theirishtimes--2020-05-19--Menthol cigarettes to be banned in Ireland from Wednesday

The sale of menthol cigarettes is being banned across the European Union from Wednesday .
The measure was first introduced into the 2014 EU tobacco products directive .
From 2016 EU member states were given four years to allow smokers to switch from menthol cigarettes to other products or to quit altogether .
The prohibition is contained in the EU ( Manufacture , Presentation and Sale of Tobacco and Related Products ) regulations 2016 made which comes into effect on Thursday .
The purpose of the ban is to ensure that cigarette and tobacco products for sale can no longer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ palatable or make it easier for someone to start smoking by masking the taste of tobacco .
The ban has been welcomed by the Minister for Health Simon Harris who said the pleasant taste of menthol masks the true taste of tobacco “ and might attract first time smokers or keep people smoking who might wish to quit ” .
Mr Harris referenced a report published by the World Health Organisation last week which showed that smokers are more likely to develop severe symptoms with Covid-19 compared to non-smokers .
“ It also @ @ @ @ @ @ @ factor for non-communicable diseases and these conditions increase the risk of developing severe illness when affected by Covid-10 .
I urge everyone who is thinking about quitting to contact the HSE Quit service for support.
” The Irish Heart Foundation also welcomed the ban on menthol flavoured cigarettes and tobacco .
Its medical director Dr Angie Brown said the ban would contribute to reducing adolescents smoking levels in Ireland .
“ There has been good research which demonstrates that young people are often introduced to smoking with menthol cigarettes as they find them @ @ @ @ @ @ @ due to the menthol and therefore more palatable .
Unfortunately , that is a way they get introduced to regular smoking .
“ There is also evidence that if you smoke menthol cigarettes it ’ s actually harder to quit so they are possibly even more addictive.
” She added “ the cigarette companies have consistently targeted women with these products so we strongly feel that they should be banned and welcome the Government ’ s decision to do so ” .
The national smokers ’ quitline can be reached at 1800 201 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on giving up .
Menthol cigarettes will also be banned from Wednesday in the UK though the country has now left the EU .

The sale of menthol cigarettes is being banned across the European Union from Wednesday.
The measure was first introduced into the 2014 EU tobacco products directive.
From 2016 EU member states were given four years to allow smokers to switch from menthol cigarettes to other products or to quit altogether.
The prohibition is contained in the EU (Manufacture, Presentation and Sale of Tobacco and Related Products) regulations 2016 made which comes into effect on Thursday.
READ MORE
The purpose of the ban is to ensure that cigarette and tobacco products for sale can no longer include ingredients that would make smoking more palatable or make it easier for someone to start smoking by masking the taste of tobacco.
The ban has been welcomed by the Minister for Health Simon Harris who said the pleasant taste of menthol masks the true taste of tobacco "and might attract first time smokers or keep people smoking who might wish to quit".
Mr Harris referenced a report published by the World Health Organisation last week which showed that smokers are more likely to develop severe symptoms with Covid-19 compared to non-smokers.
“It also warned that tobacco is a major risk factor for non-communicable diseases and these conditions increase the risk of developing severe illness when affected by Covid-10. I urge everyone who is thinking about quitting to contact the HSE Quit service for support.”
The Irish Heart Foundation also welcomed the ban on menthol flavoured cigarettes and tobacco.
Its medical director Dr Angie Brown said the ban would contribute to reducing adolescents smoking levels in Ireland. “There has been good research which demonstrates that young people are often introduced to smoking with menthol cigarettes as they find them less harsh and irritative to the throat due to the menthol and therefore more palatable. Unfortunately, that is a way they get introduced to regular smoking.
“There is also evidence that if you smoke menthol cigarettes it’s actually harder to quit so they are possibly even more addictive.”
She added “the cigarette companies have consistently targeted women with these products so we strongly feel that they should be banned and welcome the Government’s decision to do so”.
The national smokers’ quitline can be reached at 1800 201 203 or www.quit.ie for help and advice on giving up.
Menthol cigarettes will also be banned from Wednesday in the UK though the country has now left the EU.


theirishtimes--2020-05-19--Man fined €500 for illegal dumping in Cork cemetery

A judge has strongly criticised the dumping of litter in one of Cork ’ s main cemeteries as he fined a man €500 after he pleaded guilty to leaving bags of rubbish at the graveyard .
Judge Olann Kelleher said people with relatives buried in St Michael ’ s Cemetery in Mahon would have been highly distressed if they turned up to discover litter strewn over the graves of their loved ones .
“ Imagine if the litter ends up scattered around in the cemetery and the distress caused to people going to the graves of loved ones - it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Judge Kelleher after hearing evidence in the case of Michael Keenan ( 36 ) .
Keenan of St Michael ’ s Close , Mahon pleaded guilty at Cork District Court today to depositing 30 large black bags of household waste so as to create litter in a public place at St Michael ’ s Cemetery in Mahon on May 23rd , 2019 .
Garda Paul Lynch , who investigated the case , told the court that he was on patrol on the night of May 23rd last year when he saw a van @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at 11.20pm .
“ Michael Keenan was unloading black refuse bags of rubbish .
When asked what was he doing he said , ‘ Nothing ’ .
30 or 40 bags had been dropped in the skip in the cemetery .
“ His name was on rubbish in bags found in the skip .
The bags contained household rubbish and the like , ” said Garda Lynch , adding that the pedestrian entrance to the cemetery was open 24 hours a day .
Keenan ’ s solicitor , Donal Daly said that while @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he stressed that the bags were put into a skip in the graveyard .
“ They were not thrown around the road or anything like that , ” he said .
Mr Daly said that while the charge referred to 30 black refuse bags of rubbish , Keenan believed that he had only put six or seven bags in the skip and that the other bags must have been put there by others .
Sgt Gearóid Davis said that Keenan had 72 previous convictions , including for assaults and public order offences @ @ @ @ @ @ @ anything similar to the littering matter .
Mr Daly told Judge Kelleher that Keenan was under considerable stress at the time due to one of his children being seriously ill and Judge Kelleher sympathised with him but said he could not dispose of rubbish in this way .

Judge Olann Kelleher said people with relatives buried in St Michael’s Cemetery in Mahon would have been highly distressed if they turned up to discover litter strewn over the graves of their loved ones. Stock photograph: iStock
A judge has strongly criticised the dumping of litter in one of Cork's main cemeteries as he fined a man €500 after he pleaded guilty to leaving bags of rubbish at the graveyard.
Judge Olann Kelleher said people with relatives buried in St Michael's Cemetery in Mahon would have been highly distressed if they turned up to discover litter strewn over the graves of their loved ones.
"Imagine if the litter ends up scattered around in the cemetery and the distress caused to people going to the graves of loved ones - it's not fair," said Judge Kelleher after hearing evidence in the case of Michael Keenan (36).
Keenan of St Michael’s Close, Mahon pleaded guilty at Cork District Court today to depositing 30 large black bags of household waste so as to create litter in a public place at St Michael’s Cemetery in Mahon on May 23rd, 2019.
READ MORE
Garda Paul Lynch, who investigated the case, told the court that he was on patrol on the night of May 23rd last year when he saw a van belonging to the accused outside the cemetery at 11.20pm.
“Michael Keenan was unloading black refuse bags of rubbish. When asked what was he doing he said, ‘Nothing’. 30 or 40 bags had been dropped in the skip in the cemetery.
“His name was on rubbish in bags found in the skip. The bags contained household rubbish and the like,” said Garda Lynch, adding that the pedestrian entrance to the cemetery was open 24 hours a day.
Put into skip
Keenan's solicitor, Donal Daly said that while client was pleading guilty to the offence, he stressed that the bags were put into a skip in the graveyard. "They were not thrown around the road or anything like that," he said.
Mr Daly said that while the charge referred to 30 black refuse bags of rubbish, Keenan believed that he had only put six or seven bags in the skip and that the other bags must have been put there by others.
Sgt Gearóid Davis said that Keenan had 72 previous convictions, including for assaults and public order offences but he had no previous convictions for anything similar to the littering matter.
Mr Daly told Judge Kelleher that Keenan was under considerable stress at the time due to one of his children being seriously ill and Judge Kelleher sympathised with him but said he could not dispose of rubbish in this way.


theirishtimes--2020-05-19--New Covid safety measures could increase cost of National Children’s Hospital by 40%

