theirishtimes--2020-09-26--More than 100 people gather in Co Donegal for anti-Covid-19 restrictions rally

People carrying placards and waving tricolours gathered at Market Square in Letterkenny for what they called a “ peaceful assembly ” on Saturday .
Gardaí observed the rally but did not make any arrests .
However , they did speak to a number of participants .
The vast majority of those who attended the event did not wear masks as they gathered in groups .
Many travelled from across the border in neighbouring Derry for the rally .
Before the event , local business leaders including chief executive of Letterkenny Chamber , Toni Forrester , pleaded with the organisers to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ addressed by a number of speakers including the main organiser of the event , Kim McMenamin .
Mr McMenamin said he was not against people wearing masks but said the second wave of Covid-19 was a lie .
He encouraged people to read up on what he described as the real facts surrounding the “ scamdemic ” as he called it .
“ Is there a second wave ?
No there isn ’ t .
We must research and get the knowledge .
“ Arm yourself with information and once you have the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ We are sick of lies , hypocrisy and deceit from Government .
We ’ re not taking it no more , ” he said .
He added that it was up to the Irish people to challenge regulations saying Irish schools were now like prison camps .
He also challenged the media for “ promoting lies on behalf of the Government ” and encouraged people to seek out information on the internet .
Other speakers included Ben Gilroy and local man Ciaran Boyle , who said his YouTube channel had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ put out by the Irish Government .
There were small disturbances when some people clashed with those holding the event while others filmed the media covering the event .
Gardaí had said earlier that they were aware of the event but said the wearing of masks or social distancing were not “ penal regulations ” .
“ Gardaí are aware of a protest planned to take place in Letterkenny .
An Garda Síochána has no role in permitting or authorising protest marches or gatherings , there is no permit/authorisation required for such events @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on National Public Health Emergency Team ( NPHET ) announced increased public health measures that are being applied to stop the spread of Covid-19 in Co Donegal commencing at midnight on Friday , September 25th .
“ The Health Act 1947 ( Section 31A-Temporary Restrictions ) ( COVID-19 ) ( No.5 ) Regulations 2020 , as amended are currently in force , and place penal restrictions on persons organising certain events .
“ Individual attendance , social distancing , wearing of masks in public area and other such guidelines are not penal regulations.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Covid-19 public health guidelines and regulations , “ An Garda Síochána has and will continue to adopt , a graduated policing response based on its tradition of policing by consent ” .
“ This has seen Garda members engage , educate , encourage and , as a last resort , enforce .
Where potential breaches of the Public Health Regulations are identified a file is submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions for a direction as to how to proceed .
”

People carrying placards and waving tricolours gathered at Market Square in Letterkenny for what they called a "peaceful assembly" on Saturday.
Gardaí observed the rally but did not make any arrests. However, they did speak to a number of participants.
The vast majority of those who attended the event did not wear masks as they gathered in groups. Many travelled from across the border in neighbouring Derry for the rally.
Before the event, local business leaders including chief executive of Letterkenny Chamber, Toni Forrester, pleaded with the organisers to abandon their plans.
READ MORE
Local county councillor Micheal Cholm Mac Giolla Easbuig also criticised the gathering.
The crowd was addressed by a number of speakers including the main organiser of the event, Kim McMenamin. Mr McMenamin said he was not against people wearing masks but said the second wave of Covid-19 was a lie.
He encouraged people to read up on what he described as the real facts surrounding the “scamdemic” as he called it.
“Is there a second wave? No there isn’t. We must research and get the knowledge.
“Arm yourself with information and once you have the information spread it to everyone you know.
“We are sick of lies, hypocrisy and deceit from Government. We’re not taking it no more,” he said.
He added that it was up to the Irish people to challenge regulations saying Irish schools were now like prison camps.
He also challenged the media for “promoting lies on behalf of the Government” and encouraged people to seek out information on the internet.
Other speakers included Ben Gilroy and local man Ciaran Boyle, who said his YouTube channel had been banned because he challenged information on Covid-19 put out by the Irish Government.
Disturbances
There were small disturbances when some people clashed with those holding the event while others filmed the media covering the event.
Gardaí had said earlier that they were aware of the event but said the wearing of masks or social distancing were not “penal regulations”.
"Gardaí are aware of a protest planned to take place in Letterkenny. An Garda Síochána has no role in permitting or authorising protest marches or gatherings, there is no permit/authorisation required for such events.
"The Government on the advice on National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) announced increased public health measures that are being applied to stop the spread of Covid-19 in Co Donegal commencing at midnight on Friday, September 25th.
“The Health Act 1947 (Section 31A-Temporary Restrictions) (COVID-19) (No.5) Regulations 2020, as amended are currently in force, and place penal restrictions on persons organising certain events.
“Individual attendance, social distancing, wearing of masks in public area and other such guidelines are not penal regulations.”
The statement said that in supporting the Covid-19 public health guidelines and regulations, “An Garda Síochána has and will continue to adopt, a graduated policing response based on its tradition of policing by consent”.
"This has seen Garda members engage, educate, encourage and, as a last resort, enforce. Where potential breaches of the Public Health Regulations are identified a file is submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions for a direction as to how to proceed."


theirishtimes--2020-09-26--Coronavirus: Five deaths and 248 more cases reported

Five people have died from Covid-19 and 248 more cases have been confirmed in the State by the National Public Health Emergency Team ( NPHET ) on Saturday .
Dublin has the highest number of cases at 104 .
Donegal has 37 , Cork has 36 , Kildare and Westmeath have eight cases .
There were six cases in Kilkenny , Laois and Offaly , five in Longford , Monaghan and Wexford , and the remaining 22 cases are in 11 other counties .
A total of 34,560 cases of the virus have been confirmed in Ireland since late February @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stands at 1,802 .
Of the cases notified today 132 are men and 115 are women .
67 per cent are under 45 years of age .
36 per cent are confirmed to be associated with outbreaks or are close contacts with a confirmed case .
Thirty-six cases have been identified as community transmission .
Earlier on Saturday , the chairman of the National Public Health Emergency Team ’ s Covid-19 expert advisory group warned there is “ no magic bullet ” coming in the next six months in relation to the coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the director of the National Virus Reference Laboratory , said it is hard to predict when there will be a vaccine available adding “ no one can really have certainty ” .
“ If we have a vaccine that ’ s in place and that we can roll out say in the middle of 2021 , and have it in place for the following winter [ 2021 ] , I think that would really be a positive step , ” he told RTÉ ’ s Saturday with Katie Hannon .
“ Realistically we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ current non pharmaceutical interventions and our current public health messages and that ’ s why it ’ s so important that people continue to bear with us and hold firm on this because there ’ s no magic bullet coming in the next six months.
” Dr de Gascun said there is work ongoing to increase the country ’ s testing capacity for the virus .
A demand for testing had significantly increased when schools returned in September , he said , with more than 15,000 referrals per day coming through .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plateaued and stabilised ” but that this data [ of 15,000 daily referrals ] “ feeds into the system and makes you realise that the capacity is not sufficient so there is work ongoing to develop , to bring that capacity where it needs to be ” .
“ What we want to do from a testing perspective is that we want to be able to meet the demand that is there .
There ’ s been a huge fixation on numbers , which I can understand but probably isn ’ t helpful @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we want to have capacity to test everyone who needs to be tested.
” Dr de Gascun said “ nothing is inevitable ” in relation to further restrictions for other parts of the country but acknowledged there are “ worrying trends ” , including an increase in cases , a rise in the 7-day and 14-day incidence rate as well as the number of people in hospital and intensive care with the virus .
“ All of these are concerning signs and we are obviously not yet in the depths of winter so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get into a bad place now , it ’ s going to be very difficult to get out of it in winter.
” He said it was important “ from a NPHET perspective that we act early , that we act in a proportionate manner ” .
But it ’ s really important that the other counties don ’ t look at Donegal and Dublin and think ‘ oh well , we ’ re fine so , we don ’ t have any concerns ’ , ” he said .
Dr de Gascun @ @ @ @ @ @ @ predict whether the Level 3 restrictions would be extended in Dublin in two weeks ’ time but that the message to the public would not change .
“ We can control this , we controlled this in the past and we can control this again but we need to behave differently , ” he said .
He stressed that people can transmit the virus either before they begin showing symptoms or even if they have no symptoms at all .

