theirishtimes--2020-12-21--Calls to Women’s Aid increase by 41 per cent during pandemic

There was a 41 per cent increase in the number of calls to Women ’ s Aid during the Covid-19 pandemic , compared with the same period last year .
The latest figures from the domestic violence charity ’ s 24-hour helpline show there were 17,729 calls between March 23rd until the end of November , up from 12,506 calls over the same time frame in 2019 .
Sarah Benson , chief executive of Women ’ s Aid , said it is concerned that if there is another lockdown in January it may deter victims from getting in touch after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ traditionally an increase in calls .
Ms Benson said its helpline received calls from women in recent months who phoned them from “ their garden sheds , their cars and turned on the shower to mask the conversation ” .
“ Usually after Christmas , people go back to work and the kids go back to school and it creates that breathing space for taking the opportunity to reach out for support , ” Ms Benson told The Irish Times .
“ But if we go into a serious lockdown again after Christmas @ @ @ @ @ @ @ opportunity for victims of domestic abuse to speak out or get protection through the courts or find ways out of the situation may be even more constrained than previous years because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
” Ms Benson said the charity has consistently seen an uptake in calls following Christmas as women try to “ keep the peace ” over the festive period .
“ This is a trend that has been consistent , which is , women will really do their utmost , particularly if there ’ s children , just to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ ll do it for the sake of the children , they ’ ll try and manage their safety in as much as you can , ” she said .
“ That has a terrible toll and often the week after Christmas or New Year ’ s we will see an uptake not just in the calls but also the stories from over Christmas as to just how hard it was and the tactics that were used , such as withholding money , emotional abusive tactics , manipulating the children.
” One in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ who have been in a relationship have been abused by a current or former partner , according to Women ’ s Aid .
“ The vast majority of those who suffer domestic violence and abuse will never actually reach out to a specialist support organisation .
So we know even those increased numbers [ in calls ] actually reflect the tip of the iceberg , ” Ms Benson added .
“ Even though we have these significantly increased numbers , at the same time we would always be calling on community vigilance , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ looking for and reaching out to anybody they are worried about who might be in a difficult situation.
” Women ’ s Aid ’ s 24-hour national freephone will continue to take calls on Christmas Day and New Year ’ s Day on 1800 341900 .

Sarah Benson, chief executive of Women’s Aid, said the charity is concerned that if there is another lockdown in January it may deter victims from getting in touch after the Christmas period. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw
There was a 41 per cent increase in the number of calls to Women’s Aid during the Covid-19 pandemic, compared with the same period last year.
The latest figures from the domestic violence charity’s 24-hour helpline show there were 17,729 calls between March 23rd until the end of November, up from 12,506 calls over the same time frame in 2019.
Sarah Benson, chief executive of Women's Aid, said it is concerned that if there is another lockdown in January it may deter victims from getting in touch after the Christmas period, when there is traditionally an increase in calls.
Ms Benson said its helpline received calls from women in recent months who phoned them from “their garden sheds, their cars and turned on the shower to mask the conversation”.
READ MORE
“Usually after Christmas, people go back to work and the kids go back to school and it creates that breathing space for taking the opportunity to reach out for support,” Ms Benson told The Irish Times.
“But if we go into a serious lockdown again after Christmas, we worry a bit that the opportunity for victims of domestic abuse to speak out or get protection through the courts or find ways out of the situation may be even more constrained than previous years because of the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Ms Benson said the charity has consistently seen an uptake in calls following Christmas as women try to “keep the peace” over the festive period.
“This is a trend that has been consistent, which is, women will really do their utmost, particularly if there’s children, just to try and get through Christmas. They’ll do it for the sake of the children, they’ll try and manage their safety in as much as you can,” she said.
“That has a terrible toll and often the week after Christmas or New Year’s we will see an uptake not just in the calls but also the stories from over Christmas as to just how hard it was and the tactics that were used, such as withholding money, emotional abusive tactics, manipulating the children.”
One in four
One in four women in Ireland who have been in a relationship have been abused by a current or former partner, according to Women's Aid.
“The vast majority of those who suffer domestic violence and abuse will never actually reach out to a specialist support organisation. So we know even those increased numbers [in calls] actually reflect the tip of the iceberg,” Ms Benson added.
“Even though we have these significantly increased numbers, at the same time we would always be calling on community vigilance, family and friends to be mindful of looking for and reaching out to anybody they are worried about who might be in a difficult situation.”
Women’s Aid’s 24-hour national freephone will continue to take calls on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day on 1800 341900.


theirishtimes--2020-12-21--Covid crisis: Ban on passenger travel from Britain likely to be extended

An unprecedented 48-hour ban on passenger travel from Britain is likely to be extended by the Government beyond Tuesday , as fears grow over the spread of a more infectious strain of Covid-19 .
European Union member states will hold a crisis meeting on Monday to co-ordinate their response to the new variant , which is 70 per cent more transmissible than other strains .
The meeting was called after Ireland and other European countries imposed tough restrictions on travel from Britain aimed at stopping the spread of the variant .
The ban , which came into force at midnight @ @ @ @ @ @ @ disrupting the travel plans of large numbers of Irish emigrants hoping to return for Christmas .
And with France also banning all road travel from Britain , including essential freight , importers warned the restrictions could hit the supply of essential goods to Ireland from mainland Europe .
Aidan Flynn , general manager of the Freight Transport Association , spoke of a “ perfect storm ” with Covid-19 , pre-Brexit stockpiling and Christmas supplies falling at the same time .
Warning of “ serious consequences ” for the transport of supplies to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said Irish truckers would be left stranded on both sides of the English Channel now that the key UK “ landbridge ” transit route to and from continental Europe had been “ compromised ” .
The Government imposed the ban for 48 hours as a stopgap measure pending consideration at Cabinet on Tuesday , when proposals to tighten up domestic Covid-19 restrictions will also be considered .
The more infectious strain , which has spread rapidly in London and southeast England since it appeared last September , has not been identified here @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Ryan said it was not known whether the recent sharp increase in cases in Ireland had any link to the mutation of the virus .
“ I think realistically it is hard to see that things are going to change in the next few days .
.
.
There is not a high probability that we would be returning to a schedule of flights straight away.
” Ferries will still operate for haulage and flights will be organised to repatriate Irish people stranded abroad .
In relation to travel between the Republic and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ were no immediate consequences for Border crossings .
Ministers in the North held a late-night meeting to discuss concerns over the new strain .
Meanwhile , the Government may need to rethink the strategy of living with Covid-19 if the variant spreads here , according to one infectious-disease consultant .
Prof Paddy Mallon said rolling cycles of restrictions and relaxations of measures may not work if the virus spreads more rapidly .
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control ( ECDC ) said UK analysis suggested the variant is “ significantly more @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increase the reproductive number by 0.4 .
However , “ there is no indication at this point of increased infection severity associated with the new variant ” .
The ECDC called for “ timely efforts ” to prevent and control the spread , including “ the avoidance of non-essential travel and social activities ” .
Meanwhile , the Republic reported the highest number of daily cases in almost eight weeks on Sunday , at 764 .
There were four deaths .
All indicators of Covid-19 spread are worsening , more quickly than public-health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Tony Holohan , warned .
As a result , officials fear a spike in case among vulnerable over-65s during the Christmas period .
In the UK , health secretary Matt Hancock admitted the virus was out of control .

A Britain travel ban has disrupted the Christmas holiday plans of tens of thousands of Irish citizens. Video: Reuters/ RTE
An unprecedented 48-hour ban on passenger travel from Britain is likely to be extended by the Government beyond Tuesday, as fears grow over the spread of a more infectious strain of Covid-19.
European Union member states will hold a crisis meeting on Monday to co-ordinate their response to the new variant, which is 70 per cent more transmissible than other strains. The meeting was called after Ireland and other European countries imposed tough restrictions on travel from Britain aimed at stopping the spread of the variant.
The ban, which came into force at midnight, caused travel chaos in Britain, disrupting the travel plans of large numbers of Irish emigrants hoping to return for Christmas.
And with France also banning all road travel from Britain, including essential freight, importers warned the restrictions could hit the supply of essential goods to Ireland from mainland Europe.
READ MORE
‘Perfect storm’
Aidan Flynn, general manager of the Freight Transport Association, spoke of a “perfect storm” with Covid-19, pre-Brexit stockpiling and Christmas supplies falling at the same time.
Warning of “serious consequences” for the transport of supplies to the State from mainland Europe across Britain, he said Irish truckers would be left stranded on both sides of the English Channel now that the key UK “landbridge” transit route to and from continental Europe had been “compromised”.
The Government imposed the ban for 48 hours as a stopgap measure pending consideration at Cabinet on Tuesday, when proposals to tighten up domestic Covid-19 restrictions will also be considered.
The more infectious strain, which has spread rapidly in London and southeast England since it appeared last September, has not been identified here to date.
Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan said it was not known whether the recent sharp increase in cases in Ireland had any link to the mutation of the virus.
“I think realistically it is hard to see that things are going to change in the next few days . . . There is not a high probability that we would be returning to a schedule of flights straight away.”
Ferries will still operate for haulage and flights will be organised to repatriate Irish people stranded abroad. In relation to travel between the Republic and Northern Ireland, Mr Ryan said there were no immediate consequences for Border crossings.
Ministers in the North held a late-night meeting to discuss concerns over the new strain.
Strategy
Meanwhile, the Government may need to rethink the strategy of living with Covid-19 if the variant spreads here, according to one infectious-disease consultant. Prof Paddy Mallon said rolling cycles of restrictions and relaxations of measures may not work if the virus spreads more rapidly.
The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) said UK analysis suggested the variant is “significantly more transmissible” than other variants and could increase the reproductive number by 0.4.
However, “there is no indication at this point of increased infection severity associated with the new variant”.
The ECDC called for “timely efforts” to prevent and control the spread, including “the avoidance of non-essential travel and social activities”.
Meanwhile, the Republic reported the highest number of daily cases in almost eight weeks on Sunday, at 764. There were four deaths.
All indicators of Covid-19 spread are worsening, more quickly than public-health officials expected, chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan, warned. As a result, officials fear a spike in case among vulnerable over-65s during the Christmas period.
In the UK, health secretary Matt Hancock admitted the virus was out of control.


theirishtimes--2020-12-21--Customer service stories: From the sound to the stellar

Pricewatch is not unaccustomed to handling complaints from readers about companies of all shapes and sizes .
Every single day @ @ @ @ @ us with examples of customer service which range from the simply inept to the downright @ @ @ @ @ highlight a small percentage of the horror stories we are sorry for that .
But @ @ @ @ @ to do something different .
Because it is the season to be jolly and a @ @ @ @ @ all , we thought , for one one day only , we would highlight some @ @ @ @ @ from the sound to the stellar .
We wish we could say all these good @ @ @ @ @ .
But we can ’ t say that because they didn ’ t .
We @ @ @ @ @ them in the sometimes murky waters of social media .
We ’ re happy enough @ @ @ @ @ you .
If nothing else it tells us that not everything is bad .

