LAST UPDATE | 6 Jan 2021
THE COUNTRY IS facing even tighter restrictions to curb the spread of Covid-19 as Cabinet met to sign off on new proposals this afternoon.
The closure of schools until February at the earliest has been confirmed, as has the closure of most construction sites.
It comes amid grim new peaks for the virus in Ireland.
Yesterday, over 5,000 new cases of Covid-19 were confirmed. This morning, the number of people in hospital with Covid-19 eclipsed the peak of 881 recorded in April 2020.
We brought all the updates as they happened throughout the day, as the country faces into the most stringent lockdown since the start of the pandemic.
Our political correspondent Christina Finn has more details here on what we can expect in the government’s announcement later.
“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.”
And here’s what we know about international travel:
“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.”
Orla Dwyer has more details here on the now-record number of people in hospital with Covid-19.
There are now 921 people hospitalised with the virus, with 75 in intensive care.
CEO of the HSE Paul Reid said on Twitter that “everyone gets how serious this is now”.
Speaking of ICU beds, there are concerns that the increased pressure on hopsitals could push its intensive care capacity to breaking point.
Michelle Hennessy has details here on how many beds are remaining in the system, as officials admit the health service is “under real threat”.
Minister for Justice Helen McEntee has just tweeted that she has received a positive result for Covid-19.
She said: “In line with our HSE guidance I am isolating. I am continuing to carry out my duties by working remotely including attending Cabinet.
“The information the HSE has shows that pregnant women or their babies are not at a higher risk if we get Covid-19.”
The minister also urged people to follow the public health advice and stay at home.
I was recently tested and have received a positive result for #Covid19. In line with our HSE guidance I am isolating. I am continuing to carry out my duties by working remotely including attending Cabinet.
— Helen McEntee TD (@HMcEntee) January 6, 2021
It’s understood that Minister McEntee attended yesterday’s Cabinet sub-committee meeting remotely.
So there’s not a requirement for anyone else at the meeting – including the Taoiseach and Tánaiste – to self-isolate or be tested as a result of McEntee’s positive result.
Separately, we’ve just had a release in from the Central Statistics Office on monthly unemployment for December 2020.
The CSO says the Covid-19 adjusted unemployment rate for December 2020 was 20.4%. This includes all those in receipt of the Pandemic Unemployment Payment.
Without the PUP taken into account, the unemployment rate for all persons was 7.2%.
Looking at age, the unemployment rate among people aged 15-24 years was 44.8%, according to the CSO.
This is a topic that will soon loom large with the decision to close schools for a prolonged period here.
The BBC is reporting that that the GSCE and A Levels – the equivalent of the Junior and Leaving Cert exams – are set to be cancelled this year in Northern Ireland.
Students due to sit the Leaving Certificate this year, for example, will have missed three months of school last year during the initial lockdown and are now facing into a further period of their school being closed.
AS and A Level examinations to be cancelled too, according to plans from Dept of Education - assembly statement from the minister later this afternoon to confirm https://t.co/ceFyMLV6NE
— Jayne McCormack (@BBCJayneMcC) January 6, 2021
Across the water, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is speaking in the House of Commons.
He’s saying more than one million people across the UK have already received their first vaccination.
There’s also almost 1,000 vaccination centres across the UK, according to the prime minister.
He adds: ““Next week we will also have seven vaccination centres opening in places such as sports stadia and exhibition centres.”
Worth bearing in mind, the UK has already approved two vaccines – Pfizer/BioNTech and Astrazeneca. There is only one vaccine approved in Ireland, and it’ll be many weeks before we see equivalent numbers of people vaccinated here.
In Europe, meanwhile, the European Medicines Agency is meeting again today to discuss the Moderna Covid-19 vaccine.
National capitals have however been pressuring the EMA to issue a green light for the vaccine from Moderna as other nations such as the UK, the US and Israel press ahead.
If approved by the EMA, that’ll clear for the path for Moderna’s rollout in Ireland.
Under agreements already reached, Ireland has been allocated 880,000 doses of this vaccine.
Minister Stephen Donnelly has been speaking on his way into Cabinet.
