theirishtimes--2020-10-01--Delays in fully implementing 2019 Judicial Council Act brought into focus by Woulfe

The controversy surrounding the attendance of Supreme Court judge Séamus Woulfe at the Oireachtas golf dinner has brought into sharp focus the serious consequences of the delays in fully implementing the 2019 Judicial Council Act .
A clear structure for addressing issues concerning the conduct of judges has not been in place for more than a century despite a number of controversies engulfing the judiciary .
The delay in commencing the conduct provisions of the 2019 Act led to a situation this August where the Supreme Court asked a former Chief Justice to carry out a review which had no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the court itself could not publish or implement .
Under the Act , the Judicial Conduct Committee , created last July , has up to 12 months to compile guidelines to address complaints about judicial conduct .
The Council then has up to a year to consider whether to approve the guidelines , which can not be applied to situations that predate their adoption .
Once the Judicial Conduct Committee is operable , complaints about judicial conduct will be a matter for it to address .
If a complaint is deemed admissible , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can issue a reprimand or other sanction .
If a situation is sufficiently serious , the JCC can make recommendations to government on sanctions up to impeachment .
An irony of the inquiry into Mr Justice Woulfe ’ s conduct is that Susan Denham , who persistently called for enactment of the Act during her years as Chief Justice , found herself carrying out the review into the Woulfe matter due to absence of the necessary guidelines .
Her report , published by the Judicial Council , may have averted an immediate crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the judge ’ s attendance at the golf dinner has inflicted some damage on the public perception of the court , and of the judiciary in general .
The Judicial Council has said it will give effect to the review ’ s recommendations for the urgent introduction of a Code of Judicial Conduct and Judicial Ethical Guidelines The public outcry over the golf dinner had lead to the resignation of agriculture minister Dara Calleary and European commissioner Phil Hogan .
Others , including Mr Justice Woulfe , a former attorney general appointed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criticised over their attendance .
Mr Justice Woulfe issued a statement on August 21st saying he apologised “ unreservedly ” for his attendance and was of the impression the event organisers had made sure it would be in compliance with the Covid-19 guidelines .
Three days later , the Supreme Court issued an unprecedented statement saying it had asked Ms Denham to carry out a review concerning Mr Justice Woulfe ’ s attendance .
Mr Justice Woulfe ’ s retention of lawyers following the announcement of the review underlined his strong belief there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also engaged an engineer who provided a report to Ms Denham concerning the hotel ’ s compliance with the Covid-19 guidelines .
His retention of lawyers also intensified concerns within the Supreme Court about the status of the Denham report .
Because it had no statutory basis , there was concern , should it prove unfavourable to the judge , of the possibility of legal action if it was published .
The concerns included who would be the respondents to any legal action and whether Ms Denham would require to be indemnified and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what entity .
Equally , it was understood that a failure to publish would cause public disquiet .
The Supreme Court ’ s decision to forward the report to the Judicial Council was an effort to get around that difficulty and Ms Denham was also provided with an indemnity .
In the report , Ms Denham expressed the opinion Mr Justice Woulfe should not have attended the golf dinner and that he had not considered the propriety of a judge of the Supreme Court attending a celebratory dinner in a public place while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
She was also of opinion that “ significant mitigating factors ” , including the judge being newly appointed , not having had the benefit of an introductory programme and the absence of judicial guidelines or a judicial code of conduct to assist him , meant he did nothing involving impropriety such as would justify calls for his resignation from office .
Such a step would be unjust and disproportionate and she considered it would be open to the Chief Justice to deal with the matter by way of informal resolution .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report ’ s conclusions and recommendations and the resolution process will commence .

Chief Justice Frank Clarke after members of the Supreme Court and the board of the Judicial Council met ahead of the publication of the Denham report into the attendance of Supreme Court judge Séamus Woulfe at an Oireachtas Golf Society event in Galway in August. Photograph Nick Bradshaw
The controversy surrounding the attendance of Supreme Court judge Séamus Woulfe at the Oireachtas golf dinner has brought into sharp focus the serious consequences of the delays in fully implementing the 2019 Judicial Council Act.
A clear structure for addressing issues concerning the conduct of judges has not been in place for more than a century despite a number of controversies engulfing the judiciary. The delay in commencing the conduct provisions of the 2019 Act led to a situation this August where the Supreme Court asked a former Chief Justice to carry out a review which had no statutory basis, resulting in a report the court itself could not publish or implement.
Under the Act, the Judicial Conduct Committee, created last July, has up to 12 months to compile guidelines to address complaints about judicial conduct.
The Council then has up to a year to consider whether to approve the guidelines, which cannot be applied to situations that predate their adoption.
READ MORE
Once the Judicial Conduct Committee is operable, complaints about judicial conduct will be a matter for it to address. If a complaint is deemed admissible, the JCC may hold an inquiry and can issue a reprimand or other sanction. If a situation is sufficiently serious, the JCC can make recommendations to government on sanctions up to impeachment.
An irony of the inquiry into Mr Justice Woulfe's conduct is that Susan Denham, who persistently called for enactment of the Act during her years as Chief Justice, found herself carrying out the review into the Woulfe matter due to absence of the necessary guidelines.
Averted crisis
Her report, published by the Judicial Council, may have averted an immediate crisis for the Supreme Court but some believe the judge’s attendance at the golf dinner has inflicted some damage on the public perception of the court, and of the judiciary in general.
The Judicial Council has said it will give effect to the review’s recommendations for the urgent introduction of a Code of Judicial Conduct and Judicial Ethical Guidelines
The public outcry over the golf dinner had lead to the resignation of agriculture minister Dara Calleary and European commissioner Phil Hogan. Others, including Mr Justice Woulfe, a former attorney general appointed to the Supreme Court last July, were criticised over their attendance.
Mr Justice Woulfe issued a statement on August 21st saying he apologised “unreservedly” for his attendance and was of the impression the event organisers had made sure it would be in compliance with the Covid-19 guidelines.
Three days later, the Supreme Court issued an unprecedented statement saying it had asked Ms Denham to carry out a review concerning Mr Justice Woulfe’s attendance.
Mr Justice Woulfe’s retention of lawyers following the announcement of the review underlined his strong belief there was no basis for resignation and he also engaged an engineer who provided a report to Ms Denham concerning the hotel’s compliance with the Covid-19 guidelines.
His retention of lawyers also intensified concerns within the Supreme Court about the status of the Denham report. Because it had no statutory basis, there was concern, should it prove unfavourable to the judge, of the possibility of legal action if it was published. The concerns included who would be the respondents to any legal action and whether Ms Denham would require to be indemnified and, if so, by whom or what entity. Equally, it was understood that a failure to publish would cause public disquiet.
The Supreme Court’s decision to forward the report to the Judicial Council was an effort to get around that difficulty and Ms Denham was also provided with an indemnity.
Propriety
In the report, Ms Denham expressed the opinion Mr Justice Woulfe should not have attended the golf dinner and that he had not considered the propriety of a judge of the Supreme Court attending a celebratory dinner in a public place while there is a pandemic in the State.
She was also of opinion that “significant mitigating factors”, including the judge being newly appointed, not having had the benefit of an introductory programme and the absence of judicial guidelines or a judicial code of conduct to assist him, meant he did nothing involving impropriety such as would justify calls for his resignation from office. Such a step would be unjust and disproportionate and she considered it would be open to the Chief Justice to deal with the matter by way of informal resolution.
The Supreme Court has said it accepts the report’s conclusions and recommendations and the resolution process will commence.


theirishtimes--2020-10-03--Schools in south Dublin among the most oversubscribed in the country

Schools in the south Dublin area are among the most heavily oversubscribed in the country , according to enrolment data published for the first time .
Under new admissions legislation , schools are required to publish annual notices disclosing the number of places available for applicants .
Muckross Park College , a second level non-fee paying school for girls in Donnybrook , Dublin 4 , was one of the oversubscribed secondary schools , according to available figures .
It had a total of 720 applications last year for just 120 first-year places , or six times the number of available @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and high-performing non-fee paying schools turned away hundreds of applicants last year .
Loreto College , a fee-paying secondary school on St Stephen ’ s Green in Dublin , was five times over-subscribed .
It received 502 applications for its 100 available first-year places .
Belvedere College , a fee-paying school on Great Denmark Street in Dublin , received was more than three times oversubscribed .
It received 550 applications for its 168 first-year places .
Mount Temple Comprehensive School , a non fee-paying school in Clontarf , was almost three times oversubscribed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 161 available first-year places .
Gonzaga College , a fee-paying school in Ranelagh , was twice over-subscribed with 182 applications for 86 places .
Blackrock College was twice oversubscribed , although applications to first year are made to Willow Park Senior School .
This school reported 407 applications for 208 available places .
Similarly , Castleknock College was almost twice oversubscribed , with total of 238 applications for 120 places in first year .
Many non-fee paying schools in the Dublin commuter belt also received far more applications than they could accommodate .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ applications for 73 places , while Presentation Bray in Co Wicklow was oversubscribed by a factor of almost three , receiving 320 applications for its 120 places , Temple Carraig School , a non fee-paying secondary school in Greystones under the patronage of the Church of Ireland , was twice oversubscribed .
It had 284 applications for 144 places .
The pattern of oversubscription was clear among many primary schools in the Dublin area as well .
Grace Park Educate Together National School , based on the campus of DCU ’ s All @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by a factor of 12 .
It recorded some 736 applications for just 60 junior infant places last year .
Emer Nowlan , chief executive of Educate Together , said the big challenge facing over-subscribed schools was how to allocate places as fairly as possible .
“ Educate Together allows policies which prioritise children living the near the school , siblings of current pupils , or older children , but we don ’ t allow policies that favour past-pupils or staff , ” she said .
“ Even then our schools are often @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accommodate .
The only way to address this is to rebalance the system so the profile of school types matches the profile of parental demand , and progress on this has been very slow to date.
” Our Lady ’ s Grove Primary School in Goatstown , Dublin 14 , was more than twice over-subscribed with 128 applications for 58 places .
St Mary ’ s National School on Belmont Avenue in Dublin was twice over-subscribed , with 175 applications for 90 places .
Taney Parish Primary School in Dundrum was oversubscribed by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 131 applications for 54 places .

