theirishtimes--2020-04-21--‘If I get coronavirus I’ll last two or three days at most,’ accused tells judge

“ I won ’ t stand a chance in prison .
If I get coronavirus I ’ ll last two or three days at most , ” the man told Judge Anthony Halpin .
The court heard the accused is HIV positive and is , therefore , extremely vulnerable to Covid-19 .
The arresting garda had some sympathy but objected to bail because of the serious nature of the alleged offence .
The garda told the court he had arrested the 48-year-old near the scene of a shop robbery in west Dublin on Saturday .
The accused was caught in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ mask and surgical gloves near the scene of the crime .
Aggravating the case was the fact that the accused was released from prison only in March after serving just four months of a two-year sentence for robbery .
He was one of about 200 prisoners granted early release by prison officials who are terrified of the prospect of a Covid-19 outbreak in the crowded penal system .
“ Given his health problems , would you agree prison might not be the best place for him ?
” the defence solicitor asked .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ was given a chance in March and here we are , ” the garda replied .
Judge Halpin was also unconvinced by the accused ’ s claim that prison would endanger his life .
“ That is a pretty unfair charge to level against this court .
I don ’ t accept that , ” he said .
He refused bail and remanded the man in custody until next month .
The accused called the garda a “ scumbag ” as he was led away .
He will spend the next week in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ all other new inmates he will have to spend 14 days in isolation on arrival .
By way of compensation , they can now get Netflix in their cells .
For now at least , the prison system is officially free of coronavirus but several inmates are displaying symptoms and awaiting test results .
The impact of the coronavirus crisis was evident in almost every case before the Dublin District Courts on Monday .
In Court 1 , Garda Alan Hughes brought in a man he arrested on Sunday for allegedly spitting on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A judge agreed to release the man on bail as long as he abides by the Government ’ s Covid-19 restrictions .
The suspects were brought to and from court by prison guards wearing full face shields and plastic aprons .
Some of the detainees wore face masks , some did not .
One woman wearing a face mask was brought from the Dóchas Centre to face a series of begging charges .
The woman was unable to appear last week because she was in isolation after displaying symptoms of the virus .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ about that ?
” Judge Gráinne Malone asked on Monday .
The solicitor could not .
“ Is anyone here from the Dóchas Centre ?
” she asked .
There was not .
The accused was sentenced to time served .
After midday a man was brought before Judge Malone with severe facial injuries .
He had been granted temporary release last Friday and “ thrown out of the prison system ” , his solicitor said .
According to gardaí , less than 24 hours later he allegedly broke into a woman ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
The judge agreed to grant bail if the man could produce a €450 surety .
“ What money do you want ?
I was robbed .
Look at my f**king face , ” the man replied .
Judge Malone agreed to reduce the surety to €350 and the man was taken to Cloverhill .
Meanwhile , the Chief Justice on Monday said the nine members of the Supreme Court were concerned about holding physical hearings in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic .
Chief Justice Frank Clarke made the comments as the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ remote video .
The Chief Justice stressed , while such remote hearings were likely to prove suitable for most cases in appellate courts , different considerations would apply in trial courts .

"I won't stand a chance in prison. If I get coronavirus I'll last two or three days at most," the man told Judge Anthony Halpin.
The court heard the accused is HIV positive and is, therefore, extremely vulnerable to Covid-19. The arresting garda had some sympathy but objected to bail because of the serious nature of the alleged offence.
The garda told the court he had arrested the 48-year-old near the scene of a shop robbery in west Dublin on Saturday. The accused was caught in part because gardaí found his discarded face mask and surgical gloves near the scene of the crime.
Aggravating the case was the fact that the accused was released from prison only in March after serving just four months of a two-year sentence for robbery. He was one of about 200 prisoners granted early release by prison officials who are terrified of the prospect of a Covid-19 outbreak in the crowded penal system.
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“Given his health problems, would you agree prison might not be the best place for him?” the defence solicitor asked.
“I had considered that but he was given a chance in March and here we are,” the garda replied.
Judge Halpin was also unconvinced by the accused’s claim that prison would endanger his life. “That is a pretty unfair charge to level against this court. I don’t accept that,” he said.
He refused bail and remanded the man in custody until next month. The accused called the garda a “scumbag” as he was led away.
He will spend the next week in Cloverhill alongside 352 other prisoners. Like all other new inmates he will have to spend 14 days in isolation on arrival. By way of compensation, they can now get Netflix in their cells.
Awaiting results
For now at least, the prison system is officially free of coronavirus but several inmates are displaying symptoms and awaiting test results.
The impact of the coronavirus crisis was evident in almost every case before the Dublin District Courts on Monday.
In Court 1, Garda Alan Hughes brought in a man he arrested on Sunday for allegedly spitting on gardaí while claiming to have Covid-19. A judge agreed to release the man on bail as long as he abides by the Government's Covid-19 restrictions.
The suspects were brought to and from court by prison guards wearing full face shields and plastic aprons.
Some of the detainees wore face masks, some did not. One woman wearing a face mask was brought from the Dóchas Centre to face a series of begging charges.
The woman was unable to appear last week because she was in isolation after displaying symptoms of the virus. “Can you tell me anything more about that?” Judge Gráinne Malone asked on Monday. The solicitor could not. “Is anyone here from the Dóchas Centre?” she asked. There was not. The accused was sentenced to time served.
After midday a man was brought before Judge Malone with severe facial injuries. He had been granted temporary release last Friday and "thrown out of the prison system", his solicitor said. According to gardaí, less than 24 hours later he allegedly broke into a woman's apartment and stole her bank card.
The judge agreed to grant bail if the man could produce a €450 surety. “What money do you want? I was robbed. Look at my f**king face,” the man replied. Judge Malone agreed to reduce the surety to €350 and the man was taken to Cloverhill.
Meanwhile, the Chief Justice on Monday said the nine members of the Supreme Court were concerned about holding physical hearings in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. Chief Justice Frank Clarke made the comments as the court conducted its first ever hearing via remote video. The Chief Justice stressed, while such remote hearings were likely to prove suitable for most cases in appellate courts, different considerations would apply in trial courts.


theirishtimes--2020-04-20--Dublin student’s team wins University Challenge

A Dubliner studying for a PhD in computer science in Imperial College , London , is a member of the @ @ @ @ @ final of the BBC ’ s University Challenge on Monday .
Conor McMeel is currently @ @ @ @ @ , Co Dublin , while the London university ’ s campus is closed in response @ @ @ @ @ The final of the competition , which is chaired by Jeremy Paxman , and saw @ @ @ @ @ go up against one from Corpus Christi , Cambridge , was pre-recorded and broadcast on @ @ @

A Dubliner studying for a PhD in computer science at Imperial College, London, was a member of the four-man team that won the final of the BBC's University Challenge on Monday.
Conor McMeel, who is currently studying from home in Lucan while his university remains closed during the Covid-19 pandemic, said he had thoroughly enjoyed the experience of taking part in the popular quiz show.
On Monday night he watched the final of the competition from his home in Dublin. “My family knew we had won ahead of time but they loved watching it back on TV.”
His father was actually sitting in the live audience when his son’s team took on students from Corpus Christi, Cambridge, for the final which was recorded before coronavirus restrictions came into effect.
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"It was intimidating at first when you see all the lights come on and you realise you're the focus of the camera," said the 26-year-old. "I panicked a bit. Jeremy Paxman does have that aura of being able to intimidate but he's actually very nice. It took me most of the first episode to settle in but after that it was a lot of fun."
While his expertise lies in computer science and maths (he has an undergraduate from Trinity College and a Masters from Oxford in Maths), Mr McMeel says he felt confident answering questions on a wide range of topics. His team also prepared by focusing on subjects they knew the least about ahead of the competition.
“I try and read a lot and I spent a lot of time on Wikipedia. English was my second choice on the CAO so I’ve always liked things apart from maths. Our team, we gathered together after we were selected and decided to read a lot on the topics we were bad at.”
In order to be selected for the competition, Imperial College, which last won University Challenge in 2001, held a written examination followed by a mock quiz tournament.
McMeel was recently involved in setting the examination for next year’s team. Around 150 students apply to take part and this is narrowed down to 20 students who are invited to participate in the on-campus quiz. The top four students go on to represent the university on the BBC.
Mr McMeel returned to Ireland a few weeks ago following a research trip to Japan which was cut short because of the spread of Covid-19. He plans to stay in Ireland with his family until the worst of the pandemic had passed. “I live in Chelsea which is very much in the centre of London so it’s nice to be here and not in a cramped flat. It’s also a lot less stressful being here and seemed safer on all fronts.”


theirishtimes--2020-04-20--Nursing or care homes account for almost 60% of coronavirus-related deaths

