theirishtimes--2020-12-28--Number of passports issued falls by 60% as Covid hits travel

More than 400,000 Irish passports have been issued this year , a 60 per cent drop on last year , latest figures show .
The Passport Service issued 428,896 passports in total up to December 6th this year including 366,236 passport booklets and 62,660 passport cards with 305,188 applications made online .
Minister for Foreign Affairs , Simon Coveney issued a report summarising a year of the service ’ s operations and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic .
The report shows that the oldest applicant was 102 years of age , making a paper application while the oldest online @ @ @ @ @ @ @ youngest passport applicant was just 11 days old .
Olivia , Mia and Saoirse were the most popular baby girls ’ names in the applications while Noah , Adam and Cillian topped the baby boys ’ list .
And Murphy was the most common surname worldwide among applicants .
Mr Coveney paid tribute to the Passport Service which he said cleared the backlog of applications after the first lockdown between March 27th and June 28th within four weeks and the second backlog between October 22nd and November 26th , within three weeks .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ assist those whose applications were regarded as urgent during the lockdown periods , with more than 650 passports issued to Irish citizens both at home and abroad in response to emergency or urgent requests such as serious illness or death .
During the highest level of restrictions when the processing of applications ceased , staff were redeployed into other “ essential public service ” areas including contact tracing for the HSE and the processing of Covid-19 related benefits for the Department of Social Protection .
Mr Coveney added that “ at the beginning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staff were critical in assisting our citizens abroad ” .
In February 75,499 passports were issued compared to just 6,396 in November and 6,445 in December .
The total number of passports issued for the year to December 6th was around 40 per cent of the number issued the previous year .
The figures in the report show a 56 per cent decrease in applications from Northern Ireland compared to last year , 44 per cent of a reduction in applications from Britain , a drop of 55 per cent in applications from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rest of the world .
The statistics also show that while the numbers of applications for Irish passports from Britain and Northern Ireland increased continuously after the Brexit referendum in June 2016 , and surged in early 2019 to almost 14,000 applications , they have since declined .
The report for 2020 also shows that five of the six Northern Ireland counties were in the top 10 for the number of first time applicants .
After Dublin with 3,185 first time applicants , Antrim was in second place with 2,750 applications , followed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 860 ) , Derry ( 696 ) , Tyrone ( 539 ) and Armagh ( 526 ) .
Fermanagh was in 20th place with 191 first time applicants .
Applicants living in Ireland accounted for the largest number of passports issued at 206,756 , followed by Britain with 51,195 , the US ( 8,320 ) , Australia ( 4,565 ) , Canada ( 2,034 ) and France ( 1,775 ) .
The service handled 117,000 chats through its WebChat service in 2020 and handled more than 87,000 calls .
Mr Coveney said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ felt that we met or exceeded their expectations this year ” .
He urged applicants to use the online service as the cheapest and most convenient way to apply for a passport .
He said that applicants in Ireland , Northern Ireland , Britain and Europe who are applying for the first time are also eligible to use the online service .
“ The online service is extremely easy to use .
It has won awards for its user-friendly process , including a NALA ( National Adult Literacy Agency ) award for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is for everyone from new born babies to hundred year olds .
”

The report for 2020 shows that five of the six Northern Ireland counties were in the top 10 for the number of first time applicants. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien
More than 400,000 Irish passports have been issued this year, a 60 per cent drop on last year, latest figures show.
The Passport Service issued 428,896 passports in total up to December 6th this year including 366,236 passport booklets and 62,660 passport cards with 305,188 applications made online.
Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney issued a report summarising a year of the service's operations and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The report shows that the oldest applicant was 102 years of age, making a paper application while the oldest online applicant was 100 years old. The youngest passport applicant was just 11 days old.
READ MORE
Olivia, Mia and Saoirse were the most popular baby girls’ names in the applications while Noah, Adam and Cillian topped the baby boys’ list.
And Murphy was the most common surname worldwide among applicants.
Mr Coveney paid tribute to the Passport Service which he said cleared the backlog of applications after the first lockdown between March 27th and June 28th within four weeks and the second backlog between October 22nd and November 26th, within three weeks.
Special plans were put in place to assist those whose applications were regarded as urgent during the lockdown periods, with more than 650 passports issued to Irish citizens both at home and abroad in response to emergency or urgent requests such as serious illness or death.
During the highest level of restrictions when the processing of applications ceased, staff were redeployed into other “essential public service” areas including contact tracing for the HSE and the processing of Covid-19 related benefits for the Department of Social Protection. Mr Coveney added that “at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, Passport Service staff were critical in assisting our citizens abroad”.
In February 75,499 passports were issued compared to just 6,396 in November and 6,445 in December. The total number of passports issued for the year to December 6th was around 40 per cent of the number issued the previous year.
The figures in the report show a 56 per cent decrease in applications from Northern Ireland compared to last year, 44 per cent of a reduction in applications from Britain, a drop of 55 per cent in applications from Ireland and 31 per cent from the rest of the world.
The statistics also show that while the numbers of applications for Irish passports from Britain and Northern Ireland increased continuously after the Brexit referendum in June 2016, and surged in early 2019 to almost 14,000 applications, they have since declined.
The report for 2020 also shows that five of the six Northern Ireland counties were in the top 10 for the number of first time applicants. After Dublin with 3,185 first time applicants, Antrim was in second place with 2,750 applications, followed by Down (1,862) Cork (860), Derry (696), Tyrone (539) and Armagh (526). Fermanagh was in 20th place with 191 first time applicants.
Applicants living in Ireland accounted for the largest number of passports issued at 206,756, followed by Britain with 51,195, the US (8,320), Australia (4,565), Canada (2,034) and France (1,775).
The service handled 117,000 chats through its WebChat service in 2020 and handled more than 87,000 calls. Mr Coveney said that “88 per cent of our customers felt that we met or exceeded their expectations this year”.
He urged applicants to use the online service as the cheapest and most convenient way to apply for a passport. He said that applicants in Ireland, Northern Ireland, Britain and Europe who are applying for the first time are also eligible to use the online service.
“The online service is extremely easy to use. It has won awards for its user-friendly process, including a NALA (National Adult Literacy Agency) award for the use of plain English. Passport Online is for everyone from new born babies to hundred year olds.”


theirishtimes--2020-12-28--More than 70% of Irish people say they will take Covid-19 vaccine

Some 71 per cent of Irish people say they will get the Covid-19 vaccine , according to a new survey .
The research , which had a random representative sample of 1,001 Irish adults and was conducted by Red C , found that slightly more men said they would get the jab than women , at 76 per cent and 66 per cent respectively .
People in the vulnerable “ over-55s ” category ( 81 per cent ) , as well as those in higher social grades ( 77 per cent ) are most likely to say they will get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ireland is behind the United Kingdom at 81 per cent , but ahead of European countries like Germany ( 65 per cent ) and France ( 44 per cent ) .
The research was conducted as a part of the wider WIN Worldwide Survey , which examined the attitudes and worries of 26,763 people globally regarding the coronavirus pandemic .
The fieldwork for the survey was conducted between October and December , and the margin of error is 2.4-4.4 , with a 95 per cent confidence level .
The global average was computed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adult population of the surveyed countries .
On the performance of government during the Covid-19 crisis , more than six in 10 Irish people felt it performed well in handling the crisis , compared with only 35 per cent of those surveyed in the UK .
Compared with the other 31 countries surveyed , Irish people were on average happier with the government response to the pandemic .
Those in older ( 55+ ) age groups and higher social grades were particularly happy with government actions , while groups disproportionately affected by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) were more critical of government .
Meanwhile , just under half of Irish adults , or 46 per cent , rated the capacity of the Irish health system positively .
One in five Irish people rated it “ very badly ” , with 18- to 34-year-olds being the most critical , the survey found .
Irish people have been less satisfied with the capacity of the health service to cope with the crisis than in most other countries surveyed , including Germany , in which 81 per cent of people viewed the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of vaccines on the horizon , Irish people ’ s confidence in international travel has not yet returned .
Only 38 per cent of Irish people said they were likely to take a foreign holiday next year , though this is above the global average of 29 per cent .
The Irish response is on par with the survey results from the UK , in which 37 per cent said they were likely to travel abroad next year , and Germany at 39 per cent .
Vilma Scarpino , president of Worldwide Independent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ International Association , said the results were a “ valuable tool ” for the forthcoming year .
“ The willingness to get vaccinated is an evidence of the strong desire of getting back to normal , considering that citizens in many countries lack confidence in their health system , ” she said .
“ Based on these results , it will be interesting to see how the predisposition to get vaccinated and travel will change in the first months of the 2021 .
”

