theirishtimes--2020-08-21--Father and two children who died after Donegal crash are named

A father and two children who were killed when their car plunged off the road into Lough Foyle in Co Donegal Thursday night have been named by gardaí .
They were John Mullan ( 49 ) and his children Thomas , aged 14 , and Amelia , aged six , from Moville .
Their mother Geraldine Mullan ( 45 ) was also in the car , but survived the crash and raised the alarm .
The family was returning from a day out in Derry when they lost control of their vehicle and careered down an embankment and into Lough @ @ @ @ @ @ @ onto the upturned wreckage of the car and was rescued .
She was taken to Letterkenny University Hospital where her injuries are described as not life-threatening .
Gardaí said she has been left severely traumatised .
Garda Supt Eugene McGovern of Buncrana Garda station was at the scene of the incident .
He said conditions were poor , and the night was wet and windy .
He also explained how the stretch of road at the Three Trees near Quigley ’ s Point where the accident occurred had recently been resurfaced and investigators @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the crash .
“ We knew fairly early on that we were dealing with a family situation here and it was very difficult , ” he said .
“ We still don ’ t know what caused Mr Mullan to veer off the road but we will carry out a full investigation into all the circumstances .
“ It was a wet and windy night , and the stretch of road where the crash happened had recently been resurfaced so that will form part of our investigation.
” Supt McGovern said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ children has come as a great blow to the area .
“ It is just difficult to find words for the families involved .
Mr and Mrs Mullan ’ s families have been informed of the situation and that is why we are now releasing their names , ” he said .
“ This is an awful tragedy for the immediate families but also for the wider community as the family are well known and respected in the locality.
” John and Geraldine Mullan and their two children had spent Thursday together as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ had been working hard ; John was building up the family business - a garden centre in their home town of Moville , Co Donegal - after its enforced closure during the coronavirus pandemic , while Geraldine had been on the “ front line ” , as Fr John Farren put it , as a nurse manager in the cancer unit in Letterkenny General Hospital .
But with their children Thomas and Amelia due back at school next week , they had decided to take a week ’ s holiday to spend as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were going somewhere , ” said Fr Farren .
“ They wanted to give the wains [ CHILDREN ] something to enjoy before they went back to school.
” Thursday evening was spent at an entertainment complex in Derry with a cinema and a bowling alley ; as John began driving home at about ten o ’ clock , it was dark , and the weather conditions were terrible , with heavy rain and strong winds .
The front wheel of the car went off the road at Three Trees and plunged down @ @ @ @ @ @ @ managed to escape and pulled both children from the car , but was unable to save them .
The bodies of John , Thomas and Amelia were recovered and laid out in a tent which had been erected on the road ; Fr Farren administered the last rites , and together they prayed .
“ Her whole family had been wiped out in one go , ” he said .
“ She was totally distraught.
” “ I anointed the bodies , and she made the sign of the cross on each forehead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I asked them to look after her , as she had looked after them.
” Even amidst her grief , Fr Farren said , Geraldine took time to thank the emergency services at the scene for their efforts .
“ Even though she was so distraught , she was so grateful for what people were trying to do , ” he said .
On Friday morning the road remained closed in both directions as gardai worked to determine the cause of the crash .
Their investigation will consider whether recent resurfacing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the time , played a part in the accident .
They have appealed for any witnesses to contact them at Buncrana garda station .
“ There have been so many tragedies all in that one area , ” Fr Farren said , “ but it is an awful thing to go to a place and find children lying dead there .
“ Their potential is wiped out , their future is gone , and for their mother , her future has been completely changed.
” The community in Moville , he said , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ tragedy .
“ There is just total silence over the place.
” In Moville on Friday morning that sense of shock was palpable on the main street , with many local people expressing their sadness at the loss of a well-known and well-liked businessman in the town , and his two children , as well as their concern for Geraldine as the only survivor .
One woman described how Geraldine - who was originally from the west of Ireland - met John when she came to care for his mother , who was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ after his mother , and they fell in love .
It was like a fairytale , really.
” “ I grew up with John , ” said another woman , “ and he was a lovely , quiet man , very family orientated .
“ Everything with him was about the family , and with her as well , it was all about the kids .
Everything was for and with the kids.
” “ The whole town knew them , because everyone used the garden centre , said shopkeeper Mary McElhinney .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ How could you even come to terms with that ?
A home is not a house , a home is people , and she has nothing to come back to.
” Anybody who may have been in the area and witnessed the accident is asked to contact Buncrana Garda Station on ( 074 ) 9320540 , the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station .
Local Donegal TDs Pádraig Mac Lochlainn and Pearse Doherty have expressed the sympathy of the community following the incident .
“ This is such a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Pearse Doherty want to convey our deepest sympathy to the family and friends of the man and two children who have died , ” Mr Mac Lochlainn said .
“ The people of Inishowen and Donegal have suffered more than most from road tragedies over the years , and we have no doubt that our people will do all that we can to support the devastated family at this terrible time , and in the time ahead ” .

The car in which a father and his two children died in a crash at Quigley’s Point in Co Donegal last night. Photograph: North West Newspix
A father and two children who were killed when their car plunged off the road into Lough Foyle in Co Donegal Thursday night have been named by gardaí.
They were John Mullan (49) and his children Tomás, aged 14, and Amelia, aged six, from Moville.
Their mother Geraldine Mullan (45) was also in the car, but survived the crash and raised the alarm.
The family was returning from a day out in Derry when they lost control of their vehicle and careered down an embankment and into Lough Foyle.
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The wreckage of the car at the scene where three people lost their lives. Photograph: North West Newspix
Mrs Mullan managed to get onto the upturned wreckage of the car and was rescued. She was taken to Letterkenny University Hospital where her injuries are described as not life-threatening. Gardaí said she has been left severely traumatised.
Garda Supt Eugene McGovern of Buncrana Garda station was at the scene of the incident.
Wet and windy
He said conditions were poor, and the night was wet and windy.
He also explained how the stretch of road at the Three Trees near Quigley’s Point where the accident occurred had recently been resurfaced and investigators would examine if this may have contributed to the crash.
“We knew fairly early on that we were dealing with a family situation here and it was very difficult,” he said.
“We still don’t know what caused Mr Mullan to veer off the road but we will carry out a full investigation into all the circumstances.
“It was a wet and windy night, and the stretch of road where the crash happened had recently been resurfaced so that will form part of our investigation.”
Supt McGovern said the loss of Mr Mullan and the two children has come as a great blow to the area.
“It is just difficult to find words for the families involved. Mr and Mrs Mullan’s families have been informed of the situation and that is why we are now releasing their names,” he said.
“This is an awful tragedy for the immediate families but also for the wider community as the family are well known and respected in the locality.”
Background
John and Geraldine Mullan and their two children had spent Thursday together as a family.
Both John and Geraldine had been working hard; John was building up the family business - a garden centre in their home town of Moville, Co Donegal - after its enforced closure during the coronavirus pandemic, while Geraldine had been on the “front line”, as Fr John Farren put it, as a nurse manager in the cancer unit in Letterkenny General Hospital.
But with their children Tomás and Amelia due back at school next week, they had decided to take a week’s holiday to spend as a family. “Every day they were going somewhere,” said Fr Farren. “They wanted to give the wains [CHILDREN]something to enjoy before they went back to school.”
Thursday evening was spent at an entertainment complex in Derry with a cinema and a bowling alley; as John began driving home at about ten o’clock, it was dark, and the weather conditions were terrible, with heavy rain and strong winds.
The front wheel of the car went off the road at Three Trees and plunged down the embankment into Lough Foyle.
Geraldine managed to escape and pulled both children from the car, but was unable to save them.
‘Wiped out’
The bodies of John, Tomás and Amelia were recovered and laid out in a tent which had been erected on the road; Fr Farren administered the last rites, and together they prayed.
“Her whole family had been wiped out in one go,” he said. “She was totally distraught.”
“I anointed the bodies, and she made the sign of the cross on each forehead and we prayed,” he said.
“I asked them to look after her, as she had looked after them.”
Even amidst her grief, Fr Farren said, Geraldine took time to thank the emergency services at the scene for their efforts. “Even though she was so distraught, she was so grateful for what people were trying to do,” he said.
Moville Community College, where Tomás was due to begin Third Year next week, said in a statement that it was “grieving the loss of three members of our school community” and were “deeply saddened by their deaths.
“We also keep in our thoughts the children’s mother Geraldine, and wish her a speedy recovery.”
Tomás, the school said, was an “extremely popular second-year student with a close circle of friends”, who loved judo and was a keen musician, and who would be deeply missed.
“One of my abiding memories of Tomás will be of a young man walking to his music lessons with his accordion slung over his back,” one of his teachers wrote.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with the wider families and friends of Tomás, John and Amelia at this time.”
On Friday morning the road remained closed in both directions as gardaí worked to determine the cause of the crash. Their investigation will consider whether recent resurfacing work, and the weather conditions at the time, played a part in the accident.
They have appealed for any witnesses to contact them at Buncrana garda station.
“There have been so many tragedies all in that one area,” Fr Farren said, “but it is an awful thing to go to a place and find children lying dead there.
“Their potential is wiped out, their future is gone, and for their mother, her future has been completely changed.”
‘Total silence’
The community in Moville, he said, had been left utterly shocked by the tragedy. “There is just total silence over the place.”
In Moville on Friday morning that sense of shock was palpable on the main street, with many local people expressing their sadness at the loss of a well-known and well-liked businessman in the town, and his two children, as well as their concern for Geraldine as the only survivor.
One woman described how Geraldine - who was originally from the west of Ireland - met John when she came to care for his mother, who was very ill. “She arrived to look after his mother, and they fell in love. It was like a fairytale, really.”
“I grew up with John,” said another woman, “and he was a lovely, quiet man, very family orientated. “Everything with him was about the family, and with her as well, it was all about the kids. Everything was for and with the kids.”
“The whole town knew them, because everyone used the garden centre, said shopkeeper Mary McElhinney.
“It’s so devastating. How could you even come to terms with that? A home is not a house, a home is people, and she has nothing to come back to.”
Anybody who may have been in the area and witnessed the accident is asked to contact Buncrana Garda Station on (074) 9320540, the Garda Confidential Line 1800 666 111 or any Garda Station.
Local Donegal TDs Pádraig Mac Lochlainn and Pearse Doherty have expressed the sympathy of the community following the incident.
“This is such a heartbreaking tragedy, and myself and Deputy Pearse Doherty want to convey our deepest sympathy to the family and friends of the man and two children who have died,” Mr Mac Lochlainn said.
“The people of Inishowen and Donegal have suffered more than most from road tragedies over the years, and we have no doubt that our people will do all that we can to support the devastated family at this terrible time, and in the time ahead”.


