theirishtimes--2020-10-30--Teacher challenges Children’s Ombudsman inquiry into school’s handling of complaints

An assistant principal teacher is challenging an investigation by the Children ’ s Ombudsman into complaints about a second level school ’ s handling of bullying and other complaints from parents of a student .
The teacher claims there has been a failure by the Ombudsman to respond to requests for full information about the allegations and about whether the teacher could be the subject of the investigation and any possible adverse findings by it .
On Friday , Mr Justice Charles Meenan granted leave to bring a judicial review and an order staying investigation pending determination of the proceedings @ @ @ @ @ @ @ John Kennedy BL , for the teacher .
The judge said the stay will effectively stop the inquiry , due to start on Monday , but gave the Ombudsman liberty to apply with 48 hours notice to the court to lift or vary the stay .
Mr Kennedy told the judge it will be argued there is a separate process for investigating teachers under the Teaching Council Act and this process was therefore statutorily flawed .
If a report is prepared arising out of it , it could have grave consequences for his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what would be a flawed process , counsel said .
Mr Kennedy said despite requests to the defendant for full particulars of the complaint , only an extract of the complaint from the parents had been supplied .
These included a lack of child protection data in relation to the student at senior school management level and a failure to adequately address persistent bullying .
There were also allegations about the inadequacy of support for the student ’ s academic and physical difficulties as well as an alleged lack of pastoral care .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ head , claims in her proceedings the Ombudsman has acted contrary to fair procedures and natural justice in causing the investigation to proceed .
She also says the defendant has exceeded any powers under the Ombudsman for Children Act 2002 as to whether there was compliance with a mandatory requirement for a preliminary examination of the complaints .
Among the orders and declarations sought is an order that she be provided with a copy of the full complaint and a declaration that continuation of the investigation would be a breach of constitutional rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in December .

The judge said the stay will effectively stop the inquiry, due to start on Monday.
An assistant principal teacher is challenging an investigation by the Children’s Ombudsman into complaints about a second level school’s handling of bullying and other complaints from parents of a student.
The teacher claims there has been a failure by the Ombudsman to respond to requests for full information about the allegations and about whether the teacher could be the subject of the investigation and any possible adverse findings by it.
On Friday, Mr Justice Charles Meenan granted leave to bring a judicial review and an order staying investigation pending determination of the proceedings following a one-side only represented application by John Kennedy BL, for the teacher.
The judge said the stay will effectively stop the inquiry, due to start on Monday, but gave the Ombudsman liberty to apply with 48 hours notice to the court to lift or vary the stay.
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Mr Kennedy told the judge it will be argued there is a separate process for investigating teachers under the Teaching Council Act and this process was therefore statutorily flawed. If a report is prepared arising out of it, it could have grave consequences for his client's career arising out of what would be a flawed process, counsel said.
Mr Kennedy said despite requests to the defendant for full particulars of the complaint, only an extract of the complaint from the parents had been supplied.
These included a lack of child protection data in relation to the student at senior school management level and a failure to adequately address persistent bullying. There were also allegations about the inadequacy of support for the student’s academic and physical difficulties as well as an alleged lack of pastoral care.
The teacher, who is also year head, claims in her proceedings the Ombudsman has acted contrary to fair procedures and natural justice in causing the investigation to proceed.
She also says the defendant has exceeded any powers under the Ombudsman for Children Act 2002 as to whether there was compliance with a mandatory requirement for a preliminary examination of the complaints.
Among the orders and declarations sought is an order that she be provided with a copy of the full complaint and a declaration that continuation of the investigation would be a breach of constitutional rights.
The case comes back to court in December.


theirishtimes--2020-10-30--Woman jailed for tax fraud had claimed relief for IVF treatment she never had

A woman has been jailed for a rent relief fraud which has left her owing over €73,000 to Revenue .
Tracey McManus ( 47 ) submitted a claim for rent relief for an address she was not living in at the time during “ an orchestrated and premeditated campaign dedicated to her own enrichment ” , a court has heard .
She also submitted false receipts to Revenue for medical and dental treatments she had not in fact undergone .
McManus of Finglas Road , Finglas , Dublin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two sample counts of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was not entitled to on December 4th , 2009 and on February 9th , 2012 .
She also pleaded guilty to two sample counts of producing an incorrect receipt to Revenue on April 12th , 2012 .
She has no previous convictions .
Revenue Inspector Bernadette Dorigan told Fergal Foley BL , prosecuting , that McManus came to the attention of Revenue following a random spot check of another person with a connection to the accused .
Ms Dorigan said in 2012 McManus received tax relief following her submitting a claim based on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ revealed that these medical expenses were never incurred by McManus .
McManus submitted false receipts which showed her having paid €12,000 for IVF treatment and €4,700 for dental treatment .
It was later proved that she had not undergone either treatment .
She also submitted a claim for rent relief , falsely claiming that she had resided at an address between 2005 and 2008 .
She also submitted a legitimate claim for rent relief for 2009 when she was in fact living at the address .
McManus received a total excess payment from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and interest , McManus owes approximately €73,300 to the State .
Katherine McGillicuddy BL , defending , submitted that her client was in a “ borderline region ” of intellectual range .
She said her client suffered from “ paranoid ideation ” .
Counsel said “ there is no balance ” in her client ’ s bank account .
She said McManus had €100 in court and would undertake to make weekly repayments in the future .
Judge Elma Sheahan said it was “ ridiculous ” for McManus to come before the court @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 11 months ago .
She said that had McManus put away “ the cost of a cup of coffee ” every day , she would have now have a sum before the court .
The judge noted that the sum owed remains outstanding “ in its totality ” .
She described the accused ’ s offending as “ an orchestrated and premeditated campaign dedicated to her own enrichment ” .
She sentenced McManus to 18 months imprisonment , but suspended the final six months on strict conditions .

The judge described the accused’s offending as ‘an orchestrated and premeditated campaign dedicated to her own enrichment’.
A woman has been jailed for a rent relief fraud which has left her owing over €73,000 to Revenue.
Tracey McManus (47) submitted a claim for rent relief for an address she was not living in at the time during “an orchestrated and premeditated campaign dedicated to her own enrichment”, a court has heard.
She also submitted false receipts to Revenue for medical and dental treatments she had not in fact undergone.
McManus of Finglas Road, Finglas, Dublin pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to two sample counts of claiming relief from income tax which she was not entitled to on December 4th, 2009 and on February 9th, 2012.
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She also pleaded guilty to two sample counts of producing an incorrect receipt to Revenue on April 12th, 2012. She has no previous convictions.
Revenue Inspector Bernadette Dorigan told Fergal Foley BL, prosecuting, that McManus came to the attention of Revenue following a random spot check of another person with a connection to the accused.
Ms Dorigan said in 2012 McManus received tax relief following her submitting a claim based on medical expenses of over €5,000. Investigations revealed that these medical expenses were never incurred by McManus.
McManus submitted false receipts which showed her having paid €12,000 for IVF treatment and €4,700 for dental treatment. It was later proved that she had not undergone either treatment.
She also submitted a claim for rent relief, falsely claiming that she had resided at an address between 2005 and 2008. She also submitted a legitimate claim for rent relief for 2009 when she was in fact living at the address.
McManus received a total excess payment from Revenue of €7,432.27. Factoring in penalties and interest, McManus owes approximately €73,300 to the State.
Katherine McGillicuddy BL, defending, submitted that her client was in a “borderline region” of intellectual range. She said her client suffered from “paranoid ideation”.
Counsel said “there is no balance” in her client’s bank account. She said McManus had €100 in court and would undertake to make weekly repayments in the future.
Judge Elma Sheahan said it was "ridiculous" for McManus to come before the court with €100 when she had pleaded guilty 11 months ago. She said that had McManus put away "the cost of a cup of coffee" every day, she would have now have a sum before the court.
The judge noted that the sum owed remains outstanding “in its totality”. She described the accused’s offending as “an orchestrated and premeditated campaign dedicated to her own enrichment”.
She sentenced McManus to 18 months imprisonment, but suspended the final six months on strict conditions.


theirishtimes--2020-10-30--Surprised Donegal shopper discovers stowaway tarantula

