theirishtimes--2020-08-29--Swimming bans lifted at four Fingal beaches

A swimming ban has been lifted on four beaches in north Dublin but remains in place for the Front Strand in Balbriggan .
Fingal County Council said on Saturday afternoon it has lifted “ Do Not Swim ” notices issued at various stages over the past week for Rush North and Skerries South beaches as well as the Velvet Strand in Portmarnock and Loughshinny .
However , the local authority said it was extending the ban issued for the Front Strand in Balbriggan last Wednesday for a further six days because of poor water quality results from recent tests .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ water samples taken on Thursday indicated a return to “ excellent ” water quality at all beaches with the exception of the Front Strand in Balbriggan .
“ Investigations are ongoing and no reportable sewage overflows or blockages were found , ” the council said .
It said sampling of the River Bracken and bathing water would continue , while an investigation of other sources of contamination was still in progress .
At the request of frequent swimmers , the council said it was issuing further updates on bathing conditions via its Fingal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ information on specific events via text message , email and the Mapalerter app , in addition to existing communication methods .
Members of the public can also check on the water quality of all monitored bathing waters in Ireland through www.beaches.ie website operated by the Environmental Protection Agency .

Fingal County Council has lifted ‘do not swim’ notices at Rush North, Skerries South, Velvet Strand and Loughshinny beach (above). Photograph: Fingal Co Co
A swimming ban has been lifted on four beaches in north Dublin but remains in place for the Front Strand in Balbriggan.
Fingal County Council said on Saturday afternoon it has lifted "Do Not Swim" notices issued at various stages over the past week for Rush North and Skerries South beaches as well as the Velvet Strand in Portmarnock and Loughshinny.
However, the local authority said it was extending the ban issued for the Front Strand in Balbriggan last Wednesday for a further six days because of poor water quality results from recent tests.
Fingal County Council said the results from water samples taken on Thursday indicated a return to “excellent” water quality at all beaches with the exception of the Front Strand in Balbriggan.
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“Investigations are ongoing and no reportable sewage overflows or blockages were found,” the council said.
It said sampling of the River Bracken and bathing water would continue, while an investigation of other sources of contamination was still in progress.
At the request of frequent swimmers, the council said it was issuing further updates on bathing conditions via its Fingal Alerts service which notifies the public of information on specific events via text message, email and the Mapalerter app, in addition to existing communication methods.
Members of the public can also check on the water quality of all monitored bathing waters in Ireland through www.beaches.ie website operated by the Environmental Protection Agency.


theirishtimes--2020-08-29--Eugene McCabe funeral hears playwright defined by his ‘love of nature’

Renowned writer Eugene McCabe was defined by his “ love of nature , ” his funeral Mass in Clones , Co Monaghan , heard on Saturday .
McCabe , a playwright and one of Ireland ’ s leading contemporary writers , died aged 90 in recent days .
Due to coronavirus limits on gatherings , his funeral in the Sacred Heart Chapel , Clones , was restricted to family and close friends but the service was streamed online .
Born in Glasgow in 1930 , he grew up near the Border in Clones , Co Monaghan on the family farm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until 1966 , at which point he focused full-time on writing .
Delivering the funeral Mass , Monsignor Richard Mohan said it was on the farm where McCabe “ developed a knowledge and love for the land.
” “ The Border and its effects on people ’ s personalities and lives became in one way or another themes in his writing , ” Msgr Mohan told those gathered .
“ His love of literature , or writing , was matched only by his love of nature , ” he said .
The writer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the farm , he said .
McCabe was “ a man who relished good conversation , ” and was remembered “ as a family man , ” the Mass heard .
The writer had made “ no secret ” of his pleasure in living to 90 years of age , or as he would put it “ four score and ten , ” Msgr Mohan said .
He is survived by his wife Margot , his daughter Ruth , three sons Marcus , Patrick and Stephen , and sister Margaret .
Reacting to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week , President Michael D Higgins described McCabe as a writer who “ was able to capture the complexity of differing viewpoints , and particularly of those confronted with bigotry and fundamentalism ” .
McCabe made his name as a playwright with his breakthrough play King of the Castle in 1964 , which offended the Catholic group the League of Decency .
A stern critic of violent extremism and sectarianism , influenced by a lifetime spent living on the Border , he wrote a trilogy of hard-hitting screenplays about the Troubles for RTÉ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Heritage and Siege .
His 1992 novel Death and Nightingales , described by author Colm Tóibín as “ one of the great Irish masterpieces of the century ” was recently adapted for television by the BBC .
As well as writing a series of highly acclaimed short story collections , most recently Heaven Lies about Us ( 2005 ) , he also wrote for children and the nonficiton work , Shadows from the Pale : Portrait of an Irish Town ( 1996 ) .

The funeral of Eugene McCabe was told that his ‘love of literature, or writing, was matched only by his love of nature’. Photograph: The Irish Times
Renowned writer Eugene McCabe was defined by his "love of nature," his funeral Mass in Clones, Co Monaghan, heard on Saturday.
McCabe, a playwright and one of Ireland’s leading contemporary writers, died aged 90 in recent days.
Due to coronavirus limits on gatherings, his funeral in the Sacred Heart Chapel, Clones, was restricted to family and close friends but the service was streamed online.
Born in Glasgow in 1930, he grew up near the Border in Clones, Co Monaghan on the family farm. He would work as a farmer until 1966, at which point he focused full-time on writing .
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Delivering the funeral Mass, Monsignor Richard Mohan said it was on the farm where McCabe “developed a knowledge and love for the land.”
“The Border and its effects on people’s personalities and lives became in one way or another themes in his writing,” Msgr Mohan told those gathered.
“His love of literature, or writing, was matched only by his love of nature,” he said. The writer was always “the boss” on the farm, he said.
McCabe was “a man who relished good conversation,” and was remembered “as a family man,” the Mass heard.
The writer had made “no secret” of his pleasure in living to 90 years of age, or as he would put it “four score and ten,” Msgr Mohan said.
He is survived by his wife Margot, his daughter Ruth, three sons Marcus, Patrick and Stephen, and sister Margaret.
Reacting to the news of his death earlier this week, President Michael D Higgins described McCabe as a writer who "was able to capture the complexity of differing viewpoints, and particularly of those confronted with bigotry and fundamentalism".
McCabe made his name as a playwright with his breakthrough play King of the Castle in 1964, which offended the Catholic group the League of Decency .
A stern critic of violent extremism and sectarianism, influenced by a lifetime spent living on the Border, he wrote a trilogy of hard-hitting screenplays about the Troubles for RTÉ in the early 1970s: Cancer, Heritage and Siege.
His 1992 novel Death and Nightingales, described by author Colm Tóibín as “one of the great Irish masterpieces of the century” was recently adapted for television by the BBC.
As well as writing a series of highly acclaimed short story collections, most recently Heaven Lies about Us (2005), he also wrote for children and the nonficiton work, Shadows from the Pale: Portrait of an Irish Town (1996).


theirishtimes--2020-08-29--Coronavirus: 21 test positive after Armagh hospital outbreak

Another 89 people have tested positive for Covid-19 in Northern Ireland , its Department of Health said on Saturday .
It brings the seven-day total to 520 .
No new deaths were reported , leaving the total reported by the department at 560 .
The latest weekly update from the Northern Ireland Statistical and Research Agency ( Nisra ) on Friday revealed that the total number of Covid-19 related deaths in the region to August 21st was 871 .
The new total included three deaths with Covid-19 in the week commencing August 15th .
The department ’ s figures are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for the virus while Nisra uses information from death certificates .
A total of 4,233 people have been tested for Covid-19 in the last 24 hours , with 89 testing positive .
The total number of people diagnosed with the virus in the North since the pandemic began now stands at 7,138 .
Figures from the department show that 17 patients with Covid-19 are in hospital , with two in intensive care .
The latest figures come after 10 patients in a haematology ward at Craigavon Area Hospital in Co Armagh tested positive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ward and the emergency department have also tested positive .
Twenty-eight employees are self-isolating , Southern Health and Social Care Trust said .
It added : “ Trust staff continue to work closely with the Public Health Agency to manage the situation .
“ The PHA contact tracing service has been following up with any confirmed contacts within the wider community .