One in five residents of nursing and other care homes believed to have died of Covid-19 were never tested for the disease , new figures reveal .
Nursing and other long-term residential facilities now account for almost 60 per cent of virus-related deaths , according to the figures released by the National Public Health Emergency Team ( NPHET ) .
Of the 406 deaths linked to care homes , 77 are classified as “ probably or suspected ” and were not confirmed by laboratory tests , according to a breakdown provided for the first time by NPHET .
Nursing homes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ deaths in the current outbreak – 337 out of 687 total cases , of which 61 have now been classified as probable or suspected .
Amid widespread concern over possible under-reporting of care home deaths , a census of mortality in the sector is continuing .
Public health officials said there had been a very high response rate and the results , expected later this week , could inform future clinical actions .
Once again defending the official response in relation to the spread of the virus in care settings , chief medical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ night it was “ not realistic to think we could keep it out of homes ” given how transmissible Covid-19 was .
Meanwhile , the number of patients attending hospital emergency departments has fallen by as much as 75 per cent , new figures released by the Health Service Executive show .
The number of attendances dropped by 32.4 per cent in March , compared with the same month last year , and by 45 per cent in the first two weeks of April , figures supplied by the HSE to The Irish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over 75 per cent – was at St Michael ’ s Hospital in Dún Laoghaire , while Temple Street children ’ s hospital saw attendances drop 64.4 per cent .
Responding to the figures , Minister for Health Simon Harris warned the health system would be dealing with “ a second legacy ” of untreated and undiagnosed chronic illnesses arising from the Covid-19 pandemic , if people continued to avoid going to hospital when they needed to go .
It was “ almost unimaginable ” there were nearly 2,000 vacant beds in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ said .
“ There is a real fear that we may be dealing with the fall-out of Covid-19 for months to come – not just cases of the virus but with delayed diagnosis and treatment.
” A total of 77 deaths of patients diagnosed with Covid-19 were reported on Monday , by far the highest daily amount recorded so far .
However , these deaths actually occurred on 17 different days this month , with the highest single number occurring on April 18th , Dr Holohan clarified .
The overall trend in terms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was downward , he said .
NPHET also reported 401 new confirmed cases processed in Irish laboratories on Monday .
The total number of confirmed cases now stands at 15,652 .
The number of patients in ICU is 152 , continuing a gently declining trend seen over recent days , while 109 patients have now been discharged from intensive care .
On Monday , the HSE took over a Co Louth nursing home dealing with a coronavirus outbreak .
The RCSI Hospital Group said it had taken over operational management of the Dealgan @ @ @ @ @ @ @ accommodates 63 residents .
Dr Holohan said further progress in reducing the number of cases and ICU admissions would be needed over the next 10 days before an evaluation would be made as to whether restrictive measures could be eased .
“ We need to take every step we possibly can ” to continue dampening down the infection .
“ There is no room for complacency , or for taking the foot off the gas.
” Dr Holohan declined to say when pubs might open but pointed out that their environment was “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of maintaining social distancing .

Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan has said that an evaluation will be made towards the end of April as to what might happen with regard to lifting Covid-19 restrictions from May 5th. Video: RTÉ
One in five residents of nursing and other care homes believed to have died of Covid-19 were never tested for the disease, new figures reveal.
Nursing and other long-term residential facilities now account for almost 60 per cent of virus-related deaths, according to the figures released by the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET).
Of the 406 deaths linked to care homes, 77 are classified as “probably or suspected” and were not confirmed by laboratory tests, according to a breakdown provided for the first time by NPHET.
Nursing homes specifically account for almost half of all deaths in the current outbreak – 337 out of 687 total cases, of which 61 have now been classified as probable or suspected.
READ MORE
Amid widespread concern over possible under-reporting of care home deaths, a census of mortality in the sector is continuing. Public health officials said there had been a very high response rate and the results, expected later this week, could inform future clinical actions.
Once again defending the official response in relation to the spread of the virus in care settings, chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan said on Monday night it was "not realistic to think we could keep it out of homes" given how transmissible Covid-19 was.
Emergency departments
Meanwhile, the number of patients attending hospital emergency departments has fallen by as much as 75 per cent, new figures released by the Health Service Executive show.
The number of attendances dropped by 32.4 per cent in March, compared with the same month last year, and by 45 per cent in the first two weeks of April, figures supplied by the HSE to The Irish Times show.
The biggest fall – over 75 per cent – was at St Michael's Hospital in Dún Laoghaire, while Temple Street children's hospital saw attendances drop 64.4 per cent.
Dr Tony Holohan, chief medical officer, said: ‘There is no room for complacency, or for taking the foot off the gas.’ Photograph: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin
Responding to the figures, Minister for Health Simon Harris warned the health system would be dealing with "a second legacy" of untreated and undiagnosed chronic illnesses arising from the Covid-19 pandemic, if people continued to avoid going to hospital when they needed to go.
It was “almost unimaginable” there were nearly 2,000 vacant beds in the public hospital system at present, he said. “There is a real fear that we may be dealing with the fall-out of Covid-19 for months to come – not just cases of the virus but with delayed diagnosis and treatment.”
A total of 77 deaths of patients diagnosed with Covid-19 were reported on Monday, by far the highest daily amount recorded so far.
However, these deaths actually occurred on 17 different days this month, with the highest single number occurring on April 18th, Dr Holohan clarified.
Downward trends
The overall trend in terms of new confirmed cases and ICU admissions was downward, he said.
NPHET also reported 401 new confirmed cases processed in Irish laboratories on Monday. The total number of confirmed cases now stands at 15,652.
The number of patients in ICU is 152, continuing a gently declining trend seen over recent days, while 109 patients have now been discharged from intensive care.
On Monday, the HSE took over a Co Louth nursing home dealing with a coronavirus outbreak. The RCSI Hospital Group said it had taken over operational management of the Dealgan House nursing home in Dundalk, which accommodates 63 residents.
Dr Holohan said further progress in reducing the number of cases and ICU admissions would be needed over the next 10 days before an evaluation would be made as to whether restrictive measures could be eased.
“We need to take every step we possibly can” to continue dampening down the infection. “There is no room for complacency, or for taking the foot off the gas.”
Dr Holohan declined to say when pubs might open but pointed out that their environment was “almost at odds” with the challenge of maintaining social distancing.


theirishtimes--2020-04-20--My kids have too much homework and I’m struggling to cope. What can I do?

I ’ m working from home and have children in both primary and post-primary school .
It ’ s very stressful trying to juggle my job with supervising homeschooling .
To make matters worse , teachers are giving my kids too much homework to do .
Can I ask my school to go easy on them ?
These are anxious and uncertain times for everybody .
Getting your own work done , keeping spirits up , and managing the expectations of both schools and your own children can appear to be an overwhelming task .
It may seem that others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ facing in your own space , as indeed each family set-up is different .
The old adage certainly applies here : start where you are .
Use what you have .
Do what you can .
If you feel under unreasonable pressure , you need to let people know that , and explain to them what you are trying to do .
Regular communication between home and school , between parents , teachers and students , is more important than ever .
The easiest way is via email .
Social media can be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the usual boundaries .
And if access to technology and bandwidth is a challenge , local newsletters come into their own .
RTÉ is also doing a fantastic job , with its daily programme aimed at primary school children .
With the best of intentions , all of the resources that are being shared – website links , apps , games , books – can add to the sense of feeling overwhelmed .
Where do you start ?
And if you hear on the grapevine that the school down the road is doing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leave your children ?
One thing you can be sure of is some of the questions you have have been answered by parents or teachers or students somewhere else .
For teachers or parents who have time , the Teaching Council and the Professional Development Service for Teachers has launched a webinar series – Learning For All – to share the best of what is happening out there .
It also offers guidance and support for the real challenges faced by school communities as they seek to support learning over distance .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ space for everybody to connect to share learning .
In the meantime , remember that we will come through this .
The schools will re-open .
It is really important that we all support and sustain ourselves as people , day by day , so that we can be ready to embrace the opportunities for further learning that will emerge at that point .
As John O ’ Donohue reminds us – “ where you are understood , you are at home ” .
Take this time to try to enjoy being at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ understanding of all that matters .
Learning and knowledge come in many different forms , and we have been given an opportunity to learn about how we learn , as individuals and as a society .
Let ’ s grasp that opportunity with an open heart .

I’m working from home and have children in both primary and post-primary school. It’s very stressful trying to juggle my job with supervising homeschooling. To make matters worse, teachers are giving my kids too much homework to do. Can I ask my school to go easy on them?
These are anxious and uncertain times for everybody. Getting your own work done, keeping spirits up, and managing the expectations of both schools and your own children can appear to be an overwhelming task. It may seem that others don’t understand what you are facing in your own space, as indeed each family set-up is different.
The old adage certainly applies here: start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can. If you feel under unreasonable pressure, you need to let people know that, and explain to them what you are trying to do.
Regular communication between home and school, between parents, teachers and students, is more important than ever. The easiest way is via email. Social media can be used as well, taking account of the usual boundaries. And if access to technology and bandwidth is a challenge, local newsletters come into their own. RTÉ is also doing a fantastic job, with its daily programme aimed at primary school children.
READ MORE
Overwhelmed
With the best of intentions, all of the resources that are being shared – website links, apps, games, books – can add to the sense of feeling overwhelmed. Where do you start? And if you hear on the grapevine that the school down the road is doing all of this, where does that leave your children?
One thing you can be sure of is some of the questions you have have been answered by parents or teachers or students somewhere else.
For teachers or parents who have time, the Teaching Council and the Professional Development Service for Teachers has launched a webinar series – Learning For All – to share the best of what is happening out there.
It also offers guidance and support for the real challenges faced by school communities as they seek to support learning over distance. In effect, this series is creating a space for everybody to connect to share learning.
In the meantime, remember that we will come through this. The schools will re-open. It is really important that we all support and sustain ourselves as people, day by day, so that we can be ready to embrace the opportunities for further learning that will emerge at that point.
As John O’Donohue reminds us – “where you are understood, you are at home”. Take this time to try to enjoy being at home, to come to a deeper understanding of all that matters. Learning and knowledge come in many different forms, and we have been given an opportunity to learn about how we learn, as individuals and as a society. Let’s grasp that opportunity with an open heart.
[ askbrian@irishtimes.com ]


theirishtimes--2020-04-20--The Secret Teacher: Too many students are failing the coronavirus test

