theirishtimes--2020-09-28--The Secret Teacher: My students’ capacity to socially distance is worryingly low

A workplace is the best place for work : Like so many others , my workplace and home became one and the same for the first time ever .
I didn ’ t anticipate the blurring of roles that came with it .
I was sometimes in spouse/parent mode while simultaneously fielding questions about an assignment .
During online learning if the students had had to wait until I could become exclusively their teacher again , they ’ d have been left waiting .
Students like working on computers , and aspects of this way of working must be maintained @ @ @ @ @ @ @ completed work on paper were among the first to submit the same task via an online tool or quiz .
Those students are sending us a clear message : in 2020 we need to do more to accommodate the tech learner .
Students need to be introduced to the concept of transferable skills : They may have perfected selfies , but they have a long way to go when it comes to taking a photo of a piece of written work .
Their mastery of filters means they themselves can look so perfect @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ) , and yet the homework comes sideways or slanted , and almost certainly not fully legible .
Some students have emerged from the shadows : While the more socially oriented struggled online , a whole new regiment of dominant students appeared who were prepared to type contributions in the chat box that they would never , ever , have dared say aloud in class .
Similarly , shy students participated with the camera off in a whole new way , and for the first time they were the ones thriving .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lose all of that now that we are back in the classroom .
What it takes a teacher hours to prepare takes a student minutes to submit : There isn ’ t a teacher in the country who has actively engaged with online learning who will tell you otherwise .
We research , check , proofread and then go over the work from a student ’ s perspective to anticipate how it will read for them .
And the students ?
Well , they have many years of speedy clicking behind them so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ But until now their clicks have been for trivial matters , and even if this is now an academic assessment their old speed-clicking habits die hard .
Little by little students are learning to slow down , due to a run of unusually poor results directly connected to not figuring out what was required before launching in .
The importance of knowing my audience : All I knew for certain back in spring was that an individual had logged on .
Online classes in our school tended to be without cameras .
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for a “ live ” online class with their mics and cameras off they could have been anyone , or have been with anyone , or indeed any number of people .
There was a different wariness in me about the giving out and the banter , both of which I ’ m prone to .
In the online classroom I just didn ’ t feel as comfortable with either .
In school , despite us all donning masks , I know exactly who is there , even if they aren ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an isolated existence and brought positives and negatives : A huge positive is that school politics and dramas can be both out of sight and out of mind .
During that term I did my job , kept out of trouble and maintained only the positive side of school adult relationships : courteous professional engagement towards those who are merely colleagues , and frequent and uplifting contact with those who are first and foremost my friends .
The same became true of students : the cream rose to the top .
What wasn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t handed in .
I always wrote a message to follow up and remind , which usually generated a cheery reply promising the work soon .
Sometimes it did arrive and sometimes it didn ’ t but there was no aggro , no tension and much less emotional energy spent in vain .
No doubt the students felt precisely the same .
For students , wearing a mask is easy ; social distancing is hard : Now that we are back in the real world , the learning continues : mask compliance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Once “ free , ie outside the learning environment , their capacity to social distance is worryingly low .
They clearly associate the need to adhere to Covid regulations with teacher authority rather than with safety and public health .
We need to keep an eye on those who wear glasses : Students being reluctant to wear their glasses in school has always been a concern , but it ’ s a problem on a whole new level now .
Wearers need to be minded , and reminded not to compromise their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it is to manage glasses and a mask .
Staircases are dangerous in whole new ways because of the masks , which needs to be pointed out to youngsters who dash everywhere , often while carrying heavy bags !
Students may care more than we realise : Am I glad to be back ?
Of course I am .
Just yesterday I checked in with my fifth years to see how things were going for them with all the changes .
When I had heard and noted a few ways they felt things @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two students started to speak at the same time .
Turned out they both just wanted to check if there was anything they as a class could do to make things easier for me .
What ’ s not to love about being back ?

A workplace is the best place for work: Like so many others, my workplace and home became one and the same for the first time ever. I didn’t anticipate the blurring of roles that came with it. I was sometimes in spouse/parent mode while simultaneously fielding questions about an assignment. During online learning if the students had had to wait until I could become exclusively their teacher again, they’d have been left waiting.
Students like working on computers, and aspects of this way of working must be maintained: Many students who would never have completed work on paper were among the first to submit the same task via an online tool or quiz. Those students are sending us a clear message: in 2020 we need to do more to accommodate the tech learner.
Students need to be introduced to the concept of transferable skills: They may have perfected selfies, but they have a long way to go when it comes to taking a photo of a piece of written work. Their mastery of filters means they themselves can look so perfect that they are unrecognisable (often literally), and yet the homework comes sideways or slanted, and almost certainly not fully legible.
Some students have emerged from the shadows: While the more socially oriented struggled online, a whole new regiment of dominant students appeared who were prepared to type contributions in the chat box that they would never, ever, have dared say aloud in class. Similarly, shy students participated with the camera off in a whole new way, and for the first time they were the ones thriving. I'm hoping we don't lose all of that now that we are back in the classroom.
READ MORE
In school, despite us all donning masks, I know exactly who is there, even if they aren't all actually listening!
What it takes a teacher hours to prepare takes a student minutes to submit: There isn't a teacher in the country who has actively engaged with online learning who will tell you otherwise. We research, check, proofread and then go over the work from a student's perspective to anticipate how it will read for them. And the students? Well, they have many years of speedy clicking behind them so that's what they do. But until now their clicks have been for trivial matters, and even if this is now an academic assessment their old speed-clicking habits die hard. Little by little students are learning to slow down, due to a run of unusually poor results directly connected to not figuring out what was required before launching in.
The importance of knowing my audience: All I knew for certain back in spring was that an individual had logged on. Online classes in our school tended to be without cameras. When they were in front of their devices for a "live" online class with their mics and cameras off they could have been anyone, or have been with anyone, or indeed any number of people. There was a different wariness in me about the giving out and the banter, both of which I'm prone to. In the online classroom I just didn't feel as comfortable with either. In school, despite us all donning masks, I know exactly who is there, even if they aren't all actually listening!
Teaching online is an isolated existence and brought positives and negatives: A huge positive is that school politics and dramas can be both out of sight and out of mind. During that term I did my job, kept out of trouble and maintained only the positive side of school adult relationships: courteous professional engagement towards those who are merely colleagues, and frequent and uplifting contact with those who are first and foremost my friends.
They clearly associate the need to adhere to Covid regulations with teacher authority rather than with safety and public health
The same became true of students: the cream rose to the top. What wasn’t handed in, simply wasn’t handed in. I always wrote a message to follow up and remind, which usually generated a cheery reply promising the work soon. Sometimes it did arrive and sometimes it didn’t but there was no aggro, no tension and much less emotional energy spent in vain. No doubt the students felt precisely the same.
For students, wearing a mask is easy; social distancing is hard: Now that we are back in the real world, the learning continues: mask compliance among students in classrooms is phenomenally high. Once "free, ie outside the learning environment, their capacity to social distance is worryingly low. They clearly associate the need to adhere to Covid regulations with teacher authority rather than with safety and public health.
We need to keep an eye on those who wear glasses: Students being reluctant to wear their glasses in school has always been a concern, but it's a problem on a whole new level now. Wearers need to be minded, and reminded not to compromise their eye health because of how genuinely hard it is to manage glasses and a mask. Staircases are dangerous in whole new ways because of the masks, which needs to be pointed out to youngsters who dash everywhere, often while carrying heavy bags!
Students may care more than we realise: Am I glad to be back? Of course I am. Just yesterday I checked in with my fifth years to see how things were going for them with all the changes. When I had heard and noted a few ways they felt things could be made a little easier, two students started to speak at the same time. Turned out they both just wanted to check if there was anything they as a class could do to make things easier for me. What’s not to love about being back?


theirishtimes--2020-09-28--Great outdoors: Meet the teachers taking lessons beyond the classroom