A tarantula discovered in a bag of bananas in a Co Donegal shop is “ almost certainly ” a young male and not a pregnant female , according to the Irish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals ( ISPCA ) .
The stowaway was found in a bunch of wrapped bananas from central America at the local supermarket .
The ISPCA are not saying where exactly the bananas were purchased .
A spokeswoman said the venomous creature which can kill a human – but usually doesn ’ t – is now residing at the Donegal Animal Rehabilitation Centre near @ @ @ @ @ @ @ care assistant Leela Voss was among the first on the scene and is , fortunately , experienced in handling exotic animals .
Ms Voss assisted the shopper whom the ISPCA described as “ somewhat surprised ” at discovering the small tarantula .
The tarantula , later named Parker , was identified as a Mexican red rump .
It is is about four months old .
“ Once this little guy matures to adulthood , it can be determined whether it is actually a male or female , ” said an ISPCA spokeswoman .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ age and gender may be significant as female red-rump tarantulas tend to have 300 young at a time .
And they tend also to be fatherless as the mothers like to eat the fathers following sex .
While generally considered a docile species , the red-rump tarantula , when threatened , will defend itself with hairs located on its abdomen which some species can flick at an attacker using the hind legs .
If these hairs get on a human ’ s skin it can feel itchy like scratches from bits of fibreglass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hairs get into mucus membranes , especially the eyes , where serious damage can result .
A female tarantula can live 30 years or longer in the wild giving birth to tens of thousands of offspring.They hunt on their feet and don ’ t catch their prey through webs .
They eat a lot of insects but will hunt mice , frogs and even birds by paralysing their prey with venom .
They sneak up on small prey at night and pounce .
Parker ’ s family of red-rump tarantulas are quite famous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not considered dangerous to humans – unless an allergic shock occurs , which can be fatal .
ISPCA centre manager Denise McCausland said Parker was carefully captured and transferred in a secure box before being admitted and given a veterinary examination which confirmed he was dehydrated and lethargic after his travels .
After some water and mini-crickets to eat he began to perk up quickly , said the ISPCA .
Now already growing in size , he is continuously spinning elaborate webs all around his enclosure .
Ms McCausland said : “ Parker @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of hair is thickening well as he grows .
This is a vulnerable time for tarantulas as his new exoskeleton has to harden in the coming days and weeks so we are being extra careful .
Parker will be transferred to Alcorn ’ s Tropical World nearby where his permanent home awaits .
There Parker can live the solitary life he requires in a purpose built vivarium fit for a spider prince or princess .
”

Red-rump tarantulas are famous for their bite, but it is not considered dangerous to humans in general. Photograph: The Irish Times
A tarantula discovered in a bag of bananas in a Co Donegal shop is “almost certainly” a young male and not a pregnant female, according to the Irish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA).
The stowaway was found in a bunch of wrapped bananas from central America at the local supermarket.
The ISPCA are not saying where exactly the bananas were purchased. A spokeswoman said the venomous creature which can kill a human – but usually doesn’t – is now residing at the Donegal Animal Rehabilitation Centre near Ramelton.
According to the ISPCA, care assistant Leela Voss was among the first on the scene and is, fortunately, experienced in handling exotic animals. Ms Voss assisted the shopper whom the ISPCA described as “somewhat surprised” at discovering the small tarantula.
READ MORE
The tarantula, later named Parker, was identified as a Mexican red rump. It is is about four months old.
“Once this little guy matures to adulthood, it can be determined whether it is actually a male or female,” said an ISPCA spokeswoman.
The issue of the tarantula’s age and gender may be significant as female red-rump tarantulas tend to have 300 young at a time. And they tend also to be fatherless as the mothers like to eat the fathers following sex.
While generally considered a docile species, the red-rump tarantula, when threatened, will defend itself with hairs located on its abdomen which some species can flick at an attacker using the hind legs.
If these hairs get on a human’s skin it can feel itchy like scratches from bits of fibreglass. It becomes more serious if the hairs get into mucus membranes, especially the eyes, where serious damage can result.
A female tarantula can live 30 years or longer in the wild giving birth to tens of thousands of offspring.They hunt on their feet and don’t catch their prey through webs. They eat a lot of insects but will hunt mice, frogs and even birds by paralysing their prey with venom. They sneak up on small prey at night and pounce.
Parker’s family of red-rump tarantulas are quite famous for their bite, but it is not considered dangerous to humans – unless an allergic shock occurs, which can be fatal.
ISPCA centre manager Denise McCausland said Parker was carefully captured and transferred in a secure box before being admitted and given a veterinary examination which confirmed he was dehydrated and lethargic after his travels.
Spinning webs
After some water and mini-crickets to eat he began to perk up quickly, said the ISPCA.
Now already growing in size, he is continuously spinning elaborate webs all around his enclosure. Ms McCausland said: “Parker is thriving well, his previous fuzz of hair is thickening well as he grows. This is a vulnerable time for tarantulas as his new exoskeleton has to harden in the coming days and weeks so we are being extra careful. Parker will be transferred to Alcorn’s Tropical World nearby where his permanent home awaits. There Parker can live the solitary life he requires in a purpose built vivarium fit for a spider prince or princess.”


theirishtimes--2020-10-30--Fall in number of homeless overshadowed by recent deaths

The number of people homeless and requiring emergency accommodation has dropped nearly 17 per cent in a year , according to the latest figures from the Department of Housing .
In all , 8,656 people , including 2,583 children , were homeless and accessing emergency accommodation at the end of September , down 46 on the August figures and a fall from 10,397 people this time last year .
The numbers , however , came on a day when it emerged that a homeless Polish man in his 60s who had been sleeping rough had died in Wexford on Friday @ @ @ @ @ @ @ man ’ s body was found along the Newtown Road in Wexford at about 7.30am .
It remained until the afternoon , while examinations were underway .
The man ’ s death comes less than a week after the body of a 31-year-old woman was found in Clondalkin .
A day before , the body of a man in his 40s was found in Dublin ’ s city centre .
More than 50 homeless people have died so far this year .
Of the 8,656 people accessing emergency accommodation , 4,251 are in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 224 are in Limerick , 209 are in Galway , 136 are in Kildare and another 136 are in Meath , according to the the Monthly Homeless Report published on Saturday .
There were 1,128 families in emergency accommodation at the end of September , a slight rise from the 1,120 in August 2020 but a decrease from 1,756 in September of last year .
The vast majority of these families , which include 635 single-parent households , are in Dublin .
Nearly three-quarters of all those taking emergency accommodation beds are singles @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in emergency accommodation dropped from 2,620 in August to 2,583 at the end of September .
This is a 33 per cent fall on the 3,873 children recorded as homeless this time last year .
The September figures for children are the lowest since February 2017 .
In all , 1,350 adults and children exited homelessness during July , August and September .
Commending the Government for reintroducing the evictions ban , Focus Ireland director Pat Dennigan nevertheless called for a “ longer-term and more consistent ” action to restrict evictions .
Introducing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ situation was not enough to protect vulnerable households , said Mr Dennigan , who called for a “ broader eviction ban ” to prevent homeless services becoming stretched over the winter .
Acknowledging that the numbers have fallen , Dublin Simon Community director Sam McGuinness cautioned that the number of homeless single people had continued to rise .
Meanwhile , the Department of Housing acknowledged that the figures remain “ far too high ” , and noted , too , those who spend the longest periods in emergency accommodation have the fewest hopes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ local authorities and housing charities , the Minister for Housing , Darragh O ’ Brien , said extra State funding for homelessness services would help significantly more people .
In this year ’ s budget , €218 million has been put aside for homeless services , up from €196 million last year .
More help will be offered for rough sleepers and for more family hubs , he said .

Dublin Simon Community cautioned that while the number of families in emergency accommodation had dropped, the number of homeless single people had continued to rise. File photograph: The Irish Times
The number of people homeless and requiring emergency accommodation has dropped nearly 17 per cent in a year, according to the latest figures from the Department of Housing.
In all, 8,656 people, including 2,583 children, were homeless and accessing emergency accommodation at the end of September, down 46 on the August figures and a fall from 10,397 people this time last year.
The numbers, however, came on a day when it emerged that a homeless Polish man in his 60s who had been sleeping rough had died in Wexford on Friday morning.
Gardaí were alerted when the man’s body was found along the Newtown Road in Wexford at about 7.30am. It remained until the afternoon, while examinations were underway.
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The man's death comes less than a week after the body of a 31-year-old woman was found in Clondalkin. A day before, the body of a man in his 40s was found in Dublin's city centre. More than 50 homeless people have died so far this year.
Of the 8,656 people accessing emergency accommodation, 4,251 are in Dublin, 419 are in Cork, 224 are in Limerick, 209 are in Galway, 136 are in Kildare and another 136 are in Meath, according to the the Monthly Homeless Report published on Saturday.
What about families?
There were 1,128 families in emergency accommodation at the end of September, a slight rise from the 1,120 in August 2020 but a decrease from 1,756 in September of last year.
The vast majority of these families, which include 635 single-parent households, are in Dublin. Nearly three-quarters of all those taking emergency accommodation beds are singles.
The number of children or dependents in emergency accommodation dropped from 2,620 in August to 2,583 at the end of September. This is a 33 per cent fall on the 3,873 children recorded as homeless this time last year.
The September figures for children are the lowest since February 2017. In all, 1,350 adults and children exited homelessness during July, August and September.
Commending the Government for reintroducing the evictions ban, Focus Ireland director Pat Dennigan nevertheless called for a "longer-term and more consistent" action to restrict evictions.
Introducing a ban only in the most extreme situation was not enough to protect vulnerable households, said Mr Dennigan, who called for a “broader eviction ban” to prevent homeless services becoming stretched over the winter.
Acknowledging that the numbers have fallen, Dublin Simon Community director Sam McGuinness cautioned that the number of homeless single people had continued to rise.
Meanwhile, the Department of Housing acknowledged that the figures remain “far too high”, and noted, too, those who spend the longest periods in emergency accommodation have the fewest hopes of getting settled.
Paying tribute to local authorities and housing charities, the Minister for Housing, Darragh O'Brien, said extra State funding for homelessness services would help significantly more people.
In this year’s budget, €218 million has been put aside for homeless services, up from €196 million last year . More help will be offered for rough sleepers and for more family hubs, he said.


theirishtimes--2020-10-30--No obstacle to publication of Mother and Baby Homes report, says Taoiseach