Admissions figures show private schools and high-performing non-fee paying schools turned away hundreds of applicants last year. Photograph: Getty Images
Schools in the south Dublin area are among the most heavily oversubscribed in the country, according to enrollment data published for the first time.
Under new admissions legislation, schools are required to publish annual notices disclosing the number of places available for applicants.
Muckross Park College, a second-level non-fee paying school for girls in Donnybrook, Dublin 4, was one of the oversubscribed secondary schools, according to available figures.
It had a total of 720 applications last year for just 120 first-year places, or six times the number of available place.
READ MORE
Admissions figures show private schools and high-performing non-fee paying schools turned away hundreds of applicants last year.
Loreto College, a fee-paying secondary school on St Stephen's Green in Dublin, was five times over-subscribed. It received 502 applications for its 100 available first-year places.
Belvedere College, a fee-paying school on Great Denmark Street in Dublin, received was more than three times oversubscribed. It received 550 applications for its 168 first-year places.
Mount Temple Comprehensive School, a non fee-paying school in Clontarf, was almost three times oversubscribed. It received 462 applications for the 161 available first-year places.
Gonzaga College, a fee-paying school in Ranelagh, was twice over-subscribed with 182 applications for 86 places.
Blackrock College was twice oversubscribed, although applications to first year are made to Willow Park Senior School. This school reported 407 applications for 208 available places.
Similarly, Castleknock College was almost twice oversubscribed, with total of 238 applications for 120 places in first year.
Many non-fee paying schools in the Dublin commuter belt also received far more applications than they could accommodate.
Drogheda Educate Together Secondary School received 193 applications for 73 places, while Presentation Bray in Co Wicklow was oversubscribed by a factor of almost three, receiving 320 applications for its 120 places,
Temple Carraig School, a non fee-paying secondary school in Greystones under the patronage of the Church of Ireland, was twice oversubscribed. It had 284 applications for 144 places.
The pattern of oversubscription was clear among many primary schools in the Dublin area as well.
Policies
Grace Park Educate Together National School, based on the campus of DCU's All Hallows campus in Drumcondra, was oversubscribed by a factor of 12. It recorded some 736 applications for just 60 junior infant places last year.
Emer Nowlan, chief executive of Educate Together, said the big challenge facing over-subscribed schools was how to allocate places as fairly as possible.
“Educate Together allows policies which prioritise children living the near the school, siblings of current pupils, or older children, but we don’t allow policies that favour past-pupils or staff,” she said.
“Even then our schools are often turning away more children than they can accommodate. The only way to address this is to rebalance the system so the profile of school types matches the profile of parental demand, and progress on this has been very slow to date.”
Our Lady's Grove Primary School in Goatstown, Dublin 14, was more than twice over-subscribed with 128 applications for 58 places.
St Mary's National School on Belmont Avenue in Dublin was twice over-subscribed, with 175 applications for 90 places.
Taney Parish Primary School in Dundrum was oversubscribed by two and a half times, with 131 applications for 54 places.


theirishtimes--2020-10-03--Woulfe complained of ‘mood of hysteria’ and being ‘prejudged’

Supreme Court justice Seamus Woulfe complained last month that he was not sure that fellow Supreme Court justices had not prejudged him over the Golfgate controversy , it has emerged .
The declaration came during a September 8th meeting with former Supreme Court chief justice Susan Denham , who finally ruled it would be “ unjust and disproportionate ” if he was called on to resign “ Unfortunately I think even judges are not above prejudging , Judge , and in this mood of hysteria I can ’ t be sure that even some of my colleagues have prejudged me @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a transcript of the meeting .
In the transcript , he says : “ I think it ’ s more damaging to the Supreme Court if they allow some sort of theoretical damage to the institution prevail over hounding a judge out of office for no valid reason.
” Press coverage of the Clifden dinner now looked “ objectively to be completely fake , overblown ” , he said , adding that he felt sorry for the organisers who “ had been pilloried ” for holding an event that “ some way it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” .
Asked if he accepted that the furore occurred after “ six months of not going to christenings , not holding weddings , not being able to go to your family ’ s funerals ” , Mr Justice Woulfe said he did .
“ This was a very unfortunate set of circumstances and unfortunate timing .
And for those people to be presented by the media with what appeared to be a flagrant breach of the regulations and the guidelines was like letting off a bomb , ” he said .
Meanwhile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ met Mr Justice Woulfe on Friday to discuss the resolution of the controversy over his attendance at August ’ s Oireachtas Golf Society dinner .
It is understood Mr Justice Woulfe is to consider what was said to him over the weekend and is likely to meet early next week with Chief Justice Frank Clarke .
The latest Supreme Court diary does not list Mr Justice Woulfe to hear a case , and one that he had previously been listed to hear is now to be dealt with by five other judges , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ government had investigated the facts before judgments were made , Mr Justice Woulfe told Ms Denham , adding that one of the organisers , Donie Cassidy said he had never been asked for “ an account of the facts ” .
Furthermore , the Government itself had misunderstood the rules that were then in place , he said , adding that Dara Calleary was forced to quit because Tánaiste Leo Varadkar insisted that only six people were then allowed to gather .
“ I mean if the Government themselves don ’ t understand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t explain it to them , I ’ m sure he ’ s trying hard , what hope have we got ?
” he declared .
Meanwhile , his legal representative at the September interview with Ms Denham , Michael Collins SC , told the former chief justice that “ judges can not be hounded out of office by ill-informed comments which create a firestorm .
“ They have to , however fiery that firestorm , they have to stand up to it and say , ‘ judicial independence requires that we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out of office for no good reason ’ , because if that is the case then where do we stop ?
”

Supreme Court justice Seamus Woulfe: “I think it’s more damaging to the Supreme Court if they allow some sort of theoretical damage to the institution prevail over hounding a judge out of office for no valid reason.” Photograph: Gareth Chaney Collins
Supreme Court justice Seamus Woulfe complained last month that he was not sure that fellow Supreme Court justices had not prejudged him over the Golfgate controversy, it has emerged.
The declaration came during a September 8th meeting with former Supreme Court chief justice Susan Denham, who finally ruled it would be "unjust and disproportionate" if he was called on to resign
“Unfortunately I think even judges are not above prejudging, Judge, and in this mood of hysteria I can’t be sure that even some of my colleagues have prejudged me,” he said, according to a transcript of the meeting.
In the transcript, he says: “I think it’s more damaging to the Supreme Court if they allow some sort of theoretical damage to the institution prevail over hounding a judge out of office for no valid reason.”
READ MORE
Press coverage of the Clifden dinner now looked “objectively to be completely fake, overblown”, he said, adding that he felt sorry for the organisers who “had been pilloried” for holding an event that “some way it’s like a Ku Klux Klan”.
‘Unfortunate timing’
Asked if he accepted that the furore occurred after "six months of not going to christenings, not holding weddings, not being able to go to your family's funerals", Mr Justice Woulfe said he did.
“This was a very unfortunate set of circumstances and unfortunate timing. And for those people to be presented by the media with what appeared to be a flagrant breach of the regulations and the guidelines was like letting off a bomb,” he said.
Meanwhile, a number of Supreme Court judges met Mr Justice Woulfe on Friday to discuss the resolution of the controversy over his attendance at August’s Oireachtas Golf Society dinner.
It is understood Mr Justice Woulfe is to consider what was said to him over the weekend and is likely to meet early next week with Chief Justice Frank Clarke.
The latest Supreme Court diary does not list Mr Justice Woulfe to hear a case, and one that he had previously been listed to hear is now to be dealt with by five other judges, not including him.
‘Account of the facts’
No one in government had investigated the facts before judgments were made, Mr Justice Woulfe told Ms Denham, adding that one of the organisers, Donie Cassidy said he had never been asked for “an account of the facts”.
Furthermore, the Government itself had misunderstood the rules that were then in place, he said, adding that Dara Calleary was forced to quit because Tánaiste Leo Varadkar insisted that only six people were then allowed to gather.
“I mean if the Government themselves don’t understand, or if the Attorney General can’t explain it to them, I’m sure he’s trying hard, what hope have we got?” he declared.
Meanwhile, his legal representative at the September interview with Ms Denham, Michael Collins SC, told the former chief justice that “judges cannot be hounded out of office by ill-informed comments which create a firestorm.
“They have to, however fiery that firestorm, they have to stand up to it and say, ‘judicial independence requires that we’re not going to be hounded out of office for no good reason’, because if that is the case then where do we stop?”


theirishtimes--2020-10-03--Parents voice fears over end to sibling-first school admissions