Dr Cillian de Gascun said there is work ongoing to increase the country’s testing capacity for the virus. File photograph: Nick Bradshaw/ The Irish Times
Five people have died from Covid-19 and 248 more cases have been confirmed in the State by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) on Saturday.
Dublin has the highest number of cases at 104. Donegal has 37, Cork has 36, Kildare and Westmeath have eight cases. There were six cases in Kilkenny, Laois and Offaly, five in Longford, Monaghan and Wexford, and the remaining 22 cases are in 11 other counties.
A total of 34,560 cases of the virus have been confirmed in Ireland since late February and the total number of deaths now stands at 1,802.
Hospital Report
Of the cases notified today 132 are men and 115 are women. 67 per cent are under 45 years of age. 36 per cent are confirmed to be associated with outbreaks or are close contacts with a confirmed case. Thirty-six cases have been identified as community transmission.
READ MORE
Earlier on Saturday, the chairman of the National Public Health Emergency Team’s Covid-19 expert advisory group warned there is “no magic bullet” coming in the next six months in relation to the coronavirus.
Dr Cillian de Gascun, also the director of the National Virus Reference Laboratory, said it is hard to predict when there will be a vaccine available adding “no one can really have certainty”.
“If we have a vaccine that’s in place and that we can roll out say in the middle of 2021, and have it in place for the following winter [2021], I think that would really be a positive step,” he told RTÉ’s Saturday with Katie Hannon.
“Realistically we are going through this winter with our current non pharmaceutical interventions and our current public health messages and that’s why it’s so important that people continue to bear with us and hold firm on this because there’s no magic bullet coming in the next six months.”
Dr de Gascun said there is work ongoing to increase the country’s testing capacity for the virus. A demand for testing had significantly increased when schools returned in September, he said, with more than 15,000 referrals per day coming through.
He said the demand from schools had “plateaued and stabilised” but that this data [of 15,000 daily referrals] “feeds into the system and makes you realise that the capacity is not sufficient so there is work ongoing to develop, to bring that capacity where it needs to be”.
“What we want to do from a testing perspective is that we want to be able to meet the demand that is there. There’s been a huge fixation on numbers, which I can understand but probably isn’t helpful,” he added. “Ultimately we want to have capacity to test everyone who needs to be tested.”
Dr de Gascun said “nothing is inevitable” in relation to further restrictions for other parts of the country but acknowledged there are “worrying trends”, including an increase in cases, a rise in the 7-day and 14-day incidence rate as well as the number of people in hospital and intensive care with the virus.
“All of these are concerning signs and we are obviously not yet in the depths of winter so we’re concerned that if we get into a bad place now, it’s going to be very difficult to get out of it in winter.”
He said it was important “from a NPHET perspective that we act early, that we act in a proportionate manner”.
But it’s really important that the other counties don’t look at Donegal and Dublin and think ‘oh well, we’re fine so, we don’t have any concerns’,” he said. Dr de Gascun said he didn’t want to predict whether the Level 3 restrictions would be extended in Dublin in two weeks’ time but that the message to the public would not change.
“We can control this, we controlled this in the past and we can control this again but we need to behave differently,” he said.
He stressed that people can transmit the virus either before they begin showing symptoms or even if they have no symptoms at all.


theirishtimes--2020-09-26--Cork hunger strike exhibition ‘to educate youth about Irish freedom’

Events such as a new exhibition and book telling the story of nine men who lasted 94 days on hunger strike during the War of Independence can guide future generations on conflicts , according to Taoiseach Micheál Martin .
Speaking prior to a visit to the new exhibition at Cork Public Museum , Mr Martin said he hoped events from the Decade of Commemoration would provide fresh insights and understanding for young people on how independence was achieved almost 100 years ago .
To coincide with the new the exhibition entitled , “ Suffering the Most – the Life and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MacSwiney ” , Cork City Council has funded a new book on the Cork Hunger Strikers , telling the story of the men who went on hunger strike with MacSwiney in August 1920 .
In all , 65 men went on hunger strike with most attention focusing on MacSwiney whose death in Brixton Prison on October 25th 1920 made headlines around the world .
Two others who died in Cork , Michael Fitzgerald from Fermoy and Joe Murphy from Pouladuff , have also featured in the story .
Nine men in Cork County @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after their three comrades had died and only stopped their strike on advice from Arthur Griffith on November 12th , 1920 .
It came 94 days after they began refusing food – the longest known case of people surviving on hunger strike .
And now the story of the nine hunger strikers – Corkman Joseph Kenny , Tipperary men Michael Burke , Thomas Donovan and John Power , and Limerick men John Hennessy , brothers , John and Peter Crowley , Michael O ’ Reilly and Chris Upton – has been told in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ book , which is written by local historian Conor Kenny , a descendant of Grenagh man Joseph Kenny , tells the story of each of the men and how they came to be interned in Cork County Gaol , as Joseph Kenny ’ s granddaughter , Claire Cronin revealed .
“ My grandfather Joseph Kenny was one of the nine survivors – he was the oldest of the nine who went the 94 days .
He was 43 at the time and a father of seven when he was imprisoned and my mother @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jail on hunger strike , ” said Ms Cronin .
“ My mother had all his papers and I started putting them together with two of my cousins 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 very proud of her grandfather , Peter Crowley , who was just 20 when he joined his older brother John and fellow Ballylanders @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Upton on the hunger strike demanding the reinstatement of their status as political prisoners .
“ They were eight in my grandfather ’ s family but only he and his sister had children so there aren ’ t a huge number of later generations to carry on the story and keep it alive .
My father , who is also called Peter and turned 90 in December , is one of the last links , ” she said .
“ For my grandfather and my granduncle to be remembered l00 years on means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family .
It also means a huge amount to people in Ballylanders because for a small village like that to have four men involved in such a historic event is very significant.
” Curator of the Cork Public Museum Dan Breen said the museum was delighted to have an opportunity to highlight the sacrifice of the nine men as their story had long been overshadowed by the story of Cork ’ s martyred Lord Mayors , Tomás MacCurtain and Terence MacSwiney .
“ Obviously , the murder of Tomás MacCurtain in March 1920 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ MacSwiney ’ s death in October 1920 reverberated around the world , but that seemed to diminish everything else in its wake , ” he said .
“ The hunger strike was obviously promoted at the time and was recognised by the people in Cork because you can see from photos in The Cork Examiner .
“ Obviously , the men ’ s own families knew about their sacrifice but now with both the exhibition and Cork City Council ’ s funding of the book by Conor Kenny , the men will finally @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Most – The Life and Times of Tomás MacCurtain and Terence MacSwiney is currently open at Cork Public Museum in Fitzgerald ’ s Park

Events such as a new exhibition and book telling the story of nine men who lasted 94 days on hunger strike during the War of Independence can guide future generations on conflicts, according to Taoiseach Micheál Martin.
Speaking prior to a visit to the new exhibition at Cork Public Museum, Mr Martin said he hoped events from the Decade of Commemoration would provide fresh insights and understanding for young people on how independence was achieved almost 100 years ago.
To coincide with the new the exhibition entitled, "Suffering the Most – the Life and Times of Tomás Mac Curtain and Terence MacSwiney", Cork City Council has funded a new book on the Cork Hunger Strikers, telling the story of the men who went on hunger strike with MacSwiney in August 1920.
In all, 65 men went on hunger strike with most attention focusing on MacSwiney whose death in Brixton Prison on October 25th 1920 made headlines around the world. Two others who died in Cork, Michael Fitzgerald from Fermoy and Joe Murphy from Pouladuff, have also featured in the story.
READ MORE
Nine men in Cork County Gaol continued with their hunger strike even after their three comrades had died and only stopped their strike on advice from Arthur Griffith on November 12th, 1920. It came 94 days after they began refusing food – the longest known case of people surviving on hunger strike.
And now the story of the nine hunger strikers – Corkman Joseph Kenny, Tipperary men Michael Burke, Thomas Donovan and John Power, and Limerick men John Hennessy, brothers, John and Peter Crowley, Michael O'Reilly and Chris Upton – has been told in detail for the first time.
Survivor
The book, which is written by local historian Conor Kenny, a descendant of Grenagh man Joseph Kenny, tells the story of each of the men and how they came to be interned in Cork County Gaol, as Joseph Kenny's granddaughter, Claire Cronin revealed.
“My grandfather Joseph Kenny was one of the nine survivors – he was the oldest of the nine who went the 94 days. He was 43 at the time and a father of seven when he was imprisoned and my mother was actually born when he was in jail on hunger strike,” said Ms Cronin.
“My mother had all his papers and I started putting them together with two of my cousins 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 very 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 demanding the reinstatement of their status as political prisoners.
“They were eight in my grandfather’s family but only he and his sister had children so there aren’t a huge number of later generations to carry on the story and keep it alive. My father, who is also called Peter and turned 90 in December, is one of the last links,” she said.
“For my grandfather and my granduncle to be remembered l00 years on means a huge amount to us as a family. It also means a huge amount to people in Ballylanders because for a small village like that to have four men involved in such a historic event is very significant.”
Curator of the Cork Public Museum Dan Breen said the museum was delighted to have an opportunity to highlight the sacrifice of the nine men as their story had long been overshadowed by the story of Cork's martyred Lord Mayors, Tomás MacCurtain and Terence MacSwiney.
"Obviously, the murder of Tomás MacCurtain in March 1920 sent shockwaves here in Ireland and Terence MacSwiney's death in October 1920 reverberated around the world, but that seemed to diminish everything else in its wake," he said.
“The hunger strike was obviously promoted at the time and was recognised by the people in Cork because you can see from photos in The Cork Examiner.
“Obviously, the men’s own families knew about their sacrifice but now with both the exhibition and Cork City Council’s funding of the book by Conor Kenny, the men will finally get the recognition they deserve.”
Suffering the Most – The Life and Times of Tomás MacCurtain and Terence MacSwiney is currently open at Cork Public Museum in Fitzgerald’s Park


theirishtimes--2020-09-26--Man with electric scooter who died in Meath was due to get married in the coming weeks

The 29-year-old Moldovan whose body was discovered at a roadside in Meath in the early hours of Saturday morning was due to be married in the coming weeks .
Staff at a Meath takeaway have expressed their shock and devastation at the death of their popular colleague whose remains were discovered close to an electric scooter at Harmanstown on the N51 Navan to Slane Road at 2.50am .
The young man was living in a house close to where he was found and had only moved to Ireland in the last three months .
He was due to get married @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Moldova in the coming few weeks .
Staff at Romayo ’ s Takeaway Restaurant on the Collon Road in Slane expressed their horror at the tragedy .
“ He was a very popular young man and was working here on Friday .
He was only in the country a few months , ” said a co-worker who did not wish to be named .
“ We are all shocked and just devastated that he is gone .
No-one knows what happened.
” Local businessman David Smyth , who owns the building where Romayo @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scene on Saturday morning and said the deceased was hugely liked by all who met him .
“ He had only been in Ireland a few months and was due to get married to his fiancée who is back in Moldova in about three weeks time , ” he said .
“ I visited the scene in the early hours of Saturday morning after the accident .
The deceased had lights on his scooter and was wearing a helmet and a high viz jacket.
” He said the man was “ only here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a lot of friends in the area and was well liked by all who came across him ” .
“ He was hugely popular among the staff in Romayos and my heart goes out to them and his loved ones at this time.
” Local Fianna Fail Cllr Wayne Harding said : “ It ’ s an absolute tragedy and I feel particularly sorry for the staff of Romayos .
“ He was a member of a team of hard-working staff in a very popular and busy takeaway.
” In a statement on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attended the scene at about 2.50am following reports of an unconscious man lying on the road .
The man who was travelling on an electric scooter from the direction of Slane , was treated by ambulance services but was later pronounced dead , the statement said .
The road was closed pending a technical examination and local diversions were put in place .
“ At this time , gardaí are treating this incident as a possible road traffic collision and have appealed for witnesses to contact them , ” the statement said .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ between 2-3am and who may have dashcam footage should contact the incident room at Navan Garda station on 046 907 9930 or the Garda Confidential line on 1800 666 111 .