theirishtimes--2020-08-21--Storm Ellen: 26,000 homes remain without power

ESB Networks crews have reconnected about 168,000 homes and farms that lost power during Storm Ellen , but some isolated houses in outlying areas might be left without out power going into the weekend .
In an update issued just before lunchtime on Friday , ESB Networks said some 14,000 homes had been reconnected that morning and it was still hoped to have the remaining 26,000 homes and farms reconnected by Friday night .
But a spokeswoman said the isolated nature of many of the 1,800 faults across the network made the job more time consuming .
She said some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ power on Friday night .
The most significant outages are in areas of the south , west and midlands , including north and east Cork , Tipperary , east Limerick , east Galway , Roscommon and Leitrim .
In addition to safety procedures associated with power restoration , crews continue to work in poor weather and under all national Covid-19 protocols with respect to hygiene , social distancing and PPE .
Weather conditions have improved but remain challenging as Storm Ellen left a trail of destruction across the country including fallen trees and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was working to restore water to areas still affected by supply disruptions due to Storm Ellen .
The areas worst hit included east and north Cork , south Tipperary , west Waterford , south Limerick , east Clare , Longford and Galway .
Tankers remained on site in some areas to distribute water .
Updates from Irish Water can be found here .
Co Cork was particularly badly hit by Storm Ellen , with flooding reported in Skibbereen , Kinsale , Midleton and Bantry .
There was further flooding in low-lying areas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , after high spring tides .
Winds in Co Cork reached almost 145km/h at the mouth of Cork harbour during Storm Ellen , which brought down trees and power lines across Munster .
Major routes were cleared following the worst of the weather , but motorists were urged to exercise extreme caution and be alert for fallen trees and spot flooding .
The AA reported roads are wet in most places on Friday morning and noted flooding on roads in Timoleague near to schools , The Rosscarbery Glandore road remains closed following to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , in Co Kerry , Kearney ’ s Road between Blennerville and Ballyard is also impassable due to flooding .
In Donegal the Muff to Moville road is closed at Quigley ’ s Point following a fatal incident overnight .
Local diversions are in place , but HGVs and campervans should divert via the regional roads , through Burnfoot , Buncrana and Carndonagh .
Emergency services are dealing with a collision on the Tinahealy to Carnew Road at Toughers Cross in Co Wicklow .
Met Éireann warned the weather would continue to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ until Friday evening , with strong and gusty southwest winds .
Met Éireann reported that mean wind speed record for August was broken during the storm .
The forecaster said Saturday will feature “ light rain ” while Sunday and Monday will be partly cloudy with temperatures rising to as much as 17 degrees with some sunshine .
But “ heavy rain ” is set to return on Tuesday , to be followed by partly cloudy conditions again on Wednesday and “ rain ” on Thursday with temperatures falling back to just 13 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faults can be found on the Power Check website .

Waves crash over Ireland’s Eye on Thursday afternoon at Howth in the wake of Storm Ellen. Photograph: Colin Keegan, Collins Dublin
About 8,000 homes, farms and businesses remained without power on Friday night following the impact of Storm Ellen this week, including 2,500 customers who suffered outages on Friday, ESB Networks has said.
While power has been restored to 190,000 customers whose properties were affected by the stormy conditions, primarily in the south, west and midlands, ESB said crews would continue working until nightfall to reconnect the thousands of people still without power.
Most of those still affected by the outages are based in east Cork, Tipperary, east Limerick, east Galway and Leitrim, said the network. Weather conditions on Friday, which included lightening in some places, and which were unrelated to Storm Ellen resulted in additional power outages on Friday, said the ESB.
The Strand in Tramore, Co Waterford, is closed after Storm Ellen. Photograph: Niall Carson/PA Wire
It cautioned that a "small pocket of customers" may be without power beyond Saturday and advised customers to check the latest information on the PowerCheck App.
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It also issued a public safety message for members of the public not to approach fallen trees, wires or damaged electricity wires.
“We are acutely aware of the significant strain that these outages have placed on the family and commercial lives of those who remain without power and apologise for the disruption caused,” said a statement from ESB.
Weather conditions improved on Friday, with sunny spells and warm temperatures, but remain challenging after Storm Ellen left a trail of destruction across the country including fallen trees and flooding.
Motorists contend with downed trees on the N72 just outside of Fermoy in Co Cork following Storm Ellen on Wednesday night. Photograph: Damien Storan/PA Wire
Met Éireann issued a marine small craft warning for southwest winds reaching force 6 or 7 on Friday evening over all Irish coasts but there were no further general wind or rain weather warnings.
Friday evening is due to be clear with some scattered showers and longer spells of rain across the west and northwest into the early hours of Saturday morning.
Saturday is set to be cool and breezy with outbreaks of rain in the west, including some heavy bursts, which will spread eastwards during the morning and early afternoon. The afternoon will become sunny with maximum temperatures of 16 to 19 degrees and fresh, gusty winds near western and southern coasts.
Conditions will be similar on Sunday and Monday with a mix of sunshine and rain and temperatures ranging between 15 to 19 degrees Celsius expected over the coming days.
Irish Water said on Friday it was working to restore water to areas still affected by supply disruptions due to Storm Ellen. The areas worst hit included east and north Cork, south Tipperary, west Waterford, south Limerick, east Clare, Longford and Galway. Tankers remained on site in some areas to distribute water.
Co Cork was particularly badly hit by Wednesday night's Storm Ellen, with flooding reported in Skibbereen, Kinsale Middleton and Bantry. There was further flooding in low-lying areas of Cork city centre on Thursday evening, after high spring tides.
Winds in Co Cork reached almost 145km/h at the mouth of Cork harbour during the storm, bringing down trees and power lines across Munster. Major routes were cleared following the worst of the weather, but motorists were urged to continue exercise extreme caution and be alert for fallen trees and spot flooding.
Roads remained wet on Friday morning in most places while the Rosscarbery/Glandore road was still closed by evening due to flooding earlier in the week, said AA Roadwatch.


theirishtimes--2020-08-21--Coronavirus: Kildare should remain in lockdown, says NPHET

The lockdown of Laois and Offaly can be lifted but the restrictions in Kildare to stem the spread of coronavirus should continue , the National Public Health Emergency Team ( NPHET ) has recommended .
The State ’ s health experts handling the response to the pandemic have advised the Government that Kildare ’ s lockdown should not be lifted due to the large number of cases still in the county .
The Cabinet will decide on the recommendation at a meeting on Friday .
Fine Gael TD for Laois-Offaly and former government minister Charlie Flanagan , who criticised the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ month as “ draconian ” , welcomed the recommendation that activities can be widened across his constituency from next week .
Speaking on Thursday , Dr Ronan Glynn , the State ’ s acting chief medical officer , would not comment on NPHET ’ s advice to Government on the lockdowns , which were imposed two weeks ago and are due to expire on Sunday .
They were the first regional restrictions of the pandemic and introduced in response to a surge in cases linked to meat and food plants in the region @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the three counties for their efforts , but he provided figures which showed the number of new infections in Kildare still remains high .
“ In the last 14 days there was 455 cases in Kildare , 81 in Offaly , 41 in Laois , ” he said .
Actions taken by the public in the counties had helped “ protect the rest of the country ” from the spread of the virus , he said .
He acknowledged that it was “ an incredibly difficult set of measures for one part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ I am very , very satisfied with the buy-in and the willingness of the people within those counties to adhere to the guidelines , ” he said .
NPHET reported a further 136 cases of coronavirus and one more death on Thursday .
Prof Philip Nolan , chair of NPHET ’ s modelling group , said the R-number , which is the reproductive rate of the virus , has now fallen to about 1.2 , a figure that shows it is still spreading .
It had increased to 1.6 earlier this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ outbreaks ” in sites such as meat plants , he said , but was now falling .
A study carried out in June and July found the national prevalence of Covid-19 was estimated to be 1.7 per cent of the population .
This meant three times more people had contracted the virus than had been recorded in the number of confirmed cases .
Dr Derval Igoe , the principal investigator on the study , said this showed “ the vast majority ” of the population remained susceptible to the virus .
Clarifying new @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Glynn said that in some circumstances parents would be permitted to watch their children ’ s sporting matches from the sidelines .
Under new restrictions announced this week , the Government directed sporting matches must take place behind closed doors without spectators .
“ If parents need to be on the sideline for a training session or a match for younger kids , if they need to be there for guardianship purposes , for child protection purposes .
.
.
We ’ ve no problem with that , ” he said .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ likely to operate without social distancing when schools reopen , despite new public health advice that secondary students should maintain a safe distance while on board .
NPHET advised the Government this week that secondary students should physically distance and wear face coverings while on schoolbuses , in line with wider rules on public transport .
The Department of Education said on Thursday there would be a “ rolling implementation ” of these new guidelines to provide for physical distancing on secondary school bus services .
Meanwhile , Norway added Ireland along with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a list of countries from where visitors must undergo a 10-day quarantine on arrival after the rise in Covid-19 cases .