Jamie Tratalos and his partner , Lara Byrne , breathed a huge sigh of relief last year when their daughter Edie secured a place in junior infants at their local primary school in Goatstown , Dublin .
They had applied to five schools in their local area , all of which were heavily oversubscribed .
After a nervous wait , they received a single offer .
“ I think we got one of the very last places in Our Lady ’ s Grove National School , ” says Tratalos .
“ We were delighted .
At least with the school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that we wouldn ’ t have to go through all that stress again with Oscar , her younger brother.
” A few weeks ago came a shock : the school had been instructed by its patron , the archdiocese of Dublin , to end its sibling-first policy .
Oscar , who is due to start junior infants in 2021 , would no longer be guaranteed a place in his sister ’ s school .
“ It was like the rug was pulled out from under us , ” says Tratalos .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be able to go to school together .
Now , we ’ ve no idea whether he will be able to get a place and how we ’ ll manage if they have to go to different schools.
” Byrne adds that many other oversubscribed schools in the area – such as the local Educate Together and a Church of Ireland school – have retained priority for siblings in their policies .
“ I ’ ve looked at all the schools within a semi-reasonable commuting distance of our house .
All of them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ notices , have been oversubscribed to a factor of two , three or in some cases much more .
“ Oversubscription and the fact that polices now differ from school to school make it extraordinarily difficult for parents to navigate the school admission process to secure a place for a child entering junior infants .
“ It ’ s an untenable situation for parents to find themselves in .
And a system which will in all likelihood necessitate many parents sending their children to different schools is unnecessarily disruptive for children , families @ @ @ @ @ @ @ How are we all expected to cope ?
” Many other families in similar situations are facing a nervous wait .
Catholic primary schools across the Greater Dublin Area have been instructed to end the practice of giving priority enrolment to siblings of pupils currently attending school .
The archdiocese of Dublin – the patron body for almost 90 per cent of schools in Dublin , Wicklow and parts of Kildare , Carlow , Laois and Wexford – has asked its primary schools to update their admissions policies accordingly .
Under the standardised @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the region must all give parity to all children in the local catchment area alongside children of siblings .
The changes are coming into effect for children enrolling in the 2021-2022 school year .
( Some Catholic schools that have waiting lists of students have a window of up to four years to phase them out before the policy is fully implemented . )
Other patron bodies such as Educate Together and the Church of Ireland are maintaining their sibling-first policies .
The Department of Education has confirmed that school admissions legislation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ No other Catholic dioceses have announced an end to sibling-first policies .
So what exactly is behind the move ?
A spokeswoman for the archdiocese insists that the policy being applied across schools has been its position for many years .
In practice , however , many schools say they have been operating sibling-first policies for many years without complaint from the archdiocese .
The spokeswoman says the idea behind the policy was that a “ parish school is established for the children of the parish ” .
“ The diocesan policy is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children of the parish can be educated in their local primary school .
The majority of Catholic primary schools in the diocese have successfully operated the policy , ” she says .
“ There are some schools in the diocese that have children outside the parish on the school rolls .
It has been the case in these schools that local children can not get a place because the schools give priority to siblings who are not resident in the parish .
This has obviously been a cause of stress to parents who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ far from their locality.
” She acknowledges , however , that there is no easy solution to the issue .
“ In order to be just and fair to all families , placing of siblings and step-siblings and children of the parish in category one , giving priority to the eldest child , is the most reasonable and transparent process for the schools under Catholic patronage when schools are oversubscribed , ” she says .
But many parents , are not satisfied with the explanation .
They say a simple adjustment to admissions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ area would solve this issue .
A committee of concerned parents and members of the parents ’ association of Our Lady ’ s Grove Primary School in Goatstown wrote to the archdiocese this week .
Like many schools in the south Dublin area , it is oversubscribed .
Last year it received 123 applications for 58 places in junior infants .
Of those 58 places , 30 went to siblings of existing pupils ; the remainder went to children in the catchment area .
Of the siblings offered places , there was 100 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the catchment area , there was a 59 per cent acceptance rate .
The concerned parentsgroup says it is inevitable some local families living in the catchment area with siblings in the school will end up being refused a place under the new policy .
As a result , it says , parents will be faced with sending their children to different schools , “ disrupting family life , eating into precious family time in undertaking multiple school drop and pick-up journeys , preventing siblings from offering mutual support at school , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buying multiple uniforms/sports equipment/books without capacity to reuse them ” .
In addition , it says , many siblings who were due to start school next year are in their final year of pre-school and find themselves at the back of the queue for admissions to most other local schools .
Do these parents “ leave their child in preschool for another year , if they can secure a place at this late notice , where the child will repeat day-by-day an entire year of learning and which will also impact parents financially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Education ] funding will already have been allocated for the previous two years ?
” The prospect of children going to different schools will have a direct impact on parents ’ relationships with schools , it adds , which are “ vital to creating communities and the support of fundraising , volunteering , participation on parents ’ associations ” .
“ We recognise that you are acting in the best interests of local children , parents and schools and hope that this direct feedback will be helpful to you , ” states the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , like yours , is to work together to ensure that every child is admitted to a school within their local area , and that their siblings may also attend .
”

Jamie Tratalos and his partner, Lara Byrne, breathed a huge sigh of relief last year when their daughter secured a place in junior infants at their local primary school in Goatstown, Dublin.
They had applied to five schools in their local area, all of which were heavily oversubscribed. After a nervous wait, they received a single offer.
"I think we got one of the very last places in Our Lady's Grove National School, " says Tratalos. "We were delighted. At least with the school's sibling-first policy, it meant that we wouldn't have to go through all that stress again with her younger brother."
A few weeks ago came a shock: the school had been instructed by its patron, the archdiocese of Dublin, to end its sibling-first policy.
READ MORE
Their son, who is due to start junior infants in 2021, would no longer be guaranteed a place in his sister’s school.
“It was like the rug was pulled out from under us,” says Tratalos. “We were very happy that they’d be able to go to school together. Now, we’ve no idea whether he will be able to get a place and how we’ll manage if they have to go to different schools.”
Byrne adds that many other oversubscribed schools in the area – such as the local Educate Together and a Church of Ireland school – have retained priority for siblings in their policies.
“I’ve looked at all the schools within a semi-reasonable commuting distance of our house. All of them, when you consult their 2021 admissions notices, have been oversubscribed to a factor of two, three or in some cases much more.
“Oversubscription and the fact that polices now differ from school to school make it extraordinarily difficult for parents to navigate the school admission process to secure a place for a child entering junior infants.
“It’s an untenable situation for parents to find themselves in. And a system which will in all likelihood necessitate many parents sending their children to different schools is unnecessarily disruptive for children, families, school communities and local communities. How are we all expected to cope?”
Many other families in similar situations are facing a nervous wait. Catholic primary schools across the Greater Dublin Area have been instructed to end the practice of giving priority enrolment to siblings of pupils currently attending school.
The archdiocese of Dublin – the patron body for almost 90 per cent of schools in Dublin, Wicklow and parts of Kildare, Carlow, Laois and Wexford – has asked its primary schools to update their admissions policies accordingly.
Parity plan
Under the standardised admissions criteria, the estimated 400 schools in the region must all give parity to all children in the local catchment area alongside children of siblings.
The changes are coming into effect for children enrolling in the 2021-2022 school year. (Some Catholic schools that have waiting lists of students have a window of up to four years to phase them out before the policy is fully implemented.)
Other patron bodies such as Educate Together and the Church of Ireland are maintaining their sibling-first policies. The Department of Education has confirmed that school admissions legislation allows schools to maintain sibling-first policies. No other Catholic dioceses have announced an end to sibling-first policies. So what exactly is behind the move?
A spokeswoman for the archdiocese insists that the policy being applied across schools has been its position for many years.
In practice, however, many schools say they have been operating sibling-first policies for many years without complaint from the archdiocese .
The spokeswoman says the idea behind the policy was that a “parish school is established for the children of the parish”.
“The diocesan policy is in place to ensure that siblings and children of the parish can be educated in their local primary school. The majority of Catholic primary schools in the diocese have successfully operated the policy,” she says.
“There are some schools in the diocese that have children outside the parish on the school rolls. It has been the case in these schools that local children cannot get a place because the schools give priority to siblings who are not resident in the parish. This has obviously been a cause of stress to parents who have to look for a school place far from their locality.”
She acknowledges, however, that there is no easy solution to the issue.
“In order to be just and fair to all families, placing of siblings and step-siblings and children of the parish in category one, giving priority to the eldest child, is the most reasonable and transparent process for the schools under Catholic patronage when schools are oversubscribed,” she says.
Unhappy parents
But many parents , are not satisfied with the explanation. They say a simple adjustment to admissions policies to prioritise siblings in a catchment area would solve this issue.
A committee of concerned parents and members of the parents' association of Our Lady's Grove Primary School in Goatstown wrote to the archdiocese this week.
Like many schools in the south Dublin area, it is oversubscribed. Last year it received 123 applications for 58 places in junior infants. Of those 58 places, 30 went to siblings of existing pupils; the remainder went to children in the catchment area.
Of the siblings offered places, there was 100 per cent take-up. Of those children in the catchment area, there was a 59 per cent acceptance rate.
The concerned parentsgroup says it is inevitable some local families living in the catchment area with siblings in the school will end up being refused a place under the new policy.
As a result, it says, parents will be faced with sending their children to different schools, “disrupting family life, eating into precious family time in undertaking multiple school drop and pick-up journeys, preventing siblings from offering mutual support at school, and incurring additional cost in respect of buying multiple uniforms/sports equipment/books without capacity to reuse them”.
In addition, it says, many siblings who were due to start school next year are in their final year of pre-school and find themselves at the back of the queue for admissions to most other local schools.
Do these parents “leave their child in preschool for another year, if they can secure a place at this late notice, where the child will repeat day-by-day an entire year of learning and which will also impact parents financially as ECCE [Early Childhood Care and Education] funding will already have been allocated for the previous two years?”
The prospect of children going to different schools will have a direct impact on parents’ relationships with schools, it adds, which are “vital to creating communities and the support of fundraising, volunteering, participation on parents’ associations”.
“We recognise that you are acting in the best interests of local children, parents and schools and hope that this direct feedback will be helpful to you,” states the parents’ letter. “Our aim, like yours, is to work together to ensure that every child is admitted to a school within their local area, and that their siblings may also attend.”


