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TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN has said the government will consider an extra Bank Holiday for 2021.
The idea of Ireland having an extra bank holiday to boost the tourism sector has been mooted for several months and was also raised in a recent report on how to boost tourism.
The Tourism Recovery Plan from the Tourism Recovery Taskforce said among its recommendations that an additional bank holiday in the off-peak season should be considered.
While there had been reports earlier in the year that an extra Bank Holiday could be on the cards for 2020, a senior government source indicated that this could be more likely next year when the effects of the pandemic may have eased.
When asked about whether another bank holiday is on the cards for Ireland, Martin told TheJournal.ie:
“I think that is one potential, yes, that we could do in terms of reflecting and acknowledging the work of many workers in different fields and in different sectors…
“We’ll consider it.”
Ireland lags quite a few days behind countries like Austria, Sweden and other European countries when it comes to public holidays.
Higher Education Minister Simon Harris told TheJournal.ie earlier this year that an extra bank holiday would be a good idea, saying there would be “some benefit in having a day to recognise all that people have been through and sacrificed”.
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Shock? How? It was the most obvious thing coming since before the re-opened.
@Madra: it was the most obvious thing since last march.
@Madra: the effects of the virus and deaths from/with it are far more shocking
@Madra: how was it
@Fergal Doyle: how was what?
@Mattress Dick: yes all those CASES are shocking.. SMH.
@Madra: in fairness most of the retailers have been really vigilant in controlling how many people enter their stores. This virus is not being spread by people visiting a store to shop… Its being spread by people having close contact with family and friends. The general attitude seems to have been.. Let’s party.. We’re going to be in lockdown anyway in January… So let’s have a few family members over and maybe a neighbour…. I have seen and heard of it in the small estate that I live in.. People just don’t seem to get it…. Until they lose someone they love.
@DeeM: people just dont seem to get it ……OR CARE.
If they’re shocked by this then I’m just as shocked that they have the capability to run a business in the first place
@Sean Ryan: that’s a bit unfair sean to be fair. Most successful businesses that have been running for years definitely have the capability to run a business. The comment was made by the usual pr consultants and unions. These companies are in dire straits and maybe will never open again. Now while i agree with the measures being taken i don’t agree with your very flippant comment.
@Paul Gorry: are you shocked that “non essential” businesses are closing again? I’m not. I don’t know anyone who wasn’t expecting this. My comment is regarding the claim that people are shocked by this.
@Sean Ryan: no iam definitely not shocked by it and totally agree with it, and was definitely expecting it. I was referring to your comment that anybody who wasn’t expecting this doesn’t have the capability to run a business. Thats all.
@Sean Ryan: not a fair comment nor right… Retailers have complied with the restrictions and opened and closed when they were told… They put in safeguards to protect their customers…. This virus is not being spread by people visiting a store to shop…. It’s spread by people visiting each others homes. People need to cop on and stay in their own bubble.
@Paul Gorry: so enlighten me Sean ill wait in vain i expect..
@Paul Gorry: so if you wish to explain please do.
@Sean Ryan: id be more shocked if you explained your original comment.
@Paul Gorry: It’s probably time you let go Paul.
@Paul Gorry: what on earth are you waiting on an explanation for? I fully stand by what I said.
Is it absolutely awful for retailers? Yes. And they have full sympathy. I’ve never nor implied that they didn’t work hard. My comment is that any retailer who is saying they’re shocked at this news is clearly not clued up on the situation. Flippant? Yes, but also accurate.
I manage one of these so called non essential shops, its 23000 square feet in size and we have a maximum of 20 people including staff in store at any one time. That’s over 1000 sq feet per person. All HSE guidelines are followed with hand sanitisers, social distancing, mask wearing etc…. So tell me how much more dangerous are we compared to when I was shopping in a well known food retailer this week, store size probably 30000 sq feet and it was packed with customers. No social distancing, only one visible hand sanitiser station, and the staff acted as if the shop was empty, no respect for space between customers, they were only concerned with filling the shelves ASAP. Doesn’t add up.
@Alan Duffy: yeah I think a lot of complacency set in with a good few if the food retailers. Knowing they won’t close. Some shops have been chaotic I’ve been in. I wish you well Alan.
@Seaniecp: thank you Sean, its frustrating to see what is going on in the stores that are allowed to stay open. We have over 130 people to think about every week, their families also depend on us staying open.