Pricewatch is not unaccustomed to handling complaints from readers about companies of all shapes and sizes. Every single day of the year readers contact us with examples of customer service which range from the simply inept to the downright immoral. We can only highlight a small percentage of the horror stories we are sorry for that.
But this week we are going to do something different. Because it is the season to be jolly and a time for good will to all, we thought, for one one day only, we would highlight some customer service stories which range from the sound to the stellar. We wish we could say all these good news stories arrived entirely unsolicited. But we can’t say that because they didn’t. We had to go fishing for them in the sometimes murky waters of social media. We’re happy enough with what we caught mind you. If nothing else it tells us that not everything is bad.
"I just wanted to highlight some great customer service in Boots Jervis Centre," writes Caroline Judge. "I had to wear a heart and blood pressure monitor for 24 hours and every few minutes it started buzzing and pumping which was a little unsettling."
She was paying for something in Boots and it started to go off “so I just tried to pay as quickly as I could and walked away to settle myself,” she says.
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“The lady who had served me came up to me to see if I was okay and if I needed a seat or someone nearby. And I thought it was so lovely for her to come and check on me even though I hadn’t said anything she could sense it. I was very grateful and I never got her name because I was so flustered but just wanted to recognise her kind act and it really meant something to me.”
"Let me tell you about Monaghan's cashmere shop," starts the mail from Patricia Coady. "Over 15 years ago I really pushed the boat out and bought my husband a cashmere jumper there. I was horrified at the price, it was more expensive than a coat but I knew it was something he'd never buy himself.
“The jumper used to frequently go missing, could never figure it out until one night I met my teenage daughter wearing it on her way home from a night out. That jumper got more wear than any coat until finally last year it was on its last legs (or threads),” Patricia’s mail continues.
'This is the kind of shop that makes Dublin special'
So Patricia rang Monaghans to ask their advice “and they told me to bring it in and they would refurbish it. We collected it a few weeks later, paid a nominal sum (I think it was €20) and the jumper is still going strong. The robber daughter got her own jumper there a few years later, we have gone back again and again over the years. Forget other cashmere jumpers that bobble and lose shape. These literally last a life time.”
She concludes by saying the staff are "without doubt the warmest, most knowledgeable, helpful people I have ever had dealings with and Mr Monaghan himself still works there looking after customers. This is the kind of shop that makes Dublin special. Plus you can celebrate your purchase with a pint in Kehoes afterwards."
Or at least you could before the Great Unpleasantness put paid to that, for now.
Anthony McDonnell wants us to give a shout out to a courier in his neigbourhood who works for DPD. His name is Salim "and he has been delivering to the East Wall area for quite a while now. He is known locally as being a cheerful, pleasant guy who always is happy to do his job and fulfil the needs of the community. In one way he's just doing a job, but a little chat at the door is very much welcomed by most especially during these times.
“Salim oozes positivity and comes across to be mindful of those who he delivers to. Any queries that may arise are quickly dealt with by Salim for a seamless delivery.
It’s really nice to build a rapport with him, by my family and I as well as the rest of the locals! He’s an absolute gem!”
And staying DPD Andy McFarlane also had a kind word to say about them.”The demand on their service from March increased substantially I expect as we all went online yet they were by far the most reliable which could not have been easy when demand and pressure must have been huge. They also can be contacted (though rarely need to be as so reliable!),” he concludes.
Margaret Maguire’s husband “has a very old camcorder” but was missing some cables for it and also couldn’t get the “cassette” into the slot. The couple went into Conn’s Camera shop on Dublin’s Clarendon St in July, she tells us.
“The assistant showed him the problem he was having with the cassette –- my husband was trying to put it in upside down, and then the assistant spent about 20 minutes trying to locate a cable – as I said the camcorder was quite old. He eventually found one and showed us how to use it.”
And what was the charge? “Zero,” she says. “Honestly we were in the shop for about 40 minutes and there was no charge.”
“My name is Lucille (AKA Loulou),” starts our next mail, one we received from Lucille O’Neill. “I have a debilitating long term illness that has me walking with sticks for the past near four years. Apparently I should be in a wheelchair by now. So I consider myself quite lucky,” she says. “I have got to stay positive even when I am in severe pain, stay positive and do the things I’ve always done.”
So despite her illness she cleans her house, goes for walks and does her own shopping. "That brings me to customer care and to a lady named Anne in Lidl on Pottery road Cabinteely Deansgrange area. That woman is just so helpful," she tells us.
“She will insist on helping me firstly load my produce onto the belt. That can be the most difficult thing to do on sticks. Then she will pack my bags. Then if she can’t, she will ask a staff member to take trolley to my car and load my shopping into it. She’s always so pleasant to all the customers. As I said I like to keep my independence for as long as I can. But I so appreciate Anne’s help. I have yet to experience that level of care in any major chain.”
Lucille also has a kind word to say about the staff in the Centra on Johnstown Road in Cabinteely which she describes as “a small enough family run store”. Staff, she says, “insist on carrying my bag to car and have even offered to do the shopping for me. It does my soul good because Centra is staffed mostly by young kids.”
Gerry Nolan wanted a new office chair for his home. "I found a lovely well priced chair on the Jysk website," he writes. "I had a bit of trouble with the site not accepting my location so I called my local store in Portlaoise which is open but only to pre-orders. Explaining my issue to Amy, I found her pleasant and she helped me order it through her good self , she input the order for me over the phone . I got my text message and order number , so I collected the chair later that afternoon . A very pleasant experience."
'That is brilliant customer service, especially in the busy-time run up to Christmas'
On a Friday in December Jenny Ruane ordered a new school tracksuit for her son in Leixlip. "The crested tracksuit can only be bought in Bernard Owen;s shop in Leixlip," she writes.
She needed it because her tumble dryer had broken down and she was “trying to figure out how we would get tracksuits washed and dried on time (important with the pandemic etc) which is why I bought a spare one in the early hours. A man who I think is the owner of the shop (who did not know about the tumble dryer predicament at all) took it upon himself to deliver personally the tracksuit to my house late on Saturday morning,” she says.
“He told me he did this because there were delays in posting at the moment and as I was local he felt it would be easy for him to drop it up. It was such a lovely gesture and he had no idea the difference it will make until we can have a new dryer sorted and delivered. The owner was very friendly and also said that he would refund the cost of postage I had paid for. I had not mentioned this, he took it upon himself to make that gesture. Lo and behold before the end of the day it was back in my account. So without been asked he delivered it in person and reimbursed my postage. That is brilliant customer service, especially in the busy-time run up to Christmas.”
Brid Murphy moved home from Dublin to Kerry on March 12th. "To be honest, I was worried for my parents who are in their early seventies and they didn't seem to understand the significance of what was going on," she writes. "After a few days, we made the decision that we would follow Nphet advice as best we could, stay at home and get the weekly shopping delivered from our local SuperValu, Twohigs in Abbeyfeale. "
She says the best thing about the Supervalu service was that her mother "could phone the shop and every week the person who answered patiently wrote down my mom's list as she called it out. A few hours later, it would arrive, delivered by very kind and helpful staff. Obviously home delivery is not an unusual service but the manner in which my parents still have autonomy over doing the shopping without having to deal with log ins and apps is something I appreciate hugely."
Brid also wants to salute An Post who she says have been "top class through the last number of months. I have ordered items in Dublin on Monday afternoons and they have arrived in my home in Co. Kerry in the care of the local postman Gerard Harnett by 9am the next morning. As I'm working from home, I've had to get everything from important documents, reams of paper, office furniture and computer parts delivered. I don't think I would have managed without An Post since March."
'I've had broadband from a variety of suppliers in the past and not one ISP has come close to the level of customer service that Digiweb offer'
And over on Twitter, we asked people for good examples of customer service. Here are just some of the responses we got.
I recently received excellent customer service from Detail Menswear while making an online purchase, they even sent me photos to get an idea of what jackets looked like in real life, they couldn't have been more helpful, good to be able support Irish businesses. Siobhan Bowe
My local postman is just a hero he's always so happy and pleasant, loves to check in to make sure we are okay. We made him some cookies last week and he was delighted. All the posties are just flat out at the minute and deserve to be spoiled. Laura Haughey
Bought a headboard from Bargintown in lockdown 2.0 and I selected for collection. It was ready earlier than expected and they delivered for free as they were out my direction anyway no extra charge. Sarah Power
I was looking for specific helmets for my kids and was having trouble locating them. Cycle tribe was listed as a vendor but when I rang, they didn't stock a kids range.They ended up ordering in 2 kids helmets for me.I had them 2 weeks later. Very grateful. Pamala Matos
Stella in Just Books in Mullingar kept me updated on an order I had placed as it was out of stock at the time. It was so lovely having such personal touch in this age of Amazon. Also shared some great recommendations for my little readers. Pamela Potterton
Had to cancel an order with McSportIreland beyond the time of changing my mind. Had bought my boyfriend a dartboard and his brother arrived over with one a couple of days after. They couldn't have been nicer and were so helpful. We even had a little giggle over my timing. Andrea Ní Mhathúna
Bryan's are on Talbot Street, Dublin. Went in today to get two pairs of desert boots soled and heeled. Came out with a free can of dye/suede restorer for another pair of desert boots (I have four pairs in different colours). Happy out! Pat Montague
I had a query for The VHI last week, my call was answered without much delay and the nicest woman dealt with my query. She was so knowledgeable and efficient in sorting me out. Compared to my experience with other call centres this was super. Dr Majella Dempsey
On Thursday a very helpful man at Dunnes Stores Cornelscourt spotted me driving around looking for a parking spot he stood in an empty parent and child space until I came back around, directed me in and then found me a two seater trolley which was so nice and much appreciated. Sarah-Jane Mullane
Digiweb are the nuts. I've had broadband from a variety of suppliers in the past and not one ISP has come close to the level of customer service that Digiweb offer. Not to mention the actual Internet service has been flawless. Moif Murphy
The time taken by local Irish shops to include a handwritten note of thanks with online orders – such personal service. Jules Savage