The road was closed near the scene of the tragedy pending technical examination. Photograph: Seamus Farrelly
The 29-year-old Moldovan whose body was discovered at a roadside in Meath in the early hours of Saturday morning was due to be married in the coming weeks.
Staff at a Meath takeaway have expressed their shock and devastation at the death of their popular colleague whose remains were discovered close to an electric scooter at Harmanstown on the N51 Navan to Slane Road at 2.50am.
The young man was living in a house close to where he was found and had only moved to Ireland in the last three months.
He was due to get married to his fiancée who is living in Moldova in the coming few weeks.
READ MORE
Staff at Romayo’s Takeaway Restaurant on the Collon Road in Slane expressed their horror at the tragedy.
“He was a very popular young man and was working here on Friday. He was only in the country a few months,” said a co-worker who did not wish to be named.
“We are all shocked and just devastated that he is gone. No-one knows what happened.”
Local businessman David Smyth, who owns the building where Romayo’s is situated, visited the scene on Saturday morning and said the deceased was hugely liked by all who met him.
“He had only been in Ireland a few months and was due to get married to his fiancée who is back in Moldova in about three weeks time,” he said.
“I visited the scene in the early hours of Saturday morning after the accident. The deceased had lights on his scooter and was wearing a helmet and a high viz jacket.”
He said the man was “only here a short time but had already made a lot of friends in the area and was well liked by all who came across him”.
“He was hugely popular among the staff in Romayos and my heart goes out to them and his loved ones at this time.”
Local Fianna Fail Cllr Wayne Harding said: “It’s an absolute tragedy and I feel particularly sorry for the staff of Romayos.
“He was a member of a team of hard-working staff in a very popular and busy takeaway.”
In a statement on Saturday morning, gardaí said they had attended the scene at about 2.50am following reports of an unconscious man lying on the road.
The man who was travelling on an electric scooter from the direction of Slane, was treated by ambulance services but was later pronounced dead, the statement said.
The road was closed pending a technical examination and local diversions were put in place.
“At this time, gardaí are treating this incident as a possible road traffic collision and have appealed for witnesses to contact them,” the statement said.
Anyone who travelled along the Navan-Slane road between 2-3am and who may have dashcam footage should contact the incident room at Navan Garda station on 046 907 9930 or the Garda Confidential line on 1800 666 111.


theirishtimes--2020-09-27--UCC students face expulsion if they breach Covid-19 guidelines

University College Cork students , who breach Covid-19 regulations including guidelines on attending or visiting households on university-owned accommodation , could face expulsion , UCC interim president Prof John O ’ Halloran has warned .
In the letter emailed to more than 22,000 students on Saturday evening , Prof O ’ Halloran pointed out that the Government had requested all Irish universities to introduce enhanced public health protection measures to help curb the spread of Covid-19 .
The Government has already ordered that all teaching at universities would be carried out online for the next fortnight and Prof O ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students of the campus experience which is an important part of university life .
“ The reality is that our society is grappling with a deadly pandemic .
How we all act in the next days and weeks will have a direct impact on those we love and those most vulnerable in our communities , ” he said as students prepare to return to UCC on Monday .
“ UCC has a proud tradition as a university of the community and now , more than ever , we need to live up to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for those more vulnerable .
As students of UCC , you have a vital role to play in our community ’ s response to this disease.
” Prof O ’ Halloran pointed out that to suppress the spread of Covid-19 , the Government has limited the number of visitors to households which , in the case of Cork , currently at Level 2 restrictions , is just six visitors from three households .
“ We all have a responsibility to comply with those measures .
We fully understand that you have been looking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the next few weeks it is absolutely essential that you limit your social contacts , ” he said .
Prof O ’ Halloran said he understood that many students have been looking forward to the Virtual Freshers Week organised by the Student Union and although many of these events are online , there is deep concern is that they will lead to gatherings in households .
And he said it was a measure of the seriousness of the threat posed by Covid-19 that UCC was committed to treating breaches of Government guidelines @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he warned that the university would , if necessary , resort to expulsions .
“ In particular , students found to be organising , hosting or attending gatherings which are in breach of guidelines will be subject to sanction up to and including expulsion from the University where warranted .
Please do not take actions now that could impact your future.
” The UCC move follows a similar move at the University of Limerick which last week responded to reports of students organising large-scale parties next week by warning that those who breach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or even expulsion .
UL told the Irish Examiner that “ there is no set sanction ” for students who breach the code of conduct , but that “ penalties allowed within the code of conduct include monetary , academic , suspension , and expulsion.
” “ Students at UL are subject to a code of conduct .
Action can be taken against students through the code of conduct who , by breaching public health guidelines , may be considered to have engaged in conduct that is harmful to others , ” the @ @ @

The UCC move follows a similar move at the University of Limerick which last week responded to reports of students organising large-scale parties next week. Photograph: iStock
University College Cork students, who breach Covid-19 regulations including guidelines on the numbers who can attend house parties and other social gatherings could face expulsion, UCC interim president Prof John O'Halloran has warned.
In the letter emailed to more than 22,000 students on Saturday evening, Prof O’Halloran pointed out that the Government had requested all Irish universities to introduce enhanced public health protection measures to help curb the spread of Covid-19.
The Government has already ordered that all teaching at universities would be carried out online for the next fortnight and Prof O’Halloran acknowledged going online would deprive many students of the campus experience which is an important part of university life.
“The reality is that our society is grappling with a deadly pandemic. How we all act in the next days and weeks will have a direct impact on those we love and those most vulnerable in our communities,” he said as students prepare to return to UCC on Monday.
READ MORE
“UCC has a proud tradition as a university of the community and now, more than ever, we need to live up to our values of good citizenship and respect for those more vulnerable. As students of UCC, you have a vital role to play in our community’s response to this disease.”
Prof O’Halloran pointed out that to suppress the spread of Covid-19, the Government has limited the number of visitors to households which, in the case of Cork, currently at Level 2 restrictions, is just six visitors from three households.
“We all have a responsibility to comply with those measures. We fully understand that you have been looking forward to returning to campus, but over the next few weeks it is absolutely essential that you limit your social contacts,” he said.
Prof O'Halloran said he understood that many students have been looking forward to the Virtual Freshers Week organised by the Student Union and although many of these events are online, there is deep concern is that they will lead to gatherings in households.
And he said it was a measure of the seriousness of the threat posed by Covid-19 that UCC was committed to treating breaches of Government guidelines in relation to Covid-19 very seriously before he warned that the university would, if necessary, resort to expulsions.
“In particular, students found to be organising, hosting or attending gatherings which are in breach of guidelines will be subject to sanction up to and including expulsion from the University where warranted. Please do not take actions now that could impact your future.”
Contacted by The Irish Times, a spokesman for UCC confirmed that the warning regarding breaching guidelines applies not just to university owned accommodation but rather to any student behaviour on or off campus that breaches the guidelines.
“In the event a student breaches the standards of conduct it is open to the University through its Disciplinary processes to sanction a student. The Disciplinary process is tiered and the sanction is dependent on the degree of misconduct.
“Every case is considered on its merits and the principal of natural justice applies. The standards apply whether the student is on or off campus, and whether engaged in a placement or study. Expulsion from the University is the most serious sanction.”
The UCC move follows a similar move at the University of Limerick which last week responded to reports of students organising large-scale parties next week by warning that those who breach Covid guidelines may face fines, suspensions or even expulsion.
UL told the Irish Examiner that “there is no set sanction” for students who breach the code of conduct, but that “penalties allowed within the code of conduct include monetary, academic, suspension, and expulsion.”
“Students at UL are subject to a code of conduct. Action can be taken against students through the code of conduct who, by breaching public health guidelines, may be considered to have engaged in conduct that is harmful to others,” the college said.


theirishtimes--2020-09-27--Hospitality industry suffers another blow as New Year’s Eve festival is cancelled

The hospitality industry in Dublin has been dealt another severe blow with the announcement from Fáilte Ireland that the annual New Year ’ s Eve celebration in the city has been cancelled .
Last year 110,000 people took part in the three-day festival which was watched by a further 80,000 onlookers and involved fireworks displays , live music and illuminations .
Fáilte Ireland said the decision to cancel this year ’ s celebrations was taken in conjunction with Dublin City Council and its event partners , as well as in the light of the Government ’ s current Resilience and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said “ given these numbers it is clear that the event would not fall within current Government and public health guidance and it would not be appropriate to encourage people to congregate in these numbers ” .
The announcement is further bad news for the beleaguered hospitality industry and comes as The Irish Hotels Federation said 100,000 people may lose their jobs by Christmas , with an estimated loss of 100,000 jobs in the industry already this year .
Fáilte Ireland acknowledged “ Ireland ’ s tourism and hospitality sector has suffered significantly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Dublin in particular facing incredibly difficult challenges in recent weeks ” .
However it said the focus of its efforts “ is now on working with Government , industry bodies and tourism businesses on the ground to support them to survive and recover in the months ahead ” .
Fáilte Ireland has established a Destination Recovery Taskforce in Dublin that brings together tourism stakeholders from across the region to form a collective response to the crisis .
The Destination Recovery Taskforce is looking at ways to bring life back into Dublin City in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ guidelines while helping businesses to survive and is exploring opportunities to drive footfall in Dublin during the winter months .