theirishtimes--2020-10-03--Budget deficit smaller than feared despite huge Covid-19 spend

The budget deficit for this year is expected to be significantly smaller than previously feared , despite exchequer spending to combat the Covid-19 crisis leaving the State more than €9 billion in the red .
While the public finances have been severely hit by the extra spending to pay for the pandemic and borrowing remains at record levels , exchequer figures published on Friday show tax receipts have performed more strongly than expected , giving the Government greater leeway as it prepares its first budget , due to be delivered on Tuesday week .
There has also been an explosion @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of household deposits surging to more than €8 billion between January and July – more than twice the level of last year .
The figures showed the deficit at the end last month was nearly €9.4 billion .
While that figure will rise steeply before the end of the year , it is now expected to be significantly less than the €30 billion feared at one point , and possibly closer to €20 billion .
The economic data comes as health authorities on both sides of the Border reported large spikes in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ North ’ s Department of Health reported almost 1,000 new cases of coronavirus on Friday , the largest daily increase since the pandemic began .
It is more than double the previous record , which was set on Wednesday .
Sinn Féin deputy first minister Michelle O ’ Neill said the North was at a “ dangerous stage ” , and , while she understood people were “ tired and frustrated .
.
.
we all need to follow the guidelines.
” In Dublin , acting chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been reported to the National Public Health Emergency Team ( NPHET ) , the highest daily total since late April .
There have now been a total of 37,063 cases in the Republic since the start of the pandemic .
One further death was reported , but six deaths have been denotified , giving a total of 1,801 deaths , many of them in nursing homes .
A senior NPHET official on Friday night rejected a contention by Tánaiste Leo Varadkar that hospital cases of Covid-19 are increasing only “ modestly ” .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Kildare , Offaly and Laois worked , and those in Dublin and Donegal “ may be starting to work ” , but the virus is spreading “ at a nearly constant rate ” throughout the rest of the country .
He predicted 400 virus patients will require hospitalisation by the end of the month if current trends continue .
There would be 1,200-1,300 cases a day by then “ if nothing changes , and cases and hospitalisations grow as they have been for the last few weeks ” .
Meanwhile , the Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ arriving from abroad into Ireland are not being monitored to ensure compliance with advice to restrict their movement for 14 days .
The State introduced new electronic passenger locator forms for air and sea passengers in mid-August and set up a new call centre to contact passengers .
However , the Department of Health said the 14-day travel restriction has the status of an advisory and is not mandatory .
It said follow-up calls to passengers can not be used to monitor if people are actually at the location they stated on their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report by the Oireachtas Covid-19 committee has called for a public inquiry into coronavirus-linked deaths that took place in nursing homes .
The report also makes recommendations about testing and tracing and the conditions of lower-paid workers in nursing homes and meat plants .

Shannon Bradley and Caitlyn McCrea shopping in Derry as the Stormont Executive announces restrictions to stem the massive spike in Covid-19 cases. Photograph: Liam McBurney/PA Wire
The budget deficit for this year is expected to be significantly smaller than previously feared, despite exchequer spending to combat the Covid-19 crisis leaving the State more than €9 billion in the red.
While the public finances have been severely hit by the extra spending to pay for the pandemic and borrowing remains at record levels, exchequer figures published on Friday show tax receipts have performed more strongly than expected, giving the Government greater leeway as it prepares its first budget, due to be delivered on Tuesday week.
There has also been an explosion in household savings, with the level of household deposits surging to more than €8 billion between January and July – more than twice the level of last year.
The figures showed the deficit at the end last month was nearly €9.4 billion. While that figure will rise steeply before the end of the year, it is now expected to be significantly less than the €30 billion feared at one point, and possibly closer to €20 billion.
READ MORE
Large spikes
The economic data comes as health authorities on both sides of the Border reported large spikes in the number of new Covid-19 cases.
The North's Department of Health reported almost 1,000 new cases of coronavirus on Friday, the largest daily increase since the pandemic began. It is more than double the previous record, which was set on Wednesday.
Sinn Féin deputy first minister Michelle O’Neill said the North was at a “dangerous stage”, and, while she understood people were “tired and frustrated . . . we all need to follow the guidelines.”
In Dublin, acting chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn said 470 new confirmed cases of Covid-19 had been reported to the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET), the highest daily total since late April. There have now been a total of 37,063 cases in the Republic since the start of the pandemic.
One further death was reported, but six deaths have been denotified, giving a total of 1,801 deaths, many of them in nursing homes.
A senior NPHET official on Friday night rejected a contention by Tánaiste Leo Varadkar that hospital cases of Covid-19 are increasing only "modestly".
Prof Philip Nolan said the restrictions in Kildare, Offaly and Laois worked, and those in Dublin and Donegal "may be starting to work", but the virus is spreading "at a nearly constant rate" throughout the rest of the country.
Hospitalisation
He predicted 400 virus patients will require hospitalisation by the end of the month if current trends continue. There would be 1,200-1,300 cases a day by then “if nothing changes, and cases and hospitalisations grow as they have been for the last few weeks”.
Meanwhile, the Department of Health confirmed on Friday that passengers arriving from abroad into Ireland are not being monitored to ensure compliance with advice to restrict their movement for 14 days.
The State introduced new electronic passenger locator forms for air and sea passengers in mid-August and set up a new call centre to contact passengers.
However, the Department of Health said the 14-day travel restriction has the status of an advisory and is not mandatory. It said follow-up calls to passengers cannot be used to monitor if people are actually at the location they stated on their forms.
Separately, a confidential draft report by the Oireachtas Covid-19 committee has called for a public inquiry into coronavirus-linked deaths that took place in nursing homes. The report also makes recommendations about testing and tracing and the conditions of lower-paid workers in nursing homes and meat plants.


theirishtimes--2020-10-03--Reopened pubs: ‘Every night is like St Stephen’s night, but the till doesn’t reflect that’

Running a pub since the Covid-19 restrictions lifted two weeks ago is “ is like being a schoolteacher ” , says Jim Gordon , the owner of Revolution Bar in Waterford city .
“ Staff basically have to say , ‘ Sit down , or we will not serve you any more drink ’ .
We ’ re getting a bit of flak about them being rude , but our staff have to maintain order.
” The table reservation system lends itself to pub crawls , he has found .
“ People are tending to go bar to bar to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hour and a half in each place .
We ’ ve had to be really strict : if you arrive with too much drink on board , we won ’ t allow you in , whether you have a reservation or not.
” On Monday , it will be two weeks since wet pubs outside Dublin were permitted to reopen .
But not all have done so – of the country ’ s 6,200 or so rural pubs , between 1,000 and 1,200 are still closed , according to estimates by industry sources @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hotels and restaurants with a bar licence are also shut .
For the rest , the challenges of running a pub in the Covid era are becoming very apparent .
Publicans report that their takings in the first two weeks back are down anywhere between 40 and 80 per cent on the same period last year .
Several describe the stress on both staff and employers in trying to enforce the new social distancing regulations , even though customers are generally co-operative about wearing masks .
There are fewer customers , but more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the preparation of each drink .
And while they all say they are happy to have reopened , in the background is the constant fear of further , regional lockdowns .
“ We spent so long shouting that we wanted to reopen , and now that we ’ re open , we ’ re worried is it actually viable to be reopened , ” says Marie Mellett , who took over the running of the family pub , Mellett ’ s Emporium of Swinford , Co Mayo , from her father last week @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we were so busy it felt like St Stephen ’ s night .
But the till doesn ’ t reflect that – it ’ s like a normal Thursday.
” On Saturday night , the bar “ looked empty ” but it was full , with 85 people in , and five staff members – a ratio of one staff member to 17 customers , which is what is needed to keep up with requirements .
“ The level of cleaning is just obscene .
You can ’ t just go and collect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
That ’ s one person ’ s job .
Another job is making drinks .
And someone else is delivering drinks and taking payment .
If someone pays by cash , there ’ s a whole rigmarole with washing their hands .
We ’ re going through an insane amount of paper towels , ” she says .
Michael O ’ Donovan had barely reopened his family pub , the Castle Inn on Main Street in Cork city , before he was anticipating being locked down again , as Covid case numbers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ first two weeks since reopening , he is on track to just about break even .
“ Our bar was ‘ full ’ by 2.30pm last Saturday because all the tables were taken .
And we had only 16 people in , ” despite a capacity of around 32 .
“ Being a publican , looking at your bar and knowing that it ’ s three-quarters empty compared to normal times , and yet you ’ re having to say to regulars , ‘ Sorry we ’ ve no room ’ – that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ His pub has been in the family since the 1930s , so there is no rent or mortgage on it .
“ If we did , it wouldn ’ t be viable to stay open… Last week ’ s takings weren ’ t one-fifth of what our takings would have been at this time last year.
” Like all the other publicans interviewed , he is reliant on the Government ’ s wage subsidy scheme .
His clientele is a mix of older customers , whom he has found to be generally very @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s been a different challenge dealing with students , because they want to interact with other students at our tables .
We ’ ve had to go to them once or twice and say , ‘ You have to remain seated.
’ ” Usually , there ’ s no issue , once they are reminded .
“ We ’ ve had Garda inspections twice a day since we reopened .
We welcome the inspections .
We have to run an honest house , for everyone ’ s sake.
” In Limerick city @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Flannery ’ s on Denmark Street , to customers over the summer as a food operation .
Now , with non-food customers back , he ’ s getting used to another “ new way of doing business .
It ’ s 10 times harder for a lot less return .
But we need to do it to keep ourselves alive , ” he says .
Both he and Gordon are already anticipating a quiet Christmas , which has traditionally been a time for publicans to shore up ahead of a quiet January @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a thing of the past .
Thirthieths and 40ths are gone .
Corporate entertainment is gone .
An awful lot of our income streams are drying up , ” says Flannery .
Gordon is hoping that , instead of a big night out , companies will offer their staff a voucher to go out in the city and support their local pub .
He ’ s also planning to produce gift ranges , including a home cocktail kit and his own label whiskey .
But innovation can only help so much .
To @ @ @ @ @ @ @ every single subsidy and grant going , ” says Flannery .
He is hoping that supports for the pub industry will be announced in the upcoming budget .
“ We need certainty .
If you don ’ t have certainty , there ’ s confusion .
And confusion costs time and money.
” Brian Foley of the Vintners ’ Federation of Ireland says that two weeks into reopening , the “ stark reality of the challenges ” facing publicans are becoming apparent .
“ We thought once they reopened , they would have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in reality , it ’ s going to be a long autumn and winter .
We don ’ t know the shape of Christmas yet .
It ’ s impossible for publicans to know what ’ s ahead .
And that ’ s causing a lot of worry.
” If the country moves to Level 3 restrictions – which say that pubs can open only for takeaway or up to 15 customers outside – “ that effectively means closure .
This isn ’ t the Mediterranean , ” he says .
“ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ publicans and staff that they continue to experience huge emotional and financial pressure .
That ’ s as true for the bars that have opened as for those who have had to remain shut , ” says Liam Reid , corporate relations director for Diageo Ireland .
As part of its €14 million fund to help publicans reopen , Diageo is setting up a helpline for publicans and their staff , offering emotional counselling and independent financial advice .
The helpline is due to launch next month .
Tomás McKenna runs the Craftsman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ With a large premises , industrial estates nearby and a local residential population , trade has been consistent throughout the day since reopening , and he is as optimistic as he can be .
Even so , the students have not returned to the city in significant numbers , and social distancing means capacity is down .
On the night of a recent Liverpool match , it was at 40 per cent of what it would have been on match nights last year .
“ It ’ s very much a case of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and see how it goes , ” he says .
Customers want to make it work as well , he says , and so they have generally been co-operative , but it ’ s hard having to remind them to put their mask on to go to the bathroom or the bookies next door .
“ They ’ re coming in to get away from all that .
You don ’ t want to be the fun police , but you do have to remind them .
”