The cost of building complex projects such as the National Children ’ s Hospital could increase by up to 40 per cent as a result of new safety measures being introduced on construction sites , the Oireachtas committee on Covid-19 has been told .
Cost increases of such a scale could add hundreds of millions of euro to the current estimates for the new hospital which currently are more than € 1.7 billion .
The new estimates were set out by director general of the Construction Industry Federation Tom Parlon who also suggested that the new safety arrangements would add @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of building a house .
He warned that the cost of an apartment could rise by € 20,000 due to greater difficulties in achieving physical distancing .
Questioned by Duncan Smith of the Labour Party , Mr Parlon said the view in the industry was that the cost of complicated projects could rise by up to 40 per cent as a result of strict new safety measures which have been implemented to deal with the threat of Covid-19 .
He said as a result of the requirements for greater social distancing , one @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now only had 500 - 600 .
Mr Parlon suggested that this was going to extend out the timetable for the completion of such large projects .
He said when issues such as the cost of having cranes on sites for a longer period were taken into account , the bill was going to increase .
Mr Parlon maintained that the Office of Government Procurement should take the lead and give guidance in relation to public construction projects which were underway .
He suggested this could then feed into the private sector .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a collaborative approach to avoid legal cases .
Mr Smith said the Government needed to publish revised cost estimates for the National Children ’ s Hospital .
He said cost rises of 40 per cent suggested by Mr Parlon would be “ astronomical ” .
“ The Irish people have already contributed a significant amount into the National Children ’ s Hospital to the tune of €2 billion.
” “ The Government procurement office needs to now publish revised estimated final costs for the National Children ’ s Hospital and make known how @ @ @ @ @ @ @ project to rise by.
” Mr Parlon said across Europe it was estimated that safety measures could add 10 to 15 per cent to building costs .
He said where the timescale for building a house has traditionally been 15 weeks , with the new safety measures this could increase to 25 weeks .
There was “ no big bang ” return to work by construction firms who were being sensible and practical , the representative body for the industry has said .
He said it would take months for the sector to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions Patricia King said the Government must ensure that the monitoring of workplaces by the Health and Safety Authority ( HSA ) was fully resourced in order to protect workers and prevent a further spread of the virus .
She said HSE inspectors had extensive powers of enforcement , including the power to serve a “ prohibition notice ” on any workplace , in which activity was occurring which posed a serious risk to the health and safety of any person .
“ In our view this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to any workplace in which the terms of this protocol are not being observed , ” she said .
“ Given the very serious nature of this virus and the possible severe consequences for those who contract it , it is crucial that the implementation and enforcement powers are actively utilised.
” HSA chief executive Sharon McGuinness told the committee it had 67 inspectors assigned to monitor the operation of the back-to-work national safety protocol .
She said 80 inspections had been carried out on Monday , the first day on which Covid-19 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that the HSA may not be able to carry out surprise inspections due to restrictions to protect against Covid-19 .
However she said this would not be the norm .
“ As a general rule , authority inspections are unannounced .
However , due to the fact that workplaces may have different working arrangements in place to protect against Covid-19 , the authority may need in a number of cases to arrange a suitable time to visit.
” Ms King said she did not believe that 67 HSA inspectors was an adequate number @ @ @ @ @ @ @ resources available to the authority .
Ms McGuinness said she was confident that additional resources that were needed would be made available .

Cost increases of such a scale could add hundreds of millions of euro to the current estimates for the new children’s hospital which currently are more than € 1.7 billion. File photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish Times
The cost of building complex projects such as the National Children's Hospital could increase by up to 40 per cent as a result of new safety measures being introduced on construction sites, the Oireachtas committee on Covid-19 has been told.
Cost increases of such a scale could add hundreds of millions of euro to the current estimates for the new hospital which currently are more than € 1.7 billion.
The new estimates were set out by director general of the Construction Industry Federation Tom Parlon who also suggested that the new safety arrangements would add up to € 15,000 to the cost of building a house.
He warned that the cost of an apartment could rise by € 20,000 due to greater difficulties in achieving physical distancing.
READ MORE
Questioned by Duncan Smith of the Labour Party, Mr Parlon said the view in the industry was that the cost of complicated projects could rise by up to 40 per cent as a result of strict new safety measures which have been implemented to deal with the threat of Covid-19.
He said as a result of the requirements for greater social distancing, one large site which previously had 1,800 workers now only had 500 - 600.
Mr Parlon suggested that this was going to extend out the timetable for the completion of such large projects.
He said when issues such as the cost of having cranes on sites for a longer period were taken into account, the bill was going to increase.
Mr Parlon maintained that the Office of Government Procurement should take the lead and give guidance in relation to public construction projects which were underway. He suggested this could then feed into the private sector.
He said he would like to see a collaborative approach to avoid legal cases.
Mr Smith said the Government needed to publish revised cost estimates for the National Children’s Hospital.
He said cost rises of 40 per cent suggested by Mr Parlon would be “astronomical”.
“The Irish people have already contributed a significant amount into the National Children’s Hospital to the tune of €2 billion.”
“The Government procurement office needs to now publish revised estimated final costs for the National Children’s Hospital and make known how much they anticipate the cost of the project to rise by.”
Mr Parlon said across Europe it was estimated that safety measures could add 10 to 15 per cent to building costs.
He said where the timescale for building a house has traditionally been 15 weeks, with the new safety measures this could increase to 25 weeks.
There was “no big bang” return to work by construction firms who were being sensible and practical, the representative body for the industry has said.
He said it would take months for the sector to reach previous output levels.
Health and Safety Authority
General secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions Patricia King said the Government must ensure that the monitoring of workplaces by the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) was fully resourced in order to protect workers and prevent a further spread of the virus.
She said HSE inspectors had extensive powers of enforcement, including the power to serve a “prohibition notice” on any workplace, in which activity was occurring which posed a serious risk to the health and safety of any person.
“In our view this power should be exercised vigorously in respect to any workplace in which the terms of this protocol are not being observed,” she said.
“Given the very serious nature of this virus and the possible severe consequences for those who contract it, it is crucial that the implementation and enforcement powers are actively utilised.”
HSA chief executive Sharon McGuinness told the committee it had 67 inspectors assigned to monitor the operation of the back-to-work national safety protocol.
She said 80 inspections had been carried out on Monday, the first day on which Covid-19 restrictions were eased.
Ms McGuinness indicated that the HSA may not be able to carry out surprise inspections due to restrictions to protect against Covid-19. However she said this would not be the norm.
“As a general rule, authority inspections are unannounced. However, due to the fact that workplaces may have different working arrangements in place to protect against Covid-19, the authority may need in a number of cases to arrange a suitable time to visit.”
Ms King said she did not believe that 67 HSA inspectors was an adequate number and the Government needed to increase the resources available to the authority.
Ms McGuinness said she was confident that additional resources that were needed would be made available.


theirishtimes--2020-05-19--Parents should agree safety contracts prior to reopening schools, say principals

Parents should be required to agree a “ general contract ” when schools reopen in which they accept new terms and conditions that balance the safety of the school with their child ’ s right to an education .
That is the recommendation of the Irish Primary Principals ’ Network ( IPPN ) in a submission to the Department of Education over plans to reopen schools in September .
The document says pupils may end up having to physically attend school on a limited basis , such as every other day or every other week , and learn remotely on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is also mooted as a possibility .
Much will depend on what guidelines are issued in relation to social distancing and how many pupils will be permitted in a classroom .
It says some principals have estimated that about one third of a class would fit in a standard classroom if a two-metre distance is required between desks .
This could require pupils attending school on every third day , it notes .
The IPPN document says proposals to have half-days for pupils , where some would attend school in the morning and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ not considered feasible for any size of school ” .
This , it says , is due to the need to deep clean classrooms and stagger drop-off and collection times .
Children from the same family should be allowed to attend school on the same day , where possible , to make it easier for parents .
It flags that there will also be potential childcare issues for teaching staff and others if school days are staggered .
In terms of managing social distancing in schools , it suggests playgrounds or yards @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for example , six pupils playing together each day in each zone .
Sharing of desks , books , devices and other materials should be minimised , while there should be rules around the use of staff rooms .
It also expresses significant concerns about the ability of schools to fully implement guidelines to protect the school community and that there will be no way of fully eliminating risk .
In light of this , there should be a standard approach to deal with parents or children who break social distancing rules or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contract ” .
Schools will also face a major financial challenge and require additional funding up-front for hygiene measures to enable them to operate safely .
In addition , it says the centralised procurement and distribution to all schools of sufficient PPE ( personal protection equipment ) and materials prior to their full reopening in the autumn .
One principal , it says , estimated it would cost a school about euro3,000 per month for cleaning , hand sanitisers and gloves , after reviewing costs with suppliers .
In addition , it said @ @ @ @ @ @ @ rental of halls which subsidises essential school maintenance in many cases .
This , it says , should be taken into account when funding schools .
The IPPN document also calls on the department to ensure that schools have greater flexibility in how they allocate staff , including special education teachers , to comply with social distancing requirements .
It says all staff must be provided with training prior to reopening so everyone has the same information at the same time .
It adds that no school should lose a staff member owing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keep their child at home in light of the Covid-19 risk .
In addition , it says no new initiatives should be introduced in primary schools in the 2020/21 school year to ease the pressure on school staff who must prioritise getting their schools up and running in very changed circumstances .
Inspections should also be paused until at least January 2021 .
The role of inspectors should be temporarily changed to support schools to get back up and running and to restore normality .