Some 71 per cent of Irish people say they will get the Covid-19 vaccine, according to a new survey.
The research, which had a random representative sample of 1,001 Irish adults and was conducted by Red C, found that slightly more men said they would get the jab than women, at 76 per cent and 66 per cent respectively.
People in the vulnerable “over-55s” category (81 per cent), as well as those in higher social grades (77 per cent) are most likely to say they will get the vaccine, the researchers found.
Ireland is behind the United Kingdom at 81 per cent, but ahead of European countries like Germany (65 per cent) and France (44 per cent).
READ MORE
The research was conducted as a part of the wider WIN Worldwide Survey, which examined the attitudes and worries of 26,763 people globally regarding the coronavirus pandemic.
The fieldwork for the survey was conducted between October and December, and the margin of error is 2.4-4.4, with a 95 per cent confidence level.
The global average was computed according to the share of the covered adult population of the surveyed countries.
On the performance of government during the Covid-19 crisis, more than six in 10 Irish people felt it performed well in handling the crisis, compared with only 35 per cent of those surveyed in the UK.
Compared with the other 31 countries surveyed, Irish people were on average happier with the government response to the pandemic.
Those in older (55+) age groups and higher social grades were particularly happy with government actions, while groups disproportionately affected by the crisis (18-34s and lower social grades) were more critical of government.
Health system
Meanwhile, just under half of Irish adults, or 46 per cent, rated the capacity of the Irish health system positively.
One in five Irish people rated it “very badly”, with 18- to 34-year-olds being the most critical, the survey found.
Irish people have been less satisfied with the capacity of the health service to cope with the crisis than in most other countries surveyed, including Germany, in which 81 per cent of people viewed the service positively.
Despite the encouraging news of vaccines on the horizon, Irish people’s confidence in international travel has not yet returned.
Only 38 per cent of Irish people said they were likely to take a foreign holiday next year, though this is above the global average of 29 per cent.
The Irish response is on par with the survey results from the UK, in which 37 per cent said they were likely to travel abroad next year, and Germany at 39 per cent.
Vilma Scarpino, president of Worldwide Independent Network of Market Research (WIN) International Association, said the results were a "valuable tool" for the forthcoming year.
“The willingness to get vaccinated is an evidence of the strong desire of getting back to normal, considering that citizens in many countries lack confidence in their health system,” she said.
“Based on these results, it will be interesting to see how the predisposition to get vaccinated and travel will change in the first months of the 2021.”


theirishtimes--2020-12-28--Covid-19: Call for ‘collective effort’ in North to curb spread

Stormont health Minister Robin Swann has called for a “ huge collective effort ” as Northern Ireland moves into another period of intensified Covid-19 restrictions .
The North on St Stephen ’ s Day entered six weeks of lockdown measures , although the curbs will be reviewed by the Northern Executive after four weeks .
It came as the health department reported 20 coronavirus related deaths and 998 positive cases over the previous 48 hours .
It did not issue any figures on Sunday .
For the first week of restrictions , in an effort to curb Christmas holiday social @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are advised to observe a “ curfew ” and remain at home from 8pm to 6am .
The lockdown applies to the hospitality , retail and leisure sectors .
Organised sport is banned during the lockdown while for the first week of the restrictions elite sport is also prohibited .
Mr Swann , an Ulster Unionist Party member , called on everyone across Northern Ireland to play their part in fighting back against Covid-19 “ in this crucial period ” .
“ We need another huge collective effort across society to push down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We do that by reducing our contacts with others , by staying at home , by keeping our distance from others if we need to be outdoors for good reason , and by wearing a face covering and washing our hands , ” he added .
Mr Swann said he knew 2020 had been tough “ and how fed up we all are with this virus ” but he was confident that people could “ all pull together once again at this critical time ” .
He said “ 2021 is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine roll-out .
We need a concerted and united push in the next few months to get us to a better place.
” Mr Swann said that people must not be tempted to visit friends during this Christmas holiday week .
“ It ’ s not just about complying with the regulations , it ’ s about keeping yourself and others safe , ” he said .
“ A New Year ’ s Eve house party would not just be against the law .
It could be a super-spreader event , could leave @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cost lives .
”

The latest lockdown in NI came as the health department reported 20 coronavirus-related deaths and 998 positive cases over the previous 48 hours. File photograph: PA
Stormont health Minister Robin Swann has called for a "huge collective effort" as Northern Ireland moves into another period of intensified Covid-19 restrictions.
The North on St Stephen’s Day entered six weeks of lockdown measures, although the curbs will be reviewed by the Northern Executive after four weeks. It came as the health department reported 20 coronavirus related deaths and 998 positive cases over the previous 48 hours. It did not issue any figures on Sunday.
For the first week of restrictions, in an effort to curb Christmas holiday social activity such as house parties, people are advised to observe a “curfew” and remain at home from 8pm to 6am.
The lockdown applies to the hospitality, retail and leisure sectors. Organised sport is banned during the lockdown while for the first week of the restrictions elite sport is also prohibited.
READ MORE
Mr Swann, an Ulster Unionist Party member, called on everyone across Northern Ireland to play their part in fighting back against Covid-19 "in this crucial period".
“We need another huge collective effort across society to push down Covid infection rates,” he said.
“We do that by reducing our contacts with others, by staying at home, by keeping our distance from others if we need to be outdoors for good reason, and by wearing a face covering and washing our hands,” he added.
Mr Swann said he knew 2020 had been tough “and how fed up we all are with this virus” but he was confident that people could “all pull together once again at this critical time”.
Northern Ireland’s health Minister Robin Swann. Photograph: Liam McBurney/PA Wire.
He said “2021 is a year of renewed hope with the vaccine roll-out. We need a concerted and united push in the next few months to get us to a better place.”
Mr Swann said that people must not be tempted to visit friends during this Christmas holiday week.
“It’s not just about complying with the regulations, it’s about keeping yourself and others safe,” he said.
“A New Year’s Eve house party would not just be against the law. It could be a super-spreader event, could leave people very seriously ill and could even cost lives.”


