theirishtimes--2020-08-24--Prize bonds: winners can now reinvest or claim cash prizes

Mary Winders had a recent windfall – sort of – on the prize bonds but her good fortune left her more perplexed than anything else .
“ I received what I thought was a cheque but it was a bond , I contacted them to say I didn ’ t want to reinvest but they said it had changed the rules and the post offices had notices up and therefore there was no need to tell bondholders.
” She said An Post sent out a form which Mary filled in and returned .
“ I went to post offices and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you want to receive the win you have to give your bank details – no more cheques .
I have asked people but they don ’ t seem aware of the changes .
It seems strange to me that bondholders were not notified personally of the changes and given a choice.
” We understand Mary ’ s confusion but it actually is a good news story of sorts and will reduce the need for people to interact with the banks in physical sense .
According to the prize bond people , prize payments @ @ @ @ @ @ @ winners now have two options .
Their prizes can be automatically reinvested into new prize bonds for inclusion in future draws – as happened to Mary – or they can can be automatically paid into bondholder ’ s bank account as long as holders of the bonds give the organisers their bank account details .
That also happened to Mary .
When a person wins they are notified and given the options .
Alternatively a prize payment method can be chosen when completing a purchase application form or by completing a prize payment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mail prompted us to recap what the bonds actually are , as they are a product that often goes under the radar , which is odd given that so many of us hold them and more than 5,000 prizes are issued weekly with a €1 million prize draw taking place twice a year , in June and December .
The unit price of a bond is €6.25 with a minimum purchase of four units required , at a total cost of €25 .
The Prize Bond Company administers the bonds on behalf of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ determines the value of the fund via the application of an interest rate to the value of outstanding prize bonds – the lower the rate , the lower the value of prizes on offer .
Unlike the lottery , which sees the vast majority of people lose money most of the time , prize bonds are a form of State savings although without any interest .
At the moment , an interest rate of just 0.5 per cent is applied – down from 3 per cent in 2012 – and has been since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of €3.4 billion , some 0.5 per cent , or about €17 million , will be paid out in prizes each year .
The volume and value of prizes last year rose compared with 2018 .
The number of prizes awarded increased by 10.5 per cent to 248,140 , while the value of prizes awarded rose by 7.2 per cent to €17.6 million .
The average prize was worth €70.90 , down from the €73.06 average recorded last year .
But contrast this with 2009 , for example , when the interest rate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ million was paid out in a similar number of prizes ( 222,709 ) .
And back in 2013 , the number of prizes paid out peaked .
with the interest rate between 1.75 per cent and 2.25 per cent , a decent rate of return , which meant there was a prize fund of €35.2 million , with 475,116 prizes paid out , or 9,136 prizes a week .
At the end of 2019 , unclaimed prizes which had accumulated since prize bonds were established in 1957 amounted to €2.86 million .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indefinitely until claimed by a bond holder and every prize winner is contacted at the address last registered with the Prize Bond Company .

Mary Winders had a recent windfall – sort of – on the prize bonds but her good fortune left her more perplexed than anything else. “I received what I thought was a cheque but it was a bond, I contacted them to say I didn’t want to reinvest but they said it had changed the rules and the post offices had notices up and therefore there was no need to tell bondholders.”
She said An Post sent out a form which Mary filled in and returned. “I went to post offices and could find no notice displayed. If you want to receive the win you have to give your bank details – no more cheques. I have asked people but they don’t seem aware of the changes. It seems strange to me that bondholders were not notified personally of the changes and given a choice.”
We understand Mary’s confusion but it actually is a good news story of sorts and will reduce the need for people to interact with the banks in physical sense.
According to the prize bond people, prize payments by cheque were halted last February and winners now have two options. Their prizes can be automatically reinvested into new prize bonds for inclusion in future draws – as happened to Mary – or they can can be automatically paid into bondholder’s bank account as long as holders of the bonds give the organisers their bank account details. That also happened to Mary.
READ MORE
When a person wins they are notified and given the options. Alternatively a prize payment method can be chosen when completing a purchase application form or by completing a prize payment option form at any time.
The mail prompted us to recap what the bonds actually are, as they are a product that often goes under the radar, which is odd given that so many of us hold them and more than 5,000 prizes are issued weekly with a €1 million prize draw taking place twice a year, in June and December. The unit price of a bond is €6.25 with a minimum purchase of four units required, at a total cost of €25.
The Prize Bond Company administers the bonds on behalf of the National Treasury Management Agency, which determines the value of the fund via the application of an interest rate to the value of outstanding prize bonds – the lower the rate, the lower the value of prizes on offer.
Unlike the lottery, which sees the vast majority of people lose money most of the time, prize bonds are a form of State savings although without any interest. At the moment, an interest rate of just 0.5 per cent is applied – down from 3 per cent in 2012 – and has been since August 2017. With a total fund of €3.4 billion, some 0.5 per cent, or about €17 million, will be paid out in prizes each year.
The volume and value of prizes last year rose compared with 2018. The number of prizes awarded increased by 10.5 per cent to 248,140, while the value of prizes awarded rose by 7.2 per cent to €17.6 million. The average prize was worth €70.90, down from the €73.06 average recorded last year. But contrast this with 2009, for example, when the interest rate was 3 per cent and about €27.8 million was paid out in a similar number of prizes (222,709).
And back in 2013, the number of prizes paid out peaked. with the interest rate between 1.75 per cent and 2.25 per cent, a decent rate of return, which meant there was a prize fund of €35.2 million, with 475,116 prizes paid out, or 9,136 prizes a week.
At the end of 2019, unclaimed prizes which had accumulated since prize bonds were established in 1957 amounted to €2.86 million. The good news is those prizes are held indefinitely until claimed by a bond holder and every prize winner is contacted at the address last registered with the Prize Bond Company.


theirishtimes--2020-08-24--Lack of social workers in north Dublin puts children at ‘serious risk’

The lack of social workers in north Dublin is putting vulnerable children in the area at “ serious risk ” , according to an internal audit conducted by Tusla , the child and family agency .
The unpublished audit found the “ level of understaffing in north Dublin has been identified as a serious risk to the safety of children in the area ” .
Tusla “ could not provide assurance ” over the safety of children left on waiting lists without an allocated social worker , which constituted “ a major risk ” , it said .
The internal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of 2019 , was released to The Irish Times following a request under the Freedom of Information Act .
The north Dublin service area stretches from Darndale to Howth , and up to areas such as Swords and Balbriggan .
In 2014 , the area ’ s remit was extended to cover Dublin 15 , which includes Blanchardstown and Ongar .
Understaffing was highlighted “ as one of the most serious risks to children ” in north Dublin , the audit said .
At the time of the audit there were nine vacancies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ assessment teams alone , it said .
Last September , there were 847 children on waiting lists to be allocated social workers with , on average , 288 children being referred to Tusla in the area a month , the audit said .
The area had the second-highest number of “ unallocated ” cases awaiting a social worker , according to Tusla ’ s most recently published statistics up to May this year .
The number of unallocated cases had dropped to 443 this May , although nationally Tusla ’ s unallocated case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the coronavirus pandemic .
The audit said when parts of the county such as Dublin 15 had been incorporated into the north Dublin service area in 2014 , “ no additional resources were provided to meet this demand ” .
While it said staff in the area had “ proactively highlighted risk ” , the ongoing staff vacancies and integration of Dublin 15 into its remit “ has had a negative impact on the area ’ s capacity to respond in a timely way to children who met the threshold for a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said a full staffing review had been undertaken to address shortages across the agency , with a targeted recruitment campaign launched for north Dublin .
“ This campaign continues to ensure maximum staffing .
Currently , north Dublin has 95 per cent of social work staff in post , ” she said .
“ It is important to note that all referrals or concerns about children received by the area are screened and assessed in line with normal practice and that where a child is found to be at immediate risk , they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deemed to be at risk of significant harm have an allocated social worker , ” she said .
Another internal audit , completed in the first three months of this year , found the high number of unallocated cases in the Dublin South West/Kildare/West Wicklow area also posed a “ high risk ” .
At the time of the audit there were 1,210 unallocated cases , 82 of which were regarded as high priority , it said .
“ This is attributed to the consistently high number of staff vacancies ” , with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The staff shortages posed a “ risk to the delivery of safe and effective child protection and welfare cases in the area ” , the audit said .

