theirishtimes--2020-12-21--Trevor Byrne sentenced to nine years’ jail for possession of loaded firearm

A criminal who was found by armed gardaí in a back garden cabin , where a loaded handgun had been stashed , has been sentenced to nine years ’ imprisonment by the Special Criminal Court on Monday .
Trevor Byrne ( 40 ) , who was informed by gardaí of a credible threat to his life and claimed he had the gun for his own protection , also had just over €3,000 in his pocket when he was arrested , his trial had heard .
Byrne has 40 previous convictions , the most relevant of which occurred in April 2005 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including possession of a loaded double-barrel shotgun , unlawful seizure of vehicles and robbery of an off-licence .
During this robbery , Byrne pointed a gun at gardaí , got into an unmarked Garda car in a bid to escape and also held a gun to a taxi-driver ’ s head as he was pursued by gardaí .
He received sentences ranging from two to eight years for those offences and was released in November 2009 .
Byrne , of Cappagh Road , Finglas , Dublin 11 , had denied the current charges @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his trial at the three-judge Special Criminal Court when his barrister , Conor Devally SC , asked for his client to be re-arraigned .
Byrne then pleaded guilty to possession of a loaded 9mm Luger-caliber Radom 35 firearm at a house in Woodford Grove , Clondalkin , Dublin 22 on November 15th , 2019 .
Three other charges of possession of ammunition and €3,050 in cash that he was reckless towards , believed to be , or knew to be the proceeds of crime , were taken into consideration at his sentencing on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Response Unit ( ERU ) raided the house in Woodford Grove at around 11.30pm on November 15th and found Byrne in a cabin to the rear of the property , where he was sitting on a couch alongside another male .
A detective garda from the ERU told Mr John Byrne BL , prosecuting , that he pointed his weapon at Trevor Byrne while he was sitting on the couch and shouted “ armed gardaí , armed police ” before ordering him to the ground , as other gardaí dealt with the second @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at all , he [ Trevor Byrne ] just sat there looking at me , ” the Det Gda said .
The witness said that after two more warnings and no reaction he holstered his weapon , pulled Trevor Byrne from the couch and put him in a face-down position on the ground .
When Byrne was taken to Clondalkin Garda station he refused to engage with the station jailer and exercised his right to silence when interviewed .
A search of the cabin later revealed a gun underneath the couch that Byrne @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on .
There were five bullets in the magazine and one in the chamber .
More ammunition was found during the search and Det Sgt Tom Anderson said that he searched Byrne before placing him into a Garda patrol car and found €3,050 in his tracksuit pocket .
The State was also expected to bring evidence that a DNA profile on the gun matched Byrne ’ s DNA and that a pair of gloves , a hold-all and a balaclava found in the cabin had DNA matching Byrne ’ s .
Mr Devally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his own protection and that he had fled Ireland in 2016 because of a threat to his life .
Presiding judge Mr Justice Tony Hunt said that 10 years ’ imprisonment was an appropriate pre-mitigation headline sentence but gave a 10 per-cent discount for the guilty plea .
Mr Justice Hunt said he could not see a sentence of less than nine years due to it being Byrne ’ s second offence for possession of a weapon .
Mr Justice Hunt backdated the sentence to November 2019 , when Byrne was taken into @ @

A criminal who was found by armed gardaí in a back garden cabin, where a loaded handgun had been stashed, has been sentenced to nine years’ imprisonment by the Special Criminal Court on Monday.
Trevor Byrne (40), who was informed by gardaí of an enduring, credible threat to his life and claimed he had the gun for his own protection, also had just over €3,000 in his pocket when he was arrested, his trial had heard.
Byrne has 40 previous convictions. In April 2005 when he was convicted of various offences including possession of a loaded double-barrel shotgun, unlawful seizure of vehicles and robbery of an off-licence. During this robbery, Byrne pointed a gun at gardaí, got into an unmarked Garda car in a bid to escape and also held a gun to a taxi-driver’s head as he was pursued by gardaí. He received sentences ranging from two to eight years for those offences and was released in November 2009.
Byrne, of Cappagh Road, Finglas, Dublin 11, had denied the current charges against him and was six days into his trial at the three-judge Special Criminal Court when his barrister, Conor Devally SC, asked for his client to be re-arraigned.
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Byrne then pleaded guilty to possession of a loaded 9mm Luger-caliber Radom 35 firearm at a house in Woodford Grove, Clondalkin, Dublin 22 on November 15th, 2019. Three other charges of possession of ammunition and €3,050 in cash that he was reckless towards, believed to be, or knew to be the proceeds of crime, were taken into consideration at his sentencing on Monday.
The trial heard that the Emergency Response Unit (ERU) raided the house in Woodford Grove at around 11.30pm on November 15th and found Byrne in a cabin to the rear of the property, where he was sitting on a couch alongside another male.
A detective garda from the ERU told Mr John Byrne BL, prosecuting, that he pointed his weapon at Trevor Byrne while he was sitting on the couch and shouted “armed gardaí, armed police” before ordering him to the ground, as other gardaí dealt with the second male.
“There was no response at all, he [Trevor Byrne] just sat there looking at me,” the Det Gda said.
The witness said that after two more warnings and no reaction he holstered his weapon, pulled Trevor Byrne from the couch and put him in a face-down position on the ground.
When Byrne was taken to Clondalkin Garda station he refused to engage with the station jailer and exercised his right to silence when interviewed.
A search of the cabin later revealed a gun underneath the couch that Byrne and the other male had been sitting on. There were five bullets in the magazine and one in the chamber. More ammunition was found during the search and Det Sgt Tom Anderson said that he searched Byrne before placing him into a Garda patrol car and found €3,050 in his tracksuit pocket.
The State was also expected to bring evidence that a DNA profile on the gun matched Byrne’s DNA and that a pair of gloves, a hold-all and a balaclava found in the cabin had DNA matching Byrne’s.
Mr Devally said that Byrne had the gun for his own protection and that he had fled Ireland in 2016 because of a threat to his life.
Mr Devally said that Byrne had endured hardship from a young age, had got involved with drug use and had lost members of his family.
In passing sentence, presiding judge Mr Justice Tony Hunt said that 10 years’ imprisonment was an appropriate pre-mitigation headline sentence but that he would give a 10 per cent discount for the guilty plea.
Mr Justice Hunt said he could not see a sentence of less than nine years due to it being Byrne’s second offence for possession of a weapon – the maximum sentence being 14 years’ imprisonment.
Mr Justice Hunt backdated the sentence to November 2019, when Byrne was taken into custody.


theirishtimes--2020-12-21--Annual Dublin ‘Black Santa’ charity appeal launched in Dublin

This year ’ s Black Santa Christmas charity appeal , at St Ann ’ s church on Dublin ’ s Dawson St , was launched on Monday afternoon by Lord Mayor Hazel Chu and Church of Ireland Archbishop Michael Jackson .
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Black Santa Sit Out in Dublin which has raised more than €700,000 for city charities .
Normally St Ann ’ s vicar Canon David Gillespie and caretaker Fred Deane would be outside the city centre church accompanied by many volunteers with buckets and several choirs .
Not in 2020 .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many who make that special annual trip to St Ann ’ s to make their donation can not do so .
Canon Gillespie and his team , however , will be there , on the street collecting until Christmas Eve .
In addition this year , and for the first time , there is an option to donate online at the St Ann ’ s website www.stann.dublin.anglican.org Every cent donated goes directly to charities supported by Black Santa , including the Simon Community , the Peter McVerry Trust , the Salvation Army , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as well as Protestant Aid , Barnardo ’ s , St Vincent de Paul , the Laura Lynn Foundation and the Solas Project .
Black Santa in Dublin is modelled on a similar appeal run by successive Deans of St Anne ’ s Cathedral in Belfast for many years .
It has become known as the Black Santa appeal because of the long , heavy black cloaks worn by clergy participating .
This year a concert of Christmas Music has been recorded from St Stephen ’ s Church ( the Pepper Canister @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Black Santa Appeal .
Featuring soprano Helene Hutchinson-Murray , tenor Eoin Hynes , St Stephen ’ s Choir , organist David Grealy and pianist Siobhán Kilkelly , it can be seen at # Watch Christmas Concert from St Stephen ’ s in aid of Black Santa

David Gillespie and Fred Deane in 2013 fundraising during the annual Black Santa Appeal in Dublin. Photograph: Alan Betson
This year's Black Santa Christmas charity appeal, at St Ann's church on Dublin's Dawson St, was launched on Monday afternoon by Lord Mayor Hazel Chu and Church of Ireland Archbishop Michael Jackson.
This year marks the 20th anniversary of the Black Santa Sit Out in Dublin which has raised more than €700,000 for city charities. Normally St Ann's vicar Canon David Gillespie and caretaker Fred Deane would be outside the city centre church accompanied by many volunteers with buckets and several choirs.
Not in 2020. This year there can be no choirs and many who make that special annual trip to St Ann’s to make their donation cannot do so. Canon Gillespie and his team, however, will be there, on the street collecting until Christmas Eve.
In addition this year, and for the first time, there is an option to donate online at the St Ann's website www.stann.dublin.anglican.org
READ MORE
Every cent donated goes directly to charities supported by Black Santa, including the Simon Community, the Peter McVerry Trust, the Salvation Army, all of which work with homeless people, as well as Protestant Aid, Barnardo's, St Vincent de Paul, the Laura Lynn Foundation and the Solas Project.
Black Santa in Dublin is modelled on a similar appeal run by successive Deans of St Anne's Cathedral in Belfast for many years. It has become known as the Black Santa appeal because of the long, heavy black cloaks worn by clergy participating.
This year a concert of Christmas Music has been recorded from St Stephen’s Church (the Pepper Canister), Dublin, in aid of the Black Santa Appeal.
Featuring soprano Helene Hutchinson-Murray, tenor Eoin Hynes, St Stephen's Choir, organist David Grealy and pianist Siobhán Kilkelly, it can be seen at #Watch Christmas Concert from St Stephen's in aid of Black Santa


theirishtimes--2020-12-21--More than 40 flights from Britain landing in Belfast and Derry on Monday