Somewhat naively , I expected everything we learned about ourselves and each other during this crisis to be positive : how we can all pull together as a team , how we can work towards one common goal , how resilient we are as a nation .
Regrettably , it hasn ’ t all been positive .
Global pandemic .
Huge words .
Our current leadership is strong , and what it needs is discerning followers , not self-appointed “ leaders ” vying for the limelight and thereby muddying the message .
Late last month , An Taoiseach made an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and since then we have been learning a lot about ourselves and our capacity to follow .
During Government briefings we are frequently reminded that “ we are all in this together ” .
“ This ” is Covid-19 , the test that we as a nation are taking .
We all face this challenge , young and old alike , and we question , obey , compromise or rebel according to our dispositions and circumstances .
Any academic exam pales when set against this life-or-death test faced by millions the world @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on Twitter I watch with horror as the screen fills with comments about whether the Leaving Cert should still go ahead as planned or for further clarity on exam timetables .
How can so many believe that the Leaving Cert belongs in the same conversation as announcements on fatalities , updates on the number of positive cases and our health system ’ s capacity to cope ?
Calling for clarity on what is happening with the exams is not effective following .
It also proves that we are not listening .
We have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ by hook or by crook ” in late July or early August .
It doesn ’ t get much clearer than that .
There is a chance this may not end up actually happening , but we have a clear and concrete answer on what the Government and the Minister for Education expect to happen as of today – and what more can we honestly demand of them ?
Clarity during an ongoing global pandemic ?
I think not .
Specific details many weeks in advance when we can not know with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by then ?
Definitely not .
In relative terms the Leaving Cert is far into the future , and until then we teachers have been asked to deliver an alternative version of teaching so that our students , in turn , may engage in an alternative version of learning .
Why then do so many teachers and students insist on pressurising our leaders into making their top priority an event scheduled for two months ’ time ?
We need to wait .
We need to do as we are asked .
And we @ @ @ @ @ @ @ being told , whether we like what we are hearing or not .
This following is not simply being a sheep ; it is what is in the small print under “ we are all in this together ” .
Not following good leadership hinders the leader and everyone else .
In this context it exposes us as a nation that doesn ’ t value learning for its own sake .
Surely it isn ’ t all about the end exam ?
Why wouldn ’ t a young person of school age want @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exam takes place or not ?
If the Leaving Cert is cancelled in the morning , what will those young people do ?
It isn ’ t as though their studies are keeping them from work on the front line during this pandemic .
Acquisition of knowledge is a good thing .
Having a purpose and a structure to one ’ s day is a good thing .
Why then doesn ’ t the Leaving Cert class of 2020 just proceed with the learning structure that is in place ?
It isn ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Government and third-level institutions will forget about them .
There ’ s also the old chestnut that teachers allegedly don ’ t work hard enough .
Most of us would agree that we put more time into our exam classes than the others , and that we prioritise them in terms of setting and grading work .
Removing the workload that comes with teaching exam classes while still paying us seems to me a very unusual thing for anyone in this country to want .
Especially a teacher , and that ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ not be engaging in this debate on social media .
By protesting and collaborating in protest , teachers and students are unsettling a ship our Minister is trying to steady .
That explains the rising levels of anxiety in this year ’ s cohort every bit as much as the lack of clarity which many insist is responsible .
Courting the debate is the problem , not anything the Minister has , or hasn ’ t , said .
Leaving Cert students can not easily get on with what they are meant to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on claiming leadership roles that only distract us from the message being given by our actual leaders .
I , as a teacher , have a dual role now : a follower and a leader .
I have been asked by our Government to provide as much semblance of normality as I can for my students in an anything-but-normal set of circumstances .
In this , I set an example for my students , so that they in their turn may follow .
These are our roles , and as we take the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ something new and valuable together .
Right now we are being asked not to step up but to stay at home , not to try to lead but to follow .
Whether we can learn this is the test .

Leaving Cert students cannot easily get on with what they are meant to be doing while their fellow students insist on claiming leadership roles that only distract us from the message being given by our actual leaders. Photograph: iStock
Somewhat naively, I expected everything we learned about ourselves and each other during this crisis to be positive: how we can all pull together as a team, how we can work towards one common goal, how resilient we are as a nation.
Regrettably, it hasn’t all been positive.
Global pandemic. Huge words. Our current leadership is strong, and what it needs is discerning followers, not self-appointed “leaders” vying for the limelight and thereby muddying the message.
Late last month, An Taoiseach made an announcement outlining very clear restrictions on behaviour, and since then we have been learning a lot about ourselves and our capacity to follow. During Government briefings we are frequently reminded that “we are all in this together”.
READ MORE
“This” is Covid-19, the test that we as a nation are taking. We all face this challenge, young and old alike, and we question, obey, compromise or rebel according to our dispositions and circumstances. Any academic exam pales when set against this life-or-death test faced by millions the world over.
During Government and HSE briefings on Twitter I watch with horror as the screen fills with comments about whether the Leaving Cert should still go ahead as planned or for further clarity on exam timetables. How can so many believe that the Leaving Cert belongs in the same conversation as announcements on fatalities, updates on the number of positive cases and our health system’s capacity to cope?
Calling for clarity on what is happening with the exams is not effective following. It also proves that we are not listening. We have clarity. The exams are going ahead “by hook or by crook” in late July or early August. It doesn’t get much clearer than that. There is a chance this may not end up actually happening, but we have a clear and concrete answer on what the Government and the Minister for Education expect to happen as of today – and what more can we honestly demand of them? Clarity during an ongoing global pandemic? I think not. Specific details many weeks in advance when we cannot know with any certainty how things will have evolved by then? Definitely not.
Alternative version
In relative terms the Leaving Cert is far into the future, and until then we teachers have been asked to deliver an alternative version of teaching so that our students, in turn, may engage in an alternative version of learning.
Why then do so many teachers and students insist on pressurising our leaders into making their top priority an event scheduled for two months’ time? We need to wait. We need to do as we are asked. And we need to listen to what we are being told, whether we like what we are hearing or not. This following is not simply being a sheep; it is what is in the small print under “we are all in this together”.
Not following good leadership hinders the leader and everyone else. In this context it exposes us as a nation that doesn't value learning for its own sake. Surely it isn't all about the end exam? Why wouldn't a young person of school age want to learn, regardless of whether the exam takes place or not? If the Leaving Cert is cancelled in the morning, what will those young people do?
It isn’t as though their studies are keeping them from work on the front line during this pandemic. Acquisition of knowledge is a good thing. Having a purpose and a structure to one’s day is a good thing. Why then doesn’t the Leaving Cert class of 2020 just proceed with the learning structure that is in place? It isn’t as though the Minister, the Government and third-level institutions will forget about them.
There’s also the old chestnut that teachers allegedly don’t work hard enough. Most of us would agree that we put more time into our exam classes than the others, and that we prioritise them in terms of setting and grading work. Removing the workload that comes with teaching exam classes while still paying us seems to me a very unusual thing for anyone in this country to want. Especially a teacher, and that’s just one of the reasons we should not be engaging in this debate on social media.
Unsettling a ship
By protesting and collaborating in protest, teachers and students are unsettling a ship our Minister is trying to steady. That explains the rising levels of anxiety in this year’s cohort every bit as much as the lack of clarity which many insist is responsible. Courting the debate is the problem, not anything the Minister has, or hasn’t, said. Leaving Cert students cannot easily get on with what they are meant to be doing while their fellow students insist on claiming leadership roles that only distract us from the message being given by our actual leaders.
I, as a teacher, have a dual role now: a follower and a leader. I have been asked by our Government to provide as much semblance of normality as I can for my students in an anything-but-normal set of circumstances. In this, I set an example for my students, so that they in their turn may follow.
These are our roles, and as we take the coronavirus test, we are all learning something new and valuable together.
Right now we are being asked not to step up but to stay at home, not to try to lead but to follow. Whether we can learn this is the test.


theirishtimes--2020-04-20--Home school: How to turn a cramped home into a learning-friendly space