Last September, there were 847 children on waiting lists to be allocated social workers with, on average, 288 children being referred to Tusla in the north Dublin area each month, the audit said. Photograph: iStock
The lack of social workers in north Dublin is putting vulnerable children in the area at "serious risk", according to an internal audit conducted by Tusla, the child and family agency.
The unpublished audit found the “level of understaffing in north Dublin has been identified as a serious risk to the safety of children in the area”.
Tusla “could not provide assurance” over the safety of children left on waiting lists without an allocated social worker, which constituted “a major risk”, it said.
The internal audit, conducted in the last quarter of 2019, was released to The Irish Times following a request under the Freedom of Information Act.
READ MORE
The north Dublin service area stretches from Darndale to Howth, and up to areas such as Swords and Balbriggan. In 2014, the area's remit was extended to cover Dublin 15, which includes Blanchardstown and Ongar.
Understaffing was highlighted “as one of the most serious risks to children” in north Dublin, the audit said. At the time of the audit there were nine vacancies between the area’s duty and assessment teams alone, it said.
Last September, there were 847 children on waiting lists to be allocated social workers with, on average, 288 children being referred to Tusla in the area a month, the audit said.
The area had the second-highest number of “unallocated” cases awaiting a social worker, according to Tusla’s most recently published statistics up to May this year.
The number of unallocated cases had dropped to 443 this May, although nationally Tusla’s unallocated case backlogs fell substantially in the early months of the coronavirus pandemic.
The audit said when parts of the county such as Dublin 15 had been incorporated into the north Dublin service area in 2014, “no additional resources were provided to meet this demand”.
While it said staff in the area had “proactively highlighted risk”, the ongoing staff vacancies and integration of Dublin 15 into its remit “has had a negative impact on the area’s capacity to respond in a timely way to children who met the threshold for a service”.
Recruitment campaign
A spokeswoman for Tusla said a full staffing review had been undertaken to address shortages across the agency, with a targeted recruitment campaign launched for north Dublin. “This campaign continues to ensure maximum staffing. Currently, north Dublin has 95 per cent of social work staff in post,” she said.
“It is important to note that all referrals or concerns about children received by the area are screened and assessed in line with normal practice and that where a child is found to be at immediate risk, they receive an immediate response. All children deemed to be at risk of significant harm have an allocated social worker,” she said.
Another internal audit, completed in the first three months of this year, found the high number of unallocated cases in the Dublin South West/Kildare/West Wicklow area also posed a “high risk”.
At the time of the audit there were 1,210 unallocated cases, 82 of which were regarded as high priority, it said. “This is attributed to the consistently high number of staff vacancies”, with 43 posts unfilled, the audit said.
The staff shortages posed a “risk to the delivery of safe and effective child protection and welfare cases in the area”, the audit said.


theirishtimes--2020-08-24--How three Irish exporters are facing the prospect of a hard Brexit

Exporters are turning their attention to the next looming challenge : the possibility of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union ’ s single market and customs union on January 1st without a trade deal .
And while Covid-19 continues to dominate the news and adversely affect business , some companies are optimistic that they are prepared as best they can be for the consequences of a hard Brexit .
Silverhill Foods of Emyvale in Co Monaghan has an annual turnover of more than €30 million with 70 per cent of the company ’ s weekly output of 80,000 ducks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cent of them to Chinese restaurants in the UK .
The initial impact of Brexit was two price hikes of 10 per cent each , both caused by a fall in the sterling to euro exchange rate .
But the impact on sales was virtually zero and a World Trade Organisation tariff of 7 per cent , which will apply to Silverhill goods entering the UK without a UK/EU trade deal , doesn ’ t faze the company ’ s head of sales , Barry Cullen .
“ It ’ s not a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We are a premium product .
We are about twice as expensive as our competitors , so we ’ re not price sensitive.
” Two years ago when the implications of Brexit were sinking in , the company leased temporary warehouse space near Manchester where 100 pallets , each holding 420 frozen ducks , could be stored , thus ensuring UK customers would continue to be supplied if ports became jammed .
The warehouse option can be revived after January , if needs be .
The Silverhill breed , which is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ popular in France , Germany , Scandinavia and the Far East so as regards exporting to the rest of the world , the company long ago abandoned the UK land bridge and exports now , via Dublin Port , to Cherbourg and Rotterdam .
Silverhill duck has become a far-travelled delicacy .
In Singapore , what is marketed as “ London Fat Duck ” began life as an egg in Aughnacloy , Co Tyrone .
It was hatched in Slieve Bragan , Co Monaghan and reared for 42 days on farms in Monaghan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – all by a workforce of about 250 .
Cullen believes their UK customers , who are overwhelmingly ethnic Chinese enterprises , are well used to importing from outside the EU and the prospect of WTO tariffs and regulations doesn ’ t worry them .
“ They ’ re all fine about it , ” he says .
Longer term , Cullen sees Irish-based businesses turning away from the UK .
“ We don ’ t want to be reliant on the UK , ” he says .
“ I think it will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ customer after this but I think the reliance on it by Irish companies , I think they ’ ve realised we can not be beholden to these guys .
.
.
Don ’ t waste a good crisis – we know this is coming so go out and find new markets.
” Then there ’ s the prospect of increasing Silverhill ’ s burgeoning trade with the Far East .
“ Indonesia , ” he says excitedly , “ the population ’ s 260 million and you think it ’ s a poor @ @ @ @ @ @ @ per cent .
.
.
you start thinking in terms of selling pallets of duck and end up thinking of container loads.
” Like Silverhill , warehousing became a solution for another major exporter , Portwest , the €180 million turnover , outdoor leisure and work clothing company which is based in Westport , Co Mayo and employs 4,500 people worldwide .
“ Before Brexit we had one main distribution warehouse in the UK , with 250 staff , serving every country in the EU , ” says Portwest managing director Harry Hughes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the UK were leaving the customs union , we decided to open a second distribution warehouse in Poland and were ready when the first deadline passed.
” The Polish warehouse has 150 staff and serves all of Portwest ’ s EU customers .
The UK warehouse , with 100 fewer staff , serves UK and Portwest ’ s non-EU customers – England ’ s loss was Poland ’ s gain .
“ We are now Brexit-proof from issues associated with customs and borders , ” says Hughes .
“ No company will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fallout.
” CombiLift is another Monaghan-based company with a global reach that has also had to react to the potential worst-case scenario in January .
The company , a hugely successful maker of forklift trucks , has grown over 22 years into a €300 million turnover enterprise employing 650 people .
Most of the staff work at an enormous assembly plant that is 11 acres under roof and sits on a 100 acre site at the edge of Monaghan town .
Four production lines , now working two at a time in staggered @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crank out customised forklifts trucks .
Their multi-directional wheel and steering system gives them extra manoeuvrability , allowing them operate in very confined spaces .
This allows CombiLift to market itself as a space saver , selling customers the notion that their existing warehouse has greater capacity , if storage aisles are reconfigured and made narrower , thereby allowing for more shelving .
While the company ’ s two largest markets , accounting for half of output , are the UK and US , it also exports to more than 80 countries throughout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as to Asia , Africa and Australia .
The company ’ s single most significant response to Brexit was to obtain from Revenue the status of Authorised Economic Operator ( AEO ) , a process that took 10 months and culminated in the issuing of a prized AEO certificate in June 2019 .
What the status means in effect is that the CombiLift plant in Monaghan becomes a customs and excise frontline , rather than the frontline being at the port through which exports flow .
On a day-to-day basis , this means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so when finished products or spare parts reach a port , they pass through the green channel , without delay and unchecked .
Martin McVicar , managing director , and company cofounder with Robert Moffet , explains : “ We have controls in place .
Doors to where spare parts are held are fob activated so only known employees can get in or out .
Security procedures , access and control is very much insisted upon [ by customs ] .
“ You become a trusted partner with Revenue and as long as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no reason for them to check what you do.
” That said , the plant can be subject to inspection at any time and the perimeter of the site is laser beam protected .
CCTV is everywhere .
CombiLift has an articulated truck or container leaving the Monaghan plant every hour of every day .
The company also takes in 40 truck-loads of imported parts , the company ’ s manufacturing raw materials .
“ By having AEO status , we ’ re getting our [ imported ] goods cleared much faster from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adding that import processing time at Dublin Port has improved from two to three days to mere hours .
Whatever way Brexit pans out in January , CombiLift will be able to deliver spare parts to UK customers overnight .
So McVicar hasn ’ t given up on the UK .
“ Whatever happens in Brexit is not going to stop us investing there , for multiple reasons , ” he says .
“ The UK clients are still going to need forklift trucks to move goods around .
In fact , their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be at a higher premium because the minute a company comes out of that European block , they ’ ll want to want to make sure they ’ ve goods on their island .
“ UK companies are going to be stocking higher levels of components and food to deal with border scenarios and where our products come into value is , even though we make forklift trucks , we are actually in the business of selling warehouse space .
We sell forklift trucks that save warehouse space and as the demand for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demand for our product .
“ So even post-Brexit , whether there ’ s no deal or there is a deal , we ’ re still going to invest in the UK .
”

