theirishtimes--2020-07-22--Minister for Health: ‘We don’t want people travelling on holiday this summer’

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has described the “ green list ” for overseas travel as the “ most conservative and cautious ” list in the European Union .
He insisted the Government was obliged to inform the public in relation to countries that are low risk compared to Ireland .
Fifteen countries and territories have been included on the green list and people travelling to and from these destinations will not have to go through a mandatory period of quarantine when returning from them .
Malta , Finland , Norway , Italy , Hungary , Estonia , Latvia , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Greenland , Gibraltar , Monaco and San Marino have been included on the list and deemed as safe for travel with “ normal precautions ” .
However , the Government has been accused of creating confusion as in its statement listing the countries it said “ the safest thing to do is not to travel ” .
“ The pandemic is not over and the public health advice remains the same , ” it added .
Speaking on Drivetime on RTÉ Radio 1 on Wednesday , Mr Donnelly said the message from @ @ @ @ @ @ @ don ’ t want people travelling on holiday this summer , ” he said .
“ The Government position is ‘ please holiday at home this summer ’ .
That is a consistent message .
“ There is a list now of 15 countries .
The reason we have this list is because the Department of Foreign Affairs must provide Irish citizens with accurate information if they ’ re going to travel .
“ If you are going to travel – we are cognisant of the fact a lot of people are travelling @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accurate information .
“ So , we ’ ve worked very closely with the Chief Medical Officer , with the public health experts , and said ‘ let ’ s take a really , really cautious approach to the countries we believe have a lower risk level for Covid than we do ’ .
“ The list released last night is the most conservative and cautious list anywhere in the European Union.
” Mr Donnelly also said mandatory quarantining of people arriving at Irish ports would be ineffective and could lead to clusters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ instead be introducing new measures to combat the spread of the virus .
“ We ’ re putting the travel locator form on an electronic basis from August 10th , ” he said .
“ You ’ ll have to fill it in several days ahead of time .
“ We ’ re increasing the capacity for making contact with people when they are here .
We ’ re bringing in rapid access to testing for people who are symptomatic in the airport – really important – and we ’ re looking at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ before you come.
” Earlier , Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney acknowledged there is some confusion about the green list but denied that the Coalition made a “ hames ” of its advice on the issue .
However , he said there were still 50,000 people leaving the State every week .

Stephen Donnelly, Minster for Health arriving to the Dail sitting at Dublin Castle for the cabinet meeting. Photograph: Alan Betson / The Irish Times
Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has described the "green list" for overseas travel as the "most conservative and cautious" list in the European Union. He insisted the Government was obliged to inform the public in relation to countries that are low risk compared to Ireland.
Fifteen countries and territories have been included on the green list and people travelling to and from these destinations will not have to go through a mandatory period of quarantine when returning from them.
Malta, Finland, Norway, Italy, Hungary, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Cyprus, Slovakia, Greece, Greenland, Gibraltar, Monaco and San Marino have been included on the list and deemed as safe for travel with “normal precautions”.
However, the Government has been accused of creating confusion as in its statement listing the countries it said “the safest thing to do is not to travel”.
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“The pandemic is not over and the public health advice remains the same,” it added.
Speaking on Drivetime on RTÉ Radio 1 on Wednesday, Mr Donnelly said the message from the Government was clear.
“We don’t want people travelling on holiday this summer,” he said. “The Government position is ‘please holiday at home this summer’. That is a consistent message.
“There is a list now of 15 countries. The reason we have this list is because the Department of Foreign Affairs must provide Irish citizens with accurate information if they’re going to travel.
“If you are going to travel – we are cognisant of the fact a lot of people are travelling – we have an obligation to provide accurate information.
“So, we’ve worked very closely with the Chief Medical Officer, with the public health experts, and said ‘let’s take a really, really cautious approach to the countries we believe have a lower risk level for Covid than we do’.
“The list released last night is the most conservative and cautious list anywhere in the European Union.”
Mr Donnelly also said mandatory quarantining of people arriving at Irish ports would be ineffective and could lead to clusters. He added that the Government would instead be introducing new measures to combat the spread of the virus.
“We’re putting the travel locator form on an electronic basis from August 10th,” he said. “You’ll have to fill it in several days ahead of time.
“We’re increasing the capacity for making contact with people when they are here. We’re bringing in rapid access to testing for people who are symptomatic in the airport – really important – and we’re looking at additional measures as well such as pre-testing before you come.”
Earlier, Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney acknowledged there is some confusion about the green list but denied that the Coalition made a "hames" of its advice on the issue. However, he said there were still 50,000 people leaving the State every week.


theirishtimes--2020-07-22--NI Executive to discuss big North-South differences in travel ‘green list’

The Northern Executive is due to discuss divergences between Northern Ireland and the Republic on what countries people can visit without having to quarantine for 14 days when they return home .
There are just 15 countries on the “ green list ” of permitted countries in the Republic , whereas Northern Ireland allows travellers visit a total of 59 countries without having to quarantine on their return .
The Northern Executive on July 9th agreed that the same 59 permitted countries in England and Wales also would apply in the North from July 10th .
First Minister Arlene Foster @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s list “ includes countries like Spain , like France , so that people can go on their holidays and not have to quarantine when they come back to Northern Ireland ” .
She said it was a devolved matter and the Executive had the discretion to alter the list of countries .
It decided , however , to use the same list as England and Wales .
In contrast , the Scottish administration reduced the list of permitted countries to 57 by exempting Spain and Serbia .
Countries not on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Canada , China and Portugal .
Taoiseach Micheál Martin referred to the list of 59 countries when defending himself against charges from Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald that the “ green list ” had created “ absolute confusion ” about travel and that the Government ’ s handling of the issue was “ cack-handed ” .
“ Instead of managing the risks that we clearly face you have now pursued a reckless policy with virtually no checks and balances , ” she told Mr Martin during Leaders ’ Questions .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of “ opening up the island ” to people from 59 countries .
People who visit Northern Ireland can also enter the Republic .
“ The deputy and her party had a view that it was okay to open the island to 59 countries – that is a fact , ” said Mr Martin .
The Taoiseach added that the Government was operating a “ much more conservative approach ” to international travel .
On Wednesday a Sinn Féin spokesman said “ travel restrictions on to the island need to be consistent so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not used as a back door to the other ” .
“ Travel on to the island from countries where Covid-19 rates are higher than here needs to be restricted on a consistent basis , North and South , ” he said .
“ As an island we are a single epidemiological entity , as recognised in the Executive ’ s plan in response to Covid-19 .
We need to realise this advantage of living on an island.
” The Northern Executive , when it meets on Thursday , is expected to discuss @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Transport in the Republic has confirmed that after the Brexit transition period on June 1st next year a green card will be required for motorists from Britain and Northern Ireland driving in the Republic or in other European Union countries .
Green cards are documents issued by insurers to prove that drivers have motor insurance cover when driving in another jurisdiction .
“ As it stands , following the transition period , a green card will be required for vehicles from the UK , including Northern Ireland , being driven in Ireland @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the European Commission declares otherwise , ” said a spokesman for the department .
Drivers from the North will not require an international driving permit or a “ GB ” sticker on their vehicle when driving in the Republic from January 1st .
Motorists from the South will not need green cards to drive in Northern Ireland .
Andorra ; Antigua and Barbuda ; Aruba ; Australia ; Austria ; Bahamas ; Barbados ; Belgium ; Bonaire , Saint Eustatius and Saba ; Croatia ; Curaçao ; Cyprus ; Czech Republic ; Denmark @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ; Finland ; France ; French Polynesia ; Germany ; Greece ; Greenland ; Grenada ; Guadeloupe ; Hong Kong ; Hungary ; Iceland ; Italy ; Jamaica ; Japan ; Liechtenstein ; Lithuania ; Luxembourg ; Macau ; Malta ; Mauritius ; Monaco ; Netherlands ; New Caledonia ; New Zealand ; Norway ; Poland ; Réunion ; San Marino ; Serbia ; Seychelles ; South Korea ; Spain ; St Barthélemy ; St Kitts and Nevis ; St Lucia ; St Pierre and Miquelon ; Switzerland ; Taiwan ; Trinidad and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Vietnam .