Jim Gordon, owner of the Revolution Bar in Waterford city. ‘People are tending to go bar to bar to bar, booking a table for an hour and a half in each place,’ he says. ‘We’ve had to be really strict.’ Photograph: Patrick Browne
Running a pub since the Covid-19 restrictions lifted two weeks ago is "is like being a schoolteacher", says Jim Gordon, the owner of Revolution Bar in Waterford city.
“Staff basically have to say, ‘Sit down, or we will not serve you any more drink’. We’re getting a bit of flak about them being rude, but our staff have to maintain order.”
The table reservation system lends itself to pub crawls, he has found. “People are tending to go bar to bar to bar, booking a table for an hour and a half in each place. We’ve had to be really strict: if you arrive with too much drink on board, we won’t allow you in, whether you have a reservation or not.”
Hospital Report
On Monday, it will be two weeks since wet pubs outside Dublin were permitted to reopen. But not all have done so – of the country’s 6,200 or so rural pubs, between 1,000 and 1,200 are still closed, according to estimates by industry sources. A further 400 or so rural hotels and restaurants with a bar licence are also shut.
READ MORE
For the rest, the challenges of running a pub in the Covid era are becoming very apparent. Publicans report that their takings in the first two weeks back are down anywhere between 40 and 80 per cent on the same period last year. Several describe the stress on both staff and employers in trying to enforce the new social distancing regulations, even though customers are generally co-operative about wearing masks. There are fewer customers, but more hygiene measures and more steps involved in the preparation of each drink. And while they all say they are happy to have reopened, in the background is the constant fear of further, regional lockdowns.
"We spent so long shouting that we wanted to reopen, and now that we're open, we're worried is it actually viable to be reopened," says Marie Mellett, who took over the running of the family pub, Mellett's Emporium of Swinford, Co Mayo, from her father last week.
“Last Saturday and Sunday, we were so busy it felt like St Stephen’s night. But the till doesn’t reflect that – it’s like a normal Thursday.”
‘Looked empty’
On Saturday night, the bar “looked empty” but it was full, with 85 people in, and five staff members – a ratio of one staff member to 17 customers, which is what is needed to keep up with requirements. “The level of cleaning is just obscene. You can’t just go and collect a few glasses like you used to. That’s one person’s job. Another job is making drinks. And someone else is delivering drinks and taking payment. If someone pays by cash, there’s a whole rigmarole with washing their hands. We’re going through an insane amount of paper towels,” she says.
Michael O'Donovan had barely reopened his family pub, the Castle Inn on Main Street in Cork city, before he was anticipating being locked down again, as Covid case numbers rose across the county. During the first two weeks since reopening, he is on track to just about break even. "Our bar was 'full' by 2.30pm last Saturday because all the tables were taken. And we had only 16 people in," despite a capacity of around 32.
“Being a publican, looking at your bar and knowing that it’s three-quarters empty compared to normal times, and yet you’re having to say to regulars, ‘Sorry we’ve no room’ – that’s really hard to do.”
Wage subsidy
His pub has been in the family since the 1930s, so there is no rent or mortgage on it. “If we did, it wouldn’t be viable to stay open… Last week’s takings weren’t one-fifth of what our takings would have been at this time last year.” Like all the other publicans interviewed, he is reliant on the Government’s wage subsidy scheme.
His clientele is a mix of older customers, whom he has found to be generally very compliant, and students. “It’s been a different challenge dealing with students, because they want to interact with other students at our tables. We’ve had to go to them once or twice and say, ‘You have to remain seated.’”
Usually, there’s no issue, once they are reminded. “We’ve had Garda inspections twice a day since we reopened. We welcome the inspections. We have to run an honest house, for everyone’s sake.”
In Limerick city, Liam Flannery reopened his family pub, Flannery's on Denmark Street, to customers over the summer as a food operation. Now, with non-food customers back, he's getting used to another "new way of doing business. It's 10 times harder for a lot less return. But we need to do it to keep ourselves alive," he says.
Both he and Gordon are already anticipating a quiet Christmas, which has traditionally been a time for publicans to shore up ahead of a quiet January and February. “Christmas parties are a thing of the past. Thirthieths and 40ths are gone. Corporate entertainment is gone. An awful lot of our income streams are drying up,” says Flannery.
Gordon is hoping that, instead of a big night out, companies will offer their staff a voucher to go out in the city and support their local pub. He’s also planning to produce gift ranges, including a home cocktail kit and his own label whiskey.
‘We need certainty’
But innovation can only help so much. To survive, “we’ll need every single subsidy and grant going,” says Flannery. He is hoping that supports for the pub industry will be announced in the upcoming budget. “We need certainty. If you don’t have certainty, there’s confusion. And confusion costs time and money.”
Brian Foley of the Vintners' Federation of Ireland says that two weeks into reopening, the "stark reality of the challenges" facing publicans are becoming apparent. "We thought once they reopened, they would have a clear run at it, but in reality, it's going to be a long autumn and winter. We don't know the shape of Christmas yet. It's impossible for publicans to know what's ahead. And that's causing a lot of worry."
If the country moves to Level 3 restrictions – which say that pubs can open only for takeaway or up to 15 customers outside – “that effectively means closure. This isn’t the Mediterranean,” he says.
"It's really clear from speaking with publicans and staff that they continue to experience huge emotional and financial pressure. That's as true for the bars that have opened as for those who have had to remain shut," says Liam Reid, corporate relations director for Diageo Ireland. As part of its €14 million fund to help publicans reopen, Diageo is setting up a helpline for publicans and their staff, offering emotional counselling and independent financial advice. The helpline is due to launch next month.
Capacity down
Tomás McKenna runs the Craftsman Pub near Waterford Institute of Technology. With a large premises, industrial estates nearby and a local residential population, trade has been consistent throughout the day since reopening, and he is as optimistic as he can be. Even so, the students have not returned to the city in significant numbers, and social distancing means capacity is down. On the night of a recent Liverpool match, it was at 40 per cent of what it would have been on match nights last year. "It's very much a case of open, give it a go, and see how it goes," he says.
Customers want to make it work as well, he says, and so they have generally been co-operative, but it’s hard having to remind them to put their mask on to go to the bathroom or the bookies next door. “They’re coming in to get away from all that. You don’t want to be the fun police, but you do have to remind them.”


theirishtimes--2020-10-03--Woulfe’s actions create problem for Supreme Court despite ‘fool’s pardon’