Despite a 48-hour ban on flights from Britain to Ireland coming into effect from midnight on Sunday , passengers can still travel to the island of Ireland on one of 42 flights scheduled to arrive in Belfast and Derry on Monday .
One flight arriving into Belfast from London this afternoon was said to contain more than 100 passengers , according to one woman onboard .
These passengers are due to travel to Dublin on a coach provided by the airline , she said .
Erica , who did not want to give her surname , said her British Airways @ @ @ @ @ @ @ full ” but around 135 people were on board with many rows containing three people .
This particular flight carried people who had booked to fly to Dublin with the airline on Sunday but could not travel as the flight was overbooked , she said .
“ There was zero social distancing in Terminal 2 ( in Heathrow ) last night… But almost everyone had masks on at all times , ” she said .
Erica said she will isolate and get a coronavirus test when back in Dublin and most people she @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do the same .
The travel ban between Britain and Ireland was imposed as a precautionary action following an announcement by the British government that a new variant of the coronavirus spreading in London and the south-east of England is more infectious .
Northern Ireland has not initiated a travel ban .
Scotland ’ s first minister Nicola Sturgeon has imposed a strict travel ban between Scotland and the rest of the UK for the festive period .
People living in Wales went into lockdown at midnight , while those living in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ England have been placed in Tier 4 — the highest level of restrictions — for the Christmas period .
Speaking to BBC Radio Ulster , Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster told BBC ’ s Good Morning Ulster it is “ probable ” the new strain detected in London is already in Northern Ireland and in the Republic too .
She said four cases in the North have been detected as having a “ different sequencing than other cases ” .
Samples from these cases have been sent to England for examination , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ International Airport said it had been expected that Tuesday and Wednesday would be the busiest days for Christmas travel at the airport .
Speaking on RTÉ ’ s Morning Ireland today , Minister for Transport Eamonn Ryan said the 48-hour travel ban to and from Britain will allow the Government to assess how the new strain spreads and to work with the UK Government and European colleagues to determine the next steps .
Mr Ryan said anyone who travelled into Ireland yesterday should restrict their movements for 14 days .
He said he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and friends , would “ see the wisdom in that ” .

Despite a 48-hour ban on flights from Britain to Ireland coming into effect from midnight on Sunday, passengers can still travel to the island of Ireland on one of 42 flights scheduled to arrive in Belfast and Derry on Monday.
One flight arriving into Belfast from London this afternoon was said to contain more than 100 passengers, according to one woman onboard. These passengers are due to travel to Dublin on a coach provided by the airline, she said.
Erica, who did not want to give her surname, said her British Airways flight was “not 100 per cent full” but around 135 people were on board with many rows containing three people. This particular flight carried people who had booked to fly to Dublin with the airline on Sunday but could not travel as the flight was overbooked, she said.
“There was zero social distancing in Terminal 2 (in Heathrow) last night… But almost everyone had masks on at all times,” she said. Erica said she will isolate and get a coronavirus test when back in Dublin and most people she spoke to on her flight were planning to do the same.
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The travel ban between Britain and Ireland was imposed as a precautionary action following an announcement by the British government that a new variant of the coronavirus spreading in London and the south-east of England is more infectious.
Northern Ireland has not initiated a travel ban. Scotland’s first minister Nicola Sturgeon has imposed a strict travel ban between Scotland and the rest of the UK for the festive period. People living in Wales went into lockdown at midnight, while those living in London and the south-east and east of England have been placed in Tier 4 — the highest level of restrictions — for the Christmas period.
Speaking to BBC Radio Ulster, Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster told BBC’s Good Morning Ulster it is “probable” the new strain detected in London is already in Northern Ireland and in the Republic too. She said four cases in the North have been detected as having a “different sequencing than other cases”. Samples from these cases have been sent to England for examination, she said.
A spokeswoman for Belfast International Airport said it had been expected that Tuesday and Wednesday would be the busiest days for Christmas travel at the airport.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland today, Minister for Transport Eamonn Ryan said the 48-hour travel ban to and from Britain will allow the Government to assess how the new strain spreads and to work with the UK Government and European colleagues to determine the next steps.
Mr Ryan said anyone who travelled into Ireland yesterday should restrict their movements for 14 days. He said he believes incoming passengers, and their families and friends, would “see the wisdom in that”.


theirishtimes--2020-12-21--‘Limited number of flights’ to repatriate Irish residents from Britain, Coveney says

There will be a “ limited number of flights ” to repatriate Irish residents following the banning of flights from the UK , Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney has said .
On Sunday , the Government announced it was banning flights to and from the UK for a minimum period of 48 hours , though that is likely to be extended after Cabinet meets on Tuesday .
The enhanced restrictions , which were put in place in response to a new , more infectious strain of Covid-19 that has been noted in multiple locations in Britain , have left @ @ @ @ @ @ @ UK for a short period of time , or were travelling through Britain from another country , stranded abroad .
Mr Coveney said the Department of Transport was talking with airlines on Monday morning and “ two or three flights at most ” will be organised to bring these people home on Monday and Tuesday .
“ There will be a limited number of flights available to bring Irish residents home and what I mean by that is people who ’ ve been in the UK temporarily and need to get home to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be facilitated with a limited number of flights , ” he told RTÉ Radio 1 ’ s Today with Claire Byrne .
“ The number coming back from the UK in the coming days will be very , very small.
” He added that they will be asked to quarantine for 14 days upon arrival into the country .
They will also have to fill out a passenger locator form , which , he said , was illegal to fill out inaccurately .
Asked if the Government would be advising against travel between @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Coveney said members of the public should avoid non-essential travel .
“ If you don ’ t need to travel , you shouldn ’ t be travelling .
This is not a time to be travelling around if you don ’ t need to and I think that message has been very clear from Government.
” Mr Coveney also raised doubt over inter-county travel , which , under current guidelines , is permitted until January 6th .
As a result of the rising cases , he said advice on this travel “ may @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meeting ” will take place on Tuesday to discuss all data and information .
“ That may mean introducing further restrictions , but we ’ ll have to decide when and what restrictions .
.
.
given the growth in numbers , ” he said .
On Sunday night , an extra flight was arranged to bring home about 300 Irish people who were stuck in Heathrow Airport in London .
As news of the ban on flights emerged , many Irish people booked a flight home on Sunday night in advance of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and video footage of long queues forming in Heathrow ’ s Terminal 5 emerged on social media as passengers arriving at the airport found themselves unable to board a scheduled 8.55pm Aer Lingus flight to Dublin .
However , a second flight was made available , which took off from Heathrow Airport after 11pm on Sunday night and landed in Dublin Airport just after midnight .
Anyone that is worried about being able to come home can contact the Department of Foreign Affairs on 01-6131700 .

Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney said advice on inter-county travel “may change” and a “long Cabinet meeting” will take place on Tuesday to discuss all data and information. Photograph: Filip Singer/EPA
At least two consular flights are scheduled to fly from Britain to Ireland on Tuesday evening to get Irish residents stranded by the travel ban home, the Ministers for Foreign Affairs and Transport have said.
The flights will be operated by Irish airlines and at least one will depart from the London, Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney and Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan confirmed on Monday evening. The departure airport of the second flight will be decided based on demand from those who contact the Department of Foreign Affairs' assistance line, they said.
Both flights will also be accessible to Irish-bound passengers who are travelling through British airports but have become stranded because of the ban, said the Ministers.
Arrangements are to be made with ferry companies to gain “exceptional access” to ferry services for the “small number of Irish residents” who are stranded in Britain after taking short trips in their vehicles, they added.
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The announcement of “a minimum of two consular flights” follows Mr Coveney’s assertion that a “limited number of flights” would be arranged to repatriate Irish residents home. On Sunday, the Government announced it was banning flights to and from the UK for a minimum period of 48 hours, though that is likely to be extended after Cabinet meets on Tuesday.
In a statement, the Ministers said Tuesday’s two flights would be “open to Irish residents and transiting passengers only” and that there would be no access to people living in Britain who were “planning short trips to Ireland for Christmas”.
It is “essential” that anyone eligible to travel on the consular flights identifies themselves to the Department of Foreign Affairs, demonstrates their entitlement under the criteria and registers to be included on the flight by calling the department’s dedicated assistance line on +353 1 6131700, said the statement.
Those seeking to register for access to a ferry must also contact the assistance line to register.
The department said the decision whether or not to organise more repatriation flights would be kept under review. Those who do travel from Britain must self-isolate for 14 days, it added. They will also have to fill out a passenger locator form.
On Monday, Mr Ryan said it was “unlikely” that the ban on travel between Britain and the Republic would be lifted before Christmas.
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland programme earlier, Mr Ryan said the Government had introduced the ban for an initial 48 hours as it was “appropriate to assess firstly how it’s working” while liaising with European colleagues and the UK government.
Aer Lingus said on Monday it was still operating flights from Ireland to Britain "in order to facilitate the repatriation of customers to the UK and those with connecting flights in the UK".
“Customers whose flights have been cancelled are being contacted by Aer Lingus directly, and are entitled to a refund, voucher or rerouting at a later date,” said an Aer Lingus spokeswoman.
It is understood Aer Lingus may operate the Government’s repatriation flights from the UK although details have not yet been confirmed.
A Ryanair spokesman said all passengers affected by travel bans from the UK would receive an email notification and “be offered practical alternatives including free moves, re-routing or a refund”.
He said Ryanair would continue to operate flights which are permitted to fly to and from the UK but that any passengers who did not wish to travel during the five days prior to Christmas would be allowed to change their flight for any date up until March 15th with no change of flight fee.
Intercounty travel
Asked on RTÉ radio if the Government would be advising against travel between the North and the Republic, Mr Coveney said members of the public should avoid non-essential travel.
“If you don’t need to travel, you shouldn’t be travelling. This is not a time to be travelling around if you don’t need to and I think that message has been very clear from Government.”
Mr Coveney also raised doubt over intercounty travel, which, under current guidelines, is permitted until January 6th.
As a result of the rising cases, he said advice on this travel “may change” and a “long Cabinet meeting” will take place on Tuesday to discuss all data and information.
“That may mean introducing further restrictions, but we’ll have to decide when and what restrictions . . . given the growth in numbers,” he said.
Extra flight
On Sunday night, an extra flight was arranged to bring home about 300 Irish people who were stuck in Heathrow Airport in London.
As news of the ban on flights emerged, many Irish people booked a flight home on Sunday night in advance of the restrictions coming into effect.
Photographs and video footage of long queues forming in Heathrow’s Terminal 5 emerged on social media as passengers arriving at the airport found themselves unable to board a scheduled 8.55pm Aer Lingus flight to Dublin.
However, a second flight was made available, which took off from Heathrow Airport after 11pm on Sunday night and landed in Dublin Airport just after midnight.
Meanwhile, the Commission for Aviation Regulation (Car) has issued advice to passengers affected by the travel ban.
In accordance with Regulation (EC) 261, if a flight is cancelled, the airline must offer you the choice between re-routing as close as possible to the original departure time; re-routing at a later date; or a refund, the commission said.
Airlines are entitled to offer vouchers to passengers, but there is no obligation to accept them, Car added.
For people who were travelling through Britain but have not yet arrived, Car said they “would not expect” airlines to board these passengers as they cannot complete their journey.
“In these cases, passengers may be entitled to a full refund under Regulation (EC) 261 if their original point of departure was within the EU or their airline was an EU carrier.”
For transiting passengers who have already landed in Britain but are unable to complete their journey due to a flight ban, airlines are expected to offer alternative routing to the final destination.
Where this is not possible, airlines are expected to offer a return flight to their original destination where.
Passengers whose original departing point was outside the EU, and whose airline is not an EU carrier, are advised to contact the airline with which they booked the flight for advice on their options, Car added.
Anyone that is worried about being able to come home can contact the Department of Foreign Affairs on 01-6131700.


