theirishtimes--2020-11-11--Permanent affordability must be engineered into State’s housing system, NESC says

The State ’ s dysfunctional housing system is one where “ a land-price trap ” overly dominates in the marketplace , according to a National Economic and Social Council ( NESC ) report .
The report has set out a series of bold actions on housing , including more direct interventions by the State to deliver more affordable homes .
“ Overall , the council ’ s advice addresses key questions of ‘ what , who and how ’ in terms of achieving an affordable , sustainable and socially equitable housing system .
Bridging the supply and affordability gaps is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ report underlines .
Actions “ should be focused on bridging the supply gap by actively managing land and locational value for public good ; and bridging the affordability gap by engineering-in permanent affordability ” , it recommends .
Commenting on its findings , NESC director Dr Larry O ’ Connell said : “ The dominant business model [ for housing ] results in a land-price trap .
Development is normally close to the margin of viability , and competition is happening at the wrong stage , within the volatile land market rather than @ @ @ @ @ @ @ concludes fundamental change is required to move to a permanently affordable , stable and more sustainable system of housing .
“ Direct public-policy influence is needed now to make affordable development happen , ” Dr O ’ Connell said .
NESC sets out the actions necessary to bridge key gaps in supply and affordability .
Institutional change is required , it says , “ to ensure key public actors have a strong developmental mandate and executive capacity to drive sustainable urban development ” .
This should include putting the Land Development Agency ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operation , on a statutory footing as a matter of urgency and with an enhanced mandate , “ including to provide land for social housing , and equip it with a planning role and the tools to assemble land and engage in direct development ” , it says .
This development of the LDA should cover compulsory land acquisition/compulsory purchase orders ( CPO ) ; master planning to guide future growth and development , and land value capture that contributes to the initial cost of infrastructure investment , the report states .
Specialist @ @ @ @ @ @ @ authorities undertake necessary , complex tasks in relation to procurement , site-unblocking , CPO and master planning , it adds .
To ensure more impactful application of existing measures and to spur more affordable near-term development , it says the Government should : – Establish a national cost rental programme at scale , with access to land on favourable terms , low-cost finance , and with conditions to ensure homes remain subject to public ownership and the rents are affordable ; – Tailor the application of Part V requirements in planning legislation to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ proportion of homes which must be “ affordable ” , albeit tailored on a “ county-by-county ” basis following housing-need/demand analysis , “ allowing 5 or 10 per cent increments ” in such home numbers .
These requirements should apply to all housing developments , and policy incentives for co-operation should be provided , and – Introduce separate funding streams focused on high impact , “ in terms of the number of affordable houses provided , and clear link to compact growth ” .
The report calls for new solutions or ways of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ notably tackling “ the persistent ‘ on-off balance sheet ’ conundrum ” by exploring with the LDA , approved housing bodies and others the potential of a new affordable rental scheme combining State and capital market investment , a scheme which can transition from being initially on the balance sheet , to being off it .
NESC calls for an examination of how the State could be supported to acquire land in designated development areas “ at existing use value plus some premium ” , as outlined by the All-Party Oireachtas Committee on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The council recommends an examination of the potential use of land value capture instruments tailored to specific sites , which could be used by the LDA and other institutions .
Barriers to the development and introduction of a site value tax should be identified , it says .
The report recommends “ a national programme of flagship projects as an important method of demonstrating how a system-wide approach to change can deliver tangible results , and be a catalyst for innovation in the vital construction sector ” .
Prior to the Covid-19 crisis @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dr O ’ Connell noted , including insufficient output ; acute affordability pressures in the private rental sector and “ high unmet need for social housing ” .
“ The response to the pandemic , the programme for Government , and the upcoming review of the National Development Plan provide a new context in which to consider urban development , land management , and housing supply and affordability , ” he added .
“ The willingness to intervene displayed in the pandemic response .
.
.
should embolden policymakers to act on these @ @ @ @ @ @ @

The State’s dysfunctional housing system is one where ‘a land-price trap’ overly dominates in the marketplace, according to a NESC report. File photograph: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire
The State's dysfunctional housing system is one where "a land-price trap" overly dominates in the marketplace, according to a National Economic and Social Council (NESC) report.
The report has set out a series of bold actions on housing, including more direct interventions by the State to deliver more affordable homes.
“Overall, the council’s advice addresses key questions of ‘what, who and how’ in terms of achieving an affordable, sustainable and socially equitable housing system. Bridging the supply and affordability gaps is what must be done,” the report underlines.
Actions “should be focused on bridging the supply gap by actively managing land and locational value for public good; and bridging the affordability gap by engineering-in permanent affordability”, it recommends.
READ MORE
Commenting on its findings, NESC director Dr Larry O’Connell said: “The dominant business model [for housing] results in a land-price trap. Development is normally close to the margin of viability, and competition is happening at the wrong stage, within the volatile land market rather than in the housing market.”
The research concludes fundamental change is required to move to a permanently affordable, stable and more sustainable system of housing. “Direct public-policy influence is needed now to make affordable development happen,” Dr O’Connell said.
Institutional change
NESC sets out the actions necessary to bridge key gaps in supply and affordability. Institutional change is required, it says, “to ensure key public actors have a strong developmental mandate and executive capacity to drive sustainable urban development”.
This should include putting the Land Development Agency (LDA), which is coming into operation, on a statutory footing as a matter of urgency and with an enhanced mandate, "including to provide land for social housing, and equip it with a planning role and the tools to assemble land and engage in direct development", it says.
This development of the LDA should cover compulsory land acquisition/compulsory purchase orders (CPO); master planning to guide future growth and development, and land value capture that contributes to the initial cost of infrastructure investment, the report states.
Specialist teams should be created to help local authorities undertake necessary, complex tasks in relation to procurement, site-unblocking, CPO and master planning, it adds.
To ensure more impactful application of existing measures and to spur more affordable near-term development, it says the Government should:
– Establish a national cost rental programme at scale, with access to land on favourable terms, low-cost finance, and with conditions to ensure homes remain subject to public ownership and the rents are affordable;
– Tailor the application of Part V requirements in planning legislation to make them more effective by increasing the proportion of homes which must be “affordable”, albeit tailored on a “county-by-county” basis following housing-need/demand analysis, “allowing 5 or 10 per cent increments” in such home numbers. These requirements should apply to all housing developments, and policy incentives for co-operation should be provided, and
– Introduce separate funding streams focused on high impact, “in terms of the number of affordable houses provided, and clear link to compact growth”.
New solutions
The report calls for new solutions or ways of working in relation to longstanding challenges, notably tackling “the persistent ‘on-off balance sheet’ conundrum” by exploring with the LDA, approved housing bodies and others the potential of a new affordable rental scheme combining State and capital market investment, a scheme which can transition from being initially on the balance sheet, to being off it.
NESC calls for an examination of how the State could be supported to acquire land in designated development areas "at existing use value plus some premium", as outlined by the All-Party Oireachtas Committee on the Constitution and the Kenny Report.
The council recommends an examination of the potential use of land value capture instruments tailored to specific sites, which could be used by the LDA and other institutions. Barriers to the development and introduction of a site value tax should be identified, it says.
The report recommends “a national programme of flagship projects as an important method of demonstrating how a system-wide approach to change can deliver tangible results, and be a catalyst for innovation in the vital construction sector”.
Prior to the Covid-19 crisis the State faced significant housing challenges, Dr O’Connell noted, including insufficient output; acute affordability pressures in the private rental sector and “high unmet need for social housing”.
“The response to the pandemic, the programme for Government, and the upcoming review of the National Development Plan provide a new context in which to consider urban development, land management, and housing supply and affordability,” he added.
“The willingness to intervene displayed in the pandemic response . . . should embolden policymakers to act on these recommendations,” the report advises.


theirishtimes--2020-11-11--Covid-19 changing Irish people’s expectations of science, study shows

Irish people have strong belief in the ability of science to improve their lives but the impact of Covid-19 has significantly changed their expectations , according to findings of a survey commissioned by Science Foundation Ireland ( SFI ) .
The research shows many Irish people may not want to return to how they worked or how they travelled before coronavirus .
When asked about their hopes for the future and where respondents would like to see science have a positive impact , healthcare came out on top at 82 per cent , followed by climate action ( 65 per @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 43 per cent ) .
In the survey of 1,000 people , almost two thirds of respondents stated they engage with science in their daily lives – a strong indication of the standing of science within Irish society .
SFI asked iReach Insights to investigate the public ’ s views on how science impacts their everyday lives and where they would like to see changes in the future .
It was commissioned to coincide with Science Week 2020 , which runs until November 15th and has as its theme “ choosing our future @ @ @ @ @ @ @ how science can improve our lives ” .
The pandemic has prompted changes in how Irish people think about their lives and how they want to live in the future , the findings suggest .
More than two-thirds of respondents ( 69 per cent ) agreed Covid-19 restrictions have led them to appreciate nature more ; a view that was highest among 18 – to 34-year-olds .
On their future and what Ireland looks like , the research shows Irish people want to see more nature in their cities – 77 per cent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believed Irish cities should have more trees and forested areas .
Some 40 per cent of respondents stated they never want to go back to how their workplace was pre Covid-19 , with 46 per cent stating they never want to commute at all again .
Surprisingly , only 6 per cent say the old way of working was worth the commute .
For one fifth of participants ( 21 per cent ) they said that while they did not mind commuting , they would like a greener alternative .
More than half @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said science or technology has helped their mental health , rising to two-thirds ( 67 per cent ) among 18- to 34-year-old – while more than 3 in 4 ( 76 per cent ) think science has helped older people have a better quality of life .
Commenting on the findings , SFI director general and chief scientific adviser to the Government Prof Mark Ferguson said : “ The Covid-19 pandemic has facilitated greater focus on our priorities and conversations around our shared hopes for a brighter future and the vital role science @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the challenges we face.
” The research provided a significant opportunity to hear from the public on how Covid-19 has impacted their lives , what they want to change or keep , and what role can science play in shaping Ireland , he added .
“ Choosing our Future is the theme for Science Week 2020 and core to this is providing the opportunity for the public to engage with the scientific community , ” Prof Ferguson said .
To facilitate this , one of the many virtual activities taking place is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outline platform hosting discussions live during Science Week .
“ I was delighted to see 61 per cent of respondents stated that they feel they engage with science in their daily lives .
We hope this Science Week that through the virtual events and the platform the public have further opportunities to share their views on the role science has on the future of Ireland.
” Modelled on the approach of the Irish citizen ’ s assemblies , the “ Choosing our Future Public Forum ” will facilitate discussions between the public and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ research centre ADAPT , the ChoosingOurFuture.ie platform “ will focus on several topics from how we learn , to our physical activity and its impact on our health to the future of work and vaccines ” .
Details of the platform and the many virtual events taking place for Science Week is available here