The sense of freedom that the second year English students at Temple Carrig School in Greystones , Co Wicklow , exude in their outdoor class is palpable .
Their task today is to recite lines of the Maya Angelou poem Still I Rise .
Most of the 20 students are sitting on logs ( a few of the boys have climbed a tree ) listening to small groups reciting lines – some quietly , others more dramatically – from the American poet and civil rights activist .
Their teacher , Patrick Murtagh , stands back to observe .
“ It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to have conversations .
There is less pressure to look in one direction towards a board .
It puts you in a better mood for the rest of the day , ” says student Leah Fallon .
“ It ’ s good to be out in the fresh air , ” adds Daire Murphy .
“ Even before Covid I think it ’ s good to have class outside , and the school should keep it up after Covid.
” All the students agree that taking their masks off and being able to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ big attractions of having class outside .
Since returning to school , classroom windows and doors are left open so the air can circulate , but this means the noise also circulates from other classrooms .
Murtagh , an English and philosophy teacher , is one of a number of teachers at Temple Carrig School in Greystones who are bringing their students outdoors .
“ At the start of the year the principal , Alan Cox , encouraged teachers to hold classes outdoors .
Some of the students were a little bit shell-shocked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ months , and bringing them outdoors so they can take their masks off makes it a bit more normal , ” says Murtagh .
The Covid-19 social distancing restrictions in classrooms suddenly make teaching outdoors a more interesting prospect .
“ Teachers can ’ t move around the classroom so when you have a class outside it ’ s easier to move around small groups and maintain social distancing .
I usually start the class indoors – maybe listen to an audio book , read a poem and then move outside to discuss @ @ @ @ @ @ @ groups or act out a scene from Romeo and Juliet , ” says Murtagh .
He says one of the big advantages of teaching students outdoors is that when they take their masks off you can see their facial expressions .
“ It ’ s hard to tell if students understand – especially the younger students because they might be reluctant to say they don ’ t understand – when they have their masks on .
“ But you can get real engagement outside .
They are more active and enthusiastic and can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get a bit carried away too so I have to remind them to keep their distance from each other , ” he adds .
Temple Carrig School is lucky enough to have plenty of outdoor space away from main roads so up to five teachers could reasonably hold their class outside at the same time – using the amphitheatre with logs as seating , tiered seating at the front of the school and several areas of grass – without classes interrupting each other .
Since the beginning of term classes in English , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ philosophy , agricultural science and art have been held outdoors .
The unpredictable Irish weather means that teachers will have to maintain a level of spontaneity in their approach , willing to move outdoors when the weather is amenable and to return indoors if it rains .
Ranelagh Multi-Denominational National School in Dublin has been bringing pupils from senior infants , second and third class to the woodland area behind the nearby Mount Pleasant Tennis Club and to the Iveagh Gardens off Harcourt St in all weathers for almost 10 years .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until 12 one day a week for eight weeks and the other half the next morning .
The pupils arrive in school in hiking boots or wellingtons with waterproofs , a change of clothes and their lunch , ” says Caroline Carroll , childcare manager at Ranelagh Multi-Denominational National School and a member of the Irish Forest School Association .
The school ’ s involvement in outdoor education began in 2011 when the former principal – also a member of the Irish Forest School Association – introduced the concept to parents .
Parts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ teaching outdoors .
Carroll explains : “ The children make rafts using stick measurements and see if they sink or float in the fountain in Iveagh Gardens .
They learn to use knives for whittling .
They learn rope skills and how to put up the tarpaulin [ for shelter ] if it rains .
They also adopt a tree and watch it over time.
” She says teaching young children outdoors helps build their resilience and social skills .
“ Most of them love it .
They can ’ t wait for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and sit under them .
We also have sit spots so children can take time out by themselves if they need it .
They learn how to problem-solve and because many of the tasks are led by them , the teacher can observe children and sometimes see them in a different light than when they are in the classroom.
” Each group of children is accompanied by three adults which includes the class teacher and the classroom assistant .
Carroll says new parents are shown a video of what children do in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of how each child learns during these outdoor learning sessions .
The practice of bringing children outdoors to learn is not new and some research points to specific benefits of learning outdoors that can ’ t be replicated indoors .
Advocates of outdoor learning say it nurtures creativity , makes learning more engaging and relevant and can reduce behavioural problems and improve attendance .
One study found that the main advantage of the outdoor classroom is that it allows children to move more freely which in and of itself promotes learning .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ interest in outdoor classrooms during the Covid-19 pandemic .
An article in the New York Times reminded readers that during outbreaks of tuberculosis in the early 20th century , children were taught on roofs of schools , disused ferries and in classrooms in repurposed brick buildings , with open windows to avoid the spread of infection .
During the winter months these children wore what were called Eskimo sitting bags to keep warm and heated soap stones to keep their feet warm .
Some educationalists already keen on children having class time in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ bandwagon to promote their ideas even further , fuelled by studies that found there is a lower risk of catching the coronavirus in open-air settings .
One such group , Childhood by Nature , has gathered together resources for teachers on how to put school yards , local parks , playgrounds or town squares to good use – weather permitting – to teach children outdoors .
FIVE TIPS ON HOLDING CLASSES OUTSIDE 1 .
Go outdoors for a reason : Before you bring your class outdoors consider what the space can add to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ English class can seek inspiration for a poem , a maths class can focus on geometry and a nature class can study seasonal changes .
2 .
Simplicity : Keep instructions simple enough for students to follow , with flexible goals they can achieve .
3 .
Ask the right big questions .
For example , rather than asking students what the weather is like , ask them what it was like earlier and what it will be like later and why .
4 .
Integrate everything .
Use the outdoors to explore @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Think long-term .
Experience the outdoors in a way that will provide life-long learning .
For example , walk the perimeter of the local park and work out what percentage of the space is needed for the outdoor activity .
Adapted from Out Teach : Teaching Outside during Covid-19 www.ednc.org November 5th , 2020 , is designated Outdoor Classroom Day ( outdoorclassroomday.com ) Learning Through Landscapes ( ltl.org.uk ) supports teachers with a wide range of outdoor lessons in everything from storytelling to cloud gazing to creating autumn leaf displays and active outdoor @ @

The sense of freedom that the second year English students at Temple Carrig School in Greystones, Co Wicklow, exude in their outdoor class is palpable. Their task today is to recite lines of the Maya Angelou poem Still I Rise.
Most of the 20 students are sitting on logs (a few of the boys have climbed a tree) listening to small groups reciting lines – some quietly, others more dramatically – from the American poet and civil rights activist. Their teacher, Patrick Murtagh, stands back to observe.
"It's more relaxed outside and easier to have conversations. There is less pressure to look in one direction towards a board. It puts you in a better mood for the rest of the day," says student Leah Fallon.
"It's good to be out in the fresh air," adds Daire Murphy. "Even before Covid I think it's good to have class outside, and the school should keep it up after Covid."
READ MORE
All the students agree that taking their masks off and being able to breathe outdoor air is one of the big attractions of having class outside. Since returning to school, classroom windows and doors are left open so the air can circulate, but this means the noise also circulates from other classrooms.
Murtagh, an English and philosophy teacher, is one of a number of teachers at Temple Carrig School in Greystones who are bringing their students outdoors.
"At the start of the year the principal, Alan Cox, encouraged teachers to hold classes outdoors. Some of the students were a little bit shell-shocked to be back in school at seven months, and bringing them outdoors so they can take their masks off makes it a bit more normal," says Murtagh.
The Covid-19 social distancing restrictions in classrooms suddenly make teaching outdoors a more interesting prospect.
“Teachers can’t move around the classroom so when you have a class outside it’s easier to move around small groups and maintain social distancing. I usually start the class indoors – maybe listen to an audio book, read a poem and then move outside to discuss it or have them perform verses in groups or act out a scene from Romeo and Juliet,” says Murtagh.
Facial expressions
He says one of the big advantages of teaching students outdoors is that when they take their masks off you can see their facial expressions.
“It’s hard to tell if students understand – especially the younger students because they might be reluctant to say they don’t understand – when they have their masks on.
“But you can get real engagement outside. They are more active and enthusiastic and can teach each other, but they can get a bit carried away too so I have to remind them to keep their distance from each other,” he adds.
Temple Carrig School is lucky enough to have plenty of outdoor space away from main roads so up to five teachers could reasonably hold their class outside at the same time – using the amphitheatre with logs as seating, tiered seating at the front of the school and several areas of grass – without classes interrupting each other.
Since the beginning of term classes in English, religion, classical studies, science, philosophy, agricultural science and art have been held outdoors.
The unpredictable Irish weather means that teachers will have to maintain a level of spontaneity in their approach, willing to move outdoors when the weather is amenable and to return indoors if it rains.
Ranelagh Multi-Denominational National School in Dublin has been bringing pupils from senior infants, second and third class to the woodland area behind the nearby Mount Pleasant Tennis Club and to the Iveagh Gardens off Harcourt St in all weathers for almost 10 years.
"We bring half the class from 8.30am until 12 one day a week for eight weeks and the other half the next morning. The pupils arrive in school in hiking boots or wellingtons with waterproofs, a change of clothes and their lunch," says Caroline Carroll, childcare manager at Ranelagh Multi-Denominational National School and a member of the Irish Forest School Association.
Class curriculum
The school’s involvement in outdoor education began in 2011 when the former principal – also a member of the Irish Forest School Association – introduced the concept to parents. Parts of the class curriculum are adapted to teaching outdoors.
Carroll explains: “The children make rafts using stick measurements and see if they sink or float in the fountain in Iveagh Gardens. They learn to use knives for whittling. They learn rope skills and how to put up the tarpaulin [for shelter] if it rains. They also adopt a tree and watch it over time.”
She says teaching young children outdoors helps build their resilience and social skills.
An English class can seek inspiration for a poem, a maths class can focus on geometry and a nature class can study seasonal changes
“Most of them love it. They can’t wait for wet days to put up the tarps and sit under them. We also have sit spots so children can take time out by themselves if they need it. They learn how to problem-solve and because many of the tasks are led by them, the teacher can observe children and sometimes see them in a different light than when they are in the classroom.”
Each group of children is accompanied by three adults which includes the class teacher and the classroom assistant. Carroll says new parents are shown a video of what children do in the outdoor classes, and teachers keep records of how each child learns during these outdoor learning sessions.
The practice of bringing children outdoors to learn is not new and some research points to specific benefits of learning outdoors that can’t be replicated indoors.
Advocates of outdoor learning say it nurtures creativity, makes learning more engaging and relevant and can reduce behavioural problems and improve attendance. One study found that the main advantage of the outdoor classroom is that it allows children to move more freely which in and of itself promotes learning.
Pandemic
In the US there has been a strong interest in outdoor classrooms during the Covid-19 pandemic. An article in the New York Times reminded readers that during outbreaks of tuberculosis in the early 20th century, children were taught on roofs of schools, disused ferries and in classrooms in repurposed brick buildings, with open windows to avoid the spread of infection.
During the winter months these children wore what were called Eskimo sitting bags to keep warm and heated soap stones to keep their feet warm.
Some educationalists already keen on children having class time in the outdoors have jumped on the Covid-19 bandwagon to promote their ideas even further,fuelled by studies that found there is a lower risk of catching the coronavirus in open-air settings.
One such group, Childhood by Nature, has gathered together resources for teachers on how to put school yards, local parks, playgrounds or town squares to good use – weather permitting – to teach children outdoors.
FIVE TIPS ON HOLDING CLASSES OUTSIDE
1. Go outdoors for a reason: Before you bring your class outdoors consider what the space can add to the lesson. For example, an English class can seek inspiration for a poem, a maths class can focus on geometry and a nature class can study seasonal changes.
2. Simplicity: Keep instructions simple enough for students to follow, with flexible goals they can achieve.
3. Ask the right big questions. For example, rather than asking students what the weather is like, ask them what it was like earlier and what it will be like later and why.
4. Integrate everything. Use the outdoors to explore cross-curricular knowledge and skills.
5. Think long-term. Experience the outdoors in a way that will provide life-long learning. For example, walk the perimeter of the local park and work out what percentage of the space is needed for the outdoor activity.
Adapted from Out Teach: Teaching Outside during Covid-19 www.ednc.org
November 5th, 2020, is designated Outdoor Classroom Day (outdoorclassroomday.com) Learning Through Landscapes (ltl.org.uk) supports teachers with a wide range of outdoor lessons in everything from storytelling to cloud gazing to creating autumn leaf displays and active outdoor mathematics.


theirishtimes--2020-09-28--Is it a good idea for my daughter to study physiotherapy abroad?