theirishtimes--2020-12-20--Extra flight hastily arranged after 300 Irish stuck in Heathrow when plane ‘oversold’

An extra flight from Heathrow was being hastily arranged tonight to accommodate around 300 people who were stranded after an apparent overbooking on an earlier flight .
The new flight to Dublin was scheduled to take off from Heathrow at approximately 10.30pm on Sunday .
Earlier photographs and video footage of long queues forming in Heathrow ’ s Terminal 5 emerged on social media as passengers arriving at the airport found themselves unable to board a scheduled 8.55pm Aer Lingus flight to Dublin .
One of the intending passengers , Katie Cullen , told The Irish Times that “ around @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this flight had been oversold , and these passengers then queued to try and rebook on an alternative flight .
“ It ’ s all over the place .
People arrived after us and they haven ’ t been told anything and it is just general chaos.
” There was additional demand on flights from London this evening as passengers planning to travel to Ireland tried to get home before a 48-hour ban on flights from Britain comes into force at midnight on Sunday .
This decision was triggered by concerns over the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ London and southeast England .
Ms Cullen said there was a queue forming outside the terminal when she arrived at the terminal at about 6.30pm .
She and her friends had booked the flight earlier on Sunday afternoon .
“ The flight was operated by Aer Lingus , but British Airways were selling tickets for it .
They were doing the same for the Heathrow to Belfast flight [ tonight ] , ” she said .
After arriving at the terminal , Ms Cullen said information was hard to come by after an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ member .
A staff member from the airline updated the passengers again at about 8.30pm .
“ She let us know that they ’ re speaking to the [ Irish ] Government and they ’ re going to try and get us on a flight tonight , so there ’ s hope .
She didn ’ t make any promises but she said there ’ s potential that we might get on a flight this evening , ” said Ms Cullen .
A spokesperson for Aer Lingus referred queries about the alleged overbooking @ @ @ @

A Britain travel ban has disrupted the Christmas holiday plans of tens of thousands of Irish citizens. Video: Reuters/ RTE
An extra flight from London was hastily arranged on Sunday night to accommodate around 300 people who were stranded after an apparent overbooking on an earlier flight.
The new flight took off from Heathrow Airport after 11pm on Sunday night and landed in Dublin Airport just after midnight.
Earlier photographs and video footage of long queues forming in Heathrow's Terminal 5 emerged on social media as passengers arriving at the airport found themselves unable to board a scheduled 8.55pm Aer Lingus flight to Dublin.
One of the intending passengers, Katie Cullen, told The Irish Times that "around 300" passengers had been told that this flight had been oversold, and these passengers then queued to try and rebook on an alternative flight.
READ MORE
“It’s all over the place. People arrived after us and they haven’t been told anything and it is just general chaos.”
There was additional demand on flights from London on Sunday evening as passengers planning to travel to Ireland tried to get home before a 48-hour ban on flights from Britain came into force at midnight on Monday morning.
This decision was triggered by concerns over the emergence a mutated strain of Covid-19 in London and southeast England.
Ms Cullen said there was a queue forming outside the terminal when she arrived at the terminal at about 6.30pm. She and her friends had booked the flight earlier on Sunday afternoon. "The flight was operated by Aer Lingus, but British Airways were selling tickets for it. They were doing the same for the Heathrow to Belfast flight," she said.
After arriving at the terminal, Ms Cullen said information was hard to come by after an initial update from a British Airways staff member.
A staff member from the airline updated the passengers again at about 8.30pm. “She let us know that they’re speaking to the [Irish] Government and they’re going to try and get us on a flight tonight, so there’s hope. She didn’t make any promises but she said there’s potential that we might get on a flight,” said Ms Cullen.
A spokesperson for Aer Lingus referred queries about the alleged overbooking to British Airways.


theirishtimes--2020-12-20--Facebook seeks exemption from Government’s proposed hate speech laws

Facebook petitioned the Irish Government last year to exclude it from criminal liability under proposed laws against hate speech and hate crime .
In 2019 , the Government ran a public consultation ahead of plans to draft more robust laws against incitement to hatred , particularly on the internet and social media .
Facebook , one of 57 groups which responded to the consultation , submitted that any strengthened laws against internet hate speech must contain a “ carve out ” to protect “ intermediaries ” from being held responsible for content published on their platforms .
A roadmap for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ released by the Department of Justice on Thursday , recommends it become an offence to share hate speech on social media , if the intention is to incite hated .
This would apply to sharing other ’ s posts on Facebook and retweeting items on Twitter .
However , any company accused of hosting hateful material should be able to defend itself by showing that it has measures in place to prevent dissemination of hateful material and was complying with those measures at the time , the report states .
The company should @ @ @ @ @ @ @ no reason to suspect the content could incite hate .
The Bill has yet to be drafted and it is unclear what extra obligations , if any , it will place on social media companies .
In Facebook ’ s submission , the company ’ s head of public policy in Ireland , Dualta Ó Broin , listed Facebook ’ s work in combatting hate speech , including taking action against seven million pieces of content between July and September 2019 .
It said it “ welcomes ” Government taking a more active @ @ @ @ @ @ @ suggested additional protected categories be added to the legislation including age , sex , disability , caste , gender , gender identity and serious disease .
These are similar to the categories contained in Facebook ’ s own community standards .
However , Facebook also submitted that online communication was already covered by the existing Prohibition on the Incitement to Hatred Act 1989 which , according to the Government , has proven to be largely ineffective .
It said any amendment to the Act should “ include a carve out so that intermediaries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for third-party content that violates the Act ” .
This “ carve out ” will be “ particularly important ” if the new laws criminalise the simple distribution or display of hateful content “ as intermediaries could then be held liable for content over which they have no control ” .
Internationally , pressure has been growing on Facebook this year to do more about hate speech .
In July , more than 1,000 companies , including Coca Cola and Unilever , took part in a boycott of its advertising services to protest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ heard from Technology Ireland which lobbies on behalf of Irish and foreign direct investment technology companies , including Google , Twitter and Microsoft .
It said it supports protecting all members of society from hate crime but “ impractical or excessively onerous ” obligations regarding hate speech should not be placed on online platforms .
In particular , there should be exceptions for cloud-based platforms as these service providers are unable to remove individual pieces of content from their networks .
The consultation also received about 3,500 answers to an online questionnaire .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ hate speech laws while many others raised freedom of expression concerns , according to documents released to The Irish Times .
Some also suggested protected categories should be widened to include groups such as Irish speakers and cyclists .

Facebook submitted that online communication was already covered by the existing Prohibition on the Incitement to Hatred Act 1989. Photograph: iStock
Facebook petitioned the Irish Government last year to exclude it from criminal liability under proposed laws against hate speech and hate crime.
In 2019, the Government ran a public consultation ahead of plans to draft more robust laws against incitement to hatred, particularly on the internet and social media.
Facebook, one of 57 groups which responded to the consultation, submitted that any strengthened laws against internet hate speech must contain a “carve out” to protect “intermediaries” from being held responsible for content published on their platforms.
A roadmap for the hate speech legislation, which was released by the Department of Justice on Thursday, recommends it become an offence to share hate speech on social media, if the intention is to incite hated. This would apply to sharing other's posts on Facebook and retweeting items on Twitter.
READ MORE
However, any company accused of hosting hateful material should be able to defend itself by showing that it has measures in place to prevent dissemination of hateful material and was complying with those measures at the time, the report states.
The company should also show it was unaware and had no reason to suspect the content could incite hate.
The Bill has yet to be drafted and it is unclear what extra obligations, if any, it will place on social media companies.
In Facebook's submission, the company's head of public policy in Ireland, Dualta Ó Broin, listed Facebook's work in combatting hate speech, including taking action against seven million pieces of content between July and September 2019.
It said it “welcomes” Government taking a more active role in addressing harmful online content and suggested additional protected categories be added to the legislation including age, sex, disability, caste, gender, gender identity and serious disease.
These are similar to the categories contained in Facebook’s own community standards.
However, Facebook also submitted that online communication was already covered by the existing Prohibition on the Incitement to Hatred Act 1989 which, according to the Government, has proven to be largely ineffective.
It said any amendment to the Act should “include a carve out so that intermediaries would not be subject to criminal liability for third-party content that violates the Act”.
This “carve out” will be “particularly important” if the new laws criminalise the simple distribution or display of hateful content “as intermediaries could then be held liable for content over which they have no control”.
International pressure
Internationally, pressure has been growing on Facebook this year to do more about hate speech. In July, more than 1,000 companies, including Coca Cola and Unilever, took part in a boycott of its advertising services to protest the issue.
The consultation process also heard from Technology Ireland which lobbies on behalf of Irish and foreign direct investment technology companies, including Google, Twitter and Microsoft. It said it supports protecting all members of society from hate crime but "impractical or excessively onerous" obligations regarding hate speech should not be placed on online platforms.
In particular, there should be exceptions for cloud-based platforms as these service providers are unable to remove individual pieces of content from their networks.
The consultation also received about 3,500 answers to an online questionnaire. Many of these supported the strengthening of hate speech laws while many others raised freedom of expression concerns, according to documents released to The Irish Times.
Some also suggested protected categories should be widened to include groups such as Irish speakers and cyclists.


theirishtimes--2020-12-20--New coronavirus strain: What is it and should we be worried?