Eoin McGuire, age 8, in action during the Bank of Ireland Leinster Rugby Summer Camp at Greystones, Co Wicklow on Thursday. Acting chief medical officer Ronan Glynn said that in some circumstances parents would be permitted to watch their children’s sporting matches from the sidelines. Photograph: Matt Browne/Sportsfile
The lockdown of Laois and Offaly can be lifted but the restrictions in Kildare to stem the spread of coronavirus should continue, the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) has recommended.
The State’s health experts handling the response to the pandemic have advised the Government that Kildare’s lockdown should not be lifted due to the large number of cases still in the county.
The Cabinet will decide on the recommendation at a meeting on Friday.
Fine Gael TD for Laois-Offaly and former government minister Charlie Flanagan, who criticised the lockdown of the three counties earlier this month as "draconian", welcomed the recommendation that activities can be widened across his constituency from next week.
READ MORE
Speaking on Thursday, Dr Ronan Glynn, the State's acting chief medical officer, would not comment on NPHET's advice to Government on the lockdowns, which were imposed two weeks ago and are due to expire on Sunday.
They were the first regional restrictions of the pandemic and introduced in response to a surge in cases linked to meat and food plants in the region.
Dr Glynn thanked the people of the three counties for their efforts, but he provided figures which showed the number of new infections in Kildare still remains high.
“In the last 14 days there was 455 cases in Kildare, 81 in Offaly, 41 in Laois,” he said.
Actions taken by the public in the counties had helped “protect the rest of the country” from the spread of the virus, he said. He acknowledged that it was “an incredibly difficult set of measures for one part of the country to have to accept”.
“I am very, very satisfied with the buy-in and the willingness of the people within those counties to adhere to the guidelines,” he said.
NPHET reported a further 136 cases of coronavirus and one more death on Thursday.
Prof Philip Nolan, chair of NPHET's modelling group, said the R-number, which is the reproductive rate of the virus, has now fallen to about 1.2, a figure that shows it is still spreading.
It had increased to 1.6 earlier this month following a number of “explosive outbreaks” in sites such as meat plants, he said, but was now falling.
A study carried out in June and July found the national prevalence of Covid-19 was estimated to be 1.7 per cent of the population.
This meant three times more people had contracted the virus than had been recorded in the number of confirmed cases.
Dr Derval Igoe, the principal investigator on the study, said this showed “the vast majority” of the population remained susceptible to the virus.
Clarifying new public restrictions introduced on Tuesday, Dr Glynn said that in some circumstances parents would be permitted to watch their children’s sporting matches from the sidelines.
Under new restrictions announced this week, the Government directed sporting matches must take place behind closed doors without spectators.
“If parents need to be on the sideline for a training session or a match for younger kids, if they need to be there for guardianship purposes, for child protection purposes . . . We’ve no problem with that,” he said.
Schoolbuses
It has also emerged that many schoolbuses are likely to operate without social distancing when schools reopen, despite new public health advice that secondary students should maintain a safe distance while on board.
NPHET advised the Government this week that secondary students should physically distance and wear face coverings while on schoolbuses, in line with wider rules on public transport.
The Department of Education said on Thursday there would be a “rolling implementation” of these new guidelines to provide for physical distancing on secondary school bus services.
Meanwhile, Norway added Ireland along with the UK, Austria and Greece to a list of countries from where visitors must undergo a 10-day quarantine on arrival after the rise in Covid-19 cases.


theirishtimes--2020-08-21--State exams to have wider question choice in 2021 due to closures

Leaving Certificate and Junior Certificate candidates are to be given greater choice in next year ’ s State exam papers to help ease pressure on students who have lost out on months of school .
It means that students completing the English exam , for example , are likely to have a much wider selection of poets and fewer mandatory questions .
Well-placed sources say all Leaving Cert and Junior Cert exam subjects are being revised to ensure students who do not complete the full curriculum in their subjects will not be penalised in the exams .
“ The idea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , say , 75-80 per cent of the course , will still be able to complete the exam without losing out , ” said one source .
“ It means there will be a greater focus on individual sections of the curriculum in questions and less emphasis on combining learning from different areas , or asking students to compare and contrast from different parts of the course.
” The approach is seen by policymakers as the fairest solution , on the basis that cutting out sections from the curriculum might disadvantage students who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Officials from the State Examinations Commission and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment , along with Department of Education officials , are understood to be finalising a guidance document for teachers and students .
This is likely to be released in time for the start of the new school year .
In addition , plans are being examined to fast-track the release of information for Leaving Cert students for projects in subjects such as history , geography , construction studies , and design and communication graphics .
In these cases , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ access to briefs for individual projects so candidates will be able to complete them sooner .
This move is also aimed at easing pressure on students by ensuring they have more time to prepare for the written exams .
Similarly , discussions are also understood to be taking place on how practical skills and demonstrations – which form part of subjects such as music and home economics – will take place .
Physical-distancing requirements and other safety measures are understood to be posing challenges to the assessment aspects of these subjects .
Junior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ meanwhile , will be required to complete just a single classroom-based assessment rather than two .
This is aimed at reducing the workload on students and teachers .
There will also be changes to transition year , with less emphasis on work experience and school trips and a greater emphasis on timetabled classes .
For example , students entering transition year may be allocated additional time to catch up on sections of the Junior Cycle curriculum they have missed , with an emphasis on literacy and numeracy skills .
In addition , work @ @ @ @ @ @ @ students can complete it safely in accordance with public health advice and social distancing requirements .
Where this is not possible , they will be advised to attend timetabled classes .
Instead of school trips , schools will be advised to plan for alternative school-based or online activities to replace co-curricular and extracurricular programmes .
The Irish Second Level Students ’ Union said it hoped that sufficiently generous measures were taken to ease pressure on students .
“ These students have missed class time since March and have had varying levels of education @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
“ Some had had great levels of tuition online ; some got none .
We ’ re still in the middle of a pandemic .
We need flexible solutions and more choice in exams to ease the stress and anxiety facing students .
”

“The idea is that a student who has completed, say, 75-80 per cent of the course will still be able to complete the exam without losing out.”
Leaving Certificate and Junior Certificate candidates are to be given greater choice in next year’s State exam papers to help ease pressure on students who have lost out on months of school.
It means that students completing the English exam, for example, are likely to have a much wider selection of poets and fewer mandatory questions.
Well-placed sources say all Leaving Cert and Junior Cert exam subjects are being revised to ensure students who do not complete the full curriculum in their subjects will not be penalised in the exams.
“The idea is that a student who has completed, say, 75-80 per cent of the course, will still be able to complete the exam without losing out,” said one source.
READ MORE
“It means there will be a greater focus on individual sections of the curriculum in questions and less emphasis on combining learning from different areas, or asking students to compare and contrast from different parts of the course.”
The approach is seen by policymakers as the fairest solution, on the basis that cutting out sections from the curriculum might disadvantage students who have already completed those areas of study.
Officials from the State Examinations Commission and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment, along with Department of Education officials, are understood to be finalising a guidance document for teachers and students.
This is likely to be released in time for the start of the new school year.
In addition, plans are being examined to fast-track the release of information for Leaving Cert students for projects in subjects such as history, geography, construction studies, and design and communication graphics.
In these cases, sources say students will be given earlier access to briefs for individual projects so candidates will be able to complete them sooner.
This move is also aimed at easing pressure on students by ensuring they have more time to prepare for the written exams.
Similarly, discussions are also understood to be taking place on how practical skills and demonstrations – which form part of subjects such as music and home economics – will take place.
Physical-distancing requirements and other safety measures are understood to be posing challenges to the assessment aspects of these subjects.
Junior Cycle students going into third year, meanwhile, will be required to complete just a single classroom-based assessment rather than two. This is aimed at reducing the workload on students and teachers.
There will also be changes to transition year, with less emphasis on work experience and school trips and a greater emphasis on timetabled classes.
For example, students entering transition year may be allocated additional time to catch up on sections of the Junior Cycle curriculum they have missed, with an emphasis on literacy and numeracy skills.
In addition, work experience will be limited to cases where students can complete it safely in accordance with public health advice and social distancing requirements. Where this is not possible, they will be advised to attend timetabled classes.
Instead of school trips, schools will be advised to plan for alternative school-based or online activities to replace co-curricular and extracurricular programmes.
The Irish Second Level Students’ Union said it hoped that sufficiently generous measures were taken to ease pressure on students.
"These students have missed class time since March and have had varying levels of education," said union president Reuben Murray.
“Some had had great levels of tuition online; some got none. We’re still in the middle of a pandemic. We need flexible solutions and more choice in exams to ease the stress and anxiety facing students.”