The Health Minister has said the Covid-19 situation is as serious as it has ever been since the start of the pandemic.
Donnelly added the UK variant of the virus was “far more contagious” than anything else Ireland had dealt with so far.
Speaking on his way into the meeting, Donnelly said: “The situation now to my mind is as serious as it’s been since the start of this.
“We got more evidence last night, it’s still early evidence, but more evidence of the prevalence and the rapid spread of the UK variant. This UK variant is unlike anything we have dealt with in this country so far. We’re seeing what it’s doing in the UK and what it is doing in countries across Europe.
“We know it’s here; the only question is to what level it is here. It is far more contagious than anything we have dealt with so far. So regardless with what Cabinet decides today, everything is focused around one message: which is stay at home.”
Donnelly also advised anyone who was in the vulnerable category to think back to the first lockdown and how everybody behaved.
“Think back to how careful everybody was and how careful everybody became,” he said. “Think like that again but remember this variant is more contagious.”
“We’ve got to look out for each other now. We’ve got to slow this down,” he added.
In the North, Sinn Féin is welcoming the expected announcement calling off the GSCE and A Levels for this year.
The party’s education spokesperson in Northern Ireland Karen Mullan said: “This decision not to go ahead with this year’s GCSE, AS and A-level exams because of the pandemic and the disruption to young people’s education is the right thing to do.
“Exams are stressful at any time but this year young people have been placed under so much more stress and worry as a result of Covid and its impact on their education.
“We now need to see the Education Minister bringing forward credible alternative arrangements which avoid the debacle of last year and recognise the hard work put in by both students and teachers.
“It also needs to be co-ordinated across the island and across these islands to ensure a level playing field for young people and students.”
The aforementioned Moderna vaccine has been APPROVED by the European Medicines Agency.
That paves the way for its rollout in Ireland.
That is good news. It’ll help to boost the numbers receiving vaccines here. 880,000 doses of this vaccine have been allocated to Ireland so far.
Just a reminder of the vaccines Ireland has secured.
The 880,000 doses of Moderna is actually the lowest number of doses from the various deals we’ve secured.
The next in line for EMA approval is the Astrazeneca vaccine. We have 3.3 million doses of that allocated.
But, a decision on this vaccine isn’t likely this month from the EMA as it awaits further data.
The Astrazeneca vaccine began to be used in the UK earlier this week.
The Department of Health has tweeted that the Moderna approval is “great news”.
Great news regarding #COVID19 vaccines https://t.co/gWi1Gw9Mle
— Department of Health (@roinnslainte) January 6, 2021
Regarding what’s expected later.
Ministers are currently meeting to discuss the latest restrictions to bring in. A press conference and perhaps an address from the Taoiseach is due later in the day.
Political correspondent Christina Finn reports that one of the big ticket items up for discussion today is keeping Leaving Cert students in school.
Education Minister Norma Foley will be seeking that permission from Cabinet this afternoon.
There are 61,000 LC students, out of a million students going to school in Ireland. It’s understood that the government is considering how the lost months last year impacted on the LC class, and are eager to avoid that happening again.
Some more on construction now, and the head of the Construction Industry Federation has insisted that essential projects will not be impacted by new Covid-19 restrictions set to be announced today.
Tom Parlon claimed that he has been given assurances by a government minister that work on such projects will be allowed to continue under new public health guidelines.
“Infrastructure like water [and] health projects will continue, education projects will continue, and clearly the big IT, pharma projects and so on,” Parlon told Newstalk Breakfast.
He also hit back at suggestions that construction sites could be unsafe for workers.
“Sites have been exceptionally managed, and the degree of effort put in, both by workers and by site owners… has been absolutely massive,” he said.
Stephen McDermott has more details on that here.
Ahead of the expected ban on click and collect services for shops, Retail Excellence Ireland has issued a statement to say it will have a “disproportionately negative effect on smaller retailers”.
Its managing director Duncan Graham says: “Non-essential retailers closed their doors on New Year’s Eve and have fully complied with what has been asked of them by the Government. It is clear that the country is facing an enormous challenge and of course we acknowledge that the Government must act to halt the spread of Covid-19, but there is little public health risk in allowing customers collect goods from non-essential retailers who remain shuttered because of the lockdown. We feel this move, however well-intentioned to restrict people’s movement, will have a disproportionately negative effect on smaller retailers.