theirishtimes--2020-12-21--Stena adds second ship to direct service from Ireland to France

Shipping operator Stena Line is adding a second ferry on its direct route between Ireland and France from Tuesday to allow hauliers avoid Britain and Covid-related travel restrictions .
The company said it would be bringing forward plans to double the capacity and frequency of its direct sailings by two weeks from an original planned January 4th start date to cope with demand for post-Brexit freight traffic .
Irish lorries have become stranded in England and traffic has come to standstill at English Channel ports due to France ’ s ban on accompanied road freight .
The 48-hour ban , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a new coronavirus strain in Britain , has forced Irish transport companies to look at alternative , direct routes to Europe to avoid the UK landbridge .
Stena Line , the largest shipping operator connecting Ireland and Britain , plans to add the Stena Foreteller ship to the Rosslare-Cherbourg service in addition to the Stena Horizon on that route .
The ship takes mainly dropped , unaccompanied trailers with capacity for just 12 driver-accompanied trailers .
Both Stena ships will sail on Tuesday to alleviate the pressure on Irish transport companies and add @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to avoid disruption to critical supply lines .
“ We are doing this to take up the extra demand for freight to go direct to the continent due to the issues in Dover to assist our customers , ” said a spokesman for Stena Line .
The company was originally planning to add the Stena Foreteller with an additional 3,000 lane metres of freight capacity per trip to deal with an expected surge in demand for direct services to avoid controls and checks at the EU-UK border after Brexit comes into effect on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ operating on the Belfast-Birkenhead route but will now be moved to the 18-hour service between Rosslare and Cherbourg from Tuesday .
Danish shipping company DFDS has said that it is considering bringing forward the start of its new Rosslare-Dunkirk route , another direct route to mainland Europe but it will prove challenging .
“ It is not likely that we will be able to have the tonnage available before January 2nd , ” DFDS chief executive Torben Carlsen said , referring to the planned start date on the company ’ s new route @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s ban on accompanied freight from Britain to prevent the spread of a new coronavirus variant in London and the south-east England left up to 250 Irish trucks stranded in Britain .
Independent TD Verona Murphy said that there was not sufficient capacity on direct routes .
Ships had capacity to take 90 roll-on , roll-off lorries to mainland Europe when there was demand for 400 trucks , she told RTÉ .
Eugene Drennan , president of the Irish Road Haulage Association , has advised Irish hauliers not to load any trucks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ direct ferry to mainland Europe .
Transport companies and their representatives have been raising concerns , ahead of Brexit checks , about the level of available capacity on direct ferry routes between Ireland and mainland Europe if traffic congestion from new EU-UK border controls block the British landbridge .
Haulage industry groups have criticised a report by State agency Irish Maritime Development Office published last month that said there was sufficient capacity on direct routes to Europe .
“ With Brexit on the horizon , the recently published IMDO report advises that there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with Ireland , ” said Aidan Flynn , general manager of the Freight Transport Association Ireland .
“ This is now a test of that capacity.
” Mr Flynn said that pre-Brexit stockpiling , busy end-of-year supply routes over the Christmas period and Covid-19 has created “ a perfect storm ” for the transport industry .

Both Stena ships will sail on Tuesday to alleviate the pressure on Irish transport companies and add capacity to direct routes to mainland Europe.
Shipping operator Stena Line is adding a second ferry on its direct route between Ireland and France from Tuesday to allow hauliers avoid Britain and Covid-related travel restrictions.
The company said it would be bringing forward plans to double the capacity and frequency of its direct sailings by two weeks from an original planned January 4th start date to cope with demand for post-Brexit freight traffic.
Irish lorries have become stranded in England and traffic has come to standstill at English Channel ports due to France's ban on accompanied road freight.
The 48-hour ban, introduced on Sunday night in response to a new coronavirus strain in Britain, has forced Irish transport companies to look at alternative, direct routes to Europe to avoid the UK landbridge.
READ MORE
Stena Line, the largest shipping operator connecting Ireland and Britain, plans to add the Stena Foreteller ship to the Rosslare-Cherbourg service in addition to the Stena Horizon on that route.
The ship takes mainly dropped, unaccompanied trailers with capacity for just 12 driver-accompanied trailers.
Both Stena ships will sail on Tuesday to alleviate the pressure on Irish transport companies and add capacity to direct routes to mainland Europe to avoid disruption to critical supply lines.
“We are doing this to take up the extra demand for freight to go direct to the continent due to the issues in Dover to assist our customers,” said a spokesman for Stena Line.
The company was originally planning to add the Stena Foreteller with an additional 3,000 lane metres of freight capacity per trip to deal with an expected surge in demand for direct services to avoid controls and checks at the EU-UK border after Brexit comes into effect on January 1st.
The Stena Foreteller was operating on the Belfast-Birkenhead route but will now be moved to the 18-hour service between Rosslare and Cherbourg from Tuesday.
Danish shipping company DFDS has said that it is considering bringing forward the start of its new Rosslare-Dunkirk route, another direct route to mainland Europe but it will prove challenging.
"It is not likely that we will be able to have the tonnage available before January 2nd," DFDS chief executive Torben Carlsen said, referring to the planned start date on the company's new route to France announced in November.
France’s ban on accompanied freight from Britain to prevent the spread of a new coronavirus variant in London and the south-east England left up to 250 Irish trucks stranded in Britain.
Independent TD Verona Murphy said that there was not sufficient capacity on direct routes. Ships had capacity to take 90 roll-on, roll-off lorries to mainland Europe when there was demand for 400 trucks, she told RTÉ.
Eugene Drennan, president of the Irish Road Haulage Association, has advised Irish hauliers not to load any trucks unless they have a booking on a direct ferry to mainland Europe.
Transport companies and their representatives have been raising concerns, ahead of Brexit checks, about the level of available capacity on direct ferry routes between Ireland and mainland Europe if traffic congestion from new EU-UK border controls block the British landbridge.
Haulage industry groups have criticised a report by State agency Irish Maritime Development Office published last month that said there was sufficient capacity on direct routes to Europe.
"With Brexit on the horizon, the recently published IMDO report advises that there is enough capacity to link continental Europe with Ireland," said Aidan Flynn, general manager of the Freight Transport Association Ireland.
“This is now a test of that capacity.”
Mr Flynn said that pre-Brexit stockpiling, busy end-of-year supply routes over the Christmas period and Covid-19 has created “a perfect storm” for the transport industry.


theirishtimes--2020-12-21--Covid-19: Government to help Irish truckers stranded at UK ports, says Coveney

Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney has said that everything possible will be done to repatriate Irish truck drivers stranded at UK ports trying to get to the Continent .
Up to 250 Irish lorries stuck in England face returning home and dumping product after France banned road freight from Britain due to a new Covid-19 strain .
France suspended all air , rail , road and seat traffic from the UK on midnight on Sunday for at least 48 hours in an effort to stop a new strain of the coronavirus spreading from Britain .
Mr Coveney told RTÉ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ show that he anticipated ferry routes between the UK and Europe would open up again soon as it was not something anyone wanted to see closed off for any length of time .
He repeated a warning to hauliers , truckers and businesses not to attempt to use the land bridge through the UK .
They should not leave Ireland unless they had a confirmed sailing from the UK to France .
Mr Coveney said there would be a sailing from Ireland to the French port of Cherbourg on Monday which was full @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of direct ferry options tomorrow .
Negotiations were ongoing between the Department of Transport and the operators of the planned ferry from Rosslare to Dunkirk about commencing the service earlier than the first week of January .
“ There is significant capacity on direct ferry routes.
” The Minister also said he did not anticipate any shortage of foodstuffs as had been predicted for the UK by grocery chain Sainsburys .
There had been “ quite a bit of stockpiling ” , he said , but there was no evidence that there will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ chains will change in the weeks ahead , he said and he was hopeful that the land bridge issues would be resolved in the “ next few days.
” Independent TD and former president of the Irish Road Haulage Association , Verona Murphy has claimed that , contrary to comments by the Minister for Foreign Affairs , there is not capacity to get Irish trucks home .
“ He has no idea , it would appear , ” she told RTÉ radio ’ s Today with Claire Byrne show .
“ There are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ UK to try to use the land bridge , there ’ s another 200-300 heading for Cherbourg , and some already there that are trying to get back into Ireland .
As well as another 200 trying to leave Ireland to try to take product to the continent .
“ I ’ ve got three factories in the south east with €1 million worth of meat products and they can ’ t get bookings on ferries , to France and Holland.
” Irish residents currently in the UK would be repatriated as soon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in communication with the airlines about a number of flights .
Anyone arriving on those flights would be expected to quarantine for 14 days .
They would be obliged to fill out the locator form , and it was illegal to fill out the form inaccurately .
There would be follow up calls - but not to everyone , he said .
EU-wide plans will be announced in the coming hours to reopen freight traffic into ports in France to and from the UK , the French government has said .
French minister @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ in the next few hours ” there will be a “ solid health protocol ” put in place to ensure traffic from the UK can resume .
The French embassy in the UK tweeted details of the new plan for a new protocol to reopen driver-accompanied traffic freight on the English Channel on Monday morning .
Ferry companies offering direct routes to continental Europe are being asked to bring forward services due to commence the first week of January , Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan has said .
Mr Ryan told RTÉ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ believed the ferry companies could move “ fairly quickly ” .
Mr Ryan said some Irish truckers currently stranded at UK ports awaiting sailings to the continent will have to turn back and look at other routes .
When asked if people who had travelled into the country in recent days should self isolate , Mr Ryan said they should .
The Minister defended the Cabinet decision to wait until Tuesday to announce if restrictions will be reintroduced sooner than January 6th , saying the Cabinet needed to be fully updated by their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was likely that there will be a return to restrictions sooner than originally planned , he admitted .
There was now a dual time line , he said .
It was going to be a balance between how quickly the vaccine could be rolled out and continuing to implement public health measures .
He said the new , apparently more contagious , variant of Covid reported in the UK proved how important it was for people to take the vaccine when it becomes available .
“ It is the best way for us @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
Mr Ryan added that schools , especially secondary schools , had done a good job and they were a safe space .
The Government was just waiting for approval from Europe for the vaccine at at which stage the roll out could begin , he said .
Responding to a suggestion by a professor of European public health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine , Martin McKee , that there was enough evidence to be “ very concerned ” about the new strain of Covid-19 identified in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ban Irish freight drivers from entering the UK temporarily , Mr Ryan said that the freight companies have run an isolated system and the evidence to date would show that Ireland ’ s freight system was a safe process .
The president of the Irish Road Haulage Association Eugene Drennan has said that there are between 200 and 250 Irish truck drivers stuck at English ports trying to get to the Continent .
Also speaking on Morning Ireland , Mr Drennan warned that no business or trucker should attempt to move goods on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ booking .
“ Nobody , no haulier , no trucker , no factory should load a truck this morning if that truck hasn ’ t got a confirmed boat booking to go direct to the continent and there are no boats direct to the continent this day .
“ We don ’ t have the service line .
I ’ ve been calling for it all through this year and a report came out that said we had enough capacity and we were safe , well this morning rubbishes that report .
We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we don ’ t have the direct lines into the mainland continent for our goods this morning.
” Mr Drennan added that he hoped truckers at UK ports awaiting sailings into Ireland would be allowed to travel home on their respective ferries on Monday and Tuesday .
“ The ferry companies have to do their utmost to get us home and that leaves something to be desired at the moment.
” Speaking on Newstalk ’ s Pat Kenny show later , Mr Drennan said that the travel ban implemented by France failed to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ land bridge between the continent and the UK .
“ France did not think of Ireland when they brought in this blanket ban yesterday afternoon .
Because of that , we have 200 to 250 Irish people trying to get home , ” he said .
Irish registered trucks should be “ pulled out ” of the long queues which have formed at the ports and France should make an exception to “ help out ” a fellow EU state , he said .
When asked if the truckers travelling today would get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Drennan said they might have to consider flying home and leaving the trucks parked in France .
There was no problem with freight moving from Ireland to the UK today , he said .
“ Freight is moving , for anyone who is concerned about a family member who is travelling outward or inward , they can travel today or tomorrow.
” Mr Drennan raised the issue of gifts bought online which might not arrive in time for Christmas .
“ People who shopped online may not get packages for Christmas now and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this morning to see where their item is and is it on the way .
“ The thing with these major sites is that you may end up shopping in Germany - and that may not arrive this week .
There is some possibility that some stuff won ’ t get through.
” People should check whether their order has left its distribution centre and if not , they may need to make other arrangements , he warned .

Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney has said that everything possible will be done to repatriate Irish truck drivers stranded at UK ports trying to get to the Continent.
Up to 250 Irish lorries stuck in England face returning home and dumping product after France banned road freight from Britain due to a new Covid-19 strain.
France suspended all air, rail, road and seat traffic from the UK on midnight on Sunday for at least 48 hours in an effort to stop a new strain of the coronavirus spreading from Britain.
Mr Coveney told RTÉ radio's Today with Claire Byrne show that he anticipated ferry routes between the UK and Europe would open up again soon as it was not something anyone wanted to see closed off for any length of time.
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He repeated a warning to hauliers, truckers and businesses not to attempt to use the land bridge through the UK. They should not leave Ireland unless they had a confirmed sailing from the UK to France.
Mr Coveney said there would be a sailing from Ireland to the French port of Cherbourg on Monday which was full, and that there were a number of direct ferry options tomorrow.
Negotiations were ongoing between the Department of Transport and the operators of the planned ferry from Rosslare to Dunkirk about commencing the service earlier than the first week of January. “There is significant capacity on direct ferry routes.”
Stockpiling
The Minister also said he did not anticipate any shortage of foodstuffs as had been predicted for the UK by grocery chain Sainsburys. There had been “quite a bit of stockpiling”, he said, but there was no evidence that there will be any shortages in Ireland.
Supply chains will change in the weeks ahead, he said and he was hopeful that the land bridge issues would be resolved in the “next few days.”
Independent TD and former president of the Irish Road Haulage Association, Verona Murphy has claimed that, contrary to comments by the Minister for Foreign Affairs, there is not capacity to get Irish trucks home.
“He has no idea, it would appear,” she told RTÉ radio’s Today with Claire Byrne show. “There are 200 odd trucks that went to the UK to try to use the land bridge, there’s another 200-300 heading for Cherbourg, and some already there that are trying to get back into Ireland. As well as another 200 trying to leave Ireland to try to take product to the continent.
“I’ve got three factories in the south east with €1 million worth of meat products and they can’t get bookings on ferries, to France and Holland.”
Meanwhile, Mr Coveney said
Irish residents currently in the UK would be repatriated as soon as possible with the Department of Transport in communication with the airlines about a number of flights.
Anyone arriving on those flights would be expected to quarantine for 14 days. They would be obliged to fill out the locator form, and it was illegal to fill out the form inaccurately. There would be follow up calls - but not to everyone, he said.
EU-wide plans will be announced in the coming hours to reopen freight traffic into ports in France to and from the UK, the French government has said.
French minister for transport Jean-Baptist Djebbari said that the “in the next few hours” there will be a “solid health protocol” put in place to ensure traffic from the UK can resume.
The French embassy in the UK tweeted details of the new plan for a new protocol to reopen driver-accompanied traffic freight on the English Channel on Monday morning.
Move quickly
Ferry companies offering direct routes to continental Europe are being asked to bring forward services due to commence the first week of January, Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan has said.
Mr Ryan told RTÉ radio’s Morning Ireland that he believed the ferry companies could move “fairly quickly”.
Mr Ryan said some Irish truckers currently stranded at UK ports awaiting sailings to the continent will have to turn back and look at other routes.
When asked if people who had travelled into the country in recent days should self isolate, Mr Ryan said they should.
The Minister defended the Cabinet decision to wait until Tuesday to announce if restrictions will be reintroduced sooner than January 6th,saying the Cabinet needed to be fully updated by their European colleagues and by Nphet.
It was likely that there will be a return to restrictions sooner than originally planned, he admitted. There was now a dual time line, he said. It was going to be a balance between how quickly the vaccine could be rolled out and continuing to implement public health measures.
He said the new, apparently more contagious, variant of Covid reported in the UK proved how important it was for people to take the vaccine when it becomes available. “It is the best way for us getting away from this problem,” he said.
Mr Ryan added that schools, especially secondary schools, had done a good job and they were a safe space.
The Government was just waiting for approval from Europe for the vaccine at at which stage the roll out could begin, he said.
Responding to a suggestion by a professor of European public health at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Martin McKee, that there was enough evidence to be “very concerned” about the new strain of Covid-19 identified in the UK and a strong case to ban Irish freight drivers from entering the UK temporarily, Mr Ryan said that the freight companies have run an isolated system and the evidence to date would show that Ireland’s freight system was a safe process.
Confirmed booking
The president of the Irish Road Haulage Association Eugene Drennan has said that there are between 200 and 250 Irish truck drivers stuck at English ports trying to get to the Continent.
Also speaking on Morning Ireland, Mr Drennan warned that no business or trucker should attempt to move goods on Monday unless they have a confirmed boat booking.
“Nobody, no haulier, no trucker, no factory should load a truck this morning if that truck hasn’t got a confirmed boat booking to go direct to the continent and there are no boats direct to the continent this day.
“We don’t have the service line. I’ve been calling for it all through this year and a report came out that said we had enough capacity and we were safe, well this morning rubbishes that report. We don’t have the capacity and we don’t have the direct lines into the mainland continent for our goods this morning.”
Mr Drennan added that he hoped truckers at UK ports awaiting sailings into Ireland would be allowed to travel home on their respective ferries on Monday and Tuesday.
“The ferry companies have to do their utmost to get us home and that leaves something to be desired at the moment.”
Blanket ban
Speaking on Newstalk’s Pat Kenny show later, Mr Drennan said that the travel ban implemented by France failed to take into account Irish hauliers using the land bridge between the continent and the UK.
“France did not think of Ireland when they brought in this blanket ban yesterday afternoon. Because of that, we have 200 to 250 Irish people trying to get home,” he said.
Irish registered trucks should be “pulled out” of the long queues which have formed at the ports and France should make an exception to “help out” a fellow EU state, he said.
When asked if the truckers travelling today would get back in time for Christmas, Mr Drennan said they might have to consider flying home and leaving the trucks parked in France.
There was no problem with freight moving from Ireland to the UK today, he said. “Freight is moving, for anyone who is concerned about a family member who is travelling outward or inward, they can travel today or tomorrow.”
Mr Drennan raised the issue of gifts bought online which might not arrive in time for Christmas. “People who shopped online may not get packages for Christmas now and they may need to do traceability checks this morning to see where their item is and is it on the way.
“The thing with these major sites is that you may end up shopping in Germany - and that may not arrive this week. There is some possibility that some stuff won’t get through.”
People should check whether their order has left its distribution centre and if not, they may need to make other arrangements, he warned.