theirishtimes--2020-12-28--A most peculiar year for Irish consumers

This time last year on this very page Pricewatch was pretty upbeat about the year ahead .
The economy was going okay , the thorniest Brexit issues seemed to have been resolved with something close to common sense prevailing .
Unemployment had fallen to levels not seen since before the crash and many Irish consumers appeared to be happy to spend money .
There were holidays booked and paid for and all manner of fun family events to plan and to look forward too .
What could possibly go wrong ?
This newspaper carries a short story about a Chinese @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strain of coronavirus linked to a pneumonia outbreak traced to Wuhan where several dozen visitors to a meat and seafood market have taken ill. More than 90 per cent of people who buy gluten-free foods do not have a gluten-related disorder or coeliac disease and mistakenly believe such a diet has health benefits or will help them lose weight , a report from Safefood says .
It suggests one in four people buy gluten-free foods while more than 90 per cent have no medical reason to do so .
The Central Bank says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” 18 years after the old currency ceased to be legal tender .
The people at DAA are upbeat as they announce that 33 million passengers passed through Dublin Airport in 2019 .
It is a new record .
Goodbody is in good form too and says the domestic economy will grow by 3.6 per cent in 2020 but challenges including Brexit , corporate tax reform and housing are threats .
As January ends , confirmed cases of that mystery pneumonia in Wuhan climb well over 10,000 with hundreds dead .
The illness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ World Health Organisation ( WHO ) declares the outbreak “ a public-health emergency of international concern ” .
The Department of Foreign Affairs tells Irish citizens to avoid travel to China .
Red meat still dominates the Irish dinner and plant-based options are consumed less frequently than people claim , Bord Bia says .
It also found that most Irish dinners involve an electronic device such as a television or a smartphone , while Irish people eat significantly fewer desserts than in 2011 .
Plans for a free-for-all at more than 100 tourist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ April are announced as part of a tourism initiative aimed at tempting more people to staycation in 2020 .
A “ marked rebound ” in Irish consumer and business confidence after the threat of a no-deal Brexit receded supports a more optimistic outlook for the economy , the European Commission says .
On February 21st , Italy reports its first coronavirus fatality and its first locally transmitted infection .
Ireland ’ s home Six Nations match against Italy is called off .
Penneys warns of shortages as a result of supply issues in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strips pharmacies and hardware shops bare .
Hand sanitiser can ’ t be found .
Handshaking stops and people experiment with elbow touches and weird foot dances .
At the end of the month a woman in Belfast becomes Ireland ’ s first Covid-19 case having travelled from Italy to Dublin across the Border by train .
British airline Flybe , which connected four Irish airports to cities in the UK , goes into administration following the collapse of last-ditch talks on a bailout from the UK government .
The Department of Foreign @ @ @ @ @ @ @ northern Italy .
Ryanair and Aer Lingus suspend flights there .
Tens of thousands of jobs in tourism are at risk across the country as the number of people from overseas booking holidays in Ireland dries up , hoteliers say .
In Japan , Australia and the United States panicked shoppers stock up on everything from long-life milk to noodles .
We watch videos of people down under fighting in supermarket aisles over toilet paper .
On March 12th , Leo Varadkar in Washington says schools are closing .
People pour into supermarkets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and tinned food – anything with a long shelf life – disappears .
Toilet paper – when it can be found – is rationed .
Flour and yeast have their moment .
There is a dramatic increase in sales of over-the-counter medications as people became “ spooked ” by coronavirus .
Instagram is flooded with images of banana bread .
Supermarkets roll out safety measures including social-distancing rules , more cleaning and disinfecting and dedicated hours for the vulnerable .
A great “ work from home ” experiment starts .
People work out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ways to get things done .
Meetings are faster and less frequent , day-to-day costs fall and time wasted commuting is better spent sleeping , eating , exercising , mindlessly scrolling through Twitter , playing with children and – sometimes – even working .
Public transport and the need for social distancing means buses , trains and trams have their capacity reduced .
Plans for more and better cycle lanes are fast-tracked .
A long-established system of European Union-wide travel protections is close to collapse , says consumer champion Which ?
.
Irish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as travel insurance documents invalidate cover in circumstances such as the spread of coronavirus .
Human traffic through Dublin Airport plummets to more than 90 per cent less than a year earlier .
Private health insurers promise customers discounts as a result of the Government ’ s decision to bring all private hospitals under public control during the coronavirus crisis .
Ireland is now in almost total lockdown .
The acting minister for transport , Shane Ross , considers allowing airlines issue vouchers instead of refunds for cancelled flights .
There is confusion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they must be worn but the WHO voiced concern that wearing them could exacerbate shortages for health workers .
Disposable masks sell here for more than €2 each .
People are willing to pay that money .
Manicures and home baking become unexpected Covid beneficiaries , with sales of nail polish remover , fake nails , hand creams and baking trays going through the roof as people try to keep busy .
The Commission for Aviation Regulation sees a significant rise in complaints over the lack of refunds for cancelled flights .
After @ @ @ @ @ @ @ questions about the reopening of hairdressers and searches for tips on how to cut hair in the absence of professionals .
There is also an eagerness to find out when Penneys might open its doors again .
Airlines react with fury to the European Commission ’ s fresh demand that passengers must be given cash refunds for cancelled flights and can not be forced to accept vouchers instead .
Queues form outside hardware shops and garden centres as an easing of restrictions mean retail outlets in specific categories can reopen for the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the month of reopenings .
Dublin Zoo opens for the first time in almost three months .
Then there are farmers ’ markets , Ikea , Brown Thomas , Penneys , hairdressers , barbers and all the rest .
There are screens at tills , reduced access to changing rooms , queue management and face masks .
Irish people feel considerably more secure when out shopping than consumers in other countries and are growing less anxious about their health and the wider implications of the pandemic , according to a survey from Deloitte @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of relief as the Government fast-tracks the reopening of some of the sector .
From the end of June they are allowed cater for pent-up demand among domestic tourists in July and August .
The likelihood of travel to and from Ireland resuming recedes with Government sources saying there is “ not a chance ” restrictions and quarantine rules will be lifted before the middle of July .
Even when the lifting of restrictions begins , the number of countries Irish people will be allowed to fly to is likely to be extremely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were due to open , are told it can ’ t happen .
The delay is described as “ devastating ” and a “ kick in the teeth ” .
Some parents sending children back to creches after months of closures are being asked to pay up to 10 per cent more for childcare from September , with providers blaming higher costs on the pandemic .
The Government rolls out plans to ease travel restrictions to and from some countries with the publication of a “ green list ” of countries with coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Travellers returning from those countries will not have to self-isolate for 14 days .
A mask rule comes into force in shops and other indoor public settings such as hairdressers and museums .
Those in breach of the rules can be fined up to €2,500 or face six months ’ imprisonment .
The coronavirus crisis has disrupted the sleeping patterns of children and led to an increase in their consumption of so-called junk food , according to research published by Safefood .
Two-thirds of Ireland ’ s pubs will be out of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conditions persist , according to the Vintners ’ Federation of Ireland ( VFI ) .
It says the vast majority of publicans have lost faith in how the Government is handling the pandemic .
Average broadband speeds in Ireland continue to be among the lowest in Europe , according to a global study .
Ireland is in 51st place out of more than 200 countries , with a mean download speed of just under 35 megabits per second .
Irish consumers are the most anxious in Europe , and are increasingly nervous about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and using public transport , according to Deloitte .
A stay-and-spend scheme is launched promising people tax credits of more than €100 if they spend money in restaurants , hotels and cafes .
Dublin ’ s city centre is facing an existential crisis and a fresh shutdown which sees more business closing for good will have a devastating impact with the repercussions felt for decades , business umbrella group Dublin Town warns .
Queues form outside toy shops as people fear another lockdown .
While shelves were not stripped bare as they were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spring , demand for toys definitely spiked .
There are now no European countries on the green list of places where Irish people can travel without any restrictions imposed upon their return home .
People who wear face visors instead of masks to protect themselves from Covid-19 may be putting themselves at greater risk from the illness , with older people particularly vulnerable , experts warn .
Airlines owe at least €25 million to Irish consumers as a result of Covid-19-related flight cancellations , an Oireachtas committee is told .
Ryanair is accused @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is also told airlines are operating virtually empty ghost flights out of Ireland to avoid issuing refunds to passengers unable to travel due to restrictions .
Ireland enters a second six-week lockdown and non-essential retail closes again .
People are told to stay within 5km of their homes , funerals and weddings are restricted and visitors are not allowed into homes .
A version of the national stout stripped of alcohol is launched by Diageo , which says the new Guinness 0.0 looks , smells and surges like the real thing .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all places .
Retailers modify stores to block off products deemed inessential in the wake of widespread Garda interventions aimed at ensuring they were in compliance with lockdown rules .
The middle aisles of the German discounter disappear .
The Minister of State with responsibility for the retail sector , Damien English , is slated for insisting that children ’ s clothes are not essential items under the criteria set down by the Government .
Diageo recalls its alcohol-free Guinness just days before it was due to go on sale in Ireland because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may make it dangerous to drink .
Thousands of people look set to disregard advice not to fly home to Ireland over the Christmas period , despite dire warnings at the weekend that international travel in the weeks ahead will be a “ recipe for disaster ” .
The watchdog which overseas the Irish communications sector is to hold discussions with the Government to see if legislation is needed to force phone and broadband providers to deliver a better standard of care to customers .
Dublin Zoo says it is facing an existential @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its gates for good if it does not find a way to plug an almost €10 million hole in its finances caused by Covid-19 .
It launched a Save Dublin Zoo fundraising programme and within five hours of making its plea had raised more than €1 million from the general public .
Irish shoppers are increasingly using their spending power to support social solidarity , with 50 per cent saying they are happy to spend on products once they are sourced locally , Deloitte ’ s latest state-of-the-consumer tracker says as it points @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The customer care offered by Eir is condemned as “ unacceptable ” at an Oireachtas hearing .
Eir ’ s chief executive , Carolan Lennon , outlines a list of reasons for the problems the company has , including its large size relative to others , the pandemic , the number of staff working from home , staff turnover , retail outlets closed during the lockdown and , weirdly , Sligo .
She also says Eir pays its customer care staff between €21,000 and €23,000 a year .
But denies a wage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ way have anything to do with the problems .
A 300-year-old Chinese vase sells for of €1.2 million at an auction in Co Laois .
The vase sold for 1,000 times more than its list price and was a record at a public Irish art auction .
Ryanair started issuing refund cheques drawn on a German bank to Irish people who used travel agents to book flights cancelled due to the pandemic , and affected customers will likely face substantial bank charges and be forced to go into their banks to lodge the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ starts to reopen again as retailers report a “ fresh buzz ” around town and city centres , with “ manageable ” queues forming .
Air passengers should not automatically be considered high risk for spreading Covid-19 and should be treated like members of the local population who have not had any direct contact with an infected person , according to new European guidelines for air travel .
Pent-up demand for a meal in a restaurant sees a surge of bookings , with the availability of tables for the peak hours between 7pm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sector reopens .
Children who made their First Communion in the time of Coronavirus see their earnings fall as the pandemic hit their holy payday hard , according to the annual Ulster Bank Communion Survey .
While the average windfall fell from €617 last year to €588 in 2020 , more than one in four received less than €200 compared with just 9 per cent who fell into that bracket in 2019 .
Meanwhile , 6 per cent of parents who took part in the research said their child had received more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cent last year .
Christmas tree sales records tumble countrywide as growers and sellers reported surging interest over the course of their busiest weekend of the year as people look to kick-start their festive celebrations in earnest .
The vast majority of Irish consumers want to shop locally this Christmas to support businesses in their community and more than half say they will do most if not all of their shopping close to home this year .
According to research from Visa , 76 per cent of consumers plan to make a conscious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of restrictions to level three last week .
The price of some goods bought by people in Ireland from UK-based websites could increase by more than 40 per cent from January 1st after post-Brexit taxes and charges are added to the list price , Revenue warns .
Consumers will not only face substantial price increases when shopping with UK-based companies but they could also see a substantial reduction in the rights they have when it comes to returns or seeking redress in the event that products are faulty or not as described , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