The Northern Executive is due to discuss divergences between Northern Ireland and the Republic on what countries people can visit without having to quarantine for 14 days when they return home.
There are just 15 countries on the “green list” of permitted countries in the Republic, whereas Northern Ireland allows travellers visit a total of 59 countries without having to quarantine on their return.
The Northern Executive on July 9th agreed that the same 59 permitted countries in England and Wales also would apply in the North from July 10th.
First Minister Arlene Foster said at the time that the North's list "includes countries like Spain, like France, so that people can go on their holidays and not have to quarantine when they come back to Northern Ireland".
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She said it was a devolved matter and the Executive had the discretion to alter the list of countries. It decided, however, to use the same list as England and Wales.
In contrast, the Scottish administration reduced the list of permitted countries to 57 by exempting Spain and Serbia.
Countries not on the list of 59 include the United States, Canada, China and Portugal.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin referred to the list of 59 countries when defending himself against charges from Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald that the “green list” had created “absolute confusion” about travel and that the Government’s handling of the issue was “cack-handed”.
“Instead of managing the risks that we clearly face you have now pursued a reckless policy with virtually no checks and balances,” she told Mr Martin during Leaders’ Questions.
‘Conservative approach’
The Taoiseach accused Ms McDonald and Sinn Féin of “opening up the island” to people from 59 countries. People who visit Northern Ireland can also enter the Republic.
“The deputy and her party had a view that it was okay to open the island to 59 countries – that is a fact,” said Mr Martin.
The Taoiseach added that the Government was operating a “much more conservative approach” to international travel.
On Wednesday a Sinn Féin spokesman said “travel restrictions on to the island need to be consistent so that one part of the island is not used as a back door to the other”.
“Travel on to the island from countries where Covid-19 rates are higher than here needs to be restricted on a consistent basis, North and South,” he said.
“As an island we are a single epidemiological entity, as recognised in the Executive’s plan in response to Covid-19. We need to realise this advantage of living on an island.”
The Northern Executive, when it meets on Thursday, is expected to discuss this anomaly.
Separately, the Department of Transport in the Republic has confirmed that after the Brexit transition period on June 1st next year a green card will be required for motorists from Britain and Northern Ireland driving in the Republic or in other European Union countries.
Green cards are documents issued by insurers to prove that drivers have motor insurance cover when driving in another jurisdiction.
"As it stands, following the transition period, a green card will be required for vehicles from the UK, including Northern Ireland, being driven in Ireland or other EU member states, unless the European Commission declares otherwise," said a spokesman for the department.
Drivers from the North will not require an international driving permit or a “GB” sticker on their vehicle when driving in the Republic from January 1st.
Motorists from the South will not need green cards to drive in Northern Ireland.
LIST OF 59 COUNTRIES
Andorra; Antigua and Barbuda; Aruba; Australia; Austria; Bahamas; Barbados; Belgium; Bonaire, Saint Eustatius and Saba; Croatia; Curaçao; Cyprus; Czech Republic; Denmark; Dominica; Faroe Islands; Fiji; Finland; France; French Polynesia; Germany; Greece; Greenland; Grenada; Guadeloupe; Hong Kong; Hungary; Iceland; Italy; Jamaica; Japan; Liechtenstein; Lithuania; Luxembourg; Macau; Malta; Mauritius; Monaco; Netherlands; New Caledonia; New Zealand; Norway; Poland; Réunion; San Marino; Serbia; Seychelles; South Korea; Spain; St Barthélemy; St Kitts and Nevis; St Lucia; St Pierre and Miquelon; Switzerland; Taiwan; Trinidad and Tobago; Turkey; Vatican City; Vietnam.


theirishtimes--2020-07-23--Two women charged with murder of man (75) in Derry

Two women have appeared at Derry Magistrate ’ s Court charged with the murder of a 75-year-old man .
Sharon Harland ( 44 ) , of Baltimore House , Derry , and Rhona Gracey ( 33 ) , of Coven Street , Belfast , were charged with the murder of Daniel Guyler on May 1st , 2019 and the theft of £400 from Mr Guyler on July 23rd , 2018 .
The court heard that a badly injured man was found in the Termon Street area of Derry on July 23rd , 2018 .
He was taken to Altnagelvin Hospital @ @ @ @ @ @ @ appeared in court on July 25th , 2018 and then , on May 1st , 2019 , Mr Guyler died in hospital .
Ms Harland and Ms Gracey were arrested as part of a murder inquiry on Wednesday .
Ms Harland told police she could not remember the night and Ms Gracey made no comment .
An officer told the court that Ms Harland appeared to be familiar with some witnesses in the case .
The officer said Ms Harland described them as ‘ druggies , alcos and losers ’ who had ‘ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ her ’ .
The court heard there was forensic evidence linking the women to the scene .
Sean Doherty , counsel for Ms Harland , said his client had issues with alcohol and substance abuse and was trying to turn her life around .
He said his client was pregnant with her sixth child and that witnesses would not be under threat from her .
John Keown , solicitor for Ms Gracey , said that following the 2018 charge his client was recalled to prison and served an additional 12 months .
He @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and would have no contact with witnesses .
Judge Ted Magill said neither woman had attempted to interfere with witnesses and he was not satisfied that either of them was a flight risk or would reoffend .
He released them on bail and adjourned the case until August 20th .

Two women have appeared at Derry Magistrate’s Court charged with the murder of a 75-year-old man.
Two women have appeared at Derry Magistrate’s Court charged with the murder of a 75-year-old man.
Sharon Harland (44), of Baltimore House, Derry, and Rhona Gracey (33), of Coven Street, Belfast, were charged with the murder of Daniel Guyler on May 1st, 2019 and the theft of £400 from Mr Guyler on July 23rd, 2018.
The court heard that a badly injured man was found in the Termon Street area of Derry on July 23rd, 2018. He was taken to Altnagelvin Hospital.
The two women were arrested and appeared in court on July 25th, 2018 and then, on May 1st, 2019, Mr Guyler died in hospital.
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Ms Harland and Ms Gracey were arrested as part of a murder inquiry on Wednesday. Ms Harland told police she could not remember the night and Ms Gracey made no comment.
An officer told the court that Ms Harland appeared to be familiar with some witnesses in the case. The officer said Ms Harland described them as ‘druggies, alcos and losers’ who had ‘made all this up to get to her’. The court heard there was forensic evidence linking the women to the scene.
Sean Doherty, counsel for Ms Harland, said his client had issues with alcohol and substance abuse and was trying to turn her life around. He said his client was pregnant with her sixth child and that witnesses would not be under threat from her.
John Keown, solicitor for Ms Gracey, said that following the 2018 charge his client was recalled to prison and served an additional 12 months. He said she was now residing in Belfast and would have no contact with witnesses.
Judge Ted Magill said neither woman had attempted to interfere with witnesses and he was not satisfied that either of them was a flight risk or would reoffend. He released them on bail and adjourned the case until August 20th.


theirishtimes--2020-07-23--DCU professor says staycation vouchers should be introduced before October

Economics professor Tony Foley has questioned why the ‘ staycation voucher ’ included in the July stimulus plan , which is set to be revealed on Thursday , will not commence until October .
The senior lecturer and head of the economics finance and entrepreneurship group in DCU ’ s Business School told RTÉ radio ’ s Today with Sarah McInerney show that he thought the initiative to support the domestic hotel and restaurant sector should have commenced immediately .
Later on Thursday the Government will announce its long-awaited stimulus plan , with a package of about €7 billion to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ supports , grants and tax cuts .
Under the ‘ staycation voucher ’ scheme consumers will be able to claim a tax refund of up to €125 when they spend in the region of €600 on accommodation , food or non-alcoholic drinks .
Prof Foley pointed out that last year 20 million bed nights were from overseas visitors while the domestic market was eight million .
Any development of the home industry is not going to make up for the loss of foreign visitors , he said .
“ But it will be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the first step of many that will be required to help the economy .
Many measures will be required to keep the economy and the country “ ticking over ” he said , but the country is still going to be left “ with major problems.
” A main element of the stimulus package will be the announcement of new employment supports based on the German “ kurzarbeit ” scheme , under which the State supports the wages of workers who have been temporarily put on short-time working .
It has been credited @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and during the financial crisis a decade ago .
The plan will include a huge injection of cash to revive the stricken economy through capital spending and grants , as well as a series of schemes to support businesses and workers .
However according to Prof Foley the country will never pay back the debt caused by Covid-19 , the real problem will be in five years when there is an increase in interest rates .
At the moment no country in Europe is worrying about borrowing , he said .

Taoiseach Micheal Martin arrives at Dublin Castle on Tuesday. The Government is set to announce a €7bn stimulus package for the economy on Thursday. Photograph: Niall Carson/PA
Economics professor Tony Foley has questioned why the ‘staycation voucher’ included in the July stimulus plan, which is set to be revealed on Thursday, will not commence until October.
The senior lecturer and head of the economics finance and entrepreneurship group in DCU’s Business School told RTÉ radio’s Today with Sarah McInerney show that he thought the initiative to support the domestic hotel and restaurant sector should have commenced immediately.
Later on Thursday the Government will announce its long-awaited stimulus plan, with a package of about €7 billion to include capital spending, welfare and employment supports, grants and tax cuts.
Under the ‘staycation voucher’ scheme consumers will be able to claim a tax refund of up to €125 when they spend in the region of €600 on accommodation, food or non-alcoholic drinks.
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Prof Foley pointed out that last year 20 million bed nights were from overseas visitors while the domestic market was eight million. Any development of the home industry is not going to make up for the loss of foreign visitors, he said.
“But it will be a boost.”
The stimulus package is the first step of many that will be required to help the economy. Many measures will be required to keep the economy and the country “ticking over” he said, but the country is still going to be left “with major problems.”
A main element of the stimulus package will be the announcement of new employment supports based on the German “kurzarbeit” scheme, under which the State supports the wages of workers who have been temporarily put on short-time working. It has been credited with keeping unemployment low during the pandemic, and during the financial crisis a decade ago.
The plan will include a huge injection of cash to revive the stricken economy through capital spending and grants, as well as a series of schemes to support businesses and workers.
However according to Prof Foley the country will never pay back the debt caused by Covid-19, the real problem will be in five years when there is an increase in interest rates. At the moment no country in Europe is worrying about borrowing, he said.
“These are strange times that require strange responses.”


theirishtimes--2020-07-23--Second Dublin construction site closed over coronavirus

A construction site in Grangegorman , north Dublin has had to close due to a confirmed case of coronavirus .
It is the second construction site in less than a week that has had to temporarily close in the capital due to the virus .
The East Quad site in Grangegorman , a joint venture set up between John Sisk & Son and Spanish construction company FCC , has been shut down and a deep clean will now take place there .
“ One case of Covid-19 is confirmed on our East Quad site , at our Grangegorman project JV @ @ @ @ @ @ @ following all HSE protocols and have shut down site for deep clean , ” a spokesman for John Sisk & Son said .
The site is understood to be part of a development to accommodate students at Technological University ( TU ) in Dublin 7 .
It comes after a building site operated by John Paul Construction on Townsend Street in Dublin 2 was forced to close on Monday .
The company said initially one employee had been found to have contracted coronavirus but following testing it had been confirmed that others were @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understood to be a hotel and apartment complex .