theirishtimes--2020-12-21--Coronavirus restrictions ‘would work’ against new strain

Public health restrictions would still work against the new coronavirus strain if it spreads to the State from Britain , according to Cillian De Gascun , director of UCD ’ s National Virus Reference Laboratory .
“ The public health interventions that we have against the virus will be effective against this novel variant ; just people need to be more vigilant , ” he said .
Precautionary action such as the travel ban was being taken to prevent the spread of the variant because much of the data around it was “ preliminary ” and “ unexplained ” and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s mutations in the spike protein , the part of the virus that helps it infect cells in the body , he said .
“ We don ’ t want to take any chances with it because if it is more transmissible and it is evolving more quickly , then that will make it more difficult potentially to control , ” said Dr De Gascun , a member of the National Public Health Emergency Team .
He said there was no suggestion this new virus strain caused more disease in people it infected @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would damage the effectiveness of the vaccines .
“ It is not unreasonable to be cautious at this point until we have more information and we can answer those questions a little better , ” he told The Irish Times .
Dr De Gascun said the new coronavirus variant could potentially result in the reinfection of people who previously had Covid-19 and who developed protective antibodies from that infection .
“ It is possible that the antibodies that they produced against the old virus from their original infection might not be as effective @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” he said .
“ We don ’ t have the laboratory studies to confirm that but that is one of the concerns at this point.
” The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said in a threat assessment briefing document on the new strain that it “ seems likely ” that there will be some reduction in neutralisation by antibodies .
“ But there is as yet no evidence that there is a resulting impact on increased risk for reinfection or lower vaccine effectiveness , ” said the EU agency @

Public health restrictions would still work against the new coronavirus strain if it spreads to the State from Britain, according to Cillian De Gascun, director of UCD’s National Virus Reference Laboratory.
“The public health interventions that we have against the virus will be effective against this novel variant; just people need to be more vigilant,” he said.
Precautionary action such as the travel ban was being taken to prevent the spread of the variant because much of the data around it was “preliminary” and “unexplained” and because of concerns about the variant’s mutations in the spike protein, the part of the virus that helps it infect cells in the body, he said.
“We don’t want to take any chances with it because if it is more transmissible and it is evolving more quickly, then that will make it more difficult potentially to control,” said Dr De Gascun, a member of the National Public Health Emergency Team.
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Dr Cillian De Gascun said there is no evidence that the new strain of coronavirus would damage the effectiveness of the vaccines. Photograph: Alan Betson/ The Irish Times
He said there was no suggestion this new virus strain caused more disease in people it infected and there was no evidence that it would damage the effectiveness of the vaccines.
“It is not unreasonable to be cautious at this point until we have more information and we can answer those questions a little better,” he told The Irish Times.
Dr De Gascun said the new coronavirus variant could potentially result in the reinfection of people who previously had Covid-19 and who developed protective antibodies from that infection.
“It is possible that the antibodies that they produced against the old virus from their original infection might not be as effective in protecting them against this novel variant,” he said.
“We don’t have the laboratory studies to confirm that but that is one of the concerns at this point.”
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said in a threat assessment briefing document on the new strain that it “seems likely” that there will be some reduction in neutralisation by antibodies.
“But there is as yet no evidence that there is a resulting impact on increased risk for reinfection or lower vaccine effectiveness,” said the EU agency.


theirishtimes--2020-12-21--Covid-19: Laois primary school closes following 13 positive cases

A primary school in Co Laois has closed on advice from public health authorities due to an outbreak of 13 confirmed cases of Covid-19 .
Portlaoise Educate Together National School , which has more than 400 pupils , told parents over the weekend that the school will close and lessons will take place online on Monday and Tuesday of this week .
Last week , the school ’ s principal Sinead Harte expressed frustration that the schools had been refused permission to close after 11 cases were confirmed , resulting in more than 60 close contacts .
This , in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the school being asked to stay at home .
However , in a message to parents over the weekend , the school said in light of rising numbers a decision to close the school has since been made in conjunction with the HSE and the Department of Education .
The move is likely to re-ignite the debate about the consistency of these decisions and whether school boards of management should be allowed to close without waiting for permission to do so from relevant authorities .
Last week , Claremorris Boys National School in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Department of Education after it recorded 16 cases .
However , Scoil Mhuire Killorglin in Co Kerry was advised to close after 17 confirmed cases were identified .
Public health sources say decisions to close schools are made on foot of detailed risk assessments and factors which are individual to each school .
The risk of transmission can be affected by factors such as school layout , class sizes , adherence to social distancing rules and the mixing of pupils outside school .
Páiric Clerkin , chief executive of the Irish Primary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be trusted to make their own decisions to close on the basis that they know their school communities best .
However , Minister for Education Norma Foley has said public health authorities rather than schools should make these decision on the basis that they have the relevant experience and expertise , She said school leaders should not have to make public health decisions and representative bodies were happy with this approach when it was agreed in advance of schools reopening in September .
In a separate development , all parents will be urged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Covid-19 symptoms out of school in a new public information campaign due to get underway before schools reopen on January 6th .
It follows concerns over the potential impact of an increase in community transmission of the virus over the Christmas period on schools in January .
John Boyle , general secretary of the Irish National Teachers ’ Organisation , said the Department of Education has provided assurances to the union that it will “ amplify public health messaging ” prior to the reopening of schools .
“ This is going to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the mixing and congregating that will take place over the Christmas period , ” he said .
“ The message will need to be amplified to school communities between the 1st and 5th of January .
We ’ ve done well in keeping the virus at bay and we want to get off to a good start in 2021 .
The best way we can do that is to ensure anyone with symptoms stays out of school.
” In addition , all teaching staff will be required to complete updated Covid-19 return-to-work forms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and have not been in close contact with known cases .
Teaching staff were required to complete these forms in late August .
School principals received an email from the Department of Education last week asking them to ensure that these forms are updated in advance of the reopening of schools on January 6th .

Portlaoise Educate Together National School, which has more than 400 pupils, told parents over the weekend that the school will close and lessons will take place online on Monday and Tuesday of this week. Photograph: Oli Scarff/AFP
A primary school in Co Laois has closed on advice from public health authorities due to an outbreak of 13 confirmed cases of Covid-19.
Portlaoise Educate Together National School, which has more than 400 pupils, told parents over the weekend that the school will close and lessons will take place online on Monday and Tuesday of this week.
Last week, the school's principal Sinead Harte expressed frustration that the schools had been refused permission to close after 11 cases were confirmed, resulting in more than 60 close contacts. This, in turn, led to four classes at the school being asked to stay at home.
However, in a message to parents over the weekend, the school said in light of rising numbers a decision to close the school has since been made in conjunction with the HSE and the Department of Education.
READ MORE
The move is likely to re-ignite the debate about the consistency of these decisions and whether school boards of management should be allowed to close without waiting for permission to do so from relevant authorities.
Last week, Claremorris Boys National School in Co Mayo was blocked from closing by the Department of Education after it recorded 16 cases.
However, Scoil Mhuire Killorglin in Co Kerry was advised to close after 17 confirmed cases were identified.
Factors
Public health sources say decisions to close schools are made on foot of detailed risk assessments and factors which are individual to each school .
The risk of transmission can be affected by factors such as school layout, class sizes, adherence to social distancing rules and the mixing of pupils outside school.
Páiric Clerkin, chief executive of the Irish Primary Principals’ Network, said schools should be trusted to make their own decisions to close on the basis that they know their school communities best.
However, Minister for Education Norma Foley has said public health authorities rather than schools should make these decision on the basis that they have the relevant experience and expertise,
She said school leaders should not have to make public health decisions and representative bodies were happy with this approach when it was agreed in advance of schools reopening in September.
In a separate development, all parents will be urged to ensure they keep children with any Covid-19 symptoms out of school in a new public information campaign due to get underway before schools reopen on January 6th.
It follows concerns over the potential impact of an increase in community transmission of the virus over the Christmas period on schools in January.
John Boyle, general secretary of the Irish National Teachers' Organisation, said the Department of Education has provided assurances to the union that it will "amplify public health messaging" prior to the reopening of schools.
“This is going to be a really important time in light of the mixing and congregating that will take place over the Christmas period,” he said.
“The message will need to be amplified to school communities between the 1st and 5th of January. We’ve done well in keeping the virus at bay and we want to get off to a good start in 2021. The best way we can do that is to ensure anyone with symptoms stays out of school.”
In addition, all teaching staff will be required to complete updated Covid-19 return-to-work forms stating that they are free of symptoms and have not been in close contact with known cases.
Teaching staff were required to complete these forms in late August.
School principals received an email from the Department of Education last week asking them to ensure that these forms are updated in advance of the reopening of schools on January 6th.


theirishtimes--2020-12-21--Nine men who survived 1920 hunger strike in Cork recalled in new book