Exporters are turning their attention to the next looming challenge: the possibility of the United Kingdom leaving the European Union’s single market and customs union on January 1st without a trade deal.
And while Covid-19 continues to dominate the news and adversely affect business, some companies are optimistic that they are prepared as best they can be for the consequences of a hard Brexit.
Silverhill Foods of Emyvale in Co Monaghan has an annual turnover of more than €30 million with 70 per cent of the company's weekly output of 80,000 ducks exported to 27 countries – 40 per cent of them to Chinese restaurants in the UK. The initial impact of Brexit was two price hikes of 10 per cent each, both caused by a fall in the sterling to euro exchange rate.
But the impact on sales was virtually zero and a World Trade Organisation tariff of 7 per cent, which will apply to Silverhill goods entering the UK without a UK/EU trade deal, doesn't faze the company's head of sales, Barry Cullen.
READ MORE
“It’s not a major price difference,” he says. “We are a premium product. We are about twice as expensive as our competitors, so we’re not price sensitive.”
Silverhill Foods head of sales Barry Cullen at the company’s HQ in Emyvale, Monaghan. Photograph: Peter Murtagh
Two years ago when the implications of Brexit were sinking in, the company leased temporary warehouse space near Manchester where 100 pallets, each holding 420 frozen ducks, could be stored, thus ensuring UK customers would continue to be supplied if ports became jammed. The warehouse option can be revived after January, if needs be.
The Silverhill breed, which is half Aylesbury, half Peking, is popular in France, Germany, Scandinavia and the Far East so as regards exporting to the rest of the world, the company long ago abandoned the UK land bridge and exports now, via Dublin Port, to Cherbourg and Rotterdam.
Silverhill duck has become a far-travelled delicacy. In Singapore, what is marketed as “London Fat Duck” began life as an egg in Aughnacloy, Co Tyrone. It was hatched in Slieve Bragan, Co Monaghan and reared for 42 days on farms in Monaghan and Tyrone before being processed in Emyvale – all by a workforce of about 250.
Cullen believes their UK customers, who are overwhelmingly ethnic Chinese enterprises, are well used to importing from outside the EU and the prospect of WTO tariffs and regulations doesn’t worry them. “They’re all fine about it,” he says.
Longer term, Cullen sees Irish-based businesses turning away from the UK.
“We don’t want to be reliant on the UK,” he says. “I think it will still be our largest [single] customer after this but I think the reliance on it by Irish companies, I think they’ve realised we cannot be beholden to these guys. . . Don’t waste a good crisis – we know this is coming so go out and find new markets.”
Then there’s the prospect of increasing Silverhill’s burgeoning trade with the Far East.
“Indonesia,” he says excitedly, “the population’s 260 million and you think it’s a poor country but you take the top one per cent. . . you start thinking in terms of selling pallets of duck and end up thinking of container loads.”
Portwest
Like Silverhill, warehousing became a solution for another major exporter, Portwest, the €180 million turnover, outdoor leisure and work clothing company which is based in Westport, Co Mayo and employs 4,500 people worldwide.
"Before Brexit we had one main distribution warehouse in the UK, with 250 staff, serving every country in the EU," says Portwest managing director Harry Hughes. "After Theresa May announced that the UK were leaving the customs union, we decided to open a second distribution warehouse in Poland and were ready when the first deadline passed."
Portwest MD Harry Hughes: ‘We are now Brexit-proof from issues associated with customs and borders.’
The Polish warehouse has 150 staff and serves all of Portwest’s EU customers. The UK warehouse, with 100 fewer staff, serves UK and Portwest’s non-EU customers – England’s loss was Poland’s gain.
“We are now Brexit-proof from issues associated with customs and borders,” says Hughes. “No company will be exempt from the possible political or commercial fallout.”
CombiLift
CombiLift is another Monaghan-based company with a global reach that has also had to react to the potential worst-case scenario in January.
The company, a hugely successful maker of forklift trucks, has grown over 22 years into a €300 million turnover enterprise employing 650 people.
Most of the staff work at an enormous assembly plant that is 11 acres under roof and sits on a 100 acre site at the edge of Monaghan town. Four production lines, now working two at a time in staggered shifts because of Covid-19 distancing restrictions, crank out customised forklifts trucks.
Their multi-directional wheel and steering system gives them extra manoeuvrability, allowing them operate in very confined spaces. This allows CombiLift to market itself as a space saver, selling customers the notion that their existing warehouse has greater capacity, if storage aisles are reconfigured and made narrower, thereby allowing for more shelving.
While the company’s two largest markets, accounting for half of output, are the UK and US, it also exports to more than 80 countries throughout Europe and the Americas, as well as to Asia, Africa and Australia.
The company’s single most significant response to Brexit was to obtain from Revenue the status of Authorised Economic Operator (AEO), a process that took 10 months and culminated in the issuing of a prized AEO certificate in June 2019.
What the status means in effect is that the CombiLift plant in Monaghan becomes a customs and excise frontline, rather than the frontline being at the port through which exports flow. On a day-to-day basis, this means the plant operates like a bonded warehouse so when finished products or spare parts reach a port, they pass through the green channel, without delay and unchecked.
Clearly, trust is a key ingredient.
Martin McVicar, managing director, and company cofounder with Robert Moffet, explains: "We have controls in place. Doors to where spare parts are held are fob activated so only known employees can get in or out. Security procedures, access and control is very much insisted upon [by customs].
“You become a trusted partner with Revenue and as long as you do everything properly, there is no reason for them to check what you do.”
That said, the plant can be subject to inspection at any time and the perimeter of the site is laser beam protected. CCTV is everywhere.
CombiLift has an articulated truck or container leaving the Monaghan plant every hour of every day. The company also takes in 40 truck-loads of imported parts, the company’s manufacturing raw materials.
“By having AEO status, we’re getting our [imported] goods cleared much faster from any market,” says McVicar, adding that import processing time at Dublin Port has improved from two to three days to mere hours.
Whatever way Brexit pans out in January, CombiLift will be able to deliver spare parts to UK customers overnight.
So McVicar hasn’t given up on the UK.
“Whatever happens in Brexit is not going to stop us investing there, for multiple reasons,” he says. “The UK clients are still going to need forklift trucks to move goods around. In fact, their demand for warehousing space is going to be at a higher premium because the minute a company comes out of that European block, they’ll want to want to make sure they’ve goods on their island.
“UK companies are going to be stocking higher levels of components and food to deal with border scenarios and where our products come into value is, even though we make forklift trucks, we are actually in the business of selling warehouse space. We sell forklift trucks that save warehouse space and as the demand for warehousing increases, there’s more demand for our product.
“So even post-Brexit, whether there’s no deal or there is a deal, we’re still going to invest in the UK.”


theirishtimes--2020-08-24--‘This is a very strange virus. There’s not an organ in the body it saves’

A Co Kildare GP has described the “ profound fatigue ” he suffered following his Covid-19 diagnosis and the virus ’ s wider long-term effects .
Dr Adrian McGoldrick ( 67 ) tested positive for the virus in May – despite showing no symptoms – after three of his patients in a nursing home also tested positive .
“ I literally couldn ’ t get out of bed one morning , ” Dr McGoldrick said .
“ For a month , I couldn ’ t get out of bed .
“ My brother rang me from Canada and I actually @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it .
I hadn ’ t the energy to ring him back when I woke up .
I normally [ would have ] worked 16 hours a day no problem.
” Dr McGoldrick underwent a number of blood tests and scans before having a cardiac MRI scan .
He was subsequently diagnosed with myocarditis .
“ Unfortunately , cardiac MRIs are not readily accessible but I was fortunate to have insurance so I could get one and it showed that I had myocarditis , which is an inflammation of the heart.
” With @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , his cardiologist informed him that Covid-19 was the probable cause .
“ This is a very strange virus .
There ’ s not an organ in the body it saves , ” Mr McGoldrick said .
“ The cardiac side effects are quite significant.
” Recent studies in the US , UK and Germany have shown the long-term effects Covid-19 can have on the body , in particular the heart .
“ A recent paper has come out in Germany linking sick patients with asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic Covid , who appear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months down the line developing heart problems .
A study in Germany with a group of 100 people with a mean age of 45 showed 60 per cent of them had myocarditis.
” A survey by the British Medical Journal of 3,700 GPs earlier in August showed about a third had reported they had treated or seen patients with symptoms they believed to be long-term effects of having had Covid-19 .
The symptoms included chronic fatigue , muscle weakness , loss of sense of smell and concentration difficulties .
Dr McGoldrick has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ myocarditis .
The only effective treatment is complete rest and he now spends up to 12 hours of his day in bed .
“ This fatigue element of post-Covid is certainly coming out as a major long-term problem , ” Dr McGoldrick said .
“ Treat this virus with respect .
.
.
Don ’ t think that you can get the virus and that you will not suffer .
This is going to be with us for years to come .
”

A Co Kildare GP has described the “profound fatigue” he suffered following his Covid-19 diagnosis and the virus’s wider long-term effects.
Dr Adrian McGoldrick (67) tested positive for the virus in May – despite showing no symptoms – after three of his patients in a nursing home also tested positive.
“I literally couldn’t get out of bed one morning,” Dr McGoldrick said. “For a month, I couldn’t get out of bed.
"My brother rang me from Canada and I actually fell asleep holding the phone and dropped it. I hadn't the energy to ring him back when I woke up. I normally [would have] worked 16 hours a day no problem."
READ MORE
Dr McGoldrick underwent a number of blood tests and scans before having a cardiac MRI scan. He was subsequently diagnosed with myocarditis.
“Unfortunately, cardiac MRIs are not readily accessible but I was fortunate to have insurance so I could get one and it showed that I had myocarditis, which is an inflammation of the heart.”
With all other test results coming back clear, his cardiologist informed him that Covid-19 was the probable cause.
“This is a very strange virus. There’s not an organ in the body it saves,” Mr McGoldrick said. “The cardiac side effects are quite significant.”
Studies
Recent studies in the US, UK and Germany have shown the long-term effects Covid-19 can have on the body, in particular the heart.
“A recent paper has come out in Germany linking sick patients with asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic Covid, who appear to have recovered, two to three months down the line developing heart problems. A study in Germany with a group of 100 people with a mean age of 45 showed 60 per cent of them had myocarditis.”
A survey by the British Medical Journal of 3,700 GPs earlier in August showed about a third had reported they had treated or seen patients with symptoms they believed to be long-term effects of having had Covid-19. The symptoms included chronic fatigue, muscle weakness, loss of sense of smell and concentration difficulties.
Dr McGoldrick has been working remotely to aid his recovery from myocarditis. The only effective treatment is complete rest and he now spends up to 12 hours of his day in bed.
“This fatigue element of post-Covid is certainly coming out as a major long-term problem,” Dr McGoldrick said. “Treat this virus with respect . . . Don’t think that you can get the virus and that you will not suffer. This is going to be with us for years to come.”


theirishtimes--2020-08-23--Only one in ten newly arrived passengers in Ireland checked for self-isolation compliance

