .
Because of earlier measures introduced in Dublin , the patterns there have been monitored closely .
“ Unfortunately , one of the lessons from Dublin is that where the rate of growth of disease slowed at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ introduced within about 14 days it began to rise again .
.
.
as quickly as the rest of the country , ” Prof Nolan said .
Dr Holohan was asked about concerns regarding the contact tracing system and its ability to keep pace , but he said the most important focus now was not tracing but the public response to Level 5 measures and their ability to slow community transmission .
“ We have a much , much greater challenge now in terms of the level of community transmission that is in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is spreading in places that we haven ’ t been able to identify , ” he said .
“ We won ’ t contact trace our way out of this ; we have to take other measures as a society .
”

Dr Heather Burns, deputy chief medical officer, noted that the 14-day incidence rate of infection had surpassed 300 for the first time - now at 302 as compared to just three at the end of June. Photograph: Collins
Nursing homes cannot be protected from Covid-19 outbreaks unless the public comes together to bring down rising levels of community transmissions, Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan has warned.
A briefing by the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) on Thursday disclosed six further outbreaks in nursing home and community hospital settings to October 17th.
There are now 33 outbreaks with 451 linked cases but the team stressed that only a national response to the resurgence of the virus would help bring the numbers down.
Hospital Report
“The extent that this virus is transmitting in the way that it is in the community, this represents a risk to all of those settings,” Dr Holohan said.
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“We have seen an increase in the number of nursing homes that have picked up this infection. We have seen an increase in the number of people within the nursing homes who have picked up this infection, and we have seen some mortality numbers associated with that.
“So long as we retain high transmission in the community as we have at the moment it will be impossible for us to give full protection to nursing homes,” even where protective measures have been put in place.
Support for nursing homes
Dr Colm Henry, chief clinical officer of the HSE said 132 nursing homes were currently receiving some sort of support, including 35 receiving “extensive support”, such as that from Covid response teams.
On Thursday, a further 1,066 cases of the virus were confirmed, bringing the total in the State to 54,476. Three additional deaths brought the mortality total to 1,871.
As Ireland entered into Level 5 Covid restrictions, Dr Holohan said they are concerned about public buy-in to the increased demands on limited movement and behaviour.
“It is not surprising that people would find another ask to do all of this all over again a hugely difficult challenge,” he said.
“I’m not going to get into predicting failure; I am going to be expressing optimism that we can do this.”
However, while the Nphet target is to reduce daily case rates to 100 by December, from the current level of about 1,000 to 1,200, the data presented on Thursday illustrated the stark trajectory of the virus.
Dr Heather Burns, a deputy chief medical officer, noted that the 14-day incidence rate of infection had surpassed 300 for the first time - now at 302 as compared to just three at the end of June.
“The risk to you being exposed to Covid-19 is now 100 times greater than it was four months ago,” she said.
The “R number”, indicating the reproductive level of the virus, is currently between 1.3 and 1.4, with ambitions to see it fall to 0.5 following the latest round of social restrictions.
For every 1,000 positive cases in the 45 and under age group, 12 are hospitalised and one is admitted to intensive care. However, for those aged 65 and over, those figures jump dramatically to 180 and 30 respectively. While deaths in the former age group are deemed “rare” by Nphet, there are about 30 in the latter group.
Exponential rise
Setting out the data, Professor Philip Nolan, chair of the Nphet Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group, showed an exponential rise in case numbers of between 5 and 8 per cent per day.
Hospitalisation rates are similarly growing, by about 5 per cent per day, and intensive care admissions by 3 per cent.
Although the disease remains largely focused in the 19 to 24 age group, cases are now rising in the over 65s and in nursing homes.
Because of earlier measures introduced in Dublin, the patterns there have been monitored closely.
“Unfortunately, one of the lessons from Dublin is that where the rate of growth of disease slowed at the point that Level 3 measures were introduced within about 14 days it began to rise again . . . as quickly as the rest of the country,” Prof Nolan said.
Dr Holohan was asked about concerns regarding the contact tracing system and its ability to keep pace, but he said the most important focus now was not tracing but the public response to Level 5 measures and their ability to slow community transmission.
“We have a much, much greater challenge now in terms of the level of community transmission that is in the population . . . and that is spreading in places that we haven’t been able to identify,” he said.
“We won’t contact trace our way out of this; we have to take other measures as a society.”


theirishtimes--2020-10-22--Warning that small shuttered shops may reopen in campaign of disobedience