Sharing of desks, books, devices and other materials should be minimised, while there should be rules around the use of staff rooms. File photograph: Getty
Parents should be required to agree a “general contract” when schools reopen in which they accept new terms and conditions that balance the safety of the school with their child’s right to an education.
That is the recommendation of the Irish Primary Principals’ Network (IPPN) in a submission to the Department of Education over plans to reopen schools in September.
The document says pupils may end up having to physically attend school on a limited basis, such as every other day or every other week, and learn remotely on the remaining days. An extended week is also mooted as a possibility.
Much will depend on what guidelines are issued in relation to social distancing and how many pupils will be permitted in a classroom.
READ MORE
It says some principals have estimated that about one third of a class would fit in a standard classroom if a two-metre distance is required between desks. This could require pupils attending school on every third day, it notes.
The IPPN document says proposals to have half-days for pupils, where some would attend school in the morning and the remainder in the afternoon, are “not considered feasible for any size of school”.
This, it says, is due to the need to deep clean classrooms and stagger drop-off and collection times.
Children from the same family should be allowed to attend school on the same day, where possible, to make it easier for parents.
It flags that there will also be potential childcare issues for teaching staff and others if school days are staggered.
In terms of managing social distancing in schools, it suggests playgrounds or yards could be segregated into zones with, for example, six pupils playing together each day in each zone.
Desk sharing
Sharing of desks, books, devices and other materials should be minimised, while there should be rules around the use of staff rooms.
It also expresses significant concerns about the ability of schools to fully implement guidelines to protect the school community and that there will be no way of fully eliminating risk.
In light of this, there should be a standard approach to deal with parents or children who break social distancing rules or who refuse to accept the “general contract”.
Schools will also face a major financial challenge and require additional funding up-front for hygiene measures to enable them to operate safely.
In addition, it says the centralised procurement and distribution to all schools of sufficient PPE (personal protection equipment) and materials prior to their full reopening in the autumn.
One principal, it says, estimated it would cost a school about euro3,000 per month for cleaning, hand sanitisers and gloves, after reviewing costs with suppliers.
In addition, it said many schools reply on income from the rental of halls which subsidises essential school maintenance in many cases. This, it says, should be taken into account when funding schools.
The IPPN document also calls on the department to ensure that schools have greater flexibility in how they allocate staff, including special education teachers, to comply with social distancing requirements.
It says all staff must be provided with training prior to reopening so everyone has the same information at the same time.
It adds that no school should lose a staff member owing to a decision by a parent to keep their child at home in light of the Covid-19 risk.
In addition, it says no new initiatives should be introduced in primary schools in the 2020/21 school year to ease the pressure on school staff who must prioritise getting their schools up and running in very changed circumstances. Inspections should also be paused until at least January 2021.
The role of inspectors should be temporarily changed to support schools to get back up and running and to restore normality.


theirishtimes--2020-05-19--Larry Dunne: The life and death of a notorious Dublin drug dealer

Heroin dealer Larry Dunne , who died in St James ’ s Hospital , Dublin , on Monday , was one of the most notorious Irish criminals from the era before the birth of modern day gangland in the mid-1990s .
Incredibly by today ’ s standards , he was never a suspect for any murders .
However , he was blamed by gardaí for ushering heroin into Dublin - ensuring a slow death for tens of thousands of addicts , often from the most deprived streets of the city .
Dunne , who died aged 72 , spent his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later , in a new council house on Rutland Avenue , Crumlin .
His family made a modest living from their clothes stall on Francis Street markets .
Of the 10 Dunne brothers , eight spent time in industrial schools ; Larry Dunne was sent to Daingean in Co Offaly .
His mother and father - Christopher ‘ Bronco ’ and Ellen - were both heavy drinkers who neglected their children , with domestic violence and crime a constant in Larry Dunne ’ s upbringing .
Bronco Dunne fathered 16 children and he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when he felt he was paying undue attention to his wife .
He was convicted of manslaughter and spent 18 months in Portlaoise Prison .
He was also well known to the gardaí for theft .
Larry Dunne and his siblings had a grandfather in Liverpool where many of the brothers spent time in their younger years .
Larry served several sentences in British jails as a young man .
In the 1970s , Christy and Larry ran an armed robbery gang in Dublin .
Gradually they became involved in the drugs trade @ @ @ @ @ @ @ progressed to heroin as the 1980s approached , with brothers Larry , Christy , Shamie and Henry forming the nucleus of the Dunne drugs gang .
With a revolution in Iran and the Russian invasion of Afghanistan , lucrative heroin routes were established out of both countries and unprecedented quantities of the drug became available in Europe .
Some of that heroin was imported into Ireland by the Dunnes , with Larry using the criminal contacts he had made in prison in England to source consignments .
As their heroin dealing escalated , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ run their own heroin businesses rather than combine their efforts .
Larry ran the heroin trade from Bray to Dún Laoghaire .
He set up his operation in a manner that ensured he outsourced the risk of possessing his drugs to others ; never handling heroin himself , with the expression “ Larry doesn ’ t carry ” becoming well known in policing and criminal circles .
He used female couriers to bring money to London , Paris and Amsterdam , and to buy drugs and bring them back to Dublin , apparently @ @ @ @ @ @ @ less likely to be searched at airports .
While Larry Dunne was a constant focus of the Garda , his methods ensured he was successful .
When he racked up almost 20 motoring convictions and was banned from driving , he was able to employ a chauffeur .
In May 1982 , he was able to pay for a £100,000 new home with no need for a mortgage ; transferring the money from his own bank account for the purchase in the days long before the Criminal Assets Bureau was established .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a very large property on Woodside Road , Sandyford .
Such was his notoriety on the drugs scene , in 1982 then taoiseach Charles Haughey demanded that Garda commissioner Patrick McLaughlin have the Dunnes in prison within 12 months .
In the following 15 months , 11 of the family were either convicted or arrested .
Larry Dunne ’ s downfall started when his house was raided and between £50,000 to £60,000 worth of drugs was found in a pillowcase on his daughter ’ s bed .
He was in the house @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as well as sister Colette and brother Shamie .
Larry took responsibility for the drugs .
However , in the 2½-year period between Larry Dunne ’ s arrest and trial he was on bail and he used the time to grow his heroin business and bank his money .
About the same time , the number of heroin addicts in Dublin reached and then exceeded 5,000 .
When he was first put on trial the jury could not reach a verdict .
At the time gardaí said only one jury member could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suspected jury-tampering .
Around this time , the law was changed to allow majority verdicts and Dunne was convicted at a second trial .
However , as that second trial started he was granted bail for his lunch break , allowing him go to a pub close to the Four Courts , change his clothes in the toilet , and abscond .
His trial proceeded in his absence and he became the first person in the history of the State to be convicted before the Central Criminal Court while on the run .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ embarrassment of the Garda , a huge policing operation swung into action with increased checks at ports and airports .
Gardaí also raided the homes of about 40 people linked to Dunne .
All the while he was hiding out in a house in Crumlin , where he dyed his hair before going to a safe house in Co Leitrim .
He then sourced a cruiser and sailed down the Shannon with a group of friends , at one point falling in with a hippie commune in Co Clare before fleeing Ireland for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Fuengirola and also spent time in Marbella , with British criminal Ronnie Knight , as well as in Gran Canaria and in Portugal .
It was as he disembarked a ferry from Spain to Portugal in 1985 that an immigration officer suspected his passport was false and he was arrested , resulting in his extradition back to Ireland to serve his 14-year sentence .
He departed to prison reportedly saying : “ If you think we ’ re bad , wait till you see what ’ s coming after us ” .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to Dublin for the first time and being the key players behind the city ’ s heroin epidemic , the Dunnes only ever controlled about half the heroin market in the city .
Larry Dunne ’ s prison sentence , which was unprecedented at the time , destroyed his drugs business and he was never a major criminal player again .
The drugs scene in his native city was unrecognisable to him by the time he was released after serving a decade of his 14-year sentence , with figures such as John Gilligan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Dunne , who developed a heroin addiction from testing drugs he had just imported , moved to Birmingham on his release and cared for his daughter , Anita , who was also an addict and contracted HIV .
Dunne was also convicted in 2001 for assaulting plainclothes Garda detectives with a cane as the officers searched the Dublin home of a young relative of Dunne ’ s while Dunne was visiting .
On that occasion he claimed he didn ’ t realise the detectives were gardaí and when he saw a gun @ @ @ @ @ @ @ thought the men were vigilantes who had come to shoot him .