Irish people have strong belief in the ability of science to improve their lives but the impact of Covid-19 has significantly changed their expectations, according to findings of a survey commissioned by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI).
The research shows many Irish people may not want to return to how they worked or how they travelled before coronavirus.
When asked about their hopes for the future and where respondents would like to see science have a positive impact, healthcare came out on top at 82 per cent, followed by climate action (65 per cent) and flexible work options (43 per cent).
In the survey of 1,000 people, almost two thirds of respondents stated they engage with science in their daily lives – a strong indication of the standing of science within Irish society.
READ MORE
SFI asked iReach Insights to investigate the public’s views on how science impacts their everyday lives and where they would like to see changes in the future. It was commissioned to coincide with Science Week 2020, which runs until November 15th and has as its theme “choosing our future – supporting conversations amongst the public on how science can improve our lives”.
The pandemic has prompted changes in how Irish people think about their lives and how they want to live in the future, the findings suggest. More than two-thirds of respondents (69 per cent) agreed Covid-19 restrictions have led them to appreciate nature more; a view that was highest among 18 – to 34-year-olds.
On their future and what Ireland looks like, the research shows Irish people want to see more nature in their cities – 77 per cent of respondents across all demographics said they believed Irish cities should have more trees and forested areas.
Some 40 per cent of respondents stated they never want to go back to how their workplace was pre Covid-19, with 46 per cent stating they never want to commute at all again. Surprisingly, only 6 per cent say the old way of working was worth the commute.
For one fifth of participants (21 per cent) they said that while they did not mind commuting, they would like a greener alternative.
More than half of respondents (56 per cent) said science or technology has helped their mental health, rising to two-thirds (67 per cent) among 18- to 34-year-old – while more than 3 in 4 (76 per cent) think science has helped older people have a better quality of life.
Commenting on the findings, SFI director general and chief scientific adviser to the Government Prof Mark Ferguson said: "The Covid-19 pandemic has facilitated greater focus on our priorities and conversations around our shared hopes for a brighter future and the vital role science and technology can play in developing solutions to the challenges we face."
The research provided a significant opportunity to hear from the public on how Covid-19 has impacted their lives, what they want to change or keep, and what role can science play in shaping Ireland, he added.
“Choosing our Future is the theme for Science Week 2020 and core to this is providing the opportunity for the public to engage with the scientific community,” Prof Ferguson said.
To facilitate this, one of the many virtual activities taking place is “Choosing Our Future”, an outline platform hosting discussions live during Science Week.
“I was delighted to see 61 per cent of respondents stated that they feel they engage with science in their daily lives. We hope this Science Week that through the virtual events and the platform the public have further opportunities to share their views on the role science has on the future of Ireland.”
Modelled on the approach of the Irish citizen's assemblies, the "Choosing our Future Public Forum" will facilitate discussions between the public and the research community. Developed by SFI research centre ADAPT, the ChoosingOurFuture.ie platform "will focus on several topics from how we learn, to our physical activity and its impact on our health to the future of work and vaccines".
Details of the platform and the many virtual events taking place for Science Week is available here


theirishtimes--2020-11-11--Woman beaten by man while holding their baby, court hears

A woman has been granted a protection order after she told a court she had to beg her former partner to stop beating her while she was holding their child in her arms and that he resumed the attack when she put the baby down .
The woman told Dublin District Family Court on Tuesday that the man was physically abusive towards her over a number of years and that he had used “ hands and weapons ” .
In a sworn statement to the court , the woman said she had received a broken nose , jaw and ribs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She said the man had tried to knock her teeth out and had tortured her .
The woman said he beat her while she was pregnant and that she had to beg him to stop beating her while she had the baby in her arms on one occasion .
She said the man had let her put the baby down and subsequently continued with the beating .
The woman said the man , who was not present in court , was recently released from prison and that she is afraid , describing him @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The woman applied for a protection order against her former partner , which prohibits him from using or threatening to use violence .
The woman said she did not want to apply for a barring order , which would prohibit the man from entering , watching or being near her home along with further violence or threats of violence as she wanted to keep her address secret from her former partner .
Judge Gerard Furlong granted the woman a protection order on an ex-parte ( one side only represented ) basis .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ an interim barring order “ without hesitation ” given the seriousness of the evidence , but understood she did not want to reveal her address .
Judge Furlong told the woman she was welcome to re-apply for a barring order at any time and set a full hearing , which the man is expected to attend , for a later date .
In a separate case , a woman was granted an interim barring order after she told the court her former partner threatened to “ gut me like a pig ” .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the woman said she and her former partner have a number of children together .
The woman said she had secured a protection order against the man previously and had complained to gardaí about him breaching the order .
“ He said he was going to kill me if I didn ’ t drop the orders and the charges , ” the woman said .
“ He ’ s threatening to kill me and the people that I love ...
He told me he was near someone close to me and was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He said he was going to burn me , take the kids , gut me like a pig and kill everyone I care about.
” Judge Furlong granted the woman an interim barring order and set a full hearing , which the man is expected to attend , for a later date .

The woman told Dublin District Family Court on Tuesday that the man was physically abusive towards her over a number of years. File photograph: Collins
A woman has been granted a protection order after she told a court she had to beg her former partner to stop beating her while she was holding their child in her arms and that he resumed the attack when she put the baby down.
The woman told Dublin District Family Court on Tuesday that the man was physically abusive towards her over a number of years and that he had used "hands and weapons".
In a sworn statement to the court, the woman said she had received a broken nose, jaw and ribs as a result of his attacks. She said the man had tried to knock her teeth out and had tortured her.
The woman said he beat her while she was pregnant and that she had to beg him to stop beating her while she had the baby in her arms on one occasion. She said the man had let her put the baby down and subsequently continued with the beating.
READ MORE
The woman said the man, who was not present in court, was recently released from prison and that she is afraid, describing him as a “very violent man”.
The woman applied for a protection order against her former partner, which prohibits him from using or threatening to use violence.
The woman said she did not want to apply for a barring order, which would prohibit the man from entering, watching or being near her home along with further violence or threats of violence as she wanted to keep her address secret from her former partner.
Judge Gerard Furlong granted the woman a protection order on an ex-parte (one side only represented) basis.
He said he would provide the woman an interim barring order “without hesitation” given the seriousness of the evidence, but understood she did not want to reveal her address.
Judge Furlong told the woman she was welcome to re-apply for a barring order at any time and set a full hearing, which the man is expected to attend, for a later date.
In a separate case, a woman was granted an interim barring order after she told the court her former partner threatened to “gut me like a pig”.
In a sworn statement to the court, the woman said she and her former partner have a number of children together.
The woman said she had secured a protection order against the man previously and had complained to gardaí about him breaching the order.
“He said he was going to kill me if I didn’t drop the orders and the charges,” the woman said.
“He’s threatening to kill me and the people that I love ... He told me he was near someone close to me and was going to watch me suffer.
“He said he was going to burn me, take the kids, gut me like a pig and kill everyone I care about.”
Judge Furlong granted the woman an interim barring order and set a full hearing, which the man is expected to attend, for a later date.


theirishtimes--2020-11-11--HSE defends ‘time lag’ in distributing flu vaccine

The Health Service Executive ( HSE ) has denied reports that hundreds of thousands of doses of the flu vaccine have gone missing .
Dr Colm Henry , the HSE ’ s chief clinical officer , said 50,000 doses of the vaccine had been held back to ascertain “ where the gaps are ” in terms of distribution .
Dr Henry said 1.3 million doses of the vaccine had been distributed to date , an increase of 20 per cent on the same time last year , with over 700,000 of those administered .
“ It ’ s normal for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccine to GPs and pharmacies and records coming back as to who has been administered , ” he told RTÉ ’ s Morning Ireland on Wednesday .
“ What we want to find out is where the greatest level of demand is .
We ’ re very clear about those priority groups , as per the WHO recommendations , namely older people , over 65 years , healthcare workers in direct contact with patients and other groups ; that ’ s where we want to focus our remaining stock that we normally hold @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have disappeared .
We ’ ve held back , as we normally do every year , in a year of unprecedented demand , 50,000 so we can ascertain where the gaps are , where the priority groups are most needful of this vaccine and then distribute these remaining 50,000 by the end of November.
” Dr Henry said the HSE was seeing “ unprecedented levels of demand ” for doses of the flu vaccine from at-risk groups , which is “ good ” .
He said from the records received from GPs and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administered to over 65s , an increase of 100,000 from the same time last year .
Dr Henry later addressed the Oireachtas health committee where he said , of the 700,000 doses distributed this winter , most had gone to priority groups .
About 400,000 doses have been administered to over-65s , 35,000 to healthcare workers and 223,000 to adults in at-risk groups .
“ There ’ s no vaccine disappeared or gone , ” he said .
“ We want to find out where we can direct the remaining 50,000 to those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ statement , the HSE said two million doses of the influenza vaccine had been purchased , including 1.35 million doses of the vaccine for adults as well as 600,000 of the nasal vaccine for children .
“ We have full records of the 1.3 million doses which have been distributed to date , ” it said .
“ Applications for reimbursement through PCRS ( Primary Care Reimbursement Service ) have been made in relation to 700,000 doses which indicates that some of the vaccine that has been distributed has yet to be either @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Therefore we intend to obtain more information prior to distributing the remaining doses of vaccine.
” It said demand for vaccination this year is “ unprecedented ” and in keeping with WHO recommendations “ we are asking that the remaining flu vaccine injections are concentrated on those over 65 and front line heath care workers ” .
“ The most recent report indicates that there is no evidence of influenza viruses circulating in the community in Ireland , ” the HSE added .
“ If uptake among those in the at-risk groups @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the demand seen to date , twice as many people may be vaccinated this year as in the 2019/20 vaccination season .
”