@Alan Duffy: I think the reason for closure is because the shops have been open for the last few days there hasn’t been any adherence to the house visits when people could travel when they want. It’s not so much the shops that is transmitting it but if everything is closed and there’s no movement people will be seen on the roads etc. We’ve been really lucky locally even since the start of it all with little to no cases and there’s been so many in the last week alone so it is different. Believe me I feel the pain of any business owner, my business has barely traded since March.
@Edward Reid: really sorry to hear that Edward, times are tougher on other businesses and you seem to be getting hit badly. I hope thing improve for you soon.
@Alan Duffy: I’m in complete agreement with you. I was in one of the large home electrical shops in Galway today. Maybe twenty customers plus staff with a queue outside. And yet some of the aisles of the supermarket adjacent to it had more in it that the entire electrical shop. I didn’t even stay in the supermarket I just left. It doesn’t make any sense.
@Alan Duffy: I agree with Alan. Non grocery retail stores were most careful and totally abided by the rules. Those stores were less hazardous than food stores, footfall was controlled and sanitisers were available. Gaa & horse racing allowed, golf & tennis banned, tell me where the logic is there? The government reaction is dictated by media hysteria. A more measured approach would make more sense. Those who have never abided by the rules will continue to put us all at risk. More penalties for non compliance should be enforced.
@Alan Duffy: Sadly it does, they have to close down all the shops. It is a case of the lowest common denominator nit the highest.
If all shops did what you did and all people followed the rules there would be no problem.
But they don’t.
Thats is what brought in the shut down. Shop owners refusal to do things properly and peoples refusal to follow the rules.
Sad but true.
@Alan Duffy: yes your right but we do need food… and yes supermarkets have not all been good Dunnes in Cornelscourt is one example where there were way to many customers in the grocery part on many occasions and no one there controlling…
Thank you China, for making our life difficult
@BatmanDC: And don’t forget the English flu
@BatmanDC: let buy Irish,this lockdown.
@alan hickey: Flu and common cold virus have amazingly disappeared ! They must be hiding from the vicious corona19 or where could they possibly have they gone?
@BatmanDC: the England virus is rampant
@Michael Maher: wouldn’t that be due to social distancing and increased hygiene! Common cold and flu are far less contagious according to what’s in the news, so the fact they are much less prevalent is actually not surprising at all
@alan hickey: I’d say the Spanish flu … it was already spread all over the Europe in war but they said nothing … who knows where and when the covid 19 spread commenced, the time will tell
@Mark H: Amazing is it not look at all the thousands of lives that could have been saved from flu if these measures were taken years ago.
@Michael Maher: you are most likely correct, it probably would have saved countless lives.
@alan hickey: Tanish flu
@Maria Quinn: time has told.
@BatmanDC: path etic
@Spongetron: Heraldic. Nice one.
@Michael Maher: Not really, the kids brought a cold into the house just before Christmas and we all got it
@BatmanDC: and the EU have just opened huge trade deals with China after 7 yrs of discussions.
@BatmanDC: Ah I think we should blame the CCP. Yeah they control China dictator style but it’s not the whole country’s fault.
@Peter Kelly: I swear if the EU considered the Belt and Road by the CCP then we will all be in a debt trap. the EU need to big up its stance if its to do trade but personally I think they should trade elsewhere after the year was ruined by the CCP’s lies.
Ya, really he shouldn’t be anywhere near the title he has if he was ‘shocked’ at todays announcement.
Retail was next in line to shut, the government know its a small blow to the economy for January, they left construction which is a major blow and massive cost to them paying out PUP, they call it full level 5 but it’s not, the media and government have not said one word about construction as it would put at least another 600 to 700 thousand out of work,
@Mick Hannigan:
And still the off-licences are open…
@Mick Hannigan: biggest employer in the country is retial
@Mick Hannigan: biggest employer is retail
@Mary Walshe: something to do with mental health…..
I suppose….
Oh, one day the penny might drop..
Just sayin’ like…
@Fergal Doyle: it is the biggest employer, but when you take construction and every business associated with it, it amount to at least double the amount of people in retail, remember not all retail is shut either,
@Mick Hannigan: no Mark but retail employees 285,000 and makes it the largest private sector employer. Less than 1% infections have occurred via retail incl so called essential and that stat to this day goes back as far as March. Remember masks became mandatory in August. Tell me if retail is not causing spread as the facts lay out then why bother closing.
It won’t make a difference to the numbers either way but will cost the state, jobs and businesses closing. I guess that’s okay.
@Fergal Doyle: I never said it was OK or anything like that, nor did I say it was a big contributor to contracting the virus, my point was that the government have been very selective in what they done and how they delivered that to the media, it’s simple, it’s not a full level 5 lockdown like they are saying, that has been my point, that’s all,
@Mick Hannigan: it’s all about keeping the schools open, back in March they stated one of their priorities was to get the schools back open.