Heroin dealer Larry Dunne, who died in St James's Hospital, Dublin, on Monday, was one of the most notorious Irish criminals from the era before the birth of modern day gangland in the mid-1990s.
Incredibly by today’s standards, he was never a suspect for any murders. However, he was blamed by gardaí for ushering heroin into Dublin - ensuring a slow death for tens of thousands of addicts, often from the most deprived streets of the city.
Dunne, who died aged 72, spent his childhood living in the Liberties and, later, in a new council house on Rutland Avenue, Crumlin. His family made a modest living from their clothes stall on Francis Street markets.
Family robbery gang
Of the 10 Dunne brothers, eight spent time in industrial schools; Larry Dunne was sent to Daingean in Co Offaly. His mother and father - Christopher 'Bronco' and Ellen - were both heavy drinkers who neglected their children, with domestic violence and crime a constant in Larry Dunne's upbringing.
READ MORE
Bronco Dunne fathered 16 children and he once killed a man in a fight when he felt he was paying undue attention to his wife. He was convicted of manslaughter and spent 18 months in Portlaoise Prison. He was also well known to the gardaí for theft.
Larry Dunne and his siblings had a grandfather in Liverpool where many of the brothers spent time in their younger years. Larry served several sentences in British jails as a young man.
In the 1970s, Christy and Larry ran an armed robbery gang in Dublin. Gradually they became involved in the drugs trade, focusing initially on cannabis. They progressed to heroin as the 1980s approached, with brothers Larry, Christy, Shamie and Henry forming the nucleus of the Dunne drugs gang.
With a revolution in Iran and the Russian invasion of Afghanistan, lucrative heroin routes were established out of both countries and unprecedented quantities of the drug became available in Europe. Some of that heroin was imported into Ireland by the Dunnes, with Larry using the criminal contacts he had made in prison in England to source consignments.
As their heroin dealing escalated, the Dunnes drifted apart and opted to run their own heroin businesses rather than combine their efforts. Larry ran the heroin trade from Bray to Dún Laoghaire. He set up his operation in a manner that ensured he outsourced the risk of possessing his drugs to others; never handling heroin himself, with the expression “Larry doesn’t carry” becoming well known in policing and criminal circles.
He used female couriers to bring money to London, Paris and Amsterdam, and to buy drugs and bring them back to Dublin, apparently betting on the fact women would be less likely to be searched at airports.
While Larry Dunne was a constant focus of the Garda, his methods ensured he was successful. When he racked up almost 20 motoring convictions and was banned from driving, he was able to employ a chauffeur.
In May 1982, he was able to pay for a £100,000 new home with no need for a mortgage; transferring the money from his own bank account for the purchase in the days long before the Criminal Assets Bureau was established. He moved from a council house in Rathfarnham to a very large property on Woodside Road, Sandyford.
Downfall
Such was his notoriety on the drugs scene, in 1982 then taoiseach Charles Haughey demanded that Garda commissioner Patrick McLaughlin have the Dunnes in prison within 12 months. In the following 15 months, 11 of the family were either convicted or arrested.
Larry Dunne’s downfall started when his house was raided and between £50,000 to £60,000 worth of drugs was found in a pillowcase on his daughter’s bed. He was in the house at the time with his wife Lily, as well as sister Colette and brother Shamie. Larry took responsibility for the drugs.
However, in the 2½-year period between Larry Dunne’s arrest and trial he was on bail and he used the time to grow his heroin business and bank his money. About the same time, the number of heroin addicts in Dublin reached and then exceeded 5,000.
When he was first put on trial the jury could not reach a verdict. At the time gardaí said only one jury member could not agree Dunne was guilty and they suspected jury-tampering. Around this time, the law was changed to allow majority verdicts and Dunne was convicted at a second trial.
However, as that second trial started he was granted bail for his lunch break, allowing him go to a pub close to the Four Courts, change his clothes in the toilet, and abscond.
His trial proceeded in his absence and he became the first person in the history of the State to be convicted before the Central Criminal Court while on the run.
When he absconded, much to the embarrassment of the Garda, a huge policing operation swung into action with increased checks at ports and airports. Gardaí also raided the homes of about 40 people linked to Dunne.
All the while he was hiding out in a house in Crumlin, where he dyed his hair before going to a safe house in Co Leitrim. He then sourced a cruiser and sailed down the Shannon with a group of friends, at one point falling in with a hippie commune in Co Clare before fleeing Ireland for Spain.
He settled for a period in Fuengirola and also spent time in Marbella, with British criminal Ronnie Knight, as well as in Gran Canaria and in Portugal. It was as he disembarked a ferry from Spain to Portugal in 1985 that an immigration officer suspected his passport was false and he was arrested, resulting in his extradition back to Ireland to serve his 14-year sentence.
He departed to prison reportedly saying: “If you think we’re bad, wait till you see what’s coming after us”.
Addiction
Though they were credited with bringing heroin to Dublin for the first time and being the key players behind the city’s heroin epidemic, the Dunnes only ever controlled about half the heroin market in the city.
Larry Dunne's prison sentence, which was unprecedented at the time, destroyed his drugs business and he was never a major criminal player again. The drugs scene in his native city was unrecognisable to him by the time he was released after serving a decade of his 14-year sentence, with figures such as John Gilligan and Christy Kinahan established by that time.
Dunne, who developed a heroin addiction from testing drugs he had just imported, moved to Birmingham on his release and cared for his daughter, Anita, who was also an addict and contracted HIV.
Dunne was also convicted in 2001 for assaulting plainclothes Garda detectives with a cane as the officers searched the Dublin home of a young relative of Dunne’s while Dunne was visiting.
On that occasion he claimed he didn’t realise the detectives were gardaí and when he saw a gun being produced by one of them he thought the men were vigilantes who had come to shoot him.


theirishtimes--2020-05-19--Teachers must declare conflicts of interest when grading Leaving Cert students

Teachers will be directed to declare conflicts of interest when grading Leaving Cert students who are close family members under official guidance to be issued shortly .
In such circumstances , another teacher in the school or the deputy principal may be asked to examine available evidence of a student ’ s performance and mark the candidate accordingly .
School principals are also likely to be required to confirm that assessment grades and the rank order of students in a class are a true representation of student performance , according to sources .
Teachers ’ unions and principals were consulting @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over the final details of the official guidance which is due to be issued to thousands of teachers in the country ’ s 700-plus secondary schools this week .
Following the Government decision earlier this month to cancel the summer Leaving Cert exams , more than 60,000 students are set to receive calculated grades for the first time based on teachers ’ estimates .
Under this approach , teachers will be asked to provide an estimated percentage mark for each student for each subject .
Students will also be placed in a rank @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is understood to state that teachers should draw on “ existing records and available evidence ” such as classwork , homework , class assessments , Christmas and summer exams and mock exams .
Junior Cert results will not be considered .
Teachers will be required to provide a “ fair , reasonable and carefully considered ” judgement of the likely percentage mark each student would have achieved if they had sat their exams and completed coursework under normal conditions .
In order to determine where students rank individually in a class , each @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and these scores will then be converted to per centages .
These grades will then be sent to the Department of Education where a unit will compare information on how students in the school have fared in particular subjects in the Leaving Cert over the past three years compared to the national standard .
It will also review the performance of this year ’ s group of students against their overall performance at Junior Cycle level .
This , the department says , will allow it to check whether the estimated percentage marks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reasonable .
These marks may be aligned upwards or downwards , accordingly .
The guidance is also expected to state that any attempt to offer teachers gifts or inducements in relation to students ’ results will also be treated as a “ serious attempt ” to interfere with an entire school ’ s grades .
Unions have also been pushing for a protocol to be included in the guidance which states that any inappropriate contact with teachers or schools will be formally recorded and forwarded to the department .
Latest guidance from the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not under any circumstances contact , directly or indirectly , a teacher or other staff member to discuss estimated marks or class rankings .
“ Such contact would be regarded as totally inappropriate and a serious attempt to interfere with the fairness and objectivity required of teachers and schools in the assigning of estimated marks and ranking for the individual student concerned and for the students in the school as a whole , ” according to new department guidance .
It also says any attempt by teachers to allow discussion of estimated grades @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with the process being carried out properly and fairly .
If teachers discuss the marks with some students but not others , or if some teachers did this and others did not , these discussions might actually influence or be construed as influencing the mark the teacher submits to the subject alignment group .

Teachers’ unions and principals were consulting with the Department on Tuesday over the final details of the official guidance which is due to be issued to thousands of teachers in the country’s 700-plus secondary schools this week. Photograph: Mark Stedman/RollingNews.ie
Teachers will be directed to declare conflicts of interest when grading Leaving Cert students who are close family members under official guidance to be issued shortly.
In such circumstances, another teacher in the school or the deputy principal may be asked to examine available evidence of a student’s performance and mark the candidate accordingly.
School principals are also likely to be required to confirm that assessment grades and the rank order of students in a class are a true representation of student performance, according to sources.
Teachers’ unions and principals were consulting with the Department of Education on Tuesday over the final details of the official guidance which is due to be issued to thousands of teachers in the country’s 700-plus secondary schools this week.
READ MORE
Calculated grades
Following the Government decision earlier this month to cancel the summer Leaving Cert exams, more than 60,000 students are set to receive calculated grades for the first time based on teachers’ estimates.
Under this approach, teachers will be asked to provide an estimated percentage mark for each student for each subject. Students will also be placed in a rank over for their class.
The guidance is understood to state that teachers should draw on "existing records and available evidence" such as classwork, homework, class assessments, Christmas and summer exams and mock exams. Junior Cert results will not be considered.
Teachers will be required to provide a “fair, reasonable and carefully considered” judgement of the likely percentage mark each student would have achieved if they had sat their exams and completed coursework under normal conditions.
In order to determine where students rank individually in a class, each student may be marked out of 1,000 and these scores will then be converted to per centages.
These grades will then be sent to the Department of Education where a unit will compare information on how students in the school have fared in particular subjects in the Leaving Cert over the past three years compared to the national standard.
It will also review the performance of this year's group of students against their overall performance at Junior Cycle level.
This, the department says, will allow it to check whether the estimated percentage marks in each subject in the school are reasonable. These marks may be aligned upwards or downwards, accordingly.
Inappropriate contact
The guidance is also expected to state that any attempt to offer teachers gifts or inducements in relation to students’ results will also be treated as a “serious attempt”to interfere with an entire school’s grades.
Unions have also been pushing for a protocol to be included in the guidance which states that any inappropriate contact with teachers or schools will be formally recorded and forwarded to the department.
Latest guidance from the department states that parents or students must not under any circumstances contact, directly or indirectly, a teacher or other staff member to discuss estimated marks or class rankings.
“Such contact would be regarded as totally inappropriate and a serious attempt to interfere with the fairness and objectivity required of teachers and schools in the assigning of estimated marks and ranking for the individual student concerned and for the students in the school as a whole,” according to new department guidance.
It also says any attempt by teachers to allow discussion of estimated grades before the process is complete would interfere with the process being carried out properly and fairly.
If teachers discuss the marks with some students but not others, or if some teachers did this and others did not, these discussions might actually influence or be construed as influencing the mark the teacher submits to the subject alignment group.


theirishtimes--2020-05-19--Coronavirus: 16 more fatalities brings death toll to 1,561