Smaller shops ordered to shutter during the lockdown may reopen in a “ campaign of civil disobedience ” against huge retail chains still trading in non-essential goods , business leaders are warning .
Isme , which represents smaller traders , said scenes of shoppers queuing outside multinationals for toys on the first day of six weeks of tightened coronavirus restrictions were like a “ red rag to a bull ” for thousands of stores forced to close .
Neil McDonnell , Isme chief executive , accused the Government of facilitating “ a massive transfer of wealth ” from crippled small @ @ @ @ @ @ @ still trading in the likes of toys , clothes and homeware .
“ That is what ’ s happening , ” he told The Irish Times .
“ The small guys are getting shut down by Government and at the same time Government is allowing really large billion-euro businesses to continue trading .
“ I really don ’ t understand what the long-term objective here is , unless they want main street Ireland to have tumble weed blowing through it in the new year.
” Pictures appeared on social media of queues outside @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been in line since 6am – for a toy sale on Thursday .
The no frills retailers enforced a “ dedicated store marshal and ticketing system ” to cope with demand .
Complaints were also posted about major grocery chains selling non-essential items , home furnishing superstores and electrical goods giants keeping their doors open , as well as multinational sportswear stores trading as usual .
There were reports of large stores placing items deemed essential – such as food and face masks – among non-essential goods .
Under the latest Government-imposed restrictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ services ” are to remain open .
Mr McDonnell said big business was ignoring the rules “ hither and yon ” , while small businesses are on “ artificial life support ” through grants and wage subsidies .
“ I mean , the absurdity of allowing big stores to sell everything while shuttering small stores , ” he said , adding the smaller shop owners didn ’ t have the financial clout to take on the State in a legal action .
“ But I could see civil disobedience , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deciding they are going to open .
I could see store owners saying I am going to trade until the gardaí close down someone who is competing with me down the street .
Mr McDonnell said there was “ palpable anger ” among smaller businesses .
“ This just renders all of this farcical , unless there is some control exerted over this , ” he added .
The issue was raised with Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise Leo Varadkar during a meeting of his department ’ s retail forum on Wednesday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ business representatives were “ very obviously getting agitated around the table.
” Home furnishings retailer Homestore and More told customers in a telephone message it was “ pleased to inform you that our stores are open ” but only for products “ necessary for the upkeep and functioning of a place of residence at this time ” .
Other big retailers like Harvey Norman and Homebase also reported being open to the public on Thursday .
Mr Varadkar said the Government got a commitment from the retail industry that it would not take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not part of their normal sales and that department stores would cordon off the areas where they sell clothes ” .
Shops are not allowed to open so they can sell other products , he told Labour ’ s enterprise spokesman Ged Nash in the Dáil .
“ We will enforce this if we have to , ” he added .
Mr Nash said it was “ nauseating ” to see stores that should be closed because of Level 5 restrictions remain open because they are selling essential products “ when these essential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2 per cent of their trade or floor space ” .
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly warned businesses that only those selling essential items are permitted to operate over the next six weeks .
Mr Donnelly said , “ It was not fair for big stores to sell food as well as non-essential items ” .
This happened in the first wave , he said , and it should not recur .
“ I want to clarify for the House that it is not so much the stores that are deemed essential but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” He stressed that “ a store can not sell food in one part of the store and clothes in another part of the store.
” The Minister said he had heard of a sports outlet that was going to start selling personal protective equipment so that it could also sell its normal sports apparel .
“ That is not allowed , ” he said .
“ Such an outlet would be allowed to sell PPE but not the sports apparel.
” A spokeswoman for Lidl said it was an “ essential retailer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of hardware , gardening , textiles and furniture – many of which are still permitted under Level 5 guidelines.
” “ If Lidl were forced to remove these items from sale it would cause massive logistical issues and would result in our warehouses being overstocked , which would seriously compromise our ability to get essential food supplies in , ” she added .
“ We can appreciate that this may seem unfair , however we have made every effort to cancel promotion of these items in media and online.
” In a statement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Government guidelines by closing our F & F clothing units across the country.
” Musgrave Group , which runs SuperValu and Centra , said its stores “ would carry a small amount of non-food products.
” “ We are deeply conscious of the fact that many local stores and family businesses are closed at the most important trading time of the year , ” a spokeswoman said .
“ We are not opportunistically changing our plans for Christmas .
In fact we are actively encouraging customers to shop local this Christmas and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Aldi were asked to respond .