The East Quad site in Grangegorman, a joint venture set up between John Sisk & Son and Spanish construction company FCC has been closed and a deep clean will take place. File photograph: Cyril Byrne
A construction site in Grangegorman, north Dublin has had to close due to a confirmed case of coronavirus.
It is the second building site in Dublin in less than a week that has had to temporarily close due to the virus.
The State’s acting chief medical officer Dr Ronan Glynn said that the Grangegorman site was closed as a precautionary measure because a person who had worked on both sites tested positive for the disease.
The East Quad site in Grangegorman, a joint venture set up between John Sisk & Son and Spanish construction company FCC, has been shut down and a deep clean will now take place there.
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It comes after a building site operated by John Paul Construction on Townsend Street in Dublin 2 was forced to close on Monday.
Dr Glynn said that between 25 and 30 confirmed cases had been confirmed at the cluster linked to the Townsend Street site and that the Grangegorman site was closed because of a link with the city centre site. He did not believe there was a second cluster.
“That site is closed out of an abundance of caution pending further risk assessment by the public health team,” he told Thursday’s National Public Health Emergency Team briefing at the Department of Health.
Dr Glynn said that 25 to 30 cases in any setting is “substantial and demonstrates how this disease can spread given any opportunity”
A spokesman for John Sisk & Son said that one case of Covid-19 was confirmed at its East Quad site, its joint venture project in Grangegorman with FCC Construction.
“We are following all HSE protocols and have shut down site for deep clean,” the spokesman said.
The site is part of a development to accommodate students at Technological University (TU) in Dublin 7.
The company said initially one employee had been found to have contracted coronavirus but following testing it had been confirmed that others were also affected.
Dr Glynn said that there was no plan to change any public heath advice to the construction industry arising out of the new cases. Public health officials expected clusters to emerge as the country reopened from lockdown, he added.
“There no suggestion that anything went wrong here,” he said.
He stressed again the importance of people in workplace settings following public health advice and urged workers to “stay physically distant and don’t drop your guard.”


theirishtimes--2020-07-23--Coronavirus: People must find ways to live with ‘new normal’, says HSE

The HSE ’ s chief clinical officer , Dr Colm Henry , has warned everyone will have to find a way of living with the ‘ new normal ’ of life in the time of Covid-19 .
Dr Henry said he supports people getting back to work , as suggested by Ibec , but said that apart from individual responsibility , employers have a responsibility to ensure their employees are safe .
The ‘ new normal ’ had to include minimum contact , avoiding crowds and avoiding close contact , he told Newstalk Breakfast .
When asked about school uniforms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to wear their own clothing , Dr Henry said that was a decision for each school , but he felt if good hand hygiene and social distancing measures were implemented that would be effective .
Dr Henry said the health service had suffered “ an unprecedented shock to the system ” and that there will be a fall in capacity as social-distancing measures are observed .
He expressed particular concern over the worrying trend of outbreaks of the virus in congregated settings such as the workplace and social gatherings .
Dr Henry was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ declining to be tested when identified as a contact of a person who had contracted the virus .
“ It is worrying .
If you are called you should go for the test.
” Dr Henry pointed out that 6 to 7 per cent of asymptomatic people who had been tested were diagnosed with the virus .
“ People are not the best judges for themselves if they need the test.
” One further death of a person with Covid-19 has been reported to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre , while there have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ There has now been a total of 1,754 Covid-19 related deaths in Ireland , while the total number of confirmed cases stands at 25,819 .
Dr Ronan Glynn , acting Chief Medical Officer , appealed to the public to continue social distancing .
Currently , there are 14 patients in hospital with Covid-19 , with six of these in intensive care .
Three people were admitted to hospital in the past 24 hours .
The total number of people hospitalised stands at 3,340 with 438 of these requiring intensive care treatment .
A @ @ @ @ @ @ @ past 24 hours bringing the total figure to 579,088 .
A total of 8,355 healthcare workers have contracted the virus .
There have been 2,153 clusters of the virus..
Earlier HSE chief executive Paul Reid said sgnificant worrying trends relating to Covid-19 have been seen in the State ’ s health services in recent weeks , He said that between July 5th and 18th there were 267 confirmed cases , compared to 155 in the previous fortnight .

‘New normal’ had to include minimum contact, avoiding crowds and avoiding close contact, the HSE’s chief clinical officer said. File photograph: Gareth Chaney/Collins
The HSE’s chief clinical officer, Dr Colm Henry, has warned everyone will have to find a way of living with the ‘new normal’ of life in the time of Covid-19.
Dr Henry said he supports people getting back to work, as suggested by Ibec, but said that apart from individual responsibility, employers have a responsibility to ensure their employees are safe.
The ‘new normal’ had to include minimum contact, avoiding crowds and avoiding close contact, he told Newstalk Breakfast.
When asked about school uniforms and if it was safer for children to wear their own clothing, Dr Henry said that was a decision for each school, but he felt if good hand hygiene and social distancing measures were implemented that would be effective.
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Dr Henry said the health service had suffered “an unprecedented shock to the system” and that there will be a fall in capacity as social-distancing measures are observed.
He expressed particular concern over the worrying trend of outbreaks of the virus in congregated settings such as the workplace and social gatherings.
Dr Henry was also concerned about the number of people declining to be tested when identified as a contact of a person who had contracted the virus. “It is worrying. If you are called you should go for the test.”
Dr Henry pointed out that 6 to 7 per cent of asymptomatic people who had been tested were diagnosed with the virus. “People are not the best judges for themselves if they need the test.”
One further death of a person with Covid-19 has been reported to the Health Protection Surveillance Centre, while there have been a further 17 confirmed cases.
There has now been a total of 1,754 Covid-19 related deaths in Ireland, while the total number of confirmed cases stands at 25,819.
Dr Ronan Glynn, acting Chief Medical Officer, appealed to the public to continue social distancing.
Currently, there are 14 patients in hospital with Covid-19, with six of these in intensive care. Three people were admitted to hospital in the past 24 hours.
The total number of people hospitalised stands at 3,340 with 438 of these requiring intensive care treatment.
A further 4,599 tests were completed in the past 24 hours bringing the total figure to 579,088. A total of 8,355 healthcare workers have contracted the virus. There have been 2,153 clusters of the virus..
Earlier HSE chief executive Paul Reid said sgnificant worrying trends relating to Covid-19 have been seen in the State’s health services in recent weeks,
He said that between July 5th and 18th there were 267 confirmed cases, compared to 155 in the previous fortnight.


theirishtimes--2020-07-23--Is this your dog? Gardaí try to reunite suspected stolen dog with owner

Gardaí are appealing for the public ’ s help in trying to reunite a suspected stolen dog with its owner .
Gardaí were following up on reports of suspicious activity in the car park on Old Dublin Road in Co Limerick shortly after 7.30pm on July 13th .
They spoke to two men who had two male springer spaniel dogs in their possession .
When gardaí enquired about their ownership of the dogs , the two men were unable to provide information that gardaí were satisfied with .
They also informed gardaí that the dogs were microchipped .
Both dogs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cage , so a decision was made by gardaí to seize them for their welfare pending the verification of ownership .
Both dogs were seized and brought to Henry Street Garda station where they were housed in the kennels at the rear of the station .
A local vet came and scanned both dogs for microchips which returned negative for both .
The vet said the two springer spaniels were males , roughly three to four years and 18 months respectively , and were in good condition .
One of the men later @ @ @ @ @ @ @ documentation which gardaí believe are fraudulent .
The two dogs were then brought to a local animal shelter while gardaí carried out further enquiries .
One of the dogs , the older of the two , has since been reunited with its owner .
The dog is believed to have been stolen on June 24th in Co Cork .
The owner had placed adverts online and posters around their local area in an attempt to get back their pet .
Gardaí brought Jake out to the owner ’ s home and were satisfied @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the dog and its excitement , awareness of his surrounding , and location of his kennel .
Jake ’ s owner Gerard said he was “ absolutely thrilled ” to get his dog back .
“ I had lost hope because he was gone for so long .
I tried everything to get him back – I tried social media and put up posters locally , ” he said .
“ I am extremely grateful to Gda Shane Hayes and Limerick Animal Welfare for looking after Jake and getting him home safely.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ second dog with its owner and are appealing to anyone who can help get him home .
Anyone with information should contact Henry Street Garda Station on 061-212400 .
An Garda Síochána said it is aware there has been a number of dog thefts throughout the country recently .
However , the number of incidents reported to gardaí do not reflect a significant increase in dog theft , they said .
“ If your dog has been stolen , report the matter to your local Garda station as soon as possible , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Thursday , crime prevention officer Sgt Ber Leetch said : “ I would firstly like to thank the member of the public who phoned us when they noticed something suspicious .
Assistance like this is invaluable .
“ As we are hearing a lot about dog theft , it can make dog owners feel unsafe and worried about their beloved pets - so we would advise you take extra precautions for their safety .
“ For your dog ’ s security , I would recommend they are microchipped so that they can be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the owner .
Also place contact details on their collar in the event that they escape .
Ensure that your home and garden are secure to prevent theft and deter potential culprits .
“ If you have a high value breed of animal you may wish to consider CCTV and other crime prevention measures .
If you are buying a dog , or returning a dog to its suspected owners , make sure the person is bona fide , ” he said .