A new , more infectious strain of coronavirus reported in parts of Britain has led to the Government and other countries including Germany and Italy to impose a ban on travel from Britain .
The Government said that in response to the new strain of the virus detected in the southeast of England , it was banning all flights for at least 48 hours from midnight on Sunday .
It is common for viruses to mutate and there have been thousands of variants of the virus identified since it first emerged at a fish market in the Chinese city of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ What has British public health officials worried is they have said this latest virus mutation enables the virus to bind more efficiently to cells within the body and that it has been shown to be more infectious and have the potential to make more virus once infection is established in the body .
This is coinciding with increased spread in London and the southeast of England that is leading UK public health officials to suggest this stain is more efficient at infecting and transmitting between people .
“ While it is known and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ leading to the emergence of new variants , preliminary analysis in the UK suggests that this variant is significantly more transmissible , ” said the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control ( ECDC ) in a threat assessment note published on Sunday .
Initial findings from Britain suggest this variant could increase the reproduction number – the rate at which it spreads – by 0.4 at least , says the ECDC note .
This means there could be a further four infections for every 10 people infected , with an increased transmissibility @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Should we be worried ?
“ There is a lot that we don ’ t know about it but , from what we do , I would be very worried mainly because the UK public health officials are suggesting this variant of the virus spreads more easily and there is some laboratory data to show that it is more infectious , ” said Prof Paddy Mallon , an infectious diseases consultant at St Vincent ’ s hospital in Dublin and at UCD .
There is nothing to suggest that the new strain will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , but there was a “ theoretical potential ” that people who had Covid could be reinfected by this strain .
If it is easier to transmit between people , this has the potential to force a fundamental change in how the Government controls the virus and the strategy of “ living with Covid-19 ” with the five levels of restrictions on public movement , mixing and economic activity , according to Prof Mallon .
Given that more infections would mean more people become seriously ill from Covid-19 , which in turns means @ @ @ @ @ @ @ could be forced to apply severe restrictions for longer and abandon the idea of rolling restrictions and relaxation of measures , if there is a new strain in the community that spreads more .
This possibility , in Prof Mallon ’ s view , justifies the 48-hour ban on travel from Britain to allow surveillance of the “ sequencing ” of virus detected in the State to see if the mutant is circulating here .
Other scientists say the data is not there yet to conclude this strain is more transmissible .
Dr @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and cell biology at UCC , says it is likely that this mutant virus could infect cells better and might be “ more fit to replicate ” but that theoretically does not mean it is more transmissible .
Further studies are required to determine this , she said .
Akke Vellinga , an epidemiologist at NUI Galway , said : “ We can just see that it is spreading really fast through a population where this new variant spreads faster than what was there but that is survival of the fittest , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @

Prof Paddy Mallon: If the new strain is easier to transmit, it could force a fundamental change in how the Government controls the virus. Photograph: Alan Betson
A new, more infectious strain of coronavirus reported in parts of Britain has led to the Government and other countries including Germany and Italy to impose a ban on travel from Britain.
The Government said that in response to the new strain of the virus detected in the southeast of England, it was banning all flights for at least 48 hours from midnight on Sunday.
It is common for viruses to mutate and there have been thousands of variants of the virus identified since it first emerged at a fish market in the Chinese city of Wuhan more than a year ago.
What has British public health officials worried is they have said this latest virus mutation enables the virus to bind more efficiently to cells within the body and that it has been shown to be more infectious and have the potential to make more virus once infection is established in the body.
READ MORE
This is coinciding with increased spread in London and the southeast of England that is leading UK public health officials to suggest this stain is more efficient at infecting and transmitting between people.
“While it is known and expected that viruses constantly change through mutation leading to the emergence of new variants, preliminary analysis in the UK suggests that this variant is significantly more transmissible,” said the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) in a threat assessment note published on Sunday.
‘More infectious’
Initial findings from Britain suggest this variant could increase the reproduction number – the rate at which it spreads – by 0.4 at least, says the ECDC note. This means there could be a further four infections for every 10 people infected, with an increased transmissibility of up to 70 per cent.
Should we be worried?
"There is a lot that we don't know about it but, from what we do, I would be very worried mainly because the UK public health officials are suggesting this variant of the virus spreads more easily and there is some laboratory data to show that it is more infectious," said Prof Paddy Mallon, an infectious diseases consultant at St Vincent's hospital in Dublin and at UCD.
There is nothing to suggest that the new strain will affect the Covid-19 vaccine, he said, but there was a “theoretical potential” that people who had Covid could be reinfected by this strain.
If it is easier to transmit between people, this has the potential to force a fundamental change in how the Government controls the virus and the strategy of “living with Covid-19” with the five levels of restrictions on public movement, mixing and economic activity, according to Prof Mallon.
Severe restrictions
Given that more infections would mean more people become seriously ill from Covid-19, which in turns means more strain on hospitals, the Government could be forced to apply severe restrictions for longer and abandon the idea of rolling restrictions and relaxation of measures, if there is a new strain in the community that spreads more.
This possibility, in Prof Mallon’s view, justifies the 48-hour ban on travel from Britain to allow surveillance of the “sequencing” of virus detected in the State to see if the mutant is circulating here.
Other scientists say the data is not there yet to conclude this strain is more transmissible.
Dr Anne Moore, a lecturer in biochemistry and cell biology at UCC, says it is likely that this mutant virus could infect cells better and might be "more fit to replicate" but that theoretically does not mean it is more transmissible. Further studies are required to determine this, she said.
Akke Vellinga, an epidemiologist at NUI Galway, said: "We can just see that it is spreading really fast through a population where this new variant spreads faster than what was there but that is survival of the fittest, that is how the virus adapts."


theirishtimes--2020-12-20--Irish returning to Dublin ‘feel really lucky to have made it home’

Outside Terminal 1 arrivals at Dublin airport on Sunday afternoon families waited in the cold for their loved ones to arrive home from Britain for Christmas , 24-hours after new restrictions were announced there by prime minister Boris Johnson and before the ban on flights into Ireland came into force .
Paschal Roche from Waterford and his daughter Sarah Jane were among those who arrived at Dublin on Sunday after returning from London together .
They plan to spend Christmas with Mr Roche ’ s five other children and 84-year-old mother .
“ The flight was busy .
Everyone was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” Mr Roche said .
Sarah Jane had originally booked her flight for Monday but changed it to come home on the same flight as her father .
“ I was glad I did because I was shocked when I heard about the ban , ” she said .
Mr Roche got a private Covid test on Friday and got his negative result on Saturday .
“ I haven ’ t seen the family in seven months , normally I ’ m home a few times a year , so it ’ ll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he said .
Ellen Hession was greeted outside Dublin airport with a teddy bear and a handmade “ virtual hug ” heart-shaped sign from her mother .
“ I feel really lucky to have made it home .
There was an air of panic last night and this morning because we were all wondering would they restrict travel from the UK , ” Ms Hession said .
Ms Hession is studying teaching in London and her main concern was getting home for Christmas .
She will spend two weeks with her family in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to book flights into Knock and Shannon but it wasn ’ t happening .
I had a flight to Shannon originally but it was cancelled .
We didn ’ t know what to do , ” she said .
Ms Hession said there was “ no social distancing ” on her Ryanair flight but said she was “ glad to at least make it back home.
” Darragh O ’ Keeffe and his sister Aisling returned from Newcastle , where they ’ ve been based for several years for work .
“ We @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ban on flights into Ireland ) and I thought ‘ Thank god ’ that we were back today , ” Mr O ’ Keeffe said .
The siblings were returning to Waterford .
Aisling works in a hospital in Newcastle and tests herself for Covid twice a week .
“ I haven ’ t been home all year and didn ’ t make it home for Christmas last year because I was working , so I had to come .
Christmas is a special time , ” she said , adding that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ she overheard people at passport control asking about the flight restrictions .
Meanwhile , Tim Molloy from Meath waited outside the Terminal wearing his Santa hat for his daughter , son-in-law and two grandchildren who were due to arrive home from London .
“ We were up in the air the whole time wondering if they ’ d make it back .
I ’ m looking forward to seeing them .
They are based there over twenty years but they always come back for Christmas , ” Mr Molloy said .
“ I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Spain tonight as well and we haven ’ t seen him in over a year .
So I ’ ll drive them back to Meath to spend the Christmas together .
That ’ s what it ’ s all about , ” he said .