HSE is seeing ‘unprecedented levels of demand’ for doses of the flu vaccine from at risk groups
It is unlikely that additional supplies of the flu vaccine will become available because of international demand, the Dáil has been told.
Minister of State Thomas Byrne said the HSE placed its order for the vaccine in February, acquiring 1.35 million doses, 20 per cent more than last year.
Confirming that the final 50,000 doses would be used by the end of November he said the priority is to provide the vaccine to “those who most need it”.
Mr Byrne said however that the figures did not include the 650,000 additional doses for children from two to 12 years of age and 420,000 doses for children which are free of charge, had been distributed to GPs and pharmacists.
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The Minister urged families to contact their GP or pharmacy to have their child inoculated with the vaccine which is administered as a nasal spray.
“The last thing you want is a child coming home with flulike symptoms and maybe the flu, and having to isolate the whole family for a couple of weeks,” he said.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) earlier denied reports that hundreds of thousands of doses of the flu vaccine have gone missing.
Dr Colm Henry, the HSE's chief clinical officer, said 50,000 doses of the vaccine had been held back to ascertain "where the gaps are" in terms of distribution.
"It's normal for a lag time between us distributing the vaccine to GPs and pharmacies and records coming back as to who has been administered," he told RTÉ's Morning Ireland on Wednesday.
“What we want to find out is where the greatest level of demand is. We’re very clear about those priority groups, as per the WHO recommendations, namely older people, over 65 years, healthcare workers in direct contact with patients and other groups; that’s where we want to focus our remaining stock that we normally hold back.
“So, no vaccines have disappeared. We’ve held back, as we normally do every year, in a year of unprecedented demand, 50,000 so we can ascertain where the gaps are, where the priority groups are most needful of this vaccine and then distribute these remaining 50,000 by the end of November.”
Dr Henry said the HSE was seeing “unprecedented levels of demand” for doses of the flu vaccine from at-risk groups, which is “good”.
He said from the records received from GPs and pharmacies, over 400,000 vaccines had been administered to over 65s, an increase of 100,000 from the same time last year.
Dr Henry later addressed the Oireachtas health committee where he said, of the 700,000 doses distributed this winter, most had gone to priority groups. About 400,000 doses have been administered to over-65s, 35,000 to healthcare workers and 223,000 to adults in at-risk groups.
“There’s no vaccine disappeared or gone,” he said. “We want to find out where we can direct the remaining 50,000 to those who need them.”
In a follow-up statement, the HSE said two million doses of the influenza vaccine had been purchased, including 1.35 million doses of the vaccine for adults as well as 600,000 of the nasal vaccine for children.
“We have full records of the 1.3 million doses which have been distributed to date,” it said.
“Applications for reimbursement through PCRS (Primary Care Reimbursement Service) have been made in relation to 700,000 doses which indicates that some of the vaccine that has been distributed has yet to be either administered and/or an application for reimbursement submitted. Therefore we intend to obtain more information prior to distributing the remaining doses of vaccine.”
It said demand for vaccination this year is “unprecedented” and in keeping with WHO recommendations “we are asking that the remaining flu vaccine injections are concentrated on those over 65 and front line heath care workers”.
“The most recent report indicates that there is no evidence of influenza viruses circulating in the community in Ireland,” the HSE added.
“If uptake among those in the at-risk groups and children aged 2 – 12 reflects the demand seen to date, twice as many people may be vaccinated this year as in the 2019/20 vaccination season.”


theirishtimes--2020-11-10--Travel restrictions eased following changes to Covid-19 testing rules

International travel will become easier to some countries after a Government decision that will allow Covid-19 testing for passengers passing through Dublin Airport within days .
The Cabinet has also agreed that arrivals from EU “ red ” countries from midnight on November 29th will not have to restrict their movements for the full 14 days if they produce a negative test at least five days after their arrival .
Passengers using Dublin Airport will be able to be tested pre-flight for coronavirus after the Cabinet approved a planning exemption for a privately run testing facility at the airport .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to go to regions classified as “ orange ” under the EU traffic-light system for international travel where , if they have a negative test , they will not be required to restrict their movements for 14 days .
A spokesman for State airport operator DAA said it would be possible to have a testing facility up and running at Dublin Airport in a matter of days .
*Two drive-in Covid-19 test centres will open at Cork and Shannon airports on Thursday .
The Government said it would keep travel from the US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” country arrangements would apply to travellers from there .
Aer Lingus called on Government to extend post-arrival testing to “ rapid and affordable ” antigen testing for a “ meaningful increase in safe international travel ” .
The National Public Health Emergency Team ( Nphet ) reported on Tuesday a further 16 additional deaths related to coronavirus , including 14 occurring this month , and an additional 270 cases .
Meanwhile , the Government has also approved an extra €48 million package to support the aviation sector ahead of what Ministers were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for airlines .
The funding is in addition to money already announced as part of Budget 2021 .
New supports include €22 million in additional funding for Cork and Shannon airports and an extra €21 million for the Regional Airports Programme , to benefit Knock , Kerry and Donegal airports .
Separately , it has emerged the State ’ s health regulator questioned the Department of Health last month about why residents at some nursing homes , where staff tested positive for Covid-19 , were not being tested .
Hiqa ’ s chief @ @ @ @ @ @ @ programme of testing for nursing home residents or , if not , a more consistent approach to testing if positive cases were detected among staff .
She told a department official not all nursing homes where staff tested positive for the disease have had their residents tested .
*This article was amended on November 11th to correct the test centres opening date

A spokesman for State airport operator DAA said it would be possible to have a testing facility up and running at Dublin Airport in a matter of days. Photograph: Kate Geraghty
International travel will become easier to some countries after a Government decision that will allow Covid-19 testing for passengers passing through Dublin Airport within days.
The Cabinet has also agreed that arrivals from EU “red” countries from midnight on November 29th will not have to restrict their movements for the full 14 days if they produce a negative test at least five days after their arrival.
Passengers using Dublin Airport will be able to be tested pre-flight for coronavirus after the Cabinet approved a planning exemption for a privately run testing facility at the airport.
Hospital Report
New airport testing will allow Irish travellers to go to regions classified as “orange” under the EU traffic-light system for international travel where, if they have a negative test, they will not be required to restrict their movements for 14 days.
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This will depend on if and when other EU states and regions adopt the same arrangements that exist here. Ireland is currently a red-listed country under the travel code and the Government continues to advise against overseas travel.**
A spokesman for State airport operator DAA said it would be possible to have a testing facility up and running at Dublin Airport in a matter of days.
*Two drive-in Covid-19 test centres will open at Cork and Shannon airports on Thursday.
The Government said it would keep travel from the US under review but the same “red” country arrangements would apply to travellers from there.
Aer Lingus called on Government to extend post-arrival testing to “rapid and affordable” antigen testing for a “meaningful increase in safe international travel”.
The National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) reported on Tuesday a further 16 additional deaths related to coronavirus, including 14 occurring this month, and an additional 270 cases.
Meanwhile, the Government has also approved an extra €48 million package to support the aviation sector ahead of what Ministers were told would be a difficult winter season for airlines.
The funding is in addition to money already announced as part of Budget 2021.
New supports include €22 million in additional funding for Cork and Shannon airports and an extra €21 million for the Regional Airports Programme, to benefit Knock, Kerry and Donegal airports.
Separately, it has emerged the State's health regulator questioned the Department of Health last month about why residents at some nursing homes, where staff tested positive for Covid-19, were not being tested.
Hiqa's chief inspector Mary Dunnion called for a repeat programme of testing for nursing home residents or, if not, a more consistent approach to testing if positive cases were detected among staff.
She told a department official not all nursing homes where staff tested positive for the disease have had their residents tested.
*This article was amended on November 11th to correct the test centres opening date
**This paragraph was added on November 11th to reflect the current arrangements


theirishtimes--2020-11-12--Huge jump in Tusla referrals of suspected child sex abuse to Garda