Ten patients and 11 staff at Craigavon Area Hospital in Co Armagh tested positive for Covid-19. File photograph: Niall Carson/PA Wire
Another 89 people have tested positive for Covid-19 in Northern Ireland, its Department of Health said on Saturday.
It brings the seven-day total to 520.
No new deaths were reported, leaving the total reported by the department at 560.
The latest weekly update from the Northern Ireland Statistical and Research Agency (Nisra) on Friday revealed that the total number of Covid-19 related deaths in the region to August 21st was 871. The new total included three deaths with Covid-19 in the week commencing August 15th. The department’s figures are based on patients having previously tested positive for the virus while Nisra uses information from death certificates.
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A total of 4,233 people have been tested for Covid-19 in the last 24 hours, with 89 testing positive.
The total number of people diagnosed with the virus in the North since the pandemic began now stands at 7,138.
Figures from the department show that 17 patients with Covid-19 are in hospital, with two in intensive care.
The latest figures come after 10 patients in a haematology ward at Craigavon Area Hospital in Co Armagh tested positive.
Eleven members of staff on the ward and the emergency department have also tested positive.
Twenty-eight employees are self-isolating, Southern Health and Social Care Trust said.
It added: "Trust staff continue to work closely with the Public Health Agency to manage the situation.
“The PHA contact tracing service has been following up with any confirmed contacts within the wider community.
“The safety of patients, staff and wider contacts remains a priority.” – PA


theirishtimes--2020-08-29--Civil liberties group concerned at how Covid-19 laws being drawn up

Proposals for criminal penalties for people organising house parties , quickly rejected by Cabinet on Friday , raised “ concerns ” over how Government decisions are Covid-19 penalties are made , the Irish Council for Civil Liberties ( ICCL ) said on Saturday .
Cabinet discussed a proposal from Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly that would have seen organising or attending a gathering in a private home of more than six guests become a crime .
However , following concerns voiced at Cabinet it was decided to instead make holding a gathering of more than six people a civil offence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in policing .
Current public health guidelines limit gatherings in private homes to no more than six visitors from three other households .
The penalties were proposed in a bid to ensure greater compliance with the guidelines and curb the rise in coronaviruis cases .
The level of sanction or fine for breaches of the limits on household gatherings is currently being drawn up by officials .
It is also not clear how it will be determined that a householder is in breach .
Existing penalties for non-compliance with some public health regulations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face coverings on public transport and in shops , which carry fines of up to €2,500 or six months imprisonment , were deemed too harsh for offences around house gatherings , sources said .
There was some confusion among the legal profession over the use of the term “ civil offence ” by the Government , according to barrister Ronan Lupton .
Generally an offence would relate to criminal matters , rather than those dealt with in the civil courts .
The burden of proof in criminal cases is beyond reasonable doubt , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the balance of probabilities .
“ An awful lot of people in the legal world are scratching their heads ” over the reference to household gatherings in breach of Covid-19 regulations being handled as a civil offence , he said .
Mr Lupton said due to the differing standards of proof there would “ no doubt ” be legal challenges taken in the High Court if fines or penalties were issued in the civil courts over household gatherings .
Liam Herrick , executive director of the ICCL , said Constitutional protections around the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to enter a person ’ s home .
“ If there was to be any explicit power to enter private property that would need primary legislation , ” he said .
“ There is no legal basis for the criminalisation of social gatherings in the home , there is no legal power for the police to enforce that at present , ” he said .
The civil liberties group had expressed concerns over the earlier proposal to introduce criminal sanctions around large gatherings in households .
The decision-making process around the proposed changes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and confused , ” Mr Herrick said .
The organisation said it was “ concerned ” issues around the Constitutional implications of entering people ’ s homes to enforce the initially proposed criminal offence were only raised when the matter was brought to Cabinet for approval .
“ It is surprising that these very fundamental questions only seem to have been teased out at the last minute , ” he said .
“ It does raise questions around how the decision-making chain is working at this stage , ” he said .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ problem ” in how laws and regulations to respond to Covid-19 were being drawn up between the National Public Health Emergency Team ( NPHET ) and the Government , Mr Herrick said .
Speaking after the Cabinet meeting on Friday , Minister for Justice Helen McEntee said it was decided a “ penal provision ” around house gatherings of more than six guests “ would be an extreme measure , particularly around entering somebody ’ s home.
” Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said breaches of the public health guidelines limiting social gatherings in homes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so the Minister for Health , for example , could take somebody to court but it wouldn ’ t be a Garda prosecution , ” he said after the Cabinet meeting .
There are 392 active outbreaks of the virus in the State at present , 252 of which were related to social gatherings in private households , according to recent figures from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre .
Public health officials have previously warned on several occasions of the potential for the coronavirus to spread in the community from house parties or @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Minister for Justice Helen McEntee, seen here with Garda Commissioner Drew Harris, said the Cabinet had decided that a ‘penal provision’ around house gatherings of more than six guests ‘would be an extreme measure, particularly around entering somebody’s home.’ Photograph: Collins
Proposals for criminal penalties for people organising house parties, quickly rejected by Cabinet on Friday, raised "concerns" over how Government decisions are Covid-19 penalties are made, the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) said on Saturday.
Cabinet discussed a proposal from Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly that would have seen organising or attending a gathering in a private home of more than six guests become a crime.
However, following concerns voiced at Cabinet it was decided to instead make holding a gathering of more than six people a civil offence, which gardaí would have no role in policing.
Current public health guidelines limit gatherings in private homes to no more than six visitors from three other households. The penalties were proposed in a bid to ensure greater compliance with the guidelines and curb the rise in coronaviruis cases.
READ MORE
The level of sanction or fine for breaches of the limits on household gatherings is currently being drawn up by officials. It is also not clear how it will be determined that a householder is in breach.
Existing penalties for non-compliance with some public health regulations, such as the mandatory wearing of face coverings on public transport and in shops, which carry fines of up to €2,500 or six months imprisonment, were deemed too harsh for offences around house gatherings, sources said.
There was some confusion among the legal profession over the use of the term “civil offence” by the Government, according to barrister Ronan Lupton.
Generally an offence would relate to criminal matters, rather than those dealt with in the civil courts. The burden of proof in criminal cases is beyond reasonable doubt, while in civil cases it is on the balance of probabilities.
“An awful lot of people in the legal world are scratching their heads” over the reference to household gatherings in breach of Covid-19 regulations being handled as a civil offence, he said.
Mr Lupton said due to the differing standards of proof there would “no doubt” be legal challenges taken in the High Court if fines or penalties were issued in the civil courts over household gatherings.
Liam Herrick, executive director of the ICCL, said Constitutional protections around the private dwelling meant gardaí need a warrant to enter a person's home.
“If there was to be any explicit power to enter private property that would need primary legislation,” he said.
“There is no legal basis for the criminalisation of social gatherings in the home, there is no legal power for the police to enforce that at present,” he said.
The civil liberties group had expressed concerns over the earlier proposal to introduce criminal sanctions around large gatherings in households.
The decision-making process around the proposed changes appeared to have been “incredibly muddled and confused,” Mr Herrick said.
The organisation said it was “concerned” issues around the Constitutional implications of entering people’s homes to enforce the initially proposed criminal offence were only raised when the matter was brought to Cabinet for approval.
“It is surprising that these very fundamental questions only seem to have been teased out at the last minute,” he said. “It does raise questions around how the decision-making chain is working at this stage,” he said.
The episode was "indicative of a deeper problem" in how laws and regulations to respond to Covid-19 were being drawn up between the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) and the Government, Mr Herrick said.
Speaking after the Cabinet meeting on Friday, Minister for Justice Helen McEntee said it was decided a “penal provision” around house gatherings of more than six guests “would be an extreme measure, particularly around entering somebody’s home.”
Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said breaches of the public health guidelines limiting social gatherings in homes would be a civil matter, “so the Minister for Health, for example, could take somebody to court but it wouldn’t be a Garda prosecution,” he said after the Cabinet meeting.
There are 392 active outbreaks of the virus in the State at present, 252 of which were related to social gatherings in private households, according to recent figures from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre.
Public health officials have previously warned on several occasions of the potential for the coronavirus to spread in the community from house parties or similar large gatherings in private homes.


theirishtimes--2020-08-29--Man and woman killed in separate crashes in Kerry and Dublin

Two people died in separate road crashes in Dublin and Co Kerry on Saturday .
A 50-year-old motorcyclist was fatally @ @ @ @ @ Kerry when his bike collided with a car between Waterville and Caherdaniel shortly after 3pm @ @ @ @ @ at the scene .
The occupants of the car were uninjured .
Garda forensic investigators @ @ @ @ @ diversions are in place .
Earlier on Saturday , a pedestrian died in Phibsborough after @ @ @ @ @ with a lorry and a car .
The crash occurred at about 1pm on the @ @ @ @ @ woman was pronounced dead at the scene .
The occupants of the lorry and car @ @ @ @ @ has since reopened .
Gardaí are appealing for any witnesses to either incident to come @ @ @ @ @ Station on 064 6671160 , Mountjoy Garda Station on 01 6668600 or the Garda Confidential @ @ @ @ @

Four people died in separate road crashes across the country over the weekend.
A man in his 70s died on Sunday after the tractor he was driving overturned in New Ross in Co Wexford. He was pronounced dead at the scene at Ballinabanogue shortly after 10am. His body was taken to University Hospital Waterford where a postmortem will take place on Monday.
Separately, another man in his 70s died in a single vehicle crash in Lattensbog, Adamstown, Co Kildare, at 7.25pm on Saturday evening. The man was the sole occupant of the vehicle and he was taken to Naas General Hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
Earlier on Saturday, a 50-year-old motorcyclist was fatally injured on the Ring of Kerry when his bike collided with a car between Waterville and Caherdaniel. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The occupants of the car were uninjured.
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In Dublin, a pedestrian died on Saturday after being involved in an incident with a lorry and a car. The crash occurred at about 1pm on the Phibsborough Road. The 58-year-old woman was pronounced dead at the scene. The occupants of the lorry and car were uninjured.
Gardaí are appealing for any witnesses to any of the four incidents to come forward and contact New Ross Garda station on 051 426 03,0 Newbridge Garda station on 045 440180, Killarney Garda station on 064 6671160, Mountjoy Garda station on 01 6668600 or the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111.


theirishtimes--2020-08-29--Coronavirus: 142 new cases in Republic as de Gascun warns second lockdown cannot be ruled out