Like many people ’ s homes at the moment , mine now resembles a juvenile corporate office .
My six-year-old logs into Zoom for morning meetings and singalongs , my eight-year-old uses Google Docs to pitch fairy-tale adaptations to his teacher , and both use new email accounts to compare schedules with classmates and dole out emojis .
When schools closed , my wife and I scrambled to gather the digital gear and download the multitude of apps that enable online learning .
But like so many parents suddenly required to work from home , we devoted an equal amount @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could all complete our tasks in such close quarters , without ending up in a daily battle royale .
Fortunately , our eight-year-old ’ s teacher , Jennifer Frish , had some ideas for keeping the peace .
The day before online classes began , she encouraged parents to set up a dedicated learning space for their children .
For strategies on how to do that successfully , I asked educators and interior designers for advice .
Give them their own space Pulling a stool up to the kitchen island , which might @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t going to cut it when your child will be studying all day , every day , for weeks or months .
Adding a small desk , if you have the space , is one easy option for creating a dedicated space .
But it is not the only solution .
One end of a dining table can work just as well , Frish says , as long as the space is clearly demarcated and reserved for the child ’ s use .
“ You could block it off with masking tape @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get a cardboard divider.
” In the classroom , Frish has privacy partitions from Lakeshore Learning Materials available for students who need help focusing , but you could just as easily make one from a cardboard box , she says .
Especially now that you ’ re having so many purchases delivered .
If your child already has a desk , it is probably covered with everything but tools for learning , says interior designer Ghislaine Vinas , in which case it needs a refresh .
“ If your kid is lucky enough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , take everything off that desk , give it a good clean and start over , ” Vinas says .
Your child ’ s desk is not the place to showcase your personal design ambitions .
More than anything else , Frish stressed the importance of including your child in the design process .
“ It ’ s extremely important not only to set up a space , but to have them plan it out with you , ” she says .
“ It gives them ownership and , later on , more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , is to end up with a workspace where they will love spending time .
One way Vinas has helped her children , who are now teenagers , create personalised workspaces over the years is by encouraging them to make collages .
“ Take images from Instagram or whatever else inspires them .
Print them , cut them out and create beautiful collages of things that are meaningful to them , ” she says .
“ They can look at those things , dream and stay inspired.
” Having storage space for school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ maintaining sanity .
“ Sharpen all the pencils , have extra paper and make sure you have a place where everything goes back to , ” says Julie Bogart , author of The Brave Learner : Finding Everyday Magic in Homeschool , Learning , and Life and founder of online learning company Brave Writer , who home-schooled her five children .
In her house , the children would return all their learning materials to individual cubbies at the end of each day , she says , so they were always ready to go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the big jokes in the home-schooling market is , ‘ I don ’ t know where the maths book is , ’ ” she noted , “ because so often kids lose it somewhere , or hide it.
” Baskets , bins and cups can help keep various types of materials separated while containing the clutter .
They don ’ t have to be fancy .
Shoeboxes and plastic containers can be repurposed as holders of notebooks and markers , and Vinas recommended painting soup cans to make pencil cups .
To keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ floor and desktop – consider adding shelves near the desk , says Joan Enger , founder of J Patryce Design & Company .
For one teen ’ s study , Enger installed a bookcase for storing baskets of different sizes , along with books and magazine files .
And for her son , she added a wall-mounted shelf directly above his desk .
“ He has dual monitors and all this computer stuff on his desk , ” she says .
“ So we just put an Ikea shelf right above the desk @ @ @ @ @ @ @ At school , children often have a wide variety of seating options .
When it ’ s reading time in Frish ’ s class , some students sit at group tables , some use benches , some opt for sitting on the rug with a pillow and one lucky child might snag the beanbag chair .
“ The biggest thing is that we want kids to feel comfortable in their workspace , ” she says .
Trying to get a child to sit on a hard desk chair for six to eight hours @ @ @ @ @ @ @ errand , so offer at least a couple of choices – a desk chair , for example , along with floor pillows .
If you have the space , you could set up multiple workstations for different tasks , says Michelle Gerson , an interior designer .
In the same way that you probably don ’ t appreciate a kindergartner ’ s singalong while taking an important business call , children likely don ’ t want to hear your Zoom presentation while trying to tackle long division .
Headphones can help , Frish @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
A task lamp is also important , Enger says .
“ Overhead lighting is not really conducive to studying , especially if you ’ re doing writing or reading , ” she says .
“ A task lamp offers more direct lighting.
” She recommended looking for a simple , inexpensive LED-based model that takes up a minimum of desk space .
Try to remember that no matter how much you work on the design of a child ’ s study space , it is no classroom .
“ School is designed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , blackboards and teachers in the front of the room to create an environment that helps children cooperate with the agenda , ” Bogart says .
“ Home is not like that .
Home is where we come to get relief from that , where we don ’ t have to perform and where we relax.
” Trying to create a strict , school-like environment at home “ is like oil and water – and your kids know it ” , she says .
“ They don ’ t cooperate the way they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ things start going off the rails , the best response may be to take a deep breath and embrace the idea that learning can happen just about anywhere .
“ Some children are much more likely to do their handwriting practice if you give it to them on a clipboard , set them up in the corner of the sectional , tuck them in with a blanket and let them pet the cat , ” Bogart says .
“ In other words , we ’ re borrowing from the divine wonder of home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s about balancing the yin and the yang.
” – New York Times service

Like many people's homes at the moment, mine now resembles a juvenile corporate office. My six-year-old logs into Zoom for morning meetings and singalongs, my eight-year-old uses Google Docs to pitch fairy-tale adaptations to his teacher, and both use new email accounts to compare schedules with classmates and dole out emojis.
When schools closed, my wife and I scrambled to gather the digital gear and download the multitude of apps that enable online learning. But like so many parents suddenly required to work from home, we devoted an equal amount of time to fretting about how we could all complete our tasks in such close quarters, without ending up in a daily battle royale.
Fortunately, our eight-year-old’s teacher, Jennifer Frish, had some ideas for keeping the peace. The day before online classes began, she encouraged parents to set up a dedicated learning space for their children. For strategies on how to do that successfully, I asked educators and interior designers for advice.
Give them their own space
Pulling a stool up to the kitchen island, which might have worked for casual homework, isn’t going to cut it when your child will be studying all day, every day, for weeks or months. Adding a small desk, if you have the space, is one easy option for creating a dedicated space.
READ MORE
But it is not the only solution. One end of a dining table can work just as well, Frish says, as long as the space is clearly demarcated and reserved for the child’s use. “You could block it off with masking tape,” she says. “Or get a cardboard divider.” In the classroom, Frish has privacy partitions from Lakeshore Learning Materials available for students who need help focusing, but you could just as easily make one from a cardboard box, she says. Especially now that you’re having so many purchases delivered.
If your child already has a desk, it is probably covered with everything but tools for learning, says interior designer Ghislaine Vinas, in which case it needs a refresh. “If your kid is lucky enough to have a desk in the apartment, take everything off that desk, give it a good clean and start over,” Vinas says.
Design with your children
Your child’s desk is not the place to showcase your personal design ambitions. More than anything else, Frish stressed the importance of including your child in the design process.
“It’s extremely important not only to set up a space, but to have them plan it out with you,” she says. “It gives them ownership and, later on, more accountability.” The goal, she added, is to end up with a workspace where they will love spending time. One way Vinas has helped her children, who are now teenagers, create personalised workspaces over the years is by encouraging them to make collages.
Ghislaine Vinas, an interior designer, created two study spaces for twins, separated by a wall with mailboxes that serve as storage shelves and pass-throughs. Photograph: Jaime Vinas
"Take images from Instagram or whatever else inspires them. Print them, cut them out and create beautiful collages of things that are meaningful to them," she says. "They can look at those things, dream and stay inspired."
Provide tools for organisation
Having storage space for school supplies is critical to supporting learning and maintaining sanity.
“Sharpen all the pencils, have extra paper and make sure you have a place where everything goes back to,” says Julie Bogart, author of The Brave Learner: Finding Everyday Magic in Homeschool, Learning, and Life and founder of online learning company Brave Writer, who home-schooled her five children.
In her house, the children would return all their learning materials to individual cubbies at the end of each day, she says, so they were always ready to go the next morning. “One of the big jokes in the home-schooling market is, ‘I don’t know where the maths book is,’” she noted, “because so often kids lose it somewhere, or hide it.”
Baskets, bins and cups can help keep various types of materials separated while containing the clutter. They don’t have to be fancy. Shoeboxes and plastic containers can be repurposed as holders of notebooks and markers, and Vinas recommended painting soup cans to make pencil cups.
To keep those containers organised – and off the floor and desktop – consider adding shelves near the desk, says Joan Enger, founder of J Patryce Design & Company.
For one teen's study, Enger installed a bookcase for storing baskets of different sizes, along with books and magazine files. And for her son, she added a wall-mounted shelf directly above his desk. "He has dual monitors and all this computer stuff on his desk," she says. "So we just put an Ikea shelf right above the desk," to catch everything else.
Offer various options for seating
At school, children often have a wide variety of seating options. When it’s reading time in Frish’s class, some students sit at group tables, some use benches, some opt for sitting on the rug with a pillow and one lucky child might snag the beanbag chair.
Having storage space for school supplies is critical to supporting learning and maintaining sanity. Photograph: iStock
“The biggest thing is that we want kids to feel comfortable in their workspace,” she says. Trying to get a child to sit on a hard desk chair for six to eight hours a day is a fool’s errand, so offer at least a couple of choices – a desk chair, for example, along with floor pillows.
If you have the space, you could set up multiple workstations for different tasks, says Michelle Gerson, an interior designer.
Add headphones and a task lamp
In the same way that you probably don’t appreciate a kindergartner’s singalong while taking an important business call, children likely don’t want to hear your Zoom presentation while trying to tackle long division. Headphones can help, Frish says, by shutting out background noise.
A task lamp is also important, Enger says. “Overhead lighting is not really conducive to studying, especially if you’re doing writing or reading,” she says. “A task lamp offers more direct lighting.” She recommended looking for a simple, inexpensive LED-based model that takes up a minimum of desk space.
Be flexible
Try to remember that no matter how much you work on the design of a child’s study space, it is no classroom. “School is designed as an institution with desks, classrooms, blackboards and teachers in the front of the room to create an environment that helps children cooperate with the agenda,” Bogart says. “Home is not like that. Home is where we come to get relief from that, where we don’t have to perform and where we relax.”
Trying to create a strict, school-like environment at home “is like oil and water – and your kids know it”, she says. “They don’t cooperate the way they do for the teacher.” So when things start going off the rails, the best response may be to take a deep breath and embrace the idea that learning can happen just about anywhere.
“Some children are much more likely to do their handwriting practice if you give it to them on a clipboard, set them up in the corner of the sectional, tuck them in with a blanket and let them pet the cat,” Bogart says. “In other words, we’re borrowing from the divine wonder of home,” she adds. “It’s about balancing the yin and the yang.” – New York Times service


theirishtimes--2020-04-20--Coronavirus means income from overseas students likely to be wiped out