“We need to move now to substantial discussions as to how Government can support retailers particularly in respect of rents and other fixed costs. Many of our members will have been closed for almost half a year by the time we get to the anniversary of the pandemic in March, and they need help urgently if they are to reopen when this emergency passes.”
The Irish Travel Agents Association, meanwhile, has said that it welcomes the expected decision that travellers into Ireland will be required to produce a negative Covid-19 test.
However, ITAA also wants a uniform approach across Europe.
CEO Pat Dawson stated, “First and foremost, the safety and comfort of our customers is paramount to all ITAA member travel agents.
“Some countries have already introduced pre-flight testing, and as our numbers escalate, it is important that we do the same for all arrivals into Ireland. It is essential that a global standard is developed and maintained for these tests so that all relevant parties can adhere to testing protocols.”
Political correspondent Christina Finn has more details on the considerations being made by Cabinet at the moment.
She says: “Childcare services will remain open but only for vulnerable children and the children of essential workers.
“Cabinet considering allowing essential workers form a bubble with another household in order to provide childcare if they do not have an existing arrangement.”
The devil will be in the detail for how all this work when announced by the government later.
Childcare services will remain open but only for vulnerable children and the children of essential workers.
— Christina Finn (@christinafinn8) January 6, 2021
Cabinet considering allowing essential worker form a bubble with another household in order to provide childcare if they do not have an existing arrangement
The proposal before Cabinet is for non-essential construction to be allowed to finish this week, ending at 6pm on Friday.
Donohoe said keeping construction open will be a very important part of how we can help our economy recover as we move through the year.
— Christina Finn (@christinafinn8) January 6, 2021
Housing Minister Darragh O'Brien told @thejournal_ie before Xmas that construction was an essential service https://t.co/z1wiIuX3WF
HSE chief clinical officer Dr Colm Henry is speaking to RTÉ’s News at One.
He says it’s not so much the numbers as the trends are causing “great concern”.
He says hospitals are seeing a “system under pressure” and that the numbers in hospital will peak within the next two weeks.
Dr Henry also said that the system can maintain “good quality intensive care of up to 350 bed”.
He added: “But beyond that it would be difficult, and not something we would want to see.”
And that’s all from me for the moment. I leave you in the more than capable hands of Christina Finn.
Over to you, Christina.
Good afternoon folks. Political Correspondent Christina Finn here to bring you through the latest.
Cabinet are still meeting, but a press conference is expected to be held at Government Buildings at 3pm today.
Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has tweeted about how the Moderna vaccine will give a boost to Ireland’s vaccine numbers.
Good news. Once delivered, it should allow us to increase the number of people we vaccinate by an extra c.10k per week https://t.co/PaCOY9yile
— Leo Varadkar (@LeoVaradkar) January 6, 2021
Sinn Féin’s Louise O’Reilly speaking on RTÉ’s News at One says it is freezing and bitter cold right now, so there will be demands on peoples’ money in terms of staying warm this winter.
She said the government needs to ensure that people can keep their homes warm if they are being asked to stay home.
O’Reilly said bills will be coming in for people after Christmas, and it is a time of year people would often take extra shifts to pay off their bills.
She wants to hear from Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe about what they plan to do for those people who won’t be able to pay their mortgages or pay their rent.
People will be in cold houses unless the government steps in to ensure they can keep their homes warm, she said.
On RTÉ’s News at One, Stefan de Keersmaecker, European Commission spokesperson on Public Health and Food Safety, defends the pace of EU vaccine roll out.
He says EMA has already sped up their process and it wants to be certain on effectiveness and safety before giving any approvals.
While Cabinet discusses allowing Leaving Cert students into school three days a week, over the in the UK it has been announced that teacher assessments will replace GCSE and A-level exams this summer, according to Sky News
President Ann Piggott of the teaching union ASTI tells RTÉ’s Brian Dobson that she was not aware of today’s Cabinet proposal to keep students in school 3-days a week.