A further 142 cases of coronavirus were reported in the State on Saturday as one of the country ’ s leading public health experts warned a second national lockdown could not be ruled out if there was a surge in Covid-19 .
Dr Cillian de Gascun , the chairman of the National Public Health Expert Team ( NPHET ) advisory group said the reintroduction of stay-at-home restrictions would be avoided “ if at all possible ” but they had been shown to work in suppressing the spread of the virus .
It followed a warning by the Minister for Health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was close to a second national lockdown because the State was at “ a tipping point ” .
NPHET reported a further 142 cases of coronavirus and no further deaths on Saturday .
This is the seventh day in a row there has been no additional coronavirus-related deaths reported .
This brings the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases to 28,720 , with 1,777 deaths from the virus to date .
Of the 142 new cases reported on Saturday , 74 are men and 66 are women , with 69 per cent of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Some 32 of the cases are linked to an outbreak or were close contacts of a previous confirmed case , and 19 of the cases arose from community transmission .
Fifty-nine of the cases were in Dublin , 20 in Kildare , which remains under a local lockdown , and 14 cases were in Donegal and Limerick .
There were eight confirmed cases in Wexford , and six in Tipperary .
The remaining 21 cases were spread across counties Carlow , Clare , Cork , Kerry , Kilkenny , Laois , Louth , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the last two weeks there has been confirmed cases in every county in the country except for Leitrim .
In a statement , acting chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn said Saturday “ marks six months since our first case of Covid-19 .
It has been a very difficult time for many and few have been left untouched in some way by the negative effects of this pandemic ” .
Dr Glynn said during that time “ our frontline workers have stepped up again and again .
But underpinning it all has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the right choices , many times , each day .
Together , we have broken the chains of transmission and flattened the curve , ” he said .
“ As cases rise again , it is these same behaviours that will once again make the difference , protecting ourselves , our families and our communities , ” he said .
Speaking on RTÉ Radio One ’ s Brendan O ’ Connor Show on Saturday , Dr de Gascun acknowledged the country was at a “ critical phase ” as the Government waited to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of additional national restrictions on the gathering of people imposed last week .
“ It ’ s really important that people continue with the enhanced measures and the enhanced public health guidelines , ” said Dr de Gascun , who is also director of the National Virus Reference Laboratory .
However , he said the reintroduction of a national lockdown could not be ruled out .
“ It ’ s a tool in the armoury that you never exclude definitively.
” Dr de Gascun acknowledged that a lockdown while effective in controlling the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Irish economy and people ’ s mental health .
He said NPHET was very conscious that the planned last phase of the reopening of the economy , which included pubs , had not been able to go ahead because of Covid-19 levels in the community .
Dr de Gascun said the way people went to pubs in the past was one of the highest risk environments for the spread of the virus but that there might be measures that the industry could put in place to reopen safely .
On Friday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ enforcement powers against pubs that do not comply with Covid-19 public health guidelines .
Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said there was a €16 million package being made available for pubs that were being prohibited from reopening next week .
Minister for Justice Helen McEntee said on Friday there would be enhanced enforcement powers for pubs and restaurants after an increase over the summer in the number of non-complaint premises .
She said with the sanction of a superintendent a gardaí can order the closure of a pub for one day , and if there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ days , and then 30 days .
Mr Varadkar said he could not say with any certainty whether pubs would reopen this year .
Further regulations are being considered by the Government which would see workers in premises that serve drink and food be obliged to wear masks .
The Cabinet also agreed to ask the Attorney General to examine options for further regulating house parties .
Under the proposals discussed by the Cabinet on Friday afternoon , it will be an offence to organise or attend a gathering in a private house @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or outdoors .
This measure was introduced as a guideline last week .
Meanwhile , the incidence of Covid-19 cases in the Republic has surpassed the level in Sweden for the first time since the start of the pandemic .
Updated figures published by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control ( ECDC ) on Saturday show that the infection rate in Ireland over the past 14 days is 32.3 per 100,000 compared 28.9 per 100,000 in Sweden .
Health authorities have focused on figures from Sweden as the country adopted a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ although it has experienced comparatively higher infection rates and death rates than neighbouring countries like Norway and Finland .
The highest current rate of infection is in Spain where there are 205.5 cases per 100,000 over the past fortnight , with the heaviest concentrations in the northern part of the country .
Other countries with current high infection rates are Romania , Malta , Croatia and France .
Almost 2.17 million cases of Covid-19 have been reported in EU/EEA countries and the UK to date .
Spain has the highest number of cases @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 331,644 ) , France ( 267,077 ) and Italy ( 265,409 ) .
Ireland is ranked 12th in the most number of cases , although it is only the 22nd most populous nation among the 30 European countries whose figures are collated by the ECDC .
Ireland also has the 12th highest number of deaths linked to Covid-19 at 1,777 .
The total number of deaths in the EU/EEA and the UK has reached 181,531 with the largest single number in the UK at 41,486 .
Italy has the second highest number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( 30,596 ) , Spain ( 29,011 ) and Belgium ( 9,886 ) .
Ireland still in the first wave Asked where Ireland was in the course of the pandemic , Dr de Gascun said he thought the State had interrupted the first wave through the introduction of stay-at-home restrictions and “ the fantastic effort by everyone in the country ” .
While it was difficult to know exactly from a virology perspective , he said he believed Ireland was still in the first wave as there had not been any significant change @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said it was “ disappointing but not hugely surprising ” that the summer weather did not have any great effect on the virus .
“ So really people ’ s behaviour is what we have to count on to control it for the coming months until we do have an effective treatment or hopefully an effective vaccine in the next year , ” he added .
He praised the public for taking the public health message to heart so well and for “ continuing to do the right thing the majority of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Covid-19 could be expected in the winter season , Dr de Gascun expressed confidence that the ongoing use of physical distancing , hand hygiene and wearing face masks would have an impact on all respiratory viruses , including the flu , over the coming months .
He pointed out that Australia had already experienced a very mild influenza season because of all the public health measures that had been in place to combat Covid-19 .
“ I think it ’ s important that we reassure people , to a degree , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ added .
Dr de Gascun said there was no major difference between a zero Covid policy - the elimination of the virus rather than its suppression - and the one being pursued by the Government .
“ Ultimately you want to suppress the virus as much as possible in the community while allowing people to get back to school and to get back to work and to protect our vulnerable , ” he said .
As Ireland was an open economy which was impacted by the stay-at-home restrictions , Dr de Gascun said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much as possible .
However , he stressed that people needed to be aware that aspects of daily life needed to be done in a different way and that such a required change in behaviour that could last for several years .

Dr Cillian de Gascun believes Ireland is still in the first wave as there had not been any significant change in the virus. Photograph: Colin Keegan/Collins
A further 142 cases of coronavirus were reported in the State on Saturday as one of the country’s leading public health experts warned a second national lockdown could not be ruled out if there was a surge in Covid-19.
Dr Cillian de Gascun, the chairman of the National Public Health Expert Team (NPHET) advisory group said the reintroduction of stay-at-home restrictions would be avoided "if at all possible" but they had been shown to work in suppressing the spread of the virus.
It followed a warning by the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly on Wednesday that the country was close to a second national lockdown because the State was at “a tipping point”.
NPHET reported a further 142 cases of coronavirus and no further deaths on Saturday.
READ MORE
This is the seventh day in a row there has been no additional coronavirus-related deaths reported.
This brings the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases to 28,720, with 1,777 deaths from the virus to date.
Of the 142 new cases reported on Saturday, 74 are men and 66 are women, with 69 per cent of the cases under 45 years of age.
Some 32 of the cases are linked to an outbreak or were close contacts of a previous confirmed case, and 19 of the cases arose from community transmission.
Fifty-nine of the cases were in Dublin, 20 in Kildare, which remains under a local lockdown, and 14 cases were in Donegal and Limerick. There were eight confirmed cases in Wexford, and six in Tipperary.
The remaining 21 cases were spread across counties Carlow, Clare, Cork, Kerry, Kilkenny, Laois, Louth, Mayo, Meath and Wicklow. Over the last two weeks there has been confirmed cases in every county in the country except for Leitrim.
In a statement, acting chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn said Saturday “marks six months since our first case of Covid-19. It has been a very difficult time for many and few have been left untouched in some way by the negative effects of this pandemic”.
Dr Glynn said during that time “our frontline workers have stepped up again and again. But underpinning it all has been each person playing their part by making the right choices, many times, each day. Together, we have broken the chains of transmission and flattened the curve,” he said.
“As cases rise again, it is these same behaviours that will once again make the difference, protecting ourselves, our families and our communities,” he said.
Speaking on RTÉ Radio One’s Brendan O’Connor Show on Saturday, Dr de Gascun acknowledged the country was at a “critical phase” as the Government waited to see the impact over the next week of additional national restrictions on the gathering of people imposed last week.
“It’s really important that people continue with the enhanced measures and the enhanced public health guidelines,” said Dr de Gascun, who is also director of the National Virus Reference Laboratory.
However, he said the reintroduction of a national lockdown could not be ruled out. “It’s a tool in the armoury that you never exclude definitively.”
Dr de Gascun acknowledged that a lockdown while effective in controlling the virus had a very significant impact on the Irish economy and people’s mental health.
He said NPHET was very conscious that the planned last phase of the reopening of the economy, which included pubs, had not been able to go ahead because of Covid-19 levels in the community.
Dr de Gascun said the way people went to pubs in the past was one of the highest risk environments for the spread of the virus but that there might be measures that the industry could put in place to reopen safely.
Greater Garda powers
On Friday, the Government agreed to give gardaí greater enforcement powers against pubs that do not comply with Covid-19 public health guidelines.
Tánaiste Leo Varadkar said there was a €16 million package being made available for pubs that were being prohibited from reopening next week.
Minister for Justice Helen McEntee said on Friday there would be enhanced enforcement powers for pubs and restaurants after an increase over the summer in the number of non-complaint premises.
She said with the sanction of a superintendent a gardaí can order the closure of a pub for one day, and if there is still no compliance with this seven days, and then 30 days.
Mr Varadkar said he could not say with any certainty whether pubs would reopen this year.
Further regulations are being considered by the Government which would see workers in premises that serve drink and food be obliged to wear masks.
The Cabinet also agreed to ask the Attorney General to examine options for further regulating house parties. Under the proposals discussed by the Cabinet on Friday afternoon, it will be an offence to organise or attend a gathering in a private house with more than six visitors either indoors or outdoors. This measure was introduced as a guideline last week.
Ireland’s case incidence surpasses Sweden
Meanwhile, the incidence of Covid-19 cases in the Republic has surpassed the level in Sweden for the first time since the start of the pandemic.
Updated figures published by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) on Saturday show that the infection rate in Ireland over the past 14 days is 32.3 per 100,000 compared 28.9 per 100,000 in Sweden.
Health authorities have focused on figures from Sweden as the country adopted a softer approach to combating the virus, although it has experienced comparatively higher infection rates and death rates than neighbouring countries like Norway and Finland.
The highest current rate of infection is in Spain where there are 205.5 cases per 100,000 over the past fortnight, with the heaviest concentrations in the northern part of the country.
Other countries with current high infection rates are Romania, Malta, Croatia and France.
Almost 2.17 million cases of Covid-19 have been reported in EU/EEA countries and the UK to date.
Spain has the highest number of cases at 439,286 followed by the UK (331,644), France (267,077) and Italy (265,409).
Ireland is ranked 12th in the most number of cases, although it is only the 22nd most populous nation among the 30 European countries whose figures are collated by the ECDC.
Ireland also has the 12th highest number of deaths linked to Covid-19 at 1,777.
The total number of deaths in the EU/EEA and the UK has reached 181,531 with the largest single number in the UK at 41,486.
Italy has the second highest number of deaths at 35,472, followed by France (30,596), Spain (29,011) and Belgium (9,886).
Ireland still in the first wave
Asked where Ireland was in the course of the pandemic, Dr de Gascun said he thought the State had interrupted the first wave through the introduction of stay-at-home restrictions and “the fantastic effort by everyone in the country”.
While it was difficult to know exactly from a virology perspective, he said he believed Ireland was still in the first wave as there had not been any significant change in the virus.
Dr de Gascun said it was “disappointing but not hugely surprising” that the summer weather did not have any great effect on the virus.
“So really people’s behaviour is what we have to count on to control it for the coming months until we do have an effective treatment or hopefully an effective vaccine in the next year,” he added.
He praised the public for taking the public health message to heart so well and for “continuing to do the right thing the majority of the time.”
Although a significant second surge of Covid-19 could be expected in the winter season, Dr de Gascun expressed confidence that the ongoing use of physical distancing, hand hygiene and wearing face masks would have an impact on all respiratory viruses, including the flu, over the coming months.
He pointed out that Australia had already experienced a very mild influenza season because of all the public health measures that had been in place to combat Covid-19.
“I think it’s important that we reassure people, to a degree, that we can control this,” he added.
Dr de Gascun said there was no major difference between a zero Covid policy - the elimination of the virus rather than its suppression - and the one being pursued by the Government.
“Ultimately you want to suppress the virus as much as possible in the community while allowing people to get back to school and to get back to work and to protect our vulnerable,” he said.
As Ireland was an open economy which was impacted by the stay-at-home restrictions, Dr de Gascun said the aim was to reopen society as much as possible.
However, he stressed that people needed to be aware that aspects of daily life needed to be done in a different way and that such a required change in behaviour that could last for several years.