There are no “ obstacles or barriers ” anticipated to publication of the report of the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation , which was handed over on Friday , the Taoiseach has said .
Speaking on Friday afternoon , Micheál Martin said “ Government is not anticipating obstacles or barriers to its release ” .
“ We ’ re not looking at this from the perspective of barriers to publication , rather , we ’ re looking at it from the perspective of enabling this to be published as soon as we possibly can , ” he said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would “ not be found wanting in terms of a comprehensive response ” .
Asked if he would consider a State apology , he said he was “ ruling nothing out at all ” .
The Taoiseach repeated that it was the Government ’ s intention to create an institution that would act as a repository for records related to mother-and-baby homes , Magdalene laundries and industrial schools .
“ The Government is committed to making such a centre a reality .
And that would obviously connect in with the national archives as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a very modern facility to enable people to access records , both on a personal level and also in terms of an academic perspective , ” and for the general public “ to have some sense of what happened in the various periods of the past in various centres and various institutions ” .
He said he had met on Friday morning with groups involved in the mother-and-baby homes issue to discuss matters related to access to records and the rights afforded under the General Data Protection Regulation ( GDPR ) , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Irish law in 2018 .
The discussion also focused , he said , on “ the legislative agenda that is required in terms of getting a statutory access to records for people generally ” .
“ We discussed at a preliminary level the nature of that legislation and the framework around that legislation.
” The commission ’ s report was received by Minister for Children Roderic O ’ Gorman on Friday , following more than 10 days ’ controversy over access to records .
The Government initially argued last week that access rights @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2004 Commissions of Investigations Act , under which the commission on mother-and-baby homes was set up .
However , this week the Government changed its policy on this .
Asked about legal advice given in the run-up to this policy change , a spokesman for Mr O ’ Gorman said the department engaged with the Attorney General ’ s office following receipt of the commission ’ s sixth interim report , which it received in February .
Contact was made with the Attorney General “ regarding significant issues the commission of investigation has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it had created in the course of its work ” , a spokesman for the Minister said .
“ This involved consideration of the 2004 Commissions of Investigation Act.
” It is understood that broad advice was provided by the Attorney General ’ s office in relation to the database and the non-disclosure of records , and that this was interpreted by departmental legal advisers as supporting a blanket ban .
On foot of that engagement , the department ’ s advice to the Minister was that “ access to the archive produced @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prohibited ” .
However , following contact from the Data Protection Commissioner on October 19th , the department sought further advice from the Attorney General ’ s office .
The Attorney General then provided oral advice at Cabinet , and subsequently gave written advice to the department , “ clarifying that the amended 2004 Act does not preclude the consideration of data requests by the department , which must respect the GDPR ” .

Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he had met on Friday morning with groups involved in the mother-and-baby homes issue. Photograph: Julien Behal/PA Wire
There are no “obstacles or barriers” anticipated to publication of the report of the Mother and Baby Homes Commission of Investigation, which was handed over on Friday, the Taoiseach has said.
Speaking on Friday afternoon, Micheál Martin said “Government is not anticipating obstacles or barriers to its release”.
“We’re not looking at this from the perspective of barriers to publication, rather, we’re looking at it from the perspective of enabling this to be published as soon as we possibly can,” he said.
Mr Martin also said the State would "not be found wanting in terms of a comprehensive response". Asked if he would consider a State apology, he said he was "ruling nothing out at all".
READ MORE
The Taoiseach repeated that it was the Government’s intention to create an institution that would act as a repository for records related to mother-and-baby homes, Magdalene laundries and industrial schools.
“The Government is committed to making such a centre a reality. And that would obviously connect in with the national archives as well, so that we’d have a very modern facility to enable people to access records, both on a personal level and also in terms of an academic perspective,” and for the general public “to have some sense of what happened in the various periods of the past in various centres and various institutions”.
He said he had met on Friday morning with groups involved in the mother-and-baby homes issue to discuss matters related to access to records and the rights afforded under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), powerful EU laws that were transposed into Irish law in 2018. The discussion also focused, he said, on "the legislative agenda that is required in terms of getting a statutory access to records for people generally".
“We discussed at a preliminary level the nature of that legislation and the framework around that legislation.”
The commission’s report was received by Minister for Children Roderic O’Gorman on Friday, following more than 10 days’ controversy over access to records. The Government initially argued last week that access rights under GDPR would be prohibited by the 2004 Commissions of Investigations Act, under which the commission on mother-and-baby homes was set up. However, this week the Government changed its policy on this.
Asked about legal advice given in the run-up to this policy change, a spokesman for Mr O’Gorman said the department engaged with the Attorney General’s office following receipt of the commission’s sixth interim report, which it received in February. Contact was made with the Attorney General “regarding significant issues the commission of investigation has raised regarding access to a valuable database it had created in the course of its work”, a spokesman for the Minister said.
“This involved consideration of the 2004 Commissions of Investigation Act.”
It is understood that broad advice was provided by the Attorney General’s office in relation to the database and the non-disclosure of records, and that this was interpreted by departmental legal advisers as supporting a blanket ban. On foot of that engagement, the department’s advice to the Minister was that “access to the archive produced by the commission through GDPR is expressly prohibited”.
However, following contact from the Data Protection Commissioner on October 19th, the department sought further advice from the Attorney General’s office.
The Attorney General then provided oral advice at Cabinet, and subsequently gave written advice to the department, “clarifying that the amended 2004 Act does not preclude the consideration of data requests by the department, which must respect the GDPR”.


theirishtimes--2020-10-30--Halloween 2020 activities: Camp at home, visit a fairy trail or view festivals online

For the children of Ireland , the coronavirus has been the Grinch that cancelled trick or treating this year .
When asked three weeks ago if trick-or-treating was feasible , chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said it couldn ’ t be “ a normal Halloween ” .
As a result of the pandemic , trick-or-treating has gone the way of many time-honoured activities which mark the seasons of the year .
As a result of the pandemic , trick-or-treating has gone the way of many time-honoured activities which mark the seasons of the year .
The topsy-turvy world we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people walking around with masks this weekend will be adults .
Minister for Justice Helen McEntee has told the children of Ireland that it is a “ very unique year ” which must be the euphemism of the century and that they can help save lives by staying indoors and abiding by Level 5 restrictions .
She appealed to young people not to light fireworks either as , inevitably , there will be accidents which will clog up emergency departments dealing with Covid-19 .
Nevertheless , families in Ireland have sought gamely to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their homes and gardens with skeletons , spider webs and bed sheets with eyes cut out of them .
Lighted pumpkins in doorways will ensure that the Met Éireann ’ s wind and rain warning will not be the only thing orange for Halloween .
Google is reporting a 400 per cent increase in searches for Halloween games to play at home .
The 11,000 members of Irish Girl Guides have prepared a Halloween Camp At Home with ideas for spooky games , crafts and activities .
Participants can make a blanket fort @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some cushions in the livingroom to make a makeshift shelter for the night .
An Enchanted Fairy Trail has been unveiled in Dublin ’ s Mountjoy Square Park as part of the Big Scream Halloween Community Festival which was launched in Dublin ’ s northeast inner city .
All the festivals taking place across Dublin from the Otherworld Festival in Ballymun , Fright Night in Finglas , Dockers and Demons in the city centre to the main Bram Stoker Festival , can be experienced online .
The Big Scream , an inner-city Dublin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ happening free-of-charge on Zoom ( bigscream.ie ) , while for bigger kids , Wicklow ’ s Historic Gaol at Kilmantin Hill is planning a number of virtual reality tours this year ( wicklowshistoricgaol.com ) .
Derry , which traditionally hosts one of the most dynamic Halloween festivals in the world , has moved it online to derryhalloween.com .
Even while festivities are cancelled at home , Tourism Ireland will be marketing the country abroad as the “ Home of Halloween ” .
Not only did the ancient Celts invent the festival of Samhain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The morning of Halloween will come in stormy and wet , but it should clear by the evening .
There will be a full moon at Halloween for the first time since 1955 .
It ’ s also the second full moon of the month , known as a blue moon .
The next blue moon at Halloween will not be for another 19 years , hence the origins of the phrase .