Pictures appeared on social media of queues outside Aldi – with some claiming to have been in line since 6am – for a toy sale on Thursday. Above, a queue on Tuesday at Aldi on Parnell Street, Dublin. Photograph: Stephen Collins
Smaller shops ordered to shutter during the lockdown may reopen in a “campaign of civil disobedience” against huge retail chains still trading in non-essential goods, business leaders are warning.
Isme, which represents smaller traders, said scenes of shoppers queuing outside multinationals for toys on the first day of six weeks of tightened coronavirus restrictions were like a “red rag to a bull” for thousands of stores forced to close.
Neil McDonnell, Isme chief executive, accused the Government of facilitating “a massive transfer of wealth” from crippled small businesses to hugely profitable multiples which are still trading in the likes of toys, clothes and homeware.
“That is what’s happening,” he told The Irish Times.
READ MORE
“The small guys are getting shut down by Government and at the same time Government is allowing really large billion-euro businesses to continue trading.
“I really don’t understand what the long-term objective here is, unless they want main street Ireland to have tumble weed blowing through it in the new year.”
Pictures appeared on social media of queues outside Aldi – with some claiming to have been in line since 6am – for a toy sale on Thursday. The no frills retailers enforced a “dedicated store marshal and ticketing system” to cope with demand.
Complaints were also posted about major grocery chains selling non-essential items, home furnishing superstores and electrical goods giants keeping their doors open, as well as multinational sportswear stores trading as usual.
There were reports of large stores placing items deemed essential – such as food and face masks – among non-essential goods.
Under the latest Government-imposed restrictions, only “essential retail and essential services” are to remain open.
Mr McDonnell said big business was ignoring the rules “hither and yon”, while small businesses are on “artificial life support” through grants and wage subsidies.
“I mean, the absurdity of allowing big stores to sell everything while shuttering small stores,” he said, adding the smaller shop owners didn’t have the financial clout to take on the State in a legal action.
“But I could see civil disobedience,” he said. “I could see some stores deciding they are going to open. I could see store owners saying I am going to trade until the gardaí close down someone who is competing with me down the street.
Mr McDonnell said there was “palpable anger” among smaller businesses.
“This just renders all of this farcical, unless there is some control exerted over this,” he added.
The issue was raised with Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise Leo Varadkar during a meeting of his department’s retail forum on Wednesday, said Mr McDonnell, adding that small business representatives were “very obviously getting agitated around the table.”
Home furnishings retailer Homestore and More told customers in a telephone message it was “pleased to inform you that our stores are open” but only for products “necessary for the upkeep and functioning of a place of residence at this time”.
Other big retailers like Harvey Norman and Homebase also reported being open to the public on Thursday.
Mr Varadkar said the Government got a commitment from the retail industry that it would not take advantage “by selling products that are not part of their normal sales and that department stores would cordon off the areas where they sell clothes”.
Shops are not allowed to open so they can sell other products, he told Labour’s enterprise spokesman Ged Nash in the Dáil.
“We will enforce this if we have to,” he added.
Mr Nash said it was “nauseating” to see stores that should be closed because of Level 5 restrictions remain open because they are selling essential products “when these essential products account for 1 per cent or 2 per cent of their trade or floor space”.
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly warned businesses that only those selling essential items are permitted to operate over the next six weeks.
Mr Donnelly said, “It was not fair for big stores to sell food as well as non-essential items”.
This happened in the first wave, he said, and it should not recur.
“I want to clarify for the House that it is not so much the stores that are deemed essential but the relevant goods that are deemed essential.”
He stressed that “a store cannot sell food in one part of the store and clothes in another part of the store.”
The Minister said he had heard of a sports outlet that was going to start selling personal protective equipment so that it could also sell its normal sports apparel.
“That is not allowed,” he said. “Such an outlet would be allowed to sell PPE but not the sports apparel.”
A spokeswoman for Lidl said it was an “essential retailer” which also offers “a mixture of hardware, gardening, textiles and furniture – many of which are still permitted under Level 5 guidelines.”
“If Lidl were forced to remove these items from sale it would cause massive logistical issues and would result in our warehouses being overstocked, which would seriously compromise our ability to get essential food supplies in,” she added.
“We can appreciate that this may seem unfair, however we have made every effort to cancel promotion of these items in media and online.”
In a statement, Tesco said it was “adhering to Government guidelines by closing our F&F clothing units across the country.”
Musgrave Group, which runs SuperValu and Centra, said its stores “would carry a small amount of non-food products.”
“We are deeply conscious of the fact that many local stores and family businesses are closed at the most important trading time of the year,” a spokeswoman said.
“We are not opportunistically changing our plans for Christmas. In fact we are actively encouraging customers to shop local this Christmas and support their local stores”
Representatives for Aldi were asked to respond.


theirishtimes--2020-10-22--Pope’s comments on homosexual unions ‘a very strong message’

Pope Francis ’ s remarks that gay people were entitled to a family and the legal protection of civil unions sent “ a very strong message to the community in the Roman Catholic church that our attitude has to change ” , Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin has said .
“ There are , in other countries , strong homophobic tendencies even in church leaders .
What I find , even here ourselves , we have some people whose frustration with their own gay identity is leading them to be homophobic in ways .
So , the first thing I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is clearing the air for a further discussion , ” he said .
Archbishop Martin was responding to comments by Pope Francis in the documentary , Francesco , premiered at the Rome film festival on Wednesday where he said : “ Homosexual people have a right to be in a family .
They are children of God and have a right to a family .
Nobody should be thrown out or be made miserable over it .
What we have to create is a civil union law .
That way they are legally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Archbishop Martin said the idea that the church could not live with civil unions was “ unacceptable ” .
Its problem was “ how do you say to people that the church regards in a special way a marriage between a man and a woman without giving the impression that therefore anybody outside that framework is second-class .
We have to be able to say that both are right and that there ’ s space for both.
” Speaking on Thursday ’ s RTÉ Radio ’ s News at One , he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into our absolutes .
Certainly the church ’ s attitude has made the life of LGBT people miserable.
” On the same programme , former president Mary McAleese described Pope Francis ’ s words as a “ complete contradiction to church teaching as set out by his predecessor Pope Benedict ” .
That was “ pretty awful for those who were gay and gay Catholics in particular ” .
It was “ simply unsustainable now in the light of what Francis has said ” .
The We Are Church Ireland group described Pope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hugely significant step ” which they warmly welcomed .
He “ must now act to revise teaching to allow blessings and remove hurtful language ” , they said .
They also called on him “ to introduce church blessings for same-gender couples and to revise teaching to remove the descriptions of LGBTQ+ people as objectively disordered and their love as intrinsically evil ” .
On the hostile response of some in the church to what Pope Francis said , Augustinian priest Fr Iggy O ’ Donovan felt it “ remarkable how swiftly and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the comments ” .
He found it “ ironic to read the level of vitriol and abuse which has been hurled at the pontiff ” and not “ from the usual suspects on the liberal left but from the ultra right ” .
In the past , “ these people used loyalty to the pope as a yardstick by which to measure theological deficiencies in liberals and so called dissenters .
Now these conservatives are the dissenters , ” he said .
If they “ manage to frustrate Francis ’ s modest attempts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the faithful will walk away believing that the battle for sane Catholicism is lost , ” Fr O ’ Donovan said .

Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin: “We have some people whose frustration with their own gay identity is leading them to be homophobic . . . The pope is clearing the air for a further discussion.” Photograph: Bryan O’Brien
Pope Francis’s remarks that gay people were entitled to a family and the legal protection of civil unions sent “a very strong message to the community in the Roman Catholic church that our attitude has to change”, Archbishop of Dublin Diarmuid Martin has said.
“There are, in other countries, strong homophobic tendencies even in church leaders. What I find, even here ourselves, we have some people whose frustration with their own gay identity is leading them to be homophobic in ways. So, the first thing I’d say is that the pope is clearing the air for a further discussion,” he said.
Archbishop Martin was responding to comments by Pope Francis in the documentary, Francesco, premiered at the Rome film festival on Wednesday where he said: "Homosexual people have a right to be in a family. They are children of God and have a right to a family. Nobody should be thrown out or be made miserable over it. What we have to create is a civil union law. That way they are legally covered. I stood up for that."
‘Space for both’
Archbishop Martin said the idea that the church could not live with civil unions was “unacceptable”. Its problem was “how do you say to people that the church regards in a special way a marriage between a man and a woman without giving the impression that therefore anybody outside that framework is second-class. We have to be able to say that both are right and that there’s space for both.”
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Speaking on Thursday's RTÉ Radio's News at One, he said "Sometimes we all get trapped into our absolutes. Certainly the church's attitude has made the life of LGBT people miserable."
On the same programme, former president Mary McAleese described Pope Francis’s words as a “complete contradiction to church teaching as set out by his predecessor Pope Benedict”.
That was “pretty awful for those who were gay and gay Catholics in particular”. It was “simply unsustainable now in the light of what Francis has said”.
The We Are Church Ireland group described Pope Francis’s words as “a hugely significant step” which they warmly welcomed. He “must now act to revise teaching to allow blessings and remove hurtful language”, they said.
‘Church blessings’
They also called on him “to introduce church blessings for same-gender couples and to revise teaching to remove the descriptions of LGBTQ+ people as objectively disordered and their love as intrinsically evil”.
On the hostile response of some in the church to what Pope Francis said, Augustinian priest Fr Iggy O’Donovan felt it “remarkable how swiftly and fiercely traditionalists and conservatives have reacted to the comments”.
He found it “ironic to read the level of vitriol and abuse which has been hurled at the pontiff” and not “from the usual suspects on the liberal left but from the ultra right”. In the past, “these people used loyalty to the pope as a yardstick by which to measure theological deficiencies in liberals and so called dissenters. Now these conservatives are the dissenters,” he said.
If they “manage to frustrate Francis’s modest attempts at reform then I fear many more of the faithful will walk away believing that the battle for sane Catholicism is lost,” Fr O’Donovan said.


theirishtimes--2020-10-22--Nine charged following clashes between gardaí, anti-lockdown protesters

Nine people arrested following clashes between gardaí and anti-lockdown protesters in Dublin on Thursday afternoon have been charged with public order offences .
In total 11 arrests were made during an incident in which a number of gardaí used batons to overpower protesters before pinning them on the ground and handcuffing them .
The garda operation was intended to ensure Grafton Street was not occupied for a sit-down or run-through protest as had been the case almost three weeks ago .
Of those arrested nine were men , and the ages ranged from 20 to 60 years .
The nine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before the district court next month .
The other two received adult cautions .
On Thursday night gardaí said they were now investigating the organisers of the protest and that the guidance of the Director of Public Prosecutions would be sought in respect of any further actions .
A large rally had been planned for Custom House Quay , though both the Yellow Vest group and Health Ireland decided to withdraw from the gathering .
However , more than 100 protesters gathered in the city centre and held a sit-down protest on O @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They then marched towards the convention centre on Spencer Dock in the IFSC in an apparent effort to hold a rally outside , as Dáil Éireann has sat there .
However , gardaí blocked off the approaches to the centre .
When they found their way impeded , the group staged a sit-down protest around the Guild Street area .
After a time there they left and marched towards East Wall before turning back towards the city centre to Grafton Street .
Before the protest crowd arrived on Grafton Street , gardaí had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , including uniformed gardaí , some in plain clothes and gardaí on bicycles .
A large number of Garda vans had also been driven on to the street and were parked there .
This was done to prevent a repeat of a sit-down protest that occurred at the start of October .
When the protesters found a heavy Garda presence at both ends of the street , some burst through the Garda cordon before making their way to the side streets and congregating on Lemon Street .
They were initially blocked by gardaí @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group burst through and on to Grafton Street when they saw a woman being arrested who was screaming loudly as she was led away .
Once the crowd broke through on to Grafton Street , a large number of them clashed with gardaí , some of whom drew their batons .
As some protesters were pinned to the ground and arrested , other gardaí warned the remaining protesters to stay away .
The clashes were brief but involved a relatively large number of protesters and gardaí , although the arrested suspects were taken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Intelligence gathered by gardaí showed they planned to try to disrupt key State institutions and infrastructure.
Nine people have been arrested following clashes between gardaí and anti-lockdown protesters in Dublin on Thursday afternoon have been charged with public order offences.
In total 11 arrests were made during an incident in which a number of gardaí used batons to overpower protesters before pinning them on the ground and handcuffing them.
The garda operation was intended to ensure Grafton Street was not occupied for a sit-down or run-through protest as had been the case almost three weeks ago.
Of those arrested nine were men, and the ages ranged from 20 to 60 years. The nine charged were released on bail to appear before the district court next month. The other two received adult cautions.
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On Thursday night gardaí said they were now investigating the organisers of the protest and that the guidance of the Director of Public Prosecutions would be sought in respect of any further actions.
There was a large Garda presence on Grafton Street. Photograph: Stephen Collins
Rally
A large rally had been planned for Custom House Quay, though both the Yellow Vest group and Health Ireland decided to withdraw from the gathering.
However, more than 100 protesters gathered in the city centre and held a sit-down protest on O’Connell Bridge for a period.
They then marched towards the convention centre on Spencer Dock in the IFSC in an apparent effort to hold a rally outside, as Dáil Éireann has sat there. However, gardaí blocked off the approaches to the centre. When they found their way impeded, the group staged a sit-down protest around the Guild Street area.
After a time there they left and marched towards East Wall before turning back towards the city centre to Grafton Street.
Vans on street
Before the protest crowd arrived on Grafton Street, gardaí had deployed a large number of personnel there, including uniformed gardaí, some in plain clothes and gardaí on bicycles.
A large number of Garda vans had also been driven on to the street and were parked there. This was done to prevent a repeat of a sit-down protest that occurred at the start of October.
When the protesters found a heavy Garda presence at both ends of the street, some burst through the Garda cordon before making their way to the side streets and congregating on Lemon Street.
They were initially blocked by gardaí and parked Garda vans, but the group burst through and on to Grafton Street when they saw a woman being arrested who was screaming loudly as she was led away.
Once the crowd broke through on to Grafton Street, a large number of them clashed with gardaí, some of whom drew their batons. As some protesters were pinned to the ground and arrested, other gardaí warned the remaining protesters to stay away.
The clashes were brief but involved a relatively large number of protesters and gardaí, although the arrested suspects were taken away and order was restored relatively quickly.