theirishtimes--2020-08-29--Criminal investigation under way into unexplained death in Cork

Gardaí have begun a criminal investigation following the unexplained death of a 28-year-old man who was discovered unconscious outside a @ @ @ @ @ the early hours of Saturday morning .
The man was found outside a property at @ @ @ @ @ the southside of Cork city shortly after 1am .
Gardaí and the emergency services rushed @ @ @ @ @ alerted to reports of an unconscious man outside a house .
The man was taken @ @ @ @ @ he was pronounced dead .
A postmortem was completed and gardaí said they were not @ @ @ @ @ reasons .

Gardaí have begun a criminal investigation following the unexplained death of a 28-year-old man who was discovered unconscious outside a house in Cork city in the early hours of Saturday morning.
The man was found outside a property at Eagle Valley in Wilton on the southside of Cork city shortly after 1am.
Gardaí and the emergency services rushed to the scene after being alerted to reports of an unconscious man outside a house.
The man was taken to Cork University Hospital where he was pronounced dead. A postmortem was completed and gardaí said they were not releasing the results for operational reasons.


theirishtimes--2020-08-30--Coronavirus: 142 new cases as State marks ‘long six months’ since first infection

A further 142 cases of coronavirus were reported in the State on Saturday as the country marked six months since the first case was detected in the Republic .
The National Public Health Expert Team ( NPHET ) reported no deaths , the seventh day in a row there has been no additional coronavirus-related deaths reported .
This brings the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases to 28,720 , with 1,777 deaths from the virus to date .
Of the 142 new cases reported on Saturday , 74 are men and 66 are women , with 69 per cent of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Some 32 of the cases are linked to an outbreak or were close contacts of a previous confirmed case , and 19 of the cases arose from community transmission .
Fifty-nine of the cases were in Dublin , 20 in Kildare , which remains under a local lockdown , and 14 cases were in Donegal and Limerick .
There were eight confirmed cases in Wexford , and six in Tipperary .
The remaining 21 cases were spread across counties Carlow , Clare , Cork , Kerry , Kilkenny , Laois , Louth , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the last two weeks there has been confirmed cases in every county in the country except for Leitrim .
The latest case numbers were announced after one of the country ’ s leading public health experts warned a second national lockdown could not be ruled out if there was a surge in Covid-19 .
Dr Cillian de Gascun , the chairman of the National Public Health Expert Team ( NPHET ) advisory group said the reintroduction of stay-at-home restrictions would be avoided “ if at all possible ” but they had been shown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus .
It followed a warning by the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly on Wednesday that the country was close to a second national lockdown because the State was at “ a tipping point ” .
In a statement , acting chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn said Saturday “ marks six months since our first case of Covid-19 .
It has been a very difficult time for many and few have been left untouched in some way by the negative effects of this pandemic ” .
Dr Glynn said during that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up again and again .
But underpinning it all has been each person playing their part by making the right choices , many times , each day .
Together , we have broken the chains of transmission and flattened the curve , ” he said .
“ As cases rise again , it is these same behaviours that will once again make the difference , protecting ourselves , our families and our communities , ” he said .
Six months since first case There have been a total of 1,777 people who died @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them elderly people living in nursing homes .
As the virus gripped the country earlier this year , care homes bore the brunt of its force with hundreds of lives lost .
Figures provided by the Department of Health show that Ireland recorded its highest death toll on April 20th when 77 people died from the virus .
After health officials confirmed the first case on February 29th , there have since been 28,578 people diagnosed with Covid-19 .
Ireland hit its highest number of cases in one day when 936 were recorded @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Paul Reid said it has been a “ a long six months ” since the first Covid-19 case confirmed in the State .
“ But there ’ s also been inspirational responses from the public and healthcare workers , ” he tweeted .
“ A more difficult phase now but the same virus.
” As society eased out of lockdown restrictions , cases have been steadily rising since mid-July prompting acting Dr Glynn to issue warnings about the spike , particularly among young people .
While alarm bells were sounded over the jump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fall-off in the number of people admitted to hospital and the number of deaths .
There are currently five people in Intensive Care Units and 30 people in hospital with the disease .
The Government on Friday said gardaí will receive tough new powers to shut pubs which break Ireland ’ s coronavirus rules .
Fines of up to €2,500 or a maximum of six months in prison will be the sanction if bars infringing social distancing regulations refuse to close for a day .
Closure orders could be issued by a district @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for up to 30 days .
Plan to reopen drink-only hostelries have been put on hold again as the government attempts to contain the cases .
Tanaiste Leo Varadkar announced a €16 million support package for pubs , bars and nightclubs which are enduring a prolonged wait to raise shutters .
The new initiatives included waiving court fees and associated excise and stamp duties relating to the renewal of pub and other liquor licences and waiver of excise duty on on-trade liquor licences on renewal this year .
–Additional reporting PA