You can hardly turn on the news these days without hearing an academic expert explaining the latest developments in the global fight against Covid-19 .
Some have become household names such as Prof Philip Nolan , Maynooth University ; Prof Sam McConkey , Royal College of Surgeons Ireland ; Prof Luke O ’ Neill , Trinity College Dublin ; and Dr Cillian De Gascun , University College Dublin .
University campuses may be physically closed but it is clear that their staff are as busy as ever , delivering education online and contributing trusted expert opinion to the public .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ alongside their former students , who are the doctors , pharmacists and nurses working tirelessly for the health of the nation .
University personnel are on all the key decision making committees advising the Government .
Prof Nolan chairs the Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group , which is predicting the likely curve of the virus .
Dr De Gascun chairs the Expert Advisory Group on coronavirus .
There is also strong university representation on the Medical Leaders ’ Forum Committee established by the chief medical officer , Dr Tony Holohan .
Everyone is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of emergency .
Universities haven ’ t had to be whipped into line to do this .
They acted quickly , using their traditional autonomy and focusing on solutions .
Personal protection equipment , laboratory equipment and laboratory reagents have been donated by life science labs to the main teaching hospitals .
Contact tracing centres have been established on many campuses .
The National Virus Reference Laboratory in UCD is doing sterling work .
In Limerick , collaboration between the university and the University of Limerick Hospitals Group has seen the design and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for HSE staff .
In excess of 5,000 bed spaces have been offered to the HSE as step-down facilities .
Within my own institution , staff from the school of dentistry have been redeployed to take swabs from patients at testing hubs .
The school of nursing and midwifery is working with 30 Trinity volunteers at the contact tracing centre located in the newly opened Trinity Business School , and the business school will play a key role in driving the economic recovery .
Students from the school of pharmacy have , meanwhile @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Parts of Trinity ’ s city centre campus and our campus in St James ’ s Hospital have been transformed to aid the national effort .
People increasingly see that many of the solutions to coronavirus-related problems will come from universities , which are repositories of great science and scholarship .
This is true at home and abroad .
The sometimes derided experts and specialists are suddenly back in fashion , even in countries which have come under the spell of populist leaders .
Simplistic solutions to complex global challenges , health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ – research and innovation are regarded as essential .
Not before time .
In Ireland researchers will work with many of the international pharmaceutical and IT companies based in this country to address the new medical , social and economic challenges we are encountering .
Trinity has already been able to raise money in the shape of a €2.4 million philanthropic donation from AIB this month , which will be used to establish a research hub to help the fight the disease .
This hub will make a real difference in global research @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so many fronts , universities have to prepare for operational and financial difficulties over the rest of the semester and during the next academic year .
A silent campus feels strange .
It needs the voices and the interaction between students and staff but we know that things will not quickly return to the way they were before this pandemic .
Lessons are being absorbed about incorporating digital teaching into our programmes as well as perhaps restructuring work to allow more to be done from home .
This could have knock-on beneficial effects @ @ @ @ @ @ @ quality of life .
Now that we have clarity about this year ’ s Leaving Certificate exams , we will work with the CAO to ensure that first years can begin their courses as soon as possible after the results are issued .
Lecturers have shown heroic flexibility in moving teaching and exams online , all done when working remotely from home .
It hasn ’ t been easy and it hasn ’ t been perfect but existing students can now progress their studies .
Extensive planning has already begun in order to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in what are sure to be constrained times .
The disruption caused by the virus has far reaching financial implications for universities .
Trinity ’ s revenues could drop by as much as €40 million this year and €80 million next year .
For universities overall , the drop in revenue will run to some hundreds of millions .
Universities have come to rely on fees income from international students .
This helped in large measure to offset the decline in State funding during the financial recession .
The Indecon report published by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students brought in €386 million to our universities in 2017 .
Covid-19 is likely to almost wipe out that income for this year and next at least .
Universities will require support in order to avoid financial distress and play a key role in the post-crisis economic recovery .
Irish universities have shown themselves to be one of Ireland ’ s greatest assets in these tough times .
They have not been found wanting in rising to the Covid-19 challenges .
They have truly answered Ireland ’ s call .
They will need @ @ @ @ @ @ @ continue their mission of creating new knowledge , helping to revive the economy and preparing the next generation of leaders and do-ers for Irish society .
Patrick Prendergast is Provost of Trinity College Dublin and chair of the Irish Universities Association

Trinity College Dublin’s revenues could drop by as much as €40m this year and €80m next year. Photograph: iStock
You can hardly turn on the news these days without hearing an academic expert explaining the latest developments in the global fight against Covid-19.
Some have become household names such as Prof Philip Nolan, Maynooth University; Prof Sam McConkey, Royal College of Surgeons Ireland; Prof Luke O'Neill, Trinity College Dublin; and Dr Cillian De Gascun, University College Dublin.
University campuses may be physically closed but it is clear that their staff are as busy as ever, delivering education online and contributing trusted expert opinion to the public.
Many academics are on the front line alongside their former students, who are the doctors, pharmacists and nurses working tirelessly for the health of the nation.
READ MORE
Many of the solutions to coronavirus-related problems will come from universities, which are repositories of great science and scholarship
University personnel are on all the key decision making committees advising the Government. Prof Nolan chairs the Irish Epidemiological Modelling Advisory Group, which is predicting the likely curve of the virus. Dr De Gascun chairs the Expert Advisory Group on coronavirus. There is also strong university representation on the Medical Leaders' Forum Committee established by the chief medical officer, Dr Tony Holohan.
Everyone is doing what they can in this time of emergency. Universities haven’t had to be whipped into line to do this. They acted quickly, using their traditional autonomy and focusing on solutions.
Personal protection equipment, laboratory equipment and laboratory reagents have been donated by life science labs to the main teaching hospitals. Contact tracing centres have been established on many campuses.
The National Virus Reference Laboratory in UCD is doing sterling work. In Limerick, collaboration between the university and the University of Limerick Hospitals Group has seen the design and capacity created to manufacture 100,000 face visors for HSE staff. In excess of 5,000 bed spaces have been offered to the HSE as step-down facilities.
Within my own institution, staff from the school of dentistry have been redeployed to take swabs from patients at testing hubs. The school of nursing and midwifery is working with 30 Trinity volunteers at the contact tracing centre located in the newly opened Trinity Business School, and the business school will play a key role in driving the economic recovery. Students from the school of pharmacy have, meanwhile, been helping to keep pharmacies open. Parts of Trinity's city centre campus and our campus in St James's Hospital have been transformed to aid the national effort.
People increasingly see that many of the solutions to coronavirus-related problems will come from universities, which are repositories of great science and scholarship.
This is true at home and abroad. The sometimes derided experts and specialists are suddenly back in fashion, even in countries which have come under the spell of populist leaders. Simplistic solutions to complex global challenges, health or otherwise, are no longer acceptable – research and innovation are regarded as essential. Not before time.
In Ireland researchers will work with many of the international pharmaceutical and IT companies based in this country to address the new medical, social and economic challenges we are encountering.
Trinity has already been able to raise money in the shape of a €2.4 million philanthropic donation from AIB this month, which will be used to establish a research hub to help the fight the disease. This hub will make a real difference in global research efforts.
Notwithstanding these extraordinary contributions on so many fronts, universities have to prepare for operational and financial difficulties over the rest of the semester and during the next academic year.
A silent campus feels strange. It needs the voices and the interaction between students and staff but we know that things will not quickly return to the way they were before this pandemic. Lessons are being absorbed about incorporating digital teaching into our programmes as well as perhaps restructuring work to allow more to be done from home. This could have knock-on beneficial effects on traffic flows, pollution levels and quality of life.
Now that we have clarity about this year’s Leaving Certificate exams, we will work with the CAO to ensure that first years can begin their courses as soon as possible after the results are issued.
Lecturers have shown heroic flexibility in moving teaching and exams online, all done when working remotely from home. It hasn’t been easy and it hasn’t been perfect but existing students can now progress their studies.
Extensive planning has already begun in order to examine how best to protect the universities in what are sure to be constrained times.
Irish universities have not been found wanting in rising to the Covid-19 challenges. They have truly answered Ireland's call
The disruption caused by the virus has far reaching financial implications for universities. Trinity’s revenues could drop by as much as €40 million this year and €80 million next year. For universities overall, the drop in revenue will run to some hundreds of millions.
Universities have come to rely on fees income from international students. This helped in large measure to offset the decline in State funding during the financial recession. The Indecon report published by the Irish Universities Association showed that overseas students brought in €386 million to our universities in 2017. Covid-19 is likely to almost wipe out that income for this year and next at least. Universities will require support in order to avoid financial distress and play a key role in the post-crisis economic recovery.
Irish universities have shown themselves to be one of Ireland’s greatest assets in these tough times. They have not been found wanting in rising to the Covid-19 challenges. They have truly answered Ireland’s call. They will need strong support from the incoming government to continue their mission of creating new knowledge, helping to revive the economy and preparing the next generation of leaders and do-ers for Irish society.
Patrick Prendergast is Provost of Trinity College Dublin and chair of the Irish Universities Association


theirishtimes--2020-04-20--Tributes paid to ‘greatly loved’ care worker who died of Covid-19