Less than 10 per cent of passengers who were obliged to self-isolate for 14 days on their arrival at Dublin Airport in recent weeks were spoken to , new figures show .
Under current regulations , all passengers arriving from countries not on the Government ’ s green list must restrict their movements on entering Ireland .
Data supplied by the Department of Justice shows that between July 1st and August 18th there were 272,845 passengers from non-green list countries .
About a third of these were exempt from the requirement to restrict their movements because they were travelling to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the Republic for fewer than two days .
Of the 177,350 new arrivals between July 1st and August 18th who were obliged to restrict their movements , calls were made to 33,021 and some 16,180 passengers answered their phones .
It means 9 per cent of those who arrived since July 1st and were required to restrict their movements were spoken to in order to check if they were doing so .
The Department of Justice has said the Border Management Unit aimed to contact 10-20 per cent of people on all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A new online passenger locator form , to make it easier for officials to keep records of new arrivals and to make the checking system more efficient , is due to become operational on Wednesday .
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said the online form would facilitate “ an enhanced system of engagements with passengers , which will include issuing targeted public health advice by text message ” .
The Department of Justice said the electronic version of the form , which all passengers will be legally obliged to complete , would be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a new call centre to make checks on passengers .
Data from the Department of Justice show some 157,376 passengers arrived at Dublin Airport in the first 18 days of August , or an average of 8,743 a day .
That was up from 5,194 a day last month and 1,277 a day in June .
In April and May , some 376 and 607 passengers a day arrived at the airport respectively .
Passenger numbers passing through the airport , by far the busiest point of entry into the Republic , were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for this time of year .
For example , in July passenger numbers were 89 per cent below last year .
However , in April , May and June passenger numbers were down by 97-99 per cent .
The trends suggest people began to travel more as the pandemic eased and that trend has continued into this month .
This was despite the spike in Covid-19 infection rates across the Republic for about one month and Government advice that “ all non-essential travel overseas should be avoided ” except for “ some people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ essential personal and family reasons ” .

Passenger numbers passing through the airport are still at a fraction of usual trends for this time of year. Photograph: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin
Less than 10 per cent of passengers who were obliged to self-isolate for 14 days on their arrival at Dublin Airport in recent weeks were spoken to, new figures show.
Under current regulations, all passengers arriving from countries not on the Government's green list must restrict their movements on entering Ireland.
Data supplied by the Department of Justice shows that between July 1st and August 18th there were 272,845 passengers from non-green list countries. About a third of these were exempt from the requirement to restrict their movements because they were travelling to the North or were planning to be in the Republic for fewer than two days.
Of the 177,350 new arrivals between July 1st and August 18th who were obliged to restrict their movements, calls were made to 33,021 and some 16,180 passengers answered their phones. It means 9 per cent of those who arrived since July 1st and were required to restrict their movements were spoken to in order to check if they were doing so.
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The Department of Justice has said the Border Management Unit aimed to contact 10-20 per cent of people on all flights to check they were self-isolating.
Locator form
A new online passenger locator form, to make it easier for officials to keep records of new arrivals and to make the checking system more efficient, is due to become operational on Wednesday.
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said the online form would facilitate "an enhanced system of engagements with passengers, which will include issuing targeted public health advice by text message".
The Department of Justice said the electronic version of the form, which all passengers will be legally obliged to complete, would be rolled out at the same time as a new call centre to make checks on passengers.
Data from the Department of Justice show some 157,376 passengers arrived at Dublin Airport in the first 18 days of August, or an average of 8,743 a day.
That was up from 5,194 a day last month and 1,277 a day in June. In April and May, some 376 and 607 passengers a day arrived at the airport respectively.
Passenger numbers passing through the airport, by far the busiest point of entry into the Republic, were still at a fraction of usual trends for this time of year. For example, in July passenger numbers were 89 per cent below last year. However, in April, May and June passenger numbers were down by 97-99 per cent.
The trends suggest people began to travel more as the pandemic eased and that trend has continued into this month. This was despite the spike in Covid-19 infection rates across the Republic for about one month and Government advice that “all non-essential travel overseas should be avoided” except for “some people [who] need to travel for essential personal and family reasons”.


theirishtimes--2020-08-23--Gardaí investigate how Dublin anti-mask protest was organised

A Garda investigation has begun into an anti-face mask rally held in Dublin at the weekend on suspicion it breached coronavirus regulations prohibiting the organising of events .
Separately , a number of disturbances at the rally were also under criminal investigation , including an apparent pre-planned group attack by a number of counter-protesters armed with sticks or batons .
They wore black caps and scarves covering their faces , as well as PPE-type latex gloves , and clashed with a number of attendees at the rally in what appeared to be a pre-planned attack .
One man suffered significant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ event was organised by the Health Freedom Ireland , which says it is a non-political organisation , with support from Yellow Vest Ireland .
Garda sources confirmed the organisation of the event was under investigation in the same way the organisers of the Black Lives rally in Dublin in June were placed under investigation .
“ Where potential breaches of the public health regulations are identified a file is submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions for a direction as to how to proceed , ” the Garda said .
There were four @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for breach of the peace , two for public order and another for possession of an offensive weapon .
Three are due to appear before the courts next month while the fourth man was released pending a summons to court .
Meanwhile , Minister for Justice Helen McEntee has urged the International Protection Appeals Tribunal , which hears immigration cases , to “ act urgently ” after the appearance of one of its members , Una McGurk SC , at the rally .
Ms McGurk , a barrister , told the rally the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Other speakers included members of the Irish Freedom Party which wants to “ regain control ” of Ireland ’ s border to more closely control immigration .

A Garda investigation has begun into an anti-face mask rally held in Dublin at the weekend on suspicion it breached coronavirus regulations prohibiting the organising of events.
Separately, a number of disturbances at the rally were also under criminal investigation, including one incident during which men who were armed with sticks or batons clashed with others present. *
They wore black caps and scarves covering their faces, as well as PPE-type latex gloves, and clashed with a number of other men present in what appeared to be a pre-planned attack. One man suffered significant injuries before gardaí restored order. *
The event was organised by the Health Freedom Ireland, which says it is a non-political organisation, with support from Yellow Vest Ireland.
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Potential breaches
Garda sources confirmed the organisation of the event was under investigation in the same way the organisers of the Black Lives rally in Dublin in June were placed under investigation. "Where potential breaches of the public health regulations are identified a file is submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions for a direction as to how to proceed," the Garda said.
There were four men arrested at the event; one for breach of the peace, two for public order and another for possession of an offensive weapon. Three are due to appear before the courts next month while the fourth man was released pending a summons to court.
Meanwhile, Minister for Justice Helen McEntee has urged the International Protection Appeals Tribunal, which hears immigration cases, to "act urgently" after the appearance of one of its members, Una McGurk SC, at the rally.
Ms McGurk, a barrister, told the rally the official Covid-19 statistics had been overestimated. Other speakers included members of the Irish Freedom Party which wants to "regain control" of Ireland's border to more closely control immigration.
* This article was amended on August 25th, 2020


theirishtimes--2020-08-25--Teachers facing ‘life or death’ risk due to Covid-19 vulnerability

Hundreds of teachers being ordered back to work over the coming days despite suffering serious illnesses which leave them particularly vulnerable to Covid-19 are facing “ life or death ” , it has been warned .
The Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland ( ASTI ) said it was dealing with a surge in queries from worried members – with the likes of cancer , heart conditions and diabetes – who had been refused the option of staying at home .
Ann Piggott , vice-president of the Asti , estimates as many as one such case for each of Ireland ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is their health , their life .
While they may not be classified currently as very high risk , if they pick up the virus they don ’ t have a hope .
Their lives are totally on the line here , ” she told The Irish Times .
The Department of Education has told teachers and other staff categorised under Health Service Executive guidelines as “ very high risk ” for coronavirus to cocoon .
But those classed as “ high risk ” have been told they “ must attend the workplace @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk assessment by an outsourced occupational health service .
Those at “ high risk ” of contracting Covid-19 include people with heart failure , chronic kidney disease , liver disease , cancer , weak immune systems and obesity .
Ms Piggott said one teacher battling acute leukaemia , diabetes type 2 , asthma , anaemia and an auto-immune disorder has been told to return to work after getting a risk assessment .
In a letter , he wrote : “ I feel like a turkey waiting for Christmas.
” Ms Piggott said “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ getting more and more of these letters ” .
“ Healthy people can ’ t gather in big numbers in outdoor events , yet teachers who are this vulnerable are being asked to gather amid hundreds of people in one enclosed space , ” she said .
There are concerns about the scope of the risk assessments , she added .
“ I know a lot of teachers with these very serious conditions who have gone to their consultants , and their consultants are shocked that they might even consider being in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” she said .
“ Despite having a consultant ’ s letter , they are not getting any calls or video calls from the occupational health service to expand on their conditions and concerns.
” Dr Nuala O ’ Connor , Covid-19 lead adviser with the Irish College of General Practitioners ( ICGP ) , said family doctors had noticed an increase in queries over recent weeks from teachers with serious illnesses concerned about returning to “ face-to-face working conditions ” .
While doctors and consultants can provide reports on their patients for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the occupational health service – as ordered by the Department of Education – to determine whether teachers should return to work or not .
“ Providing occupational health advice is outside the scope of practice of most general practitioners , ” said Ms O ’ Connor .
“ The ICGP has advised its members that the patients who are concerned that they may be at risk if they return to their normal work duties in any setting during the Covid pandemic should seek an independent occupational health risk assessment from their employer.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ classed as “ high risk ” want to stay at home , with some believing they could be accommodated in schools .
One idea is matching up high-risk teachers with high-risk students to reduce their risk .
But , to date , no one has been given such choices , she added .
“ Teachers are being told to go to work where there are hundreds of people , where government Ministers and experts have said there will be clusters , there will be outbreaks .
Their lives are in danger , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ onus on employers .
All employees are entitled to a safe workplace and we are demanding a safe workplace for our members .
“ It is a life or death situation for some and we have to do all we can to protect their lives.
” The ASTI has written to Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly asking him to intervene to secure a meeting between the union and the Health Protection Surveillance Centre ( HPSC ) regarding the reopening of schools for those in the “ high risk ” category .
A Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guidance for at-risk staff and students returning to school and “ more detailed guidance to support schools in implementing these arrangements will be published shortly ” .

