theirishtimes--2020-12-07--Christmas sorted: How An Post is coping with record demand

Someone in Lucan is getting an electric scooter for Christmas .
It arrived by ship from Poland early on Thursday morning and found its way to An Post ’ s mail centre campus – two large warehouses near Ballymount , west Dublin , where 3.3 million packages are now being sorted and sent every week .
Over the next 24 hours , the scooter in its packaging will be unloaded , wind its way along a complex carousel system and be placed inside another truck and brought to the Parkwest staging centre before finally arriving at a front-door destination some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the journey of just one parcel .
But take your eye off it for a split second and it becomes lost in a sea of brown and white cardboard , countless thousands of tonnes of which are trundling through the postal system in the build-up to a Christmas that , due to the pandemic , is more reliant on postal delivery than ever before .
On a steel gantry overlooking the sprawling machinery ( An Post has invested €30 million in its “ ecommerce campus ” ) , floor operations manager Maurice Ebbs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the process as the children will be about the presents on Christmas morning .
“ There has been unbelievable change , ” he says .
“ The volumes in the last couple of years ; it ’ s probably more than trebled.
” He knows all about change .
As a 16-year-old junior postman in the mid-1980s , he started out delivering telegrams from the back of a motorbike .
“ In the parcel business we have gone from [ mainly ] delivering furniture to much smaller parcels.
” In many ways that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with letters ever dwindling , growing volumes of smaller consumer packages , ordered online , represent the future .
At the mail centre , they funnel by at high speed around a spaghetti junction of conveyor belts , scanners and bins that fill much of the 45,000sq ft of noisy warehouse space .
As Ebbs mentions , this year ’ s weekly seasonal throughput is more than triple the previous record of one million packages set last year .
A quick glimpse among the huge pallets and boxes reveals Christmas gifts and deliveries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Hampers & Co , and HP Nutrition .
Amazon arrows are omnipresent .
A vast array of random consumer goods – everything from guitars and bags of barbecue coals to surfboards and trampolines – fill two kilometres worth of trucks , back to back , on a daily basis .
Things “ start ” at 7am but never really stop – there is just a two-hour window for machine maintenance .
Ross Tredt ( 36 ) , a process area manager who oversees the trucks , says there has been “ no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trucks he oversees reverse up and pull away every 20-30 minutes , each holding 2,000-5,000 packages .
They never stop .
Does he dream about parcels ?
“ Nightmares !
It ’ s just been non-stop.
” But the pandemic has been a tale of two postal systems for chief executive David McRedmond .
“ The first story is [ that ] the pandemic has hit really hard financially for An Post because letter volumes dropped dramatically , and letters are much easier to handle and they are much more profitable , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are more than healthy , An Post is facing a €50 million financial hit in 2020 due to lost letter business and various increased costs associated with the pandemic .
“ The really good news , though , is strategically it ’ s moved us forward about two or three years .
We were going to go through this gradual decline in letters and gradual increase in parcels ; instead you have just seen a jump – like that .
So we are now really operating where we would have expected to operate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around him the shiny new machines are purring and wheezing to keep up with this abrupt fast-forward .
From the trucks , parcels are fed on to a series of connecting conveyor belts , slowed and evenly spaced by human hands before being funnelled through a scanner , which records the barcodes , and then tipped into destination-specific bins .
These in turn are loaded on to yet more trucks and dispatched to 113 delivery depots around the country .
Much of the process is automated , a far cry from the human @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , says director of international mail Cyril McGrane , have potentially added another 24 hours to delivery times .
Today they process up to 12,000 parcels an hour – compared with 1,000 in the manual days – which on Wednesday alone added up to a total of 167,000 .
“ It ’ s mind-blowing scale change , ” says McGrane , who predicts the surge in activity will last well into the January sales .
It is not all pristine Amazon packages and square boxes .
Paula Robinson and Donna Nolan work in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or two trucks that arrive from the airport at 6am each morning .
They work closely with customs officers and have encountered everything from second-hand clothes to “ bush meat ” , fish guts and any manner of rotten food products that “ ooze out ” and destroy neighbouring parcels .
“ Some days we have to go home and fumigate ourselves , ” Paula laughs , although like everyone else they describe their job with a certain affection .
Even bizarre Christmas gifts have a home to reach .
Over the next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ systems for ever more efficiency , moving the emphasis further away from letters .
But McRedmond is keen to bring the public along , and savvy PR moves during the pandemic have helped ( the idea of distributing five million free postcards last March was based on similar St Patrick ’ s Day versions once gifted by Senator Feargal Quinn ) .
“ We became very motivated by really being a front line in the pandemic , and in relation to how people think about An Post , I think it has changed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will the old romanticism of the village postman delivering letters be pushed aside by a tide of ruthless automated efficiency ?
“ I think we want to achieve both , ” McRedmond replies .
“ It ’ s a really important part of what An Post is , that human connection .
So we ’ ll always have postmen and postwomen , we will always have them .
“ But they ’ ll now be in an electric van ; they ’ ll now be calling at different times of the day ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different routes .
So , yes , there will be changes but for the consumer , for the person living at home , they ’ ll still know their postman or postwoman .
That ’ s really important but the whole system behind them will be completely different.
” 3.3 million The number of packages An Post will process each week in the run-up to Christmas .
1 million The previous record set last year .
2km The equivalent length of trucks that use the central mail centre every day during December .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ at its ecommerce campus mail centre in Dublin .
8 % The annual rate of decline in traditional letters .
1,000 The number of additional staff brought into An Post ’ s central campus to help sort Christmas packages .

An Post operates the Dublin Parcel Hub from its ecommerce campus in West Dublin. The campus can handle up to 2.5 million parcels a week. Video: Bryan O’Brien
Someone in Lucan is getting an electric scooter for Christmas. It arrived by ship from Poland early on Thursday morning and found its way to An Post's mail centre campus – two large warehouses near Ballymount, west Dublin, where 3.3 million packages are now being sorted and sent every week.
Over the next 24 hours, the scooter in its packaging will be unloaded, wind its way along a complex carousel system and be placed inside another truck and brought to the Parkwest staging centre before finally arriving at a front-door destination some time on Friday morning.
It is the journey of just one parcel. But take your eye off it for a split second and it becomes lost in a sea of brown and white cardboard, countless thousands of tonnes of which are trundling through the postal system in the build-up to a Christmas that, due to the pandemic, is more reliant on postal delivery than ever before.
On a steel gantry overlooking the sprawling machinery (An Post has invested €30 million in its "ecommerce campus"), floor operations manager Maurice Ebbs (51) is as enthusiastic about the process as the children will be about the presents on Christmas morning.
READ MORE
Maurice Ebbs, floor operations manager at An Post’s parcel hub in Dublin 12. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien
“There has been unbelievable change,” he says. “The volumes in the last couple of years; it’s probably more than trebled.”
He knows all about change. As a 16-year-old junior postman in the mid-1980s, he started out delivering telegrams from the back of a motorbike.
“In the parcel business we have gone from [mainly] delivering furniture to much smaller parcels.”
In many ways that encapsulates where An Post is today – with letters ever dwindling, growing volumes of smaller consumer packages, ordered online, represent the future. At the mail centre, they funnel by at high speed around a spaghetti junction of conveyor belts, scanners and bins that fill much of the 45,000sq ft of noisy warehouse space.
As Ebbs mentions, this year’s weekly seasonal throughput is more than triple the previous record of one million packages set last year.
A quick glimpse among the huge pallets and boxes reveals Christmas gifts and deliveries from the likes of Zara, Arnotts, Hampers & Co, and HP Nutrition. Amazon arrows are omnipresent. A vast array of random consumer goods – everything from guitars and bags of barbecue coals to surfboards and trampolines – fill two kilometres worth of trucks, back to back, on a daily basis.
Things “start” at 7am but never really stop – there is just a two-hour window for machine maintenance.
Full trucks
Ross Tredt (36), a process area manager who oversees the trucks, says there has been "no let-up" through the pandemic. The trucks he oversees reverse up and pull away every 20-30 minutes, each holding 2,000-5,000 packages. They never stop.
Does he dream about parcels? “Nightmares! It’s just been non-stop.”
But the pandemic has been a tale of two postal systems for chief executive David McRedmond.
“The first story is [that] the pandemic has hit really hard financially for An Post because letter volumes dropped dramatically, and letters are much easier to handle and they are much more profitable,” he says. Although Christmas stamp sales are more than healthy, An Post is facing a €50 million financial hit in 2020 due to lost letter business and various increased costs associated with the pandemic.
“The really good news, though, is strategically it’s moved us forward about two or three years. We were going to go through this gradual decline in letters and gradual increase in parcels; instead you have just seen a jump – like that. So we are now really operating where we would have expected to operate in, say, 2023.”
An Post’s Dublin parcel hub in Dublin 12. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien
All around him the shiny new machines are purring and wheezing to keep up with this abrupt fast-forward. From the trucks, parcels are fed on to a series of connecting conveyor belts, slowed and evenly spaced by human hands before being funnelled through a scanner, which records the barcodes, and then tipped into destination-specific bins.
These in turn are loaded on to yet more trucks and dispatched to 113 delivery depots around the country. Much of the process is automated, a far cry from the human handling of 10 years ago that would, says director of international mail Cyril McGrane, have potentially added another 24 hours to delivery times.
Today they process up to 12,000 parcels an hour – compared with 1,000 in the manual days – which on Wednesday alone added up to a total of 167,000.
“It’s mind-blowing scale change,” says McGrane, who predicts the surge in activity will last well into the January sales.
Fish guts
It is not all pristine Amazon packages and square boxes. Paula Robinson and Donna Nolan work in the international section, unloading the one or two trucks that arrive from the airport at 6am each morning.
They work closely with customs officers and have encountered everything from second-hand clothes to “bush meat”, fish guts and any manner of rotten food products that “ooze out” and destroy neighbouring parcels.
“Some days we have to go home and fumigate ourselves,” Paula laughs, although like everyone else they describe their job with a certain affection. Even bizarre Christmas gifts have a home to reach.
Helen Power, a postal sorter at An Post’s parcel hub in Dublin 12. Photograph: Bryan O’Brien
Over the next year An Post plans to adapt its systems for ever more efficiency, moving the emphasis further away from letters. But McRedmond is keen to bring the public along, and savvy PR moves during the pandemic have helped (the idea of distributing five million free postcards last March was based on similar St Patrick’s Day versions once gifted by Senator Feargal Quinn).
“We became very motivated by really being a front line in the pandemic, and in relation to how people think about An Post, I think it has changed it,” he says.
But will the old romanticism of the village postman delivering letters be pushed aside by a tide of ruthless automated efficiency? “I think we want to achieve both,” McRedmond replies.
“It’s a really important part of what An Post is, that human connection. So we’ll always have postmen and postwomen, we will always have them.
“But they’ll now be in an electric van; they’ll now be calling at different times of the day; they’ll now be on slightly different routes. So, yes, there will be changes but for the consumer, for the person living at home, they’ll still know their postman or postwoman. That’s really important but the whole system behind them will be completely different.”
CHRISTMAS POST: BY NUMBERS
3.3 million The number of packages An Post will process each week in the run-up to Christmas.
1 million The previous record set last year.
2km The equivalent length of trucks that use the central mail centre every day during December.
€30 million The recent investment in technology at its ecommerce campus mail centre in Dublin.
8% The annual rate of decline in traditional letters.
1,000 The number of additional staff brought into An Post's central campus to help sort Christmas packages.


