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THE LEADER OF the Catholic Church in Ireland has written to Stormont’s Education minister urging him to consider closing Northern Ireland’s schools over coronavirus.
Archbishop Eamon Martin said the St Patrick’s weekend provided a “clear window” for parents to make childminding arrangements ahead of closures, and for schools to make contingency plans.
The move yesterday came on the day the first cases of community transmission of Covid-19 not linked to travel were detected in Northern Ireland.
While schools are closed in the Irish Republic as part of measures to combat Covid-19, disagreement has emerged at the heart of the Stormont executive over when Northern Ireland should follow suit.
Sinn Fein Deputy First Minister Michelle O’Neill has said closures should happen immediately, but DUP First Minister Arlene Foster has insisted the evidence from UK health authorities makes clear it is not the right time for the measure.
The letter from Archbishop Martin was addressed to Peter Weir and also sent to the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS).
An extract of the letter, which has been seen by the PA news agency, said:
“The schools’ break for the Saint Patrick’s weekend provides a clear window of opportunity for parents to make plans for childminding and for schools to consider contingency plans for ongoing tuition and contact with their pupils.
“I feel it is important to give very strong consideration to the closure of all schools in the very near future and on a specific defined date. We need to fight this virus together.”
Health officials in Northern Ireland recorded the biggest increase in numbers affected so far yesterday.
Health service activity will be “significantly curtailed” as doctors and nurses are marshalled to delay the spread of the infection, Health Minister Robin Swann said.
Affected services will include non-urgent outpatient appointments, day cases, inpatient and diagnostic work.
Another nine positive cases were detected on Friday, bringing the total to 29.
The Public Health Agency (PHA) said: “The move from containment to delay is timely as we have now seen our first cases of community transmission in Northern Ireland – three of the nine new cases published today.
“This was expected and highlights the importance of the additional guidance that has been put in place to reduce the spread in our community.”
Wrong time
In response today, Stormont Education Minister Peter Weir has insisted it remains the wrong time to close schools in Northern Ireland.
The minister said: “I respect the position of the Archbishop, particularly given the pastoral responsibilities he has on both sides of the border, and appreciate the sincere good intentions of his letter.
“In discharging these duties in the current extremely difficult and fluid circumstances, I will follow the science and professional advice, to support the right interventions, which will have the greatest impact, at the right time.
Consequently, I accept and support the guidance of the chief medical officer, Public Health Agency and the Scientific Advisory Group in Emergencies (SAGE) that now is not the right time to close schools in Northern Ireland. I will seeking to make contact with the Archbishop, to explain and discuss the matter directly.
Last for months
Foster told PA she was “disappointed but not surprised” by O’Neill’s call for schools to be closed immediately.
She warned that closures could last for five months.
The DUP leader accepted it will happen at some time, but the timing was important to have the maximum impact in flattening the infection’s peak and protecting the elderly and vulnerable.
She said: “Our job is to follow the science and take decisions based on science.”
Foster said some parents on low incomes relied on school meals to feed their children.
Last night the Department of Education told PA it was in discussions with other Stormont departments on how to mitigate the impact of the loss of free school meals for the 97,000 children entitled to them.
Foster said there probably was more confusion following O’Neil’s intervention, and warned A-level exams could be disrupted.
The DUP leader said the peak will be in 14-16 weeks and it was appropriate to take action when science told them to.
“When we receive that advice we will act on that advice and make sure we do everything in our power to try to protect our citizens,” she said.
“Once we close schools the schools will be closed for the summer.”
Swann said health services across the globe are coming under severe pressure.
“Ours is no different,” he said. “We have now started freeing up resources in our health service to provide hospital care for the most seriously ill Covid-19 patients.”
Suspect cancer cases and other urgent care will continue.
Anyone displaying symptoms has been urged to self-isolate.
The devolved department in charge of benefits announced the temporary removal of the three-day waiting period for statutory sick pay.
People who need to self-isolate for medical reasons to protect others will be treated as being ill.
Venues for health services may change as providers try to manage and centralise in a bid to maintain services.
For patients who need a follow-up as outpatients, health authorities are planning for greater use of telephone contact and other digital technology.
Different approach
O’Neill said schools, universities and colleges in Northern Ireland should close.
She claimed the public were concerned and fearful and the difference from the Republic of Ireland’s approach was causing confusion.
The Republic has implemented blanket closures, and teachers just a few miles away from each other across the open Irish border are following different official approaches.
O’Neill said: “Now is the time to take action and ensure the schools, universities and colleges are closed and that needs to happen immediately.”
She said large numbers of parents had decided not to send their children to classes today and the Government needed to listen to the public.
She added: “People are fearful.”
Medical officials in Belfast are wary of acting too soon before there is evidence of community transmission, meaning the path of the virus cannot be traced.
European health authorities and the World Health Organisation have urged early and serious action.
In Ireland, schools, colleges, childcare facilities, museums and other tourist attractions have been closed in a major lockdown aimed at thwarting the spread of the virus and guided by European and scientific experts.
Sinn Fein finance minister Conor Murphy said: “The Executive is very clear that we should and will be doing all in our power to do the best we can to offset the damage that this health issue will bring to everyone.”
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Serve Apple right!
They are a bunch of thugs. They were (not for the first time) caught using unscrupulous methods to kill off any competition.
Thugs is a strong word. What did they do exactly?
