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CABINET IS EXPECTED to sign off on the closure of schools until February, following last night’s meeting of the sub-committee on Covid-19.
It comes as the numbers in hospital with the virus exceed the previous mid-April peak.
The Cabinet sub-committee – which includes the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and senior ministers – met yesterday to discuss further restrictions.
It was decided schools will remain closed until at least 31 January. However, certain special schools and classes for those with special needs will remain open.
The government will review school closures on 30 January.
The majority of construction sites will also close, with only limited sites involved in the construction of social housing, schools and other exempted projects allowed to remain open.
The click-and-collect exemption for non-essential retailers is also set to be scrapped.
The current 5km limit for exercise is to stay in place.
In addition, Cabinet are set to agree that all travellers into Ireland from any country will have to provide a negative PCR test from the previous 72 hours.
It will be implented first for those travelling from the UK and South Africa, but then extended to other countries.
The travel ban from Britain and South Africa will be extended by 48 hours and will now elapse at midnight on Friday.
After that, all travellers from those countries will have to provide a negative Covid-19 test when they arrive in Ireland.
Passengers will have to show the negative test results when boarding.
If they travel without a prior test result, passengers could be subject to a fine, or detention.
The requirement for a negative test from other countries will be introduced at a later stage.
The full Cabinet meets today to finalise the measures and sign-off on the new rules, and an announcement is expected later today.
Schools and construction sites
Yesterday, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said he is in agreement with Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan that there is an issue with more than one million people being “on the go” travelling to schools, given the rapidity of the spread of coronavirus.
“Opening schools means that a million people are out there in the community. And given the rapidity and the spread of the disease, and given what we’re witnessing elsewhere in other jurisdictions, in terms of that rapidity, and that growth, one has to really measure the advisability of doing that.”
It’s understood a number of ministers believe the entire construction industry should remain open.
Speaking yesterday, Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe stressed the importance of the construction sector to the economy.
“From an employment point of view alone, I do believe that keeping construction open will be a very important part of how we can help our economy recover as we move through the year. But we’ll have to hear from NPHET in terms of what could be the consequences of doing that.”
In an interview with TheJournal.ie before Christmas and ahead of the latest significant surge in the virus, Housing Minister Darragh Murphy said construction would remain open throughout.
“Yes, 100%. We’re real clear on that, that construction, and its ancillary services, so support services for construction, are essential services, and they remain open in the current restrictions,” he said. The minister said the industry has adapted well and is operating safely.
However, it is understood that some in Government circles believe that when schools are closed and hospital operations are cancelled, it’s difficult to argue that construction is essential.
The construction industry’s reaction
Speaking on Newstalk this morning, Tom Parlon, Director General of the Construction Industry Federation, said that that he was “quite shocked” to hear of the new restrictions.
“The last lockdown caused us to lose 5,000 new homes out of production, and that’s why we’re trailing behind here. The output was cut by about 10%, which would be to the tune of about €3 billion. So it is quite a severe hit on the industry and on the economy.
I was talking to a Minister last night, and he assured me that housing will continue, infrastructure like water and health projects will continue, and education projects will continue.
“The UK announced a lockdown this week – they haven’t closed construction sites. Scotland hasn’t closed construction sites, Northern Ireland construction sites haven’t been closed.”
Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, developer Michael O’Flynn said that “no other country in Europe has stopped construction” because of the Covid-19 pandemic, bar Italy as it first grappled with the virus in the Spring.
“It is seen as something that can operate… There has to be a logic, a consistency of approach here. We are doing it safely, we are doing it differently, as we should.”
Deputy Mayor of South County Dublin, David McManus said that while social housing sites are expected to remain open, “all housing sites under construction are essential to resolve our severe shortage of housing, both private and social homes”.
New restrictions hoped to reduce movement of people
The Taoiseach said yesterday that suppressing the virus will mean a significant reduction in the mobility of people back to the levels that we had in Ireland in March.