theirishtimes--2020-08-22--Half of Covid-19 pneumonia patients need follow-up care

Half of all patients who contracted Covid-19 pneumonia require long-term follow-up and up to 75 per cent may suffer psychiatric difficulties a year after their illness , according to new Irish research .
Patients discharged from critical care will have a significant need for integrated psychosocial assessment and follow-up care , the study of people attending a post-Covid clinic at Beaumont Hospital in Dublin found .
Mental and physical barriers existing post-Covid have already resulted in non-attendance by some patients , the authors say .
The study looked at 174 patients who were discharged from the hospital after Covid-related pneumonia @ @ @ @ @ @ @ age was 66.5 and one-fifth had been on mechanical ventilation .
While ICU admission is associated with particularly high rates of mental health complications , the authors say the psychiatric or cognitive difficulties experienced by Covid survivors is likely to be even higher than the 33-75 per cent described in scientific literature one year after leaving hospital .
The surge of patient presentations during the pandemic poses the challenge of a surge of patients for follow-up , they say , and this requires a novel approach , .
The post-Covid clinic in Beaumont @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intensive care medicine , infectious diseases , psychiatry and psychology specialists .
The authors say the pandemic has presented doctors with a unique challenge in terms of follow-up because of the restrictions on testing prompted by infection control requirements .
Among the anticipated complications are long-term respiratory impairment , neuromuscular dysfunction , psychological dysfunction and cognitive impairment .
“ It is anticipated that patients will experience some degree of persistent respiratory symptoms or disease , reflecting the pattern of disease progression seen in the 2002-2004 SARS outbreak.
” Other long-term complications may include @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lung injury .
No ICUs in Ireland , and only 30 per cent in the UK , currently provide outpatient follow-up .
Barriers encountered so far related to communication in a virtual clinic , they say .
“ We recognise that limitations exist in assessing patients over the phone , particularly in regards to language barriers with patients who do not speak English as their first language.
” “ The practicalities of organising an in-person clinic for any patient group during the rapidly evolving phases of a pandemic are challenging .
Social distancing @ @ @ @ @ @ @ can assess in one sitting and creates difficulties for patients navigating the hospital for their various investigations .
”

Patients discharged from critical care will have a significant need for integrated psychosocial assessment and follow-up care, the study of people attending a post-Covid clinic at Beaumont Hospital in Dublin found. Photograph: iStock
Half of all patients who contracted Covid-19 pneumonia require long-term follow-up and up to 75 per cent may suffer psychiatric difficulties a year after their illness, according to new Irish research.
Patients discharged from critical care will have a significant need for integrated psychosocial assessment and follow-up care, the study of people attending a post-Covid clinic at Beaumont Hospital in Dublin found.
Mental and physical barriers existing post-Covid have already resulted in non-attendance by some patients, the authors say.
The study looked at 174 patients who were discharged from the hospital after Covid-related pneumonia. Two-thirds were male, the average age was 66.5 and one-fifth had been on mechanical ventilation.
READ MORE
While ICU admission is associated with particularly high rates of mental health complications, the authors say the psychiatric or cognitive difficulties experienced by Covid survivors is likely to be even higher than the 33-75 per cent described in scientific literature one year after leaving hospital.
The surge of patient presentations during the pandemic poses the challenge of a surge of patients for follow-up, they say, and this requires a novel approach,.
‘Persistent respiratory symptoms’
The post-Covid clinic in Beaumont is a multidisciplinary service deploying respiratory, intensive care medicine, infectious diseases, psychiatry and psychology specialists.
The authors say the pandemic has presented doctors with a unique challenge in terms of follow-up because of the restrictions on testing prompted by infection control requirements. Among the anticipated complications are long-term respiratory impairment, neuromuscular dysfunction, psychological dysfunction and cognitive impairment.
“It is anticipated that patients will experience some degree of persistent respiratory symptoms or disease, reflecting the pattern of disease progression seen in the 2002-2004 SARS outbreak.”
Other long-term complications may include pulmonary thromboembolism, pulmonary hypertension and acute lung injury.
No ICUs in Ireland, and only 30 per cent in the UK, currently provide outpatient follow-up.
Barriers encountered so far related to communication in a virtual clinic, they say. “We recognise that limitations exist in assessing patients over the phone, particularly in regards to language barriers with patients who do not speak English as their first language.”
“The practicalities of organising an in-person clinic for any patient group during the rapidly evolving phases of a pandemic are challenging. Social distancing has reduced the volume of patients we can assess in one sitting and creates difficulties for patients navigating the hospital for their various investigations.”


theirishtimes--2020-08-22--Coronavirus: ‘My recovery is worse than the initial experience’

“ Initially , it was only a headache , and sinus pain last March , and I lost the sense of taste and smell .
Then I spent four or five days in bed with a ferocious fever , a cough and migraines.
” She attempted to go back to work , but her fever and cough worsened and she spent another four weeks in bed with a high temperature .
Despite periods of apparent improvement , months later , she ’ s still coughing .
“ A trip up the stairs aggravates the cough .
I go to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ breath .
Ms Twomey is one of a large and increasing cohort of coronavirus patients who are experiencing longer-term effects of the disease .
In Ireland and across the world , doctors are linking the virus to a bewildering variety of symptoms and , as time goes on , they are finding many of these are slow to resolve .
Dublin GP Nuala O ’ Farrell describes the virus as “ the imitator of all known diseases ” .
“ Headache , dry cough and fever , we all know about .
Diarrhoea @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shingles on the trunk , chilblains , chest pain , tachycardia , arrhythmias , pericarditis ( swelling of heart tissue ) and of course elderly people who are just ‘ not themselves ’ , can all be symptoms of Covid.
” A number of her patients have been on a rollercoaster ride of symptoms since contracting the disease .
“ One woman went from doing spinning classes four times a week to , two weeks after testing positive , being hardly able to walk up the stairs .
Her head was splitting , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smell and every bone in her body was aching .
Eight weeks on , she is only beginning to recover.
” Ms Twomey , too , has found that being fit provided little protection against the disease .
“ I did yoga , I ran .
Now if I try to do anything , I have to take to the bed for four or five hours .
I have aches in my arms and legs .
I ’ ve gastro issues , and tingling sensations on my skin.
” “ When we say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a mild illness and recover that is true , ” says Dr Mike Ryan , the World Health Organisation ’ s head of emergencies .
“ But what we can not say at the moment is what are the potential long-term impacts of having had that infection .
“ We hope that everybody who recovers from Covid-19 will make a full and permanent recovery but there are enough people out there having difficulties with their exercise tolerance , having difficulties with their breathing and potentially having long-term impacts on their cardiovascular system.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some Irish patients .
One international study suggested 10 to 15 per cent of people , including some mild cases , do not enjoy a quick recovery .
In Italy , 87 per cent of one group of patients who had been hospitalised were still struggling two months later .
It remains too early in this novel pandemic to say how long patients ’ symptoms will endure , and whether the virus will give rise to chronic disease .
The divergence in patients ’ symptoms is driven by the varying way the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inflammation and blood clotting as well as respiratory ailments .
Notable too is the number of patients who say they were previously fit and healthy but are now having lasting problems , as well as “ up and down ” nature of many patients ’ recoveries .
SARS-CoV-2 , the virus that causes Covid-19 , is proving remarkably adept at disrupting many areas of activity in the body .
It uses a spike protein to attach itself onto cells ’ ACE2 receptors , found in the lungs , heart , gut , kidneys @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Often , the damage is done as much by the overweening inflammatory reaction of the body as to the original infection .
“ We still don ’ t know what we ’ re grappling with in terms of the long-term cardiac manifestations , ” says consultant cardiologist Dr Crochan O ’ Sullivan .
“ The interaction between the virus and the ACE2 enzyme triggers its entry into cells in the body.
” Stroke is a particular risk linked to coronavirus given the role of the virus in making patients more susceptible to blood @ @ @ @ @ @ @ exhausts her is having to deal with three or four issues at the same time .
“ The fatigue is like nothing I ’ ve ever experienced in my life .
It ’ s like a crash.
” Her yo-yo experience of the disease prompts her to remark that “ my recovery is worse than the initial experience ” .
Along with her parents , who also tested positive for the virus , she attends the Mater post-coronavirus clinic in Dublin .
“ They ’ ve been great , ” she says , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ much they can do .
They still don ’ t know the answers ” .
Dr Killian Hurley is a respiratory consultant at Beaumont Hospital , where he heads up a post-coronavirus clinic , and the RSCI .
Over the last six months the clinic , which takes referrals only from patients who were hospitalised , has seen more than 100 patients .
The clinic provides patients with access to specialists from a variety of disciplines including respiratory medicine , intensive care , infectious diseases , psychology and psychiatry .
Dr Hurley says @ @ @ @ @ @ @ lasting symptoms , including continuous shortness of breath , cough , severe fatigue , anxiety and other mental health issues .
Some of those who spent periods in intensive care are suffering a form of post-traumatic stress disorder , he says .
Many have lung problems months after their disease experience .
“ They still have abnormalities on their chest X-rays ; there ’ s scarring there , particularly among those who were in intensive care.
” For a small group , even walking a short distance after six months causes them difficulties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more severe their illness was , the more severe are their continuing after-effects .
“ This is a totally new disease .
We don ’ t have 40 years of research into this .
My sense is , though , that it will be a mild disease for many , with a good chance of eventual recovery.
” However , many patients are “ terrified ” , he acknowledges , and “ frightened about what the future might hold ” .
Stressing the need to identify problems early , he says the health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ through with patients in a standardised way .
This is difficult when only 50 to 75 per cent of health service capacity is available due to coronavirus restrictions , and while the system is continuing to battle new infections .
He says his “ hope ” is that the residual problems of most patients will resolve over the space of a year , as happened with other respiratory syndromes .
Ms Twomey has set up an online support group for coronavirus survivors , which now has more than 400 members .
The Facebook @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , sharing of experiences and guidance .
“ People feel they don ’ t have answers to their questions .
They ’ re frustrated because there isn ’ t one place for them to go to seek those answers , ” she says .
Many people suffering symptoms , including those who were never tested because their symptoms didn ’ t meet the criteria in place at the time , and those whose tests came back negative , are not eligible to attend the clinics and so have to plot individual recovery journeys @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is Dee Roche from Dún Laoghaire .
She believes she contracted the disease in mid-March , when she developed a cough .
She had no temperature and after a while she seemed to be fine .
But in mid-April she developed fatigue and nausea .
One day she “ couldn ’ t get out of bed ” .
Because she had only one of the symptoms required at the time to be sent for testing , she never got a diagnosis .
She says her condition worsened , as she developed shortness of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fog ” and loss of memory .
“ It came that I couldn ’ t remember the right word to use in a situation .
Or I would be looking at words and not recognising them , or saying the wrong word , ” she says .
Eventually she got a test , but to her distress it came back negative .
Still her condition did not improve .
“ I used to run or walk 15km a day , but now I couldn ’ t leave the house .
I ’ d @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and think things were fabulous for a week .
And then the next day , it would hit me like a train again.
” Still suffering from a “ rollercoaster of symptoms ” after 16 weeks , she had to stop working and tending her garden .
“ I ’ ve had relapse after relapse .
It ’ s the uncertainty and the not knowing that is so hard to take , not being able to live a normal life and the impact on your mental health.
” She realises others have it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will persist .
“ I don ’ t think I can cope with another six months of this .
People don ’ t understand how long term this can be , and the damage that can be done .
”