As a result of the pandemic, trick-or-treating has gone the way of many time-honoured activities which mark the seasons of the year. Photograph: iStock
When asked three weeks ago if trick-or-treating was feasible, chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said it couldn't be "a normal Halloween".
“We can’t have children and families moving from house to house in a way that normally happens at Halloween,” he said.
As a result of the pandemic, trick-or-treating has gone the way of many time-honoured activities which mark the seasons of the year.
Minister for Justice Helen McEntee has told the children of Ireland that it is a "very unique year" which must be the euphemism of the century and that they can help save lives by staying indoors and abiding by Level 5 restrictions.
READ MORE
She appealed to young people not to light fireworks either as, inevitably, there will be accidents which will clog up emergency departments dealing with Covid-19.
Nevertheless, families in Ireland have sought gamely to enter into the spirit of Halloween decorating their homes and gardens with skeletons, spider webs and bed sheets with eyes cut out of them.
Lighted pumpkins in doorways will ensure that the Met Éireann’s wind and rain warning will not be the only thing orange for Halloween.
Spooky
Google is reporting a 400 per cent increase in searches for Halloween games to play at home.
The 11,000 members of Irish Girl Guides have prepared a Halloween Camp At Home with ideas for spooky games, crafts and activities.
Participants can make a blanket fort under their kitchen table or pile up some cushions in the livingroom to make a makeshift shelter for the night.
An Enchanted Fairy Trail has been unveiled in Dublin's Mountjoy Square Park as part of the Big Scream Halloween Community Festival which was launched in Dublin's northeast inner city.
All the festivals taking place across Dublin from the Otherworld Festival in Ballymun, Fright Night in Finglas, Dockers and Demons in the city centre to the main Bram Stoker Festival, can be experienced online.
The Big Scream, an inner-city Dublin celebration of Bram Stoker, will be happening free-of-charge on Zoom (bigscream.ie), while for bigger kids, Wicklow's Historic Gaol at Kilmantin Hill is planning a number of virtual reality tours this year (wicklowshistoricgaol.com).
Derry, which traditionally hosts one of the most dynamic Halloween festivals in the world, has moved it online to derryhalloween.com.
Even while festivities are cancelled at home, Tourism Ireland will be marketing the country abroad as the "Home of Halloween". Not only did the ancient Celts invent the festival of Samhain, but Bram Stoker wrote Dracula.
The morning of Halloween will come in stormy and wet, but it should clear by the evening. There will be a full moon at Halloween for the first time since 1955. It’s also the second full moon of the month, known as a blue moon. The next blue moon at Halloween will not be for another 19 years, hence the origins of the phrase.


theirishtimes--2020-10-31--Data Commissioner faces large costs bill in ‘most unusual’ Facebook case

The Data Protection Commissioner has been ordered to pay the bulk of the substantial costs of long running litigation in the State and in Europe concerning the validity of decisions approving EU-US data transfer channels used by Facebook Ireland for data transfers to its US parent .
Ms Justice Caroline Costello noted the Court of Justice of the EU , in its judgment last July on matters referred to it by the High Court on the application of the DPC , upheld data rights and privacy activist Max Schrems ’ reasons for opposing that reference .
For those and other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ grave injustice ” not to award him his full costs , against the DPC , of the litigation before the Irish courts and the CJEU , she said .
The Commissioner and Facebook are each liable for their own costs of the litigation , she ruled .
She was “ acutely aware ” her decision would place a very heavy financial burden on the DPC who brought the proceedings in fulfilment of her obligations under EU and national law .
Despite the fact the DPC acted entirely correctly , her office must @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this application , the judge said .
This was an “ unavoidable incident ” of her role and the outcome ought not to impact on the future functioning of the DPC ’ s office .
The judge made the orders in a judgment on Friday on costs issues arising from the Commissioner ’ s litigation , the ultimate aim of which was to secure a reference to the CJEU to decide issues concerning the validity of EC decisions approving Facebook ’ s use of data transfer channels known as Standard Contractual Clauses ( @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DPC initiated her litigation , Mr Schrems had taken proceedings against her office over the failure to determine his complaint , initially made in 2013 and reformulated in 2015 , that the transfers breached his data privacy rights .
He argued there was no need for a reference to the CJEU , insisting there was sufficient information before the Commissioner for her to decide his complaint without any reference .
In her High Court judgment on the Commissioner ’ s proceedings in October 2017 , Ms Justice Costello agreed to make a reference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the CJEU found there are insufficient protections against snooping by US intelligence agencies and the EU ’ s data protection authorities should vet the sending of any new data to ensure people ’ s personal information remains protected according to the EU ’ s data protection regime , the GDPR .
At a hearing earlier this month concerning liability for costs of the proceedings , the Commissioner sought her costs against Facebook Ireland while Mr Schrems sought his costs against the Commissioner .
Facebook did not seek any order for costs in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or Mr Schrems , but opposed any costs orders being made against it .
In a detailed judgment , the judge concluded the DPC should pay the bulk of the costs of this “ most unusual ” case .
The normal costs order is that costs follow the “ event ” - outcome - and the judge disagreed with the DPC the obtaining of a reference was the “ event ” .
She accepted Mr Schrems arguments he was successful before the CJEU on each of the points in the case where his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ DPC and must therefore be regarded as successful on the event .
She rejected arguments the Commissioner was entitled to an “ order over ” against Facebook Ireland concerning Mr Schrems costs .
While the DPC argued the essential dispute was between Facebook and Mr Schrems , the DPC brought the proceedings seeking a reference to the CJEU on the basis they were necessary for her to progress her investigation into Mr Schrems ’ complaint and can not therefore be regarded as “ a mediator with no independent role in this drama ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mandated by EU law and can not avoid the implications of that role by saying the dispute was between the data subject and data processor , she said .
While the DPC ’ s lawyers described Facebook ’ s approach to the litigation as “ warfare ” , its case was not of a kind to justify an award of costs in favour of the DPC against Facebook , she held .
However , Facebook should bear the costs incurred by the DPC and Mr Schrems of three days of a four day @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was issued on the DPC ’ s proceedings , she said .
Those three days centred on a bid by Facebook to correct alleged “ errors ” in her judgment , which she rejected .

Judge says the office of the Data Protection Commissioner Helen Dixon must bear the majority of the costs of the application in this case. Photograph: Cyril Byrne/The Irish Times
The Data Protection Commissioner has been ordered to pay the bulk of the substantial costs of long running litigation in the State and in Europe concerning the validity of decisions approving EU-US data transfer channels used by Facebook Ireland for data transfers to its US parent.
Ms Justice Caroline Costello noted the Court of Justice of the EU, in its judgment last July on matters referred to it by the High Court on the application of the DPC, upheld data rights and privacy activist Max Schrems’ reasons for opposing that reference.
For those and other reasons, it would amount to a “grave injustice” not to award him his full costs, against the DPC, of the litigation before the Irish courts and the CJEU, she said.
The Commissioner and Facebook are each liable for their own costs of the litigation, she ruled.
READ MORE
She was “acutely aware” her decision would place a very heavy financial burden on the DPC who brought the proceedings in fulfilment of her obligations under EU and national law.
Despite the fact the DPC acted entirely correctly, her office must bear the majority of the costs of this application, the judge said. This was an “unavoidable incident” of her role and the outcome ought not to impact on the future functioning of the DPC’s office.
The judge made the orders in a judgment on Friday on costs issues arising from the Commissioner’s litigation, the ultimate aim of which was to secure a reference to the CJEU to decide issues concerning the validity of EC decisions approving Facebook’s use of data transfer channels known as Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs).
Several years before the DPC initiated her litigation, Mr Schrems had taken proceedings against her office over the failure to determine his complaint, initially made in 2013 and reformulated in 2015, that the transfers breached his data privacy rights.
He argued there was no need for a reference to the CJEU, insisting there was sufficient information before the Commissioner for her to decide his complaint without any reference.
CJEU
In her High Court judgment on the Commissioner’s proceedings in October 2017, Ms Justice Costello agreed to make a reference to the CJEU.
In July 2020, the CJEU found there are insufficient protections against snooping by US intelligence agencies and the EU’s data protection authorities should vet the sending of any new data to ensure people’s personal information remains protected according to the EU’s data protection regime, the GDPR.
At a hearing earlier this month concerning liability for costs of the proceedings, the Commissioner sought her costs against Facebook Ireland while Mr Schrems sought his costs against the Commissioner.
Facebook did not seek any order for costs in its favour, either against the Commissioner or Mr Schrems, but opposed any costs orders being made against it.
In a detailed judgment, the judge concluded the DPC should pay the bulk of the costs of this “most unusual” case.
The normal costs order is that costs follow the “event” - outcome - and the judge disagreed with the DPC the obtaining of a reference was the “event”.
She accepted Mr Schrems arguments he was successful before the CJEU on each of the points in the case where his position was different to that of the DPC and must therefore be regarded as successful on the event.
She rejected arguments the Commissioner was entitled to an “order over” against Facebook Ireland concerning Mr Schrems costs.
While the DPC argued the essential dispute was between Facebook and Mr Schrems, the DPC brought the proceedings seeking a reference to the CJEU on the basis they were necessary for her to progress her investigation into Mr Schrems’ complaint and cannot therefore be regarded as “a mediator with no independent role in this drama”.
The Commissioner has an essential function mandated by EU law and cannot avoid the implications of that role by saying the dispute was between the data subject and data processor, she said.
While the DPC’s lawyers described Facebook’s approach to the litigation as “warfare”, its case was not of a kind to justify an award of costs in favour of the DPC against Facebook, she held.
However, Facebook should bear the costs incurred by the DPC and Mr Schrems of three days of a four day hearing after the court’s judgment was issued on the DPC’s proceedings, she said. Those three days centred on a bid by Facebook to correct alleged “errors” in her judgment, which she rejected.


theirishtimes--2020-10-31--Storm Aiden: Power outages reported as weather warnings come into effect