Gardaí are attempting to reunite this suspected stolen dog with its owner and are appealing to anyone who can help get him home
Gardaí are appealing for the public’s help in trying to reunite a suspected stolen dog with its owner.
Gardaí were following up on reports of suspicious activity in the car park on Old Dublin Road in Co Limerick shortly after 7.30pm on July 13th.
They spoke to two men who had two male springer spaniel dogs in their possession. When gardaí enquired about their ownership of the dogs, the two men were unable to provide information that gardaí were satisfied with.
They also informed gardaí that the dogs were microchipped.
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Both dogs were very nervous, cowering in their cage, so a decision was made by gardaí to seize them for their welfare pending the verification of ownership.
Both dogs were seized and brought to Henry Street Garda station where they were housed in the kennels at the rear of the station.
A local vet came and scanned both dogs for microchips which returned negative for both. The vet said the two springer spaniels were males, roughly three to four years and 18 months respectively, and were in good condition.
One of the men later attended Henry Street Garda station and produced documentation which gardaí believe are fraudulent. The two dogs were then brought to a local animal shelter while gardaí carried out further enquiries.
One of the dogs, the older of the two, has since been reunited with its owner. The dog is believed to have been stolen on June 24th in Co Cork. The owner had placed adverts online and posters around their local area in an attempt to get back their pet.
Gardaí brought Jake out to the owner’s home and were satisfied with the owner’s description of the dog and its excitement, awareness of his surrounding, and location of his kennel.
Jake’s owner Gerard said he was “absolutely thrilled” to get his dog back.
"I had lost hope because he was gone for so long. I tried everything to get him back – I tried social media and put up posters locally," he said. "I am extremely grateful to Gda Shane Hayes and Limerick Animal Welfare for looking after Jake and getting him home safely."
Garda Shane Hayes, Gerard and his dog Jake
Gardaí are still attempting to reunite the second dog with its owner and are appealing to anyone who can help get him home. Anyone with information should contact Henry Street Garda Station on 061-212400.
An Garda Síochána said it is aware there has been a number of dog thefts throughout the country recently. However, the number of incidents reported to gardaí do not reflect a significant increase in dog theft, they said.
“If your dog has been stolen, report the matter to your local Garda station as soon as possible,” a Garda spokesman said.
Speaking on Thursday, crime prevention officer Sgt Ber Leetch said: “I would firstly like to thank the member of the public who phoned us when they noticed something suspicious. Assistance like this is invaluable.
“As we are hearing a lot about dog theft, it can make dog owners feel unsafe and worried about their beloved pets - so we would advise you take extra precautions for their safety.
“For your dog’s security, I would recommend they are microchipped so that they can be easily identified if found and returned to the owner. Also place contact details on their collar in the event that they escape. Ensure that your home and garden are secure to prevent theft and deter potential culprits.
“If you have a high value breed of animal you may wish to consider CCTV and other crime prevention measures. If you are buying a dog, or returning a dog to its suspected owners, make sure the person is bona fide,” he said.


theirishtimes--2020-07-23--China launches unmanned probe to Mars in first independent mission

China successfully launched an unmanned probe to Mars on Thursday in its first independent mission to another planet , a bid for global leadership in space and a display of its technological prowess and ambition .
China ’ s largest carrier rocket , the Long March 5 Y-4 , blasted off with the probe at 12.41 pm local time ( 5.41am Irish time ) from Wenchang Space Launch Centre on the southern island of Hainan .
The probe is expected to reach Mars in February where it will attempt to deploy a rover to explore the planet for 90 days @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or Questions to Heaven , which is the name of a poem written two millennia ago , will make China the first country to orbit , land and deploy a rover in its inaugural mission .
There will be challenges ahead as the craft nears Mars , Liu Tongjie , spokesman for the mission , told reporters ahead of the launch .
“ When arriving in the vicinity of Mars , it is very critical to decelerate , ” he said .
“ If the deceleration process is not right , or if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ probe would not be captured by Mars , ” he said , referring to gravity on Mars taking the craft down to the surface .
Mr Liu said the probe would orbit Mars for about two and a half months and look for an opportunity to enter its atmosphere and make a soft landing .
“ Entering , deceleration and landing ( EDL ) is a very difficult ( process ) .
We believe China ’ s EDL process can still be successful , and the spacecraft can land safely , ” Mr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , European and Indian - are either orbiting Mars or on its surface with other missions underway or planned .
The United Arab Emirates launched a mission to Mars on Monday , an orbiter that will study the planet ’ s atmosphere .
The United States has plans to send a probe in coming months that will deploy a rover called Perseverance , the biggest , heaviest , most advanced vehicle sent to the Red Planet by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration ( NASA ) .
China ’ s probe will carry @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s atmosphere and surface , searching for signs of water and ice .
China previously made a Mars bid in 2011 with Russia , but the Russian spacecraft carrying the probe failed to exit the Earth ’ s orbit and disintegrated over the Pacific Ocean .
A fourth planned launch for Mars , the EU-Russian ExoMars , was postponed for two years due to the coronavirus pandemic and technical issues.–Reuters

Long March-5 rocket carrying the Tianwen-1 Mars probe lifts off from the Wenchang Space Launch Center in southern China’s Hainan Province on Thursday. Photograph: Cai Yang/Xinhua via AP
China successfully launched an unmanned probe to Mars on Thursday in its first independent mission to another planet, a bid for global leadership in space and a display of its technological prowess and ambition.
China’s largest carrier rocket, the Long March 5 Y-4, blasted off with the probe at 12.41 pm local time (5.41am Irish time) from Wenchang Space Launch Centre on the southern island of Hainan.
The probe is expected to reach Mars in February where it will attempt to deploy a rover to explore the planet for 90 days.
If successful, the Tianwen-1, or Questions to Heaven, which is the name of a poem written two millennia ago, will make China the first country to orbit, land and deploy a rover in its inaugural mission.
READ MORE
There will be challenges ahead as the craft nears Mars, Liu Tongjie, spokesman for the mission, told reporters ahead of the launch.
“When arriving in the vicinity of Mars, it is very critical to decelerate,” he said.
“If the deceleration process is not right, or if flight precision is not sufficient, the probe would not be captured by Mars,” he said, referring to gravity on Mars taking the craft down to the surface.
Mr Liu said the probe would orbit Mars for about two and a half months and look for an opportunity to enter its atmosphere and make a soft landing.
“Entering, deceleration and landing (EDL) is a very difficult (process). We believe China’s EDL process can still be successful, and the spacecraft can land safely,” Mr Liu said.
Eight spacecraft - American, European and Indian - are either orbiting Mars or on its surface with other missions underway or planned.
The United Arab Emirates launched a mission to Mars on Monday, an orbiter that will study the planet’s atmosphere.
The United States has plans to send a probe in coming months that will deploy a rover called Perseverance, the biggest, heaviest, most advanced vehicle sent to the Red Planet by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
China’s probe will carry several scientific instruments to observe the planet’s atmosphere and surface, searching for signs of water and ice.
China previously made a Mars bid in 2011 with Russia, but the Russian spacecraft carrying the probe failed to exit the Earth’s orbit and disintegrated over the Pacific Ocean.
A fourth planned launch for Mars, the EU-Russian ExoMars, was postponed for two years due to the coronavirus pandemic and technical issues.–Reuters


theirishtimes--2020-07-23--Decisive government action flattened the curve. It needs to continue