The echoes left by former chief justice Susan Denham ’ s report into Séamus Woulfe ’ s attendance at the so-called “ Golfgate ” dinner could be felt around the Four Courts yesterday .
Legal practitioners who spoke off the record with The Irish Times mostly agreed with her finding that it would not be appropriate to ask him to resign .
“ At the end of the day , it was probably not a sacking offence , ” said one senior counsel .
“ You have to think that , say , taking a bribe to decide a case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the top of the scale .
And then step away and think of how far down the scale this is.
” However , there is little doubt but that many who work and practise in the Four Courts believe that the affair has damaged the reputation of the judiciary and created a significant problem for the Supreme Court .
Rumours abound that relations are now “ poisonous ” between the new judge and his colleagues in the State ’ s top court .
“ It ’ s a collegiate court and they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said one barrister .
Reflecting the views of some , one barrister said a lot of people think that Mr Justice Woulfe should have offered to resign , even if he should not have been asked to quit .
“ Because he has brought the judiciary into disrepute .
He ’ s approached the whole thing in a very legalistic way , but really this is about perception , and the perception is that the great and good didn ’ t have to abide by the same rules as everyone else .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is now sending out a signal that , really , judges have lower standards of accountability than politicians , and that is a problem.
” If the judge , who was attorney general to the previous government , was still in that role , he would almost certainly have had to resign , the barrister said .
Most , though believe , that Denham ’ s conclusions struck the right balance .
If there had been published guidelines in place under the Judicial Council regime , and a list of sanctions set out @ @ @ @ @ @ @ criticism , Mr Justice Woulfe ’ s attendance at the dinner in Clifden would not have led to the ultimate sanction , said the barrister , who sometimes appears before the Supreme Court .
“ I think it is important that she said [ dismissal ] would have been unjust .
I think that ’ s quite an important word , ” a barrister said .
“ I think he is safe , ” said another barrister who sometimes appears before the Supreme Court .
“ Unless something new emerges.
” “ She @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s pardon , by saying he was too junior to know , and you can take from that what you will , ” the barrister said .
“ This is a guy who sat on the Judicial Appointments Advisory Board and was the attorney general when judges were being appointed.
” In time the controversy will fade , though it would always be something that will be associated with Mr Justice Woulfe ’ s career , the solicitor said .
“ To some extent he has suffered a penalty already.
” Another senior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He ’ s been very chastened by the way [ Denham ] set out the report , and in particular the quotations of direct evidence .
They are embarrassing .
I think that has been the appropriate medicine .
There is no appetite for his having his career destroyed.
” The whole experience “ has been excruciatingly embarrassing for him , and that ’ s really all it warrants , I think ” .
Parliamentarians with legal experience and qualifications were broadly of the view that Denham had struck the right balance , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be disproportionate .
However , many of those same people criticised Woulfe ’ s “ overly confrontational ” handling of the issues .
More generally , though , politicians privately grumble that there is one rule for judges , and another for them .

The echoes left by former chief justice Susan Denham’s report into Séamus Woulfe’s attendance at the so-called “Golfgate” dinner could be felt around the Four Courts yesterday.
Legal practitioners who spoke off the record with The Irish Times mostly agreed with her finding that it would not be appropriate to ask him to resign.
“At the end of the day, it was probably not a sacking offence,” said one senior counsel. “You have to think that, say, taking a bribe to decide a case in someone’s favour, is at the top of the scale. And then step away and think of how far down the scale this is.”
However, there is little doubt but that many who work and practise in the Four Courts believe that the affair has damaged the reputation of the judiciary and created a significant problem for the Supreme Court.
READ MORE
Rumours abound that relations are now “poisonous” between the new judge and his colleagues in the State’s top court. “It’s a collegiate court and they all have to get along,” said one barrister.
Reflecting the views of some, one barrister said a lot of people think that Mr Justice Woulfe should have offered to resign, even if he should not have been asked to quit.
“Because he has brought the judiciary into disrepute. He’s approached the whole thing in a very legalistic way, but really this is about perception, and the perception is that the great and good didn’t have to abide by the same rules as everyone else.
“Woulfe’s problem is that he is now sending out a signal that, really, judges have lower standards of accountability than politicians, and that is a problem.”
If the judge, who was attorney general to the previous government, was still in that role, he would almost certainly have had to resign, the barrister said. Most, though believe, that Denham's conclusions struck the right balance. If there had been published guidelines in place under the Judicial Council regime, and a list of sanctions set out for judges who were the subject of criticism, Mr Justice Woulfe's attendance at the dinner in Clifden would not have led to the ultimate sanction, said the barrister, who sometimes appears before the Supreme Court.
“I think it is important that she said [dismissal] would have been unjust. I think that’s quite an important word,” a barrister said.
“I think he is safe,” said another barrister who sometimes appears before the Supreme Court. “Unless something new emerges.”
“She’s given him a fool’s pardon, by saying he was too junior to know, and you can take from that what you will,” the barrister said. “This is a guy who sat on the Judicial Appointments Advisory Board and was the attorney general when judges were being appointed.”
In time the controversy will fade, though it would always be something that will be associated with Mr Justice Woulfe’s career, the solicitor said. “To some extent he has suffered a penalty already.”
Another senior solicitor had a similar view. “He’s been very chastened by the way [Denham] set out the report, and in particular the quotations of direct evidence. They are embarrassing. I think that has been the appropriate medicine. There is no appetite for his having his career destroyed.”
The whole experience “has been excruciatingly embarrassing for him, and that’s really all it warrants, I think”.
Parliamentarians with legal experience and qualifications were broadly of the view that Denham had struck the right balance, and that calling for his resignation would be disproportionate.
However, many of those same people criticised Woulfe’s “overly confrontational” handling of the issues. More generally, though, politicians privately grumble that there is one rule for judges, and another for them.


theirishtimes--2020-10-03--Derry restrictions: ‘I can’t disagree with it. Just look at the figures’

“ Closing again , ” a customer outside The Scullery Cafe in Derry city centre remsarks .
“ It ’ s a sad day.
” Like everyone in the hospitality industry in Derry , the cafe ’ s owner , Dermot Doherty , has been here before .
Lockdown closed the business from mid-March until July .
Now spiralling rates of Covid-19 in the Derry City and Strabane District Council area mean new restrictions will be in place from Monday .
The new rules , initially to be in force for two weeks , are designed to reduce social interaction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ galleries , a ban on spectators at sporting events , and an appeal to avoid travel .
Hotels can serve residents only while cafés , pubs and restaurants are limited to takeaway , delivery and outside service .
At The Scullery , the plan is to serve takeaway tea and coffee .
“ We will stay open whatever happens , ” says Doherty .
It is about maintaining the business ’ s presence , continuing to serve their customers and “ basically , to keep our staff in work.
” Though he agrees @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a really strong lockdown for the next six weeks ” , he warns of restrictions extending beyond the end of the month , when the government ’ s coronavirus job furlough scheme ends .
“ You can ’ t employ 13 staff doing only tea and coffee , ” says Doherty .
“ I think there will be a lot of job losses.
” Across the road , William McGuinness of the shuttered Peadar O ’ Donnell ’ s pub is contemplating a similar scenario .
He is the owner of three licensed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all after closing time on Thursday .
“ There ’ s no point putting the brakes on on Monday when we could do it today.
” He and many others in the city made a similar decision back in March , choosing to close when the Republic went into lockdown before the North .
The earlier adoption of restrictions in Border areas was later credited as one of the reasons the virus was initially less prevalent there .
McGuinness ’ s three venues only reopened a few weeks ago , after adapting to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , trade has been down by 60 per cent .
All were “ very busy bars before the lockdown happened .
On busy nights , we would have to turn people away .
Now , with social distancing , we ’ re just about scraping by.
” McGuinness was watching the numbers , and knew lockdown was coming .
“ I can ’ t disagree with it , ” he says .
“ Just look at the figures .
The virus doesn ’ t spread itself , we spread the virus , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it ’ s better to put the lid on it now and try and push the virus back.
” But he is “ worried about our employees , worried about the furlough scheme coming to an end , worried about having to lay people off .
Hopefully we will survive , ” he says , “ but some others may not .
There will be premises that will close.
” Others in the city have the same fears , not least the president of the city ’ s Chamber of Commerce , Redmond @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s Executive “ must put in place support measures to allow businesses here a fighting chance .
“ Otherwise it will be lights out for many of them , and the possibility of thousands of redundancies in a region that has one of the highest unemployment rates in the UK.
” At Primrose restaurant along Derry ’ s quay , Melanie Breslin admits to being relatively lucky .
With an outdoor seating area , she can continue serving food as well as takeaway hot drinks .
“ We ’ re organising big industrial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to everybody : bring a blanket , ” she says .
“ Through the good and the bad , we have to support each other .
When everyone opens up again , get out and support them .
”