There’s no doubt this will be a tough month financially for many.
Social Protection Minister Heather Humphreys has brought a memo to Cabinet today to keep the current Pandemic Unemployment Payment (PUP) rates in place until 31 March.
The PUP is currently paid at four rates based on a person’s previous income. The weekly rates are €350, €300, €250 and €203.
The government originally planned to reduce these rates on 1 February. However, it was previously indicated that this would not happen if the pandemic situation worsened.
You can find out more here.
While Cabinet is still ongoing, those in Opposition are raising a number of concerns.
Aontú leader Peadar Tóibín TD has called on the Department of Health to clarify the status of the ‘Be On Call For Ireland’ database that was first launched in back in March.
He said back at the start of the crisis, Minister Simon Harris and the HSE launched a campaign to ‘Be on Call for Ireland’, with an excess of 70,000 people signing up.
However, by August, only 200 had been given a role in the health service, he said. The situation in hospitals across the country right now is bleak, with huge shortages of staff, due the high volumes of staff who are at home either sick with Covid-19 or because they’ve been identified as close contacts of someone who has tested positive, he added.
Meanwhile, Sinn Féin spokesperson on Justice, Martin Kenny TD, has today called for an urgent review into the operation of the Irish Prison Service.
“The incidence of Covid-19 within the community is now extremely high, and the likelihood of keeping the virus out of all settings is becoming smaller as a result,” he said.
His colleague, Darren O’Rourke has today called for online driver theory tests to be extended to all categories of learner drivers, to help deal with the growing backlog of those learning to drive.
He said theory tests centres are currently closed under Level 5, meaning the waiting list for this vital service is growing by the day. The latest figures we have show over 65,000 waiting on the theory test, he said.
We are expecting the press conference with Taoiseach, Micheál Martin, Tánaiste, Leo Varadkar, and the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, Eamon Ryan to kick off at around 3pm, so I will leave you in the capable hands of Sean Murray again.
Stay with us for all the latest.
Cheers Christina!
As I start back, at the top of my emails is a press release from the PSNI containing details of a rather nasty scam.
It says: “Police are aware of a new phishing text message scam circulating telling people that they are ‘eligible’ for the Covid 19 vaccination. The scam message reads “we have identified that you are eligible to apply for your vaccine” and links to a convincing, but fake, NHS page which then asks for bank details.
“If you receive a text or email that asks you to click on a link or for you to provide information, such as your name, credit card or bank details, it’s a likely to be a scam. Scams can come in many forms and this one is just the latest attempt by fraudsters to exploit the pandemic for financial gain.”
Police in the North urged people never to give out personal information, banking details or passwords in response to an email, text or phone call without verifying the caller is who they say they are. It also urges people not to open attachments or click links from people they don’t know.
A further update from HSE CEO Paul Reid on the activity from testing and tracing teams in recent weeks.
He says: “Last week our testing & tracing teams did over 164,000 swabs & 160,000 lab tests. They made 95,500 contact tracing calls.”
Reid added that staff had done a “remarkable job” over Christmas and the New Year.
Last week our testing & tracing teams did over 164,000 swabs & 160,000 lab tests. They made 95,500 contact tracing calls. (In the middle of Dec. we had to make 4,0000 calls). "Everyone" involved has done a remakable job over the Christmas and New Year. #proud #COVID19 @HSELive
— Paul Reid (@paulreiddublin) January 6, 2021
A point being raised by Sinn Féin finance spokesperson Pearse Doherty in the last few minutes, regarding the Employment Wage Subsidy Scheme.
Rates of subsidy payment under EWSS are due to be cut substantially after January 31 for hundreds of thousands of workers & their employers. Given current restrictions the Gov must extend existing rates out to at least March 31 to provide certainty to workers & avoid job losses.
— Pearse Doherty (@PearseDoherty) January 6, 2021
The Garda Representative Association (GRA), meanwhile, has said that gardaí should be made “high priority” for vaccine rollout.
Its newly-appointed president Frank Thornton said this afternoon that he and his organisation have received multiple reports from serving gardaí who have either contracted the disease or who are self-isolating as a result of their colleagues becoming infected.