Following the outbreak of the Covid-19 virus , I noted in my last column in April most governments around the world paid close attention to the advice of medical experts and scientists .
As a result , many nations soon managed to “ flatten the curve ” , ie to slow the rate of infections to manageable levels .
Three months on , the situation is somewhat more complicated .
No country can afford to stay locked down indefinitely , due to the spiralling costs of paid furlough and the threat of long-term unemployment and deep recession .
However , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reopen , quite a few countries have seen a return to high infection rates .
Indeed , many nations , from Australia to Israel , have been forced to impose lockdowns a second time , at least at a local level .
This pattern is seen most obviously in the United States .
Due to a lack of coherent leadership , many states failed to close schools , workplaces and businesses quickly enough and then re-opened them too early .
The result has been a comprehensive failure to flatten the curve and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can governments achieve a reasonable balance between a healthy economy and a healthy population ?
One answer is that the question should not be framed as “ either or ” .
After all , a healthy economy is simply not possible in the context of a high rate of infection .
Thus , any attempts to re-open society for business must be done in such a way as to keep infection rates low .
For example , it seems reasonable to me that the Irish Government continues to advise against all unnecessary international @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of contracting the virus abroad , it ’ s hard to imagine a more vulnerable space than the enclosed cabin of an airplane .
On the other hand , at the time of writing , we continue to allow planes to arrive from all destinations , with little real enforcement of quarantine .
Tourism from the US makes up a vital part of the Irish economy , but reports of flights arriving daily from Dallas are surely a matter of concern .
Similarly , it was a relief to see pubs and restaurants @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a limited way .
However , this was soon followed by worrying reports in the media of crowds outside pubs paying little attention to social distancing .
So how are we supposed to return to normal life in the presence of the virus ?
It seems to me that one effective weapon is not being used as widely as it should be – the face mask .
When the virus first struck , there were many references in the media to a few behavioural science studies that suggested that the wearing of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ security .
It was some time before it emerged that the use of masks is in fact a remarkably efficient way of reducing contagion .
This is particularly important in the case of Covid-19 , as the virus can be transmitted by asymptomatic patients .
In addition , there is growing evidence that the virus might also be transmitted via aerosols , ie small droplets that remain in the air ( as opposed to large droplets from coughing and sneezing that travel only a few feet before dropping to the ground ) .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ masks should be an easy and efficient way of reducing the rate of infection .
Yet many governments have left the wearing of masks as a matter of individual choice for too long .
Given a mask protects the public from the wearer , rather than vice versa , this seems a mistake .
At least , masks have been made mandatory on public transport in Ireland and face coverings must be worn in shops .
Critically , I would like to see the practice enforced in shops and other public places .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in an Irish Times article recently , there is a persistent tendency in the politics of today to place great emphasis on the responsibility of the individual , rather than on systemic action by the State .
Yet the flattening of the Covid-19 curve was not driven by good personal choices , but by decisive government action .
It seems to me that , until the virus subsides , intervention by the State should continue , in the form of the mandatory wearing of face masks in all public indoor arenas .
Dr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at Waterford Institute of Technology and blogs at www.antimatter.ie

Following the outbreak of the Covid-19 virus, I noted in my last column in April most governments around the world paid close attention to the advice of medical experts and scientists. As a result, many nations soon managed to “flatten the curve”, ie to slow the rate of infections to manageable levels.
Three months on, the situation is somewhat more complicated. No country can afford to stay locked down indefinitely, due to the spiralling costs of paid furlough and the threat of long-term unemployment and deep recession.
However, as shops, restaurants and businesses gradually reopen, quite a few countries have seen a return to high infection rates. Indeed, many nations, from Australia to Israel, have been forced to impose lockdowns a second time, at least at a local level.
This pattern is seen most obviously in the United States. Due to a lack of coherent leadership, many states failed to close schools, workplaces and businesses quickly enough and then re-opened them too early. The result has been a comprehensive failure to flatten the curve and the highest rate of infection worldwide.
READ MORE
How can governments achieve a reasonable balance between a healthy economy and a healthy population? One answer is that the question should not be framed as “either or”. After all, a healthy economy is simply not possible in the context of a high rate of infection. Thus, any attempts to re-open society for business must be done in such a way as to keep infection rates low.
For example, it seems reasonable to me that the Irish Government continues to advise against all unnecessary international travel. Quite apart from the risk of contracting the virus abroad, it's hard to imagine a more vulnerable space than the enclosed cabin of an airplane. On the other hand, at the time of writing, we continue to allow planes to arrive from all destinations, with little real enforcement of quarantine. Tourism from the US makes up a vital part of the Irish economy, but reports of flights arriving daily from Dallas are surely a matter of concern.
Worrying reports
Similarly, it was a relief to see pubs and restaurants open up again in Ireland, albeit in a limited way. However, this was soon followed by worrying reports in the media of crowds outside pubs paying little attention to social distancing.
So how are we supposed to return to normal life in the presence of the virus? It seems to me that one effective weapon is not being used as widely as it should be – the face mask.
When the virus first struck, there were many references in the media to a few behavioural science studies that suggested that the wearing of masks might confer a false sense of security. It was some time before it emerged that the use of masks is in fact a remarkably efficient way of reducing contagion. This is particularly important in the case of Covid-19, as the virus can be transmitted by asymptomatic patients. In addition, there is growing evidence that the virus might also be transmitted via aerosols, ie small droplets that remain in the air (as opposed to large droplets from coughing and sneezing that travel only a few feet before dropping to the ground).
Thus, the widespread adoption of face masks should be an easy and efficient way of reducing the rate of infection. Yet many governments have left the wearing of masks as a matter of individual choice for too long. Given a mask protects the public from the wearer, rather than vice versa, this seems a mistake. At least, masks have been made mandatory on public transport in Ireland and face coverings must be worn in shops. Critically, I would like to see the practice enforced in shops and other public places.
As pointed out by Prof Orla Muldoon in an Irish Times article recently, there is a persistent tendency in the politics of today to place great emphasis on the responsibility of the individual, rather than on systemic action by the State. Yet the flattening of the Covid-19 curve was not driven by good personal choices, but by decisive government action. It seems to me that, until the virus subsides, intervention by the State should continue, in the form of the mandatory wearing of face masks in all public indoor arenas.
Dr Cormac O'Raifeartaigh lectures in physics at Waterford Institute of Technology and blogs at www.antimatter.ie


theirishtimes--2020-07-23--US rivers are facing a crisis - but scientists show there is hope

With a flow rate 35-times the River Shannon ’ s , the Ohio River is one of America ’ s most important waterways .
It flows for 1,579 kilometres from Pittsburgh , Pennsylvania west to the Mississippi River , through a watershed of millions of acres of intensively-used farmland .
Until five years ago it was consistently America ’ s most polluted large river .
And today , while much cleaner , around five million people still rely on it for drinking water .
Waterways across America have long suffered the damaging effects of agricultural and industrial activity .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a passing train turned the Cuyahoga River into a blazing fire on a Sunday morning in June 1969 .
Huge slicks of discarded industrial petroleum floated on its surface for years , with fires regularly setting railroad bridges and ships alight .
These incidents not only made the pages of Time magazine but were repeated more than a dozen times throughout the 1950s and 1960s .
In the decades since , huge effort has been put into reducing pollution in America ’ s rivers .
Since the Clean Water Act was introduced in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by the Cuyahoga River repeatedly going up in flames ) , there ’ s been a 20 per cent increase in fishable and swimmable waterways in the country .
As Democratic presidents followed a Republican , the Act was always preserved , for generations becoming one of the most celebrated examples of bi-partisan legislation .
In 2015 , president Barack Obama guaranteed its protections under the “ Waters of the United States ” regulations .
But while much of the environment is currently undergoing a significant reprieve as industrial activity falls due to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In fact , with demand for food soaring as a result of widespread panic buying since the beginning of March , America ’ s rivers are set for an upsurge in fertiliser runoff .
It follows a move in January by the Trump administration to strip the Clean Water Act of a number of Obama-era and other long-standing provisions through his “ Navigable Waters Protection Rule ” .
It includes reducing the number of protected waterways as well as opening up wetlands to drainage and reclaiming works .
It also means smaller @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to federal pollution limits .
“ All states have their own protections for waters within their borders , and many regulate more broadly than the federal government , ” Environmental Protection Agency ( EPA ) administrator Andrew Wheeler said at the time , proffering a veiled acknowledgment of the reduction of protections .
“ Our new rule recognises this relationship and strikes the proper balance between Washington DC and the states … And it clearly details which waters are subject to federal control under the Clean Water Act and , importantly , which @ @ @ @ @ @ @ jurisdiction , ” he added .
The changes benefit , among others , golf course developers , real estate interests and industrial scale farming .
The rollbacks , according to Trump-appointed EPA officials and a legion of other scientists , went against widely understood scientific analysis .
It has led to more than a dozen states suing the EPA for stripping water sources of critical protections .
Critics say the move , which came into force in March , would return water quality to that of 1970 levels ; a time when the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ demand for water – was less than two thirds of what it is today .
In the US and Ireland alike , wetlands play crucial roles in sequestering damaging agriculture-originated nitrates .
In both countries , big agricultural ventures are responsible for much of the damage to rivers and aquifers through nitrate runoff .
Engineers , however , have been working on a ground-breaking way to convert ground and surface water contaminants from agriculture runoff back into ammonia .
At Rice University in Houston , Texas it was revealed in January that by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make “ useful chemicals ” such as ammonia from nitrate wastewater .
“ We asked the question : what can nanotechnology do to help us understand the chemistry of water clean-up ?
” says Michael Wong , a professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at the Houston-based university .
As principal investigator of the university ’ s Catalysis and NanoMaterials Laboratory , working with between 12 and 16 research scientists , Wong started to look into the nitrates/nitrites contamination issue in water five years ago .
“ We wanted to understand why certain @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he says .
“ Gold plus palladium work really well , as we found , to get rid of nitrites [ but are very expensive ] .
We were very excited about that .
That work led to the more recent work.
” That new research was published in the journal ACS Catalysis in November 2019 and found that rhodium catalyst could effectively replace palladium .
“ It ’ s basically a nanomaterial – the same as a catalytic converter in a car – but for water.
” The process of using rhodium @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can be re-used as fertiliser .
In the US , just four crops – corn/maize , cotton , soybean and wheat – account for around 60 per cent of NPK ( nitrogen , phosphorus and potassium ) fertiliser usage , or 15.4 million tonnes .
The catalytic converter technology Wong and his associates are working on has major consequences beyond the US .
In Ireland , around one-third of rivers and lakes are failing to meet water quality standards in large part due to fertiliser runoff .
Over the last 30 years , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from around 500 to 20 , according to an Irish EPA report .
As for industries with fertiliser runoff problems , dairy and pig farms could be major deployers of the technology .
“ If the regulations are there , that could drive them to adopt better technologies than they have now , ” says Wong .
Communities that draw water from groundwater reserves such as wells , and public utilities such as water treatment plants are other industries where the technology could become popular .
“ The question isn ’ t so @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – it ’ s going to work in all of these waters – the question for me as a technologist is ‘ Who is going to actually want to install it ?
’ Depending on who wants to install it it could be ( deployed ) sooner or later , ” he says .
When are we likely to see this catalytic converter technology in broader use ?
“ If we ’ re talking about the nitrate/nitrites [ example ] we ’ re probably five years away .
Not so much because of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buyer , ” Wong adds .
“ Part of the research is trying to figure out which markets would be best to address.
” While the design stage is still a ways off , Wong suggests that at the household level the cartridge could be attached to a kitchen faucet .
At a community level , there would be a much larger catalytic converter in which dirty water would pass through a cartridge and be cleaned .
Bigger picture-wise , once the nitrate has got into the river it ’ s out there @ @ @ @ @ @ @ water quality is to stop it at source .
“ Another way to think about it is to treat every operation that produces nitrates and nitrites , treat [ them ] like a car and stick a catalytic converter at the end of that car , like a tailpipe , ” he says .
The current coronavirus-enforced lockdowns have had a major strain on scientific research across the board , but Wong isn ’ t completely downbeat .
“ Even though research is shut down we ’ re still writing papers .
Hopefully @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we can do with this chemistry .
”