A care worker who died of coronavirus in Co Tyrone was “ greatly loved and respected ” in her local area , her family has said .
It is understood Martina McCarron did not contract the virus as a result of her occupation .
Mrs McCarron , from Fintona , tested positive for coronavirus on April 10th and died in hospital on April 15th , her family said in a statement to the Tyrone Constitution on Monday .
Mrs McCarron , who was a great-grandmother , had worked as a carer for more than 20 years , most recently with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ social media , NW Care said Mrs McCarron ’ s death was “ a huge loss to us all and the wider community which she passionately served .
“ Martina was and will always be one of our heroes.
” The trade union Unison said members and staff deeply regretted Mrs McCarron ’ s death , and sent their sincere condolences to her family .
“ We salute Martina for her courage and dedication in caring for others at this difficult time.
” Mrs McCarron ’ s family said their mother had been @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a carer .
“ She was such a caring lady that she went above and beyond the call of duty .
“ She got to know the people she cared with on a personal level , to the point where she would ring them to ensure they were ok as she was genuinely worried if they were ill or members of their family were going through something difficult .
“ She counted the people she cared for as family and was always ready to lend an ear.
” In their statement , Mrs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the high dependency unit in the South West Acute Hospital in Enniskillen , Co Fermanagh , who had cared for their mother , and “ all frontline workers who are currently putting themselves at risk .
”

Martina McCarron, who was a great-grandmother, had worked as a carer for more than 20 years, most recently with NW Care.
A care worker who died of coronavirus in Co Tyrone was “greatly loved and respected” in her local area, her family has said.
It is understood Martina McCarron did not contract the virus as a result of her occupation.
Mrs McCarron, from Fintona, tested positive for coronavirus on April 10th and died in hospital on April 15th, her family said in a statement to the Tyrone Constitution on Monday.
Mrs McCarron, who was a great-grandmother, had worked as a carer for more than 20 years, most recently with NW Care.
READ MORE
In a post on social media, NW Care said Mrs McCarron’s death was “a huge loss to us all and the wider community which she passionately served.
“Martina was and will always be one of our heroes.”
The trade union Unison said members and staff deeply regretted Mrs McCarron’s death, and sent their sincere condolences to her family.
“We salute Martina for her courage and dedication in caring for others at this difficult time.”
Mrs McCarron’s family said their mother had been “passionate” about her work as a carer.
“She was such a caring lady that she went above and beyond the call of duty.
“She got to know the people she cared with on a personal level, to the point where she would ring them to ensure they were ok as she was genuinely worried if they were ill or members of their family were going through something difficult.
“She counted the people she cared for as family and was always ready to lend an ear.”
In their statement, Mrs McCarron’s family thanked the staff in the high dependency unit in the South West Acute Hospital in Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, who had cared for their mother, and “all frontline workers who are currently putting themselves at risk.”


theirishtimes--2020-04-20--Summer Gaeltacht courses cancelled due to coronavirus

No Irish-language courses will be run in the Gaeltacht this summer because of the coronavirus crisis , the Department of Culture , Heritage and the Gaeltacht has confirmed .
In a statement , the department acknowledged that the decision was a major blow to the Gaeltacht areas and to the many thousands of students who were looking forward to attending courses over the summer .
“ The health of our communities is the priority , however , and everybody has a role to play in the efforts to stop the spread of Covid-19.
” The department also confirmed that households @ @ @ @ @ @ @ submit new engineering certificates this year under the scheme governing the summer courses , as had been previously requested .
The decision came in the wake of consultations with the health authorities and was made in the interest of protecting public health in the context of the pandemic .
Conradh na Gaeilge said the move was a huge blow for the Gaeltacht , the “ mná tí ” and the colleges .
“ But the health of students , communities & families has to come first , ” it said in a post @ @ @

No Irish-language courses will be run in the Gaeltacht this summer because of the coronavirus crisis, the Department of Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht has confirmed.
In a statement, the department acknowledged that the decision was a major blow to the Gaeltacht areas and to the many thousands of students who were looking forward to attending courses over the summer.
“The health of our communities is the priority, however, and everybody has a role to play in the efforts to stop the spread of Covid-19.”
The department also confirmed that households in Gaeltacht areas would not have to submit new engineering certificates this year under the scheme governing the summer courses, as had been previously requested.
READ MORE
The decision came in the wake of consultations with the health authorities and was made in the interest of protecting public health in the context of the pandemic.
Conradh na Gaeilge said the move was a huge blow for the Gaeltacht, the “mná tí” and the colleges. “But the health of students, communities & families has to come first,” it said in a post on Twitter.


theirishtimes--2020-04-20--Study underway into changed eating habits during lockdown

Researchers at UCD and DCU are conducting a survey into how we are eating and drinking during the Covid-19 pandemic .
There is already solid evidence that we are drinking more at home than usual , albeit at a time when pubs and clubs are closed .
Off-licence sales were up by 40 per cent in the four weeks leading up to April 5th which were the first four weeks of the lockdown .
There has been also been a run on bread flour with Tesco alone announcing last week that it sold 600,000 bags of flour in a single @ @ @ @ @ @ @ per cent increase .
The UCD Institute of Food and Health has launched the National Covid-19 Food Study , in collaboration with DCU .
It will use an online-only survey in accordance with social distancing .
The study will gather information on changes in food and drink behaviours among adults in Ireland since the introduction of Covid-19 restrictions .
UCD assistant professor in public health nutrition Dr Celine Murrin said they were interested in studying patterns of eating and drinking at a time when “ modern day Ireland has never experienced such a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ we manage our daily food intake ” .
She said the information provided will help researchers understand how the economy might prepare for future shocks .
The study will take the form of an anonymous online survey at covidfood.ie , which is open to anyone over the age of 18 living on the island of Ireland .
It is also possible to do the survey over the phone and anyone with a landline can avail of this option by emailing foodandhealth @ ucd.ie .
UCD assistant professor in food science and nutrition Dr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will give a “ unique snapshot ” of what people are consuming at a very stressful time .
“ We want to understand the food differences for someone living on a farm in Fermoy compared to someone living in a bedsit in Baldoyle .
”

Researchers at UCD and DCU are conducting a survey into how we are eating and drinking during the Covid-19 pandemic.
There is already solid evidence that we are drinking more at home than usual, albeit at a time when pubs and clubs are closed.
Off-licence sales were up by 40 per cent in the four weeks leading up to April 5th which were the first four weeks of the lockdown.
There has been also been a run on bread flour with Tesco alone announcing last week that it sold 600,000 bags of flour in a single week during the pandemic, a 300 per cent increase.
READ MORE
The UCD Institute of Food and Health has launched the National Covid-19 Food Study, in collaboration with DCU.
It will use an online-only survey in accordance with social distancing. The study will gather information on changes in food and drink behaviours among adults in Ireland since the introduction of Covid-19 restrictions.
UCD assistant professor in public health nutrition Dr Celine Murrin said they were interested in studying patterns of eating and drinking at a time when "modern day Ireland has never experienced such a shock to how we live and how we manage our daily food intake".
She said the information provided will help researchers understand how the economy might prepare for future shocks.
The study will take the form of an anonymous online survey at covidfood.ie, which is open to anyone over the age of 18 living on the island of Ireland.
It is also possible to do the survey over the phone and anyone with a landline can avail of this option by emailing foodandhealth@ucd.ie.
UCD assistant professor in food science and nutrition Dr Sharleen O’Reilly said the survey will give a “unique snapshot” of what people are consuming at a very stressful time.
" We want to understand the food differences for someone living on a farm in Fermoy compared to someone living in a bedsit in Baldoyle. "


theirishtimes--2020-04-20--Irishman who founded Radio Caroline and ‘changed radio forever’ dies

Ronan O ’ Rahilly , the founder of the celebrated pirate radio station Radio Caroline , has died at the age of 79 .
Mr O ’ Rahilly revolutionised commercial radio in 1964 when he set up Radio Caroline outside UK territorial waters and broadcast to the mainland .
The station , which played the pop artists of the day , broke the monopoly that the BBC had on radio in the UK .
At the time BBC did not take the pop and rock music revolution seriously and only broadcast an hour a week of pop music programme .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ the 2009 Richard Curtis film , The Boat that Rocked .
Mr O ’ Rahilly came from a wealthy background .
His parents owned the private port of Greenore which allowed him to fit out a ship to broadcast .
His grandfather was Michael O ’ Rahilly ( The O ’ Rahilly ) who participated in the Easter Rising and died off Moore Street on the last day of the Rising .
Mr O ’ Rahilly was born in 1940 and emigrated to the UK in the 1960s where he set up the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ district .
He also managed musicians Georgie Fame and Alex Korner and the Australian actor George Lazenby who had one turn as James Bond .
When Mr O ’ Rahilly discovered that the BBC and Radio Luxembourg , its only commercial competitor though based in continental Europe , were only playing artists by certain record labels , he founded Radio Caroline .
He discovered a loophole in the strict radio licencing laws at the time which he later explained in a BBC Arena programme : “ A small survey on the south coast @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been established that if a ship was parked off the coast , three miles outside , the whole f***ing country would tune in and turn on.
” Radio Caroline still exists as a radio station off the Essex coast and they paid tribute to him on Monday .
Broadcaster Johnny Walker , who made his reputation on the station , described Mr O ’ Rahilly as the man “ who made the impossible possible and changed radio forever .
“ Thanks Ronan for the incredible experience of being a Caroline deejay and to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ amazing man.
” Dire Straits ’ founder member David Knopfler paid tribute to Mr O ’ Rahilly who said had been instrumental in “ promoting Dire Straits when we most needed it and for that we will ever be grateful ” .
Mr O ’ Rahilly was inducted into the Hall Of Fame at the PPI Radio Award in 2012 .
He moved back to Ireland in 2013 after being diagnosed with vascular dementia .