Two weather warnings are in effect after more than 2,600 people were left without power following the arrival of Storm Aiden .
A status orange wind warning for Donegal , Galway , Mayo , Sligo and Clare came into effect at 8am and is valid until 4pm .
A second warning - status yellow - covers the whole country between 2am and 4pm .
Met Éireann warned of winds with an average speed of 50-65km/h nationwide and 65 to 80km/h in areas covered by the orange alert .
“ Severe and damaging ” gusts of 100-130km/h were forecast and there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by high seas and onshore winds .
In total , 2,647 ESB customers were without power on Saturday morning , according to PowerCheck , an ESB website that monitors electrical faults .
A spokesman for ESB network told The Irish Times that the worst-hit area was in Wicklow , where about 1,250 people are affected by a fault in Ballybeg , followed by Waterford , where 696 homes and businesses have been affected by a fault in Tramore .
Seventy-seven customers in Carrigaline in south Cork lost power when a supply line came @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in mid-Cork also lost power at about 6.30am when a fallen tree brought down a supply line .
In Co Tipperary , more than 70 customers near Thurles were left without power when a supply line was brought down just before 2am while ESB Networks repair crews are also working to restore power to 34 customers in Foynes in west Limerick .
The number of faults reported on Saturday morning would be on a smaller scale of outage events , the spokesman said .
The level of outages would be typical of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ routine ” .
The spokesman said crews will be on standby for Saturday morning and afternoon and that ESB will continue to monitor the situation .
Meanwhile , Cork City Council had issued a warning that there may be tidal surges in low lying city centre area , with motorists advised not to leave their cars parked around Morrison ’ s Island and Fr Mathew Quay areas .
But both areas , along with others surrounding the south channel of the Lee , escaped flooding overnight .
Cork County Council issued a warning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ stay away from shorelines while they also confirmed that the Dursey Cable Car linking Dursey Island to the Beara Peninsula would not operate due to high winds associated with Storm Aiden .
AA Roadwatch has advised motorists to expect wind-blown debris on roads on Saturday .
“ Give extra space to vulnerable road users - pedestrians , cyclists and motorcyclists – who are more likely to be blown off-course , ” it advised .

There is a risk of coastal flooding, according to Met Éireann. File photograph: Nick Bradshaw
Power has now been restored to the majority of homes that suffered interruption in supply following high winds from Storm Aiden on Saturday.
A weather warning in place for Donegal, Galway, and Mayo has been extended until 6am on Sunday, with winds to reach gust speeds of up to 100km/h. The status yellow weather warning said winds will be strongest along coastal areas.
Met Éireann previously had a more severe status orange warning along the western seaboard, and a nationwide status yellow warning, in place until 4pm.
During the height of Storm Aiden Met Éireann had warned of “severe and damaging” wind gusts of 100-130km/h, adding there was a risk of coastal flooding caused by high seas and onshore winds.
READ MORE
There were less than 1,000 ESB customers without power at 5pm on Saturday, down from 8,000 who had lost power as a result of the high winds.
The majority of homes still without power were located in Co Donegal, with crews expected to fix these remaining faults by Saturday evening.
While power cuts were reported in varying numbers countrywide, the northwest was worst hit by the storm.
A spokesman for ESB Networks told The Irish Times that two areas in Co Donegal – the Gweedore area and Donegal town – had accounted for the majority of the faults, with 2,332 and 2,022 customers affected in those areas respectively.
The majority of those faults had been repaired by ESB crews, with only small numbers still without power by 4pm on Saturday, the spokesman said.
“Overall the damage has been relatively limited and we expect to have all customers back this evening,” he said.
Several other clusters of faults have been reported across the country, including in Longford, Galway, Clare, Wicklow and Mayo.
The number of power cuts is comparable to a busy autumn day, the ESB spokesman said, adding that Saturday’s damage fell short of being an “emergency” situation.
Meanwhile, Cork City Council had issued a warning that there may be tidal surges in low lying city centre areas, with motorists advised not to leave their cars parked around Morrison’s Island and Fr Mathew Quay locales.
But both areas, along with others surrounding the south channel of the Lee, escaped flooding overnight.
Cork County Council issued a warning to people living in coastal areas to stay away from shorelines while they also confirmed that the Dursey Cable Car linking Dursey Island to the Beara Peninsula would not operate due to high winds associated with Storm Aiden.
AA Roadwatch has advised motorists to expect wind-blown debris on roads on Saturday. “Give extra space to vulnerable road users - pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists – who are more likely to be blown off-course,” it advised.


theirishtimes--2020-10-31--Drugs worth almost €270,000 seized in Ballymun

Crack cocaine and Diazepam tablets worth €269,000 and more than €16,000 in cash have been seized following a search of @ @ @ @ @ Friday .
Gardai said during the search €14,000 worth of crack cocaine , approximately €255,000 @ @ @ @ @ €16,400 in cash , and three mobile phones were seized .
The search took place @ @ @ @ @ of Ballymun .
A man in his late 30s and is being questioned at Ballymun @ @ @

A man in his 30s is being question in connection with the drug seizure in Dublin yesterday.
Crack cocaine and Diazepam tablets worth €269,000 and more than €16,000 in cash have been seized following a search of a house in Ballymun on Friday.
Gardai said during the search €14,000 worth of crack cocaine, approximately €255,000 worth of Diazepam tablets, €16,400 in cash, and three mobile phones were seized.
The search took place in the Santry Cross area of Ballymun. A man in his late 30s and is being questioned at Ballymun Garda station.


theirishtimes--2020-10-31--Thinking Anew: Evoking all the saints known and unknown

Known unto God is a phrase engraved on the gravestones of over 200,000 soldiers who died in the two world wars and who were never identified .
The words were suggested by Rudyard Kipling who worked for the UK War Graves commission .
He may have been influenced by the loss of his only son John in the 1915 Battle of Loos .
He was reported missing presumed killed in action but not identified .
As time passed these nameless soldiers were forgotten but not by those they left behind .
We get a sense of their grief from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ empty tomb on the first Easter morning : “ They have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid him.
” There are people among us who silently grieve today for loved ones who have been “ taken away ” and live with the awful emptiness of not knowing .
All Souls ’ Day ( Monday ) is a reminder that their precious ones are not forgotten ; they too are known unto God .
A reading for tomorrow , All Saints ’ Day , from the Book of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ court – “ a great multitude that no one could count , from every nation , from all tribes and peoples and languages , standing before the throne and before the Lamb , robed in white , with palm branches in their hands.
” That vision inspired the well-known African American spiritual When the Saints Go Marching In , which before it became a jazz classic was a Christian hymn written in the early 1900s .
The art historian , Neil MacGregor , points out that it is not just about the next @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saints is of course a song of the Last Judgment , of the end of time , when sun and moon shall cease to shine , and a new world of justice and love will begin .
But it is also very much a song of this world , of now , and it ’ s no surprise that it was popular with civil rights marchers of the 1960s , for it ’ s a hymn of hope , a song of community , social and spiritual , that promises a glorious togetherness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ find our place.
” St Paul uses the word saint as a form of address in his writings .
To the Romans he writes : “ To all God ’ s beloved in Rome , called to be saints ” and to the Philippians : “ To all the saints in Christ Jesus .
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” Clearly , he is speaking of people who are alive and active in the church and wider society .
This reminds us that saints are here and now people but who , as Archbishop Michael Ramsey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not being virtuous : the Pharisees were pretty virtuous , and they and their virtues needed conversion .
It is not doing good that makes a saint : he often does do good , but so do many people whom you would never call saints .
It is not the practice of religion which makes a saint .
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our religion , like every part of us , needs converting .
No , the saint is one who has a strange nearness to God and makes God real and near to other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Saints ’ Day , which is part of the Sermon on the Mount , describes what nearness to God looks like : “ Blessed are the poor in spirit , for theirs is the kingdom of heaven .
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Blessed are the meek .
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Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness… Blessed are the merciful .
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Blessed are the peacemakers .
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Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness ’ sake , for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
” The saints live and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ recognised and honoured within their own traditions when they die but the list is surely incomplete because many go unrecognised or are considered unfit by man .
Ralph Vaughan Williams who composed the music for one of the great hymns for All Saints ’ Day , ( For all the saints ) , named the tune Sine Nomine – meaning without a name – his tribute to the saints unknown to man but who forever are known unto God .