My daughter would love to study physiotherapy but feels the high points requirements will be beyond her .
She says there are options in European universities with lower grade requirements .
Are these courses recognised at home ?
Is it wise to consider options abroad given the uncertainty linked to coronavirus ?
As a guidance counsellor , I have witnessed the growth in interest among Irish students in the European universities section of the RDS at the Irish Times/Institute of Guidance Counsellors Higher Options event in September over recent years .
More affordable fees , higher-ranked universities , a growing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ easier entry requirements are turning many students ’ heads .
This year , Higher Options will be rescheduled as an online event on November 4th and 5th .
Information on schedules and ticketing will be posted shortly , but European universities look likely to figure prominently once again .
In addition , Eunicas , the organisation which specialises in supporting Irish students seeking places in European universities which teach programmes through English , is organising two webinars specifically related to the Dutch universities which will take place on October 13th and November 19th @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Dutch universities and their admissions staff will participate in this event , so your daughter should find it informative .
Details are on its website ( eunicas.ie ) .
For parents concerned about their children travelling out to Europe in the middle of a pandemic , the experience of Irish students over recent weeks is reassuring .
With the pandemic still raging , one would have imagined plans to study abroad in Europe in 2020 would have been mothballed .
Surprisingly , the number of Irish students travelling to Europe to study @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Netherlands .
According to Guy Flouch , founder of Eunicas , who monitored the situation on the ground on the continent over recent weeks , the Irish numbers in some disciplines seem particularly high .
In physiotherapy , which you mentioned in your question , some classes in the English-language programme seem to be constituted of up to 50 per cent Irish , according to reports filtering back to Flouch from students who have just registered .
He reports that there was a late surge of applications to European universities in May-July , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of online learning from their bedrooms , as a major element of the third-level experience for students studying in Ireland this year .
European universities are also observing regulations , which place most lectures online , with tutorials and practicals delivered face to face .
But with the continental cafe culture , and study groups organised to support students learning , some adventurous Irish students seem to be enjoying the freedom associated with making a clear break with the family home .
Much may change both in Ireland and in Europe over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ courses on the continent which do not have high CAO point requirements is still an attractive one .

There has been a growth in interest among Irish students in European universities over recent years. Photograph: iStock
My daughter would love to study physiotherapy but feels the high points requirements will be beyond her. She says there are options in European universities with lower grade requirements. Are these courses recognised at home? Is it wise to consider options abroad given the uncertainty linked to coronavirus?
As a guidance counsellor, I have witnessed the growth in interest among Irish students in the European universities section of the RDS at the Irish Times/Institute of Guidance Counsellors Higher Options event in September over recent years. More affordable fees, higher-ranked universities, a growing selection of courses taught through English and easier entry requirements are turning many students' heads.
This year, Higher Options will be rescheduled as an online event on November 4th and 5th. Information on schedules and ticketing will be posted shortly, but European universities look likely to figure prominently once again.
In addition, Eunicas, the organisation which specialises in supporting Irish students seeking places in European universities which teach programmes through English, is organising two webinars specifically related to the Dutch universities which will take place on October 13th and November 19th.
READ MORE
Current Irish students attending a range of Dutch universities and their admissions staff will participate in this event, so your daughter should find it informative. Details are on its website (eunicas.ie).
Concerned
For parents concerned about their children travelling out to Europe in the middle of a pandemic, the experience of Irish students over recent weeks is reassuring. With the pandemic still raging, one would have imagined plans to study abroad in Europe in 2020 would have been mothballed.
Surprisingly, the number of Irish students travelling to Europe to study has continued growing, particularly in the Netherlands. According to Guy Flouch, founder of Eunicas, who monitored the situation on the ground on the continent over recent weeks, the Irish numbers in some disciplines seem particularly high.
In physiotherapy, which you mentioned in your question, some classes in the English-language programme seem to be constituted of up to 50 per cent Irish, according to reports filtering back to Flouch from students who have just registered.
He reports that there was a late surge of applications to European universities in May-July, as Irish students woke to the reality of online learning from their bedrooms, as a major element of the third-level experience for students studying in Ireland this year.
European universities are also observing regulations, which place most lectures online, with tutorials and practicals delivered face to face. But with the continental cafe culture, and study groups organised to support students learning, some adventurous Irish students seem to be enjoying the freedom associated with making a clear break with the family home.
Much may change both in Ireland and in Europe over the coming months but the options of exploring courses on the continent which do not have high CAO point requirements is still an attractive one.
[ askbrian@irishtimes.com ]


theirishtimes--2020-09-28--High Court challenge brought over reduction of prisoner visits due to Covid-19

A prisoner has brought a High Court challenge over restrictions on prison visits .
Kevin Hannaway ( 71 ) is serving a sentence of three years and nine months at the maximum security Portlaoise Prison after being jailed for assisting IRA “ interrogations ” .
He claims a decision by the Prison Service , arising out of the Covid-19 pandemic , halving the number of visits a prisoner can receive from a family member or friend and reducing their duration , breaches his rights .
He was convicted in the Special Criminal Court in 2018 for rendering assistance to an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carry out interrogations of other members following a series of operations foiled by gardaí .
The non-jury court heard the IRA wanted to know who was responsible for leaking information .
This resulted in a number of men being brought to a house , where Hannaway and others were present , at Riverwood Park , Castleknock , Dublin on August 7th/8th , 2015 , for interrogation .
Hannaway , from Belfast , is one of a group known as the “ hooded men ” , who suffered psychological trauma following their treatment at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1971 .
The European Court of Human Rights determined their treatment amounted to inhumane and degrading treatment in violation of the European Convention of Human Rights .
In his High Court action , Hannaway claims that under prison rules , a prisoner is entitled to at least one weekly visit from a relative or friend of not less than 30 minutes of duration .
He claims that as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic , family visits to prisoners were halted earlier this year .
He claims the Irish Prison Service announced last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but it limited the frequency to one visit a fortnight , for no longer than 15 minutes .
Eamon Dornan told the court on Monday that the restrictions breach prison rules and his client ’ s rights .
Hannaway claims , arising from his treatment in the 1970s , he continues to suffer from anxiety attacks , post-traumatic stress disorder and heart problems .
He relies upon visits from family members , who travel from Belfast to see him , he says .
In judicial review proceedings against the Irish Prison Service @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wants orders quashing the service ’ s decision last June regarding visits and compelling it to take measures to ensure the frequency and duration of renewed visits comply with the prison rules .
He further seeks a declaration that any restrictions on his rights to family visitation must have regard to his rights under the Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights .
He also claims damages .
Mr Justice Anthony Barr granted Hannaway ’ s application for leave to bring his challenge and returned the matter to November .

Kevin Hannaway (71) is serving a sentence of three years and nine months at the maximum security Portlaoise Prison after being jailed for assisting IRA “interrogations”. File photograph: Cyril Byrne
A prisoner has brought a High Court challenge over restrictions on prison visits.
Kevin Hannaway (71) is serving a sentence of three years and nine months at the maximum security Portlaoise Prison after being jailed for assisting IRA "interrogations". He claims a decision by the Prison Service, arising out of the Covid-19 pandemic, halving the number of visits a prisoner can receive from a family member or friend and reducing their duration, breaches his rights.
He was convicted in the Special Criminal Court in 2018 for rendering assistance to an unlawful organisation, the IRA, to carry out interrogations of other members following a series of operations foiled by gardaí.
The non-jury court heard the IRA wanted to know who was responsible for leaking information. This resulted in a number of men being brought to a house, where Hannaway and others were present, at Riverwood Park, Castleknock, Dublin on August 7th/8th, 2015, for interrogation.
READ MORE
Hannaway, from Belfast, is one of a group known as the "hooded men", who suffered psychological trauma following their treatment at the hands of the British army in 1971. The European Court of Human Rights determined their treatment amounted to inhumane and degrading treatment in violation of the European Convention of Human Rights.
In his High Court action, Hannaway claims that under prison rules, a prisoner is entitled to at least one weekly visit from a relative or friend of not less than 30 minutes of duration. He claims that as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, family visits to prisoners were halted earlier this year.
He claims the Irish Prison Service announced last June it was allowing visits to resume, but it limited the frequency to one visit a fortnight, for no longer than 15 minutes.
Eamon Dornan told the court on Monday that the restrictions breach prison rules and his client's rights. Hannaway claims, arising from his treatment in the 1970s, he continues to suffer from anxiety attacks, post-traumatic stress disorder and heart problems. He relies upon visits from family members, who travel from Belfast to see him, he says.
In judicial review proceedings against the Irish Prison Service and the Minister for Justice, he wants orders quashing the service’s decision last June regarding visits and compelling it to take measures to ensure the frequency and duration of renewed visits comply with the prison rules. He further seeks a declaration that any restrictions on his rights to family visitation must have regard to his rights under the Constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights. He also claims damages.
Mr Justice Anthony Barr granted Hannaway's application for leave to bring his challenge and returned the matter to November.