Last year 110,000 people took part in the three-day festival in Dublin. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill/ The Irish Times
The hospitality industry in Dublin has been dealt another severe blow with the announcement from Fáilte Ireland that the annual New Year’s Eve celebration in the city has been cancelled.
Last year 110,000 people took part in the three-day festival which was watched by a further 80,000 onlookers and involved fireworks displays, live music and illuminations.
Fáilte Ireland said the decision to cancel this year’s celebrations was taken in conjunction with Dublin City Council and its event partners, as well as in the light of the Government’s current Resilience and Recovery 2020-2021 Plan.
The tourism promoter said “given these numbers it is clear that the event would not fall within current Government and public health guidance and it would not be appropriate to encourage people to congregate in these numbers”.
READ MORE
The announcement is further bad news for the beleaguered hospitality industry and comes as The Irish Hotels Federation said 100,000 people may lose their jobs by Christmas, with an estimated loss of 100,000 jobs in the industry already this year.
Tim Fenn, chief executive of the Federation, said 80 percent of visitors to Dublin came from abroad and bookings for New Year’s Eve and into the New Year had “plummeted”.
He said occupancy rates nationally were just 23 percent for October and 12 percent for November, with Dublin faring even worse.
IHF president Elaina Fitzgerald Kane called for an urgent industry specific package of supports.
“It is now ‘make or break’ time. Urgent and unprecedented intervention from the Government is required to support tourism businesses and safeguard thousands of jobs throughout the sector. This must form a central plank of the Budget due to be announced next month,” she said.
Prior to Covid-19, tourism supported 270,000 livelihoods, one in ten of all Irish jobs. An estimated 100,000 jobs of these have been lost so far this year and a further 100,000 are at immediate risk without substantial sector specific supports being put in place, the IHF said.
Fáilte Ireland acknowledged “Ireland’s tourism and hospitality sector has suffered significantly as a result of Covid-19, with Dublin in particular facing incredibly difficult challenges in recent weeks”.
However it said the focus of its efforts “is now on working with Government, industry bodies and tourism businesses on the ground to support them to survive and recover in the months ahead”.
Fáilte Ireland has established a Destination Recovery Taskforce in Dublin that brings together tourism stakeholders from across the region to form a collective response to the crisis.
The Destination Recovery Taskforce is looking at ways to bring life back into Dublin City in a controlled manner that meets public health guidelines while helping businesses to survive and is exploring opportunities to drive footfall in Dublin during the winter months.


theirishtimes--2020-09-27--Luggala estate reopens to walkers for first time since March

The owner of the Luggala estate in the Wicklow mountains has reopened access routes to the uplands for “ responsible walkers ” for the first time since March .
The reopening is in time for National Walking Day , which last year saw 3.6 million people take some form of walk on the day .
The pedestrian gate , alongside the main gate to the estate from the Roundwood to Sally Gap Road was closed in March citing restrictions related to Covid-19 .
Over subsequent months filming of the television hit series Vikings and farming were also cited as reasons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ estate also complained of vandalism to trees and unauthorised intrusion to private parts of the estate , near the former hunting lodge made famous by the late Garech Browne and his mother Oonagh Guinness .
Hill-walking groups have not claimed right of way around or across the estate but for decades were permitted to access Lough Dan and Oldbridge from the pedestrian gate .
The gate also provided access to Knocknacloghoge and Fancy Mountain as well as other wilderness areas .
In a letter to hill walkers and mountaineers on Wednesday , the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pleased to welcome responsible walking groups to Luggala once again.
” The letter said a film company which had spent months in the valley had completed its filming schedule and “ we can now allow access to Lough Dan , Knocknacloghoge and Fancy Mountain ” .
It stipulated that in line with current Government Covid-19 guidelines , walking groups must be no more than 15 people and social distancing of two metres must be maintained while walking on the estate .
The walkers have also been asked to provide a name and contact @ @ @ @ @ @ @ group entering the estate.The records will be maintained for 14 days only , the letter said .
Walking groups planning to access the estate were also told they could email in advance contact details and the day of their planned walk to info @ luggala.ie .
The estate further asked that those accessing the uplands respect that Luggala is a designated special protection area for birds and a special area of conservation .
As reported in The Irish Times last week the estate has reserved the right to close off access and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ there will be times when it will be necessary to restrict access ” in future .
The notice added “ we reserve the right to refuse admission to any individual or group ” .
National Walking Day on September 27th takes place during European Week of Sport , which runs until the 30th .

Access to the uplands of Luggala estate has reopened in time for National Walking Day. File photograph: Eric Luke
The owner of the Luggala estate in the Wicklow mountains has reopened access routes to the uplands for “responsible walkers” for the first time since March.
The reopening is in time for National Walking Day, which last year saw 3.6 million people take some form of walk on the day.
The pedestrian gate, alongside the main gate to the estate from the Roundwood to Sally Gap Road was closed in March citing restrictions related to Covid-19.
Over subsequent months filming of the television hit series Vikings and farming were also cited as reasons for keeping the gate closed. The estate also complained of vandalism to trees and unauthorised intrusion to private parts of the estate, near the former hunting lodge made famous by the late Garech Browne and his mother Oonagh Guinness.
READ MORE
Hill-walking groups have not claimed right of way around or across the estate but for decades were permitted to access Lough Dan and Oldbridge from the pedestrian gate. The gate also provided access to Knocknacloghoge and Fancy Mountain as well as other wilderness areas.
In a letter to hill walkers and mountaineers on Wednesday, the estate said “Luggala Estate Management is pleased to welcome responsible walking groups to Luggala once again.”
The letter said a film company which had spent months in the valley had completed its filming schedule and “we can now allow access to Lough Dan, Knocknacloghoge and Fancy Mountain”.
It stipulated that in line with current Government Covid-19 guidelines, walking groups must be no more than 15 people and social distancing of two metres must be maintained while walking on the estate.
The walkers have also been asked to provide a name and contact number for Covid-19 contact-tracing purposes for each group entering the estate.The records will be maintained for 14 days only, the letter said.
Walking groups planning to access the estate were also told they could email in advance contact details and the day of their planned walk to info@luggala.ie.
The estate further asked that those accessing the uplands respect that Luggala is a designated special protection area for birds and a special area of conservation.
As reported in The Irish Times last week the estate has reserved the right to close off access and the letter from the estate office reminded walkers “there will be times when it will be necessary to restrict access” in future. The notice added “ we reserve the right to refuse admission to any individual or group”.
National Walking Day on September 27th takes place during European Week of Sport, which runs until the 30th.


theirishtimes--2020-09-27--Man charged and remanded in custody over €40,000 drugs seizure by gardaí in Cork

A 37-year-old man has been remanded in custody after he was charged with drug offences following a Garda operation which saw officers seize €40,000 worth of drugs and over €10,000 in cash in Cork city .
Ikran Aslam , a British citizen , with an address at The Avenue , Pembroke Woods , Passage West , Co Cork was brought before a special sitting of Cork District Court at the Anglesea Street Courthouse on Saturday .
Mr Aslam was charged with four drugs offences by Garda Paul Buckley of Gurranebraher District Drugs Unit who gave evidence of arrest , charge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ court Mr Aslam made no reply to any of the four charges .
Mr Aslam was charged with possession of cannabis herb and possession of cannabis herb for sale or supply at Willowbank , Fair Hill following the seizure by gardaí of € 5,000 worth of drugs in a car in Fair Hill on September 24th .
He was also charged with possession of cannabis herb and possession of cannabis herb for sale or supply at Pembroke Woods , Passage West following the seizure of €35,000 worth of the drug at a house @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Sean McCarthy said gardaí were objecting to bail and following submissions from defence barrister , Emmet Boyle BL , Judge Con O ’ Leary remanded the accused in custody to appear at Cork District Court on Monday when it is expected that he will apply for bail .

Judge Con O’Leary remanded the accused in custody to appear at Cork District Court on Monday when it is expected that he will apply for bail.
A 37-year-old man has been remanded in custody after he was charged with drug offences following a Garda operation which saw officers seize €40,000 worth of drugs and over €10,000 in cash in Cork city.
Ikran Aslam, a British citizen, with an address at The Avenue, Pembroke Woods, Passage West, Co Cork was brought before a special sitting of Cork District Court at the Anglesea Street Courthouse on Saturday.
Mr Aslam was charged with four drugs offences by Garda Paul Buckley of Gurranebraher District Drugs Unit who gave evidence of arrest, charge and caution. The garda told the court Mr Aslam made no reply to any of the four charges.
Mr Aslam was charged with possession of cannabis herb and possession of cannabis herb for sale or supply at Willowbank, Fair Hill following the seizure by gardaí of € 5,000 worth of drugs in a car in Fair Hill on September 24th.
READ MORE
He was also charged with possession of cannabis herb and possession of cannabis herb for sale or supply at Pembroke Woods, Passage West following the seizure of €35,000 worth of the drug at a house there on the same date.
Insp Sean McCarthy said gardaí were objecting to bail and following submissions from defence barrister, Emmet Boyle BL, Judge Con O'Leary remanded the accused in custody to appear at Cork District Court on Monday when it is expected that he will apply for bail.


theirishtimes--2020-09-27--Man in his 30s dies in single vehicle crash in Wexford