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly: The ASTI has asked him to intervene to secure a meeting between the teachers’ union and the Health Protection Surveillance Centre regarding the reopening of schools for those in the “high risk” category. Photograph: Julien Behal
Hundreds of teachers being ordered back to work over the coming days despite suffering serious illnesses which leave them particularly vulnerable to Covid-19 are facing “life or death”, it has been warned.
The Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland (ASTI) said it was dealing with a surge in queries from worried members – with the likes of cancer, heart conditions and diabetes – who had been refused the option of staying at home.
Ann Piggott, vice-president of the ASTI, estimates as many as one such case for each of Ireland's 723 secondary schools.
“This is their health, their life. While they may not be classified currently as very high risk, if they pick up the virus they don’t have a hope. Their lives are totally on the line here,” she told The Irish Times.
READ MORE
The Department of Education has told teachers and other staff categorised under Health Service Executive guidelines as "very high risk" for coronavirus to cocoon.
But those classed as “high risk” have been told they “must attend the workplace, unless advised otherwise” after a risk assessment by an outsourced occupational health service.
Those at “high risk” of contracting Covid-19 include people with heart failure, chronic kidney disease, liver disease, cancer, weak immune systems and obesity.
Ms Piggott said one teacher battling acute leukaemia, diabetes type 2, asthma, anaemia and an auto-immune disorder has been told to return to work after getting a risk assessment.
In a letter, he wrote: “I feel like a turkey waiting for Christmas.”
Ms Piggott said “as time goes on, we are getting more and more of these letters”.
‘Enclosed space’
“Healthy people can’t gather in big numbers in outdoor events, yet teachers who are this vulnerable are being asked to gather amid hundreds of people in one enclosed space,” she said.
There are concerns about the scope of the risk assessments, she added.
“I know a lot of teachers with these very serious conditions who have gone to their consultants, and their consultants are shocked that they might even consider being in the position where they could get Covid,” she said.
“Despite having a consultant’s letter, they are not getting any calls or video calls from the occupational health service to expand on their conditions and concerns.”
Dr Nuala O’Connor, Covid-19 lead adviser with the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP), said family doctors had noticed an increase in queries over recent weeks from teachers with serious illnesses concerned about returning to “face-to-face working conditions”.
While doctors and consultants can provide reports on their patients for risk assessments, it is the role of the occupational health service – as ordered by the Department of Education – to determine whether teachers should return to work or not.
“Providing occupational health advice is outside the scope of practice of most general practitioners,” said Ms O’Connor.
“The ICGP has advised its members that the patients who are concerned that they may be at risk if they return to their normal work duties in any setting during the Covid pandemic should seek an independent occupational health risk assessment from their employer.”
‘Lives in danger’
Ms Piggott said not all teachers classed as “high risk” want to stay at home, with some believing they could be accommodated in schools.
One idea is matching up high-risk teachers with high-risk students to reduce their risk.
But, to date, no one has been given such choices, she added.
“Teachers are being told to go to work where there are hundreds of people, where government Ministers and experts have said there will be clusters, there will be outbreaks. Their lives are in danger,” she said.
“There is an onus on employers. All employees are entitled to a safe workplace and we are demanding a safe workplace for our members.
“It is a life or death situation for some and we have to do all we can to protect their lives.”
The ASTI has written to Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly asking him to intervene to secure a meeting between the union and the Health Protection Surveillance Centre regarding the reopening of schools for those in the "high risk" category.
A Department of Education spokesman said it had issued guidance for at-risk staff and students returning to school and “more detailed guidance to support schools in implementing these arrangements will be published shortly”.


theirishtimes--2020-08-25--Séamus Woulfe should resign over golf dinner – Shane Ross

Former government minister Shane Ross said Séamus Woulfe should resign as a Supreme Court judge for attending the Oireachtas golf dinner , saying it was “ an exceptionally serious mistake ” .
Mr Ross said that no Supreme Court judge should have been at the Oireachtas Golf Society outing in Clifden , Co Galway where Mr Justice Woulfe was one of more than 80 guests who attended a dinner that did not observe public health guidelines to stem the spread of Covid-19 .
“ Judges should not attend political events .
Justice Séamus Woulfe is not a member of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have taken place , ” he told The Irish Times .
Mr Ross described his former Cabinet colleague as “ an exceptionally decent man who made an exceptionally serious mistake ” .
The two men served together in the last government from 2017 until June , with Mr Ross serving as minister for transport and Mr Woulfe as attorney general .
The Supreme Court judge , who was appointed a month ago after serving as attorney general in the last government , is under pressure over his attendance at the event in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said he attended the dinner on the understanding that it would be adhering to public health guidelines and apologised for any unintentional breach of them .
“ By clinging on to his office , Séamus Woulfe is sending all the wrong signals to those of us wishing to reform the judiciary .
He should step down , ” Mr Ross said .
The former Independent minister said that different standards of accountability were being applied to politicians and judges .
Mr Ross noted that Fianna Fáil TD Dara Calleary stood down as minister @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resigned positions and “ paid similar penalties ” .
“ Are Supreme Court judges to be set a lower bar than politicians on the issue ?
The resistance to resignation shown by Justice Woulfe underlines all that is wrong with the judiciary , ” he said .
Mr Ross tried unsuccessfully to pass legislation during his time in government restricting the role of politicians and the judiciary in the appointment of judges .
Mr Woulfe described his Bill as a “ dog ’ s dinner ” at an event in 2018 , airing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s attempt to overhaul judicial appointments .
The former TD described the resistance by leading party politicians to calling for the judge ’ s resignation by “ pleading the separation of powers ” between the Oireachtas and the judiciary as “ cowardly.
” Taoiseach and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin , Tánaiste and Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar and other Cabinet members have not criticised the judge , claiming that the separation of powers precluded them from commenting on the behaviour of judges .
“ There was no separation of powers a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this new Cabinet , including Taoiseach Micheál Martin , eagerly nominated him , ” said Mr Ross .
“ Are judges to remain untouchable , unaccountable and apparently infallible ?
No wonder they refuse to declare their financial interests or to allow lay people to chair their elitist method of appointments , preferring to keep the selection procedure to an inner circle of politicians and judges .
”

Shane Ross: “Judges should not attend political events. Justice Séamus Woulfe is not a member of the Oireachtas. The Oireachtas event should never have taken place.” File photograph: Nick Bradshaw
Former government minister Shane Ross said Séamus Woulfe should resign as a Supreme Court judge for attending the Oireachtas golf dinner, saying it was "an exceptionally serious mistake".
Mr Ross said that no Supreme Court judge should have been at the Oireachtas Golf Society outing in Clifden, Co Galway where Mr Justice Woulfe was one of more than 80 guests who attended a dinner that did not observe public health guidelines to stem the spread of Covid-19.
“Judges should not attend political events. Justice Séamus Woulfe is not a member of the Oireachtas. The Oireachtas event should never have taken place,” he told The Irish Times.
Mr Ross described his former Cabinet colleague as “an exceptionally decent man who made an exceptionally serious mistake”.
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The two men served together in the last government from 2017 until June, with Mr Ross serving as minister for transport and Mr Woulfe as attorney general.
The Supreme Court judge, who was appointed a month ago after serving as attorney general in the last government, is under pressure over his attendance at the event in a Connemara hotel.
Unintentional
Mr Justice Woulfe has said he attended the dinner on the understanding that it would be adhering to public health guidelines and apologised for any unintentional breach of them.
Séamus Woulfe: Mr Ross described his former Cabinet colleague as ‘an exceptionally decent man who made an exceptionally serious mistake’. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw
“By clinging on to his office, Séamus Woulfe is sending all the wrong signals to those of us wishing to reform the judiciary. He should step down,” Mr Ross said.
The former Independent minister said that different standards of accountability were being applied to politicians and judges.
Mr Ross noted that Fianna Fáil TD Dara Calleary stood down as minister for agriculture and other elected representatives had resigned positions and "paid similar penalties".
“Are Supreme Court judges to be set a lower bar than politicians on the issue? The resistance to resignation shown by Justice Woulfe underlines all that is wrong with the judiciary,” he said.
Mr Ross tried unsuccessfully to pass legislation during his time in government restricting the role of politicians and the judiciary in the appointment of judges. Mr Woulfe described his Bill as a “dog’s dinner” at an event in 2018, airing Cabinet tensions in public over the minister’s attempt to overhaul judicial appointments.
Resistance
The former TD described the resistance by leading party politicians to calling for the judge’s resignation by “pleading the separation of powers” between the Oireachtas and the judiciary as “cowardly.”
Taoiseach and Fianna Fáil leader Micheál Martin, Tánaiste and Fine Gael leader Leo Varadkar and other Cabinet members have not criticised the judge, claiming that the separation of powers precluded them from commenting on the behaviour of judges.
“There was no separation of powers a few weeks ago when the politicians in this new Cabinet, including Taoiseach Micheál Martin, eagerly nominated him,” said Mr Ross.
“Are judges to remain untouchable, unaccountable and apparently infallible? No wonder they refuse to declare their financial interests or to allow lay people to chair their elitist method of appointments, preferring to keep the selection procedure to an inner circle of politicians and judges.”