@Mick Hannigan: what’s your problem with construction your bleating on about it all over the journal, someone in my house works in construction and they have proper restrictions in place, they don’t want to close down. Not every construction worker comes from NI!
It’s hard to argue with them. It’s a knee jerk reaction at best. ICU, albeit increasing in recent days, has been at similar levels in recent months. We’re entering peak month for hospitals like we do this time every year and we know Covid 19 like most viruses is seasonal, so this was very much expected. Do the right things, be safe, but keep the country open.
@Toon Army: Hospital and and ICU admissions are rising rapidly And with the new variant we’re now at a high risk if the capacity getting overrun. That’s the concern.
Lobbyists like this have a big part in getting us in this latest mess. Retail were asked not to have Jan sales. Every shop I’ve been in this week have a sale on!
@Lad_The: Retail incl so called essential has been responsible for less than 1% infection and that’s going back to March before masks
@Toon Army: we don’t know that Covid19 is seasonal. We’ve only known about it for a year. A year in which lockdowns have altered the spread of the virus. It may well become seasonal as with other viruses, bit we have no idea about that yet. As for ICU numbers, due to the course of the disease, they lag behind case numbers, and hospitalisations. Both of these have been increasing at an alarming rate, I would expect ICU numbers to follow. Seasonality, however, has nothing to do with it. We are starting from a worse baseline than March, but we know what the drill is to reduce the numbers this time. They are temporary measures, and they will allow normal medical services to continue. Otherwise elective work will be cancelled again while we deal with Covid19.
@Lad_The: check out the numbers on trolleys this day last year if you want to see overrun hospitals
@Fergal Doyle: Agree that shopping is a relatively low risk activity but 1% can’t be backed up as it’s impossible to track and trace in retail as contact details aren’t tracked.
Zoning in on retail is missing the point. There is a very real.risk of icu getting over run now.
We’ve seen ‘who lives’ decisions happen in other countries. We don’t want to go there. So lockdown across the board is needed.
@Dave Harris: over run icu is the issue.
Trolleys in thr past were a disgrace but it’s a separate discussion.
@Dave Harris: or the numbers that don’t have to pay for health care.
@Lad_The: still less than 20% icu capacity
@Dave Harris: which based on the case numbers now will also rise rapidly. So needs to be addressed now not when it’s at 90%.
@Toon Army: Covid19 isn’t seasonal
@Daniel Lehane: All other coronaviruses follow seasonal patterns. So we don’t know, but it’s likely it’s seasonal given recent resurgences. Lockdowns have not had a significant impact on the virus in any way. Certain European countries like Sweden and UK had no restrictions during the summer (with large mixing) and Covid was causing no impact. The trajectory of the virus has not been controlled by restrictions.
@Mark Walsh: it’s absolutely seasonal.
@Toon Army: how can you say covid 19 is seasonal!!!, thats the most brain dead comment I’ve heard all year
@Toon Army: what about the USA in summer? Bucks that trend.
@Toon Army: COVID 19 seasonal? It’s been around 4 seasons now FFS!
@Toon Army: we absolutely do not know if Covid19 is seasonal. Many warmer countries with completely different seasonal patterns to Ireland have suffered continuously with it. The UK has had ongoing restrictions since March. No crowds in stadiums, at festivals. They did allow pubs and restaurants more freedom, and have struggled to contain the virus. Sweden are now introducing legislation to increase restrictions. The only thing we have good evidence for is that restricting interactions reduces transmission of the virus. Every lockdown has been followed by reducing numbers, every relaxation has been followed by an increase. None of us like lockdowns. However, they are a necessary, temporary, evil at present to reduce the spread of the virus, allowing elective healthcare to continue
@Lad_The: ah! but its not jan yet
So get out there and get the last of yer cheeky Charlie’s…
@Toon Army: Covid-19 is not seasonal. The virus runs in all weathers in all countries.
Saying otherwise makes you look foolish.
@Daniel Lehane: Not the case. In UK pubs and beaches were full over the summer with no rise in hospitalizations. Ditto Sweden. Very hard to extract the seasonal movement from impact of restrictions, the latter which is minimal.
I think people are really annoyed at the lies and flip flopping. Promised 6 January before changes, then 12th and then lockdown from 31st December. Each announcement is surrounded by drama. The announcement of an announcement the next day followed by a full day of leaks and conjecture. If they’d just be honest
@Critical Thinker: case numbers rising exponentially. Throw in the new variant. This rise wasn’t expected or predicted Hence thr change in dates. Honesty isn’t the issue Bowing to hobbyist pressure has been though.