Rivers such as the Great Miami (pictured) which flows into the Ohio River are particularly susceptible to agricultural runoff.
With a flow rate 35-times the River Shannon's, the Ohio River is one of America's most important waterways. It flows for 1,579 kilometres from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania west to the Mississippi River, through a watershed of millions of acres of intensively-used farmland. Until five years ago it was consistently America's most polluted large river. And today, while much cleaner, around five million people still rely on it for drinking water.
Waterways across America have long suffered the damaging effects of agricultural and industrial activity. It was here in Ohio where sparks from a passing train turned the Cuyahoga River into a blazing fire on a Sunday morning in June 1969. Huge slicks of discarded industrial petroleum floated on its surface for years, with fires regularly setting railroad bridges and ships alight. These incidents not only made the pages of Time magazine but were repeated more than a dozen times throughout the 1950s and 1960s.
In the decades since, huge effort has been put into reducing pollution in America’s rivers.
Since the Clean Water Act was introduced in 1972 (fuelled, in part, by the Cuyahoga River repeatedly going up in flames), there's been a 20 per cent increase in fishable and swimmable waterways in the country. As Democratic presidents followed a Republican, the Act was always preserved, for generations becoming one of the most celebrated examples of bi-partisan legislation. In 2015, president Barack Obama guaranteed its protections under the "Waters of the United States" regulations.
READ MORE
But while much of the environment is currently undergoing a significant reprieve as industrial activity falls due to the coronavirus pandemic, agriculture has not. In fact, with demand for food soaring as a result of widespread panic buying since the beginning of March, America’s rivers are set for an upsurge in fertiliser runoff.
Trump administration
It follows a move in January by the Trump administration to strip the Clean Water Act of a number of Obama-era and other long-standing provisions through his “Navigable Waters Protection Rule”. It includes reducing the number of protected waterways as well as opening up wetlands to drainage and reclaiming works. It also means smaller rivers and waterways are no longer subject to federal pollution limits.
"All states have their own protections for waters within their borders, and many regulate more broadly than the federal government," Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator Andrew Wheeler said at the time, proffering a veiled acknowledgment of the reduction of protections.
“Our new rule recognises this relationship and strikes the proper balance between Washington DC and the states … And it clearly details which waters are subject to federal control under the Clean Water Act and, importantly, which waters falls solely under the states’ jurisdiction,” he added.
The changes benefit, among others, golf course developers, real estate interests and industrial scale farming. The rollbacks, according to Trump-appointed EPA officials and a legion of other scientists, went against widely understood scientific analysis. It has led to more than a dozen states suing the EPA for stripping water sources of critical protections.
Critics say the move, which came into force in March, would return water quality to that of 1970 levels; a time when the US population – and consequently the overall demand for water – was less than two thirds of what it is today.
In the US and Ireland alike, wetlands play crucial roles in sequestering damaging agriculture-originated nitrates. In both countries, big agricultural ventures are responsible for much of the damage to rivers and aquifers through nitrate runoff.
Engineers, however, have been working on a ground-breaking way to convert ground and surface water contaminants from agriculture runoff back into ammonia. At Rice University in Houston, Texas it was revealed in January that by using catalytic converter technology, engineers could make "useful chemicals" such as ammonia from nitrate wastewater.
"We asked the question: what can nanotechnology do to help us understand the chemistry of water clean-up?" says Michael Wong, a professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering at the Houston-based university.
As principal investigator of the university's Catalysis and NanoMaterials Laboratory, working with between 12 and 16 research scientists, Wong started to look into the nitrates/nitrites contamination issue in water five years ago. "We wanted to understand why certain catalysts work better than others," he says.
“Gold plus palladium work really well, as we found, to get rid of nitrites [but are very expensive]. We were very excited about that. That work led to the more recent work.”
That new research was published in the journal ACS Catalysis in November 2019 and found that rhodium catalyst could effectively replace palladium. “It’s basically a nanomaterial – the same as a catalytic converter in a car – but for water.”
The process of using rhodium also creates quantities of ammonia, which can be re-used as fertiliser.
In the US, just four crops – corn/maize, cotton, soybean and wheat – account for around 60 per cent of NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) fertiliser usage, or 15.4 million tonnes.
Catalytic converter
The catalytic converter technology Wong and his associates are working on has major consequences beyond the US. In Ireland, around one-third of rivers and lakes are failing to meet water quality standards in large part due to fertiliser runoff. Over the last 30 years, the number of pristine waterways has fallen from around 500 to 20, according to an Irish EPA report.
As for industries with fertiliser runoff problems, dairy and pig farms could be major deployers of the technology. “If the regulations are there, that could drive them to adopt better technologies than they have now,” says Wong.
Communities that draw water from groundwater reserves such as wells, and public utilities such as water treatment plants are other industries where the technology could become popular.
“The question isn’t so much ‘will the technology work’ – it’s going to work in all of these waters – the question for me as a technologist is ‘Who is going to actually want to install it?’ Depending on who wants to install it it could be (deployed) sooner or later,” he says.
When are we likely to see this catalytic converter technology in broader use? “If we’re talking about the nitrate/nitrites [example] we’re probably five years away. Not so much because of the technology, but because of the buyer,” Wong adds. “Part of the research is trying to figure out which markets would be best to address.”
While the design stage is still a ways off, Wong suggests that at the household level the cartridge could be attached to a kitchen faucet. At a community level, there would be a much larger catalytic converter in which dirty water would pass through a cartridge and be cleaned.
Bigger picture-wise, once the nitrate has got into the river it’s out there, and so the solution to better water quality is to stop it at source. “Another way to think about it is to treat every operation that produces nitrates and nitrites, treat [them] like a car and stick a catalytic converter at the end of that car, like a tailpipe,” he says.
The current coronavirus-enforced lockdowns have had a major strain on scientific research across the board, but Wong isn’t completely downbeat. “Even though research is shut down we’re still writing papers. Hopefully, we can show people other things we can do with this chemistry.”


theirishtimes--2020-07-23--Covid-19: Parents say loss of teaching posts could jeopardise safe reopening of schools

Schools which are due to lose teachers when they reopen are calling for the posts to be urgently restored due to the requirement to physically distance pupils in classrooms .
Dozens of schools are set to lose teaching posts in September as a result of reductions in their enrolment numbers .
The Department of Education said these rules operate in a clear and transparent manner and treat all similar types of schools equally , irrespective of location .
However , teachers and parents argue that reducing staffing will increase pupil-teacher ratios in classrooms and make it much harder to implement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ parents at Holy Rosary National School in Wicklow town have signed a petition calling on the department to restore a teaching post it is due to lose in September .
A spokeswoman for the parents ’ campaign said a reduction in enrolment of just two pupils out of 463 means the school will lose a teacher .
This , she said , will result in pupil numbers in one class rising from 22 to 33 pupils , significantly above the national average of 26 pupils per teacher .
“ This is going to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ implement heath and safety protocols , ” the spokeswoman said .
“ It could jeopardise the safe return to school and might be the difference between some children going to school part time or full time.
” Many other schools including Rampark National School in Co Louth and Scoil Íde in Clondalkin , Dublin , also face losing teaching post and have called for them to be reversed .
Many say they have had their requests for appeals turned down in recent weeks .
Social Democrat TD Jennifer Whitmore said it was incredible @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turned down at a time when social distancing will require schools to have more teachers .
“ The Government needs to invest urgently in our schools and providing extra teachers should be a first step in that process , ” she said , “ Our class sizes are already one of the highest in the EU and addressing this inadequacy needs to be a focus of Government , particularly post-Covid.
” Under Department of Education rules , there is an average of 26 pupils to every one teacher .
If pupil numbers dip @ @ @ @ @ @ @ risks losing a teacher .
A spokesman for the department said the process of allocating teachers to primary schools was ongoing and the number of teaching posts that individual schools may lose will not be known until the autumn .
On the issue of complying with public health guidelines , he said the department was engaging school managers , teachers and others to develop detailed guidance and supports for the reopening of schools .
Minister for Education Norma Foley said in a recent parliamentary question that she was “ very conscious ” of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ primary schools given their vital role in communities around the country .
“ I am looking at how best to make further progress in reducing the primary teacher ratio in the context of the programme for Government implementation , ” she said .
Department officials are understood to be preparing a school reopening plan – likely to be published next week – with extra substitution cover , administrative leave for principals and detailed guidelines on classroom layouts .
There will also be additional funding for schools for cleaning purposes , say sources , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protective equipment are being contracted centrally and will be distributed to schools .