theirishtimes--2020-09-28--Over 10,000 more people on pandemic unemployment payment in past week

The number of people receiving the Government ’ s pandemic unemployment payment has increased by more than 10,000 over the last week to 217,142 .
The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection said more than 19,000 people had applied for the payment over the past week .
It said this increase was partly due to the impact of more stringent Covid-19 restrictions being implemented in Dublin .
The measures saw pubs and restaurants close to indoor dining and delayed the reopening of pubs not serving food .
“ The Government wanted to ensure that this safety net remained in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ face further restrictions , ” Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys said of the rise in claimants .
“ That ’ s why a decision was taken to extend the pandemic unemployment payment into next year and , more importantly , keep it open to new entrants.
” The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection said the increase in the figures for those receiving the pandemic unemployment payment this week “ did not reflect the impact of Donegal moving to Level 3 last Friday ” .
“ It is expected that any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week ’ s PUP figures , ” it said in a statement .
The figures also show that some 8,690 people closed their claim for the benefit last week .
The department said the sector with the highest number of people receiving a pandemic unemployment payment this week was accommodation and food service activities , up by almost 7,000 from last week .
It said education , public administration and defence were the only sectors with a slight fall in PUP payments this week .
Ms Humphreys said : “ These statistics are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can not become complacent .
We ’ ve come too far to let our guard down now .
”

The new figures do not take into account restrictions introduced in Donegal last Friday. File image: iStock
The number of people receiving the Government’s pandemic unemployment payment has increased by more than 10,000 over the last week to 217,142.
The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection said more than 19,000 people had applied for the payment over the past week.
It said this increase was partly due to the impact of more stringent Covid-19 restrictions being implemented in Dublin. The measures saw pubs and restaurants close to indoor dining and delayed the reopening of pubs not serving food.
“The Government wanted to ensure that this safety net remained in place in the event that counties would face further restrictions,” Minister for Social Protection Heather Humphreys said of the rise in claimants.
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“That’s why a decision was taken to extend the pandemic unemployment payment into next year and, more importantly, keep it open to new entrants.”
The Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection said the increase in the figures for those receiving the pandemic unemployment payment this week “did not reflect the impact of Donegal moving to Level 3 last Friday”.
“It is expected that any such impact will be reflected in next week’s PUP figures,” it said in a statement.
The figures also show that some 8,690 people closed their claim for the benefit last week.
The department said the sector with the highest number of people receiving a pandemic unemployment payment this week was accommodation and food service activities, up by almost 7,000 from last week.
It said education, public administration and defence were the only sectors with a slight fall in PUP payments this week.
Ms Humphreys said: “These statistics are a reminder to us all that we cannot become complacent. We’ve come too far to let our guard down now.”


theirishtimes--2020-09-28--Gardaí seeking to track movements of man (48) prior to unexplained death

Gardaí are seeking to establish if a man who died earlier this year was the victim of an assault in the hours before he was taken to hospital .
John Hannigan ( 48 ) was discovered in the hallway of his apartment complex on Grosvenor Road , Rathmines , south Dublin at approximately 6pm on January 3rd .
Emergency services attended the scene and took Mr Hannigan to St James ’ s Hospital , where he was treated for several weeks before he died on February 20th .
It was not immediately obvious what injuries Mr Hannigan had sustained in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ death are seeking to establish if Mr Hannigan was involved in any altercation or was the subject of an attack , which could have contributed to his death .
The results of a post-mortem examination of his body are not being released by gardaí for “ operational reasons , ” a Garda spokeswoman said .
However , it is understood the findings of the post-mortem led gardaí to investigate if he had sustained injuries from an assault in the hours before he was taken to hospital .
“ Investigating gardaí have not been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ John ’ s death as being due to natural or accidental circumstances and continue to investigate all the circumstances of this unexplained death , ” the spokeswoman said .
Gardaí established Mr Hannigan briefly visited family in Balally , Sandyford , south Dublin at 1:30pm on January 3rd .
“ Unfortunately , gardaí have failed to identify witnesses who may be in a position to provide an account of Mr Hannigan ’ s movements between the time when he left this area until he was discovered in his apartment complex later that day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Gardaí are seeking to speak to any witnesses , or individuals who have information on the man ’ s movements on January 3rd .
Anyone with information is asked to contact Rathmines Garda Station on 01 666 6700 , or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 .
Mr Hannigan is survived by his parents Paul and Ann , and brother Brian .

John Hannigan (48) was discovered in the hallway of his apartment complex on Grosvenor Road, Rathmines, south Dublin at approximately 6pm on January 3rd. Photograph: An Garda Síochána
Gardaí are seeking to establish if a man who died earlier this year was the victim of an assault in the hours before he was taken to hospital.
John Hannigan (48) was discovered in the hallway of his apartment complex on Grosvenor Road, Rathmines, south Dublin at approximately 6pm on January 3rd.
Emergency services attended the scene and took Mr Hannigan to St James's Hospital, where he was treated for several weeks before he died on February 20th.
It was not immediately obvious what injuries Mr Hannigan had sustained in early January.
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Gardaí investigating the unexplained death are seeking to establish if Mr Hannigan was involved in any altercation or was the subject of an attack, which could have contributed to his death.
The results of a post-mortem examination of his body are not being released by gardaí for “operational reasons,” a Garda spokeswoman said.
However, it is understood the findings of the post-mortem led gardaí to investigate if he had sustained injuries from an assault in the hours before he was taken to hospital.
“Investigating gardaí have not been able to determine the sole cause of John’s death as being due to natural or accidental circumstances and continue to investigate all the circumstances of this unexplained death,” the spokeswoman said.
Gardaí established Mr Hannigan briefly visited family in Balally, Sandyford, south Dublin at 1:30pm on January 3rd.
“Unfortunately, gardaí have failed to identify witnesses who may be in a position to provide an account of Mr Hannigan’s movements between the time when he left this area until he was discovered in his apartment complex later that day at 6pm,” the spokeswoman said.
Gardaí are seeking to speak to any witnesses, or individuals who have information on the man’s movements on January 3rd.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Rathmines Garda Station on 01 666 6700, or the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111.
Mr Hannigan is survived by his parents Paul and Ann, and brother Brian.


theirishtimes--2020-09-28--High Court approves ECT treatment for elderly priest

The president of the High Court has made orders permitting the continuation of Electroconvulsive therapy ( ECT ) treatment for @ @ @ @ @ severe treatment resistant depression .
The priest , aged in his eighties , is a @ @ @ @ @ assessed as lacking capacity to make decisions about his person and finances .
On Monday @ @ @ @ @ the Health Service Executive , asked Ms Justice Mary Irvine to continue orders permitting the @ @ @ @ @ priest .
The judge noted the medical evidence is that the priest derives some benefit @ @ @ @ @ consider it is “ crucial ” to keep the worst aspects of his depression at @ @ @ @ @ , without it , he would probably become catatonic .
Mr Leahy said , while @ @ @ @ @ does not get much benefit from the treatment , neither did he really object to @ @ @ @ @ she would make the orders sought and also returned the case to January for further @ @

The judge noted the medical evidence is that the priest derives some benefit from the treatment. File photograph: Getty
The president of the High Court has made orders permitting the continuation of Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) treatment for an elderly priest suffering from severe treatment resistant depression.
The priest, aged in his eighties, is a ward of court having been assessed as lacking capacity to make decisions about his person and finances.
On Monday, David Leahy, for the Health Service Executive, asked Ms Justice Mary Irvine to continue orders permitting the administration of ECT to the priest.
The judge noted the medical evidence is that the priest derives some benefit from the treatment and doctors consider it is “crucial” to keep the worst aspects of his depression at bay. Doctors also considered, without it, he would probably become catatonic.
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Mr Leahy said, while the priest himself considers he does not get much benefit from the treatment, neither did he really object to it.
The judge said she would make the orders sought and also returned the case to January for further review.


theirishtimes--2020-09-28--UCC to hold virtual freshers’ week despite calls to cancel over Covid-19 fears

University College Cork Students ’ Union has defended its decision to go ahead with a virtual freshers ’ week , despite local residents calling for the event to be cancelled amid fears it will lead to house parties that could spread Covid-19 .
Interim UCC President , Prof John O ’ Halloran has also urged the UCC Students ’ Union to cancel the virtual freshers ’ week , expressing concern that although online , it will lead to students congregating in houses .
“ We have appealed to your Student Union to cancel or defer virtual freshers ’ week ; @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” said Prof O ’ Halloran in an email sent to all of the university ’ s 22,000 students .
“ Even though many of these events are online , our deep concern is that they will lead to gatherings at a time when our country needs us to minimise our contacts.
” Catherine Clancy , chairperson of the Magazine Road residents ’ association also expressed concern that the virtual freshers ’ week could lead to students hosting house parties which could spread Covid-19 in Cork .
“ Freshers ’ week has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but when we heard Taoiseach Micheál Martin say last week the figures in Cork were worrying , we became very concerned , ” Ms Clancy told The Opinion Line on Cork ’ s 96FM .
“ The spread of the Covid virus is up to each and every one of us and as the acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn said it ’ s not inevitable that we move to Level 3 restrictions , it ’ s only inevitable if we don ’ t do what we are being asked to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students ’ union is going to hold something called a virtual freshers ’ week but there is no such thing as a virtual freshers ’ week as far as we , as residents are concerned , because it will have a real impact on us .
“ There will be real house parties , there will be real queues outside the pubs and real queues outside shops with people buying drink and we saw it last night with young people passing us , weighed down with slabs of beer and cider.
” However @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ Union strongly rejected Ms Clancy ’ s assertion that holding virtual events is going to lead to people hosting house parties in breach of government guidelines on social gatherings .
“ I think the events we have lined up for this week are very different to what residents and UCC themselves have been stating – our events definitely are not encouraging people to get together , ” she told the same radio programme .
“ The virtual freshers ’ week is completely online and there are no events where we have any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ [ UCC ] societies which we have been doing all summer and never had any issue with .
“ Any events which feature an artist or a band , they either recorded themselves at their home or we pre-recorded them in venues around Cork with social distancing – it really is the safest option we can offer people .
“ Virtual events literally pose no risk to the student body – we ’ ve all been told the safest way to hold any event is to do them online – we will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what numbers are watching the various events.
” The Magazine Road residents ’ association campaigned throughout the summer against student parties being held in rented properties around UCC which they said posed a real risk of spreading Covid-19 in the local community .
They also obtained a court order obliging a landlord to cut noise levels at two of his properties where tenants were holding lockdown parties after they brought a private prosecution for noise pollution under environmental laws .