Paschal Roche and his daughter Sarah Jane were among those who arrived at Dublin airport on Sunday from London. Photograph: Jade Wilson
Outside Terminal 1 arrivals at Dublin airport on Sunday afternoon families waited in the cold for their loved ones to arrive home from Britain for Christmas, 24-hours after new restrictions were announced there by prime minister Boris Johnson and before the ban on flights into Ireland came into force.
Paschal Roche from Waterford and his daughter Sarah Jane were among those who arrived at Dublin on Sunday after returning from London together.
They plan to spend Christmas with Mr Roche’s five other children and 84-year-old mother.
“The flight was busy. Everyone was wearing masks but it was full,” Mr Roche said.
READ MORE
Sarah Jane had originally booked her flight for Monday but changed it to come home on the same flight as her father. “I was glad I did because I was shocked when I heard about the ban,” she said.
Ellen Hession (left) was greeted outside Dublin airport with a teddy bear and a handmade ‘virtual hug’ heart-shaped sign from her mother when she arrived home. Photograph: Jade Wilson
Mr Roche got a private Covid test on Friday and got his negative result on Saturday. “I haven’t seen the family in seven months, normally I’m home a few times a year, so it’ll be a nice big reunion,” he said.
Ellen Hession was greeted outside Dublin airport with a teddy bear and a handmade "virtual hug" heart-shaped sign from her mother.
“I feel really lucky to have made it home. There was an air of panic last night and this morning because we were all wondering would they restrict travel from the UK,” Ms Hession said.
Tim Molloy from Meath waiting outside the Terminal while waiting for his daughter, son-in-law and two grandchildren to arrive home from London. Photograph: Jade Wilson
Ms Hession is studying teaching in London and her main concern was getting home for Christmas. She will spend two weeks with her family in Galway before returning.
“I tried to book flights into Knock and Shannon but it wasn’t happening. I had a flight to Shannon originally but it was cancelled. We didn’t know what to do,” she said.
Ms Hession said there was "no social distancing" on her Ryanair flight but said she was "glad to at least make it back home."
Darragh O’Keeffe and his sister Aisling returned from Newcastle, where they’ve been based for several years for work.
“We landed and heard the news (about the ban on flights into Ireland) and I thought ‘Thank god’ that we were back today,” Mr O’Keeffe said.
The siblings were returning to Waterford. Aisling works in a hospital in Newcastle and tests herself for Covid twice a week.
“I haven’t been home all year and didn’t make it home for Christmas last year because I was working, so I had to come. Christmas is a special time,” she said, adding that there had been some commotion inside as she overheard people at passport control asking about the flight restrictions.
Meanwhile, Tim Molloy from Meath waited outside the Terminal wearing his Santa hat for his daughter, son-in-law and two grandchildren who were due to arrive home from London.
“We were up in the air the whole time wondering if they’d make it back. I’m looking forward to seeing them. They are based there over twenty years but they always come back for Christmas,” Mr Molloy said.
"I've a son coming home from Spain tonight as well and we haven't seen him in over a year. So I'll drive them back to Meath to spend the Christmas together. That's what it's all about," he said.


theirishtimes--2020-12-20--Ban on flights from Britain to be extended beyond Tuesday

Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan has said it likely that a 48-hour ban on flights from Britain will be extended beyond Tuesday .
He also said it was not yet known whether the recent sharp increase in cases in Ireland had any link to a more infectious strain of Covid-19 which has been reported in Britain .
The Government on Sunday announced a 48-hour ban on flights from Britain , although ferries will still operate for haulage .
“ I think realistically it is hard to see that things are going to change in the next few days .
It @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that are being used or how it is working but I think there is not a high probability that we would be returning to a schedule of flights straight away , ” Mr Ryan said .
He said the Government would use “ flexible mechanisms ” to manage the repatriation of Irish citizens who were , for example , transiting through the UK on their way home .
Mr Ryan said the British government had estimated only a fraction of people transiting through Britain were on their way to Ireland compared with previous @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but only for haulage .
“ We do want to maintain freight traffic as we need it for the essential food supply chain and other reasons , ” the Minister said .
Asked how he would stop people boarding ferries if they could get access , he said there would be “ co-operation with the ferry companies in terms of how they manage it ” .
In relation to cross-Border travel between the Republic and Northern Ireland , Mr Ryan said there were no immediate consequences for Border crossings .
He said the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ speed with what we are doing ” .
The Government made the decision to ban travel from the UK in light of concerns about a more infectious strain of Covid-19 which has been reported by British authorities .
Mr Ryan said the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has said it is likely the strain is circulating in other jurisdictions .
“ We should err on the side of caution .
We have seen a significant spike in the last two or three days , we don ’ t know yet whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ strain .
We will have to follow Nphet advice and that will come from genome testing and monitoring .
”

Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan said it was not yet known whether the recent sharp increase in cases in Ireland had any link to a more infectious strain of Covid-19 reported in Britain. Photograph: Nick Bradshaw
Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan has said it likely that a 48-hour ban on flights from Britain will be extended beyond Tuesday.
He also said it was not yet known whether the recent sharp increase in cases in Ireland had any link to a more infectious strain of Covid-19 which has been reported in Britain.
The Government on Sunday announced a 48-hour ban on flights from Britain, although ferries will still operate for haulage.
“I think realistically it is hard to see that things are going to change in the next few days. It is more a review of the mechanisms that are being used or how it is working but I think there is not a high probability that we would be returning to a schedule of flights straight away,” Mr Ryan said.
READ MORE
He said the Government would use “flexible mechanisms” to manage the repatriation of Irish citizens who were, for example, transiting through the UK on their way home.
Mr Ryan said the British government had estimated only a fraction of people transiting through Britain were on their way to Ireland compared with previous years.
Ferries will continue to operate but only for haulage. “We do want to maintain freight traffic as we need it for the essential food supply chain and other reasons,” the Minister said.
Asked how he would stop people boarding ferries if they could get access, he said there would be “co-operation with the ferry companies in terms of how they manage it”.
Cross-Border travel
In relation to cross-Border travel between the Republic and Northern Ireland, Mr Ryan said there were no immediate consequences for Border crossings.
He said the Stormont executive was “fully up to speed with what we are doing”.
The Government made the decision to ban travel from the UK in light of concerns about a more infectious strain of Covid-19 which has been reported by British authorities.
Mr Ryan said the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has said it is likely the strain is circulating in other jurisdictions.
“We should err on the side of caution. We have seen a significant spike in the last two or three days, we don’t know yet whether that is connected to a more virulent strain. We will have to follow Nphet advice and that will come from genome testing and monitoring.”


theirishtimes--2020-12-20--Dublin nursing home had ‘significant’ staff shortages during first Covid outbreak

St Mary ’ s nursing home experienced “ significant ” staff shortages during the first wave of coronavirus , and there was a “ disconnect ” in communications with relatives of residents , the Health Service Executive ( HSE ) has said .
The HSE-run nursing home located in Dublin ’ s Phoenix Park was one of the worst hit during the first wave of the virus , with 24 confirmed coronavirus-related deaths .
The facility has 150 nursing home beds , and a separate 48-bed step-down hospital .
Jane Carrigan , niece of one of the residents , Rose @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in April , made a formal complaint to the HSE over the nursing home ’ s handling of the outbreak .
The HSE ’ s report into the complaint said “ there was a staff shortage in the aftermath of the first case being confirmed ” in St Mary ’ s in late March .
The nursing home experienced “ significant staff absenteeism during Covid-19 ” , meaning staffing and skill mix “ were not at the maximum level ” .
The home “ maintained staffing levels to deliver the optimum level of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers .
The report said the nursing home had been in touch with infectious disease teams for clinical advice on an “ ongoing basis ” since mid-March .
On April 1st , consultant geriatrician Dr Frances McCarthy made a formal request for additional supports to help cope with the outbreak in the facility .
“ The geriatrician outlined that assistance/advice was required with regards to swabbing/ results delays , low stocks of PPE , staffing challenges and lack of microbiology support , ” the HSE report said .
The consultant sought advice on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ April 12th , as the number of confirmed cases continued to increase , it said .
At this point transmission of the virus within the care home was considered widespread , with confirmed cases across most wards .
The report acknowledged “ that resident ’ s families experienced difficulties contacting St Mary ’ s ” during the outbreak , which it said was due to an increased volume of calls seeking updates .
The HSE apologised for the “ disconnect ” in communications , particularly between a routine phone call in the morning @ @ @ @ @ @ @ clinical update advising the family Ms Hegarty was near death .
“ We apologise for the disconnect , particularly at a time when your family was seeking hope and reassurance , ” it said .
In her complaint Ms Carrigan said despite the family requesting jewellery her aunt had been wearing to be returned to the family , this did not occur .
“ It was a cause of huge upset when we realised our aunt ’ s jewellery was missing when her belongings were returned to us on May 15th , ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s Hospital would firstly like to unequivocally apologise for the error that led to the loss of the treasured jewellery belonging to your late aunt Rose , ” the report said .
The loss of the “ irreplaceable ” jewellery was attributed to “ human error ” , it said .
Separately , an external company is currently conducting an investigation into claims by a whistleblower over how the nursing home handled the outbreak .
A HSE spokeswoman said as of December 18th there were no current confirmed cases of the virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The previous outbreak in the facility during the first wave of the virus was declared closed on July 7th , she said .
The HSE north Dublin community healthcare organisation “ offer our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of all of those who died in St Mary ’ s Hospital this year ” , she said .