"Closing again," a customer outside The Scullery Cafe in Derry city centre remsarks. "It's a sad day."
Like everyone in the hospitality industry in Derry, the cafe's owner, Dermot Doherty, has been here before. Lockdown closed the business from mid-March until July. Now spiralling rates of Covid-19 in the Derry City and Strabane District Council area mean new restrictions will be in place from Monday.
The new rules, initially to be in force for two weeks, are designed to reduce social interaction and include the closure of museums and galleries, a ban on spectators at sporting events, and an appeal to avoid travel.
Hospital Report
Hotels can serve residents only while cafés, pubs and restaurants are limited to takeaway, delivery and outside service.
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At The Scullery, the plan is to serve takeaway tea and coffee. “We will stay open whatever happens,” says Doherty. It is about maintaining the business’s presence, continuing to serve their customers and “basically, to keep our staff in work.”
Though he agrees action must be taken and favours “a really strong lockdown for the next six weeks”, he warns of restrictions extending beyond the end of the month, when the government’s coronavirus job furlough scheme ends.
“You can’t employ 13 staff doing only tea and coffee,” says Doherty. “I think there will be a lot of job losses.”
Shuttered pub
Across the road, William McGuinness of the shuttered Peadar O’Donnell’s pub is contemplating a similar scenario. He is the owner of three licensed premises, and decided to shut them all after closing time on Thursday.
“There’s no point putting the brakes on on Monday when we could do it today.”
Dermot Doherty, owner of The Scullery Cafe, Derry city. Photograph: Freya McClements
He and many others in the city made a similar decision back in March, choosing to close when the Republic went into lockdown before the North. The earlier adoption of restrictions in Border areas was later credited as one of the reasons the virus was initially less prevalent there.
McGuinness’s three venues only reopened a few weeks ago, after adapting to serve food. Since they have reopened, trade has been down by 60 per cent.
All were “very busy bars before the lockdown happened. On busy nights, we would have to turn people away. Now, with social distancing, we’re just about scraping by.”
McGuinness was watching the numbers, and knew lockdown was coming.
“I can’t disagree with it,” he says. “Just look at the figures. The virus doesn’t spread itself, we spread the virus, and the way it’s going, it’s better to put the lid on it now and try and push the virus back.”
But he is “worried about our employees, worried about the furlough scheme coming to an end, worried about having to lay people off. Hopefully we will survive,” he says, “but some others may not. There will be premises that will close.”
‘Lights out’
Others in the city have the same fears, not least the president of the city’s Chamber of Commerce, Redmond McFadden, who said the North’s Executive “must put in place support measures to allow businesses here a fighting chance.
“Otherwise it will be lights out for many of them, and the possibility of thousands of redundancies in a region that has one of the highest unemployment rates in the UK.”
At Primrose restaurant along Derry's quay, Melanie Breslin admits to being relatively lucky. With an outdoor seating area, she can continue serving food as well as takeaway hot drinks.
“We’re organising big industrial heaters, and we’re saying to everybody: bring a blanket,” she says.
“Through the good and the bad, we have to support each other. When everyone opens up again, get out and support them.”


theirishtimes--2020-10-03--Covid-19 tracing: ‘It is like a juggernaut; it is very hard to slow it down’

Mary Walshe does not want to call the man back because he was unwell and breathless just from walking down his stairs at home to answer her phone call .
Her call , from UCD ’ s Carysfort campus in Dublin , was one of thousands made by contact tracers on Tuesday from eight centres across the country .
The tracers must contact people infected with Covid-19 , identify their close contacts and then call those contacts to get them tested and self-isolating .
Explaining the case , Walshe said her call should have been to the man ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saturday and was brought to a hospital in Dublin .
It all comes at a difficult time for the family ; they have just suffered a family bereavement overseas and could not travel to the funeral .
“ He was saying : ‘ How much worse can it get ?
’ This is what we are seeing a lot of .
It is not just the sickness .
You are seeing the whole impact it is having on society , ” said the contact tracer .
Walshe , a general nurse who is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of contact tracers at UCD , makes what contact tracers identify as “ call ones ” and “ call twos ” – the first is to inform a patient they are Covid positive and the second to collect their close contacts .
She leaves “ call threes ” – calls to close contacts to ensure that they get tested – to other contact tracers .
Her most complex “ super-spreader ” case involved contacting 29 mostly elderly people who had attended a funeral where they were in close contact with a woman who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ talk .
You give them time to vent their stress and anxieties , ” she said .
Across the hall , Eamonn Gormley , a professor from UCD ’ s veterinary school and now a chief investigator in the contact tracing centre , is just off the phone with a man who tested positive .
The Kildare man contacted met a relative and a friend in a bar on Friday night .
The other two have no symptoms .
Gormley thinks he might have caught the virus in the bar .
The man @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so that might show how he became infected .
Gormley says his job is to make sure the virus does not spread further and to get all contacts “ into the net and restricting their movements ” .
Catching asymptomatic spreaders quickly is key .
“ If we ask the right questions , we can quickly establish where the infection came from , but the important thing is where the infection is going to , not where it came from , ” he said .
His most complex case was a young woman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a restaurant in the southwest , serving hundreds of customers and working closely with more than 30 staff .
She also attended a family gathering with relatives from different parts of the country .
“ That one person who was symptomatic for that whole week potentially spread it to hundreds of people over the space of the August Bank Holiday week , ” said Gormley .
On Saturday , he spoke to two people who each had at least 30 contacts from socialising .
The shortest calls can take 25 minutes ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there are language difficulties .
The UCD centre has staff with different languages and uses a translation service .
Since new cases began increasing again in August , the scale of the contact tracing work has increased significantly .
The average number of contacts has risen from two in April to 6½ for each infected person .
Four hundred new cases can mean thousands of contacts and calls .
“ We are doing 2,500-3,000 calls every day on a consistent basis and that is a real stress and strain , ” said Kilian @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for contact tracing .
Contact tracing has gone from the quiet days of June and July when McGrane said a colleague described the work as playing Hungry Hippos with tracers rushing to grab a small number of cases to playing Whack-a-mole now as tracers struggle to deal with new cases popping up .
On Tuesday , a typical day , there was a constant hum of noise from telephone conversations in the contact tracing centre .
In recent weeks , contact tracers making “ call threes ” have been noticing increasing levels of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is no such thing as Covid – it is a myth , a government conspiracy ” , said McGrane .
It makes their work more difficult .
Mary Codd , an associate professor of epidemiology at UCD ’ s School of Public Health who runs the contact tracing centre , says most people are very receptive and are often expecting the calls .
“ Regrettably , we do have some people who feel somehow aggrieved or set upon but then putting yourself in their shoes you have to understand that they may be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to work or be at work , or they may have very responsible positions , ” she said .
The contact tracers share stories of people flouting the public health advice : people attending large family gatherings and house parties , or young people returning from sun holidays in non-green list countries who knew they had to self-quarantine for two weeks on their return but forgot about the risk of infecting others on the plane or public transport on the way home .
The calls can be difficult and stressful .
Rita Collins @ @ @ @ @ @ @ man , a case on her desk , who asked if she could call him back later because he was having lunch with a friend and another man who kept saying “ blah , blah , blah ” every time she tried to speak .
Gormley fears complacency has set in among the public because there has not been a surge in deaths .
In contrast to April ’ s wave , contact tracers are finding more infected young people and asymptomatic cases who “ feel fine ” and don ’ t understand @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a scientist from UCD ’ s vet school and a volunteer contact tracer , has had two concerning cases cross his desk in recent days .
One woman with lung cancer felt she deserved “ a little bit of a break ” after treatment and caught the virus after going out for dinner with a friend .
“ She let her guard down for a short period of time and she got it , ” said Furlong .
Another woman , originally from South America with an autoimmune disease , thought her @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but it turned out she had Covid .
Over a weekend , between being swabbed and getting her positive result , she socialised with 15 friends .
“ At the beginning everyone was so much more careful .
Now people are tired of it all and they just want to get on with their lives .
Now you are seeing a lot more contacts , ” said Furlong .
He is fearful about the coming weeks .
“ The rate of increase is too much now at this stage .
It is like @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to slow it down , ” he said , scanning the call files on the desk in front of him .
“ I feel like we are going to have to go up to the next level at this stage after three weeks , particularly after seeing all these contacts with people .
”