theirishtimes--2020-08-25--Retired judge warns of ‘great danger’ in hounding people out of office

A retired senior judge has warned of rushing to judgment against attendees at the Oireachtas Golf Society dinner and unfairly hounding “ good people ” out of office for “ one serious mistake ” .
Former Court of Appeal judge Garrett Sheehan said there was a “ great danger in the present situation that good people who have committed their lives to public service are now being publicly humiliated and unfairly hounded out of office for having relied on the judgment of others to keep them right regarding Covid-19 regulations ” .
The retired judge was asked by The Irish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Supreme Court Justice Séamus Woulfe who was among 81 guests at the dinner in a Connemara hotel last week that appeared to breach public health guidelines aimed at preventing the spread of coronavirus .
Mr Justice Woulfe has said he attended the dinner after a golf event on the understanding that it fell within the Government public health guidelines .
He apologised for any unintentional breach .
Mr Justice Sheehan said he accepted the “ utmost importance ” of abiding by Government advice and for political leaders to set a good example “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by some politicians and some sections of the media is in my view not good for democracy ” .
It needs to be explained clearly “ how the drive for ratings is affecting the quality and fairness of public discourse , ” said the former Central Criminal Court judge who retired in 2017 .
“ There is a danger that good people will refrain from entering public life having witnessed the personal consequences for many people of having made one serious mistake , ” he said .
The Supreme Court yesterday evening asked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whether Mr Justice Woulfe should have attended the dinner and to report her conclusions and recommendations on whether he should have accepted the invitation .
The retired judge has also been asked by the court to consider whether Mr Woulfe “ should , in all circumstances , have left the hotel in the light of the situation prevailing ” and whether he should have played golf , which is permitted under health guidelines , but not attended the dinner .
She has been requested to consider “ any relevant codes of practice or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this area in her report to the Chief Justice Frank Clarke .
Meanwhile , Shane Ross , the former Government minister , said that Mr Justice Woulfe , his former Cabinet colleague , should resign for making “ an exceptionally serious mistake ” .
“ By clinging on to his office , Séamus Woulfe is sending all the wrong signals to those of us wishing to reform the judiciary .
He should step down , ” he said .
The former TD described resistance by leading party politicians to calling for his resignation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” between the Oireachtas and the judiciary as “ cowardly ” .
Mr Ross and Mr Woulfe , the former attorney general , clashed during the last government over the former minister ’ s attempts to overhaul the judicial appointments process .

A retired senior judge has warned of rushing to judgment against attendees at the Oireachtas Golf Society dinner and unfairly hounding "good people" out of office for "one serious mistake".
Former Court of Appeal judge Garrett Sheehan said there was a “great danger in the present situation that good people who have committed their lives to public service are now being publicly humiliated and unfairly hounded out of office for having relied on the judgment of others to keep them right regarding Covid-19 regulations”.
The retired judge was asked by The Irish Times to comment on the situation facing Supreme Court Justice Séamus Woulfe who was among 81 guests at the dinner in a Connemara hotel last week that appeared to breach public health guidelines aimed at preventing the spread of coronavirus.
Mr Justice Woulfe has said he attended the dinner after a golf event on the understanding that it fell within the Government public health guidelines. He apologised for any unintentional breach.
READ MORE
Mr Justice Sheehan said he accepted the "utmost importance" of abiding by Government advice and for political leaders to set a good example "but the relentless fuelling of public anger by some politicians and some sections of the media is in my view not good for democracy".
Supreme Court Justice Séamus Woulfe was among 81 guests at the dinner in a Connemara hotel last week that appeared to breach public health guidelines. Photograph: Alan Betson / The Irish Times
It needs to be explained clearly “how the drive for ratings is affecting the quality and fairness of public discourse,” said the former Central Criminal Court judge who retired in 2017.
“There is a danger that good people will refrain from entering public life having witnessed the personal consequences for many people of having made one serious mistake,” he said.
‘Cowardly’
The Supreme Court yesterday evening asked former Chief Justice Susan Denham to review whether Mr Justice Woulfe should have attended the dinner and to report her conclusions and recommendations on whether he should have accepted the invitation.
The retired judge has also been asked by the court to consider whether Mr Woulfe “should, in all circumstances, have left the hotel in the light of the situation prevailing” and whether he should have played golf, which is permitted under health guidelines, but not attended the dinner.
She has been requested to consider "any relevant codes of practice or guidelines" and to make recommendations on this area in her report to the Chief Justice Frank Clarke.
Meanwhile, Shane Ross, the former Government minister, said that Mr Justice Woulfe, his former Cabinet colleague, should resign for making "an exceptionally serious mistake".
“By clinging on to his office, Séamus Woulfe is sending all the wrong signals to those of us wishing to reform the judiciary. He should step down,” he said.
The former TD described resistance by leading party politicians to calling for his resignation by “pleading the separation of powers” between the Oireachtas and the judiciary as “cowardly”.
Mr Ross and Mr Woulfe, the former attorney general, clashed during the last government over the former minister’s attempts to overhaul the judicial appointments process.


theirishtimes--2020-08-25--Covid-19 and teachers: ‘I am paranoid, anxious and cautious’

“ It is constantly in my head .
It is a very anxious time , ” says Tomas ( to protect his identity we are not using his real name ) , a 60-year-old secondary school teacher ordered to return to work next week despite having cancer and a heart condition , which leave him at high risk of contracting Covid-19 .
Last week , he filled out the online risk assessment for returning to school , which he believed , because of his renal carcinoma , a type of kidney cancer for which he had part of his kidney @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and stent insertion , would allow him to work from home .
As part of the process , he was asked for an up-to-date report from his consultant .
“ Let ’ s just say he ’ d prefer if I didn ’ t return to the workplace , ” he said .
Just days later a report was emailed back to him stating that he was simply “ high risk ” and not “ very high risk ” , so he would be expected at his desk when the school gates reopened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ distance and take the appropriate hygiene measures .
“ It was a bolt out of the blue , considering my conditions , ” he said .
“ I do want to go back to work sometime but I don ’ t feel now is the appropriate time.
” A teacher for 40 years , Tomas has been cocooning to protect himself at home since the start of the pandemic .
His wife and two children , with whom he lives , have also been limiting their social contacts because of his illnesses .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ been “ paranoid , anxious and cautious ” about coronavirus .
Now , faced with having to mix with large groups of children and adults in his school , where “ space is very much limited ” , he says a “ plethora of worries ” are weighing on him .
“ It ’ s not safe at the moment , ” he said .
“ I ’ m particularly worried about the areas in the school that become congested at times .
“ I know we ’ ll all be very careful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get more lax in time .
Kids are kids , and they have to be kids.
” Break times are another concern , he says , adding that he is worried about the impact the stress will have on his ability to focus on his teaching .
“ Normally , when you go to work you just worry about work – now I have this other worry hovering over my head .
“ It seems to be a fait accompli .
“ My worst fear is that I will contract Covid and all @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even developing another serious illness from contracting it .
From the information we have at the moment , you could be knocked out for months and no one knows the long-term effects of the disease .
”

Teacher with health issues was given a report stating he was “high risk” and not “very high risk”, so he would be expected at his desk when school reopened. Photograph: iStock
“It is constantly in my head. It is a very anxious time,” says Tomas (to protect his identity we are not using his real name), a 60-year-old secondary school teacher ordered to return to work next week despite having cancer and a heart condition, which leave him at high risk of contracting Covid-19.
Last week, he filled out the online risk assessment for returning to school, which he believed, because of his renal carcinoma, a type of kidney cancer for which he had part of his kidney removed last year, and his angioplasty and stent insertion, would allow him to work from home.
As part of the process, he was asked for an up-to-date report from his consultant.
“Let’s just say he’d prefer if I didn’t return to the workplace,” he said.
READ MORE
Just days later a report was emailed back to him stating that he was simply “high risk” and not “very high risk”, so he would be expected at his desk when the school gates reopened.
The only advice was to socially distance and take the appropriate hygiene measures.
Bolt from blue
“It was a bolt out of the blue, considering my conditions,” he said. “I do want to go back to work sometime but I don’t feel now is the appropriate time.”
A teacher for 40 years, Tomas has been cocooning to protect himself at home since the start of the pandemic. His wife and two children, with whom he lives, have also been limiting their social contacts because of his illnesses.
From the information we have at the moment, you could be knocked out for months and no one knows the long-term effects of the disease
With his medical conditions, he has been “paranoid, anxious and cautious” about coronavirus.
Now, faced with having to mix with large groups of children and adults in his school, where “space is very much limited”, he says a “plethora of worries” are weighing on him.
“It’s not safe at the moment,” he said.
“I’m particularly worried about the areas in the school that become congested at times.
‘Lax with time’
“I know we’ll all be very careful at the start, but people will get more lax in time. Kids are kids, and they have to be kids.”
Break times are another concern, he says, adding that he is worried about the impact the stress will have on his ability to focus on his teaching.
“Normally, when you go to work you just worry about work – now I have this other worry hovering over my head.
“It seems to be a fait accompli.
“My worst fear is that I will contract Covid and all the risks that go with that, even developing another serious illness from contracting it. From the information we have at the moment, you could be knocked out for months and no one knows the long-term effects of the disease.”