Grafton Street in Dublin on the first evening that gastropubs and restaurants were allowed reopen again in December under level three Covid-19 restrictions. Photograph: Laura Hutton
This time last year on this very page Pricewatch was pretty upbeat about the year ahead. The economy was going okay, the thorniest Brexit issues seemed to have been resolved with something close to common sense prevailing. Unemployment had fallen to levels not seen since before the crash and many Irish consumers appeared to be happy to spend money. There were holidays booked and paid for and all manner of fun family events to plan and to look forward too. What could possibly go wrong?
January
This newspaper carries a short story about a Chinese visitor to Thailand infected with a new strain of coronavirus linked to a pneumonia outbreak traced to Wuhan where several dozen visitors to a meat and seafood market have taken ill.
More than 90 per cent of people who buy gluten-free foods do not have a gluten-related disorder or coeliac disease and mistakenly believe such a diet has health benefits or will help them lose weight, a report from Safefood says. It suggests one in four people buy gluten-free foods while more than 90 per cent have no medical reason to do so.
The Central Bank says €350 million in punts is “missing” 18 years after the old currency ceased to be legal tender.
READ MORE
The people at DAA are upbeat as they announce that 33 million passengers passed through Dublin Airport in 2019. It is a new record. Goodbody is in good form too and says the domestic economy will grow by 3.6 per cent in 2020 but challenges including Brexit, corporate tax reform and housing are threats.
As January ends, confirmed cases of that mystery pneumonia in Wuhan climb well over 10,000 with hundreds dead. The illness has spread to 17 countries and the World Health Organisation (WHO) declares the outbreak “a public-health emergency of international concern”. The Department of Foreign Affairs tells Irish citizens to avoid travel to China.
February
Red meat still dominates the Irish dinner and plant-based options are consumed less frequently than people claim, Bord Bia says. It also found that most Irish dinners involve an electronic device such as a television or a smartphone, while Irish people eat significantly fewer desserts than in 2011.
The general election takes place. It’s a draw.
Plans for a free-for-all at more than 100 tourist attractions across Ireland in the middle of April are announced as part of a tourism initiative aimed at tempting more people to staycation in 2020.
A “marked rebound” in Irish consumer and business confidence after the threat of a no-deal Brexit receded supports a more optimistic outlook for the economy, the European Commission says.
On February 21st, Italy reports its first coronavirus fatality and its first locally transmitted infection. Ireland’s home Six Nations match against Italy is called off.
Penneys warns of shortages as a result of supply issues in China. Panic buying of face masks strips pharmacies and hardware shops bare. Hand sanitiser can’t be found. Handshaking stops and people experiment with elbow touches and weird foot dances. At the end of the month a woman in Belfast becomes Ireland’s first Covid-19 case having travelled from Italy to Dublin across the Border by train.
March
British airline Flybe, which connected four Irish airports to cities in the UK, goes into administration following the collapse of last-ditch talks on a bailout from the UK government.
The Department of Foreign Affairs warns people against non-essential travel to northern Italy. Ryanair and Aer Lingus suspend flights there.
Tens of thousands of jobs in tourism are at risk across the country as the number of people from overseas booking holidays in Ireland dries up, hoteliers say.
In Japan, Australia and the United States panicked shoppers stock up on everything from long-life milk to noodles. We watch videos of people down under fighting in supermarket aisles over toilet paper.
On March 12th, Leo Varadkar in Washington says schools are closing. People pour into supermarkets, overloading trolleys. Rice, pasta and tinned food – anything with a long shelf life – disappears. Toilet paper – when it can be found – is rationed. Flour and yeast have their moment. There is a dramatic increase in sales of over-the-counter medications as people became “spooked” by coronavirus. Instagram is flooded with images of banana bread. Supermarkets roll out safety measures including social-distancing rules, more cleaning and disinfecting and dedicated hours for the vulnerable.
A great “work from home” experiment starts. People work out new – and arguably more efficient – ways to get things done. Meetings are faster and less frequent, day-to-day costs fall and time wasted commuting is better spent sleeping, eating, exercising, mindlessly scrolling through Twitter, playing with children and – sometimes – even working.
Public transport and the need for social distancing means buses, trains and trams have their capacity reduced. Plans for more and better cycle lanes are fast-tracked.
A long-established system of European Union-wide travel protections is close to collapse, says consumer champion Which?. Irish holidaymakers face huge losses on cancelled holidays as travel insurance documents invalidate cover in circumstances such as the spread of coronavirus. Human traffic through Dublin Airport plummets to more than 90 per cent less than a year earlier.
Private health insurers promise customers discounts as a result of the Government’s decision to bring all private hospitals under public control during the coronavirus crisis.
April
Ireland is now in almost total lockdown. The acting minister for transport, Shane Ross, considers allowing airlines issue vouchers instead of refunds for cancelled flights.
There is confusion over face masks. Some countries mandate they must be worn but the WHO voiced concern that wearing them could exacerbate shortages for health workers. Disposable masks sell here for more than €2 each. People are willing to pay that money.
Manicures and home baking become unexpected Covid beneficiaries, with sales of nail polish remover, fake nails, hand creams and baking trays going through the roof as people try to keep busy.
The Commission for Aviation Regulation sees a significant rise in complaints over the lack of refunds for cancelled flights.
May
After weeks in lockdown people flood Google with questions about the reopening of hairdressers and searches for tips on how to cut hair in the absence of professionals. There is also an eagerness to find out when Penneys might open its doors again.
Airlines react with fury to the European Commission’s fresh demand that passengers must be given cash refunds for cancelled flights and cannot be forced to accept vouchers instead.
Queues form outside hardware shops and garden centres as an easing of restrictions mean retail outlets in specific categories can reopen for the first time in seven weeks.
June
This is the month of reopenings. Dublin Zoo opens for the first time in almost three months. Then there are farmers’ markets, Ikea, Brown Thomas, Penneys, hairdressers, barbers and all the rest. There are screens at tills, reduced access to changing rooms, queue management and face masks.
Irish people feel considerably more secure when out shopping than consumers in other countries and are growing less anxious about their health and the wider implications of the pandemic, according to a survey from Deloitte
Hoteliers and tourism groups breathe a sigh of relief as the Government fast-tracks the reopening of some of the sector. From the end of June they are allowed cater for pent-up demand among domestic tourists in July and August.
The likelihood of travel to and from Ireland resuming recedes with Government sources saying there is “not a chance” restrictions and quarantine rules will be lifted before the middle of July. Even when the lifting of restrictions begins, the number of countries Irish people will be allowed to fly to is likely to be extremely limited.
July
So-called wet pubs, which were due to open, are told it can’t happen. The delay is described as “devastating” and a “kick in the teeth”.
Some parents sending children back to creches after months of closures are being asked to pay up to 10 per cent more for childcare from September, with providers blaming higher costs on the pandemic.
The Government rolls out plans to ease travel restrictions to and from some countries with the publication of a “green list” of countries with coronavirus infection rates similar to Ireland’s. Travellers returning from those countries will not have to self-isolate for 14 days.
August
A mask rule comes into force in shops and other indoor public settings such as hairdressers and museums. Those in breach of the rules can be fined up to €2,500 or face six months’ imprisonment.
The coronavirus crisis has disrupted the sleeping patterns of children and led to an increase in their consumption of so-called junk food, according to research published by Safefood.
Two-thirds of Ireland’s pubs will be out of business by the new year if current conditions persist, according to the Vintners’ Federation of Ireland (VFI). It says the vast majority of publicans have lost faith in how the Government is handling the pandemic.
September
Average broadband speeds in Ireland continue to be among the lowest in Europe, according to a global study. Ireland is in 51st place out of more than 200 countries, with a mean download speed of just under 35 megabits per second.
Irish consumers are the most anxious in Europe, and are increasingly nervous about shopping, eating out, spending money and using public transport, according to Deloitte.
A stay-and-spend scheme is launched promising people tax credits of more than €100 if they spend money in restaurants, hotels and cafes.
Dublin’s city centre is facing an existential crisis and a fresh shutdown which sees more business closing for good will have a devastating impact with the repercussions felt for decades, business umbrella group Dublin Town warns.
October
Queues form outside toy shops as people fear another lockdown. While shelves were not stripped bare as they were during the toilet paper shortages of the spring, demand for toys definitely spiked.
There are now no European countries on the green list of places where Irish people can travel without any restrictions imposed upon their return home.
People who wear face visors instead of masks to protect themselves from Covid-19 may be putting themselves at greater risk from the illness, with older people particularly vulnerable, experts warn.
Airlines owe at least €25 million to Irish consumers as a result of Covid-19-related flight cancellations, an Oireachtas committee is told. Ryanair is accused of dragging its heels. The committee is also told airlines are operating virtually empty ghost flights out of Ireland to avoid issuing refunds to passengers unable to travel due to restrictions.
Ireland enters a second six-week lockdown and non-essential retail closes again. People are told to stay within 5km of their homes, funerals and weddings are restricted and visitors are not allowed into homes.
A version of the national stout stripped of alcohol is launched by Diageo, which says the new Guinness 0.0 looks, smells and surges like the real thing. It makes its debut in Surrey, of all places.
Retailers modify stores to block off products deemed inessential in the wake of widespread Garda interventions aimed at ensuring they were in compliance with lockdown rules. The middle aisles of the German discounter disappear. The Minister of State with responsibility for the retail sector, Damien English, is slated for insisting that children’s clothes are not essential items under the criteria set down by the Government.
November
Diageo recalls its alcohol-free Guinness just days before it was due to go on sale in Ireland because of a “microbiological contamination” which may make it dangerous to drink.
Thousands of people look set to disregard advice not to fly home to Ireland over the Christmas period, despite dire warnings at the weekend that international travel in the weeks ahead will be a “recipe for disaster”.
The watchdog which overseas the Irish communications sector is to hold discussions with the Government to see if legislation is needed to force phone and broadband providers to deliver a better standard of care to customers.
Dublin Zoo says it is facing an existential threat and could be forced to close its gates for good if it does not find a way to plug an almost €10 million hole in its finances caused by Covid-19. It launched a Save Dublin Zoo fundraising programme and within five hours of making its plea had raised more than €1 million from the general public.
Irish shoppers are increasingly using their spending power to support social solidarity, with 50 per cent saying they are happy to spend on products once they are sourced locally, Deloitte’s latest state-of-the-consumer tracker says as it points to the rise of the socially-conscious shopper.
The customer care offered by Eir is condemned as “unacceptable” at an Oireachtas hearing. Eir’s chief executive, Carolan Lennon, outlines a list of reasons for the problems the company has, including its large size relative to others, the pandemic, the number of staff working from home, staff turnover, retail outlets closed during the lockdown and, weirdly, Sligo. She also says Eir pays its customer care staff between €21,000 and €23,000 a year. But denies a wage barely above the minimum could in any way have anything to do with the problems.
A 300-year-old Chinese vase sells for of €1.2 million at an auction in Co Laois. The vase sold for 1,000 times more than its list price and was a record at a public Irish art auction.
Ryanair started issuing refund cheques drawn on a German bank to Irish people who used travel agents to book flights cancelled due to the pandemic, and affected customers will likely face substantial bank charges and be forced to go into their banks to lodge the money as a result.
December
The State starts to reopen again as retailers report a “fresh buzz” around town and city centres, with “manageable” queues forming.
Air passengers should not automatically be considered high risk for spreading Covid-19 and should be treated like members of the local population who have not had any direct contact with an infected person, according to new European guidelines for air travel.
Pent-up demand for a meal in a restaurant sees a surge of bookings, with the availability of tables for the peak hours between 7pm and 9pm limited across the country as the sector reopens.
Children who made their First Communion in the time of Coronavirus see their earnings fall as the pandemic hit their holy payday hard, according to the annual Ulster Bank Communion Survey. While the average windfall fell from €617 last year to €588 in 2020, more than one in four received less than €200 compared with just 9 per cent who fell into that bracket in 2019. Meanwhile, 6 per cent of parents who took part in the research said their child had received more than €1,000, down from 13 per cent last year.
Christmas tree sales records tumble countrywide as growers and sellers reported surging interest over the course of their busiest weekend of the year as people look to kick-start their festive celebrations in earnest.
The vast majority of Irish consumers want to shop locally this Christmas to support businesses in their community and more than half say they will do most if not all of their shopping close to home this year. According to research from Visa, 76 per cent of consumers plan to make a conscious effort to shop local following the relaxing of restrictions to level three last week.
The price of some goods bought by people in Ireland from UK-based websites could increase by more than 40 per cent from January 1st after post-Brexit taxes and charges are added to the list price, Revenue warns. Consumers will not only face substantial price increases when shopping with UK-based companies but they could also see a substantial reduction in the rights they have when it comes to returns or seeking redress in the event that products are faulty or not as described, the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission says.