Eh jeff Apple employing over 3000 people in Cork!!! Thugs! They have done a huge amount for the local community. I’ll be Supporting local jobs thats for sure and sticking with Apple :)
Thug’s is a strong ok but the essence of the comment is right. Apple for the most part have created nothing new just did things a similar but better way. Steve jobs said it himself they only ever took other peoples ideas and improves them. others are now doing that to apple. and they deal with it through the courts instead of competing on price and product.
as for how many apple employ in Ireland their competitors employ more people here so that’s no basis for supporting either side
sent from my iPhone
first time I saw a tablet pc was on Startrek, Captain Pickard had one long before Apple.
@Ray
You will find everything from the floppy disk,mobile phone through to tablet came from startrek.As much as people give that show some stick it was ahead of its time.
But he was in the future though…time travel?
If it wasn’t for apple we’d all be using crappy symbian OS phones made by Nokia. Whether you love em or hate them they transformed mobile phones and tablet markets.
Well said Jay ;)
Android is older than iOS.
But Android was already in development before Apple started the iPhone and WebOS was already developed. Palm & HTC had been making touch screen phones and personal assistants for years…
Apple just applied their industrial design & UI to other peoples ideas…
They all stole their ideas from Babbage. How can they claim to be adding anything new? Balderdash!
Should be harsher consequences for apple
Maybe, but having to publicly admit they were wrong? Against Samsung? I bet that will sting horribly more than any fine. It will be very interesting to see how they handle this.
Android Rulez…!!!
For Jay. – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smartphone
I didn’t say invent Smartphones..they transformed them…and no one knows whether IOS/Android was first.
Google claim 2005 for Android but iOS was released in 2007 well ahead of it so it’s safe to assume Apple were working on it earlier than 2006 etc..
Either way both make great smartphones and I’ve had both including the very first android phone released.
never liked apple, and I never will… so I’m really happy to see how that case ended :)
Michelle Hennessy is pretty
Big fan of hers!
I have an iPad and a Samsung android phone and I love them both equally.
I am so disappointed with you.
Stick with one technology and look on with contempt at the other…
the most fundamental aspects of the iPhone are the glass top which is based on a compound called gorilla glass that was shelved by the manufacturer and reported after Jobs met its CEO and described what he was trying to do with touch screens – which conveniently leads into multitouch that came from the iPad design that was already on track at iPhone design stage, and scrolling was designed by the kid Jobs hired in the Apple building foyer after he had screwed his job interview on demonstrating a magnify feature that he jade programmed and first appeared aa a feature on the iMac, not to mention iPod integration etc etc. you may not like Jobs end to end integration that is the basis of the Apple walled garden, but consider why so many US businesses use Apple – because everything is simple – understand one device and you simply get the rest – and everything collaborates particularly with the streamlining of iCloud. Btw – I just composed this comment on my Samsung Note :)
Hi pat, I’m due an upgrade and can’t decide between the note or the galaxy s3. I’m going in tomorrow to get the phone. I love the size of the note but worried I might find it to big for one hand so I’m just wondering how you like it, is it comfortable to use. Sorry I know this is off topic but it’s a big decision for me.
I find the Note to be brilliant. I used to carry a notebook everywhere. Now I just ensure that I have my headphones and mic and I notate on the phone. Anything important is synced to Evernote. I like it :)
Thanks Pat.
Jim: have note too as second phone and it’s awesome… It’s not too big once you get used too also there is function to allow one hand typing – keyboard gets smaller and moves to one or another side of the screen allowing one hand typing which is not really possible on this phone with standard keyboard layout. Screen is perfection finally screen that is comfortable even for watching movies and super hd amoled screen beats even iPhone 4. Have s3 too which is my main phone but prefer note to be honest the only reason note is not my 1st phone is that I use it in car mainly as gps device.
Thanks Fizi I think I’ll go for the note, I mostly use my phone for internet so it sounds perfect for me.
Correct me if I’m wrong but the iPad was around before the galaxy tab. If that’s the case then Apple should get the apology. BTW I have an iPad and tried the galaxy tab, there’s no comparison, Apple rules
Unfortunatley for you, the court case wasn’t based around which you think rules or not… It’s about intellectual property. If what you are suggesting is correct, then Microsoft and Fujitsu should sue both Apple & Samsung as they have been producing tablets for years…
True…the ipad was actually being developed back in 2002-04 but Jobs decided to go with the phone first.
This pics came out in the recent trial.
In light of the super interesting comments above could you change the headline to “Apple and Android users in Ireland drop knowledge bombs about how cool Apple and samsung products are. UK judge to reconsider findings.”
Hey Stephen….everyone knows that Apple products are way cooler than Samsung…even the Judge said it in this same case so it must be true :)
Cool vs Cooler. The only thing we can know for certain in this whole debate is that the judge has a streetwise nephew from Philadelphia living with him. Everything else is irrelevant.
I have a windows phone :(
Actually agree with you on that Paul…if anything it was Bill Gates who created the first tablet pc back in 2002 but it was too far ahead of it’s time. Plus running windows :)
Bloomberg ?
There is a little button just above the comments section for reporting a typo or correction
What is the difference that android was first before iOS I have now Samsung galaxy s3 supposedly best android phone on the market and can’t complain about it, but in all fairness iPhone maybe crashed on me once a week, this Samsung crashes daily. Not like complete crash, but whatever application stopped to work do you want to close, wait, etc. os itself is also just smoother on iPhone – you have to be seriously blind to say otherwise. Android not bad thing but when it comes to simplicity and stability it loses with its in my opinion. Feature wise it wins.
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