Another 16 patients have died from Covid-19 , the National Public Health Emergency Team ( Nphet ) has reported .
There have now been a total of 1,561 Covid-19 related deaths in the Republic .
The number of confirmed cases in the Republic has risen by 51 to 24,251 .
Over the past week 36,818 tests were carried out , with 932 coming back positive - a positivity rate of 2.5 per cent , Nphet reported .
Some 295,626 coronavirus tests have been carried out since the start of the pandemic up to midnight on Monday .
In Northern Ireland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from Covid-19 were announced on Tuesday , taking the total death toll in the North to 489 .
The North ’ s Department of Health reported that 20 more people tested positive for coronavirus bringing the total number of confirmed cases in Northern Ireland to 4,441 .
The latest figures come as the Oireachtas committee on Covid-19 heard from its first witnesses on Tuesday .
Among those giving evidence were construction industry representatives who said that new measures to tackle the spread of Covid -19 on building sites would add up to €15,000 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The director general of the Construction Industry Federation Tom Parlon told the Oireachtas committee on Covid-19 on Tuesday that across Europe it was estimated that safety measures could add 10-15 per cent to building costs .
He said one substantial builder had told him that the new measures could add €10,000- €15,000 to the cost of a house .
Mr Parlon suggested that in the case of apartments , where achieving physical distancing was more difficult , the additional cost could be up to €20,000 .
He said where the timescale for building @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , with the new safety measures this could increase to 25 weeks .
The committee heard on Tuesday from a range of health officials , as well as representatives of trade unions and employers .
The HSE told members of the committee it was not recommending the use of hydroxychloroquine to protect against Covid-19 because of the cardiac side effects in particular .
HSE chief clinical lead Dr Colm Henry said there had been a some small studies on the drug which to date had not shown any benefit .
He had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Donald Trump ’ s disclosure that he was taking the anti-malarial medication in the belief that it would protect him against transmission of coronavirus .
Earlier , the State ’ s chief medical officer said that the HSE should not be giving Covid-19 test results of employees to employers , calling it “ a breach of confidentiality , full stop ” .
His criticism of the practice came after Minister for Health Simon Harris admitted that in some cases it had been “ necessary in the interests of public health ” to convey @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plants with outbreaks before workers were told to send them home quickly .
On the economic impact of the lockdown , Mr Parlon said there would be “ no big bang ” return to work by construction firms , and it would take months for the sector to reach previous output levels .
He noted larger contractors had allowed a reduced workforce on site on Monday to assess sites , test new measures and embed new protocols in safety culture .
The CIF said any companies that had been able to operate over @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had operated new safety measures .
“ Reports are positive , ” it said , but implementation of procedures “ is challenging and companies are reporting a significant drop in productivity ” .
The general secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions Patricia King said the Government must ensure that the monitoring of workplaces by the Health and Safety Authority ( HSA ) was fully resourced in order to protect workers and prevent a further spread of the virus .
She said HSE inspectors had extensive powers of enforcement , including the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” on any workplace , in which activity was occurring which posed a serious risk to the health and safety of any person .
“ In our view this power should be exercised vigorously in respect to any workplace in which the terms of this protocol are not being observed.
” HSA chief executive Sharon McGuinness told the committee that it had 67 inspectors assigned to monitor the operation of the back-to-work national safety protocol .
She indicated that the HSA may not be able to carry out surprise inspections due to restrictions @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said she did not believe that 67 HSA inspectors was an adequate number and the Government needed to increase the resources available to the authority .
Ms McGuinness said she was confident that additional resources that were needed would be made available .
Outside of the hearings , Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe said Ireland would only find out in the second half of the year what level of financial contribution it may be required to make to a €500 billion European recovery fund .
Mr Donohoe said only then would we know @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he added that confidence in the future of the union would indirectly help an open Irish economy .
The fund has been proposed by France and Germany as a solution to how European countries might weather the financial storm caused by the Covid-19 pandemic .
It would see the European Commission borrow money on financial markets to bolster the seven-year EU budget beginning in 2021 .

Chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan, CMO arriving at the Oireachtas Covid-19 Committee sitting at Leinster House, Dublin on Tuesday. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill / The Irish Times
Another 16 patients have died from Covid-19, the National Public Health Emergency Team (Nphet) has reported. There have now been a total of 1,561 Covid-19 related deaths in the Republic.
The number of confirmed cases in the Republic has risen by 51 to 24,251.
Over the past week 36,818 tests were carried out, with 932 coming back positive - a positivity rate of 2.5 per cent, Nphet reported. Some 295,626 coronavirus tests have been carried out since the start of the pandemic up to midnight on Monday.
In Northern Ireland, the deaths of seven more people from Covid-19 were announced on Tuesday, taking the total death toll in the North to 489.
READ MORE
The North’s Department of Health reported that 20 more people tested positive for coronavirus bringing the total number of confirmed cases in Northern Ireland to 4,441.
The latest figures come as the Oireachtas committee on Covid-19 heard from its first witnesses on Tuesday.
Among those giving evidence were construction industry representatives who said that new measures to tackle the spread of Covid -19 on building sites would add up to €15,000 to the cost of a house.
The director general of the Construction Industry Federation Tom Parlon told the Oireachtas committee on Covid-19 on Tuesday that across Europe it was estimated that safety measures could add 10-15 per cent to building costs.
He said one substantial builder had told him that the new measures could add €10,000- €15,000 to the cost of a house.
Mr Parlon suggested that in the case of apartments , where achieving physical distancing was more difficult, the additional cost could be up to €20,000.
He said where the timescale for building a house had traditionally been 15 weeks, with the new safety measures this could increase to 25 weeks.
Malaria drug advice
The committee heard on Tuesday from a range of health officials, as well as representatives of trade unions and employers.
The HSE told members of the committee it was not recommending the use of hydroxychloroquine to protect against Covid-19 because of the cardiac side effects in particular.
HSE chief clinical lead Dr Colm Henry said there had been a some small studies on the drug which to date had not shown any benefit.
He had been asked about the drug after US president Donald Trump’s disclosure that he was taking the anti-malarial medication in the belief that it would protect him against transmission of coronavirus.
Earlier, the State’s chief medical officer said that the HSE should not be giving Covid-19 test results of employees to employers, calling it “a breach of confidentiality, full stop”.
His criticism of the practice came after Minister for Health Simon Harris admitted that in some cases it had been “necessary in the interests of public health” to convey test results directly to managers of meat plants with outbreaks before workers were told to send them home quickly.
Return to work
On the economic impact of the lockdown, Mr Parlon said there would be “no big bang” return to work by construction firms, and it would take months for the sector to reach previous output levels.
He noted larger contractors had allowed a reduced workforce on site on Monday to assess sites, test new measures and embed new protocols in safety culture.
The CIF said any companies that had been able to operate over the past month working on essential services had operated new safety measures.
“Reports are positive,” it said, but implementation of procedures “is challenging and companies are reporting a significant drop in productivity”.
The general secretary of the Irish Congress of Trade Unions Patricia King said the Government must ensure that the monitoring of workplaces by the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) was fully resourced in order to protect workers and prevent a further spread of the virus.
She said HSE inspectors had extensive powers of enforcement, including the power to serve a “prohibition notice” on any workplace, in which activity was occurring which posed a serious risk to the health and safety of any person.
“In our view this power should be exercised vigorously in respect to any workplace in which the terms of this protocol are not being observed.”
HSA chief executive Sharon McGuinness told the committee that it had 67 inspectors assigned to monitor the operation of the back-to-work national safety protocol.
She indicated that the HSA may not be able to carry out surprise inspections due to restrictions to protect against Covid-19.
Ms King said she did not believe that 67 HSA inspectors was an adequate number and the Government needed to increase the resources available to the authority.
Ms McGuinness said she was confident that additional resources that were needed would be made available.
Outside of the hearings, Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe said Ireland would only find out in the second half of the year what level of financial contribution it may be required to make to a €500 billion European recovery fund.
Mr Donohoe said only then would we know if the country would directly benefit but he added that confidence in the future of the union would indirectly help an open Irish economy.
The fund has been proposed by France and Germany as a solution to how European countries might weather the financial storm caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
It would see the European Commission borrow money on financial markets to bolster the seven-year EU budget beginning in 2021.


theirishtimes--2020-05-20--Man remanded in custody charged with Daithí Douglas murder

A 31-year-old man has been remanded in custody charged with murder of David ‘ Daithí ’ Douglas in a shooting Dublin four years ago .
The 55-year-old was fatally wounded after he was shot six times in front of his daughter while working at his partner ’ s shoe shop on Bridgefoot Street in Dublin on afternoon of July 1st , 2016 .
Douglas , from Killala Road , in Cabra in north Dublin , was taken to St James ’ s Hospital where he was pronounced dead a short time later .
Lee Canavan ( 31 ) who is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Judge John Hughes at Dublin District Court on Wednesday .
He was charged with murder of Mr Douglas and also criminal damage to a car three days later at Strand Road , Sandymount , in Dublin .
On Tuesday , he was extradited from the United Kingdom on foot of a European Arrest Warrant and arrested upon his arrival at Baldonnell Aerodrome .
Det Garda Mark Kelly told Judge Hughes that the accused was taken to Kevin Street in station in Dublin .
His reply to the charges was “ no comment ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remand in custody .
The district court does not have jurisdiction to consider bail in a murder case .
Defence solicitor Tracy Horan said she anticipated that the book of evidence will be ready to be served next Wednesday .
She asked the court to direct that he will be held on remand at Mountjoy Prison instead of Portlaoise Prison .
Det Garda Kelly had the same application and said security arrangements were in place .
Judge Hughes agreed to the request and to direct medical attention for the accused in custody .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been receiving treatment for tumours .
Mr Canavan , dressed in a navy tracksuit and wearing a face-mask , did not address the court .
Ms Horan also said the case will be sent forward for trial to the Special Criminal Court .
Judge Hughes granted legal aid after hearing the accused was unemployed and has no means .
He remanded him in custody to appear at Cloverhill District Court next Wednesday .
Three men have already been jailed by the the Special Criminal Court for their roles in the killing .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , of Loreto Road , Maryland , in Dublin , was charged with the murder of Mr Douglas .
In August 2018 , he was convicted and sentenced to a mandatory life sentence .
Getaway driver Gareth Brophy ( 25 ) , with an address at Reuben Walk in Dublin pleaded guilty last December to helping facilitate the murder .
In January he was handed a 10-year sentence .
In November 2018 , Nathan Foley , then aged 22 , of Rosary Road , Maryland , Dublin 8 , pleaded guilty to helping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Mr Douglas .
He was jailed for six years .