The number of cases of suspected child sexual abuse referred to the Garda by Tusla , the child and family agency , has increased significantly in recent years , new figures show .
Last year , social workers referred 912 cases of suspected child sex abuse to the Garda to investigate , a 75 per cent increase on the 522 referrals made in 2016 .
Tusla referred 532 cases of suspected sexual abuse to the Garda in 2017 , which increased to 741 in 2018 , and to 912 in 2019 .
Where social workers suspect a child has been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or wilful neglect , they are required to refer the case to the Garda .
In recent years , the number of reports of alleged abuse or neglect Tusla receives has also steadily increased , following the introduction of mandatory reporting laws in late 2017 .
The State agency received 3,042 reports of alleged sexual abuse in 2016 , which rose to 3,548 in 2018 , and to 3,909 last year .
These reports include alleged abuse of children , and adults disclosing alleged abuse that took place when they were minors .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ TD Cian O ’ Callaghan in response to a parliamentary question .
Mr O ’ Callaghan said while the number of reports made to Tusla had increased by 29 per cent over the four years , its referrals of suspected abuse to the Garda had gone up by 75 per cent .
“ This raises a serious question as to why there has been such a sharp increase of referrals from Tusla to An Garda Síochána , ” he said .
He said neither Minister for Justice Helen McEntee nor the Garda had @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many of the referrals had been investigated , or how many prosecutions had arisen from the cases .
There was also a lack of information from Tusla on how many of the abuse allegations it had determined to be founded or unfounded , he said .
“ It is vitally important that this information is made available , ” Mr O ’ Callaghan said .
A Tusla spokeswoman said overall increases in reports of alleged abuse it received had contributed to the rise in referrals to the Garda .
“ The introduction of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before that on the need to report child protection concerns , has led to an increasingly strong culture of reporting , which contributes in part to increasing numbers of reports to An Garda Síochána , ” she said .
“ Obligations under various legislation and protocols has also resulted in increased reporting to An Garda Síochána .
All of this is underscored by an increasing attention and awareness for statutory agencies to share critical information regarding the protection of children , ” she said .
Earlier this year it emerged Tusla ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ under-reporting suspected abuse to gardaí .
The issue was uncovered by Tusla ’ s internal audit process , and a subsequent review identified 365 cases of suspected abuse or neglect which social workers should have referred to the Garda , but had failed to do so .
The cases included 161 reports of alleged child abuse which had been left “ unaddressed ” by social workers in the Kerry area .

Tusla referred 532 cases of suspected sexual abuse to the Garda in 2017, which increased to 741 in 2018, and to 912 in 2019. Photograph: Getty Images
The number of cases of suspected child sexual abuse referred to the Garda by Tusla, the child and family agency, has increased significantly in recent years, new figures show.
Last year, social workers referred 912 cases of suspected child sex abuse to the Garda to investigate, a 75 per cent increase on the 522 referrals made in 2016.
Tusla referred 532 cases of suspected sexual abuse to the Garda in 2017, which increased to 741 in 2018, and to 912 in 2019.
Where social workers suspect a child has been subjected to physical or sexual abuse, or wilful neglect, they are required to refer the case to the Garda.
READ MORE
In recent years, the number of reports of alleged abuse or neglect Tusla receives has also steadily increased, following the introduction of mandatory reporting laws in late 2017.
The State agency received 3,042 reports of alleged sexual abuse in 2016, which rose to 3,548 in 2018, and to 3,909 last year. These reports include alleged abuse of children, and adults disclosing alleged abuse that took place when they were minors.
The figures were obtained by Social Democrats TD Cian O'Callaghan in response to a parliamentary question.
Serious question
Mr O'Callaghan said while the number of reports made to Tusla had increased by 29 per cent over the four years, its referrals of suspected abuse to the Garda had gone up by 75 per cent. "This raises a serious question as to why there has been such a sharp increase of referrals from Tusla to An Garda Síochána, " he said.
He said neither Minister for Justice Helen McEntee nor the Garda had responded to requests for figures on how many of the referrals had been investigated, or how many prosecutions had arisen from the cases.
There was also a lack of information from Tusla on how many of the abuse allegations it had determined to be founded or unfounded, he said. “It is vitally important that this information is made available,” Mr O’Callaghan said.
A Tusla spokeswoman said overall increases in reports of alleged abuse it received had contributed to the rise in referrals to the Garda.
“The introduction of mandatory reporting, and the strong emphasis before that on the need to report child protection concerns, has led to an increasingly strong culture of reporting, which contributes in part to increasing numbers of reports to An Garda Síochána,” she said.
Awareness
“Obligations under various legislation and protocols has also resulted in increased reporting to An Garda Síochána. All of this is underscored by an increasing attention and awareness for statutory agencies to share critical information regarding the protection of children,” she said.
Earlier this year it emerged Tusla's service in Co Kerry had been significantly under-reporting suspected abuse to gardaí.
The issue was uncovered by Tusla’s internal audit process, and a subsequent review identified 365 cases of suspected abuse or neglect which social workers should have referred to the Garda, but had failed to do so.
The cases included 161 reports of alleged child abuse which had been left “unaddressed” by social workers in the Kerry area.


theirishtimes--2020-11-12--Investigation launched after Cork standing stone reinstated by farmer and druids

An investigation has begun into a west Cork farmer who reinstated a fallen Bronze Age standing stone on his land with the help of two druids .
The stone had been knocked over more than a decade ago by a bull who was using it as a scratching post .
The National Monuments Service confirmed it had begun an investigation into the actions of Donal Bohane on land rented from his cousin at Coolnagarrane , Skibbereen .
It said the majority of archaeological monuments in Ireland , including standing stones , are protected under the National Monuments Acts and anyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ must give two months ’ written notice to the Minister for Heritage .
Mr Bohane told The Irish Times the stone had been pushed over by a bull in 2009 and had lain on the ground since then .
“ Every day you would be passing , you would see the bull scratching himself on the stone – it was a nice itching spot but the problem was there was nothing around the stone .
I was always told these stones were as much underground as overground but that was not the case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was eroded so the bull didn ’ t have much to do to knock it.
” He said he recently decided to see if he could re-instate it as he wondered if a spate of bad fortune on his farm was related to it being knocked over .
“ When you look back to 2009 , things seemed to be very good but we have had every sort of problem , particularly over the last few years when animals got sick .
In August , we had this really bad flooding and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the field was flooded to a depth of nearly five feet , ” he said .
“ At times you would laugh it off but I decided to make inquiries so I contacted some folklore experts and they told me it would be okay to re-stand the stone .
“ One of them put me in contact with these druids in Kerry so they came down and performed a ceremony when we re-stood the stone.
” Jan Tetteroo and his wife Karen – members of the Grove of Anu , a local branch @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ovates and Druids – travelled from their home in Glenflesk , Co Kerry to perform a druidic ceremony as the stone was re-instated with the help of a bulldozer .
“ We did what we call a druidic ceremony where we connect with the elements and the land and the directions , ” said Mr Tetteroo .
“ We made it clear in our ceremony that we wanted to make sure any ley lines that run along the land were not blocked by the fallen stone and we invited whatever seen and unseen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ aid to stop the streak of misfortune that Donal had suffered on his farm.
” Mr Tetteroo said it was clear which was the top and which was the bottom of the stone and where it had exactly fallen so it was a simple matter of re-standing it .
Mr Bohane said he was surprised nobody from the National Monuments Service had contacted him previously .
The stone had been lying on its side in the field less than 50 metres from the roadway ever since his bull had knocked it over , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was put it back up and cleaned around it , ” he said .
“ It looked nothing at all lying on the ground but it ’ s impressive enough now it ’ s standing up again .
”

Standing stones are protected under the National Monuments Acts and anyone wishing to carry out work on one must give two months’ written notice to the Minister for Heritage. Photograph: Frank Miller
An investigation has begun into a west Cork farmer who reinstated a fallen Bronze Age standing stone on his land with the help of two druids.
The stone had been knocked over more than a decade ago by a bull who was using it as a scratching post.
The National Monuments Service confirmed it had begun an investigation into the actions of Donal Bohane on land rented from his cousin at Coolnagarrane, Skibbereen.
It said the majority of archaeological monuments in Ireland, including standing stones, are protected under the National Monuments Acts and anyone wishing to carry out work on one must give two months' written notice to the Minister for Heritage.
READ MORE
Mr Bohane told The Irish Times the stone had been pushed over by a bull in 2009 and had lain on the ground since then.
“Every day you would be passing, you would see the bull scratching himself on the stone – it was a nice itching spot but the problem was there was nothing around the stone. I was always told these stones were as much underground as overground but that was not the case with this one. The ground around it was eroded so the bull didn’t have much to do to knock it.”
He said he recently decided to see if he could re-instate it as he wondered if a spate of bad fortune on his farm was related to it being knocked over.
“When you look back to 2009, things seemed to be very good but we have had every sort of problem, particularly over the last few years when animals got sick. In August, we had this really bad flooding and we lost 18 acres of maize when the field was flooded to a depth of nearly five feet,” he said.
“At times you would laugh it off but I decided to make inquiries so I contacted some folklore experts and they told me it would be okay to re-stand the stone.
“One of them put me in contact with these druids in Kerry so they came down and performed a ceremony when we re-stood the stone.”
Druidic ceremony
Jan Tetteroo and his wife Karen – members of the Grove of Anu, a local branch of the worldwide Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids – travelled from their home in Glenflesk, Co Kerry to perform a druidic ceremony as the stone was re-instated with the help of a bulldozer.
“We did what we call a druidic ceremony where we connect with the elements and the land and the directions,” said Mr Tetteroo.
“We made it clear in our ceremony that we wanted to make sure any ley lines that run along the land were not blocked by the fallen stone and we invited whatever seen and unseen creatures were in the area for their aid to stop the streak of misfortune that Donal had suffered on his farm.”
Mr Tetteroo said it was clear which was the top and which was the bottom of the stone and where it had exactly fallen so it was a simple matter of re-standing it.
Mr Bohane said he was surprised nobody from the National Monuments Service had contacted him previously. The stone had been lying on its side in the field less than 50 metres from the roadway ever since his bull had knocked it over, he said.
“All we did was put it back up and cleaned around it,” he said. “It looked nothing at all lying on the ground but it’s impressive enough now it’s standing up again.”