A man in his early 30s has died following a car crash in Wexford on Saturday night .
Gardaí attended @ @ @ @ @ vehicle collision at 11:30pm on Saturday at Newtown , Taghmon , County Wexford .
The @ @ @ @ @ was pronounced dead at the scene , gardaí said in a statement .
There was @ @ @ @ @ car at the time .
The road has been closed for technical examination by Forensic @ @ @ @ @ local diversions in place .
Gardaí have appealed for witnesses to the crash to come @ @ @ @ @ asked any road users who may have camera footage , including dash-cam , who were @ @ @ @ @ this time to make the footage available to gardaí .
Anyone with information can contact @ @ @ @ @ 9165200 , the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 , or any Garda station @

Anyone with information can contact Wexford Garda station on 053 9165200, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.
A man in his early 30s has died following a car crash in Wexford on Saturday night.
Gardaí attended the scene of the single vehicle collision at 11:30pm on Saturday at Newtown, Taghmon, County Wexford.
The male driver of the car was pronounced dead at the scene, gardaí said in a statement. There was no one else in the car at the time.
The road has been closed for technical examination by Forensic Collision Investigators and their are local diversions in place.
READ MORE
Gardaí have appealed for witnesses to the crash to come forward. They have also asked any road users who may have camera footage, including dash-cam, who were travelling in the area at this time to make the footage available to gardaí.
Anyone with information can contact Wexford Garda station on 053 9165200, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda station.


theirishtimes--2020-09-27--Covid-19: Only 11 lung transplants carried out this year so far

Eleven lung transplants have been carried out this year so far , which is considerably lower than last year , as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic .
The National Centre for Lung and Heart Transplants , located in the Mater Hospital in Dublin , performed 38 lung transplants last year , with an average of 33 of the surgeries taking place in each of the past five years .
However , so far in 2020 just 11 lung transplants have been performed due to the impact the coronavirus has had on the health service .
A spokeswoman for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at the Mater Hospital throughout the pandemic .
“ However , like many aspects of the health service , Covid has had an impact on the programme , ” she added .
The figures were released following the publication of a report by the International Registry in Organ Donation and Transplantation on Friday , which showed that Ireland now has the sixth highest rate of lung transplants in the world .
The rate of lung transplant in the Republic is now 7.75 per million population , putting Ireland ahead of countries such as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a par with the US .
Since its inception in 2005 , the centre has given “ the gift of life ” to 298 critically-ill patients , whose ages ranged from 17 to 75 years .
The centre said it has a five-year survival rate for lung transplant of more than 72 per cent , which “ supersedes many other centres internationally ” .
Mr Hossein Javadpour , director of the centre , welcomed the findings , adding that the team has introduced “ several innovations which have both increased the number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the outcomes for our patients ” .
Prof Jim Egan , a consultant respiratory physician and lung transplant specialist at the Mater , said the number of patients seeking lung transplants “ has increased 8.5 fold over the past decade with 150 referrals every year for transplant assessment ” .
“ There are currently 25 patients on the waiting list for lung transplant at the Mater , ” Prof Egan added .
Carole Gilliland , who had cystic fibrosis and received a double lung transplant in June 2018 , said the procedure has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would never have .
“ I have a whole new lease of life .
I have freedom because I was attached to oxygen 24 hours a day .
I have energy , I have appetite , I can go walking , I can get up in the morning and get in the car and go wherever I like , ” she said .
“ I really couldn ’ t make any plans when I was sick .
It really was a pretty miserable existence , to be honest .
You ’ re not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : “ I just really want to thank the transplant team at the Mater and I am so grateful to the donor .
”

‘There are currently 25 patients on the waiting list for lung transplant at the Mater,’ Prof Jim Egan said. File photograph: Frank Miller/ The Irish Times
Eleven lung transplants have been carried out this year so far, which is considerably lower than last year, as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The National Centre for Lung and Heart Transplants, located in the Mater Hospital in Dublin, performed 38 lung transplants last year, with an average of 33 of the surgeries taking place in each of the past five years.
However, so far in 2020 just 11 lung transplants have been performed due to the impact the coronavirus has had on the health service.
A spokeswoman for the centre said the lung transplant programme continued at the Mater Hospital throughout the pandemic.
READ MORE
“However, like many aspects of the health service, Covid has had an impact on the programme,” she added.
The figures were released following the publication of a report by the International Registry in Organ Donation and Transplantation on Friday, which showed that Ireland now has the sixth highest rate of lung transplants in the world.
The rate of lung transplant in the Republic is now 7.75 per million population, putting Ireland ahead of countries such as Australia, France and Switzerland and on a par with the US.
Since its inception in 2005, the centre has given “the gift of life” to 298 critically-ill patients, whose ages ranged from 17 to 75 years.
Survival rate
The centre said it has a five-year survival rate for lung transplant of more than 72 per cent, which “supersedes many other centres internationally”.
Mr Hossein Javadpour, director of the centre, welcomed the findings, adding that the team has introduced "several innovations which have both increased the number of organs available for transplant and also improved the outcomes for our patients".
Prof Jim Egan, a consultant respiratory physician and lung transplant specialist at the Mater, said the number of patients seeking lung transplants "has increased 8.5 fold over the past decade with 150 referrals every year for transplant assessment".
“There are currently 25 patients on the waiting list for lung transplant at the Mater,” Prof Egan added.
Carole Gilliland, who had cystic fibrosis and received a double lung transplant in June 2018, said the procedure has given her a life she thought she would never have.
“I have a whole new lease of life. I have freedom because I was attached to oxygen 24 hours a day. I have energy, I have appetite, I can go walking, I can get up in the morning and get in the car and go wherever I like,” she said.
“I really couldn’t make any plans when I was sick. It really was a pretty miserable existence, to be honest. You’re not living life at all.”
She added: “I just really want to thank the transplant team at the Mater and I am so grateful to the donor.”


theirishtimes--2020-09-28--Large sections of Garda to be disarmed following review

The Garda is dramatically reducing the number of members carrying guns as it moves towards a model of having specialist units act as the force ’ s primary firearms response .
The process began last year after a review of the number of armed members was carried out and it was found that more than a quarter ( 27 per cent or 3,778 gardaí ) were carrying firearms .
This was close to the proportion of members who were armed at the height of the Troubles in the 1980s .
The 2019 review showed many gardaí who were assigned a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ carry a weapon , were working in desk jobs or in non-frontline areas such as cybercrime or immigration .
The Policing Authority had already raised concerns about the numbers of gardaí carrying firearms , as had the Garda Inspectorate , which in 2018 noted that the time devoted to firearms training in the Garda was “ exceptionally high for an unarmed police service ” .
A process is currently under way to withdraw firearms from gardaí who do not require them , mainly detectives not assigned to frontline duty .
To date , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ part of the ongoing process , according to figures obtained by The Irish Times .
There are now 2,776 gardaí authorised to carry firearms – just under 19 per cent of the force .
More authorisation cards are expected to be withdrawn by the end of the year .
The gradual increase in armed gardaí came about as a result of the expansion in recent years of specialist firearms units , such as the Emergency Response Unit ( ERU ) and the Armed Response Units ( ASUs ) .
At the same time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were authorised to carry firearms but they received much less training than their specialist colleagues .
The number of appointed detectives increased by a third ( 34 per cent ) between 2016 and 2019 , from 1,628 to 2,181 , according to figures released under Freedom of Information ( FoI ) legislation .
“ The big issue was , do we know how many are carrying guns ?
And if they are what are they doing with them , ” said Chief Supt Brian Sutton of the Special Tactics and Operations Command , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He said the review found people who were promoted or assigned to a desk-based job were still being issued weapons despite having little use for them .
“ These were people who would only have their gun when they ’ re going to the range for training.
” The aim now is to move towards a model common in UK police forces , where fewer detectives carry weapons while armed response is provided almost exclusively by specialist units which have more training .
“ We are reducing numbers carrying firearms and giving @ @ @ @ @ @ @ extra training , ” Chief Supt Sutton said .
Training to expand the ASUs had been suspended due to Covid-19 but is expected to resume shortly .
The aim is to have 378 ASU members operating out of 13 centres around the country , including 80 in Dublin , documents show .
The training regime is to be modified to include five levels of firearms training , ranging from level 1 for district detectives and drug unit officers up to level 5 for the ERU .

Armed gardaí in the north inner city of Dublin. A process is currently under way to withdraw firearms from gardaí who do not require them, mainly detectives not assigned to frontline duty. Photograph: Niall Carson/PA
The Garda is dramatically reducing the number of members carrying guns as it moves towards a model of having specialist units act as the force’s primary firearms response.
The process began last year after a review of the number of armed members was carried out and it was found that more than a quarter (27 per cent or 3,778 gardaí) were carrying firearms. This was close to the proportion of members who were armed at the height of the Troubles in the 1980s.
The 2019 review showed many gardaí who were assigned a firearms authorisation card, permitting them to carry a weapon, were working in desk jobs or in non-frontline areas such as cybercrime or immigration.
Raised concerns
The Policing Authority had already raised concerns about the numbers of gardaí carrying firearms, as had the Garda Inspectorate, which in 2018 noted that the time devoted to firearms training in the Garda was "exceptionally high for an unarmed police service".
READ MORE
A process is currently under way to withdraw firearms from gardaí who do not require them, mainly detectives not assigned to frontline duty. To date, almost 1,000 cards have been withdrawn as part of the ongoing process, according to figures obtained by The Irish Times.
There are now 2,776 gardaí authorised to carry firearms – just under 19 per cent of the force. More authorisation cards are expected to be withdrawn by the end of the year.
The gradual increase in armed gardaí came about as a result of the expansion in recent years of specialist firearms units, such as the Emergency Response Unit (ERU) and the Armed Response Units (ASUs). At the same time, more detectives were being appointed who were authorised to carry firearms but they received much less training than their specialist colleagues.
The number of appointed detectives increased by a third (34 per cent) between 2016 and 2019, from 1,628 to 2,181, according to figures released under Freedom of Information (FoI) legislation.
[ Analysis: Garda firearms usage: Scant data, little public debate with further disarming likely to face opposition from some gardaí ]
Issued weapons
"The big issue was, do we know how many are carrying guns? And if they are what are they doing with them," said Chief Supt Brian Sutton of the Special Tactics and Operations Command, explaining the reasons behind the 2019 review. He said the review found people who were promoted or assigned to a desk-based job were still being issued weapons despite having little use for them. "These were people who would only have their gun when they're going to the range for training."
The aim now is to move towards a model common in UK police forces, where fewer detectives carry weapons while armed response is provided almost exclusively by specialist units which have more training.
“We are reducing numbers carrying firearms and giving the people who need to carry them extra training,” Chief Supt Sutton said.
Training to expand the ASUs had been suspended due to Covid-19 but is expected to resume shortly. The aim is to have 378 ASU members operating out of 13 centres around the country, including 80 in Dublin, documents show.
The training regime is to be modified to include five levels of firearms training, ranging from level 1 for district detectives and drug unit officers up to level 5 for the ERU.