Schools which are due to lose teachers when they reopen are calling for the posts to be urgently restored due to the requirement to physically distance pupils in classrooms. Photograph: iStock
Schools which are due to lose teachers when they reopen are calling for the posts to be urgently restored due to the requirement to physically distance pupils in classrooms.
Dozens of schools are set to lose teaching posts in September as a result of reductions in their enrolment numbers.
The Department of Education said these rules operate in a clear and transparent manner and treat all similar types of schools equally, irrespective of location.
However, teachers and parents argue that reducing staffing will increase pupil-teacher ratios in classrooms and make it much harder to implement public health guidelines.
READ MORE
More than 700 parents at Holy Rosary National School in Wicklow town have signed a petition calling on the department to restore a teaching post it is due to lose in September.
Safety protocols
A spokeswoman for the parents’ campaign said a reduction in enrolment of just two pupils out of 463 means the school will lose a teacher.
This, she said, will result in pupil numbers in one class rising from 22 to 33 pupils, significantly above the national average of 26 pupils per teacher.
“This is going to make it so much more difficult to implement heath and safety protocols,” the spokeswoman said. “It could jeopardise the safe return to school and might be the difference between some children going to school part time or full time.”
Many other schools including Rampark National School in Co Louth and Scoil Íde in Clondalkin, Dublin, also face losing teaching post and have called for them to be reversed. Many say they have had their requests for appeals turned down in recent weeks.
Social Democrat TD Jennifer Whitmore said it was incredible that requests to retain teachers were being turned down at a time when social distancing will require schools to have more teachers.
“The Government needs to invest urgently in our schools and providing extra teachers should be a first step in that process,” she said,
“Our class sizes are already one of the highest in the EU and addressing this inadequacy needs to be a focus of Government, particularly post-Covid.”
Under Department of Education rules, there is an average of 26 pupils to every one teacher. If pupil numbers dip below a certain threshold, a school risks losing a teacher.
A spokesman for the department said the process of allocating teachers to primary schools was ongoing and the number of teaching posts that individual schools may lose will not be known until the autumn.
Teacher allocations
On the issue of complying with public health guidelines, he said the department was engaging school managers, teachers and others to develop detailed guidance and supports for the reopening of schools.
Minister for Education Norma Foley said in a recent parliamentary question that she was "very conscious" of the need to prioritise teacher allocations in primary schools given their vital role in communities around the country.
“I am looking at how best to make further progress in reducing the primary teacher ratio in the context of the programme for Government implementation,” she said.
Department officials are understood to be preparing a school reopening plan – likely to be published next week – with extra substitution cover, administrative leave for principals and detailed guidelines on classroom layouts.
There will also be additional funding for schools for cleaning purposes, say sources, while stocks of hand sanitiser and personal protective equipment are being contracted centrally and will be distributed to schools.


theirishtimes--2020-07-23--Covid-19 outbreaks in households claimed 68 lives, new data shows

There were 68 confirmed Covid-19 deaths of individuals who contracted coronavirus in outbreaks in private dwellings , according to new figures from the Department of Health .
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre , the division of the Health Service Executive that tracks Covid-19 infections and deaths , provided more detailed data to The Irish Times showing that 2,937 cases – or about one in every 10 of known infections in the State – were in outbreaks in private dwellings .
The highest number of people infected in a single household outbreak was eight ; the average number was two .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ officials as two or more cases .
On Wednesday , the State ’ s National Public Health Emergency Team reported one additional Covid-19 death , bringing the death toll from the virus to 1,754 .
There were a further 17 cases of the disease confirmed , bringing total known cases to 25,819 .
The new data on clusters reveals for the first time more detail on the extent of private house outbreaks , which account for the highest concentration of clusters .
There were 1,414 outbreaks recorded in private houses as of last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in family homes .
Dublin had the largest number with 861 , or 61 per cent , followed by Cork with 86 ( 6 per cent ) , Kildare with 65 ( 5 per cent ) and Wicklow with 52 ( 4 per cent ) .
HSE chief executive Paul Reid told The Irish Times the high numbers showed the importance of not just staying at home but isolating within a home if someone in a household tests positive .
Elsewhere , it has emerged that just 4,121 calls were made to check @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in Dublin Airport in the first two weeks of July to see if they were self-isolating .
Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall , who received the figures from a Dáil question , said less than 7 per cent of passengers received a follow-up call to check information they had submitted on the compulsory passenger locator forms and half of those calls went unanswered .
“ How can the public have confidence in the Government ’ s decision on travel when that is the case ?
” she said on the publication of a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with similar infection rates .
The Department of Justice said since traffic volumes rose at the start of the month the border management unit charged with making calls had “ to concentrate on their core immigration duties ” with the department awaiting handover of the process to the Department of Health .
Speaking at a briefing on Wednesday , Mr Reid reported significant , worrying trends on the spread of the virus and the public response , with the number of confirmed cases rising to 267 in the fortnight to July 18th , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ period .
He expressed concern at the increase in the number of close contacts of newly infected individuals from two to more than five and at the significant number of no-shows for testing among close contacts : 25 per cent for their first test and 50 per cent for the day-seven follow-up test .
The HSE said officials were spending double the time conversing with contacts of confirmed cases with no symptoms trying to persuade them to be tested .
“ People are not the best judge on whether they need to take @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the HSE ’ s chief clinical officer , told the briefing .
The HSE warned that one in 10 close contacts are likely to test positive and that they could test negative on day one but positive on day seven and infect others in the intervening period .
Dr Henry said that an untested asymptomatic case risked spreading infection to other people and creating “ a cluster , which becomes an outbreak and eventually , if enough ripples come together , becomes uncontrolled community transmission ” .

Chief executive Paul Reid says the HSE is concerned at the number of people not turning up for coronavirus testing after being in contact with someone confirmed to have the disease.
There were 68 confirmed Covid-19 deaths of individuals who contracted coronavirus in outbreaks in private dwellings, according to new figures from the Department of Health.
The Health Protection Surveillance Centre, the division of the Health Service Executive that tracks Covid-19 infections and deaths, provided more detailed data to The Irish Times showing that 2,937 cases – or about one in every 10 of known infections in the State – were in outbreaks in private dwellings.
The highest number of people infected in a single household outbreak was eight; the average number was two. A cluster is defined by public health officials as two or more cases.
On Wednesday, the State’s National Public Health Emergency Team reported one additional Covid-19 death, bringing the death toll from the virus to 1,754. There were a further 17 cases of the disease confirmed, bringing total known cases to 25,819.
READ MORE
The new data on clusters reveals for the first time more detail on the extent of private house outbreaks, which account for the highest concentration of clusters. There were 1,414 outbreaks recorded in private houses as of last Saturday, of which 1,404 were outbreaks in family homes.
Dublin had the largest number with 861, or 61 per cent, followed by Cork with 86 (6 per cent), Kildare with 65 (5 per cent) and Wicklow with 52 (4 per cent).
HSE chief executive Paul Reid told The Irish Times the high numbers showed the importance of not just staying at home but isolating within a home if someone in a household tests positive.
Follow-up calls
Elsewhere, it has emerged that just 4,121 calls were made to check up on more than 60,000 people arriving in Dublin Airport in the first two weeks of July to see if they were self-isolating.
Social Democrats co-leader Róisín Shortall, who received the figures from a Dáil question, said less than 7 per cent of passengers received a follow-up call to check information they had submitted on the compulsory passenger locator forms and half of those calls went unanswered.
“How can the public have confidence in the Government’s decision on travel when that is the case?” she said on the publication of a “green list” of 15 countries with similar infection rates.
The Department of Justice said since traffic volumes rose at the start of the month the border management unit charged with making calls had “to concentrate on their core immigration duties” with the department awaiting handover of the process to the Department of Health.
Increase in cases
Speaking at a briefing on Wednesday, Mr Reid reported significant, worrying trends on the spread of the virus and the public response, with the number of confirmed cases rising to 267 in the fortnight to July 18th, compared with 155 in the previous two-week period.
He expressed concern at the increase in the number of close contacts of newly infected individuals from two to more than five and at the significant number of no-shows for testing among close contacts: 25 per cent for their first test and 50 per cent for the day-seven follow-up test.
The HSE said officials were spending double the time conversing with contacts of confirmed cases with no symptoms trying to persuade them to be tested.
"People are not the best judge on whether they need to take a test," Dr Colm Henry, the HSE's chief clinical officer, told the briefing.
The HSE warned that one in 10 close contacts are likely to test positive and that they could test negative on day one but positive on day seven and infect others in the intervening period.
Dr Henry said that an untested asymptomatic case risked spreading infection to other people and creating “a cluster, which becomes an outbreak and eventually, if enough ripples come together, becomes uncontrolled community transmission”.