The HSE-run nursing home located in Dublin’s Phoenix Park was one of the worst hit during the first wave of the virus, with 24 confirmed coronavirus-related deaths. Photograph: iStock
St Mary's nursing home experienced "significant" staff shortages during the first wave of coronavirus, and there was a "disconnect" in communications with relatives of residents, the Health Service Executive (HSE) has said.
The HSE-run nursing home located in Dublin’s Phoenix Park was one of the worst hit during the first wave of the virus, with 24 confirmed coronavirus-related deaths. The facility has 150 nursing home beds, and a separate 48-bed step-down hospital.
Jane Carrigan, niece of one of the residents, Rose Hegarty, who died with the virus in April, made a formal complaint to the HSE over the nursing home's handling of the outbreak.
The HSE’s report into the complaint said “there was a staff shortage in the aftermath of the first case being confirmed” in St Mary’s in late March.
READ MORE
Agency workers
The nursing home experienced “significant staff absenteeism during Covid-19”, meaning staffing and skill mix “were not at the maximum level”. The home “maintained staffing levels to deliver the optimum level of care” through the use of agency workers.
The report said the nursing home had been in touch with infectious disease teams for clinical advice on an “ongoing basis” since mid-March.
On April 1st, consultant geriatrician Dr Frances McCarthy made a formal request for additional supports to help cope with the outbreak in the facility.
“The geriatrician outlined that assistance/advice was required with regards to swabbing/ results delays, low stocks of PPE, staffing challenges and lack of microbiology support,” the HSE report said.
The consultant sought advice on the possibility of testing all residents on April 12th, as the number of confirmed cases continued to increase, it said. At this point transmission of the virus within the care home was considered widespread, with confirmed cases across most wards.
The report acknowledged “that resident’s families experienced difficulties contacting St Mary’s” during the outbreak, which it said was due to an increased volume of calls seeking updates.
The HSE apologised for the “disconnect” in communications, particularly between a routine phone call in the morning, which was later followed by a clinical update advising the family Ms Hegarty was near death.
“We apologise for the disconnect, particularly at a time when your family was seeking hope and reassurance,” it said.
In her complaint Ms Carrigan said despite the family requesting jewellery her aunt had been wearing to be returned to the family, this did not occur.
Huge upset
“It was a cause of huge upset when we realised our aunt’s jewellery was missing when her belongings were returned to us on May 15th,” Ms Carrigan wrote.
"St Mary's Hospital would firstly like to unequivocally apologise for the error that led to the loss of the treasured jewellery belonging to your late aunt Rose," the report said. The loss of the "irreplaceable" jewellery was attributed to "human error", it said.
Separately, an external company is currently conducting an investigation into claims by a whistleblower over how the nursing home handled the outbreak.
A HSE spokeswoman said as of December 18th there were no current confirmed cases of the virus in St Mary’s Hospital.
The previous outbreak in the facility during the first wave of the virus was declared closed on July 7th , she said.
The HSE north Dublin community healthcare organisation “offer our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of all of those who died in St Mary’s Hospital this year”, she said.


theirishtimes--2020-12-20--Covid-19 deaths in North increase by 30 over weekend

The North ’ s Department of Health reported the deaths of 30 more people with coronavirus over the weekend , with 17 fatalities announced on Saturday and 13 on Sunday .
The total number of deaths recorded by the department is now 1,196 and a further 505 people tested positive for the virus on Sunday .
The North ’ s Ministers were due to meet on Sunday night to discuss concerns over the “ aggressive new strain ” of Covid-19 responsible for a sharp rise in cases in England .
The emergency meeting had been scheduled for 9pm following requests @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Alliance and the Ulster Unionist Party .
The Ministers are also expected to consider arrangements for the Christmas period .
The rules currently in force permit up to three households to meet indoors between December 23rd and 27th , with Northern Ireland entering a strict , six-week lockdown from midnight on Christmas Day .
In a joint letter to the North ’ s First and Deputy First Ministers from Minister for Finance Conor Murphy , Minister for Justice Naomi Long and the Minister for Infrastructure Nichola Mallon on Sunday – which has @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the Ministers said they shared public concern over the new variant of the virus identified in England .
“ The speed and scale of the virus transmission spread and the fact that it is so fast-moving is a cause for alarm to us all , ” they wrote .
“ While our Executive met last Thursday and moved to take decisions ahead of others , it would be prudent for the full Executive to be briefed by the Minister of Health and the chief medical officer and chief scientific officer at the earliest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that our regulations and restrictions over the Christmas period and those agreed over the coming six-week period are sufficiently robust enough to safeguard public health in the context of these latest developments , ” the letter said .
Dr Gerry Waldron , the head of health protection at the Public Health Agency in Northern Ireland , told the BBC it would be “ absolutely astonishing ” if the new strain of coronavirus was not present in the North .
“ There are no restrictions between travelling between Great Britain and Northern Ireland , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ get cases here , there ’ s no doubt about it.
” Flights between the Republic of Ireland and Great Britain have been banned for at least 48 hours from midnight on Sunday because of concern over the new strain of Covid .
The Irish Government said there would be “ close co-operation ” with the authorities in the North .
In London and the southeast of England , plans to relax the rules on indoor gatherings at Christmas have been cancelled , with travel banned and the region put under strict lockdown @ @ @ @ @ @ @ increase in cases .
In the rest of England , as well as Scotland and Wales , the five-day Christmas relaxation period has been cut to just Christmas Day , and Scotland has banned travel to the rest of the UK .
A statement issued by the Executive office late on Saturday urged people in the North to limit Christmas gatherings to December 25th only .

Northern Ireland: Flights between the Republic of Ireland and Great Britain have been banned for at least 48 hours from midnight on Sunday because of concern over the new strain of Covid. Photograph: Pacemaker Press
The North's Department of Health reported the deaths of 30 more people with coronavirus over the weekend, with 17 fatalities announced on Saturday and 13 on Sunday.
The total number of deaths recorded by the department is now 1,196 and a further 505 people tested positive for the virus on Sunday.
The North's Ministers were due to meet on Sunday night to discuss concerns over the "aggressive new strain" of Covid-19 responsible for a sharp rise in cases in England.
The emergency meeting had been scheduled for 9pm following requests by Ministers from Sinn Féin, SDLP, Alliance and the Ulster Unionist Party.
READ MORE
The Ministers are also expected to consider arrangements for the Christmas period.
The rules currently in force permit up to three households to meet indoors between December 23rd and 27th, with Northern Ireland entering a strict, six-week lockdown from midnight on Christmas Day.
‘Speed and scale’
In a joint letter to the North's First and Deputy First Ministers from Minister for Finance Conor Murphy, Minister for Justice Naomi Long and the Minister for Infrastructure Nichola Mallon on Sunday – which has been seen by The Irish Times – the Ministers said they shared public concern over the new variant of the virus identified in England.
“The speed and scale of the virus transmission spread and the fact that it is so fast-moving is a cause for alarm to us all,” they wrote.
“While our Executive met last Thursday and moved to take decisions ahead of others, it would be prudent for the full Executive to be briefed by the Minister of Health and the chief medical officer and chief scientific officer at the earliest opportunity.
“We must satisfy ourselves that our regulations and restrictions over the Christmas period and those agreed over the coming six-week period are sufficiently robust enough to safeguard public health in the context of these latest developments,” the letter said.
Flight ban
Dr Gerry Waldron, the head of health protection at the Public Health Agency in Northern Ireland, told the BBC it would be "absolutely astonishing" if the new strain of coronavirus was not present in the North.
“There are no restrictions between travelling between Great Britain and Northern Ireland,” he said. “We will get cases here, there’s no doubt about it.”
Flights between the Republic of Ireland and Great Britain have been banned for at least 48 hours from midnight on Sunday because of concern over the new strain of Covid. The Irish Government said there would be "close co-operation" with the authorities in the North.
In London and the southeast of England, plans to relax the rules on indoor gatherings at Christmas have been cancelled, with travel banned and the region put under strict lockdown in a bid to halt the spiralling increase in cases.
In the rest of England, as well as Scotland and Wales, the five-day Christmas relaxation period has been cut to just Christmas Day, and Scotland has banned travel to the rest of the UK.
A statement issued by the Executive office late on Saturday urged people in the North to limit Christmas gatherings to December 25th only.


theirishtimes--2020-12-20--Britain travel Q&A: What you need to know about flights, ferries and refunds

How is the Irish Government dealing with the new , more virulent strain of Covid-19 detected in the UK ?
On Sunday evening , the Government announced a complete ban on flights from Great Britain for at least the next 48 hours , the strictest measures taken to date regarding international travel “ The Taoiseach , the Tánaiste , the Minister for Transport and the Minister for Health had detailed discussions on Sunday and announced that in the interests of Public Health , people in Britain , regardless of nationality , should not travel to Ireland , by air or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in a statement .
This means , all travel from Britain , except for supply-chain workers , will be banned by order of the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly from midnight .
The ban will apply to both flights and ferries .
Travel between the Republic and Northern Ireland will still be allowed but people are to be strongly advised against it .
The ban is to last for 48 hours to give Cabinet time to meet on Tuesday to discuss the issue in detail .
It is expected the ban will then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planes and ferries still run ?
All flights are to cease for the next 48 hours and probably beyond that .
The airlines have already been advised of the ban .
Ferries will continue to run to keep supply-chains open .
However these will not carry ordinary passengers .
The only exceptions to the ban are essential supply-chain workers such as ship staff and HGV drivers .
There is no provision for other “ essential travel ” , meaning people travelling for work or humanitarian reasons are included in the ban .
This @ @ @ @ @ @ @ planning to fly or sail home to spend them with their families for Christmas .
A poll by FRS Recruitment last month found upwards of four in ten Irish workers in the UK planned to return home for the festive period .
What about Irish people currently in Britain on short trips ?
The Government says it is putting in place arrangements for the repatriation of Irish residents currently in Britain on short term trips who were planning to return over the coming days .
It is not clear how these repatriation efforts @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be involved but the large numbers who will likely require assistance makes it more likely the Government will charter private aircraft .
How does the Irish move compare with the UK regulations ?
On Sunday , in reaction to the new Covid-19 strain the UK Government placed the south-east of England , including London , under Tier 4 restrictions .
These restrictions prevent any non-essential travel into or out of Tier 4 areas , including international travel .
The ban affects all residents of Greater London as well as all or parts of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Hampshire , East Sussex and Buckinghamshire .
It will be reviewed on December 30th .
People living in the rest of the country can still travel internationally and can use London ’ s airports to do so .
However the ban on the Irish side means there will be no flights to Ireland from anywhere on the island .
The Netherlands and Belgium have already halted flights and Italy is expected to follow suit .
France and Germany are believed to be considering similar measures .
What about Irish people flying home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the UK ?
Connecting flights to Ireland will also be banned for 48 hours under the Irish rules despite the UK Government continuing to allow people to transition through London airports .
Ireland will offer repatriation to Irish residents travelling home through a connecting flight in Britain .
The Government ban on flights and ferries means customers should be entitled to a full refund .
Aer Lingus and Ryanair have yet to make a statement on the matter .
Aer Lingus responded to customers on Twitter earlier on Sunday , saying it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ addressing refunds .
UK based airlines such as Easyjet have committed to refunding anyone who can not fly out of London due to the Tier 4 restrictions while British Airways is offering a voucher only .
How worried should we be about this new strain of Covid-19 ?
The UK government says the new strain is up to 70 per cent more infectious .
However there is no evidence to date that it is more dangerous or that it will be vaccine resistant .
Mr Donnelly said on Sunday he would be “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was not already in Ireland .
“ I don ’ t think anything is inevitable but I will be very , very , pleasantly surprised if it isn ’ t here , ” given the number of flights ferries and travel between the UK and Ireland .
It would be “ very naive to think it would not potentially be here ” , he said .