theirishtimes--2020-12-07--‘Bad Bridgets’ from Ireland were a big part of prison populations in US and Canada

Two Northern Ireland-based historians have launched podcasts about the “ Bad Bridgets ” – the many thousands of Irish women who emigrated to North America from 1838 to 1918 ended up in prison for a range of offences from pick-pocketing to murder .
Dr Elaine Farrell of Queen ’ s University , Belfast , and Dr Leanne McCormick of Ulster University vividly tell what is the largely untold story of the many Irish women who were regularly imprisoned in the US and Canada .
The academics coined the term “ Bad Bridgets ” for their study which puts a dent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and their offspring became “ presidents , war heroes , men and women who built industrial cities , served its people , or educated its children ” .
“ No doubt we have only discovered a fraction of the cases , but those we do have demonstrate that image of Irish women as sexually virtuous , good wives , good mothers and obedient domestic servants was not quite the lived reality for all , ” they write in their overview to the podcasts .
Poverty , despair and loneliness often were factors in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very recidivist in nature .
In one of many stories they tell about Margaret Brown , known as Old Mother Hubbard , whose exploits were featured in an 1886 publication , Professional Criminals of North America , and whose career spanned more than 50 years , working in at least six states .
“ She befriended women shoppers , admired their purchases , and dipped her hands into their pockets and purses , ” said the academics .
“ She also tried to escape from a prison in Chicago in 1877 by tying @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She was not expected to live but survived to pick a few more pockets .
Dr Farrell and Dr McCormick concentrate their stories on Boston and New York where “ Bridget ” became a word in American English meaning “ housemaid ” so numerous were Irishwomen of that name employed in the role .
While many of the more than five and a half million migrants who departed Ireland for North America did well , others did not .
For instance in Boston between 1882 and 1915 , 12,514 women were admitted to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ those 35 per cent were Irish women at a time when the total Irish population in Boston was around 17 per cent .
Frequently there were more Irish women than Irish men in prison .
The academics refer to how in 1860 Irish people represented 25 per cent of the New York population , dropping to 12.5 per cent by 1890 .
Yet in the 1860s in New York Irish men comprised 50 per cent of the male prison population , while Irish women comprised 86 per cent of the female prison population @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1881 at least 5,260 Irish women were imprisoned , some more than once .
In comparison in the same period 976 English women and 382 Scottish women were imprisoned ; 1,537 Canadian-born women were jailed at this time .
“ In fact we were completely overwhelmed by the sheer number of Irish women in records relating to crime and punishment , ” say the historians .
They add that Irish people , as described in the New York Evening Express in 1854 , often were viewed as part of the “ scum of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Chicago Post in 1868 was even more explicit : “ The Irish fill our prisons … Putting them on a boat and sending them home would end crime in this country.
” Drink was a big contributing factor to the troubles of Irish women .
Those in Toronto prison in 1868 included Mary Watson and Bridget Golding , both aged 10 and arrested for being drunk , with Mary having had nine previous arrests , as well as Ann Healey who was 85 and had been arrested 33 times .
The academics also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Irish women engaging in criminality and ending up in destitution .
Another sad tale was about Catherine O ’ Donnell who in 1889 “ sought the shores of America to give birth to an illegitimate child , her lover , ( a book-keeper in Ireland ) deserting her ” .
A newspaper said that she belonged to “ an aristocratic family in Ireland ” .
That may have been an exaggeration , according to the academics , but the fact that she was educated in a convent until she was 19 and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ indicated she came from a wealthy background .
She was charged with murder over the death of her 12-week-old baby in Boston and ultimately served a year for manslaughter .
She said her infant died after she wandered in the cold for two days with the baby in her arms .
The prosecution said the baby died from drowning .
“ The ‘ new world ’ seemed to offer unmarried women an opportunity to conceal their pregnancies from their families at home or , when families knew about it , offered an opportunity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ write Dr Farrell and Dr McCormick , who are also planning a book about the Bad Bridgets .
Many Irish women also were imprisoned for prostitution .
One 19th-century study found that of the 1,238 prostitutes questioned who were born abroad , 706 ( more than 57 per cent ) were Irish .
One of them , Bridget Bell , a 13-year-old servant , was convicted of visiting a “ disorderly house ” – a brothel – in 1886 and sentenced to 12 months in prison .
In 1885 New York , a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ireland only a week before had a lucky escape from a stretch behind bars .
She was walking to church when she encountered a group of women she believed also were going her way .
“ She ended up in prison because the group of 37 women were in fact sex workers arrested for soliciting who were on their way to the police court .
The young woman was ‘ detained as a prisoner until her employer came and vouched for her ’ .
” The Bad Bridget podcasts are presented by Dr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and Dr McCormick from Ballymoney , Co Antrim , with some of the extracts read by Siobhán McSweeney , Sister Michael in Derry Girls .
It is available on Spotify , Apple and other podcast providers .

The Bad Bridget podcast tells the story of the many Irish women who were regularly imprisoned in the US and Canada. Illustration: Ashleigh Neill, @PhDcartoon
Two Northern Ireland-based historians have launched podcasts about the "Bad Bridgets" – the many thousands of Irish women who emigrated to North America from 1838 to 1918 ended up in prison for a range of offences from pick-pocketing to murder.
Dr Elaine Farrell of Queen's University, Belfast, and Dr Leanne McCormick of Ulster University vividly tell what is the largely untold story of the many Irish women who were regularly imprisoned in the US and Canada.
The academics coined the term “Bad Bridgets” for their study which puts a dent in the narrative of how Irish emigrants and their offspring became “presidents, war heroes, men and women who built industrial cities, served its people, or educated its children”.
“No doubt we have only discovered a fraction of the cases, but those we do have demonstrate that image of Irish women as sexually virtuous, good wives, good mothers and obedient domestic servants was not quite the lived reality for all,” they write in their overview to the podcasts.
READ MORE
Poverty, despair and loneliness often were factors in the crimes, although some characters were very recidivist in nature.
In one of many stories they tell about Margaret Brown, known as Old Mother Hubbard, whose exploits were featured in an 1886 publication, Professional Criminals of North America, and whose career spanned more than 50 years, working in at least six states.
"She befriended women shoppers, admired their purchases, and dipped her hands into their pockets and purses," said the academics. "She also tried to escape from a prison in Chicago in 1877 by tying bedsheets together and fell several stories."
She was not expected to live but survived to pick a few more pockets.
Migrants
Dr Farrell and Dr McCormick concentrate their stories on Boston and New York where "Bridget" became a word in American English meaning "housemaid" so numerous were Irishwomen of that name employed in the role. While many of the more than five and a half million migrants who departed Ireland for North America did well, others did not.
For instance in Boston between 1882 and 1915, 12,514 women were admitted to the House of Correction, and of those 35 per cent were Irish women at a time when the total Irish population in Boston was around 17 per cent.
Frequently there were more Irish women than Irish men in prison. The academics refer to how in 1860 Irish people represented 25 per cent of the New York population, dropping to 12.5 per cent by 1890. Yet in the 1860s in New York Irish men comprised 50 per cent of the male prison population, while Irish women comprised 86 per cent of the female prison population.
In Toronto Jail between 1860 and 1881 at least 5,260 Irish women were imprisoned, some more than once. In comparison in the same period 976 English women and 382 Scottish women were imprisoned. 1,537 Canadian-born women were jailed at this time.
“In fact we were completely overwhelmed by the sheer number of Irish women in records relating to crime and punishment,” say the historians.
They add that Irish people, as described in the New York Evening Express in 1854, often were viewed as part of the “scum of Europe”.
An editorial in the Chicago Post in 1868 was even more explicit: “The Irish fill our prisons … Putting them on a boat and sending them home would end crime in this country.”
Drink was a big contributing factor to the troubles of Irish women. Those in Toronto prison in 1868 included Mary Watson and Bridget Golding, both aged 10 and arrested for being drunk, with Mary having had nine previous arrests, as well as Ann Healey who was 85 and had been arrested 33 times.
The academics also found that pregnancy outside marriage could lead to Irish women engaging in criminality and ending up in destitution.
Sad tale
Another sad tale was about Catherine O’Donnell who in 1889 “sought the shores of America to give birth to an illegitimate child, her lover, (a bookkeeper in Ireland) deserting her”.
A newspaper said that she belonged to “an aristocratic family in Ireland”. That may have been an exaggeration, according to the academics, but the fact that she was educated in a convent until she was 19 and that her father owned around 200 acres indicated she came from a wealthy background.
She was charged with murder over the death of her 12-week-old baby in Boston and ultimately served a year for manslaughter. She said her infant died after she wandered in the cold for two days with the baby in her arms. The prosecution said the baby died from drowning.
“The ‘new world’ seemed to offer unmarried women an opportunity to conceal their pregnancies from their families at home or, when families knew about it, offered an opportunity to preserve the family reputation,” write Dr Farrell and Dr McCormick, who are also planning a book about the Bad Bridgets.
Many Irish women also were imprisoned for prostitution. One 19th century study found that of the 1,238 prostitutes questioned who were born abroad, 706 (more than 57 per cent) were Irish. One of them, Bridget Bell, a 13-year-old servant, was convicted of visiting a “disorderly house”, a brothel, in 1886 and sentenced to 12 months in prison.
In 1885 New York, a young Irish servant who had migrated from Ireland only a week before had a lucky escape from a stretch behind bars. She was walking to church when she encountered a group of women she believed also were going her way.
“She ended up in prison because the group of 37 women were in fact sex workers arrested for soliciting who were on their way to the police court. The young woman was ‘detained as a prisoner until her employer came and vouched for her’.”
The Bad Bridget podcasts are presented by Dr Farrell, who is originally from Sligo, and Dr McCormick from Ballymoney, Co Antrim, with some of the extracts read by Siobhán McSweeney, Sister Michael in Derry Girls. It is available on Spotify, Apple and other podcast providers.