theirishtimes--2020-07-24--Key points: Government stimulus package

Key points: Government stimulus package

– Pandemic Unemployment Payment ( PUP ) will run until April 1st .
Closes to new entrants from September 17th .
Will be cut in line with past incomes .
– Qualifying employers to get €203 weekly subsidy per employee from September 1st until March 31st .
Seasonal workers and new hires covered .
– Six month fall in higher VAT rate to 21 per cent , beginning September 1st , costing €440 million .
– Up to €25,000 worth of “ restart ” grants .
Previously ineligible businesses , such as B & Bs , will be covered .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ rises by €10,000 to €30,000 .
– Interest rates on tax debts to fall to 3 per cent for those struggling to pay .
– Cheap loans for businesses with up to 500 people , plus a €2 billion credit guarantee scheme .
– Businesses to get €2,000 for each extra apprentice they take on , plus a two-year €7,500 JobsPlus subsidy to hire under-30s who are currently unemployed , or on PUP .
– PAYE and VAT payments can be delayed , with no interest or penalties .
– €500million budget for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , such as schools .

Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe leaving the Cabinet meeting in Dublin Castle. Photograph: Stephen Collins/Collins
– Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) will run until April 1st. Closes to new entrants from September 17th. Will be cut in line with past incomes.
– Qualifying employers to get €203 weekly subsidy per employee from September 1st until March 31st. Seasonal workers and new hires covered.
– Six month fall in higher VAT rate to 21 per cent, beginning September 1st, costing €440 million.
– A “staycation” tax voucher worth €125 to encourage off-season holidays in Ireland.
READ MORE
– Up to €25,000 worth of “restart” grants. Previously ineligible businesses, such as B&Bs, will be covered.
– Commercial rates waiver to continue until September, costing €60 million.
– Maximum Help-to-Buy relief for home buyers rises by €10,000 to €30,000.
– Interest rates on tax debts to fall to 3 per cent for those struggling to pay.
– Bike-to-work scheme extended, including €1,500 limit on ebikes.
– Cheap loans for businesses with up to 500 people, plus a €2 billion credit guarantee scheme.
– Businesses to get €2,000 for each extra apprentice they take on, plus a two-year €7,500 JobsPlus subsidy to hire under-30s who are currently unemployed, or on PUP.
– PAYE and VAT payments can be delayed, with no interest or penalties.
– Measures to encourage start-ups.
– A €25 million fund for arts and culture
– €500million budget for smaller “shovel ready” capital projects, such as schools.
– €100 million energy retrofitting budget, plus €60 million to refurbish vacant local authority houses.


theirishtimes--2020-07-24--Coronavirus stimulus package is a gamble on Ireland’s future

Promising a tsunami of borrowed money to rejuvenate the State ’ s Covid-ravaged economy , Taoiseach Micheál Martin , flanked by Fine Gael ’ s Leo Varadkar and the Green Party ’ s Eamon Ryan , cited “ unprecedented measures for unprecedented times ” .
So far , Martin has not said exactly how much will be poured in this year , but it is clear that the €7 billion package – €5 billion in cash investments , grants , loans and tax cuts , plus €2 billion in loan guarantees – will shower the economy with money in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ activity .
The package is over twice the size of the discretionary spending that might be announced on a typical budget day in recent years .
It is the largest government-sourced stimulus ever applied to the Irish economy .
Politicians throwing money at problems is a tradition as old as politics .
This time , politicians are throwing an enormous sum at an enormous problem .
And they are in line with other governments .
Borrow money , and spend it , quickly .
It is , too , a gamble on the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus come , and can it be contained ?
Will the economy respond to the stimulus and function in a way that lets the State fund itself again , without relying on massive borrowing .
The question – what if this doesn ’ t work ?
– will haunt the leaders in quieter moments .
The gap this year between taxes and spending will be €30 billion in a State that usually costs €70 billion .
Such spending and borrowing is not sustainable .
“ Sure everyone ’ s a Keynesian now , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ reflecting on the general political consensus that borrowing and spending are now the keys to rescue .
However , this is the easy bit of Keynesian economics .
People tend to be less enthusiastic about the other bit – running surpluses during times of strong economic growth , which means curbs on spending to come .
However , lots of people will want to keep increasing public spending then , too .
Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe , who spent his time fighting off demands from Government colleagues and opposition alike for big @ @ @ @ @ @ @ partial success ) , can now allow himself a wry smile .
What are the politics of all this ?
There are a couple of positives for the Government .
The first is that after a number of shaky weeks , and the messy publication of the “ green list ” of countries earlier this week , it has produced its first substantial piece of work .
It was one that required detailed cross-Government work , compromises and agreements of a common agenda .
Moreover , it has done so on a budgetary @ @ @ @ @ @ @ effect on people ’ s lives .
The second is that while the announcement was fronted by three party leaders , much of the work in putting together this plan was done by Donohoe and his partner in the Department of Public Expenditure , Michael McGrath .
The two men , who worked closely together in the negotiations to form the Government , are becoming in many respects the engine room of the new administration .
The next big thing for them is the budget in October , one that will probably augment @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the biggest things in a government ’ s year and can be internally divisive , but Thursday ’ s delivery suggests it will be carried off without too much fuss .
By then , barring more accidents , the administration should have settled down into governing .
But ultimately whether this Government succeeds or fails in the long term depends not just on the measures it takes itself , but on the external environment that confronts it .
Will there be a devastating second wave of Covid-19 ?
Will the Government be able @ @ @ @ @ @ @ These are the crucial questions and they are beyond any domestic fiat .
The stimulus plan was undoubtedly a good step for the Government .
But there are limits to what it can do .

Promising a tsunami of borrowed money to rejuvenate the State's Covid-ravaged economy, Taoiseach Micheál Martin, flanked by Fine Gael's Leo Varadkar and the Green Party's Eamon Ryan, cited "unprecedented measures for unprecedented times".
So far, Martin has not said exactly how much will be poured in this year, but it is clear that the €7 billion package – €5 billion in cash investments, grants, loans and tax cuts, plus €2 billion in loan guarantees – will shower the economy with money in a bid to save jobs and restart economic activity.
The package is over twice the size of the discretionary spending that might be announced on a typical budget day in recent years. It is the largest government-sourced stimulus ever applied to the Irish economy.
Politicians throwing money at problems is a tradition as old as politics. This time, politicians are throwing an enormous sum at an enormous problem. And they are in line with other governments. Borrow money, and spend it, quickly.
READ MORE
It is, too, a gamble on the future. Will a second wave of coronavirus come, and can it be contained? Will the economy respond to the stimulus and function in a way that lets the State fund itself again, without relying on massive borrowing.
The question – what if this doesn’t work? – will haunt the leaders in quieter moments. The gap this year between taxes and spending will be €30 billion in a State that usually costs €70 billion. Such spending and borrowing is not sustainable.
“Sure everyone’s a Keynesian now,” muttered one official on Thursday, reflecting on the general political consensus that borrowing and spending are now the keys to rescue. However, this is the easy bit of Keynesian economics.
People tend to be less enthusiastic about the other bit – running surpluses during times of strong economic growth, which means curbs on spending to come. However, lots of people will want to keep increasing public spending then, too.
Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe, who spent his time fighting off demands from Government colleagues and opposition alike for big spending increases in recent years (with partial success), can now allow himself a wry smile.
Positives
What are the politics of all this? There are a couple of positives for the Government. The first is that after a number of shaky weeks, and the messy publication of the “green list” of countries earlier this week, it has produced its first substantial piece of work.
It was one that required detailed cross-Government work, compromises and agreements of a common agenda. Moreover, it has done so on a budgetary matter which will immediately begin having an effect on people’s lives.
The second is that while the announcement was fronted by three party leaders, much of the work in putting together this plan was done by Donohoe and his partner in the Department of Public Expenditure, Michael McGrath.
The two men, who worked closely together in the negotiations to form the Government, are becoming in many respects the engine room of the new administration. The next big thing for them is the budget in October, one that will probably augment the stimulus.
Budgets are one of the biggest things in a government’s year and can be internally divisive, but Thursday’s delivery suggests it will be carried off without too much fuss. By then, barring more accidents, the administration should have settled down into governing.
But ultimately whether this Government succeeds or fails in the long term depends not just on the measures it takes itself, but on the external environment that confronts it. Will there be a devastating second wave of Covid-19? Will the Government be able to continue borrowing to fund itself? These are the crucial questions and they are beyond any domestic fiat. The stimulus plan was undoubtedly a good step for the Government. But there are limits to what it can do.