theirishtimes--2020-11-12--‘Aye, AI, captain.’ IBM’s autonomous ship seeks to revolutionise modern transport

Some 400 years ago a ship called the Mayflower – commanded by one Christopher Jones and with 102 passengers and 20 crew aboard – made the hazardous crossing from Plymouth on the south coast of England , to Plymouth on the east coast of Massachusetts , USA .
In doing so the European colonisation of the North American continent was truly inaugurated , and history , myth and legend began to coalesce .
IBM is looking to recreate the voyage , but to do so in a rather different fashion .
From hundreds of souls aboard a leaky , vulnerable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ IBM wants its modern-day Mayflower Autonomous Vessel to complete the crossing in 12 days with not a single human aboard .
Originally scheduled for September 2020 , the crossing has been postponed until spring 2021 , largely because of Covid-related hold-ups .
Then again there ’ s a corollary with the original Mayflower crossing – the first ship that the “ pilgrim fathers ” tried to take across the Atlantic sank from under them .
Working with marine research organisation ProMare , IBM has created a triple-hulled vessel ( a trimaran in naval @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sail , electric motors ( drawing power from solar panels ) and a back-up diesel generator .
You would expect any ship taking to the high seas these days to be equipped with the latest in GPS and radar , but the new Mayflower is also going to try and make it across the world ’ s most unfriendly ocean with not a single human being on board .
The vessel will have the latest IBM artificial intelligence ( AI ) systems .
When it is way out at sea its ability to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be extremely limited , so the ship will literally have to think for itself to navigate and survive the capricious North Atlantic .
“ The most difficult navigation component , where we need artificial intelligence , is in proximity to other things that we could hit or that could hit us , ” says Brett Phaneuf , director of the Mayflower Autonomous Ship project .
“ So working with IBM using their state-of-the-art tools gives us a routing where we understand our posture relative to all the other potential things in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ you we ’ ll probably be the only ship at sea that does stick to the maritime regulations !
The problem is that people don ’ t follow them .
And we ’ ve actually had these almost bizarre discussions with the MCA – the Maritime Coast Guard Agency – where they say , ‘ well , if you ’ re following the regs and no one else is then you ’ re the risk ’ .
” That , Phaneuf reckons , is one of the problems of perception that autonomous technology @ @ @ @ @ @ @ collision between a human and a machine it ’ s automatically the machine that is in the wrong .
As well as proving that autonomous tech can safely and efficiently navigate and control itself , and as well as being a proof-of-concept for future drone-type shipping , the idea is also to pit the tech against one of the most merciless environments on Earth .
“ Really , the most onerous thing is the ocean itself , right ?
” asks Phaneuf .
“ So , there are aircraft carriers on the bottom @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ships the size of the Titanic down there , more than a few in fact .
And so if it wants us the ocean will have us .
No ship can be built big enough to withstand it.
” It probably helps that IBM owns its own AI weather forecasting service , The Weather Company , but beyond that the ship ’ s systems are designed to have multiple redundancy and backups should the worst occur .
As Phaneuf puts it , the AI controlling the ships is designed to “ fail gracefully @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mode to a simpler automated mode as needed .
Mayflower can communicate from way out at sea , but the low band width of such communication systems limits it to a simple ASCII text message .
The ship can be directly controlled when close to shore if needs be , but out among the waves it ’ s on its own .
“ On one hand the objective is to create this specimen which is capable of crossing the Atlantic ” says Jonathan Batty from IBM .
“ But , really , I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ create a set of technologies that will enable a different kind of ocean research vessel in the future .
The vision is not for just one of these things to be floating around , but hundreds or thousands .
If you ’ re an oceanographer it ’ s not practical to spend 24 hours remote controlling a vessel , so these things need to be independent and autonomous.
” The idea , says Phaneuf , is not to replace David Attenborough nor the research vessel named after him , but to allow such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ usefully and efficiently directed .
“ If I want to know more about the climate I need more data .
And to get the volume of data I need I need to reduce the cost of gathering it .
So it ’ s great that we can have a Sir David Attenborough research vessel ; a €60 million boat which costs tens of millions per year to run.
” He says there is a handful of research ships like that in the world , and they do great things .
“ But some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ occasionally they get a null result .
And so we want to democratise our understanding of the global climate and the oceans .
We can do it through the deployment of various tiers of autonomous and automated systems that feed the data back and provide us a better understanding of where we should target the manned assets.
” He says there is a need to find a way to drive down the primary cost of a ship , and keeping people alive is the primary cost .
“ And operating the ship , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the people who operate it , the people who manage it , the people who do the science on it , those are the driving costs .
“ So we ’ re trying to eliminate those things in some ways so that we can have more vessels collecting more data that help us to then target the more sophisticated human resources.
” Phaneuf also meets head on the issues of autonomy potentially reducing employment on the high seas .
“ They augment our intelligence.They augment our capability .
I think we have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ You know , the idea of autonomy isn ’ t to replace every ship , replace every job .
It ’ s to give people better jobs .
“ I suppose if you were a longshoreman you would not be particularly in favour of robotics , but I defy you to find a longshoreman today who wants to go back to a manually-powered crane from the medieval era either.
” Apart from creating swarms of robotic research vessels , IBM also has an eye on using its AI control systems to return commercial @ @ @ @ @ @ @ life .
After all the Mayflower ’ s primary form of propulsion is wind power , and using AI systems allows in theory that to be controlled and utilised much more efficiently .
“ There is a lot of scope for small vessels like this to actually take to inland waterways , rivers and canals ” says Batty .
“ And you can imagine a scenario with 5G networks where these kind of vessels operating inland could actually take some pressure away from road systems for certain types of deliveries.
” He says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ across Europe which are now pretty much only used for recreation .
You could also deploy aerial drones for last-mile delivery , and it could completely transform the transportation system .
“ The technology that underpins boats – wind and water displacement – are basically the oldest technologies we have ” says Phaenuf .
“ But it still works , right ?
It ’ s timeless .
And so it ’ s just being able to optimise it that matters .
”

Some 400 years ago a ship called the Mayflower – commanded by one Christopher Jones and with 102 passengers and 20 crew aboard – made the hazardous crossing from Plymouth on the south coast of England, to Plymouth on the east coast of Massachusetts, USA.
In doing so the European colonisation of the North American continent was truly inaugurated, and history, myth and legend began to coalesce.
IBM is looking to recreate the voyage, but to do so in a rather different fashion. From hundreds of souls aboard a leaky, vulnerable wooden sailing ship for two months, IBM wants its modern-day Mayflower Autonomous Vessel to complete the crossing in 12 days with not a single human aboard.
Brett Phaneuf, director of the Mayflower Autonomous Ship project. “To be honest with you we’ll probably be the only ship at sea that does stick to the maritime regulations”
Originally scheduled for September 2020, the crossing has been postponed until spring 2021, largely because of Covid-related hold-ups. Then again there’s a corollary with the original Mayflower crossing – the first ship that the “pilgrim fathers” tried to take across the Atlantic sank from under them.
READ MORE
Working with marine research organisation ProMare, IBM has created a triple-hulled vessel (a trimaran in naval parlance) powered by a mixture of sail, electric motors (drawing power from solar panels) and a back-up diesel generator.
You would expect any ship taking to the high seas these days to be equipped with the latest in GPS and radar, but the new Mayflower is also going to try and make it across the world’s most unfriendly ocean with not a single human being on board.
The vessel will have the latest IBM artificial intelligence(AI) systems. When it is way out at sea its ability to send back data to its mission controllers will be extremely limited, so the ship will literally have to think for itself to navigate and survive the capricious North Atlantic.
Navigation
"The most difficult navigation component, where we need artificial intelligence, is in proximity to other things that we could hit or that could hit us," says Brett Phaneuf, director of the Mayflower Autonomous Ship project.
“So working with IBM using their state-of-the-art tools gives us a routing where we understand our posture relative to all the other potential things in the area.
"To be honest with you we'll probably be the only ship at sea that does stick to the maritime regulations! The problem is that people don't follow them. And we've actually had these almost bizarre discussions with the MCA – the Maritime Coast Guard Agency – where they say, 'well, if you're following the regs and no one else is then you're the risk'."
That, Phaneuf reckons, is one of the problems of perception that autonomous technology must surmount the idea that in a collision between a human and a machine it’s automatically the machine that is in the wrong.
As well as proving that autonomous tech can safely and efficiently navigate and control itself, and as well as being a proof-of-concept for future drone-type shipping, the idea is also to pit the tech against one of the most merciless environments on Earth.
“Really, the most onerous thing is the ocean itself, right?” asks Phaneuf. “So, there are aircraft carriers on the bottom of the ocean. And there are ships the size of the Titanic down there, more than a few in fact. And so if it wants us the ocean will have us. No ship can be built big enough to withstand it.”
It probably helps that IBM owns its own AI weather forecasting service, The Weather Company, but beyond that the ship's systems are designed to have multiple redundancy and backups should the worst occur.
As Phaneuf puts it, the AI controlling the ships is designed to “fail gracefully” – going from a full AI mode to a simpler automated mode as needed.
Mayflower can communicate from way out at sea, but the low band width of such communication systems limits it to a simple ASCII text message. The ship can be directly controlled when close to shore if needs be, but out among the waves it’s on its own.
Technologies
"On one hand the objective is to create this specimen which is capable of crossing the Atlantic" says Jonathan Batty from IBM. "But, really, I think that the key objective is to create a set of technologies that will enable a different kind of ocean research vessel in the future. The vision is not for just one of these things to be floating around, but hundreds or thousands. If you're an oceanographer it's not practical to spend 24 hours remote controlling a vessel, so these things need to be independent and autonomous."
The idea, says Phaneuf, is not to replace David Attenborough nor the research vessel named after him, but to allow such human and research resources to be more usefully and efficiently directed.
“If I want to know more about the climate I need more data. And to get the volume of data I need I need to reduce the cost of gathering it. So it’s great that we can have a Sir David Attenborough research vessel; a €60 million boat which costs tens of millions per year to run.”
He says there is a handful of research ships like that in the world, and they do great things. “But some times they waste their time, because occasionally they get a null result. And so we want to democratise our understanding of the global climate and the oceans. We can do it through the deployment of various tiers of autonomous and automated systems that feed the data back and provide us a better understanding of where we should target the manned assets.”
He says there is a need to find a way to drive down the primary cost of a ship, and keeping people alive is the primary cost.
“And operating the ship, and the people who do the maintenance, the people who operate it, the people who manage it, the people who do the science on it, those are the driving costs.
“So we’re trying to eliminate those things in some ways so that we can have more vessels collecting more data that help us to then target the more sophisticated human resources.”
High seas
Phaneuf also meets head on the issues of autonomy potentially reducing employment on the high seas.
“They augment our intelligence.They augment our capability. I think we have to look at it that way. You know, the idea of autonomy isn’t to replace every ship, replace every job. It’s to give people better jobs.
“I suppose if you were a longshoreman you would not be particularly in favour of robotics, but I defy you to find a longshoreman today who wants to go back to a manually-powered crane from the medieval era either.”
Apart from creating swarms of robotic research vessels, IBM also has an eye on using its AI control systems to return commercial shipping to a more environmentally-friendly way of life. After all the Mayflower’s primary form of propulsion is wind power, and using AI systems allows in theory that to be controlled and utilised much more efficiently.
“There is a lot of scope for small vessels like this to actually take to inland waterways, rivers and canals” says Batty. “And you can imagine a scenario with 5G networks where these kind of vessels operating inland could actually take some pressure away from road systems for certain types of deliveries.”
He says there is a vast network of canals across Europe which are now pretty much only used for recreation. You could also deploy aerial drones for last-mile delivery, and it could completely transform the transportation system.
“The technology that underpins boats – wind and water displacement – are basically the oldest technologies we have” says Phaenuf. “But it still works, right? It’s timeless. And so it’s just being able to optimise it that matters.”