Ronan O’Rahilly, the founder of the celebrated pirate radio station Radio Caroline, has died at the age of 79.
Mr O’Rahilly revolutionised commercial radio in 1964 when he set up Radio Caroline outside UK territorial waters and broadcast to the mainland.
The station, which played the pop artists of the day, broke the monopoly that the BBC had on radio in the UK.
At the time BBC did not take the pop and rock music revolution seriously and only broadcast an hour a week of pop music programme.
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The setting up of Radio Caroline inspired the 2009 Richard Curtis film, The Boat that Rocked.
Mr O'Rahilly came from a wealthy background. His parents owned the private port of Greenore which allowed him to fit out a ship to broadcast.
His grandfather was Michael O’Rahilly (The O’Rahilly) who participated in the Easter Rising and died off Moore Street on the last day of the Rising.
Mr O’Rahilly was born in 1940 and emigrated to the UK in the 1960s where he set up the Scene club in London’s Soho district.
He also managed musicians Georgie Fame and Alex Korner and the Australian actor George Lazenby who had one turn as James Bond.
When Mr O'Rahilly discovered that the BBC and Radio Luxembourg, its only commercial competitor though based in continental Europe, were only playing artists by certain record labels, he founded Radio Caroline.
He discovered a loophole in the strict radio licencing laws at the time which he later explained in a BBC Arena programme: “A small survey on the south coast has been carried out and it has been established that if a ship was parked off the coast, three miles outside, the whole f***ing country would tune in and turn on.”
The pirate radio ship Radio Caroline, pictured in 1966 when she ran aground between Frinton and Holland-on-Sea, Essex. The setting up of Radio Caroline inspired the 2009 Richard Curtis film, The Boat that Rocked. File image: PA Photo
Radio Caroline still exists as a radio station off the Essex coast and they paid tribute to him on Monday.
Broadcaster Johnny Walker, who made his reputation on the station, described Mr O'Rahilly as the man "who made the impossible possible and changed radio forever.
“Thanks Ronan for the incredible experience of being a Caroline deejay and to challenge the Government. You were an amazing man.”
Dire Straits' founder member David Knopfler paid tribute to Mr O'Rahilly who said had been instrumental in "promoting Dire Straits when we most needed it and for that we will ever be grateful".
Mr O’Rahilly was inducted into the Hall Of Fame at the PPI Radio Award in 2012.
He moved back to Ireland in 2013 after being diagnosed with vascular dementia.


theirishtimes--2020-04-20--Elisabeth Herrema, wife of Dutch industrialist kidnapped by IRA, dies

Elisabeth Herrema , the wife of Dutch industrialist Dr Tiede Herrema , has died in the Netherlands at the age of 94 .
The kidnapping of Dr Herrema by the IRA in October 1975 made international news .
He was the managing director of the Limerick factory Ferenka when he was abducted by Eddie Gallagher and Marion Coyle on October 3rd , 1975 .
Dr Herrema was held hostage for 36 days .
During the last 18 days of the kidnapping , Dr Herrema and his kidnappers were trapped inside a box room in a housing estate in Monasterevin , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the world ’ s media .
Mrs Herrema became a prominent figure at the time when she spoke to RTÉ to say the Irish government should not pay the IR£2 million ransom demanded by the kidnappers .
The Herremas were married for 72 years .
Mr Herrema will be 99 on Tuesday and lives in Arnhem in the Netherlands .
The couple ’ s friend Joe Brennan , who was head of protocol at the Irish Embassy in the Netherlands during the kidnapping , described Mrs Herrema as an “ extraordinary woman ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Irish government at the time .
Mrs Herrema had a “ great sense of fun and a gift for friendship ” , he said .
The couple were made honorary Irish citizens later in 1975 .
Their kidnapping ordeal did not put them off Ireland and they owned an apartment in Dublin where they spent many years .
“ She loved having an Irish passport .
They were proud to become Irish citizens , ” Mr Brennan said .
The couple are survived by their four children and many grandchildren .
Mrs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Netherlands on Thursday .

Dr Tiede Herrema with his wife Elisabeth and the then minister for foreign affairs Garret FitzGerald, at Dublin Airport in 1975. Photograph: Dermot O’Shea/The Irish Times
Elisabeth Herrema, the wife of Dutch industrialist Dr Tiede Herrema, has died in the Netherlands at the age of 94.
The kidnapping of Dr Herrema by the IRA in October 1975 made international news. He was the managing director of the Limerick factory Ferenka when he was abducted by Eddie Gallagher and Marion Coyle on October 3rd, 1975.
Dr Herrema was held hostage for 36 days. During the last 18 days of the kidnapping, Dr Herrema and his kidnappers were trapped inside a box room in a housing estate in Monasterevin, Co Kildare, surrounded by gardaí and the world's media.
Mrs Herrema became a prominent figure at the time when she spoke to RTÉ to say the Irish government should not pay the IR£2 million ransom demanded by the kidnappers.
READ MORE
The Herremas were married for 72 years. Mr Herrema will be 99 on Tuesday and lives in Arnhem in the Netherlands.
The couple's friend Joe Brennan, who was head of protocol at the Irish Embassy in the Netherlands during the kidnapping, described Mrs Herrema as an "extraordinary woman" whose public intervention was greatly appreciated by the Irish government at the time.
Mrs Herrema had a “great sense of fun and a gift for friendship”, he said.
The couple were made honorary Irish citizens later in 1975.
Their kidnapping ordeal did not put them off Ireland and they owned an apartment in Dublin where they spent many years.
“She loved having an Irish passport. They were proud to become Irish citizens,” Mr Brennan said.
The couple are survived by their four children and many grandchildren. Mrs Herrema’s funeral takes place in the Netherlands on Thursday.


theirishtimes--2020-04-20--Galway school opts out of this year’s Junior Cert exams

A secondary school in Co Galway has become the first in the State to reject the proposal to hold the equivalent of the Junior Certificate in the next school year .
Coláiste Bhaile Chláir in Claregalway will instead allow its students to complete their work for the rest of the term and be graded by their teachers .
Though it only opened in 2013 , Coláiste Bhaile Chláir , a multidenominational community college , is one of the largest secondary schools in the country with more than 1,000 pupils .
It is under the patronage of the Galway and Roscommon @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
On Friday , the Minister for Education Joe McHugh announced the cancellation of the Junior Certificate examinations , which were due to take place in June , because of the coronavirus pandemic .
Instead , he proposed that they be replaced by assessments and project work to be completed as school-based exams early in the next school year .
In a statement published on its website , the school said such an approach would create unnecessary stress for its students .
The school said the Junior Certificate is a milestone in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have missed them before and it did not hinder their ability to sit the Leaving Certificate .
The school added : “ We wish our students during this time of national emergency to focus on their health and wellbeing .
We do not wish to see students over the summer months caught up inside preparing for exams , worrying about when they might go ahead , if they go ahead .
“ What if all that time were spent wasted when they could have been outside playing , working and helping family and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ We wish that upon our return to school in the new academic year that we all start afresh , renewed and re-invigorated.
” It added that many of the school ’ s teachers will be involved in the correction and monitoring of corrections for the Leaving Certificate examinations if they take place as planned in the late summer .
Instead , the school has proposed that students will complete assigned work for the remainder of the term and be awarded a grade by their teachers .
The grade will be added to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , practical and project work to determine their overall final grade .
That grade will appear on the Junior Certificate profile of achievement ( JCPA ) .
“ We believe in the quality and professionalism of our teachers to award grades based on clearly defined criteria and using work already completed to date , ” the school explained .
“ We , as of now , do not know when we will be able to return and to what extent that return will look like in September “ We believe that our approach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ focussed and engaged for these final 6 weeks of school term “ Above all , we believe that the plan outlined above is in the best interests of our students in Coláiste Bhaile Chláir .
”

Coláiste Bhaile Chláir said the Junior Certificate was a milestone in a student’s education, but students had missed them before and it did not hinder their ability to sit the Leaving Certificate. File photograph: Bryan O’Brien
A secondary school in Co Galway has become the first in the State to reject the proposal to hold the equivalent of the Junior Certificate in the next school year.
Coláiste Bhaile Chláir in Claregalway will instead allow its students to complete their work for the rest of the term and be graded by their teachers.
Though it only opened in 2013, Coláiste Bhaile Chláir, a multidenominational community college, is one of the largest secondary schools in the country with more than 1,000 pupils. It is under the patronage of the Galway and Roscommon Education and Training Board (GRETB).
On Friday, the Minister for Education Joe McHugh announced the cancellation of the Junior Certificate examinations, which were due to take place in June, because of the coronavirus pandemic.
READ MORE
Instead, he proposed that they be replaced by assessments and project work to be completed as school-based exams early in the next school year.
In a statement published on its website, the school said such an approach would create unnecessary stress for its students.
The school said the Junior Certificate is a milestone in a student’s education, but students have missed them before and it did not hinder their ability to sit the Leaving Certificate.
The school added: “We wish our students during this time of national emergency to focus on their health and wellbeing. We do not wish to see students over the summer months caught up inside preparing for exams, worrying about when they might go ahead, if they go ahead.
“What if all that time were spent wasted when they could have been outside playing, working and helping family and friends through this difficult time?
“We wish that upon our return to school in the new academic year that we all start afresh, renewed and re-invigorated.”
It added that many of the school’s teachers will be involved in the correction and monitoring of corrections for the Leaving Certificate examinations if they take place as planned in the late summer.
Instead, the school has proposed that students will complete assigned work for the remainder of the term and be awarded a grade by their teachers.
The grade will be added to the 100 per cent already given for oral, practical and project work to determine their overall final grade. That grade will appear on the Junior Certificate profile of achievement (JCPA).
“ We believe in the quality and professionalism of our teachers to award grades based on clearly defined criteria and using work already completed to date,” the school explained.
“We, as of now, do not know when we will be able to return and to what extent that return will look like in September
“We believe that our approach will help to keep 3rd year students focussed and engaged for these final 6 weeks of school term
“Above all, we believe that the plan outlined above is in the best interests of our students in Coláiste Bhaile Chláir.”