theirishtimes--2020-12-07--Restaurant to introduce deposit policy after 18 no-shows on Friday night

A Dublin restaurant owner has said he has had to introduce a deposit policy for bookings after 18 customers did not show up for appointed slots on Friday night .
Damien Quinn , part-owner of Sussex restaurant on Leeson Street Upper , said he hadn ’ t asked bookings for deposits this month as he was “ sympathetic to people out of pocket due to Covid-19 ” .
“ There were five bookings in total which were no-shows , which included 18 customers .
They were all confirmed on the day , ” Mr Quinn said .
“ I didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ situation we ’ re in , a lot of people can ’ t afford it , a lot of people are out of work .
I had one table cancel 15 minutes before they were due to arrive.
” Mr Quinn said that from Saturday they were now taking deposits of €20 per person , as they have done over previous Decembers .
“ It ’ s just the frustration of it being our opening night and the industry has been hit so hard .
Everyone who works in the industry has really @ @ @ @ @ @ @ safe .
It ’ s just a bit disappointing when there ’ s that level of people who don ’ t show , ” he added .
“ I ’ ll hold my hand up and say I was probably wrong in not taking deposits but the reason we didn ’ t is because I was sympathetic to people out of pocket at the moment because of Covid-19 .
I thought a lot of people were there to support restaurants and we wouldn ’ t have the same issue that we have every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Friday for indoor dining as part of the Government ’ s phased emergence from Level 5 restrictions for the Christmas period .
The Restaurants Association of Ireland ( RAI ) has said businesses reported over the weekend that some customers had booked several restaurants on the same night primarily so they could spend more time drinking .
“ What I ’ m hearing now is that we have customers booking multiple locations and turning up and just having a dessert in one place with drinks then moving onto another place for a starter @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , chief executive of the RAI .
“ It ’ s tough enough at the moment for businesses without that sort of messing going on .
I know they ’ re within the guidelines but when your industry is trying to maximise turnover in December , when we ’ ve been closed for six weeks nationally and for 12 weeks in Dublin , they need to get the cash flow in .
We can see a tsunami of liquidations coming down the tracks in the new year.
” Mr Cummins said the RAI @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ramp up ” inspections of licensed premises to ensure that “ everybody is playing off the same hymn sheet and it ’ s being done correctly ” .
“ A business has to prepare the food on site and there has to be the purchase of a €9 meal with an alcoholic drink .
We have a window of opportunity now to get this right , ” he added .
Some restaurant owners were happier with the reopening weekend , with Paul Cadden , owner of the Saba restaurant group , said it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at his Baggot Street and Clarendon Street premises were “ very considerate and respectful ” of Covid-19 guidelines , he said .
“ Everybody was a little bit anxious starting off back into business again on Friday night , butterflies in the stomach feeling , but it all went really well .
“ It ’ s totally different because you don ’ t have the Christmas parties like other years so it ’ s all bookings of twos , fours and a few sixes .
Everyone ’ s very cautious .
People are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re gone , it ’ s a totally different vibe , but still everybody is in great form , they ’ re delighted to be out.
” Mr Cadden said he was fortunate that no-shows weren ’ t a problem for him and that they have been taking deposits of €10 per person .
“ It ’ s not like other years either where people are walking in .
It ’ s nearly 99 per cent reservations .
“ We ’ re taking walk-ins but there weren ’ t walk-ins to take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ years there were concerts on , theatre , shows , people would be eating and going on to something .
That ’ s not happening this year .
“ The Friday and Saturday nights are very busy for the rest of the month and then you have soft spots during the week but I think as time moves on and the weeks go on , it will pick up .
”

‘There were five bookings in total which were no-shows, which included 18 customers. They were all confirmed on the day,’ says Damien Quinn of Sussex restaurant on Dublin’s Leeson Street Upper
A Dublin restaurant owner has said he has had to introduce a deposit policy for bookings after 18 customers did not show up for appointed slots on Friday night.
Damien Quinn, part-owner of Sussex restaurant on Leeson Street Upper, said he hadn't asked bookings for deposits this month as he was "sympathetic to people out of pocket due to Covid-19".
“There were five bookings in total which were no-shows, which included 18 customers. They were all confirmed on the day,” Mr Quinn said.
“I didn’t take deposits just because the situation we’re in, a lot of people can’t afford it, a lot of people are out of work. I had one table cancel 15 minutes before they were due to arrive.”
READ MORE
Mr Quinn said that from Saturday they were now taking deposits of €20 per person, as they have done over previous Decembers.
“It’s just the frustration of it being our opening night and the industry has been hit so hard. Everyone who works in the industry has really worked hard to make sure everyone is safe. It’s just a bit disappointing when there’s that level of people who don’t show,” he added.
“I’ll hold my hand up and say I was probably wrong in not taking deposits but the reason we didn’t is because I was sympathetic to people out of pocket at the moment because of Covid-19. I thought a lot of people were there to support restaurants and we wouldn’t have the same issue that we have every year.”
Indoor dining
Restaurants and gastropubs reopened on Friday for indoor dining as part of the Government’s phased emergence from Level 5 restrictions for the Christmas period.
The Restaurants Association of Ireland (RAI) has said businesses reported over the weekend that some customers had booked several restaurants on the same night primarily so they could spend more time drinking.
"What I'm hearing now is that we have customers booking multiple locations and turning up and just having a dessert in one place with drinks then moving onto another place for a starter with drinks," said Adrian Cummins, chief executive of the RAI.
“It’s tough enough at the moment for businesses without that sort of messing going on. I know they’re within the guidelines but when your industry is trying to maximise turnover in December, when we’ve been closed for six weeks nationally and for 12 weeks in Dublin, they need to get the cash flow in. We can see a tsunami of liquidations coming down the tracks in the new year.”
Mr Cummins said the RAI is also calling on gardaí to “ramp up” inspections of licensed premises to ensure that “everybody is playing off the same hymn sheet and it’s being done correctly”.
“A business has to prepare the food on site and there has to be the purchase of a €9 meal with an alcoholic drink. We have a window of opportunity now to get this right,” he added.
‘Really well’
Some restaurant owners were happier with the reopening weekend, with Paul Cadden, owner of the Saba restaurant group, said it went "really well". Customers at his Baggot Street and Clarendon Street premises were "very considerate and respectful" of Covid-19 guidelines, he said.
“Everybody was a little bit anxious starting off back into business again on Friday night, butterflies in the stomach feeling, but it all went really well.
“It’s totally different because you don’t have the Christmas parties like other years so it’s all bookings of twos, fours and a few sixes. Everyone’s very cautious. People are coming in to dine and then they’re gone, it’s a totally different vibe, but still everybody is in great form, they’re delighted to be out.”
Mr Cadden said he was fortunate that no-shows weren’t a problem for him and that they have been taking deposits of €10 per person.
Reservations
“It’s not like other years either where people are walking in. It’s nearly 99 per cent reservations.
“We’re taking walk-ins but there weren’t walk-ins to take,” he added.
“Other years there were concerts on, theatre, shows, people would be eating and going on to something. That’s not happening this year.
“The Friday and Saturday nights are very busy for the rest of the month and then you have soft spots during the week but I think as time moves on and the weeks go on, it will pick up.”


theirishtimes--2020-12-07--Covid-19 vaccine plan to prioritise hospital staff and nursing home residents