“In other words, we really have to say to people you’ve got to stay at home over the next number of weeks.”
While schools are due to remain closed this month, there are concerns that they could remain closed for longer, with one minister stating the 31 January is just an indicative date.
Any services that close now, including schools, could remain shut until the most vulnerable have been vaccinated and case numbers are down to a low level.
In order for some parts of the economy to reopen, swabbing of close contacts would have to be back up and running so that the numbers would be comparable to other periods in the pandemic. Among ministers, there is a lot of caution around easing off on the restrictions until ICU numbers are back to around 30 and hospitalisaions are below 250.
It is speculated that this won’t happen before the end of February, maybe March.
As of 2pm yesterday, 840 Covid-19 patients were in hospital, of which 76 were in ICU.
While the issue of imposing a curfew, as has been done in other countries, was not on the agenda of last night’s meeting, it is understood that some ministers are in favour of introducing one.
A memo is being brought to Cabinet by Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys today seeking approval to maintain the Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) at its current rates until 31 March.
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What a load of BS, this is a financial issue for the organiser that couldn’t care less about environmental impact, cheap tents (and other camping gear) are barely usable first time round let alone be reusable…. Whether binned by the organisers or by people at home the net result is the same… All that changes is ultimately who is paying for the service
@Jayo Breathneach: Exactly, it’s just littering on an epic scale
@Jayo Breathneach: completely agree, but an organisation dodging financial responsibility while trying to claim they are being environmentally conscious isnt helping the actual environmental issue.
Every person that leaves gear behind was seen to do so by a number of other people. Let festival goers police themselves and ultimately either pay more for their tickets to cover the financial burden, or lose their festival if they fail to do so.
At the very least have gardai/litter wardens on duty the final morning issuing fines for illegal dumping.
Take the financial and convenience benefits away from cheap gear and it becomes a less attractive option nudging people towards better quality gear that they can use for years, thereby contributing towards improving both problems
@Ian: B&S operate a green camping zone where sustainable and litter-free camping is encouraged and policed, it’s a much nicer environment to stay in and the people there are really good about leaving the place spotless. It’s free to stay there too, that’s where I camp each year.
@Ian: There’s a bigger issue here, it’s not the festival organisers or Garda etc responsibility to police such behaviour, nor can you directly blame the public. Yes the public are more lazy, but we live in and have created a throw away culture. As a result of everything we buy becoming cheaper and more disposable. Not just with tents but with other products that pollute the environment. Maybe there should be higher levels of Tax on lower quality products. The “Tesco tent” being a prime example, why should the responsibility not be on the producer/seller of the product. There should be some kind of benchmark pricing structure on certain consumables. Tents, Plastics, etc.. Not sure how that is implemented, but consumers should be encouraged to purchase products that have a longer life span, at the point of purchase. An extension of the plastic bag Tax on other products, encourages both the consumer and the seller to go for more quality/long life products Change peoples purchasing habits and you’ll change the world, Quality over price. If consumers have to be more discerning in their purchasing habits, then less waste is created.
They should have a tent station at exits for people who don’t want to take them home pack them up leave them a the tent station and they can then be donated to homeless charities throughout the country
@Richard Slattery: homeless charities? Seriously, do you think some priveliged kids second hand mouldy €20 tent can be used to house the homeless? Christ almighty. The condescension is reeking.
@Richard Slattery: the problem is that people aren’t bothered about packing them up ..
@yelkcub: he didn’t say use it to house the homeless .. and is it only privileged kuds that go to festivals ??
@Suzie Sunshine: * kids
@yelkcub: I think it could help out in the short term I don’t see them as a housing solution and never stated so and as for privileged kids at festivals I’ve been to many and I am far from privleged so not sure what your point is there …. And as for the reek of condescension I suggest get that checked out by a doctor
@yelkcub: Scouting Ireland volunteers used to spend half of the Monday after Oxegen harvesting salvageable tents and camping gear to donate to A) less well off scout groups and B) refugee camps around the world. The only thing that’s changed is that tesco, argos and halfords all do cheap disposable tents now that are no good to anyone.