Dublin GP Nuala O’Farrell describes the virus as ‘the imitator of all known diseases’. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill
Claire Twomey’s coronavirus journey started mildly enough – and hasn’t stopped.
“Initially, it was only a headache, and sinus pain last March, and I lost the sense of taste and smell. Then I spent four or five days in bed with a ferocious fever, a cough and migraines.”
She attempted to go back to work, but her fever and cough worsened and she spent another four weeks in bed with a high temperature.
Despite periods of apparent improvement, months later, she’s still coughing. “A trip up the stairs aggravates the cough. I go to the shops and I suffer a loss of breath.
READ MORE
Ms Twomey is one of a large and increasing cohort of coronavirus patients who are experiencing longer-term effects of the disease. In Ireland and across the world, doctors are linking the virus to a bewildering variety of symptoms and, as time goes on, they are finding many of these are slow to resolve.
Dublin GP Nuala O’Farrell describes the virus as “the imitator of all known diseases”.
“Headache, dry cough and fever, we all know about. Diarrhoea, blistery lesions that look vaguely like shingles on the trunk, chilblains, chest pain, tachycardia, arrhythmias, pericarditis (swelling of heart tissue) and of course elderly people who are just ‘not themselves’, can all be symptoms of Covid.”
Rollercoaster ride
A number of her patients have been on a rollercoaster ride of symptoms since contracting the disease. “One woman went from doing spinning classes four times a week to, two weeks after testing positive, being hardly able to walk up the stairs. Her head was splitting, she had no sense of taste or smell and every bone in her body was aching. Eight weeks on, she is only beginning to recover.”
Ms Twomey, too, has found that being fit provided little protection against the disease. “I did yoga, I ran. Now if I try to do anything, I have to take to the bed for four or five hours. I have aches in my arms and legs. I’ve gastro issues, and tingling sensations on my skin.”
Claire Twomey continues to suffer from coronavirus months after contracting it. ‘A trip up the stairs aggravates the cough. I go to the shops and I suffer a loss of breath,’ she says. Photograph: Louise Walsh
"When we say that the vast majority of people have a mild illness and recover that is true," says Dr Mike Ryan, the World Health Organisation's head of emergencies. "But what we cannot say at the moment is what are the potential long-term impacts of having had that infection.
“We hope that everybody who recovers from Covid-19 will make a full and permanent recovery but there are enough people out there having difficulties with their exercise tolerance, having difficulties with their breathing and potentially having long-term impacts on their cardiovascular system.”
International findings dovetail with the experiences of some Irish patients. One international study suggested 10 to 15 per cent of people, including some mild cases, do not enjoy a quick recovery. In Italy, 87 per cent of one group of patients who had been hospitalised were still struggling two months later.
It remains too early in this novel pandemic to say how long patients’ symptoms will endure, and whether the virus will give rise to chronic disease.
The divergence in patients’ symptoms is driven by the varying way the virus attacks the body, often leading to inflammation and blood clotting as well as respiratory ailments.
Notable too is the number of patients who say they were previously fit and healthy but are now having lasting problems, as well as “up and down” nature of many patients’ recoveries.
SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, is proving remarkably adept at disrupting many areas of activity in the body. It uses a spike protein to attach itself onto cells’ ACE2 receptors, found in the lungs, heart, gut, kidneys, blood vessels and nervous system. Often, the damage is done as much by the overweening inflammatory reaction of the body as to the original infection.
“We still don’t know what we’re grappling with in terms of the long-term cardiac manifestations,” says consultant cardiologist Dr Crochan O’Sullivan. “The interaction between the virus and the ACE2 enzyme triggers its entry into cells in the body.”
Stroke is a particular risk linked to coronavirus given the role of the virus in making patients more susceptible to blood clotting.
Ms Twomey says what really exhausts her is having to deal with three or four issues at the same time. “The fatigue is like nothing I’ve ever experienced in my life. It’s like a crash.”
Her yo-yo experience of the disease prompts her to remark that “my recovery is worse than the initial experience”.
Along with her parents, who also tested positive for the virus, she attends the Mater post-coronavirus clinic in Dublin. “They’ve been great,” she says, “but there’s only so much they can do. They still don’t know the answers”.
Dr Killian Hurley is a respiratory consultant at Beaumont Hospital, where he heads up a post-coronavirus clinic, and the RSCI. Over the last six months the clinic, which takes referrals only from patients who were hospitalised, has seen more than 100 patients.
Severe fatigue
The clinic provides patients with access to specialists from a variety of disciplines including respiratory medicine, intensive care, infectious diseases, psychology and psychiatry.
Dr Hurley says patients come with a wide variety of lasting symptoms, including continuous shortness of breath, cough, severe fatigue, anxiety and other mental health issues.
Some of those who spent periods in intensive care are suffering a form of post-traumatic stress disorder, he says.
Many have lung problems months after their disease experience. “They still have abnormalities on their chest X-rays; there’s scarring there, particularly among those who were in intensive care.”
For a small group, even walking a short distance after six months causes them difficulties. Generally Dr Hurley finds that the more severe their illness was, the more severe are their continuing after-effects.
“This is a totally new disease. We don’t have 40 years of research into this. My sense is, though, that it will be a mild disease for many, with a good chance of eventual recovery.”
Dr Killian Hurley, consultant physician in respiratory medicine at Beaumont Hospital, where he heads up a post-coronavirus clinic: the clinic has seen over 100 patients. Photograph: Tom Honan
However, many patients are “terrified”, he acknowledges, and “frightened about what the future might hold”.
Stressing the need to identify problems early, he says the health service needs to be proactive in following through with patients in a standardised way.
This is difficult when only 50 to 75 per cent of health service capacity is available due to coronavirus restrictions, and while the system is continuing to battle new infections.
He says his “hope” is that the residual problems of most patients will resolve over the space of a year, as happened with other respiratory syndromes.
Ms Twomey has set up an online support group for coronavirus survivors, which now has more than 400 members.
The Facebook group is providing a forum for discussion, sharing of experiences and guidance.
Suffering
“People feel they don’t have answers to their questions. They’re frustrated because there isn’t one place for them to go to seek those answers,” she says.
Many people suffering symptoms, including those who were never tested because their symptoms didn’t meet the criteria in place at the time, and those whose tests came back negative, are not eligible to attend the clinics and so have to plot individual recovery journeys.
One of those without a diagnosis is Dee Roche from Dún Laoghaire. She believes she contracted the disease in mid-March, when she developed a cough. She had no temperature and after a while she seemed to be fine.
But in mid-April she developed fatigue and nausea. One day she “couldn’t get out of bed”.
Because she had only one of the symptoms required at the time to be sent for testing, she never got a diagnosis.
She says her condition worsened, as she developed shortness of breath and heart palpitations, “brain fog” and loss of memory.
“It came that I couldn’t remember the right word to use in a situation. Or I would be looking at words and not recognising them, or saying the wrong word,” she says.
Eventually she got a test, but to her distress it came back negative.
Still her condition did not improve. “I used to run or walk 15km a day, but now I couldn’t leave the house. I’d have a couple of good days, and think things were fabulous for a week. And then the next day, it would hit me like a train again.”
Still suffering from a “rollercoaster of symptoms” after 16 weeks, she had to stop working and tending her garden. “I’ve had relapse after relapse. It’s the uncertainty and the not knowing that is so hard to take, not being able to live a normal life and the impact on your mental health.”
She realises others have it worse but wonders how long her symptoms will persist.
“I don’t think I can cope with another six months of this. People don’t understand how long term this can be, and the damage that can be done.”


theirishtimes--2020-08-22--Pods and bubbles: Will it be enough to keep schools safe?