theirishtimes--2020-11-12--Cork shopping centre reopens after €30m fire damage

A Co Cork shopping centre which was closed for more than a year after a fire caused some €30 million in damage is to reopen on Thursday .
Douglas Village Shopping Centre , home to 46 retail units employing hundreds of people , was partly destroyed after a vehicle caught fire on the first floor of its car park on August 31st , 2019 .
The blaze , which reached an estimated temperature of 1,000 degrees , destroyed 49 cars and caused steel girders in the structure to buckle .
Engineers said much of the car park was unsafe , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Bartosz Mieszala , who manages the centre , said 13 units providing essential services would open today in line with Covid-19 guidelines .
“ There has been a lot of work and preparation over the last couple of weeks , but finally now we are almost there , ” he told Cork ’ s 96FM .
Mr Mieszala said he hoped that when the Level 5 restrictions are lifted in December that other units in the centre will be able to resume normal trading .
The refurbishment of the centre was halted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and the planned reopening in late August or early September was pushed back as a result .
“ It is a very uncertain time for a lot of businesses , and a lot of businesses are trying to reinvent how they do business in the current times , but we are confident we have a strong scheme and people have always traded well here , ” Mr Mieszala said .
Avoncore Ltd and Canmont Ltd , trading as the Douglas Village Shopping Centre , have commenced legal action against four named entities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ began when an Opel Zafira B Model caught fire .
The actions are against Leeson Motors Ltd , which allegedly distributed and sold the 06C-registered car , and German-based Adam Opel GmbH , which manufactured and designed the vehicle .
The other defendants are Opel Automobile GmbH and Vauxhall Motors Ltd in the UK , who the plaintiffs say were responsible for dealing with aspects of Zafira B models being recalled .
It is claimed that the owner of the vehicle , having parked in the car park , was about to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smoke at the front of the car .
It is claimed the car went on fire , causing a “ major conflagration ” , resulting in “ immense damage ” to the centre .

The blaze, which reached an estimated temperature of 1,000 degrees, destroyed 49 cars and caused steel girders in the structure to buckle
A Co Cork shopping centre which was closed for more than a year after a fire caused some €30 million in damage is to reopen on Thursday.
Douglas Village Shopping Centre, home to 46 retail units employing hundreds of people, was partly destroyed after a vehicle caught fire on the first floor of its car park on August 31st, 2019.
The blaze, which reached an estimated temperature of 1,000 degrees, destroyed 49 cars and caused steel girders in the structure to buckle. Engineers said much of the car park was unsafe, and it has been demolished and rebuilt.
Bartosz Mieszala, who manages the centre, said 13 units providing essential services would open today in line with Covid-19 guidelines.
READ MORE
“There has been a lot of work and preparation over the last couple of weeks, but finally now we are almost there,” he told Cork’s 96FM.
Mr Mieszala said he hoped that when the Level 5 restrictions are lifted in December that other units in the centre will be able to resume normal trading.
The refurbishment of the centre was halted by the initial pandemic restrictions in March, and the planned reopening in late August or early September was pushed back as a result.
“It is a very uncertain time for a lot of businesses, and a lot of businesses are trying to reinvent how they do business in the current times, but we are confident we have a strong scheme and people have always traded well here,” Mr Mieszala said.
Legal action
Avoncore Ltd and Canmont Ltd, trading as the Douglas Village Shopping Centre, have commenced legal action against four named entities over the blaze, which they allege began when an Opel Zafira B Model caught fire.
The actions are against Leeson Motors Ltd, which allegedly distributed and sold the 06C-registered car, and German-based Adam Opel GmbH, which manufactured and designed the vehicle.
The other defendants are Opel Automobile GmbH and Vauxhall Motors Ltd in the UK, who the plaintiffs say were responsible for dealing with aspects of Zafira B models being recalled.
It is claimed that the owner of the vehicle, having parked in the car park, was about to get out to go shopping when she noticed smoke at the front of the car. It is claimed the car went on fire, causing a “major conflagration”, resulting in “immense damage” to the centre.


theirishtimes--2020-11-12--Decision on naming child rapist shows need for law to lift reporting ban

A court ruling has highlighted the need for legislation to fix anomalies in the 2001 Children Act that prevents perpetrators of crimes against children being named , legal experts say .
On Wednesday , High Court judge Mr Justice Tony Hunt said he had a different view to the Court of Appeal which last month rejected an application by several media outlets to name a woman who killed her child .
That ruling means a deceased child victim can not be named and the person charged with an offence against them may be not named either .
In a case @ @ @ @ @ @ @ while he must yield to the higher court , he would permit the identification of a 56-year-old man convicted of raping two children because of his interpretation of “ child ” in the Act .
The rapist had asked the court for anonymity , citing the Act .
The judge said the “ natural and ordinary meaning of the term ‘ child ’ does not encompass a deceased child or an adult ” and that it was “ in the public interest ” to permit his identification .
Lawyers say Hunt had identified @ @ @ @ @ @ @ law whereby the naming prohibition could be sidestepped if in the best interest of the child .
In this case , the victims were now adults who wanted their abuser to be named .
“ He seemed to be saying that it was in the best interest of the child because naming their wrongdoer might have a good , therapeutic effect for them , ” said barrister Sean Gillane SC .
Gillane said the Court of Appeal ruling “ is clearly screaming for an amendment ” by the Oireachtas because “ the blanket @ @ @ @ @ @ @ phrased section can produce all of these anomalies ” .
One anomaly was the potential where it could be argued in the Court of Appeal that the ban arose in cases where the victim was now an adult .
“ It is just a badly phrased section , ” Gillane said , noting it could be simple to give a court power to lift the ban if it was in the public interest or it was no longer of any use .
Tom O ’ Malley , a barrister and law lecturer at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the case before Mr Justice Hunt , while now adults , were children at the time the offences took place and the law could still be interpreted as being applicable .
He said the relevant part of the Act , section 252 , was aimed at protecting people who were children at the time of the proceedings and there could be amending legislation to at least give a court discretion to reveal the names in certain cases .
“ It could be cleared up .
It is really a political decision at this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Senator Michael McDowell , a practising barrister , has a Bill before the Seanad to permit the naming of people charged or convicted of child homicide .