theirishtimes--2020-08-25--Mental Health Tribunal member under scrutiny after joining anti-mask rally

A senior counsel appointed to the Mental Health Tribunal , which decides on the detention of mentally ill patients , is facing scrutiny over her appearance at an anti-mask , anti-lockdown rally on Saturday .
Barrister Una McGurk occupies two quasi-judicial positions , one on the Mental Health Tribunal and one on the International Protection Appeals Tribunal ( Ipat ) which decides on the refugee status of asylum seekers .
At Saturday ’ s rally she spoke alongside members of the anti-immigration Irish Freedom Party .
The rally was attended by a large number of far-right activists , including members @ @ @ @ @ @ @ banner reading “ Ireland for the Irish ” .
It was organised by Health Freedom Ireland , which has described itself as a wholly non-political organisation and Yellow Vest Ireland , which frequently demands stricter immigration rules .
On Monday , Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he does not believe Ms McGurk ’ s appearance at the protest is compatible with membership of Ipat .
Minister for Justice Helen McEntee has requested a report on the matter from Ipat .
A spokeswoman for Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said he has also been made @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the rally and has requested information from the Mental Health Commission ( MHC ) , an independent body which appoints members to Mental Health Tribunals .
The commission said it is “ aware that a member of one of its tribunal panels attended a public gathering in Dublin on Saturday , August 22nd , 2020 relating to the wearing of face masks and Covid-19 ” .
It said it is “ dealing with this matter ” and it would not be appropriate to comment further “ until it has considered the matter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said it “ fully supports all public health advice issued by the National Public Health Emergency Team and the Government to protect the public from the effects of Covid-19 ” .
Ms McGurk said she was preparing a statement but had yet to respond to requests for comment by last night .
A review of the barrister ’ s YouTube and social media profiles shows she frequently repeats debunked or highly controversial views on medical science and has called Covid-19 “ a fake pandemic ” .
She has shared posts from the Irish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who has been behind several anti-immigration demonstrations around the country .
In one video , Ms McGurk stated coronavirus is no more dangerous than flu , that social distancing is useless and that face masks are dangerous to people ’ s health .
She also stated Ireland has already achieved herd immunity .
On vaccines , Ms McGurk said they have been shown to contain fetal and “ corona dog tissue ” ( lab grown tissue derived from human fetuses is used in some vaccines ) .
In another video , she shares @ @ @ @ @ @ @ theory group which calls 5G “ a military weapon ” and falsely states it has never been safety tested .
However , none of Ms McGurk ’ s public statements relate to immigration or mental health .
Her speech at Saturday ’ s rally did not mention either subject and focused on opposition to mandatory face mask rules .
Ms McGurk ’ s role as a chairwoman of mental health tribunals involves reviewing , alongside a psychiatrist and a lay person , medical evidence supporting the involuntary detention of mentally ill people in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s continued detention .
People who have worked with Ms McGurk told The Irish Times they are not aware of any concerns in relation to her work as a tribunal chair but expressed surprise she would publicly share such controversial views on medical matters given her position .
Legal colleagues also said they are not aware of McGurk expressing concerning views in her role in hearing refugee appeals .
One barrister said she has a reputation for being compassionate towards asylum seekers .

A protester is detained during an anti-lockdown and anti-facemask protest outside the Custom House over the weekend. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw
A senior counsel appointed to the Mental Health Tribunal, which decides on the detention of mentally ill patients, is facing scrutiny over her appearance at an anti-mask, anti-lockdown rally on Saturday.
Barrister Una McGurk occupies two quasi-judicial positions, one on the Mental Health Tribunal and one on the International Protection Appeals Tribunal (Ipat) which decides on the refugee status of asylum seekers.
At Saturday's rally she spoke alongside members of the anti-immigration Irish Freedom Party. The rally was attended by a large number of far-right activists, including members of the National Party who displayed a banner reading "Ireland for the Irish".
It was organised by Health Freedom Ireland, which has described itself as a wholly non-political organisation and Yellow Vest Ireland, which frequently demands stricter immigration rules.
READ MORE
On Monday, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he does not believe Ms McGurk’s appearance at the protest is compatible with membership of Ipat. Minister for Justice Helen McEntee has requested a report on the matter from Ipat.
A spokeswoman for Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said he has been made aware of Una McGurk’s appearance at the rally and has requested information from the Mental Health Commission. Photograph: Tom Honan / The Irish Times
A spokeswoman for Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly said he has also been made aware of Ms McGurk's appearance at the rally and has requested information from the Mental Health Commission (MHC), an independent body which appoints members to Mental Health Tribunals.
The commission said it is “aware that a member of one of its tribunal panels attended a public gathering in Dublin on Saturday, August 22nd, 2020 relating to the wearing of face masks and Covid-19”.
It said it is “dealing with this matter” and it would not be appropriate to comment further “until it has considered the matter fully.”
A spokesman for the commission said it "fully supports all public health advice issued by the National Public Health Emergency Team and the Government to protect the public from the effects of Covid-19".
‘Fake pandemic’
Ms McGurk said she was preparing a statement but had yet to respond to requests for comment by last night.
A review of the barrister's YouTube and social media profiles shows she frequently repeats debunked or highly controversial views on medical science and has called Covid-19 "a fake pandemic".
She has shared posts from the Irish Freedom Party and from a far-right YouTuber who has been behind several anti-immigration demonstrations around the country.
In one video, Ms McGurk stated coronavirus is no more dangerous than flu, that social distancing is useless and that face masks are dangerous to people’s health. She also stated Ireland has already achieved herd immunity.
On vaccines, Ms McGurk said they have been shown to contain fetal and “corona dog tissue” (lab grown tissue derived from human fetuses is used in some vaccines).
In another video, she shares and praises a film from a conspiracy theory group which calls 5G “a military weapon” and falsely states it has never been safety tested.
However, none of Ms McGurk’s public statements relate to immigration or mental health. Her speech at Saturday’s rally did not mention either subject and focused on opposition to mandatory face mask rules.
Controversial views
Ms McGurk’s role as a chairwoman of mental health tribunals involves reviewing, alongside a psychiatrist and a lay person, medical evidence supporting the involuntary detention of mentally ill people in secure settings before voting on that person’s continued detention.
People who have worked with Ms McGurk told The Irish Times they are not aware of any concerns in relation to her work as a tribunal chair but expressed surprise she would publicly share such controversial views on medical matters given her position.
Legal colleagues also said they are not aware of McGurk expressing concerning views in her role in hearing refugee appeals. One barrister said she has a reputation for being compassionate towards asylum seekers.


theirishtimes--2020-08-25--Garda discretion under spotlight after revelations about Hogan

Gardaí are entitled to use discretion when stopping someone for mobile phone use while driving but its use remains controversial within the organisation .
On Sunday it emerged European Commissioner for Trade Phil Hogan was stopped by gardaí in Kildare for using his phone while driving to the controversial Oireachtas Golf Society event in Galway last week .
It is understood the Garda involved did not issue a fine or other punishment for the offence and instead used their discretion to issue a verbal warning , a record of which was entered on the Garda Pulse system .
News of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the controversy which has become known as Golfgate .
“ Imagine the damaging road message drivers are getting today .
Road safety need not apply to the powers that be , ” said Susan Gray of the road safety group Parc .
“ This is happening time and time again and we are thoroughly fed up with it.
” Garda Headquarters said on Monday , “ without commenting on any specific incident ” , that gardaí can use discretion in such matters and that this is provided for in the Garda code @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clash with the current campaign from the Road Safety Authority , whose radio advertisements warn : “ There ’ s no legal limit for mobile phone use .
No ifs , no buts , no excuses.
” A spokesman for the RSA said it does not comment on individual cases but pointed to the fact that using a mobile “ makes you four times more likely to be involved in a crash ” .
Gardaí who spoke to The Irish Times on Monday gave differing interpretations of the use of discretion .
One @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be used only in emergencies , such as someone caught speeding to a hospital in a medical emergency .
Another said that mobile phone use while driving is regarded as a “ life saver offence ” and gardaí are encouraged to pursue it “ aggressively ” .
“ There is huge pressure on gardaí , especially traffic members , to get those detections , ” he said .
A garda in the west had a wider understanding of discretion .
“ If I stop you using a mobile briefly and you ’ re @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t driving past a school or something like that , you could be let off with a caution that would be recorded on Pulse.
” All gardaí said there are no written rules regarding the use of discretion in such cases and that it is down to “ common sense ” .
One garda said they were surprised Mr Hogan escaped with a caution as members of the Naas traffic unit have a reputation for strictly enforcing road traffic laws .
Separately , it has emerged Garda Commissioner Drew Harris briefed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ section of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 which allows the commissioner to pass on a wide range of sensitive information to the Minister for Justice .
Section 41 obliges Mr Harris to brief the Minister on any matter “ relevant to the accountability of the Government to the .
.
.
Oireachtas ” and on any matter he believes should be brought to the Minister ’ s attention .
This section has been criticised by policing experts , including Prof Dermot Walsh of Kent University .
“ The section conveys the impression that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Government ’ s political interests rather than law-enforcement interests , ” he told The Irish Times on Monday .
“ It ’ s an uncomfortable provision and seems to sum up all that ’ s wrong with our structures of policing .
”