The HSE had to dramatically increase it's contact tracers as cases surged during the second wave of Covid-19. Video: Enda O'Dowd
Mary Walshe does not want to call the man back because he was unwell and breathless just from walking down his stairs at home to answer her phone call.
Her call, from UCD’s Carysfort campus in Dublin, was one of thousands made by contact tracers on Tuesday from eight centres across the country.
The tracers must contact people infected with Covid-19, identify their close contacts and then call those contacts to get them tested and self-isolating.
Hospital Report
Explaining the case, Walshe said her call should have been to the man’s wife but she became very ill on Saturday and was brought to a hospital in Dublin. It all comes at a difficult time for the family; they have just suffered a family bereavement overseas and could not travel to the funeral.
READ MORE
“He was saying: ‘How much worse can it get?’ This is what we are seeing a lot of. It is not just the sickness. You are seeing the whole impact it is having on society,” said the contact tracer.
From left, Mary Codd, associate professor of epidemiology at UCD’s School of Public Health, who runs the contact tracing centre, with contact tracer Nicole McAllister.
You let them talk. You give them time to vent their stress
and anxieties
Walshe, a general nurse who is also a member of the 30-strong team of contact tracers at UCD, makes what contact tracers identify as “call ones” and “call twos” – the first is to inform a patient they are Covid positive and the second to collect their close contacts. She leaves “call threes” – calls to close contacts to ensure that they get tested – to other contact tracers.
Her most complex “super-spreader” case involved contacting 29 mostly elderly people who had attended a funeral where they were in close contact with a woman who tested positive.
“You let them talk. You give them time to vent their stress and anxieties,” she said.
Across the hall, Eamonn Gormley, a professor from UCD's veterinary school and now a chief investigator in the contact tracing centre, is just off the phone with a man who tested positive.
The Kildare man contacted met a relative and a friend in a bar on Friday night. The other two have no symptoms. Gormley thinks he might have caught the virus in the bar. The man has the Covid app on his phone so that might show how he became infected.
Gormley says his job is to make sure the virus does not spread further and to get all contacts “into the net and restricting their movements”. Catching asymptomatic spreaders quickly is key.
“If we ask the right questions, we can quickly establish where the infection came from, but the important thing is where the infection is going to, not where it came from,” he said.
His most complex case was a young woman who worked while symptomatic for a week in a restaurant in the southwest, serving hundreds of customers and working closely with more than 30 staff. She also attended a family gathering with relatives from different parts of the country.
“That one person who was symptomatic for that whole week potentially spread it to hundreds of people over the space of the August Bank Holiday week,” said Gormley.
On Saturday, he spoke to two people who each had at least 30 contacts from socialising.
The shortest calls can take 25 minutes; the longest two hours, especially if there are language difficulties. The UCD centre has staff with different languages and uses a translation service.
Since new cases began increasing again in August, the scale of the contact tracing work has increased significantly. The average number of contacts has risen from two in April to 6½ for each infected person. Four hundred new cases can mean thousands of contacts and calls.
“We are doing 2,500-3,000 calls every day on a consistent basis and that is a real stress and strain,” said Kilian McGrane, the HSE’s lead for contact tracing.
Contact tracing has gone from the quiet days of June and July when McGrane said a colleague described the work as playing Hungry Hippos with tracers rushing to grab a small number of cases to playing Whack-a-mole now as tracers struggle to deal with new cases popping up.
The contact tracing call centre in UCD. Photograph: Enda O’Dowd
Eamonn Gormley, who has a PhD from Trinity College and has worked at UCD since 1998, has been contact tracing since the start of the pandemic.
People are tired of it all and they just want to get on with their lives. Now you are seeing a lot more contacts
On Tuesday, a typical day, there was a constant hum of noise from telephone conversations in the contact tracing centre. In recent weeks, contact tracers making “call threes” have been noticing increasing levels of aggression from people who claim “there is no such thing as Covid – it is a myth, a government conspiracy”, said McGrane. It makes their work more difficult.
Mary Codd, an associate professor of epidemiology at UCD's School of Public Health who runs the contact tracing centre, says most people are very receptive and are often expecting the calls.
“Regrettably, we do have some people who feel somehow aggrieved or set upon but then putting yourself in their shoes you have to understand that they may be under pressure in work or to return to work or be at work, or they may have very responsible positions,” she said.
The contact tracers share stories of people flouting the public health advice: people attending large family gatherings and house parties, or young people returning from sun holidays in non-green list countries who knew they had to self-quarantine for two weeks on their return but forgot about the risk of infecting others on the plane or public transport on the way home.
The calls can be difficult and stressful. Rita Collins, another contact tracer, recalls one man, a case on her desk, who asked if she could call him back later because he was having lunch with a friend and another man who kept saying "blah, blah, blah" every time she tried to speak.
Gormley fears complacency has set in among the public because there has not been a surge in deaths. In contrast to April’s wave, contact tracers are finding more infected young people and asymptomatic cases who “feel fine” and don’t understand why they should self-isolate.
I feel like we are going to have to go up to the next level
at this stage after three weeks
John Furlong, a scientist from UCD's vet school and a volunteer contact tracer, has had two concerning cases cross his desk in recent days. One woman with lung cancer felt she deserved "a little bit of a break" after treatment and caught the virus after going out for dinner with a friend.
“She let her guard down for a short period of time and she got it,” said Furlong.
Another woman, originally from South America with an autoimmune disease, thought her fatigue was down to her underlying condition but it turned out she had Covid. Over a weekend, between being swabbed and getting her positive result, she socialised with 15 friends.
“At the beginning everyone was so much more careful. Now people are tired of it all and they just want to get on with their lives. Now you are seeing a lot more contacts,” said Furlong.
He is fearful about the coming weeks.
“The rate of increase is too much now at this stage. It is like a juggernaut. It is very hard to slow it down,” he said, scanning the call files on the desk in front of him.
“I feel like we are going to have to go up to the next level at this stage after three weeks, particularly after seeing all these contacts with people.”


theirishtimes--2020-10-02--Coronavirus: Nursing home inquiry to be urged by Dáil committee

A public inquiry should be carried out into coronavirus-linked deaths that took place in nursing homes , a confidential draft report by the Oireachtas Covid-19 committee has found .
According to a draft of the committee ’ s final report , seen by The Irish Times : “ The State … became overly focused on preparing acute hospitals for the oncoming pandemic in February and March and failed to recognise the level of risk posed to those in nursing homes.
” The report states that the inquiry should examine the “ large-scale discharge of patients from acute hospitals ” , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discharges ” by hospitals , the HSE , the Department of Health , the Government and the National Health Public Emergency Team .
A recommendation made in March by the emergency team that visitor bans to nursing homes were “ premature ” should be examined .
It also makes wide-ranging recommendations about testing and tracing , the conditions of lower-paid workers in nursing homes and meat plants and the powers of regulatory bodies .
The turnaround time for testing and tracing should not be more than 24 hours , the report finds , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lot of work to do to get it right , particularly regarding contact tracing ” .
“ The turnaround times are simply too slow and the testing of close contacts of positive cases is not robust , ” it finds .
Currently , median end-to-end turnaround times for community samples range between two and 3½ days to be completed , the committee heard last week .
The report also outlines a range of “ systemic weaknesses ” in how public services are provided that it says have been highlighted by Covid-19 , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to examine them .
These include an over-reliance on institutional care for vulnerable people , and “ the ongoing decisions being made by the HSE to place residents in nursing homes that have compliance issues , especially with infection control ” .
There has been a failure to invest in acute and step-down hospital bed capacity , which led to the State having to transfer more than 10,000 people into long-term residential settings to prepare the acute hospital system for the arrival of Covid-19 patients , the report finds .
It also says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ policy on the care of older people ” , with tax incentives creating a situation whereby ownership of institutions has “ flipped ” from the public to the private sector in the past 30 years .
Workers in nursing homes and meat plants felt “ compelled to attend for duty even though they were potential carriers of the virus due to the absence of income support if they reported sick , ” the draft finds .
It recommends that there should be a provision for a statutory sick pay scheme for low-paid workers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ notifiable disease under health-and-safety regulations .
An “ urgent review ” is needed of the regulatory framework of regulators Hiqa and the Health and Safety Authority by the end of the year , and the report finds that “ the workload of both regulators was such that [ they ] did not have the capacity to fully investigate compliance ” .
Meanwhile , the report recommends the State should not support facilities where residents don ’ t have adequate self-isolation facilities .
It criticises “ Nightingale-type wards ” where residents live , eat @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with communal wash facilities .
It recommends that Dáil committees should review the communication strategies of their departments to ensure they are without “ ambiguity or room for confusion ” , which “ unfortunately has not always been the case ” .
The committees should also review all Covid-19 legislation in their sector , the report finds .
Legislation related to Covid-19 should have a “ sunset clause ” , and when being renewed should require the express approval of the Oireachtas .
The draft report is set to be discussed by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ may be needed in order to finalise the report , with the committee set to be disbanded next week .

Draft report finds there is a ‘lack of coherent policy on the care of older people’. Photograph: Ina Fassbender/AFP via Getty
A public inquiry should be carried out into coronavirus-linked deaths that took place in nursing homes, a confidential draft report by the Oireachtas Covid-19 committee has found.
According to a draft of the committee’s final report, seen by The Irish Times: “The State … became overly focused on preparing acute hospitals for the oncoming pandemic in February and March and failed to recognise the level of risk posed to those in nursing homes.”
The report states that the inquiry should examine the "large-scale discharge of patients from acute hospitals", as well as "decision-making around those discharges" by hospitals, the HSE, the Department of Health, the Government and the National Health Public Emergency Team.
Hospital Report
A recommendation made in March by the emergency team that visitor bans to nursing homes were “premature” should be examined.
READ MORE
It also makes wide-ranging recommendations about testing and tracing, the conditions of lower-paid workers in nursing homes and meat plants and the powers of regulatory bodies.
The turnaround time for testing and tracing should not be more than 24 hours, the report finds, adding that “the HSE has a lot of work to do to get it right, particularly regarding contact tracing”.
“The turnaround times are simply too slow and the testing of close contacts of positive cases is not robust,” it finds. Currently, median end-to-end turnaround times for community samples range between two and 3½ days to be completed, the committee heard last week.
‘Systemic weaknesses’
The report also outlines a range of “systemic weaknesses” in how public services are provided that it says have been highlighted by Covid-19, and calls on the relevant Oireachtas joint committees to examine them.
These include an over-reliance on institutional care for vulnerable people, and “the ongoing decisions being made by the HSE to place residents in nursing homes that have compliance issues, especially with infection control”.
There has been a failure to invest in acute and step-down hospital bed capacity, which led to the State having to transfer more than 10,000 people into long-term residential settings to prepare the acute hospital system for the arrival of Covid-19 patients, the report finds.
It also says there is a “lack of coherent policy on the care of older people”, with tax incentives creating a situation whereby ownership of institutions has “flipped” from the public to the private sector in the past 30 years.
Workers in nursing homes and meat plants felt “compelled to attend for duty even though they were potential carriers of the virus due to the absence of income support if they reported sick,” the draft finds. It recommends that there should be a provision for a statutory sick pay scheme for low-paid workers, and that Covid-19 be made a notifiable disease under health-and-safety regulations.
An “urgent review” is needed of the regulatory framework of regulators Hiqa and the Health and Safety Authority by the end of the year, and the report finds that “the workload of both regulators was such that [they] did not have the capacity to fully investigate compliance”.
Nightingale wards
Meanwhile, the report recommends the State should not support facilities where residents don’t have adequate self-isolation facilities. It criticises “Nightingale-type wards” where residents live, eat and spend most of their time, with communal wash facilities.
It recommends that Dáil committees should review the communication strategies of their departments to ensure they are without “ambiguity or room for confusion”, which “unfortunately has not always been the case”. The committees should also review all Covid-19 legislation in their sector, the report finds.
Legislation related to Covid-19 should have a “sunset clause”, and when being renewed should require the express approval of the Oireachtas.
The draft report is set to be discussed by the committee next week. A technical extension may be needed in order to finalise the report, with the committee set to be disbanded next week.