University College Cork Students' Union has defended its decision to go ahead with a virtual freshers' week, despite local residents calling for the event to be cancelled amid fears it will lead to house parties that could spread Covid-19.
Interim UCC president, Prof John O’Halloran has also urged the UCC Students’ Union to cancel the virtual freshers’ week, expressing concern that although online, it will lead to students congregating in houses.
"We have appealed to your Student Union to cancel or defer virtual freshers' week; the university cannot support its operation," said Prof O'Halloran in an email sent to all of the university's 22,000 students.
“Even though many of these events are online, our deep concern is that they will lead to gatherings at a time when our country needs us to minimise our contacts.”
READ MORE
Catherine Clancy, chairperson of the Magazine Road residents' association also expressed concern that the virtual freshers' week could lead to students hosting house parties which could spread Covid-19 in Cork.
“Freshers’ week has always been a difficult week for us but when we heard Taoiseach Micheál Martin say last week the figures in Cork were worrying, we became very concerned,” Ms Clancy told The Opinion Line on Cork’s 96FM.
"The spread of the Covid virus is up to each and every one of us and as the acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Ronan Glynn said it's not inevitable that we move to Level 3 restrictions, it's only inevitable if we don't do what we are being asked to do.
“We were told that the students’ union is going to hold something called a virtual freshers’ week but there is no such thing as a virtual freshers’ week as far as we, as residents are concerned, because it will have a real impact on us.
“There will be real house parties, there will be real queues outside the pubs and real queues outside shops with people buying drink and we saw it last night with young people passing us, weighed down with slabs of beer and cider.”
However Beth O’Reilly of UCC Students’ Union strongly rejected Ms Clancy’s assertion that holding virtual events is going to lead to people hosting house parties in breach of government guidelines on social gatherings.
“I think the events we have lined up for this week are very different to what residents and UCC themselves have been stating – our events definitely are not encouraging people to get together,” she told the same radio programme.
“The virtual freshers’ week is completely online and there are no events where we have any presence ... they are live streamed from [UCC] societies which we have been doing all summer and never had any issue with.
“Any events which feature an artist or a band, they either recorded themselves at their home or we pre-recorded them in venues around Cork with social distancing – it really is the safest option we can offer people.
“Virtual events literally pose no risk to the student body – we’ve all been told the safest way to hold any event is to do them online – we will be using a platform called Twitch to see what numbers are watching the various events.”
The Magazine Road residents’ association campaigned throughout the summer against student parties being held in rented properties around UCC which they said posed a real risk of spreading Covid-19 in the local community.
They also obtained a court order obliging a landlord to cut noise levels at two of his properties where tenants were holding lockdown parties after they brought a private prosecution for noise pollution under environmental laws.


theirishtimes--2020-09-28--Assembly members call for equivalent of Helen’s Law in Northern Ireland

The Northern Assembly has endorsed a motion designed to ensure that prisoners convicted of murder and child sex offences are not eligible for release until they disclose the location of their victims ’ remains or the identity of their victims .
The motion , tabled by DUP MLAs Alex Easton and Paul Givan , is modelled on Helen ’ s Law , which was recently adopted at Westminster to deny parole to killers who refuse to disclose the location of the bodies of their victims .
It was named after Helen McCourt , an insurance clerk who was murdered in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ convicted of her murder in 1989 and released in February this year without disclosing the location of her remains .
During the debate in the Assembly , many speakers made reference to the murder of Co Tyrone woman Charlotte Murray , who was killed sometime between October 31st and November 1st , 2012 .
Her body has never been found despite searches .
Her former fiancé Johnny Miller , a 49-year-old chef from Redford Park , Dungannon in Co Tyrone , was in 2018 found guilty of her murder and sentenced to 16 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ made to Co Down woman Lisa Dorrian , who is believed to have been murdered in 2005 .
Her body has never been found and no one has been convicted of her suspected murder .
With the support of Alliance justice Minister Naomi Long an amendment was put down to the DUP motion by Alliance MLAs Kellie Armstrong and Paula Bradshaw , broadly supporting the principle of the motion but warning of legal pitfalls if an attempt were made to enact precipitate legislation .
The amendment said that such matters were already routinely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ireland when assessing prisoners ’ suitability for release on licence .
Ms Long told the Assembly that it was important that the discretion of the parole commissioners was maintained .
She also warned that introducing such legislation could have “ unintended consequences ” .
Mr Easton , in referring to the Charlotte Murray and Lisa Dorrian cases , said the introduction of Helen ’ s Law to Northern Ireland would be a step forward for victims .
“ Both these families have suffered an unimaginable loss , and in the case of Charlotte @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the location of her remains , ” he said .
“ Such actions mean that even when a killer has been prosecuted and convicted they can still effectively exert control over their victim , ” he said .
The Alliance motion was rejected and the DUP motion passed .

The family of Helen McCourt, who was murdered in 1988, at Downing Street with a petition to Introduce Helens Law in England, in 2018. File photograph: Alberto Pezzali/NurPhoto via Getty Images
The Northern Assembly has endorsed a motion designed to ensure that prisoners convicted of murder and child sex offences are not eligible for release until they disclose the location of their victims' remains or the identity of their victims.
The motion, tabled by DUP MLAs Alex Easton and Paul Givan, is modelled on Helen's Law, which was recently adopted at Westminster to deny parole to killers who refuse to disclose the location of the bodies of their victims.
It was named after Helen McCourt, an insurance clerk who was murdered in Merseyside in 1988. Ian Simms was convicted of her murder in 1989 and released in February this year without disclosing the location of her remains.
During the debate in the Assembly, many speakers made reference to the murder of Co Tyrone woman Charlotte Murray, who was killed sometime between October 31st and November 1st, 2012. Her body has never been found despite searches.
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Her former fiancé Johnny Miller, a 49-year-old chef from Redford Park, Dungannon in Co Tyrone, was in 2018 found guilty of her murder and sentenced to 16 years in prison.
Reference also was made to Co Down woman Lisa Dorrian, who is believed to have been murdered in 2005. Her body has never been found and no one has been convicted of her suspected murder.
With the support of Alliance justice Minister Naomi Long an amendment was put down to the DUP motion by Alliance MLAs Kellie Armstrong and Paula Bradshaw, broadly supporting the principle of the motion but warning of legal pitfalls if an attempt were made to enact precipitate legislation.
The amendment said that such matters were already routinely considered by the Parole Commissioners for Northern Ireland when assessing prisoners' suitability for release on licence.
Ms Long told the Assembly that it was important that the discretion of the parole commissioners was maintained. She also warned that introducing such legislation could have “unintended consequences”.
Mr Easton, in referring to the Charlotte Murray and Lisa Dorrian cases, said the introduction of Helen’s Law to Northern Ireland would be a step forward for victims.
“Both these families have suffered an unimaginable loss, and in the case of Charlotte, her killer still refuses to reveal the location of her remains,” he said.
“Such actions mean that even when a killer has been prosecuted and convicted they can still effectively exert control over their victim,” he said.
The Alliance motion was rejected and the DUP motion passed.


theirishtimes--2020-09-28--Nurse who falsified prescriptions is struck off register by High Court

A nurse has had her registration cancelled by the High Court after being found guilty of professional misconduct over falsifying prescriptions under which she obtained certain medications for her own use .
Despite mitigating factors including the nurse ’ s long work record , that she was going through significant personal difficulties and suffering from depression during the relevant period in 2017 , and is considered unlikely to reoffend , the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland had concluded , given the seriousness of her admitted misconduct , no sanction short of cancellation of her registration would maintain public confidence @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Monday .
High Court president Ms Justice Mary Irvine said she saw no good reason to depart from the Board ’ s decision and would confirm it .
At the request of a solicitor for the Board , the judge also made an order directing nothing may be published which might identify the nurse .
The case arose after a complaint against the nurse was made to the board by a hospital ’ s director of nursing .
That led to a Fitness to Practice Inquiry earlier this year into allegations of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and March 2017 , purporting to be from the hospital where she worked and purporting to be from two different consultants for two different patients .
She also admitted presenting the forged prescriptions at a pharmacy which , based on the prescriptions , had dispensed medications to her .
As a result of the falsifications , 28 Frumil tablets , a diuretic medication , and 30 Flurazepam tablets , a long-acting benzodiazepine used to treat insomnia , were dispensed to the nurse on each occasion .
The nurse did not attend and was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had made admissions and the committee found her guilty of professional misconduct , amounting to infamous and disgraceful conduct , and conduct that was dishonest and amounting to a significant breach of trust , arising from the falsification findings .
The committee also found she did not suffer from a relevant medical disability , depression and/or anxiety , such as may impair her ability to practice nursing .
In considering sanction , it considered the nature of the misconduct as well as the mitigating factors , including her admissions , her long record @ @ @ @ @ @ @ difficulties and depression at the time of the misconduct , and that she had fully cooperated with a consultant psychiatrist .
It concluded the seriousness of the admitted misconduct was such that no sanction short of cancellation would maintain public confidence in the nursing profession and uphold professional standards .
Having agreed with that conclusion , and in circumstances where the nurse lodged no appeal , the Board applied for the necessary confirmation order from the High Court .