theirishtimes--2020-10-22--Company challenges permission for 300-unit Dublin residential development

A company has brought High Court proceedings seeking to overturn a permission for 300 housing units in Monkstown in south Dublin .
The case by Starrs Holdings Ltd against An Bord Pleanála concerns a permission granted to Lulani Dalguise Ltd to build eight blocks of apartments , ranging from five to nine storeys , and 22 houses on a three-hectare site near Monkstown village .
The development will also see the conversion of Dalguise House into two separate dwellings and a creche .
The permission , granted by An Bord Pleanála last August , is challenged on various grounds including @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and road safety .
It is also claimed it will permanently disturb protected species of bats and herons that nest in the area .
Starrs , represented by Neil Steen SC , with Niall Handy BL , instructed by Orpen Franks solicitors claims the permission is flawed on several grounds and should be set aside .
It is claimed , in an alleged breach of fair procedures the board authorised the developer and the local authority to agree significant road traffic issues concerning the development after permission was granted .
Starr also claims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in documents regarding traffic in the area submitted by the developer to the board .
The board , it is claimed , failed to have sufficient regard to the applicant ’ s objections and did not give adequate reasons for rejecting its arguments .
It is also alleged the board wrongly assumed there would be access from the proposed development across certain third-party lands .
The applicant said this assumption was made where there is no legal agreement in place to facilitate such access , which makes the board ’ s decision irrational @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of several parties who have interests in lands , including rights of way , surrounding the proposed development .
It was further submitted that pre-construction works on the site would be in breach of the EU Habitats directive and the removal of trees and soil would disturb local bats and heron populations .
Permission to bring the challenge against the board was granted by Ms Justice Niamh Hyland .
The developer is a notice party to the proceedings .
The action was also admitted to the High Court list dealing with Strategic Infrastructure @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on pre-construction works which might impact on trees , protected birds and bats .
The developer has liberty to seek to lift that stay on notice to the applicant .

A company has brought High Court proceedings seeking to overturn a permission for 300 housing units in Monkstown in south Dublin.
The case by Starrs Holdings Ltd against An Bord Pleanála concerns a permission granted to Lulani Dalguise Ltd to build eight blocks of apartments, ranging from five to nine storeys, and 22 houses on a three-hectare site near Monkstown village.
The development will also see the conversion of Dalguise House into two separate dwellings and a creche.
The permission, granted by An Bord Pleanála last August, is challenged on various grounds including the impact of the development on traffic and road safety. It is also claimed it will permanently disturb protected species of bats and herons that nest in the area.
READ MORE
Starrs, represented by Neil Steen SC, with Niall Handy BL, instructed by Orpen Franks solicitors claims the permission is flawed on several grounds and should be set aside.
It is claimed, in an alleged breach of fair procedures the board authorised the developer and the local authority to agree significant road traffic issues concerning the development after permission was granted.
Starr also claims it has identified multiple errors and omissions in documents regarding traffic in the area submitted by the developer to the board.
The board, it is claimed, failed to have sufficient regard to the applicant’s objections and did not give adequate reasons for rejecting its arguments.
It is also alleged the board wrongly assumed there would be access from the proposed development across certain third-party lands.
The applicant said this assumption was made where there is no legal agreement in place to facilitate such access, which makes the board’s decision irrational and unreasonable.
The applicant company consists of several parties who have interests in lands, including rights of way, surrounding the proposed development.
It was further submitted that pre-construction works on the site would be in breach of the EU Habitats directive and the removal of trees and soil would disturb local bats and heron populations.
Permission to bring the challenge against the board was granted by Ms Justice Niamh Hyland. The developer is a notice party to the proceedings.
The action was also admitted to the High Court list dealing with Strategic Infrastructure Developments.
The judge put a stay on pre-construction works which might impact on trees, protected birds and bats. The developer has liberty to seek to lift that stay on notice to the applicant.


theirishtimes--2020-10-22--Man charged in case involving assault on LGBT+ activist Izzy Kamikaze

Gardaí investigating an assault by a far right suspect on LGBT+ activist Izzy Kamikaze have charged a man with assault .
The man was arrested on Thursday in Co Louth on suspicion of the assault which left Ms Kamikaze with a very serious head wound and facial injuries .
He was taken to Dublin for questioning at Pearse Street Garda station in the south inner city where gardaí investigating the assault outside Leinster House are based .
He was detained at Pearse Street Garda Station under the provisions of Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act , 1984 .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to appear before the Criminal Courts of Justice , Dublin , on Friday morning .
An investigation into the attack has been ongoing for just over a month .
On Saturday , September 12th , several dozen people gathered on Kildare Street , Dublin 2 , to hear speakers denounce restrictions introduced to help combat the spread of Covid-19 .
Also in attendance were a small group of counter-protesters including veteran LGBT+ activist Ms Kamikaze .
Videos later appeared online showing Ms Kamikaze with blood streaming from a head injury .
Gardaí were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to keep the two groups apart , with Ms Kamikaze taken to hospital for treatment .