theirishtimes--2020-04-20--Coronavirus: Harris ‘packed pubs’ warning ‘petrifying entire sector’

Publicans have accused Minister for Health Simon Harris of “ petrifying the entire sector ” with suggestions pubs could not return to normal before a coronavirus vaccine has been found .
Both the Vintners ’ Federation of Ireland ( VFI ) and the Licensed Vintners ’ Association ( LVA ) are to seek an advisory role on how businesses might move toward reopening .
In a Sunday Independent interview , Mr Harris said he did not see how “ packed pubs ” could come back before a vaccine or effective treatment .
The comment spooked an industry that employs , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ people , the vast majority of whom have lost their jobs to the pandemic .
“ It was a bit of a shock to the system to read comments like that from the Minister in a newspaper on a Sunday morning , ” said Noel Anderson , owner of a number of Dublin city bars .
“ A lot of staff and publicans are really worried at the moment.
” VFI chief executive Padraig Cribben said Mr Harris ’ s remarks caused great unease and were both “ unnecessary and unhelpful ” .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the LVA , said the prospect of bars not reopening this year – based on estimates regarding the availability of a vaccine – was the “ nightmare scenario ” .
“ If that happens then most pub businesses in this country will be out of business for good , ” he warned .
“ While Minister Harris is doing an exceptional job at a time of national crisis , his comments have really petrified the entire pub sector across the country.
” A spokeswoman for the Minister said he was aware of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Government had put business supports in place .
Publicans have also raised concerns about the reality of social distancing in a bar environment – not just the practicalities , but the financial toll .
“ The problem with confining numbers in pubs is that the [ running ] costs really stay the same , ” said Ewan McDonald , former operations manager of a number of venues , who noted most pubs operate on small margins and depend on busy weekends .
“ You would be opening up to lose money and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for anyone.
” But there are also concerns around the return of consumer confidence .
“ It ’ s going to be a slow burner getting people ’ s confidence up about going out , ” said Jimmy Lyons , owner of the Matt the Thresher gastro pubs in Dublin and Limerick .
He is about to roll out a food takeaway service , a survival adaption he believes will remain part of his business ’ s future .
Willy Byrne , proprietor of Billy Byrne ’ s in Kilkenny , said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the price of a pint , mooted as one potential solution .
“ It ’ s a very worrying time for the trade .
Some bars are just on the fringe .
They probably just won ’ t open again .
”

Mulligan’s Pub on Poolbeg Street: Publicans across Ireland are concerned about social distancing in a bar environment – the practicalities and the financial toll. Photograph: Aidan Crawley
Publicans have accused Minister for Health Simon Harris of "petrifying the entire sector" with suggestions pubs could not return to normal before a coronavirus vaccine has been found.
Both the Vintners’ Federation of Ireland (VFI) and the Licensed Vintners’ Association (LVA) are to seek an advisory role on how businesses might move toward reopening.
In a Sunday Independent interview, Mr Harris said he did not see how “packed pubs” could come back before a vaccine or effective treatment.
The comment spooked an industry that employs, by its own estimation, about 50,000 people, the vast majority of whom have lost their jobs to the pandemic.
READ MORE
"It was a bit of a shock to the system to read comments like that from the Minister in a newspaper on a Sunday morning," said Noel Anderson, owner of a number of Dublin city bars. "A lot of staff and publicans are really worried at the moment."
Great unease
VFI chief executive Padraig Cribben said Mr Harris's remarks caused great unease and were both "unnecessary and unhelpful".
Donall O’Keeffe, chief executive of the LVA, said the prospect of bars not reopening this year – based on estimates regarding the availability of a vaccine – was the “nightmare scenario”.
“If that happens then most pub businesses in this country will be out of business for good,” he warned. “While Minister Harris is doing an exceptional job at a time of national crisis, his comments have really petrified the entire pub sector across the country.”
A spokeswoman for the Minister said he was aware of the difficulties faced by publicans and said the Government had put business supports in place.
Publicans have also raised concerns about the reality of social distancing in a bar environment – not just the practicalities, but the financial toll.
Busy weekends
“The problem with confining numbers in pubs is that the [running] costs really stay the same,” said Ewan McDonald, former operations manager of a number of venues, who noted most pubs operate on small margins and depend on busy weekends.
“You would be opening up to lose money and I don’t think that works for anyone.”
But there are also concerns around the return of consumer confidence. "It's going to be a slow burner getting people's confidence up about going out," said Jimmy Lyons, owner of the Matt the Thresher gastro pubs in Dublin and Limerick. He is about to roll out a food takeaway service, a survival adaption he believes will remain part of his business's future.
Willy Byrne, proprietor of Billy Byrne's in Kilkenny, said the last thing anyone wants is an increase in the price of a pint, mooted as one potential solution.
“It’s a very worrying time for the trade. Some bars are just on the fringe. They probably just won’t open again.”


theirishtimes--2020-04-20--Gardaí arrest man sought for extradition over Essex deaths

A man from Northern Ireland is to appear before the High Court on Tuesday to face extradition in relation to the deaths of 39 illegal immigrants in Essex last year .
The Garda Press Office said they have arrested and charged a man in his 40s on foot of a European Arrest Warrant issued by the police in Essex .
Ronan Hughes is due to appear before the High Court , Criminal Courts of Justice , Dublin on Tuesday morning , for an extradition hearing .
Mr Hughes was arrested in relation to the incident which saw 39 Vietnamese men @ @ @ @ @ @ @ last October .
The eight women and 31 men had arrived in England on a ferry from Zeebrugge , in Belgium .
The youngest of the victims were two boys aged 15 .
Mr Hughes , with an address in Co Armagh , is to face 39 charges of manslaughter in England .
Last November , police in England called on Mr Hughes and his brother Christopher Hughes ( 34 ) to hand themselves in .
Earlier this month Maurice Robinson ( 25 ) , of Craigavon , Co Armagh , pleaded guilty @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He had previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration and acquiring criminal property .
He denied a further charge of transferring criminal property .
Robinson was jointly charged with Gheorghe Nica ( 43 ) , of Mimosa Close in Langdon Hills , Essex , who denied 39 counts of manslaughter .
He also denied one count of conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration .
Alexandru-Ovidiu Hanga , ( 27 ) , of Hobart Road in Tilbury , denied a charge of conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration .
Christopher Kennedy ( 23 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Co Armagh , has previously denied conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration .
Valentin Calota ( 37 ) , of Cossington Road in Birmingham , was not asked to enter a plea to the charge of conspiring to assist unlawful immigration .
Prosecutor William Emlyn Jones QC said a human trafficking conspiracy charge was being dropped in relation to Robinson and Mr Kennedy .

Ronan Hughes is due to appear before the High Court, Criminal Courts of Justice, Dublin on Tuesday morning, for an extradition hearing. Photograph: HO/Essex Police/AFP via Getty
A man from Northern Ireland is to appear before the High Court on Tuesday to face extradition in relation to the deaths of 39 illegal immigrants in Essex last year.
The Garda Press Office said they have arrested and charged a man in his 40s on foot of a European Arrest Warrant issued by the police in Essex.
Ronan Hughes is due to appear before the High Court, Criminal Courts of Justice, Dublin on Tuesday morning, for an extradition hearing.
Mr Hughes was arrested in relation to the incident which saw 39 Vietnamese men and women die inside a refrigerated trailer last October.
READ MORE
The eight women and 31 men had arrived in England on a ferry from Zeebrugge, in Belgium. The youngest of the victims were two boys aged 15.
Mr Hughes, with an address in Co Armagh, is to face 39 charges of manslaughter in England.
Last November, police in England called on Mr Hughes and his brother Christopher Hughes (34) to hand themselves in.
Earlier this month Maurice Robinson (25), of Craigavon, Co Armagh, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in relation to the deaths.
He had previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration and acquiring criminal property. He denied a further charge of transferring criminal property.
Robinson was jointly charged with Gheorghe Nica (43), of Mimosa Close in Langdon Hills, Essex, who denied 39 counts of manslaughter. He also denied one count of conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration.
Alexandru-Ovidiu Hanga, (27), of Hobart Road in Tilbury, denied a charge of conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration.
Christopher Kennedy (23), of Corkley Road in Darkley, Co Armagh, has previously denied conspiracy to assist unlawful immigration.
Valentin Calota (37), of Cossington Road in Birmingham, was not asked to enter a plea to the charge of conspiring to assist unlawful immigration.
Prosecutor William Emlyn Jones QC said a human trafficking conspiracy charge was being dropped in relation to Robinson and Mr Kennedy.