Mr Justice Tony Hunt: The “natural and ordinary meaning of the term ‘child’ does not encompass a deceased child or an adult”. Photograph: Collins Courts
A court ruling has highlighted the need for legislation to fix anomalies in the 2001 Children Act that prevents perpetrators of crimes against children being named, legal experts say.
On Wednesday, High Court judge Mr Justice Tony Hunt said he had a different view to the Court of Appeal which last month rejected an application by several media outlets to name a woman who killed her child.
That ruling means a deceased child victim cannot be named and the person charged with an offence against them may be not named either.
In a case before him, Hunt said that, while he must yield to the higher court, he would permit the identification of a 56-year-old man convicted of raping two children because of his interpretation of “child” in the Act.
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The rapist had asked the court for anonymity, citing the Act.
Public interest
The judge said the “natural and ordinary meaning of the term ‘child’ does not encompass a deceased child or an adult” and that it was “in the public interest” to permit his identification.
Lawyers say Hunt had identified a “dispensing provision” within the law whereby the naming prohibition could be sidestepped if in the best interest of the child. In this case, the victims were now adults who wanted their abuser to be named.
“He seemed to be saying that it was in the best interest of the child because naming their wrongdoer might have a good, therapeutic effect for them,” said barrister Sean Gillane SC.
Gillane said the Court of Appeal ruling "is clearly screaming for an amendment" by the Oireachtas because "the blanket ban as a result of a simply phrased section can produce all of these anomalies".
‘Badly phrased’
One anomaly was the potential where it could be argued in the Court of Appeal that the ban arose in cases where the victim was now an adult.
“It is just a badly phrased section,” Gillane said, noting it could be simple to give a court power to lift the ban if it was in the public interest or it was no longer of any use.
Tom O'Malley, a barrister and law lecturer at NUI Galway, said the victims in the case before Mr Justice Hunt, while now adults, were children at the time the offences took place and the law could still be interpreted as being applicable.
He said the relevant part of the Act, section 252, was aimed at protecting people who were children at the time of the proceedings and there could be amending legislation to at least give a court discretion to reveal the names in certain cases. “It could be cleared up. It is really a political decision at this point,” he said.
Independent Senator Michael McDowell, a practising barrister, has a Bill before the Seanad to permit the naming of people charged or convicted of child homicide.


theirishtimes--2020-11-12--Lessons of history: What diet says about who we are

“ Are not all manly appeals lost upon on a scoundrel who lives with his pig , like his pig ; and every but the way he should live – ON his pig.
” So wrote a contributor to the Nation in 1846 , one year into the devastating Great Famine .
By 1846 , many of the Irish poor had sold or eaten their pigs and were no longer living with them .
As conditions deteriorated in many subsistence farming areas , observers continued to suggest that the poor lived like animals though the reference animal was not always @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and pigs both depended upon potatoes as a staple food had tied their fates together in ways that suggested to some that the Irish were not fully human .
This is food month in The Irish Times and so I thought it would be worth thinking about the cultural meaning we attach to what we eat .
We are inundated with ideas about what is “ good ” to eat .
There are foods that are good for our health , foods that are good for the environment , and foods that are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an Irish-grown potato might just be all three .
Researchers and policymakers , chefs and newspaper columnists still pour out analysis of the Irish diet at a rate that I think might have even impressed 19th-century reformers .
The Great Famine led to much soul searching about the Irish diet .
Nutritional science was in its infancy , but many chemists suggested the Irish potato diet was nutritionally unsound , as though to suggest the poor were at least part to blame for the catastrophe .
Much was made of the idea that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agriculture rather than an effective way of coping with high rents and incredibly small parcels of land .
One chemist , John Aldridge , went so far as to claim that potatoes were less nutritious than hay with the obvious implication that the Irish poor were worse off than domestic beasts .
Famine relief often took the form of providing free soup .
This was done by landlords and religious groups initially and then by the government , beginning in 1847 ( recognised as the worst year of the famine ) .
Chemists @ @ @ @ @ @ @ soups either , dominated as they were by vegetable castoffs and boiled grains .
Feeding people a vegetarian soup , Aldridge claimed , was akin to feeding them “ in the same manner as cows and sheep ” .
As a result “ manifestations of industrial exertion could not be expected ” .
Aldridge , like many scientific men of his time , thought that meat was a necessary component of the diet of a civilised human .
He only endorsed soups made with a meaty broth as sufficiently nutritious .
Other commentators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Irish agricultural system in order to supply the populace with more meat and more bread , markers of civilisation – unlike the potato .
There were interesting dissenting voices as well .
James Haughton , an abolitionist and sometime activist for repeal of the Union , proposed a vegetarian diet as a solution to Ireland ’ s problems .
His reasoning might impress conservationists today : Haughton believed that reducing dependence upon cattle grazing would create more jobs in a diversified agriculture and produce healthier humans .
Contemporaries were less impressed and dubbed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his efforts to support a vegetarian society in Britain and Ireland .
Reformers of 19th-century Ireland rejected the idea of a vegetarian diet not just because it didn ’ t appeal to their palates .
Many writers suggested that living “ on ” a pig or other animals was the only way to be properly human .
And living on pigs and cattle meant eating them .
Eating animals proved that humans were at the top of the pecking order of life on earth .
In 21st-century Ireland we ’ re still interested @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we are and who we want to be .
A move away from living on animals and towards living with them ( in a metaphorical sense at least ) is probably crucial to our future on the planet .
Dr Juliana Adelman is assistant professor of history at DCU .
Her new book , Civilised by Beasts : Animals and Urban Change in Nineteenth-Century Dublin , published by Manchester University Press , looks at the link between human and animal in making the capital city .
Readers can get 50 per cent off @ @ @ @ @

Interior of a peasant family’s hut during the Great Famine, 1845-1849. Illustration from The Life and Times of Queen Victoria, by Robert Wilson. Photograph: The Print Collector/Getty Images
‘Are not all manly appeals lost upon on a scoundrel who lives with his pig, like his pig; and every but the way he should live – ON his pig.”
So wrote a contributor to the Nation in 1846, one year into the devastating Great Famine. By 1846, many of the Irish poor had sold or eaten their pigs and were no longer living with them.
As conditions deteriorated in many subsistence farming areas, observers continued to suggest that the poor lived like animals though the reference animal was not always a pig. The fact that people and pigs both depended upon potatoes as a staple food had tied their fates together in ways that suggested to some that the Irish were not fully human.
This is food month in The Irish Times and so I thought it would be worth thinking about the cultural meaning we attach to what we eat. We are inundated with ideas about what is “good” to eat.
READ MORE
There are foods that are good for our health, foods that are good for the environment, and foods that are good for the economy. Incidentally, an Irish-grown potato might just be all three.
Nutritional science was in its infancy, but many chemists suggested the Irish potato diet was nutritionally unsound
Researchers and policymakers, chefs and newspaper columnists still pour out analysis of the Irish diet at a rate that I think might have even impressed 19th-century reformers. The Great Famine led to much soul searching about the Irish diet.
Potato diet
Nutritional science was in its infancy, but many chemists suggested the Irish potato diet was nutritionally unsound, as though to suggest the poor were at least part to blame for the catastrophe. Much was made of the idea that cultivating potatoes was an inferior form of agriculture rather than an effective way of coping with high rents and incredibly small parcels of land.
One chemist, John Aldridge, went so far as to claim that potatoes were less nutritious than hay with the obvious implication that the Irish poor were worse off than domestic beasts.
Aldridge, like many scientific men of his time, thought that meat was a necessary component of the diet of a civilised human
Famine relief often took the form of providing free soup. This was done by landlords and religious groups initially and then by the government, beginning in 1847 (recognised as the worst year of the famine). Chemists were not happy with many of these soups either, dominated as they were by vegetable castoffs and boiled grains. Feeding people a vegetarian soup, Aldridge claimed, was akin to feeding them “in the same manner as cows and sheep”. As a result “manifestations of industrial exertion could not be expected”.
Meaty broth
Aldridge, like many scientific men of his time, thought that meat was a necessary component of the diet of a civilised human. He only endorsed soups made with a meaty broth as sufficiently nutritious. Other commentators argued for an entire overhaul of the Irish agricultural system in order to supply the populace with more meat and more bread, markers of civilisation – unlike the potato.
There were interesting dissenting voices as well. James Haughton, an abolitionist and sometime activist for repeal of the Union, proposed a vegetarian diet as a solution to Ireland's problems. His reasoning might impress conservationists today:
Haughton believed that reducing dependence upon cattle grazing would create more jobs in a diversified agriculture and produce healthier humans. Contemporaries were less impressed and dubbed him "Vegetable Haughton" because of his efforts to support a vegetarian society in Britain and Ireland.
Vegetarian diet
Reformers of 19th-century Ireland rejected the idea of a vegetarian diet not just because it didn’t appeal to their palates. Many writers suggested that living “on” a pig or other animals was the only way to be properly human. And living on pigs and cattle meant eating them. Eating animals proved that humans were at the top of the pecking order of life on Earth.
In 21st-century Ireland we’re still interested in what food can say about who we are and who we want to be. A move away from living on animals and towards living with them (in a metaphorical sense at least) is probably crucial to our future on the planet.
[ @AdelmanJuliana ]
Dr Juliana Adelman is assistant professor of history at DCU. Her new book, Civilised by Beasts: Animals and Urban Change in Nineteenth-Century Dublin, published by Manchester University Press, looks at the link between human and animal in making the capital city. Readers can get 50 per cent off with the code BEASTS50 here


theirishtimes--2020-11-12--Primary school pupil numbers set to drop 20% by 2034

The number of children attending primary school is set to drop by about 20 per cent – more than 100,000 pupils – over the next 15 years , according to Department of Education projections .
The sharp reduction may lead to surplus numbers of teachers at primary level and could threaten the future of some small schools .
However , schools leaders say the decline is an opportunity to reduce class sizes in the State , which surveys show are among the highest in Europe .
Official projections show enrolment at primary level peaked last year and is likely to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ partly based on a projected decline in the average number of children born to women of child-bearing age .
This measurement has fallen sharply , from just over two children in 2010 to about 1.77 last year .
The report projects it will fall to 1.6 by 2031 and hold steady thereafter .
The impact of Covid-19 on births is unknown and has not been factored into the model , it adds .
By contrast , enrolment at secondary school is forecast to rise sharply within the next four years , reaching a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ due to a population bulge which is passing from the primary sector and into second level .
The decline in pupil numbers at primary level , however , is likely to raise fresh concerns over the future of small schools .
Almost half , 44 per cent , of primary schools have four teachers or fewer .
They account for just 15 per cent of the pupil population .
Those schools considered most at risk are one or two teachers – of which there are about 550 – and are based mostly in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The Irish Primary Principals ’ Network said the figures show the urgent need to boost supports for small schools to ensure their survival .
“ We need to look at ideas such as clustering supports or teachers across groups of small schools to ensure they are sustainable into the future , ” said network chief executive Pairic Clerkin .
The department ’ s official policy is that schools are closed only with the consent of parents or a board of management .
The prospect of hundreds of surplus teachers in the event of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spending review by the Department of Public Expenditure .
However , the Irish National Teachers ’ Organisation said the drop in numbers represented a “ huge opportunity ” to reduce class sizes .
“ Holding our teacher numbers at primary will reduce class sizes at no additional cost .
This is a demographic dividend allowing Ireland to achieve smaller classes like our EU neighbours , ” said a union spokesman .
In a statement , the Department said report findings will be used in assessing teacher demand and supply modelling , along with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ department spokesman said teacher redeployment schemes are aimed at ensuring any surplus teachers are re-located to other schools which have vacancies .
The report says the sharpest enrolment falls will be between 2022 and 2027 , with pupil numbers set to drop by 11,000 per year .
Following the low point in 2034 , it projects that enrolments will rise more slowly in 2035-2036 .
At second level , it says enrolments have risen by 8 per cent over the past five years and are projected to peak in 2024 with just over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At Leaving Certificate level , the numbers are projected to climb from 60,955 pupils this year and peak at just under 70,000 in 2026 .
The fall in pupil numbers after 2024 will be more gradual with numbers falling steadily each year .
In a statement , the department said the report ’ s findings will be used in assessing teacher demand and supply modelling , along with forward planning of school buildings .
A spokesman said the projected fall in enrolments will vary in different parts of the country and that teacher @ @ @ @ @ @ @ surplus teachers are relocated to other schools which have vacancies .