Ferries will continue to run to keep supply-chains open. However these will not carry ordinary passengers. Photograph: Aidan Crawley/EPA
How is the Irish Government dealing with the new, more virulent strain of Covid-19 detected in the UK?
On Sunday evening, the Government announced a complete ban on flights from Great Britain for at least the next 48 hours, the strictest measures taken to date regarding international travel
"The Taoiseach, the Tánaiste, the Minister for Transport and the Minister for Health had detailed discussions on Sunday and announced that in the interests of Public Health, people in Britain, regardless of nationality, should not travel to Ireland, by air or by sea," the Government said in a statement.
This means, all travel from Britain, except for supply-chain workers, will be banned by order of the Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly from midnight. The ban will apply to both flights and ferries. Travel between the Republic and Northern Ireland will still be allowed but people are to be strongly advised against it.
READ MORE
The ban is to last for 48 hours to give Cabinet time to meet on Tuesday to discuss the issue in detail. It is expected the ban will then be extended in some form.
Will planes and ferries still run?
All flights are to cease for the next 48 hours and probably beyond that. The airlines have already been advised of the ban.
Ferries will continue to run to keep supply-chains open. However these will not carry ordinary passengers. The only exceptions to the ban are essential supply-chain workers such as ship staff and HGV drivers.
There is no provision for other “essential travel”, meaning people travelling for work or humanitarian reasons are included in the ban.
This will affect thousands of Irish UK residents planning to fly or sail home to spend them with their families for Christmas. A poll by FRS Recruitment last month found upwards of four in ten Irish workers in the UK planned to return home for the festive period.
What about Irish people currently in Britain on short trips?
The Government says it is putting in place arrangements for the repatriation of Irish residents currently in Britain on short term trips who were planning to return over the coming days.
It is not clear how these repatriation efforts will work. The Air Corps may be involved but the large numbers who will likely require assistance makes it more likely the Government will charter private aircraft.
How does the Irish move compare with the UK regulations?
On Sunday, in reaction to the new Covid-19 strain the UK Government placed the south-east of England, including London, under Tier 4 restrictions. These restrictions prevent any non-essential travel into or out of Tier 4 areas, including international travel.
The ban affects all residents of Greater London as well as all or parts of Surrey, Kent, Essex, Bedfordshire, Hampshire, East Sussex and Buckinghamshire. It will be reviewed on December 30th.
People living in the rest of the country can still travel internationally and can use London’s airports to do so. However the ban on the Irish side means there will be no flights to Ireland from anywhere on the island.
The Netherlands and Belgium have already halted flights and Italy is expected to follow suit. France and Germany are believed to be considering similar measures.
What about Irish people flying home from another country with a connecting flight in the UK?
Connecting flights to Ireland will also be banned for 48 hours under the Irish rules despite the UK Government continuing to allow people to transition through London airports.
Ireland will offer repatriation to Irish residents travelling home through a connecting flight in Britain.
What about refunds?
The Government ban on flights and ferries means customers should be entitled to a full refund.
Aer Lingus and Ryanair have yet to make a statement on the matter. Aer Lingus responded to customers on Twitter earlier on Sunday, saying it would waive change fees, while not addressing refunds.
UK based airlines such as Easyjet have committed to refunding anyone who cannot fly out of London due to the Tier 4 restrictions while British Airways is offering a voucher only.
How worried should we be about this new strain of Covid-19?
The UK government says the new strain is up to 70 per cent more infectious. However there is no evidence to date that it is more dangerous or that it will be vaccine resistant.
Mr Donnelly said on Sunday he would be “pleasantly surprised” if the new strain was not already in Ireland.
“I don’t think anything is inevitable but I will be very, very, pleasantly surprised if it isn’t here,” given the number of flights ferries and travel between the UK and Ireland.
It would be “very naive to think it would not potentially be here”, he said.


theirishtimes--2020-12-20--Are you in Britain and has the lockdown disrupted your Christmas plans? Tell us your story

The announcement by British prime minister Boris Johnson on Saturday of new tier four restrictions , and the scrapping of @ @ @ @ @ coupled with travel restrictions , has dramatically changed the Christmas plans for millions of people @ @ @ @ @ person living in Britain whose plans have been severely impacted by the new restrictions ?
@ @ @ @ @ over the Christmas period ?
If so , please share your views and experiences ( @ @ @ @ @ filling in the text box below .
A selection of your responses may be published @ @ @ @ @ are reading this on The Irish Times app , please go here to make your @ @

A number of countries have imposed travel restrictions on passengers from Britain in response to concerns over a new variant of Covid-19. Photograph: Getty Images.
The announcement by British prime minister Boris Johnson on Saturday of new tier four restrictions, and the scrapping of the planned relaxation of rules coupled with travel restrictions, has dramatically changed the Christmas plans for millions of people.
Are you an Irish person living in Britain whose plans have been severely impacted by the new restrictions? Were you planning to travel over the Christmas period? If so, please share your views and experiences (max 300 words) by filling in the text box below.
A selection of your responses may be published on irishtimes.com.
If you are reading this on The Irish Times app, please go here to make your contribution.


theirishtimes--2020-12-20--‘Unbelievable co-operation’ restores burned house for Christmas

Just days after Tom Hill ’ s house went up in flames , friends , neighbours and people from around Roscommon town formed a plan to fix it up in time for Christmas .
The 74-year-old Roscommon resident had a narrow escape on October 25th after a candle sparked a huge fire while he slept in the next room .
A phone call from a friend and a rap on the window from a concerned neighbour alerted Mr Hill to the fire surrounding him .
“ I can still smell it and taste it – the smoke .
It is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smoke , when it hits you , ” he recalled .
“ It could have been much worse ; there could have been children in the house and I couldn ’ t have coped with that , ” Mr Hill said .
A group of volunteers , including skilled builders and tradespeople , began work on Mr Hill ’ s home with the aim of getting him back in his own bed by Christmas .
After just seven weeks of work , Mr Hill , known locally as T , is ready to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on schedule , ” Gerry Browne , one of the organisers , said , adding : “ This whole thing has been very heartwarming .
It was an example of community in action .
“ There wasn ’ t even one angry exchange between the team .
The level of co-operation was really unbelievable , ” he said .
A surveyor had estimated the repairs to Mr Hill ’ s home would cost €70,000-€80,000 .
The volunteers raised €25,000 through a fundraising page and private donations .
Businesses around the town also donated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , roof sheeting , scaffolding , tiles , shower units , a television and a microwave .
The materials , as well as the fact so many of those who volunteered were highly skilled tradespeople , cut the cost of the build to about €25,000 .
“ We will be closing the GoFundMe Page early .
We really didn ’ t know what figure but we have had a big response , ” he said .
The generosity shown by the community of Roscommon was “ huge ” but unsurprising , Mr Browne @ @ @ @ @ @ @ around the town because he knows a huge amount of people .
He is in with everybody , ” he explained .
In the wake of the fire Mr Hill was left feeling “ lucky and unlucky ” .
While his belongings went up in flames , he has found himself rich with the kindness of people from throughout the town .
“ Money means nothing to me .
What do I want but only an old bed to lie down ?
” he said .
“ I have the best neighbours and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ They have done a magnificent job of it .
I just don ’ t know how to thank them enough , ” he said .
After two months living with his neighbours , Mr Hill is looking forward to returning to the house where he grew up .
“ I had great old times here .
I wouldn ’ t leave this house if I won a billion euro in the morning , ” Mr Hill said , adding that he can still remember the smell of his mother ’ s bread baking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the corner of Henry Street looks different now , he said , but it will “ always be one in a million to me ” .