theirishtimes--2020-12-27--Man charged in connection with filling station robbery in Co Donegal

A man has been charged in connection with the robbery of a filling station on Circular Road , Ballyboe , @ @ @ @ @ on Sunday morning .
The man , aged in his 20s , had been arrested @ @ @ @ @ and brought to Letterkenny Garda station .
He is due to appear before Carrick-on-Shannon District @ @ @ @ @ .

A man has been arrested following a robbery at a filling station in Co Donegal. File photograph: Frank Miller/The Irish Times
A man has been charged in connection with the robbery of a filling station on Circular Road, Ballyboe, Glencar, Co Donegal, on Sunday morning.
The man, aged in his 20s, had been arrested on Sunday following the incident and brought to Letterkenny Garda station.
He is due to appear before Carrick-on-Shannon District Court on Monday at 10.30am.


theirishtimes--2020-12-27--All is calm in Christmas sales, as retailers say rules lack clarity

The streets of Dublin , normally filled with shoppers seeking bargains in the post-Christmas sales , were quiet across the weekend as a result of public health restrictions .
While non-essential retail is permitted to reopen under the Government ’ s revised Covid-19 measures , the sector has been requested to defer any large sales they had planned in order to reduce the number of people queuing and congregating .
It seems most retailers have followed that request , with a noticeable decrease in signage on shopfronts declaring sales .
Vincent Brady , shop manager at Next on Henry Street @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to know what to do .
The shop has no sale signs and has instead marked on the tags in black pen if any of the items can be purchased for a reduced price .
The retailer normally has one of the biggest sales of the post-Christmas period , with queues gathering outside their shops nationwide just before they reopen .
“ We obviously don ’ t have a sale on [ in store this year ] , ” he says .
“ There is sale stock kicking about but we haven ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ...
There ’ s not a lot of sale on the floor .
We don ’ t know what we ’ re allowed to do.
” “ It ’ s very unclear .
Some customers came in and they thought we just weren ’ t allowed to advertise the sale on the windows , but allowed to have the sale in the store but we didn ’ t think that was right .
We were told to postpone the sale .
That ’ s what Next has done.
” He adds : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ asked to postpone , but what does that mean ?
Does that mean it ’ s a legal thing or just a suggestion ?
” Just down the road in Arnotts , three staff members in the beauty hall can not believe how quiet it is , particularly in light of the pre-Christmas rush .
At the Liffey Street entrance of the store , the real-time counter says there are just over 600 customers across the four floors before lunchtime on Sunday .
“ I knew it would be quiet , but I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ like this , ” one staff member tells her colleagues .
“ It feels like we ’ ve more staff than customers.
” Her other colleague nods her head in agreement .
“ You should have seen it yesterday morning .
It was even worse.
” In both Arnotts and its sister store Brown Thomas , there are signs on the doors saying : “ While our winter sale is now online only , our store is still open with current seasonal offers continuing.
” The stands throughout the shops have small red @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to price reductions .
Shopper Thomas Morrim , leaving Brown Thomas with some seasonal offers , says he always goes shopping in the days after Christmas , but this year is very different .
“ It is so quiet .
We were in Stephen ’ s Green shopping centre this morning and it was practically empty .
It ’ s much nicer .
It ’ s been a productive and enjoyable day while we ’ re browsing.
” Despite the ban on sales , Morrim says many shops in the city have good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there are plenty of sales .
Places are saying the offers are online only but when you go inside , they ’ re available.
” While Dublin city is quiet , some shopping centres in the suburbs have been busier , including Pavilions Shopping Centre in Swords , where there are queues outside most shops , particularly those selling sportswear .
The manager of one clothing retailer says that although money is coming in slower , she is surprised by how many people are out shopping considering Level 5 restrictions are in place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but a few minutes ago there was a queue half way up the centre .
We don ’ t have a sale on at all – it was scrapped .
We only have the few seasonal discounts , but we have them all-year round .
I think it ’ s that people got some money for Christmas and [ they ] just want to use it.
” Standing in the queue outside Zara , Joanne , who does not want to give her surname , says she has gone shopping on a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get out of the house but there are a lot more sales than I expected .
I thought I wouldn ’ t get anything at a reduced price but there are still some good deals.
” “ I got some vouchers and there are some things I ’ ve been looking for , so I just said , why not ?
”

The streets of Dublin, normally filled with shoppers seeking bargains in the post-Christmas sales, were quiet across the weekend as a result of public health restrictions.
While non-essential retail is permitted to reopen under the Government’s revised Covid-19 measures, the sector has been requested to defer any large sales they had planned in order to reduce the number of people queuing and congregating.
It seems most retailers have followed that request, with a noticeable decrease in signage on shopfronts declaring sales.
Vincent Brady, shop manager at Next on Henry Street, says it is difficult for retailers to know what to do. The shop has no sale signs and has instead marked on the tags in black pen if any of the items can be purchased for a reduced price.
READ MORE
The retailer normally has one of the biggest sales of the post-Christmas period, with queues gathering outside their shops nationwide just before they reopen.
“We obviously don’t have a sale on [in store this year],” he says. “There is sale stock kicking about but we haven’t marked it down at all yet ... There’s not a lot of sale on the floor. We don’t know what we’re allowed to do.”
“It’s very unclear. Some customers came in and they thought we just weren’t allowed to advertise the sale on the windows, but allowed to have the sale in the store but we didn’t think that was right. We were told to postpone the sale. That’s what Next has done.”
He adds: “The guidelines just said retailers were being asked to postpone, but what does that mean? Does that mean it’s a legal thing or just a suggestion?”
Quiet Arnotts
Just down the road in Arnotts, three staff members in the beauty hall cannot believe how quiet it is, particularly in light of the pre-Christmas rush. At the Liffey Street entrance of the store, the real-time counter says there are just over 600 customers across the four floors before lunchtime on Sunday.
“I knew it would be quiet, but I hadn’t expected it to be like this,” one staff member tells her colleagues. “It feels like we’ve more staff than customers.”
Her other colleague nods her head in agreement. “You should have seen it yesterday morning. It was even worse.”
People on Henry Street in Dublin. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire
Henry Street in Dublin. Photograph: Tom Honan
Shoppers on Grafton Street. Photograph: Tom Honan
In both Arnotts and its sister store Brown Thomas, there are signs on the doors saying: “While our winter sale is now online only, our store is still open with current seasonal offers continuing.”
The stands throughout the shops have small red signs over certain products, alerting customers to price reductions.
Shopper Thomas Morrim, leaving Brown Thomas with some seasonal offers, says he always goes shopping in the days after Christmas, but this year is very different.
“It is so quiet. We were in Stephen’s Green shopping centre this morning and it was practically empty. It’s much nicer. It’s been a productive and enjoyable day while we’re browsing.”
Despite the ban on sales, Morrim says many shops in the city have good offers.
“We’re finding there are plenty of sales. Places are saying the offers are online only but when you go inside, they’re available.”
Busier suburbs
While Dublin city is quiet, some shopping centres in the suburbs have been busier, including Pavilions Shopping Centre in Swords, where there are queues outside most shops, particularly those selling sportswear.
The manager of one clothing retailer says that although money is coming in slower, she is surprised by how many people are out shopping considering Level 5 restrictions are in place.
“It’s okay now, but a few minutes ago there was a queue half way up the centre. We don’t have a sale on at all – it was scrapped. We only have the few seasonal discounts, but we have them all-year round. I think it’s that people got some money for Christmas and [they] just want to use it.”
Standing in the queue outside Zara, Joanne, who does not want to give her surname, says she has gone shopping on a whim.
“I just decided to get out of the house but there are a lot more sales than I expected. I thought I wouldn’t get anything at a reduced price but there are still some good deals.”
“I got some vouchers and there are some things I’ve been looking for, so I just said, why not?”