A 31-year-old man has been remanded in custody charged with murder of David 'Daithí' Douglas in a shooting Dublin four years ago.
The 55-year-old was fatally wounded after he was shot six times in front of his daughter while working at his partner’s shoe shop on Bridgefoot Street in Dublin on afternoon of July 1st, 2016.
Douglas, from Killala Road, in Cabra in north Dublin, was taken to St James’s Hospital where he was pronounced dead a short time later.
Lee Canavan (31) who is of no fixed address, appeared before Judge John Hughes at Dublin District Court on Wednesday. He was charged with murder of Mr Douglas and also criminal damage to a car three days later at Strand Road, Sandymount, in Dublin.
READ MORE
On Tuesday, he was extradited from the United Kingdom on foot of a European Arrest Warrant and arrested upon his arrival at Baldonnell Aerodrome.
Det Garda Mark Kelly told Judge Hughes that the accused was taken to Kevin Street in station in Dublin. His reply to the charges was “no comment”.
There was an application for a remand in custody.
The district court does not have jurisdiction to consider bail in a murder case.
Defence solicitor Tracy Horan said she anticipated that the book of evidence will be ready to be served next Wednesday. She asked the court to direct that he will be held on remand at Mountjoy Prison instead of Portlaoise Prison.
Det Garda Kelly had the same application and said security arrangements were in place.
Judge Hughes agreed to the request and to direct medical attention for the accused in custody. Mr Canavan’s solicitor said he had been receiving treatment for tumours.
Mr Canavan, dressed in a navy tracksuit and wearing a face-mask, did not address the court.
Ms Horan also said the case will be sent forward for trial to the Special Criminal Court.
Judge Hughes granted legal aid after hearing the accused was unemployed and has no means. He remanded him in custody to appear at Cloverhill District Court next Wednesday.
Three men have already been jailed by the the Special Criminal Court for their roles in the killing.
"Fat" Freddy Thompson, 38, of Loreto Road, Maryland, in Dublin, was charged with the murder of Mr Douglas. In August 2018, he was convicted and sentenced to a mandatory life sentence.
Getaway driver Gareth Brophy (25), with an address at Reuben Walk in Dublin pleaded guilty last December to helping facilitate the murder. In January he was handed a 10-year sentence.
In November 2018, Nathan Foley, then aged 22, of Rosary Road, Maryland, Dublin 8, pleaded guilty to helping a criminal organisation carry out the murder of Mr Douglas. He was jailed for six years.


theirishtimes--2020-05-20--Physical court sittings to be limited to two hours daily

Ireland ’ s judges have decided to limit all physical court sittings to no more than two hours to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus .
The decision was made arising from health advice given on Tuesday to the Houses of the Oireachtas concerning persons who may be in the same room , even though practising social distancing , for more than two hours .
Mr Justice Peter Kelly , president of the High Court , read a statement in court on Wednesday , on behalf of the Chief Justice and presidents of all the courts , arising from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Oireachtas .
It stated the Courts Service was unaware , until the matter became public on Tuesday , “ of what appears to be additional safety considerations beyond those already published ” .
It said the plans which had been devised by the judiciary and the Courts Service to expand the number of physical court hearings had taken full account of all published advice .
The Courts Service has sought further urgent advice on this matter as it clearly has the potential to affect the conduct of court hearings or sessions likely @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with others , being in a courtroom for more than two hours in a day , the statement said .
Pending receipt of that advice , the court presidents have determined that all court sittings will last for no more than two hours a day , it was stated .
That decision will not affect remote hearings which will continue as planned , it added .

A statement said the Courts Service was unaware ‘of what appears to be additional safety considerations beyond those already published’. Photograph: Collins Courts.
Ireland’s judges have decided to limit all physical court sittings to no more than two hours to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
The decision was made arising from health advice given on Tuesday to the Houses of the Oireachtas concerning persons who may be in the same room, even though practising social distancing, for more than two hours.
The director general of the Law Society, Ken Murphy, described the move as “very surprising indeed” and questioned the logic of the advice received by the Oireachtas.
“It is bordering on bizarre that Ireland is being given this advice for the first time more that two months into the Covid-19 crisis, where the public health advice, up to now, has been admirably clear.”
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He pointed out that the Dáil had frequently sat for periods of well in excess of two hours during the crisis, and that businesses and workplaces of all kinds had been kept in ignorance by the Department of Health, in respect of the advice.
“The question has to be asked if there has been some miscommunication and overreaction here.”
The chief executive of the Bar of Ireland, Ciara Murphy, said there was a lot of concern being expressed by barristers in relation to the reduced court sittings and that the Courts Service had said it hoped to be able to provide greater clarity later on Wednesday.
“At the moment, we don’t know what is going to happen tomorrow,” she said.
Mr Justice Peter Kelly, president of the High Court, read a statement in court on Wednesday, on behalf of the Chief Justice and presidents of all the courts, arising from what had happened in the Houses of the Oireachtas.
It stated the Courts Service was unaware, until the matter became public on Tuesday, “of what appears to be additional safety considerations beyond those already published”.
It said the plans which had been devised by the judiciary and the Courts Service to expand the number of physical court hearings had taken full account of all published advice.
The Courts Service has sought further urgent advice on this matter as it clearly has the potential to affect the conduct of court hearings or sessions likely to involve judges and registrars, together with others, being in a courtroom for more than two hours in a day, the statement said.
Pending receipt of that advice, the court presidents have determined that all court sittings will last for no more than two hours a day, it was stated.
That decision will not affect remote hearings which will continue as planned, it added.
Oireachtas advice
The Oireachtas was told earlier this week that it would be a breach of Covid-19 guidelines for witnesses in Leinster House to be in the same place together for more than two hours even if they changed location.
The advice was circulated in advance of first witnesses appearing on Tuesday before the Dáil’s new committee on the response to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Documentation circulated amongst members of the Oireachtas business committee stated that a number of the witnesses were “unwilling to attend together for more than one two-hour session.”
The document said that some of the witnesses “communicated orally to the Clerk to the Committee” that “it was a breach of the guidelines to have witnesses together for more than two hours, notwithstanding the fact that their locations would change” between sessions.
Further advice was sought from consultant microbiologist Prof Martin Cormican. In written correspondence to the Oireachtas, Mr Cormican said that “if a person at one of the hearings develops Covid-19 in the two days after the hearing they attended and if the hearing lasted for two hours or for more then everyone else who was in the room for that two hour period will be designated a Covid contact and will be advised to self-isolate for 14 days.”
He wrote: “There little reason to believe that 1 hour and 55 minutes of exposure is materially safer that 2 hours and five minutes of exposure however if it is intended to put a time limit on the hearing as a technical measure to avoid the possible consequence of people being designated contacts then it will be necessary to have the people leave the room before 2 hours have elapsed and not at 2 hours and it will be necessary that they do not reassemble on that same day.”
Speaking on Tuesday evening, the chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said the general guidance was that no two people should spend a cumulative period of more than two hours in the same room in any 24-hour period.
It was not a hard and fast rule for all sectors, he said, and factors such as the degree of ventilation, the size of the room, and the nature of the work being done, were all relevant.


theirishtimes--2020-05-20--Man caught trying to defraud pub credit card machine, court hears

A man was spotted returning a pub ’ s stolen credit card machine after using it to try to refund himself €7,500 , a court has heard .
Lawrence Mubango ( 31 ) was caught by the manager of Mary ’ s Pub , Wicklow Street , Dublin 2 when the manager saw him reaching behind the counter and placing the credit card machine back behind the bar .
Det Garda Eoin Kirwan told Dublin Circuit Criminal Court that the refund facility had been activated and €7,500 was entered to be refunded .
CCTV footage showed Mubango taking the machine @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the credit card machine in his possession for fewer than 10 minutes .
The transaction was cancelled in time and the pub suffered no financial loss .
Mubango , formerly of Parknoe House , Tyrone Court , Dublin 8 pleaded guilty to using a stolen credit card machine at Mary ’ s Pub on September 6th , 2017 .
Mubango is currently serving a 10 year prison sentence for a drink and cocaine fuelled knife attack on two friends on May 17th , 2018 .
The attack left one man eviscerated .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and first came to Ireland aged 12 .
Judge Martin Nolan said Mubango tried to steal €7,500 by taking the machine .
He said it would be “ absolutely asinine ” for the court not to take into account why he took the machine .
Judge Nolan said that compared to the wrongdoing that gave rise to his current prison sentence , this offence “ is a minor matter ” .
He sentenced Mubango to three months imprisonment and ordered that it run consecutive to the sentence he is currently serving .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ serving a sentence , the sentence for this offence would have been considerably longer .