HSE chief executive Paul Reid said it has been a ‘a long six months’ since the first Covid-19 case confirmed in the State. File photograph: Leon Farrell/Photocall Ireland/PA
A further 42 cases of coronavirus were reported in the State on Sunday.
The National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) confirmed no further deaths from Covid-19 for the eighth consecutive day, leaving the death toll at 1,777. It confirmed an additional 42 cases, putting the total since the pandemic started at 28,760. This is the lowest number of daily cases confirmed since August 12th.
There were 142 new cases and no further deaths reported on Saturday.
Of the cases notified on Sunday, NPHET said 20 were men, 22 were women and 71 per cent were under 45 years of age.
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Fifteen were confirmed to be associated with outbreaks or close contacts of a confirmed case while six cases were due to community transmission.
More than half the cases were in Dublin (24), with six in Limerick, and the remaining 12 in counties Carlow, Clare, Galway, Kildare, Longford, Offaly, and Sligo.
HSE chief executive Paul Reid said on Saturday it had been "a long six months" since the first Covid-19 case was confirmed in the State.
“Much learning, hurt, sorrow, grieving and frustration.
“But there’s also been inspirational responses from the public and healthcare workers,” he tweeted.
“A more difficult phase now but the same virus.”
In a statement, acting chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn said Saturday "marks six months since our first case of Covid-19. It has been a very difficult time for many and few have been left untouched in some way by the negative effects of this pandemic".
Dr Glynn said during that time “our frontline workers have stepped up again and again. But underpinning it all has been each person playing their part by making the right choices, many times, each day. Together, we have broken the chains of transmission and flattened the curve,” he said.
“As cases rise again, it is these same behaviours that will once again make the difference, protecting ourselves, our families and our communities,” he said.
The latest case numbers were announced after one of the country's leading public health experts warned a second national lockdown could not be ruled out if there was a surge in Covid-19.
Dr Cillian de Gascun, the chairman of the NPHET advisory group said the reintroduction of stay-at-home restrictions would be avoided “if at all possible” but they had been shown to work in suppressing the spread of the virus.
It followed a warning by the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly on Wednesday that the country was close to a second national lockdown because the State was at “a tipping point”.
As society eased out of lockdown restrictions, cases have been steadily rising since mid-July prompting acting Dr Glynn to issue warnings about the spike, particularly among young people.
While alarm bells were sounded over the jump in cases, there has been a fall-off in the number of people admitted to hospital and the number of deaths.
There are currently five people in Intensive Care Units and 30 people in hospital with the disease.
The Government on Friday said gardaí will receive tough new powers to shut pubs which break Ireland’s coronavirus rules.
Fines of up to €2,500 or a maximum of six months in prison will be the sanction if bars infringing social distancing regulations refuse to close for a day.
Closure orders could be issued by a district court resulting in a pub being shut for up to 30 days.
Plan to reopen drink-only hostelries have been put on hold again as the government attempts to contain the cases.
Tánaiste Leo Varadkar announced a €16 million support package for pubs, bars and nightclubs which are enduring a prolonged wait to raise shutters.
The new initiatives included waiving court fees and associated excise and stamp duties relating to the renewal of pub and other liquor licences and waiver of excise duty on on-trade liquor licences on renewal this year. – Additional reporting: PA


theirishtimes--2020-08-30--‘Disgraceful’ partying on Killarney streets condemned by mayor

The mayor of Killarney has condemned the “ disgraceful behaviour ” of people who were seen partying on Main Street in the town on Saturday night , in apparent contravention of Covid-19 guidelines .
Video footage on social media shows a group of people chanting and drinking on Main Street in Killarney , without observing social distancing or wearing masks .
Two men also stood and sang on top of an old phone box , which has been repurposed to hold a defibrillator , the video shows .
One man was removing clothing while standing on top of the box @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to The Irish Times , the mayor Independent Cllr Brendan Cronin , described the behaviour as “ reprehensible ” and said a “ public apology is required ” by those who attended .
“ As a collective group , we have all done tremendous work to ensure that the number of new cases remains as low as possible in our town and county by putting restrictions before personal preferences , ” Cllr Cronin said .
“ Business owners and staff have gone above and beyond to protect customers and visitors to Killarney .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ hampered by this behaviour.
” Cllr Cronin said the actions were disrespectful to all those who have made sacrifices over the past six months due to the pandemic .
“ In a time when we can not go to watch a football match , when weddings are being postponed along with other family occasions being put on hold , the behaviour seen in our town last night was nothing short of showing two fingers to all those who have put in huge time and effort to make Killarney safe , ” he added @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Killarney first responders voluntary group for the “ disrespect ” shown to the community defribrillator .
“ Those that decided to use the defibrillator box as their ‘ stage ’ last night need to publicly apologise for this lack of respect shown , ” he said .
“ I am calling on An Garda Síochána to step up their efforts to ensure that a similar large gathering like this does not happen again.
” Cllr Michael Gleeson , from the South Kerry Independent Alliance , said he “ unreservedly condemns ” what happened @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of people we want on the streets of Killarney .
We aim for the highest standards of safety and personal wellbeing .
Such behaviour puts the lives of other people in jeopardy ” .
Gardaí have been contacted for comment .

A screengrab from one of the videos that claims to show a group of people singing and dancing on the streets of Killarney on Saturday night.
The mayor of Killarney has condemned the "disgraceful behaviour" of people who partied on Main Street in the town on Saturday night, in apparent contravention of Covid-19 guidelines.
Video footage on social media shows a group of people chanting and drinking on the street without observing social distancing or wearing masks.
Two men also climbed on top of a old phone box - which has been repurposed to hold a defibrillator - and started a singing, the video shows.
One man was removing clothing while standing on top of the box, according to the footage, while the onlooking crowd cheered.
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Mayor of Killarney, the Independent Cllr Brendan Cronin, told The Irish Times, the behaviour of those partying as "reprehensible" and said a "public apology is required" by those who attended.
“As a collective group, we have all done tremendous work to ensure that the number of new cases remains as low as possible in our town and county by putting restrictions before personal preferences,” Cllr Cronin said.
“ Business owners and staff have gone above and beyond to protect customers and visitors to Killarney. There efforts should be recognised, not hampered by this behaviour.”
Cllr Cronin said the actions were disrespectful to all those who have made sacrifices over the past six months due to the pandemic.
“In a time when we cannot go to watch a football match, when weddings are being postponed along with other family occasions being put on hold, the behaviour seen in our town last night was nothing short of showing two fingers to all those who have put in huge time and effort to make Killarney safe,” he added.
Cllr Cronin also apologised to the Killarney first responders voluntary group for the “disrespect” shown to the community defibrillator.
" Those that decided to use the defibrillator box as their 'stage' last night need to publicly apologise for this lack of respect," he said. "I am calling on An Garda Síochána to step up their efforts to ensure that a similar large gathering like this does not happen again."
Cllr Michael Gleeson, from the South Kerry Independent Alliance also "unreservedly condemned" what happened.
“They are not the kind of people we want on the streets of Killarney. We aim for the highest standards of safety and personal wellbeing. Such behaviour puts the lives of other people in jeopardy”.
Paul Sherry, president of the Killarney Chamber of Tourism and Commerce, said “an overwhelming majority” of people in Killarney abide by coronavirus regulations, and it “is disappointing that some people see fit to act irresponsibly with little or no respect for others”.
The Vintners’ Federation of Ireland (VFI) reiterated its call for legal penalties for any pub found in breach of Covid-19 guidelines.
A statement by the group said that while it was “not clear” where the crowd originated from prior to the video, the VFI “supports the introduction of new legislation that will give gardaí the powers to close down businesses found to be in breach of the guidelines”.
A spokesman for the gardaí said it is aware of the video, but does not comment on an extract of audio or video footage, as “the timeline and context of which cannot be determined”.
Speaking generally, the spokesman said officers were on patrol in the Killarney district on Saturday night, with “ with local gardaí reporting a large numbers of persons socialising in Killarney over the evening”.
He said social distancing and other similar Public Health Guidelines are not penal provisions under the Health Act 1947.
“An Garda Síochána continues to respond to reports of gatherings and engage with communities with a view to implementing the guidelines issued by the Government and HSE in order to minimise the impact of Covid-19 on our community as a whole,” he said.
Separately, the Government last week announced increased powers for gardaí to clamp down on pubs and restaurants which flout the country’s Covid-19 regulations.
Under current rules, pubs can only serve alcohol to customers who also order a “substantial meal” of at least €9 , and guests can only remain on the premises for 105 minutes
Fines of up to €2,500 or a maximum of six months in prison will be the sanction if bars infringing social distancing regulations refuse to close for a day.
Closure orders could be issued by a district court resulting in a pub being shut for up to 30 days.
Last week, plans to reopen so-called “wet pubs” - which serve only alcohol and not food - were again deferred due to the rising number of cases.
Tánaiste Leo Varadkar announced a €16 million support package for pubs, bars and nightclubs which are enduring a prolonged wait to raise shutters, which publicans have said is insufficient.


theirishtimes--2020-08-30--Investigation into unexplained death of young man in Killarney

An investigation has started in Killarney into the unexplained death of a man in his 20s who was found outside @ @ @ @ @ Saturday night , gardaí have confirmed .
The young man was found unconscious shortly before @ @ @ @ @ were called but he died shortly after he was found .
The scene at the @ @ @ @ @ Road where the body was found has been cordoned off pending a technical examination .
@ @ @ @ @ man is believed to be from north Cork .
The body remains at the scene @ @ @ @ @ required to determine the course of the investigation , the Garda press office said .
@ @ @ @ @ the circumstances surrounding the unexplained death of a man that occurred on Saturday , 29th @ @ @ @ @ a premises on the Muckross Road in Killarney , Co Kerry.
” Gardaí arrived at @ @ @ @ @ on Saturday night and observed an unconscious male lying outside the entrance .
The man @ @ @ @ @ , was pronounced dead a short time later , gardaí said .