Known unto God is a phrase engraved on the gravestones of over 200,000 soldiers who died in the two world wars and who were never identified. The words were suggested by Rudyard Kipling (above) who worked for the UK War Graves commission. Photograph: Keystone View Company/FPG/Archive Photos/Getty Images
Known unto God is a phrase engraved on the gravestones of over 200,000 soldiers who died in the two world wars and who were never identified. The words were suggested by Rudyard Kipling who worked for the UK War Graves commission. He may have been influenced by the loss of his only son John in the 1915 Battle of Loos. He was reported missing presumed killed in action but not identified.
As time passed these nameless soldiers were forgotten but not by those they left behind. We get a sense of their grief from the distress of the women who discovered the empty tomb on the first Easter morning: “They have taken away my Lord and I know not where they have laid him.” There are people among us who silently grieve today for loved ones who have been “taken away” and live with the awful emptiness of not knowing. All Souls’ Day (Monday) is a reminder that their precious ones are not forgotten; they too are known unto God.
A reading for tomorrow, All Saints’ Day, from the Book of Revelation gives a picture of the heavenly court – “a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands.”
That vision inspired the well-known African American spiritual When the Saints Go Marching In, which before it became a jazz classic was a Christian hymn written in the early 1900s. The art historian, Neil MacGregor, points out that it is not just about the next life: “Oh, When the Saints is of course a song of the Last Judgment, of the end of time, when sun and moon shall cease to shine, and a new world of justice and love will begin. But it is also very much a song of this world, of now, and it’s no surprise that it was popular with civil rights marchers of the 1960s, for it’s a hymn of hope, a song of community, social and spiritual, that promises a glorious togetherness, in which we all hope to find our place.”
READ MORE
St Paul uses the word saint as a form of address in his writings. To the Romans he writes: “To all God’s beloved in Rome, called to be saints” and to the Philippians: “To all the saints in Christ Jesus . . .” Clearly, he is speaking of people who are alive and active in the church and wider society. This reminds us that saints are here and now people but who, as Archbishop Michael Ramsey suggests, special: “It is not being virtuous: the Pharisees were pretty virtuous, and they and their virtues needed conversion. It is not doing good that makes a saint: he often does do good, but so do many people whom you would never call saints. It is not the practice of religion which makes a saint . . . our religion, like every part of us, needs converting. No, the saint is one who has a strange nearness to God and makes God real and near to other people.”
The gospel reading for All Saints’ Day, which is part of the Sermon on the Mount, describes what nearness to God looks like: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven . . . Blessed are the meek . . . Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness… Blessed are the merciful . . . Blessed are the peacemakers . . . Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”
The saints live and walk among us. Some are formally recognised and honoured within their own traditions when they die but the list is surely incomplete because many go unrecognised or are considered unfit by man. Ralph Vaughan Williams who composed the music for one of the great hymns for All Saints’ Day, (For all the saints), named the tune Sine Nomine – meaning without a name – his tribute to the saints unknown to man but who forever are known unto God.
GORDON LINNEY


theirishtimes--2020-10-31--Another Life: Poets bring me to places I cannot now go

Cocooned amid flurries of wind-torn leaves , I can lift mine eyes unto the Mayo hills and bend my gaze across the sea to Connemara .
And now , thanks to two poets with new books , I have been taken on some marvellous excursions .
In north Mayo , Sean Lysaght has already brought landscape and wildlife alive in accomplished poems and a saga of hilltops that once sheltered golden eagles .
Now , in Wild Nephin ( Stonechat Editions ) , he confirms his role as gifted chronicler , bard and Sherpa of the new wilderness in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Nephin hills prompted Robert Lloyd Praeger , Lysaght ’ s hero , to praise a landscape “ frightening in its isolation ” but exalting to the soul .
He did not seek the cultural resonance devoted to it here .
Lysaght , fluent in Irish , values its names for every twist and hillock of the land and for its generous fabric of folklore .
Along with his journeys in the natural world , he restores a rich local history to this bleakly depopulated corner of Connacht .
His series of walks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each intensely topographical , their textures , sights and sounds minutely observed and felt .
One shares the sogginess of marsh , the floundering through heather , the occasional need to curse a “ bitch of a ground ” .
But there ’ s also the lift of the summit and a share in the “ rush of air in ravens ’ wings ” .
This intimate experience of landscape is expressed on a par with writers such as Tim Robinson and Robert McFarlane .
It comes enriched by excursions with falconers and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to count their sea trout .
Meanwhile , his passion for birds brings his first Mayo sight of a golden eagle and a quest for nesting greenshanks ( “ They are there , for those determined to find them ” ) .
Lysaght ’ s mapping of Wild Nephin spreads widely through north Mayo , from the wind turbine bogs of Bellacorick to the Clew Bay shore near Mulranny where he camped among the sanderling .
But the heart of this territory is the Nephin Beg range of mountains and its adjacent conifer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wilderness ” area reserved for natural regeneration , biodiversity and “ primitive recreation ” .
It is modelled on existing American projects and Lysaght notes the “ clashing recognitions ” at the edge of the Nephin forest .
“ This scene , ” he writes , “ of mountain and conifer , is like an American image and appeals to that part of our imagination that has been shaped by the cinematic wild west of north America and the frontier of the Rocky Mountains.
” The whole idea of “ rewilding ” a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prompted controversy .
Lysaght , however , is ready to be excited .
Given the patterns and symbols familiar from Ireland ’ s natural world , Wild Nephin could , he thinks , offer “ a frontier for fresh meanings ” .
The other poet to lift me away from the acre has a second home across the bay on the Renvyle peninsula of Connemara .
This , as it happens , is where I spent a sabbatical winter more than half a century ago while deciding to make Ireland my first home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and wildlife in the lee of Tully mountain , he thus revives many snapshots from that first , eager sojourn .
Grennan , a Dubliner , was also swapping cultures when , graduating from University College Dublin ( where he met Derek Mahon and Eavan Boland ) , he went on to earn a PhD at Harvard .
The US absorbed him as a professor of English at Vassar College until 2004 , when retirement eased his commuting from Poughkeepsie , New York , to his cottage among the fuchsia and stone walls @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Press ) is his 11th collection , adding prizes along the way .
The title is an inspired choice for poems which aim , as Grennan has said , “ to marry speech patterns to musical language ” .
They are not what one may visually expect , each a straight-edged block of text of perhaps a couple of hundred words .
Many flow from start to end with only a final full stop .
Does this make them poems or compellingly poetic prose , its swinging rhythms hinged on colons and semi-colons @ @ @ @ @ @ @ marvellously , as buoyantly persuasive as Robert Frost or James Joyce .
Many share encounters with animals and birds , but quoting from them is like snatching bars out of music .
“ Knacky keen and swift was the flighty hare that flitted almost up to me in Fogarty ’ s near field ” begins one breathless event .
In another , Grennan wonders what to sing to seals , “ those three pitch-eyed salt-slick hound-heads gazing unblinkingly back at me ” .
Wrens and jackdaws , cows and horses ; each meeting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more deeply into “ one life , quick-snatched as it ’ s passing and in vain snatched at ” .

Cocooned amid flurries of wind-torn leaves, I can lift mine eyes unto the Mayo hills and bend my gaze across the sea to Connemara. And now, thanks to two poets with new books, I have been taken on some marvellous excursions .
In north Mayo, Sean Lysaght has already brought landscape and wildlife alive in accomplished poems and a saga of hilltops that once sheltered golden eagles. Now, in Wild Nephin (Stonechat Editions), he confirms his role as gifted chronicler, bard and Sherpa of the new wilderness in the making.
The awesome spatial volumes of the Nephin hills prompted Robert Lloyd Praeger, Lysaght's hero, to praise a landscape "frightening in its isolation" but exalting to the soul. He did not seek the cultural resonance devoted to it here. Lysaght, fluent in Irish, values its names for every twist and hillock of the land and for its generous fabric of folklore. Along with his journeys in the natural world, he restores a rich local history to this bleakly depopulated corner of Connacht.
They are not what one may visually expect, each a straight-edged block of text of perhaps a couple of hundred words
His series of walks, in autumn and winter, are each intensely topographical, their textures, sights and sounds minutely observed and felt. One shares the sogginess of marsh, the floundering through heather, the occasional need to curse a “bitch of a ground”. But there’s also the lift of the summit and a share in the “rush of air in ravens’ wings”.
READ MORE
This intimate experience of landscape is expressed on a par with writers such as Tim Robinson and Robert McFarlane. It comes enriched by excursions with falconers and hunters and his own nights lamping streams to count their sea trout. Meanwhile, his passion for birds brings his first Mayo sight of a golden eagle and a quest for nesting greenshanks (“They are there, for those determined to find them”).
Lysaght’s mapping of Wild Nephin spreads widely through north Mayo, from the wind turbine bogs of Bellacorick to the Clew Bay shore near Mulranny where he camped among the sanderling. But the heart of this territory is the Nephin Beg range of mountains and its adjacent conifer plantations, officially marked as a “wilderness” area reserved for natural regeneration, biodiversity and “primitive recreation”.
It is modelled on existing American projects and Lysaght notes the “clashing recognitions” at the edge of the Nephin forest. “This scene,” he writes, “of mountain and conifer, is like an American image and appeals to that part of our imagination that has been shaped by the cinematic wild west of north America and the frontier of the Rocky Mountains.”
The whole idea of “rewilding” a forest of redundant, alien conifers has prompted controversy. Lysaght, however, is ready to be excited. Given the patterns and symbols familiar from Ireland’s natural world, Wild Nephin could, he thinks, offer “a frontier for fresh meanings”.
Poetic prose
The other poet to lift me away from the acre has a second home across the bay on the Renvyle peninsula of Connemara. This, as it happens, is where I spent a sabbatical winter more than half a century ago while deciding to make Ireland my first home. When Eamon Grennan writes of landscape and wildlife in the lee of Tully mountain, he thus revives many snapshots from that first, eager sojourn.
Grennan, a Dubliner, was also swapping cultures when, graduating from University College Dublin (where he met Derek Mahon and Eavan Boland), he went on to earn a PhD at Harvard. The US absorbed him as a professor of English at Vassar College until 2004, when retirement eased his commuting from Poughkeepsie, New York, to his cottage among the fuchsia and stone walls under Tully hill.
Plainchant (Gallery Press) is his 11th collection, adding prizes along the way. The title is an inspired choice for poems which aim, as Grennan has said, “to marry speech patterns to musical language”.
They are not what one may visually expect, each a straight-edged block of text of perhaps a couple of hundred words. Many flow from start to end with only a final full stop. Does this make them poems or compellingly poetic prose, its swinging rhythms hinged on colons and semi-colons?
Whatever they are, they work marvellously, as buoyantly persuasive as Robert Frost or James Joyce. Many share encounters with animals and birds, but quoting from them is like snatching bars out of music.
“Knacky keen and swift was the flighty hare that flitted almost up to me in Fogarty’s near field” begins one breathless event. In another, Grennan wonders what to sing to seals, “those three pitch-eyed salt-slick hound-heads gazing unblinkingly back at me”.
Wrens and jackdaws, cows and horses; each meeting with a fellow creature seeks to reach more deeply into “one life, quick-snatched as it’s passing and in vain snatched at”.