Gardaí investigating an assault by a far right suspect on LGBT+ activist Izzy Kamikaze have charged a man with assault.
The man was arrested on Thursday in Co Louth on suspicion of the assault which left Ms Kamikaze with a very serious head wound and facial injuries. He was taken to Dublin for questioning at Pearse Street Garda station in the south inner city where gardaí investigating the assault outside Leinster House are based.
He was detained at Pearse Street Garda Station under the provisions of Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984.
He has since been charged and is expected to appear before the Criminal Courts of Justice, Dublin, on Friday morning. An investigation into the attack has been ongoing for just over a month.
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On Saturday, September 12th, several dozen people gathered on Kildare Street, Dublin 2, to hear speakers denounce restrictions introduced to help combat the spread of Covid-19.
Also in attendance were a small group of counter-protesters including veteran LGBT+ activist Ms Kamikaze. Videos later appeared online showing Ms Kamikaze with blood streaming from a head injury. Gardaí were on the scene and tried to intervene to keep the two groups apart, with Ms Kamikaze taken to hospital for treatment.


theirishtimes--2020-10-22--Covid-19: Despite fears, nursing homes now better able to halt outbreaks

The news that 26 out of 28 residents of a Co Galway nursing home have tested positive for Covid-19 , along with most of the staff , will inevitably evoke fears of a recurrence of the darkest days of the first virus surge last spring .
Most people who have died with Covid-19 in Ireland were in nursing homes , and most of those deaths occurred in a short period last March and April when the disease ripped through their care facilities .
Already in the case of the Nightingale Nursing Home in Ahascragh , one resident has died and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ seem history is about to repeat itself , yet there are reasons for hoping this will not be the case .
Covid-19 moves fast .
The first case in this home was identified in a hospitalised patient on Monday and within 24 hours , after they had been tested , most of the residents and staff were confirmed cases .
Many are asymptomatic , so their experience of the disease is negligible .
This may change for some in the coming days but in general , even among very old people , most @ @ @ @ @ @ @ little was known about Covid-19 and the care sector in Ireland and many other countries was caught off-guard in relation to its lethality among older people .
Personal protective equipment was in short supply and doctors had yet to learn that the disease could often manifest itself in unusual ways in this age group , for example through gastrointestinal symptoms .
Today , there is far more testing , including serial testing of staff in nursing homes , along with an ample supply of PPE .
Cases are being picked up earlier and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A package of supports is available for nursing homes facing outbreaks .
Yet there are chinks in the armour that should protect vulnerable people in care settings against the virus .
While visiting can be restricted , no nursing home can operate without staff , and social distancing can be difficult to maintain with some patients , such as those with dementia .
For this reason , public health doctors say it is inevitable the disease will make its way into nursing homes when there is widespread transmission in the community , as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ does , often at great speed , a large number of staff can be knocked out of commission , either through infection or being close contacts .
This is what has precipitated the crisis in the Galway home .
The Ahascragh facility , like most nursing homes , is privately owned .
While some have pointed the finger at the Health Service Executive ( HSE ) , it is the responsibility of the owners to run their facility and source staff .
In a crisis , State supports are available , and these @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The immediate problem is the difficulty in finding carers to staff the home in the current emergency .
Agency staff understandably prefer to work in Covid-free locations , not only because of the risk of infection in homes with outbreaks , but also because they have to isolate if working with contacts .
Quite a few of the nursing homes suffering outbreaks in the current surge managed to escape Covid-19 the first time around .
Ironically , it seems that facilities that had the bitter experience of a large outbreak in the spring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ infection control and outbreak prevention .
This is reflected in the wider figures , which show that although cases are rising , only 3.5 per cent of nursing homes have active outbreaks and , up to a few days ago , only four were the subject of significant concern to the HSE .