The decline in primary school pupils is an opportunity to reduce class sizes in the State, according to schools leaders. File photograph: Getty
The number of children attending primary school is set to drop by about 20 per cent – more than 100,000 pupils – over the next 15 years, according to Department of Education projections.
The sharp reduction may lead to surplus numbers of teachers at primary level and could threaten the future of some small schools.
However, schools leaders say the decline is an opportunity to reduce class sizes in the State, which surveys show are among the highest in Europe.
Official projections show enrolment at primary level peaked last year and is likely to decline until 2034. This fall-off is partly based on a projected decline in the average number of children born to women of child-bearing age.
READ MORE
This measurement has fallen sharply, from just over two children in 2010 to about 1.77 last year. The report projects it will fall to 1.6 by 2031 and hold steady thereafter. The impact of Covid-19 on births is unknown and has not been factored into the model, it adds.
By contrast, enrolment at secondary school is forecast to rise sharply within the next four years, reaching a record high of 410,000. This is due to a population bulge which is passing from the primary sector and into second level.
The decline in pupil numbers at primary level, however, is likely to raise fresh concerns over the future of small schools.
Almost half, 44 per cent, of primary schools have four teachers or fewer. They account for just 15 per cent of the pupil population. Those schools considered most at risk are one or two teachers – of which there are about 550 – and are based mostly in rural areas on the western seaboard.
The Irish Primary Principals’ Network said the figures show the urgent need to boost supports for small schools to ensure their survival.
“We need to look at ideas such as clustering supports or teachers across groups of small schools to ensure they are sustainable into the future,” said network chief executive Pairic Clerkin.
The department’s official policy is that schools are closed only with the consent of parents or a board of management.
‘Huge opportunity’
The prospect of hundreds of surplus teachers in the event of declining enrolments was raised in a 2018 spending review by the Department of Public Expenditure. However, the Irish National Teachers’ Organisation said the drop in numbers represented a “huge opportunity” to reduce class sizes.
"Holding our teacher numbers at primary will reduce class sizes at no additional cost. This is a demographic dividend allowing Ireland to achieve smaller classes like our EU neighbours," said a union spokesman.
In a statement, the Department said report findings will be used in assessing teacher demand and supply modelling, along with forward planning of school buildings.
The department spokesman said teacher redeployment schemes are aimed at ensuring any surplus teachers are re-located to other schools which have vacancies.
The report says the sharpest enrolment falls will be between 2022 and 2027, with pupil numbers set to drop by 11,000 per year. Following the low point in 2034, it projects that enrolments will rise more slowly in 2035-2036.
At second level, it says enrolments have risen by 8 per cent over the past five years and are projected to peak in 2024 with just over 410,400 pupils, a record high.
At Leaving Certificate level, the numbers are projected to climb from 60,955 pupils this year and peak at just under 70,000 in 2026.
The fall in pupil numbers after 2024 will be more gradual with numbers falling steadily each year.
In a statement, the department said the report’s findings will be used in assessing teacher demand and supply modelling, along with forward planning of school buildings.
A spokesman said the projected fall in enrolments will vary in different parts of the country and that teacher redeployment schemes are aimed at ensuring any surplus teachers are relocated to other schools which have vacancies.


theirishtimes--2020-11-12--One in five who undergo rapid Covid testing could be incorrectly told they have virus

One in five people who undergo rapid Covid testing could be incorrectly told they have the virus , according to new research suggesting accuracy rates may be lower than initially thought .
The study , published in the British Medical Journal ( BMJ ) on Thursday , examines the performance of finger prick antibody tests for SARS-CoV-2 , the virus responsible for Covid-19 infection .
Results suggest that if 10 per cent of people given the test had previously been infected , around 20 per cent of all positive results would be incorrect , or “ false positives ” .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ those of previous , non-peer reviewed research , that found there was no inaccuracy among positive tests .
Therefore , while they can deliver a sufficient degree of accuracy for surveillance studies of a population , laboratory confirmation of positive results would likely be required to provide evidence of any protection from the virus .
The research was carried out by scientists from Public Health England and the Universities of Bristol , Cambridge and Warwick .
They looked at the AbC-19 Rapid Test which uses a drop of blood from a finger-prick to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has previously been infected , delivering results in 20 minutes without the need for laboratory analysis .
Such fast turnaround is invaluable in a world struggling to function in the ongoing pandemic .
In Ireland there appears to be no prospect of any rapid testing system being approved this year .
The research looked at blood samples in a laboratory from 2,847 key workers across healthcare , fire , and police from last June .
Of those , 268 had a previous positive result so were classified as “ known positives ” .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ status .
A further 1,995 pre-pandemic blood samples were also tested as “ known negatives ” .
They estimated that the AbC-19 test ’ s ability to correctly identify a true negative sample at 97.9 per cent , meaning 2.1 per cent of people who did not have a previous SARS-Cov-2 infection incorrectly tested positive .
They also estimated its ability to correctly identify a true positive sample at 92.5 per cent based on the confirmed cases but considerably lower ( 84.7 per cent ) in those with unknown previous infection status .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ is probably due to the test being more sensitive when antibody levels are higher – those with a positive PCR result tended to have more severe disease , meaning they were likely to have produced more antibodies .
The lower figure of 84.7 per cent is thought to be a more realistic estimate level , meaning that 15.3 per cent of people with a previous SARS-CoV-2 infection would be missed by the test .
That means that if 1 million people were tested , of whom 10 per cent had been previously infected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ false positive results .
Overall , about one in five positive results would be wrong , they said .
Test accuracy could even be lower if used at home by members of the public , the research found .
In a linked editorial , Dipender Gill at Imperial College London and Mark Ponsford at Cardiff University , noted that “ a clear message must be communicated to the public that positive results from these assays do not provide evidence of immunity ” .

Test accuracy could even be lower if used at home by members of the public, the research found.
One in five people who undergo rapid Covid testing could be incorrectly told they have the virus, according to new research suggesting accuracy rates may be lower than initially thought.
The study, published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) on Thursday, examines the performance of finger prick antibody tests for SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for Covid-19 infection.
Results suggest that if 10 per cent of people given the test had previously been infected, around 20 per cent of all positive results would be incorrect, or “false positives”.
The findings are significant as they contradict those of previous, non-peer reviewed research, that found there was no inaccuracy among positive tests.
READ MORE
Therefore, while they can deliver a sufficient degree of accuracy for surveillance studies of a population, laboratory confirmation of positive results would likely be required to provide evidence of any protection from the virus.
The research was carried out by scientists from Public Health England and the Universities of Bristol, Cambridge and Warwick.
They looked at the AbC-19 Rapid Test which uses a drop of blood from a finger-prick to assess how likely it is the person has previously been infected, delivering results in 20 minutes without the need for laboratory analysis. Such fast turnaround is invaluable in a world struggling to function in the ongoing pandemic.
In Ireland there appears to be no prospect of any rapid testing system being approved this year.
The research looked at blood samples in a laboratory from 2,847 key workers across healthcare, fire, and police from last June.
Of those, 268 had a previous positive result so were classified as “known positives”. The remaining 2,579 had unknown previous infection status. A further 1,995 pre-pandemic blood samples were also tested as “known negatives”.
They estimated that the AbC-19 test’s ability to correctly identify a true negative sample at 97.9 per cent, meaning 2.1 per cent of people who did not have a previous SARS-Cov-2 infection incorrectly tested positive.
They also estimated its ability to correctly identify a true positive sample at 92.5 per cent based on the confirmed cases but considerably lower (84.7 per cent) in those with unknown previous infection status.
This difference, the researchers explain, is probably due to the test being more sensitive when antibody levels are higher – those with a positive PCR result tended to have more severe disease, meaning they were likely to have produced more antibodies.
The lower figure of 84.7 per cent is thought to be a more realistic estimate level, meaning that 15.3 per cent of people with a previous SARS-CoV-2 infection would be missed by the test.
That means that if 1 million people were tested, of whom 10 per cent had been previously infected with SARS-CoV-2, there would be 18,900 false positive results. Overall, about one in five positive results would be wrong, they said.
Test accuracy could even be lower if used at home by members of the public, the research found.
In a linked editorial, Dipender Gill at Imperial College London and Mark Ponsford at Cardiff University, noted that "a clear message must be communicated to the public that positive results from these assays do not provide evidence of immunity".