Problem is with mindset. Take for example eating in McDonalds. In other countries you tidy up after yourself out of courtesy. Here in Ireland I’m told that “I’m keeping people out of a job” when I tidy up behind me.
@Kimmixa:
Ive never been told that, I’ve always cleaned up after myself using fast food restaurants (supermacs, KFC, Mc Donald’s).
@Kimmixa: people who say that are only using it as an excuse to be lazy and not clean up after themselves. …
@Suzie Sunshine: And don’t work I bet !!!
I’ve seen a few people incinerate them fairly handily before heading home from any festival.
@Mark O’Connor:
And I reckon if someone had burped at that particular time they could have incinerated themselves as well with all the fumes been let off.
I don’t get why you’d leave your tent behind. Would you leave your clothes and other possessions too? I used to have a much beloved festival that went with me everywhere. Well, mostly Metal festivals in Germany. I had to give it away when I moved countries but made sure I gave it a good home.
@Rui Firmino: most people with a decent tent wouldn’t even dream of leaving it. Problem really lies with cheap single skin tents that are sold as disposable
Sometimes on Monday morning after a festival I like to wrap myself in my tent and pretend I’m a slug
@Richard Slattery: I think the homeless of Ireland might prefer a home in a house, not a tent from someone too lazy to dispose of it themselves.
@Janet Healy: that’s stating the obvious but short of that I know I’d prefer somewhere to keep myself dry and out of the elements instead of sleeping in doorways
@Janet Healy: i expect my dog gave to live in one of those cheap tents let alone a human being
@Ian: *wouldnt
OK here’s an idea maybe get everyone to pack up the tents properly and put them in a big truck at the entrance and send them away to poor countries!
@Linda Hughes: Scouting Ireland used to do that at festivals (I worked Oxegen and EP 2007-2009) but the problem is the tents now are cheap single use ones that can’t be salvaged more often than not
Yes, tents at festivals is the issue. All tents ever will need to be disposed of at some point, starting from that point would be helpful. A much bigger problem is single use coffee cups. Millions used every day in this country and the overwhelming majority are not recyclable or biodegradable.
@Dave O Keeffe: back on the pile – Randy
Ian and Linda. The issue is that the lazy bums that don’t bring the tents home will also not take them down. The tents aren’t dismantled and then left behind, they are just abandoned… the stations would just see empty handed people walk past and see a field full of tents
@Karel Lootens: not sure what stations I have proposed? Unless there’s another Ian you referring to.
My solutions are load everybody’s tickets of cleaning the previous years campground and let the people police themselves, OR, if you check in to festival and are not carrying a tent you get a wristband, if you go to leave not carrying a tent and don’t have a wrist band you get an instant on the spot fine/summons for illegal dumping
@Ian: that’s actually a good idea ..
For these initiatives to work you must make it easy for people. Provide recepticals and visuals and incentives. Charge an extra 10euro for every ticket if you need to set up the correct provisions/litter stewards.
@Sarah Ennis: it’s all ready 250+ to attend electric picnic, to stay in a cabin instead of a tent it’s another 400. Considering I can get 5 nights in new York for 599 it’s hard to justify making festivals more expensive
Here’s a better idea, fund and promote the use and refining of biodegradable plastic.
Some people just dont give a shit. I always bring everything home with me. Over 12,000 scouts attended jamboree in Punchestown 2008 – not one scrap was left behind.
Bleeding hippy’s…..
I have 3 tents, 4 sleeping bags, an inflatable Vango mat and a few other bits that are all abandoned festival gear. If you’re going to ditch it at least leave it in good nick so someone else can reuse it if you won’t!
Why not charge a tent deposit, refundable on exit once it is confirmed you are leaving with your tent. Uncollected tent deposits would cover the cost. There won’t be many tents left behind then.
have your say