Last month the Government pledged to do everything possible to ensure schools reopen “ as normal ” for students .
Pupils finally get to return to primary and secondary classrooms from next week onwards – but it will be anything but normal .
Everything about school is set to change : getting there , drop-offs , classroom layouts , break times , extra-curricular activity and pick-up arrangements .
Against a backdrop of rising cases , however , there is growing concern among some teachers and parents over whether some of the safety measures will go far enough .
Irish classrooms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Many teachers and parents have questioned how it can be safe to have up to 30 children in a classroom at a time when official guidance is to have no more than six people in our houses .
Professor Philip Nolan , chair of the National Public Health Emergency Team ’ s ( NPHET ) modelling group , said it safe to do so if older adults “ starve the virus of opportunities to transmit ” .
He said fewer than one in 2,000 people have the virus right now and what @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at a population level .
While one million children due to go to school , he said the risk of transmission can be cut by about 80 per cent if the rest of the population reduces its contacts with others and follows public health guidelines .
This , in turn , should reduce the “ R ” transmission rale below one and lead to a decline in infections .
Minister for Education Norma Foley also insisted this week that a €375 million package will allow all schools to put in place the measures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will ensure there is a safe environment in the school and that covers everything from the provision of cleaning to PPE and a substantial minor works grant which has been paid out to schools , ” she said .
Schools , meanwhile , are adopting a range of approaches – taking into account national guidelines and their individual circumstances – aimed at keeping the virus at bay .
This is what to expect in schools as they start to open over the coming days : There has been plenty of debate over whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggest uniforms are washed each day .
Official safety guidelines do not make any recommendation on this .
In the vast majority of schools , uniform policies will not change .
Similarly , there are no guidelines on lunchboxes .
However , many schools will have no-sharing policies ; some are asking children to bring their lunch to school in a paper bag rather than in a lunch box to lessen the risk of cross contamination between school and home .
A briefing by the NPHET on Thursday night heard public health guidance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ released next week .
For the 120,000 children who travel on schoolbus routes , “ buddy ” systems are set to apply with pupils asked to sit next to the same person each day .
At primary , physical distancing is not required and neither are face masks .
Secondary students , however , are required to wear facemasks and physically distance , under new public health advice issued earlier this week .
This means bus capacity will reduce by 50 per cent .
The Department of Education and Bus Éireann say they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ rolling ” basis , though it is likely many secondary school buses will not be able to operate with social distancing .
The official advice encourages anyone who can get to school by walking or cycling to do so .
Some primary schools are organising “ cycle buses ” , where a convoy of socially distanced pupils and parents bike to school together .
Many schools are operating staggered drop-off times for different classes , though these aren ’ t popular with parents faced with bringing children of different ages to school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ go straight to their classroom or line up with their teacher outside .
There will be no assemblies or whole-school gatherings .
Parents in most cases are being asked not to congregate at the school and to avoid entering school grounds , unless by appointment .
Most children will be in pods of four or six children , and will be separated from their teacher and other tables by at least one metre .
Each class “ bubble ” will remain separate from others .
In many cases , this means staggered breaktimes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different classes .
Each classroom will have access to hand-sanitiser or washbasins and soap for regular hand hygiene .
Classrooms will be kept ventilated with windows open , where possible .
There will be daily cleaning of classrooms , while toilets will be cleaned on a regular basis .
In many schools , clear screens are being erected around teachers ’ desks at the top of classrooms .
Physical distancing of at least one metre will apply in secondary school classrooms .
Students will also be required to wear face masks .
In @ @ @ @ @ @ @ their gyms and staffrooms as classrooms to adapt to these new rules .
Some are even planning to hold classes outdoors , weather-permitting .
Students are being encouraged in most schools to have their own pocket-sized hand sanitiser to prevent queues forming , and will be asked to use it each morning , before eating or drinking , after using the toilet or when entering or leaving a new classroom .
Even teaching will change , with a greater emphasis on well-being and consolidating literacy and numeracy after six months out of class @ @ @ @ @ @ @ fewer school field trips , little or no work experience for transition years and changed papers for those heading into State exams .
Sport and extra-curricular activity will also change .
Most schools will focus on teaching in the initial weeks before considering after-school activities such as swimming , football , athletics , drama , music , chess , debating , etc .
Whenever possible .
schools aim to hold PE classes and activities will take place outside the school building .
Many primary schools will have staggered pick-up times , with classes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cases are being requested not to congregate in groups and remain in cars , where possible .
Secondary students going home on buses or waiting to be collected will be asked to abide by normal social distancing rules .
While there are a range of safety measures in place , students , teachers and parents still say some do not go far enough and highlight a series of unanswered questions The Irish National Teachers ’ Organisation wants rapid Covid-19 testing to ensure schools have enough staff to function .
It is not clear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In addition , the Irish Second Level Students ’ Union says immunocompromised students need greater clarity on what kind of education they can expect to get if they can not return to the classroom .
Guidance is also needed on the steps to follow for the continuity of teaching and learning in the event of a closure , according to the union .
For children with special needs , there is also frustration among parents and campaigners over what they see as a lack of clarity around how students with additional needs will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , for example , says children with additional needs typically leave the classroom at certain times of the day to access one-to-one teaching or to integrate from their special class into a mainstream class .
However , it is unclear how or if these options will be available in each school this year due to rules that limit the mixing of students .