The scene at the Gleneagle Hotel on the Muckross Road where the body was found has been cordoned off pending a technical examination. Photograph: Eye Focus Ltd
An investigation has started into the unexplained death of a man in his 20s who was found outside a hotel in Killarney on Saturday night, gardaí have confirmed.
The young man was found unconscious shortly before midnight. The emergency services were called but he died shortly after he was found.
The scene at the Gleneagle Hotel on the Muckross Road where the body was found has been cordoned off pending a technical examination.
It is understood the young man is believed to be from north Cork.
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A postmortem will be required to determine the course of the investigation, the Garda press office said.
“Gardaí are investigating all the circumstances surrounding the unexplained death of a man that occurred on Saturday, 29th August, 2020, outside a premises on the Muckross Road in Killarney, Co Kerry.”
Gardaí arrived at the scene at about 11.40pm on Saturday night and observed an unconscious male lying outside the entrance.
The man, aged in his 20s, was pronounced dead a short time later, gardaí said.


theirishtimes--2020-08-30--One-fifth of secondary school buses will run at half capacity, Bus Éireann says

One fifth of Bus Éireann ’ s transport for second level students will run at 50 per cent capacity from the start of the school year .
The State-owned transport company said that in response to the Government ’ s decision to halve the capacity on post-primary school transport due to the coronavirus pandemic , it is “ reviewing all 2,100 post-primary routes to determine which solution can most quickly and appropriately deliver the 50 per cent capacity ” .
The latest public health advice states that secondary students should maintain a safe distance while on board school buses .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ level schoolbuses will operate without social distancing when schools reopen tomorrow .
The company says solutions to the capacity issue will range from schedule changes to additional resources in terms of vehicles and drivers and that 20 per cent ( one-fifth ) of the services will be at half capacity from the start of the school year .
Bus Éireann says it is now accepting applications from taxi drivers and bus operators who want to apply for work driving students to school .
While some students returned to school last week , schools @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Last year , 38,000 primary students and 68,000 post-primary students used the School Transport Scheme .
This year , all children aged 13 years and over must wear facemasks while waiting for and on-board transport services , the exception being those who for medical or special educational needs reasons are not in a position to wear a facemask or face covering .
Primary school students should physically distance where possible on buses , but do not need to wear face coverings , the latest advice says .
Bus Éireann says there will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including between morning and afternoon services .
Meanwhile , the Department of Education has said a grant will be available for post-primary students who are eligible for school transport but whose parents or guardians have decided to make private transport arrangements arising from the most recent health advice .
However , this must be notified to the department by this Friday , September 4th by emailing schooltransportrefunds2020 @ education.gov.ie .

One-fifth of Bus Éireann’s transport for second level students will run at the recommended 50 per cent capacity from the start of the school year.
The State-owned transport company said that in response to the Government’s decision to halve the capacity on post-primary school transport due to the coronavirus pandemic, it is “reviewing all 2,100 post-primary routes to determine which solution can most quickly and appropriately deliver the 50 per cent capacity”.
The latest public health advice states that secondary students should maintain a safe distance while on board school buses. As such, the majority of second level school buses will operate without social distancing when schools reopen tomorrow.
The company says solutions to the capacity issue will range from schedule changes to additional resources in terms of vehicles and drivers and that 20 per cent (one-fifth) of the services will be at half capacity from the start of the school year.
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Bus Éireann says it is now accepting applications from taxi drivers and bus operators who want to apply for work driving students to school.
While some students returned to school last week, schools across the country will reopen this week. Last year, 38,000 primary students and 68,000 post-primary students used the School Transport Scheme.
This year, all children aged 13 years and over must wear face masks while waiting for and on-board transport services, the exception being those who for medical or special educational needs reasons are not in a position to wear a face mask or face covering. Primary school students should physically distance where possible on buses, but do not need to wear face coverings, the latest advice says.
Bus Éireann says there will be enhanced cleaning of school buses, including between morning and afternoon services.
Meanwhile, the Department of Education has said a grant will be available for post-primary students who are eligible for school transport but whose parents or guardians have decided to make private transport arrangements arising from the most recent health advice. However, this must be notified to the department by this Friday, September 4th by emailing schooltransportrefunds2020@education.gov.ie.


theirishtimes--2020-08-29--Three people killed in separate crashes in Kildare, Kerry and Dublin

Three people died in separate road crashes in Kildare , Dublin and Kerry on Saturday .
A man in his 70s died in a single vehicle road collision in Lattensbog , Adamstown , Co Kildare at 7.25pm on Saturday evening .
The man was the sole occupant of the vehicle and he was taken to Naas General Hospital where he was later pronounced dead .
The road remained closed on Sunday morning for technical examination .
Local diversions are in place .
A 50-year-old motorcyclist was fatally injured on the Ring of Kerry when his bike collided with a car @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He was pronounced dead at the scene .
The occupants of the car were uninjured .
Garda forensic investigators are examining the scene and diversions are in place .
Earlier on Saturday , a pedestrian died in Phibsborough after being involved in an incident with a lorry and a car .
The crash occurred at about 1pm on the Phibsborough Road .
The 58-year-old woman was pronounced dead at the scene .
The occupants of the lorry and car were uninjured .
The road has since reopened .
Gardaí are appealing for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ incidents to come forward and contact Newbridge Garda station on 045 440180 , Killarney Garda station on 064 6671160 , Mountjoy Garda station on 01 6668600 or the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111 .


theirishtimes--2020-08-31--Covid restrictions on dementia services could lead to increase in nursing home admissions, charity s

Covid restrictions on dementia services could lead to increase in nursing home admissions, charity says

The closure of dementia services , such as day care , due to the coronavirus pandemic could result in an increase in older people being moved to nursing homes , the Alzheimer Society of Ireland has warned .
Many services for older people and those living with dementia closed at the onset of the pandemic and have not yet reopened .
Since their closure , carers for people with dementia have reported a decline in their loved one ’ s condition , with many carers seeing increased incidences of confusion , aggression , anxiety and incontinence .
Pat McLoughlin , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said socialising is very important for people with dementia and the absence of this during the coronavirus restrictions has had negative consequences on both the people with the condition , and on their carers .
“ The longer this goes on , the more we ’ re going to see physical and cognitive deterioration - mobility , agitation , all of those issues - if people do not get a chance to get out and socialise with other people who understand them , ” he said .
“ Carers did have a certain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ our centre and it structured the day so allowed them to do things and get time for themselves .
It ’ s been really , really difficult and we ’ ve seen that deterioration.
” Mr McLoughlin said long-term residential care is becoming the “ default option ” for some carers , who feel they are no longer able to help the person for whom they are helping .
“ What carers are saying to us [ IS ] that they see no option now but for somebody they ’ ve been caring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We ’ ve been trying to ensure that doesn ’ t happen , and that we can put in as much homecare as possible , ” Mr McLoughlin said .
Mr McLoughlin said that carers are often spousal carers , and are older or have health conditions themselves .
“ We ’ re not talking about a young , group of carers ... many of the spousal carers are in their 70s or 80s themselves , so they ’ re simply unable to handle somebody who gets agitated or aggressive or wandering @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disregard their own health when protecting the person with dementia from experiencing anxiety , ” he said .
“ If any of [ THEIR ] services are taken away , the immediate impact is on carers .
It ’ s hard to cope with that .
Residential care becomes the default option.
” A spokeswoman for the HSE said the spread of Covid-19 throughout communities has posed “ significant challenges ” for many areas of the HSE ’ s older person ’ s services .
“ At present , the community health organisations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risk assessment of services locally and guidance has been issued to the areas to support the restoration of services for older people and persons living with dementia , ” the spokeswoman said .
The spokeswoman added that the HSE is working closely with providers and staff to identify where services are “ most required ” .
“ The National Dementia Office ( NDO ) continues to engage with service providers to examine alternative supports such as in home respite to provide support to people with dementia and their carers , ” she said @

Many services for older people and those living with dementia closed at the onset of the pandemic and have not yet reopened. Photograph: iStock
The closure of dementia services, such as day care, due to the coronavirus pandemic could result in an increase in older people being moved to nursing homes, the Alzheimer Society of Ireland has warned.
Many services for older people and those living with dementia closed at the onset of the pandemic and have not yet reopened.
Since their closure, carers for people with dementia have reported a decline in their loved one’s condition, with many carers seeing increased incidences of confusion, aggression, anxiety and incontinence.
Pat McLoughlin, chief executive of the Alzheimer Society, said socialising is very important for people with dementia and the absence of this during the coronavirus restrictions has had negative consequences on both the people with the condition, and on their carers.
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“The longer this goes on, the more we’re going to see physical and cognitive deterioration - mobility, agitation, all of those issues - if people do not get a chance to get out and socialise with other people who understand them,” he said.
“Carers did have a certain amount of flexibility when somebody was attending our centre and it structured the day so allowed them to do things and get time for themselves. It’s been really, really difficult and we’ve seen that deterioration.”
Mr McLoughlin said long-term residential care is becoming the “default option” for some carers, who feel they are no longer able to help the person for whom they are helping.
“What carers are saying to us [IS]that they see no option now but for somebody they’ve been caring for to go into a nursing home. We’ve been trying to ensure that doesn’t happen, and that we can put in as much homecare as possible,” Mr McLoughlin said.
Mr McLoughlin said that carers are often spousal carers, and are older or have health conditions themselves.
“We’re not talking about a young, group of carers... many of the spousal carers are in their 70s or 80s themselves, so they’re simply unable to handle somebody who gets agitated or aggressive or wandering. It’s clear they can disregard their own health when protecting the person with dementia from experiencing anxiety,” he said.
“If any of [THEIR]services are taken away, the immediate impact is on carers. It’s hard to cope with that. Residential care becomes the default option.”
A spokeswoman for the HSE said the spread of Covid-19 throughout communities has posed “significant challenges” for many areas of the HSE’s older person’s services.
“At present, the community health organisations are in the process of undertaking a risk assessment of services locally and guidance has been issued to the areas to support the restoration of services for older people and persons living with dementia,” the spokeswoman said.
The spokeswoman added that the HSE is working closely with providers and staff to identify where services are “most required”.
"The National Dementia Office (NDO) continues to engage with service providers to examine alternative supports such as in home respite to provide support to people with dementia and their carers," she said.


theirishtimes--2020-08-31--Pressure on private hospitals to agree to Covid-19 surge plan ‘not a threat’, HSE chief says