Nine men who survived 94 days on hunger strike as part of the fight for Irish independence have been recognised in a new book telling their story .
Lord Mayor of Cork Joe Kavanagh said that the book The Nine Survivors by local historian Conor Kenny and his cousin Claire Cronin was an important tribute to the nine men who survived the hunger strike in Cork Gaol in 1920 .
“ 1920 was a year of profound importance in Ireland ’ s history .
Our ancestors lived through a tumultuous year of escalating violence , tension , and distrust , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the launch of the book .
“ The Nine Survivors : A Story of the 94 day Record Hunger Strike ” tells how 60 Republican Prisoners , who were held in Cork Gaol awaiting trial by the British , went on hunger strike on August 11th , 1920 in protest seeking political status .
They were joined a day later by the Lord Mayor of Cork , Terence MacSwiney after his arrest at Cork City Hall and although MacSwiney was transferred to Brixton Prison , he persevered with his protest until his death @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , two members of the protest , Comdt Michael Fitzgerald from Fermoy and Volunteer Joe Murphy from Pouladuff also died on hunger strike on October 17th and October 25th .
Most men came off the hunger strike but nine men persevered with their protest and only ended it on November 12th , after some 94 days when they were persuaded by Sinn Féin leader Arthur Griffith to give up .
Now the story of Joseph Kenny from Cork , Michael Burke , Thomas Donovan and John Power from Tipperary and Limerick men , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Peter Crowley , Michael O ’ Reilly and Chris Upton has been told .
Cllr Kavanagh said that Joseph Kenny ’ s descendants , Conor Kenny and Claire Cronin had done a great service by researching and bringing the story of the nine men to life and it was a fitting tribute to them 100 years on .
Ms Cronin said : “ My grandfather , Joseph Kenny was the was the oldest of the nine survivors – he was 43 at the time and a father of seven when he was jailed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he was in jail on hunger strike .
“ My mother had all his papers and about two years ago , with the centenary coming up , we started researching the hunger strike because we realised there was nothing about it because the nine survivors just fell between the cracks.
” Like Claire Cronin , Ann Crowley is proud of her grandfather , Peter Crowley , who was just 20 when he joined his older brother , John and fellow Ballylanders men , Michael O ’ Reilly and Chris Upton on the hunger @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my granduncle to be remembered 100 years on means a huge amount to us as a family but it also means a huge amount to people in Ballylanders who had four men involved in such a historic event.
” Cllr Kavanagh said : “ I am delighted Cork City Council is supporting this book as part of its 1920-2020 Centenary Commemoration Programme which aims to give us a deeper understanding how Irish society was shaped by our past .
“ Thanks to Conor Kenny and Claire Cronin , this new book shines a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ historic hunger strike here in Cork , exploring the sacrifices they made and the courage it took to fight for Irish independence .
”

Cork City Hall: the Lord Mayor said he was glad the city council was supporting the book. Photograph: iStock
Nine men who survived 94 days on hunger strike as part of the fight for Irish independence have been recognised in a new book telling their story.
Lord Mayor of Cork Joe Kavanagh said that the book The Nine Survivors by local historian Conor Kenny and his cousin Claire Cronin was an important tribute to the nine men who survived the hunger strike in Cork Gaol in 1920.
“1920 was a year of profound importance in Ireland’s history. Our ancestors lived through a tumultuous year of escalating violence, tension, and distrust,” said Cllr Kavanagh in advance of the launch of the book.
“The Nine Survivors: A Story of the 94 day Record Hunger Strike” tells how 60 Republican Prisoners, who were held in Cork Gaol awaiting trial by the British, went on hunger strike on August 11th, 1920 in protest seeking political status.
READ MORE
They were joined a day later by the Lord Mayor of Cork, Terence MacSwiney after his arrest at Cork City Hall and although MacSwiney was transferred to Brixton Prison, he persevered with his protest until his death on October 25th.
Back in Cork, two members of the protest, Comdt Michael Fitzgerald from Fermoy and Volunteer Joe Murphy from Pouladuff also died on hunger strike on October 17th and October 25th.
Most men came off the hunger strike but nine men persevered with their protest and only ended it on November 12th, after some 94 days when they were persuaded by Sinn Féin leader Arthur Griffith to give up.
Now the story of Joseph Kenny from Cork, Michael Burke, Thomas Donovan and John Power from Tipperary and Limerick men, John Hennessy, brothers, John and Peter Crowley, Michael O'Reilly and Chris Upton has been told.
Cllr Kavanagh said that Joseph Kenny’s descendants, Conor Kenny and Claire Cronin had done a great service by researching and bringing the story of the nine men to life and it was a fitting tribute to them 100 years on.
Ms Cronin said: “My grandfather, Joseph Kenny was the was the oldest of the nine survivors – he was 43 at the time and a father of seven when he was jailed and my mother was actually born when he was in jail on hunger strike.
“My mother had all his papers and about two years ago, with the centenary coming up, we started researching the hunger strike because we realised there was nothing about it because the nine survivors just fell between the cracks.”
Like Claire Cronin, Ann Crowley is proud of her grandfather, Peter Crowley, who was just 20 when he joined his older brother, John and fellow Ballylanders men, Michael O'Reilly and Chris Upton on the hunger strike.
“For my grandfather and my granduncle to be remembered 100 years on means a huge amount to us as a family but it also means a huge amount to people in Ballylanders who had four men involved in such a historic event.”
Cllr Kavanagh said: "I am delighted Cork City Council is supporting this book as part of its 1920-2020 Centenary Commemoration Programme which aims to give us a deeper understanding how Irish society was shaped by our past.
“Thanks to Conor Kenny and Claire Cronin, this new book shines a light on the men who survived that historic hunger strike here in Cork, exploring the sacrifices they made and the courage it took to fight for Irish independence.”


theirishtimes--2020-12-21--New coronavirus strain probably already in Ireland, says NI first minister

It is likely that the new , more virulent strain of coronavirus is already present in Ireland , the North ’ s First Minister has warned .
Arlene Foster told the BBC ’ s Good Morning Ulster programme that it was “ probable ” that the virus was already present in Northern Ireland , adding that “ when we look at the way in which there ’ s a rapid growth , for example , in the Republic of Ireland in their R number , it ’ s probably likely that it ’ s in the Republic as well.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could not yet say “ definitively ” that the virus had been identified in the North .
“ At the moment there are four cases which have been identified which have a different sequencing than other cases , the evidence from those cases has been sent to England for analysis and we await to hear whether they are the new variant , ” she said .
“ So , the variant has not been confirmed as being here , but we are obviously very concerned ... we await to hear that confirmation , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defended the decision not to introduce a ban on travel from Great Britain at an emergency meeting of the Executive last night .
Discussions are continuing today .
“ Of course , there is a travel ban ... that covers about 17 million people in England , so therefore those people can not come to Northern Ireland , they are in the most infectious area , and that has been the assessment made by the UK government , ” Ms Foster said .
“ In terms of a travel ban for the rest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s not a simple matter , there are downsides , consequences , and we ’ ve already heard about some of the issues at Dover at present and the fact is that we ’ re at the end of a very long supply chain ... as well as that there are contractual issues , there are compensation issues.
” She said these points were being considered by the North ’ s Attorney General , by the solicitor ’ s office at the Executive Office , and by the Department of Health .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Robin Swann , is to consult the Attorney General on Monday about the legality of a travel ban under the Public Health 1967 .
He is due to make a statement to the Assembly later .
Meanwhile , the Northern Ireland Executive has agreed to reduce the five day Christmas bubbling arrangements to just one day .
The relaxation of Covid rules to allow three households to gather together will now be limited to Christmas Day .
But flexibility will be afforded to people working on December 25th to enable them to bubble @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The decision was made by Stormont ministers during an emergency virtual executive meeting late on Sunday night .
Ministers also debated the potential of a temporary ban on travel from Britain to Northern Ireland in response to the new variant of Covid-19 that has taken hold in other parts of the UK .
No decision was taken during Sunday night ’ s exchanges , with ministers expected to return to the issue on Monday .
It is understood Executive ministers debated amending the 1967 Public Health Act to introduce short-term travel restrictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ practical issues were raised around how quickly such a ban could be introduced , given the time it would likely take for the Department of Health to draw up regulations to bring it into effect .
The DUP position was that UK internal travel is already banned from Tier 4 areas in England , so there is no need for added Stormont legislation to enforce that .
The party believes the responsibility for stopping flights and ferries within the UK is an issue for the UK government and has also raised concern that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ liabilities if it was to legislate on the issue .
It is understood the Health Department is to seek further legal advice on the issue ahead of the executive resuming discussions on Monday .
On Sunday , Northern Ireland ’ s Department of Health confirmed another 13 people with Covid-19 had died in a 24-hour period , bringing the death toll to 1,196 .
A further 505 new cases of the virus were also reported .
There were 421 patients with Covid-19 in hospitals , including 30 in ICU .
The Northern Ireland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ six-week lockdown from December 26th .
The first week of the measures will see the toughest lockdown yet in Northern Ireland , with a form of curfew in operation from 8pm , shops closed from that time and all indoor and outdoor gatherings prohibited until 6am .
– PA