theirishtimes--2020-12-27--Eamon Ryan says case for extending Western Rail Corridor to Claremorris is weak

The case for extending the Western Rail Corridor from Athenry to Claremorris is weak , Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan has said , but he wants a “ wider review ” to see if there is a case for the development of the Claremorris line in a larger context .
He said he would like to see a rail review that looked at the potential for the line in the context of the overall rail network in the region , a State-wide review that also covered the potential for freight , consideration of the Waterford to Limerick line , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will say , ‘ Jaysus , another bloody rail review ’ , but I think it ’ s [ about ] asking the right question , which is the wider question .
And in the meantime , we ’ re not going to open the line immediately but we ’ re not going to rule it out in the future.
” Speaking to journalists , Mr Ryan also said that from what he had read , the current Covid-19 pandemic was connected to the huge stress the natural world is under .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to publish two reports into the potential of the Claremorris-Tuam-Athenry line shortly .
The reports , one by EY and another by Jaspers , do not come down in favour of developing the line , Mr Ryan said , but the main report , the EY report , considered “ the slightly narrow question ” , which was : would it be viable to deliver a commuter rail service from the likes of Tuam or Claremorris to Galway if you extended the Western Rail Corridor ?
When railway services were originally extended from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wouldn ’ t work , that no one would ever use them , he said .
“ And what happened ?
It was packed out , [ has ] been a huge success .
Irish people love public transport ; when we open it up , they tend to use it.
” Likewise , the service between Ennis and Galway had beaten expectations in terms of the number of users .
“ So the question is , ‘ Do we keep going ?
’ ” He said neither of the two reports decided @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extended to Claremorris .
The EY report found that the numbers who would likely use the line from Claremorris and Tuam into Galway are relatively small , and that it would be better to make this journey by bus , rather than by train via Athenry .
The Jaspers report also found there would be little commuter demand .
Mr Ryan said there was “ significant potential ” for a zinc deposit in the Limerick area that in turn would create a potential need for a rail freight service .
That would quite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ into the port at Foynes in Co Limerick , with a rail line right down to the dock , he said .
For Foynes to get European status as a Tier 2 port , a top level port , it would need rail freight connectivity .
The Minister also said the development of the rail service in Limerick could lead to a modern metropolitan system that would in turn promote local development .
“ I want to go to the European Union ’ s Recovery and Resilience fund and say : ‘ Let @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Ryan also said he has people coming to him saying the best region for offshore wind energy is the northwest .
He said that it was in the context of the region having a clean energy source , a reliable water source , a rail network , and connectivity to a port , that the viability of the line to Claremorris should be viewed .
“ It ’ s not just serving Tuam or Claremorris .
It ’ s about connecting up the rest of the northwestern rail system to that deep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do a wider rail review and look at the entire network to see , what is the potential development for freight , what is the use of underutilised rail lines , the likes of the Waterford to Limerick line , because if you are doing that [ development ] to Limerick , can you connect on to the Limerick to Waterford line to use it rather than close it ?
And that wider review we ’ re going to do next year.
” On the issue of climate change and the Covid-19 pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he had read , the pandemic was connected to the huge stress the natural world is under , both from the loss of biodiversity and climate change .
“ Protecting the natural world is also protecting ourselves , protecting our health , ” he said .

Green Party leader Eamon Ryan has said that from what he had read, the current Covid-19 pandemic was connected to the huge stress the natural world is under. File photograph: Gareth Chaney/Collins
The case for extending the Western Rail Corridor from Athenry to Claremorris is weak, Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan has said, but he wants a "wider review" to see if there is a case for the development of the Claremorris line in a larger context.
He said he would like to see a rail review that looked at the potential for the line in the context of the overall rail network in the region, a State-wide review that also covered the potential for freight, consideration of the Waterford to Limerick line, and other matters.
“I know everyone will say, ‘Jaysus, another bloody rail review’, but I think it’s [about] asking the right question, which is the wider question. And in the meantime, we’re not going to open the line immediately but we’re not going to rule it out in the future.”
Speaking to journalists, Mr Ryan also said that from what he had read, the current Covid-19 pandemic was connected to the huge stress the natural world is under.
READ MORE
The Green Party leader said that he planned to publish two reports into the potential of the Claremorris-Tuam-Athenry line shortly.
The reports, one by EY and another by Jaspers, do not come down in favour of developing the line, Mr Ryan said, but the main report, the EY report, considered "the slightly narrow question", which was: would it be viable to deliver a commuter rail service from the likes of Tuam or Claremorris to Galway if you extended the Western Rail Corridor?
When railway services were originally extended from Limerick to Ennis, everyone said it wouldn’t work, that no one would ever use them, he said.
“And what happened? It was packed out, [has] been a huge success. Irish people love public transport; when we open it up, they tend to use it.”
Likewise, the service between Ennis and Galway had beaten expectations in terms of the number of users.
“So the question is, ‘Do we keep going?’”
Report results
He said neither of the two reports decided that the Western Rail Corridor should be extended to Claremorris.
The EY report found that the numbers who would likely use the line from Claremorris and Tuam into Galway are relatively small , and that it would be better to make this journey by bus, rather than by train via Athenry. The Jaspers report also found there would be little commuter demand.
Mr Ryan said there was “significant potential” for a zinc deposit in the Limerick area that in turn would create a potential need for a rail freight service.
That would quite naturally lead to a railway freight capability into the port at Foynes in Co Limerick, with a rail line right down to the dock, he said.
For Foynes to get European status as a Tier 2 port, a top level port, it would need rail freight connectivity.
The Minister also said the development of the rail service in Limerick could lead to a modern metropolitan system that would in turn promote local development.
“I want to go to the European Union’s Recovery and Resilience fund and say: ‘Let’s invest in this.’”
Offshore wind
Mr Ryan also said he has people coming to him saying the best region for offshore wind energy is the northwest.
He said that it was in the context of the region having a clean energy source, a reliable water source, a rail network, and connectivity to a port, that the viability of the line to Claremorris should be viewed.
“It’s not just serving Tuam or Claremorris. It’s about connecting up the rest of the northwestern rail system to that deep sea port.
“We want to do a wider rail review and look at the entire network to see, what is the potential development for freight, what is the use of underutilised rail lines, the likes of the Waterford to Limerick line, because if you are doing that [development] to Limerick, can you connect on to the Limerick to Waterford line to use it rather than close it? And that wider review we’re going to do next year.”
On the issue of climate change and the Covid-19 pandemic, Mr Ryan said that from what he had read, the pandemic was connected to the huge stress the natural world is under, both from the loss of biodiversity and climate change.
“Protecting the natural world is also protecting ourselves, protecting our health,” he said.


theirishtimes--2020-12-27--Journalist Donal Musgrave (78) dies after long illness

Journalist Donal Musgrave has died in Cork following a long illness .
A former chief leader writer and news editor at the Examiner newspaper , and previously Munster Correspondent for The Irish Times , he had also worked for Sunday Tribune and the Irish Press newspaper in Dublin and London .
From Newcastle West , Co Limerick , he attended Blackrock College in Dublin , Coláiste na Rinne in Waterford and later Maynooth College .
In the early 1960s , he began his career as a journalist , in London , with a series of articles on the homeless for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , continued to write obituaries for The Irish Times and leaders for the Examiner .
Among his major reporting assignments in the 1960s were Synods of Bishops in Rome , the 1966 Aberfan coal tip disaster in Wales , the Biafran war in Nigeria , the civil rights marches and subsequent Troubles in Northern Ireland .
Other major stories covered by Musgrave included the 1973 Claudia gun running in Co Waterford , the first Irish trade mission to China in 1978 , and the 1979 Betelgeuse explosion at Whiddy Island .
He also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ off the Cork coast .
In 2017 , and after “ 54 years of journalism , typing rapidly with just two fingers , ” as he put in an article for this newspaper , he began to notice a tremor in his hands .
“ To say that it was sudden is not entirely true because I first became aware about a year and a half ago of what my GP subsequently diagnosed as a ‘ benign essential tremor ’ , ” he said .
“ To be honest , the shock really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up a lifetime hobby of tying salmon flies for fear of impaling myself on the sharp hooks as my tremor became more pronounced , ” he said .
A keen angler all his life , he fished the Lee and on the Owenmore river at Bangor Erris in Co Mayo over many decades .
His found that his own “ once neat handwriting is no longer legible.
” To continue his journalism he began to use speech-recognition software .
Musgrave , who was 78 , is survived by his wife Shirley , daughter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Galligan , daughter-in-law Emer Maher , and five grand children .