Hospitals and nursing homes will be prioritised for rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine under plans to go to Government on Tuesday .
The primary initial focus of a vaccination campaign against the virus will be healthcare workers and nursing home residents , according to the “ sequencing ” plans drawn up by the Health Service Executive .
The plans say experience gained from existing vaccination programmes will be vital in ensuring the success of an immunisation programme for Covid-19 , as will effective communications to “ win hearts and minds ” , according to a source familiar with the document @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to be administered in Northern Ireland on Tuesday and the plans for vaccine rollout in the Republic due to be published later this week , there will be intense focus on the detail of the Government ’ s proposals .
The Department of Health on Sunday acknowledged the level of speculation around which groups will be prioritised but said no decisions had been made .
This will not happen until after the Government ’ s vaccine rollout taskforce reports next Friday , a spokeswoman said .
With 301 new cases reported on Sunday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ again .
The five-day moving average started rising again last Friday and now stands at 295 .
No new deaths were reported on Sunday .
In another pandemic milestone , the number of tests carried out passed the two million mark at the weekend .
Pharmacists have called for the profession to be allowed to play a central role in the vaccination drive for Covid-19 .
The Irish Pharmacy Union said its members were available to support the national effort , but warned against a repeat of the “ mistakes ” made in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ IPU secretary general Darragh O ’ Loughlin said that , after months of restrictions , the Government owes it to everyone to roll out the vaccine “ as quickly and seamlessly as possible ” .
“ A safe and effective vaccine could arrive within weeks , but it will still take time and meticulous planning to ensure a comprehensive vaccination programme is rolled out.
” Relying solely on GPs to vaccinate the population could potentially cause delays in diagnosing other illnesses , he suggested .
Meanwhile , the Government has ruled out the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ minister for vaccines ” with the specific duty of overseeing the rollout .
Calls had been made from some political and health quarters for the creation of such a role , and the Taoiseach did not wholly rule out the possibility when speaking in the Oireachtas .
However , Micheál Martin ’ s spokesman said on Sunday there was no plan for a specially designated vaccines minister , noting that the vaccines taskforce chaired by Prof Brian MacCraith had been set up to report to the Taoiseach .
Urging politicians to “ roll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Minister for Science Simon Harris said on Sunday there was “ no room for pseudo science or scaremongering ” on the vaccine .
Referring to reports of some TDs saying they would not be taking the vaccine for different reasons , he told RTÉ ’ s The Week in Politics : “ This has to stop .
.
.
We have to listen to our doctors , the same people who have steered us through this pandemic.
” Meanwhile , significant differences of opinion among public health officials over the approach to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have emerged in newly published minutes of the National Public Health Emergency Team .
Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan admitted there was a “ reasonable probability ” of a third wave of the virus in January or later in the new year .
But he said “ flight-shaming ” of people coming home for Christmas was “ not appropriate ” .

The HSE have taken delivery of nine ultra-low temperature freezers at the National Cold Chain Centre. Each unit can store between 175,000 and 200,000 Pfizer BioNtech Covid-19 vaccine doses. Video: Barry Cronin
Hospitals and nursing homes will be prioritised for rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine under plans to go to Government on Tuesday.
The primary initial focus of a vaccination campaign against the virus will be healthcare workers and nursing home residents, according to the “sequencing” plans drawn up by the Health Service Executive.
The plans say experience gained from existing vaccination programmes will be vital in ensuring the success of an immunisation programme for Covid-19, as will effective communications to “win hearts and minds”, according to a source familiar with the document.
Hospital Report
With the first Covid-19 vaccine due to be administered in Northern Ireland on Tuesday and the plans for vaccine rollout in the Republic due to be published later this week, there will be intense focus on the detail of the Government’s proposals.
READ MORE
The Department of Health on Sunday acknowledged the level of speculation around which groups will be prioritised but said no decisions had been made. This will not happen until after the Government’s vaccine rollout taskforce reports next Friday, a spokeswoman said.
With 301 new cases reported on Sunday night, virus trends are edging upwards again. The five-day moving average started rising again last Friday and now stands at 295. No new deaths were reported on Sunday.
Two million tests
In another pandemic milestone, the number of tests carried out passed the two million mark at the weekend.
Pharmacists have called for the profession to be allowed to play a central role in the vaccination drive for Covid-19.
The Irish Pharmacy Union said its members were available to support the national effort, but warned against a repeat of the “mistakes” made in distributing the flu vaccine this autumn.
IPU secretary general Darragh O’Loughlin said that, after months of restrictions, the Government owes it to everyone to roll out the vaccine “as quickly and seamlessly as possible”.
“A safe and effective vaccine could arrive within weeks, but it will still take time and meticulous planning to ensure a comprehensive vaccination programme is rolled out.”
Relying solely on GPs to vaccinate the population could potentially cause delays in diagnosing other illnesses, he suggested.
Meanwhile, the Government has ruled out the creation of a new role of “minister for vaccines” with the specific duty of overseeing the rollout.
Calls had been made from some political and health quarters for the creation of such a role, and the Taoiseach did not wholly rule out the possibility when speaking in the Oireachtas.
However, Micheál Martin’s spokesman said on Sunday there was no plan for a specially designated vaccines minister, noting that the vaccines taskforce chaired by Prof Brian MacCraith had been set up to report to the Taoiseach.
Minister for Science Simon Harris: There is “no room for pseudo science or scaremongering” on the vaccine. “We have to listen to our doctors . . . who have steered us through this pandemic.” Photograph: Gareth Chaney/Collins
Urging politicians to “roll in behind” the public health experts, Minister for Science Simon Harris said on Sunday there was “no room for pseudo science or scaremongering” on the vaccine.
Referring to reports of some TDs saying they would not be taking the vaccine for different reasons, he told RTÉ’s The Week in Politics: “This has to stop. . . We have to listen to our doctors, the same people who have steered us through this pandemic.”
Meanwhile, significant differences of opinion among public health officials over the approach to controlling the virus after Level 5 restrictions have emerged in newly published minutes of the National Public Health Emergency Team.
Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan admitted there was a “reasonable probability” of a third wave of the virus in January or later in the new year.
But he said “flight-shaming” of people coming home for Christmas was “not appropriate”.


theirishtimes--2020-12-07--How can the class gap in higher education be bridged?

On any given day , Mary Hernandez sees the financial struggles facing students at Letterkenny Institute of Technology ( LYIT ) up close .
“ Huge numbers here are on Susi grants , but many are just outside the limit to get them and find it very difficult , ” says Hernandez , president of LYIT ’ s students union .
“ You have students who don ’ t have digital devices or don ’ t have wifi at home , or can ’ t afford to get to college by bus or car.
” Based on the findings of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Authority , LYIT has – by some distance – the highest proportion of disadvantaged students in the State .
Some 25 per cent of the 5,000 students at LYIT are categorised as disadvantaged based on their home address ; just 3 per cent are categorised as affluent .
This compares with a national average across the higher education sector of 10 per cent who are disadvantaged and 20 per cent who are affluent .
LYIT also has the highest proportion of students reliant on grant aid , and the lowest average household income @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of about €50,000 ) .
About 250km away in Dublin , the picture – in many respects – is very different .
The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland has one of the highest concentrations of students from well-off areas .
A third of its Irish students are categorised as affluent ( 33 per cent ) , while a small minority are categorised as disadvantaged ( 5 per cent ) .
It has one of the lowest proportion of students in receipt of Susi grants and one of the highest average household incomes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ international students , who account for about 60 per cent of graduates and whose annual fees can cost up to €56,000 a year to study medicine .
Although fewer students are in receipt of grant aid , many still struggle , says Anna Whitaker , welfare officer with RCSI students union committee .
High Dublin rents are a major burden , she says , while part-time jobs are few and far between this year .
“ Many students find themselves ineligible for the jobseeker ’ s allowance or the pandemic unemployment payment , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sharing a household with or caring for at-risk family members.
” RCSI points out that it offers a number of initiatives to support school leavers from disadvantaged backgrounds .
About 12 per cent of CAO places in pharmacy , physiotherapy and medicine are made available on reduced points to eligible students through special access routes .
The Higher Education Authority ’ s head of access policy , Caitríona Ryan , cautions against comparing individual colleges against each other on the basis that each institution serves a unique region .
For example , Donegal @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the State , while parts of Dublin are among the most affluent areas nationwide .
However , the HEA ’ s new report points to one over-arching finding : the higher education system does not reflect wider society .
Disadvantaged students are under-represented , while advantaged students over over-represented .
In other words , students from well-off families are much more likely to progress to higher education than others .
Overall , about 15 per cent of the population in Ireland is defined as “ affluent ” .
Within higher education , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is 20 per cent .
And within prestige courses such as medicine , finance and engineering , this rises to 35 per cent .
By contrast , about 15 per cent of the population nationally is defined as “ disadvantaged ” .
This falls to 10 per cent within the higher-education student body , and plummets to just 3.5 per cent within university courses such as medicine .
Disadvantaged students are more likely to study courses in childcare , youth services and sports , which have lower points requirements .
These figures show @ @ @ @ @ @ @ grip on university places , despite the rapid expansion of higher education and the introduction of “ fee-free education ” more than two decades ago .
So , what can be done to bridge the gap ?
Is the cost of college a major barrier ?
And are access initiatives simply tinkering around the edges of a problem that has existed for decades ?
There are a variety of access schemes for students from disadvantaged backgrounds or with disabilities that provide lower points entry routes into college .
However , most experts acknowledge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to third level among under-represented groups needs to start as early as primary school .
They say it means building stronger links between schools and colleges , along with raising expectations among pupils that third level is for them , even if no one in their family has never progressed beyond second level .
Financial barriers are also daunting .
While about 40 per cent of the student population receive grant aid from Susi , student leaders and access officers have repeatedly pointed out that the financial support does not come near to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ level .
For example , the latest research shows the cost of going to college away from home is about €12,000 a year .
The Technological Higher Education Association says students from disadvantaged backgrounds require significant extra supports in order to enable them to progress through to completion of their programme .
Given that institutes of technology are leaders in driving access to higher education , Dr Joseph Ryan , chief executive of the association , says it is only right that they should receive additional core funding to reflect this .
Minister @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of his key ambitions is to ensure third-level education is accessible to everyone , regardless of age , race , geography or gender .
It is a noble sentiment but he will be judged on outcomes over the coming years .