@Lad_The: lobbyist* :-)
@Lad_The: I completely accept the situation is dynamic. So why the need to give random dates such as 12 Jan and why the drama surrounding the announcements? They knew yesterday that this would be the case. The only reason I can see for announcing that there would be announcements is to create an aura of suspense. It’s all for show
@Critical Thinker: They are being honest, the situation changes almost daily and they react to it.
Dealing with a pandemic they respond, they do not have control over it.
Only the possibility of closing down things to stop the spread of it.
If people followed the guidelines there would be no need for the constant changes.
As they don’t then they have to respond.
Put the blame in the right place, the people who dont follow the rules.
If politicians and/or NPHET suffered financially from lockdowns, we would not have them.
@Verners Tess: |That is the best you got. At this stage that sounds even more far fetched than it was in march.
Lockdown the journal.ie
@Peter Coen: best response
@Peter Coen: why are you reading it then?????
God these retail lobbyists are taking the absolute proverbial at this stage. You’ve had a ridiculous run at it all xmas season when ye shouldn’t have and it’s still not enough
@▪️: after an absolutely atrocious year. I wonder how many people complaining don’t have to worry about seeing their livelihoods being destroyed right in front of them.
You got your xmas sales so why you complaining??
Now the off licences need to close…
@Eddie Michael:
Totally agree with you! Why they haven’t been closed during the previous lockdowns is beyond me! It’s just asking for house parties and the subsequent consequences
Have to say more retailers than others didn’t do what hey were supposed to do. I walked out of a shopping centre in Dublin again today (needed things,not there for the craic) as it was like a busy Saturday
This lock down will probably finish a lot of business now.
Are lives not considered important anymore???
Just thinkin’ out loud…
How is it a hammer blow, the virus has a hold on the country, deaths rising cases rising and ICU’s around the country about to become overwhelmed.
You dont have to working in the industry to see this coming.
Shocked really why ? My local Lidl dosent even provide hand sanitizer anymore !!
I cannot accept this reasoning when you can go to a particular supermarket in Cornelscourt , eventually find a parking space after maybe 20 minutes and then go to a crowded no social distancing shop…..I stopped going to this store in November as I felt it was unsafe….
@Linda Oreilly: I shop there regularly couldn’t agree, they’re only letting X amount into the shop at any one time.
When is there gonna be one word from a reprepresentative body which even indicates understanding of the necessity for these difficult decisions? No Doubting that there is significant detrimental effect on business life, but there’s an alternative?
Happy New Year !
Tee-shock spoilt our Christmas/New year
by opening up too soon
Playing politics
A shock? Even the dogs on the street knew about this, until they were run over by marauding shoppers & kids on the piss.
It was always going to happen
The new restrictions seem to imply those “non-essential “ retailers can’t even operate online as their staff won’t be able to go to work to process orders if they live further than 5km from their place of work. It’s a bit difficult to accept stock deliveries, package them up or send them out if you can’t go to the location where all of that takes place.
@Eileesh Buckley: you can travel outside the 5k to go to work if necessary, if your looking after elderly relative, to attend medical app etc… The 5k is for everyone to stay between in terms of exercise
If wearing a mask reduces the risk of transmission to just three percent, and you have to wear a mask in a shop, why would they possible need to be closed…?
@Philip Cullen: Wearing a mask is one of many techniques to stop the spread of the virus. It is not a 100% way to do it but it helps considerably. However some people wont wear them or wear them incorrectly.
Next time retailers should ignore guidelines and look out for themselves because they’ve learnt that even if you act responsibly you’ll still be scapegoated
They need to cop on now and close up
I agree with the non essential shops. The information has been very confusing even on today’s announcement. The articles said there are opened and then few lines down they said there are close.
It is not fair and the mental health benefits of shopping are ignored.
It is hard to comprehend the reason for not allowing a controlled environment like shopping for the shake of people’s mental health and wellbeing; and then the outdoors is like the wild west, everything is allowed under the holy name of people’s mental health and wellbeing.
Shut down the cycling facilities would have more impact in reducing the spread than shutting down the non essential shops but there is b.lls to do it. A whole country kidnapped by pseudo ecologists, if they don’t care about people and covid spread how could they care about the climate change? they denial the impact of covid and then get mad with climate change denials … very incoherent
BS headline
Surprised they haven’t started calling it the” Flu K”
House partayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!
Shock me ear
have your say