High Court president Ms Justice Mary Irvine said she saw no good reason to depart from the Board’s decision and would confirm it.
A nurse has had her registration cancelled by the High Court after being found guilty of professional misconduct over falsifying prescriptions under which she obtained certain medications for her own use.
Despite mitigating factors including the nurse's long work record, that she was going through significant personal difficulties and suffering from depression during the relevant period in 2017, and is considered unlikely to reoffend, the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Ireland had concluded, given the seriousness of her admitted misconduct, no sanction short of cancellation of her registration would maintain public confidence in the profession, the court heard on Monday.
High Court president Ms Justice Mary Irvine said she saw no good reason to depart from the Board's decision and would confirm it. At the request of a solicitor for the Board, the judge also made an order directing nothing may be published which might identify the nurse.
The case arose after a complaint against the nurse was made to the board by a hospital’s director of nursing.
READ MORE
That led to a Fitness to Practice Inquiry earlier this year into allegations of falsifying prescriptions, on dates in February and March 2017, purporting to be from the hospital where she worked and purporting to be from two different consultants for two different patients.
She also admitted presenting the forged prescriptions at a pharmacy which, based on the prescriptions, had dispensed medications to her. As a result of the falsifications, 28 Frumil tablets, a diuretic medication, and 30 Flurazepam tablets, a long-acting benzodiazepine used to treat insomnia, were dispensed to the nurse on each occasion.
The nurse did not attend and was not represented at the inquiry. She had made admissions and the committee found her guilty of professional misconduct, amounting to infamous and disgraceful conduct, and conduct that was dishonest and amounting to a significant breach of trust, arising from the falsification findings.
The committee also found she did not suffer from a relevant medical disability, depression and/or anxiety, such as may impair her ability to practice nursing.
In considering sanction, it considered the nature of the misconduct as well as the mitigating factors, including her admissions, her long record, that she was experiencing significant personal difficulties and depression at the time of the misconduct, and that she had fully cooperated with a consultant psychiatrist.
It concluded the seriousness of the admitted misconduct was such that no sanction short of cancellation would maintain public confidence in the nursing profession and uphold professional standards. Having agreed with that conclusion, and in circumstances where the nurse lodged no appeal, the Board applied for the necessary confirmation order from the High Court.


theirishtimes--2020-09-28--City council to investigate Central Bank’s bird scaring device

The use of a bird-scaring device at the Central Bank building in Dublin ’ s docklands , which emits amplified recorded bird calls , is under investigation by Dublin City Council .
Locals said the device had been operating on a 24-hour basis and caused disturbance at night when the noise , which appears to mimic bird distress sounds or the calls of birds of prey , was not dampened by surrounding traffic .
However , the bank said the device was needed to protect equipment on its roof and to protect birds .
Derek Allen , who lives in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the noise from the machine had kept him awake at night .
“ At first I thought they were real birds .
I thought they might be the Canadian geese you get flying through every year .
Then I noticed more unusual calls , something like the noise a pelican would make , and very loud screeching like birds in distress .
It was like an Alfred Hitchcock movie , ” he said .
“ One night I was awake at 3am listening to it , and I realised I was hearing the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it struck me it must be a machine .
At first I thought I was going mad , but I ’ ve spoken to people living in the houses behind the bank and they ’ ve heard it too.
” In addition to the noise nuisance , Mr Allen said he was concerned about the environmental impact of the device .
“ I wouldn ’ t mind the noise so much in the day time , if it was attracting birds to the neighbourhood , but it ’ s deterring them .
I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ small birds in the area.
” Mr Allen said he had contacted the bank in relation to the noise , but had not received a response .
Cllr Mannix Flynn said residents were enduring great stress due to the device .
“ Every resident is going bananas about it.
” Mr Flynn said he had lodged complaints with the council ’ s planning enforcement section .
He said he shared Mr Allen ’ s concerns about the impact on wildlife .
“ It is deterring birds from resting in the whole area.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ device was under investigation by its air quality monitoring and noise control unit .
The bank said the device was installed with the purpose of protecting mechanical and electrical equipment .
“ This device also serves to protect birds from related hazards , such as fan blades and other mechanical equipment .
”

The Central Bank said the bird scarer device was installed with the purpose of protecting mechanical and electrical equipment. Photograph: Niall Carson/PA Wire
The use of a bird-scaring device at the Central Bank building in Dublin's docklands, which emits amplified recorded bird calls, is under investigation by Dublin City Council.
Locals said the device had been operating on a 24-hour basis and caused disturbance at night when the noise, which appears to mimic bird distress sounds or the calls of birds of prey, was not dampened by surrounding traffic.
However, the bank said the device was needed to protect equipment on its roof and to protect birds.
Derek Allen, who lives in an apartment opposite the bank, said the noise from the machine had kept him awake at night.
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"At first I thought they were real birds. I thought they might be the Canadian geese you get flying through every year. Then I noticed more unusual calls, something like the noise a pelican would make, and very loud screeching like birds in distress. It was like an Alfred Hitchcock movie," he said.
“One night I was awake at 3am listening to it, and I realised I was hearing the same sounds over and over, and it struck me it must be a machine. At first I thought I was going mad, but I’ve spoken to people living in the houses behind the bank and they’ve heard it too.”
Environmental impact
In addition to the noise nuisance, Mr Allen said he was concerned about the environmental impact of the device.
“I wouldn’t mind the noise so much in the day time, if it was attracting birds to the neighbourhood, but it’s deterring them. I’ve noticed a huge decline in small birds in the area.”
Mr Allen said he had contacted the bank in relation to the noise, but had not received a response.
Cllr Mannix Flynn said residents were enduring great stress due to the device. "Every resident is going bananas about it."
Mr Flynn said he had lodged complaints with the council's planning enforcement section. He said he shared Mr Allen's concerns about the impact on wildlife. "It is deterring birds from resting in the whole area."
The council said the use of the device was under investigation by its air quality monitoring and noise control unit.
The bank said the device was installed with the purpose of protecting mechanical and electrical equipment.
“This device also serves to protect birds from related hazards, such as fan blades and other mechanical equipment.”


theirishtimes--2020-09-28--Thirteen men have begun training for or are considering priesthood

A total of 13 men have begun training for the Catholic priesthood in Ireland this year including an unspecified number undergoing a one-year pre-seminary programme for those considering whether they have a vocation .
In 2018 the Vatican issued a document which “ strongly recommends to bishops around the world the introduction of a pre-seminary ( propaedeutic ) programme for new candidates who wish to discern their priestly vocation.
” The figure issued by the Catholic Communications office on Monday includes men at St Patrick ’ s College , Maynooth , the Redemptoris Mater Seminary in Dundalk , Co Louth @ @ @ @ @ @ @ College and the English College in Rome , as well as at the Scots College in Salamanca and the Royal English College at Valladolid , both in Spain .
Its statement said “ this brings to 72 the total number studying for the priesthood for Irish dioceses.
” In figures provided to The Irish Times last November there were 33 resident seminarians at St Patrick ’ s College , Maynooth , with 25 non-resident , these latter belonging mainly to religious congregations .
Included were men from Cameroon , Sri Lanka , Ukraine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Meanwhile five men have been ordained to the Catholic priesthood in Ireland this year to date and two new Catholic bishops have been installed .
On August 22nd Fr Niall Leahy SJ was ordained by fellow Jesuit and Bishop of Raphoe Alan McGuckian at the St Francis Xavier Church on Dublin ’ s Gardiner St. On August 23rd Fr Shane Costello was ordained at Knock by Archbishop of Tuam Michael Neary , and German-born Fr Frank Drescher was ordained at Dublin ’ s Pro Cathedral by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin on September 14th .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ordained at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Mullingar by Bishop of Meath Tom Deeniha .
Last Sunday Fr Thomas Small was ordained at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Belturbet , Co Cavan by the new Bishop of Kilmore Martin Hayes , himself ordained Bishop of the diocese just a week beforehand on September 20th .
On Sunday August 30th former parish priest of Newbridge , Co Kildare was ordained Bishop of Achonry at the Cathedral of the Annunciation and St Nathy at Ballaghaderreen , Co Roscommon .