CCTV footage showed Lawrence Mubango taking the credit card machine from behind the bar.
A man was spotted returning a pub’s stolen credit card machine after using it to try to refund himself €7,500, a court has heard.
Lawrence Mubango (31) was caught by the manager of Mary's Pub, Wicklow Street, Dublin 2 when the manager saw him reaching behind the counter and placing the credit card machine back behind the bar.
Det Garda Eoin Kirwan told Dublin Circuit Criminal Court that the refund facility had been activated and €7,500 was entered to be refunded.
CCTV footage showed Mubango taking the machine from behind the bar.
READ MORE
Mubango had the credit card machine in his possession for fewer than 10 minutes. The transaction was cancelled in time and the pub suffered no financial loss.
Mubango, formerly of Parknoe House, Tyrone Court, Dublin 8 pleaded guilty to using a stolen credit card machine at Mary’s Pub on September 6th, 2017.
Mubango is currently serving a 10 year prison sentence for a drink and cocaine fuelled knife attack on two friends on May 17th, 2018. The attack left one man eviscerated.
Mubango’s 90 previous convictions also include attempted theft and forgery.
The father of one is originally from Zimbabwe and first came to Ireland aged 12.
Judge Martin Nolan said Mubango tried to steal €7,500 by taking the machine. He said it would be "absolutely asinine" for the court not to take into account why he took the machine.
Judge Nolan said that compared to the wrongdoing that gave rise to his current prison sentence, this offence “is a minor matter”.
He sentenced Mubango to three months imprisonment and ordered that it run consecutive to the sentence he is currently serving.
He said that if Mubango were not currently serving a sentence, the sentence for this offence would have been considerably longer.


theirishtimes--2020-05-20--McDonald’s drive-through opens in six Dublin locations

McDonald ’ s has reopened six of its restaurants in Dublin but only as drive-throughs .
The fast-food outlet plans to open all of its drive-through services at outlets across the country by the start of June .
The first six outlets reopening in Dublin are at Nutgrove Shopping Centre in Rathfarnham , Kylemore Road , East Wall Road , Artane Castle Shopping Centre , Coolock Retail Park and on the Belgard Road in Tallaght .
They will be open from 11am to 10pm from Wednesday .
It has been eight weeks since the business completely shut down operations because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s said it is working with local authorities and gardai and “ may determine that it is necessary to close drive-through lanes if queues cause disruption at busier sites ” .
It has also capped the spend per car to €30 and customers have been urged to pay by contactless methods wherever possible .
A number of safety measures have been introduced to ensure staff can comply with social distancing measures : - Fewer people in the kitchen and service areas , serving a reduced menu over reduced hours .
- The use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on arrival at work .
- Perspex screens in key locations in the kitchen and service areas .
- Protective equipment for our people including gloves for customer and courier facing positions and face masks , but not the type needed by healthcare professionals .
- Additional training on cleanliness practices , including increased frequency of handwashing and extra sanitising of touch points around the restaurant .

Kelly Leahy and Aimee Bennett from Crumlin were among the first to secure their order when McDonald’s reopened its drive thru on the Kylemore Road on Wednesday. Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish Times
Thirty years ago McDonald’s opened its first restaurant in the Soviet Union. Thousands turned up to the grand opening in Moscow’s Pushkinskaya Square and the crowds kept coming for weeks afterwards.
For many observers at the time, it symbolised the end of the Cold War and the embrace of capitalist values in the communist East.
The reopening of six McDonald’s drive-thrus in Dublin hardly represents an epoch moment in world history, but for those queuing for the return of the Big Mac it meant a glimpse of normality after months of lockdown.
Edel Farrell and her daughter Layla (10) were among those to visit the McDonalds on the Kylemore Road. Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish Times
McDonald's tried to keep the openings low-key, but when word got out that a few restaurants were reopening at 11am, albeit on a very limited basis, the cars started to descend on the Dublin restaurants involved - Nutgrove, East Wall, Artane, Malahide, Kylemore Road and Tallaght.
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Staff wore face masks and there were perspex screens at the drive thru windows - though a drive thru was a form of social distancing before the concept was created.
Some might sniff that McDonald’s is a symbol of our calorific and consumerist lifestyle, but who cares when you have been cooped up at home for weeks on end?
Cars that turned up early to the McDonald’s in Kylemore Road, Dublin were turned away as the car park was not open. A few parked on the verges outside. As soon as the bollards went down, the cars streamed in.
Within a few minutes they were backed up on the Kylemore Road right up and around the corner to the very busy Naas Road which is one of the main approach roads into Dublin. At one stage gardaí arrived to sort out the congestion.
Many queued in overheated cars for a half-an-hour for a menu that was limited by necessity as not all McDonald’s staff have returned to work yet.
John Quirke from Dublin also visited the McDonald’s. Photograph: Alan Betson/The Irish Times
Most of the early-birds were mothers with their children. Deprived of the rhythms of school, the promise of a McDonald’s is no longer the mundane treat it used to be.
At the front of the queue Danielle Gannon brought her children Holly (9) and Aidan (9) to get happy meals.
“Everything has been taken from them. When I heard it was open, I said, ‘why not?’ They can’t go to playgrounds. It’s been tough on the kids. They weren’t missing school at the start - it was a novelty, but now they are dying to get back to normal and so am I.”
Elaine Smith turned up with her daughter Kelly (20). Elaine just wanted to get the McDonald’s coffee “that’s my normal school run and I miss it” while Kelly was getting chicken nuggets and chips.
Sinead Fleet and her son Scott (9) came down after a visit to Crumlin children’s hospital where he was getting a procedure done. Her son, who has Down Syndrome, beamed as he clutched the familiar brown bag with its yellow arches.
“He heard about the chips. It’s his favourite things. It’s great to have some bit of normality back for him. That’s the first bit of normality for him. It’s been very tough without any services or schooling,” she said.
McDonald’s intends to open the rest of its drive thrus in Ireland in early June.


theirishtimes--2020-05-20--Covid-19 has made majority rethink dealing with death, survey finds

A large majority of people believe the Covid-19 pandemic has made the public rethink the way it deals with death and bereavement , a new survey by the Irish Hospice Foundation has found .
The survey by market research firm Behaviour & Attitudes for the bereavement charity found that 68 per cent of people felt that the virus had made people rethink how it deals with death .
The charity has called for “ a national response ” in the wake of the pandemic and for the next government to develop a new “ whole of government strategy ” to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the proposals in a seven-point policy document published by the charity is a suggestion that end of life and palliative care services be set up in nursing homes , the sector worst hit by the pandemic , and that people be allowed to die at home or their place of preference .
The foundation also wants the new government to introduce a new national mortuaries programme , to provide community supports on bereavement and to start a new “ national dialogue on dying , death and bereavement.
” The document has been sent @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Oireachtas special committee set up to examine the response to the pandemic .
It outlines steps that can be taken to ensure policies and supports for death and bereavement are considered in government formation talks .
Residential care facilities , including nursing homes , account for more than 60 per cent of the 1,561 deaths caused by Covid-19 in the State .
Restrictions on public gatherings aimed at stemming the spread of the virus has limited the number of family members and friends who can attend funerals , disrupting the grieving process for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ during the pandemic .
Some 89 per cent of respondents in the foundation ’ s survey say that being together with extended family and friends is a key part of the grieving process .
A third of people surveyed said death and dying is not talked about enough , while half the people said they feel death is talked about the right amount .
The survey found 29 per cent of people believe there are not enough supports available in Ireland for those who are bereaved while 27 per cent believe there are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that , in post-Covid-19 Ireland , there is now an opportunity to equip all of our State services , including health and social care , to meet the challenges presented by the aftermath of this pandemic , ” said foundation chief executive Sharon Foley .
“ All of us in the voluntary and statutory sectors , along with the wider public row now have a responsibility to shape the future of dying , death and bereavement in Ireland.
” She said that one of the challenges is a “ whole of government response @ @ @ @ @ @ @ embed innovative , evidence-based solutions ” to help in the care of the dying and bereaved , said Ms Foley .
The survey by Behaviour & Attitudes was conducted among 1,010 adults between April 30th and May 11th .

Friends and neighbours of the late Frank McDonald gather outside their homes on Grove Park Avenue in Dublin earlier this month as his funeral cortege passed down the street wherehe lived for 60 years. Photograph: Brian Lawless/PA Wire
A large majority of people believe the Covid-19 pandemic has made the public rethink the way it deals with death and bereavement, a new survey by the Irish Hospice Foundation has found.
The survey by market research firm Behaviour & Attitudes for the bereavement charity found that 68 per cent of people felt that the virus had made people rethink how it deals with death.
The charity has called for “a national response” in the wake of the pandemic and for the next government to develop a new “whole of government strategy” to “end of life care.”
Among the proposals in a seven-point policy document published by the charity is a suggestion that end of life and palliative care services be set up in nursing homes, the sector worst hit by the pandemic, and that people be allowed to die at home or their place of preference.
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The foundation also wants the new government to introduce a new national mortuaries programme, to provide community supports on bereavement and to start a new “national dialogue on dying, death and bereavement.”
The document has been sent to all political parties and the new Oireachtas special committee set up to examine the response to the pandemic. It outlines steps that can be taken to ensure policies and supports for death and bereavement are considered in government formation talks.
Residential care facilities, including nursing homes, account for more than 60 per cent of the 1,561 deaths caused by Covid-19 in the State.
Restrictions on public gatherings aimed at stemming the spread of the virus has limited the number of family members and friends who can attend funerals, disrupting the grieving process for people remembering loved ones who have died during the pandemic.
Some 89 per cent of respondents in the foundation’s survey say that being together with extended family and friends is a key part of the grieving process.
A third of people surveyed said death and dying is not talked about enough, while half the people said they feel death is talked about the right amount.
The survey found 29 per cent of people believe there are not enough supports available in Ireland for those who are bereaved while 27 per cent believe there are enough supports.
The foundation "believes that, in post-Covid-19 Ireland, there is now an opportunity to equip all of our State services, including health and social care, to meet the challenges presented by the aftermath of this pandemic," said foundation chief executive Sharon Foley.
“All of us in the voluntary and statutory sectors, along with the wider public row now have a responsibility to shape the future of dying, death and bereavement in Ireland.”
She said that one of the challenges is a “whole of government response to coordinate, replicate, progress and embed innovative, evidence-based solutions” to help in the care of the dying and bereaved, said Ms Foley.
The survey by Behaviour & Attitudes was conducted among 1,010 adults between April 30th and May 11th.