theirishtimes--2020-09-28--Covid-19: Possible extra restrictions for four counties to be decided by weekend

The Government is expected to decide at the end of the week whether additional restrictions are required across four more counties after a spike in Covid-19 cases on Sunday night .
A further 430 cases of Covid-19 were confirmed in the State , the most cases in a day since 701 cases were reported on April 26th , while no additional deaths were reported by the National Public Health Emergency Team ( NPHET ) .
Senior Government sources have described the figures as “ very worrying ” and have expressed concerns about the growing pressure on capacity in the health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Paul Reid issued a “ call to arms ” to the public on Sunday , saying 110 patients were in hospital with coronavirus , including 18 in intensive care .
Mr Reid said the current level of pressure on the health service was as significant as it was during the worst peak of Covid-19 , as “ we ’ re now trying to keep all of our other services running too ” .
Government figures said while there were currently no NPHET meetings planned until Thursday , it was “ too early to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be eased in Dublin in October .
Donegal is also at Level 3 on the Government ’ s plan for living with Covid-19 .
In terms of additional restrictions for other counties , public health teams are closely monitoring the situation in Cork , Wicklow , Galway and Louth .
Taoiseach Micheál Martin will on Monday launch a new leaflet to be distributed to two million households , as the Government attempts to push the message that there is “ no time for complacency ” .
Meanwhile , nurses and health workers who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after children when schools and creches closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic seem set to be given this leave back .
The Irish Nurses ’ and Midwives ’ Organisation told its members over the weekend that health service management had agreed , in principle , to the new measure , although the detail on how such a scheme would work in practice was still being worked out .
The number of workers who may benefit from the new initiative is not known , but some sources suggested it could potentially run into the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ green list ” will change from Monday .
The countries on the updated list are Cyprus , Latvia , Finland and Liechtenstein .
Germany , Poland , Iceland and Lithuania are no longer on the list .

HSE chief Paul Reid issued a ‘call to arms’ to the public on Sunday, saying 110 patients were in hospital with coronavirus, including 18 in intensive care. Photograph: Tom Honan/The Irish Times
The Government is expected to decide at the end of the week whether additional restrictions are required across four more counties after a spike in Covid-19 cases on Sunday night.
A further 430 cases of Covid-19 were confirmed in the State, the most cases in a day since 701 cases were reported on April 26th, while no additional deaths were reported by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET).
Senior Government sources have described the figures as “very worrying” and have expressed concerns about the growing pressure on capacity in the health service.
Hospital Report
Health Service Executive chief executive Paul Reid issued a “call to arms” to the public on Sunday, saying 110 patients were in hospital with coronavirus, including 18 in intensive care. Mr Reid said the current level of pressure on the health service was as significant as it was during the worst peak of Covid-19, as “we’re now trying to keep all of our other services running too”.
READ MORE
Dublin in October
Government figures said while there were currently no NPHET meetings planned until Thursday, it was “too early to call” whether or not restrictions would be eased in Dublin in October. Donegal is also at Level 3 on the Government’s plan for living with Covid-19.
In terms of additional restrictions for other counties, public health teams are closely monitoring the situation in Cork, Wicklow, Galway and Louth.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin will on Monday launch a new leaflet to be distributed to two million households, as the Government attempts to push the message that there is “no time for complacency”.
Meanwhile, nurses and health workers who had to use their holidays to look after children when schools and creches closed due to the Covid-19 pandemic seem set to be given this leave back.
Holiday measure
The Irish Nurses’ and Midwives’ Organisation told its members over the weekend that health service management had agreed, in principle, to the new measure, although the detail on how such a scheme would work in practice was still being worked out.
The number of workers who may benefit from the new initiative is not known, but some sources suggested it could potentially run into the thousands.
Separately, the travel “green list” will change from Monday.
The countries on the updated list are Cyprus, Latvia, Finland and Liechtenstein. Germany, Poland, Iceland and Lithuania are no longer on the list.


theirishtimes--2020-09-28--Garda firearms usage: Scant data and little public debate

“ The Garda Síochána will succeed not by force of arms or numbers , but on their moral authority as servants of the people.
” Those were the words spoken by Michael Staines , the first Garda commissioner , almost 100 years ago .
It was a sentiment Irish people , bruised by the Civil War , were proud of ; unlike the recently abolished RIC , the Garda would police by consent not coercion .
But the truth is a little more complicated .
According to Conor Brady , a historian of the Garda and a former Garda Ombudsman @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Irish Times editor , the original garda was a fully armed force .
But the then new government feared an insurrection from the police rank and file , which was mainly made up of former IRA men .
Many of these were resentful of the more senior jobs on the force going to old RIC men .
Rather than having an armed group of potential mutineers , a decision was made to disarm the nascent police force .
Staines ’ replacement as commissioner , Eoin O ’ Duffy , had to trick the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ He said we ’ re moving to a new training centre , we ’ re all going in lorries in the morning and your weapons will be taken separately , ” Brady says .
“ They never saw their weapons again.
” Rebranding this disarmament as a positive “ was a wonderful piece of spin , ” Brady says .
“ And it ’ s still doing the job today.
” Regardless of the reasons , setting up an unarmed force in the immediate aftermath of a civil war was an undeniable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of only 18 nations with an unarmed police force .
But the word “ unarmed ” has always hidden a great deal of nuance .
A massive expansion in the number of armed gardaí occurred at the start of the 1980s when a decision was made to arm all detectives .
Previously only Special Branch carried guns .
One of the catalysts for this was a bank robbery in Stillorgan , Dublin where unarmed detectives , on coming face-to-face with armed raiders , had to point their fingers at them in the hope @ @ @ @ @ @ @ holding pistols .
By the middle of the decade , some 30 per cent of gardaí had access to guns .
Much of this occurred under the direction of the deputy commissioner Joe Ainsworth .
Known as “ Two Gun Joe ” due to his habit of carrying a pistol in his holster and one on his ankle , Ainsworth was responsible for establishing the Garda ’ s first specialised firearms units – the precursors of today ’ s Emergency Response Unit ( ERU ) – and Armed Support Units ( ASU ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dropped following an internal review and , by 2004 , just 13 per cent were armed , with plans outlined to reduce this figure further .
However , as organised crime and subversive activity continued to pose a threat to the State , the number instead increased to almost record levels .
Figures revealed in The Irish Times show that by 2019 , 27 per cent of gardaí held firearms authorisation , many of whom held desk jobs and or had little dealings with violent crime .
This increase was driven by the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the appointment of increasing numbers of gardaí as detectives .
Since 2016 , the number of detectives has increased by 34 per cent , a figure which far outstrips the growth rate of the force in general .
Last year , another review was carried out and another process of disarmament was initiated .
This process is currently ongoing and , so far , about 1,000 firearm authorisations have been withdrawn .
The arming of more gardaí is typically welcomed by politicians and the public , often with little to no debate about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unarmed police force .
It is extremely difficult to get figures on garda firearm use .
“ The specific details of the number of firearm card holders is operationally sensitive and is not being disclosed for security reasons , ” was the reply from Garda headquarters to a query from this newspaper in May .
Freedom of Information ( FoI ) requests and even parliamentary questions from TDs usually get the same answer .
The Irish Times could only obtain figures on garda shootings from the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission ( Gsoc ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to report such incidents .
It is only recently that the Garda started publishing limited data on its use of force in its monthly reports to the Policing Authority .
The disarming programme currently underway will see less reliance on detectives to respond to incidents involving a threat to life , and more on regional ASUs .
These units are highly trained and , as well as modern guns , also have access to a wide range of other devices such as Tasers and stun grenades .
Such devices have become increasingly important @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gardaí face is arguably not bank robbers or gangland criminals but that posed by a severely mentally ill person brandishing a weapon while barricaded in a house .
The Garda deal with about 100 such incidents a year , most of which receive no public attention .
At the start of the 2010s , the number was about 50 a year .
In the past , such people might have been injured by a garda or member of the public before maybe being shot .
This was what happened to John Carthy in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Carthy , who was mentally ill , barricaded himself in a house for 25 hours before emerging carrying a shotgun .
He was shot dead by the ERU in circumstances which lead to several inquiries and reform of the way gardaí dealt with barricade incidents .
Today , barricade situations are more likely to end in arrest following the use of a stun grenade or a Taser .
Another device growing in popularity is the 40mm launcher , a weapon that fires a sponge-tipped projectile which compresses on impact .
Mobile phone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ man with an axe-like weapon shows its utility .
An ASU member fires the weapon at the man , while a colleague covers him with a pistol .
The suspect then drops the axe and tries to run past gardaí before being tackled and arrested .
Arming and training large numbers of gardaí is not cheap .
Figures obtained through FoI show that since 2016 , the force spent almost €1 million on travel and subsistence costs alone for gardaí undertaking firearms training .
Between 2016 and 2018 it spent more than €6 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ spent training is also time spent away from frontline policing .
Detectives have to complete three firearms training sessions a year to keep their qualifications .
In 2018 , the Garda Inspectorate found 63 per cent of all training in the Garda College was devoted to firearms , which it noted was “ exceptionally high for an unarmed police service ” .
A reduction in the number of armed members will also free-up space for more advanced tactical training for members who need to carry weapons , says Chief Superintendent Brian Sutton of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ STOC ) .
There will be four levels of firearms training under the new model , ranging from Level 1 basic training to Level 4 training for the elite ERU .
But the notion of a completely unarmed force except for specialist units is still some way off .
By now , the Garda was supposed to have almost 400 ASU members , based in 13 centres , which could provide 24/7 armed cover for the whole country .
But a pause in recruitment due to the coronavirus pandemic means this goal remains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ moment at least , there is still a need for some ordinary detectives to be armed .
Further disarming of the Garda is likely to face opposition from some gardaí themselves , especially those stationed in isolated regions or along the Border .
Gardaí , armed and unarmed , who spoke to The Irish Times , expressed discomfort about a wider programme of disarming detectives in light of the large number of illegal weapons on Irish streets .
Some also lamented the withdrawal of the Uzi submachine gun from detective units some years @ @ @ @ @ @ @ valued by gardaí as an extra level of protection and deterrence particularly in isolated Border areas .
For their part , civil liberties campaigners want to see more data on how and where armed force is used .
Doireann Ansbro , a senior policy officer with the Irish Council of Civil Liberties ( ICCL ) , says the number of gardaí carrying weapons is a source of concern for her organisation , as is the stationing of armed gardaí at Covid-19 checkpoints .
“ While this surprised many people , the presence of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feature of policing in inner-city Dublin and other areas for several years , ” she says .
“ While the use of firearms may be necessary in certain , limited police operations , there must be far greater transparency about those circumstances .
We also need further clarity about the extent to which firearms are currently used across Irish policing , the protocols and rules around their use and carriage , and how this has changed over time.
” Only then , she says , can Ireland have a true debate on what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ force .