On any given day, Mary Hernandez sees the financial struggles facing students at Letterkenny Institute of Technology (LYIT) up close.
“Huge numbers here are on Susi grants, but many are just outside the limit to get them and find it very difficult,” says Hernandez, president of LYIT’s students union.
“You have students who don’t have digital devices or don’t have wifi at home, or can’t afford to get to college by bus or car.”
Based on the findings of a new study by the Higher Education Authority, LYIT has – by some distance – the highest proportion of disadvantaged students in the State.
READ MORE
Some 25 per cent of the 5,000 students at LYIT are categorised as disadvantaged based on their home address; just 3 per cent are categorised as affluent.
This compares with a national average across the higher education sector of 10 per cent who are disadvantaged and 20 per cent who are affluent.
LYIT also has the highest proportion of students reliant on grant aid, and the lowest average household income (€35,800 compared with a national average of about €50,000).
About 250km away in Dublin, the picture – in many respects – is very different.
The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland has one of the highest concentrations of students from well-off areas.
A third of its Irish students are categorised as affluent (33 per cent), while a small minority are categorised as disadvantaged (5 per cent).
It has one of the lowest proportion of students in receipt of Susi grants and one of the highest average household incomes (€55,000).
These figures exclude international students, who account for about 60 per cent of graduates and whose annual fees can cost up to €56,000 a year to study medicine.
Struggling students
Although fewer students are in receipt of grant aid, many still struggle, says Anna Whitaker, welfare officer with RCSI students union committee. High Dublin rents are a major burden, she says, while part-time jobs are few and far between this year.
“Many students find themselves ineligible for the jobseeker’s allowance or the pandemic unemployment payment, while others have chronic conditions or are sharing a household with or caring for at-risk family members.”
Anna Whitaker, welfare officer with RCSI students union committee
RCSI points out that it offers a number of initiatives to support school leavers from disadvantaged backgrounds.
About 12 per cent of CAO places in pharmacy, physiotherapy and medicine are made available on reduced points to eligible students through special access routes.
The Higher Education Authority’s head of access policy, Caitríona Ryan, cautions against comparing individual colleges against each other on the basis that each institution serves a unique region.
For example, Donegal is categorised as the most disadvantaged county in the State, while parts of Dublin are among the most affluent areas nationwide.
However, the HEA’s new report points to one over-arching finding: the higher education system does not reflect wider society.
Disadvantaged students are under-represented, while advantaged students over over-represented. In other words, students from well-off families are much more likely to progress to higher education than others.
Overall, about 15 per cent of the population in Ireland is defined as "affluent".
Within higher education, the proportion of students from this background is 20 per cent. And within prestige courses such as medicine, finance and engineering, this rises to 35 per cent.
By contrast, about 15 per cent of the population nationally is defined as “disadvantaged”. This falls to 10 per cent within the higher-education student body, and plummets to just 3.5 per cent within university courses such as medicine.
Disadvantaged students are more likely to study courses in childcare, youth services and sports, which have lower points requirements.
These figures show that well-off families still have a firm grip on university places, despite the rapid expansion of higher education and the introduction of “fee-free education” more than two decades ago.
Bridging the gap
So, what can be done to bridge the gap? Is the cost of college a major barrier? And are access initiatives simply tinkering around the edges of a problem that has existed for decades?
There are a variety of access schemes for students from disadvantaged backgrounds or with disabilities that provide lower points entry routes into college.
However, most experts acknowledge that the work involved in boosting access to third level among under-represented groups needs to start as early as primary school.
They say it means building stronger links between schools and colleges, along with raising expectations among pupils that third level is for them, even if no one in their family has never progressed beyond second level.
Financial barriers are also daunting. While about 40 per cent of the student population receive grant aid from Susi, student leaders and access officers have repeatedly pointed out that the financial support does not come near to covering the costs of going to third level.
For example, the latest research shows the cost of going to college away from home is about €12,000 a year.
The Technological Higher Education Association says students from disadvantaged backgrounds require significant extra supports in order to enable them to progress through to completion of their programme.
Given that institutes of technology are leaders in driving access to higher education, Dr Joseph Ryan, chief executive of the association, says it is only right that they should receive additional core funding to reflect this.
Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris says one of his key ambitions is to ensure third-level education is accessible to everyone, regardless of age, race, geography or gender. It is a noble sentiment but he will be judged on outcomes over the coming years.


theirishtimes--2020-12-07--Class gap: More affluent students dominate high-points courses

The class gap in higher education is revealed in new figures that show affluent students dominate high-points courses such as medicine , finance and engineering .
By contrast , students from disadvantaged areas are more likely to study courses in areas such as childcare , sport and secretarial studies .
The findings are contained in new research by the Higher Education Authority ( HEA ) , which examines the socio-economic profile of tens of thousands of students attending universities and institutes of technology .
The study also reveals striking contrasts in the profile of students attending individual third-level institutions .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of students from affluent areas ( 36 per cent ) and the lowest proportion of disadvantaged students ( 5 per cent ) .
It is followed closely behind by other Dublin institutes , including the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and UCD .
By contrast , Letterkenny Institute of Technology has the highest proportion of students from disadvantaged areas ( 25 per cent ) .
Similarly , when measured using average household income by a student ’ s home area , it ranges from almost €57,000 in IADT Dún Laoghaire to just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ general , institutes of technology were more likely to represent the local community in their student intake , while there was a more affluent student profile in the university sector .
Using the new data , colleges will be rewarded with additional public funding if they admit more disadvantaged students .
This year , for example , colleges received about €42 million for measures to support students from target groups to access and participate in higher education .
Overall , across the higher education system , students from affluent backgrounds are over-represented while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This class gap is likely to raise questions over whether our system of grants and access schemes is generous enough to support students from worse-off backgrounds into higher education .
The findings are based on deprivation index scores , which measure the relative affluence or disadvantage of a student ’ s home address .
The report covers all publicly funded higher-education institutions for the first time and 94 per cent of third-level students .
Dr Alan Wall , the authority ’ s chief executive , said the figures showed the higher-education student population @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the rest of the population in Ireland .
“ This detailed data set provides policy makers and institutions with a comprehensive knowledge of patterns of access and disadvantage that will assist them in developing and implementing targeted approaches to advancing equity of access , ” he said .
Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris said it was his ambition to ensure third-level education was accessible to everyone , regardless of age , race , geography or gender .
“ In order to achieve that aim , we must ensure that our policies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ education , and to do that we need accurate data and evidence , ” he said .
He has announced a review of the Susi grants scheme and is planning a series of new targets in a new National Access Plan , which aims to boost the number of under-represented groups at third level .
The HEA ’ s head of access policy , Caitríona Ryan , cautioned against comparing individual colleges against each other because each institution serves a unique region .
For example , Donegal is categorised as the most disadvantaged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Dublin are among the most affluent areas nationwide .
She said all colleges had access initiatives in place to boost the numbers of disadvantaged and under-represented groups , such as students from the Travelling community , students with disabilities and first-time mature students .

Trinity College Dublin has the highest proportion of students from affluent areas, at 36%. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill
The class gap in higher education is revealed in new figures that show affluent students dominate high-points courses such as medicine, finance and engineering.
By contrast, students from disadvantaged areas are more likely to study courses in areas such as childcare, sport and secretarial studies.
The findings are contained in new research by the Higher Education Authority (HEA), which examines the socio-economic profile of tens of thousands of students attending universities and institutes of technology.
The study also reveals striking contrasts in the profile of students attending individual third-level institutions.
READ MORE
Trinity College Dublin has the highest proportion of students from affluent areas (36 per cent) and the lowest proportion of disadvantaged students (5 per cent).
It is followed closely behind by other Dublin institutes, including the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and UCD.
By contrast, Letterkenny Institute of Technology has the highest proportion of students from disadvantaged areas (25 per cent).
Similarly, when measured using average household income by a student's home area, it ranges from almost €57,000 in IADT Dún Laoghaire to just under €36,000 in Letterkenny IT.
In general, institutes of technology were more likely to represent the local community in their student intake, while there was a more affluent student profile in the university sector.
Using the new data, colleges will be rewarded with additional public funding if they admit more disadvantaged students.
This year, for example, colleges received about €42 million for measures to support students from target groups to access and participate in higher education.
Overall, across the higher education system, students from affluent backgrounds are over-represented while students from disadvantaged backgrounds are under-represented.
This class gap is likely to raise questions over whether our system of grants and access schemes is generous enough to support students from worse-off backgrounds into higher education.
The findings are based on deprivation index scores, which measure the relative affluence or disadvantage of a student’s home address.
The report covers all publicly funded higher-education institutions for the first time and 94 per cent of third-level students.
Lack of diversity
Dr Alan Wall, the authority's chief executive, said the figures showed the higher-education student population did not yet reflect the diversity found in the rest of the population in Ireland.
“This detailed data set provides policy makers and institutions with a comprehensive knowledge of patterns of access and disadvantage that will assist them in developing and implementing targeted approaches to advancing equity of access,” he said.
Minister for Higher Education Simon Harris said it was his ambition to ensure third-level education was accessible to everyone, regardless of age, race, geography or gender.
“In order to achieve that aim, we must ensure that our policies strengthen the participation of students in higher education, and to do that we need accurate data and evidence,” he said.
He has announced a review of the Susi grants scheme and is planning a series of new targets in a new National Access Plan, which aims to boost the number of under-represented groups at third level.
The HEA’s head of access policy, Caitríona Ryan, cautioned against comparing individual colleges against each other because each institution serves a unique region.
For example, Donegal is categorised as the most disadvantaged county in the State, while parts of Dublin are among the most affluent areas nationwide.
She said all colleges had access initiatives in place to boost the numbers of disadvantaged and under-represented groups, such as students from the Travelling community, students with disabilities and first-time mature students.