Garda Commissioner Drew Harris briefed the Government on the incident in which European Commissioner Phil Hogan was stopped by gardaí in Kildare for using his phone while driving. File photograph: Cyril Byrne
Gardaí are entitled to use discretion when stopping someone for mobile phone use while driving but its use remains controversial within the organisation.
On Sunday it emerged European Commissioner for Trade Phil Hogan was stopped by gardaí in Kildare for using his phone while driving to the controversial Oireachtas Golf Society event in Galway last week.
It is understood the Garda involved did not issue a fine or other punishment for the offence and instead used their discretion to issue a verbal warning, a record of which was entered on the Garda Pulse system.
News of the incident has added to widespread anger over the controversy which has become known as Golfgate.
READ MORE
"Imagine the damaging road message drivers are getting today. Road safety need not apply to the powers that be," said Susan Gray of the road safety group Parc. "This is happening time and time again and we are thoroughly fed up with it."
Garda Headquarters said on Monday, “without commenting on any specific incident”, that gardaí can use discretion in such matters and that this is provided for in the Garda code of ethics.
This appears to somewhat clash with the current campaign from the Road Safety Authority, whose radio advertisements warn: "There's no legal limit for mobile phone use. No ifs, no buts, no excuses."
A spokesman for the RSA said it does not comment on individual cases but pointed to the fact that using a mobile “makes you four times more likely to be involved in a crash”.
Gardaí who spoke to The Irish Times on Monday gave differing interpretations of the use of discretion.
One said discretion in road traffic matters should be used only in emergencies, such as someone caught speeding to a hospital in a medical emergency.
Another said that mobile phone use while driving is regarded as a “life saver offence” and gardaí are encouraged to pursue it “aggressively”.
“There is huge pressure on gardaí, especially traffic members, to get those detections,” he said.
A garda in the west had a wider understanding of discretion. “If I stop you using a mobile briefly and you’re a safe enough driver and you weren’t driving past a school or something like that, you could be let off with a caution that would be recorded on Pulse.”
All gardaí said there are no written rules regarding the use of discretion in such cases and that it is down to “common sense”.
One garda said they were surprised Mr Hogan escaped with a caution as members of the Naas traffic unit have a reputation for strictly enforcing road traffic laws.
Briefing
Separately, it has emerged Garda Commissioner Drew Harris briefed the Government on the matter under a controversial section of the Garda Síochána Act 2005 which allows the commissioner to pass on a wide range of sensitive information to the Minister for Justice.
Section 41 obliges Mr Harris to brief the Minister on any matter "relevant to the accountability of the Government to the . . . Oireachtas" and on any matter he believes should be brought to the Minister's attention.
This section has been criticised by policing experts, including Prof Dermot Walsh of Kent University.
“The section conveys the impression that gardaí are out there looking after the Government’s political interests rather than law-enforcement interests,” he told The Irish Times on Monday. “It’s an uncomfortable provision and seems to sum up all that’s wrong with our structures of policing.”


theirishtimes--2020-08-25--Greenhouse gas emissions cut by 2.5% during first months of pandemic

Irish greenhouse gas emissions reduced by an estimated 2.5 per cent between March and May as a result of the impact of the lockdown from the Covid-19 pandemic , according to a new study commissioned by the State ’ s environmental watchdog .
Research carried out for the Environmental Protection Agency found the biggest driver of falling energy-related CO2 emissions was reduced consumption of transport fuel linked to the restrictions on mobility as part of the lockdown introduced on March 27th .
The study by researchers at the Clean Technology Centre at the Cork Institute of Technology said its findings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ look ” at the effects of the pandemic on the environment .
It found traffic volumes , which had increased at the start of 2020 , immediately dropped when restrictions including the closures of schools and workplaces were first introduced , and fell even further after lockdown was imposed at the end of March .
The seven-day rolling average showed traffic levels were down 30 per cent by the end of the week of St Patrick ’ s Day and by 71 per cent at the end of the first week of lockdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Diesel consumption was down by about 35 per cent between March and May , according to the study .
It said the April figure for auto diesel of 139 million litres was the lowest monthly figure in the past 20 years .
The study said reduction in diesel consumption represented an estimated drop of 878 kilotons of CO2 emissions across the three-month period , which was the equivalent of 1.4 per cent of annual greenhouse gas emissions in Ireland .
It claimed the reduction in petrol consumption was even more substantial – @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The decline in petrol use represents an estimated reduction of 311 kilotons of CO2 emissions , which is the equivalent of 0.5 per cent of the annual total .
Figures show overall electricity generated in response to reduced consumer demand was down 6 per cent between March and May compared to the same period in 2019 , which contributed to a 0.3 per cent drop in annual CO2 emission levels .
In a similar fashion , consumption of natural gas also declined by 6 per cent over the same period , resulting in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CO2 emission levels .
Although international travel emissions do not impact on national emission reduction targets , the study said there had been “ an extraordinary collapse ” in departures and arrivals at Irish airports .
Deliveries of jet kerosene were down 27 per cent in March and 84 per cent in April compared to the corresponding months in 2019 .
While agriculture emissions were not examined as part of the study , the report said it anticipated that emission levels from the sector would have been unaffected by Covid-19 .
The study @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had the potential to cause major changes to water quality , although there was an increase in pressure on home and rural wastewater systems due to the reduction in travel from rural to urban areas for work purposes .
It said the increased use of single-use plastic for deli , bakery and perishable goods as well as single-use personal protective equipment during the pandemic would inevitably lead to an increase in waste .
Individual members of the Irish Waste Management Association ( IWMA ) , whose members collect three-quarters of all household waste @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in waste collected of 21 per cent .
The largest rate of increase was in brown bin collections , at 32 per cent , compared to 16 per cent for grey bins and 12 per cent for green bins .
However , the IWMA reported that commercial waste had fallen by an average of 54 per cent during the lockdown .
Earlier this year , the head of the European Environment Agency , Hans Bruyninckx , said Covid-19 and its multiple impacts on society could not in any way be perceived as an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resulted in significant temporary reductions in emissions .
“ Even those of us who , based on our expertise and knowledge , have been vocal and calling for serious changes in our systems of production and consumption , should not see the massive shutdown of our society as an acceptable solution to urgent and systemic sustainability challenges , ” Mr Bruyninckx said .

The April figure for auto diesel of 139 million litres was the lowest monthly figure in the past 20 years, according to the study. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill
Irish greenhouse gas emissions reduced by an estimated 2.5 per cent between March and May as a result of the impact of the lockdown from the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a new study commissioned by the State’s environmental watchdog.
Research carried out for the Environmental Protection Agency found the biggest driver of falling energy-related CO2 emissions was reduced consumption of transport fuel linked to the restrictions on mobility as part of the lockdown introduced on March 27th.
The study by researchers at the Clean Technology Centre at the Cork Institute of Technology said its findings should be regarded as a "first look" at the effects of the pandemic on the environment.
It found traffic volumes, which had increased at the start of 2020, immediately dropped when restrictions including the closures of schools and workplaces were first introduced, and fell even further after lockdown was imposed at the end of March.
READ MORE
The seven-day rolling average showed traffic levels were down 30 per cent by the end of the week of St Patrick’s Day and by 71 per cent at the end of the first week of lockdown compared to the same period in 2019.
Diesel consumption was down by about 35 per cent between March and May, according to the study.
It said the April figure for auto diesel of 139 million litres was the lowest monthly figure in the past 20 years.
The study said reduction in diesel consumption represented an estimated drop of 878 kilotons of CO2 emissions across the three-month period, which was the equivalent of 1.4 per cent of annual greenhouse gas emissions in Ireland.
Substantial
It claimed the reduction in petrol consumption was even more substantial – almost halving over the same period.
The decline in petrol use represents an estimated reduction of 311 kilotons of CO2 emissions, which is the equivalent of 0.5 per cent of the annual total.
Figures show overall electricity generated in response to reduced consumer demand was down 6 per cent between March and May compared to the same period in 2019, which contributed to a 0.3 per cent drop in annual CO2 emission levels.
In a similar fashion, consumption of natural gas also declined by 6 per cent over the same period, resulting in a further 0.3 per cent reduction in CO2 emission levels.
Although international travel emissions do not impact on national emission reduction targets, the study said there had been “an extraordinary collapse” in departures and arrivals at Irish airports.
Deliveries of jet kerosene were down 27 per cent in March and 84 per cent in April compared to the corresponding months in 2019.
While agriculture emissions were not examined as part of the study, the report said it anticipated that emission levels from the sector would have been unaffected by Covid-19.
The study said there was little indication that restrictions had the potential to cause major changes to water quality, although there was an increase in pressure on home and rural wastewater systems due to the reduction in travel from rural to urban areas for work purposes.
Single-use plastic
It said the increased use of single-use plastic for deli, bakery and perishable goods as well as single-use personal protective equipment during the pandemic would inevitably lead to an increase in waste.
Individual members of the Irish Waste Management Association (IWMA), whose members collect three-quarters of all household waste in the Republic, reported average increases in waste collected of 21 per cent.
The largest rate of increase was in brown bin collections, at 32 per cent, compared to 16 per cent for grey bins and 12 per cent for green bins.
However, the IWMA reported that commercial waste had fallen by an average of 54 per cent during the lockdown.
Earlier this year, the head of the European Environment Agency, Hans Bruyninckx, said Covid-19 and its multiple impacts on society could not in any way be perceived as an event with positive outcomes even if it resulted in significant temporary reductions in emissions.
"Even those of us who, based on our expertise and knowledge, have been vocal and calling for serious changes in our systems of production and consumption, should not see the massive shutdown of our society as an acceptable solution to urgent and systemic sustainability challenges," Mr Bruyninckx said.