Schools across the country are to reopen after months of lockdown, but fears of outbreaks and coughing students have left many staff members anxious about what lies ahead. Video: Enda O'Dowd
Last month the Government pledged to do everything possible to ensure schools reopen “as normal” for students.
Pupils finally get to return to primary and secondary classrooms from next week onwards – but it will be anything but normal.
Everything about school is set to change: getting there, drop-offs, classroom layouts, break times, extra-curricular activity and pick-up arrangements.
Against a backdrop of rising cases, however, there is growing concern among some teachers and parents over whether some of the safety measures will go far enough. Irish classrooms are among the most over-crowded in Europe.
READ MORE
Many teachers and parents have questioned how it can be safe to have up to 30 children in a classroom at a time when official guidance is to have no more than six people in our houses.
Professor Philip Nolan, chair of the National Public Health Emergency Team’s (NPHET) modelling group, said it safe to do so if older adults “starve the virus of opportunities to transmit” .
He said fewer than one in 2,000 people have the virus right now and what matters is the total number of contacts at a population level.
Reducing contacts
While one million children due to go to school, he said the risk of transmission can be cut by about 80 per cent if the rest of the population reduces its contacts with others and follows public health guidelines. This, in turn, should reduce the “R” transmission rale below one and lead to a decline in infections.
Minister for Education Norma Foley also insisted this week that a €375 million package will allow all schools to put in place the measures needed to reopen safely.
“This will ensure there is a safe environment in the school and that covers everything from the provision of cleaning to PPE and a substantial minor works grant which has been paid out to schools,” she said.
Schools, meanwhile, are adopting a range of approaches – taking into account national guidelines and their individual circumstances – aimed at keeping the virus at bay.
This is what to expect in schools as they start to open over the coming days:
Getting ready for school
There has been plenty of debate over whether school uniform policies will be relaxed or suggest uniforms are washed each day.
Official safety guidelines do not make any recommendation on this. In the vast majority of schools, uniform policies will not change.
Similarly, there are no guidelines on lunchboxes. However, many schools will have no-sharing policies; some are asking children to bring their lunch to school in a paper bag rather than in a lunch box to lessen the risk of cross contamination between school and home.
A briefing by the NPHET on Thursday night heard public health guidance around children returning to school will be released next week.
Getting to school
For the 120,000 children who travel on schoolbus routes, “buddy” systems are set to apply with pupils asked to sit next to the same person each day.
At primary, physical distancing is not required and neither are face masks.
Secondary students, however, are required to wear facemasks and physically distance, under new public health advice issued earlier this week. This means bus capacity will reduce by 50 per cent.
The Department of Education and Bus Éireann say they plan to implement these changes on a “rolling” basis, though it is likely many secondary school buses will not be able to operate with social distancing.
The official advice encourages anyone who can get to school by walking or cycling to do so. Some primary schools are organising “cycle buses”, where a convoy of socially distanced pupils and parents bike to school together.
School drop-offs
Many schools are operating staggered drop-off times for different classes, though these aren’t popular with parents faced with bringing children of different ages to school.
Other schools are requiring children to go straight to their classroom or line up with their teacher outside. There will be no assemblies or whole-school gatherings.
Parents in most cases are being asked not to congregate at the school and to avoid entering school grounds, unless by appointment.
Primary school classroom
Most children will be in pods of four or six children, and will be separated from their teacher and other tables by at least one metre. Each class “bubble” will remain separate from others.
In many cases, this means staggered breaktimes or dividing the schoolyard into areas for different classes.
Each classroom will have access to hand-sanitiser or washbasins and soap for regular hand hygiene. Classrooms will be kept ventilated with windows open, where possible. There will be daily cleaning of classrooms, while toilets will be cleaned on a regular basis.
In many schools, clear screens are being erected around teachers’ desks at the top of classrooms.
Secondary school classroom
Physical distancing of at least one metre will apply in secondary school classrooms. Students will also be required to wear face masks.
In many cases, secondary schools are using their gyms and staffrooms as classrooms to adapt to these new rules. Some are even planning to hold classes outdoors, weather-permitting.
Students are being encouraged in most schools to have their own pocket-sized hand sanitiser to prevent queues forming, and will be asked to use it each morning, before eating or drinking, after using the toilet or when entering or leaving a new classroom.
Teaching
Even teaching will change, with a greater emphasis on well-being and consolidating literacy and numeracy after six months out of class.
At second level there will be fewer school field trips, little or no work experience for transition years and changed papers for those heading into State exams.
Sport and extra-curricular activity will also change. Most schools will focus on teaching in the initial weeks before considering after-school activities such as swimming, football, athletics, drama, music, chess, debating, etc.
Whenever possible. schools aim to hold PE classes and activities will take place outside the school building.
School pick-up
Many primary schools will have staggered pick-up times, with classes released at intervals. Parents in many cases are being requested not to congregate in groups and remain in cars, where possible.
Secondary students going home on buses or waiting to be collected will be asked to abide by normal social distancing rules.
Unanswered questions
While there are a range of safety measures in place, students, teachers and parents still say some do not go far enough and highlight a series of unanswered questions
The Irish National Teachers’ Organisation wants rapid Covid-19 testing to ensure schools have enough staff to function. It is not clear yet whether this will be available.
In addition, the Irish Second Level Students’ Union says immunocompromised students need greater clarity on what kind of education they can expect to get if they cannot return to the classroom.
Guidance is also needed on the steps to follow for the continuity of teaching and learning in the event of a closure, according to the union.
For children with special needs, there is also frustration among parents and campaigners over what they see as a lack of clarity around how students with additional needs will be effectively supported.
Autism charity AsIAm , for example, says children with additional needs typically leave the classroom at certain times of the day to access one-to-one teaching or to integrate from their special class into a mainstream class. However, it is unclear how or if these options will be available in each school this year due to rules that limit the mixing of students.


theirishtimes--2020-08-22--Department of Health image ‘reawakened’ due to Covid-19

The Department of Health ’ s handling of the coronavirus pandemic has transformed its image from “ pale , male and stale ” to a “ reawakened ” state , officials have claimed .
In a note given to new Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly , officials said the Irish public were “ aware of the negative narrative around health , and yet they themselves have had both positive and negative experiences of the system ” .
“ The public want to see and hear about progressive change which , they understand , will take time and significant effort to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Minister is leading an expert department , developing and implementing policy that is cohesive across the system.
” The note , written for Mr Donnelly as he took office in late June , said the Government ’ s handling of the pandemic has “ fundamentally altered ” the perception of the department as being “ pale , male and stale ” and also “ removed from the reality of trying to access health services ” .
“ Today , as a result of the department ’ s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Department of Health and an understanding of the positive impact health policies can have on lives .
The level and clarity of Covid-19 communication has contributed significantly to improved visibility of the role of the Government and Department of Health.
” Officials included a quote from an unnamed person that said “ you ’ d have to think that this is the open door to go and sort out issues in healthcare ” .
The note further states that the department wants to “ leverage the equity ” in the handling of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other vaccinations , particularly among vulnerable groups ” .
There are also plans to devise a “ radical listening process ” to “ understand women ’ s perspectives on health and wellbeing ” and to “ instil cohesion and balance into health messaging across aegis bodies and the media ” .
In a separate part of the document , officials raise fears that almost 5,000 fewer beds will be available because of the impact of the pandemic .
There are also warnings about the pressure on the health budget because of the pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to medical cards under the general medical services scheme ( GMS ) .
Officials wrote that there was an anticipated increase in GMS coverage as a result of unemployment .
Every additional 10,000 cards would cost €5 million , the document states .
“ The scale of the challenge facing the health system in Ireland from Covid-19 is unprecedented and the need to manage the crisis situation the pandemic is causing in the health and social care sector has required urgent and immediate investment in the health system , ” it said .

In a note given to Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly, officials said the Irish public were ‘aware of the negative narrative around health, and yet they themselves have had both positive and negative experiences of the system’. Photograph: Stephen Collins /Collins Photos Dublin
The Department of Health’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic has transformed its image from “pale, male and stale” to a “reawakened” state, officials have claimed.
In a note given to new Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly, officials said the Irish public were “aware of the negative narrative around health, and yet they themselves have had both positive and negative experiences of the system”.
“The public want to see and hear about progressive change which, they understand, will take time and significant effort to deliver. They want to know that the Minister is leading an expert department, developing and implementing policy that is cohesive across the system.”
The note, written for Mr Donnelly as he took office in late June, said the Government’s handling of the pandemic has “fundamentally altered” the perception of the department as being “pale, male and stale” and also “removed from the reality of trying to access health services”.
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“Today, as a result of the department’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic, there is re-awakened trust in the Department of Health and an understanding of the positive impact health policies can have on lives. The level and clarity of Covid-19 communication has contributed significantly to improved visibility of the role of the Government and Department of Health.”
Listening process
Officials included a quote from an unnamed person that said “you’d have to think that this is the open door to go and sort out issues in healthcare”.
The note further states that the department wants to “leverage the equity” in the handling of the coronavirus crisis “to encourage flu and other vaccinations, particularly among vulnerable groups”.
There are also plans to devise a “radical listening process” to “understand women’s perspectives on health and wellbeing” and to “instil cohesion and balance into health messaging across aegis bodies and the media”.
In a separate part of the document, officials raise fears that almost 5,000 fewer beds will be available because of the impact of the pandemic.
There are also warnings about the pressure on the health budget because of the pandemic, including potentially more people needing access to medical cards under the general medical services scheme (GMS).
Officials wrote that there was an anticipated increase in GMS coverage as a result of unemployment. Every additional 10,000 cards would cost €5 million, the document states.
“The scale of the challenge facing the health system in Ireland from Covid-19 is unprecedented and the need to manage the crisis situation the pandemic is causing in the health and social care sector has required urgent and immediate investment in the health system,” it said.


theirishtimes--2020-08-22--Donegal crash tragedy: ‘There’s a black cloud over Moville’

As his profile picture on social media John Mullan chose not a photo of himself , but one of his family .
The four of them shine out from the photograph – 49-year-old John , his 14-year-old son Tomás , little Amelia , aged six , and his wife and the children ’ s mother , 45-year-old Geraldine ; all crammed together into the frame of the camera , all smiling .
Their parish priest , Fr Pat O ’ Hagan , on Friday spoke of a family who had done everything together .
“ They came to Mass as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the four of them were there.
” The whole family were practicing members of the parish , he said ; Tomás had been an altar server , and Amelia was a “ wee dote ” who would “ come up with her parents to receive her blessing at Holy Communion ” .
In recent months , John and Geraldine had been working hard ; John was building-up the family business – a garden centre in their home town of Moville , Co Donegal – after its enforced closure during the coronavirus pandemic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the cancer unit in Letterkenny General Hospital .
But with Thomas and Amelia due back at school next week , they had decided to take a week ’ s holiday to spend as a family .
“ Every day they were going somewhere , ” said Fr Farren .
“ They wanted to give the wains [ children ] something to enjoy before they went back to school.
” Thursday evening was spent at an entertainment complex in Derry with a cinema and a bowling alley ; as John began driving home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it was dark , and the weather conditions were terrible , with heavy rain and strong winds .
At Three Trees , just before Quigley ’ s Point , the road runs right alongside Lough Foyle ; the waves were so high , local people said , they were crashing over the embankment and onto the road .
The front wheel of the car went off the road , a garda source said ; Mr Mullan tried to regain control of the car but it overturned , and plunged into the water .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ children from the car , but was unable to save them ; bystanders had to hold her back to prevent her from going to look for them in the rough water .
On Friday , a sense of shock was palpable in the centre of Moville .
“ There ’ s a black cloud hanging over Moville today , ” said Patrick Gillen , the co-owner of Gillen ’ s Supermarket on the main street .
“ I grew up with John , ” said another shop owner , “ and he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ family-orientated .
“ Everything with him was about the family .
.
.
everything was for and with the kids.
” Anthony Dougan , the principal of Moville Community College where Tomás was about to enter his Junior Cert year – paid tribute to a keen musician who loved to play the accordion , and was regarded as a “ quiet , respectful student who was well-liked by students and staff ” .
One local woman described how Geraldine – who was originally from Williamstown , Co Galway – had met John through @ @ @ @ @ @ @ She arrived to look after his mother , and they fell in love .
It was like a fairytale , really.
” “ The whole town knew them , because everyone used the garden centre , ” said shopkeeper Mary McElhinney .
“ It ’ s so devastating .
How could you even come to terms with that ?
A home is not a house , a home is people , and she [ Geraldine ] has nothing to come back to.
” Moville GAA club – where Amelia played and Geraldine helped @ @ @ @ @ @ @ John , Tomás and Amelia would be “ missed terribly ” ; they spoke for many in the town when they pledged members would “ work hard to give Geraldine the same love , support and encouragement as she has shown many of us in the past as we all struggle to come to terms with her loss ” .