Hand sanitiser in the reception area at the White Horse Hotel on the outskirts of Derry on November 5th. Photograph: Paul Faith/Bloomberg
It is likely that the new, more infectious strain of coronavirus is already present in Ireland, the North's First Minister has warned.
Arlene Foster told the BBC's Good Morning Ulster programme that it was "probable" that the virus was already present in Northern Ireland, adding that "when we look at the way in which there's a rapid growth, for example, in the Republic of Ireland in their R number, it's probably likely that it's in the Republic as well."
However, Ms Foster said that she could not yet say “definitively” that the virus had been identified in the North.
"At the moment there are four cases which have been identified which have a different sequencing than other cases, the evidence from those cases has been sent to England for analysis and we await to hear whether they are the new variant," she said.
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“So, the variant has not been confirmed as being here, but we are obviously very concerned ... we await to hear that confirmation,” she said.
Ms Foster also defended the decision not to introduce a ban on travel from Great Britain at an emergency meeting of the Executive last night. Discussions are continuing today.
“Of course, there is a travel ban ... that covers about 17 million people in England, so therefore those people cannot come to Northern Ireland, they are in the most infectious area, and that has been the assessment made by the UK government,” Ms Foster said.
“In terms of a travel ban for the rest of Great Britain, of course it’s not a simple matter, there are downsides, consequences, and we’ve already heard about some of the issues at Dover at present and the fact is that we’re at the end of a very long supply chain ... as well as that there are contractual issues, there are compensation issues.”
She said these points were being considered by the North's Attorney General, by the solicitor's office at the Executive Office, and by the Department of Health.
The North's Minister of Health, Robin Swann, is to consult the Attorney General on Monday about the legality of a travel ban under the Public Health 1967.
He is due to make a statement to the Assembly later.
The North’s Department of Health (DoH) announced on Monday that seven more people with coronavirus have died in the last 24 hours with a further 555 testing positive for the virus.
There are now 446 people receiving treatment for coronavirus in the North’s hospitals, with 30 in intensive care.
Meanwhile, The Northern Ireland Executive has agreed to reduce the five-day Christmas bubbling arrangements to just one day.
The relaxation of Covid rules to allow three households to gather together will now be limited to Christmas Day.
But flexibility will be afforded to people working on December 25th to enable them to bubble on another day over the festive break.
The decision was made by Stormont Ministers during an emergency virtual executive meeting late on Sunday night.
Ministers also debated the potential of a temporary ban on travel from Britain to Northern Ireland in response to the new variant of Covid-19 that has taken hold in other parts of the UK.
No decision was taken during Sunday night’s exchanges, with Ministers expected to return to the issue on Monday.
It is understood Executive Ministers debated amending the 1967 Public Health Act to introduce short-term travel restrictions.
Sinn Féin supported the move however practical issues were raised around how quickly such a ban could be introduced, given the time it would likely take for the Department of Health to draw up regulations to bring it into effect.
The DUP position was that UK internal travel is already banned from Tier 4 areas in England, so there is no need for added Stormont legislation to enforce that.
The party believes the responsibility for stopping flights and ferries within the UK is an issue for the UK government and has also raised concern that Stormont could leave itself open to compensation liabilities if it was to legislate on the issue.
It is understood the Department of Health is to seek further legal advice on the issue ahead of the executive resuming discussions on Monday.
On Sunday, another 13 deaths and 505 new cases of the virus were reported.
The Northern Ireland Executive decided last week to impose a six-week lockdown from December 26th.
The first week of the measures will see the toughest lockdown yet in Northern Ireland, with a form of curfew in operation from 8pm, shops closed from that time and all indoor and outdoor gatherings prohibited until 6am. – Additional reporting: PA


theirishtimes--2020-12-22--Brittany Ferries asked if it can repatriate Irish lorry drivers

Irish and French government officials have had contact with Brittany Ferries about running a ferry from France to repatriate Irish lorry drivers stranded in Europe by France ’ s Covid travel ban on Britain should the need arise .
The French shipping line is understood to have been asked by the French transport minister , Jean-Baptiste Djebbari , to examine whether it could provide capacity for a sailing to Ireland should it be required to accommodate Irish hauliers affected by the ban on travel to and from Britain .
There have been discussions between Irish and French government officials and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ships could be redirected in the wake of the ban introduced on Sunday night to prevent the spread of a new infectious coronavirus strain from Britain .
Discussions are taking place about whether Brittany Ferries should run a ship from the port of Caen to Rosslare .
The company already runs a service between Rosslare and Bilbao in Spain and is due to recommence a service between Rosslare and Cherbourg from March .
Government officials are assessing whether the additional capacity being provided by Stena Line running a second ferry on the Rosslare-Cherbourg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There will be two Stena ferries leaving for Cherbourg on Tuesday following the announcement .
The European shipping line , the largest ferry operator serving Ireland , said on Monday it was bringing forward post-Brexit plans to double capacity on the route to meet demand for customers seeking an alternative to the landbridge route through Britain shut down by the French ban .
The Government was also working to return 200-250 lorry drivers who were en route to mainland Europe and stranded in Britain when the ban was announced .
“ We are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we can do to assist those drivers to get them out of that logjam in the ports in the UK , ” said Minister of State at the Department of Transport Hildegarde Naughton .
Haulage industry groups have expressed concern that the cancellation of ferries and trains may result in Irish lorry drivers being stranded in France .
“ The fear is that our drivers will get caught on the French side because boats are late going out today and the drivers may not be able to get back in time before Christmas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Irish Road Haulage Association ( IRHA ) .
Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan and his French counterpart , Mr Djebbari , spoke on Monday night about arrangements to help repatriate Irish hauliers stranded in Britain and mainland Europe , and the possibility of safely reopening Irish freight transport into Europe through Britain .
Independent TD Verona Murphy said the Covid travel ban showed there was not sufficient capacity on direct ferries to mainland Europe to take landbridge road freight , disputing the findings of an Irish Maritime Development Office report last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this morning in three factories to the value of €1 million with no bookings , ” said the Wexford TD , a former president of the IRHA who runs a haulage business .
Up to 15 sailings from Rosslare to continental Europe , including new routes starting in 2021 , have the capacity to take 100,000-120,000 lorries over the course of a year , compared with 150,000-170,000 trucks that cross the UK landbridge every year .

Police and port staff turn away vehicles from the Port of Dover in Kent. Photograph: Steve Parsons/ PA Wire
Irish and French government officials have had contact with Brittany Ferries about running a ferry from France to repatriate Irish lorry drivers stranded in Europe by France's Covid travel ban on Britain should the need arise.
The French shipping line is understood to have been asked by the French transport minister, Jean-Baptiste Djebbari, to examine whether it could provide capacity for a sailing to Ireland should it be required to accommodate Irish hauliers affected by the ban on travel to and from Britain.
There have been discussions between Irish and French government officials and with ferry companies to see if additional ships could be redirected in the wake of the ban introduced on Sunday night to prevent the spread of a new infectious coronavirus strain from Britain.
Hospital Report
Discussions are taking place about whether Brittany Ferries should run a ship from the port of Caen to Rosslare. The company already runs a service between Rosslare and Bilbao in Spain and is due to recommence a service between Rosslare and Cherbourg from March.
READ MORE
Government officials are assessing whether the additional capacity being provided by Stena Line running a second ferry on the Rosslare-Cherbourg route will meet the required demand.
There will be two Stena ferries leaving for Cherbourg on Tuesday following the announcement.
The European shipping line, the largest ferry operator serving Ireland, said on Monday it was bringing forward post-Brexit plans to double capacity on the route to meet demand for customers seeking an alternative to the landbridge route through Britain shut down by the French ban.
The Government was also working to return 200-250 lorry drivers who were en route to mainland Europe and stranded in Britain when the ban was announced.
"We are hoping to find a solution and whatever we can do to assist those drivers to get them out of that logjam in the ports in the UK," said Minister of State at the Department of Transport Hildegarde Naughton.
Haulage industry groups have expressed concern that the cancellation of ferries and trains may result in Irish lorry drivers being stranded in France.
"The fear is that our drivers will get caught on the French side because boats are late going out today and the drivers may not be able to get back in time before Christmas," said Eugene Drennan, president of the Irish Road Haulage Association (IRHA).
Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan and his French counterpart, Mr Djebbari, spoke on Monday night about arrangements to help repatriate Irish hauliers stranded in Britain and mainland Europe, and the possibility of safely reopening Irish freight transport into Europe through Britain.
Insufficient capacity
Independent TD Verona Murphy said the Covid travel ban showed there was not sufficient capacity on direct ferries to mainland Europe to take landbridge road freight, disputing the findings of an Irish Maritime Development Office report last month.
"I have eight truckloads this morning in three factories to the value of €1 million with no bookings," said the Wexford TD, a former president of the IRHA who runs a haulage business.
Up to 15 sailings from Rosslare to continental Europe, including new routes starting in 2021, have the capacity to take 100,000-120,000 lorries over the course of a year, compared with 150,000-170,000 trucks that cross the UK landbridge every year.


theirishtimes--2020-12-22--Prolonged French travel ban could disrupt Irish meat production

A prolonged French ban on road freight from Britain could force Irish meat plants to reduce processing and affect their purchase of livestock from farmers , an industry group has warned .
France was one of 40 countries to ban travel to and from the UK to stop the spread of a new strain of coronavirus which may be more infectious and has put parts of England under the UK ’ s hardest lockdown .
The French government ’ s ban until Tuesday includes accompanied lorry freight travelling through Britain , blocking the major transit artery for Irish hauliers to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , director of Meat Industry Ireland , said if there was “ no clarity or improvement ” soon at an EU level on restoring the flow of time-sensitive fresh and chilled meat exports through Britain to Europe , meat processors could be forced to reduce production .
“ It could start to mean their ability to process at this side will be impacted , ” he said , adding that a knock-on effect of this would lead to farmers due to sell livestock being affected in the short term .
Minister for Transport @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Jean-Baptiste Djebbari , on Monday night about Irish transport companies being caught up in the French ban .
France ’ s ambassador to Ireland , Vincent Guérend , said the French government was reviewing the ban but that no exceptions could be made for any cargo or lorry drivers of any nationality .
EU member states held an emergency meeting to co-ordinate a joint approach on travel to and from the UK .
France has called for a joint EU policy on travel flows with the UK to be put in place @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for travellers , an official said , including mandatory Covid-19 tests .
Member states have asked the EU Commission to draw up guidelines , and ambassadors will meet on Tuesday to try to thrash out a plan , including what categories of people should be allowed to travel.The Irish Government is today set to extend the ban on UK passengers until December 31st .
Health officials from the 27 EU member states are co-ordinating to evaluate evidence on the new strain .
The variant has been detected in Denmark , the Netherlands , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Boris Johnson on Monday said he hoped freight movements across the English Channel would soon return to normal after he discussed the ban with French president Emmanuel Macron .
The travel ban has coincided with record freight flows as a result of pre-Brexit stockpiling before new border controls come into effect on January 1st and the busy Christmas trade .
“ Everything we prepared for with Brexit happened with three hours ’ notice on two of the busiest freight days in the calendar , ” said one Government source .