theirishtimes--2020-12-07--Shielding, comfort cooking, stocking up... How consumers cope with Covid

Almost as soon as the pandemic hit early this year , businesses , researchers , governments and individuals all over the world started trying to figure out how the crisis would be likely to shape our world and our lives .
They have also asked how many , if any , of the changes it has brought about – some of them virtually overnight – will endure .
Since the start of the year , people in Ireland have broken off contact with all but their closest networks of friends and family .
They have worked from home , holidayed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They have stopped hugging people or shaking hands – even at funerals – and become a slowed-down and fearful nation who go online to buy their food .
In Ireland , Bord Bia has been to the fore in working out what is happening to consumers – and what might happen next .
Last spring it launched a project to see what impact Coronavirus would have on our habits .
“ We are in the middle of one of the biggest social experiments in our history and it will be fascinating to see @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it , ” said Rory McDonnell , Bord Bia ’ s head of strategic planning at the time .
He wasn ’ t wrong .
In that first phase of the research , Bord Bia identified some key food trends .
The first was “ shielding ” , which saw consumers likely to “ pay more attention to the science of food functionality [ and foods that ] boost their immunity ” .
Another trend Bord Bia spotted was comfort cooking , which saw us all eating the foods of our childhood and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and a fourth was labelled “ stocking up ” .
The research was interesting but unavoidably limited , in that it was carried out in the early weeks of the crisis when there was not a whole lot of data to rely on .
We are about 200 days into the crisis now and Bord Bia has kept tracking consumer behaviour in Ireland and in a lot of other markets , including France , Spain and the US .
Some new data is available .
As in the first piece of research it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and as before , the first one it lists is “ shielding ” .
It says this has continued to expand since the onset of Covid-19 , with consumers turning to supplements and concepts such as food immunity to maintain their health .
“ The focus on health has continued to surge and people are taking a significant amounts of supplements , but there have also been changes in the type and amount of food we eat , ” Bord Bia ’ s Grace Binchy says .
She points to the number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ boost immunity , which has climbed by 5 per cent to 34 per cent over the course of the crisis .
However , she adds , it is not just about the food we eat .
The proportion of people trying to improve their health more generally is at 44 per cent , up 8 per cent over the last six months .
“ Health was already a trend , but what we have seen is that Covid has accelerated certain behaviours , ” she says .
She points to the growing number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ least standing by the sea short in dryrobes – and the numbers going for walks .
But could that not be sheer boredom ?
After all , we have only just come out of the second lockdown of the year and over the course of the six-week stretch to the end of November there was little else for people to do but walk – within 5km of their homes – or go for a quick dip in the sea so you could hang out with your dryrobed friends afterwards .
“ Our world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one reason , but there is more to it , ” Binchy says.
” There has been a focus on obesity for example , as people became aware of the heightened risk of adverse outcomes from Covid-19 among people who are overweight .
While a trend that was identified as stocking-up manifested itself as “ panic-buying ” in the early stages of Covid-19 , this behaviour has now changed and consumers are buying in a more planned and controlled way .
Shoppers are now focusing more on a rolling stockpile as opposed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
They are also shopping smarter by focusing on freezer foods and products with longer shelf lives .
According to the Bord Bia research , stockpiling is down 11 per cent to 30 per cent and is manifesting in different ways , with the panic-buying of recent times replaced by “ controlled buying as a just in case ” .
Binchy then takes a mournful detour for a moment to say the top thing Irish people miss is spending time with friends , with 87 per cent of those polled listing it as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the highest number among all countries surveyed .
With one in two people working much more from home now , if not exclusively , it is unsurprising that 40 per cent of people are missing the watercooler chats , while 71 per cent are missing casual dining .
Then she is back to food .
Comfort cooking has remained steady throughout the last few months and while it is not growing , there is still a firm focus on familiar favourites .
Consumers have also been focusing on better-quality options to make up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ restaurant outlets .
“ I think we are maybe trading out some indulgent ingredients for more healthy options , also looking for more quality , ” Binchy says .
“ A lot of people have not been going out at weekends so are rewarding themselves with meal kits and better quality food maybe because they want that nice steak on a Saturday night.
” The number of people having less than healthy snacks and eating outside of meal times has fallen , and people are throwing out less food as they start to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Personal safety has become an even bigger part of our daily routine , and compliance with mask-wearing , at almost 90 per cent , is much higher in Ireland compared to the US and Europe .
That trend has also seen hygiene playing a choice in supermarket selection , and consumers say they will choose supermarkets on the basis of safety regulations , rather than simply cost .
“ People have this heightened sense of alert while over half of Irish people are looking to reduce the amount of time they spend shopping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have seen new methods of delivery emerge and 24 per cent of grocery shopping is now done online , an increase of 7 per cent since May .
“ The good news is , that has given rise to this idea of the savvier shopper .
When shopping online it is easier to compare prices and to work out how much you have spent , and you put things in and take things out of your basket .
It enables a more disciplined and financially rewarding experience.
” While it ’ s likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bandwidth on “ online social ” , online social fatigue has set in and getting back to being with our friends is what people really want .
The research suggest that Irish people are missing their friends “ more than any other country ” .
Consumers are also using strategies to make their food go further and cut down on waste – and not before time .
According to a report published last month by the Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA ) , our inability to properly police what is in our fridge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a year while contributing to the climate catastrophe .
The EPA report suggested that more than two-thirds of Irish people say the main reason they throw out food is because it has past its use-by date , while only 10 per cent said they were any good at keeping on top of what they have in their fridge .
But the most damning statistic was that Irish households produce over 250,000 tonnes of food waste per year at a cost of €700 per household .
Not only is money being wasted , but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a significant contributor to climate change and responsible for about 10 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions .
So while the EPA continues to warn us on our wastefulness , Bord Bia is suggesting that since Covid , there is a greater awareness and conscientiousness about food waste and its impact on the environment .
However , there is a growing tension emerging around packaging , as safety is likely to take precedence for many in making their food choices .
A new indicator identified looks at how society is adapting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Covid-19 .
“ There has been strong cause to champion those who are the unsung heroes : the train drivers , the delivery drivers , to the retail workers , to the cleaners in the hospital environments .
The research highlights consumers ’ belief that the continuation of normal life and services is important , with supermarkets and food producers playing a highly valued community role.
” When asked whether Covid-related habits will endure , Binchy says she can ’ t say for sure but suggests some might .
“ I think to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will stick with a certain cohort .
The health trend has been on the up for a long time and we are still learning about the benefits of some food and some supplements , like Vitamin D for example.
” She leaves us with a not entirely cheery thought when she points out that it will be a long time before anyone forgets the impact Covid has had , adding that there are well over half a million types of virus lurking on the planet , with treatments available only for a tiny @ @ @ @ @ @ @ think our relationship with the world and how we interact has changed , ” Binchy concludes .
“ We are starting to see the emergence of the more self-sufficient consumer and people are growing more , cooking from scratch more , although they might be baking a bit less than in May.
” She also points out that buying local is more important , with 39 per cent saying they consider shopping locally more relevant than before the crisis .