As his profile picture on social media John Mullan chose not a photo of himself, but one of his family.
The four of them shine out from the photograph – 49-year-old John, his 14-year-old son Tomás, little Amelia, aged six, and his wife and the children’s mother, 45-year-old Geraldine; all crammed together into the frame of the camera, all smiling.
Their parish priest, Fr Pat O’Hagan, on Friday spoke of a family who had done everything together. “They came to Mass as a family. If one was there, the four of them were there.”
The whole family were practicing members of the parish, he said; Tomás had been an altar server, and Amelia was a “wee dote” who would “come up with her parents to receive her blessing at Holy Communion”.
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In recent months, John and Geraldine had been working hard; John was building-up the family business – a garden centre in their home town of Moville, Co Donegal – after its enforced closure during the coronavirus pandemic, while Geraldine was a nurse manager in the cancer unit in Letterkenny General Hospital.
But with Thomas and Amelia due back at school next week, they had decided to take a week’s holiday to spend as a family. “Every day they were going somewhere,” said Fr Farren. “They wanted to give the wains [children] something to enjoy before they went back to school.”
High waves
Thursday evening was spent at an entertainment complex in Derry with a cinema and a bowling alley; as John began driving home at about 10 o’clock, it was dark, and the weather conditions were terrible, with heavy rain and strong winds.
At Three Trees, just before Quigley’s Point, the road runs right alongside Lough Foyle; the waves were so high, local people said, they were crashing over the embankment and onto the road.
The front wheel of the car went off the road, a garda source said; Mr Mullan tried to regain control of the car but it overturned, and plunged into the water.
Geraldine managed to escape and pulled both children from the car, but was unable to save them; bystanders had to hold her back to prevent her from going to look for them in the rough water.
On Friday, a sense of shock was palpable in the centre of Moville. “There’s a black cloud hanging over Moville today,” said Patrick Gillen, the co-owner of Gillen’s Supermarket on the main street.
“I grew up with John,” said another shop owner, “and he was a lovely, quiet man, very family-orientated. “Everything with him was about the family . . . everything was for and with the kids.”
Anthony Dougan, the principal of Moville Community College where Tomás was about to enter his Junior Cert year – paid tribute to a keen musician who loved to play the accordion, and was regarded as a “quiet, respectful student who was well-liked by students and staff”.
‘Like a fairytale’
One local woman described how Geraldine – who was originally from Williamstown, Co Galway – had met John through her job as a nurse.
“She arrived to look after his mother, and they fell in love. It was like a fairytale, really.”
The wreckage of the car from the incident in which three members of the Mullan family lost their lives near Quigley’s Point in Co Donegal. Photograph: North West Newspix
“The whole town knew them, because everyone used the garden centre,” said shopkeeper Mary McElhinney. “It’s so devastating. How could you even come to terms with that? A home is not a house, a home is people, and she [Geraldine] has nothing to come back to.”
Moville GAA club – where Amelia played and Geraldine helped out on a Saturday morning – said John, Tomás and Amelia would be “missed terribly”; they spoke for many in the town when they pledged members would “work hard to give Geraldine the same love, support and encouragement as she has shown many of us in the past as we all struggle to come to terms with her loss”.


theirishtimes--2020-08-22--Garda uses discretion over immigration status when investigating crime

An Garda Síochána has a policy not to investigate the immigration status of people who may have entered the country illegally if that individual is a victim of or a witness to a crime , it has emerged .
However , the policy only stands while the inquiry is live .
Once a case has concluded those suspected illegal immigrants , who have assisted the force , are referred to the Garda National Immigration Bureau for investigation .
This has been unwritten Garda policy for several years but it was detailed for the first time publicly in an internal study @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s relationship with ethnic minorities , which was published earlier this year .
“ There is no written instruction in this regard , and it is at the discretion of the [ Garda ethnic liaison officer ] how to act , ” the study states .
Insp McInerney , who founded the force ’ s ethnic liaison officer programme , said he sought and obtained agreement from Garda management “ to defer any action in cases where the question of deportation might arise in respect of an illegal migrant seeking Garda assistance @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crime or being a witness to an incident ” .
When an illegal immigrant seeks assistance as a victim of crime they are told no action will be taken against them by the immigration bureau “ while any investigation is ongoing ” .
“ However , such people are duly advised that on termination of their case , that the legality of their presence in the State will be addressed through the legal system , ” the report states .
The Garda press office was asked for a comment on the matter but @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Insp McInerney said there were no written rules in this area , instead discretion was applied in such cases .
His study documents how Garda ethnic liaison officers , now known as diversity officers , often use discretion in order to build up trust with vulnerable minorities .
This includes ignoring arrest warrants and immigration status and persuading colleagues not to arrest certain suspects .
The study quotes one ethnic liaison officer who overlooked the immigration status of a man who had been the victim of a racist assault .
“ It turned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ I pretended I did not know this , ” the officer said .
“ I just got on with helping him and investigating the incident .
I could have rung [ the ] GNIB ( Garda National Investigations Bureau ) , but he was in bits.
” In another instance , a garda persuaded his colleagues not to arrest an Angolan man nicknamed Alphonso who had mental health issues .
“ Two of the lads and the jailer were hanging out of a black fella who was naked and there was a beating @ @ @ @ @ @ @ him into the station , ” an ethnic liaison officer stated .
“ The lads had some battle with him .
I stopped the lads taking this any further and looked after Alphonso .
Lucky I came along when I did because poor aul ’ Alphonso would have ended up in custody for assault and resisting arrest .
“ If I hadn ’ t known him .
.
.
you can imagine that this guy would have suffered further torment being locked up and all that .
The lads listened to me because @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Another ethnic liaison officer described overlooking outstanding arrest warrants when dealing with members of the Traveller community .
“ I get nothing but respect from them .
They know I could lock up many of them , but I just keep my mouth shut , ” the officer said .

An Garda Síochána has a policy not to investigate the immigration status of people who may have entered the country illegally if that individual is a victim of or a witness to a crime, it has emerged.
However, the policy only stands while the inquiry is live. Once a case has concluded those suspected illegal immigrants, who have assisted the force, are referred to the Garda National Immigration Bureau for investigation.
This has been unwritten Garda policy for several years but it was detailed for the first time publicly in an internal study by Insp David McInerney into the force’s relationship with ethnic minorities, which was published earlier this year.
“There is no written instruction in this regard, and it is at the discretion of the [Garda ethnic liaison officer] how to act,” the study states.
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Insp McInerney, who founded the force’s ethnic liaison officer programme, said he sought and obtained agreement from Garda management “to defer any action in cases where the question of deportation might arise in respect of an illegal migrant seeking Garda assistance, such as being a victim of crime or being a witness to an incident”.
No written rules
When an illegal immigrant seeks assistance as a victim of crime they are told no action will be taken against them by the immigration bureau “while any investigation is ongoing”.
“However, such people are duly advised that on termination of their case, that the legality of their presence in the State will be addressed through the legal system,” the report states.
The Garda press office was asked for a comment on the matter but had not responded by last evening.
Insp McInerney said there were no written rules in this area, instead discretion was applied in such cases.
His study documents how Garda ethnic liaison officers, now known as diversity officers, often use discretion in order to build up trust with vulnerable minorities. This includes ignoring arrest warrants and immigration status and persuading colleagues not to arrest certain suspects.
The study quotes one ethnic liaison officer who overlooked the immigration status of a man who had been the victim of a racist assault.
“It turned out that he was illegal, but I pretended I did not know this,” the officer said.
Beating
“I just got on with helping him and investigating the incident. I could have rung [the] GNIB (Garda National Investigations Bureau), but he was in bits.”
In another instance, a garda persuaded his colleagues not to arrest an Angolan man nicknamed Alphonso who had mental health issues.
“Two of the lads and the jailer were hanging out of a black fella who was naked and there was a beating match taking place, trying to get him into the station,” an ethnic liaison officer stated.
"The lads had some battle with him. I stopped the lads taking this any further and looked after Alphonso. Lucky I came along when I did because poor aul' Alphonso would have ended up in custody for assault and resisting arrest.
“If I hadn’t known him . . . you can imagine that this guy would have suffered further torment being locked up and all that. The lads listened to me because they know all the blacks know me.”
Another ethnic liaison officer described overlooking outstanding arrest warrants when dealing with members of the Traveller community.
“I get nothing but respect from them. They know I could lock up many of them, but I just keep my mouth shut,” the officer said.