Figures revealed in The Irish Times show that by 2019, 27 per cent of gardaí held firearms authorisation. Photograph: Colin Keegan/Collins Dublin
"The Garda Síochána will succeed not by force of arms or numbers, but on their moral authority as servants of the people."
Those were the words spoken by Michael Staines, the first Garda commissioner, almost 100 years ago. It was a sentiment Irish people, bruised by the Civil War, were proud of; unlike the recently abolished RIC, the Garda would police by consent not coercion. But the truth is a little more complicated.
According to Conor Brady, a historian of the Garda and a former Garda Ombudsman Commissioner, as well as a former Irish Times editor, the original garda was a fully armed force.
But the then new government feared an insurrection from the police rank and file, which was mainly made up of former IRA men. Many of these were resentful of the more senior jobs on the force going to old RIC men.
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Rather than having an armed group of potential mutineers, a decision was made to disarm the nascent police force.
Staines’ replacement as commissioner, Eoin O’Duffy, had to trick the gardaí into giving up their arms. “He said we’re moving to a new training centre, we’re all going in lorries in the morning and your weapons will be taken separately,” Brady says. “They never saw their weapons again.”
Rebranding this disarmament as a positive “was a wonderful piece of spin,” Brady says. “And it’s still doing the job today.”
Regardless of the reasons, setting up an unarmed force in the immediate aftermath of a civil war was an undeniable achievement. Today, Ireland remains one of only 18 nations with an unarmed police force.
Further disarming of the Garda is likely to face opposition from some gardaí themselves, especially those stationed in isolated regions or along the Border. Photograph: Cyril Byrne/The Irish Times
But the word “unarmed” has always hidden a great deal of nuance. A massive expansion in the number of armed gardaí occurred at the start of the 1980s when a decision was made to arm all detectives. Previously only Special Branch carried guns.
One of the catalysts for this was a bank robbery in Stillorgan, Dublin where unarmed detectives, on coming face-to-face with armed raiders, had to point their fingers at them in the hope that it would look like they were holding pistols.
By the middle of the decade, some 30 per cent of gardaí had access to guns. Much of this occurred under the direction of the deputy commissioner Joe Ainsworth. Known as "Two Gun Joe" due to his habit of carrying a pistol in his holster and one on his ankle, Ainsworth was responsible for establishing the Garda's first specialised firearms units – the precursors of today's Emergency Response Unit (ERU) – and Armed Support Units (ASU).
The number of armed members later dropped following an internal review and, by 2004, just 13 per cent were armed, with plans outlined to reduce this figure further.
Withdrawals
However, as organised crime and subversive activity continued to pose a threat to the State, the number instead increased to almost record levels. Figures revealed in The Irish Times show that by 2019, 27 per cent of gardaí held firearms authorisation, many of whom held desk jobs and or had little dealings with violent crime.
This increase was driven by the expansion of the ASUs as well as the appointment of increasing numbers of gardaí as detectives. Since 2016, the number of detectives has increased by 34 per cent, a figure which far outstrips the growth rate of the force in general.
Last year, another review was carried out and another process of disarmament was initiated. This process is currently ongoing and, so far, about 1,000 firearm authorisations have been withdrawn.
The arming of more gardaí is typically welcomed by politicians and the public, often with little to no debate about how that conflicts with having an ostensibly unarmed police force.
It is extremely difficult to get figures on garda firearm use. “The specific details of the number of firearm card holders is operationally sensitive and is not being disclosed for security reasons,” was the reply from Garda headquarters to a query from this newspaper in May. Freedom of Information (FoI) requests and even parliamentary questions from TDs usually get the same answer.
The Irish Times could only obtain figures on garda shootings from the Garda Síochána Ombudsman Commission (Gsoc), to whom the force is obliged to report such incidents. It is only recently that the Garda started publishing limited data on its use of force in its monthly reports to the Policing Authority.
Reform and inquiries
The disarming programme currently underway will see less reliance on detectives to respond to incidents involving a threat to life, and more on regional ASUs. These units are highly trained and, as well as modern guns, also have access to a wide range of other devices such as Tasers and stun grenades.
Such devices have become increasingly important in an Ireland where the main danger gardaí face is arguably not bank robbers or gangland criminals but that posed by a severely mentally ill person brandishing a weapon while barricaded in a house.
The Garda deal with about 100 such incidents a year, most of which receive no public attention. At the start of the 2010s, the number was about 50 a year.
In the past, such people might have been injured by a garda or member of the public before maybe being shot.
Arming and training large numbers of gardaí is not cheap. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA
This was what happened to John Carthy in Abbeylara, Co Longford in April 2000. Carthy, who was mentally ill, barricaded himself in a house for 25 hours before emerging carrying a shotgun. He was shot dead by the ERU in circumstances which lead to several inquiries and reform of the way gardaí dealt with barricade incidents.
Today, barricade situations are more likely to end in arrest following the use of a stun grenade or a Taser.
Another device growing in popularity is the 40mm launcher, a weapon that fires a sponge-tipped projectile which compresses on impact.
Mobile phone footage from a recent incident involving a man with an axe-like weapon shows its utility. An ASU member fires the weapon at the man, while a colleague covers him with a pistol.
The suspect then drops the axe and tries to run past gardaí before being tackled and arrested.
Costs
Arming and training large numbers of gardaí is not cheap. Figures obtained through FoI show that since 2016, the force spent almost €1 million on travel and subsistence costs alone for gardaí undertaking firearms training. Between 2016 and 2018 it spent more than €6 million on weapons and ammunition.
Time spent training is also time spent away from frontline policing. Detectives have to complete three firearms training sessions a year to keep their qualifications. In 2018, the Garda Inspectorate found 63 per cent of all training in the Garda College was devoted to firearms, which it noted was “exceptionally high for an unarmed police service”.
A reduction in the number of armed members will also free-up space for more advanced tactical training for members who need to carry weapons, says Chief Superintendent Brian Sutton of the Special Tactics and Operations Command (STOC). There will be four levels of firearms training under the new model, ranging from Level 1 basic training to Level 4 training for the elite ERU.
A member of the Garda Armed Support Unit, in Dublin. File photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill/The Irish Times
But the notion of a completely unarmed force except for specialist units is still some way off. By now, the Garda was supposed to have almost 400 ASU members, based in 13 centres, which could provide 24/7 armed cover for the whole country. But a pause in recruitment due to the coronavirus pandemic means this goal remains unmet.
This means, for the moment at least, there is still a need for some ordinary detectives to be armed.
Further disarming of the Garda is likely to face opposition from some gardaí themselves, especially those stationed in isolated regions or along the Border.
Gardaí, armed and unarmed, who spoke to The Irish Times, expressed discomfort about a wider programme of disarming detectives in light of the large number of illegal weapons on Irish streets. Some also lamented the withdrawal of the Uzi submachine gun from detective units some years ago. This imposing-looking automatic weapon was valued by gardaí as an extra level of protection and deterrence particularly in isolated Border areas.
For their part, civil liberties campaigners want to see more data on how and where armed force is used. Doireann Ansbro, a senior policy officer with the Irish Council of Civil Liberties (ICCL), says the number of gardaí carrying weapons is a source of concern for her organisation, as is the stationing of armed gardaí at Covid-19 checkpoints.
“While this surprised many people, the presence of guns at checkpoints has been a regular feature of policing in inner-city Dublin and other areas for several years,” she says.
“While the use of firearms may be necessary in certain, limited police operations, there must be far greater transparency about those circumstances. We also need further clarity about the extent to which firearms are currently used across Irish policing, the protocols and rules around their use and carriage, and how this has changed over time.”
Only then, she says, can Ireland have a true debate on what it means to have an unarmed police force.


theirishtimes--2020-09-28--Senior sources expect developments on Séamus Woulfe report this week