Almost as soon as the pandemic hit early this year, businesses, researchers, governments and individuals all over the world started trying to figure out how the crisis would be likely to shape our world and our lives.
They have also asked how many, if any, of the changes it has brought about – some of them virtually overnight – will endure.
Since the start of the year, people in Ireland have broken off contact with all but their closest networks of friends and family. They have worked from home, holidayed at home and baked at home. They have stopped hugging people or shaking hands – even at funerals – and become a slowed-down and fearful nation who go online to buy their food.
In Ireland, Bord Bia has been to the fore in working out what is happening to consumers – and what might happen next. Last spring it launched a project to see what impact Coronavirus would have on our habits. "We are in the middle of one of the biggest social experiments in our history and it will be fascinating to see how we change as a result of it," said Rory McDonnell, Bord Bia's head of strategic planning at the time.
READ MORE
He wasn’t wrong. In that first phase of the research, Bord Bia identified some key food trends. The first was “shielding”, which saw consumers likely to “pay more attention to the science of food functionality [and foods that] boost their immunity”. Another trend Bord Bia spotted was comfort cooking, which saw us all eating the foods of our childhood and baking, a third was safety, and a fourth was labelled “stocking up”.
The research was interesting but unavoidably limited, in that it was carried out in the early weeks of the crisis when there was not a whole lot of data to rely on. We are about 200 days into the crisis now and Bord Bia has kept tracking consumer behaviour in Ireland and in a lot of other markets, including France, Spain and the US.
Some new data is available. As in the first piece of research it has labelled the trends it has spotted, and as before, the first one it lists is “shielding”. It says this has continued to expand since the onset of Covid-19, with consumers turning to supplements and concepts such as food immunity to maintain their health.
"The focus on health has continued to surge and people are taking a significant amounts of supplements, but there have also been changes in the type and amount of food we eat," Bord Bia's Grace Binchy says.
Boosting immunity
She points to the number of people eating foods known to help boost immunity, which has climbed by 5 per cent to 34 per cent over the course of the crisis. However, she adds, it is not just about the food we eat. The proportion of people trying to improve their health more generally is at 44 per cent, up 8 per cent over the last six months.
“Health was already a trend, but what we have seen is that Covid has accelerated certain behaviours,” she says. She points to the growing number of people swimming outdoors – or at least standing by the sea short in dryrobes – and the numbers going for walks.
But could that not be sheer boredom? After all, we have only just come out of the second lockdown of the year and over the course of the six-week stretch to the end of November there was little else for people to do but walk – within 5km of their homes – or go for a quick dip in the sea so you could hang out with your dryrobed friends afterwards.
“Our world did become so small and that is one reason, but there is more to it,” Binchy says.” There has been a focus on obesity for example, as people became aware of the heightened risk of adverse outcomes from Covid-19 among people who are overweight.
While a trend that was identified as stocking-up manifested itself as “panic-buying” in the early stages of Covid-19, this behaviour has now changed and consumers are buying in a more planned and controlled way.
Shoppers are now focusing more on a rolling stockpile as opposed to the more panic-based stocking up seen previously. They are also shopping smarter by focusing on freezer foods and products with longer shelf lives.
According to the Bord Bia research, stockpiling is down 11 per cent to 30 per cent and is manifesting in different ways, with the panic-buying of recent times replaced by “controlled buying as a just in case”.
Binchy then takes a mournful detour for a moment to say the top thing Irish people miss is spending time with friends, with 87 per cent of those polled listing it as the thing they miss the most – the highest number among all countries surveyed.
With one in two people working much more from home now, if not exclusively, it is unsurprising that 40 per cent of people are missing the watercooler chats, while 71 per cent are missing casual dining.
Then she is back to food. Comfort cooking has remained steady throughout the last few months and while it is not growing, there is still a firm focus on familiar favourites. Consumers have also been focusing on better-quality options to make up for the lack of food service and restaurant outlets.
“I think we are maybe trading out some indulgent ingredients for more healthy options, also looking for more quality,” Binchy says. “A lot of people have not been going out at weekends so are rewarding themselves with meal kits and better quality food maybe because they want that nice steak on a Saturday night.”
The number of people having less than healthy snacks and eating outside of meal times has fallen, and people are throwing out less food as they start to focus on waste and waists more.
Daily routine
Personal safety has become an even bigger part of our daily routine, and compliance with mask-wearing, at almost 90 per cent, is much higher in Ireland compared to the US and Europe. That trend has also seen hygiene playing a choice in supermarket selection, and consumers say they will choose supermarkets on the basis of safety regulations, rather than simply cost.
“People have this heightened sense of alert while over half of Irish people are looking to reduce the amount of time they spend shopping,” she says.
“We have seen new methods of delivery emerge and 24 per cent of grocery shopping is now done online, an increase of 7 per cent since May.
“The good news is, that has given rise to this idea of the savvier shopper. When shopping online it is easier to compare prices and to work out how much you have spent, and you put things in and take things out of your basket. It enables a more disciplined and financially rewarding experience.”
While it’s likely that we will have expended our personal bandwidth on “online social”, online social fatigue has set in and getting back to being with our friends is what people really want. The research suggest that Irish people are missing their friends “more than any other country”.
Consumers are also using strategies to make their food go further and cut down on waste – and not before time.
According to a report published last month by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), our inability to properly police what is in our fridge is costing us as much as €700 a year while contributing to the climate catastrophe.
The EPA report suggested that more than two-thirds of Irish people say the main reason they throw out food is because it has past its use-by date, while only 10 per cent said they were any good at keeping on top of what they have in their fridge. But the most damning statistic was that Irish households produce over 250,000 tonnes of food waste per year at a cost of €700 per household. Not only is money being wasted, but food that ends up in the bin is a significant contributor to climate change and responsible for about 10 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions.
So while the EPA continues to warn us on our wastefulness, Bord Bia is suggesting that since Covid, there is a greater awareness and conscientiousness about food waste and its impact on the environment. However, there is a growing tension emerging around packaging, as safety is likely to take precedence for many in making their food choices.
Unsung heroes
A new indicator identified looks at how society is adapting and working together to provide support during Covid-19. “There has been strong cause to champion those who are the unsung heroes: the train drivers, the delivery drivers, to the retail workers, to the cleaners in the hospital environments. The research highlights consumers’ belief that the continuation of normal life and services is important, with supermarkets and food producers playing a highly valued community role.”
When asked whether Covid-related habits will endure, Binchy says she can’t say for sure but suggests some might. “I think to some degree some of the shielding habits will stick with a certain cohort. The health trend has been on the up for a long time and we are still learning about the benefits of some food and some supplements, like Vitamin D for example.”
She leaves us with a not entirely cheery thought when she points out that it will be a long time before anyone forgets the impact Covid has had, adding that there are well over half a million types of virus lurking on the planet, with treatments available only for a tiny fraction of them. “I really think our relationship with the world and how we interact has changed,” Binchy concludes.
“ We are starting to see the emergence of the more self-sufficient consumer and people are growing more, cooking from scratch more, although they might be baking a bit less than in May.”
She also points out that buying local is more important, with 39 per cent saying they consider shopping locally more relevant than before the crisis.


theirishtimes--2020-12-06--Temperatures to drop below freezing with dense, widespread fog

Temperatures will drop to minus two degrees over the coming days with more cold weather forecast for this week .
Sunday night will remain largely dry with isolated showers along coasts .
However , there will be outbreaks of rain in the southwest .
Fog will become dense again in many places with lowest temperatures of one to minus two degrees generally in a light easterly breeze becoming northeasterly later .
Fog will slowly clear in most places on Monday morning leaving a mostly dry day with sunny spells .
However , there will be scattered showers along coasts throughout @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cold with temperatures between one and five degrees , coolest where the fog lingers , in a light northerly breeze , later becoming moderate northwesterly .
There will be mainly dry weather on Monday night with an ongoing risk of showers on coasts .
A moderate , occasionally fresh northwest to north wind will develop and temperatures will be between minus two and two degrees .
Tuesday will see rain affecting Ulster while the rest of the country will be largely dry .
There will be moderate to fresh northwest winds with temperatures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ afternoon , falling to between minus two and two degrees on Tuesday night .
Wednesday will be another cold day with light variable winds but mostly dry conditions in the morning apart from showers near coasts .
Rain will develop in the southwest and west during the afternoon , becoming widespread through the late afternoon and early evening .
Highest temperatures will be between five and seven degrees by day and falling to near freezing again at night with the rain clearing through .
Thursday will be largely dry to start with light @ @ @ @ @ @ @ southerly and freshen with another spell of rain coming from the west later .
It will remain quite cold with afternoon temperatures of seven to 10 degrees and overnight temperatures of between five and seven degrees .
The outlook for next weekend is for conditions to remain rather cold with rain at times in the west .

Dublin’s Ha’penny bridge and the River Liffey are shrouded in fog on Sunday. Photograph: Dara Mac Donaill/The Irish Times
Several crashes have taken place on the roads this morning, particularly in Co Meath with foggy conditions across much of the country.
Gardaí are dealing with collisions on the M3 southbound between Junction 7 Skryne/Kilmessan and Junction 6 Dunshaughlin, where black ice has been reported.
Crashes have also happened northbound before Junction 7 as well as on the N52 between Ardee and Kells at Castletown.
Widespread fog in many areas overnight with patches of freezing fog. Frost & some icy patches developing too as temps fall to between -3 to +1C. Dry for much of the country with just patchy rain at times in the southwest & isolated showers in Leinster.https://t.co/9gKN6SVok4 pic.twitter.com/fILbngdVLa — Met Éireann (@MetEireann) December 6, 2020
Traffic approaching Dublin is experiencing icy conditions on roads around Portlaoise and in the Glen of the Downs in Co Wicklow. Icy roads have also been reported by Transport Infrastructure Ireland on the M50 at Ballymount, Castleknock, and the southern end of the Dublin Tunnel.
READ MORE
A status yellow fog warning remains place for the country until 1pm on Monday and AA Roadwatch has asked drivers to slow down in affected areas, and use fog lights where necessary.
Met Éireann warned of freezing fog this morning, particularly in the midlands. The country-wide fog warning is in place as temperatures are unlikely to rise beyond one to four degrees today.
The fog is forecast to slowly clear in most places this afternoon leaving a mostly dry day with sunny spells.
Met Éireann has also issued a Small Craft Warning for force 6 or higher, north to northwest winds late on Monday night on Irish coasts from Valentia to Rossan Point to Howth Head.
Scattered showers are expected along the coasts throughout the day. It will be cold with temperatures between one and five degrees, coolest where the fog lingers, in a light northerly breeze.
Monday night will be mainly dry with an ongoing risk of showers on coasts but temperatures may fall to minus two degrees.
Tuesday will see rain affecting Ulster while the rest of the country will be largely dry.
There will be moderate to fresh northwest winds with temperatures of six or seven degrees in the afternoon, falling to between minus two and two degrees on Tuesday night.
Wednesday will be another cold day with light variable winds but mostly dry conditions in the morning apart from showers near coasts.
Rain will develop in the southwest and west during the afternoon, becoming widespread through the late afternoon and early evening.
Highest temperatures will be between 5 and 7 degrees by day and falling to near freezing again at night with the rain clearing through.
Thursday will be largely dry to start with light westerly winds. The winds will turn southerly and freshen with another spell of rain coming from the west later.
It will remain quite cold with afternoon temperatures of seven to 10 degrees and overnight temperatures of between five and seven degrees.
A reduced speed limit of 60km/h is in place for works on the N11 in both directions between Junction 7 Bray South and Junction 8 Kilmacanogue, which causes delays, particularly at peak times. The work is expected to continue until February 2021.
In Dun Laoghaire a new two-way cycle lane is in operation along most of the route between Newtown Avenue in Blackrock and Sandycove Avenue. Vehicular traffic is now one-way, northwards, on a stretch of Queen’s Road between the Park Road and the Lexicon, and again from the Old Dunleary Road as far as Seapoint Avenue. A further stretch of one-way operated south towards Sandycove, from Windsor Terrace out to Sandycove Avenue West.