Tom Hill outside his refurbished home with some of the volunteers who worked on the project. Photograph: Gerard O’Loughlin
Just days after Tom Hill’s house went up in flames, friends, neighbours and people from around Roscommon town formed a plan to fix it up in time for Christmas.
The 74-year-old Roscommon resident had a narrow escape on October 25th after a candle sparked a huge fire while he slept in the next room. A phone call from a friend and a rap on the window from a concerned neighbour alerted Mr Hill to the fire surrounding him.
“I can still smell it and taste it – the smoke. It is a hell of a feeling, that smoke, when it hits you,” he recalled.
Tom Hill inside his gutted home last November. Photograph: Gerard O’Loughlin
“It could have been much worse; there could have been children in the house and I couldn’t have coped with that,” Mr Hill said.
READ MORE
A group of volunteers, including skilled builders and tradespeople, began work on Mr Hill’s home with the aim of getting him back in his own bed by Christmas. After just seven weeks of work, Mr Hill, known locally as T, is ready to move home.
“We are bang on schedule,” Gerry Browne, one of the organisers, said, adding: “This whole thing has been very heartwarming. It was an example of community in action.
“There wasn’t even one angry exchange between the team. The level of co-operation was really unbelievable,” he said.
A surveyor had estimated the repairs to Mr Hill’s home would cost €70,000-€80,000. The volunteers raised €25,000 through a fundraising page and private donations. Businesses around the town also donated materials, such as windows, doors, roof sheeting, scaffolding, tiles, shower units, a television and a microwave. The materials, as well as the fact so many of those who volunteered were highly skilled tradespeople, cut the cost of the build to about €25,000.
“We will be closing the GoFundMe Page early. We really didn’t know what figure but we have had a big response,” he said.
The generosity shown by the community of Roscommon was “huge” but unsurprising, Mr Browne said.
“T is a legend around the town because he knows a huge amount of people. He is in with everybody,” he explained.
‘Lucky and unlucky’
In the wake of the fire Mr Hill was left feeling “lucky and unlucky”. While his belongings went up in flames, he has found himself rich with the kindness of people from throughout the town.
“Money means nothing to me. What do I want but only an old bed to lie down?” he said.
“I have the best neighbours and the best friends in the world. They have done a magnificent job of it. I just don’t know how to thank them enough,” he said.
After two months living with his neighbours, Mr Hill is looking forward to returning to the house where he grew up.
“I had great old times here. I wouldn’t leave this house if I won a billion euro in the morning,” Mr Hill said, adding that he can still remember the smell of his mother’s bread baking in the oven.
The house on the corner of Henry Street looks different now, he said, but it will “always be one in a million to me”.


theirishtimes--2020-12-20--Cork gardaí break up ‘car meet’ attended by up to 800 people

Gardaí in Cork broke up a “ car meet ” on Saturday evening which was attended by more than 250 vehicles and up to 800 people .
There was little evidence of social distancing , face masks or general compliance with public health guidance surrounding Covid-19 , said gardaí .
The event was “ a disgraceful gathering of persons , despite the health advices in the last few days ” , said the Garda , quoting an inspector who attended the scene .
Car meets are typically gatherings of enthusiasts in a public place such as a car park .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ Retail Park , Little Island , outside Cork city .
It is understood it was organised through social media and on messenger groups .
There were some older males , aged in their 30s and 40s in attendance , some of whom had brought their children .
However , most attendees were men and woman aged in their 20s .
Participants travelled from the greater Cork area and various parts of Munster to attend , said gardaí “ Gardaí immediately engaged with this large group and advised them to disperse , a direction @ @ @ @ @ @ @ attendance within a short period of time .
There were no public order incidents and sufficient gardaí attended the scene to effectively disperse the gathering.
” One man was arrested at the scene for drunkenness and he was later charged and bailed to appear in court at a later date while gardaí also seized a souped-up Lexus belonging to another enthusiast under section 41 Road Traffic Act .
“ It was pure stupidity on the part of those who gathered in Little Island .
They somehow either weren ’ t aware of or @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on limiting social contacts to prevent a rise in Covid 19 numbers , ” said a Garda source .
According to a spokesman for the force there were no public order incidents at the gathering and the whole incident was over within 30 minutes .
But he urged car enthusiasts to listen to the public health advice so that there would be no repeat over the Christmas period or beyond .
Following the incident the Garda also took the opportunity to issue a reminder that many Covid-19 restrictions remain in place including a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 15 people , something which can attract criminal sanctions .
“ While this event appears to have been organised on social media , An Garda Síochána has and will continue to investigate any event held in breach of the Covid-19 regulations and advice will be sought from the DPP in each case .
”

The event was ‘a disgraceful gathering of persons, despite the health advices in the last few days,’ the Garda said, quoting an inspector who attended the scene. Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill/The Irish Times
Gardaí in Cork broke up a "car meet" on Saturday evening which was attended by more than 250 vehicles and up to 800 people.
There was little evidence of social distancing, face masks or general compliance with public health guidance surrounding Covid-19, said gardaí.
The event was “a disgraceful gathering of persons, despite the health advices in the last few days”, said the Garda, quoting an inspector who attended the scene.
Hospital Report
Car meets are typically gatherings of enthusiasts in a public place such as a car park. Saturday's event took at Eastgate Retail Park, Little Island, outside Cork city. It is understood it was organised through social media and on messenger groups.
READ MORE
There were some older males, aged in their 30s and 40s in attendance, some of whom had brought their children.
However, most attendees were men and woman aged in their 20s. Participants travelled from the greater Cork area and various parts of Munster to attend, said gardaí
“Gardaí immediately engaged with this large group and advised them to disperse, a direction which was complied with by all in attendance within a short period of time. There were no public order incidents and sufficient gardaí attended the scene to effectively disperse the gathering.”
One man was arrested at the scene for drunkenness and he was later charged and bailed to appear in court at a later date while gardaí also seized a souped-up Lexus belonging to another enthusiast under section 41 Road Traffic Act.
“It was pure stupidity on the part of those who gathered in Little Island. They somehow either weren’t aware of or completely ignored the recent public health advice on limiting social contacts to prevent a rise in Covid 19 numbers,” said a Garda source.
According to a spokesman for the force there were no public order incidents at the gathering and the whole incident was over within 30 minutes. But he urged car enthusiasts to listen to the public health advice so that there would be no repeat over the Christmas period or beyond.
Criminal sanctions
Following the incident the Garda also took the opportunity to issue a reminder that many Covid-19 restrictions remain in place including a ban on organised events involving more than 15 people, something which can attract criminal sanctions.
"While this event appears to have been organised on social media, An Garda Síochána has and will continue to investigate any event held in breach of the Covid-19 regulations and advice will be sought from the DPP in each case."


theirishtimes--2020-12-21--Two of four new post-primary schools to be run by Educate Together

Two of the four post-primary schools to be established in 2021 have been awarded to Educate Together , Minister for Education Norma Foley has announced .
The new post-primary schools are being established in September 2021 as part of the Government ’ s plan to cater for current and future demographic growth .
By the time of completion , the new schools will be able to cater for more than 2,700 students .
Le Chéile Schools Trust was awarded patronage of the new school in Ballincollig in Co Cork .
The school was initially announced as a 600 pupil school @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it has since been decided that the school size should be increased to have the potential to cater for 1,000 pupils .
In the school planning area of Booterstown , Blackrock and Dún Laoghaire in Dublin , Educate Together was awarded patronage of the 1,000 pupil school .
Educate Together will also be the patron of the new post-primary school in Gorey , Co Wexford , which will cater for 500 pupils .
In Dunshaughlin , Co Meath , the Louth and Meath Education and Training Board ( LMETB ) will be the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ While the school will be taught through English , the school patron will give consideration to the establishment of an Irish-medium Unit ( Aonad ) , depending on demand from parents , the Department said .
In all cases of patronage , the Minister accepted the recommendations of the new schools establishment group ( NSEG ) , an independent advisory group .
Minister Foley said she is “ delighted ” the patronage process could continue , despite the ongoing Covid-19 situation .
“ The views of parents as expressed through the process are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on the patronage of these four new schools , ” she said .
Sites have not yet been secured for all four schools .
In relation to Dunshaughlin , the potential to locate the school on lands currently being acquired by the minister is “ being explored ” .
Regarding the school to cater for the Booterstown , Blackrock & Dún Laoghaire school planning areas , the Department has acquired a site of circa .
3 acres site for this school at Newtownpark Avenue , Blackrock , Co Dublin , referred to as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the other two schools , the site identification process is ongoing .

In all cases of patronage, the Minister accepted the recommendations of the new schools establishment group. File photograph: Dave Thompson/PA Wire
Two of the four post-primary schools to be established in 2021 have been awarded to Educate Together, Minister for Education Norma Foley has announced.
The new post-primary schools are being established in September 2021 as part of the Government’s plan to cater for current and future demographic growth.
By the time of completion, the new schools will be able to cater for more than 2,700 students.
Le Chéile Schools Trust was awarded patronage of the new school in Ballincollig in Co Cork.
READ MORE
The school was initially announced as a 600 pupil school, however due to emerging demand, it has since been decided that the school size should be increased to have the potential to cater for 1,000 pupils.
In the school planning area of Booterstown, Blackrock and Dún Laoghaire in Dublin, Educate Together was awarded patronage of the 1,000 pupil school.
Educate Together will also be the patron of the new post-primary school in Gorey, Co Wexford, which will cater for 500 pupils.
In Dunshaughlin, Co Meath, the Louth and Meath Education and Training Board (LMETB) will be the patron of the 600 pupil school.
While the school will be taught through English, the school patron will give consideration to the establishment of an Irish-medium Unit (Aonad), depending on demand from parents, the Department said.
In all cases of patronage, the Minister accepted the recommendations of the new schools establishment group (NSEG), an independent advisory group.
Minister Foley said she is “delighted” the patronage process could continue, despite the ongoing Covid-19 situation.
“ The views of parents as expressed through the process are reflected in the decisions I have made on the patronage of these four new schools,” she said.
Sites have not yet been secured for all four schools. In relation to Dunshaughlin, the potential to locate the school on lands currently being acquired by the minister is “being explored”.
Regarding the school to cater for the Booterstown, Blackrock & Dún Laoghaire school planning areas, the Department has acquired a site of circa. 3 acres site for this school at Newtownpark Avenue, Blackrock, Co Dublin, referred to as "the Abilene property".
For the other two schools, the site identification process is ongoing.