A second meeting between retired chief justice Susan Denham and Supreme Court judge Séamus Woulfe took place within the last week about her impending report into his attendance at the Oireachtas Golf Society dinner , it is understood .
A sense of expectation is mounting in legal circles about the much-anticipated report .
One of the issues being actively discussed is whether or not the report will be published , with sources pointing out that publication of what is a non-statutory review could , if aspects of the review are deemed unfavourable , potentially expose its author and/or others to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ such action is successful .
Ms Denham was asked by the Supreme Court itself to carry out the review and it does not have the status of a report of the Courts Service .
That means that if the report is published , and legal action is initiated , issues arise about who would be the respondent to any such proceedings , and whether the respondent would be indemnified and by whom .
It is believed a draft or drafts has been circulated to those involved .
That would accord with the usual @ @ @ @ @ @ @ involved are presented with a draft document and invited to make any comments or submissions before the document is finalised .
Such a practice is aimed at ensuring adherence to principles of fair procedures and natural and constitutional justice .
Senior sources expect developments in the matter this week for reasons including that the new law term formally opens next week when Mr Justice Woulfe , who was appointed to the court last July , is listed to sit next week for the first time as a Supreme Court judge .
The judge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Denham being asked to carry out the review and was accompanied by Michael Collins SC to an earlier meeting with Ms Denham .
Attended by more than 80 people , the golf dinner went ahead on August 19th despite Covid-19 public health guidelines placing limits on indoor gatherings .
Then minister for agriculture Dara Calleary resigned his position as a result of his attendance .
Phil Hogan later resigned his position as EU trade commissioner in the wake of the controversy .
Mr Justice Woulfe apologised for his attendance in a statement issued @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Denham ’ s review of his attendance has been framed by international guidelines on judicial conduct due to the absence of defined Irish rules on how judges should behave because the Judicial Council Act has yet to be fully commenced .
The judicial conduct committee , created in July , has 12 months to set guidelines .
The Act defines judicial misconduct as behaviour that departs from acknowledged standards of conduct requiring judges to uphold and exemplify judicial independence , integrity and propriety , or conduct that brings the administration of justice into @ @

Supreme Court judge Séamus Woulfe. Retired chief justice Susan Denham was asked to carry out a review into his attendance at the Oireachtas Golf Society dinner in Clifden. File photograph: Alan Betson
A second meeting between retired chief justice Susan Denham and Supreme Court judge Séamus Woulfe took place within the last week about her impending report into his attendance at the Oireachtas Golf Society dinner, it is understood.
A sense of expectation is mounting in legal circles about the much-anticipated report.
One of the issues being actively discussed is whether or not the report will be published, with sources pointing out that publication of what is a non-statutory review could, if aspects of the review are deemed unfavourable, potentially expose its author and/or others to legal action and associated costs if any such action is successful.
Ms Denham was asked by the Supreme Court itself to carry out the review and it does not have the status of a report of the Courts Service.
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That means that if the report is published, and legal action is initiated, issues arise about who would be the respondent to any such proceedings, and whether the respondent would be indemnified and by whom.
Former chief justice Susan Denham: asked to undertake a report on the attendance of Supreme Court judge Séamus Woulfe at the Clifden golf dinner. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill
It is believed a draft or drafts has been circulated to those involved.
Draft document
That would accord with the usual procedures concerning such documents in that those involved are presented with a draft document and invited to make any comments or submissions before the document is finalised. Such a practice is aimed at ensuring adherence to principles of fair procedures and natural and constitutional justice.
Senior sources expect developments in the matter this week for reasons including that the new law term formally opens next week when Mr Justice Woulfe, who was appointed to the court last July, is listed to sit next week for the first time as a Supreme Court judge.
The judge retained lawyers in the wake of Ms Denham being asked to carry out the review and was accompanied by Michael Collins SC to an earlier meeting with Ms Denham.
Attended by more than 80 people, the golf dinner went ahead on August 19th despite Covid-19 public health guidelines placing limits on indoor gatherings.
Then minister for agriculture Dara Calleary resigned his position as a result of his attendance. Phil Hogan later resigned his position as EU trade commissioner in the wake of the controversy.
Apologised
Mr Justice Woulfe apologised for his attendance in a statement issued in August.
It is believed Ms Denham’s review of his attendance has been framed by international guidelines on judicial conduct due to the absence of defined Irish rules on how judges should behave because the Judicial Council Act has yet to be fully commenced.
The judicial conduct committee, created in July, has 12 months to set guidelines.
The Act defines judicial misconduct as behaviour that departs from acknowledged standards of conduct requiring judges to uphold and exemplify judicial independence, integrity and propriety, or conduct that brings the administration of justice into disrepute.


theirishtimes--2020-09-28--Public transport needs €460m to keep running, Eamon Ryan warned

The Government will need to find €460 million in extra cash to keep public transport running until the end of the year , Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan has been warned .
A briefing document prepared for the Minister states that the financial impact of Covid-19 on passenger numbers has placed so much pressure on funding that the State ’ s 2020 allocation ran out in June .
Many routes operated by Bus Éireann , as well as Dublin Bus and train services run by Irish Rail , receive money from the State known as “ public service obligation ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that certain routes could not be operated commercially , and last year the State provided €287 million in such funding .
The National Transport Authority ( NTA ) has given new funding forecasts for transport to the Government , with recent estimates showing that €460 million extra will be needed for the rest of the year , in addition to the approximately €300 million already spent to date .
The coronavirus crisis delivered a “ profound and swift shock to the public transport sector ” , the document states .
“ Prior to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ passenger numbers fell by approximately 90 per cent of normal levels across all operators.
” The briefing note has also warned the Government does not know how much the State ’ s three planned “ mega-projects ” will cost , despite the fact work is already under way .
The National Development Plan , published in early 2018 , put aside €8.6 billion over 10 years for a number of projects and programmes including BusConnects , the Dart expansion and MetroLink .
However the initial financial estimates were “ based on very early-stage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by robust cost-estimation processes ” , Mr Ryan has been warned .
The briefing says that “ it is to be expected that costs estimated in the robust manner envisaged for these mega-projects will differ considerably from high-level , conceptual-level costings .
“ Since publication of the National Development Plan , work has continued on all three of the mega-projects ; however , the department has not yet received the preliminary business case in respect of any of the three mega-projects with BusConnects Dublin being the first of the projects expected to reach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Mr Ryan was also told of issues around potential backlogs at Dublin Port in the event of a no-deal Brexit , as land located around the port which was to be used for heavy goods vehicles ( HGVs ) to queue in is no longer available .
A traffic management group for Dublin Port was established to consider the potential knock-on impacts on the wider area and city traffic management of any potential disruption in a no-deal scenario .
“ The group had developed management and communication contingency plans for a no-deal Brexit @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sites as holding areas for HGVs should they have been required .
Two of the sites identified were available for a short period only in 2020 and will not be available for January 1st , 2021 .
The group is now seeking to identify potential alternative sites , ” the Minister was told by officials .
“ Work is continuing in Dublin and Rosslare Ports for the additional revenue , agriculture and health checks required from January 1st , 2021.
” In terms of overall progress on Brexit negotiations , officials said this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a number of Government departments were currently working on contingency plans in the event of a no-deal scenario .

The financial impact of Covid-19 on passenger numbers has placed so much pressure on funding that the State’s 2020 allocation ran out in June. Photograph: Paul Faith
The Government will need to find €460 million in extra cash to keep public transport running until the end of the year, Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan has been warned.
A briefing document prepared for the Minister states that the financial impact of Covid-19 on passenger numbers has placed so much pressure on funding that the State’s 2020 allocation ran out in June.
Many routes operated by Bus Éireann, as well as Dublin Bus and train services run by Irish Rail, receive money from the State known as “public service obligation” funding. This is on the basis that certain routes could not be operated commercially, and last year the State provided €287 million in such funding.
The National Transport Authority (NTA) has given new funding forecasts for transport to the Government, with recent estimates showing that €460 million extra will be needed for the rest of the year, in addition to the approximately €300 million already spent to date.
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The coronavirus crisis delivered a “profound and swift shock to the public transport sector”, the document states.
National Development Plan
“Prior to phase one [of reopening] daily passenger numbers fell by approximately 90 per cent of normal levels across all operators.”
The briefing note has also warned the Government does not know how much the State’s three planned “mega-projects” will cost, despite the fact work is already under way.
The National Development Plan, published in early 2018, put aside €8.6 billion over 10 years for a number of projects and programmes including BusConnects, the Dart expansion and MetroLink.
However the initial financial estimates were “based on very early-stage, conceptual-level estimations and were not underpinned by robust cost-estimation processes”, Mr Ryan has been warned.
The briefing says that “it is to be expected that costs estimated in the robust manner envisaged for these mega-projects will differ considerably from high-level, conceptual-level costings.
“Since publication of the National Development Plan, work has continued on all three of the mega-projects; however, the department has not yet received the preliminary business case in respect of any of the three mega-projects with BusConnects Dublin being the first of the projects expected to reach that stage later in the year.”
Port backlogs
Mr Ryan was also told of issues around potential backlogs at Dublin Port in the event of a no-deal Brexit, as land located around the port which was to be used for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) to queue in is no longer available.
A traffic management group for Dublin Port was established to consider the potential knock-on impacts on the wider area and city traffic management of any potential disruption in a no-deal scenario.
“The group had developed management and communication contingency plans for a no-deal Brexit in 2019, including a number of sites as holding areas for HGVs should they have been required. Two of the sites identified were available for a short period only in 2020 and will not be available for January 1st, 2021. The group is now seeking to identify potential alternative sites,” the Minister was told by officials.
“Work is continuing in Dublin and Rosslare Ports for the additional revenue, agriculture and health checks required from January 1st, 2021.”
In terms of overall progress on Brexit negotiations, officials said this had been “disappointing” and that a number of Government departments were currently working on contingency plans in the event of a no-deal scenario.