The figure includes an unspecified number undergoing a one-year pre-seminary programme for those considering whether they have a vocation. File photograph: Getty Images
A total of 13 men have begun training for the Catholic priesthood in Ireland this year including an unspecified number undergoing a one-year pre-seminary programme for those considering whether they have a vocation.
In 2018 the Vatican issued a document which "strongly recommends to bishops around the world the introduction of a pre-seminary (propaedeutic) programme for new candidates who wish to discern their priestly vocation."
The figure issued by the Catholic Communications office on Monday includes men at St Patrick's College, Maynooth, the Redemptoris Mater Seminary in Dundalk, Co Louth, as well as men at Beda College and the English College in Rome, as well as at the Scots College in Salamanca and the Royal English College at Valladolid, both in Spain.
Its statement said “this brings to 72 the total number studying for the priesthood for Irish dioceses.”
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In figures provided to The Irish Times last November there were 33 resident seminarians at St Patrick's College, Maynooth, with 25 non-resident, these latter belonging mainly to religious congregations. Included were men from Cameroon, Sri Lanka, Ukraine, Croatia and the Czech republic.
Meanwhile five men have been ordained to the Catholic priesthood in Ireland this year to date and two new Catholic bishops have been installed.
On August 22nd Fr Niall Leahy SJ was ordained by fellow Jesuit and Bishop of Raphoe Alan McGuckian at the St Francis Xavier Church on Dublin's Gardiner St. On August 23rd Fr Shane Costello was ordained at Knock by Archbishop of Tuam Michael Neary, and German-born Fr Frank Drescher was ordained at Dublin's Pro Cathedral by Archbishop Diarmuid Martin on September 14th.
On September 20th US-born Norman Allred was ordained at the Cathedral of Christ the King in Mullingar by Bishop of Meath Tom Deeniha. Last Sunday Fr Thomas Small was ordained at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Belturbet, Co Cavan by the new Bishop of Kilmore Martin Hayes, himself ordained Bishop of the diocese just a week beforehand on September 20th.
On Sunday August 30th former parish priest of Newbridge, Co Kildare was ordained Bishop of Achonry at the Cathedral of the Annunciation and St Nathy at Ballaghaderreen, Co Roscommon.


theirishtimes--2020-09-28--Speed and distance of Covid-19 droplets tracked by Mater researchers

The speed and distance which droplets carrying the Covid-19 virus travel and the impact face coverings have on its spread have been demonstrated by a team of mechanical engineers and doctors working out of the Mater hospital in Dublin .
Using a combination of old and new technologies based around light , mirrors and lasers , Dr Kevin Nolan , a UCD engineer , and Ronan Cahill , the Mater ’ s professor of surgery , have displayed how droplets can travel more than two metres from a starting point and linger in the air for more than an hour @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ease with which aerosols carrying the virus can exit the abdomen during keyhole surgery and highlighted the need for medical staff to take enhanced protection measures when performing laparoscopic surgeries on patients with the illness .
Dr Nolan used two different methods to prove the effectiveness of masks .
He first deployed Schlieren technology – a physics principle dating back more than a century which relies on high-spec mirrors and light to show the density of fluids and gases and the speed and distance they can move when people breathe , cough and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ large droplets fall quickly to the ground while smaller particles which can contain the virus linger in the atmosphere , ” Dr Nolan said .
“ When someone with Covid-19 coughs or sneezes some of the particles carry the virus and others don ’ t , which is why I refer to it as Russian roulette.
” He said his research had shown that wearing masks had a dramatic impact on how far droplets could travel .
“ Conspiracy theorists will have you believe masks can ’ t work because they virus is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but that is to misunderstand the science .
Yes , you can liken the virus to a minnow which can easily pass through a fishing net but the reality is that every minnow is travelling not in isolation but in a droplet of liquid and that is what the masks can catch.
” One of the core objectives of Dr Nolan ’ s research was to capture the manner in which gases escape from the abdomen during keyhole surgery , which he described as “ an aerosol-generating event ” and how they can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ potentially putting entire teams of medical professionals at risk .
The Schlieren technology has limitations and does not cover great distances so over the summer the academic based at the Mater hospital devised an experiment using high-powered lasers to show just how the far droplets can travel and how long they can stay airborne .
Dr Nolan told The Irish Times that “ when you study fluid mechanics you rely on cold , hard numbers , very precise numbers and what this research has been able to do has been to bring physics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have been able to show , using a laser sheet , the risks associated with aerosol-generating events.
” Prof Cahill hailed the research for again displaying in an easy to understand manner why mask wearing was important but also for “ moving the research into the operating theatre ” .
He said it was difficult to illustrate the spread of virus-carrying aerosols when it is “ based on an abstract idea so what we are trying to show is what the spread actually looks like .
You can think you know your environment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it but when you can see exactly what is happening using this technology it is very shocking – and now we have a different way of looking at that.
” He said the knowledge gleaned from the research would allow hospitals and surgical teams to modify some of their practices , including the ventilation and how people move around the theatre , and what masks need to be worn where .
Prof Cahill also said it would help medical engineers develop comparatively simple devices which would lessen the spread of potentially harmfully aerosols @ @ @ @

Research by UCD and Mater hospital displayed how droplets, potentially carrying Covid-19, can travel more than two metres from a starting point and linger in the air for more than an hour. Video: Enda O'Dowd
The speed and distance which droplets carrying the Covid-19 virus travel and the impact face coverings have on its spread have been demonstrated by a team of mechanical engineers and doctors working out of the Mater hospital in Dublin.
Using a combination of old and new technologies based around light, mirrors and lasers, Dr Kevin Nolan, a UCD engineer, and Ronan Cahill, the Mater's professor of surgery, have displayed how droplets can travel more than two metres from a starting point and linger in the air for more than an hour.
The research has also illustrated the ease with which aerosols carrying the virus can exit the abdomen during keyhole surgery and highlighted the need for medical staff to take enhanced protection measures when performing laparoscopic surgeries on patients with the illness.
Hospital Report
Dr Nolan used two different methods to prove the effectiveness of masks. He first deployed Schlieren technology – a physics principle dating back more than a century which relies on high-spec mirrors and light to show the density of fluids and gases and the speed and distance they can move when people breathe, cough and sneeze.
READ MORE
“We can see that large droplets fall quickly to the ground while smaller particles which can contain the virus linger in the atmosphere,” Dr Nolan said. “When someone with Covid-19 coughs or sneezes some of the particles carry the virus and others don’t, which is why I refer to it as Russian roulette.”
Wearing masks
He said his research had shown that wearing masks had a dramatic impact on how far droplets could travel.
“Conspiracy theorists will have you believe masks can’t work because they virus is so small and can travel through material but that is to misunderstand the science. Yes, you can liken the virus to a minnow which can easily pass through a fishing net but the reality is that every minnow is travelling not in isolation but in a droplet of liquid and that is what the masks can catch.”
One of the core objectives of Dr Nolan’s research was to capture the manner in which gases escape from the abdomen during keyhole surgery, which he described as “an aerosol-generating event” and how they can quickly spread in an operating theatre, potentially putting entire teams of medical professionals at risk.
The Schlieren technology has limitations and does not cover great distances so over the summer the academic based at the Mater hospital devised an experiment using high-powered lasers to show just how the far droplets can travel and how long they can stay airborne.
Fluid mechanics
Dr Nolan told The Irish Times that “when you study fluid mechanics you rely on cold, hard numbers, very precise numbers and what this research has been able to do has been to bring physics to a medical procedure – and we have been able to show, using a laser sheet, the risks associated with aerosol-generating events.”
Prof Cahill hailed the research for again displaying in an easy to understand manner why mask wearing was important but also for “moving the research into the operating theatre”.
He said it was difficult to illustrate the spread of virus-carrying aerosols when it is “based on an abstract idea so what we are trying to show is what the spread actually looks like. You can think you know your environment and you can get very comfortable with it but when you can see exactly what is happening using this technology it is very shocking – and now we have a different way of looking at that.”
He said the knowledge gleaned from the research would allow hospitals and surgical teams to modify some of their practices, including the ventilation and how people move around the theatre, and what masks need to be worn where.
Prof Cahill also said it would help medical engineers develop comparatively simple devices which would lessen the spread of potentially harmfully aerosols during keyhole surgery.


theirishtimes--2020-09-28--Albert Gubay foundation gives €500,000 to Irish Catholic charities

The Albert Gubay Charitable Foundation has donated €500,000 to help six Catholic charities in the Republic with their work through the Covid-19 pandemic .
It has approved €360,000 for Crosscare , the Dublin archdiocese ’ s social care agency ; €70,000 for the Vincent de Paul ; €50,000 for parishes in Dundalk and on the Cooley Peninsula in Co Louth ; €10,000 to Little Flower Penny Dinners , based in Dublin ’ s south inner city ; and €9,600 to the Irish Council for Prisoners Overseas .
Born in Wales of an Iraqi-Jewish father and a devout Catholic mother from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ died in 2016 , founded the Kwik Save Discount chain in the UK during the 1960s and the 3 Guys chain in Ireland in the late 1970s as well as Total Fitness some years later .
In interviews later in life he said he had made a promise to God when young and penniless that if he became wealthy he would give half his fortune to the Catholic Church .
In 2010 , when he was 82 and living in the Isle of Man , he set up the Albert Gubay Charitable Foundation @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fortune to it , retaining £10 million for personal use .
In February 2011 , Pope Benedict XVI bestowed on Mr Gubay the title Knight Commander with Star of the Order of St Gregory the Great for his philanthropic work .
Chair of the Council for Finance and General Purposes of the Irish Catholic Bishops ’ Conference Bishop Dermot Farrell , has expressed “ deep gratitude and indebtedness to the Albert Gubay Charitable Foundation for its magnanimous donation of €500,000 to Irish charities providing vital services ” .
It was “ especially helpful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fastest and deepest contraction in our economic history .
The charity sector has been particularly vulnerable in this context , ” said Bishop Farrell .
Meanwhile , a Dublin woman has been elected president of the St Vincent de Paul Society ( SVP ) in Ireland .
Rose McGowan lives in Castleknock with her husband Hugh and two adult children .
A member of the SVP since schooldays , she said the SVP in Ireland had “ faced many challenges over its 175 years in the country .
But the current Covid-19 pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ While home , hospital and prison visitations have been halted , we continue to provide what support we can , through telephone , post and online to individuals and families who seek our help , ” she said .
“ This support will become even more necessary in the months ahead as the scale of the unemployment levels and difficulties of those in low-paid sections of our economy become clear .
”