Journalist Donal Musgrave has died in Cork following a long illness.
A former chief leader writer and news editor at the Examiner newspaper, and previously Munster Correspondent for The Irish Times, he had also worked for Sunday Tribune and the Irish Press newspaper in Dublin and London.
From Newcastle West, Co Limerick, he attended Blackrock College in Dublin, Coláiste na Rinne in Waterford and later Maynooth College.
In the early 1960s, he began his career as a journalist, in London, with a series of articles on the homeless for the Catholic Herald and, following retirement, continued to write obituaries for The Irish Times and leaders for the Examiner.
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Among his major reporting assignments in the 1960s were Synods of Bishops in Rome, the 1966 Aberfan coal tip disaster in Wales,the Biafran war in Nigeria, the civil rights marches and subsequent Troubles in Northern Ireland.
Other major stories covered by Musgrave included the 1973 Claudia gun running in Co Waterford, the first Irish trade mission to China in 1978, and the 1979 Betelgeuse explosion at Whiddy Island. He also reported on the 1985 Air India disaster off the Cork coast.
Tremor
In 2017, and after “54 years of journalism, typing rapidly with just two fingers,” as he put in an article for this newspaper, he began to notice a tremor in his hands.
“To say that it was sudden is not entirely true because I first became aware about a year and a half ago of what my GP subsequently diagnosed as a ‘benign essential tremor’,” he said.
"To be honest, the shock really hit me when I had to give up a lifetime hobby of tying salmon flies for fear of impaling myself on the sharp hooks as my tremor became more pronounced," he said. A keen angler all his life, he fished the Lee and on the Owenmore river at Bangor Erris in Co Mayo over many decades.
His found that his own “once neat handwriting is no longer legible.” To continue his journalism he began to use speech-recognition software.
President Michael D. Higgins paid tribute to Musgrave whose "work spanned a range of titles that make up the history of Irish journalism". He was "recognised as a mentor to many in journalism, he will be remembered for a professionalism that included a kindness and a deep concern for the issues on which he reported”.
Musgrave, who was 78, is survived by his wife Shirley, daughter Katie, son Darragh, son-in-law Paul Galligan, daughter-in-law Emer Maher, and five grand children.


theirishtimes--2020-12-27--Séamus Woulfe is not listed for any Supreme Court hearing up to early March

The Supreme Court judge Mr Justice Séamus Woulfe is not yet listed for a hearing of the court up to and including the beginning of March .
A list of the next tranche of cases to be heard by the court was published on December 22nd , and includes cases to be heard up to March 4th , and the judges who had been assigned to hear the cases .
However , it is understood the cases listed for the court in the period would have involved matters to do with his period as attorney general , and therefore he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in on those cases .
Mr Justice Woulfe is listed to deal with leave to appeal matters with his colleagues during the period .
Mr Justice Woulfe was appointed a member of the court in July but was soon thereafter embroiled in the so-called Golfgate controversy following his attendance at an Oireachtas Golf Society dinner despite coronavirus public health guidance at the time , which resulted in an extraordinary exchange of correspondence between Mr Justice Woulfe and the Chief Justice , Mr Justice Frank Clarke , who among other functions assigns judges to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which has been published , the Chief Justice expressed his personal view that Mr Justice Woulfe should resign from the court .
However , in a letter to the Chief Justice dated November 9th , Mr Justice Woulfe said he did not consider it in any way appropriate that he should resign .
He also noted that he had been told that he would not be assigned to sit to hear any cases in the Supreme Court “ until February 2021 ” .
A total of 10 cases are listed to be heard @ @ @ @ @ @ @ March 4th .
As well as hearing cases , judges of the Supreme Court work on the delivery of rulings , as well as considering applications for appeals to be heard by the court .
The latter work is done in private , and would not be mentioned on the published list .
Mr Justice Woulfe has not as yet sat in on any hearings so can not work on the delivery of any rulings .

The Supreme Court judge Mr Justice Séamus Woulfe is not yet listed for a hearing of the court up to and including the beginning of March. File photograph: Nick Bradshaw
The Supreme Court judge Mr Justice Séamus Woulfe is not yet listed for a hearing of the court up to and including the beginning of March.
A list of the next tranche of cases to be heard by the court was published on December 22nd, and includes cases to be heard up to March 4th, and the judges who had been assigned to hear the cases.
However, it is understood the cases listed for the court in the period would have involved matters to do with his period as attorney general, and therefore he would not have been expected to sit in on those cases.
Mr Justice Woulfe is listed to deal with leave to appeal matters with his colleagues during the period.
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Mr Justice Woulfe was appointed a member of the court in July but was soon thereafter embroiled in the so-called Golfgate controversy following his attendance at an Oireachtas Golf Society dinner despite coronavirus public health guidance at the time, which resulted in an extraordinary exchange of correspondence between Mr Justice Woulfe and the Chief Justice, Mr Justice Frank Clarke, who among other functions assigns judges to hear cases.
In the correspondence, which has been published, the Chief Justice expressed his personal view that Mr Justice Woulfe should resign from the court.
However, in a letter to the Chief Justice dated November 9th, Mr Justice Woulfe said he did not consider it in any way appropriate that he should resign.
He also noted that he had been told that he would not be assigned to sit to hear any cases in the Supreme Court “until February 2021”.
A total of 10 cases are listed to be heard by the court between January 11th and March 4th.
As well as hearing cases, judges of the Supreme Court work on the delivery of rulings, as well as considering applications for appeals to be heard by the court.
The latter work is done in private, and would not be mentioned on the published list.
Mr Justice Woulfe has not as yet sat in on any hearings so cannot work on the delivery of any rulings.


theirishtimes--2020-12-27--Many now carrying heavy crosses due to Covid-19, Catholic Primate says

Covid-19 has left people feeling “ uncertainty about the future , weariness with the ongoing restrictions ” and fear “ with talk of new waves and new variants of the virus ” , Catholic Primate Archbisho p Eamon Martin has said .
“ With the restrictions , there has been much sadness and disappointment in many families that loved ones have been unable to travel home , ” he said .
“ Many of the usual family ‘ get-togethers ’ , customs and visits have been curtailed or disrupted completely , or gone virtual , or simply treasured and stored @ @ @ @ @ @ @ year , please God.
” Speaking at Mass in St Patrick ’ s Church at Pennyburn in Derry , Archbishop Martin recalled how “ since the beginning of the pandemic many families among us have had to carry heavy crosses of separation , sickness , grief and loss , worries about employment and finances , or simply missing those comforting family rituals of being together , visiting , and being close and present to each other in the normal way ” .
He advised that the “ three gifts of serenity , courage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ families this Christmas – jostled as we are with the ongoing Covid19 crisis ” .
In Dublin , Catholic Archbishop Diarmuid Martin said “ believers are saddened at restrictions on access to public worship in our Churches.
” Restrictions on public worship came into force again on St Stephen ’ s Day .
“ Today and in the coming days we have to realise that we may find Jesus in unexpected places .
I am not saying that restrictions in public worship are inappropriate .
They can be justified for a limited time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a human emergency , ” he said in his Christmas sermon .
“ The pandemic is a call to find in life values that our consumer society can easily let fall into the background of our mentality .
The absence of being able to attend public worship should help us to seek a more integral understanding of what worship means , ” he said in his Christmas sermon .
Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin Michael Jackson said “ we must never forget that , in the distribution and the application of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ issues of which we , in our own eagerness , might lose sight .
“ We have neither permission nor entitlement to ease up in our vigilance or in our compliance .
We and countless millions live in an unburst cloud of grief and loss and bereavement .
Countless people suffer daily , indeed hourly , from human separation .
We can never forget those who have died in the time of the coronavirus , ” he said .
“ We are not asked to be individual Public Health Experts ; we are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ actions of others in our community ; we are asked to watch out for each other carefully and positively and kindly and to do the same things for ourselves as for others by continuing the simple things : ‘ Keep our distance ; Wash our hands ; Wear our masks ; Limit our contacts ; Opt for ventilation ’ .
” Campaign group the Iona Institute said religious leaders should challenge the “ latest ban on public worship ” .
It said “ public worship has been effectively banned again in Ireland because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Leo Varadkar has indicated that the new level 5 restrictions could continue for two months ” .
Religious leaders in Ireland “ should strongly question whether the move is proportionate given the very strong safety measures churches have successfully introduced during the periods when we could attend Mass and other religious services , ” it said .
“ In France , Germany , Belgium , Switzerland and the US , legal challenges have been successfully mounted against overly-strict curbs on religious worship .
”