Public health doctors say it is inevitable the disease will make its way into nursing homes when there is widespread transmission in the community, as there is at present. Photograph: John Stillwell
The news that 26 out of 28 residents of a Co Galway nursing home have tested positive for Covid-19, along with most of the staff, will inevitably evoke fears of a recurrence of the darkest days of the first virus surge last spring.
Most people who have died with Covid-19 in Ireland were in nursing homes, and most of those deaths occurred in a short period last March and April when the disease ripped through their care facilities.
Already in the case of the Nightingale Nursing Home in Ahascragh, one resident has died and two have been hospitalised. It might seem history is about to repeat itself, yet there are reasons for hoping this will not be the case.
Covid-19 moves fast. The first case in this home was identified in a hospitalised patient on Monday and within 24 hours, after they had been tested, most of the residents and staff were confirmed cases.
READ MORE
Many are asymptomatic, so their experience of the disease is negligible. This may change for some in the coming days but in general, even among very old people, most recover.
Treatment and support
Back in the spring, little was known about Covid-19 and the care sector in Ireland and many other countries was caught off-guard in relation to its lethality among older people. Personal protective equipment was in short supply and doctors had yet to learn that the disease could often manifest itself in unusual ways in this age group, for example through gastrointestinal symptoms.
Today, there is far more testing, including serial testing of staff in nursing homes, along with an ample supply of PPE. Cases are being picked up earlier and options for treatment are greatly improved. A package of supports is available for nursing homes facing outbreaks.
Yet there are chinks in the armour that should protect vulnerable people in care settings against the virus. While visiting can be restricted, no nursing home can operate without staff, and social distancing can be difficult to maintain with some patients, such as those with dementia.
For this reason, public health doctors say it is inevitable the disease will make its way into nursing homes when there is widespread transmission in the community, as there is at present.
When it does, often at great speed, a large number of staff can be knocked out of commission, either through infection or being close contacts. This is what has precipitated the crisis in the Galway home.
Agency staff
The Ahascragh facility, like most nursing homes, is privately owned. While some have pointed the finger at the Health Service Executive (HSE), it is the responsibility of the owners to run their facility and source staff. In a crisis, State supports are available, and these are being provided by the HSE.
The immediate problem is the difficulty in finding carers to staff the home in the current emergency. Agency staff understandably prefer to work in Covid-free locations, not only because of the risk of infection in homes with outbreaks, but also because they have to isolate if working with contacts.
Quite a few of the nursing homes suffering outbreaks in the current surge managed to escape Covid-19 the first time around. Ironically, it seems that facilities that had the bitter experience of a large outbreak in the spring have best learned the new rules of infection control and outbreak prevention.
This is reflected in the wider figures, which show that although cases are rising, only 3.5 per cent of nursing homes have active outbreaks and, up to a few days ago, only four were the subject of significant concern to the HSE.


theirishtimes--2020-10-22--Reasons to believe Covid-19 pandemic will ease next spring, says health expert

The world is in for a “ brutal ” experience over the winter months with Covid-19 but a corner will be turned by next March , a public health expert has said .
Prof Devi Sridhar told the MacGill Summer School that people need to hang on , obey the public health advice and things will be better in the spring .
There are 11 vaccines on trial and she said she was very confident that a viable vaccine will be available in the early months of 2021 .
Prof Sridhar is chair of global public health at the University @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Scottish government on Covid-19 .
She told the school in a video interview that public anger at present over the restrictions and longevity of the virus is understandable , but better times lie ahead .
She outlined four reasons for optimism that mankind will eventually get a handle on the virus .
The first is that the medical profession knows a lot more about the virus and how it is transmitted than it did nine months ago when the pandemic began .
Governments are able to tailor public advice accordingly .
There are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tests allowing for more rapid testing which will help the public to get on top of the virus and open the way for normal life to resume .
The use of Dexamethasone , a cheap and widely available steroid , has helped save a lot of lives , but there are challenges to providing better treatments for people with long Covid-19 , she added .
“ I ’ m very hopeful for the world from about March .
Next spring we will be in a very good place , ” she said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be very hard .
People need to realise that the next four months are going to be really brutal , but there is light .
“ If we can get to March , we will be in a profoundly different situation than we are now.
” She said governments will then have a chance using the vaccine and rapid testing to form a strategy based on the latest data and use the summer months to “ form a game plan with this virus ” .
She said people needed to realise that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ century type of event ” that will not last forever .
It is likely by next spring there will be better scientific data on immunity , Covid-19 morbidity and a licensed vaccine , she predicted .

There are now more options for tests with antigen tests allowing for more rapid testing which will help the public to get on top of the virus and open the way for normal life to resume. Photograph: Lionel Bonaventure/AFP via Getty Images)
The world is in for a “brutal” experience over the winter months with Covid-19 but a corner will be turned by next March, a public health expert has said.
Prof Devi Sridhar told the MacGill Summer School that people need to hang on, obey the public health advice and things will be better in the spring.
There are 11 vaccines on trial and she said she was very confident that a viable vaccine will be available in the early months of 2021.
Prof Sridhar is chair of global public health at the University of Edinburgh and an adviser to the Scottish government on Covid-19.
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She told the school in a video interview that public anger at present over the restrictions and longevity of the virus is understandable, but better times lie ahead.
She outlined four reasons for optimism that mankind will eventually get a handle on the virus.
The first is that the medical profession knows a lot more about the virus and how it is transmitted than it did nine months ago when the pandemic began.
Governments are able to tailor public advice accordingly.
There are now more options for tests with antigen tests allowing for more rapid testing which will help the public to get on top of the virus and open the way for normal life to resume.
The use of Dexamethasone, a cheap and widely available steroid, has helped save a lot of lives, but there are challenges to providing better treatments for people with long Covid-19, she added.
“I’m very hopeful for the world from about March. Next spring we will be in a very good place,” she said.
“The next four months are going to be very hard. People need to realise that the next four months are going to be really brutal, but there is light.
“If we can get to March, we will be in a profoundly different situation than we are now.”
She said governments will then have a chance using the vaccine and rapid testing to form a strategy based on the latest data and use the summer months to “form a game plan with this virus”.
She said people needed to realise that Covid-19 is a “once in a century type of event” that will not last forever.
It is likely by next spring there will be better scientific data on immunity, Covid-19 morbidity and a licensed vaccine, she predicted.


theirishtimes--2020-10-22--People will need to get used to a ‘simpler life’ because of Covid-19, says prominent medic