Thornton said the significant increase in the number of cases nationwide has shown the “increased danger of exposure faced by our members and their families”.
He said it also points to the risk of resources being stretched at a time when the need for gardaí to police the pandemic has increased.
Garreth MacNamee has more details on that here.
Health Minister Stephen Donnelly is happy with the Moderna vaccine approval.
He says between now and the end of February, we’re due to receive 40,000 doses of the Pfizer vaccine a week. Logistics of the Moderna one have yet to be finalised.
Great to see a second vaccine -Moderna - get approval from the EU medicines agency. Here's an update on our national vaccine rollout plan. pic.twitter.com/IoaIaN9zPc
— Stephen Donnelly (@DonnellyStephen) January 6, 2021
It’s also understood that Minister for Arts, Catherine Martin has contacted broadcasters RTÉ and TG4 about ensuring educational programming restarts immediately as schools close again.
We’ve a statement in from Bord Gáis Energy to say that its disconnection moratorium will remain in place for the duration of the current Level 5 restrictions.
It means no business or residential customer will be disconnected for non-payment at this time.
And no sign yet of the government announcement.
So the Cabinet meeting – which was going on over three hours – has finished.
We’re expecting the press conference soon enough now.
Minister for Education Norma Foley is expected to join the Taoiseach, Tánaiste and Minister Eamon Ryan at the press conference due soon.
But indications also are it may be closer to 4pm until it starts now.
As previously indicated by our political correspondent Christina Finn, it is expected that schools will close for the rest of the month BUT they will remain open three days a week for Leaving Cert students only.
While we wait, here’s some statistics from Northern Ireland health minister Robin Swann on the vaccination programme there so far.
– Around 50,000 people have received a first dose;
– 91% of care home residents have been vaccinated;
– 30,000 healthcare staff have been jabbed;
– Some 504 boxes of AstraZeneca, representing 50,400 doses, have been received;
– 45 GP practices have been given the vaccine to administer to their staff and the over-80s;
– From the start of the next week all practices will have received 100 doses;
– By 18 January more doses are expected to be received from AstraZeneca.
And we’re still waiting on this government press conference.
Any minute now. The four podiums are set up in the press centre at government buildings.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin will also be speaking to David McCullagh on the Six One News on RTÉ One tonight.
This all feels very 2020 doesn’t it?
A bit of light relief from The42.ie’s Gavin Cooney here. It’s understood Cabinet have signed off.
Hearing Cabinet have agreed to limit the number of notable GAA retirements to three per day until 31 January
— Gavin Cooney (@gcooney93) January 6, 2021
Some topical content for anyone who has received the pandemic unemployment payment or was on the wage subsidy over the past 10 months.
Next week, you’ll find out what income tax you owe.
Ian Curran has more details on it here.
“People have been giving up so much for long, we may lose sight of why we are doing this,” the Taoiseach begins.
He says he wants to begin by outlining the why.
He describes a “tsunami of infection that eclipses the first wave”.
He says the new variant can lead to rapid growth.
“That’s why we must dig deep in ourselves and face the coming month with steely determination and resolve,” Martin says, adding we have to flatten the curve once again.
Our actions will directly affect how many people get sick and die, he says.
“The lockdown we are introducing today is designed to reflect that stark and simple reality,” he says. “You simply must stay at home.”
Micheál Martin confirms schools will close, except for special schools and for Leaving Cert students who can attend three days a week.
“This has been a difficult decision,” he says, adding the evidence shows that schools remain safe environments.
“We must stop as much mobility within the country as we can for at least the next three weeks,” he says.
Note, he said the words “at least three weeks”. That brings us to the end of January at the earliest.
He says childcare facilities can remain open for vulnerable children and the children of essential workers.
Martin says we may be entering the most challenging phase of this crisis.
He says our personal responsibility and behaviour are key to getting through this.
“When even a small minority ignore the guidelines, the wider impact can be incredibly serious,” the Taoiseach says.
He mentions Mariter Tarugo, a healthcare assistant who passed away from Covid-19 on Christmas Eve.
He says each of us has a responsibility to do right by frontline workers like Mariter, and do what we can to protect them.