Covid-19 has left people feeling "uncertainty about the future, weariness with the ongoing restrictions" and fear "with talk of new waves and new variants of the virus", Catholic Primate Archbisho p Eamon Martin has said.
“With the restrictions, there has been much sadness and disappointment in many families that loved ones have been unable to travel home,” he said.
“Many of the usual family ‘get-togethers’, customs and visits have been curtailed or disrupted completely, or gone virtual, or simply treasured and stored away again in the memory until next year, please God.”
Speaking at Mass in St Patrick’s Church at Pennyburn in Derry, Archbishop Martin recalled how “since the beginning of the pandemic many families among us have had to carry heavy crosses of separation, sickness, grief and loss, worries about employment and finances, or simply missing those comforting family rituals of being together, visiting, and being close and present to each other in the normal way”.
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He advised that the “three gifts of serenity, courage and wisdom are much needed in our families this Christmas – jostled as we are with the ongoing Covid19 crisis”.
In Dublin, Catholic Archbishop Diarmuid Martin said “believers are saddened at restrictions on access to public worship in our Churches.” Restrictions on public worship came into force again on St Stephen’s Day.
Unexpected places
“Today and in the coming days we have to realise that we may find Jesus in unexpected places. I am not saying that restrictions in public worship are inappropriate. They can be justified for a limited time and in a proportionate manner to respond to a human emergency,” he said in his Christmas sermon.
“The pandemic is a call to find in life values that our consumer society can easily let fall into the background of our mentality. The absence of being able to attend public worship should help us to seek a more integral understanding of what worship means,” he said in his Christmas sermon.
Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin Michael Jackson said "we must never forget that, in the distribution and the application of the vaccine, there are substantial justice issues of which we, in our own eagerness, might lose sight.
“We have neither permission nor entitlement to ease up in our vigilance or in our compliance. We and countless millions live in an unburst cloud of grief and loss and bereavement. Countless people suffer daily, indeed hourly, from human separation. We can never forget those who have died in the time of the coronavirus,” he said.
“We are not asked to be individual Public Health Experts; we are not asked to be Covid–police of the actions of others in our community; we are asked to watch out for each other carefully and positively and kindly and to do the same things for ourselves as for others by continuing the simple things: ‘Keep our distance; Wash our hands; Wear our masks; Limit our contacts; Opt for ventilation’.”
Campaign group the Iona Institute said religious leaders should challenge the "latest ban on public worship". It said "public worship has been effectively banned again in Ireland because of the increase in Covid case numbers. Leo Varadkar has indicated that the new level 5 restrictions could continue for two months".
Religious leaders in Ireland “should strongly question whether the move is proportionate given the very strong safety measures churches have successfully introduced during the periods when we could attend Mass and other religious services,” it said.
“In France, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland and the US, legal challenges have been successfully mounted against overly-strict curbs on religious worship.”


theirishtimes--2020-12-27--Covid-19: Four deaths and 744 cases reported as Holohan warns of ‘deteriorating’ situation

A further 744 cases of Covid-19 and four deaths have been reported to the National Public Health Emergency Team ( Nphet ) , which believes the disease is circulating at a higher rate than the numbers reflect .
In a statement on Sunday evening , the Department of Health said a total of 86,129 cases have been confirmed in the State to date and 2,204 deaths related to the disease have been reported since the pandemic began .
Sunday ’ s numbers were considerably lower than the record 1,296 cases reported a day earlier , but chief medical officer Dr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the fact that fewer tests were carried out on Christmas Day and St Stephen ’ s Day .
He said that Nphet believes “ there are higher levels of disease circulating in the community than today ’ s reported numbers reflect ” .
“ We expect , therefore , to see a large increase in cases reported over the coming days , ” he added .
Of the latest cases , 246 were in Dublin with 131 in Cork , 51 in Limerick , 40 in Wexford , 33 in Donegal and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ counties .
The department said 64 per cent of cases were among people aged under 45 , with a median age of 34 .
It said 388 of those who tested positive were men and 354 were women .
There are currently 324 Covid-19 patients in hospital , with 26 people with the disease in intensive care .
“ We have seen a significant increase in the number of hospitalisations in the last two weeks from less than 190 to 324 today , ” Dr Holohan said .
“ This indicates a deteriorating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reminder of the severity of this disease .
“ There have been further increases across key indicators of Covid-19 right across the country and the growth rate of the epidemic has accelerated in recent days.
” The 14-day incidence rate stands at 209.6 cases per 100,000 people nationally , with the highest rates in Donegal ( 425.9 ) and Wexford ( 348.6 ) .
The incidence rate in Dublin is 249.1 with the lowest levels in Leitrim ( 68.7 ) and Offaly ( 83.4 ) .
Meanwhile , Tánaiste Leo Varadkar on Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would rise at the rate seen in recent days .
Mr Varadkar told Newstalk ’ s On The Record programme that the State ’ s recent six week lockdown “ didn ’ t work to the extent we hoped it would ” and that health authorities did not expect “ the numbers would rise so quickly ” after restrictions were relaxed .
HSE chief executive Paul Reid on Sunday acknowledged that Covid-19 case numbers had reached “ alarming levels ” .
He said around 23,000 tests had been completed in one day - @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demand and that positivity levels were reaching 10 per cent on some days .
Mr Reid also expressed concern about the number of contacts people had , saying the average had risen from around 2.5 to more than five per confirmed case , with 10 or 15 contacts in some instances .
Demand on the contact tracing service had increased due day to more confirmed cases and individuals infected with the disease having been meeting more people , he said .
He said the number of people hospitalised with Covid-19 had risen “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from 255 on Christmas Eve .
However , the number of people in intensive care with the virus remains manageable at 22 .
Asked whether hospitals would be able to cope during the usually busy period after Christmas , Mr Reid said the health system was in a “ much stronger position ” than in previous years with about 82 per cent less people on trolleys .
“ We ’ re going in stronger but it ’ s equally very volatile ” , he cautioned .
On the decision to allow non-essential retail @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said that if Nphet advised that “ closing non-essential retail would only make a small difference in cases then you have to ask is it worth all the other consequences and bear in mind any restrictions we have in place now are going to be there for a prolonged period , now we have the vaccine ” .
“ If a critical mass of people have the vaccine , first of all you will see the mortality rate fall because if those most at risk of getting sick or dying are vaccinated you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and the incidence rate falling.
” However , he did not see gatherings of 50 people or more taking place again “ until the summer ” .

A 78-year-old French former cleaning lady, a 96-year-old Spaniard in a care home and a 29-year-old Italian nurse became some of the first people in the EU to receive the BioNTech/Pfizer vaccine against coronavirus.
A further 744 cases of Covid-19 and four deaths have been reported to the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet), which believes the disease is circulating at a higher rate than the numbers reflect.
In a statement on Sunday evening, the Department of Health said a total of 86,129 cases have been confirmed in the State to date and 2,204 deaths related to the disease have been reported since the pandemic began.
Sunday’s numbers were considerably lower than the record 1,296 cases reported a day earlier, but chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said he believed this reflected the fact that fewer tests were carried out on Christmas Day and St Stephen’s Day.
He said that Nphet believes “there are higher levels of disease circulating in the community than today’s reported numbers reflect”.
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“We expect, therefore, to see a large increase in cases reported over the coming days,” he added.
Of the latest cases, 246 were in Dublin with 131 in Cork, 51 in Limerick, 40 in Wexford, 33 in Donegal and the remaining 243 cases were spread across 19 counties.
The department said 64 per cent of cases were among people aged under 45, with a median age of 34. It said 388 of those who tested positive were men and 354 were women.
There are currently 324 Covid-19 patients in hospital, with 26 people with the disease in intensive care.
“We have seen a significant increase in the number of hospitalisations in the last two weeks from less than 190 to 324 today,” Dr Holohan said. “This indicates a deteriorating disease trajectory nationally and is a significant reminder of the severity of this disease.
“There have been further increases across key indicators of Covid-19 right across the country and the growth rate of the epidemic has accelerated in recent days.”
The 14-day incidence rate stands at 209.6 cases per 100,000 people nationally, with the highest rates in Donegal (425.9) and Wexford (348.6). The incidence rate in Dublin is 249.1 with the lowest levels in Leitrim (68.7) and Offaly (83.4).
Not anticipated
Meanwhile, Tánaiste Leo Varadkar on Sunday said that nobody anticipated that Covid-19 cases would rise at the rate seen in recent days.
Mr Varadkar told Newstalk’s On The Record programme that the State’s recent six week lockdown “didn’t work to the extent we hoped it would” and that health authorities did not expect “the numbers would rise so quickly” after restrictions were relaxed.
HSE chief executive Paul Reid on Sunday acknowledged that Covid-19 case numbers had reached “alarming levels”.
He said around 23,000 tests had been completed in one day - a new record - due to increased demand and that positivity levels were reaching 10 per cent on some days.
Rising contacts
Mr Reid also expressed concern about the number of contacts people had, saying the average had risen from around 2.5 to more than five per confirmed case, with 10 or 15 contacts in some instances.
Demand on the contact tracing service had increased due day to more confirmed cases and individuals infected with the disease having been meeting more people, he said.
He said the number of people hospitalised with Covid-19 had risen “quite significantly” to 320, up from 255 on Christmas Eve. However, the number of people in intensive care with the virus remains manageable at 22.
Asked whether hospitals would be able to cope during the usually busy period after Christmas, Mr Reid said the health system was in a “much stronger position” than in previous years with about 82 per cent less people on trolleys.
“We’re going in stronger but it’s equally very volatile”, he cautioned.
Retail
On the decision to allow non-essential retail outlets to remain open, the Tánaiste said that if Nphet advised that “closing non-essential retail would only make a small difference in cases then you have to ask is it worth all the other consequences and bear in mind any restrictions we have in place now are going to be there for a prolonged period, now we have the vaccine”.
“If a critical mass of people have the vaccine, first of all you will see the mortality rate fall because if those most at risk of getting sick or dying are vaccinated you will then see case the fatality rate and the incidence rate falling.”
However, he did not see gatherings of 50 people or more taking place again “until the summer”.