theirishtimes--2020-10-31--What is this strange fungus in my garden? Readers’s nature queries

The attached photo is of some strange fungus , which appeared in the garden earlier this month .
Is it Myriostoma coliform ?
Linda Wall , Mornington Rd , Dublin 6 No , it is the earthstar , Geastrum triplex , of the same group of fungi .
While working in my garden I spotted the thinnest worm I have ever seen .
It was about 15cm in length .
Tom Mulqueen , Knockfin , Co Mayo It ’ s a horsehair worm , probably the thunder worm , Mermis nigrescens , which comes out after rain but lives in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my garden was quite unafraid and making chittering and chirping noises .
I understand there have ben no sightings of black squirrels in Ireland .
Mary Finn , Greystones , Co Wicklow I have found no reports of black squirrels in Ireland , though they are found in Britain .
They are grey squirrels with a faulty pigment gene .
I recently came across an unusual isopod parasite on a mackerel caught in Galway Bay .
About 2cms long , it belongs to the same isopod group as the woodlouse , and was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Centre in Southampton as Nerocila orbignyi .
Biologists would be interested in getting more reports of it .
Dr David McGrath , GMIT , Galway We watched this 2m-long common dolphin swim directly towards the shore at Ballycotton .
As it reached the slipway it turned east and swam very close to the shore for about 100m before a wave just washed it ashore .
By the time we got to it about five minutes later , as far as we could see it was dead .
Sean Fleming , Ballycotton , Co @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Dunlaughin beach , Ballyconneelly on October 18th .
Amazing colour ; can you identify it ?
Ann Keogh , Oughterard , Co Galway It needs a close-up to identify the species , but stranding of red seaweed is unusual ; more usual are the brown kelps and wracks .
Ethna Viney welcomes observations and photographs at Thallabawn , Louisburgh , Co Mayo , F28 F978 , or by email at viney @ anu.ie .
Include a postal address , please .

The attached photo is of some strange fungus, which appeared in the garden earlier this month. Is it Myriostoma coliform?
Linda Wall, Mornington Rd, Dublin 6
No, it is the earthstar, Geastrum triplex, of the same group of fungi.
While working in my garden I spotted the thinnest worm I have ever seen. It was about 15cm in length.
Tom Mulqueen, Knockfin, Co Mayo
It's a horsehair worm, probably the thunder worm, Mermis nigrescens, which comes out after rain but lives in the soil.
squirrel
This black squirrel in my garden was quite unafraid and making chittering and chirping noises. I understand there have ben no sightings of black squirrels in Ireland.
Mary Finn, Greystones, Co Wicklow
I have found no reports of black squirrels in Ireland, though they are found in Britain. They are grey squirrels with a faulty pigment gene.
I recently came across an unusual isopod parasite on a mackerel caught in Galway Bay. About 2cms long, it belongs to the same isopod group as the woodlouse, and was identified by a biologist at the Oceanography Centre in Southampton as Nerocila orbignyi. Biologists would be interested in getting more reports of it.
Dr David McGrath, GMIT, Galway
READ MORE
Dolphin
We watched this 2m-long common dolphin swim directly towards the shore at Ballycotton. As it reached the slipway it turned east and swam very close to the shore for about 100m before a wave just washed it ashore. By the time we got to it about five minutes later, as far as we could see it was dead.
Sean Fleming, Ballycotton, Co Cork
red seaweed
This seaweed covered one whole section of Dunlaughin beach, Ballyconneelly on October 18th. Amazing colour; can you identify it?
Ann Keogh, Oughterard, Co Galway
It needs a close-up to identify the species, but stranding of red seaweed is unusual; more usual are the brown kelps and wracks.
[ viney@anu.ie. ]


theirishtimes--2020-10-31--Gardaí believe men in Cork murder-suicide chose to let woman survive

Gardaí investigating a murder-suicide which left three members of the same family dead in a row over inheritance believe the killers deliberately chose to allow the woman at the centre of the row to survive the tragedy .
Gardaí believe following postmortems on the bodies of Tadg O ’ Sullivan ( 59 ) and his sons , Mark ( 26 ) and Diarmuid ( 23 ) , and preliminary ballistic tests that Mr O ’ Sullivan snr and Diarmuid shot Mark in his bedroom in their family farmhouse at Raheen , Kanturk at around 6.40am on Monday .
The postmortem @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Bolster confirmed that Mark O ’ Sullivan was shot seven times , and gardaí believe both Mr O ’ Sullivan snr and Diarmuid shot him using two .22 rifles which were legally held .
It is understood that Mr O ’ Sullivan ’ s wife , Ann , who had planned to leave at least some of the 115-acre farm to Mark , heard a commotion around 6.30am and had emerged into a hallway and saw her husband and younger son fire from the doorway into the bedroom where Mark was sleeping .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ up from the bunk bed after the first shot but then slumped on the floor when he was hit by a further six shots from the rifles , one of which was a semi-automatic weapon and the other a bolt-action rifle .
Ms O ’ Sullivan fled the scene in her nightdress , taking her mobile phone with her , but Mr O ’ Sullivan snr and Diarmuid caught up with her in the farmyard and took the phone from her , smashing it with a sledgehammer before confronting her about the row @ @ @ @ @ @ @ one of the two said to her , “ I hope you think the land is worth it now , ” before saying they planned to take their own lives and would be found near a fairy fort on the farm .
Ms O ’ Sullivan , who had been discharged from hospital just two weeks earlier after surgery for a serious medical condition , struggled to make her way in the darkness to a neighbouring farm sometime after 7am to raise the alarm , saying her husband and Diarmuid had shot Mark @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , arriving at the farmhouse , where Ms O ’ Sullivan was being comforted , they learned that two further shots had been heard around 7.10am and , unsure of the situation , held back and formed a cordon a safe distance from the O ’ Sullivan family farm .
Uniformed and armed detectives from the Cork North Division maintained a cordon at the holding at Raheen until an on-scene commander arrived from Cork City Division to take over the operation and they were joined at around 9am by members of the Armed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Gardaí also set up an outer cordon preventing any traffic from travelling towards the O ’ Sullivan farm as gardaí at the inner cordon were joined by a trained negotiator who attempted to engage with any person who might be in the house .
Gardaí at the inner cordon were later joined by further ASU teams from Limerick , Waterford and Claremorris in Co Mayo and by members of the Emergency Response Unit ( ERU ) from Dublin who have a higher level of training to deal with siege and hostage situations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were aware of reports that Mr O ’ Sullivan and Diarmuid had stated they intended to kill themselves but they felt they could not take the risk of entering the house as they were not sure if one or more people were being held hostage by one or two gunmen .
They also decided to hold their position in the cordon to avoid a possible shoot-out with the armed man or men and it was only after the trained negotiator got no response after five hours of attempting to engage with anyone in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to enter the property .
Armed members of the ERU , equipped with bulletproof shields , forced their way in through the front door at around 1pm , supported by armed members of the regional armed support unit , and they discovered the body of Mark O ’ Sullivan in his bedroom .
Mark O ’ Sullivan was pronounced dead at the scene .
Gardaí could find no sign of Mr O ’ Sullivan snr and Diarmuid O ’ Sullivan , but the Garda Air Support Unit helicopter spotted two bodies lying by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the house at around 1.40pm and members of the ERU and ASU made their way to the scene .
There they found the bodies of Mr O ’ Sullivan snr and Diarmuid O ’ Sullivan , each with a single gunshot wound to the head , while beside them they found the two rifles and also a 12-page apparent suicide letter written by Diarmuid , strapped to his thigh with clingfilm .
The suicide note , which was written prior the two men shooting Mark O ’ Sullivan , indicated that the two @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some time when Ms O ’ Sullivan and Mark had been in Dublin while she was undergoing surgery for a serious medical condition .
Gardaí are satisfied from the postmortems on Mr O ’ Sullivan snr and Diarmuid carried out by Dr Bolster that each man took his own life , and they believe the suicides had been pre-planned .
If you are affected by any issue in this article , please contact Pieta House on 1800 247 247 or the Samaritans by telephoning 116 123 ( free ) or by emailing jo @ @