Tánaiste Leo Varadkar speaking now.
He says the pandemic unemployment payment will remain at current rates until the end of March, as will the employment wage subsidy scheme.
He says the government is drawing on €2 billion set aside in Budget 2021 for contingencies to do with the pandemic or Brexit.
“In the darkest moments there is always hope,” Varadkar says, referencing the vaccine.
He says we may potentially be able to provide the jab to 60,000 people a week in February.
He says until we can inoculate those most at risk, we have to follow the public health advice.
“January is the month in which we all stay in,” the Tánaiste adds.
Minister for Transport Eamon Ryan up now.
He says there’ll be a requirement on all passengers coming from the UK to have a negative PCR test within the 72 hours before travelling.
Anyone who turns up to an Irish airport without that could face a fine of maximum €2,500 or up to six months imprisonment.
It’ll apply to just the UK at first but will be broadened out in future, he says.
Minister for Education Norma Foley now.
He says the measures closing schools will support “what society needs to do”.
“It is important to acknowledge from the end of August to 22 December, schools have in the main remained safe places,” she says.
She says 75% of schools haven’t had interaction with public health in that time.
The measures introduced today are a “consequence of the needs of society to limit the movements of society”. She says the education sector is “generously making this gesture” so as to support society to do “what it needs to do”.
The Irish National Teachers Organisation has issued a statement. It opens with the following subject line: “Rushed and reckless decision on reopening special educational settings risks undermining public health objectives.”
Here’s more of what they’ve had to say:
Minister Foley says it’s the “overwhelming wish” from education stakeholders that the Leaving Cert goes ahead this year.
She says that during Level 5 in November, those who wanted to sit their Leaving Cert could do so and it went off “without a hitch”.
It’ll be up to schools which three days they designate for Leaving Cert students to come in.
The Taoiseach says there may be an issue with people circumventing this requirement to have a test if travelling from the UK as they could travel to Belfast and then over the border.
He says that around 41% of imported cases from Britain were of the new variant, based on recent analysis.
Another teachers union has sent in a statement to express its views.
The Teachers Union of Ireland (TUI) says it’s “expressed serious concern around both the health and safety risks and logistical problems posed by the move”.
It has echoed the statement from the INTO that the department didn’t engage on the decision.
TUI president Martin Marjoram says: “This premature decision of Government is deeply damaging to the trust and confidence that has allowed us to keep schools open since September, despite the various problems. Our members do not have trust and confidence that opening schools to Leaving Certificate students as is proposed can be safely achieved under the current circumstances.
“We are seriously concerned by both the health and safety risks and logistical problems posed by this move at this time.
“As we represent the staff who will be at risk next week, it is also completely unacceptable that we were only consulted by the Department of Education after this proposal was brought to Cabinet.”
On the Leaving Cert, Social Democrats education spokesperson Gary Gannon has issued a statement to say that while it’s important, “we should not be sending tens of thousands of students back to school at any cost”.
He says: “The Minister and Government seem to have a fixation with the Leaving Certificate, as if it’s the most important thing that can happen within our education system.
“We should be using the space created by the Covid-19 crisis to look at permanently reforming the Leaving Certificate so it is more fit for purpose.”
Tánaiste Leo Varadkar has just the press conference that he expects the numbers on the pandemic unemployment payment could be between 450,000 and 500,000 by the end of the month.
Yesterday, the Department of Social Protection said that 335,600 would receive a PUP this week.
The Taoiseach has said that no publican should be selling takeaway pints.
“Forget about takeaway pints,” he says. “This is a very serious situation we’re in. It leads to congregation, it leads to gathering of people which can spread the virus.”
Here’s the Taoiseach’s comments on takeaway pints.
“Forget about takeaway pints”
— RTÉ News (@rtenews) January 6, 2021
Taoiseach says government have a clear message in relation to the selling of takeaway alcoholic drinks. | Follow live updates: https://t.co/MO56HKlpOK pic.twitter.com/kjCyCsppYC
Stark message from Leo Varadkar when asked about how long some businesses could be closed for.