theirishtimes--2020-12-06--Widow of Colm Fox sues State following detective’s death during Regency trial

The widow of Colm Fox , the garda who led the investigation into the Regency Hotel attack , is suing the State over the circumstances relating to her late husband ’ s death , according to court documents .
Det Supt Fox took his own life with a Garda firearm in 2018 during the trial of Patrick Hutch who was accused of the murder of David Byrne at the hotel in 2016 .
The attack , during which heavily armed men dressed as gardaí stormed a boxing event , marked a major escalation in the gang feud between the Kinahan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ trial of Mr Hutch collapsed shortly after Det Supt Fox ’ s death .
The prosecution told the court “ it was not in a position to lead evidence on a number of evidential topics ” due to the garda ’ s death .
The trial at the Special Criminal Court had previously been in lengthy legal argument over issues related to the evidence against the accused , specifically the manner in which Mr Hutch was identified as a suspect in the case from newspaper photographs .
All charges against Mr Hutch were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Supt Fox ’ s widow , Edel Fox , lodged a legal action with the High Court against the Garda Commissioner , Drew Harris , the Department of Justice , the Attorney General and the State .
She is being represented by Fahy Bambury Solicitors .
The exact details of the claim are not known but it is understood it relates to the circumstances immediately prior to Det Supt Fox ’ s death .
The respected garda was found dead in Ballymun Garda station in Dublin on February 10th beside his official handgun @ @ @ @ @ @ @ notes to colleagues and it is understood he had expressed concern about his workload and the progress of the Regency case in the period before his death .
The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission opened an investigation into the death of Det Supt Fox shortly after his death and appealed for other agencies to co-operate with its inquiries .
Then minister for justice Charlie Flanagan also asked Mr Harris to initiate a review of the collapse of the Patrick Hutch trial to “ ascertain what lessons could be learned ” .
The deceased garda @ @ @ @ @ @ @ North Region and was heavily involved in combating the fallout from the Hutch-Kinahan feud which has claimed 18 lives to date .
He was also a sports coach and a scout leader .

The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission opened an investigation into the death of Det Supt Colm Fox shortly after his death in 2018. File photograph: Dave Meehan
The widow of Colm Fox, the garda who led the investigation into the Regency Hotel attack, is suing the State over the circumstances relating to her late husband’s death, according to court documents.
Det Supt Fox took his own life with a Garda firearm in 2018 during the trial of Patrick Hutch who was accused of the murder of David Byrne at the hotel in 2016. The attack, during which heavily armed men dressed as gardaí stormed a boxing event, marked a major escalation in the gang feud between the Kinahan and Hutch organised crime groups.
The trial of Mr Hutch collapsed shortly after Det Supt Fox’s death. The prosecution told the court “it was not in a position to lead evidence on a number of evidential topics” due to the garda’s death.
Newspaper photographs
The trial at the Special Criminal Court had previously been in lengthy legal argument over issues related to the evidence against the accused, specifically the manner in which Mr Hutch was identified as a suspect in the case from newspaper photographs.
READ MORE
All charges against Mr Hutch were later dropped.
Last Monday, Det Supt Fox’s widow, Edel Fox, lodged a legal action with the High Court against the Garda Commissioner, Drew Harris, the Department of Justice, the Attorney General and the State. She is being represented by Fahy Bambury Solicitors.
The exact details of the claim are not known but it is understood it relates to the circumstances immediately prior to Det Supt Fox’s death.
Workload
The respected garda was found dead in Ballymun Garda station in Dublin on February 10th beside his official handgun. He had left a number of notes to colleagues and it is understood he had expressed concern about his workload and the progress of the Regency case in the period before his death.
The Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission opened an investigation into the death of Det Supt Fox shortly after his death and appealed for other agencies to co-operate with its inquiries.
Then minister for justice Charlie Flanagan also asked Mr Harris to initiate a review of the collapse of the Patrick Hutch trial to “ascertain what lessons could be learned”.
The deceased garda had been detective superintendent for the Dublin North Region and was heavily involved in combating the fallout from the Hutch-Kinahan feud which has claimed 18 lives to date. He was also a sports coach and a scout leader.


theirishtimes--2020-12-06--‘Vaccine buddy’ plan suggested to aid nursing home wellbeing

Inoculating a nominated visitor for nursing home residents as a “ vaccine buddy ” in the first Covid-19 vaccinations would help their wellbeing , the nursing home sector has said .
The idea of including a family member or friend in the first wave of vaccinations against the coronavirus disease was raised by Nursing Homes Ireland , the representative body for private nursing homes , in a letter to Minister for Health last month and in a follow-up meeting last week .
“ We felt that it was important for them to consider this idea of a nominated visitor and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and go a lot more freely than the current situation , ” said Tadhg Daly , chief executive of the industry group .
Mr Daly said that the vaccination programme could be “ a complex challenge ” and he was unsure how long it would take but inoculating a relative or friend of a nursing home resident could not just keep residents safe but could “ address the challenge of resident wellbeing ” .
He felt that it would make sense , if there was a clinic set up to administer vaccines to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a rural area , to have family members participating in it as well .
“ There is strong merit in it , ” said Mr Daly .
Nursing home residents , one of the most vulnerable groups to the virus , and healthcare workers in hospitals and care facilities are expected to be among the first to be vaccinated .
The vaccination programme is expected to begin soon with the first vaccine expected from pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and German biotech company BioNTech .
The EU ’ s drug approval authority , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine at a meeting on December 29th with the vaccine distributed thereafter .
The Health Service Executive has received nine ultra-low temperature freezers that can store between 175,000 and 200,000 doses of the jab , which would be a sufficient number to inoculate 30,000 residents and 30,000 staff in the country ’ s 568 nursing homes along with thousands more healthcare workers .
Mr Daly said that the Minister was non-committal in his response to the idea , saying that the prioritisation process would be determined by the Government ’ s Covid-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Prof Brian MacCraith , the former president of Dublin City University .
A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said that the order in which people should be offered vaccination “ was being developed as a priority in conjunction with the national experts on immunisation ” and that it is expected this would be finalised shortly .
She did not remark on the NHI ’ s “ vaccine buddy ” proposal .
President Michael D Higgins , who turns 80 in April , will take the Covid-19 vaccine when it is recommended , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has spoken passionately about the importance not only of vaccines for the global approach to combating the Covid-19 virus , but also of ensuring equitable access for all to the benefits of health technologies , ” his spokesman said .
Independent Sligo-Leitrim TD Marian Harkin told RTÉ that a “ vaccine buddy ” scheme for nursing home residents was “ a good idea ” because residents had been “ very isolated ” during the pandemic and had not been able to see loved ones .

Tadhg Daly of Nursing Homes Ireland: it makes sense if there is a clinic set up to administer vaccines to residents and staff of a nursing home in a rural area to have family members participate too. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw
Inoculating a nominated visitor for nursing home residents as a “vaccine buddy” in the first Covid-19 vaccinations would help their wellbeing, the nursing home sector has said.
The idea of including a family member or friend in the first wave of vaccinations against the coronavirus disease was raised by Nursing Homes Ireland, the representative body for private nursing homes, in a letter to Minister for Health last month and in a follow-up meeting last week.
"We felt that it was important for them to consider this idea of a nominated visitor and that would ultimately mean people could come and go a lot more freely than the current situation," said Tadhg Daly, chief executive of the industry group.
Mr Daly said that the vaccination programme could be “a complex challenge” and he was unsure how long it would take but inoculating a relative or friend of a nursing home resident could not just keep residents safe but could “address the challenge of resident wellbeing”.
READ MORE
He felt that it would make sense, if there was a clinic set up to administer vaccines to residents and staff of a nursing home in a rural area, to have family members participating in it as well.
“There is strong merit in it,” said Mr Daly.
Vulnerable group
Nursing home residents, one of the most vulnerable groups to the virus, and healthcare workers in hospitals and care facilities are expected to be among the first to be vaccinated.
The vaccination programme is expected to begin soon with the first vaccine expected from pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and German biotech company BioNTech.
The EU's drug approval authority, the European Medicines Agency, could approve the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine at a meeting on December 29th with the vaccine distributed thereafter.
The Health Service Executive has received nine ultra-low temperature freezers that can store between 175,000 and 200,000 doses of the jab, which would be a sufficient number to inoculate 30,000 residents and 30,000 staff in the country’s 568 nursing homes along with thousands more healthcare workers.
Mr Daly said that the Minister was non-committal in his response to the idea, saying that the prioritisation process would be determined by the Government's Covid-19 vaccine taskforce that is being led by Prof Brian MacCraith, the former president of Dublin City University.
Priority of vaccination
A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said that the order in which people should be offered vaccination "was being developed as a priority in conjunction with the national experts on immunisation" and that it is expected this would be finalised shortly.
She did not remark on the NHI’s “vaccine buddy” proposal.
President Michael D Higgins, who turns 80 in April, will take the Covid-19 vaccine when it is recommended, his spokesman said.
“The President has spoken passionately about the importance not only of vaccines for the global approach to combating the Covid-19 virus, but also of ensuring equitable access for all to the benefits of health technologies,” his spokesman said.
Independent Sligo-Leitrim TD Marian Harkin told RTÉ that a "vaccine buddy" scheme for nursing home residents was "a good idea" because residents had been "very isolated" during the pandemic and had not been able to see loved ones.