HSE chief executive Paul Reid has said that its intention to report to Government any private hospitals unwilling to help in a possible second surge of coronavirus was “ not intended as a threat ” .
Some private hospitals reacted with surprise to a letter sent by the HSE earlier this month saying that it would inform the Government if they chose not to engage on a new plan to prepare for a second surge of the virus .
One private hospital manager likened the HSE ’ s position as “ going to tell teacher ” if the hospitals did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked to respond to the HSE ’ s letter by August 14th as part of its plans to negotiate a “ Surge II agreement ” in order to secure health services in the private hospital should the public hospitals face rising infections .
“ Absent a clear commitment from your hospital on this issue , we will inform the Government that we have done what we can to progress the Surge II arrangements with the private hospitals overall and of your position , ” the letter states .
The HSE said the Government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be done ” if private hospitals were not prepared to negotiate what it described as “ a critical arrangement aimed at dealing with an emergency situation ” .
Asked about the letter by The Irish Times , Mr Reid described it as a “ call to arms ” and a required response to what might happen if the virus “ just explodes everywhere ” .
“ We will be looking for their support .
They will need our support too .
I don ’ t see it as being a threat to them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ threat or anything like it , ” he said .
“ It is really just saying that if there is a big call to arms , we want everybody to jump in .
I do think that they will need us in a phase like that.
” Mr Reid said that “ dialogue is still ongoing ” and that discussions were now with individual hospitals rather than with the overall private hospital sector as happened earlier this year with a three-month agreement to take them over .
The last government took over 100 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the end of March , but decided in May not to extend the arrangement beyond the three-moth period .
Concerns were expressed about the €300 million cost of the deal and that the hospitals were not being fully used .
A spokesman for the Private Hospitals ’ Association said HSE talks with individual hospitals would “ aim to achieve greater flexibility for all concerned and will have the capacity to operate on a regional and local basis as necessary ” .
The HSE put forward new proposals to the private hospitals to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ event of an another surge .
In the HSE proposals – known as the “ safety net II document ” – the health service said it would assess relevant clinical and capacity criteria to trigger the introduction of a new private hospital arrangement .
It said the National Public Health Emergency Team would be appraised of the clinical escalation triggers based on clinical service requirements , national or regional coverage and the suitability and capability of the provider .
The HSE suggested it wanted a single arrangement including access to all or some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , based on triggers and access to “ a requisite number of consultants to deliver public service needs ” .
The HSE proposed that any existing contract the hospitals have with the National Treatment Purchase Fund to treat patients on public waiting lists would be suspended or reviewed for the duration of the new arrangements .
The HSE suggested that private work in private hospitals would be “ allowable ” but at its discretion and “ consistent with safety net need ” Any income from private work would be offset against its costs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ provisions in relation to charging and eligibility would apply to private hospital capacity that was acquired .
The HSE said in an accompanying letter that the virus continued to present unprecedented challenges and it was important that an early understanding was reached on arrangements that could be put in place , by prior agreement , if there was a second surge in cases .
The health service described the plan Surge II document as “ a starting point for working towards the sort of broad understanding that is required of all parties by @ @ @ @

HSE chief executive Paul Reid said that its intention to report to Government any private hospitals unwilling to help in a possible second surge of coronavirus was ‘not intended as a threat’. Photograph: Alan Betson
HSE chief executive Paul Reid has said that its intention to report to Government any private hospitals unwilling to help in a possible second surge of coronavirus was "not intended as a threat".
Some private hospitals reacted with surprise to a letter sent by the HSE earlier this month saying that it would inform the Government if they chose not to engage on a new plan to prepare for a second surge of the virus.
One private hospital manager likened the HSE’s position as “going to tell teacher” if the hospitals did not sign up.
The hospitals were asked to respond to the HSE’s letter by August 14th as part of its plans to negotiate a “Surge II agreement” in order to secure health services in the private hospital should the public hospitals face rising infections.
READ MORE
“Absent a clear commitment from your hospital on this issue, we will inform the Government that we have done what we can to progress the Surge II arrangements with the private hospitals overall and of your position,” the letter states.
Negotiate
The HSE said the Government would then consider what “needs to be done” if private hospitals were not prepared to negotiate what it described as “a critical arrangement aimed at dealing with an emergency situation”.
Asked about the letter by The Irish Times, Mr Reid described it as a “call to arms” and a required response to what might happen if the virus “just explodes everywhere”.
“We will be looking for their support. They will need our support too. I don’t see it as being a threat to them. It is not intended as a threat or anything like it,” he said.
“It is really just saying that if there is a big call to arms, we want everybody to jump in. I do think that they will need us in a phase like that.”
Mr Reid said that “dialogue is still ongoing” and that discussions were now with individual hospitals rather than with the overall private hospital sector as happened earlier this year with a three-month agreement to take them over.
The last government took over 100 per cent capacity of 18 private hospitals at the end of March, but decided in May not to extend the arrangement beyond the three-moth period.
Concerns were expressed about the €300 million cost of the deal and that the hospitals were not being fully used.
A spokesman for the Private Hospitals’ Association said HSE talks with individual hospitals would “aim to achieve greater flexibility for all concerned and will have the capacity to operate on a regional and local basis as necessary”.
The HSE put forward new proposals to the private hospitals to secure access to their facilities in the event of an another surge. In the HSE proposals – known as the “safety net II document” – the health service said it would assess relevant clinical and capacity criteria to trigger the introduction of a new private hospital arrangement.
Single arrangement
It said the National Public Health Emergency Team would be appraised of the clinical escalation triggers based on clinical service requirements, national or regional coverage and the suitability and capability of the provider.
The HSE suggested it wanted a single arrangement including access to all or some physical and service capacity of private hospitals, based on triggers and access to “a requisite number of consultants to deliver public service needs”.
The HSE proposed that any existing contract the hospitals have with the National Treatment Purchase Fund to treat patients on public waiting lists would be suspended or reviewed for the duration of the new arrangements.
The HSE suggested that private work in private hospitals would be “allowable” but at its discretion and “consistent with safety net need” Any income from private work would be offset against its costs.
It also said that public sector provisions in relation to charging and eligibility would apply to private hospital capacity that was acquired.
The HSE said in an accompanying letter that the virus continued to present unprecedented challenges and it was important that an early understanding was reached on arrangements that could be put in place, by prior agreement, if there was a second surge in cases.
The health service described the plan Surge II document as “a starting point for working towards the sort of broad understanding that is required of all parties by the Government”.


theirishtimes--2020-08-31--Thirty years on, Ireland’s smoky coal ban remains an urgent issue

The annual winter shrouding of Dublin with thick smog – grimly accepted by most as an inevitability – not only reduced natural light but led to the premature death of hundreds of people .
The State eventually admitted parts of the capital were exceeding EU smog limits , often for days in a row , and decided to introduce a programme to get rid of open fireplaces in the worst-affected areas .
But a young politician who had been appointed minister of state with responsibility for environmental protection boldly rejected this plan , which would take 20 years to complete @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Looking back , Mary Harney says the government approach was to survey “ special control areas ” with persistent smog – Ballyfermot was the first of them – and provide grants to remove fireplaces .
“ I didn ’ t buy into that , ” she says .
“ The obvious thing to do was to ban coal but not to criminalise householders.
” And so in September 1990 , a prohibition on bituminous or “ smoky ” coal was introduced .
With an emphasis on the industry rather than the consumer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and marketing of smoky coal , rather than the burning of it .
Within days of taking office , Harney , of the Progressive Democrats , became acutely aware of intense lobbying by the coal sector , which insisted the incremental approach supported by her senior minister Pádraig Flynn – a Fianna Fáil stalwart – was the way to go .
Flynn had previously rejected a ban , claiming it would hurt widows and old-age pensioners .
In November 1988 Flynn had outlined in the Dáil what was being done to tackle Dublin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Fine Gael TD Alan Shatter said he was not satisfied his declaration was “ pressing the matter ” .
“ If necessary , bring in emergency legislation , ” Shatter urged , adding he would get the support of TDs in doing so .
“ Smog has been around a long time and I am the first person who tried to do something about it , ” Flynn replied .
“ Just like I solved the problem of fish kills , I will solve this too.
” Two factors were critical to getting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says .
Despite being within the ranks of the junior partner in the coalition government formed in 1989 , she “ roped in ” the support of taoiseach Charlie Haughey .
“ I have always given him credit for that , ” says Harney .
Secondly , a junior minister had , for the first time , been given “ delegated powers ” ; in her case responsibility for environmental protection including the EPA .
“ That was great.
” The ban resulted in air pollution levels falling by 70 per cent and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ estimated that 8,000 fewer people have died from heart and lung-related diseases .
It proved immediately effective in reducing smoke and sulphur dioxide levels , and was gradually extended to other areas .
From September 1st , 2020 , the ban will be extended to all cities and towns with a population of more than 10,000 , meaning half the population of the State will live within the geographic scope of existing restrictions on bituminous coal and other specified fuel , such as low smoke zones .
Over the 30 years since the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ air pollution has become much more robust , with indications that the threat to human health had previously been grossly underestimated .
Air pollution is now estimated to cost the Irish economy about €2 billion per year when burden on the health service and lost productivity are factored in .
The greatest health risks are associated with tiny solid particles that float in the air , known as particulate matter ( PM ) , that are classified by size – ie being of less than 10 and 2.5 microns in diameter .
PM10 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a human hair ) can be seen as smoke or haze while PM2.5 ( tiny “ nanoparticles ” ) are invisible to the human eye .
PM10s are easily filtered out by the body ’ s natural defences such as nose hair , but PM2.5 nanoparticles are capable of penetrating deep into lung passageways and entering the bloodstream causing cardiovascular , cerebrovascular and respiratory impacts .
In children and adults , both short- and long-term exposure to air pollution can lead to reduced lung function , respiratory infections and aggravated asthma .
Burning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wood – in the home is by far the largest contributor to Irish emissions .
National estimates indicate smoky fuels are a key source of PM2.5 nanoparticles .
They are responsible for about 60 per cent of all emissions , yet provide less than 5 per cent of national energy demand .
Three decades on , Harney expresses incredulity that smoky coal is still being burned in many parts of Ireland , when a nationwide ban is “ a no-brainer ” .
She admits her strategy was high-risk and succeeded with luck .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , though the ban had its supporters – notably within the medical profession and especially Prof Luke Clancy of St James ’ s Hospital .
Crucially , it worked from “ a public health , science and timing point of view ” , she believes .
Flynn declined to comment when asked by The Irish Times for his views on the ban .
Undoubtedly , he was under sustained pressure from the coal lobby when he opposed it .
However , it should be acknowledged he brought in the 1987 Air Pollution Act @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to deal with air quality in Ireland .
Furthermore , as EU commissioner in charge of public health , he did his bit in curbing the impacts of another notorious form of air pollution – tobacco smoke – when a directive to gradually phase out almost all tobacco advertising and sponsorship was adopted in 1998 under his stewardship .
Despite the successes of the ban , air pollution is still a major public health issue .
“ Improving air quality will benefit our health and the health of the planet , ” says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Climate and Air Pollution Studies .
“ By reducing biomass burning ; encouraging cycling/walking , using public transport and transiting to electric vehicles , we can all make a difference.
” In Ireland , 380,000 people have asthma and 890,000 people will suffer from the condition at some stage of their lives , according to Emily Blennerhassett , interim chief executive of the Asthma Society of Ireland .
“ Air pollution can severely impact their quality of life by triggering asthma symptoms and studies have shown it can cause asthma in young children @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former minister for environment Richard Bruton expressed legal concerns that would limit the Government ’ s ability to introduce a nationwide smoky coal ban .
So the society worked with UCC ’ s Environmental Law Society to examine legal options open to the Government “ to ensure plans for a nationwide smoky coal ban can be expanded to include all smoky fuels , in a bid to protect the health of the Irish people ” .
She believes a broader ban to include peat and wet wood has the best chance of avoiding @ @ @ @ @ @ @ falling foul of EU law .
Moreover , “ a ban on the use of smoky fuels would greatly impact not just people living with respiratory conditions such as asthma , but would be extremely beneficial to the health of the general public ” .
The Asthma Society of Ireland has issued a report which argues the current enforcement regime is hampered by issues of “ leakage ” with prohibited fuels being used in low smoke zones ; migration of air pollution ; abuse of fuel labelling and a below target regime of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It suggests a nationwide smoky fuel ban is justified on health and climate grounds , while protecting “ the right of Ireland ’ s residents to clean air ” .
Over the coming weeks , Oireachtas members and the relevant State bodies will be briefed on its findings .
There is unfinished business in ensuring the State ’ s citizens can breathe air that is not going to shorten their lives .