Albert Gubay was born in Wales of an Iraqi-Jewish father and a devout Catholic mother from Co Clare. Photograph: Eddie Kelly
The Albert Gubay Charitable Foundation has donated €500,000 to help six Catholic charities in the Republic with their work through the Covid-19 pandemic.
It has approved €360,000 for Crosscare, the Dublin archdiocese's social care agency; €70,000 for the Vincent de Paul; €50,000 for parishes in Dundalk and on the Cooley Peninsula in Co Louth; €10,000 to Little Flower Penny Dinners, based in Dublin's south inner city; and €9,600 to the Irish Council for Prisoners Overseas.
Born in Wales of an Iraqi-Jewish father and a devout Catholic mother from Co Clare, Mr Gubay, who died in 2016, founded the Kwik Save Discount chain in the UK during the 1960s and the 3 Guys chain in Ireland in the late 1970s as well as Total Fitness some years later.
In interviews later in life he said he had made a promise to God when young and penniless that if he became wealthy he would give half his fortune to the Catholic Church.
READ MORE
Papal honour
In 2010, when he was 82 and living in the Isle of Man, he set up the Albert Gubay Charitable Foundation and donated almost all his €500 million fortune to it, retaining £10 million for personal use.
In February 2011, Pope Benedict XVI bestowed on Mr Gubay the title Knight Commander with Star of the Order of St Gregory the Great for his philanthropic work.
Chair of the Council for Finance and General Purposes of the Irish Catholic Bishops' Conference Bishop Dermot Farrell, has expressed "deep gratitude and indebtedness to the Albert Gubay Charitable Foundation for its magnanimous donation of €500,000 to Irish charities providing vital services".
It was “especially helpful at this time as we face the fastest and deepest contraction in our economic history. The charity sector has been particularly vulnerable in this context,” said Bishop Farrell.
SVP challenges
Meanwhile, a Dublin woman has been elected president of the St Vincent de Paul Society (SVP) in Ireland. Rose McGowan lives in Castleknock with her husband Hugh and two adult children. A member of the SVP since schooldays, she said the SVP in Ireland had "faced many challenges over its 175 years in the country. But the current Covid-19 pandemic is probably one of the most difficult.
“While home, hospital and prison visitations have been halted, we continue to provide what support we can, through telephone, post and online to individuals and families who seek our help,” she said. “This support will become even more necessary in the months ahead as the scale of the unemployment levels and difficulties of those in low-paid sections of our economy become clear.”
Ms McGowan succeeds Kieran Stafford from Clonmel, CoTipperary.


theirishtimes--2020-09-28--Modest improvement in trends despite rise in Covid cases

The announcement on Sunday of 430 new cases of Covid-19 , the highest daily figure since April , may have scared a lot of people .
But the figure needs to be seen in the wider context of modest improvement in trends over the past week – and limitations and caveats that attach to daily case numbers .
Figures on Sundays , for example , tend to be higher than average ; often offset by lower than average numbers on Mondays .
More importantly , daily case figures give only an indication of the number of infections out there , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ability of the health service to cope .
The daily figure just tells us the number of people who have tested positive for the virus .
It is likely to include a small number of false positives .
The test may fail to detect the virus in some people in whom it is incubating .
Meanwhile , many other cases will elude detection because the person is not showing symptoms or fails to go for testing .
The more testing we do , the fewer undetected cases .
A high rate of positive @ @ @ @ @ @ @ numbers of cases are not being detected .
Ireland ’ s positivity figure has been increasing recently but , at 2.8 per cent in the past week , it is still fairly average by European standards .
Fewer than one in five of those diagnosed with Covid-19 will end up in hospital .
This is an important figure , not just because of the personal ramifications but also because of its impact on the health service .
Should hospitals become overwhelmed with cases , as happened in Italy in the early stages of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ up .
The number of hospitalised virus patients has been trending steadily upwards since August , from a low of eight at the start of August to 108 on Sunday .
The past few days have seen numbers stabilising ; the figure actually fell by two over the weekend .
It is difficult to put this in context .
The numbers are a long way off the peak of 881 hospitalised patients recorded in mid-April .
This is because cases are occurring among younger , healthier patients , fewer of whom need medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hospital admission rates relative to population were the second lowest of 17 European countries ( after Germany ) .
Those who are hospitalised now will probably spend less time there , thanks to better treatments becoming available and earlier recognition of vital symptoms .
Some will end up in intensice care units – 17 are there at present – down from 18 the previous day .
By way of comparison , more than 11,000 cases of influenza were confirmed last winter , 4,332 patients were hospitalised and 154 required admission to ICU .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ earlier , during a bad outbreak , there were 255 flu deaths .
So what is unfolding at present is not unusual for a virus , though Covid-19 is more contagious than flu and could therefore wreak more havoc in certain populations should it continue to spread .
The other fear doctors have is of a “ twindemic ” of Covid-19 and flu this winter .
More than overwhelming the system , arguably the danger is that Covid-19 could be “ the straw that broke the camel ’ s back ” .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all normal activity to make way for the feared surge of Covid-19 cases .
The difference now is that the service is attempting to provide something close to a normal activity , while coping with an increase in coronavirus cases .
Also during the spring , extra critical beds were created on a temporary basis and staff were drafted in from other areas to work on them .
Now these nurses and doctors have gone back to their primary duties .
On Sunday , 223 critical care beds were occupied , just 17 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ although 48 such beds were free , in some hospitals – including the Mater , St Vincent ’ s and Tallaght – intensive care is full or just about full , and in some areas elective services are already being curtailed .
The HSE ’ s winter plan promised an additional 17 ICU beds , but even doctors working in the area are confused as to what baseline this is being calculated from – the 257 beds that were open at the start of the pandemic or the 280 beds created when capacity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , even a small increase in serious Covid-19 infections would overwhelm ICUs , they argue , leading to more deaths .
The capacity issue needs to be resolved , not just for this wave of cases but also for future ones that occur after restrictions are again lifted .

The temporary A&E entrance at the Mater hospital: In some hospitals, including the Mater, intensive care is full or just about full, and in some areas elective services are already being curtailed. Photograph Nick Bradshaw
The announcement on Sunday of 430 new cases of Covid-19, the highest daily figure since April, may have scared a lot of people. But the figure needs to be seen in the wider context of modest improvement in trends over the past week – and limitations and caveats that attach to daily case numbers.
Figures on Sundays, for example, tend to be higher than average; often offset by lower than average numbers on Mondays. More importantly, daily case figures give only an indication of the number of infections out there, and they tell us nothing about the ability of the health service to cope.
The daily figure just tells us the number of people who have tested positive for the virus. It is likely to include a small number of false positives. The test may fail to detect the virus in some people in whom it is incubating.
Meanwhile, many other cases will elude detection because the person is not showing symptoms or fails to go for testing.
READ MORE
The more testing we do, the fewer undetected cases. A high rate of positive tests is taken as an indication significant numbers of cases are not being detected.
European standard
Ireland’s positivity figure has been increasing recently but, at 2.8 per cent in the past week, it is still fairly average by European standards.
Fewer than one in five of those diagnosed with Covid-19 will end up in hospital. This is an important figure, not just because of the personal ramifications but also because of its impact on the health service. Should hospitals become overwhelmed with cases, as happened in Italy in the early stages of the pandemic, the death rate shoots up.
The number of hospitalised virus patients has been trending steadily upwards since August, from a low of eight at the start of August to 108 on Sunday. The past few days have seen numbers stabilising; the figure actually fell by two over the weekend.
It is difficult to put this in context. The numbers are a long way off the peak of 881 hospitalised patients recorded in mid-April. This is because cases are occurring among younger, healthier patients, fewer of whom need medical attention.
Earlier this month, our hospital admission rates relative to population were the second lowest of 17 European countries (after Germany). Those who are hospitalised now will probably spend less time there, thanks to better treatments becoming available and earlier recognition of vital symptoms.
Some will end up in intensice care units – 17 are there at present – down from 18 the previous day.
By way of comparison, more than 11,000 cases of influenza were confirmed last winter, 4,332 patients were hospitalised and 154 required admission to ICU. There were 110 deaths. Two years earlier, during a bad outbreak, there were 255 flu deaths.
So what is unfolding at present is not unusual for a virus, though Covid-19 is more contagious than flu and could therefore wreak more havoc in certain populations should it continue to spread.
The other fear doctors have is of a “twindemic” of Covid-19 and flu this winter. More than overwhelming the system, arguably the danger is that Covid-19 could be “the straw that broke the camel’s back”.
Normal activity
In spring, the health service abandoned virtually all normal activity to make way for the feared surge of Covid-19 cases. The difference now is that the service is attempting to provide something close to a normal activity, while coping with an increase in coronavirus cases.
Also during the spring, extra critical beds were created on a temporary basis and staff were drafted in from other areas to work on them. Now these nurses and doctors have gone back to their primary duties.
On Sunday, 223 critical care beds were occupied, just 17 of them by virus patients. And although 48 such beds were free, in some hospitals – including the Mater, St Vincent's and Tallaght – intensive care is full or just about full, and in some areas elective services are already being curtailed.
The HSE’s winter plan promised an additional 17 ICU beds, but even doctors working in the area are confused as to what baseline this is being calculated from – the 257 beds that were open at the start of the pandemic or the 280 beds created when capacity was increased?
Because of tight numbers, even a small increase in serious Covid-19 infections would overwhelm ICUs, they argue, leading to more deaths.
The capacity issue needs to be resolved, not just for this wave of cases but also for future ones that occur after restrictions are again lifted.