theirishtimes--2020-05-20--Coronavirus: Time to examine reopening Irish schools, says WHO envoy

The World Health Organization ( WHO ) special envoy on Covid-19 has said it is now time to think about reopening schools in Ireland .
Dr David Nabarro said he remains hopeful a vaccine can be found but that in the meantime getting used to living with the virus is going to be the new normal .
Keeping children home from school for too long can have long-term effects on their development , warned Dr Nabarro , speaking to Newstalk Breakfast .
“ You have to balance the risk .
Children staying at home , missing school – that is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their future ability to earn and to be strong in society .
“ At the same time , we do believe that children , although they can get the virus , are not anything like as important at spreading the virus as some other members of the population – so we have got to give it a try , ” he said .
However , Dr Nabarro said before schools reopen teachers must be confident they can manage the return to school and that children understand social distancing .
Schools had reopened in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and staff safe , he said .
“ So , I am thinking the time has come , especially as you have got the numbers of cases being suppressed and you have got the defences building up , the time has come to gradually start reopening schools.
” Given Ireland ’ s progress on suppressing the virus to date , Dr Nabarro said it was likely there were going to be people in Government who will start thinking “ very , very seriously ” that schools could be reopened soon .
But he @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not to “ overstep ” his remit as a WHO representative .
Any move to bring some classes back would have to be done very carefully “ because so much depends on whether the teachers are comfortable and whether the parents are happy to send their kids back to school ” .
Earlier this month , chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said the Department of Education is focused on a September return for schools and that he does “ not anticipate ” they will open before that date .
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the safest things ” the State can do in the coming months is to reopen schools for children , raising fresh questions over the time-line for reopening schools and childcare facilities .
In a submission to the Department of Education over plans to reopen schools in September , the Irish Primary Principals ’ Network recommends parents should be required to agree a “ general contract ” in which they accept new terms and conditions that balance the safety of the school with their child ’ s right to an education .
The document @ @ @ @ @ @ @ physically attend school on a limited basis , such as every other day or every other week , and learn remotely on the remaining days .
An extended week is also mooted as a possibility .

Parents’ representatives have called for primary schools to be partially reopened in mid-June if it is safe to do so.
Áine Lynch, chief executive of the National Parents' Council Primary, said the decision to keep schools closed until September was made at a time when public health conditions were worse than they are now.
She called on public health authorities to keep official advice under constant review to consider whether schools could open to sixth-class students, for example, in mid-June. Ms Lynch said these students face a big transition to second-level education and would benefit from school support, if it is safe to do so.
Moreover, she said it would allow public health authorities to measure the potential impact on infection rates of a return to school.
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“We’re seeing what’s happening other jurisdictions,” said Ms Lynch. “We hope that rather than leaving it to phase five of the roadmap, the National Public Health Emergency Team continually reviews the advice to see if something can be done earlier.”
However, Minister for Health Simon Harris has ruled out sixth-class primary school returning to the classroom before going on to second level.
“The short answer is no,” said Mr Harris via social media.
Some parents have requested that older children be allowed return to school to aid their transition to second level and also because they could understand physical distancing.
In a video posted on YouTube, Mr Harris said: “We are planning on getting our schools open for the new school year. They won’t open before that.”
He acknowledged that many schools will be scheduling virtual graduations in lieu of traditional end-of-year events.
“I know how difficult this has been . . . I do promise you this, that there will be brighter days ahead . . . hopefully, you will get to see your friends in some guise over the summer months.”
Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation (WHO) special envoy on Covid-19 has said it is now time to think about reopening schools in Ireland.
Dr David Nabarro said he remains hopeful a vaccine can be found but that in the meantime getting used to living with the virus is going to be the new normal.
Keeping children home from school for too long can have long-term effects on their development, he warned, speaking to Newstalk Breakfast.
“You have to balance the risk. Children staying at home, missing school – that is going to have a long-term impact on their future ability to earn and to be strong in society . . . children, although they can get the virus, are not anything like as important at spreading the virus as some other members of the population. So we have got to give it a try,” he said.
However, Dr Nabarro said before schools reopen teachers must be confident they can manage the return to school and that children understand social distancing.
Schools had reopened in other countries while managing to keep students and staff safe, he said.
“So, I am thinking the time has come, especially as you have got the numbers of cases being suppressed and you have got the defences building up, the time has come to gradually start reopening schools.”
Given Ireland’s progress on suppressing the virus to date, Dr Nabarro said it was likely there were going to be people in Government who will start thinking “very, very seriously” that schools could be reopened soon.
September return
But he added that he had to be careful not to “overstep” his remit as a WHO representative.
On Wednesday, a spokesman for the Department of Health said it was still planning for schools to reopen and operate in September, in line with public health advice.
“Engagement is underway with stakeholders in the education sector to develop contingency plans for the re-opening and operation of schools in an environment that may require social distancing and other public health requirements,” the spokesman said.
“This work will be based on the national return to work safely protocol and will also be informed by guidance and experience from other jurisdictions. A core objective of the contingency plans will be to ensure that schools and other education settings can re-open and operate in a safe manner that is consistent with public health advice.”
Earlier this month, chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said the Department of Education is focused on a September return for schools and that he does “not anticipate” they will open before that date.
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said on May 13th that “among the safest things” the State can do in the coming months is to reopen schools for children, raising fresh questions over the timeline for reopening schools and childcare facilities.
The document says pupils may end up having to physically attend school on a limited basis, such as every other day or every other week, and learn remotely on the remaining days. An extended week is also mooted as a possibility.


theirishtimes--2020-05-20--Meat industry says Covid-19 spread ‘a huge learning curve’

A spokesman for Meat Industry Ireland ( MII ) has said meat plants will continue to work with the HSE and local control teams to combat the spread of Covid-19 .
The number of cases in meat plants has increased by more than 300 to 828 , according to latest figures from the National Public Health Emergency Team .
The sharp rise in the number of coronavirus cases related to outbreaks in meat processing plants in the past week was described as “ concerning ” by Dr Ronan Glynn , deputy chief medical officer , on Tuesday .
There are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or more cases – across meat processing plants .
The issue will be discussed at a meeting of NPHET on Friday .
“ I fully understand concerns at the unfortunate number of clusters , ” he said .
Mr Healy said where clusters have occurred the HSE has been engaged in “ several of those facilities ” and full site screenings have been carried out .
Mr Healy pointed out that of the 56 meat plants in the country working under approval from the Department of Agriculture , a significant number had zero @ @ @ @ @ @ @ within the industry , Mr Healy said such controls had been put in place from the early days of the virus .
“ Meat Industry Ireland introduced measures well before the government protocols .
We put together our own based on knowledge of best practice.
” A “ significant suite ” of measures are in place , he said , and they are constantly being augmented .
When asked about the challenge of meat industry workers living in shared accommodation and if plans were being made to provide alternatives where staff could self @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shared across many industries .
The work force of Meat Industry Ireland was largely Irish and European with fewer than 20 per cent working in the country under the permit system , he added .
The rules apply equally to everyone whether they share accommodation or not , he said .

Rosderra Irish Meats plant in Roscrea, Co Tipperary, where, according to Sinn Féin TD Brian Stanley, by April 30th, 140 workers were out sick and 120 had tested positive. Photograph: Diarmuid Greene
A spokesman for Meat Industry Ireland (MII) has said meat plants will continue to work with the HSE and local control teams to combat the spread of Covid-19.
The number of cases in meat plants has increased by more than 300 to 828, according to latest figures from the National Public Health Emergency Team.
The sharp rise in the number of coronavirus cases related to outbreaks in meat processing plants in the past week was described as "concerning" by Dr Ronan Glynn, deputy chief medical officer, on Tuesday.
There are now 16 clusters – defined as two or more cases – across meat processing plants. The issue will be discussed at a meeting of NPHET on Friday.
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"This is a huge learning curve," Cormac Healy told RTÉ radio's Morning Ireland on Wednesday.
“I fully understand concerns at the unfortunate number of clusters,” he said. Mr Healy said where clusters have occurred the HSE has been engaged in “several of those facilities” and full site screenings have been carried out.
Mr Healy pointed out that of the 56 meat plants in the country working under approval from the Department of Agriculture, a significant number had zero cases.
“The measures employed are working.”
On the issue of controls within the industry, Mr Healy said such controls had been put in place from the early days of the virus.
“Meat Industry Ireland introduced measures well before the government protocols. We put together our own based on knowledge of best practice.”
A “significant suite” of measures are in place, he said, and they are constantly being augmented.
When asked about the challenge of meat industry workers living in shared accommodation and if plans were being made to provide alternatives where staff could self isolate, Mr Healy said accommodation was shared across many industries.
The work force of Meat Industry Ireland was largely Irish and European with fewer than 20 per cent working in the country under the permit system, he added.
The rules apply equally to everyone whether they share accommodation or not, he said.