The funeral of Tadg O’Sullivan and son Diarmuid was held in Castlemagner, Co Cork on Friday. Photograph: Michael Mac Sweeney/Provision
Gardaí investigating a murder-suicide which left three members of the same family dead in a row over inheritance believe the killers deliberately chose to allow the woman at the centre of the row to survive the tragedy.
Gardaí believe following postmortems on the bodies of Tadg O'Sullivan (59) and his sons, Mark (26) and Diarmuid (23), and preliminary ballistic tests that Mr O'Sullivan snr and Diarmuid shot Mark in his bedroom in their family farmhouse at Raheen, Kanturk at around 6.40am on Monday.
The postmortem examination by Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margot Bolster confirmed that Mark O'Sullivan was shot seven times, and gardaí believe both Mr O'Sullivan snr and Diarmuid shot him using two .22 rifles which were legally held.
It is understood that Mr O’Sullivan’s wife, Ann, who had planned to leave at least some of the 115-acre farm to Mark, heard a commotion around 6.30am and had emerged into a hallway and saw her husband and younger son fire from the doorway into the bedroom where Mark was sleeping.
READ MORE
It is believed Mark tried to get up from the bunk bed after the first shot but then slumped on the floor when he was hit by a further six shots from the rifles, one of which was a semi-automatic weapon and the other a bolt-action rifle.
Ms O’Sullivan fled the scene in her nightdress, taking her mobile phone with her, but Mr O’Sullivan snr and Diarmuid caught up with her in the farmyard and took the phone from her, smashing it with a sledgehammer before confronting her about the row over the inheritance.
It is understood one of the two said to her, “I hope you think the land is worth it now,” before saying they planned to take their own lives and would be found near a fairy fort on the farm.
Neighbouring farm
Ms O’Sullivan, who had been discharged from hospital just two weeks earlier after surgery for a serious medical condition, struggled to make her way in the darkness to a neighbouring farm sometime after 7am to raise the alarm, saying her husband and Diarmuid had shot Mark.
Gardaí from Kanturk responded quickly but, arriving at the farmhouse, where Ms O’Sullivan was being comforted, they learned that two further shots had been heard around 7.10am and, unsure of the situation, held back and formed a cordon a safe distance from the O’Sullivan family farm.
Uniformed and armed detectives from the Cork North Division maintained a cordon at the holding at Raheen until an on-scene commander arrived from Cork City Division to take over the operation and they were joined at around 9am by members of the Armed Support Unit (ASU) from Cork.
Gardaí also set up an outer cordon preventing any traffic from travelling towards the O’Sullivan farm as gardaí at the inner cordon were joined by a trained negotiator who attempted to engage with any person who might be in the house.
Gardaí at the inner cordon were later joined by further ASU teams from Limerick, Waterford and Claremorris in Co Mayo and by members of the Emergency Response Unit (ERU) from Dublin who have a higher level of training to deal with siege and hostage situations.
According to Garda sources, gardaí were aware of reports that Mr O’Sullivan and Diarmuid had stated they intended to kill themselves but they felt they could not take the risk of entering the house as they were not sure if one or more people were being held hostage by one or two gunmen.
Negotiators
They also decided to hold their position in the cordon to avoid a possible shoot-out with the armed man or men and it was only after the trained negotiator got no response after five hours of attempting to engage with anyone in the house that they made the decision to enter the property.
Armed members of the ERU, equipped with bulletproof shields, forced their way in through the front door at around 1pm, supported by armed members of the regional armed support unit, and they discovered the body of Mark O’Sullivan in his bedroom.
Mark O’Sullivan was pronounced dead at the scene.
Gardaí could find no sign of Mr O'Sullivan snr and Diarmuid O'Sullivan, but the Garda Air Support Unit helicopter spotted two bodies lying by a fairy fort some four fields from the house at around 1.40pm and members of the ERU and ASU made their way to the scene.
There they found the bodies of Mr O’Sullivan snr and Diarmuid O’Sullivan, each with a single gunshot wound to the head, while beside them they found the two rifles and also a 12-page apparent suicide letter written by Diarmuid, strapped to his thigh with clingfilm.
The suicide note, which was written prior the two men shooting Mark O’Sullivan, indicated that the two men had been planning the killing for some time when Ms O’Sullivan and Mark had been in Dublin while she was undergoing surgery for a serious medical condition.
Gardaí are satisfied from the postmortems on Mr O’Sullivan snr and Diarmuid carried out by Dr Bolster that each man took his own life, and they believe the suicides had been pre-planned.
If you are affected by any issue in this article, please contact Pieta House on 1800 247 247 or the Samaritans by telephoning 116 123 (free) or by emailing jo@samaritans.ie


theirishtimes--2020-10-31--Coronavirus: Ban on household visits credited with slowing spread in Republic

Ireland is beginning to suppress the spread of coronavirus , the Government ’ s public health advisers said last night , after latest figures confirmed a downward trend in infections .
While the National Public Health Emergency Team warned against complacency , it confirmed the tide appears to have turned after months of growth in the spread of the virus .
“ This is the first time in three months that I ’ ve been able to report positive indications that we are starting to suppress transmission of the virus , ” Prof Philip Nolan said at a press conference @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When we achieve this sort of suppression , the important thing is to make it last , ” he said .
The Department of Health reported 772 new cases of the disease and six deaths on Friday .
There have now been a total of 61,059 cases of the disease diagnosed in the State , and 1,908 deaths linked to the virus .
The North ’ s Department of Health recorded nine more deaths and 566 new cases .
Several senior Government figures pointed out the stabilisation and reduction in the number of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ including the ban on home visits – introduced before the lockdown .
Prof Nolan confirmed this view , saying that the reversal currently being seen in the growth of the virus was down to the introduction of a ban on households mixing , rather than the Level 3 restrictions that were in place beforehand , or the Level 5 restrictions introduced on October 21st .
The effect of Level 5 will not be reflected in the number of cases being diagnosed for another week or so , he said .
Once those measures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ we ’ ll have a much clearer picture of are we on track to be where we need to be at the end of the six-week period ” .
Weekly public opinion research conducted for the Department of Health also shows that there has been a sharp change in public attitudes in the past fortnight .
Two weeks ago almost half ( 49 per cent ) of all adults said that they believed the worst of the crisis was still ahead of us , but since then there has been a sharp @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now just over a third ( 34 per cent ) hold this view .
At the same time the number of people who believe the worst of the virus is “ happening now ” has risen from 35 per cent to 43 per cent .
The numbers of those who say the worst is behind us has risen in the same period from 8 to 12 per cent .
Several other indicators in the research also suggest growing levels of optimism among the public .
Attention is now turning within Government to how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lockdown , scheduled for the start of December .
Though one Minister privately suggested that the falling case numbers could mean an earlier end of the restrictions , a number of senior sources rejected this idea .
However , Ministers and public health officials are likely to grapple in the coming weeks with planning an exit strategy that will prevent a sudden resurgence in virus numbers , officials said .
While Taoiseach Micheál Martin declined this week to give travel advice , three senior sources said yesterday they believe it is very unlikely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be lifted over the Christmas period .
One source said that while decisions had not been made , it was expected the travel advice would be “ not to fly into Ireland ” .

Ireland is beginning to suppress the spread of coronavirus, the Government’s public health advisers have said. Video: RTÉ
Ireland is beginning to suppress the spread of coronavirus, the Government’s public health advisers said last night, after latest figures confirmed a downward trend in infections.
While the National Public Health Emergency Team warned against complacency, it confirmed the tide appears to have turned after months of growth in the spread of the virus.
"This is the first time in three months that I've been able to report positive indications that we are starting to suppress transmission of the virus," Prof Philip Nolan said at a press conference in the Department of Health.
Hospital Report
“When we achieve this sort of suppression, the important thing is to make it last,” he said.
READ MORE
Deaths
The Department of Health reported 772 new cases of the disease and six deaths on Friday. There have now been a total of 61,059 cases of the disease diagnosed in the State, and 1,908 deaths linked to the virus.
The North’s Department of Health recorded nine more deaths and 566 new cases.
Several senior Government figures pointed out the stabilisation and reduction in the number of daily cases stems from the restrictions – including the ban on home visits – introduced before the lockdown. Prof Nolan confirmed this view, saying that the reversal currently being seen in the growth of the virus was down to the introduction of a ban on households mixing, rather than the Level 3 restrictions that were in place beforehand, or the Level 5 restrictions introduced on October 21st.
The effect of Level 5 will not be reflected in the number of cases being diagnosed for another week or so, he said. Once those measures are reflected in the case numbers, “we’ll have a much clearer picture of are we on track to be where we need to be at the end of the six-week period”.
Weekly public opinion research conducted for the Department of Health also shows that there has been a sharp change in public attitudes in the past fortnight. Two weeks ago almost half (49 per cent) of all adults said that they believed the worst of the crisis was still ahead of us, but since then there has been a sharp drop in this pessimistic view, and now just over a third (34 per cent) hold this view.
Public optimism
At the same time the number of people who believe the worst of the virus is “happening now” has risen from 35 per cent to 43 per cent. The numbers of those who say the worst is behind us has risen in the same period from 8 to 12 per cent.
Several other indicators in the research also suggest growing levels of optimism among the public.
Attention is now turning within Government to how it should manage the exit from the lockdown, scheduled for the start of December. Though one Minister privately suggested that the falling case numbers could mean an earlier end of the restrictions, a number of senior sources rejected this idea.
However, Ministers and public health officials are likely to grapple in the coming weeks with planning an exit strategy that will prevent a sudden resurgence in virus numbers, officials said.
While Taoiseach Micheál Martin declined this week to give travel advice, three senior sources said yesterday they believe it is very unlikely that quarantine requirements on international travellers will be lifted over the Christmas period. One source said that while decisions had not been made, it was expected the travel advice would be “not to fly into Ireland”.