In Ireland, 380,000 people have asthma and 890,000 people will suffer from the condition at some stage of their lives. Photograph: John Giles/PA Wire
Thirty years ago, Ireland was a different country environmentally.
The annual winter shrouding of Dublin with thick smog – grimly accepted by most as an inevitability – not only reduced natural light but led to the premature death of hundreds of people.
The State eventually admitted parts of the capital were exceeding EU smog limits, often for days in a row, and decided to introduce a programme to get rid of open fireplaces in the worst-affected areas.
But a young politician who had been appointed minister of state with responsibility for environmental protection boldly rejected this plan, which would take 20 years to complete at a cost of some €500 million.
READ MORE
Looking back, Mary Harney says the government approach was to survey "special control areas" with persistent smog – Ballyfermot was the first of them – and provide grants to remove fireplaces.
“I didn’t buy into that,” she says. “The obvious thing to do was to ban coal but not to criminalise householders.”
And so in September 1990, a prohibition on bituminous or “smoky” coal was introduced. With an emphasis on the industry rather than the consumer, it banned the sale, distribution and marketing of smoky coal, rather than the burning of it.
Within days of taking office, Harney, of the Progressive Democrats, became acutely aware of intense lobbying by the coal sector, which insisted the incremental approach supported by her senior minister Pádraig Flynn – a Fianna Fáil stalwart – was the way to go.
Flynn had previously rejected a ban, claiming it would hurt widows and old-age pensioners.
In November 1988 Flynn had outlined in the Dáil what was being done to tackle Dublin's growing smog problem. Then Fine Gael TD Alan Shatter said he was not satisfied his declaration was "pressing the matter".
“If necessary, bring in emergency legislation,” Shatter urged, adding he would get the support of TDs in doing so.
“Smog has been around a long time and I am the first person who tried to do something about it,” Flynn replied. “Just like I solved the problem of fish kills, I will solve this too.”
Two factors were critical to getting the ban across the line, Harney says.
Despite being within the ranks of the junior partner in the coalition government formed in 1989, she "roped in" the support of taoiseach Charlie Haughey. "I have always given him credit for that," says Harney.
Secondly, a junior minister had, for the first time, been given “delegated powers”; in her case responsibility for environmental protection including the EPA. “That was great.”
Ban extended
The ban resulted in air pollution levels falling by 70 per cent and, since then, it has been estimated that 8,000 fewer people have died from heart and lung-related diseases. It proved immediately effective in reducing smoke and sulphur dioxide levels, and was gradually extended to other areas.
From September 1st, 2020, the ban will be extended to all cities and towns with a population of more than 10,000, meaning half the population of the State will live within the geographic scope of existing restrictions on bituminous coal and other specified fuel, such as low smoke zones.
Over the 30 years since the ban was introduced, the science of air pollution has become much more robust, with indications that the threat to human health had previously been grossly underestimated. Air pollution is now estimated to cost the Irish economy about €2 billion per year when burden on the health service and lost productivity are factored in.
The greatest health risks are associated with tiny solid particles that float in the air, known as particulate matter (PM), that are classified by size – ie being of less than 10 and 2.5 microns in diameter. PM10 (about 10th of the width of a human hair) can be seen as smoke or haze while PM2.5 (tiny “nanoparticles”) are invisible to the human eye.
PM10s are easily filtered out by the body’s natural defences such as nose hair, but PM2.5 nanoparticles are capable of penetrating deep into lung passageways and entering the bloodstream causing cardiovascular, cerebrovascular and respiratory impacts.
In children and adults, both short- and long-term exposure to air pollution can lead to reduced lung function, respiratory infections and aggravated asthma.
Burning solid fuels – coal, peat and wood – in the home is by far the largest contributor to Irish emissions.
National estimates indicate smoky fuels are a key source of PM2.5 nanoparticles. They are responsible for about 60 per cent of all emissions, yet provide less than 5 per cent of national energy demand.
‘No-brainer’
Three decades on, Harney expresses incredulity that smoky coal is still being burned in many parts of Ireland, when a nationwide ban is “a no-brainer”.
She admits her strategy was high-risk and succeeded with luck.
Every coal merchant was up in arms, though the ban had its supporters – notably within the medical profession and especially Prof Luke Clancy of St James's Hospital. Crucially, it worked from "a public health, science and timing point of view", she believes.
Flynn declined to comment when asked by The Irish Times for his views on the ban. Undoubtedly, he was under sustained pressure from the coal lobby when he opposed it. However, it should be acknowledged he brought in the 1987 Air Pollution Act, the first comprehensive piece of legislation to deal with air quality in Ireland.
Furthermore, as EU commissioner in charge of public health, he did his bit in curbing the impacts of another notorious form of air pollution – tobacco smoke – when a directive to gradually phase out almost all tobacco advertising and sponsorship was adopted in 1998 under his stewardship.
Despite the successes of the ban, air pollution is still a major public health issue. "Improving air quality will benefit our health and the health of the planet," says Dr Claire Noone of NUIG Centre for Climate and Air Pollution Studies . "By reducing biomass burning; encouraging cycling/walking, using public transport and transiting to electric vehicles, we can all make a difference."
In Ireland, 380,000 people have asthma and 890,000 people will suffer from the condition at some stage of their lives, according to Emily Blennerhassett, interim chief executive of the Asthma Society of Ireland.
“Air pollution can severely impact their quality of life by triggering asthma symptoms and studies have shown it can cause asthma in young children,” she says.
She says former minister for environment Richard Bruton expressed legal concerns that would limit the Government's ability to introduce a nationwide smoky coal ban. So the society worked with UCC Environmental Law Clinic to examine legal options open to the Government "to ensure plans for a nationwide smoky coal ban can be expanded to include all smoky fuels, in a bid to protect the health of the Irish people".
She believes a broader ban to include peat and wet wood has the best chance of avoiding legal challenge by coal importers or of falling foul of EU law. Moreover, “a ban on the use of smoky fuels would greatly impact not just people living with respiratory conditions such as asthma, but would be extremely beneficial to the health of the general public”.
The Asthma Society of Ireland has issued a report which argues the current enforcement regime is hampered by issues of “leakage” with prohibited fuels being used in low smoke zones; migration of air pollution; abuse of fuel labelling and a below target regime of solid fuel inspections by local authorities. It suggests a nationwide smoky fuel ban is justified on health and climate grounds, while protecting “the right of Ireland’s residents to clean air”.
Over the coming weeks, Oireachtas members and the relevant State bodies will be briefed on its findings. There is unfinished business in ensuring the State's citizens can breathe air that is not going to shorten their lives.