“If I was running a business right now, I’d be considering the possibility I’d be closed until the end of March,” he says.
“If we adhere to these guidelines… hunker down and stay at home, we can turn this around,” Martin says.
Varadkar adds that – “in case I put the heart cross ways into people” – everything will be reviewed at the end of January, but says we “won’t be out of the woods then”.
The Taoiseach has also said that construction on private houses can be completed if “nearly finished”.
The Taoiseach is asked about the takeaway pints again. He reiterates that they shouldn’t be being sold.
“Forget about selling pints on the streets,” he says again.
On the provision of childcare to essential workers – and how that can work – Martin says that the Minister for Children will be liaising with the sector.
Childhood Services Ireland, a group which represents the childcare secor, has issued a statement.
Its director Darragh Whelan says: “The safety of our children and staff is our top priority, so we welcome the Government’s decision to allow childcare services to remain open for frontline and essential workers and vulnerable children. We are committed to playing our part as we move into this new phase in our battle against Covid-19.”
However, the group is also concerned that closing childcare facilities for all but the children of frontline and essential workers and for vulnerable children will leave a major funding gap for providers.
Whelan adds: “Childcare providers are being asked to remain open with hugely reduced occupancy, but they won’t be able to do this long term unless funding is available for them to do so.”
Some more political reaction on the school closures.
Sinn Féin’s Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire says that the lack of a plan B has been “badly exposed”.
He says: “The government had nine months to plan. Schools have been reopened since September. They have failed to plan for the event in which schools would have to close.
“This has led to a situation where plans are being cobbled together, and that representatives of school workers are informed last minute of what is happening.
“Regarding Leaving Cert students attending from the 11th, in my view, it is premature when you consider the numbers still rising drastically.”
Labour, meanwhile, wants to ensure the decision to allow Leaving Cert students still attend school has been sanctioned by NPHET.
Education spokesperson Aodhán Ó Ríordáin says: “This government is firefighting issues as they arise rather than following best practice. The plans for this eventuality should have been drafted and ready to avoid a blanket closure of schools. The Department asked every school to have a critical incident policy, yet it seems to have none of its own.
“As the Children’s Ombudsman said this morning, the government must step up and do everything possible to protect vulnerable students at this time. All students are being negatively impacted by school closures, but there is no doubt that disadvantaged students and students with special needs are being profoundly affected by being out of school.
“I am calling on the government and NPHET to really consider the evidence and investigate the possibility of allowing small cohorts of additional groups including the children of frontline healthcare workers attend school, as has been facilitated by our peers in the UK.”
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Minister Heather Humphreys has confirmed that funding for the school meals programme will remain in place during the current period of school closures.
She says: “As Minister for Social Protection, I recognise the importance of the school meals programme as a support for school-going children. I would like to re-assure parents that the funding for school meals will continue to enable children to receive food while schools are closed.”
The department added that the arrangements will not change from when schools closed previously: namely that the schools may continue to avail of the funding and they may continue to provide food consistent with normal funding terms and conditions. Schools must ensure that they continue to satisfy all public health guidelines.
Fórsa trade union, which represents more than 12,000 staff in schools around the country including special needs assistants and school secretaries, has said the government plans for special education are “unrealistic”.
Its head of education Andy Pike has said: “There are a number of factors to consider here, starting with the responsibility of employers to provide a safe working environment for all employees.
“In this respect, re-opening special schools and classes presents challenges that just cannot be met. Social distancing isn’t possible and bus transport poses a significant risk of Covid transmission while community infection rates remain high.”
Pike added that union officials will meet tonight, and will issue advice to members as early as possible tomorrow.
Adrian Cummins, from the Restaurant Association of Ireland, has tweeted that his organisation is calling on its members to adhere to the Taoiseach’s request to cease takeaway pints “in the best interest of public health grounds during this national emergency”.
⚠️Statement
— Adrian Cummins 🇮🇪🇪🇺 (@adriancummins) January 6, 2021
The Restaurants Association of Ireland 🇮🇪 @RAI_ie is calling on its members to adhere to Taoiseach @MichealMartinTD request to cease takeaway pints in the best interest of public health grounds during this National Emergency 🚨
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