Truck drivers stand near parked trucks on the M20 motorway in the UK. Photograph: Chris Ratcliffe/ Bloomberg
A prolonged French ban on road freight from Britain could force Irish meat plants to reduce processing and affect their purchase of livestock from farmers, an industry group has warned.
France was one of 40 countries to ban travel to and from the UK to stop the spread of a new strain of coronavirus which may be more infectious and has put parts of England under the UK's hardest lockdown.
The French government's ban until Tuesday includes accompanied lorry freight travelling through Britain, blocking the major transit artery for Irish hauliers to important markets in Europe.
Hospital Report
Cormac Healy, director of Meat Industry Ireland, said if there was "no clarity or improvement" soon at an EU level on restoring the flow of time-sensitive fresh and chilled meat exports through Britain to Europe, meat processors could be forced to reduce production.
READ MORE
“It could start to mean their ability to process at this side will be impacted,” he said, adding that a knock-on effect of this would lead to farmers due to sell livestock being affected in the short term.
Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan spoke to his French counterpart, Jean-Baptiste Djebbari, on Monday night about Irish transport companies being caught up in the French ban.
France’s ambassador to Ireland, Vincent Guérend, said the French government was reviewing the ban but that no exceptions could be made for any cargo or lorry drivers of any nationality.
Emergency meeting
EU member states held an emergency meeting to co-ordinate a joint approach on travel to and from the UK. France has called for a joint EU policy on travel flows with the UK to be put in place, including “very strict” rules for travellers, an official said, including mandatory Covid-19 tests.
Member states have asked the EU Commission to draw up guidelines, and ambassadors will meet on Tuesday to try to thrash out a plan, including what categories of people should be allowed to travel.The Irish Government is today set to extend the ban on UK passengers until December 31st.
Health officials from the 27 EU member states are co-ordinating to evaluate evidence on the new strain. The variant has been detected in Denmark, the Netherlands, Gibraltar and Italy.
British prime minister Boris Johnson on Monday said he hoped freight movements across the English Channel would soon return to normal after he discussed the ban with French president Emmanuel Macron.
The travel ban has coincided with record freight flows as a result of pre-Brexit stockpiling before new border controls come into effect on January 1st and the busy Christmas trade.
“Everything we prepared for with Brexit happened with three hours’ notice on two of the busiest freight days in the calendar,” said one Government source.


theirishtimes--2020-12-22--‘Nothing is working as it should’: New Covid strain stalls Irish truckers in Britain

Lorry driver Paddy Neary was on his way to his cabin on Sunday night when the ship ’ s crew told him about France ’ s ban on road freight from Britain over a new coronavirus strain .
The Co Louth haulier was told to return to his lorry below deck immediately and reverse it off the Newhaven-Dieppe ferry , “ which wasn ’ t simple ” , he said .
His cargo of frozen burgers , to be shipped from Co Cavan to northern France in a convoy with two other Irish lorries , would not be making their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was ordered out of the port and had to park up in a lay-by near the southern England port .
“ We should have already unloaded in France at this stage , ” Neary told The Irish Times shortly after noon on Monday .
“ We don ’ t know whether we are going to be told to go home or whether we will be cold-stored here .
We are awaiting instructions on what to do next .
It is a mess.
” Neary was one of 250 drivers stranded in Britain after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Britain , including Irish drivers who use the “ landbridge ” route , a critical transport link between Ireland and mainland Europe to bring goods to markets .
“ This was exactly what was coming down the tracks with Brexit .
It has just happened a week earlier , ” he said .
“ People don ’ t realise the sheer volume of goods that come in and out of Ireland and the UK , or the amount of trucks going through Dover .
It is the same in Dublin and Holyhead.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Co Galway-based haulage company O ’ Toole Transport had 70 trucks out on roads in Britain and northern Europe .
The night before , seven staff at his office were busy cancelling bookings on ships and making new bookings after the French ban .
Drivers were directed to drop trailers at Tilbury , a port in Essex , on new ship bookings to Zeebrugge in Belgium .
Customers planning to send loads to Europe this week cancelled orders .
“ We have drivers in England with no trailers and we have too @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no idea how we get them back .
We are going to end up with a whole mismatch of equipment in Britain and France , ” said a busy O ’ Toole after a frantic 24-hour period .
“ We have got drivers who should be on their way home for Christmas and we have no idea what is going to happen .
We are trying to work through it and get them back home.
” Government Ministers and officials scrambled on Monday , from Zoom call to Zoom call for meetings with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ groups and shipping lines , to find extra ferry capacity to keep supplies running and to get drivers home , four days before Christmas .
“ This is a 48-hour crisis and we are moving fast and engaging at all levels of Government , ” said Minister of State for International and Road Transport and Logistics Hildegarde Naughton .
Stena Line agreed to bring forward plans to put a second ship , carrying mostly “ dropped ” or unaccompanied trailers , on the Rosslare-Cherbourg route to help get lorries back to Ireland .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Co Wexford port on Tuesday to pick up Irish lorries .
“ We are getting a very sharp taste of what Brexit looks like if there are problems on the landbridge , ” said Cormac Healy , director of Meat Industry Ireland .
France ’ s Covid ban has exposed capacity issues and shortages on direct sailings to mainland Europe , an issue haulage industry groups had warned about for weeks and months .
Mr Healy said there was not enough space for “ roll-on , roll-off ” lorry freight – displaced from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is critical for “ just-in-time ” deliveries of fresh and chilled meats from Ireland to the UK and Europe in “ sophisticated ” cross-border supply chains .
“ It works fine but we depend on not running into restrictions or delays at ports , ” he said .
Mr Healy said meat plants were still processing on Monday but longer delays could affect the ability to process , which could have a knock-on effect on farmers trying to sell livestock .
Irish industry was looking for confirmation from the EU that certain supply @ @ @ @ @ @ @ food movement ” would be kept open with “ green lanes ” , just like in the early days of Covid , he said .
In Co Galway , Laurence O ’ Toole was trying to figure out how to get a consignment of fresh seafood sitting on an English dock delivered to his main fish market in northern France .
“ Nothing is working as it should , ” he said .

Timelapse footage captures long lines of trucks stopped in Kent, UK due to a travel ban imposed by France following the resurgence of Covid-19 infections in London and the southeast of England. Video: Newsflare
Lorry driver Paddy Neary was on his way to his cabin on Sunday night when the ship's crew told him about France's ban on road freight from Britain over a new coronavirus strain.
The Co Louth haulier was told to return to his lorry below deck immediately and reverse it off the Newhaven-Dieppe ferry, "which wasn't simple", he said.
His cargo of frozen burgers, to be shipped from Co Cavan to northern France in a convoy with two other Irish lorries, would not be making their delivery time the following day.
Hospital Report
He was ordered out of the port and had to park up in a lay-by near the southern England port.
READ MORE
“We should have already unloaded in France at this stage,” Neary told The Irish Times shortly after noon on Monday.
“We don’t know whether we are going to be told to go home or whether we will be cold-stored here. We are awaiting instructions on what to do next. It is a mess.”
Neary was one of 250 drivers stranded in Britain after France closed its borders to truckers from Britain, including Irish drivers who use the "landbridge" route, a critical transport link between Ireland and mainland Europe to bring goods to markets.
“This was exactly what was coming down the tracks with Brexit. It has just happened a week earlier,” he said.
“People don’t realise the sheer volume of goods that come in and out of Ireland and the UK, or the amount of trucks going through Dover. It is the same in Dublin and Holyhead.”
On Monday, Laurence O’Toole of Co Galway-based haulage company O’Toole Transport had 70 trucks out on roads in Britain and northern Europe. The night before, seven staff at his office were busy cancelling bookings on ships and making new bookings after the French ban.
Drivers were directed to drop trailers at Tilbury, a port in Essex, on new ship bookings to Zeebrugge in Belgium. Customers planning to send loads to Europe this week cancelled orders.
“We have drivers in England with no trailers and we have too many trailers on the continent and have no idea how we get them back. We are going to end up with a whole mismatch of equipment in Britain and France,” said a busy O’Toole after a frantic 24-hour period.
“We have got drivers who should be on their way home for Christmas and we have no idea what is going to happen. We are trying to work through it and get them back home.”
French counterparts
Government Ministers and officials scrambled on Monday, from Zoom call to Zoom call for meetings with their French counterparts, with haulage industry groups and shipping lines, to find extra ferry capacity to keep supplies running and to get drivers home, four days before Christmas.
"This is a 48-hour crisis and we are moving fast and engaging at all levels of Government," said Minister of State for International and Road Transport and Logistics Hildegarde Naughton.
Stena Line agreed to bring forward plans to put a second ship, carrying mostly “dropped” or unaccompanied trailers, on the Rosslare-Cherbourg route to help get lorries back to Ireland.
This means two ships would leave the Co Wexford port on Tuesday to pick up Irish lorries.
"We are getting a very sharp taste of what Brexit looks like if there are problems on the landbridge," said Cormac Healy, director of Meat Industry Ireland.
France’s Covid ban has exposed capacity issues and shortages on direct sailings to mainland Europe, an issue haulage industry groups had warned about for weeks and months.
Mr Healy said there was not enough space for “roll-on, roll-off” lorry freight – displaced from the UK “landbridge” – that is critical for “just-in-time” deliveries of fresh and chilled meats from Ireland to the UK and Europe in “sophisticated” cross-border supply chains.
“It works fine but we depend on not running into restrictions or delays at ports,” he said.
Mr Healy said meat plants were still processing on Monday but longer delays could affect the ability to process, which could have a knock-on effect on farmers trying to sell livestock.
Irish industry was looking for confirmation from the EU that certain supply lines and “the essentiality of fresh food movement” would be kept open with “green lanes”, just like in the early days of Covid, he said.
In Co Galway, Laurence O’Toole was trying to figure out how to get a consignment of fresh seafood sitting on an English dock delivered to his main fish market in northern France.
“Nothing is working as it should,” he said.