Irish people will have to get used to a return to the the situation in the 1970s and 1980s when few people went abroad , Professor Mary Horgan has said .
Prof Horgan , president of the Royal College of Physicians , said people should plan for a “ simpler life ” with less foreign travel and more holidays at home .
Speaking on Thursday , she also cast doubt on whether the Electric Picnic music festival can go ahead next year and sporting events will have to be held with fewer spectators .
“ We need to compromise for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” she told the MacGill Summer School which is being held online this year .
When asked by Professor Luke O ’ Neill how the country will look next summer , she confidently predicted there will be a vaccine , but the Government need to prepare now to roll it out .
Prof Horgan , who is a consultant at Cork University Hospital , said numbers entering the hospital system have levelled off as a result of the previous Level 3 restrictions .
The situation is very different to how it was in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ doctors know better how to treat the virus .
She is now back treating Covid-19 patients on the wards in Cork University Hospital which had to put on extra ICU capacity last week .
“ It is not all doom and gloom .
What has changed ?
My ability to treat patients is better .
The use of steroid has made a huge difference in getting patients better .
My hope is that the Level 3 restrictions have had an impact already.
” When asked if she was worried , she responded : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I always use the word caution rather than the word fear when it comes to this .
“ We are in a lot better place that we were .
What I am worried is about the impact on other aspects of our health service.
” She also highlighted mental health and isolation and said she recently spoke to one patient who had not talked to another person since August .
Infectious disease specialist Prof Sam McConkey said the Level 5 restrictions are necessary to avoid a situation where we could have between 10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be the equivalent death toll over time of 9/11 or the Northern Ireland Troubles .
He said the number of contact tracers needs to increase to beyond 1,000 as it takes each contact tracer a day to find the close contacts of one infected person .
Prof Horgan and Prof McConkey were taking part in a three-way webinar as part of the MacGill Summer School with Prof O ’ Neill chairing proceedings .
All three doctors agreed that Covid-19 will eventually become an endemic disease and will have to be managed carefully in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said predicting the future with Covid-19 is “ like predicting rainfall in the middle of a hurricane ” .
He said the most important thing is to keep the country together through the next six weeks .
“ If we have a strong plan and strong messaging from the Government , the viral count will be down and let ’ s try and keep it down until we get a vaccine or therapeutics.
” Also speaking at the same summer school , Mary Robinson said Covid-19 had exacerbated the existing inequalities in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ business as usual ” is not leading to a “ safe and liveable world for our children and grandchildren ” .
Giving the annual John Hume lecture , the former president of Ireland said governments need to borrow smartly to cope with the changes of climate change in the same way that it borrowed billions to keep the State afloat during Covid-19 .

Irish people will have to get used to a return to the the situation in the 1970s and 1980s when few people went abroad, Professor Mary Horgan told the McGill Summer school. File photograph: Nick Bradshaw/ The Irish Times
Irish people will have to get used to a return to the the situation in the 1970s and 1980s when few people went abroad, Professor Mary Horgan has said.
Prof Horgan, president of the Royal College of Physicians, said people should plan for a “simpler life” with less foreign travel and more holidays at home.
Speaking on Thursday, she also cast doubt on whether the Electric Picnic music festival can go ahead next year and sporting events will have to be held with fewer spectators.
“We need to compromise for the sake of our younger generation,”she told the MacGill Summer School which is being held online this year.
READ MORE
When asked by Professor Luke O’Neill how the country will look next summer, she confidently predicted there will be a vaccine, but the Government need to prepare now to roll it out.
Prof Horgan, who is a consultant at Cork University Hospital, said numbers entering the hospital system have levelled off as a result of the previous Level 3 restrictions.
The situation is very different to how it was in the spring, she stressed, as doctors know better how to treat the virus.
She is now back treating Covid-19 patients on the wards in Cork University Hospital which had to put on extra ICU capacity last week.
“It is not all doom and gloom. What has changed? My ability to treat patients is better. The use of steroid has made a huge difference in getting patients better. My hope is that the Level 3 restrictions have had an impact already.”
When asked if she was worried, she responded: “No I am not worried. I always use the word caution rather than the word fear when it comes to this.
“We are in a lot better place that we were. What I am worried is about the impact on other aspects of our health service.”
She also highlighted mental health and isolation and said she recently spoke to one patient who had not talked to another person since August.
Contact tracers
Infectious disease specialist Prof Sam McConkey said the Level 5 restrictions are necessary to avoid a situation where we could have between 10 and 20 deaths a day which would be the equivalent death toll over time of 9/11 or the Northern Ireland Troubles.
He said the number of contact tracers needs to increase to beyond 1,000 as it takes each contact tracer a day to find the close contacts of one infected person.
Prof Horgan and Prof McConkey were taking part in a three-way webinar as part of the MacGill Summer School with Prof O’Neill chairing proceedings.
All three doctors agreed that Covid-19 will eventually become an endemic disease and will have to be managed carefully in the future.
Prof O’Neill said predicting the future with Covid-19 is “like predicting rainfall in the middle of a hurricane”.
He said the most important thing is to keep the country together through the next six weeks.
“If we have a strong plan and strong messaging from the Government, the viral count will be down and let’s try and keep it down until we get a vaccine or therapeutics.”
Also speaking at the same summer school, Mary Robinson said Covid-19 had exacerbated the existing inequalities in the world but had also brought home that "business as usual" is not leading to a "safe and liveable world for our children and grandchildren".
Giving the annual John Hume lecture, the former president of Ireland said governments need to borrow smartly to cope with the changes of climate change in the same way that it borrowed billions to keep the State afloat during Covid-19.